Bulletin Announcements – 29 November 2015

• Play Group Term 4 will finish on 1 December. We will have Christmas party on our last play group of the year. Children under 5 year old (and their carers) are welcomed to join our party celebrating Jesus’ birth. Contact Liza Mihardja for more information. Sunday school Term 4 will finish on 13 December. We will have our End of the Year celebration on that Sunday. On 20 December, we will have holiday program and then we will have a break starting from 27 December.
• To introduce our church to our community, we will be distributing Christmas cards and invitations to our church for residents throughout Strathfield, by a letterbox drop. We are looking for volunteers who can help out on Sunday Dec 6, in pairs. If you can help, please see Louis Wong.
• Together with other local churches, our church will be part of the annual Christmas in Burwood Park outreach, to be held on Saturday Dec 12. We are looking for volunteers who can help with evangelistic chats with enquirers, kids’ activities, and setting/packing up. If you can spare an hour between 5-9pm, that would be appreciated. For more information see Louis Wong.

 

Ariel writes – a weekly Scriptural devotion:

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children.” (Matthew 19:14 ICB)

We often read the verse above and think; “How lovely, how nice!” and in doing so miss Jesus’ rebellious streak and its tough implications. Firstly, children back then were meant to be seen, not heard. Loved but not meant for important things. Jesus is a Rabbi (a very important Jewish professor of sorts) whom only important people should approach but here going against the cultural norms of his day Jesus invites children to approach him. Secondly, Jesus says to be part of God’s kingdom you need to be like a child. So what does this mean? A few commentators write – it means you need to be either humble, innocent, or placid like kids. What the?! One would think these scholars don’t have kids of their own! I’ve got four and I can instantly see Jesus couldn’t have meant that. What I think Jesus is saying is you need to show dependence on God if you want a relationship with him. Tough for us independent adults to do, isn’t it? But consider – without this important characteristic how can any child have a relationship with its parent?

from Pastor Ariel