Have you ever acted on the information you had at hand only to discover that you’ve made a poor decision because you were missing something crucial?
Our Gospel reading for today is all of John 9, yet we need the whole story to understand what’s really going on. The question was asked of Jesus, ‘Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ This idea that being born with disability was the direct result of the parent’s sin was popular at the time. Jesus says this is not the case, in fact the man was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. In healing the man Jesus showed God’s works in him, but there was more to learn from this exchange.
If we read on, we come to the other important point in the passage. The blind man understood who Jesus was by the miracle done in him. The Pharisees could not see the miracle as the work of God through Jesus because of their own prejudice. The one who had been blind saw what those who were sighted could not.
We must beware the moment when our inner self reacts to something which is outside our experience. Perhaps we are right, but perhaps the Lord is revealing something which we need to see. The solution is to ask Jesus to open our eyes.
Janice
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 20th March: | Study Group, “Truth and Freedom” |
| St Mark’s, 7.00pm | |
| Contact Kevin or Anne (0438 234 857) | |
| Tuesday 21st March: | “Zoom” Study Group, 7.00pm |
| Contact Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| Alpha Course 6.00pm | |
| Contact Carol (0411 405 597) | |
| Wednesday 22nd March: | 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 23rd March: | Men’s Coffee & Chat |
| Blackthorn Café, 10.00am | |
| Contact Steve (0437 984 679) | |
| Friday 24th 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) |
Notices:
A BIG THANK YOU
Thank you to everyone who worked so tirelessly and willingly to make Janice’s Induction such a success and to bring Glory to God in an amazingly way.
How blessed are we to part of this exciting new phase in the life of St. Marks.”
Carol, Fay and Kevin.
ALPHA COURSE
The Alpha Course finishes on 28th March with a Celebration Dinner. This has been a wonderful time together and we have grown in the Lord and shared delicious food and great fellowship. If you’d like a taster of Alpha, please come to our Celebration on 28th at 6pm where you can join in a meal and hear some wonderful testimonies. There is no obligation to join a future course. We do need an idea of numbers so an RSVP by text (preferred) or phone would be welcome, please.
Carol Copp 0411 405 597 & Steve Parkinson 0437 984 679
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 which killed more than 52,000 people.
- For the people of two Turkish provinces ravaged by earthquake now suffering devastating floods.
- 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
- For doctors, nurses, paramedics, Coast Guard, CFA & SES
- 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 undergoes surgeries, and for John as he supports Helen.
- For Archbishop Geoffrey Smith’s ministry as Primate of Australia.
- For Archbishop Philip Freier’s ministry in the Diocese of Melbourne.
- In our Deanery, we pray for the Parish of St John’s Flinders with St Mark’s Balnarring, their Vicar, Rev Keiron Jones and Parish Deacon Rev Christine Barren.
- 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 Janice O’Gorman as she commences her time as our Vicar.
- For the finances of our Parish.
- For our Parish, its members and those we reach out to every week.
- For: Shirley Chesterman.
