Life in the Holy Spirit

Through the Good News of God’s love for us in Jesus, the Holy Spirit creates faith in our once dead hearts, making us alive in Christ and enabling us to do life with God. 

Luther put it like this:
I believe that on my own I can never come to Jesus Christ my Lord, or believe in him, no matter how hard I try.  But the Holy Spirit has called me to Jesus by the good news about him.  The Spirit has led me to know and trust Jesus, made me holy, and kept me in the Christian faith.   Luther’s Small Catechism, (Openbook 1996), 14.

From beginning to end, the entire Christian life is by the Holy Spirit:

• In baptism, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, are joined to Jesus, and become God’s children (Acts 2:38, Rom 6:3-4, Gal 3:26).
• Our confession: “Jesus is LORD” is by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3).
• The Holy Spirit prays for us, and helps us to pray (Rom 8:26-27).
• By the Spirit, we cry out as God’s children: “Abba, Father!” (Rom 8:15-16).
• By the Holy Spirit, we put to death our selfish human nature; and bear the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,…(ala Gal 5:22, cf Rom 6:1-14, Rom 8:5-14).
• The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts to serve others in love - so the body of Christ will grow into the fullness of Christ (1 Cor 12:4-14, Eph 4:16).
• The Spirit who raised Jesus will also give all believers eternal life (Rom 8:11).

The fullness of life that Jesus promised is only possible by the Holy Spirit.  When it comes to participating in God’s good plans for his world, it’s not about me, my strength, or my abilities.  It’s about God’s gift of life in the Spirit.  

Rolly Stahl

This Sunday at Good Shepherd
This week’s message is “Succeeding in spite of your circumstances (Joseph)”
as we start a new series “Making your life count”
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Bible Readings: Genesis 37:1-36, Genesis 45:4-8     

Bibles for Kool Zone
We would love to buy a set of Bibles for Kool Zone to use each week in their time together on Sundays! We would love a set of 10 Hardcover CEV Level 66 Illustrated Youth Bibles as this is what the school also uses; they are $29.99 each from Koorong. If your family would like to donate one of these Bibles, please buy it and we would love you to write a message in it from your family and leave it in the sign in desk draws. If you would like to donate money towards these Bibles, please put your offering in the box on the Kingdom Kids sign in desk.

Calling All Creative People
Are you interested in sharing ideas, vision and creativity, or would you like to help with planning and pulling together events for the Children and Family Ministry? We would love to get together a team of people who can help provide this support for the ministry. If God has gifted you with creativity, drama, ideas and vision, or you have a passion for the ministry and enjoy working with kids then we need and want you! Please have a chat with me, or just contact me with your interest via email, phone or in person!

Kindy Zone Team Leader
We are still praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of the team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat!

Playgroup Coordinator
We are still praying for someone who would love to coordinate Little Lambs Playgroup. Please consider if this might be you or if you can help in any way and get in touch with me for more info (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au).

Beth Einthal
Children and Family Team Leader

Prayer Requests:
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchequiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

AUSTRALIA BIGGEST MORNING TEA
Please join us for morning tea on FRIDAY 20th JUNE, 9.30am, in the church hall.  Come along for a scrumptious morning tea and chat, and help us fund raise for the Cancer Council. 

Cebu Mission Fundraising News

Scone Day is our next Fundraiser on Sunday 29th June. Freshly baked scones will be available after both morning services. Only $1 each, including jam and cream. All proceeds go to Cebu Mission in the Philippines.

Many thanks to all who supported our Sausage Sizzle and Steak Sandwich day; we raised the wonderful amount of $386.85.  Thanks also to Betty Schwarz for donating $56 from the sale of her plants and thanks to Charlotte and Jeanne Conradie for the donation of $85 from the sale of their muffins. All monies go to Cebu Mission.

This year, unfortunately there will not be a winter time Plant Stall. However, we still plan to have a Springtime Plant Stall on 14th and 21st of September. So if you have plants to divide up from your pots or garden, start potting up now for the September sale.

From the Office

Budget 2014

Notes:

• Offerings for April were $2,883 below budget. This is the largest below budget figure for the year.
• In comparison to 2013, we are around $17,000 above actual Offerings to end of May 2013, which is an encouraging trend.
• We are $5,894 behind budget after May 2014.  At the end of May 2013 we were $8,800 behind budget.
• Please remember to prayerfully consider your offerings.

• Income is under budget through April due to offerings slightly under budget.
• Most expenses have again been kept under budget.
• Support expense was over budget as Valley View chaplaincy was paid and administration over budget as it included some rebranding costs for stationery.
• Plant expenses are now back on track.

