Welcome! Welcome to our visitors

Welcome! Welcome to our visitors If you are new to Clovercrest, then we trust that you enjoy your time with us. Our Welcome Lounge is available for ...
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Welcome!

Welcome to our visitors If you are new to Clovercrest, then we trust that you enjoy your time with us. Our Welcome Lounge is available for you to enjoy a coffee and a chat with our friendly people after the service. You could also collect a gift bag if you didn’t received one during the service.

There will be no pm church on December 4 (Clovie Carols) and December 11 (Civic Park Carols). We would love people to serve at both of these events, so please contact Luke [email protected], 0478 0410 594.

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January Services

I officially

Christmas!

I love the anticipation, the excitement, the decorations, the celebrations, the weather, the holidays and the delicious food!! But what I love most is the opportunity we have each year to celebrate and remember the birth of our King Jesus! And more than just us celebrating – we get to share that with our neighbourhoods and networks! Christmas really is a gift we can give to others. We have this incredible opportunity to share such a joyful occasion with those around us. But more than just presents and parties, we get the chance to explain the reason behind this celebration, the birth of a King! What if amongst the business of the season we took the time to invest in this wonderful opportunity each of us has to share Jesus with someone this December? What if each one of us asked a friend, family member, work colleague or neighbour to come with us to our Carols service? What if each one of us gave an hour on December 11 at Civic park to bless and connect with the community and share a bit about who we are here at Clovercrest? What if each one of us invited one other person to share in our Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services? What if each one of us shared a gift or some food with a neighbour this December? What if each one of us shared with one person this December what Christmas is really about? Let’s choose to participate in what God is doing this Christmas. Look for people of peace and moments to connect with others and share with them the gift of Jesus. Christmas is a public celebration, let’s make our faith and this gift of Jesus a public one too. Each one of us could share the very best part of Christmas this year – our living King Jesus. Blessings, Michelle Stevens

A bit of extra Carols info… There will be family fun time following our Carols service. Quench Café will be open and we will have a coffee machine in the Function Room as well as a sausage sizzle, the bouncy castle and some games. So please hang around and enjoy some fun with your kids.

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Thank you so much for your support and prayers through 2016. With your help, God has supplied our needs and even expanded our ministry .

Would you consider helping out with our Christmas Appeal? Our Clovie Carols offerings will go toward keeping Pathway operating for 2017. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day there will be two offerings – one for the Pathway Christmas Appeal and one for normal church giving. *If you wish to give electronically, just tag it “Appeal” for this special offering. Pathway Community Centre, BSB: 704 922 Account No: 100014519 **Gifts are tax deductible. Please contact the Church Office for receipt, [email protected]

Envelopes and credit card slips for Pathway will be available at the Church Reception Desk during December.

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Pathway News Over the past 18 months Pathway has experienced huge growth. In October we had 25,000kg of food collected and sorted, as we reached out to over 5,000 people. A number of volunteers have joined us in recent weeks, so we now have over 70 volunteers serving at Pathway. Thank you to everyone for your continued support. Thank you also to those of you who have referred friends in need to Pathway. As a team we have created a unique ministry. We have helped many people, and continue to help them on a daily basis. They tell us that we are making a difference in their lives in their families. We see it in the tears of appreciation in their eyes, as well as in the feedback they give us. We have been asking our clients to give us feedback to share with our donors, volunteers and the church family. It's been a wonderful exercise, very encouraging for all of us to hear of the difference Pathway is making to families, organisations and communities around us. We have watched clients filling out the form with tears rolling down their cheeks as they write the difference happening in their lives.

Family News Please pray for Kylie Hissey and the family following the recent death of Kylie’s sister. Congratulations to James Stevens and Ashleigh Ellis on their engagement. Ashleigh is also in YWAM with James, and they plan on getting married in Perth in April next year. Contratulations to Ruth (Bosse) and Hessel Baartse, who were married by Rev. Mark Purser on Saturday December 3.

Church Council & Church Secretary Nominations Carol Eames is concluding her three year term as Church Secretary and Mark Purdie is also concluding his season on Church Council. As a church we thank them for their wisdom and faithful service. Council is seeking suggestions from the congregation for nominations for Church Council and for Church Secretary. Church Council members serve a three year term. Under our Church Constitution the Church Secretary is Minute Secretary for Church Council and an ex-officio member of Church Council. Suggestion forms and guidelines are available at the Reception Desk. 5

Christmas Closures The Church Office will be closed from December 24 . Then open for HOLIDAY HOURS from Tuesday January 3 to Friday January 13, from 9am – 12noon.

