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WEST EPPING UNITING CHURCH
Will our Children have Faith?
The National Rugby League tells us Victoria Bitter is the official
beer of the NSW Blues while Carlton Draught is a major partner
with Australian Football League. Alcohol companies enjoy a
lucrative association with major sporting bodies across
Australia.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the rampant promotion
of alcohol. In a recent study three quarters of a group of
children surveyed recognized “Bundy Bear” (associated with
Bundaberg Rum) and identified it with an alcoholic product.
Meanwhile, in another study, 31% of boys and 14% of girls
aged 15 to 17 years were recorded as already drinking at
rates exceeding safe drinking levels for adults.
This is troubling news. Alcohol is promoted to children through
the prowess of our sporting heroes. Such a mantra is clearly
destructive to young people.
In ancient Israel a different kind of mantra was promoted
among children. It’s called the “Shema” and it’s a powerful,
life-giving, life-enhancing statement recorded in the Book of
Deuteronomy:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your might.”
Last year, when visiting Jerusalem, I remember watching an
orthodox Jew recite this text to his child. It was a heartening
scene as these rich, profound words were spoken to a most
attentive little girl. For me they put everything into perspective.
For you see, this is what we should be teaching our children.
There is far too much rubbish and far too many distractions
around these days. Our children are constantly being
bombarded and short-changed. Their formation as God’s
people and their growth as disciples of Christ is getting
swallowed up in the midst of everything else that is going on.
My hope is that children of all ages will be offered the best of
all there is in life. And this is the call to grow and develop in
the knowledge of the God who loves and cherishes them!
The commercial world may be enticing our children to drink.
But we are in a different business. What matters more than
anything else is that our children have faith in God.
My hope is that this will continue to be a priority for us here in
West Epping – now and always!
John Barr
Sunday 16 August 2015
Welcome 환영합니다
സ്വാഗതം 欢迎
Ki ora Malo elelei
Our Vision We are people sent to share the love,
hope and compassion of Jesus Christ with
all the world
A prayer for today
Almighty God, you have set before
us the path but we wander trying to
find our own way.
Help us to seek you every day, to
acknowledge that we need your
wisdom and guidance.
And help us to return to the path and walk with you. In
the name of Christ, who is our companion on the
journey, Amen.
PASTORAL CARE:
For any Pastoral Care needs
please contact
Pastor Lois Rees 9876 1743 or
Rev John Barr 0457 879 099
Prayer Points
We come before our gracious, loving God with our
prayers:
For the work of peace advocates and peace
builders around the world. We especially pray for
Joy Balazo and her ministry in the southern
Philippines. Continue to inspire and equip Joy is this
vital ministry
For an appropriate, responsible response to climate
change. May we faithfully care for the environment
you have entrusted us with and may we learn to live
sustainably with a special commitment to those who
do not have adequate means.
For those whose lives are caught up in substance
abuse and addiction together with those who suffer
from various forms of mental illness. May they find
comfort and healing in the embrace of your caring,
compassionate hands.
For our children, grandchildren and great
grandchildren as they live a world full of distractions
and demands. May they be nurtured in the love of
God and may they grow strong in the fullness of
Christ.
For this West Epping community, its ministers, leaders
and all those who share in the ministry of this place.
Give us wisdom and courage as we respond to your
call to be a generous, caring, just people in a
society preoccupied with self-preservation,
prosperity and the yearning to be content
For people who have special needs, especially
those who are sick or are recovering. We especially
remember Shirley Rae, Betty Watkins, Rosemary
Williams, Enid Graham, Shirley Brown, Peter Brewin,
Von Roden, Ken Barrett and Maurie Wilson.
A MESSAGE FROM THE KIDS AT JAM
In JAM last Sunday, we thought about ways we could
make prayer an everyday, all-the-time part of our lives.
Prayers don’t have to be long & complicated & they don’t
have to be planned; they can be as simple as ‘Thank you’
or ‘Help!’
Here are some of our suggestions.
Maybe you could try some of them…
When you hear a siren, pray for the ambulance, fire or
police officers and for the people they’re going to help
Say ‘thank you’ when you see something amazing in
nature (e.g. a beautiful sunset, a flower, an ant…)
Pray for God’s help when you’re worried about doing
something hard, like a test
Pray for bullies & for the people they’re bullying
Say ‘thank you’ when you achieve something, like
scoring a goal in soccer
When you wake up in the morning, say ‘thank you’ for
your life
Say ‘thank you’ when you’ve just had an awesome day
and you’re really happy
Pray when people are going away to a new school, a
new home or a new job
Say thank you for everything
Say thank you whenever a good thing happens
Pray for family & friends whenever you think of them
Just say ‘Thank you, God’ when a good thing happens
When you make eye contact with someone, pray for
them
Before you play a game, pray for the people in your
team and for the opposition
Before you meet with someone or ring them up, pray
for them
If you are sick or in hospital, pray for yourself and for
the other people who are sick too
Pray for your children
Before you walk into your classroom or office, pray for
everyone inside
You can also pray when
you’re in bed and can’t sleep
you see bad stuff on the news
you see homeless people
you see someone who is hurt
you’re cleaning your teeth
you’re putting the washing out
you do well in a test or…when you don’t do so well
you’re about to eat something yummy
Community News LADIES FELLOWSHIP ~ Tuesday
18 August at 7.45pm. Please join us for
a fun game of Trivia. This is always a
great night of friendly ‘rivalry’ and much
laughter. All ladies very welcome.
Enquiries: Lyn MacGregor 9871 5701
FRIDAY DISCOVERY ~ Friday 21 August
Join us at 10am for morning tea. This
month’s topic is ’School Days’. We will
have a ‘Sharing Morning’ of our school
memories. Please bring along
something to show eg school
photos, school reports, sport
ribbons, trophies, graduation
photos, year books etc
Everyone is welcome.
Enquiries: Joan Ross 9873 3713
LAMINGTON DRIVE
30 September
Order forms are now
available on the stewards
cupboard in the foyer.
Price is unchanged at $10 per dozen
The Treasurer’s Report for the
2014/15 Financial Year is
available on the table in the foyer.
WELCOME JOY BALAZO
Today we welcome Joy Balazo, an International
Peace Advocate and Peace Builder, to West Epping.
Joy has spent a life time working for justice and
peace, both in her country, The Philippines, and
throughout the world from Palestine to East Timor to
North Korea.
In 2001, Joy devised a model of workshops and networks to sow ‘seeds of
peace’ among young people living on opposite sides of conflicts. The
program has changed lives and laid foundations for peace in Papua New
Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Burma, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and East
Timor.
Joy received the World Methodist Peace Award in 2013 in acknowledgment
of her peace-building efforts. Previous winners include Nelson Mandela and
Kofi Annan.
Joy will share with us today about her current work in the southern Philippines
on the island of Mindanao among the indigenous Subanen people of the
Zamboanga Peninsula. Here Joy has implemented a program to build
peace and create a sustainable livelihood among poor, displaced people.
West Epping is supporting this important project and there will be an
opportunity for you to contribute today through a retiring offering after both
services.
Joy’s remarkable story has been told in a recently
published book, Live Peace, by Margaret Reeson.
Copies of this book will be available today at a cost
of $25.
The Lord is our God!
Pray for Cheltenham Girls’ and Epping Boys’ High Schools
A group of parents from local churches
have started to meet together for one
hour, once a term, to pray for our
children at Cheltenham Girls’ and
Epping Boys’ High Schools. We would
love more people to join us in
supporting the students and staff of
these schools by praying for them.
Please join us on Thursday 20 August
from 8-9pm at 9 Gloucester Road
Epping. We finish promptly at 9am.
Enquiries: Katrina Collins 0400 488 459 /
ckjsge@gmail.com
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite
them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when
you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on
your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the
doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Matthew 5:13-16
‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness
be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled
under foot.
‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one
after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand,
and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine
before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your
Father in heaven.