Vacancy
An opportunity exists for two willing persons local to the church to become third contacts to respond to any security alarm events needing investigation at the church. Work may be at random hours and in most cases to date have been proven honest operator error.

However these incidents do require a physical check of the facilities to ensure security is maintained. All expressions of interest please contact Stephen or the office on 8263 5087 or mark security on your connect card.

Facilities and Equipment
Here at Good Shepherd, we are blessed with a facility that is second to none - with the equipment to carry out various ministries that fulfil our mission. As stewards of what God has given us, we seek to look after our equipment and take care of our facilities.

Nobody cares as much as you when you come to use equipment and it fails or find a room that’s been left in an unacceptable state. So please try and leave what you use in a better state or condition than when you found it and report any weekday issues to the office. There is also a communications folder in the kitchen to the right of the door as you enter from the passage that is available at all times.

These are simple ways of showing courtesy to others and working together for the good of all!

Stephen
Administration Manager

School Opening and Dedication of New Facilities
The opening and dedication of our new facilities will take place on Friday June 20 from 8.45am.
Join us for Chapel, followed by the official opening.  The doors to this innovative new space will be opened for the first time.  After touring the facility, guests, parents and friends will be encouraged to stay on and celebrate Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea in the church hall.

Noticeboard

Sweet Aussie Grown Dried Apricots for sale
$10.50 a 500g bag. The apricots are grown without any sprays, but do have Sulphur preservatives. They come straight from the grower so have not been rehydrated. More apricots, less water for your money while supporting Ministries in Tonga through Nazcare Aust Inc.

Shed Night
Tuesday 17th June from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Tilly Recreation Park Hall, Cnr Yatala Vale and Hancock Roads, Surrey Downs. This is an alcohol free event and you are invited to bring your father, son or friend along. For more information, please contact Jim on 0438 899 629.

Royal Adelaide Show Outreach
The Bible League is looking for volunteers to help at the Royal Adelaide show. For more information, please contact Con Schlenk at conschlenk@adam.com.au

Grassroots Training Workshops – June & July 2014
Dates and course are available on the Church Noticeboard.

Connecting with Adults with Intellectual Disability
The workshop ‘Connecting with Adults with Intellectual Disability’ will address this issue, providing practical insights for any individual or organisation wanting to improve in this area - sporting club, workplace, church or community group.   It will explore etiquette and language, effective communication, how best to meet access needs, and attitudes around inclusion and individual contribution.

Lutheran Disability Services is conducting this workshop on Tuesday, 1st July from 6.30-9.30pm at Barossa Enterprises, 27 Samuel Road, Nuriootpa.  Cost is $15, which includes materials and refreshments.

Please direct all enquiries and enrolments to LDS on 8212 7766 or admin@ldssa.org.au

“Christians are like coals of fire,

together they glow;  apart they grow cold”

Staying Connected

At our last house in Sydney we had a climbing Banksia Rose across the back fence of the house. After being scratched by it repeatedly I decided to prune it. The plant had now spread across a fair section of our back fence. My wife had encouraged this sprawl by threading the new shoots in and out of the mesh fence. Whilst this had been very effective in helping the plant to spread, the branches were now so intertwined that it was impossible to tell which branch was connected to what.

I attacked the plant with all the vigour of Indiana Jones hacking his way through vines in the jungle. After a couple of hours I had cut the rose back to a respectable level. It was great to be able to walk past it without getting my shirt caught in it or my arm scratched by it. However, after a couple of weeks my carelessness in the pruning stage began to show. A few of the green branches extending down the fence from the original trunk slowly began to turn brown and die. As I looked closely I could see that I had cut them off from the trunk. They were no longer connected to their water and food supply and so they died.

Jesus used this same analogy for our relationship with him. He said, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stayed joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you can’t do anything without me.” (John 15:5) Real life is found in Jesus. As we connect with him and grow in our relationship with him we will experience what it really means to live. Alternatively, if we remain separate from him, our lives will invariably begin to wither and dry up just like the branches I had cut off from the main trunk.

The danger is that we can outwardly appear to be connected to Jesus when inwardly our heart is far from him. We can be like the branches on my newly pruned Banksia Rose that looked alive and connected to the trunk but in reality were cut off and dying. It is only a matter of time before the lack of connection starts to show.

While the branches on my climbing rose became disconnected from the trunk in a matter of moments, our disconnection from Jesus tends to happen very gradually. As our times of Bible reading and prayer become less frequent; as our attendance at church becomes less and less; as our focus shifts to other things; we can reach a point where we feel distant and cut off from Jesus.

While Jesus promises to always be with us, our sense of connection to his presence can feel non-existent.

