Whitfords Anglican Community Church Weekly Pew Sheet

Transcription

1 Whitfords Anglican Community Church Weekly Pew Sheet Eighth Sunday after Pentecost 30 July 2017 THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THINGS As we look to the Gospel for this week, and as I try to make sense of just what is my treasure, I am reminded of the tale of the Flower Lady, as told by John Aurelio. I hope it has the same impact on you that it had on me. One evening a workman was wearily plodding his way home when he stopped to rest by the side of the road. A woman came by the place, hauling a cart full of flowers. The smell of her blossoms so perfumed the air with sweetness that it seemed to take away the weariness of his bones and to lighten his spirits. He had never experienced such wonder from the many bloom of his own garden. How much must I pay, or what must I do, to have some of your wonderful flowers? he asked the woman. Oh, good sir, she said, take what you wish. What return must I make for them? he questioned again. Your gratitude is enough, she said. So the man filled his arms with blossoms and hastened joyfully home. And his wife and his children rejoiced with him over the remarkable flowers, for they too discovered that the sight of them was a delight and the smell of them refreshed the soul. So as not to lose his treasure, the man planted blossoms in a small plot of land behind his house. Sunlight and water kept them amazingly beautiful, still performing their marvellous magic. When children came to play in the yard, the man cautioned them against carelessness and wild play lest they trample the flowers and damage them. But the flowers remained hardy and strong so long as there was enough sun and moisture to nourish them. Nowhere else could the man or his wife or children find such remarkable solace from weariness, such comfort in sadness, such spiritual nourishment as those remarkable flowers provided. Here was a treasure beyond value. And as the family grew and more children came to play in the garden the man became even more concerned over his remarkable flowers. He was determined to protect them, and so he built a high wall around them. In time, because of his numerous children, he would allow them entrance to the small sanctuary only sparingly and with utmost care. Unfortunately, this began to cause consternation among the family members. If the children caused their father stress or anguish, he would refuse them access to the flowers. Eventually he set up rules as to who may enter the sanctuary, how they must enter, and what they must do while they are in there. For his part he continued to see that his treasure received enough sunlight and water so that the flowers continued to perform their wondrous magic. As grandchildren began to appear, the man felt even greater need to safeguard his treasure. Access to the flowers was open to all members of the family, but not without certain precautions. Requirements were to be met and standards upheld. Offices were established to judge worthiness and determine accessibility. It became necessary to have lawyers defend and judges to weigh and guards to safeguard and caretakers to upkeep, and on and on and on. The man s family, however saw less and less of the flowers and experienced less and less of their magical powers. In the meantime, many of them went out in search of the flower lady. Well she was still out there, still giving away her amazing flowers. God bless you as you keep seeking the greatest treasure of all, the love, mercy and grace of the Living God. Love in my Master s Name; Fr Des Smit

2 PRAYER OF THE DAY Collect O God, the fount of wisdom, you have revealed to us in Christ the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price: grant us your Spirit s gift of discernment, that, in the midst of the things of this world, we may learn to value the priceless worth of your kingdom, and be ready to renounce all else for the sake of the precious gift you offer. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. PRAYER FOR UNITY Our Father, we thank You for our Church Family. Thank You for calling each of us to serve Your Kingdom through this wonderful church. Holy Spirit, we ask You to fill us with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. As a Church Family, help us to be fruitful in every good work and to increase in Your knowledge. Teach us how to live together in unity. Walk us through the steps of rebuilding loving fellowship between us. Help us to continue to obey Your command to love our neighbour as ourselves. Give us a willing heart to allow You to guide our lives. Show us all how to mend the broken relationships and restore balance to our Church Family. Please strengthen us and help us to represent Your Kingdom in the earth. Please empower us to give of our talents, gifts and resources to manifest true and loving change in our city. We pray this in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen NEXT SUNDAY S READINGS 6 AUGUST 2017 Ninth Sunday after Pentecost (Genesis ) (Romans 9.1-8) (Matthew ) SAINTS DAYS IN NEXT WEEK Monday 31 st Joseph of Arimathea Monday 31 st Ignatius of Loyola, priest and founder of the Society of Jesus (d. 1556) Tuesday 1 st Holy men and women of the Old Testament Thursday 3 rd STEPHEN, DEACON AND FIRST MARTYR (if not observed on( December 26 th ) Friday 4 th John Baptist Vianney, parish priest (Ars, France; d 1895) Saturday 5 th Oswald, King and martyr (d.642) BAPTISM CANDIDATES Kaitlyn Marie Smit (Shaun & Laura Parents) Leah Helen Tierney (Dean & Sarah Parents) Eli James Desmond Nugent (Kristie Parent) Emily Ava Grace Meacham (Mark & Sandra Parents) BIBLE STUDY Bible Study is held each Wednesday evening from 7.00pm to 8.00pm and Thursday mornings from 10.00am to am in the parish Centre. For more information please contact Fr Des Smit. des.smit@yahoo.com or call

