This week’s Gospel reading is one of the most challenging passages in the Gospel of Luke. The call to be a disciple of Jesus, which is the call of every Christian, is not cheap. It costs us everything the world gives us in order to gain everything which the Living God has put aside for us in his kingdom. Every person has an inheritance in Jesus Christ, but this can’t be obtained through human means. We only get to taste some of it in the beauty of the earth, of human relationships, of human wisdom and human knowledge. To access the beauty, relationships, wisdom and knowledge which is God’s alone, we must relinquish all that the world offers us to Jesus. The result is that we receive more than we can ever ask or imagine as our eternal home. The world will pass away one day, people pass away every day, but what God has given to those who are willing to come to Jesus cannot pass away and will never die. The issue is that we tend to keep a foot in each camp. We believe in Jesus and want to follow him. We believe in the eternal life he has won for us and we want that eternal reward, but we also want what the world offers and it’s hard to truly surrender everything to the Lord. Yet Jesus is emphatic. There is no place for a ‘bet each way’ in Jesus’ teaching. Jesus wants your entire jackpot, not just a share of the winnings. The question is, therefore, how should we respond to this? Firstly, let’s look at our attitude to our lives. Do you see your life as belonging to Jesus? If Jesus clearly called you to drop everything and step into another job/country for him, would you? If Jesus asked you for your car/house/boat/caravan, would you be willing to hand it over to him for his use? These are hard questions, but they are very necessary. If to follow Jesus meant you would lose all your worldly possessions, just as it does now in some countries where Christians cannot own land, would you still own up to being a Christian or would you deny Jesus in order to keep your possessions? The bottom line – Jesus died to save each of us, would we be willing to die for him? Do we truly believe we have eternal life through Jesus? Count the cost of your own life before you answer that.
Janice
This Week:
| SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am | |
| Youth Group, 4.00pm | |
| Healing Service, 5.00pm, Speaker: Janice | |
| ‘Tears in the Dark – faith in the midst of grief’ | |
| MONDAY: | Prayer for the Parish, St Mark’s, 4.00pm |
| Contact: Janice | |
| TUESDAY: | Zoom Bible Study, 7.00pm |
| Contact: Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| WEDNESDAY: | Holy Communion Service – 10.00am |
| Bible Study Group St Mark’s, 11.00am | |
| Contact: Janice | |
| 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), Keith T (0413 319 327) | |
| Women’s Study Group, St Mark’s, 9.30am | |
| Contact: Carol (0411 405 597) | |
| FRIDAY: | JANICE’S DAY OFF |
| SATURDAY: | Evensong Choir Rehearsal, 3.00pm |
| 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 (0438 234 457 Kevin) |
Notices:
Hope Explored…
On Thursday 25th September 7.30pm We will meet for 3 Thursday evenings, 7.30 to 9.00pm in the church to watch a short video, share some supper and ask any question exploring what the Christian hope is about. If you’re interested or you know someone who might be, please give Janice a call or text on 0401717435. Invitations to give to a friend will be available this Sunday. Please consider coming along with your friend!
Operation Christmas Child…
21 September will be box packing day as we did last year. All items will be provided. Price per box TBA.
Pleasant Sunday Afternoon (12th October)…
If you have a favourite hymn or song, please let Kevin or Anne know by 21 September. More details later.
BYRD Song Choir…
BYRD SONG CHOIR – Conducted by John Rogers
Sunday 28th September 5pm at St Marks Dromana, Evensong Service
Refreshments will follow service.
This Week’s Prayer Focus
In our country and the world:
- For all needing support following shooting of Police, and other violent attacks.
- For Government action to address the out of control protests in Melbourne.
- For the Government plans to address the rise of antisemitism in Australia.
- For families suffering as a result of violence and home invasions.
- For those facing homelessness, hardship, anguish and despair amid rising costs.
- For all in Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine and Myanmar.
- 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 Melbourne Archbishop-elect Right Reverend Dr Richard (Ric) Thorpe as he prepares to move from London to Melbourne.
- 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.
- 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 all members of the Parish Council.
- For Hope25. That the Good News of Jesus will be known in the community of Dromana.
- For Ellen and family, Marlene, David, Belinda, Joan R, Family of Barbara Vance, Lynda & Ian, Robyn, Phillip, Nikki, Jason, Noel and family, Rhiannon, Richard, Pat, Lorna & Peter, Keith S, Harry, Jen, Mike, Chloe, Ted, Monica, Jessica, Audrey, Backy, Fred, Robert, Jan, David