The good news is that Jesus is always ready to re-establish our connection with him. All it takes is for us to acknowledge our disconnection, ask for his forgiveness and turn back to him. As we do this we find Jesus still there ready to embrace us with his love.

How is your connection with Jesus? Are you in danger of becoming disconnected? What can you do to turn that around? Joining us this Sunday to celebrate Pentecost will be one step towards this. I hope you can make it.

Pastor Noel Kluge

This Sunday at Good Shepherd
This week’s message is “Wait, there’s more” as we finish the series “Is this all there is?”
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au 

Bible Readings: Acts 1:3-8; Luke 11:9-13

Kingdom Kids
This week Kingdom Kids will be looking at and learning about these topics:

• Baby Zone – God Cares for Me
• Kindy Zone – Growing God's family (Acts 9:19-31)
• Kids Zone – Using our gifts with love (1 Corinthians 13:1-8)
• Kool Zone – Unity and Love (Ephesians 4:1-16)

Bibles for Kool Zone
We would love to buy a set of Bibles for Kool Zone to use each week in their time together on Sundays! We would love a set of 10 Hardcover CEV Level 66 Illustrated Youth Bibles as this is what the school also uses; they are $29.99 each from Koorong. If your family would like to donate one of these Bibles, please buy it and we would love you to write a message in it from your family and leave it in the sign in desk draws. If you would like to donate money towards these Bibles, please put your offering in the box on the Kingdom Kids sign in desk. Let’s all join together to help our Kool Zone kids grow in The Word together!

Calling All Creative People
Are you interested in sharing ideas, vision and creativity, or would you like to help with planning and pulling together events for the Children and Family Ministry? We would love to get together a team of people who can help provide this support for the ministry. If God has gifted you with creativity, drama, ideas and vision, or you have a passion for the ministry and enjoy working with kids then we need and want you! Please have a chat with me, or just contact me with your interest via email, phone or in person!

Kindy Zone Team Leader
We are still praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of the team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat!

Playgroup Coordinator
We are still praying for someone who would love to coordinate Little Lambs Playgroup. Please consider if this might be you or if you can help in any way and get in touch with me for more info (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au).

Beth Einthal
Children and Family Team Leader

Prayer Requests:
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchequiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Noticeboard

Sweet Aussie Grown Dried Apricots for sale
$10.50 a 500g bag. The apricots are grown without any sprays, but do have Sulphur preservatives. They come straight from the grower so have not been rehydrated. More apricots, less water for your money while supporting Ministries in Tonga through Nazcare Aust Inc.

Wear Something Purple
on 15th June 2014 to show your support for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Shed Night
Tuesday 17th June from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Tilly Recreation Park Hall, Cnr Yatala Vale and Hancock Roads, Surrey Downs. This is an alcohol free event and you are invited to bring your father, son or friend along. For more information, please contact Jim on 0438 899 629.

Friends of Lutheran Archives
Margaret Koch will tell us the untold story of Lutheran pastoral ministry on Eyre Peninsula 1907 – 1957. Come along to Bethlehem House, Sudholz Place City, Monday 23rd June, 7.30pm. Supper, gold coin donation. All welcome.

Cafe Mission Coordinator
Hahndorf St Michaels Congregation, SA - 18hrs/wk
For further details go to: http://www.lca.org.au/employment-opportunities.html     

Experienced network and SharePoint administrator
Full time position North Adelaide Location. Start Immediately.
Closing date for applications: 13th June 2014
Please see Church Noticeboard for more details

Grassroots Training Workshops – June & July 2014
Dates and course are available on the Church Noticeboard.

Adelaide Hymnfest
Bible Society invites you to join with us for an afternoon of singing favourite hymns.
Free Admission on Sunday 27th July 2014, 2.30pm at St Peters Anglican Cathedral, King William St, North Adelaide.  A collection will be taken for the work of the Bible Society in China

How to Train Your Dragon 2
Presented by the Schools Ministry Group in partnership with local churches. All funds raised go to support the Christian Pastoral Support Program (formerly chaplains) in our local state school. Saturday 21 June, 2.30pm at Hoyts Tea Tree Plaza.
Pre purchase Tickets are available online at www.trybooking.com/EZUZ. Tickets prices are $18.00 (adult), $16.00 (student) and $14.00 (child) which are less than box office prices.

“The winds of grace are always blowing,
but you have to raise the sail.”

Guiding Light

I was talking with one of my young people recently about the stresses of Year 10. She shared that at the beginning of the year the teachers sat them down and told them every piece of work- every test, assignment, essay and exam- that they would be doing over the course of the year. She said it was overwhelming and that it would have been nicer if the teachers told them about the work load step by step rather than all at once.

