Luke’s version of the Lord’s prayer is in our gospel reading this Sunday. Jesus is asked to teach his disciples to pray. The sheer simplicity of the prayer Jesus teaches them is stunning, and the depth of the words as you study them, profound. He doesn’t say ‘Oh Holy God’ he says ‘Father’. Call the Lord of the universe Father, teaches Jesus. Father, Dad, an intimate word full of relationship rather than awe. Father, a term of endearment and of honour. We are asked by Jesus to call his Father, our Father. That makes us family. ‘Hallowed be your name’ – holy, revered, honoured, consecrated, set apart – be your name. We are family but he is God. This means his family is ours, in that we are his, but we are not equal to him in any way. He is to be worshipped and adored, not taken for granted. ‘Your kingdom come’. This is the freedom cry of God’s people throughout the ages. It’s a call for justice and for mercy, for the result of the cross of Jesus Christ to be a daily revolution of grace in a world filled with so much of the opposite. It is a cry of the heart for our Father to keep us under his reign this day. ‘Give us each day our daily bread’ is not just the request to fill our needs, but to be given all that will feed us, body mind and spirit, today. Bread for our bodies today, strength for today, courage to face adversity today, joy, peace, laughter today – all that is contained in our needs this day. We do not have tomorrow yet. It is today that we need to be fully alive in Christ. ‘And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us’ is that daily recognition of our own wrongdoings in the light of Father’s grace which needs only a word of repentance to set us free from guilt and shame. Yet we cannot receive what we ourselves will not give. Forgiveness comes only if it is also given away. To be selfish with the greatest gift God has given negates the Father’s love, because the Cross cost him everything. ‘And do not bring us to the time of trial’. In a life of grace trials will not come without help to endure them, and in the end, we will still be standing. What are the trials Jesus meant? There are many theories, but today we need the help and protection of our Father in every moment, and in this simple daily prayer Jesus gives us the words to ask for that. How often do you pray the prayer that Jesus taught us?
Janice
This Week:
| SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Service, 10.30am | |
| Youth Group Begins, 4pm to 5.30pm | |
| see Michelle or Janice for details | |
| 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 | |
| Cuppa, Craft & Chat Group, St Mark’s,12.30pm | |
| Contact: Robyn (0409 425 044) | |
| THURSDAY: | Men’s Coffee & Chat, Blackthorn Café, 10.00am |
| Contact Steve (0437 984 679), Keith T (0413 319 327) | |
| Women’s Study Group, In recess until 24 July | |
| Contact: Carol (0411 405 597) | |
| Commissioning of Rev’d Jennie Savage, 7.00pm | |
| at St George’s Red Hill | |
| NEXT SUNDAY: | Holy Communion, 8.45am |
| Family Holy Communion, 10.30am | |
| Soup and Scones Lunch after 10.30am service | |
| Healing Service, 5.00pm Topic: ‘True Strength’ | |
| Speaker: Graeme King |
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 Cranwell (0438 234 457 Kevin) |
Notices:
Soup and scones for lunch…
Everyone is invited to lunch on 3 August after 10:30 service RSVP required by 27 July – to Anne 0473 562 968
In the Beginning…
Bishop Paul Barker will be leading talks on Genesis 1-4 over the Wednesdays in August. 7.30pm to 8.30pm on 6,13, 20, 27 August 2025 in person at Glen Waverley Anglican Church, 800 Waverley Rd Glen Waverley or online at www.gwac.org.au/livestream
Men’s breakfast…
Speaker: Graeme King
$7 will give you a delicious breakfast of egg and bacon roll, coffee/tea and the best conversation in Dromana!
PLEASE RSVP to Steve by Wednesday 13th. It really does make shopping (for Carol) and setting up easier and is very much appreciated
National grandparents conference…
23 August – 9am to 4.30pm
‘Leaving a living legacy’ – One day of Inspiration and Encouragement The day will be live-streamed from St Paul’s Castle Hill, Sydney. For further details & participation please contact Cheryl 0490 664 830 or Graeme 0490 664 843
Looking for a place to serve..
We have opportunities at our Op Shop for volunteers. Training is provided and if needed assistance given to obtain your Police Check and Level 1 Training Certificate. The Op Shop is at the heart of our ministry to the Dromana community and we hope to grow this ministry, but we do need helpers to do that. Shifts can be as little as 4 hours once per month. Talk to Vicki Brown if you’d like to know more.
This Week’s Prayer Focus
In our country and the world:
- For all suffering loss and grief resulting from the NSW floods.
- For families suffering as a result of violence and home invasions.
- For all affected by the worsening antisemitic attacks around Australia and the world.
- For those facing homelessness, hardship, anguish and despair amid rising costs.
- For all in Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine and Myanmar.
- For all women in Afghanistan now banned from hearing each other’s voices.
- 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 Archbishop Philip Freier’s ministry in the Diocese of Melbourne.
- 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 John’s Flinders with St Mark’s Balnarring, their Vicar Rev’d Keiron Jones and Deacon Rev’d Christine Barren.
- For the work of the Church Missionary Society and Wei-Han the Victorian Director.
- 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 our Op Shop staff and all who visit each week.
- For all members of the Parish Council.
- For Hope25. That the Good News of Jesus will be known in the community of Dromana.
- For Belinda, Joan R, Family of Barbara Vance, Lynda & Ian, family of Bill Uhe, Robyn, Ellen, Phillip, Nikki, Jason, Bernadette & family, Noel and family, Rhiannon, Richard, Pat, Lorna & Peter, Keith S, Harry, Jen, Mike, Chloe, Ted, Monica, Jessica, Audrey, Backy, Fred, Robert, Jan, David.