Quench Café will close at 3:30pm on Christmas Eve, December 24, and reopen on Tuesday January 3 at 9am. Sunday 18 December at all 3 services we will be thanking all our wonderful volunteers for their faithful service during 2016. Thank you to everyone who has...  Set up for an event & packed up afterwards  Worked on the Youth Room project  Led a Life Group  Helped out at Quench Café, Pathway and Treasured Op Shop,  Volunteered in one of our ministries— Kids Church, KNO, Worship teams, Women’s Retreat, Alpha, Kids Hope mentoring, Echo, mainly music, Welcome Team, and so many others. Invite your friends, family and all those who have worked and served alongside you to attend. We want to show our appreciation for you and all you do. We really appreciate YOU!

Pathway Community Centre will be closed from December 23 to January 2.

Treasured Op Shop will close on December 18 and reopen on Monday January 9. Several staff will be taking leave over Christmas and January. If there’s an emergency or family need during the Christmas—New Year period, please contact Luke Mihail on 0478 041 594.

Staff Appreciation Due to the recent staffing restructure and to others’ personal situations, we have a number of staff concluding in their roles at or near the end of the year. On Sunday December 18 at all 3 services, we will be thanking them and acknowledging their excellent service to the church. We love and appreciate each one of them. Please join us as we thank Kim & Phil Davids, Suz Foley, Ann Hey, Jessie Pelentsov, Fiona Reynolds and Yvonne Van Roy. ‘His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant …’’ Matt 25:21.

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A Note from Ann Dear Friends, It has been a delight to serve on staff in pastoral care at Clovercrest. I have been richly blessed while working with a team to serve and support the Clovercrest Family in this way. I will step down from my staff role at the end of 2016 but will continue to support pastoral care as a volunteer as I am able. We value the love and encouragement by being a part of the family at Clovercrest. As Mike and I continue in fellowship at Clovercrest we are also seeking to support the Northern Gold church planting initiative. We sense that God is at work opening doors for His church in these northern suburbs. Where possible I also hope to be able to join Mike in ministry assignments with OM in East Asia. Pray with us as we seek God for His leading in this. With OM our desire is to see vibrant communities of Jesus followers growing where there are none. We value the support and prayer of Clovercrest in this. We work with leaders in East Asia to see the life, love and light of Jesus transform communities through initiatives of faith, especially in poor and oppressed communities. Our role is to be an encouragement and to give pastoral support to missionaries. If you would like to receive our monthly Prayer Calendar write to Mike at: [email protected]. Check the Website at http://www.om.org. Blessings Ann Hey (with Mike) 7

"It is only as we listen respectfully to their stories and understand their history that we are in a place to make a helpful response. Australians Together gives us that opportunity. " Karl Faase

ALICE SPRINGS Mission Exposure TRIP is back ON for April 1-13 2017 13 days of experiencing the heart of Australia with a unique and privileged opportunity to meet with indigenous leaders and missionary workers in Alice Springs and surrounding lands. Register your Expression of Interest NOW at the church office, or with Gary Baker, Nadia Laube or Nathan Hawke. The cost is yet to be finalized but will be approx $1,000, with a deposit due by February 12. Please speak to Gary if you have difficulty with this. Fundraising will be organised in the new year. The group will be travelling by 4WD, and sleeping on foam mats/air mattresses. More details to follow. As part of the preparation for the trip, there will be a 6 week Missions Training Course commencing Saturday Feb 18. In 2008, the Australian government made a formal commitment to address Indigenous disadvantage in Australia, known as 'Closing the Gap' but what is the “gap”? The “gap” refers to the the vast health and life-expectation inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. This inequality includes shorter life expectancy, higher rates of infant mortality, poorer health and lower levels of education and employment. For more information on an excellent website go to australianstogether.org.au . 8

ALPHA Plans are well underway for our first ALPHA course for 2017, starting Wednesday February 8. This has been designed to follow closely after the Christmas events and people's summer holidays to build some momentum in outreach to people who are exploring Christianity. Would you like to bring a curious or seeking friend? Coming with a friend is a great way to journey the exploring of God together. Invitation cards are available at Reception.

Making the Most of Your Opportunities These Long Summer Holidays There’s more time to develop friendships and relationships and to talk about life. 1.

Look for newcomers and new faces. The first 5 minutes after each service is the GOLDEN 5, so let’s set 5 minutes aside to meet someone new. Even if they turn out to be Clovie regulars you will be helping make our church more friendly, and if we all do it, the newcomers won’t be missed but welcomed. We could all meet 6-8 new people this summer.

