August 6th always has personal significance for me as it is the Feast of the Transfiguration. We know the story in Mark 9, but what relevance does this wonderful moment on a mountaintop have for us today? Certainly it helps us to remember that Jesus was never just a man. He was 100% human, but he was no holy man, teacher or prophet only. He was these things, but he was and is much more than this. As Son of God Jesus transcends these descriptions completely. It is no longer possible to just see him as a roaming prophet with a healing gift and some great stories to tell. He is either the Son of God or he is not. If we believe he is the Son of God then we should worship him with all we have in us. If he is not then we are, as Paul says, to be pitied for our stupidity, for Jesus gave us no middle option. CS Lewis put it best when he said, “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity. The transfiguration is meant to bring us to this conclusion. It is a moment in time when we must look past our earthbound reason and see that eternity holds something more glorious than we can imagine, that life in that eternity is inextricably bound to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and that our offerings will always pale into insignificance when we come face to face with our risen Lord on the last day. Take a little time today to reflect on the glory of God in Jesus Christ.
Janice
This Week: 11th – 18th August
| SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am | |
| MONDAY: | Prayer Group, St Marks, 9.00am – 10.00am |
| Contact: Janice | |
| Bible Study Group, St Marks, 4.00pm | |
| Contact: Kevin (0438 234 457) | |
| TUESDAY: | Zoom Prayer Meeting, 1.30pm |
| Contact John (0421 426 156) | |
| Zoom Bible Study Group, 7.00pm | |
| Contact Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| WEDNESDAY: | Holy Communion, 10:00am |
| Bible Study Group St Mark’s,11.00am | |
| “Women of the Bible” Contact Keith S (0419 551 082) | |
| Cuppa, Craft & Chat Group. St Mark’s, 12.30pm | |
| Contact Robyn (0409 425 044) | |
| THURSDAY: | Women’s Bible Study, St Mark’s, 9.30am |
| “Becoming a Woman of Strength” Contact Fay (0401 404 280) | |
| Men’s Coffee & Chat, Blackthorn Café, 10.00am | |
| Contact Steve (0437 984 679), Keith T (0413 319 327) | |
| or Kevin (0493 234 457) | |
| FRIDAY: | Janice’s DAY OFF |
| SATURDAY: | Men’s Breakfast, St Mark’s, 8.30am |
| NEXT SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am |
Regular 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:
Roster Changes…
Our Vicar, Rev’d Janice, is going on 8 weeks Long Service leave this month. She will be leaving on Tuesday 13th August and returns to work on Tuesday 8th October. During her time away we will have Locum Ministers who will lead Sunday and Wednesday services and attend meetings as requested. The Locums will be available for urgent Pastoral Care by contacting the Wardens: Kevin Cranwell 0438234457, Richard Watson 0490404563 or Mike Brown 0425736843; who will then call the appropriate Locum.
Alpha…
Our next ALPHA will run from 3rd October to 28th November (Thursday’s) from 6pm to finish before 8.45, with a hot meal, video and discussion time. Please pray about whether this is for you and whether you can invite someone to come and hear the good news of Jesus. Speak to Steve or Carol for details (registration forms available soon)
Men’s Breakfast…
The next Men’s breakfast will be on Saturday 17th August 8.30-10.30am. Egg & bacon roll and coffee / tea plus good conversation all for $7.
Plenty of time to think and pray about who you might ask to come along. (Bacon is gluten free. If you require GF bread we would appreciate you bring some, please) RSVP Steve Parkinson 0437 984 679 by 12th).
National Grandparent Movement..
National Grandparent Movement – Started by the Rev Ian Barnett, an Anglican Evangelical minister. “What is the faith legacy we are leaving behind?” The National Grandparent Conference will be held on Sat 31st August at St Paul’s Castle Hill Sydney. The conference livestreams from 0900 to 1630 on the 31st. Six key speakers, plus interviews and worship music presented by City Alight. To attend the livestream more details can be obtained from Cheryl and Graeme King.
Opp Shop…
Our Op Shop is still in need of helpers. If you can assist for a few hours and have your Police Check and Level 1 training, please talk to Cheryl King.
This Week’s Prayer Focus
In our country and the world:
- For those facing homelessness, hardship, anguish and despair amid rising costs.
- For all in Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine and Myanmar.
- 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 Parish of Sorrento & Rye and their Vicar Fr. Nicholas Wallace.
- For the work of the Church Missionary Society and Wei-Han the Victorian Director.
- For Anna Radkovic our CMS Link Missionary.
- 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 our Op Shop staff and all who visit each week.
- For Keith S, family of Alwyn Bond, Maggie D, Harry, Jen, Bernice, Mike, Pat, Joan R, Chloe, Ted, Monica, Jessica, Audrey, Backy, Fred, Robert, Jan, David, Guy.
