Author: Leith Valley

“Growing great community”

Sunday 27th November 2016

OUR
VISION
Growing great community
Our Values:
All people matter to God
We need to grow
We need to be in community
We need to serve

1 Thess 3:12
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.

Service leader: Kristin Jack
Preacher: Nancy Parker
Worship Leader: Pauline Lovelock

Welcome! It’s great to have you with us this morning, a warm welcome to any visitors today, please feel free to stay for some morning tea after the service.
Today we will be taking communion together.
Todays Readings: Psalm 25: 1 - 10 , 1 Thessalonians 3:5-13

Today’s team

Door Greet and Offering:	Paul & Gill Trebilco	Children’s Talk:	No Talk
Prayers for Others:	Rachel Elder	Data Projector	Ruth Pearce
Bible Reading:	Olivia Gamble	Duty Elder:	Rachel Pettigrew
Sound:	Liam Miller	Prayer Ministry:	Kristin
Morning Tea:	Keryn Harrex &Ruth P	Playground	Ross & Henderson
Set up Team:	Bill Lee	Offering Count:	Bronwyn Bennington

Notices

This week at Leith Valley Men’s Breakfast Wed 6:30am
Prayer meeting Wed 7:30am
Women’s Walking Thurs 10:20am
(meet Ross Creek/Burma Rd carpark)

The monthly global mission prayer meeting has been postponed from today to next Sunday the 11th Dec, 5.30-7.00pm at 267 Malvern St.
See you then!

Money Matters: For all direct payments please use account number
03-0883-0620501-00
If you would like a donation number for tax purposes please contact the office.

Facebook: Leith Valley Presbyterian Church Website: www.leithvalley.org.nz

Youth group family BBQ
This Tuesday is the final youth group night of the year! Come for a BBQ with the whole family at Malvern St 6.30-8.30. BYO meat (or substitute) for the BBQ.
It should be a great time!

All notices for the newsletter next week will need to be given to the church office by Thursday 12.00. Due to a staffing issue we will not be able to add any after that time.

Christmas Service for all
Hospital Chaplaincy Volunteers on
Sunday 11th December 2016 at 6.30pm
in the Dunedin Hospital Chapel
The Remembrance Tree will be
dedicated.
Supper to follow
We look forward to seeing you.
Please RSVP to Frances by 8th December
for catering purposes
Phone: 474 0999 ext 58130

On Sunday 4th December the Coastal Unity Parish is holding a “Christmas Open Homes” event between 2pm and 4.30pm.
Three homes decorated to celebrate the Christmas season will be open to visitors with complimentary Christmas
nibbles and a Christmas gifts stall at one home.
Members of your congregation are invited to participate in this “Christmas homes tour;” tickets can be purchased from the Coastal Unity Parish office at 72 Thorn Street (office hours are 9am – 1pm, Monday to Friday) – telephone 487 6367.
$10 per person; children under
12 years free with an adult.

Celebrate Christmas with our "Taonga" Group
2.15pm on Thursday 8th December for afternoon tea
at Chris and Collin Fitzpatrick's home next door to Leith Valley Church
We'll share stories about our favourite memories of Christmas.

Acts of Kindness Charitable Trust will again be hosting Christmas Dinner at the Dunedin Town Hall on the 25th December 2016. It is a privilege for the Trust to facilitate this event and help bring joy and companionship to those that attend.
The intention of the Christmas Day meal is to give opportunity for companionship for those who would otherwise be spending the day alone or are unable to provide a meal for themselves or their family.

It is hard to believe that we are in the season of Advent, not just a time of preparing for the celebration of Christmas but also a time of preparation for the second coming of Christ. In the midst of the rush and bustle of the season it is important for us to take time for ourselves, examine our faith and make sure we are prepared for Christs coming again. I think of the early church living in the expectation of Jesus’s imminent return. 2,000 years later we have probably forgotten to live with that expectation, it is so easy to become immersed in all that life brings.
It is challenging for us that so much of the world live in poverty, many people are homeless – what hope is there? Yet Advent is a season of Hope. Even in the Western World where people seem to have everything hope is often missing – we have fixated on things and not on our inner being – life can lose its purpose.
There are but four weeks until Christmas day. These weeks are traditionally weeks of soul searching, weeks where we re-examine ourselves and ask questions about life such as - “Am I hoping in the right things?” – “will my hopes fulfil me?”. The scary thing is that we spend a lot of time making sure we are comfortable in this world and very little time preparing ourselves for the next. Another question that is healthy for us to ask is – how can I help others to find some hope in their existence???
Hebrews 6:19 tells us that “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” And then in Colossians 1:27 is written –“It is Christ in you the hope of glory. “
Today take hold of that hope, but at the same time remember those who are without hope, and as we journey towards Christmas seek God as to what our responsibility may be in helping to sow hope in a some practical way.
Nancy

Contacts

Church Office: 467 9208
267 Malvern St, Leith Valley
admin@leithvalley.org.nz

Pastors Leith Valley
Studentsoul
Youth -Senior
-Junior
Manager
Administrator
Parish Clerk

Kristin Jack 022 075 3286 Nancy Parker 021 457 360
Waldir de Souza 027 248 7396
Ivan Martinez 022 1909 499
Ben Gamble 027 6208 009
Olivia Gamble 027 7228 695
Simon Niblock 021 0268 0618
Rachel Bates
office@leithvalley.org.nz
Ben Gamble
admin@leithvalley.org.nz
Ged Forbes 021 852 291

Next week’s team

Service Leader
Preacher
Worship Team
Children’s Talk
Prayers
Bible Reading
Door & Offering Morning Tea
Sound Data Projector Duty Elder
Prayer Ministry
Welcome Team Offering Count
Set up Team Playground

Kristin
Paul T
Geoff B
None
Phil H
Clair Scadden
Ziggy & Raewyn L
Jane & Andrew D
Debbie Griffiths
TBC
Will S
Bill Lee
Gill T & Kristin J
TBC
Camilla C
Craig C
Mutch’s, Koh’s & Daley’s

Notes

Youth group family BBQ
This Tuesday is the final youth group night of the year! Come for a BBQ with the whole family at Malvern St 6.30-8.30. BYO meat (or substitute) for the BBQ.
It should be a great time!

Required either a room, flat or studio unit in a Christian home/flat
David Leung at 0276140404