Newsletter

SUNDAY 5th December, 2010
Second 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 Sun-day School at the 10am service - which meets during School term times.
COLLECT FOR THE DAY Advent 2 Year A
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who at Your first coming sent Your messenger to prepare Your way before You; grant that the ministers and stewards of Your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready Your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, that at Your second coming to judge the world, we may be found an acceptable people in Your sight, for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen

From the Ron Blog—Gospel for today
I come to the question about John the Baptist: and how did Jesus cope with his outbursts, though many of them were productive? How did Jesus cope with his judgemental approach, when Jesus was far more laid back and relaxed about a lot of the same issues? More to the point, although I am retired these days, I still find it hard to remain quiet when whoever is preaching or teaching either has not thought through what he/she is saying, or is way off beam theologically let alone Biblically. (Obviously, I would not make a good Jesus, but then you know that already!)
Whilst I have to report my Christian pilgrimage began in very much the judgemental, fundamental evangelical Christian position, it was a matter of first the Scriptures and then people and clergy in the bush areas where I first worked, whose honesty and integrity had me looking rather wider than me up to then. I may have told you how, one Sunday evening after Church, the men of the congregation took me aside and told me that I was preaching rubbish (they used the normal Oz word of course!) .... and that I knew it. And they were right. They had seen further in what I was on about, and I had missed out on many important factors.
It was not a matter of fearing that the narrow Gospel would not be accepted by people. It was a clear and present fact that my narrow vision of the Gospel was the big inhibiting factor. The more I read the Scriptures, the more my blinkers were removed, not by people but by the Spirit of God. It is no easy path to travel from certainty to ... where one was not sure for some time. That uncertainty was not long in being replaced by a greater sureness, as both Scripture and life intertwined in a way it had never done before. Mind you, more questions kept bobbing up as well. But I am still not sure how Jesus coped with the Baptist. But then He has to cope with me, too, does He not?
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TODAY’S READINGS
Isaiah 11: 1 –10 and Romans 15: 4—13 read by Iris D
GOSPEL Matthew 3: 1—12
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Sue D-T
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 Commu-nity Hospital which is in great jeopardy. Avis Thomas, mother of Neil, passed away Monday two weeks ago—please remember all the family.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Ray Wilkins
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY – Pat and Graham Pater, Danny and Christie Hodgson and Natasha and Paul Campbell
YEAR’S MIND Christopher Dolan (2000) Hazel Ashworth (1992) William Paul Forster (1972)
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY – Third Sunday of Advent
Readings Isaiah 35: 1—10 and James 5: 7—10
GOSPEL Matthew 11: 2—11
Refer Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
This Week Trevor Tregenza or Ron Keynes
Next Week Araki Family or Don Caddy
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader John Forster Intercessor Max A
Sunday after Reader Marg P Intercessor Ben L
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Audrey & Graham Baynes Brass Bonney Tomlinson
Cleaning Group 3
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE and BIBLE STUDY in recess until February 2010
THURSDAY 9.30am Traditional Communion
7.00pm Meditation & Discussion to follow
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 Ray-mond 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
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
Joyce Arnold wishes to thank al who have helped with the Anglicare Toy Appeal—and also to announce her retirement. On the other hand we wish to thank Joyce for all her effort over many years.
Christmas Flowers for Church
Anna (82787024) asks if anyone has flowers available to decorate the Church for Christmas. Agapanthus, asparagus fern, jasmine etc., would be lovely. Please leave in the Germein Room in buckets (under the sink) either on Thursday or Friday be-fore Christmas.
There is a suggestion that people may like to provide flowers on occasion to commemorate a family member on a particular date. Kindly contact Anna if this sounds good to you.

SUNSET SWING All expenses have now been paid and the event made a profit of $706.49. A Spreadsheet with the financial detail of the event is on the noticeboard in the hall. A wonderful effort and a most enjoyable evening. Congratulations and our thanks to everyone involved especially Danny and Samantha and the Danny Hodgson Trio. (See Christy if you wish to purchase their CD - Misty - an ideal Christmas present!) Yvonne
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