The Link

December 1 2013

Neil Ryan Senior Pastor

Seth Emery Youth Pastor

Kathy Heath Childrens Pastor

Gavin Jones Pastor, LifeChurch

Allan Stanley-Smith Pastor, Pastoral Care

Welcome

December 1 2013

Welcome to Unley Park Baptist today. It is great to have you with us. If you are new to Unley Park, we appreciate that it can be daunting to walk into a new church, so as much as we can, we want to help you feel at home here. In the pew in front of you please find a black folder that contains a white care card for you to complete. There is also a "Welcome Pack" available for you that, among other things, has a special Care Card for you to record your visit and for us to follow up any requests you make. All Care Cards should be "posted" as you leave the church, in the locked box on the table by the "Baptistry Door".

10.00am

Morning Worship Neil Ryan David 1 Samuel 16 What is God looking for? Garry Gooden, Catherine & Peter Warnecke Suzanne Stanley-Smith, Bob & Noelene Hunt, Lyn Ryan Life Church

Morning Tea: Morning Tea Next Week: 5.00pm

Just a Minute
I remember when I was about 5 years old, setting fire to the paddock next to our house. It got out of control and burned our side fence, part of our shed and caused a bit of a stir for the chooks in the chook pen! Thankfully, the fire brigade came and extinguished the fire before it ran out of control. However, by the time they had finished I was nowhere to be found. I knew where I was but no one else did. I was hiding under my parents bed. They must have known something because I can still hear my mother calling out, Neil, where are you? The only thing in my defence is that Im not the only one who has quivered at that question. Adam and Eve disobeyed Gods command and then thought it was smart to camouflage themselves with leaves and hide in the garden. I have some sympathy with their stupidity! Ever wondered why we would rather hide and hope a problem goes away than face the inevitable? Theres probably a couple of reasons. Firstly, pride; We dont enjoy looking silly in front of other people. We dont enjoy others seeing us in a less than perfect state. Theres a humiliation factor in not having answers, or dwelling in sadness a bit longer than is socially acceptable or harbouring doubts about our faith or facing the plain reality that we are wrong! We dont like people seeing us unravelled in an inglorious mess! Secondly, ignorance; We just cannot shake the fear that this question is fraught with danger, rather than grace. Where are you? seems to be full of impending judgement. It threatens to hunt us down and inflict immeasurable pain on us. In the beginning Adam and Eve ate of the tree of good and evil because the devil told them it would make them like God. The funny thing is that since that moment, they and every one of their descendants, including ourselves, just cant seem to understand what God is really like. Even when He reveals Himself in the Bible we still think of Him as something else. Of course, wrong needs righting. Disobedience needs discipline. Mercy cannot avoid justice. However, the question, where are you? is primarily a reminder that even when we are hiding from God, He will not hide from us. Even when we are at our worst, He will not walk away. Even when we want everything to just disappear, God appears! Back to my early years, I was eventually found under the bed. But even then, with the smell of smoke on my clothes and guilt all over my face, I denied any knowledge of the cause of that fire. As a child I was afraid of the people who loved me the most, my Mum and Dad. As a child I didnt understand that their love would go beyond my stupidity. As a child I didnt understand that I needed their presence mo re than anything else. I did confess to that fire fighting episode.when I was about 14! But as a Christian I am learning that when my life comes unravelled and I dont want anyone to know, it is reassuring when God comes and says, Where are you? God Bless Neil

Changes to Sign Out Time

Over the past weeks there has been growing concern regarding the safety of our children during Signing Out time. As from today we are trialling a different system. All small group Sign in/out books will be on trestles in the breeze way in front of the Main Hall stairs. Parents are asked to remain behind these trestles and their children will be collected by their leaders and sent out to meet you. This is so that we are compliant with our Child Protection Policy which states, that only the rostered on adults can be in the Main Hall with the children. It will also assist us with the packing up of Childrens Church. We thank you for your co-operation as we trial this new process. Kathy Heath

Schools Ministry
Please pray for 1. Good health and Gods protection of the team and families. 2. As many children as possible, with open and eager hearts. Blessings on teachers and pupils, that the message would be received deeply. 3. Good rapport with staff and Principals. No problems with the schedule, times and dates 4. Glen Osmond Primary School have declined Christmas and Easter this year. Pray for open doors next year.

