From: R & S Scarcella & Family [inbox@webpastor.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 9 February 2000 8:47 PM
To: inbox@webpastor.com
Subject: CoGS Weekly Hits! 2000 Vol. 2 No. 2

YOUR CoGS WEEKLY HITS! - FREE NETMAGAZINE
distributed by Rev. Rocco & Mrs. Susan Scarcella from
Church of the Good Shepherd Bossley Park NSW Australia
WEBSITE: www.webpastor.com
ITEMS, JOKES ETC TO: hits@webpastor.com
SUBSCRIBE: subscribe@webpastor.com
UNSUBSCRIBE: unsubscribe@webpastor.com
(Please write "no hits" in the subject frame)
WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY?: http://www.christianity.net.au
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Dear NetFriends,
Australia is having a lot of industrial trouble.  In the states of
South Australia and Victoria, there have been power restrictions.
There are threats of coal strikes. There have been teachers' strikes.
Resources we often take for granted suddenly have limits. Isn't it
good that there are no limits to God's gracious love?

READING FROM THE WORD OF GOD
Then the Lord raised up judges who saved them (Israel) out of the
hands of these raiders. Yet they would not listen to their judges but
prostituted themselves to other gods and worshipped them. Unlike their
fathers, they quickly turned from the ways of obedience to the Lord's
commands. Whenever the Lord rasied up a judge for them, he was with the
judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the
judge lived; for the Lord had compassion on them as they groaned under
those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died,the
people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers,
following other gods and serving and worshipping them.They refused to
give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
Judges 2:16-19 (NIV)

God had brought them out of slavery in Egypt. He had opened the Red Sea
before them, and had guided them as a pillar of fire by night and a pillar
of cloud by day. He had fed them on manna and quail. He had taken them
across the Jordan in a miraculous way, and had caused the walls of Jericho
to fall.  He gave them a land flowing with milk and honey. Yet "they refused
to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways." That is a short but
accurate summary of sin. SIN. Look at the word. What is its middle letter?
That's right! "I". Sin means "I" am in the middle of my life instead of God.
What has God done for you and me? He has sent salvation in the form of His
Son, Jesus Christ, who has paid the price of our SIN. What have we done with
His goodness? Is the "I" still in the middle? If so, today is the day to put
God in the middle. Or else if it's "U" in the "middle", then best you'll
ever
be is in a "muddle"!

TESTIMONY

"I was converted back in 1970 in Vietnam. I challenged the Lord to prove to
me that the Bible was true and Jesus was the Son of God. I told God I could
worship what ever I wanted to even a forty ft. statue of Buddha that was a
few hundred feet away. I bowed toward the statue and lightning struck the
statue out of a clear blue sky. Then I said to the Lord, "well maybe what
the Bible says is true. Jesus is Lord and the Son of God." My favorite Bible
verses are from I John 5:10, 11.  "He that believeth on the Son of God hath
the witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar;
because he believed not the record that God gave of his son. And this is
the record: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His
Son."
-Edward

PRAYER POINTS - Lots this week!!!
** Praise God for His goodness: while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.
** Thank Him for all the blessings he has given us.
** Thank Him for endless opportunities to reach out with the saving truth of
Jesus.
** Thank him for new members to our NetFamily. We have recently had a
subscription from N in Muscat on the Persian Gulf, who wrote: "Please let
me have you news letter so that I may learn more about the Lord and his love
for us." Keep praying for inroads into this vital area.!
**Pray also for our readers from the Indian subcontinent. Many are in areas
where persecution is a reality. May God be their daily strength!
** We have had an update on Diane G's brother in law:
"I wanted to let you know an update on Ronald.  He is pretty much the same
physically and spiritually.  His wife Shirley is wore out physically and
mentally.  Please lift her up.  Ronald can walk around really slowly and
with supervision.  He can talk lucidly at times and then other times he
is way off in left field.  Right now Shirley has had to return to work
and Ronald's mama is taking care of him this week."
** La Donna has asked for prayer:
"The flu has been running rampant here too. My husband had it since
Christams and just this past week started to feel better Dr. okayed
him for his surgery on Thursday morning . He is having knee replacement
surgery. Say a prayer for him."
**Pregnant mums Cathy S, Violet F, Lynne D, Gina L and Trish C ask for
continued prayer for theirs and their babies' health.
** Bill, Rose T's stepfather, is still in hospital. There have been
complications.
** Pray for Rose as she copes with Bill's illness, her father-in-law's
death, and continued lung trouble herself, all while raising three young
children and working part time.
** Peter J. continues to recover at home after major lung surgery.
** Ask for healing for Vera G's ulcerated leg.
** Pray for all our church ministries in full-swing now that schools are
back. Give thanks for opportunities to teach the Bible in 2 local public
schools each week. Please uphold our SRE (Special Religious Education)team
in prayer.
** Pray for Luciano and the future of his Italian Ministry and needed
funding.
** Pray for Ron S. on mission in India and for his mum who is ill.
** Pray for our Sue, as her CFS continues to put its restrictions on her.
** Ask for wisdom for Rocco as he seeks the Lord's direction with regard
to future ministry possibilities.