Bible Readings
신명기 6장 4-9절 (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
4 “이스라엘아 들으라 우리 하나님 여호와는 오직 하나인 여호와시니
5 너는 마음을 다하고 성품을 다하고 힘을 다하여 네 하나님 여호와를 사랑하
라
6 오늘날 내가 네게 명하는 이 말씀을 너는 마음에 새기고
7 네 자녀에게 부지런히 가르치며 집에 앉았을 때에든지 길에 행할 때에든지
누웠을 때에든지 일어날 때에든지 이 말씀을 강론할 것이며
8 너는 또 그것을 네 손목에 매어 기호를 삼으며 네 미간에 붙여 표를 삼고
9 또 네 집 문설주와 바깥 문에 기록할찌니라”
마태복음 5장 13-16절 (Matthew 5:13-16)
13 “너희는 세상의 소금이니 소금이 만일 그 맛을 잃으면 무엇으로 짜게 하리
요 후에는 아무 쓸데 없어 다만 밖에 버리워 사람에게 밟힐 뿐이니라
14 너희는 세상의 빛이라 산위에 있는 동네가 숨기우지 못할 것이요
15 사람이 등불을 켜서 말 아래 두지 아니하고 등경 위에 두나니 이러므로 집
안 모든 사람에게 비취느니라
16 이같이 너희 빛을 사람 앞에 비취게 하여 저희로 너희 착한 행실을 보고 하
늘에 계신 너희 아버지께 영광을 돌리게 하라”
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Matthew 5:13-16
Monday 17 Aug 10.00am Conversation English Classes
Tuesday 18 Aug 9.30am 2.00pm 7.45pm
Men’s Shed at Arrunga Singing at Wesley Rayward Ladies Fellowship
Wednesday 19 Aug 9.30am 9.45am 4.30pm
Men’s Shed at Arrunga Mainly music OurSpace Mid Week
Thursday 20 Aug 9.30am
10.00am Playgroup & Men’s Shed at Arrunga Thursday Craft
Friday 21 August 10.00am Friday Discovery
Saturday 22 August 9.30am Worship Leaders meeting
Sunday 23 August 8.00am 9.45am
Worship Worship : JAM & Junior JAM
Ministry Team
Team Leader Rev John Barr 0457 879 099 Ministry to Seniors Rev Young-Dae Lee 0410 464 311 Pastoral Care Co-ordinator Pastor Lois Rees 9876 1743 Office Administrator Helen Tattersall 9868 3574 Safe Church Contact Person Erica Harrison 9873 3989
Church Office 35 Orchard St Epping 2121
Office Hours Monday to Friday 9am—3pm Email weppinguca@gmail.com Website weppinguca.org.au Phone 9868 3574 WEUC Bank Account Westpac BSB 032 081 Account 961263
What’s on this week!
Serving Next Sunday 23 August 2015
8.00am 9.45am
Welcomers John Norman
Lorraine Jones Joan Ross
Elaine Ferris
Stewards David MacGregor
Ivan Drury Helen Davey, John Ferris
Wes Gibbons
Ministers Assistant Betty Taylor Peter Brown
Reader Doug Blunden Cheryl Lee
Prayer Ministry John Planner Elva Harris
Sound Jan Venn-Brown
Computer Brian Essex Mabel Li
Flowers Alison Anderson
Grounds 29 Aug Vic Vorobieff & Steve Boorman
The West Epping Uniting Church uses information and news provided by its members, adherents and officers for the purposes of conducting its pastoral ministry. In the course of that ministry, material published in this bulletin may reach an audience wider
than the membership of the congregation.
Saturday 22 August: Worship Leaders Meeting
9.30am to 12.30pm in the Cottage
Sunday 30 August: Intergenerational Service
at 9.45am – ‘The Good Samaritan’ (note: there
WILL be an 8am service on this day)
Sunday 30 August: Congregational Meeting
at 11am.
Wednesday 2 September: Seeking God
Together – discover different ways of
connecting with God between 2pm and 9pm
Sunday 13 September: Spring into Action
Thursday 17 September: 7.30pm
Guest Speaker Nic Newling
Monday 21 September: International Day of
Peace Interfaith Service – Leigh Memorial
Uniting Church, Parramatta 2pm
Sunday 27 September: 8am Worship Service
Preacher will be Rev Young-Dae Lee (Seniors’
Minister)
Wednesday 7 October: Social Justice
Information Night – ’Homelessness among
Women in Western Sydney’ 7.30pm in Maurice
Davies Hall
Saturday 10 October: Mystery Coach Tour
Cost $45pp. See Dorothy, Joan, Jenny or Tess.
We are committed to protecting children, young people and those who are vulnerable from harm and abuse
West Epping Uniting Church is committed to providing safe places where people are
cared for, nurtured and sustained. We seek to provide a safe environment for children,
young people and vulnerable adults to encounter God, to develop relationships as part
of a community, and to grow in faith.
To ensure this, the Synod of NSW and ACT requires each congregation to develop a Safe Church Policy. Such a policy
has been prepared and endorsed by the Church Council. Today this policy will be launched. A Code of Conduct is
included for all people who engage in working with children, young people and vulnerable adults. This needs to be read
and endorsed by those working in these areas. Let’s ensure we are a safe place for everyone!
Copies of the policy and the code of conduct form for signature, are available in the foyer.
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