All the people…

This Sunday we meet in a combined service of Holy Communion and then as the people of St Mark’s gather for our Annual Meeting. Meetings can be the sort of thing we find a bit boring, but Annual Meetings serve a real purpose. They are for us to come together and hear about the things behind the scenes of our parish, to vote in our Parish Council members and two People’s Wardens, and our Parish Nominators (used to be called incumbency committee). The Anglican Church works on a democratic basis in that a significant number of all leaders in parishes, on diocesan committees, on Archbishop in Council (the peak leadership body which runs our diocese) and at Synod, are elected by the people who make up our diocese. There has always been an ethos of making sure the people are not Just consulted, but able to be part of the leadership in the Anglican Church, so some of these systems were put in place when the first Church of England Bishops came to Australia. In Melbourne our first Archbishop made sure that the systems we now have, which are democratic in nature yet allow for the appointment of some as is appropriate, were properly legislated to make sure we never lose this ability to each have a say in our church. As God’s people, each having the Holy Spirit as the gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the systems we have help us not to forget that all our members have something to bring to the working of our parishes. Allowing choice, informed by prayer and seeking the will of God in each, makes us a church which seeks to hear from the Lord through all our members, not just the ones who have the recognized leadership. In the time of the Reformation Cranmer and others wanted to bring all to a living and informed faith in Jesus with access and understanding of the Word of God in the Bible. So the value of including all the people, as well as having well trained leaders who could properly teach and apply the Word of God was a priority. It’s out of this that our Anglican Church has grown. Our Annual Meeting is a reflection of all this – not boring at all!

Janice

This Week:

Regular Worship Times

Parish Contact Details

Notices:

Thank You!!…

THANK YOU to everyone who helped in various ways to put on our successful fete which raised $3,700. It was a great day with perfect weather and enjoyed by all. A big thank you to the ‘SPUKES” (Southern Peninsula Ukulele Band) for providing musical entertainment.

Annual General Meeting

The Annual Meeting will be held this Sunday at 11.30 following a 10am combined service. We do not yet have a new Treasurer, and we need one more nomination for a People’s Warden. Names of nominees for election are on the doors to the church. Please submit apologies to Rev’d Janice.

Alpha…

Thank you to all who have prayed for us and provided food. We have been richly blessed. Our CELEBRATION evening will be Thursday 28th November at 6-8pm in the Church. Please come and share food with us and hear testimony from those who have attended this course. Our next Alpha will take place in April/May next year as part of Hope25. Maybe you have friends you’d like to invite – bring them with you to share this evening. RSVP by Sunday 24th November for catering.
Speak to one of the Alpha team (John, Helen, Steve & Carol) for more details

Christmas Hampers…

As we have done in previous years, we would like to provide hampers for 10 local families this Christmas. If you would like to donate to the hampers, there will be a basket in the Narthex for contributions of non perishable foods. These goods will be wrapped and distributed during the week beginning 9th December. Donations of money for items to be purchased for the hampers can be placed in the offertory bag clearly marked “hampers”. Please speak to Carol or Cheryl for more details.

Narthex Renovation…

Next Sunday 17th November we will not have a narthex kitchen area as we will be between the demolition and the rebuild. A tea and coffee station will be set up for use after each service. On 11th November there will be a skip bin placed in the front of the church and teams will be clearing contents of cupboards and demolishing the existing narthex etc. During this time groups will either meet in the church or make arrangements to meet elsewhere. Please check with your group leaders. Wednesday service will go ahead as usual. Every effort will be made to keep dust and mess to a minimum.

Australian Anglican Calendar 2025…

Australian Anglican Calendar 2025 now available $15.00 each – see Janice

This Week’s Prayer Focus

In our country and the world:

• For everyone suffering after the horrendous floods in Spain & Portugal.
• For all women in Afghanistan now banned from hearing each others voices.
• 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 Archdeacon Rev’d Sam Bleby, in the Frankston Archdeanery.
• In our Deanery, we pray for the Parish of St John’s Flinders with St Mark’s Balnarring, their Vicar Rev’d Keiron Jones and Deacon Rev’d Christine Barren.
• For the work of the Church Missionary Society and Wei-Han the Victorian Director.
• For Anna Radkovic our CMS Link Missionary in Watamu, Kenya.
• 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 as she regains full health.
• 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 next Alpha program, the leaders and all who will attend.
• 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 all members of the newly elected Parish Council.
• For Sam and her children at the sudden death of her husband, Rev’d Janice, Pat, Lorna & Peter, Keith S, Harry, Jen, Mike, Joan R, Chloe, Ted, Monica, Jessica, Audrey, Backy, Fred, Robert, Jan, David, Guy.