Friday, December 30, 2011

Newsletter

Saturday 1st January, 2012
The Epiphany
And New Year Greetings to all
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. Thanks to Fr. Brenton for leading worship in the absence of the Rector
Collect for the Epiphany
Lord God of the nations, we have seen the star of Your glory rising in splendour: may the brightness of Your incarnate Word pierce the night that covers the earth, signal the dawn of justice and peace, and beckon all nations to walk as one in Your light. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Word made flesh, Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, in the splendour of eternal light, God for ever and ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS
Readings Isaiah 68: 1—8 and Ephesians 3: 1—12 read by Trevor T
GOSPEL Matthew 2: 1—12
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Don B
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Peter Little, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, the Swaby family , Olive Marston, Kate Jennings, Blake Vause. Ivanka Cosic, Jim (fighting can-cer;) Eddie Barber and Bryan Baker. Michelle, Jake and Gail also

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sascha Williams, Jennifer Jeffreys
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
YEAR’S MIND—John Furnival

The Passing of the Revd Gordon Hewitson The Revd Gordon Hewitson passed away last Sunday in Perth. He was a former Rector of Blackwood and Belair before it was split into two parishes. There is to be a memorial service and interment of ashes at the Holy Innocents Chapel (the old Holy Innocents) on January 26, in the morning. Refreshments are to follow in the parish hall. More details to follow.

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY The Baptism of our Lord
Readings Genesis 1: 1—5 and Acts 19: 1—7
GOSPEL Matthew 4: 12—17 & 23 = 25

SPECIAL NOTE: With Fr. Warren being on leave for the next two Sundays, Fr. Brenton Daulby will celebrate and preach at both services on those days.
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE in recess
BIBLE STUDY in recess
THURSDAY no Thursday morning services till February
SINGING GROUP Meets after the 10am service each Sunday. All singers welcome.
MOTHERS’ UNION programme in recess until next year
The Parish Hall is booked for 21st January.

FLINDERS MEDICAL CENTRE SERVICE—Pleas for Helpers
Sunday 8th January will be our next turn to visit the wards and take patients to the service in the chapel. We would welcome more helpers, please; our call is only four times a year.
Please meet at the Chapel at 10 am on the day. Enquiries welcome –call Joan Fordham on 8278 2837

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, and other types of assistance. Call Iris Downes on 8278 3260 and Marlene Dixon on 8278 8568..

POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Next Sunday Jill Hilbig or Joy Campbell
Sunday after Don Caddy or Cynthia Macintosh
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Max A Intercessor Vanessa D
Sunday after Reader Family Araki Intercessor Ben Luks
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Jan Tregenza Brass Joan Durdin
Cleaning Group 2

RONBLOG .... On Epiphany
I grew up in a world where people of any different Christian persuasion were, more often than not, considered to be totally beyond the pale as far us Anglicans were concerned. It was not just a matter of (Roman) Catholics being beyond redemption, but so were many of the people of other sects and hangers on. When it came to those of other faiths, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Callithumpians, well, forget it. They knew nothing of Jesus, so they were consigned to the then popular eternal hell. (Actually, this burning fiery furnace view stems not so much from Scripture as from Dante and his Inferno. Many people do not seem to know that!)
The atmospherics of those days of yore were terribly snobbish and isolationist. Mind you. Australia was really very isolated geographically anyhow, and the White Australia Policy was hardly ever challenged, until after World War II. So everyone was tucked up snugly and safely in the cocoon of their particular ‘theology,’ and later people wondered what the Church had done to have so few respond to the Gospel.
Denominations were isolated and isolating by their Eucharistic theology, and one was expected to fit the respective ‘sausage skins’ and look down the nose at others’ skins, so to speak. As recently as the 1960s, there was no way the Anglican sisters at Coober Pedy Hospital could share in the Easter Communion at the Lutheran Church there, unless they first became Lutheran. I kid you not! So the very Sacrament of Unity was used as a tool for divi-sion and even revulsion. How stupid could we have got?
From the very call of Abraham, the move in this then-new Faith was designed for the entire world into which it was introduced. Look at the call of Abram and the precise and expansive wording of it. He was to be a blessing to all the world. At Sinai that same sort of breadth of vision was expressed, and of course the Old Testament prophets punched the wide drum again and again and again. The tragedy of Israel’s blindness to that breadth of vision was echoed for another two millennia in the Christian world.
And yet here, at the Incarnation, the Biblical writers ensured that the message was heard even over the voices of people’s bigotry. It is rather interesting and quite something of a profound challenge how the Scriptures, written and revised over thousands of years so often show clear evidence of various writers who have challenged the status quo and popular view of some subjects. Perhaps it is too gentle a way to move for change and yet that seems to be the process Biblical, all along. Didn’t it take 1,800 years for English Christians to move to abolish slavery; 1950 years for Christians to see the Biblical imperative about being green, and a little longer to espy the need to embrace the equality of the sexes. All that may well have been because of the time it took for most of the population to be educated and inquisitive, but even so the story of the Church’s rejection of Galileo and his explanation of the Earth revolving around the sun was a shocking indictment of the power of conservatism against truth. It would seem that people look to the Faith for security instead of finding in it the strength to follow wherever truth leads.
There, it strikes me, is the present challenge for us all that Epiphany brings.
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Holy innocents Calendar
If you would like to know what is coming up at Holy Innocents check out our calendar at the following link: https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=innocents.belair%40gmail.com&ctz=Australia/Adelaide

RonBlog

Sunday 1st January 2012 The Epiphany

Sentence
Arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1

Collect
Lord God of the nations, we have seen the star of Your glory rising in splendour; may the brightness of Your incarnate Word pierce the night that covers the earth, signal the dawn of justice and peace, and beckon all nations to walk as one in Your light. We ask this through Your Son Jesus Christ, Your Word made flesh, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever Amen

Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 60: 1 – 6

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.

Psalm 72: 1 – 7 & 10 – 14

Give the king Your judgement, O God: and Your righteousness to the son of a king
That he may judge Your people rightly: and the poor of the land with equity:
Let the mountains be laden with peace because of his righteousness: and the hills also with prosperity for his people
May he give justice to the poor among the people: and rescue the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor
May he live while the sun endures: and while the moon gives light, throughout all generations
May he come down like rain upon the new-mown fields: and as showers that water the earth
In his time shall righteousness flourish: and abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more

The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts.
All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.
For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.

Epistle Ephesians 3: 1 – 12

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.
In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

GOSPEL Matthew 2: 1 – 12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him;
and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved

NOTES ON THE READINGS ....

Old Testament
One is left suspecting that when many people read today’s passage, they assume either that the prophet has taken leave of his senses and gone off with the fairies, or that this is simply the way that the people of God talk and write and carry on. Neither of such views gives any cognisance of that to which the prophet was pointing.

Several times in recent weeks, these notes have pointed readers to a rather more immediate point and purpose of Gospel and Faith; insofar as the Biblical Faith has always pointed to a means of resolution of the human condition of strife, hatred and destructiveness. Always, from Genesis 3 on. Somehow we manage to translate and limit the Faith to the business of what we call salvation, seen in terms of life after this. The Biblical Faith has always been more immediate and relevant, and for some reason both Church and Christians have turned their eyes away and headed for ‘religion.’ Small wonder people out there ignore the Faith!

Mind you, when the Faith is seen for what it is, there will remain most people who will turn their backs. But that does not limit the point, power and purpose of the Biblical Faith. It has the potential to reduce human conflict without cost and with singular immediacy. No wonder Isaiah was excited – do you see!