I started to think about all the times I have asked God to give me a detailed plan of my future.
I often find myself wondering where God wants me to be in 10 years and praying that He’ll tell me right now every step I need to take to get there. I’m guessing I’m not alone in my frustration when it doesn’t happen. But this conversation made me consider how overwhelmed I would be if God actually did what I asked Him to, if He told me everything that was going to happen in my life or even if He told me everything that was going to happen this year. I still wish God would give me a little more to work with.

Psalm 119:105 says that God’s word is a lamp unto our feet. Did you catch that? The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet. It doesn’t say it is a beacon into the future. It doesn’t even say it is a street lamp that will help you get to the next corner. It says a lamp unto our feet. This means that it will illuminate our next step or two but not much further. Following a light that only allows you to see the next step may not be the easiest way to get to your destination but it is possible to make the whole trip this way.

I was driving in the Adelaide Hills one night and it was unbelievably foggy. My headlights were barely lighting up more than a metre in front of my car. I hate this kind of driving, it scares me. I like to see further into the distance. I like to see any obstacles or bends in the road so that I can safely navigate them. But with teeth gritted and knuckles white on the steering wheel, I made it to my destination. I could only see a metre in front of me the entire time and, although I didn’t like it, I made the whole trip that way.

My journey with God is often like that. I find myself wishing I could see further into the future or see any obstacles that are coming my way. But I know that I can make the whole journey with only enough light to see the next step. This way I am depending on God for each step and not getting overwhelmed by the things that He has for me far in the distance. Let’s face it, if God gave me enough light to see even the next months’ worth of steps I would be very tempted to do it without Him or maybe to go a different way.

It can be pretty scary feeling like you are walking into the unknown. Thankfully we have a God who not only gives us a light unto our feet, but also offers to walk with us and guide us every step of the way.

For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end. Psalm 48:14

Sophie Gerrie

This Sunday at Good Shepherd
This week’s message is “Loneliness: When there’s no one to share with” as we continue the series “Is this all there is?” Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Bible Readings: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Luke 19:1-9

Kingdom Kids
This week Kingdom Kids will be looking at and learning about these topics:

• Baby Zone – God Cares for Me
• Kindy Zone – Chosen and changed (Acts 9:1-19)
• Kids Zone – All part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)
• Kool Zone – Phillip tells about Jesus (Acts 8:26-40)

Bibles for Kool Zone
We would love to buy a set of Bibles for Kool Zone to use each week in their time together on Sundays! We would love a set of 10 Hardcover CEV Level 66 Illustrated Youth Bibles as this is what the school also uses; they are $29.99 each from Koorong. If your family would like to donate one of these Bibles, please buy it and we would love you to write a message in it from your family and leave it in the sign in desk draws. If you would like to donate money towards these Bibles, please put your offering in the box on the Kingdom Kids sign in desk. Let’s all join together to help our Kool Zone kids grow in The Word together!

Calling All Creative People
Are you interested in sharing ideas, vision and creativity, or would you like to help with planning and pulling together events for the Children and Family Ministry? We would love to get together a team of people who can help provide this support for the ministry. If God has gifted you with creativity, drama, ideas and vision, or you have a passion for the ministry and enjoy working with kids then we need and want you! Please have a chat with me, or just contact me with your interest via email, phone or in person!

Kindy Zone Team Leader
We are still praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of the team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat!

Playgroup Coordinator
We are still praying for someone who would love to coordinate Little Lambs Playgroup. Please consider if this might be you or if you can help in any way and get in touch with me for more info (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au).

Beth Einthal - Children and Family Team Leader

Prayer Requests:
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchequiries@paravista.org.au with your request.
 
Report on AGM

1. The audited Financial Statement for 2013 was presented and accepted by the meeting. There was a deficit of $961 for 2013. The members were thanked for their generous financial support of the mission of the congregation as was the Finance Team for all their work preparing and monitoring the budget.
2. Senior Pastor’s report was accepted as presented.
3. The meeting was informed that the Stewardship Campaign to ascertain financial support for the Connect project has been postponed to 2015.
4. Report was given on the progress to upgrade the Branding including work on street sign, website upgrade, publication and general signage. Quotes are being obtained for the new street sign.
5. Faye Godfrey Chair of the Village Board was thanked for all her work during 2014.
6. The issue of lack of parking was raised. This was being investigated.

Noticeboard

Lutheran Men of Australia SA Division
47th Annual Convention & AGM 28th June 2014
St John’s Lutheran Church Woodside
Theme – Communicating Christ
Study Leader – Rev Richard Fox, Director Lutheran Media Cost $20
9am registration, 9.30 Service with Holy Communion

Grassroots Training Workshops – June & July 2014
Dates and course are available on the Church Noticeboard.

