My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ...

Now is the time

for us to

hold firm to the Word of God

and

pray

like never before

Church Camps / Retreats

It is a common practice for churches to have church camps or church retreats, where the congregation goes off to some holiday resort or faraway place, to spend a few days in one another's company and to dwell upon God's word for the few days that they're there.

We shall be having our church camp at Sri Malaysia Hotel at Genting Highlands.

With the theme:

MATURITY in CHRIST

The place is old and in the middle of the highlands, making it not as cool as people would like it. There's no fun facilities like the theme park or beautiful garden or a golf course or arcade games.

Sometimes, we are so pampered by holidays and vacations that we squirm and complain and go 'eewwww' when we go into a room and find the paint peeling off the wall.

Yes, we would like to have SOME comfort.

If it was about general cleanliness, by all means, say it out.

But if it were because the TV wasn't working. Or if it was because the cup had a crack. Or if the toilet didn't have those free shampoo. Does it warrant a big complaint and telling yourself, "I won't go for another church camp. Such lousy lodgings."

In order to appease all parties in the church, we go to all measures to find a cheap and good place. Serviceable, affordable and comfortable enough.

We should be thankful. For some who did not know. Several trips were personally made and TONNES of phonecalls made to the hotel to confirm and to ensure that they give us everything that we want.

Thanking God is in order...

Fellowship with God is not determined by the venue. Fellowship with people is not deterred by surroundings.

Each individual plays a part in making the whole camp successful. God will already be there, to welcome us with open arms and to tell each of His child:

"I'm so happy that you decided to spend some time with Me."

God the Artist

God's creations display not only God's magnificence, but also his humour and creativity.

A little panda cub. Cute as cute can be.

God created them for our pleasure. God created them for us.

God made us such that we would appreciate these things He gave us. It's like a Christmas tree with heaps of presents underneath. There are still some boxes we have not opened yet.

Boxes which include the sea creatures at the bottom of the sea, flowers that grow on icy cold mountains, the kindness of a stranger, or even the colour of your eyes.

Let's put our life on PAUSE - then look around at God's love - just next to you, for you.

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I was looking at the full moon on chap goh meh (15th day of the chinese lunar calendar, marking the last day of chinese new year celebrations), and i was so taken by the large round orange moon.

It was right there, so near, yet so far.

Glancing upon the moon and thinking how complex it was for God to ensure that we get moonlight, time, gravity and the change of tides - because of the moon.

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It's All Right

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God — for God is love.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us.

1 John 4:7-12 (NLT)

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To take the intangible,
Hold on to it firmly,
With the assurance and trust that the intangible is so very good
- It eventually becomes tangible in us.



Because God first loved us, we are given a gift, a feeling. This feeling will naturally overflow out of us to others around us.

But how do we obtain or acknowledge this love God has for us?

1. It was already given the day we were born.

We do not need to seek it. It's already there. So, it is a question of whether we want to accept it in our hearts and believe in it. God made it our choice to decide if we want His love in our lives.

2. Love is tangible.

Love is an emotion. It is deemed as unseen. We cannot see God. But how do we know He's there? We were created to 'know' certain things. I call these things 'truths'. It could be a mere belief. But once you believe, the actions and manifestation of the love you receive will be what makes it tangible.

-------------

We're not only commanded to love. We're politely asked to realise that we have this ability and this emotion of love, to love others. We're well-equipped to love others.

Enjoy your day... loving someone with the love of God.

Blessed New Year 2009

From all of us at Church of the Good Shepherd...

BLESSED NEW YEAR

and

MAY YOU SEEK HIS KINGDOM FIRST

Let 2009 be a year of new experiences with Jesus!

Children's Christmas Party - 20 Dec (Sat)

This year's Children's Party will be even

BIGGER and BETTER

than previous years.

We have

games and clowns

and food and drinks

and presents and party packs

and not forgetting good ol' Santa Claus!

So bring your friends and relatives and neighbours and classmates!

IT'S FREE!

Fun, Joy & Laughter

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength.

Joy is repeated often in the Bible. To be happy is to be contented.

To be able to laugh and smile in times of pain and suffering is the ultimate "YOU MUST BE CRAZY".



Our human emotions will follow what our circumstances are. If we're facing all forms of challenges, our faces will automatically show the stress and strain.

It would take a person who either 1. doesn't care (indifferent) or 2. knows how to handle the situation - to be able to laugh and smile while others are complaining and having their blood pressure shooting up.

I look at adverse situations from various angles:

1. God knows what He's doing.

2. I have something to learn out of all these awful happenings.

3. This will not be forever.

4. It's no use worrying about it because I will be blinded by my worries, such that I can't find the solution.

5. The joy of the Lord will strengthen me to go through it.

6. The people around me who are stressed need someone who is calm and level-headed to bring some 'balance' to the whole atmosphere.

---------

The last one sound really 'new age'. But it's true how in every situation or company or group, you need a balance of characters to bring the best out of the team.

So, I hope this short note will give us something to think about and not WORRY about our current situation.

You're not ALONE in this problem. And it's really NO USE TO WORRY since you don't have a solution yet.