Psalm
Now please read that Psalm once more with feeling. Look and see where the almost constant emphasis lies. Righteousness (justice actually, do you see?) equity, peace, and on it goes. In a world back then hardly noted for such significant issues, even the old psalmist knew which way was up, and what was important. Please begin to realize how utterly revolutionary was this Faith way back then.
Force was how kings governed, and even Israel was not exempt from that attitude. Other cultures were fierce and very bloody. And you know that peace will never emerge unless and until justice reigns. Justice is NOT revenge. Justice is the exercise and response to the total truth in any situation. Integrity and truth are vital and irremovable cohorts.

Epistle
It may help to mention that whenever the New Testament talks about ‘mystery’ it is not referring to something dark and unfathomable at all. It is talking about something once secret (or at least not generally known) that has now been revealed. Oddly enough it has to be said that Paul’s ‘mystery’ about the inclusion of the Gentiles in the affection and interest of God, was not new by any means. Even a cursory reading of the OT prophets will show that those ancient worthies always tended to see that the Faith they represented was spread, and intended to be spread world-wide and not focussed narrowly as ancient Jewry seemed to demand. In other words, this Faith was not designed to be offered to a select few, but was something that was of vital interest and concern to all of humanity. It really does escape me how anyone over the intervening millennia failed to catch sight of this: it is as plain as the nose on your face. We humans have a remarkable and foolish capacity to turn something to life-giving and beneficial into something narrow and bigotted as a religion that divides. What fools we mortals be!
In several different epistles, Paul expresses his conviction is several different ways, that Jesus is the meaning of life, the focal point of history to give it meaning and purpose, and that everything in life and human history will be ‘brought to a head’ in Christ. What is the meaning of life? Jesus. Not 42!

Gospel
It should come as no surprise that the story of the Magi figures as the Gospel focus on Epiphany - it is a moving and salutary tale, whether it actually occurred or not. (Some recent commentators seem convinced that the story is not historically true, but lots of Biblical writers never let the truth get in the way of a good parable or significant illustration.)
Actually, the story would have been absolutely shocking to a contemporary Jew, or most of them. It should be just as much a shock to Christian purists, for the tale relates how occultic searchers came to find the Christ Child, convinced by the data of their own horoscope that an event of enormous significance was / had taken place. Magi = magicians = occultists for heaven’s sake; and by the gifts they presented, they showed a far greater awareness of the coming Christ than did the People of Israel themselves.
These men represent the rest of the world people of other cultures and life-views, and would have represented quite something of an abomination to people of Pharisaic persuasion. Let that gell a moment or two .....

NOTES FOR A SERMON

I grew up in a world where people of different Christian persuasion were, more often than not, considered to be totally beyond the pale as far as the rest of us Anglicans were concerned. It was not just a matter of (Roman) Catholics being beyond redemption, but so were many of the people of other sects and hangers on. When it came to those of other faiths, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Callithumpians, well, forget it. They knew nothing of Jesus, so they were consigned to the then popular eternal hell. (Actually, this burning fiery furnace view stems not so much from Scripture as from Dante and his Inferno. Many people do not seem to know that!)

So the atmospherics of those days of yore so long ago were terribly snobbish and isolationist. I guess, in those days, Australia was really very isolated geographically anyhow, and the White Australia Policy was hardly ever challenged, until World War II. So everyone was tucked up snugly and safely in the cocoon of their particular ‘theology,’ and later people were to wonder what the Church had done to have so few respond to the Gospel.

Denominations were isolated and isolating by their Eucharistic theology, and one was expected to fit the respective ‘sausage skins’ and look down the nose at others’ skins, so to speak. As recently as the 1960s, there was no way the Anglican sisters at Coober Pedy Hospital could share in the Easter Communion at the Lutheran Church there, unless they first became Lutheran. I kid you not! So the very Sacrament of Unity was used as a tool for division and even revulsion. How stupid could we have got?

From the very call of Abraham, the move in this then-new Faith was designed for the entire world into which it was introduced. Look at the call of Abram and the precise and expansive wording of it. He was to be a blessing to all the world. At Horeb, that same sort of breadth of vision was expressed, and of course the Old Testament prophets punched the wide drum again and again and again. The tragedy of Israel’s blindness to that breadth of vision was echoed for another two millennia in the Christian world.

And here, at the Incarnation, the Biblical writers ensured that the message was heard even over the voices of people’s bigotry. It is rather interesting and quite something of a profound challenge how the Scriptures, written and revised over thousands of years, really, so often show evidence of various writers who have challenged the status quo and popular view of some subjects. Perhaps it is too gentle a way to move for change and yet that seems to be the process Biblical, all along. Didn’t it take 1,800 years for English Christians to move to abolish slavery; 1950 years for Christians to see the Biblical imperative about being green, and a little longer to espy the need to embrace the equality of the sexes. All that may well have been because of the time it took for most of the population to be educated and inquisitive, but even so the story of the Church’s rejection of Galileo and his explanation of the Earth revolving around the sun was a shocking indictment of the power of conservatism against truth. It would seem that people look to the Faith for security instead of finding in it the strength to follow wherever truth leads.

There, it strikes me, is the present challenge for us all that Epiphany brings.

Friday, December 23, 2011

RonBlog

Sunday 25th December, 2011 Christmas Day

Sentence
I bring you good news of great joy for all people: to you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, Christ the Lord. Luke 2:-10-11

Collect
Almighty God, Who gave Your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon Him and as at this time to be born of the Virgin Mary; grant that we being born again and made Your children by adoption and grace, ma daily be renewed by Your Holy Spirit, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the same Spirit, ever one God, now and for ever. Amen

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 9:2 – 7

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
This is the Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
PSALM 96
O sing to the Lord a new song: sing to the Lord, all the earth
Sing to the Lord and bless His holy name: proclaim the good ns of His salvation from day to day
Declare His glory among the nations: and His wonders among all peoples
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: He is more to be feared than all gods
As for the gods of the nations, they are mere idols: it is the Lord Who made the heavens
Majesty and glory are before Him: beauty and power and in His sanctuary
Render to the Lord, you families of the nations: render to God glory and might
Render to the Lord the honour due to His Name: bring offerings and come into His courts
O worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness: let the whole earth stand in awe of Him
Say among the nations that the Lord is king: He has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved; and He shall judge the peoples with equity
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad: let the sea roar and all that fills it
Let the fields rejoice and everything in them: then shall the trees of the wood shout with joy before the Lord
For He comes, He comes to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with His truth.

EPISTLE Titus 2:11- 14

The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

GOSPEL Luke 2:1 – 14

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to all on whom his favour rests.”

© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved


NOTES ON THE READINGS ……………….

Old Testament
One can well imagine people being more than a little bemused by this passage from Isaiah and it may well
take a little imagination to catch sight of what the old prophet is saying. This is well and truly pre-exilic, and comes from a time when conquest was a real and terrible threat. On top of that, Israel itself did not have the best of kings and rulers, and the possibility of life being marked by justice and integrity was more than a little limited.

In such a time of oppression and hopelessness, the prophet anticipated a time when all that was ugly and damaging would be a thing of the past. Even that rather ugly reference to boots and garments blood-soaked was seeing them as passé and invalid. In other words, you know and I know that warfare and violence produces nothing at all beneficial, so here is a tirade for the peaceful approach. In world weary even then of warfare and plunder, people were looking for a sensible, tangible, worthwhile way to operate that would bring something rather more settled and worthwhile.

So the longing and hope and expectation is there expressed in the second paragraph: it is all about peace, ‘with justice and righteousness.’ What sort of a world would we have if those ancient values held sway? The answer is obvious. But how to get there …………….

Psalm

You may well find that many of the Psalms are rather more in the way of daydreaming than of down-to-earth reality, but you need to look and think a little deeper if you want to catch sight of what is really being conveyed. Day-dreaming this is NOT.

