A member of the Central Highlands Cluster Ministry St George s, Trentham 9.00am St Mary s, Woodend 11.00am

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1 A member of the Central Highlands Cluster Ministry St George s, Trentham 9.00am St Mary s, Woodend 11.00am 5 th February 2017 The Presentation of Christ in the Temple Candlemas We acknowledge the Jaara Jaara people, the custodians of this land where we gather. We pay our respects to their elders past and present and pray for reconciliation.

2 GATHERING IN GOD S NAME Gathering Hymn 272 Come thou long expected Jesus As we sing our gathering hymn we light our candles. Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Thanks be to God. Let us pray Almighty and everlasting God who on this day did present your Son in the holy temple to be received in the arms of blessed Simeon; we humbly entreat you to bless, hallow and kindle with the light of your heavenly benediction these candles which we your servants desire to carry, lighted in the honour of your Holy Name. May we be filled with the fire of your love, and made worthy to be presented in the holy temple of your glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Shema (page 120 of the prayer book) Hear, O Israel. The Confession and absolution (page 120 of the prayer book) Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, confident in God s forgiveness. Merciful God The Gloria (page 121 of the prayer book) Glory to God in the highest Let us pray O God, you have made this day holy by the presentation of your Son in the Temple, and by the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Mercifully grant that we, who delight in her humble readiness to be the birth-giver of the Only-begotten, may rejoice for ever in our adoption as his sisters and brothers; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

3 MINISTRY OF THE WORD A reading from the book of Malachi chapter 3 verses 1-4 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner s fire and like fullers soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. For the word of the Lord thanks be to God Psalm 24 The earth is the Lord s and all that is in it: the compass of the world and those who dwell therein. For he has founded it upon the seas: and established it upon the waters. Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart: who have not set their soul upon idols, nor sworn their oath to a lie. They shall receive blessing from the Lord: and recompense from the God of their salvation. Of such a kind as this are those who seek him: those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.

4 Lift up your heads, O you gates, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors: and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory?: the Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors: and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory?: the Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. A reading from the letter to the Hebrews chapter 2 verses Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. For the word of the Lord thanks be to God Gospel Hymn 191 Hail Gladdening Light Alleluia Alleluia Your words Oh Lord, light our path and guide our hearts Alleluia

5 The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Luke chapter 2 beginning at the 22 nd verse Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord ), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. And the child s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too. There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never

6 left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him. For the Gospel of the Lord praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ The address - Rabbi Fred Morgan The affirmation of faith (page 123 of the prayer book) The Prayers of the People The Greeting of Peace We are the body of Christ His Spirit is with us. The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you. Offertory Hymn 284 O Bless the God of Israel *a collection to assist the mission of God in this parish will be taken up during this hymn we thank you for responding to God s generosity with your gift. Blessed are you..(we give thanks for the bread and wine) Blessed be God forever Blessed are you..(we give thanks for money and food offerings) Blessed be God forever

7 THE GREAT THANKSGIVING Please turn to page 150.for ever praising you and singing Please turn to page 130 Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the Highest Blessed is he who comes in the Lord s name Hosanna in the Highest Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen. The Sending out of God s people God of the nations, We thank you for nourishing us with this holy sacrament. Guide us by your presence, That we may bring your light to those who dwell in darkness, And establish your justice in the earth. Most loving God... you send us into the world you love. Give us grace to go thankfully and with courage in the power of your Spirit.

8 The Notices Final Hymn 755 You shall go out with Joy May Christ the Son of God be manifest to you, That your lives mat be a light to the world; And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. ***some thoughts from Rev. Mel Some information about Candlemas. Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus, is a Holy Day commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Forty days after the birth of a Jewish boy, it was the custom to take him to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to God by his thankful parents. It was also the time of ritual purification for the mother of a male child (a female child required a wait of eighty days before ritual purification). During that period of time the mother was unable to attend temple events and some social gatherings (have a look at Leviticus chapter 12). In our own Book of Common Prayer our tradition offers a ceremony called The Churching of Women, where prayers of thanks are offered for the safe delivery of children. The trip to church for this ceremony would usually have been the first post-birth outing for many new mothers. Our current prayer book doesn t have this service, however, we do offer a Thanksgiving for a Child (check the green book from page 43).

