Masterpieces

From the

Coalface

NORTHLAKES—A church for everyone

18th September 2011

The NORTHLAKES Salvation Army Community Church

We can readily stand back and admire a painting hanging in a gallery. At least in the more traditional works of art we can see what the artist had in mind as they created the work. But we would respond differently if we were looking over the artist’s shoulder as the painting was being done. We would wonder why this colour, why that brushstroke? Only when the work is finished can we get the answers to those questions. So it is with our Christian journeys. Paul reminds us here that we are people in process. God has begun his good work in us: making us more like Jesus, more the people he created us to be. But it hasn’t come to an end yet. We are works in process. We can trust God to ceaselessly continue shaping and reshaping us. And there will be many times that we won’t understand what God is doing and why he is doing it. At such times we remember that God has in mind the finished product. He is a master artist. We are the canvas on which he creates his masterpiece. One day we will be our true, best selves. The finished product. Till then, we are unfinished masterpieces.

Read Philippians 1:3-6 3-6 Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. (THE MESSAGE)

Unfinished

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PRAYER CHANGES

EVERYTHING!

Come and join together to pray this week...

Monday 6.30am

Tuesday 6.30pm

Wednesday 6.30pm

Thursday 5.30pm

Friday 6.30am

Every day at the Church House

EXCEPT Tuesday—at Chadban’s home 5 Glider Court Charlestown &

Before church next Sunday at 5.15pm

Northlakes

Salvos

are now on

Twitter

follow us @NorthlakesSA

Newsletter entries

and enquiries

0423 033 318 or fiona.stig@spcc.nsw.edu.au

Can you help? Wanted: Volunteer/s

Pushing a trolley for an older lady on a scooter, helping her with the shopping.

Once a fortnight, Tues or Weds approx. 1 and 1/2 hours At: Jesmond Woolworths

Fortnightly =1x a month for 2 volunteers,

1x every 3 months for 6 volunteers

Please see or contact Cameron Smith to help 0400 531 434

Thank you in advance!

Ladies!!!!!!

Looking to the SON -

Leave the shadows

behind!

Meet at Church House

(46 Reservoir Rd Glendale)

2—3pm

Saturdays

Share life’s journey with other ladies

as we look at what God says in His Word

and see how that can make a difference

in our lives.

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Road Rage

Have you ever wondered about road rage? Why do people get so uptight with

other drivers? One small mistake and people completely lose it! Hugh Mackay, Australian social researcher has called this "the last straw syndrome." He be-

lieves that people are living and functioning under so much pressure that the

smallest incident triggers a violent response. This may also explain some of the domestic violence that occurs in our community.

The speed and pressure of life is what causes the last straw syndrome. So many

in our community are under the pressure of time, finances, relationships or just desperate to be seen as successful. The harder we work, the more pressured is

our time, and the shorter our fuse.

What we need is a release of the pressure that builds up so that it doesn't result in explosive violence. We need the chance to slow down, to reflect and get life

back into perspective. For me, prayer is that opportunity. To stop and give my concerns to God; to allow God to take away my pressures and to change my atti-

tude. Why don’t you try prayer today?

We sometimes hear Christians wonder if they have lost their membership in God’s family because of some-thing especially bad they have done. You may have had this concern yourself. It reflects a misunderstanding of how and why we are right with God. To figure that doing a bad thing can get you 'unsaved' is to admit that do-ing a good thing got you 'saved' in the first place. If getting right with God was a matter of doing the right sort of things, then we might conclude getting in his bad books was a matter of doing the wrong sort of things. As this and other passages remind us, God accepts us because of our helpless trust in his mercy expressed in Jesus. Once we so trust, the guilt of our past, present, and future sins is dealt with. And God gives us his Spirit to help us move away from such sins anyway. As Paul says in this passage, good deeds do come into the equation. But not as efforts to get right with God, but as a glad consequence of our being in relationship with him. My children are always my children whether they are good or bad. Our badness might make membership of God’s family less enjoyable and will grieve God. But his goodness is always greater than our badness.

Read Titus 3:4-8 4 But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Be-cause of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” 8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote them-selves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone. (NLT)

Not Because Of What I Have Done

SHARE A PRAYER

Check out our website

www.northlakessalvos.com.au

For Our Church Family

at Northlakes & Beyond

Comfort for the families who have lost loved ones this week

Healing for people facing challenging health issues

Ryan Stig—for protection and victory today(11/9)

People overseas on holidays: Val McLeish; Garreds; Elliotts

EPIC Youth

RAVE children’s ministry

Sunday School ministry

Students preparing for their HSC

Northlakes Salvation Army Page 4

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

Wishing you all a fantastic day and

a blessed year ahead!

Love from all your Northlakes Family

For the Salvo’s L.T.Colonel Geanette Seymour—Senior Policy Ana-lyst/Intern Program Coordinator, The Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission, International Headquarters, based in New York

Roma Corps & Rural Chaplains, QLD—Majors Allan & Christine Daly

Rouse Hill Corps, NSW—Captains Nigel & Sandy MacDonald

Ryde Corps, NSW—Majors Topher & Sandra Holland

SAILSS (Salvation Army Individual Lifestyle Support Service), QLD– Captains Ed & Yvonne Henderson and Team

Salvation Army International Development Office (SAID), THQ—Lt Colonel Pamela Hodge and Team

Salvo Care Line Brisbane, QLD—Len Matthews and Team

What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We

will fulfil our vows to you, for you answer our prayers.

All of us must come to you.

Psalms 65:2 NLT

SEPTEMBER Noami Ryan 2

Cody Cutting 3

Sam Hawkins 4

Ross Hughes 5

Natalie Baker 6

Zane Hubbard 6

Ethan Crump 7

Simeon Price 8

Stephen Hannaford 8

Elisha McCabe 10

Mark Resevsky 10

Lorelle Chapman 10

Megan Vile 10

Tina Price 10

Matisse Elliott 11

Jane Evans 12

Melinda Baker 12

Errol Maclachlan 13

Lauren Hubbard-Green 13

Kerrie Burnett 15

Michelle McCabe 16

Jason Roberts 16

Wendy Vile 18

Rita McDermott 22

Lachlan Robertson 24

Cody Chapman 26

Don Lyall 30

This is just a friendly reminder about Compassion’s annual Christmas Appeal. If you recently received a Christmas card in the mail to write a mes-sage to your sponsored child, please don’t forget to return it to us by next Friday, 23 September, to ensure it reaches its destination in time. If you don’t sponsor a child through Compassion, please still consider giving a gift to this year’s Christmas Appeal. You can help provide Christmas gifts to all Compassion assisted children this year, as well as to parents in the Child Survival Program. If you have already sent in your Christmas card and/or gift, THANK YOU! The love and support of children living in poverty from support-ers like you is truly inspirational.