One of the things about faith that even the most naïve Hebrew knew was that God is there to be followed, obeyed, taken notice of. Certainly God is always there, as guarantor of all that is true and just and equitable, but He does not do it all for people. He offers the different way to operate, pointing people to where real life is to be found. In other words, God is not going to lean on or punish those who ignore His ways, but leave them in the world of their own creating to see that there has to be a better way. When people ‘own’ the truth and follow, only then will life have its changes.

Epistle

In spite of some appalling and shallow teaching about grace, the Gospel is not something that costs nothing either from Christ or to us. There is always the challenge to accept, to follow, and to bend one’s life to the truth and the values of God. Salvation needs to be seen in terms, not of life after this, but of a completely different view of life, of relationships and responsibilities. It is not an emotional experience. It is a deliberate choice.



GOSPEL

The story must be so well known as to need no repetition whatever. In fact, I usually choose to select the Prologue of St. John’s Gospel, so that we are talking about the implications of the Christmas event, not the details. However, the thing never to lose sight of is the sheer ordinariness of it all. That sign of the child wrapped in ‘swaddling clothes’ is not something outstanding and different. Every infant at that time and in almost any other would have been wrapped similarly. The point of the Christmas story is such that it underlines the way God works and the sort of people through whom He works. There is nothing outstanding or notable about any of the characters involved, but they were all as ordinary as you. So what does that say to you?

NOTES FOR A SERMON

It may be a case of giving myself away, but I have long had problems with the celebration of Christmas, not for me but for others. Over the years of my life, I have seen a huge decline in the numbers of people attending Midnight Mass or any other Christmas service, and I suspect I have some idea why this is so. From my youth upwards, there has been so much brouhaha about the Season, and most of it had no ‘legs,’ if you follow, nothing of substance behind all the fuss.

I guess it is possible to carry on with the fizz long after it has lost its effect on me, for the sake of the kids. It is a little like the Father Christmas business, which while it has its roots in distant history, there is remarkably little connection between the old man in red and St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra.

So where does that leave us? From where I sit, I think we need something of a reality check.

There are often some rather ridiculous claims made in Christmas sermons, and I am not talking about Virgin Births and all that sort of thing. I am talking about the extraordinary claims about Christmas, epitomized perhaps by the ‘peace on earth and goodwill to all men.’ For most people, and especially those with children, the peace business doesn’t last any longer than the opening of presents. And on the wider scene, there is not a lot of peace amongst Christians sometimes, in the Holy Land it is abysmal from where we sit, and it all sounds like a lovely idea that has not the slightest hope of fulfilling its expectation.

You may feel that I am overloading the picture, and you may be correct. But I do have a problem with some Christians and their credibility. In fact I have a problem for those not of the Faith, with their perception of incredibility of the Faith. It is not as if there is no truth in the story; it is a matter of knowing what the truth is.

One of the problems that people have (and not only Christians) is of rather wider concern. It may be a case of living in the electronic age, where answers are expected at the push of a button. Or it may be that we are being pressed into expecting a sort of ‘messiah’ response to all problems. You know what I mean, do you not? It is like expecting our political leaders to have all the answers to all the problems, which they are expected to do without any input or cost from us. A good messiah will do it all for you. SO with the combination of both the above, we are left with the very false expectation that the world owes us a living, and a damn good one at that, and it that means someone else goes with out, stiff cheddar.

Now, if that is the sort of expectation you have from the Christmas celebration, then, FORGET IT. You do NOT have a Lord Who is going to do it all for you, You do not have anyone who is going to remove responsibility from you, or remove decision making from you. You DO have a Lord Who is pointing you in a direction that is going to offer you the sort of peace that he story is all about.

Newsletter

Saturday 24th December, - Sunday 25th December2011
Christmas Eve - Christmas Day
Christmas Greetings to all
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist.

Collect for Christmas Eve
Eternal God, Who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of Your one true light; bring us, who have known the revelation of that light on earth, to see the radiance of Your heavenly glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen

Collect for Christmas Day
Almighty God, Who gave Your only Son to take our nature upon Him and as at this time to be born of the virgin Mary; grant that we being born again and made Your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by Your Holy Spirit, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the same Spirit, ever one God, now and for ever. Amen

TODAY’S READINGS Christmas Eve
Readers: Christmas Eve Caroline S Christmas Day Neil T
Isaiah 9: 2—7 & Titus 2: 11—14 Gospel Luke 2: 1—11
Christmas Day
Isaiah 62: 6– 12 & Titus 3: 4—8a Gospel Luke 2: 1—20
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Max A (Eve) and Hal S-C (Day)
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Peter Little, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, the Swaby family , Olive Marston, Kate Jennings, Blake Vause. Ivanka Cosic, Jim (fighting cancer;) Eddie Barber and Bryan Baker. Michelle, Jake and Gail also

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sascha Williams, Jennifer Jeffreys and Jesus of course!
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
YEAR’S MIND—John Furnival

The Passing of the Revd Gordon Hewitson- Gordon Hewitson passed away last Sunday in Perth. He was a former Rector of Blackwood and Belair before it was split into two parishes and the founder of St. John’s Grammar School. There is to be a memorial service and interment of ashes at the Holy Innocents Chapel (the old Holy Innocents) on January 26, in the morning. Refreshments are to follow in the parish hall. More details to follow.

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY The Epiphany
Readings Isaiah 68: 1—8 and Ephesians 3: 1—12
GOSPEL Matthew 2: 1—12

SPECIAL NOTE: With Fr. Warren being on leave for the next two Sundays, Fr. Brenton Daulby will celebrate and preach at both services on those days. Great thanks to Brenton for offering that ministry to us.

FLINDERS MEDICAL CENTRE SERVICE—Pleas for Helpers
Sunday 8th January will be our next turn to visit the wards and take patients to the service in the chapel. We would welcome more helpers, please; our call is only four times a year.
Please meet at the Chapel at 10 am on the day. Enquiries welcome –call Joan Fordham on 8278 2837

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, and other types of assistance. Call Iris Downes on 8278 3260 and Marlene Dixon on 8278 8568..

POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Next Sunday Cynthia Macintosh or Don Caddy
Sunday after Jill Hilbig or Joy Campbell

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Trevor T Intercessor Don B
Sunday after Reader Max A Intercessor Vanessa D

SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Sue Daw-Thomas Brass Margaret Carruthers Cleaning Susan Lee

RONBLOG .... On Christmas generally .....
It may be a case of giving myself away, but I have long had problems with the celebration of Christmas, not for my sake but for others. Over the years, I have seen a huge de-cline in the numbers of people attending Midnight Mass or any other Christmas service, and I suspect I have some idea why this is so. From my youth upwards, there has been so much brouhaha about the Season, and most of it had no ‘legs,’ if you follow me, nothing of sub-stance behind all the kerfuffle. I guess it is possible to carry on with the fizz long after it has lost its effect on us for the sake of the kids. It is all a little like the Father Christmas business, which while it has its roots in distant history, there is remarkably little connection between the old man in red and St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. From where I sit, I think we need something of a reality check.
There are often rather ridiculous claims made in Christmas sermons, and I am not only talking about Virgin Births and all that sort of thing. I am talking about the extraordinary claims about Christmas, epitomized perhaps by the ‘peace on earth and goodwill to all’ business. For most people, and especially those with children, the peace business doesn’t last any longer than the opening of presents. And on the wider scene, there is not a lot of peace amongst Christians sometimes. In the Holy Land it is abysmal from where we sit, and it all sounds like a lovely idea that has not the slightest hope of fulfilling its expectation.
One of the problems that people have (and not only Christians) is of rather wider concern. It may be a case of living in the electronic age, where answers are expected at the push of a button. Or it may be that we are being pressed into expecting a sort of ‘messiah’ response to all problems. You know what I mean, do you not? It is like expecting our political leaders to have all the answers to all the problems, which they are expected to provide with-out any input or cost from us. A ‘good’ messiah will do it all for you. So with the combination of both the above, we are left with the very false expectation (a) that the world owes us a living, and (b) a damn good one at that, and (c) it that means someone else goes with out, stiff cheddar. Now, if that is the sort of expectation you have from the Christmas celebration, then, FORGET IT. You do NOT have a Lord Who is going to do it all for you, You do not have any-one who is going to remove responsibility from you, or remove decision making from you. You DO have a Lord Who is pointing you in a direction that is going to offer you the sort of peace that the story is all about. ANd you have to choose to follow ..... Or not!
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Mitcham Hills Interchurch Council Appeal Due to the change in government funding arrangements School Chaplains as from the start of the next School Year, will be employed on casual employment terms. Due to the higher rate of pay and the fact the Interchurch Council needs to assist the School Ministry Group (SMG) with administration costs the Council needs your support. In the next few weeks please consider placing an extra envelope in the collection plate with a donation addressed either as follows:
‘For Mitcham Hills Interchurch Council’ - this would go to fund all Council activities
‘For CPSWs School Chaplaincy’ - this would go to fund School Chaplaincy alone
‘For Beacon’ - This would go towards the Beacon emergency relief program freeing up Coun-cil funds so more can be given to School Chaplaincy
Holy innocents Calendar
If you would like to know what is coming up at Holy Innocents check out our calendar at the following link: https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=innocents.belair%40gmail.com&ctz=Australia/Adelaide