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Invite your unsaved friends to your place these holidays to get to know them better, to watch cricket, to go to the beach, to have a BBQ. LOVE them. Take interest in their life, and share what’s important in your life. Pray for them, pray for yourself to be a witness for Jesus.

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Visit isolated people you know who are in a nursing home, in hospital, stuck at home – and pray for them. Listen to them and show interest in their life. Love them.

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Drop over to your neighbours with some home produce - eggs, fruit, veggies, a cake, cookies, flowers. Take an interest in them.

PRAY FOR THEM — an open heart, the Holy Spirit to demolish the strongholds of the enemy. PRAY for YOURSELF — to show genuine love and interest, courage to talk about Jesus.

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Treasured Designs Come and see our Christmas shop! Lots of decorations and Christmas gifts all at bargain prices. Extended trading hours Friday December 16 9am – 9pm and Saturday December 17 9am – 3pm. Both days will have lots of fun, giveaways and competitions. We will be closed from December 18 and will re-open on Monday January 9. Please hold any donations until we re-open.

Recovery Life Do you relate to being in Recovery from addiction or mental health issues? Would you like to learn more about Jesus or what it means to follow him while on this journey of Recovery? Would you like a safe place to find support, friendship and understanding? You are invited to our RecoveryLIFE group, Wednesday fortnightly. Please contact Kim Davids for more details.

RecoveryLIFE and the Recovery Course will break for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year, recommencing on Wednesday January 11 and Thursday January 12 respectively. 10

DECLUTTERING TIP One of the reasons that we don’t declutter is that we are sentimentally attached to items. Often when someone gives us something, especially if that person means a lot to us, then we find it hard to let that item go. Turn that thinking around and wonder if that person wants you to be burdened by their gift? We don’t have to keep everything that everyone ever gave us! As Christmas draws near, it’s a good time to re-gift. If you have unwanted new items that can bless others then think about donating them to Pathway or wrap and place under the many charity Christmas trees that are around at this time of the year. Just remember NOT to re-gift it back to the person who gave it to you!

Growing Together in Marriage 2017 There will be five opportunities to invest in your marriage by way of participating in a weekend when you are totally focused on your spouse. Let 2017 be the year that you commit to making a good marriage better or to transform a struggling one. The first weekend is on February 24-26 at the Weintal in Tanunda. For more details contact Val D’Arcy on 0402 983 154.

A Call to Pray Join us Sunday mornings 8—9am as we pray for God’s church upstairs in the Prayer Sanctuary. Tuesdays 12:30pm weekly in the Prayer Sanctuary. Wednesdays 6am weekly in the Prayer Sanctuary. All welcome.

Pray for Missions Our monthly prayer meetings will be in recess over the summer.

Pray for the Dalits of India Our monthly prayer meetings will be in recess during December and January.

Prayer Chain For urgent and pressing prayer requests be sure to use our Prayer Chain ministry. All prayer requests are held in strict confidence. Maureen Park is the coordinator of our Prayer Chain and can be contacted on 8263 2764.

Prayer Lift Monday December 5, 7:30pm. We will prayer-walk our local neighbourhood.

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December 11 in both 9am & 11am services. Come and celebrate our Year 6s’ graduation to Echo Youth.

Boost All In – December 11 & 18.

We have both enjoyed leading the awesome kids church team this year. We started the year with “Are You Ready,” then Term 2 took us on a “Road Trip Through the Bible.” In Term 3 we looked at “God’s Big Story” and this term we have enjoyed “Preparing for Christmas” in the lead up to this special season. It has been a pleasure getting to know each and every child this year and as our Year 6s prepare to graduate out of kids church we look forward to welcoming lots of new kids in 2017. Blessings to you and your family as you celebrate the greatest gift of all this season. Naomi and Ann 12

Civic Park Carols We have another great opportunity to be a part of Civic Park Carols on Sunday December 11. If you are interested in helping us connect with the community and shine Jesus’ love for them, please contact Ann or Naomi.

ECHO Youth is now weekly, alternating between Friday nights (7pm - 9.30pm) and Sunday afternoons (3:30pm - 6pm). All events are $5.00 Facebook.com/EchoYth “Frozen” event planned for Sunday December 4 has been cancelled due to the Members’ Meeting and Clovie Carols. See below for Beach Breakup details.

Green Team

Echo Youth will return on Friday February 10, 2017.