“The Bible that is falling apart,
usually belongs to someone who is not”

My Exciting Future with God

Do you have times in your life when you think "If this is what my life is going to be like from now on then something's got to change?, there's got to be more to life than this!” Usually this happens when we take our focus away from God and instead focus on ourselves and the world's view of us. This tends to happen when we are adapting to a change in our life circumstances.

This happened to me a couple of years ago. It's not that I didn't appreciate all that God had provided for me, how He's protected me and what He's done for me through Jesus. I did. But I knew God was calling me - because I was feeling unfulfilled. He was calling me to Him, calling me to seek Him and not this world. I was spiritually thirsty. I remember sitting at my dining table praying "God - what do you want me to do this year?" and "I want to be excited about my future with You!”

Well of course, He answered.  He always does when His people call on Him. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15

And now? 

Well - I'm EXCITED about my future and where He is leading me to serve Him! He has lead me to serve Him in places I never dreamed He would or that I'd be capable of serving. Now this doesn't mean I feel great everyday - the Evil One still succeeds in getting me down from time to time. But it's my focus and my attitude that God has adjusted. I'm focused on Him and His leading.

The Holy Spirit is changing me each day to be more like Jesus. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Ephesians 2:10

I want to do good works that God has prepared in advance for me to do. God was just waiting for me to ask Him to reveal them to me. I love Him for that. I love how He is always there for me even though I'm not always there for Him.

How are you doing? Do you want an exciting future with God? If you do, then get down on your knees and pray to Him. He will answer you because you are precious to Him and He does have a plan and a purpose for your life. It is exciting and fulfilling!

Kathy Liebig

This Sunday at Good Shepherd
This week’s message is “Stress: When life overwhelms” as we continue the series “Is this all there is?”
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Bible Readings: Mark 6:30-32; Romans 12:1-2 

Kingdom Kids
This week Kingdom Kids will be looking at and learning about these topics:

• Baby Zone: People at Church Help Me
• Kindy Zone – Big, loving family (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37)
• Kids Zone – Peter and John heal (Acts 3:1-4:22)
• Kool Zone – Girl/Boy Chats (Stephen – faithful to the end Acts 6-7)

Bibles for Kool Zone
We would love to buy a set of Bibles for Kool Zone to use each week in their time together on Sundays! We would love a set of 10 Hardcover CEV Level 66 Illustrated Youth Bibles as this is what the school also uses; they are $29.99 each from Koorong. If your family would like to donate one of these Bibles, please buy it and we would love you to write a message in it from your family and leave it in the sign in desk draws. If you would like to donate money towards these Bibles, please put your offering in the box on the Kingdom Kids sign in desk. Let’s all join together to help our Kool Zone kids grow in The Word together!

Calling All Creative People
Are you interested in sharing ideas, vision and creativity, or would you like to help with planning and pulling together events for the Children and Family Ministry? We would love to get together a team of people who can help provide this support for the ministry. If God has gifted you with creativity, drama, ideas and vision, or you have a passion for the ministry and enjoy working with kids then we need and want you! Please have a chat with me, or just contact me with your interest via email, phone or in person!

Kindy Zone Team Leader
We are still praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of the team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat!

Beth Einthal - Children and Family Team Leader

Prayer Requests:
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchequiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Women’s Fellowship
45th Anniversary Luncheon on Tuesday 3rd June 2014 @12pm. GSPV Church Hall. Music Students from Endeavour College will present items on the piano, flute and sing for us.
Donation $12 each, your spouse, partner, friend is also most welcome to attend. RSVP by
27th May to Ruth Oster Ph. 8265 0221

Cards Stall
Various cards will be sale in the hall this Sunday after both services.

Cebu Fundraising Event
Sausage Sizzle and Steak Sandwich Day, Sun 25th May. There will be sausages available after the first service and sausages and Steak Sandwiches available after the second service.  Come and enjoy some lunch and then attend the AGM for the School, the Village and the Church at 12.30pm. There will also be freshly baked Cupcakes for sale.
All monies raised will go to the 'Inayawan Project' in Cebu, Philippines.

Wishing Well
The fundraising team have available a Wishing Well for hire, which can be used for Weddings, Engagements, Christenings, 18th or 21st Birthday parties, etc. It is a secure locked box and the $50 hire fee goes to Cebu Mission. For more information or to make a booking, contact the Church office or Linda Dulay on 0423 067 398

Chocolate Sellers
We would like one more person to sell chocolates please. If you work in an office, kindy, etc and have a suitable area to display a box of chocolates, then please contact Joan McCarthy or other team member.