Church 29 Sheoak Road, Belair SA 5052 Post to PO Box 156 Belair SA 5052
Phone 08 8370 3530 Email innocents@adam.com.au
Web holyinnocents.com.au
Services Sunday 8.00am Traditional Communion
10.00am Contemporary Communion
Thursday 9.30am Traditional Holy Communion
Question Time 4th Sundays 7.30pm details advertised as available
MINISTRY TEAM
Rector Rev’d Dr. Warren Huffa Mob. 0438 988 448
Classic-theology-new.blogspot.com Email warren.huffa@gmail.com
Wardens
Sue Parham 0418816413 David Hall 8370 2250
Deacon et al Rev’d Stephen Daughtry stephendaughtry@optusnet.com.au or 8278 7061
Hon. Priest Canon Ron Keynes 8298 7160 ronpkeynes@internode.on.net
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or
ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday afternoon please …….

Friday, December 16, 2011

RonBlog

Sunday 18th December, 2010 Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sentence
This Child will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Luke 1:32-3

Collect
Gracious God, Whose eternal Word took flesh among us when Mary placed her life at the service of Your will; prepare our hearts for His coming again, and keep us steadfast in hope that we may be ready for the coming of His kingdom, for His sake Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen

Old Testament Lesson 2 Samuel 7:1-11 & 16

After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you.” That night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying:
“Go and tell my servant David, ‘this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” Now then, tell my servant David, ‘this is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.

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Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.

Psalm 89:1-4 & 19 – 27

Lord, I will sing forever of your loving-kindnesses: my mouth shall proclaim Your faithfulness throughout all generations
I have said of Your loving-kindness that it is built for ever: You have established Your faithfulness in the heavens
The Lord said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen: I have sworn an oath to my servant David
‘I will establish your line for ever: and build up your throne for all generations

You spoke once in a vision: and said to Your faithful one: I have set a youth above a warrior: I have exalted a young man out of the people
I have found My servant David: and anointed him with My holy oil
My hand shall uphold him: and My arm shall strengthen him
No enemy shall deceive him: nor shall the wicked hurt him
I will crush his adversaries before him: and strike down those that hate him
My faithfulness and My loving-kindness shall be with him: and through My name his head shall be lifted
High
I will set the hand of his dominion upon the Western Sea: and his right hand shall stretch to the streams of Mesopotamia
He will call to Me “You are my Father: my God and the rock of my salvation

Epistle Romans 16: 25-27

Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him - to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
GOSPEL Luke 1:26 – 38

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved

NOTES ON THE READINGS

Old Testament Lesson
Everyone in my family tends to call me unrealistic, but this passage from Samuel seems, at first glance, to be quite out of place in an Advent setting, so I ask you to come on a journey with me. It would seem to me, on the other hand, to be remarkably apposite, when one has time to ponder.
There is an almost inbuilt human thing to be associated with large and demonstrative buildings, and these days it tends to be almost phallic. So there was – almost certainly – that trait in David’s mind that he could be forever associated with a large and expansive Temple. His plan was stalled, and in the light of what follows, it may be a pity that it ever got off the deck.
Notice the protestation from God! The Almighty was not only quite used to living in a tent thanks very much, but saw no great need for any huge building. On the one hand, a tent was a constant pointer to the need to be moving, growing, pilgrimming. A large building would tend to point to an institution that was settled, static, unmoving. It has long struck me that, as long as Israel was on the move, there was growth; as soon as things were settled, all became static, inert, unmoving and unmoveable. There is a lesson there, is there not?
So, you now know the story, and what do you make of it?

Psalm
If the Old Testament lesson seems to be emphasising the small scale, then please notice that the Psalm is doing the same thing. It may not be all that important these days, but then anyone remotely connected to rule or reign was expected to be ‘wide-screen’ and big time. If your country or tribe was to make a mark on others, then it needed to be a BIG mark. Large is impressive, is it not?

Not in Biblical terms, for the simple reason that ‘big’ becomes so easily ‘ego trip.’ And ego trips run contrary to the will and plan of God -- in fact, contrary to anything sensible and useful. Now look again at the story of Samuel choosing David - or any other call – and notice how the emphasis was on being servant, not being boss and lording it over people. Remember this is why Samuel did not wish to anoint Saul as king, for kings – and other high and mighty ones! - so easily lose their way.

Epistle

In the light of what we have been considering, there is something of an irony here. If the coming of Christ, in fact the entire revelation, is to help people believe (and follow!) we might have expected a whiz-bang show to convince people. However, whiz-bang things do not convince! They only entertain. For people to be convinced, they need to stop and listen and think a lot deeper than that!

Gospel

So we take this approach further. One of the things that really does give me the willies is the way we love to emphasise the unimportant, and so miss entirely the significant issue. The real business about the call to Mary is NOT, repeat NOT the story of the Virgin Birth, but the fact that, like David, dear young 14- or 15-year old Mary was a nonentity as far as status and importance was concerned, and so was far more likely to be genuine, faithful, and respond with her whole heart. Can you imagine the Premier of your State, the Prime Minister of your country or the President of any other being called to such a task as was Mary? Then stop and realize why NOT.

Then go on to see that this same Lord may well be calling insignificant you to a ministry, too.

Scary, isn’t it!!!!!!!!!!

NOTES FOR A SERMON

Christmas is now but a step away, and we have been given a chance to stop and think of the people involved in the saga. It is always rather easy to miss the wood because we can see only trees.

When it comes to pondering the characters of the Biblical stories, it is always very easy to place a huge gap between them and ourselves. Partly that is because of the distance in time and culture twixt them and us, and partly it may be because we have swallowed the propaganda that those holy people must have been head and shoulders over us. They knew it all; we struggle to understand very much at all of the religious bits. In both cases, it may seem that propaganda has won.

I remember the first time that I raised the issue of the likely age of Mary at the time of the annunciation. Let’s explore that a moment It is common knowledge now that Mary might have been 15 or so when she felt the call to be the mother of our Lord. Part of the clue comes from the Greek word that is translated ‘virgin’ in your Bible. That Greek word is ‘parthenos,’ and the word does not mean what it has become, (virgin in the clinical sense,) but rather means ‘a young woman of marriageable age in that culture. My point is simple: Scripture is not telling us of some highly sophisticated, religiously learned young person, but someone quite simple – in the real sense of the word! – and honest and faithful. Mary was highly unlikely to develop into some sort of prodigy or ego-tripper. She was most likely to remain one of the ‘little people,’ unnoticed by those in positions of high power.

