26th Sunday after Pentecost
Today’s Officiant at is Revd Dr Warren Huffa
WELCOME Please join us for breakfast in the hall after the 8am service or morning tea after the 10am service. At 10am please find all prayers and hymns projected onto the sanctuary walls.
THE PRAYER FOR TODAY Eternal God, you have taught us that the night is far spent and the day is at hand: keep us awake and alert, watching for your kingdom, so that when Christ, the bridegroom, comes we may go out joyfully to meet him, and with him to enter into the marriage feast that you have prepared for all who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS 1 Thessalonians 4:9-18 by Paul GOSPEL Matthew 25:1-13
NOTES FROM WARREN’S BLOG
It is easy to dismiss apocalyptic in the Bible. Just as easy as it is to think it applies literally. Perhaps there is another way. Take Matt 25:1-13. The parable is, at the very least, enjoining readiness upon the disciples. Be ready for the Son of Man's return. The readiness referred to here is living the life of discipleship. (There is a parallel here between the wise and foolish virgins and the wise and foolish men of Matt 7:24-27, especially vs. 24 - "hears and acts on them".) Be a disciple who hears and acts now. It seems to me that it is very easy in life to forget the urgency of the call to discipleship, and a discipleship that strives to do what Jesus said. Apocalyptic, for all its problems, retains this, and it seems to me that those who take apocalyptic seriously, no matter how repugnant some other aspects of apocalyptic, are much more urgent than the more 'progressive' view of the life of discipleship. The progressives (of which I am one) have a tendency to look at the life of discipleship over an anticipated lifetime. Hardly urgent.
So what is it that we find problematic in apocalyptic? It is bit on the black and white side, over the top interventionist, and bound up in a three tiered universe. The destruction wrought seems a bit excessive to say the least, and the events that bring the End seem so perfectly timed and coordinated. However, let us not mistake the form (the features above) for the content. Some of what I might label the content includes: readiness (as above), God's plan for salvation, the need for evil (yes, evil) to be dealt with, and perhaps most importantly, the coming of God's kingdom is not a nice, smooth development from history to kingdom, but brings with it a massive interruption of things as they are and the usual expectations of the future. It is God's kingdom that comes, and while God may use us and our work now as building blocks of this kingdom, it is entirely new and surprising. The question is, however, can we retain all this content in a new form? (That is, in a non-apocalyptic form?) I remain unconvinced.
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PREPARATION FOR NEXT WEEK’S SERVICE – Judges 4:1-10 Psalm 123, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 by John GOSPEL Matthew 25:14-30 PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE by Margaret P
FR RON’S PREPARATION FOR ADVENT READINGS
On Sunday 30 November, 7 & 14 December, there will be a chance to look at each of the following Sunday’s readings - from about 11.30 for an hour with Canon Ron . Notes supplied.
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday
HOLY COMMUNION 9.30am every Thursday followed by morning tea in the hall.
PARISH DIRECTORY
We are currently updating the Parish Directory. If you would like to have your details included, or you would like changes to your existing entry, please collect a form from the table in the foyer, fill it in and give it to Warren, Cynthia or Wendy.
HALL BOOKINGS
St John's will be holding the Year 12 end of year exams in our hall from Monday 3 November until Wednesday 19 November 2008. They will be using the hall during the week on each of these days (but not on week-ends). Each day the first exam begins at 9:00AM and concludes by 1:00PM. Afternoon exams begin at 1:30PM and conclude by 5:30PM.
CHURCH BOOKING
St John’s Junior School will be using the church on Wednesday, December 10 for their end of year service.
HELPLINE
Part of being Christian community together is supporting each other when we need help. From a once-off delivery of food to transport or any other assistance the Helpline is a structured way of us providing this assistance to each other easily and confidentially. So please ring the Helpline coordinators, Iris or Marlene (, for any assistance at all.
EVENTS
BISHOP IAN GEORGE’S CHRISTMAS TOUR OF THE ART GALLERY OF SA
ON SUNDAY 7 DECEMBER 2PM Take this opportunity to approach Christmas through art.
ONE VILLAGE MOVIE NIGHT – AUSTRALIA THE MOVIE FRIDAY 28th NOVEMBER 8.45PM
At the Capri Theatre, Goodwood Tickets $15 Concession $12 Tickets can be purchased online at www.onevillage.com.au or from Wendy.
OUTREACH
ABM
Joan has a small collection of cards priced at $5.00 and $7.50 per 10 cards. Proceeds from sale for the support of ABM. Some of the cards are illustrated in the back page of "Partners", the ABM magazine which is available on the table in the foyer. The cards will be available for sale after each service on Sundays 9 and 16 November.
TEAR AUSTRALIA The world’s most useful gift catalogue
Why not give a Christmas gift like Tree Seedlings for $10 or a Rice Bank for $150 to a Village in need. Write to PO Box 164 Blackburn 3130 or call 1800 244 986 or email usefulgifts@tear.org.au to ask for a catalogue or visit their website www.tear.org.au.
WORLD VISION Gifts that change lives
Shop 24/7 at worldvision.com.au/smiles or call 1300 303 440 – Just $6 could buy a chicken.
ANGLICARE TOY APPEAL
Joyce is thrilled with the number of toys already donated but please keep them coming until next Sunday.
ITEMS FOR NEXT WEEK’S PEW SHEET
Forward to Wendy by 5pm Tuesdays
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