This beautiful account of Jesus transforming the life of the woman he met at a well in Sychar is one the most compelling stories in the bible. Before meeting Jesus, the woman’s life had been one sadness, brokenness and chaos.
On this day, she met with Jesus and found in him someone who understood her at the very core of her being. She became fully known in all her sad past, and yet, Jesus did not reject her but instead he loved her, even as she was.
To be fully known, like she was that day, warts and all, can be truly scary. The intimacy of it may frighten us. We balk at it. Yet in our hearts we know that it’s what we want, so long as it is safe.
There is a critical moment in this encounter where Jesus reaches into the part of her life that she sees as private. However, rather than recoil and run away she stays. Salvation and healing was available that day, and the person she stood before was offering it to her.
Jesus is the safe place where all our brokenness, all our failure can be transformed into the beautiful life that we all desire. Don’t balk, come to Jesus who can make all things new.
Rev Ian Oates, Locum Minister
The Alpha Course
Tuesdays at 6.00pm at Carol Copp’s home in Mount Martha. Enjoy a meal; good conversation; an interesting video.
For more details, contact:
Email: alpha@stmarksdromana.org.au
| Carol Copp | 0411 405 597 |
| Steve Parkinson | 0437 984 679 |
This Week
| MONDAY 13TH MARCH: | Study Group, “Truth and Freedom” |
| St Mark’s, 7.00pm | |
| Contact Kevin or Anne (0438 234 857) | |
| TUESDAY 14TH MARCH: | “Zoom” Study Group, 7.00pm |
| Contact Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| Alpha Course 6.00pm | |
| Contact Carol (0411 405 597) | |
| WEDNESDAY 15TH MARCH: | Holy Communion, 10.00am |
| INDUCTION SERVICE, 7.30pm | |
| Dromana Community Hall | |
| THURSDAY 16TH MARCH: | Men’s Coffee & Chat |
| Blackthorn Café, 10.00am | |
| Contact Steve (0437 984 679) | |
| FRIDAY 17TH MARCH: | “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) |
HELP NEEDED FOR INDUCTION SERVICE
There are sign-up sheets in the Narthex. Contacts for the various jobs are:
| Hospitality | Jen Watson | 0459 310 550 |
| Setting up hall | Roy Lindsay | 5981 2747 / 0490 476 171 |
| Transport | Steve Parkinson | 0437 984 679 |
| General | Carol Copp | 0411 405 597 |
Dates for your diaries:
| 12th March : | Return Stewardship & Commitment forms. |
| 13th March : | Working Bees at the church to tidy up and get everything in tip top shape before the arrival of Rev Janice. There are also inside as well as outside jobs to be done – so bring your dusters if you prefer to help inside! Contact Graeme (0490 664 843) for details and offer your help. |
| Wednesday 15th March : | The Induction service at 7.30pm. for Rev. Janice O’Gorman as Vicar of St Mark’s will be held at the Dromana Community Hall, 359 Point Nepean Road |
This Week’s Prayer Focus
In our country and the world:
- For the people of Turkey and Syria as they continue to mourn the loss of loved ones, their homes and their way of life following another two earthquakes.
- For an end to the war in Ukraine and unrest in so many places all around the world, especially for Syria as civil unrest is making it hard to get help to them at this time of dire need.
- 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, the Coast Guard, CFA and 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 Archdeacon Helen Phillips in the Frankston Archdeaconry.
- 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 All Saints Rosebud with St Katherine’s McCrae and their Vicar, Lynda Crossley.
- 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 Ian Oates as he leads us and his wife Fiona.
- For Rev Janice O’Gorman as she prepares to come to St Mark’s as our Vicar.
- For the finances of our Parish.
- For our Parish, its members and those we reach out to every week.
- For: Backy Cowie.
