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 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 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 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: revmaree@bigpond.com 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
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