Newsletter

Sunday 16th January, 2011 - Epiphany II
Our Celebrant and preacher is Warren Huffa

WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. We invite you to join us for breakfast after the 8am service, or morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls

COLLECT FOR EPIPHANY II

Almighty God, whose Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, is the light of the world: may your people, illumined by your word and sacraments, shine with the radiance of his glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

TODAY’S READINGS Isaiah 49: 1—7 and 1 Corinthians 1: 1—9 read by Jan Sil
Gospel John 1: 29—42

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Sue D-T
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Eddie Barber and Chris Contro
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Stenia Zmulski, Harold Shaw-Claverley, William Kelville
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY – John and Anna Kelly
YEAR’S MIND—Rene Upton )1997) Jim Fitter (2004)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY - Epiphany III
Isaiah 9: 1—4 and 1 Cor. 1: 10 –18
Gospel Matthew 4: 12—25
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/

POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Cynthia Macintosh or Ron Keynes
Next Sunday Don Caddy or Craig Deane
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Caroline S Intercessor Hal S-C
Sunday after Reader Neil T Intercessor Warren H
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Sue D-T Brass Yvonne M
Cleaning Group 1
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE and BIBLE STUDY in recess until February 2010
THURSDAY All events on Thursdays in recess till further notice

HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Marlene Dixon on 8278 8568 or Iris Downes on 8278 3260

NEXT BBQ AFTER CHURCH
Jan Tregenza wishes to advertise the fact that, on Sunday 23rd January, there will be a barbecue to celebrate Australia Day, after the service. People are asked to put their names down on the list in the foyer if they intend to be present for that meal together. All are welcome of course,

And then there is
Anne Roller, winner of the Nativity Set recently wrote to Jan T to express both her gratitude for winning, and her intention as teacher of Reception Class at Walford, to use the Set each year to discuss Christmas Day. Isn’t that great!

And Peter Little thanked us all for the support during his treatment, and reminded us of Hal’s contribution to the erection of the Church: both in the floor of the Sanctuary and the restoration of the reredos from the old Church.

S-O-S
Iris Downes asks if anyone has seen a dark green dish with fluted edging , about 12” round, last seen at the Church Barbeque in November. She would love to hear from anyone who might know where it is.

Are you interested?
Fr. Ron has been wondering about starting a Bible Study Group (at Seacliff Park possibly—more likely in Belair), asking if there are people interested in such a project. Some folk answered positively last Sunday, and we may move quietly from there. Both day, time and place are open for discussion.

From the Ron Blog—Epiphany II

One has to say that ‘it was a small world’ when we see that the disciples of John the Baptist move their allegiance to our Lord. And that must have been difficult for John, poor bloke – his later ‘he must increase and I decrease’ surely came from suchlike experiences.
There is a strange atmosphere about the entire Baptist thing, surely. John and Jesus were cousins, and yet came from quite different backgrounds. As far as can be ascertained, the Baptist grew up in an Essene community, with all its stringent and apocalyptic emphases. John’s religion would have been singularly dogmatic and judgemental, whereas Jesus’ response to people was far more relaxed. As time went by, you will recall that John was uncertain about his cousin (‘are you the one we are looking for, or do we search for another?’) John’s expectation was of dramatic judgement and denouement for Israel and those around, and his disappointment must have been massive.
All this is not to confuse you, but rather to indicate that not many people seemed to have all the answers as we might have expected. Each and every one had to test the spirits to discover where the truth really lay.
It has been a funny – strange - thing being a priest I must confess. One of the misperceptions that have dispersed into the mist of experience has been that if you preached well and interestingly and visited people in their homes, that the congregation would grow to large proportions and you would be appreciated. That latter has never been all that important, but it may be the only thing that really did come into being. All the rest has been hard slog, with not a lot of results.
I have to confess to a troubled response many years ago to articles written for BCA’s Real Australian where some of my confreres wrote glowing reports of ‘all the Lord was doing in their spheres.’ I could report no such things, but gave indication of what really was happening on my turf. Change of parish to someone else operated earlier uncovered the fact that most of the stories were less than honest with reality. I have encountered other clergy also who have gilded the lily because they thought that that was what people wanted to hear. Mmmmm!
Now none of the above is meant to destroy reputations, but rather to do as Scripture does and bring us back to earth, down to reality, and rather more realistic in both expectations and hopes. There is no easy path to being a Christian, being a Christian priest, nor is there an ideal parish or even congregation – at least not in my experience. Mind you, there are some absolute beauties, and I have been part of them, but they have not been without ‘issues.’
I had often wondered why the Old Testament prophets came in for so much flak. So much of what they had to say comes across to me at least, with such power, passion, and obvious truth, that I found it hard to work out why life was so hard for them. Jeremiah, for instance, seemed forever in the black books of those around him, and yet I would have loved to have sat at his feet. I think. But then when one has spent time with real and ordinary people, the discovery comes with unabashed impact: people do not want to know the truth. Give ‘em baloney and they’ll love it; give ‘em truth and they will hate you.
.
QUEENSLAND FLOODS
We have received news from the Primate about the flooding in Queensland and its effect on the Dioceses of Brisbane and Rockhampton. An extract from the Primate’s letter is given below. Archbishop Aspinall has also advised that his Emergency Relief Fund is accepting donations for flood relief. The details are as follows: Payments may be made by:
cheque made out to "Archbishop’s Emergency Relief Fund" and sent to ANFIN, GPO BOX 421, BRISBANE, QLD 4001, or Electronic Transfer
Account Name: Archbishop’s Emergency Relief Fund
Account BSB: 704-901
Account Number: 00014858

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