Newsletter

Sunday 11th September, 2011
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
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 continue today

Collect for Today
O God, You call Your Church to witness that in Christ we are reconciled to You; help us so to proclaim the good news of Your love, that all who hear it may turn to You; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever Amen

TODAY’S READINGS
Exodus 14: 19—31 and Romans 14: 1—14 read by Caroline S
GOSPEL Matthew 18: 21—35
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, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, and Olive Marston,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: David Hall, Trevor Tregenza, Mary Vandepeer, Sue Laycock
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
YEAR’S MIND— Stewart Leslie (1978) Iris Ferguson (2008) Murray Vandepeer (2008) William Forster (1981) Barbara Pettit (2002)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings Exodus 16: 1—15 and Philippians 1
Gospel Matthew 20:1—16

REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY Wednesdays at 10.00am at Pressley’s home
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
SINGING GROUP Meets after the 10am service each Sunday. All singers welcome.
MAGAZINE COMMITTEE 2.00pm tomorrow in the Germein Room
MOTHERS’ UNION Branch meets at 2.00pm on the third Thursday of the month in the Germein Room. All are welcome.

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 Barb Capon 8278 3584 and Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS— ………….
Do not forget the Regenerate Dinner to be held in the Hall from 7.00pm on Friday 23rd September - you would have received your letter and invitation last Sunday. This is the time to look forward as we plan for the future of this parish. Archbishop Driver will be speaking to us all. Please let us know if you are coming or not.

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

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Neil T Intercessor Vanessa D
Sunday after Reader Trevor T Intercessor Ben L

SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Anna Kelly Brass Caroline and Sid Sweet
Cleaning Group 4
(sounds a little like that company that transports gaol inmates!)

RONBLOG .... On today’s Gospel

Perhaps I have told you this story before, for it goes back a number of years, I forget how many. You may remember that ghastly event where the daughter of a charismatic pastor was attacked on the front verandah of someone’s home here in Adelaide, and left there to die. In the days that followed, that poor pastor made it clear that he forgave the murderer, whoever he was. I suspect that such a statement was made, because the pastor thought that Christians should forgive, in this case, anything. I felt somewhat impelled to write to the bereaved man, concerned at the foreshortened ‘theology’ from which he operated and to relieve him of some of the stress under which he was trying to cope.. To my eternal regret, I did not write.
Some time later, one of our own clergy was in a parish where an old lady was attacked and murdered, and that priest was quoted, in the press and on TV, to encourage all concerned to forgive the murderer. (As far as I recall, no one yet has been charged with that slaying.) After my failure in the first instance, I did write to my colleague, asking him to consider more deeply what he was doing and why. In that letter, I underlined the fact that both in Scripture and in Anglican liturgy, there can be no expectation of forgiveness before there is repentance on the part of the perpetrator. My letter was rather more gentle and rather fuller than this report, so that the person could consider and take on board what I was trying to convey. The reply I received was not pretty; I was charged with being totally unchristian amongst other things.
As time went by in that first instance of the pastor’s daughter, the horrific nature of the killing obviously preyed on the mind of the pastor. Some years later, I gather that the pastor resigned from ministry and his marriage and family broke up under the strain. I understand also that the pastor rejected the Faith – or at least as he understood it. And there lies the point of both situations. There is an awful lot of pious nonsense about this business of forgiveness: forgiving and forgetting is part of the nonsense. It may well be easy to do in situations that are minor and unimportant; but the more damaging they are, the more seriously they need to be addressed. Forgiveness, Divine or human is never an easy path to travel. On the other hand, there is no other creative way to move forward.
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SAMARITAN'S PURSE - OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD. Time once again to fill a shoe box for the Operation Christmas Child Appeal. Boxes available in the Foyer. More Information from Marlene Dixon. Boxes need to be returned by the beginning of October.

PARISH DIRECTORY
The new issue is out, and in spite of every attempt otherwise, there have been several glitches; there have even been families left off. If you require alterations to your entry please either (or both) write the details in the book for the purpose in the narthex or email Fr. Ron . Mind you, a gold coin donation to cover costs of printing would be appreciated.

Two Quiet Notes ….
Do not be misled—even Archbishops make mistakes. In a photo in the latest letter to clergy from +Jeffrey is shown ‘the Rev’d Stephen Daughtry. {He has not taken that step - yet, at least. }
Do not be surprised to find that the first slide for the Liturgy for the next few weeks may include some contemplative comment, and a reminder from Warren that it is helpful for the congregation to spend a short time before the service begins, to be quiet …...

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