For the week of Christmas

Service times for this week will be as follows:

Christmas Day:
Service with Holy Communion beginning at 11am
Sunday 27th December:
Service with Holy Communion beginning at 11am

I pray your preparations for the celebration of the incarnation of our God are peace filled and joyful.

God bless,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 13th December - 11am

This Sunday we will be holding a Service of Advent readings and Carols which will begin at 11am. Service will be followed by a shared lunch and a rehearsal for the Children's Christmas presentation which will take place on Sunday 20th December.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 6th December - 8.30am

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT

Malachi 3:1–4

Philippians 1:3–11

Luke 3:1–6

The Preaching of Repentance Prepares Us for the Coming of the Lord

The preaching and baptism “of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:3) prepare us for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The historic work of John the Baptizer was completed with the first Advent of our Lord Jesus in the flesh, but the ministry of the Forerunner continues in the preaching of Law and Gospel and in Holy Baptism. Through His messengers, the Lord calls people of all nations to “see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6). Our haughtiness is removed, and our mountains of pride are brought low, but the Lord humbles us in order to exalt us in His mercy; He fills up our valleys with His peace. As the Lord has begun this good work of repentance in us, so also does he perfect it by His Word and Holy Spirit, and He “will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). He purifies us to be His priestly people, precious in His sight, abounding in faith and love, so that our very lives are offered in righteousness to the Lord (Mal. 3:3–4).


Divine Service this week (6/12) will begin at 8.30am.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 29th November

This Sunday we will be having a parish service at the Tongala Aged Hostel, which will be followed by a Parish Picnic at the Tongala Village Green. A bus will depart St Paul's at 9.30am sharp, and service will begin at 10.30am.

Over Advent I will be posting reflections made available through the LC-MS Commission on Worship. Please use them in your preparation for worship each week:

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

Jeremiah 33:14–16

1 Thessalonians 3:9–13

Luke 21:25–36

The Lord Jesus Comes in Humility to Redeem Us

The Season of Advent focuses on the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and this first Sunday establishes this theme for the rest of the season. The Son of God came long ago to be our Savior, “a righteous Branch,” descended from David (Jer. 33:15). As He then came into Jerusalem, riding on a lowly donkey to sacrifice Himself for the sins of the world (Luke 19:28-40), so does He come to His Church today in the humility of Word and Sacrament to deliver the fruits of His Passion: the forgiveness of sins. He absolves us and establishes our hearts, “blameless in holiness before our God and Father” (1 Thess. 3:13). The same Lord Jesus, who came to Jerusalem then, and who comes to us now in peace, will come again with power and great glory on the Last Day. Then there will be “distress of nations in perplexity,” with “people fainting in fear.” Yet, as we anticipate that great and terrible day, He bids us to rest securely in Him: “Raise up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:25, 26, 28).

God's peace,

Pastor Matt

For Sunday 8th November - 11am

This week service will begin at 11am and will be followed by our monthly shared lunch.

God bless,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 11th October - 11.00am

This Sunday we will be reflecting on the theme of our recent Synodical Convention, "Learning to walk again" with particular reference to David's prayer in Psalm 86: Teach me your way O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Make me wholehearted in fearing your name.

Service will begin at 11am and will be followed by lunch.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 20th September - 8.30am

This Sunday Divine Service will begin at 8.30am.

We will hear the familiar words of Jesus where he said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." Together with the second reading from the epistle of St James, we will be reminded of the danger of following our inner desires to be and to have more and more, without concern for our motives.

Jesus calls us not to seek prestige and power and position, but to delight in the opportunity to serve as we have been served by Him through the free gift of forgiveness and life received in His name.

Kids' Club will take place immediately after the service this week.

On another note our trip to St John's Jeparit last weekend was a wonderful experience, with the most gracious and generous hosts, and great encouragement for our growing ministry here in Shepparton. You might like to see a video of the bus trip by following this link http://sites.google.com/site/shepplutheranbuild/videos

See you Sunday.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 6th September - 8.30am

This Sunday we will meet for Divine Service from 8.30am.

