Dear Friends,
This week, with the world around us, we have the opportunity to thank our mothers (and grandmothers and even great-grandmothers). The current ‘Mothers’ Day’ may have resulted from a marketing exercise, but let’s not waste a wonderful opportunity; without our mothers, none of us would be here. Thank you, mothers, for your love, care, tears, sleepless nights, worry, hugs, discipline, support, encouragement and the many, many meals that have made us who we are.
Autumn is a time of change and, for our church too, it is a time of change. We have one Sunday of Easter left before we are rapidly into contemplating and celebrating Jesus’s Ascension into Heaven; then Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit – and then Trinity. These coming Sundays mark the end of one church season – perhaps we might consider this the season of Jesus – and the beginning of the season of the Holy Spirit, the Christian Church, and God’s ongoing work. We will celebrate the transitions but it is time for us, as a church, to be getting on with God’s work.
I have work to do in preparation for Synod. I have been asked to consider issues for veterans and families, and issues relating to part-time ministry. We may host a conference or meeting on part-time ministry to look at how God wants us to recruit, prepare, remunerate, support, and educate future part-time ministers.
Within our parish, working with our Parish Council, I am keen to solve our administrative support needs, to comply with the newly released Safe Ministry procedures, and to address the very large ($30,000) hole in our budget.
I am also working with neighbouring parishes to develop a young adults Bible study.
Please pray for God to provide. Please pray for our Parish Council: that God will lead us, and that God will, in his power and for his glory, bless us with and show us his solutions to these challenges, so that we may both praise him and get on with his work.
Rob Law has taken on the role of putting together the next Parish Roster. My thanks to all who read, pray, welcome, count, provide morning tea, serve in the sanctuary, lead children’s ministry, and more. These active contributions are a wonderful expression of who we are; more volunteers are welcome, but if it is time to step back, that is fine too.
Grace and peace and abundant life,
Rob
Sentence: ‘I am the way and the truth and the life,’ says the Lord. ‘No one comes to
the Father except through me.’ John14:6
Collect: Ever-living, Ever-loving God, you came into this world personally to be and
to show us ‘life in all its fullness forever’: through your Spirit, open our eyes, minds
and hearts that we may see in Jesus the fullness of the Father and, believing that Jesus is the way to heaven, may humbly, faithfully follow so that we may share his risen life with you forever; we pray through Jesus our Great Shepherd who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and loves, one God now and forever. Amen
Welcome Jill
Music Mardi
Prayers Richard
Morning Tea Christine
Reader Bronwen
LA Jon
Preacher Rev Rob
1st Reading Acts 7:55-60
Psalm 33:1-5,17-18 (APBA p252)
Epistle 1 Peter 2:11-25
Gospel John 14:1-14 (I am the way and the truth and the life)
Procession 579 The blind man sat by the road
Gospel 226 Thou art the way
Communion 535 I am the bread of life
Recession 276 There's a light upon the mountains
Prayers for the people and issues within our Parish Family and Community.
For all we know and love, in times of sickness or surgery and for all who care for them, particularly:
Andrew, Geoff, Andrew, David
For all who are grieving the loss of loved ones or dealing with the imminent death of those we love.
For all who are travelling.
That we as God’s church this Easter will know the Risen Lord Jesus, hear and trust what he has to say and have the courage to follow him.
Services This Week
Wednesday 6 May at 8:30am – Morning Prayer and Bible Discussion
Sunday 10 May at 8:30am –Service of Holy Communion + Children’s program
(followed by Morning Tea)
Wednesday 13 May at 8:30am – Morning Prayer + Bible Discussion
Sunday 17 May at 8:30am –Service of Holy Communion + Children’s program
(followed by Morning Tea)
Parish Council Meeting after church
Wednesday 20 May at 8:30am – Morning Prayer + Bible Discussion
Saturday 30 May at 7:30am – Ladies’ and Men’s Breakfasts
Next Sunday ‘Ascension’ 17 May 26
Roster (a number of changes so please check and confirm)
Welcome Judy
Music Glenys
Prayers Bronwyn
Morning Tea Lainie
Reader Bronwen
LA Stephen
Preacher Rev Rob
1st Reading Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 47 (APBA p270)
Epistle 1 Peter 5
Gospel Matthew 28:16-20 (Go and make disciples)
Procession 376 I know that my Redeemer lives
Gospel 699 A new commandment x2
Communion 609 May the mind of Christ my saviour
Recession 650 Brother, sister, let me serve you
Next Roster – We are reviewing our list of volunteers in preparation for producing the next roster. This is our opportunity to add new people to our group of volunteers for reading, praying, welcoming
and preparing morning tea. It’s also an opportunity for people to withdraw from the list. Rob Law has taken on this task and has probably contacted most of the current volunteers but if you haven’t been contacted and would like to be please speak with him. Parish Council Secretary: Rob Law
Mobile 0403 842 329 – Email roblaw1512@gmail.com
Low Gluten or Gluten Free wafers – We have ‘low gluten’ wafers available every Sunday and are happy to ‘consecrate’ and give them to you but we need to know who would like them. We also have ‘gluten free’ wafers. Asking before the Service is helpful but you can also ask during the distribution of the bread and wine.
–The volunteers from St Hugh’s Anglican Church at Inala greatly
appreciate our support for their work. They are helping twice as many people this year compared to last. Thanks Helen D for the new sign. Food items for Inala Pantry can be left in the marked area in the church for delivery to Inala.
Our Church Email moggillmtcrosby@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Follow Anglican News on our Website: www.mmcanglican.org.au
Clergy:
The Reverend Rob Sutherland, CSC - Priest-in-Charge (part-time)
Mobile 0406 767 757 – Email Rob.Sutherland@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
The Reverend Angela McNeill (Honorary Assistant Priest)
Mobile 0439 877 057 - Email ajmcneil@bigpond.net.au
Church Wardens:
Bronwen Thomas Mobile 0448 120 218 - Email bronwen.thomas@sap.com
Helen Donovan Mobile 0417 789 433 - Email alheld@bigpond.net.au
Richard Ponsonby Mobile 0448 899 801 rbponsonby@gmail.com
Parish Council Secretary: Rob Law Mobile 0403 842 329 – Email roblaw1512@gmail.com
Treasurer and Hall Hire contact: Richard Ponsonby Mobile 0448 899 801 - Email
moggillmtcrosby.treasurer@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Children’s Ministry Coordinator: Helen Donovan Mobile 0417 789 433
Maintenance Coordinator: Anne Greenwood Mobile 0438 201 900
Email annejeanette1949@outlook.com
First Reading – Acts 7:55-60
55 But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 57 But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58 Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed,m “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.
Epistle – 1Peter 2:11-25
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.[a] 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.[b]
13 For the Lord’s sake be subject to every human authority,[c] whether to the emperor as supreme 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. 16 As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. 17 Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only those who are good and gentle but also those who are dishonest. 19 For it is a commendable thing if, being aware of God, a person endures pain while suffering unjustly. 20 If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do good and suffer for it, this is a commendable thing before God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Gospel – John 14:1-14 Jesus the Way to the Father
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.