Bulletin Announcements – 26 June 2016

24 June 2016
  • A colour flyer about our missionaries is available to help us pray for them. We will also begin collecting faith promise pledge slips today. A faith promise pledge is giving specifically to our mission fund that is over and above our general offering giving. Giving to our global missions fund can be done though specially marked envelopes or via the bank details on the faith promise form.

 

  • Play Group invites children 4 years and under with their parents or carers to join our Road Safety Day on 28 June, 10am-12pm. We will have interactive play about road safety with cars and bicycles. Check Play Group message board downstairs or ask Liza or Day To for further detail.

 

  • Time flies! Term 2 will end on 26 June (Sunday school) and 28 June (Play Group). Sunday school will have holiday program for 3, 10 and 17 July. Term 3 will start on 24 July (Sunday school) and 19 July (Play Group).

 

  • Sydney Chinese Christian Churches Association (SCCCA) has issued a statement in relation to the coming Federal Election. This statement has been posted on the notice board and you can also get a copy of this statement at the Ushers Desk.

 

Ariel writes – a weekly Scriptural devotion:

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.” (Romans 11:25-26a NIV)

Ignorance about God’s plans can lead to excessive pride! It would have been easy for the large growing Gentile church to look at Israel and think God had abandoned, even rejected them. But that is not the case. In fact, God tells us through Paul that he is “hardening Israel in part until the full number of Gentiles” are saved. Once this happens “all Israel will be saved.” How? Well, we just don’t know but God has a plan. You see, God is in the business of saving people through Jesus and we must never look upon any group of people and think God has rejected them. In the 19th century some in Europe thought God had rejected Africa and now Christianity has exploded there. In the 20th century some thought God had rejected the Arab nations and now Christianity is starting to explode there too. Let us not be conceited and say; “God has rejected Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Somalia, and Western Sahara.” For God is in the business of saving people through Jesus and we must never limit his ability to do so.

from pastor Ariel