Newsletter

SUNDAY 28th November, 2010
First Sunday of Advent
Our Celebrant and preacher today is Warren Huffa

WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. We invite you to join us for breakfast after the 8am service, or morning tea after the 10am service. Children joining us today may join in the Sunday School at the 10am service - which meets during School term times.

COLLECT FOR THE DAY Advent 1 Year A
Faithful God, whose promises stand unshaken through all generations: renew us in hope, that we may be awake and alert watching for the glorious return of Jesus Christ, our Judge and Saviour, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

From the Ron Blog—Epistle for today

You may well have heard the story before of a Primary School Scripture Class a number of years ago. The subject was the Ten Commandments and the Year 7 kids—like many of their parents—were not impressed with any idea of rules and regulations. Mind you, they were mad keen on sports. Football, netball, basketball, cricket. So I wondered out aloud with them how it would be to play tennis on a football ground, using no rules whatever, no umpires, no limits. They looked at me as if I had gone mad, signing to each other that they were sure I was! So I asked them the reason for their reactions. ‘How could anyone have a game out of that?’ they asked. ‘Nothing would be fair, and no one could keep a score or anything.’ So as we pondered the stupid situation, they began to see that no rules, no boundaries, no umpires meant not only no fairness, but also no shape to any game. All would be chaos.
In all my study of faith, faiths and no faith, I have yet to find any religion or ism that developed along the lines that Judaism did. Certainly other cultures had their laws and even the Ten Commandments had its precedent in the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi. But law and religion tended to be rather separate issues, and justice and truth and integrity were certainly not normally part of any religious scene except in Israel. In fact, the Hebrew faith developed remarkably just and fair ways of operating. They didn’t always stick with it, mind.
Those who are very critical of religious ‘superstition’ may have a case in very early Old Testament, but the passage of time brought some greater maturity. Even the early Minor Prophets had some powerful things to say about unfairness and rapacity, about abuse of wealth and privilege, and about the even-then increasing gap between rich and poor. Read Amos, for instance, and take on board his very caustic response to the profound injustices of his own day’ Add to that his clear recognition that such actions and attitudes as reflected by people around him not only displeased God, but were very likely (and did!) bring about the collapse of the nation from within. So religion and politics don’t mix? Bah! Humbug!
There can never be peace until there is first justice. There can never be reconciliation until there is justice. And there can never be reconciliation until there is forgiveness. And none of those directions can be followed unless and until I am so affected by such needs as to bend all my will and effort to head in such a way. It calls for utter honesty, utter commitment, and for following my Lord and yours wherever that may take us.
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TODAY’S READINGS
Isaiah 2: 1—5 and Romans 13: 9—14 read by Eric D
GOSPEL Matthew 24: 36—44
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Ben Luks
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Barbara Radbone and Peter Little, the Swaby family—and for the future of Blackwood & District Community Hospital which is in great jeopardy. Avis Thomas, mother of Neil, passed away on Monday—please remember all that familyl.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Harper Huffa, Marcia Wilkins, Joyce Arnold and Danny Kormaat
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY – Marilyn and Peter Little

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY – SecondSunday of Advent
Readings Isaiah 11: 1 –10 and Romans 15: 4—13
GOSPEL Matthew 24: 36—44
Refer Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
This Week Ron Keynes or Araki Family
Next Week Trevor Tregenza or Ron Keynes

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Iris D Intercessor Sue D-T
Sunday after Reader John Forster Intercessor Max A


SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Jan Tregenza Brass Margaret Carruthers 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
7.00pm Eucharist and Meditation to follow

COMING EVENTS
It’s that time of year again to represent your church and declare to the community what Christmas is all about. Take part in the Blackwood Pageant at the front of the parade representing all the churches in the area. Assemble in Gulfview Road between five to five thirty near Hungry Jacks on 3rd December." Ross Hill-Brown
Friday December 3 St John's Year 6 party in hall 5pm-7pm.

Baptism on 12th December. Emily Rose Prunty and Lucy Rose Plummer
This is a special day as the service will also honour the children in the Sunday School. After Church there is a picnic for the children at Apex Park - and all are invited to be there: simply let Robyn Keynes (8298 7160) or Liz Anstey know. (7127 8724)
Marriage Saturday 18th December is the day for Sarah Morecroft and Chris Raymond to be married, and we wish them all the best for their future.

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

ART EXHIBITION AND SALE.
Christie Hodgson is holding her Water-colour Exhibition at her home, 2/3 Chapman St., Blackwood, from 1pm to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. Members of Holy Innocents’ are eligible for a 10% discount!

Sunday School
In the New Year, volunteers will be called for to assist with Junior Sunday School —please see Robyn Keynes if you can help

Samaritans Purse - Shoe Boxes
Thank you to everyone who filled a shoe box and gave donations. We sent 23 Shoe Boxes and 4 Donations. These will be gratefully received by the children around Christmas time Thanking you Marlene Dixon.

Pray for Sudan
For four decades Sudan has been plagued by civil war. In 2005 a peace agreement was signed which allowed for a referendum to be held in Southern Sudan (a mainly Christian area) to find out whether the people want to separate from the rest of the country and establish a new nation. Southern Sudan is one of the world’s poorest areas. It is widely expected that the Christian south will secede from the mainly Muslim north. This historic vote will occur on 9 January 2011. Whatever the result of the vote, it seems that there is the potential for violence before, during and after the referendum.

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