Newsletter

SUNDAY 7th November, 2010
Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Our Celebrant and preacher today is Rev’d Dr. Warren Huffa
WELCOME
Please join us for breakfast in the hall after the 8am service or for morning tea after the 10am service. At 10am you will find all the service and hymns projected onto the sanctuary walls. There is Sunday School at the 10 am service as usual during Term time.

COLLECT FOR THE DAY
Blessed Lord, You have caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of Your holy word we may embrace and ever hold fast to the blessed hope of everlasting life, which You have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen


From the Ron Blog
‘Fear not’ says that obscure prophet in today’s reading, although if you read from Ezra and Nehemiah, a rather ghastly picture is painted, of those resisting the efforts of the newly returned exiles. Anyhow, how hard is it to rebuild from ruins that have been open to the elements for decades? Fear not? How could you not be otherwise?
The answer is not all that tangible. The answer is that God is with you, and while that may urge along a few, surely there were sceptics enough to put off the rest. On the other hand, there was that remarkable fact that several of the prophets, Isaiah amongst them, who expressed his certainty not only the a Return home was on the way, but even more surprising, that Cyrus, threat to everyone around, would be the Lord’s messiah (and that is the word Isaiah used, pardon me,) and instrument, “even though he knows Me not!” It must have been stirring times, as well as providing a stunning platform for the faithful, regardless of the opposition facing them.
That strikes me as hugely significant, even in our own day and age. Our God is not one to be defeated by anything, if it comes to that, and His remarkable precedent has been set time and time again in the ordinary normal course of Israel’s history. Actual history, pardon me, not some sort of ephemeral myth.
Ponder this, if you will. If ever you look closely at the history of the Christian Church, surely you are left wondering how the hell the Church survived. There is so much rubbish and discord, and total disregard for Gospel and people in so many times and places and events. By all the canons of life and history, the Church should have died on the vine centuries, even millennia ago. But here it is still, in spite of all the garbage. The only reason for that, surely, is that God is behind it all somewhere. So wherever you are living, under whatever circumstance or threat, this word comes to you from the King of the Kingdom: Fear not. And get on with the job.

TODAY’S READINGS
Haggai 1:15b—2:9 and 2 Thess. 2: 1—5 & 13—17 read by Clare B
GOSPEL Luke 20: 27—40

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Marg P
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Barbara Radbone and Peter Little.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Iris Downes, Jim Scrivens
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY –
YEAR’S MIND: Jane Matthew (1996). Mary Barrow (1992) Valerie Loftes (2004)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY – 25th Sunday after Pentecost
Readings Isaiah 65:17—25 & 2 Thess. 3: 6—15
GOSPEL Luke 21: 5—19
Refer Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
This Week Don Caddy or Craig Deane
Next Week Barb Capon or Ron Keynes (away)

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader David C Intercessor Max A
Sunday after Reader Vanessa D Intercessor Don B
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Iris Downes Brass Caroline and Sid Sweet Cleaning Susan Lee

REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandel Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Traditional Communion
7.00m Meditation 7.30pm Study Group

COMING EVENTS
12th November Another Danny Hodgson Swing at Sunset evening of jazz. 7.00pm for 7.30pm. Adults $10; Children free. Sparkling wine, fruit juice or coffee refreshments ($2 donation)
Friday, Nov 19 St John's Strings concert
Saturday, Nov 20 private booking of hall and outside area 12pm - 5pm.
Sunday 21st Nov. Barbecue Lunch after Service
And Question Time at 7.30pm
Friday December 3 St John's Year 6 party in hall 5pm-7pm.
St. John’s College will be using the Hall for exams—details on the foyer board
Baptism on 12th December. Emily Rose Prunty and Lucy Rose Plummer
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Christie Hodgson on 8370 3260 or Caroline Sweet on 8278 3058
Clare Bruce reports that the Senior Sunday School raised $118 for the ABM Ethiopia Library Appeal on the stall after Church late in October. Isn’t that something!!!
ABM Christmas Cards
Joan Durdin has a few packs of ABM Christmas cards at reduced prices. The packs are on the bench in the foyer, with a box for payments. There are also current order forms on which you can place your own order, and forward to ABM with your payment. .


Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net or 8298 7160 by Tuesday nights, please