She was little different from you and me. Ordinary, genuine, likeable and just as likely to be with faults just as you are. And that is the sort of person God is forever calling to particular and important ministries, then and now. The moment we elevate people like Mary to even the beginnings of isolating sainthood, we are missing the point and removing that poor woman from her reality, from God’s reality and also from ours. IF Mary was some sort of plaster saint, then she is so far distant from me that there are no connections whatever. She is up there, and I am down here, and never the twain shall meet. It is that sort of perceived distance between ‘senior’ and ‘junior’ Christians that does a lot off damage.

Mind you there can be damage the other way, too. I recall the time a young member of a Youth Group in which I was involved telling me that he felt called to ministry. And in the enthusiasm but ignorance of youth, he decided that any sort of Biblical or theological training was completely unnecessary. When we look at Mary and her task, it is seen that theological training was not called for, but I would be rude enough to suggest that naivety would have been a very distinct disadvantage to that young man 50 years ago.

So, in terms of the Collect today, Mary was ready for the coming of the Kingdom, and history makes clear that she was up to the task, and was constant and true. The question for us, in our day and age, is to wonder quite how the kingdom comes here, and whether our eyes are open to such advents.

I doubt if there was anyone who could have attested to Mary’s call, for such things take place, in my experience, in the quietness of the depths of one’s life and mind. Such annunciations, such transfigurations, are not noisy or advertised events. They are low key, as spirit meets spirit in the deepest part of a person. One of the reasons, perhaps, that such things are not so noticeable these days is because there are not a lot of human beings who are even aware of such depths, or are scared witless of them. It is not fashionable to let it drop that one thinks or feels deeply, especially about important issues.

However, it is my experience that whenever you might encounter anyone who does want to talk about deep issues, that you can be fairly sure that the kingdom is not all that far away. There will be no whistles blowing or bells ringing, and you may well feel that you did not get very far. But that is how the kingdom comes, in quiet but unremarkable moments. Notice how often in Jesus’ own ministry, that He simply met people in whatever situation or crisis they were at the time, and that He did little more than offer then the next step forward. He did not press for ‘decisions,’ He did not demand huge steps, but He met them where they were, offered them the next step, and then left them the responsibility of taking it all further.

It all may sound so different and contrary to our present culture which is all push and shove, demanding immediate response, and brooking no dispute. If you think you should operate in the modern way, then imagine how you, as evangelist, if you operated like those persistent and pushy telemarketers who will not take no for an answer. They get me quite angry, and my response is, almost automatically, negative. I see no sight of that in Jesus’ approach to people.

Newsletter

Sunday 18th December, 2011
Fourth Sunday in Advent
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. After the 8am service breakfast is served and morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls. Sunday School will be in action at the 10am today.

COLLECT FOR ADVENT IV
Gracious God, Whose eternal Word took flesh among us when Mary placed her life at the service of Your will: prepare our hearts for His coming again and keep us steadfast in hope, that we may be ready for the coming of His kingdom; for His sake, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS Fourth Sunday in Advent read by Hal S-C
Readings 2 Samuel 7:1—112 & 16 and Romans 16:25—27
GOSPEL Luke 1: 26—38
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Warren
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Peter Little, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, the Swaby family , Olive Marston, Kate Jennings, Blake Vause. Ivanka Cosic, Jim (fighting cancer;) Eddie Barber and Bryan Baker. Michelle, Jake and Gail also
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jennifer Jeffreys, Sascha Williams
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
YEAR’S MIND— Anna Kernot (1993). Robn Pinnock (10093) Alfred Mayne (2002) James Arnold (1976) John Furnival (2002)
50th Anniversary of Ordination as Deacon - Fr. Ron

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Christmas Eve Isaiah 9:2-7 and Titus 2: 11—14 Luke 2: 1– 14
Christmas Day Isaiah 62: 6—12 & Titus 2: 4—5a Luke 2: 1—20
Readers: Christmas Eve Caroline S Christmas Day Neil T

REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY in recess
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
SINGING GROUP Meets after the 10am service each Sunday. All singers welcome.
MOTHERS’ UNION programme in recess until next year

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, and other types of assistance. Call Iris Downes on 8278 3260 and Marlene Dixon on 8278 8568..

POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Joy Campbell or Craig Deane
Christmas Eve Barb Capon or Trevor Tregenza
Christmas Day Min Araki or Ron Keynes

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Christmas Eve Reader Caroline Intercessor Max A
Christmas Day Reader Neil T Intercessor Hal S-c

SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Anna Kelly
with a plea for Agapanthus and greenery please—leave in buckets in Germein Room
Brass Rosemary Conlon Cleaning Group 1

RONBLOG .... On today’s Old Testament Reading and Gospel
This passage from Samuel surely seems to be quite out of place in an Advent setting. On the other hand, it may be remarkably apposite, when one has time to ponder.
There is an almost inbuilt human thing to be associated with large and demonstrative buildings, and these days that tends to be almost phallic. So there was – almost certainly – that trait in David’s mind that he could be forever associated with a large and expansive Temple. His plan was stalled, and in the light of what follows, it may be a pity that it ever got off the deck. Notice the protestation from God! The Almighty – so to speak - was not only quite used to living in a tent, thanks very much, but saw no great need for a huge building. On the one hand, a tent was a constant pointer to the need to be moving, growing, pilgrimming. A large building would tend to point to an institution that was settled, static, unmoving. It has long struck me that, as long as Israel was on the move, there was growth; as soon as things were settled, all became static, inert, unmoving and unmoveable. There is a lesson there, is there not?

So, you now know the story, and what do you make of it? Let me take this approach further. One of the things that really does give me the willies is the way we love to emphasise the unimportant, and so miss what is significant.
The real business about the call to Mary is NOT, repeat NOT the story of the Virgin Birth, but the fact that, like David, dear young 15- or 16-year old Mary was a nonentity as far as status and importance was concerned, and so was far more likely to be genuine, faithful, and respond with her whole heart. Can you imagine the Premier of your State, the Prime Minister of your country or the President of any other being called to such a task as was Mary? Then stop and realize why NOT.
Then go on to see that this same Lord may well be calling insignificant you to a ministry, too.
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Sunday School Advent Celebration
Our family service today will be followed by a BYO picnic in the Hawthorndene Reserve (look for picnic tables alongside cricket oval). Join us for lunch, games and a treasure hunt from 11.30am-2.30pm. Phone Clare 8270 6445 for more info.

Christmas Services: note change of time for Children's Service
Christmas Eve 6:30pm - A Family Christmas Eve Seasonal bedtime stories and a hot-dog dinner. The perfect way to prepare for Christmas Day.
11.00pm Midnight Mass
CHRISTMAS DAY
8.00am Traditional Communion
10.00am Contemporary Communion
Christmas Bowl Envelopes
Today you will find Christmas Bowl envelopes in Church. You are encouraged to take an envelope, fill it and put in with your offerings in the collection plate. Please do it now, you don't need to wait until Christmas Day!

The Choir Cantamus is presenting Handel's MESSIAH at Blackwood Uniting Church this afternoon at 2.30pm. Tickets are $20 (Adult), $15 (Concession), children under 12 free if with a paying adult. Profits to be donated to The Christmas Bowl.

Planned Giving Scheme in 2012
We started to hand out from December 4th, the ID (or Envelope) numbers and the envelopes with the numbers on them for the Planned-Giving Scheme in 2012. As in the past years, you would receive a whole set of envelopes if you pledge weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. If you pledge quarterly or annually (semi-annually), you would receive four or two envelopes, respectively. If you have not received the Pledge Form for 2012, but you wish to be in the Scheme, please obtain the Pledge Form from Cynthia Macintosh, and return the form enclosed in an ordinary envelope addressed to The Recorder, Holy Innocents Anglican Church, PO Box 156, Belair SA 5052, through the collection plate, or place in our letterbox, or by post.

