Hospitality Sunday on April 30th is a wonderful opportunity for us to share lunch in each other’s homes. Please add your name to the list in the foyer if you would like to attend. Also, maybe consider hosting members of our Church family in your own home. Those attending will be asked to contribute to the meal by either bringing food or making a monetary donation. Do you have any questions? Please ring Di Croft on 8379 7122. … Continue reading
One of our young people, Alexandra Bingham, has been commissioned by the Uniting Church to film a series of videos about the Church’s support for: Christian leaders in South Sudan who are caring for people traumatized by war, teaching peace and forgiveness, and rebuilding livelihoods. Community workers in PNG who are providing taps, tanks and education about sanitation, and saving lives. New ministers in China nurturing Christians to share God’s love in the fastest growing Church in the world. Community development workers in India who are championing justice and supporting families to break the chains of poverty through education, employment and healthcare. Alexandra has written an article about her project. You can read it on the back page of the New Times magazine for February and March. You can also watch the videos by typing the following link into the web browser. http://www.lentevent.com/stories … Continue reading
March 31. Come join us for an Easter egg hunt, hot cross buns, eggstacle course and more!! 7pm at Burnside City Uniting Church Cost $4 … Continue reading
We are loved Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:11 NIV) Any time you find yourself saying, “I just can’t love that person”, I suggest you read this verse again to remind yourself of the truth of God’s great love for you. If you have experienced this kind of love, if you have been to the cross and felt the overwhelming cleansing of God’s love for you, despite the antagonism and hatefulness you have shown Him and despite your loving your own way and wanting to do what you like; if you have felt the cleansing grace of God wiping that all out without any recriminations or calling up of the past, forgetting and forgiving it all, then, as John says, you not only can love someone else but you won’t be able to do anything but love others. God’s love will automatically flow out of each of us. John goes on to say, If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is made complete (1 John 4:12); that is, His love reaches its final end in us. That is where people see God’s love. The fact of an indwelling God becomes visible in us only when we manifest love one to another. As long as we are nice only to our friends or to those who are nice to us, no one has any idea that God is around. But when we start being nice to those who are nasty to us, when we start returning good for evil, when we start being patient, tender, thoughtful, and considerate of those who are stubborn, obstinate, and selfish, then people get the sense that God is close at hand, that He is in the situation. Then God’s dwelling in us becomes visible to them. May God’s great love continue to bubble out of each one of us this week in ways that point people to Jesus our Saviour. … Continue reading
On Sunday last week in our Creative/Kids Spot in the Contemporary Service I asked some families and other people there about the ways they like to refresh themselves. We heard about families going to the beach together for a swim or walking in the hills. The ideas were fun and inspiring. We have some creative people in our community. Here are some more ideas to help us refresh; sing, dance, skip, run in circles, drink water, watch a funny movie, find some flowers, rub your ears, embrace imperfection, take a deep breath, stretch, get a good night’s sleep, good posture, redecorate, good diet, silence, walk, 20 minutes of sunshine, smile or socialize. This may refresh our bodies and our minds, as Christians we also know that it is Jesus who is able to refresh our souls. Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38 (NIV) The Refresh Studies are a season of reflection for our whole of our church to come to Jesus and find rest for our souls. I strongly encourage you to join a group or pick up the study with a friend and be part of this exciting season with others in our church family. … Continue reading
Women’s Breakfast Saturday, March 18 @ 8am guest speaker Adelaide singer/songwriter Kylie Brice Cost $10 RSVP to Di Croft by Wednesday March 15 … Continue reading
Refresh: a season of reflection. Starting today, 5th of March, 2017 Here is a short taste of our Refresh Studies. They have been written by members of our congregation and our consultants especially for our community at this time. The supremacy of Jesus The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Col. 1:15-17 We need to know who Jesus is, so we can know who we are in Him. It is a staggering thought that He who created the universe and holds everything together by His creative power, is the same One who lives within us if we belong to Him. The Son is Life What do you understand by ‘eternal life’? Eternal life speaks of a quality of life, not just its length. It starts from the moment we receive Jesus as Saviour, and when we die it continues on forever. Those things that we know and experience partially now we will fully know (1 Corinthians 13:12). This is the life that God calls us into through His Son, involving a loving intimacy with Him; forgiveness, peace, purpose, and more blessings than we can imagine (1 Cor. 2:9). And it starts now! And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life: whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 What does it mean to you to ‘have the Son’? To ‘have the Son’ is sometimes expressed as making Jesus our Saviour and Lord. Jesus saves us from the consequences of our pride, rebellion and ignoring of God (Rom.6:23), and gives us instead the free gift of life forever with Him. To make Jesus our Lord is to hand our life to Him: listening, obeying, seeking. Pleasing Him becomes our number one priority. Accessing this new life For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 We cannot ‘have the Son’ through activity or good works. It is only by God’s love for us, through our faith. We access this salvation by believing and receiving what Jesus has done on the cross for us, and then living in it! … Continue reading
Refresh Take a moment to think about the relationships you have experienced through life. One of the first would be your relationship with your Mum. The mother child relationship is basic to our survival and is typically one of love and care. Next you may think of your relationship with brothers and sisters. These can be challenging as we are all aware of sibling rivalry. I remember the ongoing races with my big brother trying to get home first from school over the 5 mile bicycle ride. Strangely, we both remember always winning? Another important relationship is our first love. Your brain is put into neutral and there is nothing you wouldn’t do to be with that amazing person. Time with them is so precious and goes so quickly. Some of these first loves last a lifetime and others just a few days. But they are never forgotten. Some of the best celebrate 60, 70 or 75 years together. We hold them in great esteem. Then there is our relationship with Jesus to which nothing can compare. Who can compare to You, my King Who can compare to You, my Lord Who can compare to You, my Friend I looked and I’ve found that there’s no one like You in all the earth And You take my hand, and You call me Your own You show me the way to life And You lift my head, and You give me hope You show me the way to life No one compares to You, my King No one compares to You, my Lord No one compares to You, my Friend I looked and I’ve found that You’re the One I needed all along You are the way You are the truth You are the life (Jesus Culture – “Who can compare”) The “Refresh” study we are beginning at church next week is a wonderful time to grow your relationship with Jesus in the security of a small group of followers of Jesus who are also seeking to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus, our Lord, Saviour and friend. This is the most important relationship we will ever know. … Continue reading
For more information please contact the church office. … Continue reading
Youth Group TB night. Not sure what this is? Come along on March 3rd to find out! … Continue reading
