The greatest commandments are about the relationship we have with the Lord and with one another. What’s important to God is this relationship where the Lord is central to our lives and key to all our actions and decisions, but most importantly, loved. The relationship is to be one of father and child, and, with one another, sister and brother living and working together in love as God’s family. What the head of that family says is what we live by because we love our Father and want to please him. How we treat one another is to be in accordance with the loving witness the Lord Jesus has given to us. That witness is love to the point of sacrificing his own life for our sake. It’s a high standard but it’s God’s standard and the Lord gives us no place for excuses. In the second exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees in our reading this Sunday is an intentional change in Jesus’ strategy. His question about the Messiah and David is designed to their attitudes toward him. If he is just another human being and they’re not listening to him, then they may be guilty of not listening to a prophet but if Jesus is the Messiah, and therefore divine, then every word he says is from God and they are ignoring God himself. This is a serious issue and this question is designed to make sure they have considered what they’re doing. The cross is close and Jesus doesn’t want anyone to be missing in the kingdom. These are the actions of love at work with free will. Jesus works hard at his conversations with the leaders so they will recognise who he is in the long run and make the choice to believe. The love he has for every individual, no matter who they are, drives him on to bring them to know and believe in him. Once he has gone to the cross and given his life as the ultimate gift of love, then been raised, these words will help them to remember and to seek the truth and come to him in faith. Jesus never wanted anyone to be left behind, even the pharisees. Who do you know that you can pray for to respond to Jesus today?
Janice
This Week
| SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am | |
| Healing Service, 6.00pm | |
| MONDAY: | Study Group, St Mark’s, 7.00pm – 9:00pm |
| Contact Kevin or Anne (0438 234 857) | |
| Level 1 Safe Ministry Training St Mark’s, 2.00 – 4.00pm | |
| Contact Janice | |
| Study Group, St Mark’s, 7.00pm – 9.00pm | |
| Contact Kevin or Anne (0438 234 857) | |
| TUESDAY: | Zoom Prayer Meeting, 1.30pm |
| Contact John (0421426156) | |
| Online Study Group, 7.00pm | |
| Contact Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| Service of Prayer and Praise, St Mark’s 8pm | |
| It’s Halloween and we want to pray together and | |
| praise the Lord Jesus Christ | |
| WEDNESDAY: | Holy Communion, 10.00am |
| Study Group St Mark’s,11.00am | |
| Contact Keith (0419 551 082) | |
| Cuppa, Craft & Chat Group, St Mark’s, 12.30pm | |
| Contact Robyn (0409 425 044) | |
| THURSDAY: | Men’s Coffee & Chat Blackthorn Café, 10.00am |
| Contact Steve (0437 984 679) | |
| Women’s Bible Study, St Mark’s, 9.30am | |
| Contact Fay (0401 404 280) | |
| FRIDAY: | JANICE’S DAY OFF |
| NEXT SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am |
Worship Times
| SUNDAY: | 8.45am | Holy Communion |
| 10.30am | Family Worship with Children’s Ministry | |
| (Holy Communion – 1st Sundays) | ||
| 6.00pm | Healing Service – 1st Sundays | |
| WEDNESDAY: | 10.00am | Holy Communion |
Parish Contact Details
| Monitored contact points | 0493 280 691 |
| contact@stmarksdromana.org.au | |
| Parish Web Addresses | www.stmarksdromana.org.au |
| Facebook page | https://www.facebook.com/stmarksdromana |
| Pastoral Care Coordinators | Kevin and Anne Cranwell (0438 234 457 Kevin) |
Notices:
New Light Switches…
Recently we had two new light switches installed for the Foyer/ Narthex and Toilets. Both switches are beside the name tag boards on the right hand side of the door as you enter the building. PLEASE DO NOT go to the switchboard to turn the lights on or off. Please remember (being creatures of habit) to turn off the lights at the switches located beside the name tag boards just inside the entry/exit door. Thank you.
Annual Meeting…
Our Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday 12th November immediately following a combined 10am service of Holy Communion. Please submit your reports to Janice no later than Sunday 23rd October. Nomination forms for Parish Council will be available from 15th October, please prayerfully consider if you are being called to serve next church year. The electoral roll will be reviewed over the next two weeks. If you have not yet enrolled or wish to step off the roll please see Janice. If you are new to the parish and/or have not yet completed the Level 1 Safe Ministry Training and need to, please take note of the following dates: Orientation for new parishioners Sunday 29th October after the 10.30 service over lunch. Level 1 Safe Ministry training Monday 30th October at 2pm in the church. For details see Janice.
Level 1 Safe Ministry Training…
If you are new to the parish and/or have not yet completed the Level 1 Safe Ministry Training and need to, please take note of the following dates: If you have not yet completed the Level 1 Safe Ministry Training and need to, there will be a training session on Monday 30th October at 2pm in the church. For details please see Janice. It is important to note that we need to have all those who need to have done Safe Ministry Training to have attended by the 30th November. After that date, no person is going to be allowed to perform their duties without having done the training, even if they have been doing so before that date. This includes all the Op Shop volunteers and all who are on rostered duties or hold any office in the Parish. After 30th November, new volunteers will be required to first complete this training before they begin. The rules have changed so if you’re not sure whether you need to do this or not, see Janice.
Special Services 2023
| 3rd December | St John’s, Sorrento – Lessons & Carols for Advent |
| 17th December | St Mark’s, Dromana – Lessons & Carols for Christmas |
This Week’s Prayer Focus
In our country and the world:
- For all in Israel and Gaza.
- For those facing homelessness, hardship, anguish and despair amid rising costs.
- For families affected by violence.
- For those affected by natural disasters in around the world.
- For King Charles III, the UK and the Commonwealth.
- For peace and unity in countries around the World.
- For aid agencies such as “Save the Children”, Oxfam, CARE, UNICEF, World Vision.
In our community:
- For teachers and students.
- For doctors, nurses, paramedics, Coast Guard, the CFA & SES.
- For local community outreach groups such as the Dromana Community House and “Food for All”.
In our Diocese and beyond:
- For Archbishop Geoffrey Smith’s ministry as Primate of Australia.
- For Archbishop Philip Freier’s ministry in the Diocese of Melbourne.
- For the ministry of Bishop Paul Barker in the Jumbunna Region and for Archdeacon Helen Phillips in the Frankston Archdeaconry. Give thanks that Archdeacon Helen is now well and beginning to return to work.
- In our Deanery, we pray for the Parish of St George’s Red Hill and their Vicar Rev’d Fiona Goy.
- For the work of the Church Missionary Society and Wei-Han the Victorian Director.
- For Anna Radkovic our CMS Link Missionary. Anna has arrived in Kenya. Anna’s updated prayer letter is on the board in the Narthex. There is also an article about Anna in the October issue of the Melbourne Anglican.
- For Christian churches around the world to be free to worship and be witnesses of the love of God as shown through the coming of His Son.
In our Parish:
- For our leadership and ministry teams.
- For Rev’d Janice O’Gorman our Vicar.
- For the finances of our Parish.
- For our Parish, its people and those we reach out to every week.
- For the success of the new Family and Children’s Ministry.
- For the 9am at home prayer time for the Parish, Dromana & Mornington Peninsula.
- For: Margie, Edna, Fred, Tahlia, Robert, Jan, David, Irene, Guy, Ruth. The family of Beverley Barger who passed away this week. Her funeral will be held at St Mark’s on Friday 3rd November at 2pm
