For Christmas Day - 10:00am

Our Christmas Day service will be the Service with Holy Communion, and will be at 10:00am.


God's peace,

Fraser Pearce

For Christmas Eve - 7:30pm

This Christmas Eve our Service of Lessons and Carols will be at 7:30pm.


Here's the massage that will appear in this weeks Advertiser from our congregation:

One of the greatest mysteries of Christmas is that Jesus, through whom everything that exists was made, humbled himself to become a human being, born as a tiny baby to the Virgin Mary. This mystery seems so preposterous that, were it not for the fact that it has the miraculous power to change our hearts and lives, we would write it off as foolishness.

 

At our little church in Spring Gully we will, more that two thousand years after first Christmas, celebrate the birth of Jesus. On Christmas Eve we will gather to hear the Christmas story and to sing songs and carols that joyfully proclaim the meaning of Christmas. On Christmas Day we will gather to celebrate Holy Communion, and to receive again God’s gracious presence in our world.

 

Our prayer this Christmas is that God will give all the people of Bendigo his gifts of peace and joy, and that our world will have the healing and rest that comes from trusting God.

 

God’s peace to you!

 

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 23rd of December -10:00am

This Sunday we will be having a Service with Communion. I'll be preaching on the Gospel reading. In the afternoon will be the baptism of Micah Jay Harrigan at the Seymour congregation.


God's peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 16th of December - 9:00am

This Sunday we will be having our children’s Christmas presentation. In this presentation we will hear the Christmas story from the Bible, and we’ll see the children dressed up to take their different roles as they act out the story.

One of the messages from the Christmas story that we will be focusing on is the message of patience. God’s people before Jesus was born were patiently waiting for the birth of one who would bring God’s justice into the world. With Jesus’ birth, God showed his justice by giving all people access to his mercy, forgiveness, and peace. As we receive all that Jesus has to give us, we patiently wait for God to grow his love and joy in our own lives.

This Sunday our special Children’s Christmas presentation service is at 9:00am. It will also be a service with Holy Communion.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 9th of December - 10:00am

When we live with hope, then we can face even the toughest situations with a measure of peace, and even with a measure of joy. When we have no hope, however, then even the most affluent living conditions can leave us feeling aimless, despondent, and depressed.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible about hope, and especially about the hope that God gives us of a life of harmony with each other, with creation, and with himself. As we hear this reading, we will consider the way that God gives us faith so that we can experience harmony as we serve each other.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will be meeting at about 10:45am, to rehearse for the Christmas presentation.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday December the 2nd - 9:00am

In life we all have some understanding that the ways we think, speak, and act have real consequences for our relationships and for our environment. It’s a fact that often we don’t like to think about theses consequences, but even inconvenient truths cannot be avoided indefinitely, and eventually we must come to terms with the results of our behaviour.

This Sunday we will be hearing a warning that Jesus gave to his disciples about the fact that a time of judgment would come. As we listen to this warning, we’ll consider what faithful and unfaithful responses to this warning might look like, and we’ll think about the ways that God frees us to live authentic lives.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am. On Sunday evening there will also be an ecumenical service at 6:00pm at St Therese’s Catholic Church.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 25th of November - 10:00am

Sometimes it can seem that God is not great. Especially when we or others close to us are suffering, we can get angry at God, and wish that he did not exist. It’s also often the case that when we experience the reality of our own guilt – the reality of our conscience inconveniently reminding us of what we’ve done or of what we should be doing – then we can wish that God would leave us alone.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible that says, ‘The Lord is our righteousness”. As we think though what this phrase might mean, we’ll consider some of the ways that God shows us his suffering love and his endless mercy. We’ll consider the way that Christ takes human anger on himself, and gives his peace and forgiveness in return.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will be meeting at about 10:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 18th of November - 9:00am

One of the important teachings of the Bible is that work, even apparently menial labor, is significant to God, and is rewarded by him. This teaching can be particularly helpful to hear when we feel weighed down by the daily tasks of studying, taking care of children, keeping the house clean, or dealing with difficult work mates or employers. As our attention is drawn to the fact that God sees our work and rewards it, we can receive strength from God to help us work cheerfully and conscientiously.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible that gives encouragement to all able-bodied Christians to work rather than to be idle. As we reflect on this reading we will think about how it relates to our life as a congregation, and also how it gives us inspiration to help those who are not able to work.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, pastor

