4th Sunday in Advent

Christians easily seem to get the wrong idea about how God speaks to ordinary people to invite them to become a part of God's work.

We either think that they were very special people with an inclination to fly on pink clouds of specialness and so found it easy; or we think of them being overwhelmed by God and not left much choice at all. Either way, it doesn't apply to us today, because we're not that way inclined (to be super-spiritual) or we're not going to give God a chance to overwhelm us (really a form of abuse of power if you think about it).

Mary is really rather helpful in helping us look at how ordinary people might respond when God invites us to join his work.

Allan   

07h30 & 09h30 - Holy Communion ~   Preparation for Obedience   

2 Samuel 7: 8-16

Psalm 89: 19-30

Romans 16: 25-27

Luke 1: 26-38

19h00 - Carol Service

Thursday Service - 09h30 - Holy Communion ~ What's in a Name?

Prayer for Africa

God bless Africa
Guard our children
Guide our leaders
And give us peace
For Jesus Christ's sake.
Amen  

Prayer for our Country and the World

• Wisdom for our leaders, especially President Jacob Zuma, and all those in government. 
• Teachers-that they will be faithful to the responsibilities they have to the children in their schools, and
• All people, pedestrians and drivers, who use our roads to be responsible
• For police men and women, especially for those who are Christians, for them to be strengthened & uplifted by the Holy Spirit.
• For us to be responsible stewards of the world God has given us

Prayers for this Christmas Season       

• God's protection on all our parishioners using the roads-whether travelling on holiday or just driving around the area

• A responsibility regarding spending

• Us to be aware of lonely people, and to let them know that they are loved and appreciated

• People to remember, and make proper arrangements for their pets if they go away

• The SAPS,  especially at this time of year-for patience wisdom and the ability to cope with all emergencies and problems 

• People not to be distracted by all the hype and commercialism-but to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season!

Prayer for the week:

Songs of Celebration:

With overflowing gratitude
The Psalmist said
"We will write songs
to celebrate Your mighty acts!"

Lord, on the keyboard
of my grateful heart
I too have composed many songs
to celebrate Your unequalled greatness
Your faithfulness
Your splendour and majesty.

Lord, the most triumphant song of all
exalts Your measureless love.

With joy and adoration
I sing it again and again.

As long as I live, O God
I shall continue to sing
my songs of exuberant praise!

(Ruth Harms Calkin)

Family Cross

There will be no Family Cross handed out from 18 Dec to 1 Jan

Sermon Notes:

for Home Groups or for personal reflection on the website (under Home Groups) or from the office

Lectionaries

available from the office at R 16 each.  Please let Richard know if you would like one!   AND  the Lectionary readings for January will be available on the Website under Home Groups and at the back of the church  from Wednesday next week.

Coming up    

Prayer and Quiet Time ~ Monday evenings ~ 18h00 to 19h00

David will lead an hour of prayer and quiet reflection for our parish to be led and guided by the Holy Spirit in the ongoing renewal of our lives and our parish.

All welcome-please join us.    

There will be no prayer meeting on Monday 26 December or Monday 2 January.

Children's Christmas Service

16h00 on 24 December

Please join us for a special service, aimed at children 12 and under-but everyone is welcome-moms and dads, grandparents, older siblings

‘The Rabbi' a play about Paul

written by Philip Goble and performed by Eckard Rabe

Sat 28 January '12 @ 19h00  at St. Luke's Hall

Entrance free BUT booking essential to reserve your seat !!

Spaces limited.

Call 011-728-7015 or email shirley [at] stluke [dot] co [dot] za

News from the Portfolios

Communication and Outreach Portfolio

Have you had an Encounter with God?

Have you had an Encounter with God that would inspire and encourage others?

Then PLEASE share it with us!

Email your article to shirley [at] stluke [dot] co [dot] za or drop it in the "Office" box at the back of the church.

Parish Care: 

We are looking for more volunteers for Parish Care activities such as :

• Providing transport to carry people who can't otherwise attend Morning service at St. Luke's each Thursday or to take someone, needing assistance, to visit a friend in hospital
• Visits to people who may be ill in hospital or to read to, or just take an interest in, old folk resident at Pioneer House, for example
• Providing meals
• We are looking for limited, part-time involvement of a regular nature.

