Bulletin Announcements – 7 February 2016

• WSCCC will host a Safe Ministry Training for our members who are involved in children and youth ministry within or outside our church. It will be on 27 February 2016 with Andrew Bardsley at Strathfield Upper Hall. Safe Ministry Essentials will run from 10am-4pm for those who have not completed any training and Safe Ministry Refresher will run from 10am-12.30pm for those who need to refresh their training. This training is free for our members. Please contact Liza Mihardja (lmmihardja@yahoo.com or 0406 363067) for registration.
• INVITE: February Friends – please invite your friends and family to join us this month as Sam Chan speaks on some of the big questions in life.

             Why do bad things happen to good people?  

            Why are religious people jerks?

            Why doesn’t God make himself more obvious?  

           Why is there only one way to God?

 

Pray that your friends and family who do not know Jesus will respond to your invitation to come.

• Sunday school and Play Group have started for Term 1. Please join us and have fun learning about God. Make sure you return the enrollment form to our leaders.

 

Ariel writes – a weekly Scriptural devotion:

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. (Malachi 1:2a NIV)

“I have loved you”. This is how God begins his message to Israel. But why with such kindness? Why with such language of affection? Why when they had been unfaithful to him in so many ways?! They dishonoured him with their impure sacrifices (1:6-14). Their leaders caused his people to stumble (2:1-9). They were unfaithful to him in marriage (2:10-16). They admired evil but questioned his justice (2:17). They robbed him of his tithes (3:6-9). They spoke arrogantly against him (3:13-15). Ultimately, what they were doing is despising him. Yet, God begins his message to them with these words; “I have loved you”. Why? It’s because his love is not conditional. It’s not based on what they did or didn’t do. The way they behaved does not change his devotion for them. Yes, he was sick of their behaviour, even sick of them. So what does he do? Well, like a father has compassion on his son (3:17), God decides he’s going to send them his very own Son (Jesus) to correct them (3:1-5). To call them back to himself (3:7). This is ultimately the message of the whole bible; “I have loved you,” says the Lord.

                                                                                 from pastor Ariel