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2 ---- Pastor s Comment --- Kia Ora Church Last Sunday Colleen Doyle warned us: The enemy has a plan to take you out. Disappointments will come, but we choose whether they make us bitter or better. When we realise, where we are and what we are going through, doesn t determine who we are; and when we discover the bigness of who God is and the smallness of who we are, true contentment can be found, alongside the freedom to receive and release all God has for us and others around us. (Alex Larsen 12 th November). Humility is the key. God loves us as we are but wants to use our circumstances to grow us, so that our inside matches the outside. Leanne Rolleston spoke of looking back to look forward, discovering God s original intent for our lives and our families. With our recent Word of Life Graduation, and the prophetic words spoken over the graduates, we are reminded that, looking back we all have a life story, and looking forward a victorious future ahead. As we engage in life with God, God-given doors of opportunity open before us! We live under an open heaven. Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. Isaiah 54:2 A big thankyou to ones who volunteered their time to help with fitting insulation and painting Is54 the Centre over the past months. If you have any spare time through January, please ring David Chapman to check out what still needs doing. (mobile ) Together, we move closer to the completion and opening of our new building! The Christmas season is a wonderful time of celebrating God s gift of love expressed to the world, through the birth of His Son, Jesus. It is a time when many get together with family and friends to celebrate Christ, and enjoy our beautiful Bay of Plenty weather. For many this is a time of tremendous blessing, but for some it can be a very lonely time. Let us be aware of ones around us living on their own, those who are sick neighbours, friends, church family members We have been blessed to share the blessing of Christmas with all we have contact with Jesus with skin on! Join us as we deliver Christmas fruit mince pies to our ALC neighbours on Sunday 17 th December, and on Sunday 24 th December sing carols at Melrose. How special it is to bless our neighbours in these ways. This year, ALC Christmas service is on Sunday 24 th December. On Christmas Day there is a shared lunch for any wanting to attend. Speak to Tim or Sue if you would like to be part of this lunch. Ph May each one of you have a safe, relaxed December January. Keep in touch with your Life Group and others, be alert to Holy Spirit inspired opportunities and be quick to testify to the goodness of our wonderful God. Arohanui Lorraine

3 A special welcome to our visitors today! We trust that you feel at home with us as we worship God together. It is a pleasure to have you join with us! Today 9:00am Prayer Meeting 10:00am Mike Cullen 10:45am Kidz Rock 2:00pm MegaLife This Week Tuesday mainly music SAYGo WOL Thursday Young Adults Friday Youth Meetings in December 3 rd Mike Cullen MegaLife 10 th Children s Church MegaLife 17 th Love Our Neighbours MegaLife 24 th Tim Jensen Coming Up 3 rd Dec Sunday Trustees/MTeam EOY 5 th Dec Tuesday weekly mainly music 10:00am For children 6months to 5 years Last session 12 Dec 2017 Tuesday weekly SAYGo 11:45pm Balance exercise Last session 12 Dec th Dec Thursday 65+ Club 10:00am A fun time, lunch included Thursday Creative Ministries EOY 6:00pm Thursday Young Adults 7:30pm 8 th Dec Friday weekly Youth 6:30pm Friday Facilitators EOY 10 th Dec Sunday One Voice 6:30pm (Bethlehem College Events Centre) 14 th Dec Thursday Young Adults 7:30pm 24 th Dec Sunday Christmas Carols 3:00pm At Melrose rest home 25 th Dec Monday Christmas Lunch at ALC 12:00pm 14 th Jan Sunday Church Picnic Papamoa 4pm 23 rd Jan Tuesday SAYGO pm 31 st Lorraine Wells 30 th Jan Tuesday Bible Survey 7:30pm

4 MISSIONS GIVING Received Outgoings Marine Reach - Hosking $0 $250 YWAM - Cole $0 $250 Africa Joshua Foundation $1205 $1205 Peru Arevalo $0 $500 Dec Nasik - Sunil $0 $500 Dec Philippines - Hands of Hope $40 $500 Dec We encourage targeted financial giving for these missions. Presently, most missions support is sent from our general giving. Please specify mission on the tithe envelope or reference for online banking (mission and tithe number - e.g. Nasik 1206 ) Account: Abundant Life Church Please pay mission IOU s into the 02 account. Give generously Sow into the Kingdom Reap a Harvest FACILITATORS 10 Dec Ian & Julie Kelly 17 Dec Terry & Karen Wills 24 Dec Rob Oversluizen & Lynn Henderson 31 Dec Robert & Roberta Watson KITCHEN 10 Dec Robert & Roberta Watson 17 Dec Barbara Sayers & Margaret Cowey-Rodger 24 Dec Sue Jensen & Ray White 31 Dec Trish & Peter Nixon ROSTERS KIDZ ROCK As a church we believe wholeheartedly in the biblical principle of tithing. We have a box for Tithes and Offerings situated on the wall by the crèche room. Remember to write your tithe number on the envelope provided. Tithe and AP forms are also available. Our bank details: Tauranga Abundant Life Church Tithes, course fees etc Missions, mission IOU s IS54 Building Fund IS54 giving for November $ Dec Leanne Show & Tell 17 Dec Leanne Christmas Party 24 Dec No programme 31 Dec No programme KORU Rowie Wilson & Tiff Limmer

