29th October 2017 Reformation

Transcription

1 29th October 2017 Reformation Today we re joining with Lutheran Christians across Australia and around the world to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation a movement that began when Martin Luther nailed 95 theses for debate on a church door notice board in Wittenberg, Germany, on the 31st October, But why are we bothering to observe this anniversary? And what s the big deal with Martin Luther? Martin Luther lived at a time when the church was in bad shape, and few church members had access to the Bible. He thought of God as an angry judge, waiting to punish him for his sins. With constant torment, he agonised and despaired over how he could find a gracious God. Perhaps it s not so different for many people today, when they reflect on their imperfect lives and fractured relationships and failures! But then, Luther suddenly discovered in Scripture the incredible Good News that God alone puts sinners right with Himself! He realised that the righteousness he thought God demanded of us is actually something He gives to us! Because of the perfect life of Jesus and His innocent suffering and death for all mankind, God justifies the ungodly. He declares us righteous: Not Guilty!... and forgives us completely for Christ s sake alone! This is the good news of the Gospel!! The Reformation emphasised this with the statements: Scripture alone, grace alone, Christ alone, faith alone. We re privileged to celebrate this awesome good news of God s grace again today! and to share it with the people and the world around us... so they will come to believe it, too! The Reformation 500 anniversary challenges us as Lutheran Christians to make a stand for the Gospel! It s our Reformation heritage of faith, freedom, and future! In Christ and for His sake alone are we bold enough to say: I am not ashamed of the gospel...!? Pastor Ken Pfitzner

2 This Week at St Petri Sunday 29th October Readings: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, John 8: am Worship - Service of the Word (with Kids Connect) Once Service Only Monday 30th October 2.00 pm Funeral - Rodney Rosenzweig St Petri Church Tuesday 31st October 9.30 am Coffee & Friendship in St Petri Hall Part 3 of the Luther Studies - All welcome to attend! Wednesday 1st November am Mid-week Holy Communion, St Petri Hall Thursday 2nd November 6.30 pm Choir Practice for 150 Celebration St Petri Hall Friday 3rd November 1.00 pm Cards & Games in the Meeting Room 7.00 pm REACT at Nuriootpa Scouts - we meet there Sunday 5th November (In Memoriam) 8.30 am Worship with Holy Communion am Worship with Holy Communion This year again during both worship times we will have an opportunity to remember loved ones who have passed away and light a candle in their memory, with the assurance that those who have died believing in Jesus as their Saviour will now be with Him. Friday 3rd November - REACT Visit to Nuriootpa Scouts (more details to come) St Petri Ladies Guild New gifts for children in need at Christmas will be collected for the Hand in Hand Centre and Lutheran Community Care. Bring your gifts to our next meeting on November 8th. Also receiving Honey biscuits on the same day for Christmas cheer. Office Rosie & Libby admin@stpetri.org.au 21 Second Street, Nuriootpa Phone Pastor Adrian Kitson Greg Schubert Peter Lange Sue Vogt Sharon Green The Cottage f Website pastor@stpetri.org.au chair@stpetri.org.au businessmanager@stpetri.org.au familycentre@stpetri.org.au childyouthfamily@stpetri.org.au cottage@stpetri.org.au St Petri Lutheran Church stpetri.org.au

3 Nuriootpa Lutheran Parish St Petri, Ebenezer, Neukirch, Holy Trinity (and Strait Gate) PARISH SERVICE TIMES - Sunday 5th November Holy Trinity & Strait Gate am Traditional worship with Holy Communion Combined at Strait Gate Ebenezer & Neukirch 9.00 am Worship Combined at Neukirch St Petri - In Memoriam 8.30 am Worship with Holy Communion am Worship with Holy Communion PARISH OFFICE Krieg House 21 Second Street Nuriootpa P: F: E: admin@nuriparish.org OFFICE HOURS Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Closed for Lunch pm pm Open Sunday morning 9.30 am am It s on today! Sunday 29 October We would encourage you to attend the Combined Reformation Service FAITH FREEDOM FUTURE am Worship with Holy Communion Children s programme We invite you to wear celebratory red clothing Opportunity to join in unity with all the Lutheran Churches in the Barossa Worship service with Holy Communion for the whole Valley Lutheran Community