For Sunday the 11th of November - 10:00am

This Sunday we will be hearing from the Bible about the purpose that God has in mind when he calls us through the good news about Jesus. It’s not that God wants us to be people who feel superior to others, or to be people who smugly judge others who think or act in different ways. The purpose that God has in mind when he calls us through the goods news about Jesus is that he wants to share with us the glory – the mercy, the life, and the love – that is in Jesus.

This Sunday, as we maintain the traditions that have been handed on to us by the Lord and by the Apostles, we will again receive the good news about Jesus, and we will experience the way that God frees us to love each other, and to be at peace with all people of good will.

This Sunday our service starts at 10:00am. Our church picnic will start at about 11:30am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 4th of November - 9:00am

This Sunday Glen Schier will be leading the Service with Communion, and preaching on the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus. Sunday school will be at about 9:45am.

God's peace,

Fraser Pearce, pastor

For Sunday the 28th of October - 10:00am (Daylight Saving!)

Bendigo Lutheran Church

One serious danger that we face when we try to keep God’s laws and commands is that we can become proud and judgmental. Instead of praying for other people, and offering them help when they have need, we can treat them as competitors for God’s love, and we can smugly think that because we have done well in aspects of our life, then God somehow loves us more than others.

This Sunday we will be hearing a parable that Jesus told to those who trusted in their own goodness, and who held others in contempt. As we listen to this parable, we will consider the warning that Jesus is giving us, and we will also consider the way the parable frees us to see all people as deeply loved by God.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am -and don’t forget daylight saving! The Sunday school will be meeting at about 10:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 21st of October - 9:00am

Bendigo Lutheran Church

Prayer comes naturally to most human beings – even to those who have not heard much about God, or who have never been given good examples of prayer. In the church we have learned to pray from Jesus, and the Lord’s Prayer gives us good words to use when we turn to God in our need. Yet often we can feel like giving up on prayer, especially if we think that God doesn’t listen to us, or that we are not worthy of having our prayer’s answered.

This Sunday we will be hearing a parable that Jesus told his disciples, so that they would persevere in prayer, and not give up. As we listen to this parable, we will think about the way it gives us encouragement to trust that God does listen to our heartfelt words, even when we experience doubt, or when we know that we do not deserve the help that we ask for.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 14th of October - 10:00am

It’s normal for human beings to live with a ‘tribal’ mentality – to live as if the only people who count are those who look, think, talk, and act like us. This tribal mentality can find expression also in religion, especially when we think that God is only on our side, and that those who are outside of our religious community are less than human.

This Sunday we will be hearing readings from the Bible that describe God’s acts of mercy and generosity to those outside his special communities. As we hear these readings we will consider how God blesses faith wherever it is found, and how we as Christian people are called by God to be humble in our attitude toward God and toward all people.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will be meeting at about 10:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 30th of September - 9:00am

This Sunday we hear Jesus’ parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (it’s in chapter 16 of the Gospel according to Luke). As we listen to this challenging parable we will consider how God is calling us to receive his commands and promises, especially as they concern our use of possessions. We will also consider how a hard hearted attitude to human need can go hand in hand with a hard hearted attitude to the Word of God.

This Sunday we will welcome Pastor Allan Heppner and his family as guests at worship. Pastor Allan will preach on Jesus’ parable.

Our service this Sunday starts at 9:00am. Our Sunday school is in recess over the holidays.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 23rd of September - 10:00am

Jesus gave his disciples very clear teaching about money. He said: “You cannot serve God and wealth”. In saying this, he was making the point that if we see making money as the most important thing in life, then we will end up ignoring God’s commands and promises. On the other hand, he was also saying that if we hold our allegiance to God, then concern over money won’t dominate our lives.

