Holy Week service times

Services times over holy week will be as follows:

Maundy Thursday: Service with Communion and stripping of the altar - 6pm

Good Friday: Living Stations of the Cross led by GM Lutheran Youth - 2pm

Easter Sunday: A celebration of the resurrection with Communion - 8.30am

Every blessing as you prepare to remember and celebrate what the Lord Jesus has done for you, Pastor Matt

For Sunday 10th MApril - 8.30am

This Sunday worship begins at 8.30am. We'll be hearing perhaps the most well known passage from the prophet Ezekiel - the valley of the dry bones - and thinking about God continues to breath life into our sin dead bodies through the forgiveness of our sins.

The other readings are included below for your preparation.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 Vision of the valley of dry bones
Romans 8:6-11 The Spirit of God lives in you
John 11:1-45 The raising of Lazarus- Jesus’ last sign

For those who are looking for a drive to Shepparton on Saturday night, don't forget our gathering at 7pm where I'll share images and stories from my time in Africa. We're using it as a fundraiser for the work of ALWS in Kakuma Refugee Camp and Sth Sudan.

God's peace,

Pastor Matt

For Sunday 27th March - 8.30am

This Sunday service begins at 8.30am.

Here are the readings for your preparation:
Exodus 17:1-7 The Israelites put God to the test.
Romans 5:1-11 While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 4:5-42 Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

Please remember youth begins this Friday night at 6.30pm in Shepparton and don't forget our Children's ministry workshop in Shepparton on Saturday 2nd April.

Blessings,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 20th March - 11am

My sincere apologies for my lack of attention to this blog for the last couple of months. Since arriving back from Africa it seems life has got a lot more hectic. That said, I hope to be back here each week to keep you all up to date.

This Sunday, the Second Sunday in Lent, will see worship begin at 11am. We're looking forward to worshiping with our brothers and sisters from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Benalla, and then to enjoying lunch together after service

The readings for Sunday are:
Genesis 12:1-4a The call of Abraham
Romans 4:1-5,13-17 Abraham, our father, justified by faith
John 3:1-17 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son

Other congregational activities for the week include:

Bible Study - A Longer Look at the Lessons - Wednesday 7.30pm

Advance notice that Youth will begin for the year on Friday 25th March at St Paul's in Shepparton.

Blessings,
Pastor Matt

Service times November 2010

Service times for November and December 5 are as follows:

7th November - Service with Communion (11am)
14th November - Service with Communion (8.30am) guest preacher Pastor Graham Zweck
21st November - Service of the Word(11am)
28th November - Service with Communion (8.30am) guest preacher Pastor Allan Heppner
5th December - Service of the Word (11am)

God bless you all,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 26th September - 8.30am

This Sunday service will begin at 8.30am as we continue our journey through the gospel of St Luke. This week we'll be hearing the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31) and considering the cautions Jesus' presents to us in this vivid account of life and death.

Rather than using this text to go down the path of moralism, we will consider what it was that plugged the rich man's ears to the Word of God which offered to save him from the torments of hell. And we'll also be thinking about those things that plug our ears to the Word and close us off from God's grace. Without His life giving Gospel active in our lives, showing true mercy is never high on our list of priorities.

See you Sunday.

God's peace,
Pastor Matt

For Sunday 19th September - 11am

This Sunday worship will begin at 11am.

I'm planning to preach on the gospel reading from Luke 16:1-13, the parable of the shrewd manager and offer the reflections here from our LCA worship resources:

Jesus is talking to the affluent here, people who are so wrapped up in their pursuit of money and consumer material goods that they don't bother giving time to pursue their eternal welfare before it is too late. This illustrative story does not praise dubious practice in business. Jesus uses the astuteness of the dishonest manager as the quality to be emulated by Christians when addressing their spiritual needs. The children of light (disciples of Christ) are not as industrious by and large at pursuing eternal life as the children of this world are in getting ahead! The second comparison is in faithfulness of stewardship. Christ makes the point that Christian service needs to be directed single-mindedly to the Lord, not mixed also with material greed.

God bless,
Pastor Matt