Mercy…

I’ve been contempla/ng the recent hate filled disclosures of the two nurses in NSW and the community response to them. It was good to see swi? ac/on from the leadership, both the hospital and the state. It was interes/ng to see how quickly and loudly the nurses of NSW responded with protests saying they do not approve or iden/fy with those words and behaviour. It was heartening to see our community recognise how easily we can be drawn into a conflict which is not our own and find ourselves being iden/fied with it. I don’t intend to further comment specifically about it, but I do want to consider Jesus’ teaching in today’s readings in this light. Jesus is speaking to crowds of people and teaching on moral behaviour under God. He has spoken already on what happens when our focus is not on living for the Lord but for ourselves, and how there are consequences for not seeking to follow our holy God. Now he turns to our failure to value one another as our holy God values us, even in our sinfulness. ‘Love your enemies and do good to those that hate you.’ Vs27. Jesus goes on to speak of blessing those who curse you and praying for those who abuse you. He reminds us that our calling is to be merciful as our Father God is merciful and to think about how we would wish to be treated so that we work to treat others that way. Jesus is poin/ng us to the way God values and loves even those who do the wrong thing and hurt us, and how he would want us to see them as valued and loved, just as we are. It’s a difficult thing to think about, given most of us have people in our lives who have hurt us. Jesus helps us to see this through the Fathers’ eyes. Mercy – an act which qualifies judgment, making sure that the person is seen as a person not an object. Love – an act which shows that value to the other and invites them to see their lack of it. Jesus invites us to live for our holy God, seeking to live in this holiness, caring for all equally with love and mercy as he does, even when they will not reciprocate. How can we do this, even when they hurt us? Jesus gave the perfect example when he died on the Cross for us to receive his forgiveness.

Janice

This Week:

Regular Worship Times

Parish Contact Details

Notices:

Pancake Tuesday…

4 March , 5:30pm in the Dromana Uniting Church Hall

Everyone is invited to share some fun and fellowship based on food (pancakes)! It’s a night for all the family.

URGENT Please RSVP as soon as possible:  0493 280 691 / contact@stmarksdromana.org.au

Can you help by making pancake batter and/or cooking pancakes? Sign-up sheet for cooking is in the narthex. We’d love to hear from you! Many thanks, Anne and Kevin (Pastoral Care)

Wanted…

Small glass sauce or soft drink bottles for Ellen to make Tomato Sauce Please leave in Narthex or Op Shop.

Wanted…

Small glass sauce or soft drink bottles for Ellen to make Tomato Sauce Please leave in Narthex or Op Shop.

Alpha is coming!!…

8th May – 28th June Who will you bring?… Details to follow

Harvest Festival & Shrove Tuesday Celebrations…

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Meal) – 4 March. Harvest Services – 30 March (usual service times).

This Week’s Prayer Focus

In our country and the world:

• For the people in WA’s northern coast as Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia.
• For everyone affected by the Queensland floods.
• For all affected by the worsening antisemitic attacks around Australia and the world.
• 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:

• A prayer for the election of a new Archbishop for our diocese:
  Eternal God, shepherd and guide, in your mercy give your Church in this diocese a shepherd after your own heart who will walk in your ways, and with loving care watch over your people. Give us a leader of vision and a teacher of your truth. So may your Church be built up and your name glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
• 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 Mornington & Mount Martha Church, and their Vicar Rev’d Colleen Clayton.
• 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.
• 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 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 Parish Council.
• For Hope25. That the Good News of Jesus will be known in the community of Dromana.
• For Nikki, Jason, Bernadette & family, Noel and family, Rhiannon, Richard, Pat, Lorna & Peter, Keith S, Harry, Jen, Mike, Chloe, Ted, Monica, Jessica, Audrey, Backy, Fred, Robert, Jan, David, Guy.