Our Vision

A Community Transforming Lives

Our Values Parramatta Mission values Grace, Inclusion, Dignity,

Faith and Hope

Our News

10th August

2014

Uniting Church

in

Australia

Congregations at

Leigh Memorial &

Westmead.

Serving Greater Sydney

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 1 Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the story of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. 5 Once Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 11 So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. 12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. He came to Shechem, 15 and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, “What are you seeking?”16“I am seeking my brothers,” he said; “tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 The man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’“ So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him” —that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; 24 and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. 28 When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. (NRSV translation)

Leigh Congregation

INTER-FAITH PEACE SERVICE Please keep Sunday, 21 September @ 2pm free to attend a very special Peace Service at the Fellowship Centre. ALL PM CONGREGATIONS are invited and encouraged to attend this important Parramatta Mission and community event. Representatives of many congregations, schools, community organizations and faiths will be in attendance and the occasion will include both afternoon tea and many wonderful opportunities to meet & liaise with others. There will also be a release of peace doves organized by Dr. Edwards, the United Nations representative. If you would like to help with this event, please see Manas asap.

LEIGH'S GOT TALENT! How many songs have the word 'blue' in them? Want to find out? Come along to our next Leigh's Got Talent 3 Concert: 'Out of the Blue' on Saturday 18 October. Or...be part of the concert! We rehearse Mondays in the church: 7.00 to 8.30pm (except on the first Monday of the month). For further info - please phone Malcolm Dunbar: 9630-5240. SUNDAY SCHOOL @ NIGHT

Kids & Families are invited to our Sunday School 'Games & Goodies' Night in the church, 6.30 - 8.30pm, on Sat. 30 August. Enquiries: Liz/ Samantha. TIME OUT CAFE, WESTMEAD

Volunteers are needed on Tuesdays. Please contact Trish. PROPERTY COMMITTEE NOTICES: 1) Church Roof Repairs will take place over 5 working days between

18 - 22 August. Most activities in the church during this period will be unaffected, however there will be no admittance to the Ministers' Vestry during the work;

2) 2) All Leigh Memorial groups using our premises (even just for an hour) are reminded that all rooms must be officially booked in advance with Tracey in the office & that bookings which are no longer needed, must also be cancelled asap. Significant attention also needs to be paid to security/ safety (ie. please lock up/ switch off when leaving).

INTER-FAITH NEWS: ZOROASTRIAN TEMPLE VISIT (organised by the NSW and ACT Synod Committee on Relations with Other Faiths). Report by visit co-ordinator, Manas Ghosh. On Sunday 3 August, a group from various Uniting Church Congregations in the Sydney metro area visited the Zoroastrian temple, which is in Annangrove Rd., Annangrove. Leigh Memorial was represented by Nita and myself, David Norris, William Mateo and Neil McGrath. We met with some representatives of Sydney’s Zoroastrian community in the covered dining area behind the temple and they gave us some information about the religion and the culture of the community there, around a monument at the front of the Temple and in the Temple. This was followed by a nice Parsi lunch, cooked by the children of their Sunday school, in the covered space behind the temple, during which we heard more about the community. Later, most of the visitors were shown a pond further back on the site. During the visit, we learned that: Zoroastrianism is based on the teaching of Zoroaster from Ancient Persia

(well before the time of King Cyrus, who freed the Israelites from Babylon), which has become modern Iran;

The community holds a Sunday School on the first Sunday of the month. When it started in 1977, it was held in a Uniting Church hall;

Zoroastrians are sometimes called “fire worshipers”, but we were told that they use fire as an aid to prayer rather than worshiping fire;

There is little conversion to the Zoroastrian faith because there is a requirement for descent through the male line [from ancient Zoroastrians]

Because of persecution when Islam spread to Persia, some Zoroastrians moved East, forming a significant community in what is now India and Pakistan;

About 25 percent of the Sydney Zoroastrian community came from Iran and the rest came from the communities in India and Pakistan.

There are ‘priestly’ families; Priests are only male, but some of their functions (ceremonies/rituals)

can and are performed by women; After learning the rituals and prayers and meeting some other

requirements, boys from priestly families can become priests at around 9 and 10 years old;

The senior priest in the Sydney Zoroastrian community said he performs the role in an honorary capacity. He is a medical practitioner.

One of the cultural aspects of the Indian/Pakistani branch of the community is elaborate hand embroidering of fabric. There were three samples on display. The community has received a grant from UNESCO to continue the skills, because the decline in numbers of the community has meant that these skills are dying out.

