For Thursday 28th Feb & Sunday 2nd March

We will continue our Lenten devotions this week with service beginning at 5.30pm on Thursday night. As we hear of Judas' distress over his treacherous treatment of our Lord, we will think about the purpose of repentance and the direction in which it leads us.

On Sunday, Divine Service will begin at 8.30am. This week the Gospel tells of Jesus' healing of the man born blind and the response of the Pharisees. In their rejection of Jesus, the Pharisees reveal their spiritual blindness. As they excommunicate the healed blind man Jesus is able to reveal the purpose of restoring sight to this man - to bring him to faith and reveal His identity as the Son of Man. We may consider what it is that blinds us to the things of God; but more importantly we will be remembering the same resotration of sight is offered to us in the forgiveness of sins.

God's peace,

Pastor Matt

For Thursday 21st Feb. & Sunday 24th Feb.

Our Lenten devotions continue this week on Thursday evening, beginning at 5.30pm. As our meditation on the passion continues, we will be contemplating Peter's threefold denial of Christ during His trial before the high priest. Rather than pointing our finger at St Peter, we will remember the ways in which we all 'follow at a distance' and rejoice that our salvation is secured by Christ's faithfulness, not ours.

This Sunday (24th Feb.) there will be no service in Shepparton as our parish AGM is being held in Echuca. Divine Service will commence at 10am and will be followed by our AGM and then lunch together. Please endeavour to be at this important parish gathering as we commend our parish to the Lord for another year and commit ourselves to the work He has provided.

What better text to hear on such a day than Romans 5:1-11?

God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Thursday 14th & Sunday 17th February

Our Lenten devotions continue this week with service beginning at 5.30pm on Thursday. This week we begin our reading and meditation on the passion of our Lord. We will hear Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and will consider what it teaches us about our own life of prayer.

On Sunday (17th February) Service will begin at 8.30am. With the cross looming on the horizon in this Lenten season, we will hear very clearly that God chooses us to be His and works to make it so through the gracious work of His Son. Just as Abraham was chosen by God and his faith was credited to him as righteousness, we too are set right with God purely out of grace. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

Ash Wednesday (Thurs 7th - 5.30pm) & Sunday 10th February - 11.00am

Ash Wednesday is already upon us with Lent officially beginning on the 6th of February. Due to the georgraphy of our parish, Ash Wednesday service will be held on Thursday 7th in Shepparton this year, beginning at 5.30pm. This service will include the ancient rite of the imposition of the ashes, and will mark the beginning of our midweek Lenten services (which will also be held on Thursday evenings).

On Sunday the 10th, Divine Service will begin at 11.00am and will be followed by a community lunch.

For your preparation the readings for Sunday are:
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 The creation and fall
Romans 5:12-19 Death through Adam, life through Christ
Matthew 4:1-11 The temptation of Jesus

God's peace,
Pastor Matt