Newsletter

Sunday 18th March, 2012
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Mothering Sunday

WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. Breakfast is available in the Hall after the 8 am service and morning tea after the 10 am. All are welcome. Sunday School is in action …..

Collect for Lent IV
Everlasting God in Whom we live and move and have our being, You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You: give us purity of heart and strength of purpose, that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing Your will, no weakness prevent us from doing it; that in Your light we may see light, and in Your service find perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS read by Hal S-C
Readings Numbers 21: 4—9 and Ephesians 2: 1—10
GOSPEL John 3: 14—21
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, Jenny Jeffrey, Dorothy Furnival, the Swaby family, Lynda Knight, Dianne Cordes. Ivanka Cosic, Jim (fighting cancer;) Jake and Gail. Michelle post op in NY, Eddie Barber, Hazel Looney, Tommy Ferguson, and Judith Manning.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kumiko Araki, Barbara Corbett
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Iris & Eric Downes
YEAR’S MIND— Shirley Marston (2005) Anne Martin (1999) Edwina Christie (2000)
Harold Crouch (2009)

PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Lent V
Readings Jeremiah 31: 31—34 & Hebrews 5: 5—14
GOSPEL John 12: 20—33

REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am Wednesdays at Pressley’s
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
SINGING GROUP Meets after the 10am service each Sunday. All singers welcome
MOTHERS’ UNION - meets third Thursdays each month at 2.00pm

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 Craig Deane or Don Caddy
Sunday after Trevor Tregenza or Joy Campbell
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader n/a Intercessor Mary V
Sunday after Reader n/a Intercessor n/a
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Noeleen Carter (no flowers)
Brass Margaret Carruthers Cleaning Susan Lee
Mark your diary please ......
(a) The Parish Annual Vestry Meeting on 25th March - reports due
(b) Wedding May 5 Private function in Hall May 6
(c) St John's drama production in hall afternoon and evening of May 31 and June 1
(d) St John's Exams 17-20 July and 29/10-14/11
Details of Lenten Studies with Warren
Thursday mornings 10.30am to 11.45am From 23rd Feb to 29 Mar (but not 15 Mar)
Sunday mornings 11.45am to 12.30pm in the Church starting 26 Feb
Monday evenings 7.45pm – 9.15pm at the Rectory, 12 Gulfview Road, Blackwood. Lenten Envelopes for ABM: Many parishioners received 'gold envelopes' for their Lenten Offerings last Sunday. For those who missed out, gold envelopes are still available on the table in the foyer.

Faith of the Elders
The ‘Faith of the Elders’ Exhibition will be opened by Bishop Tom Harris next Sunday at 5pm with wine and nibbles. The church will be a gallery for the evening as we display photographic portraits of 12 of our ‘elders’ alongside their stories of faith and connection with the church. It’ll be a combination of faith, art, local history and celebration.

Bible study/discussion for young adults.
Stephen will be running a Bible Study/discussion group for the young adults in our congregation. We’re wanting to support these fantastic young people as they grow in faith. Please pray for the group as they meet on Sunday evenings.

Information has just come to hand about the latest YOUTH THRIVE SERVICE to be held at Concordia College, 45 Cheltenham Street, Highgate on 23rd March at 7.00pm. Cost is $5 for supper.
For more detail contact Sam Bleby on sam.bleby@stmatts.asn.au

The Flea Market – 19th May YOU can help make this a successful event…..it is planned to keep the Flea Market / Jumble Sale to a manageable level with stalls mainly occupying the hall.

Warren is looking for assistance for the Children’s Good Friday Service at 9.00am. The Stations of the Cross service needs adult helpers—more info from Fr. Warren .

Special Note: A strong capable father of two requires work to support his children—willing to do gardening, cleaning or anything. Phone Yvonne Myers on 8278 6297

RONBLOG …… on today’s Readings
In the early years of my pilgrimage as a Christian, I recall feeling a little superior to first century Christians, when St. Paul exhorted the early Church about such things as ‘the ruler of the power of the air’ and all that jazz. It was quite similar to the general attitude then to the Old Testament references to worship of idols, as we wondered, tittering behind our hands, how anyone anywhere could waste time and effort ‘bowing down to gods of gold and silver and wood!’ Surely people thought deeper than that!
However, the more you live and grow, develop and observe, the more it becomes obvious that regardless of the time in history or the place on the planet, those old practices are reverted to, even if the ways and means are expressed a little differently. Idols in particular are very much the current fad in the 21st Century, though the focus may be different. Cars and homes and status replace the figurines; but the crux is very much on ego, self. And the ‘ruler of the power of the air’ translates quite easily and clearly to ‘the spirit of the age,’ which is just as focussed inward to what I want and how can I get it ..... and why not now!!!? NOW!
There is no vast gap between people of Old and New Testament times and now, except the capacity to reach towards those selfish goals are more available to a far wider audience, or at least that is the case in our Australian scene. Failure to recognize such issues – and the damage they cause – is part of the reason for the Faith being castigated as irrelevant, and that is a false assessment very widely accepted.
You may well think that I am being very negative – especially in an age that is determined to be positive! That maybe the case, but my other issue with today is that one is supposed to be so very positive even when the evidence points to a rather more serious situation. In other words, I have difficulty with people who hold on tightly to froth and bubble when it is so very obvious that it will all crumble and disappear in their very hands ere long. So when I see the Sentence for today and the combination of readings apart from the Old Testament, my concern meter rises. Why? Because for so long and so often I hear preachers preaching and people ‘understanding’ a gospel of most shallow roots and of lack of veracity. Folly is folly even if when it is elevated beyond its value.

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