February 2011
The Church of the Good Shepherd
Well, holidays are already over and kids are going back to school, some for the first time (hope the first day goes well).
Christmas seems a long time ago, but we held three services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
At each service we heard how prophets let people know that God would send a saviour for our world.
This happened 700 years before that saviour, Jesus, actually came to Earth.
God had a clear plan to rescue you and I from death, and that plan is Jesus!
Since Christmas we’ve enjoyed having tourists visit (some returning to see us).
Although from different parts of the world, it’s great to share a common bond with our visitors: faith in Jesus Christ.
This term we are thrilled that Katrina Thomas has begun working here part-time.
Katrina will be developing our high school youth ministry with Andrew Paterson and other volunteers from the church.
We have quite a few teenagers in our congregations.
Also our Crossroads group (for those in years 5 and 6) has often had to say goodbye to kids as they moved into high school.
This year we will have something for them!
We will begin a high school youth group in mid February.
Watch this space as we let you know details of when the group time is on.
All teenagers are invited to come!
Our church in Kangaroo Valley is linked to St Luke’s Anglican Church at Berry, and on Sunday January 23 we enjoyed meeting together as one combined church family to worship God in a special service held at Berry.
We have people of all ages in our congregations, and it was great to have many of our families, seniors and children together.
We thank God for the answered prayer for Christine Short from our 8-30 am congregation, who is recovering well from surgery to remove a brain tumour.
We have been praying for some weeks for her in our services and God has been gracious to give her an excellent recovery and complete removal of the tumour. Andrew Paterson
From the Community of St Joseph’s
Since Christmas we have been able to welcome many visitors from near and
far, especially at Sunday Mass.
Fr David from Timor Leste, who is staying with members of the K.V. Remixio group, has come for prayer each day.
Brothers Felice and Francesco of the Capuchin Friars of the Renewal holidaying in the Valley with their family have done the same.
The Brothers are working in London and Bradford in the U.K.
On Sunday January 16 we had a leaving collection in the churches of the Nowra parish which includes St Josephs's to aid flood victims in Queensland and Victoria. $12,000 was raised.
A lady was baptised and received into the Church after preparation on January 12 and Xavier Jude Brogan was baptised with a cry or two on Sunday January 16.
His grandparents Drs Robert and Yvonne Gascoigne take their holiday in the Valley at this time every year.
The party afterward was at the Jing Jo Cafe near the bridge.
The Australia Day Mass is at 6-15 am, an hour to test patriotism like nothing else can.