This Sunday we will be hearing this teaching of Jesus, and thinking about a parable that Jesus told his disciples to help them understand the role of possessions in life. We will also be thinking about the way that God prepares us through the use of our possessions in this world to receive greater spiritual blessings now and in the world to come.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am. Our Sunday School will be meeting at about 10:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, pastor

Benton Thomas' Funeral - Monday the 17th of September

Brenton Thomas' Funeral will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Monday the 17th of September at 2:30pm.

Our condolences to Doss and to all Brenton's family.

For Sunday the 16th of September - 9:00am

One of the chief responsibilities of Christian people is to pray to God on behalf of others. Every Sunday, we Christians gather together in worship, bring our requests to God, and remember in prayer especially those who are sick, or suffering from injustice, or who have special responsibilities that require wisdom and courage. This sort of prayer is called ‘intercession’, and is at the heart of the church’s priestly duty.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible that describes Moses’ interceding before God on behalf of the people of Israel. We will be hearing how Moses held God to his promises, so that God relented from punishing his people. As we think about this reading, we’ll consider what encouragement it gives us in our own role as intercessors.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 26th of August - 10:00am

In our world it can sometimes seem that people who are sticklers for rules and laws can be cold hearted when it comes to their treatment of human beings. It can also seem that people who feel compassion for others can be less than clear when it comes to distinguishing between good and evil. With Jesus, however, there was no contradiction between showing heartfelt respect and obedience to God’s commands, and showing warm and compassionate love to human beings: Jesus fulfilled all God’s laws by the love that he showed all people.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible about a time when Jesus healed a crippled woman on a holy day. Some people – sticklers for rules and commands – criticized Jesus because they thought he broke the law by working on a holy day. But Jesus, by his actions and his words, showed how God’s law and God’s love don’t contradict each other. He showed that God’s commands are rightly interpreted in light of God’s love.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will be meeting at about 10:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 19th of August - 9:00am

It’s not uncommon for Christian people to go through times when they feel discouraged and depressed: when they feel as if God is not keeping the promises he makes in the Bible. At such times Christian people can feel isolated and alone, and can feel like giving up on the life of faith.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible that gives us encouragement when we feel like giving up. We will be hearing about the people of faith who have gone before us in history, and who are with us as part of God’s people even now. We will be hearing that, no matter how tough life may become, we are never alone: God, the angels and archangels, and the whole company of heaven surround us like a cloud.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with communion. The Sunday school will be meeting at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 12th of August - 10:00am

The primary way that we experience spiritual and supernatural power in our lives is by trusting God’s promises. When, for example, we trust God’s promise that in Christ we have his forgiveness, we experience a supernatural freedom to forgive those who have hurt us. Likewise when we trust God’s promise t provide for all our needs, we experience a supernatural freedom to be generous with the people that God places in our lives. As we trust God’s promises we experience that reality of God’s goodness, beauty, and truth.

This Sunday we will be hearing readings from the Bible that deal with the theme of trust. As we meditate on the readings we will consider the ways that God makes his promises to us here and now, and we will think through the ways that we faithfully receive his promises, and so experience the power of the Holy Spirit as a Christian community.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am. The Sunday school will be meeting at 10:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 5th of August - 9:00am

One of the most confronting realities that we must deal with as human beings is that, by our own effort, nothing that we do will last forever. No matter how clever we are, no matter how much effort we go to, no matter how wealthy, or attractive, or practical we may be, we must all face the reality of our own death, and of the ultimate frustration of our dreams and plans.

This apparently depressing reality is the theme of one of the most unusual books of the Bible: Ecclesiastes. This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from Ecclesiastes, and we will be thinking through how acknowledging our limitations and frustrations can be helpful in gaining wisdom, and so in receiving joy in life through simple things like work, food and drink, and family. We will also be thinking about how Jesus gives us a gift that is eternal: God’s love for us. In receiving this gift we are able to love each other, and to reap the harvest of this love in eternity.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am. The Sunday school will be meeting at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 29th of July - 9:00am

One of the great gifts that Jesus gives his disciples is the gift of prayer. Prayer is a great gift because we human beings live with real hopes and anxieties, and with feelings of gratitude, guilt, and joy; yet we can keep these things bottled up in a way that can make us restless and unhappy. In prayer we take the words which bubble away in our souls to God, and experience the peace that only God can give.