HAHAHA CORNER
**  Did God Make You?
Grandpa and granddaughter were sitting talking when she asked,
"Did God make you, Grandpa?"
"Yes, God made me," the grandfather answered.
A few minutes later, the little girl asked him, "Did God
make me too?"
"Yes, He did," the older man answered.
For a few minutes, the little girl seemed to be studying her
grandpa, as well as her own reflection in the mirror, while
her grandfather wondered what was running through her mind.
At last she spoke up.
"You know, Grandpa," she said, "God's doing a lot better job
lately."
---submitted by Paul Dugas

*** VAN GOGH'S FAMILY TREE
After much careful research, it has been discovered that the
artist Vincent Van Gogh had many relatives.  Among them were:

His dizzy aunt:  Verti Gogh
The brother who ate prunes:  Gotta Gogh
The brother who worked at a convenience store:  Stopn Gogh
The cousin from Illinois:  Chica Gogh
His magician uncle:  Wherediddy Gogh
His Mexican cousin:  Amee Gogh
The Mexican cousin's American half brother:  Grin Gogh
The nephew who drove a stage coach:  Wellsfar Gogh
The ballroom dancing aunt:  Tan Gogh
the bird lover uncle:  Flamin Gogh
His nephew psychoanalyst:  E Gogh
The fruit loving cousin:  Man Gogh
An aunt who taught positive thinking:  Wayto Gogh
The little bouncy nephew:  Poe Gogh
A sister who loved disco:  Go Gogh
And his niece who travels the country in a van:  Winnie Bay Gogh
--submitted by Phil Matthews

**High Tech Tip
Fool other drivers into thinking you have an expensive car phone
by holding an old TV or video remote control up to your ear and
occasionally swerving across the road and mounting the curb.

--anon.(ed. This is ONLY a joke, guys! We recommend that you do
NOT attempt this even in the safety of your own stationary vehicle!)

**No Excuse Sunday

Every pastor to ever serve a parish has heard his share of excuses
from members that somehow don't make it to service regularly. To
make it possible for everyone to attend church, some witty pastor
put this in the church newsletter:
This Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday"
Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, "Sunday is my
only day to sleep in."
There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who
feel that our pews are too hard.
Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from
watching TV late Saturday night.
We will have steel helmets for those who say, "The roof would cave
in if I ever came to church."
Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too
cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot.
Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the
hypocrites present.
Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can't go
to church and cook dinner, too.
We will distribute "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those that
feel the church is always asking for money.
One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like
to seek God in nature.
Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be
sick on Sunday.
The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias
and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without
them.
We will provide hearing aids for those who can't hear the preacher
and cotton balls for those who think he's too loud.
Hope to see you there!
--submitted by Ren O'Dell

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Sue: "Hey Rocco! What do you think about that last joke, pretty good, eh?"
Rocco: "Oh no you don't, Sue. Do you really think you're going to trick me,
a pastor, into making an off-the-cuff comment about such a DELICATE issue
as attending church?! Well... Do you?!
Sue: "Hehehe... You just DID!"
Rocco: "DOH!"

Bye for now, Netfriends,
from Rocco and Sue!
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