Saturday 26 October 2013

Sunday 27th October - 11am

Tomorrow we commemorate the Reformation of the church and give thanks to God for the restoration of the gospel to God's people. We celebrate this day not to glorify Lutheran or Melancthon or other reformers, but to celebrate that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. And how do we know this? Because we rely on the word of God alone as the only source and norm for teaching and life - and the central message of that Word is Jesus and the forgiveness He won for all on the cross.


We'll be gathering for worship at 11am and will be privileged to witness grace being poured out on Miles and Marita in holy baptism. All this celebrating will continue after the service with our annual, Longest Lutheran Lunch - this year the theme for the lunch is 'Feast of Nations!'

All welcome - forgiveness, life and salvation are free gifts from our loving God, and the lunch is just as free!


Saturday 19 October 2013

Sunday 20 October - 8.30am

Apologies for the very late post.

Worship begins at 8.30am tomorrow morning and I'm preaching on the Old Testament reading from Genesis 32 where Jacob wrestles with God. Like the persistent widow in the gospel reading, Jacob hangs on to God and refuses to let go until God blesses him.

How much more blessed are we to know that in Christ, God holds on to us in everything that we wrestle with in this life. Jacob got lots of things wrong in his life, but one thing he got just right. He hung around long enough - even when all looked lost - for God to bless him in faith.

Following service tomorrow there will be a meeting regarding a possible change to church times. Please be there to contribute to the discussion and decision making.

God bless,
Pastor Matt 

Saturday 12 October 2013

Sunday 13th October - 11am

This Sunday worship begins at 11am and will include a memorial rite that will proclaim God's goodness and mercy in Christ to us all, and especially to the Parnell family.

The gospel reading tells the story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers from Luke 17. Too often this text is used as little more than a heavy dose of Law, demanding that you be thankful like the single leper who returned to Jesus and fell at His feet in thanksgiving and praise.

But think about it....that single, healed leper returned to Jesus because by faith he knew Jesus had so much more to offer. He returned in thanksgiving because He recognised the presence of God and His mercy and could do nothing else but return and worship Him. And the really cool thing - when he returned to Jesus he got a whole lot more than physical healing - he received forgiveness, life and salvation!

Of course we are to be thankful. But true thanksgiving flows only when we know who Jesus is as our Saviour, when we know our desperate need for Him all the time, and when we see with faith what He has done for us on the cross.

Come to worship and give thanks - and receive those same gifts - forgiveness, life and salvation!

God bless,
Pastor Matt

Wednesday 2 October 2013

TIME CHANGE - 6th OCTOBER

Due to the start of daylight savings, service time for Sunday 6th October has been changed. Please note that worship will begin at 11am.

More details will be posted shortly.