This Sunday we will be hearing teaching from Jesus on prayer. We will especially be thinking through the encouragement Jesus gives us to trust that God will care for us and provide us with all that we need to live life to the full.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with communion. Our Sunday school will be meeting at about 9:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 22nd of July - 10:00am

In life we hear many conflicting messages, and it’s quite natural for us to tune out when what we hear doesn’t seem particularly relevant to us. In such cases it’s quite normal for us to start thinking about other things, or to get on with some activity that will be useful to us and to other people.

This Sunday we will be hearing a couple of readings from the Bible that can help us determine when it’s good to sit down and listen, and when it’s good to get up and work. We’ll especially be hearing about how Jesus shows us who God is, so that when we listen to him, we are listening to God – we’ll be hearing about the way that listening to Jesus gives us the freedom to work wisely in life.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. Our Sunday School will be meeting at about 10:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 15th of July - 9:00am

Sorry about the break in communication, but I'm now back from holidays! This week we'll be meeting at 9:00am. The sermon will be on Colossians 1:1-14

God's peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 24th of June - 10:00am

At the heart of Christian spirituality is the trust that what Jesus says is true. This is especially important when it comes to understanding our relationship both with God and with other human beings. Because Jesus declares God’s mercy and forgiveness to us, and because Jesus considers all human beings as God’s creation, we are free to trust that our future is safe with God, and to be open to sharing God’s blessings with people from all cultures and back grounds.

This Sunday we will be hearing a passage from the Bible that sums up Christian spirituality. In this passage St Paul says that God unifies people through baptism into Christ. This teaching has practical consequences: Just as God is not stingy about who he includes in his family, so we, who receive God’s love as a gift, can share this love with all human beings.

This Sunday we will meet at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. Our Sunday school will meet at about 10:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 17th of June - 9:00am

Bendigo Lutheran Church

This Sunday we will be hearing a story from the Bible that spells out the connection between forgiveness and love. The story, about an immoral woman who shows devotion to Jesus, gives us an example of the fact that those who have been forgiven much, love much, and that those who have been forgiven little, love little.

One of the lessons that we’ll draw from this story is that God’s forgiveness has the power to transform our lives: as we receive God’s forgiveness we also receive the strength to resist temptation to evil, and to grow in love for other people.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

Ray Tink's Funeral - Friday the 15th of June 1:30pm

This Friday the funeral for Ray Tink will be held at the church at 1:30pm.

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 10th of June - 10:00am

Hello!

Just a brief note this week to let you know that this Sunday the service will be at 10:00am. It will be a communion service, and I'll be preaching on Luke 7:11-17 (Jesus raises the widow's son at Nain).

God's peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 3rd of June - 9:00am

The things that we hope for in this world can give us big clues about our life with God. For example, when we are thirsty we hope for water, and when we slake our thirst we receive confirmation that this hope is not in vain. Likewise, when we are hungry we hope for food, and when our hunger is satisfied we also receive confirmation that this hope is not in vain. Each human being also has a hope that is deeper that that for food or water, and this is the hope for what is eternal, the hope for God. And only God can satisfy this spiritual hunger and thirst.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible that assures us that through faith in Christ we will share in God’s glory; that we will be come one in love with God and with all of creation. We will be hearing about the way that the Holy Spirit gives us confirmation of this hope as we experience the love of God in our hearts. And we will also be hearing that even our suffering in this world is preparing us to receive the fulfillment of our deepest hopes of life with God.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. Our Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 27th of May - 10:00am

This Sunday we will be thinking through the role that the Holy Spirit plays in the life of the church. We will be hearing about how, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are adopted as children into God’s family; and we will be hearing about the way the Holy Spirit gives us the freedom to call out to God as our Father.

We will also be paying special attention to the fact that since we share everything that belongs to Jesus we also share in his suffering. Knowing this can give us great encouragement when we face difficulties in life that come from following where Jesus leads us.