19 Young Adults from Clovercrest had the chance to serve as part of the Encounter Youth Green Team at the annual Schoolies Festival in November. This is the biggest team that we've sent to Victor Harbor yet. In partnership with Enfield Baptist and Trinity Inner South, we had the unique opportunity to share the love of Jesus, both in action and in word, to over 1600 school leavers staying at the Victor Harbor Holiday & Cabin Park. The support we received from the Clovercrest Church this year was overwhelming. From Friday - Monday we ministered 24/7 to hundreds of Schoolies as we roamed the park and welcomed them into a safe space away from the weekend's festivities. Literally hundreds of young people experienced the love of Jesus Christ and heard the message of the gospel. What an unbelievable opportunity! With your help we can't wait to do it all again in a year’s time. 13

Thursday December 8 Christmas Luncheon with the Bethany School Children's Choir Meet at 12 noon at the Church. Cost $15 per person. Please sign up at Reception to book your place. Contact David & Yvonne Armstrong for more details on 8281 7878. If you are interested in joining a lunchtime Tuesday fellowship during the month of January, please contact David Armstrong.

Splash (a group for singles 45+) & TIBS (Together in Being Solo) Splash and TiBS will meet together on Sunday December 11, 12:45pm at the Clovercrest Hotel for lunch. Afterwards the Splash group will go to Greenfields, Salisbury Highway, for coffee and to explore the wetlands. RSVP by December 4 to Carol (Tibs) or Anthea (Splash).

The Spirit of Christmas Well, the shops are telling us that it is that time of year again! Sadly it’s the Christmas trees and wrapping paper, and not the image of a baby in a manger, that remind us to begin preparing for one of the most sacred times of the year. Whilst most people I come across share the desire to resist the consumerism and materialism of Christmas, it is traditionally a time when even families without a faith celebrate being together and love to give gifts to each other. I believe at the heart of this is a desire to give, to bless, to lavish love upon their families and friends, to be generous. It’s a way of connecting and communicating love and affection to each other, something I think people are longing for more and more in our fast paced society today. Throughout time, God has poured His generosity upon his people, hearing their heart’s cries, meeting them right where they are, and abundantly providing their needs. As the miraculous birth of Jesus reminds us, God even gave us His very own Son so that we could be saved. My heart’s desire is that as a church we really capture and spread that Spirit of Generosity this Christmas, in our families, our neighbourhoods, our workplaces. It might be a simple hello to a neighbour, an invitation to church, a meal, a hamper, a card, or an offer to help.

Creative Connections Craft finishes on Wednesday December 14, and returns for 2017 on Wednesday February 1. 14

Join me in seeking God to reveal who He wants us to seek out and extend the love, generosity and kindness of Jesus to this Christmas. Blessings, Becc Van Roy

Bank Details General Offerings: Clovercrest Baptist Church Inc. Cheque Account BSB 704 922 Account No. 100014517 Pathway Community Centre BSB: 704 922 Account No: 100014519 BFS Building Fund Gifts & Pledges Clovercrest Baptist Church Inc. BSB 704-922 Account No. 100013517 Please include your Pledge ID number in the reference.

Christmas Offerings An offering will be taken at our Carols at Clovie service on December 4, in support of Pathway Community Centre. If you wish to give electronically, just tag it “Appeal” for this special offering. Pathway Community Centre, BSB 704 922 Account No 100014519.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day there will now be two offerings – one for normal church giving and one for Pathway giving. We will have envelopes, with credit card slips enclosed, for Pathway giving which will be handed out on the Sundays prior and there will be some available at Reception also.

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Upcoming Events 

Special Members’ Meeting Sunday December 4, 2pm



Carols at Clovie Sunday December 4, 6pm



Prayer Lift Monday December 5, 7:30pm



50+ Christmas Lunch Thursday December 8, 12pm



Echo Youth Friday December 9, 7pm



Pathway Christmas Breakup Friday December 9, 6:30pm



OASIS Saturday December 10



Splash & TIBS (Together in Being Solo) Sunday December 11, 12:45pm

See inside for more details 

Christmas Eve Service Saturday December 24, 6pm



Christmas Day Service Sunday December 25, 10am



Young Adults 1in6 Saturday January 21, 5pm till late



Creative Connections (craft) Wednesday February 1



Mainly music Thursday February 2, 9:30am



Kids Night Out Friday February 3, 6:30pm



Echo Youth — Echo 2017 Launch Friday February 10, 7pm



Christmas Closure Dates Church Office — Closed from December 24. Open for HOLIDAY HOURS from Tuesday January 3 – Friday January 13, from 9am – 12noon. Quench Café — Closed from 3:30pm Christmas Eve, reopening Tuesday January 3. Pathway Community Centre — Closed from December 23, reopening Tuesday January 3. Treasured Op Shop — Closed from December 18, reopening on Monday January 9.

Any entries for inclusion to the In Touch must reach the editors by the 20 th of each month. 16