Special thanks should go to Bikers Australia/ for their tireless work over two decades in providing blankets for the homeless in Sydney’s West. Well done

Foster your faith this week as you read:

Gen 45:1-15 Ps 133 Rom 11:1-2a,29-32 Mt 15:(10-20),21-28

Pastoral message for this week…..

Dream for a better tomorrow? Step out of yesterday, With COURAGE

Westmead Congregation 6 visitors came into TOC today to sit, talk, have a cup and move on to their

next appointment. Doreen, David’s mother came in too. She is very happy with their flat above Coles. She has paid their rent till December. David is receiving Chemo and should finish around September. Doreen thanks the Lord for your prayers for David and for herself.

Jan and David are sailing to New Zealand for a week, beginning today. They fly to Christchurch and then take a bus around to see the beautiful countryside of the South Island. And should be back the following Monday. Have a grand trip folks!

We have deferred our Adult Fellowship Cook Book because of Lorna’s surgery. It should be about ready come March next year. In the meantime please submit more recipes for Soups, Salad, Veges, Mains, Savoury, Cakes and Desserts.

Jean is turning 93 this year. We have never seen anyone keeping behind the old, old things of the family. She kept her autograph which she was given in 1932 (82 years back). She showed us what they inserted in the teapot spout to hold back the tea-leaves.

And a dozen other things including her father’s cutting knife with a long slim blade, yellow handle, about 20 centimetres (8inches) long. It kept growing shorter until it became 2inches from constant use. It was made of steel so it was precious.

Someone wrote this in Jean’s autograph in 1932: (Yes! 82 years ago and she still keeps it!)

Jean now Jean forever. Mitchell now But not forever! ( The autographer got it wrong! Jean never married!) Grace has been ill since last week. She is getting better but she is heavy with

sneezing. Ella has shifted to the Temporary Unit of Auburn Hospital where she is

waiting for a place in a Nursing Home. We wish her well. Vicki had a fall in Wentworthville last week but is back in her own unit.

Thanks Geoff and Rosemary for catching up with her.

“Veitinia, May and Colleen enjoyed the sun at TOC on Tuesday

Do you enjoy being around other people?

Are you a good listener? Can you make a cup of coffee

and a toasted sandwich? Are you available from 10.30 –2.00pm

If you answered YES and would like to be involved in this valuable ministry please call Trish on

0478 301 698

Time Out

Cafe

SUPPORT FROM THE PARRAMATTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The wonderful partnership of Parramatta Mission’s Meals Plus Community Outreach with local businesses and individuals added was again evident in the recent Inaugural Parramatta Chamber Christmas in July Lunch. As part of this event, Parramatta Leagues Club donated an additional $5,000. The cheque was presented to Keith at this week’s ‘Business After 5 Event’ hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. We express our thanks to the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce and its members for their support of Meals Plus.

The Max Potential project offers 22 weeks of personal leadership development, including coaching, to young leaders from schools, and the community, to help them maximise their potential during the final years at school, and beyond. It also encourages students to focus on the local community and ways that they can work to improve it. Georgia Bennetts completed max potential last week. Georgia’s community project was to make max potential activity bags for the children at Wesley apartments with siblings at the children’s hospital. The max potential showcase was held at Castle hill RSL last

Georgia at her showcase display

Geoff is another student who completed Max Potential. Geoff’s community project was to bring a group of people with an intellectual disability to serve at Meals Plus, and to do some administration work at PM

‘WELCOME PACKS’

TOILETRIES DONATIONS DRIVE

FOR CLIENTS/TENANTS OF PARRAMATTA MISSION ACCOMODATION FACILITIES

NEXT COLLECTION DATE @ LEIGH

SUNDAY 31ST AUGUST

Donations of one or more of the following, basic toiletries/personal care items for both male & female tenants in our emergency or longer term housing programs will be greatly appreciated:

Toiletries Donation Suggestions: Soap Tissues (mini packs) Deodorant Facial Wipes Face washers Shampoo/Conditioner Toothpaste/Toothbrush Comb/Brush Disposable Shavers

Enquiries: Liz/The Sunday School @ Leigh Team or Sharon, Property Manager, Parramatta Mission, 9891-2277.

Thank You!!!

Do you have Saturday 1st November Free .

If so come along and do some early Christmas shopping, enjoy a lunch with friends and help raise monies

for Meals Plus at Parramatta Mission. If you are interested please email

tracey.taylor@parramattamission.org.au or coral.harris@parramattamission.org.au or

phone 9891 2277 by August 15th so we can book the bus and get shopping. Once we have

available numbers I will provide costings for the day.

All monies raised will go to

'Manas & Nita with the Couples & Friends on

Monday 4 August - with many thanks to Manas

for being our Guest Speaker'.

Couples &

Friends

GRILL’D SUPPORTS HOPE HOSTEL Thank you to everyone who supported Parramatta Mission’s Hope Hostel through the Grill’d Parramatta Local Matter Program in July.

Hope Hostel was voted second place last month, resulting in a $100 donation from Grill’d Parramatta on Church Street.

The Local Matters program, as well as providing funding, helps to tell more people in our local community about Parramatta Mission and the programs we run to help people in our community.

시드니 조은교회 Sydney Jo-Eun Church 14-31

교회소식(Notices) 할렐루야! 주님이 주시는 참된 평안이 마음과 가정, 그리고 삶의 현장 가운데

늘 함께 하시실 축복합니다. 1. 주일 예배에 참석하신 모든 분들을 주님의 이름으로 환영합니다

2. 매일 성경 읽기를 통해서 Q.T 하시고 주님과 교제하시는 하루가 되십시오

3. 기도와 삶으로 복음을 전하는 전도는 그리스도인의 사명입니다.

영혼 구원을 위해 거룩한 부담을 가지고 중보기도 합시다.

4. 고국 방문 중인 성도들을 위해 기도해주시기 바랍 니다.

*Wednesday Worship (7:00pm)

Job 29:1-25

* 수요기도회 (오후7시)

욥기 29:1-25

* QT 나눔/ 성경공부(주일오후 4시)

* Early Morning Service

(Tues-Sat 6:00am)

Daily Scripture Readings:

Job 27:1-31:23

*새벽기도회 (화~토 새벽6시)

욥기 27:1-31:23

아홉 번째 성령강림주일 9th Pentecost of Sunday (주일 오후 1시 30분)

* 개회찬송(Entrance Hymn)……...(예배를 위한 묵상)……………...…다함께

* 예배의 부름(Calling)……………………………………………..……다함께

* 송영(Gloria)…………...…찬양 성부 성자 성령 (2/6)...................…...다함께 * 사도신경 신앙고백(The Apostle’s Creed)………………………….다함께 * 찬양/찬송(Chorus & Hymns)…………(앉아서)…………...…….다함께

하늘에 가득한 영광의 하나님(9/53) 시온의 영광이(550/248)

예수 나를 위하여 (144/144)

* 기도 ( Prayer) ……….…………………......…….…………...…...…다함께

* 말씀 (Preaching)……….….….…………......전현구 목사 Rev. H G JUN

“마태복음 28:16-20” “아버지와 아들과 성령의 이름으로” * 찬송(Hymns)…….…......예수의 전할 복음(/264) ……………..........다함께

* 성찬(Holy Communion)………………...…..……………….Rev H. G JUN

* 봉헌(Offertory)………………………………………..….….....……....다함께

* 나눔과 알림(Announcement & Notices)……………….………..…다함께

* 폐회찬송(Final Hymn)...빛의 사자들여 어서 가서(502/497)…..........다함께

* 축도(Benediction)………………….…………..……….….Rev H. G JUN

Fijian

Sa kerei me na dua na noda Bose Vaka-i-Vavakoso ni suka na Lotu e

daidai., me baleti Talatala Mereia Votomosi. Oqo e Bose vakatotolotaki. Lotu e na Siga Tabu mai oqo, noda Daunivunau: Rooty Hill. Vinaka vakalevu na Mata-Masumasu mai Berala. Eratou tomana tikoga na

nodratou Veisiko-Vuli Volatabu – e na macawa qo ki na vuvale nei Dale kei Silo.

Era sa veisiko oti na marama ki na vuvale nei Verenika e na noa ni sa qai vakasucu oti toka. E na qai tomani na veisiko vei Jessica ni rau sa lesu mai vei John Vute.

Yalovinaka sara, mo vakadeitaka rawa e liu ni sa donu na vanua o KELEA KINA NA NOMU MOTOKA NI BERA NI KO MAI LOTU. E lewe 4 na noda lewe ni Lotu sa coko tu kina. Sa soli vei Rev Keith Hamilton me na la’ki veivosakitaka, na kena dina me na qai macala mai.

Vinaka vakalevu na nona sa bole o Qata me sa Ovisa ni Vale-ni-Lotu. Me nona i tavi me raica na vanua me ra dabe kina na gone. Sa laurai tiko ni so na gone era dau vakalutu-lo ki tautuba me ra la’ki veitalanoa tu e na gauna ni lotu. E namaki me da dau vakarautaki keda mai vakavinaka ni bera ni da curuma mai na Vale-ni-Kalou. E sega ni ra dabe na gone e nai otioti ni dabedabe e vale ni lotu.

Sa vakadeitaki ni na vakaitavi na noda Matasere e na Vakarauwai 6th Sepiteba, 2pm e na Riverside Theatre e Parramatta.

Congregation

Reflection The story of Joseph is well-known, yet the message is subtle. The rivalry between Jacob and Esau that fills many of the pages of Genesis continues in Jacob’s offspring. And Jacob’s offspring, like Jacob, deceive.

Jacob – Israel – is the father, known for deception, and his sons who are jealous and hateful. Joseph, is the most loved of all by his father, even though not the eldest, and there is a dream. There is one other character who is never mentioned but is vital to the story. This is a story about the hidden work of God in the affairs of persons and nations. On the one hand is the view that God does everything, on the other is the view that God only operates through our hands and voices. This story is somewhere in between. The purpose of God is announced in the dream. God’s dream is bigger than any character in the story.

Joseph means ‘add’. He is added by the mercy of God, although his brothers think he is added as an unwelcome afterthought. He is added as a gift, which reshapes everything. He is added by the mercy of God, because the family story depends upon him, for his dream will save the whole family. Without Joseph, there is no future. Joseph is a blessing to the whole family.

God works through the cowardice of Reuben – who engages in deception to save his brother. Judah – another coward – is respectful of the problem of guilt. As result of his cowardice, the transition is complete. Joseph who receives his special coat as a blessing is off to Egypt to save his family. The story shows the hatred of the brothers triumphant over the love of the father. It also depicts the grief of the father, of dreams shattered. Somehow that speaks to us today of shattered dreams and grief. We are all children of grief, if not that of death, then of empty failure, of dreams dreamed but unlived. All kinds of tomorrows are crushed for the sake of tough, ruthless todays.

Sometimes we are like Joseph. Sometimes we dream. Sometimes we are like the brothers, we deny the dream. Sometimes we are like Jacob who “kept the matter in mind” (vs. 11). The father is indignant like the brothers, yet unlike the brothers he remembers the dream. Jacob, himself a dreamer, bequeaths the dream to his son. We likewise play all parts in the tense triangle. Clearly, the dream does not depend on the father, or the brothers, or even Joseph. It has its own work. Amazingly, even as Joseph sets out for Egypt as a slave, God has not abandoned the dream. God is faithful to the dream. On the surface of the story are the evil acts of the brothers to get rid of Joseph. Underneath, God is at work. It is in Egypt the family needs to be in the upcoming famine. Often It seems our lives are just a lot of incidents, haphazardly connected. But as we look closer we see patterns and themes as if God is subtly at work weaving a way through our life.

Blessings, Keith Hamilton

Worship Services at Parramatta Mission

Mon to Fri 9.00am - 2.00pm Open Church at Leigh Memorial Tuesday 1.10pm Holy Communion @ Leigh Sunday 9.30am Leigh Memorial 9.45am Westmead 11.15am Fijian @ Leigh Memorial

1.30pm Korean Faith Community @ Leigh 7.00pm Praise, Prayer, Cake & Coffee

Leigh Memorial :Pat; Fred; Frank & Lynn, Jolame Leigh Fijian: Verenika and Jessica and their babies. Westmead:Jan and David in NZ. Ella awaiting a place in a Nursing Home. Ross is looking for a place to settle

We pray for healing & wholeness for these people & places: World Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia UC congregations of the Cumberland Zone; Dundas/

Ermington, Northmead, North Rocks, Carlingford, West Epping, Centenary, Wentworthville, Holroyd, Greystanes, Grantham Heights, Parramatta Mission, Auburn.

For the worship, witness and service Church –Cabramatta Uniting Church;

The financial of our church, especial after April 2016 (when we finished receiving funding from SMRF);

New believers; Music team, kids club and young family; The outreach project “Cabramatta Senior Women Connecting” on Fridays.

Westmead Church Cnr Queen &

Hawkesbury Roads Rev Veitinia Waqabaca

Ph:9682 3422

Westmead Mission Worker

Pastor Trish Rooney Mobile: 0478 301 698

Leigh Memorial Church 119 Macquarie St

Parramatta

Rev Dr Manas Ghosh 8626 4072

Church Office Ph: 9891 2277 Fax: 9891 4577

E: wecare@ parramattamission.org.au

Rev Keith Hamilton M: 0417 487 446

Parramatta Mission projects supported in the Uniting Church Please pray for:

Living as a multicultural church Ministry with mental patients and prisoners Hospital chaplaincy with patients, staff & families

Our Prayer Points