We will hear the wonderful example of the Syro-Phoenician woman who had faith in even the smallest 'scraps' of the Lord's mercy. Because she accepted she was truly undeserving, she was grateful for whatever the Lord could 'throw her way' and the result of her faith was the healing of her daughter.

We too need healing and we too deserve nothing but the judgment of God. Will we have faith in the 'scraps' of mercy that come our way as Jesus serves us through Word and Sacrament?

Kids' Club will meet immediately after the service while mums and dads enjoy a cuppa.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 30th August - 11am

This Sunday we will celebrate Refugee and Migrant Sunday as we give thanks to God for bringing us together from around the world and uniting us in Christ as one family. We will take the opportunity to acknowledge our diverse roots and to pray particularly for the countrymen and women of our members who are still suffering as refugees around the world.

This Sunday will also be a very significant celebration for our congregation as two teenagers receive the washing of renewal in Holy Baptism, and as they are joined with another six young people to receive first communion. Please pray for Safari and Shukuru, along with Ater, Sarah, Baranabas, Kamandula, Ntole and Mwamini.

Please join us for a celebratory luncheon after the service.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 23rd August - 11am

Divine service this week will begin at 11am.

I'm preaching on the epistle reading from Ephesians 6:10-20 as we consider the implications of our call to spiritual warfare. One word comes up again and again as St Paul points to the tactics we are to utilise in this war - stand!

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 16th August - 8.30am

So often we act as though the greatest wisdom in life consists in milking every last scrap of self indulgent pleasure out of our days, with little regard for how it impacts us more deeply. Even in the church people often succumb to the false notion that what they do with their bodies, for example, has little impact on their spiritual well being. Such an approach to life often suggests that wisdom lies in juggling daily 'pleasures' with spiritual 'duties'.

Who'd have thought that true wisdom would come in ordering our whole lives according to the word of God and the praises of His goodness in our Lord Jesus?

As the psalmist (and the writer of Proverbs) says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. True wisdom comes through a knowledge of our standing before God as sinners, utterly dependent on His grace and mercy in Christ.

This week I'll be preaching on Ephesians 5:15-20 where St Paul calls us to "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."

Service will begin at 8.30am.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 9th August - 11am

This week worship will begin at 11am and will be followed by a congregational lunch.

We will witness new birth by water and the Word as Hugo receives the washing of regeneration.

The readings are:
2 Samuel 18:5-9,15,31-33 The death of David's son Absalom
Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2 Be imitators of God
1 Kings 19:4-8 Elijah fed by God

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 2nd August - 8.30am

This Sunday Divine Service will begin at 8.30am.

Jonathan Krause from Australian Lutheran World Service will be our guest this week and will speak after the service about the work our church does through this agency.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 19th July - 8.30am

This Sunday (19/7) Divine Service will begin at 8.30am.

The Gospel reading will lead us to reflect on our desire to get away from all the stresses and demands of everyday life - especially those demands that come from those 'need' us. Jesus and His disciples experienced this desire as well - the need to take time out. Like us however, no sooner did Jesus decide to take time out than He was confronted once again by the needs of the people. As He looked at them, we're told He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd and so He began to teach them.

On Sunday we'll be thinking about what it means that Jesus' compassionate response to the needs of these people was to teach them and what this means for us as we seek His compassion as well.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

This Sunday (5th July), Divine Service will begin at 8.30am.

We will welcome back some of our young people from Christian Life Week camp.

In the sermon we'll be thinking about the Lord's promise that "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9) and how this brings us great encouragement in the face of our personal limitations.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

Confirmation

Last Sunday we held our Confirmation service here at St Paul's. As you can see above our three confirmees were Sifa, Katelyn and Laura. It was a great day of celebration and joy as these three were confirmed and received the body and blood of our Lord Jesus together with the congregation.

We crammed 80+ people into our little church, highlighting our continuing need to address our lack of space. Please keep these three young people in your prayers.

For Sunday 14th June - 11am

This week I'm attending a workshop on Biblical peacemaking led by an organisation called 'Ambassadors of Reconciliation'. It's been wonderful to be reminded of the great treasure the church has been given to offer to all sinners - forgiveness in the name of Christ. Nothing new of course - it's the same good news through which the Holy Spirit brought us all to faith - but how refreshing to hear it spelled out so clearly!