From the Office

Budget 2014

Notes:

• Offerings for April were $680 below budgeted forecast.
• As a comparison to 2013, we are around $11,000 above actual Offerings to end of April 2013.
• We are just over $3,000 behind budget after April 2014. This is similar to last year; however May 2013 showed a deficit of $5,600 for the 1 month. We encourage all members to prayerfully consider their offerings.

 Notes:

• Income is under budget through March and mainly due to Offerings slightly under budget.
• Expenses are well under budget due to the effect of 1 staff member down now showing.
• Plant expenses are being monitored as they are $2,000 over budget.

Regular Electronic Giving (REG)
Have you updated your REG? Over half our weekly offerings are made through REG. For those who are altering their giving through REG or wish to start giving via REG the appropriate forms are available from the information rack at the rear of the auditorium or via this link http://www.lll.org.au/giving_through_the_lll/regular_electronic_giving_reg
Alternatively deposits can be made to the following bank account details
If transferring from an LLL account, use account number 52752S1, BSB 704942.
If transferring from another banking institution, use account number 100354939, BSB 704942

Air conditioners
The evaporative coolers in the church have been closed down for the winter months. To prevent accidental usage the remote controls have been removed and will be returned when the units are opened for summer.
 

Noticeboard

 “A bad habit is like a soft chair,
easy to get into but hard to get out of”

What does God’s grace mean?

At the heart of the good news story of Jesus is God’s incredible grace for us. So what is grace? Grace is God giving us what we need, not what we deserve. And God does this because of what Jesus did on the cross.

So what does grace mean for us? Timothy Keller wrote ‘Grace means it is okay that we are not okay.’ Grace enables a perfect God to accept imperfect people like you and me. God’s grace does not ignore our imperfections. Instead grace takes our imperfections and exchanges them for Jesus’ perfection. Grace means that God is always looking at you and mean through the lens of Jesus’ finished work on the cross.

Just as glasses help us focus perfectly, God’s Jesus glasses help him see us perfectly. When God looks at us through the lenses of Jesus, by the time his eyes focus on us, grace has swapped our sin for Jesus sinlessness. God sees us as perfect.

As God’s people who daily receive this grace through Jesus we are called to look at each other through the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus died for everyone and this means that you have never looked into the eyes of someone who Jesus didn’t die for. You have never looked at someone so messed up that grace cannot reach and redeem.

We reflect this grace to others when we accept each other while knowing that not everything about us is okay. Acceptance is one of the words we have chosen to describe who we are as God’s people at Good Shepherd. We powerfully tell this story of acceptance when we welcome people and accept them even when they are not okay. We live this story as we look at every person through the finished work of Jesus on the cross and accept them. Our acceptance points people to God’s acceptance of them in Jesus - and this is what changes people.

In the acceptance of grace we find transformative power to change those things about us that are not okay. We wrongly believe that we can change people by judging them and excluding them until they shape up. This never works. What works is gracious acceptance. This is how God transforms us. This is how God works through us to transform others.

May we all work together to show the world what grace really means. Grace means that is okay that we are not okay.

Pastor Noel

This Sunday at Good Shepherd
This week’s message is “Disappointment: when God doesn’t do what I want” as we continue the series “Is this all there is?”
Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Bible Readings: John 11:1-45

Kingdom Kids
This week Kingdom Kids will be looking at and learning about these topics:

• Baby Zone: People at Church Help Me
• Kindy Zone – Power of the Spirit (Acts 3:1-16)
• Kids Zone – The Spirit comes (Acts 2:1-41)
• In the name of Jesus (Acts 3:1 - 4:22)

Baby Zone
Thank you so much to everyone who donated items, toys and money to the new Baby Zone room. Praise God! There are just a few items left that we need for the whole year's program which is fantastic!  If you have these items or can donate them, please leave them in the Baby Zone room:

• Doll blankets
• Stuffed toy animal sheep, cow, donkey and camel
• Variety of plastic or washable play/dress up hats

Calling All Creative People
Are you interested in sharing ideas, vision and creativity, or would you like to help with planning and pulling together events for the Children and Family Ministry? We would love to get together a team of people who can help provide this support for the ministry. If God has gifted you with creativity, drama, ideas and vision, or you have a passion for the ministry and enjoy working with kids then we need and want you! Please have a chat with me, or just contact me with your interest via email, phone or in person!

Kindy Zone Team Leader
We are still praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of the team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat!

