Advent: The Repentance of God – From Lost to Life

How many Lutherans does it take to change a lightbulb?  Does this riddle apply to you?  So, here’s the Good News – it’s not about you.  It’s about God, and it’s about how change and transformation were part of his story long before it was part of ours.  From Guilt to Grace – From Law to Love – From Lost to Life – The Repentance of God.  See you there!

Pr. Albert Gast

Bible Reading for this Week: Mark 2:13-17 (NIV)

Please check the website www.paravista.org.au for podcasts and video archives of weekly messages or head to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/goodshepherdparavista for regular updates and encouragement from our ministry team.

Prayer Requests

Please forward all prayer requests to the church office via churchenquiries@paravista.org.au or phone 8263 5087. If you know or have spoken to anyone who does not have access to a computer, please assist them to submit their request and offer to pray with them. Prayer requests are not included in the weekly news online. If you would like to view the current requests, please refer to the email that alerted you to this Weekly News.

GSPV Half Yearly AGM Wrap Up

The half yearly AGM was held last Sunday the 21st of November, in conjunction with a call meeting. Thank you to all those that attended and participated in this year’s meeting.

Some notable outcomes from the meeting:

• A motion was passed unanimously that GSPV support Woman Ordination. This information will be considered by our delegate at the next Synod.
• The following Board Members were voted in: Lindsay Freund (Chair), Joel Schwarz (Vice Chair), Dean Bartley (Finance Team Leader), Belinda Konrad (Secretary) and Ben McAleer (Board Member).
• A Child safe presentation was put before the congregation and all members were asked to consider undertaking the training. Tina Pfeiffer has been appointed by the board to assist Stephen Zanker as an additional Child safe coordinator.
• The congregation then moved to call Pastor David Schmidt as their next Pastor. Usually, four weeks is allowed for the consideration of the call. Please keep Pastor David and his family in your prayers as he considers our call.

Gods Blessings,
GSPV Board

Grow Team

The Grow Team has completed its 2-year journey with Grow Ministries exploring why we need to change our church culture.  Each team member is now being released into the ministry area that they have felt led to serve by the Holy Spirit.  We will take with us that we have learnt over the last couple of years into these ministry areas. We will continue as a team, and we’ll meet three times a year to support and encourage one another in our roles and to continue fostering our vision of “A community which intentionally develops intergenerational relationships to grow our faith in Jesus so that he can continue to build his kingdom here now.”Thank you for your support of our team over the last couple of years as we have brought before you areas where we can improve how we connect and care for one another to be the church that Jesus wants us to be.

Kathy Liebig
Grow Team Leader

Support For Lutheran Care

Our last collection for 2022 in support of Lutheran Care will be held on Sunday November 27th at both services.

Requests for November are

Tinned vegetables
Tinned soup
Breakfast cereals
Tinned tuna
Sugar
Shampoo
Conditioner

ITEMS TO BRING JOY FOR CHRISTMAS

You may want to include something special that will bring joy to all the family through hampers to be distributed e.g., Christmas pudding, chocolates, mince pies, nuts, crackers, chips and lollies.

Also, there will be small gifts distributed to needy families. Identifying gifts for small children is much easier than for teenagers. Any provision of such items as perfume, jewellery, toiletries, headphones, gift cards, board games would be greatly appreciated.

All these items can be included in our collection on the 27th.

BBQ SUPPORTING FAMILY HUB

The BBQ held before the Half Yearly meeting last Sunday raised $283 which will be used by the Family Hub to supplement their Christmas activities in bringing the joy of Christmas to families in the local area. Thank you to Peter Weckert for cooking, the planning team, the serving team and those who supported by purchasing food

With Gratitude,
Lutheran Care

Live Christmas Trees Available

Birdwood is again selling live Christmas trees. The proceeds go towards supporting the chaplaincy programmes in the schools in the Adelaide Hills.

Trees available are 6 or 7 feet

Cost is $50 per tree

Trees will be available on Saturday 10^th of December @ 9am at a venue to be decided

Orders are to be placed no later than Sunday 4^th of December. To order or for more information contact John Dolling – 0409819864 or via email – dollingjohn47@gmail.com

Calling For Pastoral Care Team Coordinators

Our church community is seeking for a person or persons to assist in coordinating the Pastoral care for our community.

