Bulletin Announcements – 2 November 2014

• ‘Tea for a cause’: Strathfield 9am will be hosting a women’s event on 29th Nov! This high tea event aims to raise funds for children living in poverty. Tickets are $30/person with all funds raised being donated to Compassion Australia. Kirsty Kurilowicz will also be sharing a message on compassion. For tickets, please see Betty Wong or Joanne Cheng. For more information on Compassion Australia, please visit http://www.compassion.com.au.
• Children Ministry Announcement: Are you the one we are praying for? In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus said “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Our children in Sunday school are growing up. The classes are expanding too, to the point of overcrowding. We are praying and calling for new leaders and helpers to help our children growing up in Christ in our Sunday school classes. God has trusted us as a family to nurture them spiritually. Please contact Liza Mihardja or our deacons.
• NextGen Training Conference: We have a group of Youth and Leaders going to NextGen in Jan 12-16 2015. Early bird discount closes 12th November. Register as part of our WSCCC Group. See Leo Leung or Youth Pastor Andrew Bardsley for instructions and info.
• Glue Parents’ Night: Parents of high schoolers and those going in to high school are invited to our Parents’ Night at Glue youth group. It will run during Glue time: 7:30-9:45 on Friday 21st November. You will meet parents and leaders of youth, find out more about our Glue youth group and benefit from informative topics for parents. See Youth Pastor Andrew Bardsley for more information.

 

Ariel writes – a weekly Scriptural devotion:

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” (Joshua 5:13-14)

“Neither,” he replied,…” But was not God on their side? Were they not fighting his battles? So, what was the problem then? In one word – presumption. The fact that Joshua and you and I just often presume God is fighting our battles, doing our bidding, answering our prayers, just because we are his children. However, children sometimes need to be reminded that mum and dad are in control, in the driver’s seat, not them. We sometimes need to be put in our place as it were. Yes, God is on our side but only because he chooses to be in Jesus. On the grand scale of things we must never forget this universe is his domain, time does his bidding, and our lives are under his control.

 from Pastor Ariel