As we enter into Holy Week – the week from Palm Sunday to Easter Day
– it is good to reflect on the readings and the journey Jesus took to bring us eternal life. Read Matthew 21:1-11. Let your mind imagine the scene. The dusty cobbled road into Jerusalem, snaking down the Mount of Olives, crowds cheering on either side, the donkey plodding onwards.
This man, Jesus, could heal all things, even raise the dead. He spoke the words of God as if they were his own and he had no fear of the authorities. Perhaps this was the One that Isaiah had described – but the people by this time had no thought for the suffering servant, only the victorious return of their true King. Isaiah prophesied 700 years earlier and Zechariah saw this 400 years earlier (Zech 9:9) but they had now forgotten that both foretold the death of the one on the donkey. Rising hope will soon be crushed. Jesus will be betrayed, arrested, beaten, crucified, die, be buried, and the crowds will fall silent. Some will have bayed for his blood, others will be heartbroken at his death. None will be expecting the dawn of the third day and the victory still to come. Again, pause. Let yourself sit at the sealed tomb. Let the events of the week come to your mind and let this moment sink in. What do you fear now? Is it disease? Death? Suffering? Poverty? Rejection? Can you look at the scene described in Matthew 27:11-54 and recognise that there on the cross, in his suffering, Jesus dealt with these things? C.S.Lewis said that we must sit at the foot of the cross until we fully grasp the terrible beauty of Jesus’ willing sacrifice for us, for only from the foot of the cross can we fully appreciate the force of the resurrection: eternal victory and eternal peace won by the blood of the Beloved and confirmed by the resurrection.
Janice
Easter Services And Activities
| Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday | 4.00pm prayer in the church Maundy Thursday |
| 7.00pm ‘Passover to Eucharist’ | |
| An interactive exploration of the origin of Holy Communion | |
| Good Friday | 09.00am Good Friday service |
| 11.00am Walk of Witness Easter Day | |
| 06.30am Easter on the Beach | |
| 10.00am Family Easter celebration |
This Week
| MONDAY: | Study Group, “Truth and Freedom” |
| St Mark’s, 7.00pm | |
| Contact Kevin or Anne (0438 234 857) | |
| TUESDAY: | “Zoom” Study Group, 7.00pm, |
| Contact Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| Alpha Course, 6.00pm | |
| Contact Carol (0411 405 597) | |
| WEDNESDAY: | Holy Communion, 10.00am |
| Study Group, St Mark’s,11.00am, | |
| Contact Keith (0419 551 082) | |
| Craft Group, St Mark’s, 12.30pm, | |
| Contact Robyn (0409 425 044) | |
| THURSDAY: | Women’s Bible Study, St Mark’s, 9.30am |
| Contact Fay (0401 404 280) | |
| Men’s Coffee & Chat, Blackthorn Café, | |
| 10.00am Contact Steve (0437 984 679) | |
| FRIDAY: | JANICE’S DAY OFF |
| “Zoom” Prayer Meeting, 1.30pm | |
| Contact John R (0421 425 156) |
Worship Times
| SUNDAY: | 8.45am | Holy Communion. |
| 10.30am | Family Worship with Children’s Ministry. | |
| (Holy Communion – 1st Sundays) | ||
| 5.00pm | Healing Service – 1st Sundays. | |
| (5th Sundays) | 10.00am | Combined Service. |
| WEDNESDAY: | 10.00am | Holy Communion Service. |
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:
The Alpha Course
The present Alpha Course has now finished and will meet as a Life Group at a time and day to be decided. A new Alpha Course will begin in Term 3, July/August (details to follow). Would you like to join the Course?
For more details, contact:
Email: alpha@stmarksdromana.org.au
| Carol Copp | 0411 405 597 |
| Steve Parkinson | 0437 984 679 |
Can You Help?
We are asking if anyone has contact with a sign writer or knows of someone we could ask. We need to update the Church Sign in the front of the Church with Janice’s new details etc. If anyone has a contact or knows of someone who could do this would they please contact me.
My details are 0490 664 830 Cheryl King.
This Week’s Prayer Focus
In our country and the world:
- For all families affected by the latest mass shooting at a Christian school of six people including 3 children in Nashville, Tennessee. (In 2023 there have been at least 39 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, resulting in 17 deaths and 30 injuries nationally).
- For the people of Somalia as they experience the worst drought in 40 years.
- For the people of Lithuania as the war in Ukraine brings back memories of the atrocities Moscow committed against Lithuania and others from World War II onward.
- For the people of Vanuatu where a national state of emergency has been declared for the next six months following two earthquakes and two cyclones in as many days, and the ADF on HMAS Canberra helping with the clean-up and delivering aid and assistance.
- 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, CFA & SES members.
- For local community outreach groups such as the Dromana Community House and “Food for All”.
In our Diocese and beyond:
- For the ministry of Bishop Paul Barker in the Jumbunna Region and for Archdeacon Helen Phillips in the Frankston Archdeaconry as she recovers from surgery, and for John as he supports Helen.
- For Archbishop Geoffrey Smith’s ministry as Primate of Australia.
- For Archbishop Philip Freier’s ministry n the Diocese of Melbourne.
- In our Deanery, we pray for the Parish of Holy Trinity Hastings and their Vicar, Rev’d. Tim Anderson.
- For the work of the Church Missionary Society and Wei-Han the Victorian Director.
- 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 members and those we reach out to every week.
- For: Jan Glass, Shirley Chesterman.
