Happy Mother’s Day!

09 May Happy Mother’s Day!

This week I’m giving all the guys a last minute “heads up”…This week’s Mother’s Day!

Get on your horse & get the lady in your life a cool present or two! Mum, wife, Grandma, Auntie, girlfriend…the one you want to be your girlfriend…Only a few days left.

At least a good card, not the leftovers at closing time on Saturday…ok?

You’ll thank me later. 😉

 

Now…the other pieces of news…

1. Thank You! Again those words are always appropriate. It was great to have a family weekend away, and I’m especially thankful to everyone who pitched in while I was out. Special appreciation to Paul for leading worship so capably & faithfully! Charis’ graduation ceremony in Sydney was lovely. We drove up in time to put Áine on a plane to the US to visit our friends & family there, went to the Sydney Symphony’s celebration of the Opera House’s 50^th anniversary, and then caught the graduation ceremony. I’ll say more about this in a minute…

Sunday we worshipped at Lifeway Lutheran with our partners in the gospel there. It was great to see how they use our common worship themes in their context & share the gospel in a culturally diverse setting.

2. Zoom Bible Study Catch-up

Friday – 12th May 2023 @ 1:00 PM (1 Peter 2:11-25)

Click the link to join the Zoom Meeting  —  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83586782734  —  Meeting ID: 835 8678 2734   Don’t miss it!

3. I’m getting excited about the High Valley Bonfire on Saturday 20^th May. The details are in the worship bulletin. We also have maps should you need one.
4. I’m also getting excited about our upcoming worship series on the book of Exodus.  Remember, we’re inviting our Senior Saints to be part of worship in an “interview” setting where you’ll get a chance to share some of your experience of God keeping his promises in your life. Talk to me…I’d love to have all of you share some of how God has been faithful over your lifetime.
5. We’ve got another Prayer Morning scheduled…Saturday 27^th 10-11a.m. @ the Guide Hall. Don’t miss this one either!

 

There’s lots more in the coming months…particularly our celebration of our 10^th anniversary as a congregation, 23^rd June.

 

Now…About the Graduation Ceremony…George Miller was the keynote speaker. He’s a Graduate of UNSW Medical school and with his twin brother was a GP for a number of years until his hobby, filmmaking, became his vocation. He’s the mind behind the Mad Max films, Happy Feet, Babe, Lorenzo’s Oil…and many others. He was pretty interesting to listen to, but at one point said something that really rocked me. He was talking about his success both as a Doctor and then a filmmaker & noted, “I’m really qualified only to tell stories and hope they resonate.”

To tell stories and hope people engage with them is what we do as followers of Jesus! We tell the stories of the Bible & how they describe the God who made all things in love & for love. We tell the stories of human failure, rebellion & betrayal…of our constant worship of that which is not God and the pain and brokenness that results. We tell the stories of Jesus who is God himself come to rescue & restore all things to the Father once and forever. We tell the stories of how that good news is always at work in our lives, and how despite our failings God never tires of reconciling us to himself & rebuilding our lives according to his plans and purposes. We tell the stories of God’s presence & power & provision in our lives, and how God wants nothing more than for all people to experience the highest & best gift: himself.

Psalm 78 reads in part…

¹ O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, ²  for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past — ³ stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us.
⁴ We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.
⁵ For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children,
⁶ so the next generation might know them — even the children not yet born — and they in turn will teach their own children…

We tell stories hoping people engage with them not for awards & fame & wealth…but so generation after generation will experience the power & presence & provision of God in their lives, so generation after generation will find in Jesus hope that never ends, love that never fails, joy that can’t be quenched & peace that surpasses all comprehension. So tell the stories…again and again to whoever will sit still long enough to listen…and then tell them to yourself so that you always have to hand the memories of the mighty wonders that God has done in you, for you & through you.

I’ll see you Sunday…let’s tell some wonderful stories of Jesus and his love…that old old story that never gets worn out in the telling.

 

Peace

John