Hope weaves its way through our readings for this Sunday. A golden thread in a place of fear and darkness. Imagine Ezekiel’s emotions as he looked upon a valley filled with dry bones. What an unpleasant sight to behold! Yet the Lord is with him and wants to show him something to reignite hope for the people whose lives have been devastated by war and exile. So he is told to speak – to prophesy – to the bones, and they begin to come together as he speaks. From that moment there is a vision which reverses the earlier devastation. The bones come together on their own and put on flesh and become human beings, raised to their former selves but still not living. Again the call to speak comes – prophesy to the breath. The word is ‘ruach’. It can be translated breath, wind or spirit. Most frequently it is associated with the Holy Spirit of God. Ezekiel is called to call forth the Holy Spirit who then moves across the valley and brings breath to the bodies so that each is brought to full life. Then the Lord explains that this is a picture of the return to the land which he will bring to these exiled, frightened people, and more so, he will put his spirit within them and they shall live. The promise is so fitting for our present times as we continue to suffer the effects of the pandemic. So many have lost a sense of hope, yet in Jesus there is always hope – even in the face of death we have eternal life.
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: | Study Group, “Truth and Freedom” |
| St Mark’s, 7.00pm | |
| Contact Kevin or Anne (0438 234 857) | |
| TUESDAY: | “Zoom” Study Group, 7.00pm, |
| Contact Graeme (0490 664 843) | |
| Alpha Course, 6.00pm | |
| Contact Carol (0411 405 597) | |
| WEDNESDAY: | 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: | Women’s Bible Study, St Mark’s, 9.30am |
| Contact Fay (0401 404 280) | |
| Men’s Coffee & Chat, Blackthorn Café, | |
| 10.00am Contact Steve (0437 984 679) | |
| FRIDAY: | JANICE’S DAY OFF |
| “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 all those who have helped out and contributed for the funeral of Geoff Glass.
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 all people affected in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan following a 6.5 earthquake over an area 1,000km wide.
- 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 recovers from surgery, and for John as he supports Helen.
- 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 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
- For Rev’d Janice O’Gorman our
- For the finances of our
- For our Parish, its members and those we reach out to every
- For: Jan Glass, Shirley