4 Parish Diary Dates Sunday 29th October Barossa Combined Reformation 500th Anniversary Worship am Barossa Arts & Convention Centre. Monday 30th October St Petri Lutheran Community Housing Association Nuriootpa Notice of Annual General Meeting 4.30 pm in the Board room St Petri - 150th Anniversary of St Petri 10th - 12th November celebration weekend November - SA/NT Pastors Retreat at Nunyara Belair Sunday 26th November - Annual General Meeting St Petri Barossa Green Team Fundraiser Barossa Green Team are running a raffle to raise funds to help them at the schoolies weekend in Victor Harbor. Money raised will go towards providing food, respite and a safe environment for the young people at schoolies festival. Tickets are $2 or (3 for $5) or (7 for $10) Raffle drawn on 2nd November To buy tickets please see Sarah Rohrlach or the office. Short Movie Competition Results Watch the short movies thatwere entered into the Lutheran Media Short Movie Competition at Spin Camp registrations now open 9-12 January for young people in years 4-6 (in 2017) at Camp Kedron, Barmera. Registrations close December 17th. Visit Well Christmas has arrived at the Cottage here and we are vastly running out of room. So come along next week as we re going to have 25% off all Giftware. It s a great opportunity to get those Chrissy presents organised early. GIFTWARE 25% OFF 3 DAYS ONLY Tuesday 31st October 9.30am until Thursday 2nd November 5.00pm The Cottage Christian Book & Gifts Shop 47 Murray Street Nuriootpa SA 5355 PH: cottage@stpetri.org.au

5 ST PETRI LUTHERAN CHURCH SHARING THE LOVE AND HOPE OF JESUS FOR 150 YEARS 150th Anniversary Celebrations November 2017 Tickets are now available for the 150th Anniversary Official Dinner Vine Inn, Nuriootpa 6.30 pm Friday 10th November 2017 Cost: $35.00 per person The evening will feature the launch of St Petri Years of Sharing the Love and Hope of Jesus in Nuriootpa, a 100 page history of our church. There will be a special guest speaker, a short film and door prizes. The dinner will be a set menu main course and dessert. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available. Please advise staff of your dietary requirements when booking your ticket. Bookings with payment may be made at: The Office - Cash or cheque payment only The Cottage - EFTPOS or cash payment available. Please bring your ticket on the night You are invited to our Sunday School Picnic Sunday 12th November, 2017 People of all ages are welcome to come to our St Petri Community Sunday School picnic. 12 noon to 4pm on the grounds of Coulthard House. A fun-filled event with old-fashioned games, races, pooled lunch and anniversary cake. Please bring folding chairs and a plate of food to share. If it s a sunny day - hat and sunscreen too! Sharing the love and hope of Jesus - for 150 years

6 150th Anniversary of St Petri Events November 2017 FRIDAY 10TH NOVEMBER Official Anniversary Dinner and Launch of Building on the Rock. Celebrating 150 years of St Petri Lutheran Church, Nuriootpa pm at the Vine Inn, Nuriootpa. Enjoy a two-course meal, tea & coffee. Entertainment will include a short documentary, book launch and a guest speaker. $35 per person. Please pre-purchase tickets from the Church Office or The Cottage. Cash or cheque at the Office. EFTPOS available at The Cottage. SATURDAY 11TH NOVEMBER Wine, Cheese and Heritage Evening 7.00 pm Come and join us at St Petri Hall for a relaxed, informal evening with delicious nibbles, a display of photos and memorabilia, and short films including footage from the recent re-enactment of the first service in Entry is free. Donations at the door to cover costs would be appreciated. Please indicate your interest at the Office or The Cottage to assist us with catering. SUNDAY 12TH NOVEMBER 8.30am Thanksgiving Worship with Holy Communion 10.30am Thanksgiving Worship with Holy Communion Featuring St Petri Brass and a Celebration Choir as well as the LCA Unity Candle and special guests. Old Fashioned Sunday School Picnic 12 noon - 4pm People of all ages are welcome to come to our St Petri Community Sunday School picnic on the grounds of Coulthard House. A fun-filled event with old-fashioned games, races, pooled lunch and anniversary cake. Please bring folding chairs and a plate of food to share. If it s a sunny day - hat and sunscreen too!