3 FAMILY CROSSES FOR THE WEEK OF 23/07/2017 TO 30/07/2017 Anne Clark; Philip and Sandy Cooke & family SPECIAL PRAYERS Please pray for our parish, leaders and clergy, every day at 18:00 (6pm) BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES Laura Smit (1) Thomas Andres (2) Isaac Kay (3) Erin Mosdell (4) BIRTHDAY PRAYER Lord God, Thank you for those times of celebration, when we remember the amazing day of our birth and our beginning here on earth. We pray that you would bless our dear friend, as we gather to give thanks for the wonder of this life, and for all the stages and seasons that they have been through. And we ask for your blessing upon the way ahead. May you continue to walk with them as their great guide and close friend. Amen. SUNDAY 30 JULY 2017 SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 9:00am Holy Communion Chapel of St Mark & St Luke noon Dinka Service Chapel of St Mark & St Luke NO EVENING SERVICE TUESDAY 01 AUGUST 2017 Men s Fellowship The Dome at Hillary s WEDNESDAY 2 AUGUST am Share & Care Parish Centre 7.00pm Bible study Parish Centre THURSDAY 3 AUGUST am Bible Study Parish Centre FRIDAY 4 AUGUST am Meditation Home of Annemarie Marks (Please speak to Annemarie or Marion for address and directions) SUNDAY 6 AUGUST NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 9:00am Holy Communion Chapel of St Mark & St Luke noon Dinka Service Chapel of St Mark & St Luke NO EVENING SERVICE

4 Des Smit (Rector / Monthly Newsletter/ Parish Database) des.smit@yahoo.com Martha Kongor (Assistant Priest, Sudanese) m.kongor@yahoo.com.au Marion Blackwell (Churchwarden) marion@lostrealm.com Graham Patullo (Churchwarden) gmpatullo@yahoo.com.au Paul James (Treasurer) jameshg@iinet.net.au Gail Mosdell (Secretary) gailmosdell@bigpond.com Bev Richards (Prayer Chain) bev.richards@outlook.com Diane Price (Taize Service) No address Noeleen & Lauren Stewart (Name Badges) Noeleen.stewart1@bigpond.com Delien Smit (Weekly Pew Sheet) Delien.smit@yahoo.com Anne Barlow (Casserole Care & Bread) barlowcomet@iprimus.com.au Parish phone number & address office@whitfords.perth.anglican.org PARISH WEBSITE (For this newsletter, pew sheet and more) DIRECT DEBIT INFORMATION The Parish account number for direct debit deposits or electronic transfer is: Bible readings and quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version

5 1ST READING - Genesis THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be? 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel. 19 Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me. 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed. 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25 When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me? 26 Laban said, This is not done in our country giving the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me for another seven years. 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. Hear the word of the Lord; Thanks be to God PSALM O give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name: tell among the peoples what things he has done. Sing to him, O sing praises: and be telling of all his marvellous works. Exult in his holy name: and let those that seek the Lord be joyful in heart. Seek the Lord and his strength: O seek his face continually. Call to mind what wonders he has done: his marvellous acts, and the judgements of his mouth, O seed of Abraham his servant: O children of Jacob his chosen one. For he is the Lord our God: and his judgements are in all the earth. He has remembered his covenant for ever: the word that he ordained for a thousand generations, The covenant that he made with Abraham: the oath that he swore to Isaac, And confirmed it to Jacob as a statute: to Israel as an everlasting covenant, Saying I will give you the land of Canaan: to be the portion of your inheritance, Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and will be forever. Amen

6 2ND READING - Romans Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hear the word of the Lord; Thanks be to God GOSPEL - Matthew The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46 on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Have you understood all this? They answered, Yes. 52 And he said to them, Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. 53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place. 54 He came to his home town and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? 55 Is not this the carpenter s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this? 57 And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, Prophets are not without honour except in their own country and in their own house. 58 And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief. This is the Gospel of the Lord; Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ.