One prayer at a time!…

I have a beautiful niece who was born with Down Syndrome. Many dire predictions were made about her before she was born, and she did indeed come into the world with a severe heart defect. My sister and her husband were walking by faith through the process of all the diagnoses and all the people who were so negative about her. It was as if she was already pronounced dead, even though she was very much alive in the womb. So, a name was picked to be a testimony and a statement of faith: Talitha. It comes from the Gospel reading for today. A little girl of 12 lies desperately ill and dying and her father seeks out Jesus to ask for a miracle for his daughter. As Jesus makes his way to the man’s home, a woman reaches out and touches the fringe of his garment in faith that she can be healed. And healed she is. The delay means that by the time Jesus arrives at the man’s house the mourners are already wailing because the girl has died. Jesus turns to the father and says, ‘Do not be afraid; just believe.’ and sends the mourners away. When Jesus comes to the little girl, he says to her two words: ‘Talitha koum!’ which means little girl arise! Immediately this child who had died responded to the voice of the Son of God and arose, well and completely healed. My sister chose the name Talitha to claim the miracle of life for her child. Talitha was born with 3 holes in her heart. It is too long a story for this space but the short version was that the surgeons could not close the holes, but God healed her and she received life through the power of prayer in Jesus’ name. The testimony of her healing led others to ask for prayer and every child prayed for was healed. Jesus cleared out the ICU at Sydney Children’s Hospital that day and restored faith and hope in God for many, including the staff. We have been discussing the Armour of God and the victory we stand in against the evil in this world at every Sunday service this month. Talitha’s story, and that of the woman and child in our Gospel reading today, is a clear and powerful reminder that the victory is indeed won, that our God heals still today, and that we have the power to change the world – one prayer at a time!

Janice

This Week

Regular Worship Times

Parish Contact Details

Notices:

Op Shop…

We have had a notice in the pew sheet about our Op Shop for some time now. We are in real need of volunteers to assist us, especially on Fridays. At this stage the committee has decided to appeal for help once more, but without enough staff, the Op Shop cannot remain open on Friday mornings. At the moment Edna and Ellen are covering multiple shifts and we would like to relieve them of some of them. If you can spare some time to help, please see Edna South or another member of our Op Shop Committee: Vicki Brown, Lorraine Strickland, Richard Watson, Graeme and Cheryl King or Rev’d Janice. Thanks.

Fencing & Security Project…

Oue new security system has been installed and will be commissioned and operational on Monday 1st July. The bulk of the cost has now been covered by generous donations, for which we are very grateful to the Lord and to those who have contributed. If you would like to donate towards this project, please put any cash into an envelope marked “Security” and put it in the offering on a Sunday. We will provide you with a receipt on request. You can also give to this project electronically. Instruction in how to use the system and gain access to the church and Op Shop will be given to those who are already authorised i.e. those who have been given the code for the church door and those with keys to the Op Shop, after the installation is complete and the system is operational. The Wardens will ensure that all who need to ‘open up’ for church or Op Shop activities receive instruction so they are able to do so.

This Week’s Prayer Focus

In our country and the world:

• For those facing homelessness, hardship, anguish and despair amid rising costs.
• For all in Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine.
• For families affected by violence.
• 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 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 for Archdeacon Helen Phillips in the Frankston Archdeaconry. Give thanks that Archdeacon Helen is now well and beginning to return to work.
• In our Deanery, we pray for the Parish of Flinders and Balnarring and their Vicar, Rev’d Keiron Jones, our Area Dean.
• For the work of the Church Missionary Society and Wei-Han the Victorian Director.
• For Anna Radkovic our CMS Link Missionary.
• 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 our Vicar.
• 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 2024 Alpha program, its leaders, and all who attend.
• For the 9am at home prayer time for the Parish, Dromana & Mornington Peninsula.
• For: Maggie Dodu, Chloe, Ted and Monica English, Joy Clayton, Jessica, Audrey, Joan R, Backy Cowie, Margie, Fred, Robert, Jan, David, Guy Fanning, Harry Patterson.