Home » Opinion » Thank God for the rain

Thank God for the rain

GRAIN SHED

THOSE who come from a farming background will be singing with joy after the beautiful rain of late.

Maybe less for the temperature drop, though. As we go through different seasons including trials and triumphs, heartaches and joy, our God created these different seasons so we would learn to rely on Him.

God is faithful, and in these seasons, He is moulding us into who we are meant to be. He is the Creator of all things good. He allows everything to work together to achieve His master plan. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

This Sunday at 10am, Pastor La’Mont starts a new teaching series – Knowing God.

This week is identification: What it means to identify as a Christian and how should I see the new Christian-me.

Sunday, June 13 is intimacy: The deeper layers of a relationship with God and its fruit in everyday life.

Sunday, June 20 is integrity: The Biblical fair dinkum person.

Enjoy real, practical, and biblical discussions on these foundational issues in Christian discipleship. This will make you grow and see new heights in your journey with Christ.

Why not sign up at the Growth Group desk in the foyer and join one of our existing Growth Groups for these three weeks to be part of a discussion on these topics?

Why not get a friend or two and create your own group for these three weeks using our discussion questions at the Growth Group desk in the foyer. Please join us during these three Sundays and bring a friend.

Tonight at 6.30pm our youth meet with a delicious dinner before continuing their Youth Alpha series “The cross and why did Jesus die?”

For all secondary students looking for a fun activity mixing with others while learning more about Jesus, contact Liz, youth@thegrainshed.org.au.

Monday is mainly music, open to all with little ones not at school, from 9.30am to 11am.

Thursday at 10am, our craft ladies meet with a good cuppa and some funny tales while putting their hands to work.

CCVT is running a Safe Church Awareness Workshop. Have you registered as it is recommended that all leaders and volunteers attend a Safe Church. It is a prerequisite to ministry in the local church.

Refresher course is Friday, June 17 and workshop course is Saturday, June 18.

Contact reception for more information and how to register.

UNITING

THIS week we reach Pentecost in the Church calendar.

The symbol we see at this time is often fire, but the sound of wind, a roaring wind, was an important element in the account in the book of Acts, chapter two.

The sound of a roaring wind drew people out, piqued their curiosity, got their attention.

Note that it was the sound of roaring wind, not the physical presence of wind. God knew how to get their attention.

How has he grabbed your attention lately?

Sights, sounds, aromas, tastes, textures and temperature. You engage with the world around you every day with these senses, but have you stayed curious? Do you stop to appreciate the natural world in a fresh way each day?

For the people at the time of Pentecost, the phenomenon of fire and wind were seen and heard in ways that made them wonder.

These new experiences helped them to stop and listen. What they heard coming from the mouths of the men from Galilee was not what they expected.

They heard their own languages being spoken, telling them of the love of God and all that Christ had done.

This week, as the weather changes, as nature catches our attention, take time to stop and listen, to drink in the sights and stay curious. You may find something unexpected.

The Swan Hill Uniting Church is in Beveridge Street. Our congregation meets every Sunday at 10am.

All are welcome to join in conversations about life with our small group on Wednesdays at 10am.

Digital Editions


  • Tougher penalties for ram-raids

    Tougher penalties for ram-raids

    CRIMINALS behind an alleged ram-raid on a Swan Hill tobacco shop in December could be jailed for up to two decades if found guilty. The…

More News

  • Smash hit

    Smash hit

    Top level tennis will return to Swan Hill next week, with the ITF ProTour Swan Hill Tennis International getting underway from Sunday at the Ken Harrison Reserve. Among those set…

  • Moulamein funding bid

    Moulamein funding bid

    MOULAMEIN could be set for a major infrastructure boost, with Murray River Council backing a nearly $2 million funding application to revitalise the town’s riverfront and key community assets. At…

  • Royal Commission push back

    Royal Commission push back

    A FIERY clash in Federal Parliament has reignited the bitter fight over the future of the Murray-Darling Basin, with the federal environment minister rejecting claims the government is “destroying family…

  • Duck hunting season opens

    Duck hunting season opens

    THE Victorian duck hunting season began this week with a small number of wetlands closed to shooters, but the decision has reignited the long-running battle between hunters and animal welfare…

  • State of disrepair

    State of disrepair

    RESIDENTS and local leaders are calling for the State Government to urgently address “dangerous” and ongoing defects on the Murray Valley Highway between Swan Hill and Kerang. Lake Charm resident…

  • Farmers need fuel

    Farmers need fuel

    CITY dwellers are being urged to swap their cars for public transport and the government to make public transport free as the fuel crisis lingers. Victorian Farmers Federation president Brett…

  • Cultural celebration

    Cultural celebration

    Helen Tuntar’s life has been guided by the values of family, community and care, which she carried from Delta State in Nigeria to Swan Hill. “My life growing up in…

  • Jail for screwdriver threat

    Jail for screwdriver threat

    A SWAN Hill woman who threatened a mother with a screwdriver in a supermarket car park while two young children sat in the car has been jailed. Lilli Buckman was…

  • Big steps forward

    Big steps forward

    THE next major step in revitalising Riverside Park in Swan Hill has been completed, with the famous 10 steps replaced and open to the public. As part of the replacement,…

  • Buloke Lakes – Where the Mallee meets the water

    Buloke Lakes – Where the Mallee meets the water

    Scattered across the Buloke Shire, these much-loved lakes offer a refreshing escape in the heart of the Mallee. From shady freshwater retreats to sandy edged camping spots and iconic salt…