Newsletter 28-December-2014

Focus Scripture:Luke 2:22-40
Other Readings:Psalm 148:, Galatians 4:4-7

Background:-
Righteousness, vindication, redemption, salvation! The texts for this first Sunday after Christmas Day burst with weighty concepts. It’s tempting to skip past them and focus on the more heartwarming image of the newborn babe. But perhaps there is a powerful gift to be received in asking, “Who is this child? What has he come to accomplish?”

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses,Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[a]), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[b] ²⁵

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss[c] your servant in peace. ³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation, ³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: ³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

NEXT WEEK:
Sunday Worship: 4 January 2015
Focus Scripture: Jeremiah 31:7-14
Other Readings: Psalm 147:12-20 John 1: (1-9), 10-18

Prayer Points:- Please pray for: Margaret Morrison’s successful radiotherapy treatment; Ron Ashton, Cory Melville (Jeannine’s Son) with the continued recovery for his leg wound. Dick and Judy’s Grandson Joel with a fall and stitches in his chin

CHURCH NOTICES AND EVENTS:

Advent - dancing into the Promise:- This year St John’s Worship Committee has chosen to replace the 48-hours of prayer that we traditionally hold towards the end of November with a time of directed meditation and prayer that you can undertake in your home. You are invited as a St John’s church member to participate in this activity for a week. Each day during this week you are invited to set aside about 20-30 minutes at a time that suits you to sit quietly to contemplate the messages of Christmas, to consider the material we have provided as a stimulus for meditation and to respond to the prayer focus for the day. Resource material is available on the foyer table.

Christmas Offerings this year will be sent to the Auckland City Mission. This is all cash offerings received on Christmas Eve and Day will be forwarded to them. This is from their website: “The Auckland City Mission relies on the generosity of the Auckland public to continue providing our increasingly stretched services to those Aucklanders that need them the most. By making a donation to the Auckland City Mission you are helping to ensure that we can continue to help those Aucklanders who have no one else to turn to and are in desperate need of help, now.”

Holiday Programme 2015:- As part of January’s Holiday Programme we are going to Auckland Zoo. To save costs we would like to take the children by car. Are you able to assist us in providing transport please? Contact Jeannine: 534 2305.

Mobility Carparks:- Anyone needing a mobility carpark is welcome to drop in and park in the courtyard outside the main church doors. Please ask if you need someone to drive you out.

Air Conditioning in the Worship Room:- As the summer months are upon us (finally) the Worship room heat pumps are now on the cooling programme. Just be aware that in certain parts of the seating there may be a draft from the air flow so please feel free to move around to find a more suitable spot for yourself if your current spot is in a draft. Thank you Alan and Jeannine

Inspirational TV:- Inevitably "festive greetings" and "happy holidays" give way to "MERRY CHRISTMAS" because Christmas is awesome. A simple, irresistible fact. Merry Christmas to you and your family! This week on www.inspirationaltv.net : Christmas videos. 

 State of St John’s financial position at the 30/11/2014 Comments (November):-

• Offerings for the month of November were above Budget by $301.00.
• Offerings for the five months [year to-date] are above Budget by $1,589.00

For the year to date (excluding Thanksgiving) our income exceeds expenditure by $189.00.