Month: February 2018

Look for us at Scots Day Out!

Philip

It’s on again next Saturday March 3rd in Rosalind Park, Bendigo…and we’ll be there. Look for the tent with blue shirted, name tagged, smiling people handing out biscuit packs and inviting you to take the ultimate ‘Scottish Quiz’.  Free literature to take… and a ‘colouring corner’ for the kids!

‘Love matters’ (1 Peter 1:22-23)

AudioPhilip

The church of today is under the microscope. Recent events that have brought discredit to the name of our Saviour and a trend towards marginalising the Christian faith within our nation, has meant that more than ever, what we do and say as God’s people matters. And that is why love also matters, because love is the key to our witness to the world. Jesus said this in John 13:35 and Peter reinforced this in 1 Peter 1:13-25. Not just the world’s definition of love, but the love that springs from knowing the God who has loved and loves His people.

(Message by PCV Moderator, Rev Robert White, pictured here with his wife, Sue)

 

PCV Moderator to visit

Philip

One of the responsibilities of being the Moderator (elected representative) of our denomination, is the task of visiting local churches throughout the state ov Victoria. Next Sunday, February 25th, is our turn to have that privilege and so to host the current Moderator, Rev Robert White, with his wife Sue.  Robert has served in parishes in Tasmania (St John’s, Hobart) and Victoria (Essendon and Geelong West) and is now in his second year of being Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. He is pictured here leading the Communion service at the 2017 General Assembly.

 

‘Ministry with the mighty, merciful Messiah’ (Matthew 14:13-21)

AudioPhilip

The miracle of Jesus’ feeding of the multitudes is one that is found in all of the gospels. It served as a sign that he was Israel’s Messiah, the living Bread, who came down from heaven. In this message on that miracle found in Matthew 14:13-21, Chris explores what the miracle might have meant for the disciples back then and for disciples in this age. What attitude is required for us to be able to do ‘ministry’?  And what is that we learn most of all about the one who was able to feed the multitude, but also said, “You give them something to eat”? (Sorry, sound quality not that great!)

‘The rights and wrongs of the Lord’s ‘general’ rule’ (Matthew 7:12)

AudioPhilip

A lot of people have made far too much of what is called the ‘Golden rule’ found in Matthew 7:12.  While this verses is important in the whole context of all that Jesus said and taught, it is not, nor was it ever, the be-all and end-all of His teaching. The Golden rule can never save us – only God can do that! However, the Godlen rule does remain an important expression of what it means to ‘love our neighbour’ as God’s Word consistently teaches us. The danger comes when we place the Golden rule as the most important and neglect to love God (the first and greatest commandment).

Home Groups Launch dinner Thursday February 8

Philip

 

 

To launch our Home Groups for the year, we’re getting together for our annual ‘Home Group Launch dinner’ on Thursday night in the Hall. The dinner is open to all from the church family, but especially those who would like to be involved in a Home Group during 2018. (If you can’t make the dinner but would like to be involved in a Home Group, please let us know!’)

“Ask, seek and knock: What an incentive to pray!” (Matthew 7:7-11)

AudioPhilip

After instructing His disciples on how to avoid being careless in making evaluations of one another and then how to be careful with His Word and so make wise judgments, in Matthew 7:7-11, he then spoke about prayer. While it may at first glance seem that there is no connection between what Jesus had been saying in the previous verses and these ones, the connection is there and it is a strong one. If we are ever going to come close to doing what Jesus taught in verses 1-6, we’re also going to have to do verses 7-11 very well!