Sunday 2nd September 2018
Greetings and welcome to this week’s newsletter
A Note from Linda
Back in July, our Church Council called us to 40 days of prayer. We have now come to the end of this time of prayer and Church Council has been prayerfully discerning our next steps. On Sunday we look forward to gathering our prayers together in both Services (9.30am and 6.00pm), shaped around The Lord’s Prayer.
I hope that this time of prayer has been a blessing for you personally as you’ve grown in your personal prayer life.
Blessings, Linda
Office Closure – Thursday 6th September
The office will be closed. Sharyn is having a day off. The newsletter will still be typed, edited and photocopied by Jan, please ensure all notices are sent to the newsletter email address. Thank you.
Support for Kiribati Uniting Church
This year is the final year of our 3 year commitment to support Kiribati Uniting Church’s program to help provide a reliable fresh water supply for their nation. It is still not too late to contribute or make a further donation towards our aim to give $2,500 each year to the project. At the moment we still need another $500 towards this year’s target. To support the project please mark your envelope Kiribati Project and place it in the offering bag.
Threads 4th September
This Tuesday at 12.30 you are invited to come and hear about a new activity we are going to try, called ‘Threads’. This is another way to connect with our community, this time by teaching and encouraging people who want to learn how to knit or crochet. Our hope is that we’ll gather those who want to encourage each other in their work, who might like to work on a joint project or two. Our main aim is to make new connections and build relationships in our community. Therefore we will meet in a public place – the café across the road. So, are you a knitter or a crocheter? Do you like to stitch? Or, have you always wanted to give it a go? Come and hear more about our ideas and have a say about when and how often we’ll meet.
For more information and to RSVP, please contact Sharyn or Linda by this Sunday.
Next ToFs meeting will be held at the Church on this Tuesday (4th Sept) commencing 2 pm
Claire Bell a published author and poet will be sharing her story.
Friends, partners are all welcome to come and enjoy a coffee while listening to Claire’s story.
Users and Hirers of our Facility
Have you wondered what all the cars are at our church when you drive past. Well let me tell you…
On Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays – Waratah Calisthenics College come to train in the Auditorium, Kiralee of ‘Reach your Feat’ uses the Top Hall Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Nicole holds Pilates classes Tuesday and Saturday mornings also in the Top Hall. Stay & Play have lots of toddlers and their families here Tuesday fortnightly at the same time as U3A have a Yoga class but in a different area of course. Neighbourhood Watch meet several times a year and our new hirer Athelstone Lions have a dinner meeting once a month.
As well, as all of these hirers, we have occasional users who book part or all of our facility every now and then.
If you wish to use any of the areas chat to me or check the diary on the desk in the admin area for availability. Sharyn
Book Club – this week at 9.30 am at the Coffee Shop.
Frontier Services News
This interesting and worthwhile magazine is available at the door for you to pick up. Read and enjoy! Sharyn
Messy Church – Sunday 9 September, 4-6pm
Messy Church is church for families who may not find other forms of church appealing and who don’t yet belong to a church. Messy Church values are: Christ-centred, All-age, Creativity, Hospitality and Celebration.
Please pop the date in your diary and think about who you could invite. We are looking for volunteers (especially those with a Uniting Church police screening) who are willing to help that afternoon.
Please contact Meg for more info
Finance Update
I am pleased to advise that over the past 12 months we have seen an improvement in the overall financial position of the Athelstone Uniting Church, with a 16% increase in our overall income. During this period, we have transitioned from having a full time to a 0.8FTE minister (from a stipend perspective), increased the revenue from hiring of our facilities and had an increase in giving from within our congregation.
Whilst our balance sheet position during this period has decreased from $52,140 to $46,592 we have spent $18,912 on necessary maintenance and improvements and maintenance at the manse as well as a further $10,203 on maintenance to the church.
We have also been able to clear our arrears of $4,673 with the Community Outreach Mission Network (COMN) and have recently applied for a grant of $1,000 from the COMN to support our Spirited Sunday events.
Whilst we should not be complacent regarding our improving financial position, we can continue forward with confidence in being able to fulfil what God is calling us to do in Athelstone and beyond.
Glen Luestner, Treasurer
Final Rosters for 2018
The rosters for Oct, Nov & Dec 2018 will be made up in the next week or so. If you have any special dates, please contact me before then. People are needed for Christmas Eve (6.30 pm and 11 pm) on Monday 24th December and also for Christmas Day (9.30 am) on Tuesday 25th December. Please consider volunteering for these special services.
I can be contacted direct or by phone on 8337 0011 or by email jg.robin@bigpond.com
A Past Note from Linda which you might have missed
On Wednesday (15th Augst) I joined a large group of Ministers at Burnside City Uniting Church for a Minister’s Day.
I am so thankful to the Presbytery Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning Team for organizing it. We began with worship and a bible study.
After morning tea, we heard about how the Synod HR department are there to provide advice and support in areas of employment.
We heard about the Royal Commission and recommendations that affect ministry, for example professional standards and child safe congregations.
We heard about new resources and programs being produced by MediaCom.
We were provided with a delicious lunch and opportunity to network with other ministers.
We heard about the recent Assembly meeting.
We ended the day by being thanked for what we do and by sharing blessings with one another. An informative and encouraging day. If you would like to know more about any of the things I have mentioned, please ask!
For those who enjoyed our preaching series on the Psalms…
You are invited to An Introduction to the Psalms – Praise, Lament and Thanksgiving at Burnside City UC corner of Portrush Road and Fisher Street, Tusmore on Wednesday 3rd October at 7:30pm.
The presenter is Dr. Liz Boase from Uniting College.
