Great Resource!

Hi All,

Here's a link to something I think you'll like: great bible software!

I've been using this program for a short time and it's very well done, especially for the price!

FREE!
(donations accepted.)

Download and try it out. Don't forget to also download the Luther and Reformation Extras too!

Enjoy!!

50th Anniversary.

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Hello All!
Today we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the St John's Women's Fellowship. The Fellowship has been a wonderful arm of the church over this long period and have helped many to find friendship in a new country, as well as raising much needed funds for the church and other needs. To date some $70,000 has been given to the work of the Lord and in the spirit of this, a portion of todays offering will be given to the Australian Lutheran World Service.

This is also time to especially thank Ruth Mataitis OAM for her unending support of the Fellowship over those 50 years. Well done, Ruth, you are an inspiration to us all!!

Pastor John's message today focuses on Ephesians 6:10-20, where Paul tells us to put on spiritual armour against evil and use your 'everyday shoes' to bring the Gospel to those who surround us in our vocations.

Click to listen to: 'The Armour of God'

Illawarra Lutheran Parish
27th August, 2006 12th Sunday after Penticost.


Prayer of the Day.
Make us strong, almighty God, to stand firm in your word against all spiritual attacks, so that we are equipped to keep praying for your people. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Prayer Points.

• Give thanks that the Holy Spirit clothes us with the armour of God and fights the spiritual battle for us.
• Give thanks for the St John's Women's Fellowship and their many years of service to the congregation.
• Give thanks for all the women who have been involved with the fellowship over the years.
• Pray for enthusiasm and courage to put on our gospel shoes to reach those who don't know the love of Jesus.
• Pray for St Luke's, Albury and their new pastor, Rev. Geoff Kuchel as he begins his ministry.
• Pray for those in our community who are hospitalized or are suffering ill-health: Fritz T., George W., Christine F., Linda F. and Max C.

Todays Readings.
Joshua 24:1,2a,14-18
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:56-69

Todays Liturgical Colour is
GREEN.

Minor Festivals and Colours this Week.
None this week.

Thought for the Week.
“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

*Photo credit: '50' by Wilfried Heider, Germany.

More Preaching!

Hi All,
I've been listening to another podcast recently and have been quite impressed by this pastors words. His name is Rev. William Cwirla (pronounced 'swirl-a') and he preaches at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Hacienda Heights in California, USA.
For those who can't get enough time in the Word (like me!) I hope you enjoy listening!

What's on your iPod?: Cwirla's Podcast

For those of you who want to subscribe to his podcasts, here's the RSS feed. Simply copy the link and paste it into the iTunes 'Advanced/Subscribe to Podcast...' menu item. If you use the Opera browser, simply clicking on the link will allow you to subscribe using the built in newsfeed: how easy!!
Have a good week.

A Spirited Life.

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Hi Everyone,
This week, Pastor John explores Ephesians 5: 15-20, the second reading for today. Using the story of Charlie the Budgie, Pastor examines what happens when the rough and tumble of life stops us from singing the praises of the new life within us.

Click to listen to: A Spirited Life.

Illawarra Lutheran Parish.
20th August, 2006. 11th Sunday after Pentecost.

Prayer of the Day.

Wise and all-knowing God, give us your gift of Wisdom. When we don't know which way to go, open our eyes and hearts so that we see clearly the right path to take and do what pleases you. We ask this through your son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Prayer for General Synod.
As general Synod approaches we pray for all who are afraid or feel threatened by the debate on the ordination of women and its outcome, for what ever reason. Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends. Give us confidence in him and his leading and help us all gladly submit to Christ as Lord and head of the Church, which is His body.
Amen.

Prayer Points.

• Pray for healing for Fritz T. as he continues cancer treatment.
• Pray for Christine F. in hospital in Liverpool.
• Pray for Warrambui and its manager Nevin Nitschke
• Pray for wisdom to know God's will for our lives and to live accordingly
• Pray for opportunities to reach others with the Gospel.
• Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we know the love of Jesus everyday.
• Pray for others in our community who are in ill-health or recovering: Roma W., Linda F., Max C.

Todays Readings.
Proverbs 9: 1-6
Ephesians 5: 15-20
John 6: 51-58

Todays Liturgal Colour is
GREEN.

Minor festivals (and colours) this week:

24th August: St Bartholomew. (RED)
St. Bartholomew, a doctor in the Jewish law, was a dear friend of St. Philip the Apostle. Because Bartholomew was a man "in whom there was no guile," his mind was open to the truth. He went willingly with Philip to see Christ, and recognized the Savior immediately as the Son of God. After having received the gifts of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost, Bartholomew evangelized Asia Minor, northwestern India, and Greater Armenia. In the latter country, while preaching to idolaters, he was arrested and condemned to death. (While still alive, his skin was torn from his body.)
This is also the day of the infamous St Bartholomews Day Massacre of the Huguenots by French Romanist mobs in 1572.
Feast Day Foods: Barbecued Lamb Steaks, Lamb Shaslick, White Gingerbread.

