Lock it in! Saturday 23rd October at Iron Street is our next SG Ladies event! It will be a dessert night with a very special guest speaker, Rebs!!! She will be looking at ‘Contentment’ and how to experience it as a Christian woman.
The details are still being finalized but if you would like to help, please contact Rebs.
Ukraine is going through ongoing dark and worrying times. With the outbreak of war, fear and uncertainty are filling the whole nation. Every day brings more alarming news, with continued shelling and growing numbers of casualties. Yet in the midst of this evil and carnage, there are pastors and their churches in the Ukraine that are labouring hard to care for people, and to offer hope that can only be found in Jesus.
We are eager to pray for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine, what an important gift that is to them, and we’re also eager to support them financially in anyways that we can.
To that end, we’ve been working closely with our partner Church in Germany - Arche Church, in Hamburg, throughout this difficult time. A few years ago, Arche Church planted a church in Ukraine with one of the PC graduates, a Ukrainian pastor. His Church is located in a place in Ukraine where people are fleeing from some of the Southern cities, port cities that are being heavily bombed. They’re making their way through his city on the way to the West, trying to find refuge and safety. They’ve set up 90 beds in their church, but typically on a given night, they’ll have over 150 people that arrive with the need for food and a place to sleep.
To help partner with them in this, through the generous giving of personal donors and churches, we’ve been able to send out over $60,000 in support of this church’s relief efforts, money that we’ve been able to send over to them on a weekly basis. They are so very grateful for this gospel partnership, so much so that our contact on the ground (Pastors name name not included for his protection) wrote this to us just yesterday by way of an update:
‘Dear brothers and sisters. I just received the money. We thank the Lord for your commitment to the gospel, for the brotherhood of the cross, for your practical love. You point us to Christ. We spend your donations to receive refugees from the destroyed cities, we offer them hot meals, lodging, showers and administration for further movement to the West. Also, we make food packages for migrants, for all those who have lost their jobs and livelihoods. We purchased a washer and dryer for the refugees. We refuel the cars of volunteers who transport people from the war zone in their cars. In addition, we help financially single mothers with children. We purchase the necessary medicines for patients with chronic diseases. We have not done this before on such a scale, but now, we are already "professionals" in social assistance to people and their accommodation. Of course, we want to show them Christ in us, and we are therefore looking for every opportunity to speak the gospel to suffering people. May the Lord Jesus be glorified in our ministry together with you.’
What a privilege we have to partner with these dear brothers and sisters in this way. Please pray that God would work to put a stop to the war in Ukraine, and that He would protect pastors and their churches as they labour for the gospel in the midst of very difficult circumstances.
In addition, if you or your church would like to give financially to support these relief efforts in Ukraine, then please give directly to the European Development Fund here (last one on the list), and your monies will then be sent directly to the church and pastor we’re working with. Right now, we’re able to get money over to Ukraine on a weekly basis, however, given the fluid circumstances there’s a chance our way of getting money over to Ukraine may close. If they do, we will look for a ‘plan b’, and do all we can to continue to get all financial gifts over to the Ukraine, and to where it’s needed most.
What a privilege we have to partner with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine in this way, as they seek to shine the light of the gospel, even in their darkest of the days. We’re so much better together. Soli Deo Gloria.
Hints For Inviting People To Alpha
Only 2 weeks remaining till Alpha launch day. Take this week to spend some time in prayer, step out in faith and start a conversation (via coffee/tea) and invite them to Alpha.
If you’re a bit stuck on what to say, here are some suggested lines you might like to consider using.
“Hey (name), how are you going? Thanks for agreeing to catch up. I wanted to reach out and let you know that our church is running a great course called Alpha…
It’ll be fun with great company, great conversations about life, faith and meaning. No pressure but wanted to reach out and put it out there for you to consider!
You can ask questions, you can share what you think, you’ll get a chance to watch really interesting clips on the topics of faith, life and meaning.
It’s a great opportunity to explore life, faith and meaning, as well as to ask questions in an honest and open space.
It doesn’t matter about your background, faith, or walk of life. It’ll be a great time to watch, chat, ask, and listen, exploring the big questions of life.
They’ll be food, time to chat, there’s a video and then an open discussion time in small groups. It goes for 6 weeks but you can opt out at any time.
I think it’ll be fun, thoughtful, and worth your time.
Here’s a trailer to get a feel for it - Alpha Film Series // Promo - YouTube
You can find out more details and register here: sgparra.org.au/alpha
Start inviting now, it’s not to late. If you have any questions, reach out to Richie (richard@sgparra.org.au)
Save the date for our upcoming Ladies Breakfast 28th May, 8.30am @ Iron St Chapel
Speaker: Emma Taylor
Topic: The right kind of strong
Cost: $5
RSVP: 0430 285 263 (Rebs) by 21 May
Come along to the SG Parra Men’s Breakfast
Cost: $5 @ Iron St Chapel (27 Iron St, North Parramatta)
RSVP by 28 May - richard@sgparra.org.au
On May 13th (this Friday) at 7:30pm the 14:1 Team are meeting at Iron Street Chapel to sing, pray, and learn more of what it means to live out the command in 1 Corinthians 14:1, in particular, what it looks like to use the spiritual gifts in the context of small groups. There will be time for questions and for ministering to any who would like prayer.
The night is open to all who would like to learn more about 1 Corinthians 14:1 - you don’t have to be part of the 14:1 Team to come along.
Please let Matt Pettett know if you’re planning to come.
Save the date for our upcoming Ladies Breakfast 28th May, 8.30am @ Iron St Chapel
Speaker: Emma Taylor
Topic: The right kind of strong
Men of Sovereign Grace Parra! You’ve been asking when the next Men’s breakfast will be.
Well, wait no longer and lock in the 4th June, 8.30am @ Iron St Chapel for a time of eating, chatting and teaching of God’s word!
More details to come in the following weeks!
On May 29, we will be having another Baby Dedication Sunday.
These Sunday’s are very special to us as a church as we set aside time to thank God for the lives of our children and dedicate ourselves and our child(ren) to the things of the Lord.
So please mark your calendars and plan to join us.
Now if you’d like to dedicate your child on the 29th May or if you have more questions, please email Richard at richard@sgparra.org.au by the 20th May
Psalm 127:3 - ‘Behold children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.’