If you are interested and believe you have gifts to serve our church family in this way, please come and speak to Cess Wesselingh after the service or write it on your connect card so he can get in touch with you and explain this further.

Calling For Church Volunteers

As from November we are hoping to offer Holy Communion twice a month for each service.  However, to be able to do this successfully we will need more volunteers.  The areas we need help include setting up, serving, and clearing up. None of these are big tasks and full training will be given.

We are also looking for volunteers at both services to serve as Worship Hosts and Welcomers, and to help serve morning tea.

Please prayerfully consider this request and notify the office if you feel called to serve.

Family Support Coordinator News, From Georgie

School Snippets

A lot happens as we prepare for a new year. On Thursday we welcomed 69 students into the Stage One/ Foundation classrooms for their first formal transition to school visit while their parents spent time with Mr. Wilksch, and Mrs. Stevens engaged in their own activities. Further orientation sessions will occur in the coming weeks. For more of what we have been up to please check out our School Newsletter via this link: https://bit.ly/3U5T0AD If you would like to have a hard copy of the newsletter, Georgie is more than happy to organize one for you!

Growing Faith at Home

Dear Church Family,

Happy New (Church) Year! This Sunday we begin the new season of Advent. A time of looking forward to Christmas (Jesus’ birth) and also to the time he will return. It is a season of watching and waiting. Here are some conversation starters from the Growing Faith at Home resource: Do you like to wait for things? Share about a time when you were waiting for something good to happen. You will notice that the GFH resource has been redesigned and simplified. Still with Conversation starters, bible readings, blessings, and prayer, but now with an ‘action response’. This week they suggest baking Christmas biscuits as gift ideas. (I have fond childhood memories of my family making honey biscuits in Advent…) Time to get baking! God bless your week!

Chapel Invitation

This week we concluded our Christmas theme ‘Journey to Bethlehem’ in Chapel, focusing on Jesus… One of our Stage Four Elective Groups presented a message about some of the challenges/ problems Mary and Joseph encountered. Check out this week’s devotion for a reflection on what was shared. Next week we will be celebrating a Blessing service with the ELC students during Chapel. A number of ELC parents will be joining us. If you would like to come along, feel free. An opportunity to perhaps have a chat and a coffee with some new faces afterwards! (Face masks will be required for parents and visitors. To enter, please come in via the courtyard (not the Montague Road main entrance). Tea and coffee will be available before and after the service. See you next Wednesday at 8:50am for Worship, a coffee and a chat!

KAPS Youth Event- 2 Sleeps to go!

Bring your children and your grandchildren! Christmas is coming early… We will be celebrating this Sunday from 4pm in the church hall. As advertised, all family members are welcome, so we look forward to seeing you for Christmas activities, Chapel style worship and a meal. Just a $2 donation to cover costs for the activities. This will be our last KAPS event for the year, but don’t worry, we are planning to return next February!

Look forward to seeing you very soon!

Rachel and Georgie

“…Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

Romans 2:4

Safe Church

Please consider the health and safety of others and do not attend the church if you are feeling unwell. 

In observing Christ’s command to love one another, we are to treat each other with respect and dignity. In honoring people, we are also fulfilling our responsibility under the law of the land. The LCA and Good Shepherd Para Vista is committed to implementing processes to ensure the church is a safe place. If anyone feels they have been subjected to sexual abuse or harassment in any form by anyone who holds a position of trust in the church, please contact:

P: 1800 644 628 E: report.abuse@safeplace.lca.org.au

Weekly News Submissions should be made by the Wednesday prior to Friday publication.

Church Giving via Electronic Funds Transfer:
Regular Electronic Giving (REG): BSB 704 942; Acc 100 354 939
Church Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9am-3pm (closed 12:30pm-1:30pm for lunch)
Church Website: www.paravista.org.au Email: churchenquiries@paravista.org.au

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388 Montague Road Para Vista SA 5093 |   Phone: 8263 5087 | PO Box 306 Modbury North SA 5092