This is the first of the Growing Disciples series presented by Burnside City UC encouraging attenders to become excited about Scripture, how it relates to daily life and what this will mean for them.
For your accessibility, this 90 minute session will be repeated on Wednesday October 10th at 2:00pm.
There is no cost. You are welcome!
Uniting Communities Eastern Services
In the cold winter months for many years now, the Athelstone UC congregation have been great supporters of the Uniting Communities Eastern Services office at Beulah Park by providing tinned food for distribution for those in need.Please place any items on the table inside the Church. Thanks, Brenton Summers
“What to do when the Bible says something you don’t like?”
You are invited to hear Rev Professor Andrew Dutney (past president of the Uniting Church) speak on this topic.
Fulham Worship Centre, 16 Madeline Crescent, Fulham on Wednesday 5th September, 2018 at 7 pm
Please contact – Rev Malcolm Rawlings at henfuluc@org for further information or to register your interest in attending.
Red Dove Café
Don’t forget to visit this if you attend the Royal Show – The cafe raises $40 000 -60 000 each year which is donated to a variety of needy causes, so give them your support.
Stay and Play
Dates for Term 3 11th September, 25th September
Numbers of team helpers have decreased this term with Michael heading for Papua New Guinea and Coralie having family commitments. Both have had valuable input, but we need to replace them to ensure our other regular team members take a break now and then. Maybe you would like to join us in this continuing outreach to our local community. All offers are welcome.
Bruce and Joy Stewart Phone: 83362671 or Email: bruceandjoy@bigpond.com
Campbelltown Council – see flyers on Church Noticeboard advertising –
Fourth Creek Nature Play Trail Launch and Migrant Mum’s Group
Our Church Spring Fair will be held this year 8am–1pm Saturday 3rd November
Electronic Giving – Forms are available or speak to Treasurer Glen Luestner for more information.
Pastoral care – Please contact a member of our Pastoral Care Oversight Team for assistance:
Rev Linda Driver 0458 500 656 Bob Stevenson 0400 641 242
Brenton Summers 0400 632 829 Ann Brown 0413 581 554
Prayer Requests
Can we support you in prayer? Here’s how:
Prayer Chain – send an email to, or call Brenton Summers, who will pass your prayer request on to a group of people who faithfully pray in response to Prayer Chain emails.
Confidential Prayers – if the issue is more personal you are invited to contact Linda for individual prayer
or one the members of the Pastoral Care Oversight team (Brenton Summers, Ann Brown, Bob Stevenson and Linda). All prayer requests going to the team will be kept strictly confidential within this team.
Prayers for Others (Sunday Worship) – Linda provides our Worship Leaders with prayer points as appropriate. Prayer points are also sourced from the Prayer Chain. If you have something you would like to be included in Prayers for Others, please contact Linda. “We are all called to pray for one another, and so we are all encouraged to offer to pray for, or with others, especially if they share a concern with you.” (James 5:13-16
Noticeboard – Please check the noticeboard at the back of the church
Wider Church News- Please use the link to UC e-news at http://sa.uca.org.au/uc-e-news/
Website – We encourage you to visit our website: www.athelstonechurch.org.au
Newsletter contributions – Please email newsletter@athelstonechurch.org.au by 5pm Wed.
Wider Church & Community News (see noticeboard for details)
Lectionary readings
2nd September – Song 2:8-13; Ps 45:1-2, 6-9; Jas 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
9th September – Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23; Ps 125; Jas 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17; Mark 7:24-37
Roster
| 2 September | 9 September | |
| Preacher | Linda | Linda |
| Worship Leader | Ann P | Lynton N |
| Singers | Lyndon/Meg/Sylvia | Ann B/Allan/Marie |
| Keyboard | Gerald | No keyboard – Ann P flute |
| Guitar | Shelley/Dave | Dave/Grant |
| Data Projector | Samantha | |
| Flowers | Raelene Anderson | Marie Hickman |
| Door Stewards & Offering | Jan & Gus | Stella & Jan |
| Notices | Sylvia | Sylvia |
| Scripture Reader | Jai West | Friederike |
| Offering Count | Sam/Ray | Friederike/Gus |
| Tea & Coffee | Sheralyn/Leanne | Coralie & Brenton |
| Sound | Noel Maywald | Tara Shirlock |
| Building Steward | Eric Hurrell | Noel Maywald |
What’s on this Week (3rd – 9th September)
| Monday | 4.45-6.45 pm | Waratah Calisthenics Club | Auditorium |
| 6.30-10.30 pm | Athelstone Lions Club | Lwr Hall & Kitchen | |
| Tuesday | 9.30-11.15 am | Pilates | Top Hall |
| 9.30 am | Book Club | Coffee Shop | |
| 10.00-11.00 am | U3A Yoga | Auditorium | |
| 12.30 pm | Threads | Coffee Shop | |
| 2.00 pm | ToF’s | Lwr Hall | |
| 6.30-7.30 pm | Reach your Feat (Stretch&Balance) | Top Hall | |
| Wednesday | 11.00-5.00 pm | Inner Wheel | |
| 6.00-8.00 pm | Waratah Calisthenics Club | Auditorium | |
| 6.30-7.30 pm | Reach your Feat (Circuit) | Top Hall | |
| Thursday | 5.30-7.30 pm | Reach your Feat (Stretch&Balance) | Top Hall |
| Friday | 10.00–12 noon | Friendship Club (COTA talk) | Auditorium |
| Saturday | 10.00-11.00 am | Waratah Calisthenics Club | Auditorium |
| Sunday | 9.30 am | Worship Service | Auditorium |
| 4.00–6.00 pm | Messy Church | Auditorium | |
| 6.30 pm | Evening Service | Chapel |