Mitcham Hills Interchurch Council Appeal Due to the change in government funding arrangements School Chaplains as from the start of the next School Year, will be employed on casual employment terms. Due to the higher rate of pay and the fact the Interchurch Council needs to assist the School Ministry Group (SMG) with administration costs the Council needs your support. I ask in the next few weeks you consider placing an extra envelope in the collection plate with a donation addressed either as follows:
‘For Mitcham Hills Interchurch Council’ - this would go to fund all Council activities
‘For CPSWs School Chaplaincy’ - this would go to fund School Chaplaincy alone
‘For Beacon’ - This would go towards the Beacon emergency relief program freeing up Council funds so more can be given to School Chaplaincy

Holy innocents Calendar
If you would like to know what is coming up at Holy Innocents check out our calendar at the following link: https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=innocents.belair%40gmail.com&ctz=Australia/Adelaide

Thursday, December 8, 2011

RonBlog

Sunday 11th December, 2011 Third Sunday in Advent

Sentence
Bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners, proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, the day of vengeance of our God. Isaiah 61:1-2

Collect
Eternal God, You sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for the coming of Your Son; grant us wisdom to see Your purpose and openness to hear Your will, that we too may prepare for Christ Who is coming in power and glory, to establish His rule of peace and justice, through Jesus Christ our Judge and Redeemer, One God, for ever and ever. Amen

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 61:1-4 & 8 – 11

The Spirit of the LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendour. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.
I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

FOR THE PSALM The Song of Mary

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord: my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour
Who has looked with favour on His lowly servant: from this day all generations will call me blessed
The Almighty has done great things for me: and holy is His name
God has mercy on those who fear Him: from generation to generation
The Lord has shown strength with His arm: and scattered the proud in their conceit
Casting down the mighty from their thrones: and lifting up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things: and sent the rich away empty
He has come to the aid of His servant Israel: to remember His promise of mercy
The promise made to our forebears: to Abraham and his children for ever.

EPISTLE 1 Thessalonians 5:12 – 28

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.


GOSPEL John 1: 6 – 8 and 19 – 28

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved

NOTES ON THE READINGS …………….

Old Testament Lesson

One of the things about Christians that amazes me constantly is our failure to take notice of the very Scriptures we hold so very dear. Whilst most people are happy to delight in this, amongst others, of the Servant Songs of Isaiah, not very many are prepared to travel the journey that both Isaiah and Jesus put in front of us. For this servant song is not only in anticipation of Christ, but is a statement of how the People of God themselves need to operate. And the failure in that is enormous.

I do not need to spell out the implications for those of us here and now. Isaiah in his wonderings and musings as to what God was doing with Israel in his day remain valid and demanding for our own day. Whilst none of us can even begin to come into the same category as Jesus, in terms of our capability, we all are called into the imitatio Christi when it comes to how we behave and operate as servants of all. Far too often Christians are prostituted into what I would call Adamic modes of leadership, being like gods, being control freaks or bulldozers, which result in the complete downfall of what the Church is on about. I dare you to think all this through. The Church and its people have much to answer for in their refusal to follow their own truths.

Psalm

Again, I suspect that it is true how we Christians become familiar with something Biblical, like this Magnificat as we used to call it in Evening Prayer, and very largely miss the point! Certainly we recognize that this Song of Mary tells us a lot of how she tended to see her life as Mother of our Lord, but there it stops. In parts of the Church, Mary is lionised (if that can be done to a woman!) and elevated to something halfway between human and divine, which is precisely the opposite direction to that which this canticle takes us. Just as in the OT reading, this is a song about servanthood, both in Mary and in the God Who called her. It is a song about reversal of expectations, where the rich are (to be) reduced and the humble exalted. It is not about reversal per se, for that, like revolutions in the political sense, do nothing but reverse the roles of persecutor and persecuted, and nothing else changes. It is about the celebration of servanthood as the most beneficial way to go.

Epistle

How is that first verse in the Epistle today as an encouragement in exactly the opposite direction of the ‘world’ today! In fact the atmosphere of this reading looks almost too passé to be contemplated. However, that is nothing other than a clear and vivid statement as to how far our present world has moved from a modus operandi that values each one of us in all our differences. These readings are becoming somewhat disturbing, are they not? And that is the point of Advent (and Christianity) anyhow. Or, to put it in other words, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Gospel
John the Baptist! Nutcase or disturber? Sometimes there is not a lot to choose between the two! It is a strange and terrible thing to see people of whatever race or culture trying to find ways to sidestep realities in life. We call it ‘spin’ these days, knowing we are left with the enormous task of sifting truth from baloney. However we all tend to do it, as we defend ourselves – especially if that defence is designed to protect us from heading in a direction unwelcome.

The challenge to John from the religious elite of Jerusalem was nothing other than diversionary tactics to free them from having to take any notice of this man’s rantings. They were certain that it was invalid because it had no connection with their control and leadership of nation and faith. And it was that control and leadership they were determined to maintain in spite of any real or imagined threat from outside. They saw strength in control, and their control in particular.

And Christians still do this blasphemous thing to each other ………..

NOTES FOR A SERMON

I may have told you this story before, so you can sleep a minute or two if I have. But quite some years ago I was asked by a branch of Mothers’ Union if I would give a talk on the Magnificat at one of their meetings close to Lady Day. I was quite happy to do so, but wondered out loud if they were ready for some of the material that is embedded in Mary’s Song. (I wonder if you know that someone else, long prior to that time, sang a song so similar that I suspect Mary of knowing it and valuing it. Dear old Hannah, mother to be of Samuel, sang a song very similar around the birth of her son. )

When the time for the talk arrived, the ladies expected a lovely, heart-warming chat about dear old Mary and her spiritual (and therefore ineffectual?) pilgrimage. Not that motherhood is an easy thing, but if it was about the Lord then it could not possibly be at all challenging and certainly not threatening.

So we chatted on about that Magnificat, and all expected, I think, emphasis on ‘all generations will call me blessed’ so that they could bathe in the reflected glory of their patron. But we went on to see what this Gospel of servanthood was all about, and the reversal of positions that would ensue from embracing this faith. We talked about removing kings from thrones, and that in terms metaphorical as well as literal. We talked about the revolution in the real sense, of little people being valued and elevated people having their pedestals taken out from under them. And the outcome of that chat was not at all in the direction or expectation of those little old ladies. ‘We have never heard anything like this!’ they stuttered, all a bit taken aback by something so unexpected.

We modern Christians, with all the wisdom of hindsight, tend to be rather scathing of the Jews of old who looked for a Messiah Who was going to solve all their problems with a wide sweep of his hand, and, as a consequence, did not recognize the Christ when He came. How could they be so foolish and so short-sighted, we sigh, when all the evidence was there? And then we proceed to do exactly the same thing with the Christ, 2,000 years later, managing to miss (or avoid) the harsh realities of Gospel because we do not like the harsher realities of the world in which we live.

Like the Jews before us, and shamans and other cult figures before and since, we have been unable to see past power and control as a solution to issues, missing the most powerful and poignant part of the Gospel.

Many more years ago, the men of our parish were invited to a meeting of a group wishing to form a branch of their so-called non-denominational pressure group in the town where we lived. I knew the instigator of this gathering, a friend of my brother’s. The meal was very pleasant and the company reasonable if a little rarefied, and after a talk from the leader we were asked to apply for membership. On one side of the paper, our details of name address and phone number were requested. On the other side was a sort of credal statement to which we were asked to append our signatures. On reading it, I found it not really possible to assent to some of the very narrow views of the Faith. I withheld my application. When asked why, I simply mentioned that I could not put my name to such tenets. That was responded to with something that really horrified me: ‘Don’t worry about that, Ron. We only have it there in order to control members.’ At that point I exploded somewhat, advising the person concerned that that made it far, far worse, not better. As you might imagine, I did not enrol.

