Lent 4
If I were to ask to purchase the Mona Lisa I would be told it’s priceless and I cannot buy it no matter how rich I am. So it is with the gifts of the salvation, righteousness, love, grace and mercy of God. They are priceless beyond compare, and we can never pay that price. Even so, the Lord says, ‘Come!’. This is a call for every person who recognises the ways in which they fall short of God’s righteousness, for everyone who recognises the need they have for the grace and mercy of God, the call is to come anyway. Come when you feel you’ve ruined everything, when you feel you’ve blown it. Come when you’re hurting. Come when you’re grieving. Come when you feel lonely. Come when you’re afraid. Come when the world seems to have gone crazy. Come. Drink the living water, eat the living bread. Jesus paid the price for this priceless gift. Only he could. Now we can truly come without having to pay anything. Through Jesus we have full and unhindered access to all the Father has invited us to come to him for. There is nothing impossible for the Lord. There is nothing outside the reach of his arm. Even though we live in a world corrupted by sin and the evil that humanity does, the power of the Lord to intervene for us is still exactly the same as it was when Jesus walked the earth. The love of God is not diminished by our difficulties. If anything, the Lord is closer to the suffering than anyone else. We don’t always find that the Lord brings a miracle, but he can. The issue is that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts, and our ways are not his ways. So what we ask for is not always what is best for us at the time. Even so, the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us, and, if we will come in faith, he will meet us in our time of need and we can ask for what is impossible to us, knowing that our Lord is good and will hear our prayers. You will not be turned away. Come. The price has been paid.
Janice
This Week:
| SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am | |
| Parish Council, 1.30pm | |
| MONDAY: | Building Committee, 2.00pm |
| TUESDAY: | Zoom Bible Study, 7.00pm |
| Contact: Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| WEDNESDAY: | Holy Communion, 10.00am |
| Bible Study, 11.00am | |
| Cuppa, Craft & Chat Group, St Mark’s,12.30pm | |
| Contact: Robyn (0409 425 044) | |
| Coffee & Chat, 1.30pm Contact: Janice | |
| THURSDAY: | Men’s Coffee & Chat, Blackthorn Cafe, 10.00am |
| Contact: Steve (0437984679) Keith T (0413 319 327) | |
| Men’s Bible Study, Mark’s Place, 11.00am – See Notice | |
| Contact: Kevin (0438 234 457) | |
| Christianity Explored, St Mark’s, 7.30pm | |
| FRIDAY: | Janice’s Day Off |
| NEXT SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Holy Communion, 10.30am | |
| Christianity Explored “Day Away”, St Marks, 1.30-5.30pm | |
| Choral Evensong, St John’s Sorrento, 5.00pm | |
| Speaker: Bishop Paul, followed by supper, all welcome |
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:
Easter services:
Palm Sunday 29th March 10am combined service in the front garden
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 4pm Prayers at the cross
Maundy Thursday 7pm service
Good Friday 9am service
Easter Saturday Easter Musical outreach at IGA – 10.00 – 11.00am
Easter Day 5th April 6.30am Easter communion on the beach 9.30am Easter celebration service
Message From Janice…
Dear friends, I am still not recovering well and my voice is still not returning, so after consulting with my doctor, I have asked Rev’d Julia Boyd to cover me for the morning services this coming Sunday and I will be on leave all of next week. I will be present only for Parish Council, Building Committee, Wednesday communion, and Christianity Explored. Hopefully with a week’s rest I will be better. If there are any emergencies please call Jan Glass 0421047513 or Keith Thomas 0413319327 and they will make sure clergy attends. Thanks, Janice
Men’s Bible Study
There is a Men’s Bible Study meeting at 11am Thursday mornings in Mark’s Place. All men are invited to join us exploring the Diocesan Lenten Study and, If you would like to, join us for coffee beforehand from 10am at Blackthorn Cafe. Contact Kevin 0438 234 457 for more information.
Choral Evensong
St John’s Anglican Church, Sorrento at 5pm on the 22nd March 2026 Speaker: Bishop Paul followed by supper – all welcome
Dance-A-Thon: Saturday 28th March 10am to 12 pm…
Our first fundraiser for 2026, this is an opportunity to invite people from the wider community into our space (the carpark) for health and wellbeing and fun! $10 entry, and opt-in, opt-out. Spread the word, and be prepared to come and join in the fun! See Anne for details.
Men’s Bible Study…
There is a Men’s Bible Study meeting at 11am Thursday mornings in Mark’s Place. All men are invited to join us exploring the Diocesan Lenten Study and, If you would like to, join us for coffee beforehand from 10am at Blackthorn Cafe. Contact Kevin 0438 234 457 for more information.
This Week’s Prayer Focus
In our country and the world:
- For those who suffered loss in fires and floods.
- For the people of Israel and Iran.
- 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.
- Keiron, Vicar of Flinders/Balnarring.
- 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 the Christianity Explored seminars and those participating in them.
- That the Good News of Jesus will be known in Dromana.
- For Lorna, Xavier, Yvonne and family, Louise, Jen, TJ and family, Cheryl K, Karen, Mary, Jan K, David, Belinda, Joan R, Robyn, Phillip, Nikki, Jason, Rhiannon, Richard, Pat, Keith S, Harry, Mike, Chloe, Ted, Monica, Jessica, Audrey, Backy, Fred, Robert.