7 HELP WANTED We are seeking photographers to assist with taking photos at the 8.30 am service on Sunday 12th November. Please let the Office know if you are interested. Picnic on Sunday 12th November. Things are well underway for our Family Picnic preparations. There will be a Spectacular Race Event involving husbands and wives in a wheelbarrow race showdown! We have items that are needed for the picnic day and hope that you may be able to help out. Marquees - 5 needed Trailers - 5 needed Wheelbarrows 4 needed (for our Spectacular Wheelbarrow Race) Big umbrellas for shade on the day - as many as we can get! If you can supply any of these items, please put your name down on the list, on the table at the back of the church. We really appreciate your help. We are also in need of setup and pack up people. This requires people that are physically able to lift and organise heavier objects such as tables, marquees etc. We need a large team of approximately people to achieve the set up and pack away needed on the day. If you are keen to help, please pop your name on the list at the back of the church. Many thanks. MISSING STATUE OF CHRIST The old St Petri Church, which was demolished in the 1960's, had a white statue of Christ on the altar for several decades. As part of our 150th celebrations, we would love to find the statue. It was probably about 40cm high (18 inches) Do you know what happened to it? Its last known location was on the altar in the Sunday School rooms in the late 1970's, as shown in the photo. Did it get broken? Did someone take it home for safe-keeping? Please phone Luke Rothe , or see the office staff, if you have any information.

8 Special thanks to Margaret and Ian Rosenzweig for hosting this event! Open Garden - Saturday 21st October Thank you to all the helpers at the Open Garden last Saturday. It was an amazing day with people visiting from Noarlunga, Mt Barker, Murray Bridge, Adelaide and the Barossa. It was a lovely community event with good fellowship and enjoying a cuppa and cake together. There was a trading table of plants and biscuits etc. $ was raised for the Bible Society... On behalf of the Nuriootpa Branch, we appreciate those who support this event financially and for coming along and enjoying a little Paradise! Also, special thanks to Margaret and Ian Rosenzweig for hosting this event!

9 BRANCHING OUT Friday 24th November 7pm St Petri Church Hall, 21 Second St Nuriootpa Mini Market Lots of unique gift ideas Wood burning, Natural home made products, Soy candles, Jewellery, Children s clothing, Christian Gifts, Paper Crafts Cash sales and orders taken on the night Champagne, drinks & nibbles on arrival Girls Night Out 8 yrs to 80+ For more info contact: Kaylene Rohrlach Women s Ministry of St Petri for all who want to come! Christmas Hampers - Lutheran Community Care If anyone would like to help with setup, pack up hampers and greet people receiving hampers, please contact LCC to pick up volunteer application forms. The Parish office also has copies of these. Any help would be appreciated. Any non-perishable items would be appreciated as well as toys. In by Sun 3rd December If you know of someone who would benefit from receiving a hamper, please let us know at the office and we can pass this on to Lutheran Community Care. Movie Night - The Shack Join us Sunday 12th November for The Shack. Based on The New York Times best-selling novel, The Shack takes us on a father s transformative spiritual journey. After a family tragedy, Mack spirals into a crisis of faith, and questions God s existence and life s purpose. Mack is unable to move on, until he gets a mysterious invitation to an abandoned shack. There, God reveals Himself in the form of three strangers led by Papa. Still just $5 which gets you popcorn and a drink as well as this great movie pm - Holy Trinity Hall. All Welcome! Friday 3rd November Shed Happens John Falland s Shed 118 Moppa Road South, Nuriootpa 6.30 pm pm BBQ Cost $10 BYO drinks & chairs Bring your mates for a great night out! More info: Wayne Rohrlach Greg Schubert or Viv Fiebiger Ministry of St Petri Lutheran Church, Nuriootpa If you require transport, you can phone: Ian Rosenzweig Men s night out

