Mailout for 11 September 2022, Year C

Dear People of God

Grace to you, and peace

Aftermath of the Clergy Conference? Five cases of Covid, but fortunately neither Gail nor I were amongst that number! Synod will be upon us on 17th of this month, so it will be masks all around and strategic distancing!

The Bishop shared with us at the Conference on the Parish Strategy developments for the next decade. It is obvious that the numbers of people in our churches is declining: many people who identify as “Anglican” are not present in church on any sort of regular basis. Pentecostals and “membership” churches are much more likely to have regular attendees than Anglican, Roman Catholic or Uniting Churches. We, like they, also have a dire shortage of people offering for ordination, particularly for people who offer for parish ministry. We see “enlarged” parishes, where a number of parishes have grouped together, on a formal or informal basis, and shared ministry amongst them. In our own tradition the nearby parishes of Telarah-Rutherford and Maitland share a priest between them, as do Merriwa and Denman, as well as Windale, Belmont North, Belmont and Swansea, now known as “East Lake Macquarie”, having a team of clergy to cover the area.

Faced with burgeoning residential developments on the edges of our area, particularly between the older part of Thornton and Raymond Terrace Road and on to Morpeth we need seriously to look at how we a) find and reactivate people who have ceased to attend regular worship and b) evangelise people who have no particular affiliation. We have had lots of good ideas but having the people-power to put them into operation is a different matter.

I wonder what would happen if we could bring about a joint parish of Anglican, Roman Catholic and Uniting traditions? In spite of the differences in our ecclesiastical traditions we have much in common!

This circular goes to many people whom we do not see from one Christmas to another, and I want to ask you in particular what it is that keeps you from coming to church, and how we make it into a place you WANT to attend.

In our prayers this month we are observing the Seasons of Creation. Although we ought at all times to be conscious of our severe impact on the environment and the peril in which we place succeeding generations, this marks a time for us to take special note of our place in God’s world. And in praying, we need to leave ourselves open to the real possibility of radical change, both individually and corporately, in the way in which we order our lives and the communities in which we are set.

See you in church

Fr George

0410 586 119 gmainprize@bigpond.com

COLLECT and READINGS Pentecost 14 (Trinity 13, Ordinary Sunday 24)

Undaunted you seek the lost, O God, exultant you bring home the found: touch our hearts with grateful wonder at the tenderness of your forbearing love; grant us delight at the mercy that has found us; and bring us all to rejoice at the feast of forgiven sinners. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28 Sorrow for a doomed nation

Psalm 14 Denunciation of Godlessness

1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-19 Gratitude for mercy

Luke 15: 1-10 Parables of the lost sheep and lost coin

SERMON (Deacon Gail)

In the name of God, Amen

Following on from last week where Jesus was telling his listeners about the cost of discipleship: this week, he continues on and explains the constant, faithful, and unrelenting love of God for each of us. He states simply that God never gives up on anyone.

To fully understand this passage, we need to realise that the Pharisees had been grumbling about Jesus receiving sinners and dining with them. They had done this before. I wonder whether the crowds that Jesus was attracting were annoying the Pharisees and whether in fact the numbers of people were growing because they were enjoying the rebuking by Jesus of the religious leaders. The popularity of Jesus would not have pleased the Pharisees at all, and his teachings were more than likely causing the religious leaders quite a few headaches, after all he was teaching the crowds a different message than the Pharisees were. God wants us to be less like the grumbling Pharisees and more like Jesus.

The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin have a similar structure. One of the ninety-nine sheep is lost and so is one coin; a shepherd goes into the wilderness and a woman searches the house until they find what is lost; they then call friends and neighbours to rejoice with them; both conclude with a comment about joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

During my reading for this sermon, I came across this explanation which I thought that I would share with you:

A hundred sheep is a large flock, which means there would be other shepherds to watch over 99 while he goes out to find the lost sheep. After he finds it, he puts it over his shoulders to carry it back. That sounds easier than it is since a mature lamb can be 36 – 45 kgs and a full-grown sheep two to three times that amount depending on the breed. But Jesus points out here that even though it will be strenuous labour to carry the sheep home, the shepherd is rejoicing. When the shepherd does get home, he shares that joy with his friends and neighbours and calls them to come rejoice with him.

Sheep also have to be led to pastures to feed and water to drink being unable to find those things on their own very well. They have no defence against predators being unable to run away quickly nor kick or bite defensively. And if a sheep gets lost it is in great danger so, the shepherd must quickly go out and find it.

In the second parable in the reading, we hear about the woman who loses a coin. This coin we are told is equal to one tenth of her wealth. We hear that she goes searching for this coin until she finds it.

I don’t know about you, but I have a picture of a woman in a mudbrick dwelling with probably only small windows or even no windows trying to find a single coin. The bible says that she lights a candle and goes searching for it. If you think of the colour of dried mud, it is dark, with the floors being probably compacted earth and it would be very hard to see a single coin without some form of light.

