Wednesday 22 September 2010

For Sunday 26th September - 11.00am

God has blessed our congregation abundantly in the way He has added to our number over the past few years. We've got to the stage where we are overflowing and while we wait for a new church, we've had to make short term arrangements to worship in a larger building to accommodate our growing number (93 at worship on 12 Sept.!)

From this Sunday (26th Sept.) we will be hiring St David's Uniting Church in King Street, Shepparton for weekly worship. It's just around the corner from St Paul's and will provide space for many more to join us in receiving God's grace through word and sacrament.

Here's a map showing where St David's is in relation to our current church:


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This Sunday we will begin in new surrounds with the baptism of Garang Deng.

I do hope you can join us. Service will begin at 11am.

God bless,
Pastor Matt

Thursday 16 September 2010

For Sunday 19th September - 8.30am

This Sunday worship will begin at 8.30am at our church in Fahey Street.

I mention the location because as of the 26th September we will be renting St David's Uniting Church in King Street for weekly worship due to the fact that we have outgrown our current building and are not yet in a position to build our new church. More details will be posted early next week.

I'm planning to preach on the gospel reading from Luke 16:1-13, the parable of the shrewd manager and offer the reflections here from our LCA worship resources:

Jesus is talking to the affluent here, people who are so wrapped up in their pursuit of money and consumer material goods that they don't bother giving time to pursue their eternal welfare before it is too late. This illustrative story does not praise dubious practice in business. Jesus uses the astuteness of the dishonest manager as the quality to be emulated by Christians when addressing their spiritual needs. The children of light (disciples of Christ) are not as industrious by and large at pursuing eternal life as the children of this world are in getting ahead! The second comparison is in faithfulness of stewardship. Christ makes the point that Christian service needs to be directed single-mindedly to the Lord, not mixed also with material greed.

God bless,
Pastor Matt

Thursday 2 September 2010

For Sunday 5th September - 8.30am



This Sunday service begins at 8.30am in Shepparton. Given that Sunday is Fathers' Day, the gospel reading from Luke 14 is likely to challenge us as Jesus declares that whoever follows Him must hate their father, etc.

Rather than closing our ears to this difficult reading, there is much blessing as we consider how Jesus calls us to keep our priorities in check as we walk as His disciples. It's essentially a first commandment text reminder us to fear, love and trust God above all things!

See you Sunday.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt