Where To Put Worried Eyes
So where do you look when you worry? Where do you place your attention? Where do you put worried eyes?
The problem with anxiety and worry is that they take our focus and we see nothing else.
Jesus is the great God who became small for you.
Jesus is the One who put each star in place.
Jesus, for a time is unseen, is close as your breath.
Jesus has you!
Pastor Matt Thiele
Bible Reading for this Week: Matthew 6:25-26,28-30 (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.
Para Vista Call Meeting- Delay
The proposed Call Meeting on 30th October 2022, will not be able to proceed as planned for the following reasons.
Bishop David has informed us that Pastor Luke Spilsbury has a call that was issued on the October 10 and issuing two calls to a pastor at once is not ideal. This happened with Pastor Joel; however, he received them both within a week. Here it will be a number of weeks, and this is thought to be unfair to the Pastor. Pastor Luke has until early November to consider his current call. This would leave only one name on the list.
District office normally likes to have a representative present at a call meeting. Both Bishop David, and Assistant Bishop Stephen are unavailable. These two factors together suggest that we should delay the call meeting, and possibly include it in our half yearly meeting on 20th November.
While it is disappointing to convey this information, we trust that these circumstances are part of God’s divine plan. This time will also give the Call Committee additional time to consider new names for calling. Please keep this process in your prayers.
Christa Schwarz (Call Committee Chair)
Call for Nominations to the Board
Church governance (the work of the Church Board) fundamentally relates to:
- the process of setting, guiding and monitoring the Church’s future direction.
- ensuring the Church operates within its relevant legal and other boundaries.
- driving the Strategic Plan – ‘making things happen’ and
- establishing appropriate internal control processes and accountability systems.
As the Board works to succession plan and recruit for future Board effectiveness and stability, we ask that each community member prayerfully consider one’s own skillset, experience and potential ability to value add to our Board. Look also, to consider challenging others, whom you see exciting qualities in, and who might continue the great work of the many members who have faithfully and passionately served the Board to date.
The Board is enhanced through the broad skillset of its members including legal, financial, strategic, spiritual, etc. God has blessed each and every one of us with unique gifts and talents. How might your gifts bless others through service to the Board.
A Nomination form can be accessed here: GSPV Nomination Form 2022 or available from the church office. Please have your response returned by 30th October 2022.
Lindsay Freund
Chairperson
Family Zone
Upcoming “Family Fun Day @ Family Zone” on Saturday October 29 from 11am to 2pm at Ingle Farm Primary school.
It will be a chance for families in the area to visit Family Zone and learn about the services we and other organizations provide, while enjoying lots of free activities and entertainment.
It is our chance to celebrate the community and encourage people to come together after the challenging past few years.
Kerry, Manager at Family Zone, is also coming out on October 23rd to speak to our community too.
Devotion Book
The Devotion Book “Time Out in Christ’s Hand” for 2023 is now available for ordering. The cost will be $30 so if you would like to place an order, please could you let us know at the office 0882635087 or send an email to church enquiries.
Maranatha Health
Thank you for all your support of Maranatha Health and the work we do to improve healthcare in Uganda. We’d love to catch up and celebrate what we’ve achieved together! Please join us for afternoon tea on 12 November 2022 from 2-4pm at Broadview Baptist Church.
Lutheran Care News
Apologies for not providing the food requirements for our donations this month. Due to pressure of requests for food, Lutheran Care have not finalized their requirements for November. These will be circulated via email early next week and in next week’s newsletter.
The next collection will be on Sunday, October the 30th at both services.
With Gratitude,
Lutheran Care
Thanks From Ian Hutchinson
Thank you to the Good Shepherd congregation for two matters. Firstly, thank you very much for your wonderful support for Hanna Schulz, a member of Wycliffe Bible Translators, for the Dormitory Project she has for the people in the Gulf Province where she works in Papua New Guinea. News just received from her says that there were 27 people from seven language groups which attended a recent Oral Bible Storytelling course. They completed 4 Bible stories over two weeks. For many of these, it was the first time Scriptures had been translated into these languages! They are now back with their families, sharing these stories and bringing them the light of the Word! The need remains for the village Dormitory project, so that more of these courses can be conducted next year. She wants to start building this in January, funds permitting. You can still contribute towards this need at DORM PROJECT.
Thank you also for your prayers for my own trip to Lae in Papua New Guinea with Gideons International. With a team of 7 from Australia and Japan, we will be working alongside the PNG Gideons to distribute 70,000 New Testaments from 15-22 October. Please continue to pray for God to take hold of many lives through his Word. We will mainly be distributing these to school students. Thank you!
Community Carols Planning Team
Due to the unavailability of staging, PA and Lighting, and an already very busy end of year school schedule, it has been decided to cancel our 2022 Para Vista Community Carols. We are planning to hold this event in 2023 and planning will start in the new school year.
Young Adults
The young adults met on the Saturday of the long weekend at Joel and Christa Schwarz’s residence in Two Wells for the Bonfire & BBQ event. We had a great turnout of about 20 young adults.
Following to lighting of the bonfire, we had great conversations late into the night accompanied with some Feuerzangenbowle (similar to Mulled Wine & Glühwein).
Please continue praying for us as we continue this growing ministry. 🙂
Christa Schwarz
Ladies Fellowship
Executive Meet Up
A reminder to the LADIES FELLOWSHIP EXECUTIVE will meet in the café at the church at 11am on Tuesday 25th October.
Bring your lunch so you can stay on for the meeting.
Annual General Meeting
The AGM of the Ladies Fellowship will be held this coming Tuesday 25th October at 1pm.
Please do come along and show your support for the committee. You may want to even join.
All ladies of the congregation welcome.
Apologies to Di Schlenk 0409 820 448
Christmas Lunch Invitation
Advance Notice- Ladies Fellowship Christmas lunch 6th December at 12 noon.
Husbands welcome!
$25 per head payable to Margaret by the end of October.
Special Guest Speaker: Greg Pattinson, CEO Foodbank SA
Please bring some non-perishable food which will be donated to Foodbank SA.
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
Chapel Invitation
Chapel returns next Wednesday at 8:50am as we begin our new theme ‘Journey to Bethlehem’. We would love you to join us for Chapel. (Face masks will be required for parents and visitors. To enter, please come in via the courtyard (not the Montague Road main entrance). Seating for non-school staff adults will be in the church hall (as the church auditorium will be full of children!) Tea and coffee will be available before and after the service. Love to see you there for Worship, a coffee and a chat!
School Snippets
School is back for Term Four! We began the term with Worship on Monday, led by Pastor Chris Mann. He spoke about being part of God’s great big community. David shared a timely devotion about Trust in this week’s newsletter, reminding us that God is the source of our security and peace. (Look up Proverbs 3:5,6!) He also reflected on the recent school musical, and how many people worked together to make it the enjoyable experience it was! Isn’t that what being part of a community is? Working, encouraging and celebrating together! For more information, please look at this week’s newsletter. Here is the link: https://bit.ly/3TCxZhd
KAPS Youth Event
The next KAPS (Kids and Parents Socializing) event is just around the corner! It has been great to gather for some fun activities, chapel style worship and get to know each other while chatting over a meal afterwards. This time we are hoping to enjoy some outside water activities (but we do have an indoor back up plan if it is raining!) While the first part of the afternoon is for students/ parents in Years 4-7, the Worship and dinner is open to all family members. When? October 30th, 4-6:30pm. Where? Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (enter via the main door facing Montague Road.) For more details you can check out the flier below (there are paper copies in the front office), contact Rachel on 0475 582 289 or see Georgie.
Growing Faith at Home
Dear Church Family,
We all like to feel included, don’t we? But sometimes in life, friends let us down. There are some great Caring Conversation starters in this week’s GFH resource. For example: Have you ever felt abandoned by a friend? What happened? What does it mean to ‘stand by’ others? Even when his friends abandoned him, Paul writes that ‘The Lord stood by my side and gave me strength’. What do you need God’s strength for? Reformation Day is also just around the corner. For some more information, have a look at the Creative Response! God bless your week!
Devotions
We give thanks for all those who have contributed to our online devotions this year. Now we are looking for more! If you have one or more of your own that you would like to share, please send them through to the church office via churchenquiries@paravista.org.au
Office News
Name Badge Request
The cost for a Name Badge is $12. If you would like to order one then, contact the church office on 0882635087 or send an email to: churchenquiries@paravista.org.au
Weekly News Items
Weekly news items are to be sent to churchenquiries@paravista.org.au or krishna.vasani@paravista.org.au by Wednesday Evening. Out of hours please leave a message on the answering system 08 8263 5087 or email the office and staff will respond as soon as they are able.
Congregational Contacts
Due to the turnover of office staff and running from an older version of outlook in recent years we have discovered a few discrepancies in the email contact lists. We are working to resolve this and ask for patience as we do so. As a result, you may discover that you are not receiving the weekly news reminder or emails you require for your rostered positions. Please email churchenquiries@paravista.org.au or contact the office if you find you are not receiving information you require. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Morning Tea and Coffee
Yay, our percolator is back!! Please come and enjoy the coffee. You may purchase a $2 coffee from the coffee machine if you wish. For health and welfare of our members and guests we still request hosts to serve the milk and sugar. This should assist in preventing the spread of COVID or influenza. We will monitor this and return to self-serve as soon as we believe it to be safe.
“…But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.”
Luke 21:14
We are a COVID-Safe Church 
Please consider the health and safety of others and do not attend the church if you are feeling unwell. We continue to practice good hygiene and respect the discretion of individuals to wear/not wear a mask. Thank you!
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
Look for us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube!
388 Montague Road Para Vista SA 5093 | Phone: 8263 5087 | PO Box 306 Modbury North SA 5092