9 This day falls on February 2, the 40th day of the Christmas-Epiphany season, although we have moved it slightly this year so that we celebrate it together on Sunday. In our tradition we vest in white (or gold) on this day as it is considered part of the Christmas festival. The Feast of the Presentation is one of the oldest feasts of the Christian church, celebrated since the 4th century in Jerusalem. Candles were important in those days not only because there was no electric lights. Some people thought they gave protection against plague and illness and famine. For Christians, they were (and still are) a reminder of something even more important. Before Jesus birth the people walked in darkness. The candles symbolise the light of Christ in the world, guiding and comforting us. Indeed Simeon says in today s gospel reading that my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. Christians often talk of Jesus as 'the light of the World' - and candles are lit during church services, and especially at Candlemas to remind Christians of this. While it is customary for some Christians to remove their Christmas decorations on Twelfth Night (Epiphany Eve), others choose to remove them on Candlemas. On Candlemas, many Christians also bring their candles to church, where they are blessed and then used for the rest of the year. It is also considered as the day of crêpes in France, Belgium and some Swiss regions. Tradition attributes this custom to Pope Gelasius I, who had pancakes distributed to pilgrims arriving in Rome for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This ancient festival also marks the midpoint of winter in the northern hemisphere, halfway between the shortest day and the spring equinox,

10 and so the celebration of Candlemas has largely been replaced by Groundhog Day by secular culture in North America. I hope that you enjoy this day of acknowledgement and blessing of the light that is in the world with us, of the great act of faith of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the many different ways in which we can celebrate our relationship with God throughout the world. Peace, Mel. Some of the above information sourced from: ************************** Pew Bulletin Dr David Gormely O Brien visit Dr David Gormley O Brien, a Woodend local and lecturer at Trinity College, has agreed to come to St Mary s on February 19 and speak to the parish during the service about his theological reflections on how we care for the environment. He has published several books and essays on the topic and now runs his business called Three Acres and a Cow, teaching people the fundamentals of living sustainably. He is a member of the local sustainability group and the local bee keeping group. Street Stall The St Mary s Guild Street Stall is on Saturday Feb 11 th. Open House Ray and Rev. Mel welcome parishioners to their home for afternoon tea on February 12 at 2pm. Last year we had a great afternoon in the garden and I m hopeful that the weather this year will be just as kind. Please do write your name on the sheet if you re coming along for catering purposes.

11 Parish Annual General Meeting Our AGM will be held in the Norma Richardson Hall on February 19 th straight after the 11am Mass. We are now seeking nominations for Parish Council members and Wardens. If you are interested please discuss with a current Parish Council member or Warden. The Parish Council for 2016 is Derek Shepherd (Warden), John McLaren (Warden), Anne Walker, Elizabeth McInnerney, Peter Fernon, Rosie Baker and Sylvia Matthews. This is an important role, so please consider carefully and pray about how you can contribute to your church. Lenten Study This Lent we will be reading Being Christian by Rowan Williams. The books will need to pre-ordered so orders need to be in today! The book is priced around $23 the price will depend on how many I order, the more we get the cheaper they become! Please let Rev Mel know if you would like a copy. Knit and Natter Our next Knit and Natter will be February 15 at 11am. BYO lunch. We do have more Trauma Teddies to sew but you re welcome to bring your own project of you would prefer. Intercessions our prayers are asked for: Penny, Keith, John, Sam, Jim, Andrea, Alison, Ethan, Kirsten, Claire, Barbara, Valrie, Carole, Wendy, Judy, Dustin, Jonathan, Susie, Jeanette, Trevor, Helen, Rudi and Trish. Birthdays! On Tuesday we celebrate John McLaren and on Friday Norma Richardson. God s blessings on both of you for your special day and for the coming year. Years Mind and those who have died recently On Tuesday we remember Nes Wheeler

12 Readings and Clergy for next week Rev. Mel will be looking after Trentham - Woodend Deut Psalm Cor Matt 5,21-37 *if you would like to add your name to any of the rosters please see Sylvia Matthews or Rosie Baker. PO Box 699, Woodend, VIC Rector: Rev d. Ian Howarth / Assistant Curate: Rev d Melissa Clark Deacon: Rev d Neil Fitzgerald Hon. Assoc. Priest: Rev d Dr. Charles Sherlock Wardens: Derek ; John Friday is Rev Mel s day off. If you need a priest on Fridays please contact Rev. Ian.