Thought for the Week.
Go into all the world and preach the Gospel. Hallelujah!

*Photo credit: 'Bertie' by Gillian Townsend, Northampton, UK.

Messengers of Grace.

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Hi All,
Todays message is based aroung the old testament reading of 1 Kings 19: 4-8, where Elijah flees from King Ahab and Jezebel.
After fleeing to the wilderness, he rests under a tree. Feeling very beaten and depressed, he says: "It's too much Lord, take away my life; I might as well be dead!" (v4)
An angel came to wake him and fed him two meals of bread and water, saying 'Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you' turning his own words back onto him. Without sustenance from Heaven, the journey will, indeed, be too much for any of us.

Click here to listen to Pastor John: Messengers of Grace.

Illawarra Lutheran Parish.
13th August, 2006. 10th Sunday after Penticost.

Prayer of the Day.
Lord Jesus, you are the bread of life from God. Feed us with this heavenly bread. Unite us more closely to yourself and live within us forever. For you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Prayer for General Synod.
Today we remember our partner churches overseas and all our relationships with other churches, both those that do and those that don't ordain women. We wonder, and perhaps fear how our brothers and sisters in Christ might react to whatever decision we will make. We pray for their understanding and acceptance of us and that our partnership in the gospel may not be hindered by whatever we decide at General Synod.
Amen.

Prayer Points.

• Pray for Pastor Roly Stahl and the Immanuel congregation in Woden Valley.
• Continue to pray for Fritz T. as he battles a return of his cancer.
• Give thanks for the recovery of Roma W. and Elizabeth R., but pray for God's protection for them in the next weeks and months.
• Pray that peace is restored in the Middle East.
• Give thanks for God's protection of us and for the peace and prosperity we have in Australia.
• Pray for hearts open to the needs of those who are disadvantaged.
• Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be at work in our lives so we would know the love of Jesus and we would share the love of Jesus.

Todays Readings.
1 Knigs 19: 4-8
Ephesians 4: 25-5: 2
John 6: 35, 41-51

Todays Liturgical Colour is
GREEN.

Minor Festivals (and Colours) this week:
None celebrated this week.

Thought for the Week.
Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation!

*Photo credit: 'Angeles' by Marcelo Gerpe. Art at the Recoleta cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Feeding Hungry Hearts.

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Hello All,
Todays message talks about the true 'Bread of Life' which is Christ and His redeeming sacrifice for us. Jesus, as the Bread of Life, will sustain our soul now and in the eternal future.
Don't settle for spiritual 'fast food' which might 'look good in the photos': feed your soul on that which sustains always...the eternal Word of God.

Click here for todays message: 'Feeding Hungry Hearts'

Illawarra Lutheran Parish.
6th August, 2006.
9th Sunday after Pentecost.

Prayer of the Day.
God, our source and our goal, You have made us to hunger and thirst for You. Satisfy our hunger with the bread that gives real life; your Son , Jesus Christ. For He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Special Prayer for the General Synod.
Thank you for our Commission on Theology and all in the Church who have studied the women's ordination question, giving their time and energy to the understanding of your word and explaining, confessing and defending it. Thank you for the way they have listened to your word and each other and the way they have tried to make the issues clear for us. Bless them for their commitment to you and to the church. May their work not be in vain but bless the church and its mission.

General Synod 2006 links:

• Information.

• Introduction to the Summaries on the Teaching of the Ordination of Men Only and the Case for the Ordination of Women.
  

Prayer Points.

• Pray for an end to the conflict in the Middle East.
• Pray for the Trinity, Cooma and Good Shepherd, Tuggeranong congregations and their pastor, Mike Fulwood.
• Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be at work in our lives so we would know the love of Jesus.
• Pray for enthusiasm to reach out to others with the Good News and to be able to offer ourselves in service to the community.
• Pray for those in our community who are in hospital or suffering illness: Roma W., Fritz T., Christine F., Klara B., Elizabeth R.
• Pray for organizations that provide food to the hungry and especially for the ALWS as it continues to provide for the people of Dafur in Sudan.
• Pray for those who are experiencing their own wilderness experience and feel cut off from God that they would know His grace and love for them.
  

Today's Readings.
Exodus 16: 2-4
Ephesians 4: 1-16
John 6: 24-35

Today's liturgical colour is
GREEN
The colour of life and growth in nature. Used in the meditative teaching Seasons which emphasise the living demonstration in the Christian of the power of God's salvation.
Use from the First Sunday after Trinity, or from the Monday after Trinity Sunday, through the Season to, but not including, the Vespers of the Saturday before the First Sunday in Advent.


Minor Festivals (and Colours) this Week.
None celebrated this week.

Thought for the Week.
"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

*Photo credits: 'Wheat' by Stosic Marko and 'Basket of Bread' by Benny 75