This Sunday we read the beautiful narrative about Joseph’s reaction to Mary’s pregnancy. In the reading from Matthew chapter 1 we see the situation clearly – Mary and Joseph were engaged but not together. Mary was found to be pregnant, and Joseph is trying to deal with this scandalous news (he knows that wasn’t him!) in the best way possible. I love the care he shows for Mary, even when it looks like she has cheated on him. He won’t expose her to public disgrace. Instead, he decides to dismiss her quietly. That is, he would have sent her away to have the baby elsewhere and quietly dissolved their engagement. This preserves her reputation and her life. The penalty for being pregnant out of wedlock when you were engaged and the fiancé is not the father was the same as that for adultery – stoning. Joseph shows his love for Mary and his willingness to allow her story about being pregnant by the Holy Spirit by protecting her and her child but not keeping the engagement. Even so, God knew his heart and sent an angel to him in a dream to tell him that this child is none other than the Messiah – the child born of a virgin which Isaiah had foretold who is Emmanuel, which means God with us. Joseph now makes exactly the opposite choice to the one he had made before this. Believing the angel’s message, he takes Mary in under his roof but does not consummate their marriage until after Jesus is born. One line here speaks volumes to us: “and he named him Jesus”. At the child’s circumcision Joseph named him Jesus. In the time of Joseph and Mary, to adopt a child you named the child. Here we see the moment that Joseph took on the full responsibility to raise the son of God as his own son, and in the same action made Jesus his descendant and heir. This makes Jesus the direct descendant of King David by adoption. How amazingly beautiful it is that! Jesus, whose death and resurrection means that you and I can be adopted into our Father God’s family, was himself adopted into his own human family. I love that our family in Christ is so diverse and every single one of us is known and named by the Father – that includes me and you.
Janice
This Week:
| SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am | |
| MONDAY: | Prayer for the Parish, St Mark’s, 4.00pm |
| Contact: Janice | |
| TUESDAY: | Zoom Bible Study, 7.00pm |
| Contact: Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| WEDNESDAY: | Christmas Eve |
| Coptic Church Service, St Mark’s, 9.00am – 1.00pm | |
| Carols, 11.00pm | |
| Midnight Eucharist, 11.30pm | |
| THURSDAY: | Christmas Eve |
| Christmas Day Family Communion, 9.30am | |
| FRIDAY: | Janice’s Day Off |
| SATURDAY: | BBQ at St Marks, 5.00pm |
| NEXT SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Holy Communion, 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:
Thank You…
To Anne, Mike, Keith and Jan who brought joy to the residents of Calwell Manor by adding their voices to their carol service this week. Much appreciated.
Parish Council Nominations…
Thank you for your prayers for Parish Council members to step forward. We do still need 2 more members. At this stage our current Parish Council will stand as is, and we will continue to pray for the Lord to raise up the leaders we need. If you find the call is coming to you please talk to Janice.
Coptic Church Services…
As we have done each year, we will again host the Coptic Church so they can hold a Christmas service and a New Year service at St Mark’s. They will be using the church on 24th December from 9am to 1pm, and 31st December from 9pm to 1am. This means there will be no Wednesday service on 24th December. (Our Wednesday service will go ahead as normal on 31st December.)
SUFM Mccrae Beach Mission…
SUFM MCCRAE BEACH MISSION supplies are due by the end of the week for delivery to them on 28th December. Please check the pink list and see if there is anything you can contribute. The collection is being placed around the Christmas Tree.
January Sunday Evening Meals…
Anyone who would like to host a Sunday evening meal in January (11th, 18th, 25th) please contact Kevin or Anne asap. Meals are participant BYO or share, hosts provide the table!
Christmas At St Marks…
Sat 20th December 5pm BBQ, 6pm Family Christmas service
Wed 24th December 11pm Carols, 11.30pm Midnight Eucharist
Thurs 25th December 9.30am Christmas Celebration
This Week’s Prayer Focus
In our country and the world:
- For the victims and those who are mourning after the Bondi terrorist attack.
- For all needing support following home invasions and all 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 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 George’s Red Hill and their Vicar, Rev’d Jennie Savage.
- 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 Dromana.
- For Agnes, Rachel & family, Jan T, Wallis family, Cheryl K, Karen, Mary, Jan K, Steve (not Parkinson) and family, David, Belinda, Joan R, Lynda & Ian, Robyn, Phillip, Nikki, Jason, Rhiannon, Richard, Pat, Lorna & Peter, Keith S, Harry, Jen, Mike, Chloe, Ted, Monica, Jessica, Audrey, Backy, Fred, Robert, David.