Might as well find the answer instead of wasting time and worrying about what you cannot solve.



So, please... LET GO AND LET GOD.

Upcoming November Programs

Seminars and guest speakers are a great way to learn and as reminders to our gingko-deficient memories.

We're in constant need of encouragement and God knows that.

He constantly reminded His people about obeying Him and to dwell on His word so that we may stand firm.

Below are a few programs that we're having. And we hope to see you there! For more info, please email us at cogsjb@streamyx.com or call 07 3328277.

CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW FOR LARGER IMAGE

7th - 9th November 2008 (Friday - Sunday)
Daren Tay will be coming to tell us more about Holy Spirit - our Comforter and Friend that Jesus gave to us when He left this earth.




15th November 2008 (Saturday)
Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia - Men's Seminar 2008
A full-day seminar for all men!

Pelangi Cell Farewell Dinner

This is just the beginning of LOTS of food...

Don't we just love feeding them and sending them off to a food haven?

It's the Chinese way of saying... we love you!!!

Why Do I Go to Church?

Taken from http://www.heartlight.org
by Sarah Stirman

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Newsflash: I don't go to church to worship God.

Oh, I DO worship God when I go, but if MY church were going to be all about ME and MY best way to worship God, MY church would only have ME in attendance, and I would be outside somewhere talking with and worshipping God. I have had the privilege and responsibility of being in on some discussion about "worship planning" recently. I finally told the group: "Not gonna happen — you will NEVER plan a worship service that is perfect for me, or anyone else for that matter. I don't worship best in 'the pink room' (what I call our horribly outdated auditorium)."

Besides not lovin' the setting for "corporate worship," I'm generally busy. I interpret services for the deaf. That means I'm HEARING what is said and sung and prayed, but I can only process it in the part of my brain that translates it into another language, not the part that absorbs it and lets it transform me or reflect praise to our Father. Even when I'm not "working" by interpreting, I'm "feeding" signs to the person who is interpreting. (The very funny part about our deaf ministry is that we are positioned in the auditorium where the speakers shoot the sound over us — the interpreters can't hear a thing where we are!) Again, even if being surrounded by hundreds of people were my "thing" for worship, I'm a little occupied.

But, I do GO to church: I'm one of those "every-time-the-doors-are-open" kind of people. (I'm also one of those "last-ones-leaving-because-they're-turning-off-the-lights," but that's a whole other issue.) Even though I am openly professing to not attend church for the number one cited reason for attending, I think it is a crucial part of my faith and "Christian walk." I'm also teaching that to my children. My children know where we will be "every-time-the doors-are-open," and they know we don't plan events or things that would interfere with our attending.

So ... you GO to church, but you don't go to church to worship God? HUH?

So, why do I go to church?

I actually started thinking about all of this for several reasons. First, the church where I worship has started making an intentional difference in our two morning services. The second service is "less traditional" in nature. And our "more traditional" service is struggling over some bumps of its own. This, as you might imagine if you are a regular attender somewhere, has ruffled a few feathers and created some exciting end-of-the-pew discussion. I have also been included in some committee discussions regarding planning worship. Our "corporate worship" time has been on my mind lately.

Someone is unhappy with the song choices ... or song tempo ... or song leader. Others aren't happy with the screens or temperature or preacher or what-have-you. And — true confessions — I'm right there with them in many regards. As I mentioned — you can't plan a perfect worship for me, especially if there are people involved!

While all of this ha-rumphing was fresh on my mind, I sat down and encountered notes from a worship conference I attended last summer. This was on the top page:

Evaluating worship based on doing the right things in the right way or 'did it make me feel good' is having low expectations. Instead, evaluate worship on whether or not God showed up. There is NO worship renewal without expecting to meet the Almighty God. (Randy Harris)

That quote makes me feel better about not feeling like I am really able to worship at church. Oh, I feel certain the Almighty God is THERE — but I am only able to worship Him by serving His people while in "the assembly," not by chatting with Him and listening to Him. The best part is, I'm not missing my time with God if I don't get it inside the church building. The Almighty God shows up to talk to me and walk beside me on my morning walk. He listens so patiently while I fold the clothes. He blesses us again and again while I pray over carpool. My entire life — SHOULD I CHOOSE TO DO SO — can be a time of worship, complete with the presence of the Almighty God. Because He will ALWAYS show up — I just have to show up, as well.

And while the songs sung or words said and images displayed at church may or may not stir my soul, I can still worship because I will be in the presence of the Almighty God.

May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2).

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I will be in the presence of the Almighty God.

Sarah is part of The Coffee Group, a varied group of women who express their love, faith, and praise for God with ladies they love. They do ladies' retreats and special speaking on God's work in their lives, as well as the importance of sharing your faith story.

Check out their website:
http://www.thecoffeegroup.net

Come visit them on their blog:
http://www.espressohislove.blogspot.com

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Charlotte's Thoughts

It's true. I sometimes forget too, how to expect God's presence in church.

We get distracted by so much "works" (programs, quality of music, people attending, pastor's message depth, etc) that we lose the meaning of the church and why we go to church.

Let's pull our minds back to God's way of thinking...

Let's go back to wanting to meet God, face to face.