We will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. We will also be celebrating a baptism, and giving thanks to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our Sunday school will meet at about 10:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 20th of May - 9:00am

Bendigo Lutheran Church

This Sunday we will be hearing from the book of Revelation, where the Lord says: ‘See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work”.

These words are a reminder that God, who has graciously made us members of his family, wants us to live as his children by showing love for each other. In fact, as we hear from different passages of Scripture, God promises that the work of love that we do will have eternal rewards, and that we can be confident that God will repay our investment in his kingdom.

These words, however, are also a warning to us: if we disregard God’s commands, there will be consequences, both in our lives here and now, and in our eternal destiny. Because of this we do well to seek God’s mercy in Christ Jesus, and to find our peace with God and each other in him.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. Our Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Thursday the 17th of May - 7:30pm

Just a note to let you know that we will be having our Acsension service on Thursday night at 7:30pm. Pstor Allan Heppner, the District Missions' director will be preaching, and Sue Westhorp, Music Directior at St Paul's Box Hill, will be providing the music. I'll be ;eading the liturgy.

I hope to see you there,

In Christ,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 13th of May - 10:00am

Bendigo Lutheran Church

One of the gifts that God gives his church is the gift of hospitality. In fact as Christians we experience the way that the Holy Spirit works among us, freeing us to open our homes, and to share from the blessings that we have received.

This Sunday we will be hearing about hospitality in the account of Lydia’s conversion. Lydia was a business woman who trusted God after she heard the preaching of the apostles. The first thing that she did after she was baptized was to show the apostles her hospitality by prevailing on them to stay with her at her home. The message of God’s love freed Lydia to share with the apostles the warmest welcome that she could give them.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am. We will be receiving God’s hospitality as we share in Holy Communion. Our Sunday school will be meeting at about 10:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 6th of May - 9:00am

Just before he died, Jesus told his disciples: ‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another’. He went on to say, ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’.

This Sunday, as we listen to these words of Jesus, we will be thinking through the way he gives us strength to live in community. Jesus doesn’t simply give us a command that we must obey by our own strength. Instead he calls each one of us to follow him, and he fills us with God’s love by the care and service that he gives us. It’s because Jesus is with us that we are able to love one another, and to show all people that we are disciples of the Lord.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am to receive Jesus’ gracious presence in the Word of God and in the Lord’s Supper. Our Sunday school will be meeting at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 29th of April - 9:00am

Every once in a while in church we hear readings from Scripture that give us the opportunity to reflect on the reality of racial division in our world, and to consider the way that God brings about lasting unity among people of different languages, cultures, skin colours, and customs.

This Sunday we will be hearing from the book of Revelation, where the writer has a vision of heaven, with people from every ‘nation, tribe, people and language’ gathered before God in thanksgiving and praise.

As we meditate on this vision, we will think through how God brings people together in our world, and especially how he creates unity at the Lord’s Supper, where people from different backgrounds eat from the one bread and drink from the one cup. We will also think about the way that Jesus, who was sacrificed like a lamb, shows his pastoral leadership by bringing together one flock of people around his table.

This Sunday we will meet at 9:00am. The Sunday School will meet at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 22nd of April - 10:00am

Better late than never!

One of the things we read in the Bible is how closely Jesus identifies himself with the Church. It’s not simply that the people of the Church are his followers, who more or less subscribe to and live by his teachings. It’s that the Church somehow is Jesus’ body, his presence in this world.

This Sunday we will be hearing about the conversion of Saul – a man who was violent in his opposition to the Church, but who encountered the risen Lord, and who changed to became ‘Paul’, the great missionary to people of all nations. We will be hearing about how Paul became a member of the body of Christ through receiving the gift of baptism, and we will be hearing about how God worked through Paul to bring many people into the life of faith in Christ. As a congregation we will consider how Paul’s story can help us to understand what God has done for us in our baptism, and we will consider how Paul’s example can help us understand the changes that God works in our lives.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. Our Sunday school will meet at about 10:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

Sunday the 15th of April - 9:00am

Bendigo Lutheran Church

For the nest few weeks we will be celebrating the events of the first Easter, and hearing accounts from the Bible of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples. This week we will be hearing about how one of the disciples, Thomas, doubted that Jesus had risen from the dead.

