Whitfords Anglican Community Church Pew Sheet FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT 11 MARCH 2018 FROM ANOTHER ANGLE Is it just me, or have a lot of our readings been over the devil lately? Now I know there are several views on the matter, one being that we should not give the devil airtime i.e. "we should not talk about him and make him famous is how I have heard one person describe it. Another is that everything that goes wrong in our lives is because of the devil. The devil made me do it! One person I know sees everything in life as some evil manifestation or devil-possession, even a cold becomes a spirit of the cold that should be exorcised. Over the years societies acceptance of the devil has varied, from the middle ages where everything was blamed on the devil and anyone vaguely associated with this was put to death; to today where the devil is popularised in television, film, music and video games. Now I am not saying that television, films, music and video games are evil, NO far from it, but I am saying that evil has been made attractive and therefor acceptable through certain examples of these genres. E.g. The television series Lucifer, the music of Marilyn Manson, etc. Another popular acceptance of the devil has come through the energy drink Monster Look it up on their website https://www.monsterenergy.com. If we are looking for a red-skinned, fork-tailed, horned demon with a pitchfork looking to stick it to you, then you probably won t be encountering him very often. The devil is much slicker than that, and he has learned that mediocrity does not breed contempt, it breeds familiarity and acceptance. The devil always attacks subtly until he has a foot in the door and then he goes for the jugular, look at the story of the Seeker of Truth. When the devil saw a seeker of truth enter the house of the Master, he was determined to do everything in his power to turn him back from his quest. So, he subjected him to every form of temptation wealth, lust, prestige but the seeker was able to fight off these temptations quite easily. When he reached the Master s house, the seeker was somewhat taken aback to see the Master sitting in an upholstered chair with his disciples at his feet. That man certainly lacks humility, the principal virtue of saints, he thought to himself. Then he observed other things about the Master he did not like. For one thing, the Master took little notice of him. I suppose that s because I do not fawn over him like the others do, he said to himself. He also disliked the kind of clothes the Master wore and the somewhat conceited way he spoke. All this led him to the conclusion that he had come to the wrong place and must continue his quest elsewhere. As he walked out of the room, the Master, who had seen the devil seated in the corner of the room, said, You need not have worried, tempter. He was yours from the very first, you know. I pray that as we continue to walk this Lenten journey, God and the Angels will protect you this day and every day. Love in my Master s Name; Fr Des Smit
PRAYER OF THE DAY - FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT 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. 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 - FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT (Jeremiah 31.31-349)(Hebrews 5.5-14)(John 12.20-33) SAINTS DAYS IN NEXT WEEK Saturday 17 th Patrick, bishop, missionary to Ireland (d.461) BIBLE STUDY Bible Study will resume after Easter. For more information please contact Fr Des Smit. des.smit@yahoo.com or call 0451 920 258 FAMILY CROSSES FOR THE WEEK Angela Griffiths; Margaret Halid SPECIAL PRAYERS Please pray for our parish, leaders and clergy, every day at 18:00 (6pm) CELEBRATIONS Darius Andres (11) 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
HOLY WEEK Sunday March 25 th 09:00 Palm Sunday (With procession) Monday March 26 th 19:00 When Silence Falls Tuesday March 27 th 19:00 Tenebrae Wednesday March 28 th 19:00 Stations of the Cross Thursday March 29 th 19:00 Maundy Thursday Friday March 30 th 09:00 Veneration of the Cross Friday March 30 th 12:00 Three Hour Service Saturday March 31 st 10:00 Cleaning of the Church Saturday March 31 st 19:00 Lighting of the New Fire Sunday March 1 st 06:00 Sunrise Service (Pinnaroo) Sunday March 1 st 09:00 EASTER SUNDAY with Baptisms NOTICES Our Lenten Program (Five Love Languages), please join us on Wednesday evenings at 19:00 and Thursday mornings at 10:00 to explore this journey together. Bible Studies will resume after Easter. DIARY SUNDAY 11 MARCH 2018 FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT 9.00am Holy Communion Chapel of St Mark & St Luke 12.00 noon Dinka Service Chapel of St Mark & St Luke 7.00pm Taize Service Chapel of St Mark & St Luke TUESDAY 13 MARCH 2018 7.00pm Ladies night out Speak to Linda Patullo regard location WEDNESDAY 14 MARCH 2018 9:30am Care & Share Parish Centre 7.00pm Lenten Program (Five Love Languages) Parish Centre THURSDAY 15 MARCH 2018 10.00am Lenten Program (Five Love Languages) Parish Centre 1:30pm Meditation Rectory (19 Petrel Close, Beldon, 6027) 7.00pm Men s Fellowship Parish Centre SUNDAY18 MARCH 2018 FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT 9.00am Holy Communion Chapel of St Mark & St Luke 12.00 noon Dinka Service Chapel of St Mark & St Luke 6.00pm Evensong Chapel of St Mark & St Luke THE LAST WORD After the church service, Fr O Malley told a woman, I noticed your husband walked out in the middle of my sermon. I hope I didn t say something to offend him. Not at all, replied the wife. My husband has been walking in his sleep for years.
CONTACTS Des Smit (Rector / Monthly Newsletter/ Parish Database) 045 192 0258 des.smit@yahoo.com Martha Kongor (Assistant Priest, Sudanese) 042 275 4275 m.kongor@yahoo.com.au Marion Blackwell (Churchwarden) 040 940 1788 marion@lostrealm.com Graham Patullo (Churchwarden) - 041 797 5746 gmpatullo@yahoo.com.au David Shirley (Treasurer) 040 631 5672 - David@shapemanagement.com.au Gail Mosdell (Secretary) - 041 602 5259 gailmosdell@bigpond.com Bev Richards (Prayer Chain) 0422 814 313 bev.richards@outlook.com Diane Price (Taize Service) 9307 5591 No email address Delien Smit (Pew Sheet) 045 244 0258 Delien.smit@yahoo.com Phyllis Bawden ( Care & Share) 9307 3195 No email address Linda Patullo (Ladies night out) 9306 1448 Email address TBA Anne Barlow (Casserole Care & Bread) 0414 734 170 barlowcomet@iprimus.com.au Parish phone number & email address 9307 1112 office@whitfords.perth.anglican.org PARISH WEBSITE (For this newsletter, pew sheet and more) http://whitfords.perth.anglican.org/ DIRECT DEBIT INFORMATION The Parish account number for direct debit deposits or electronic transfer is: 706 001 30003114 Bible readings and quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/new-revised-standard-version-nrsv-bible/
1ST READING - NUMBERS 21:4-9 THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD 4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food. 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lordto take away the serpents from us. So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live. 9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. Hear the word of the Lord; Thanks be to God PSALM 107 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good: for his loving mercy is for ever. Let the Lord s redeemed say so: whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, And gathered in from every land, from the east and from the west: from the north and from the south. Fools were far gone in transgression: and because of their sins were afflicted. They sickened at any food: and had come to the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their distress: and he took them out of their trouble. He sent his word and healed them: and saved their life from the Pit. Let them thank the Lord for his goodness: and for the wonders that he does for the children of Adam; Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving: and tell what he has done with shouts of joy Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit: as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
2ND READING - EPHESIANS 2:1-10 1 You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Hear the word of the Lord; Thanks be to God GOSPEL - JOHN 3:14-21 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God. This is the Gospel of the Lord; Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ.