Faith in Action Walk for Justice for Refugees Prayer Points How Effective Is Prayer?
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Third Edition June 2015 Shepparton Uniting Church Seeking to be faithful to Christ in worship, community life and serving the wider community. Lest we forget Faith in Action Walk for justice for refugees Prayer Points How effective is prayer? Getting to Know... A journey to faith Fun for the Kids Pentecost Global God, Local Focus… So what happened?? www.sheppartonuc.org.au • [email protected] • facebook.com/shepparton.unitingchurch Contents 3 Welcome to All An introduction 4 Prayer Points How effective is prayer? 5 From the Minister’s Desk Grateful and thankful UnitingCare Kildonan Youth Homelessness Sleepout 6 Group Profile Uniting Church Adult Fellowship at work Rev. Rosalie Rayment-Hewitt 6 Interfaith News (03) 5821 2077 Indonesian Interfaith visitors 7 Interfaith News Church of North India Meets United Church A word from 7 Rural Roundup St. Andrews Uniting Church Fellowship Group our Reverend 8 Assembly Action President launches National Cyclone Relief Appeal 9 For The Kids Have fun! We are here as part of God’s church, not because we are 10 Getting to Know… good enough, or because we A journey to faith “are better than others, but 12 Faith In Action because we recognise the Walk for Justice For Refugees need for God in our lives and seek to learn together what it 13 Bullet In The Bible is to walk the way of Christ in Coming to a town near you! love and service of others. 14 Global God, Local Focus… We come from a variety of So what happened? backgrounds and are at 15 Reflecting On… different points in our faith A listening way journey. This all adds to the richness of our lives together. 16 Around The Congregation Whether you are here as a Congratulations to visitor or looking for a place “ Keep in our prayers to be your spiritual home, Would you like to share I trust that you will find a 17 Synod Snippets welcome and something that Ethnically diverse images nourishes your inner being. 18 Preaching Plan June & July 2015 19 Upcoming Events June, and July 2015 20 Upcoming Events Shepparton Uniting Church August 2015 150 Maude Street, Shepparton P.O. Box 7032, Shepparton, 3632 {2} on the Vine Welcome to all The Nations of Australia and the middle of a world war makes him a hero. New Zealand have been but God did give his own The disciples may have been reflecting on 100 years since son, Jesus, who gave his caught up in the propaganda the Great War, the building own life to a cause that they and high life on that first of the ANZAC spirit and the felt would bring about the Palm Sunday but they also ultimate sacrifice of ones self kingdom of God for all they stayed committed to the for loved ones and strangers love here on earth. cause. The letters found alike. within the bible to many of Ok, so many of the men Could I really the first Christians shows their and women that served commitment and sacrifice to may have been caught “give up my life for “the cause” of sharing God’s up in all the propaganda someone else? love in many different ways surrounded around enlisting. and places. A quick search of the internet ” We encourage you during this shows many posters saying When we think about ultimate national time of reflection to “will you help us keep that sacrifice, I myself often think think about what you would promise?” (to Britain), or “God “Could I really give up my fight for, what sacrifice you Bless Daddy” (for fighting) life for someone else?” and can make for your cause or “saving her (Australia) as a parent I often think “yes, and how you will do it with from this shame”. As a past I would for my children, but the love, care and respect Australian history student I could I for others?” that Jesus has shown us. can see how this propaganda But sacrifice doesn’t have to Your fight may be to help would be enticing, but at the mean death. For me it means others, show love in a time end of the day it was the 100% commitment to a cause of trouble, share God’s love love and willingness to fight that I feel strongly about through action, information for others that made men and to fight for it with all my or theology or it may be as (and women) get off those heart. Jesus teaches us to simple as putting yourself boats and face the danger fight for our cause with love, second in a particular and ultimate sacrifice of war care and respect for those situation. Within these pages in the hope that it would we know personally and there may even be something create a better world for all. those that we will never meet. that speaks to you. Whatever Although on the opposite side This doesn’t mean that we your fight/cause may be, we to Australia, the Turks went won’t have moments of doubt. urge you to commit 100% to into battle with the same Even in the garden before he it with God’s love and know feelings of a better world as was betrayed Jesus prayed to that you too are a hero in well. his father that “this cup would God’s eyes and of the people whose hearts you may touch, God and Jesus’ ultimate pass over me” but in the end even if you never know it. sacrifice may not have been it is the commitment to fulfil staring down the barrel in the promise he made that Melissa on the Vine {3} Prayer points... How effective is prayer? To pray are we doing more than talking to ourselves? This is a serious question. In part we are talking to ourselves, that is true; but would anyone in their right mind only talk to themselves? From a Christian perspective we only come to understand the nature and character of God as we have come to learn of the teachings of Jesus. Beyond the crucifixion Jesus is seen to have entered a spiritual resurrection to be our advocate and mentor. In a measure we live by faith that we can experience a So how then should we pray? being met where we are. We relationship in a common life This question was brought up are already known and all with His new state of being. by the disciples and most of that we might say is already Our appreciation of who God us know that this was given recognised. We speak to is for us is only that which as - “Our Father who art in relieve something deep within we have been given by Jesus. Heaven, Hallowed be thy us that needs to be said Other religions may well have name”. It remains as a sacred and for a special mind to been influenced by the nature point of entry to which we acknowledge us. It is healthy of God for there is no reason can advance our deepest to bring from deep within to suppose that only one thoughts and concerns. our sub-conscious mind our religion has exclusive insights We are to love others as concerns. We may not realise into the mind of God. we also care for ourselves. how clogged our minds are We journey with the Hebrew Compassion and justice are with the pathos of what is people. Finally to us is at the heart of what Jesus happening in the World, but given the good news as taught. Very much central we need to offer prayers for experienced by the life and was the message that the all who suffer and are victims teachings of Jesus. We enter “Kingdom” is close at hand, in of atrocities. a spiritual intimacy that is and around us. Prayer is therapeutic, but it available to all. Sometimes The serious question then is also aligns us to the Spiritual we talk of the living “God”. to whom and what are we unseen that is truth and life. The freedom of the spirit of saying that is meaningful? The Kingdom of Heaven is truth and reality is not ours to We see ourselves entering a all around us and it is to this hold. We can relate but never relationship of intimacy as to that it is said:” Seek ye first possess. We can share our the “Father.” the Kingdom of Heaven”. lives with this fuller experience and be participants. At our beginning we are Alan English {4} on the Vine From the Minister’s desk are extraordinary privileges, Grateful and thankful which can also be costly. This is my first post for the that most of us did not get to Because what we listen to and ‘Vine’ since inducted as one of hear him. hear has the power to change your ministers in this parish. I us. A community that has the Listening and hearing are must say I am deeply grateful capacity to really listen to often taken for granted for the welcome and support God and to each other will because we are surrounded from our members, both here always be refreshed, renewed, by sound, whether we are in Shepparton and the rural and grow. awake or asleep. We hear congregations, and I thank all the time. The wonder of it It is my prayer that we you. soon becomes familiar and hear Christ’s command The very short time I have grows ordinary, but being “Ephphatha”, which simply been here with you demanded able to listen and to hear is means “open up”.