For these next few minutes let’s journey to Judea and listen in as Mary knocks on her cousin Elizabeth’s door. Luke 1:39-45: It’s been a long journey into the hill country. Mary, newly pregnant and not yet married, has walked to her cousin’s house where Elizabeth is also pregnant with a child given by God. God had made sure that when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive through the power of the Holy Spirit and bear a son, he also told Mary about Elizabeth’s pregnancy. And here she is at Elizabeth’s door. Imagine Mary walking to Elizabeth’s house trying to make up her mind what to say to her cousin and her husband. Imagine how hard it is to say to anyone, ‘I’m pregnant and the father is the Holy Spirit’. Not the usual pregnancy announcement. Yet God went before Mary and prepared the way. Luke records their greeting. Mary says, ‘Hi cousin Elizabeth’, and Elizabeth feels her child leap in her womb at the sound of Mary’s voice. Instantly she is filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaims, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me that the mother of my Lord has come to me? For as soon as I heard your greeting the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there will be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord!’ What a greeting. What an instant comfort and joy for Mary. No suspicion, no questions, no accusations – only joyful acceptance and a clear confirmation that this child Mary is carrying is indeed God’s son. No wonder the next words out of Mary’s mouth are praises to the Lord. The relief of knowing she is safe here. The joy of knowing she isn’t crazy and that angel really was from God. The wonder of understanding that Messiah is truly in her womb and at last the waiting for all of Israel will be over. Now her faith is built up by the faith of Elizabeth, and the two women support one another for the next three months under Zechariah’s watchful eyes. Do you see how God prepared every moment of this journey beforehand? Will he not also be there with you to prepare what is best for this day? After all, you are also a child of the Father now.
Janice
This Week:
| SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am | |
| Youth Group Christmas Breakup Beauty Party, 4.00pm | |
| 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 | |
| THURSDAY: | Calwell Manor Christmas Service, 10.30am |
| FRIDAY: | Janice’s Day Off |
| SATURDAY: | BBQ at St Marks, 5.00pm |
| Family Christmas service with Nativity, 6.00pm | |
| 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…
Thank you to all who helped to make Carols at the IGA a success and also those who assisted with the Men’s Breakfast BBQ.
Parish Council Nominations…
Please note there is a shortfall of 3 Councillors and 1 Warden. To ensure there is a quorum at each Council meeting we need these positions to be filled. Nomination forms can be obtained from Keith Thomas and nominations close on 16th December.
Help Needed!!…
If you are intending to come to the Family Christmas service next Saturday 20th and would be willing to assist with the BBQ or the service please speak 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.)
Invitation…
There is an Invitation for anyone who would like to bring some Christmas Joy to those in care to join with Janice at Calwell Manor for a Carol Service on Thursday 18th December at 10.30am.
Christmas At St Marks…
Sat 13th December 10am – 11.30am Carols at IGA
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 all victims of the bushfires in West Australia.
- 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 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 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.
