Newsletter

Sunday 27th November, 2011
First Sunday in Advent - Baptism at 10.00am
Welcome to Hannah and her 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 is on again!

COLLECT FOR TODAY
Eternal God, through long generations You prepared a way for the coming of Your Son, and by Your Spirit You still bring light to illumine our paths: renew us in faith and hope that we may welcome Christ to rule our thoughts and claim our love; to Whom be glory for ever. Amen.
;TODAY’S READINGS Advent Sunday Year B
Readings Isaiah 64: 1—9 & 1 Corinthians 1: - 9 read by John F
GOSPEL Mark 13: 24—37
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
Please note that today marks the start of a new Church Year, Year B in fact.

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Peter Little, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, Aileen Shepherd, Olive Marston, Kate Jennings., and Blake Vause. Also Ivanka Cosic, Jim and Geoff (fighting cancer) and Eddie Barber. Remember also Arndrae Luks and family on the passing of Arndrae’s Mum.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: David Hale, Marcia Wilkins, Dorothy Richardson, Joyce Arnold
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Marilyn and Peter Little
YEAR’S MIND— Beryl Wilson (1995)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Second Sunday in Advent
Readings: Isaiah 40: 1—11 and 2 Peter 3: 8—15a
GOSPEL Mark 1: 1—8

YOUR ATTENTION IS DRAWN to the Mission Action Plan Meeting to be held after Church at 11.30am on Sunday 4th December. This is to help set goals for the year or so ahead. All welcome to contribute ideas.

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.
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 Ron Keynes or Barb Capon
Next Sunday Don Caddy or Cynthia Macintosh
And looking for someone for the Confirmation Service Please let Ron know if you are available

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER

Next Sunday Reader Paul H Intercessor Ben L
Sunday after Reader Arndrae L Intercessor Mary V


SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Marilyn Little (no flowers for Advent)
Brass Bonney Tomlinson Cleaning Susan Lee

RONBLOG .... On today’s Old Testament Reading—

It has been mentioned before, but it bears repeating: there is nothing in religious history of any country or culture that I know of that even begins to parallel the Jewish line of prophets and their writings. Mind you, any reader needs to understand that Hebrew prophecy is no star-gazing future-predicting stuff, except in a minor way. It is perhaps understood best when seen in terms the attempt to understand what God is saying to Israel in its history then and there, and where God is aiming to take Israel – at the point in history at which the prophet was speaking. The whole business is essentially down-to-earth, and focusses on matters of justice and compassion. My best description of Hebrew prophecy is the activity of the various authors to look back to see where Israel has come from, and what has happened, to see where God is taking them from there.

In this particular and vivid passage, it might be easy to assume that Isaiah is looking for some sort of miraculous Divine intervention to provide solutions to all of Israel’s problems, political and social. At the time of writing, Israel would have been in exile in Babylon, (c 6th Cent BC) and the huge issue would have been of the need for reconstruction of nation, faith and temple. In the wake of the Queensland and WA floods of 2010 -2011, the enormous task of rebuilding can be visualised even by those not in the thick of it. It is all so heart-breaking and vast.
One of the magnificent insights into the whole ‘God’ business shows up in this brief passage, where Isaiah writes of there is no God apart from You, Who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. In most religions, past and sometimes present, God is perceived of as both utterly distant and completely disengaged from the usual daily grind of life or as the one to be manipulated by correct rites rituals and mysteries. The Hebrew Faith had never seen God in that way, and could point to all manner of events and situation where God ‘got His hands dirty’ for the sake of His people.
So Isaiah – like us in the Season of Advent – should look for some sort of coming of God into our midst, to point the way, once again, to where real and lasting life and values are to be found. That is big enough agenda for anyone these days, is it not?

**********************************************************************************************************
Your attention is drawn to the notices from the Mitcham Hills Inter-Church Council . Too much detail for here, but check the notice board please.

Warren offers the 11.45am timeslot after service each Sunday for people to raise issues from sermons. Fifteen minutes should not make a great deal of change to plans on a Sunday.

Home Maker Kits
The Senior Sunday School would like to thank everyone for their kind donations. We put together 3 Home Maker Kits for the Anglicare Refugee Appeal. Great job!

Here follows a short list of the forthcoming events, for your information ….
Today baptism at 10am, followed by parish BBQ to celebrate Stephen's ordination as Deacon yesterday in St. Peter's Cathedral
Sunday, Dec 4 vestry meeting 11:30am
Sunday Dec 4, Confirmation 7pm at the church
Sunday, Dec 11 baptism at 10am
And there is still the Sunday School Presentation and Picnic and precise details are yet to be set and advertised. Watch this space.
Christmas Bowl Envelopes
Father Christmas has come to Adelaide (and to Blackwood). The Christmas Bowl Badge Day took place last Friday in the City and some suburbs. 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.

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