10 Free Community Workshop Friday 3rd November 10am 2.30 pm Half-day workshop is a great opportunity to learn about mental health and wellbeing as it specifically effects rural and remote communities. Delivered by people who know what it s like out here. Rural Minds is just good, solid information without the bull dust. At St Petri Hall, 21 Second Street, Nuriootpa Enquiries and RSVP lukesmith@rrmh.com.au The Tanunda Liedertafel (1850) 69th Kaffee Abend, Tanunda Show Hall Friday 10th November The banjo Girl, Stuart Jones, Trumpet, Compere Brian Gilbertson Swing & Tonic Enquiries: Colin Reuter, Trevor Irrgang, Kevin Lange, Kevin Klemm, Viv Fiebiger

11 We pray... As the church is in the constant process of checking and reforming itself against your holy word, Father, guide us as we search for your will and direction in the new age ahead of us. Give us wisdom in this task, a thirst for your truth and a love of your gospel. Send your Holy Spirit to guide all people who are searching for the truth and lead them to the source of all truth, Jesus Christ. We pray for all pastors and teachers of the word. Help them remain faithful to the truth at all times. Let them preach the gospel boldly to people everywhere who are weighed down by guilt and sin so that they might be set free. We also ask for your blessing upon reformers in society and for all those who work to bring justice and peace in this troubled world. Guide governments and leaders everywhere and inspire them in your truth, so that at all times and in all places your will may be done. May God s heart of compassion be for Judith Rosenzweig and her family as they mourn the sudden loss of her husband Rodney on Sunday. With Jesus. We pray for Jan & Eric Kohlhagen as they mourn the loss of Jan s sister Lois Fladrich from Victor Harbor. May God give them his comfort and peace. We pray for our young ones facing exams help them recall what they have learnt. Give them your peace. We pray for God s healing and peace for those of our church family who are ill, facing medical treatment or recovering from surgery - and those who care for them: Audrey Gersch, Kelvyn Prescott, Norm Rosenzweig, Mary Hampel, Ewen McLean, Colin Burgemeister, Rosemary Lange, Stella Schulz (Wheatfields), Rosemary Angel and Joan Leahy. We pray for members of our church family: Helen & Tony THIELE, Kelly, Sam, Lachlan & Ella ADAMS, Christene AMES, Brenda HOLLITT, Rita KERNICK, Les MADER, Allan & Betty REYNOLDS. Book of Reports AGM - Sunday 26th November Thank you for sending in these reports promptly. Thank you Gifts for Children for Christmas St Petri members are privileged to be able to give to needy children this Christmas. You may purchase a NEW gift and place it in the special box in the foyer for this purpose. Collected gifts will be given to the Hand in Hand Family Centre and Lutheran Community Care. Share His love! Help St Petri Meet the Target - Pasta, Rice, Family Sized Tinned Ham or Tuna LUTHERAN COMMUNITY CARE Christmas Hampers If you are able to donate, just pop them in the trolley in the church foyer or bring into the office please! Well over 300 hampers were packed by LCC - we don t expect we can donate that many, but let s see how many we can! Donations in by Wednesday 6th December please TOTAL 8

12 St Petri Redevelopment Thank you to all our members who attended our special meeting last Sunday to vote on the redevelopment proposal! The Governance Council s goal of capturing a large participation rate in determining the overall will of the St Petri congregation was successful. It was very pleasing to see so many of our members stay after worship to attend the meeting. It is also very encouraging to hear the conversations currently taking place in our community around this project. In summary, there were 267 valid votes received last Sunday. 173 members said yes and 94 said no. In order to proceed with the redevelopment a two thirds majority was required. In this case that needed to be 178 votes. The motion presented was lost by 5 votes. The Governance Council and the entire congregation continue to maintain a united focus on the adopted key mission goals of our congregation: Sunday morning services effective connection with children, youth and families ministry to seniors school connections adult faith formation The redevelopment plan is designed to enhance these efforts going forward. In essence, the result last week indicates that a majority of the St Petri members believe that redeveloping our church, including the Northern and Southern side additions as well as the internal renovation as presented in the Redevelopment booklet, will enhance our mission capability. The GC has noted the concerns raised about the proposal and will present a revised plan for the congregation s approval in the near future. Please continue to pray for God s lead in our redevelopment discussion. Continue to talk about his project. Keep asking questions, and above all seek clarification from the informed members of our committees. I pray that we will all enjoy life in this richly blessed St Petri congregation as we make our various contributions to our shared mission here in Nuriootpa! Greg Schubert