Newsletter

Sunday 4th December, 2011
Second Sunday in Advent
Baptism and Confirmation this evening
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
Merciful God, You sent Your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
;TODAY’S READINGS Second Sunday in Advent
Readings: Isaiah 40: 1—11 and 2 Peter 3: 8—15a read by Paul H
GOSPEL Mark 1: 1—8
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Peter Little, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, the Swaby family, Olive Marston, Kate Jennings, Blake Vause. Ivanka Cosic, Jim and Geoff (fighting cancer) and Eddie Barber. Aileen Shepherd is back and thanks all for their prayers and support.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Harper Huffa
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Marlene & Ray Dixon, Robyn & Ron Keynes, Lisa & Colin Davies
YEAR’S MIND— Violet Arnold (1980), Doris Dixon (2002) Nancy West (1996)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Third Sunday in Advent
Readings Isaiah 61:1—4 & 8—11 and 1 Thess. 5:12—28
GOSPEL John 1: 6—8 & 19—28

YOUR ATTENTION IS DRAWN to the Mission Action Plan Meeting to be held after Church at 11.30am today This is to help set goals for the year or so ahead. All welcome to contribute ideas. Notes for this meeting are available.

REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY in recess
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 Don Caddy or Cynthia Macintosh
And is someone is available to operate the laptop for the Confirmation Service please?
Next Sunday Jill Hilbig or Barb Capon

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Arndrae L Intercessor Mary V
Sunday after Reader Hal S-c Intercessor Warren

SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Iris Downes (no flowers for Advent)
Brass Sid and Caroline Sweet Cleaning Group 5


RONBLOG .... On today’s Readings — the Psalm in particular
When I was in Theological College training for the priesthood, it was a case of twice-daily services in the Chapel. Monday mornings was always the time when staff members preached, and I recall vividly the day when the Vice principal, later to be Archbishop of Sydney, preached on the 10th and 11th verses of today’s Psalm.
Mercy and truth and met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall flourish out of the land, and justice shall look down from heaven. I do not remember all that Canon Don Robinson said that day, but he certainly made me look very much closer at the nature of the Faith and of the Gospel. Spend some time, will you, pondering the nature of a world here and now if those afore-mentioned aspects of life did flourish, and think of all the differences that would be made. Most noticeable differences across the range of family relationships, civic ones, national ones and most particularly, international ones.
It would have been almost 40 years afterwards that I was embroiled in a discussion with an avowed and very heated atheist, who was denouncing the pointlessness and purposelessness of a religion he despised. He had gone to St. Peter’s College here, so he knew it all, of course. After his tirade about useless religion, I asked him what aspects of life he was concerned about. He was a medical man of quite some distinction, so he was not short of education, articulation, …. or cash. He was no angel, which perhaps explained something of his anger at what he thought was narrow and limiting.
His answer did not surprise me, but my response did unsettle him! What that man saw as hugely important in life were the issues of justice, integrity and truth. And he thumped the table as he listed those items. When I drew his attention to the fact that we were on the same side, it almost took his breath away. Similar reactions have arisen likewise with other rather likeable atheists I have encountered over the years. When religious people, and Christians among them, manage to avoid the real issues of life and relationships and history, they lose credibility with the world at large, ........ and so does their gospel!

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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.

Here follows a short list of the forthcoming events,….
Today vestry meeting 11:30am
Sunday Dec 4, Confirmation 7pm at the church tonight
Sunday, Dec 11 baptism at 10am
Sunday School Advent Celebration
Please join us for our very special Advent Celebration Sunday 18th December 10am At Holy Innocents' Please tell your neighbours and friends and come along! Our family service will be followed by a BYO picnic in the Hawthorndene Reserve (look for picnic tables alongside cricket oval). Join us for lunch, games and a treasure hunt from 11.30am-2.30pm. Phone Clare 8270 6445 for more info.

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 …….