5 Social Concern Hello Everyone On 26 th November, I attended the annual Solidarity in Respect for Life service which is organised by the local VOICE FOR LIFE committee. It is always an enjoyable time where different sectors of our society are represented by local dignitaries who speak about their organisation and then prayer for God s continued blessing as they work to improve the lives of those they serve. The keynote speaker this year was Dr. Catherine Byrne, a Palliative Care Doctor at Waipuna Hospice. In these times when euthanasia is talked about as a life ending option it is good to understand the work that is being done by the medical profession to further the understanding around Palliative care and especially pain management is becoming more and more recognised. She had many stories of peoples experiences in the Hospice and how as a Doctor she too has learned that everyone is different and culture presents its own difference but at the heart of it all is a person and a family who at a difficult time have the expert guidance and care of highly trained men and women to ease them through this hard time. She is a warm, caring and deeply compassionate lady, a wife and mother. She leads a team of Doctors dedicated to the care of terminally ill people whose skill and expertise makes the last days and hours peaceful. She earned my respect for all she does and for the heart that she does it with while graciously expressing the Love of the Father in every way. From all the contributors, a very Happy Christmas season. Have a great holiday and we will catch you in the New Year. Blessings Barbie A big THANK YOU to all who have served on the Kitchen & Office Cleaning rosters over the last year, you have done a wonderful job. As you have blessed the church family, may the Lord bless you and your families especially over this Christmas / New Year season. May He reveal His greatness to you in new ways and refresh

6 A big thank-you to our Life Group Leaders & Pastoral Care Team for 2017! Please continue to pray for and show appreciation to this dedicated team who devote many hours to serving us. If you have any urgent concerns while the office is closed contact your Life Group leader May God bless you abundantly and keep you and your family safe over the next two months when many of you will have holidays. Enjoy the summer! Lorraine Tim & Sue PRAYER MEETINGS Morning Prayer 6:30am - 7:30am Intercessors 10am - 12noon These Prayer Meetings will continue through until 13th December 2017 and restart on 16 th January 2018

7 Bible Study Course Starts: Tuesday 30 th January :30 pm Brochures and registration forms available from ALC office or by church notice board Papamoa Domain Sunday 14th Jan 4:00 pm Sausages, bread & sauce supplied B.Y.O. Sunscreen, hat, chairs/blanket, salad, dessert, cutlery, plates ect. Fun Games, come have some fun and fellowship in the sun!

8 Recently as we were sharing the gospel in the Red Square after church, a man approached us. I offered him a tract and said we were Christians preaching salvation through Christ. He replied he was an atheist. I said no one will be an atheist when the Lord returns, because every knee will bow to Him and every tongue will confess to God, but by then it will be too late, we have to make the decision to follow Him now. He looked at me and said how do you know that God is real? I said if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you will be saved, and then you will know, and you won t need me to tell you. Then he said he sort of believed in God. I said, I thought you said you were an atheist. He replied that he learnt about God at his Church School, and believed that if he lived a good life he would be saved. I said we can t save ourselves because we are all sinners, only God is without sin. God is perfect, but we aren t, we have all sinned, that is why we need a saviour. I said you can be saved right now by accepting Jesus as your Lord and saviour. He said God is controlling people by saying we have to either make Jesus Lord, or He will send us to hell. I said God doesn t send anyone to hell; we choose hell by rejecting Christ. The penalty for sin is eternal death; Jesus Christ came down from heaven and paid for our sins with His own life, so we could be free from sin and have eternal life. We should be the most grateful people in the world because of what Jesus has done for us. He still wasn t convinced, so I offered him a tract, which he declined; but I said, just take one, you may need to read it one day. He took the tract and said goodbye. Unfortunately, we don t get long to talk with people on the street; they are generally in a hurry and don t want lengthy conversations, but we can only trust that the seed is getting into their hearts as we share the Word of God with them. I was reflecting about the conversation later and wondered if he might have had a problem with rejection and authority, because there was loneliness and defiance about him. Sometimes parents send their children away to a good school for the wrong reasons, and cause rejection and rebellion to set in. Maybe if we were working as a pair, one of us may have received a Word from God to break the hindrance to his salvation, but sadly our ranks are rather thin at present; as Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest will send out labourers We would love you to come out and share with us; there is much work still to be done and so little time left in which to do it. We go and share the gospel each Thursday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and meet Thursday evenings for fellowship, Bible study and prayer. We really do need you to help us; the work is too great and we can t complete it alone. We wish you all a joyous and peaceful Christmas this season. Blessings in Christ, Russ.