Newsletter

Saturday 24th December, - Sunday 25th December2011
Christmas Eve - Christmas Day
Christmas Greetings to all
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist.

Collect for Christmas Eve
Eternal God, Who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of Your one true light; bring us, who have known the revelation of that light on earth, to see the radiance of Your heavenly glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen

Collect for Christmas Day
Almighty God, Who gave Your only Son to take our nature upon Him and as at this time to be born of the virgin Mary; grant that we being born again and made Your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by Your Holy Spirit, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the same Spirit, ever one God, now and for ever. Amen

TODAY’S READINGS Christmas Eve
Readers: Christmas Eve Caroline S Christmas Day Neil T
Isaiah 9: 2—7 & Titus 2: 11—14 Gospel Luke 2: 1—11
Christmas Day
Isaiah 62: 6– 12 & Titus 3: 4—8a Gospel Luke 2: 1—20
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Max A (Eve) and Hal S-C (Day)
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 (fighting cancer;) Eddie Barber and Bryan Baker. Michelle, Jake and Gail also

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sascha Williams, Jennifer Jeffreys and Jesus of course!
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
YEAR’S MIND—John Furnival

The Passing of the Revd Gordon Hewitson- Gordon Hewitson passed away last Sunday in Perth. He was a former Rector of Blackwood and Belair before it was split into two parishes and the founder of St. John’s Grammar School. There is to be a memorial service and interment of ashes at the Holy Innocents Chapel (the old Holy Innocents) on January 26, in the morning. Refreshments are to follow in the parish hall. More details to follow.

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY The Epiphany
Readings Isaiah 68: 1—8 and Ephesians 3: 1—12
GOSPEL Matthew 2: 1—12

SPECIAL NOTE: With Fr. Warren being on leave for the next two Sundays, Fr. Brenton Daulby will celebrate and preach at both services on those days. Great thanks to Brenton for offering that ministry to us.

FLINDERS MEDICAL CENTRE SERVICE—Pleas for Helpers
Sunday 8th January will be our next turn to visit the wards and take patients to the service in the chapel. We would welcome more helpers, please; our call is only four times a year.
Please meet at the Chapel at 10 am on the day. Enquiries welcome –call Joan Fordham on 8278 2837

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 –
Next Sunday Cynthia Macintosh or Don Caddy
Sunday after Jill Hilbig or Joy Campbell

READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Trevor T Intercessor Don B
Sunday after Reader Max A Intercessor Vanessa D

SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Sue Daw-Thomas Brass Margaret Carruthers Cleaning Susan Lee

RONBLOG .... On Christmas generally .....
It may be a case of giving myself away, but I have long had problems with the celebration of Christmas, not for my sake but for others. Over the years, I have seen a huge de-cline in the numbers of people attending Midnight Mass or any other Christmas service, and I suspect I have some idea why this is so. From my youth upwards, there has been so much brouhaha about the Season, and most of it had no ‘legs,’ if you follow me, nothing of sub-stance behind all the kerfuffle. I guess it is possible to carry on with the fizz long after it has lost its effect on us for the sake of the kids. It is all a little like the Father Christmas business, which while it has its roots in distant history, there is remarkably little connection between the old man in red and St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. From where I sit, I think we need something of a reality check.
There are often rather ridiculous claims made in Christmas sermons, and I am not only talking about Virgin Births and all that sort of thing. I am talking about the extraordinary claims about Christmas, epitomized perhaps by the ‘peace on earth and goodwill to all’ business. For most people, and especially those with children, the peace business doesn’t last any longer than the opening of presents. And on the wider scene, there is not a lot of peace amongst Christians sometimes. In the Holy Land it is abysmal from where we sit, and it all sounds like a lovely idea that has not the slightest hope of fulfilling its expectation.
One of the problems that people have (and not only Christians) is of rather wider concern. It may be a case of living in the electronic age, where answers are expected at the push of a button. Or it may be that we are being pressed into expecting a sort of ‘messiah’ response to all problems. You know what I mean, do you not? It is like expecting our political leaders to have all the answers to all the problems, which they are expected to provide with-out any input or cost from us. A ‘good’ messiah will do it all for you. So with the combination of both the above, we are left with the very false expectation (a) that the world owes us a living, and (b) a damn good one at that, and (c) it that means someone else goes with out, stiff cheddar. Now, if that is the sort of expectation you have from the Christmas celebration, then, FORGET IT. You do NOT have a Lord Who is going to do it all for you, You do not have any-one who is going to remove responsibility from you, or remove decision making from you. You DO have a Lord Who is pointing you in a direction that is going to offer you the sort of peace that the story is all about. ANd you have to choose to follow ..... Or not!
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Mitcham Hills Interchurch Council Appeal Due to the change in government funding arrangements School Chaplains as from the start of the next School Year, will be employed on casual employment terms. Due to the higher rate of pay and the fact the Interchurch Council needs to assist the School Ministry Group (SMG) with administration costs the Council needs your support. In the next few weeks please consider placing an extra envelope in the collection plate with a donation addressed either as follows:
‘For Mitcham Hills Interchurch Council’ - this would go to fund all Council activities
‘For CPSWs School Chaplaincy’ - this would go to fund School Chaplaincy alone
‘For Beacon’ - This would go towards the Beacon emergency relief program freeing up Coun-cil funds so more can be given to School Chaplaincy
Holy innocents Calendar
If you would like to know what is coming up at Holy Innocents check out our calendar at the following link: https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=innocents.belair%40gmail.com&ctz=Australia/Adelaide

Church 29 Sheoak Road, Belair SA 5052 Post to PO Box 156 Belair SA 5052
Phone 08 8370 3530 Email innocents@adam.com.au
Web holyinnocents.com.au
Services Sunday 8.00am Traditional Communion
10.00am Contemporary Communion
Thursday 9.30am Traditional Holy Communion
Question Time 4th Sundays 7.30pm details advertised as available
MINISTRY TEAM
Rector Rev’d Dr. Warren Huffa Mob. 0438 988 448
Classic-theology-new.blogspot.com Email warren.huffa@gmail.com
Wardens
Sue Parham 0418816413 David Hall 8370 2250
Deacon et al Rev’d Stephen Daughtry stephendaughtry@optusnet.com.au or 8278 7061
Hon. Priest Canon Ron Keynes 8298 7160 ronpkeynes@internode.on.net
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or
ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday afternoon please …….