The Bible does not say exactly why Thomas doubted that Jesus was alive. We know that his fellow disciples, who had seen the Lord, could not persuade him to believe. It was only when Jesus appeared directly before Thomas that he could say to Jesus, ‘My Lord and my God’.

This week as a church we will be thinking through the different things that cause us to doubt the resurrection of Jesus, and we will be hearing how Jesus assures us of God’s blessing in our lives. We will especially be focusing on the way Jesus’ word of peace and forgiveness frees us to join with Thomas in confessing that Jesus is our Lord and God.

We will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with communion. Sunday school is in recess during the holidays.

God's peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

Easter Services

Here's a brief overview of our Easter celebrations this year.

1. On Tuesday the 3rd of April at 7:30pm we will be having a brief ‘Tenebrae’ service – this is a reflective service using darkness, candles, psalms, and prayer.
2. On Thursday the 5th of April at 7:30pm we will be having our Maundy Thursday service – this service celebrates Jesus’ institution of Holy Communion, and ends with the altar being stripped bare in darkness as we prepare for Good Friday.
3. On Friday the 6th of April at 9:00am (11:00am in Castlemaine) we will be celebrating the death of Christ on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins.
4. On Sunday the 8th of April at 10:00am (8:00am in Castlemaine) we will be celebrating the resurrection of the Lord. This will also be a special day in the life of our congregation as different people will be baptised or welcomed to communion.

The three services from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday are designed to work together as one whole celebration, but if you are only able to make it to one or two, you will still have an opportunity to hear God’s Word and to receive the Lord’s Supper.

God Bless

Pastor Fraser

For Sunday the 1st of April - 9:00am

Jesus lived as a servant to all people. He was able to do this because he was completely secure about who he was. Unlike normal human beings, who compete and compare, and who quarrel about who is the most important, Jesus simply rested in the approval he had from his Father in heaven. Because he rested in this approval, he was free gladly to stoop down and serve those in need.

This Sunday we will be hearing about Jesus’ servant attitude. We will be hearing about how Jesus willingly went to his suffering and death, trusting that he would be more than vindicated in his life of love. And we will be hearing about how Jesus shares this servant attitude with us, as we trust that with him we have the love and the approval of our Father in heaven.

This week we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. Our children will be having some special involvement in this Palm Sunday celebration.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 25th of March - 10:00am

This Sunday we will be celebrating ‘The Annunciation’ – that is, we will be remembering with thanks to God the time when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus.

One of the things we will be thinking about is how Mary is a model to us of living with faith in God. Before Mary had done anything special, God showed his grace to her; when Mary heard God’s word, she simply trusted God; and through her faithful reception of God’s word she bore Jesus, the saviour of our world. As we faithfully receive God’s word, which he graciously gives us, we too can bring the light of Christ into the world today.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. Our Sunday school will be meeting at about 10:45am.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 18th of March - 9:00am

Bendigo Lutheran Church

One of the most controversial things that Jesus did was welcome sinful people to his table. Even though Jesus was above reproach (so much so that his enemies had to think up false accusations against him), he welcomed people whose faults were obvious to all. When Jesus did this he was not showing his approval of sinful behaviour; instead he was showing that God is merciful to those who turn to him for forgiveness and healing.

This Sunday we will be hearing one of Jesus’ most famous parables – the parable of the prodigal son. Jesus told this parable to people who were grumbling because of the way he welcomed sinners. As we hear this parable we will think through the way that God welcomes us, even when our motivations for returning to him are mixed. We will also think through the fact that God gives us all the gifts he has so that we may live joyfully together as God’s people.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

Sunday 11th March 2007 - 10:00am

Pastor Fraser will lead the service this Sunday with Holy Communion at 10am in Bendigo.

