2 nd July, 2017 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost. Welcome to all those who are visiting us today. Please join us for refreshments after the service

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1 Anglican Parish of Charlestown St Alban s Charlestown, St Martin s Kahibah A place for everyone, serving the Kingdom of God, following Jesus Christ. Rectory: 4 St Alban s Close, Charlestown, NSW 2290 Ph: stalban@bigpond.net.au Web: We acknowledge the Awabakal people who are the traditional custodians of this land we worship on today. 2 nd July, 2017 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Welcome to all those who are visiting us today. Please join us for refreshments after the service The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations they are new every Readings: Genesis Psalm 13 Romans Mathew Prayer for the week; O God, who for our redemption gave your only begotten Son to suffer death upon a cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of the enemy: grant us so to die daily to sin that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

2 Intercessions: In our Newcastle Diocese, we pray for: Bishop Administrator Peter Stuart and Nicki, Diocesan Boards and Committees In the national church we pray for: General Synod and Synod Commissions In the wider Church, we pray for: All those who have suffered loss either by terrorism or natural disaster. The Diocese of Guadalcanal (Bp Nathan Tome & Selena) The Revd. David and Priya Morgan, Paraburdoo Sue Prosser (Paid SRE teacher) In the wider community we pray for; United Nations and the International Court of Justice. The First Peoples of the Diocese especially the Awabakal, Biripi, Darkinjung, Geawegal, Kamilaroi, Worimi and Wonnarua peoples. In Our Church we pray for; We pray for Archdeacon Wendy, Lu Piper, Ruth and Bob, the parish council, David Hesketh and Kim. We give thanks and pray for the faithful departed: (connected to our parish) Douglas Campbell, Alan Skinner, Stanley Rees, George Turner. We pray for those in our parish who need support or have experienced loss recently: We pray for Strength, peace and healing: Greg Thompson and Kerry, Louie Impiazzi, Doug and Julia Roberts, Carrie Neale, Brian and Glenys Conway, Clare, Luke and Glenda, Debbie Bell, Ruth Boundy, Rebecca Ferguson, Frank and Helen Firken, Anne Preston, Pryer family. Rosters Bev has ed the new rosters to appropriate people if you have not received them print copies are available in the Narthex. This week at St Alban s Sunday 8.30am Eucharist 10.30am Resource team meeting Monday 8.30am Silent Meditation 5.30pm Meeting at Rigbys Wednesday 8.30am Short Morning Prayer everyone welcome School Holidays Read the Bible & Pray during the week (Monday) Psalm 9 Sirach (Tuesday) Psalm 11;12 Sirach (Wednesday) Psalm 15;16 Sirach Thursday) Psalm Sirach (Friday) Psalm 19 Sirach (Saturday) Psalm 20 Sirach

3 ANNOUNCEMENT So there s good news and bad news; there s better and there s worse. But we have some great news if you can bear to read this verse. We re having a party! We re planning a do! We d like you all to join us, that s you and you and you. July 23 at St Alban s, come along about noon. We ll celebrate our milestones, one July, the other June. One s our anniversary, one s three score and ten. We d love for you to be there, it would be great to see you then. Rsvp to our mobiles John by July 18 please Ruth Sea Sunday celebration will be observed in our diocese on Sunday 16th July with a Sung Evensong in the Cathedral at 6.00pm. You re welcome to join us. On Sea Sunday we remember the 1.5 million seafarers around the world who make possible the transportation of nearly everything we use (more than 90% of trade is estimated to be transported by sea). And we pray for the work of the Mission to Seafarers as we care for seafarers in 200 ports and around 50 countries, including here in Newcastle. Thank you for supporting the ministry of the Mission to Seafarers, and I pray for God s continued blessing. Peter Middleton Chaplain: The Mission to Seafarers, Newcastle

4 IHS -What do these letters stand for? The letters IHS sometimes appear on altar cloths, stained glass windows, clergy vestments, and numerous other places associated with Christians. There are a couple of official answers. The most commonly accepted is that they represent the Greek letters iota, eta, and sigma, the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek. Another explanation, which makes sense in those instances where the letters are separated by periods, is that they are the first letters of the Latin words Iesu Hominum Salvator, meaning Jesus, Savior of Humankind. There are several other understandings, including In His Service. Most important of all, the letters are a symbol, and symbols by their very nature can have many meanings, just as God is experienced and understood in many ways. Be Teachable. Twelve bees were placed in a jar in a darkened room. A light was beamed onto the bottom of the jar, and then the lid removed. Instinctively, the bees flew towards the light and couldn t escape. So they died trying to buzz their way through the bottom of the jar. Next the researchers took twelve common houseflies and repeated the experiment. Within seconds the flies had found their way out of the jar. Now, bees are more intelligent than flies and their survival instincts are better. Yet it was those very instincts that doomed the bees. There s a lesson here. You may be very intelligent, yet your preconceived notions can doom you to failure in life. Assumptions, rigidity, and force of habit can cause you to keep doing things that don t work and make no sense. Dr James Dobson says: Until 1992 I wrote books with pencils and yellow pads. I did that for years after word processors were available. The twentieth century was almost over before I decided to join it. Are you afraid to abandon an old belief system, or learn a new skill, or tackle a new project? When you re finished learning, you re finished! The only real limitations are those we place on ourselves by refusing to learn. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning (Proverbs 9:9 NKJV). The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge (Proverbs 18:15 NKJV). Don t let your fears and preconceived ideas keep you from growing; be teachable. Jesus prayed when important decisions had to be made. Do we do the same?

5 Winter clothing needed for Windale Merrigum Centre Op-Shop. We are constantly in need of good quality clothing and household goods to be able to sell and also to give out to the needier people of the greater Windale community. Donations can be dropped off at the church hall any Tuesday morning between 9am and 12midday Next Sunday 9 th July, 2017 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Genesis , 42-49, Psalm Romans Matthew (20-24) St Albans am Eucharist Prayers: T. Davis Reading: B. Taylor Sacristan: B. Rigby Sanctuary: R. Menhenick, K. Kear L.L. Ass: L. Adams Music: Robert Sound: Helen Welcomers: R. Bath, S. Whyte Morning Tea: B. Taylor / J. Campbell St Martins am Sin has a deadly grip upon us, particularly when we cannot let go of our sin, cannot move forward. Jesus forgives us, provides the means whereby we can forgive others and ourselves. Through the loving act of forgiveness, we are offered newness of life. We can breathe; we can start over; we can begin again. This is grace. Parish Ministry Team: Archdeacon Wendy Dubojski: Priest Sharon Butler: Building a new Faith Community Neville Thomas: Working for a Better Community The Rev. Ruth Brand & Brian Taylor: Christian Formation and Discipleship The Rev. Robert Peattie: Community Chaplain for Carers Wardens John Francis jfr56202@bigpond.net.au Anthony Butler anthonybutler1@bigpond.com Sue Thomas suzanne_thomas@live.com.au