Devotion
Belonging Looks Like...
As we have gathered for worship as a Good Shepherd Family in recent weeks, we have been exploring the idea of what it means ‘To Belong’.
What thoughts come to your mind when you hear this phrase?
Belonging somewhere might evoke thoughts about a physical place, but often it has something to do regarding a connection with other people... A family, a community...
What words come to your mind when you think about ‘Belonging’? Love? Kindness? Safety?
God invites us all to be part of his family... And belonging in a family means connecting with him and connecting with others.
Over the course of the term, we have been learning about words that relate to belonging in God’s family and hearing bible stories to illustrate. To summarize:
Security: Daniel faced lions but was safe under the protection of God and his angels who guarded him. Life can get pretty scary at times. Knowing that God is faithful and is with us, especially in those times, is reassuring.
Peace: The disciples found themselves floundering in a stormy sea and Jesus quietened the whole setting... God brings peace when life gets stormy!
Comfort: Holy Spirit is called ‘The Comforter’, amongst other things, and is with us as we encounter life’s challenges, reminding us of God’s love and that we are never alone.
Second chance: Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends, really mucked up when he denied even knowing Jesus. Right when Jesus was going through a really difficult time and might have appreciated a good friend’s support! Instead of rejecting Peter, Jesus gave him a second chance... Let’s face it, we all muck up sometimes... and need a second chance.
Forgiveness: Joseph encountered a lot of moments when others let him down, even in his relationship with his own brothers. Belonging in a group with others means that we are going to experience times when others will get it wrong too. Having grace to forgive them provides a second chance (and frees you to move past the problem at the same time)!
At worship we used our imagination, visualizing these attributes as ingredients:
Security
Peace
Comfort
A second chance
And forgiveness
Of course, flavoured with generous helpings of love and kindness...
This list is not exhaustive. Belonging in a safe and supportive family, with God our Good Shepherd, to lead, protect and help each member to flourish is a wonderful invitation...
God bless you all!
Georgie
Step Up to First Communion
Young people aged around 10 years, together with their parents/caregivers, are invited to take part in our Step Up program to prepare for Holy Communion. Taking the approach that parents/ carers are the primary faith developer in their children, Step Up is designed to support parents/carers in preparing their child for Holy Communion.
This course will be offered in Term 3 over 4 consecutive Friday nights (August 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th). The actual Step Up service will take place on August 30th at 10.00 am. If you are interested, please contact Georgie by 31st July. Look forward to hearing from you.
Georgie
Can you help?
We have continued to be blessed to have a couple people from our school family step up to serve tea and coffee before and after our Wednesday Worship (Chapel)...
I am very grateful for this, however, I would dearly appreciate hearing from some others who might be able to help serve in this way. This small and gracious gesture is just one way that we ‘do life’ together as a Good Shepherd Family... and having something warm to hold on these cool mornings is extra nice!
If this is you, please come and have a chat (over a coffee perhaps) or email me (Georgie) here.
2026 Worship Song Playlist
Do you find yourself wondering what songs we sing in Wednesday Worship? Do your children come home singing some of the songs? We invite you to enjoy our Good Shepherd School Worship Song Playlist on YouTube. To find a selection of songs that we sing, click here and start singing along!