More about this will be written in the parish December Newsletter. In the meantime,  please look out for people distributing / collecting forms we would ask you to complete if you are willing to help as you leave the church at the end of the service today and again next week. 

David Legg

Name Tags

If you have a name tag, then please wear it so that we can greet you by name!  It also saves us making embarrassing blupses or having to ask your name after chatting to you for months J

If you don't have a name tag then you aren't yet on the Parish Roll.  Therefore, you aren't getting our communications and you are missing out on invitations to fun events! 

To order your name tag, please complete a Parish Roll Information Form, available from the Church Office, one of our Welcomers or on our website.  Please email it to the office (office [at] stluke [dot] co [dot] za) or place it in the "office" box at the back of the Church.

The Office Staff will arrange a name tag for you and leave it in the rack at the back of the Church.

Welcomers Wanted for all Services!

Do you like people? 

Are you warm and outgoing? 

Then we need you!

We are looking for Welcomers to greet people, help them find their name tag and welcome Visitors and Newcomers into the Church at the Services on Sundays and, occasionally, at other Events.

If you would like to be part of this important Team, please contact Chris Botha chrisjanb [at] mweb [dot] co [dot] za  082 949 4590 or Shirley  shirley [at] stluke [dot] co [dot] za  011 728 7015

We need

REPORTERS and PHOTOGRAPHERS to report back on the events and activities of our Church, capture the real life stories of the fascinating people in our congregation, etc.

Can you help?    Or do you know someone who could?  We'd love to hear from you!

Please contact Shirley in the Office (011 728 7015  editor [at] stluke [dot] co [dot] za (mailto:editor [at] stluke [dot] co [dot] za)) or Heather (082 417 6350
hdalgleish [at] groupfive [dot] co [dot] za).

St Luke's News

We are looking for articles for our Newsletters!!

• Do you have something you would like to share with others at St. Luke's?
• Have you read an interesting Christian book that you could do a review on?
• Do you know of someone at St. Luke's who is doing something in the community that needs to be shared?
• Do you have an interesting snippet about St. Luke's that you could tell us about?

Please email shirley [at] stluke [dot] co [dot] za with your contribution.  Deadline for the newsletter is the  last Wednesday of each month.

St. Luke's on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Community-of-St-Lukes-Anglican-ChurchOrchards/218935631465047

Other      

PRESS-ON  Ironing Service every Monday and Wednesday

As many are aware, Press-On is an initiative started to give work to unemployed people.  The ladies ‘employed' by Press-On rely on the money they make on a Monday and a Wednesday - and that money is dependant on the amount of laundry brought in to be ironed.  At the moment they have very little work and are therefore not earning much money.  If you know of any potential customers-please tell them about Press-On - 

» Drop off washed and dried laundry on Monday mornings between 07h30 and 10h00

» R 15 per kilo

» Collect (usually) the same day, either at lunch time or at 16h30.

Please note:

Press on will NOT be open on Monday 26 December or Monday 2 January.  They WILL be open on Wednesday 28 December and Wednesday January 4.

Special occasions - Celebration Cross

If you have a special occasion:  a birthday, an anniversary or some other event and would like special prayer during the service, and to receive the Celebration Cross.  Please speak to one of the clergy in the office during the week preceding the occasion and he will make provision for it in the service.

Errors and Omissions

We have recently changed over to a new data base for our Parish Roll and a number of errors have popped up.  If we leave out your birthday or anniversary-or have the wrong dates-please let someone in the office know so that we can correct them.

Contacting the office . .

Please let us know if you are ill or going in to hospital, or if you are aware of this in someone else.  Please do not assume that we know, sometimes we don't.  We would rather be told more than once than find out afterwards.

Anglicare at St. Luke's

St Luke's has trained counsellors available to meet with you if you need to talk to someone about anything that might be troubling you.  There is no charge for this service and complete confidentiality is guaranteed.

Stroke-Aid Clinic

Thursdays 10:00-12:00

Paterson Park Recreation Centre

Call Sandra 011-728-2292

Alcoholics Anonymous

at St. Luke's every Tuesday @ 19h30 in The Lighthouse

All Welcome

Tough Love

at St. Luke's every Tuesday at 18h45 in the Parish Centre

All Welcome

Overeaters Anonymous

at St. Luke's every Tuesday @ 19h30 in the Crawford Centre

All Welcome.