Newsletter

Sunday 16th October, 2011
Eighteenth 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 is back in action today!!!!

Collect for Today
Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: grant that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in proclaiming the cross to be the way that leads to life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS
Exodus 33: 12—33 & 1 Thess. 1: 1—10 read by Araki family
GOSPEL Matthew 22: 15—33
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Ben L
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, Aileen Shepherd, Hal Shaw-Calverley. Olive Marston, Genevieve Forster, Kate Jennings and Blake Vause. Caroline Sweet has been in Hospital this week also.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Chloe Laycock, Sarah Morecroft
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Valda & Wolf Seith
YEAR’S MIND— Miriam Lindley (2004) George Ridout (1993)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
St. Francis of Asissi
Readings Romans 8: 8-25
GOSPEL Matthew 6: 25-34

REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am at Pressley’s
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
SINGING GROUP Meets after the 10am service each Sunday. All singers welcome. And don’t they make a lovely contribution as they sing during Communion.
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.

ANGLICARE CHRISTMAS CARDS
Cards for sale are displayed on the board in the foyer. Orders can be placed on that list but needs to be done by today please note.

SPRING CLEANING WORKING BEE WEEK....Mon 24th to Sat 29th Oct.
There are many annual “Spring Cleaning” jobs that need attending to here in our Church complex. In addition we are obliged by the Mitcham Council to have our extensive Church Grounds and car park bushfire ready! If you can help, please see the SELECT-A-JOB list in the foyer. Check the job of which you would like to take ownership and ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST! Our main Working Bee focus will be Sat 29th Oct. 9am -1pm, but for those families that have regular Saturday commitments, why not choose a day and time during the preceding week that suits you best.
We have been blessed with a beautiful church complex set in stunning grounds... let’s all work together during the last week of October to keep it that way. Craig Deane


SAMARITAN'S PURSE - OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Will those still filling a Shoe Box for the above, and haven't brought it in today, then MUST bring it by next Sunday 23rd Oct. as they are being picked up during the coming week. Thanking everyone for their boxes and donations. Marlene Dixon

COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSOC AGM to be held in the Church Hall at 5.30pm on 20th October. Guest Speaker. A light meal will be served afterwards. All welcome to attend. This group supports accommodation for young people in distress.

SPECIAL SERVICE 23rd October at 10am St. Francis’ Day. Bring your pets.

St. John’s Grammar will be using the Hall for exams from 31st October. From 8.30am to 5.00pm A list of dates and times is available in the foyer.

POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Ron Keynes or Joy Campbell
Next Sunday Barb Capon or Ron Keynes

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Clare B Intercessor Warren
Sunday after Reader David C Intercessor Hal S-C

SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Iris Downes Brass Bonney Tomlinson Cleaning Susan Lee

RONBLOG .... On today’s set readings

Have I told you the story of the son of a colleague of mine who, many years ago now, was living off the fat of the land (well, not quite!) as his unemployment benefits managed to cope with his rather minimal needs, reducing the load on his parents a little.. While he would have preferred to receive more, his theory was that the country and culture to which he (sort of) belonged, was effete and passing away, and to it he offered neither allegiance nor support. It was around the time of the Vietnam War, which also got right under his skin, as it did for many of the rest of us.
So he expressed his total disgust at the status quo, and tore strips off his parents and the rest of us for being part of the ‘establishment.’ I questioned him about his inconsistency, as you might imagine. I have rarely been able to keep my trap shut when people propose baloney—but you know that already! The young man reiterated his disgust at society and government – so I suggested that he should alter his way of operating.
‘How can you continue to accept your dole payments,’ I asked. ‘You are a parasite on the society you claim to despise. I have no problem with your point of view of Australia, but you are totally dishonest in living off the very society you despise. Either refuse the dole, and survive on your own, or change your attitude entirely.’
As you might imagine, the young man was livid! He exploded at me (as I hoped he would,) and tore strips of his parents, who were open-mouthed at me, not their son. But after he had a chance to think about it all, he had to see his own dishonesty. I am glad to report that, while it took a little while to occur, his direction in life changed dramatically, and he became a rather more useful member of the society he found he could not despise, in spite of its shortcomings.
If you consider this to be at a vast distance from those readings for today, I ask you to think again. If you consider this to have nothing to do with the holiness of God, I repeat the same request. Can you now see the clear and distinct link between that which is holy – truth, justice, equity, compassion and love, all of them characteristics of the Father, unchangeable and enormously valuable – and all that is other? Holy has as a root meaning “different -” that is different from what one might expect from humans.

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