The whole ethos of the Faith is of service, not control, not even power. Or if you wish to put it another way, the only ‘power’ that is involved is love. Even John the Baptist had to come to terms with that most remarkable variation to the Gospel. You might recall that, during his imprisonment, John sent emissaries to Jesus, because he was not sure he had pointed to the correct person in Jesus. ‘Are you the One Who is to come, or do we look for another?’ It is a stunning question in the light of some Christians’ assertion that they know it all, when even John did not. Jesus’ response was to point, not to Himself, but to the words of the prophet, Isaiah. To point to the Servant Song where even that ancient and long-dead prophet could see that God’s work is done through quiet service and not through violent power and punishment.

This Advent maybe a good time to stop, look and listen again to the readings, and to see if there is any need for us to change focus, direction or understanding of Jesus and Gospel. After all, that is why Advent exists, does it not!

Newsletter

Sunday 11th December, 2011
Third Sunday in Advent
Welcome to Sam and his family
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. After the 8am service breakfast is served and morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls. Sunday School will be in practice mode today

COLLECT FOR TODAY
Eternal God, You sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for the coming of Your Son: grant us wisdom to see Your purpose, and openness to hear Your will, that we too may prepare the way for Christ Who is coming in power and glory to establish His rule of peace and justice; through Jesus Christ our Judge and our Redeemer, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS Third Sunday in Advent
Isaiah 61:1—4 & 8—11 and 1 Thess. 5:12—28 read by Arndrae L
GOSPEL John 1: 6—8 & 19—28
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Peter Little, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, the Swaby family , Olive Marston, Kate Jennings, Blake Vause. Ivanka Cosic, Jim (fighting cancer;) sadly, Geoff has succumbed., Eddie Barber and Bryan Baker. Aileen Shepherd is back and she thanks all for their prayers and support.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Don Caddy, Lois Hall, Ray Wilkins
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Raquel and Mark Williams, Pat & Graham Pater, Natasha and Paul Campbell
YEAR’S MIND— Molly Frost (1995) William Betson (2008), Hazel Ashworth (1992) Harold Morris (1993)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Fourth Sunday in Advent
Readings 2 Samuel 7:1—112 & 16 and Romans 16:25—27
GOSPEL Luke 1: 26—38

REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY in recess
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
SINGING GROUP Meets after the 10am service each Sunday. All singers welcome.
MOTHERS’ UNION programme in recess until next year

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, and other types of assistance. Call Iris Downes on 8278 3260 and Marlene Dixon on 8278 8568..

POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Jill Hilbig or Barb Capon
Next Sunday Joy Campbell or Craig Deane

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Hal S-c Intercessor Warren
Sunday after Reader Caroline Intercessor Max A

SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Noeleen Carter (no flowers for Advent)
Brass Yvonne Caddy Cleaning Susan Lee

RONBLOG .... On today’s Old Testament Reading
One of the things about Christians that amazes me constantly is our failure to take notice of the very Scriptures we hold so very dear. Whilst most people are happy to delight in this, amongst others, of the Servant Songs of Isaiah, not very many are prepared to travel the journey that both Isaiah and Jesus put in front of us. For this servant song is not only in anticipation of Christ, but is a statement of how the People of God themselves need to operate. And the failure in that is enormous.
I do not need to spell out the implications for those of us here and now. Isaiah in his wonderings and musings as to what God was doing with Israel in his day remain valid and demanding for our own day. Whilst none of us can even begin to come into the same category as Jesus in terms of our capability, we all are called into the imitatio Christi when it comes to how we behave and operate as servants of all. Far too often Christians are prostituted into what I would call Adamic modes of leadership, being like gods, being control freaks or bulldozers, which result in the complete downfall of what the Church is on about. I dare you to think all this through. The Church and its people have much to answer for in their refusal to follow their own truths—like most other religions, turning a faith to live by into a less-than-alive religion.
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Today baptism at 10am
Sunday School Advent Celebration
Please join us for our very special Advent Celebration Sunday 18th December 10am at Holy Innocents' Please tell your neighbours and friends and come along! Our family service will be followed by a BYO picnic in the Hawthorndene Reserve (look for picnic tables alongside cricket oval). Join us for lunch, games and a treasure hunt from 11.30am-2.30pm. Phone Clare 8270 6445 for more info.

Christmas Services: note change of time for Children's Service
Christmas Eve 6:30pm - A Family Christmas Eve Seasonal bedtime stories and a hot-dog dinner. The perfect way to prepare for Christmas Day.
11.00pm Midnight Mass
CHRISTMAS DAY
8.00am Traditional Communion
10.00am Contemporary Communion

Christmas Bowl Envelopes
Today you will find Christmas Bowl envelopes in Church. You are encouraged to take an envelope, fill it and put in with your offerings in the collection plate. Please do it now, you don't need to wait until Christmas Day!

The Quire St Nicolas sing their Annual Service of Lessons and Carols at St. Peter's Cathedral on Sunday 18th December at 3 pm. ‘Born the King’ is the title of the Service. The Musical Director is Lesley Lewis, Organist Shirley Gale and Pianist Katrina Philbey.


Planned Giving Scheme in 2012
We started to hand out, from December 4th , the ID (or Envelope) numbers and the envelopes with the numbers on them for the Planned-Giving Scheme in 2012. As in the past years, you would receive a whole set of envelopes if you pledge weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. If you pledge quarterly or annually (semi-annually), you would receive four or two envelopes, respectively. If you have not received the Pledge Form for 2012, but you wish to be in the Scheme, please obtain the Pledge Form from Cynthia Macintosh, and return the form enclosed in an ordinary envelope addressed to The Recorder, Holy Innocents Anglican Church, PO Box 156, Belair SA 5052, through the collection plate, or place in our letterbox, or by post.


Holy innocents Calendar
If you would like to know what is coming up at Holy Innocents check out our calendar at the following link: https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=innocents.belair%40gmail.com&ctz=Australia/Adelaide


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

Friday, December 2, 2011

RonBlog

Sunday 4th December, 2011 Second Sunday of Advent

Sentence
Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. For the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all peoples shall se it together, Luke 3:4

Collect
Merciful God, You sent Your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation; give us grace to heed their warnings and to forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, Who live and reigns with You, and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 40:1-11

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD: make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry out.” and I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”
You, who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

PSALM 85:1-2 & 8-13

O Lord, You were gracious to Your land: You restored the fortunes of Jacob
You forgave the iniquity of Your people: and covered all their sin
I will hear what the Lord God will speak: for He will speak peace to His people, to His faithful ones whose hearts are turned to Him
Truly His salvation is near to those who fear Him: and His glory shall dwell in our land
Mercy and truth and met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth shall flourish out of the earth: and righteousness shall look down from heaven
The Lord will give us all that is good: and our land shall yield its plenty.
For righteousness shall go before Him: and tread the path before His feet.

EPISTLE 2 Peter 3:8 – 15a

Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation,


GOSPEL Mark 1: 1 – 8

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way — a voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved

NOTES ON THE READINGS …………….

Old Testament Lesson

Perhaps because of Handel’s Messiah, these are remarkably familiar words, but because they come from the Old Testament, the point of the prophet’s exposition is missed. Small wonder that Israel’s expectation of Messiah became rather distorted and out of shape. Is it because no one expects Biblical prose to make sense?
Israel was in exile in Babylon around 550BC, and felt itself to be in a hopeless situation. Homeland ruined, capital and temple destroyed, and, in contemporary thought, all that meant final defeat of God and His Chosen ones. In wide perspective, it meant (to all intents and purposes) that evil had triumphed over good, as it always seemed to do. There seemed to be neither future nor hope. However, the prophet Isaiah had managed to explore further than the popular perception, and pointed people to something they hardly could have imagined. That is, that Isaiah looked forward to rescue from this dead-end situation, a rescue brought about (in real time and in real life) by no one less than God Himself.
It strikes me that Isaiah reached this position, not by observing current political and historical trends, but by examining Israel’s history. For Israel the Exodus was formative to its understanding of itself and God. And there, God rescued His people from almost certain extinction. He had something more for Israel to do. So the prophet encouraged Israel-in-exile to see that there would be life after this exile, and that while human strength was limited and mortal, God’s power was something else again.
History itself proved Isaiah to be correct.