For Sunday the 4th of March - 9:00am

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am. For this week I'm including a summary of the readings:

GENESIS 15:1-12,17,18: This vision given to Abraham repeats and affirms the promises made to him previously when God called him to leave Haran. Abram asked, 'What will you give me?' because as yet there was no natural heir to give credence to a future land occupied by his descendants. Abram had followed common Mesopotamian custom in naming Eliezer (his slave) as heir in the absence of a natural heir. The answer to the matter of descendants lay in counting the stars. Abram's 'belief' of God's promise expresses the response God always looks for and honours with his fulfilment of promises. The answer to the question of land is given in the establishment of a covenant. The cutting in two of the sacrifices expressed the curses which might fall upon whichever party should break the covenant agreement. The passing of fire and smoke demonstrated the Lord's own presence and his assumption of the curses to himself personally. Thus God took full responsibility for the fulfilment of the promise. The huge territory promised, from Egypt to the Euphrates, only came about in King David's time.

PHILLIPAINS 3:17 - 4:1: There are always those in the church who agree to the teaching of salvation by the cross of Christ, yet wish to live for the pleasures of earthly appetites. Paul tells the Philippians not to follow this way of destruction to which those people are inevitably heading. The sure hopeful expectation of heaven, deeply imbedded in Christian faith, cannot help but move the believer to a life of willing obedience to Christ. This foreshadows the future eternal joy. Christians therefore, unswayed by worldly example, remain single-mindedly firm in the Lord.

LUKE 13:31-35: Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, knowing that he would suffer and die. The messengers from Herod were probably trying to head Jesus off from Jerusalem. However, Jesus' determination to continue in accordance with his own plans recognises that his time to die was not in Herod's hands, but his Father's. It had to be that he should die in Jerusalem because of its hardness against God's messengers. His piteous concern for the inhabitants still recognises their inability to repent. Hence they would only greet him one day in judgment.

For Sunday the 25th of February - 10:00am

This week we will be hearing one of the most powerful promises that the Bible makes: ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’. This is a universal promise that God makes to every person, and it’s a promise that shows how gracious, merciful; and compassionate God is.

This promise is very important for us to hear because we sometimes do things that we know are wrong. Maybe in moments of weakness we say hurtful things to people that we love, or we selfishly keep for ourselves things we should share, or we break trust with people who are relying on us. In these situations we may experience God’s disapproval, and we may fear being honest with God about our behaviour. But in these situations we are also free to trust that in Christ Jesus, who was tempted but never sinned, we have access to God’s grace and peace.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am for a service with Holy Communion. The Sunday school will meet at about 10:45am

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

Pancake Tuesday (the 20th of February) and Ash Wednesday (the 21st of February)

Tuesday the 20th from &;00-8:30pm is an open house at the Pearce's for Pancakes. It's a social event, and members and friends are welcome.

On Wednesday the 21st there will be an Ash Wednesday service at the church at 7:30pm. This special service marks the beginning of Lent.

Hymns for Sunday the 18th of February - 9:00am

This Sunday we will be celebrating the Transfiguration (although I'll be preaching mainly on the Gospel reading for what would have been the 7th Sunday after the Epiphany). The service will be the Service Alternative Form. The hymns will be:

222 Thou whose almighty word
858 Make me a channel of your peace
152 Fairest Lord Jesus
747 How good Lord to be here

For Sunday the 18th of February - 9:00am

This Sunday we will be hearing some of the most confronting and difficult of Jesus’ teachings. These include his commands that we love our enemies, that we refrain from condemning other people, and that we forgive those who hurt us.

While we may acknowledge that Jesus’ teaching has the ring of truth, and that the world would be a far better place if we lived according to Jesus’ teaching, we also have to acknowledge that obeying his teaching doesn’t come naturally. No matter how hard we try by our own strength, we will never be perfect examples of Jesus’ teaching in our words and actions.

There has only been one person who lived up to Jesus’ teaching, and that is Jesus himself. It’s as we place our trust in Jesus that we experience his power in our lives, and that we receive strength from God to love, to give, and to forgive.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am to listen to God’s Word, to give thanks to God, to pray, and to receive the Lord’s Supper. As we do this we will experience the gracious presence of God with us to help us and heal us. Our Sunday school will meet at around 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

Service Order and Hymns for Sunday the 11th of February 10:00am

This Sunday we'll be using the Service with Communion (p.6 in the Hymnal).

