ANGLICAN
WHILE Peter has been on annual leave, the Parish has been well-cared for by Denis, who always value-adds to his reflections using virtual trips to the Holy Land.
When the readings take us back to incidents of the places where Jesus walked, Denis is able to bring us along with narrated visuals overhead.
Ron’s team was delighted to be able to set up the boot and cottage craft sale last weekend after three months, with the usual bargains, raffles, and not forgetting the great scones.
Congratulations to everyone who faithfully sets up on the Friday and packs away after church on Sunday.
Of the nine men there on Sunday, there are several who are needing others beside them moving some of the larger items which are sold from the Anglicare site opposite the church.
Thanks also to the women doing a great job with all their tasks, who would also appreciate more volunteers on roster as some travel north during winter.
Peter, Jeannette and Rae return today refreshed for Synod and all the duties of the Archdeaconry.
Mothers Union members, after Wednesday morning service this week, enjoyed their usual morning tea while sorting out plans for the Diocesan “Winter Gathering “, which is to be held at Swan Hill this year. Details will follow shortly.
All are welcome at Sunday and midweek services and to stay to enjoy socialising afterwards with a coffee.
GRAIN SHED
AS we enter this winter school holiday period, many families will be on the move, some taking time out to relax and enjoy the quiet time, catching up with friends and families.
The most important thing overall is staying safe, keeping well and finding time to rest and be restored.
‘The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.’ Psalm 121:5-8
Tonight our youth meet for the last time for term two and are having a progressive dinner starting at 6pm.
An evening full of lots of fun and yummy food, of course.
Coming to the end of financial year, with no lockdowns, things picking up, we say thank you to all who have worked, volunteered, served, supported, donated and assisted us in the Grain Shed church.
Everything you have done and are doing is really appreciated. We praise God for your generosity and pray that he will bless you abundantly.
On Sunday at 10am, Pastor La’Mont will be on the platform with a message for all. If you are a regular, local, new to town, or visiting we would love you to come along and stay in fellowship after with a drink and a bite to eat.
A reminder that all of our Sunday sermons and Grainshed Kids online experiences are available on our Grain Shed Church Facebook page and these can be watched at any time.
There will be no Grainshed Kids onsite over the holidays and also all of our in-house activities are having a break, too. That means no mainly music, no craft, no create, no small groups.
R U OK? If you or anybody you know requires assistance, please contact reception on 5032 9449 or reception@thegrainshed.org.au.
UNITING
WE don’t have to speak the same language to understand how to reach out to one another in friendship.
Just try smiling in Spanish, Mandarin, Swahili and Australian.
We don’t all have to come from the same place to understand the kindness of a smile. The important thing is that we keep trying to understand one another.
There has been a huge amount of stress on people in the whole process of being in lockdown, and for many it has made us aware that we need others in our lives.
Coming out of lockdown can be difficult, too. Lockdowns and social isolation have affected our ability to manage relationships as we are allowed out and about again.
Many are struggling with social capacity and what was once normal is now difficult.
Our ability to be tolerant is diminished as we learn again how to be in relationship and what we might once have found tolerable is now difficult to manage.
This is especially the case if we had some difficulty with people prior to COVID. Now that we are interacting with people again, we are less capable of managing difficulties in relationships, causing us to become more intolerant and more likely to flare, and say or do things that we might not normally do. This has a knock-on effect to others around us as well.
At this time, it might be good to reassess your capacity and if you find that it is diminished, give yourselves more space and time to build up that capacity. You may even need to limit your time around people and to take it gently.
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.