The finding of the coin seems such a simple joy. I wonder whether our possessions and property may blind us to the simple blessings of our lives. Perhaps if we think of what is really of value, we may realise that we have to seek it again, perhaps sweeping and searching.

Think of the trouble you go to in order to find something you have lost. Who has not madly searched the house for lost keys!!! The search is more thorough when what we have lost is very valuable. Jesus gives us two examples of people searching for what is precious to them. And we hear of the joy that comes when they find it. He uses the examples to try and explain to us the sense of how God seeks us, and his joy when our friendship with him is renewed. His searching for us cost him more than just the search – it cost him his life.

If we are lost, it’s not because God lost us. It’s because our sin has caused us to wander far away from Him. God will never stop loving us, even if we run away from Him. And if even one lost person believes that the Son of God died so that they would be forgiven, then they will be lovingly returned to a right relationship with God, and all heaven will have a party to celebrate.

Lord, when I wander away from you, separating myself from your gentle shepherding, and finding myself utterly lost, grant that I may never lack the courage to call on you. Let me never doubt that I am worth searching for.

Amen

INTERCESSIONS (Deacon Gail)

Response to our prayers: Father, hear our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Good and gracious Shepherd, we rejoice in your protection and care, we know you will seek us out and save us; guide us, O Lord, and keep us in the ways that lead to peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live.

Father, hear our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord God, you come and seek us out, you call us and empower us to live to your glory, you are our Shepherd and guide, you are our God. We pray for all who have strayed from the faith, all who have got lost in various ways, especially any whose lives are in danger. We pray for shepherds of your flock, for all ministers, pastors, bishops, priests, and deacons.

Father, hear our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In the wider church we pray for the Diocese of Guadacanal, and the Scottish Episcopal Church. In the Australian Church we pray for the Church Missionary Society. In this Diocese we pray for our Bishops Peter, Charlie, and Sonia; for Anglicare and Retired Clergy. For our Parish Councillors; and our clergy, George and Gail, with their families. We pray for our church community and H2O Church.

Father, hear our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love, and beauty. Praise be to You. We pray for our own nation and the effects of climate change, for natural disasters and the resulting damage to lives and property. Help those who assist others in times of need and be with them.

Father, hear our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We ask you to be with all who walk in darkness: may your love and light protect the depressed and despairing; may your strength and hope be known to the discouraged. We ask your blessing upon all who are ill at home or in hospital; we pray especially for Les, Jill, Heidi, Erol, Lynn, Peter and Indi. In a moment of silence, we pray for those known only to us. [ PAUSE ]

Father, hear our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We pray for all who are entering the shadow of death and for their loved ones in their time of anxiety. Bless all who are in a hospice and all who have the care of the terminally ill. We pray for all who have passed through death and entered life eternal. We pray for Nell Walsh, Fr Neil Sauber, John Pont and Norma Hampstead whose anniversary of death occurs at this time.

+Rest eternal, grant to them O Lord; and let your light perpetual shine upon them.

Almighty God, you have promised to hear our prayers: Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SAINTS and COMMEMORATIONS of the Week

Sept 12 Cyprian of Carthage, bishop and martyr (258) when a new wave of persecutions broke out under Emperor Valerian in 257, Pope Sixtus was martyred in Rome and Cyprian, in Carthage (North Africa), having refused to sacrifice to the Roman “gods” was martyred by beheading.

Sept 14 Holy Cross Day gives us the opportunity to reflect on the Crucifixion which, by the Resurrection of Christ, transformed the cross from an implement of death to a sign of triumph over sin. The hymn “Lift high the cross”, which we sing, is an exaltation of the Cross as the mark of our Christian faith. (The popular tourist relic of “a piece of the True Cross” would represent, if all were to be collected, enough timber to build a cathedral several times over!!)

Sep 15 John Oliver Feetham, bishop and bush brother (1947) (commemorated as “The Blessed John Oliver) was bishop of North Queensland and travelled around his diocese variously by horseback, train, or indeed any means, slept on the verandah of homesteads when he had arrived in the middle of the night, and was bishop of the diocese for 34 years until his death. He established a number of schools which continue today and his pastoral care of the diocese was notable. He is held as a “local saint and hero of the Church”, akin to Blessed William Tyrrell of our diocese.

Sep 16 Ninian of Galloway, bishop and missionary (432) a friend of Martin of Tours he was born “north of the wall” ie in southern Scotland and evangelised the Picts of southern Scotland (Galloway) and the Saxons and Britons of northern England a generation before Patrick began his ministry in Ireland and over 100 years before Columba ever set foot on Iona

Sep 17 Hildegaard of Bingen, abbess and spiritual writer (1179) was a “rock star” of her generation, having composed a great number of songs in the mediaeval style. Her extensive writing and music are regaining popularity in our time.