Psalm

Notice, please, the emphasis in this psalm on truth and righteousness (justice.) If there is one thing to which most of the OT prophets pointed and jumped up and down about, it was precisely that. Never, never lose sight of that emphasis.

Epistle

It is a sad and strange thing that modern Christians often are unable to see beyond the literal, and so miss or misunderstand so much of Biblical comment. There are a couple of very powerful and significant things to notice in this passage. The first is Peter’s reference to the patience of God. If God operated the way humans tend to do, then He would have wiped out everyone who failed the test of truth. It would be the Flood visited for the final time. Or those 12 legions of angels would have had a field day just before the crucifixion. So why did He not? Because (a) that would have multiplied the evil [think that through if you dare!] and (b) it would have given perpetrators no opportunity to realize what they had done, and repent from it. Please read that again.
The second is just as important. When Peter (and other apocalyptic writers) wrote about suns and moons falling and heavens disappearing with a roar, they were not asking you to read them literally. Here is poetic (more than poetic, apocalyptic!) stuff, which translates better if you understand this as referring to the collapse of a culture, community or civilisation. Peter was writing about the certain outcome for a culture or country that operates on lies and falsehoods and injustices. It may take a while, but collapse will come, as John also makes very clear in his Revelation. Once again we have the almost sci-fi ‘before its time’ recognition of the great human battles between truth and falsehood. The People of God need to be aware, and to be on the side of truth.


GOSPEL

You may not have been aware of the Exodus/Exile connection referred to above in the OT Lesson section. But the Biblical writers like St. Mark certainly were. The beginning of the Gospel was the fresh and most significant rescue by God of His people. Notice the significance of the connection that Mark made with Isaiah 40 and Exodus. In other words it is important to catch sight of the entire work of God towards humanity to understand properly whatever He does.
Mind you, I think you – personally - may have had difficulty coping with someone as one-eyed as the Baptist. His message tended to be quite unequivocal, which is probably why later the Baptist was unsure whether his Cousin was the real McCoy or not. John expected a very rough outcome for people refusing the truth. Jesus’ approach would have seemed somewhat ineffective as far as John was concerned – yet it was far more God-like!!!.

NOTES FOR A SERMON

It was almost 50 years ago, when I was in Theological College training for the priesthood, and experiencing twice-daily services in the Chapel. Monday mornings was always the time when staff members preached, and I recall vividly the day when the Vice principal, later to be Archbishop of Sydney, preached on the 10th and 11th verses of today’s Psalm.
Mercy and truth and met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth shall flourish out of the land, and justice shall look down from heaven.

I do not remember all that Don Robinson said that day, but he certainly made me look very much closer at the nature of the Faith and of the Gospel. Spend some time, will you, pondering the nature of a world here if those particular aspects of life did flourish, and think of all the differences that would be made to relationships. This difference would be most noticeable in family relationships, in civic ones, national ones and most particularly, international ones.
It would have been almost 40 years afterwards that I was embroiled in a discussion with an avowed and very heated atheist, who was denouncing the pointlessness and purposelessness of a religion he despised. He had gone to an expensive Anglican College, so he knew it all, of course. After his tirade about useless religion, I asked him what aspects of life he was concerned about. He was a medical man of quite some distinction, so he was not short of education, articulation, …. or cash. He was no angel, which perhaps explained something of his anger at what he thought was narrow and limiting.
His answer did not surprise me, but my response did unsettle him! What that man saw as hugely important in life were the issues of justice, integrity and truth. And he thumped the table as he listed those items. When I drew his attention to the fact that we were on the same side, it almost took his breath away. The same thing has done likewise with other rather likeable atheists I have encountered over the years.

When religious people, and Christians among them, manage to avoid the real issues of life and relationships and history, that they lose credibility , with the world at large., and so does their gospel! If that is where you are, may I be rude enough to suggest that you spend some time reading the OT prophets, especially the Minor Prophets – if only because they are shorter and quicker to absorb.

Whenever the Season of Advent returns annually, I will often ask people to stop and see where the emphasis lies. It lies in the theme of the Lord Who comes. However, we often put on our blinkers and look backwards to the Lord Who came 2,000 years ago, or forwards to the Lord Who will come again, at the Parousia. When we are as myopic as that, we miss the real and present emphasis on the Lord Who comes constantly into THE RIGHT HERE AND NOW, with the challenge to respond to situations or perhaps to challenge the status quo with a Gospel reaction to whatever the challenge.

I think that poor atheist had been hoist on the petard of his own propaganda about the Faith. To be fair to him, there remain quite some Christians who would demand a strong obedience to their narrow perceptions. This certainly seems to be a period, historically, of the rise of fundamentalism in all sorts of directions, and that is profoundly sad and destructive to the Gospel. And to people! It is a defensive approach, and defensiveness tends to be a singularly unappealing thing anyhow, very damaging and self-defeating.
So the question is when is this Lord coming, and how does He come, in the right here-and-now. And the answer tends to be a surprising one, for it has become fashionable to think either that God no longer exists, or that He exists only in the fantasy of some people’s minds or memories, and that the whole business can be consigned to the dead pages of the past. Dead Gods cannot be met in the present, and certainly not in the real world and in real time. Or so the theory goes

My experience on this subject may well be somewhat limited, but I find that, in all sorts of experiences and situations in life, this Lord comes, and presents me with an opportunity, or a challenge, or even sometimes an enigma. This ‘advent’ may come in the form of someone in difficulty, needing help of some sort. It may be a chance encounter, where the challenge is to respond honestly and Christianly. It may come in the form of deeply serious illness on myself or someone else, with the enormous question of ‘where does this fit with a God supposed to be loving?’
One of the factors I find almost constant in these advents, is that there is no fuss or bother, no wide-screen, bold advertising let the world know thing. It is usually very low-key, so that I tend to be the only one even vaguely aware of the fact that anything is going on at all. It is often ‘to the least of these my brethren’ – and only that brother or sister and I are even aware of the challenge.

On the other hand, it may be something on a wider canvas that calls for me to do some solid thinking through. I remember, for instance, when the pill first became available. It was a long time ago now, and its genesis raised the ire and antagonism of a huge range of Christian people. It is still anathema for the Catholic Church ….. though not of many of its adherents. Those days (late 1960s) we used to have adult fellowship groups on Friday nights once a month, and those adults asked what was my attitude. Did I think that it offered people the chance to be promiscuous? The answer to that was, yes it does, but then anything in life has both its advantages and dis-advantages. At that time, world population was exploding and it seemed to me that, right at the time such a crisis was looming, in God’s good time, there was an answer, somewhat simple and effective. The pill is like so much else in life: when things are used truly and properly, there can be enormous benefits which I would see as God-given. But anything, anything, in life can be misused, abused, treated with disdain – and it has to be said that the way a person deals with things says little about the good or bad of the thing concerned, but does say a great deal about the integrity of the person choosing And is not that the real issue?

So what I am trying to emphasise in this short but pointed address, this: that if we see in Advent only the celebration of looking way, way backwards to the Lord Who has come (at Bethlehem) --- or looking way, way forward to the Lord Who is coming again, then we will be spending time in never-never land, and missing sight of the Lord Who comes to us constantly, to challenge us to follow Him.