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Live More. Love More. Learn More
Albury Seventh Day Adventist Church
is CLOSED Until at least the end of April due to COVID-19 log in to ZOOM for
the Church Service.
Bulletin for the 28th of March
Zoom Sabbath School starts at 10am log in to https://zoom.us/
j/411176871
Zoom Service starts at 11:00am log in to https://zoom.us/j/411176871
Sunset tonight will be at 7:13 pm
Dear Family,
Every time we turn the TV on and open up newspapers, we see people infected and dying from the Covid-19; thousands of Australians lining up outside Centrelink’s office doors around the country; elderlies weeping in front of empty supermarket shelves; sports and gatherings cancelled, church doors and businesses closing; restrictions put in place to prevent further advancement of this fearful virus. These pictures create heartaches, anxiety and confusion in our communities. As we stagger and stumble along, it is easy for us to wonder,
Where is God?
Why is He allowing us to go through this?
We feel stuck and broken, like we can’t move forward. We are perplexed, crushed, weighed down and in the dark. We move ahead at a snail’s pace, groping, grasping
and hoping to find a helping hand. Actually, this situation reminded me of a similar setting over 2,000 years ago, where hope was lost, and fear, heartache, confusion and darkness filled the hearts of Jesus’ disciples to the point where they saw no light at the end of the tunnel. They questioned whether this Man who suffered and was humiliated be the Christ? Let’s look through a tiny window Luke provided for us to glance through.
Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. Luke 24:13-16.
Ellen White commented that these two disciples’ grief was so much to bear that they broke down in tears as they made their way back to Emmaus. In fact, their broken hearts prevented them from recognising Jesus, who knew their sorrows and was longing to wipe away their tears; fill their hearts with joy and gladness and was right there walking with them. (DA pg. 796)
How easy is it for us to focus on the effects of Convid-19 that we forget that Jesus the Creator God who loves to melt away our fears, tears and fill our hearts with gladness and joy is journeying with us as He promised.
I don’t believe God throw trials at us haphazardly, like an angry fan throwing a soft drink bottle at a football player. He does not accidentally let trials slip into our lives, like an absent-minded babysitter. No, God deliberately leads us into the furnace of trials for very specific reasons. Every trial we experienced has been handcrafted by God for our good. Remember, we are the clay, He is the Master Potter.
What good does God accomplish in dark times like now?
Here are just a few of the thousands of things God accomplishes.
He Forces Us to Rely on Him
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:9)
He Produces Patience in Us
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. James 1:2-3
He Prepares Us to Comfort Others
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able
to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Charles Spurgeon, who was well acquainted with trials, shared his experience:
None of us can come to the highest maturity without enduring the summer heat of trials. As the sycamore fig never ripens if it be not bruised, as the corn does not leave the husk without threshing, and as wheat makes no fine flour till it be ground, so are we of little use till we are afflicted. Why should we be so eager to escape such benefits? We shall have to wait with patience, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” He waited to give grace to us; let us wait to give glory to him.
Take heart family – God is using the summer heat of trials to bring you and me to a higher stage of maturity. Therefore, let us keep our focus on Jesus, “ Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deut. 31:8.
Tony
Lesson Pamphlets: If you have ordered a Sabbath School Pamphlet you can collect by doing a drive by :-) through church carpark with Pr. Tony in Church Carpark tomorrow morning 10:00am - 12:00pm. For those out of town your SS pamphlet will be posted to you.
Hi Family, Albury Seventh-day Adventist Church building complex is closed until at least the end of April 2020 due to COVID-19 Coronavirus. While our building and facilities are closed OUR HEARTS ARE STILL OPEN. We are meeting virtually so please engage and join us in worship online.
Weekly Services will be online through Zoom. Please use the below link:
https://zoom.us/j/411176871
Prayer Meetings at 6:30am each week day morning are also online through Zoom
Please use the below link:
https://zoom.us/j/902339803
You can also interact with us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AlburySeventhDayAdventistChurch/
By email:
Or on our website:
https://alburyadventist.church
Finally, if you cannot get online please call one of the below numbers:
Pr. Tony Moala: 0430 041 116
Steve Greenham: 0407 078 535
Damian Cox: 0414 548 058
Regular updates will be communicated by email and Facebook. If you are not on
the church email list please signup at our website:
https://alburyadventist.church
Please scroll down to the bottom of our homepage and signup there.
Church Directory
Pastor—Tony Moala
0430 041 116
Leading Elder—Steve Greenham
0407 078 535
Leading Deaconess—Vera Taskis
0411 511 060
Leading Deacon—Phil Wood
0407 469 978
Family Ministries—Tony & Ann
Moala
0430 041 116
Health—Justin Jackson
Pathfinders—Damian Cox
0414 548 058
Adventurers—Kerelyn Arnold
0402 293 304
Social Committee—Naomi Oberson
0487 755 888 [email protected]
Communications—Damian Cox
0414 548 058
Calendar/Hall Bookings
Church Clerk—Ela Hromis
Lesson Pamphlets—Faith Huston
Church Library
Bulletin—Pam Haysom
(Deadline: Wednesdays 5pm)
Church website
http://alburyadventist.church
Giving Totals for Last Week the 21st of March
Church Expenses $0.00 Main Church Offering $0.00 Sabbath School Offering $0.00 Church Building Fund $0.00 Border Christian College $0.00 13th Sabbath Offering $0.00
Please remember in your Prayers:
* Jess & Family
* Pr. Tony Moala
* Pam Haysom
For changes contact: Steve Greenham 0407 078 535
Sunset Times
*Friday 3rd April 7:03pm *Saturday 4th April 7:01pm
Fundraising
Support your
Pathfinders by
recycling 10c bottles
at the Return and
Earn Recycling
Collection Points.
Scan below barcode when you return
bottles for money to go straight to the
Pathfinder account.
Wanted: A hardcover of Patriarchs and Prophets by Ellen White. Please contact Fiona 0413 205 515.
Farewell Jan Kearns: She passed away on Monday morning. Her family wishes to thank everyone who has supported them through her illness.
PRAYER RESPONSE GROUP – to submit prayer requests or join, Text: 0405 645 016; Email: [email protected]
ZOOM PRAYER - each Mon, Tues, Thurs, & Fri, 6.30 am UNITED PRAYER ON ZOOM - Wed 6.30 am & 6.30 pm (excluding school holidays).
ZOOM LINK https://zoom.us/j/902339803 or download the Zoom app.
Emergency Relief Committee: A committee has been selected to look after the special needs in relation to fire/flood/quarantine or other special circumstances. Please contact Janice or Michael if you would like to help or are in need of help.
ADRA News: ADRA Op Shop is closed until at least the end of April due to COVID-19. We will update as more information comes to hand.