PERFORMANCE DATES
PARKSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL GOODWOOD PRIMARY HIGHGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL Monday 2 December 2pm (1 session only) th Wednesday 4 December 9-9.45am, 1010.45am Recess 11.30-12.15pm (3 sessions) th Friday 6 December 9-9.45am, 9.45-10.30am, 10.30-11.10am Recess 11.35-12.15pm & 12.1512.50pm (5 sessions)
nd

Catherine Warnecke

With Sympathy
Our love, thoughts and prayers have been with Rosie Harris and her family this week at the recent loss of her mother.

Our Missionary Families

The Ames Family Owen, Sarah, Rachel, Jessica & Joshua OM/TEAM Church Planting, Tokyo, Japan At SonRise church we have been working through a message series on the fruits of the Spirit. This morning Owen will be preaching about faithfulness. Please pray for Gods blessing over the message and those who hear it. th This coming Friday (Dec 6 ) we have two special events we would love you to pray for. From 11am 2pm Sarah and Noriko (fellow TEAM missionary) will be hosting a Christmas party for mothers from the kindergarten that Joshua (and Norikos son) attend. Please pray for all the preparations and most of all that it will be a great time of fellowship and fun as we develop deeper friendships with these ladies. On Friday night, from 7pm SonRise Caf will be hosting the December Friday night live concert. Pray for those who attend, that they would be open to hearing the good news of Christmas through the songs and testimony of the musicians.

Pray for these families

Names for this week beginning December 1: Kristin, Tanya, Frankie & Hazel Lewis Graham & Allison Liebelt Scott, Karen, Meshach, Josiah, Malachi & Jethro Linqvist Lyn & Steve Long Greg, Yoko, Angela & Shion Lowe Laurie & Lyn Lucas

Pre-service prayer
We meet each Sunday morning before the coffee time and before the service, in Neil Ryan's office for a short time of prayer at 9.45 a.m. All welcome. "Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God"? John 11:40

Street Party Invitations

This year we will be holding our Street Party & Community Carol Singing evening on Dec nd 22 with a BBQ / Coffee Cakes from 6.00pm and Carol Singing from 7.30pm. In order to invite the local community we have over 2,000 invitations to distribute. It would be fantastic if you could assist in doing this by taking a pack or two and distributing them to the area designated. The packs are in a box just by the door leading out to the breezeway. If you have any questions please see Garry Gooden.

Contact details for Tim and Bron Badger

Home Phone (via Skype) 08 8121 8196 Tim's Mobile 04 688 98 101 Bron's Mobile 04 688 98 013 Home & Postal Address is 3 Mullins Street, Pasadena, SA 5042

Soul Factor Christmas Musical - Today

Two tickets have been returned and the holders would like someone to use them. Please see Allan or Suzanne Stanley-Smith.

Childrens Christmas Choir

The rehearsal times for the children are as follows:
Sunday Dec 1 at 3.00-4.00pm Sunday Dec 8 at 3.00-4.00pm Sunday Dec 15 at 2.30-3.30pm Sunday Dec 22 final run through - rehearsal schedule times TBC

Babysitter
Do you need a babysitter over the holiday period? Please contact Ashleigh Taylor on 83571771.

Sermon notes

This week at UPBC

Playgroup Tuesday December 3 9.30am-11.30am Tuesday December 3 9.30am-10.30am Tuesday December 3 11am-12noon Tuesday December 3 5.30pm - 8.00pm Wednesday December 4 9.30am - 11.30am Wednesday December 4 7.45pm - 9.00pm Thursday December 5 9.30am Thursday December 5 5.30pm 8.00pm Friday December 6 7.30pm - 9.30pm Sunday December 8 10.00am Sunday December 8 5.00pm

Prayer Team

Hilighters

Munchiez Food Van Team 4 Peter Hillan Playgroup

Bible study at the church

Know Your Bible

Munchiez Food Van Team 12 James Packham Elevate Youth Group (year 8-12)

Morning Worship Neil Ryan LifeChurch

Northgate Street Unley Park PH: 82720258 www.upbc.org.au admin@upbc.org.au