This Sunday Divine Service will begin at 11.00am and will be followed by a congregational lunch. Come and receive the reconciliation God offers through His Son Jesus.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 7th June – 8.30am

Divine Service will begin at 8.30am this week.

My apologies for the late notice.

God's peace,

Pastor Matt

For Sunday 24th May - 11.00am

So often people mistakenly believe the Christian faith is about being freed from the troubles of this life - as if Jesus was the magical 'pill' that inoculates us from any kind of hardship or suffering. While we'd all like to have a trouble free life, Jesus actually offers us something far more wonderful - life with Him. This Sunday we will hear Jesus' prayer from John 17 where Jesus Himself prays not that we would be taken from the troubles of this world, but that the Father would protect us from the evil one. With God's presence to support us, the hardships of this life provide a profound opportunity to bear witness to the love and mercy of God in Christ for us.

Divine service will begin at 11.00am.

The Lord be with you,
Pastor Matt

Sunday 17th April - 8.30am

This Sunday we will hear a remarkable reading from the gospel of St John in which Jesus declares us to be His friends. Think about that for a moment. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the One through Whom all things were made, considers you His friend!

How and why this is so will occupy our thoughts on Sunday. Service will begin at 8.30am.

God's peace to you,
Pastor Matt

Sunday 26th April & 3rd May

Service times for the next two Sundays:

April 26th - Divine Service begins 11.00am

May 3rd - Divine Service begins 8.30am

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

Service for Holy Week

Please join us this week as we are served by God's word and Holy Sacrament, witnessing again the love of the Father in life, death and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus.

Maundy Thursday - Service with Communion, beginning 5.30pm
Good Friday - Service of the Word, beginning 8.30am
Easter Sunday - Divine Service celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord, beginning 11.00am

Sunday's service will include the resurrection of three little ones through holy baptism - Ananiya, Mechac and Koleta Dieudonne. Service will be followed by a shared lunch and an ongoing Easter celebration - African style! Please join us.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 5th April - 8.30am

I'm sorry I didn't post anything last week and am only just getting to it on Friday this week. I have to say that the last couple of weeks have been fairly crazy, especially last week with the arrival of one of our Congolese member's children from Africa. It's been a wonderful experience to witness this family being reunited and praising God for His grace and mercy. I hope to post some photos here in the next few days.

I should also say that we are getting pretty close to putting in our application to the City Council to obtain a planning permit for our new church on Poplar Avenue. Just this week we received the concept plans from the draftsman and we are all delighted with the amazing result he has achieved. These plans will be 'revealed' on Sunday following service.

In the meantime, we're cleaning up the new block of land in Poplar Avenue on Saturday. If you can be there for an hour or so from 9am it would be a great help.

Now to the purpose of this post! Service this Sunday will begin at 8.30am and will include the joy of two baptisms - Benjamin O'Connell and his cousin, Stephanie Dawes.

Please remember to turn your clocks back an hour for the end of Daylight Savings on Saturday night.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 22nd March - 11.00am

This Sunday Divine Service will begin at 11.00am. The first reading from the book of Numbers will tell of the people of Israel in the wilderness under attack from serpents following their unfaithful grumbling against God. In His mercy God promised them healing if they looked to the raised bronze serpent when they had been bitten.

How much more won't we receive eternal healing when we look not to the serpent, but to the Son of Man lifted up on the cross for our salvation?

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. John 3:14-15

God's peace,

Pastor Matt

For Sunday 15th March - 8.30am

This Sunday service will begin at 8.30am.

The sermon will explore the 10 commandments under the theme of "Rescue from the minefield of sin."

God bless,
Pastor Matt

The Passion of our Lord

As we're meditating on the Passion of our Lord throughout Lent, I thought some of you might be interested in an Issues, etc program that discusses Jesus' suffering and death from a medical perspective.

For Sunday 8th March - 11am

This Sunday Divine Service will begin at 11.00am. In the gospel reading we will hear Jesus predict His own suffering, death and resurrection - something that shocks His disciples. But even then more shockingly Jesus calls everyone who follows Him to willingly take up their cross.