Beth Einthal
Children and Family Team Leader

Prayer Requests:
Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchequiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Thank you
On behalf of the family and myself, we would like to express our thanks to the members of the Good Shepherd congregation for their expressions of sympathy, cards and phone calls on the occasion of my husband’s death.
Ruby Keller & family

Good Shepherd Lutheran Women’s Fellowship
45th Anniversary Luncheon on Tuesday 3rd June 2014 @12pm. GSPV Church Hall.
Donation $12 each, your spouse, partner, friend is also most welcome to attend. RSVP by 27th May to Ruth Oster Ph. 8265 0221

Cebu Fundraising Event
Sausage Sizzle and Steak Sandwich Day, Sun 25th May. There will be sausages available after the first service and sausages and Steak Sandwiches available after the second service.  Come and enjoy some lunch and then attend the AGM for the School, The Village and the Church at 12.30pm. There will also be freshly baked Cupcakes for sale.
All monies raised will go to the 'Inayawan Project' in Cebu, Philippines.

Wishing Well
The fundraising team have available a Wishing Well for hire, which can be used for Weddings, Engagements, Christenings, 18th or 21st Birthday parties, etc. It is a secure locked box and the $50 hire fee goes to Cebu Mission. For more information or to make a booking, contact the Church office or Linda Dulay on 0423067398

Chocolate Sellers
We would like one more person to sell chocolates please. If you work in an office, kindy, etc and have a suitable area to display a box of chocolates, then please contact Joan McCarthy or other team member.
 
Church, School, Village AGM’S
The AGM’s of the church, school and village will be held on Sunday May 25th starting at 12:30 pm. There will be a lunch in the hall preceding the meetings. So enjoy fellowship and a meal then finish the day at the meetings. Look forward to seeing to there.

All the relevant information is available in hard copy in the Member’s Information section in the foyer. It will also be emailed out early next week.

News from May Board meeting

• We met with David Wilksch the principal of our school and discussed a range of topics which affect both the school and church. This will strengthen the already strong links between the congregation and school.
• Decisions were made regarding updating the sign at the front of the church. We are at the stage of getting quotes on the preferred design.
• The Connect project was discussed. The results of these deliberations will be discussed at the AGM.
• Concern was expressed that we have not been able to fill the Pastoral Care and Fellowship position and the extra workload this has created for other staff.

Noticeboard

New Lutheran Media Website
Check out the new www.lutheranmedia.org.au website.  Easy access to resources and our outreach ministries, including a new blog called the “Hub”. You’ll also discover easy ways to support this vital outreach ministry.
Listen to FACE TO FACE Invite others to do the same. Download or listen online at www.facetoface.org.au, including on your mobile internet devices. Like us on Facebook  www.facebook.com/facetofaceradio

The Australian Lutheran College is no longer taking any further bookings for Football Parking. They have been overwhelmed with requests and are fully booked most weeks. ALC would like to thank everyone for their support.

Administrative Assistant
The Christian Community Hub is seeking a dynamic team member who can help support the ministries of its supporting Lutheran congregations and community outreach. Initially the position will be 14hrs/fortnight along with some holiday and sick day relief work.
Written applications, including resume and three references must be received by 30th May, 2014.
Send to: Co-ordinator - Christian Community Hub, 83 Murray St, Tanunda SA 5352
Job & Person Specification available by contacting Sandy at The Hubon 8563 3748 or email cchubtan@gmail.com

“When you take a stand for Christ, He stands with you”

Where are you placing your joy?

I have recently gone through a bit of a life change. I have finished my degree and am not studying this year. In the absence of my university study, I have had time to study myself and learn more about how I process things and where I place my worth. One thing that I have realised is that I place a lot of my identity in, and gain a lot of my joy from, my work and activity rather than from God.

I was reading C. S. Lewis’s novel The Great Divorce and I was challenged by a particular passage describing a man who chose to abandon the joy of heaven because he could not be useful there and instead wanted to continue his work.

“There was nothing to prove. His occupation was clean gone. Of course if he would only admit that he’d mistaken the means for the end and have a good laugh at himself he could have begun all over again like a little child and entered into joy. But he would not do that. He cared nothing for joy. In the end he went away.”(Lewis 73).

This passage disturbed me because I realised that I had begun to walk along this path. In the pursuit of learning and gaining a profession and ‘doing ministry’ I had lost the joy of knowing God. I had forgotten that the centre of my existence and identity is God and a relationship with Him and that everything else is secondary. There is nothing wrong with work or activity but it must not become our god.

The reality is at the end of time this is what will happen to us all. The old order of things will pass away and we will be in heaven for eternity. So we need think about whether we are binding ourselves to the temporary or living with the eternal in mind.