The hymns will be:
270 The law of God v1,2,5,6
265 How blest are they
837 Feed us now
266 God's Word is our great heritage

For Sunday the 11th of February -10:00am

All human beings meditate – we all spend time every day daydreaming or thinking about things that are important to us. What we daydream about – what we spend our time thinking about - has a big influence on what we end up saying and doing. In fact it seems fait to say that a person’s words and actions are the best evidence there is as to what they’ve been thinking about.

This Sunday we will be hearing from the Bible about meditation. We will be hearing about the way that God gives us refreshment and strength as we spend time thinking about the teaching that he gives. As the Holy Spirit leads us to think about God’s word to us, our way of life changes, and God brings us home on the path that leads to eternal life.

This Sunday we will meet at 10:00am. As we receive Holy Communion we will have an opportunity to meditate on the word of God made present to us in the body and blood of Christ. Our Sunday school will meet at about 10:45am, and our AGM will follow the service.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

Sunday the 4th of February - 9:00am

Jesus had a powerful way of bringing people into spiritual reality. To those who thought that they had the right stuff to be true followers of his, he was devastatingly tough. He put the bar so high that they could never get over it. To those who acknowledged their weakness and need, however, he was kind and gentle. Instead of giving them a test to see if they were up to being his followers, he simply called them to be with him.

This Sunday we will be hearing a reading from the Bible that describes Jesus calling St Peter to follow him. St Peter knew that he was a real sinner, and that he was not good enough to be with Jesus. In fact he asked the Lord to go away from him. But Jesus looked beyond St Peter’s weakness, and saw the sort of person that God could make him. Jesus called St Peter, who was a fisherman, to take up a new job of catching people for God’s kingdom.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am. We will be thinking about the way that Jesus calls us to be with him, not because we are good enough for God, but because God is gracious. And we will celebrate the mercy and love of God as we receive Holy Communion. Our Sunday School starts up again this week, and will be on at about 9:45am.

God’s peace,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

Annual General Meeting 11th February 2007

Our AGM will be following the 10am Service on 11th February 2007.

The Book of Reports - incorporating the Agenda, Reports, Financial Report and proposed 2007 Budget are available from the Narthex at Church.

If you would like a soft copy emailed to you please let me know on schultz1@chariot.net.au.

I encourage all members to attend, the meeting last year went for 33 minutes!

Paul Schultz
Chairman

For the 28th of January

As Christians we believe and teach that God freely saves people from the bitterness, the hate, and the misery that leads to unending death. But we also believe that God saves people for incorporation into a new community that is based on love. In fact God gives individual people the gift of faith so that they may begin life in a new community– a community that is transformed by the love of Christ.

This Sunday we will be hearing from the Bible about this love. We will be hearing about what this love is: that this love is patient and kind, that this love rejoices in what is right, and that this love is eternal. We will also hear about what this love isn’t: that this love isn’t jealous or boastful or arrogant or rude. Most importantly we will be hearing about how God gives us this love as a gift, and how we experience this love in our day to day lives.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 10:00am to listen to God’s Word, to bring our thanks and praise to God, and to receive God’s love in the Lord’s Supper.

God’s peace to you,

Fraser Pearce, Pastor

For Sunday the 7th of January

Most of us feel a naturally affinity with people who speak our language and share our culture. Most of us also feel a natural suspicion of people who speak another language, or who have customs that are foreign to us. Usually the experience of these different feelings doesn’t stop us getting on together in society, but sometimes racial vilification and even violence can occur. It’s then that we wonder about the hope of people of different races living together in harmony.

This Sunday we will be hearing from the Bible about the way God brings people from different races into a real and lasting unity. Through the Jews, and in particular through Jesus, God has brought his commands and promises into our whole world. This means that all people, no matter what their ethnic background, are loved by God, and are called by him to be members of his family. As we place our trust in Christ we get a new way of appreciating the unique aspects of our own culture, while being free to welcome and give thanks for what people of different cultures bring to us.

This Sunday we will be meeting at 9:00am. We will be experiencing the unity that God gives as we together receive the Body and Blood of Christ.