As we reflect on this text on Sunday we will be thinking about what it means to take up our cross and follow the Lord. Despite popular opinion this is far more than just enduring suffering. It's about choosing the way of the Lord despite the fact that it may be the unpopular option. Being a disciple is not about being cool, it's about being faithful and receiving the gifts the Lord has won for us.

Service will be followed by our monthly lunch.

A quick reminder that we are having "fortnightly" midweek Lenten service at Shepp. Here's the schedule:

Thursday 12th March 7.00pm
Midweek Lenten devotion:
THEME: The Wound of Betrayal

Thursday 26th March 7.00pm
Midweek Lenten devotion:
THEME: The Wound of Apathy

Thursday 2nd April 7.00pm
Midweek Lenten devotion:
THEME: The Wound of Denial


The Lord be with you,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 22nd February

This Sunday there will be a parish service in Echuca, beginning at 10am. The service will be followed by our Parish AGM and then a shared lunch.

St Paul's are running a bus from Shepparton, departing from the church at about 8.30am. Please let me know if you would like a seat.

This means there will be NO SERVICE IN SHEPPARTON THIS WEEK.

Please go to Echuca's blog for more info.

The Lord be with you,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 15th February - 8.30am

Our thoughts during this past week have been dominated by the devastation and heart break caused by the bushfires throughout Victoria. As we gather together this Sunday to pray for those in need, we will be reflecting on God's presence with us in the midst of tragedy. It's timely that Psalm 30 was assigned for this Sunday and will form the basis of our meditation.

As we continue to offer the victims of this disaster the support of prayer, we also have the opportunity to support them with their physical needs. I'm certain many of you have already responded in various ways.

Our District President has advised that our district has set up a facility whereby financial donations will be made available to those parishes in the affected communities so they can reach out in mercy to their neighbours on behalf of the whole church. If you wish to give through this facility please go to www.lca.org.au and follow the links.

It has also been suggested locally that we as a parish might offer some tangible support in the form of non-perishable food, toiletries and the like to our near neighbours. On Sunday we will have the opportunity to bring these gifts along and they will collected (through to Tuesday at Shepp) and then delivered to the Salvos for distribution.

The Lord be with you,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 8th February - 10am

My apologies to one and all for neglecting to update the blog until Friday!

I'll keep it quick - Service this week will begin at 10am and will be followed by our congregational AGM. Please join together with us as we celebrate our life together as the body of Christ in worship, and then as we consider what this new year has in store for us.

Following the meeting we will have a shared lunch on what promises to be a much cooler day!

The Lord be with you!
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 1st February - 8.30am

This Sunday (1/2) Divine Service will begin at 8.30am.

Here are the readings for your preparation:
DEUTERONOMY 18:15-22
1 CORINTHIANS 8-1-13
MARK 1:21-28

I'll be preaching on the reading from 1 Corinthians.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 18th January - 8.30am

This coming Sunday (18/1) Divine Service will begin at 8.30am.

We will be hearing readings dealing with the calling of the Old Testament prophet Samuel as well as a reading about the calling of Jesus' disciple Philip. These readings serve to illustrate a Godly response to God's call on our lives. Together with Samuel we are to recognise that God seeks to speak His word to us, and like Philip, we are to see that God desires that we bring others to "come and see Jesus."

In the midst of our anxieties about being called by God, these readings provide encouragement and confidence. A young boy and a "country" lad called into service by the Lord merely point others to the One who changes hearts and creates faith. I guess you could say it's about knowing who your Friend is, and introducing Him to others.

See you Sunday.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 11th January - 11.00am

The season of Epiphany continues this week as our focus turns to Jesus being revealed through his baptism in the waters of the Jordan. It's an unusual way for God to reveal Himself - but a blessed one for us sinners. Jesus reveals Himself as God and man and willingly takes on the guilt of our sin as identifies with us in this baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of [our] sins.

If He's guilty in our place, that means we can be declared righteous in His place! What a sweet swap!

Divine service begins at 11.00am and will be followed by our regular monthly lunch. I look forward to your company!

God's peace,
Pastor Matt