I want to challenge you to think about whether you do this. Have you mistaken your work as the end rather than the means? What would happen if your work, your activity or your position was taken away? Could you still find joy in God? Are you placing your treasures in heaven or on earth?

Emma Kluge

This Sunday at Good Shepherd

This week’s message is “Fatigue: What to do when you’re sick and tired of being tired?” as we continue the series “Is this all there is?”

Podcasts of weekly messages are available at www.paravista.org.au

Bible Readings: Matthew 11:28-30

Kingdom Kids

This week Kingdom Kids will be celebrating Mother's Day in each zone! 

Baby Zone

Thank you so much to everyone who donated items, toys and money to the new Baby Zone room. Praise God! There are just a few items left that we need for the whole year's program which is fantastic!  If you have these items or can donate them, please leave them in the Baby Zone room:

• Doll blankets
• Stuffed toy animal sheep, cow, donkey and camel
• Variety of plastic or washable play/dress up hats

Calling All Creative People

Are you interested in sharing ideas, vision and creativity, or would you like to help with planning and pulling together events for the Children and Family Ministry? We would love to get together a team of people who can help provide this support for the ministry. If God has gifted you with creativity, drama, ideas and vision, or you have a passion for the ministry and enjoy working with kids then we need and want you! Please have a chat with me, or just contact me with your interest via email, phone or in person! 

Kindy Zone Team Leader

We are still praying for someone who would love to lead Kindy Zone and be part of the team! Please consider if this might be you and get in touch with me (beth.einthal@paravista.org.au) for a chat!

Beth Einthal - Children and Family Team Leader

Prayer Requests:

Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news. If you would like to view the current requests refer to the email that alerted you to this weekly news. If you have a prayer request please email churchequiries@paravista.org.au with your request.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Women’s Fellowship

45^th Anniversary Luncheon on Tuesday 3^rd June 2014 @12pm. GSPV Church Hall.

Donation $12 each, your spouse, partner, friend is also most welcome to attend. 
RSVP by 27^th May to Ruth Oster Ph. 8265 0221

From the Office

A view of Adelaide to be experienced could be gained while assisting in the cleaning of the gutters. The task only involves an hour of time while being able to gain a view of the surrounding area not normally seen by others. Please contact Stephen or the office on 8263 5087 or put on your Sunday Connect card your intention to be part of the “View Adelaide with a difference” team.

Noticeboard

Emerge Leadership Conference – only a week to go!

• Saturday 17^th May
• Emerge is a one day leadership conference for youth, young adult & camping leaders – of any age! (starting from 16 years)
• ONLY $10 registration plus $8 for lunch (or BYO)
• Keynote Speaker Chris Mann and excellent workshops to choose from!
• For catering purposes, please register at https://events.blueprintministries.org.au/

SPIN Leadership Development Day

Have you heard of Spin? The new state-wide camp for kids currently in years 4-7.

Would you be interested in leading on Spin in January 2015? (Leaders from year 10 through adults – no age limit) Then come along to our FREE Leadership Development Day!

Sunday 18^th May 2014

12noon-5pm (BYO lunch, arvo tea provided)

District Office, North Adelaide – Meeting Room 1

For more information email spin@blueprintministries.org.au

Toolbox Parenting Courses

Two Toolbox Parenting Courses - one for Middle Years (children aged 6-12) and one for Tweens and Teens (childrn aged 12+) will be available during term two. These are led by trained facilitators from Salisbury Lutheran Church. Parents are invited to participate in these valuable programs that are held weekly for six sessions.
Related information is available online at: https://www.theparentingplace.com/

FRIENDS OF LUTHERAN ARCHIVES (FoLA) - Love & Intrigue In Klemzig: Tales from Clamor Schurmann’s Diary (the one he DIDN’T send back to Germany)!! Come along to Bethlehem House, Sudholz Place City, Monday 26^th May, 7.30 pm to hear Helen Schubert reveal some interesting secrets!  Supper, gold coin donation. All welcome.

Casual Support Workers Required

Do you have a passion for supporting adults with a disability and assisting them in living independent and fulfilled lives in a supportive Christian environment?

Further information or a copy of the Position Description; please phone on 8212 7766 or email: admin@ldssa.org.au

2014/2015 Adelaide Entertainment™ Books or Digital Membership are available for sale from the Good Shepherd Lutheran School for $65.00. $13.00 from the sale of each book benefits the school’s fundraising projects. The discount vouchers range from restaurants, takeaway and café dining, movies, theatres and sporting events, to the zoo, florists and retail shops. Further information, or to view a book before purchase, visit or contact the school on 8264 7966, or email admin@gspv.sa.edu.au

“People all over the world smile in the same language”