Newsletter

Sunday 25th September, 2011
Fifteenth 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 – the last time till after the School holidays

Collects for Today
Grant, O merciful God, that Your people may have that mind that was in Christ Jesus, Who emptied Himself, and took the form of a servant, and in humility became obedient even to death. For You have highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, Jesus Christ, the Lord; Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, in everlasting glory. Amen.
Collect for a Martyr - Bishop John Patterson—New Guinea
Almighty God, Who gave to Your servant John boldness to confess the name of Jesus Christ, and courage to die for this faith; teach us always to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord and Saviour; Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever Amen
TODAY’S READINGS Exodus 17: 1—7 and Philippians 2 read by Mary V
GOSPEL Matthew 21:23 –32
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Sue D-T
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: Gary Campbell, Sue Harry, Thomas Downes
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
YEAR’S MIND— John Newland (1987) Trevor Tomlinson (2002) Edie Schmidt (2001)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings Exodus 20: 1 –4 & 7—9 12—20 and Philipp. 3: 4b—14
GOSPEL Matthew 21: 33—46

REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY in recess until 5th October
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
SINGING GROUP Meets after the 10am service each Sunday. All singers welcome.
MAGAZINE COMMITTEE - Advent issue in preparation
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.

FLINDERS MEDICAL CENTRE— Next Service
Helpers are reminded that Sunday 9th October is our final day for the year for visiting the wards and taking patients to the chapel service. This is also a call for more helpers to be involved—it is only four times a year. Contact Jean Fordham.
Dates for 2012 are 8th January, 8th April, 8th July and 14th October.

POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Barb Capon or Trevor Tregenza
Next Sunday Cynthia Macintosh or Don Caddy

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Max A Intercessor Mary V
Sunday after Reader Araki family Intercessor Ben L

SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Jan T Brass Rosemary Conlon
Cleaning Group 5

RONBLOG .... On today’s Epistle
We have travelled this way before, and every time this Philippians passage is there for the reading, I get the urge to underline the majestic power (because it is true) of this Gospel in a nutshell. Here is no pious crap! Here is where the rubber really hits the road.
Ask anyone where real power truly lies, and you will get all sorts of answers. Barak Obama, President of the USA, is supposed to be the most powerful person in the world right now, and that assumption stems from the fact that the US military is supposed to be the most potent. The American dollar Oddly enough, it was from the U S of A that the World Financial Crisis emerged, and went rather close to bringing the almighty Yank, dollar and nation, down.
The picture presented by Paul in this magnificent passage from Philippians, may well have been a Christian hymn at the time of Paul’s writing. It is a vivid parallel or contrast between ‘adam’ – humanity, you will understand, and Jesus. As outlined above, humanity for ever grapples with the demand to be kingpin and boss, subjugating whoever happens to be around the place, demanding obedience and threatening extinction. Contrast that with Jesus Who came as Servant of all, not in order to be nice and naive, but in order to underline the fact that the only way life can be enhanced and real progress made is by each serving the other, by reconciling by the truth, by caring about the health and wealth of each and every one of us. It may seem to be an impossible dream, but it is presented as the ‘only way to go.’
As far as I know, no one has ever attempted to apply this process on a wide scale, except Jesus. Sadly, though, whilst much of the Faith has been taken on board by millions they tell me, one does not hear a great deal about this aspect of the Faith, this aspect of life. Small wonder that opponents of faith and of the Faith tend to regard both as useless. Not a lot of us are all that capable of expressing the Faith in any conflict or disagreement with others.
Ever since first being exposed to the Servant Songs of Isaiah (and that would be over 50 years ago!) the real point and purpose of the Biblical Faith came to light. And it does not have to do with the dear bye and bye, but the right here and now. That fact may well be why so many Christians avoid the immediate issues of justice and truth and reconciliation. Oddly, that is what the Cross is all about – so there can be no excuse really. With a little bit of luck, this may encourage people to look with fresh eyes at this Gospel which majors, not on heaven, but on offering this hurting and hurt humanity to find the path to peace. There is no peace without justice and truth, so quite some of the responsibility falls on each and every one of us.
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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.—one week to go

PARISH DIRECTORY
The new issue is out, and in spite of every attempt otherwise, there have been several glitches, for which we can offer only apologies. 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 . It has been suggested that a short addendum be produced, and that seems a sensible way to go.



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