From Rev Canon Maree
Readings for
next week
Acts 2: 1-21
Romans 8: 22-27
Psalm 104: 26-36
John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b15
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Bishop’s Visit: Bishop Greg Thompson will visit our parish on Sunday,
14 June. There will be one service in the parish that day. It would be
great if all of the parish could come along on that Sunday. Bishop Greg
will stay for Morning Tea. If everyone could please bring a plate of food
to share that would be wonderful. Bishop Greg will meet the full Parish
Council, ie the Resource Committee and the Ministry team, for one hour
after morning tea.
Blessings
Rev Canon Maree
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Holy Communion: Home communion will be given today. Please pray
for our extended faith community.
Also this Week:
Mon 18/5
Wed 20/5
Thurs 21/5
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9.00 am
10.00 am12.00 Noon
5.30 pm
6.30 pm
Morning Prayer
Lollypops Playgroup
Meet at St John’s for Evening Prayer
Visit to Newcastle Synagogue
Afterwards dinner at Cooks’ Hill hotel.
See Rev Maree or John Hyde if you
require a lift. All are welcome.
SRE in schools
St John’s Lollypops: Our playgroup is held every Wednesday
from 10.00 am-12.00 pm during the school term. All are welcome
to come along and join in. Gina Parslow will lead this group.
Parents and carers are supported in this ministry as well.
Mission Giving for May 2015 – The Bible Society: It’s been said that
“Studying the Bible not only illuminates our minds; it warms our hearts,
feeds our souls and changes our lives” Nicky Gumbel. The goal of the
Bible Society Australia is to translate, publish, distribute and engage
people with the Bible within Australia and overseas and at a price they
can afford. Please donate generously so that this society can distribute
The Bible to those who cannot access it as easily as we can. NB
Nicholas Glyn Paul "Nicky" Gumbel is an ordained Anglican priest, vicar
and author. He is known as the developer of the Alpha course, a basic
introduction to Christianity supported by churches of many Christian
traditions.
PRAYER LIST
Ian
Paul
Yvonne
Ann
Lynn
FOCUS
Please Read Psalm 1
The writer of Psalm 1 challenges us to discover true happiness, and surely this
is part of the process we have entered into during this Easter season. We have
looked at what stops us from thriving. We have become aware that we no
longer need things that separate us from God. We have been challenged to
understand that happiness is found in having a right relationship with God
based on living just and compassionate lives.
While we may not necessarily use the language of the Psalmist, there is
wonderful imagery in Psalm 1: Those who delight in God ’are like trees planted
by streams of water’ as they flourish.
When we understand what separates us from God and from our neighbour, we
can be proactive in letting go of those things: they become ‘like chaff that the
wind drives away’. Jesus desired happiness (well being) for people as he prays
‘that they may have my joy complete in themselves (John 17: 13). We flourish
when we open our hearts and lives to God.
I pray that we will continue to discern and be open to God’s loving presence
throughout the world and all of creation, as we make choices in our lives.
Amen
LEADERS AND LEADING
Leaders are important in our life together. I wonder what sort of qualities you
expect or long for in leaders of the church community? Following are some
examples:
Authority
Wisdom
Counsel
Maturity
Shepherd
Carer
Preaching God’s message
Encouraging
Hard worker
Prayerful
Loving
Good director
Teacher
What are the important qualities that we need in the church today? What would
you think are the most important qualities in our community?
Pray for all our leaders as they discern, teach and lead.
PARISH OF LAMBTON
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
‘Do not aspire to know it all. Aspire
to listen to it all and to respond with
compassion. It is only compassion
that makes life livable for anybody.’
FROM BISHOP GREG
ABM has launched an Emergency Appeal for Nepal, working in partnership with ACT
Alliance members. More information about the Appeal may be found here.
http://www.abmission.org/appeals.php/26/nepal-earthquake-emergency-appeal.
Parishes can support the appeal through their Mission Giving by marking the funds
“Nepal Earthquake Emergency” and /or by using the code NP0001 on the Mission
Remittance form under ABM Project.
Please continue to pray for the people of Nepal at this time, and the relief agencies
St John the Baptist
Lambton
St Margaret
Jesmond
17 May 2015
Priest: Rev Canon Maree
Pastoral Care Deacon: Rev Daphne Turnbull
Armstrong
Phone: 4955 8284
Rector’s Warden: Gina Parslow
Phone: 4957 1073
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0448 308 637
Address: 18 Morehead Street, LAMBTON NSW 2299
Website: www.lambtonanglicanparish.com.au
BSB 032-507 - Account No 560302
Today’s Scripture Readings – Seventh Sunday
of Easter Sunday
Acts 1: 15-17, 21-26
1 John 5: 9-13
Psalm 1
John 17: 6-19
FLOURISH
PENTECOST
24TH May. Please wear RED on that day. We will have a Pentecost service to give
thanks for the birth of the church and also give thanks for Baptisms that have part of
our community.
Please invite family to come along.
ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS
Orders are now being taken. Please contact Gina Parslow by Friday 22nd May if you
wish to purchase. This is fund raiser for our church as well as providing good value on
entertainment purchases.
Welcome Rev Paul Robertson to the 9 am service this morning. Rev Paul will
preach and celebrate.
Last week’s passages placed resurrection in the broader context of God’s liberation
of Creation and all creation’s praise of the Creator. This week’s passages and the
image of the just person as a tree planted by streams of water grounds resurrection
life in loving communities that are grounded in Creation.
Anthropocentrism (is the philosophical view that humans are separate from the rest
of the natural world) and dualism (a view of human beings as two irreducible
elements, matter and spirit) have been identified as the reasons some modern
Christians have had difficulty addressing climate change and other environmental
issues as pressing moral concerns. If we see ourselves as above the creation or
better than, it is difficult then to see that we need to care for our environment
material and spiritual are not different.
The recovery of ancient wisdom reflection on Creation that does not separate the
spiritual from the material might help overcome this thinking. Water and trees and
all living creatures are something that we can learn from and share God’s Earth with,
after all, we are all created by God.
Prayer
God of all wisdom, give us visions of the life you intend for us. May your ways be
our ways. Guide us in building a Spirit-led community that bears fruit that is pleasing
to you, and beneficial to our neighbours. Amen