Advent is a season where we learn the discipline or patience – of suppressing our desire to be in control and to wait in anticipation and hope. Let us thank God together for this season that helps us to practise our waiting. Let us support one another in out waiting. And let us remember that we wait, not as those who have no hope. we wait as those who know that we seek God who comes into every space we create for Him.

You keep us waiting.
You, the God of all time, want us to wait…
You keep us looking.
You, the God of all space,
Want us to look in the right and wrong places for signs of hope.
You keep us loving.
You, the God whose name is love, and wants us to be like you –
And in all this, you keep us.
So thank you… for the keeping time, and for now and forever,
Amen

(Iona Community Worship Book, 1988)

As we enter into this season of Advent we do so with extra joy because today’s service is also a celebration of the 40 years of the existence of the Murray Bridge Church of Christ Bookshop. Praise God!

Welcome then, to one and all, especially any who are with us as visitors. It’s great to have you with us.

With there only being four Sundays until Christmas Day Pastor Grant will be preaching on the subject ‘Advent – Watch and Wait.’

Benediction:

You have been reminded that Jesus Christ is you Lord and that you are God’s servant. You are loved; you are forgiven; you are empowered; and now you are sent to live as God’s faithful one. Amen.

˄GS

All are welcome to come and worship our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ with us tomorrow morning.

Details are as follows:

Time:10am to approx 11:30am Sunday 29th November 2015.

Venue: Murray Bridge Church of Christ, 32 Seventh Street, Murray Bridge

Worship leader: Trevor Purdie

Communion: John Lawson

Speaker: Pastor Grant Spangenberg  “Advent – watch and wait”

Readings: Mark 13: 24 – 37,  Colossians 1: 24 – 29

Come along for a time of worship and fellowship.

Stay for a while after the service and enjoy a cuppa in the Coffee Shop.

˄TH

“The Lord’s point is–‘Pour yourself out. Don’t testify about how much you love Me and don’t talk about the wonderful revelation you have had, just “Feed My sheep.“‘

Jesus has some extraordinarily peculiar sheep: some that are unkempt and dirty, some that are awkward or pushy, and some that have gone astray!

But it is impossible to exhaust God’s love, and it is impossible to exhaust my love if it flows from the Spirit of God within me.

If I love my Lord, I have no business being guided by natural emotions–I have to feed His sheep.”

Oswald Chambers, from My Utmost for His Highest (copies available in our church Bookshop)

The Murraylands Committee of CWCI will hold three

Coffee and Craft Functions

this week.

Cost: $7 which includes morning or afternoon tea and a craft kit.

Dates and times:

Tuesday Nov 24th 9:30am at Mt Barker Baptist Church

Tuesday Nov 24th 1:30pm at Murray Bridge Church of Christ

Wednesday 25th Nov 1:30pm at Meningie RSL Hall

Speaker: Jill Dyer “The Quilt of Life”

Same message at all venues.

For more information contact:

Corinne 08 8532 3701 or Yvonne 08 8388 6519

The late Rev. Lance Sheldon in an article he wrote on Domestic Violence commented, ‘The Bible is full of advice as to how husbands and wives should relate to each other with love and concern and how parents should relate to their children. God has made the way of peace and happiness very clear, but if His way is rejected on any excuse, the possibility of conflict is increased.’

In the booklet Domestic Violence the authors state, ‘Dealing with domestic violence has many facets. It involves protecting the victims, treating the perpetrator, and perhaps most of all, looking at, and dealing with, those aspects of our society that influence our people to become abusers.

In regional, rural and remote areas of Australia, isolation and difficulty accessing services magnify the challenges faced by victims of domestic violence. In dealing with this problem it is clear that the one thing we are NOT to do, is to ignore it.’ Hence the special focus of our worship this morning.

Tanya Brown, the sister of OJ Simpson’s wife, Nicole, wrote, ‘When my sister was killed, and we found her diary, we were educated.’  She also says, ‘Violent relationships are potential murder cases. (On average, two women each week are killed in our country as a result of domestic violence.) This is why it is so imperative to reach out to all communities across the nation and around the world, because if we do not start with education and encouragement, then this is just going to continue.’

Benediction:

Today and in the week to come, be filled with hope, joy and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

˄GS

“Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his saints… For the Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with salvation.” Psalm 149.

As people loved by God, let us then enter into our worship this morning in and with the spirit that they psalmist exhibits. This morning is different from “normal” in that our focus is on the social evil of domestic violence. Because of this it is our privilege to welcome our guest speaker, Sgt Karen Newman, from the Murray Mallee Crime Prevention Section based here in Murray Bridge.

To everyone else who is present as a visitor we offer you also an extra special greeting together with an invitation to stay after the service for a time of fellowship.

Leading us in worship is our pastor, Grant Spangenberg, while our leader in our time of communion will be Rob Frazer.

A reminder that our service commences at 10am and usually finishes around 11:30am, followed by a time of fellowship over a cuppa in the Coffee Shop.

Venue: 32 Seventh Street, Murray Bridge.

˄GS

Date: Sunday 22nd November 2015

Venue: Murray Bridge Church of Christ, 32 Seventh Street, Murray Bridge

Time: 10am – 11:30am

Guest speaker: Sgt Karen Newman on the topic “Dealing with domestic violence”

Bible readings: Matthew 15: 21 – 28; Ephesians 3: 14 – 21

Worship leader: Pastor Grant Spangenberg

Communion leader: Rob Frazer

All are welcome to attend.

All are invited to stay after the service for a time of fellowship over a cuppa in the Coffee Shop.

˄TH

Tomorrow morning, November 21st, our church is hosting a special breakfast.

Guest speaker: Senator David Fawcett

Time: 7:30am

Venue: Murray Bridge Church of Christ, 32 Seventh Street, Murray Bridge