Mailout for 13 November 2022 (Pentecost 23 Trinity 22, Year C)

Dear People of God

Did you watch any part of the Lunar Eclipse on Tuesday night, when we had an appearance of a “blood moon”? It as an interesting spectacle which will not be repeated until 2025. No doubt some people turned to quasi-biblical prophecy and announced that it was a sign of the End Times!

For your Diary

PARISH COUNCIL meets next Sunday. We continue to grapple with the backlog of serious and lesser maintenance issues for our parish buildings. Quotes have been sought and/or received for external painting of Beresfield Hall and for the upgrading of electrical supply at Thornton. An assessment is in hand of requirements for our buildings to bring them up to disability access standards.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE A Service of Lament to express our deep sorrow that domestic violence and family abuse is a part of our community and within our churches. The service will be held in the Cathedral at 6pm on Monday 28 November.

MOTHERS UNION High Tea at “Ducks in the Field” at 11am on 23 November (It’s at Duckenfield, of course)

Other Matters:

RAFFLE TICKETS are still available for the Christmas raffle: there are some good prizes to be won (well, they are all good, some have more commercial value than others!)

YOUTH WORKER an Expression of Interest has been lodged and we await further information as to the outcome

CLERGY TRAINING To keep our Professional Accreditation we need to attend some professional development workshops throughout the year. We have a clergy development day on 23 November at Raymond Terrace on the topic “Healthy Conflict”. (I wonder will we commence with the hymn “Fight the good fight with all thy might”? Fr G)

See you in church

Fr George

gmainprize@bigpond.com 0410 586 119

Propers for Pentecost 22

Sentence

May the Lord himself give you peace at all times in all ways (2 Thess 3:16)

Collect

Lord of all the ages, the One who is, who was, and who is to come: stir up within us the longing for your kingdom, keep our hearts steady in times of trial, and grant us patient endurance until the Sun of justice dawns. We make our prayer through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen

Readings

Old Testament Isaiah 65:17-25 A new heavens and a new earth

Psalm “A song of Isaiah” Rejoicing in God

New Testament 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Appropriate behaviour in the community

Gospel Luke 21:5-19 Prepare to suffer for Christ’s sake

Sermon (Fr George)

We have an “interesting” collection of readings today.

The end of the collection which we know as Isaiah, which is actually two or three works which complement one another, is the prophetic vision of a perfected community in God, when a new heavens and a new earth come into being. The development of the idea of life after death was still in process, and even in Jesus’ time there was divided thought on the matter, as the attempt by the Sadducees to trick Jesus which we heard in last week’s gospel reading demonstrates. The “new heavens and new earth” is the vision of a creation where the transient nature of this life, with its attendant sufferings, is transcended: living to one hundred, where the normal life expectancy is no more the forty, is perfection indeed! The turbulence of Israel’s present existence will be forgotten in this new creation. The portion which we used for the Psalm is one of rejoicing in this new Creation, where God is at the centre of things.

The writer of the 2 Thessalonians (OK, we’ll continue to call him Paul for the sake of convenience) is addressing an issue which had gained some ground in the early Christian community where the return of Christ was thought to be coming any day now. You will remember how, in the Acts of the Apostles, the believers sold all that they had and spent their days praying and teaching. When the Second Coming did not appear there were some issues that were relieved by the charitable collections instituted by Paul. Working to earn one’s living was a priority. (There’s an interesting parallel in conservative Judaism in Israel where the study of the Talmud is considered to be the height of ambition and young men, and they are all men, are supported by the state and exempted from military service!)

So, we turn to the Gospel reading for the day. It seems to be one of the most difficult portions, but take it apart carefully. There are militant groups all over Israel and a history of rebellion against foreign rulers. The destruction of the Temple, the very centrepiece of the Jewish faith, was still about 40 years in the future at the time of Jesus’ ministry but its almost inevitable destruction, giving the unremitting nature of Roman rule and punishment for rebellion, meant that the ultimate symbols of Jewish identity were headed for destruction.

There were a number of ideas about how reconciliation with God, if that is even the right way to describe it, would come about. There was a Messianic expectation by some that the Davidic kingdom, which was the zenith of Jewish history, would be restored. If Jesus was hailed as “Messiah” or “Anointed One” was this expectation placed on Jesus, although he himself would say “My kingdom is not of this world”. A number even of the apostolic band, belonged to the Zealots, who in the broad sense were prepared for armed insurrection against the Romans. One of the apostles was known as “Simon the Zealot” and the question as to the affiliation of Judas Iscariot is an open one.

I don’t think that Jesus had any illusions as to his earthly fate once he began to challenge the Jewish order: he wasn’t setting out to overthrow it but to return it to its proper calling, but a social hierarchy which was hand-in-glove with the imperial authority, would inevitably conspire to be rid of this nuisance.

Wars and rumours of wars, earthquakes, famines and plagues have never not been a part of human existence. Challenging unjust authority is also going to be uncomfortable, as many people are discovering in totalitarian societies, even when it seems that the majority of people side with the oppressor. We pray for societies such as these day by day.

So-called “Christian” sects are ready to announce an imminent Second Coming, but God is the author of Creation and the end to which this part will inevitably return. What Jesus does promise is that faithfulness to him will lead us into glory. But we have to trust in God’s timing and will. I don’t expect a general wrapping-up of history, at least not before the end of this year, but I do know that earthly history will come to an end for each one of us and in the meantime we continue to be faithful to the One who creates, reconciles and sanctifies.

Amen

Intercessions (Fr George)

Holy God, we bring before you the prayers of your people for the world, our nation, the Church, those in need and those who have gone to you nearer presence.

Holy God, in your mercy hear our prayer

Remember the assembly of the nations now gathered in Egypt to grapple with the changes in earth’s climate and inspire all people seriously to lay to heart to perils in which we stand through our wanton misuse of your Creation

Holy God, in your mercy hear our prayer

Remember this nation and all the nations of the world, our leaders in government, industry and commerce, and society at large. We pray for our Prime Minister Anthony, Premier Dominic, and for and all Members of Parliament, ands for the stability of all just governments.

Holy God, in your mercy hear our prayer

Remember your Church, and draw it into that unity for which Jesus your Christ prayed. In the Anglican Communion we pray for Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, our partner Diocese of Guadalcanal, the Diocese of Bendigo, and for respect and toleration across the whole Communion. In our own diocese we pray for Peter, Sonia and Charlie our Bishops, the Parishes of Bateau Bay and Gosford; for the ministries of Scone Grammar School, The Anglican Men’s Society, the Justice chaplaincy and its network. In our own parish and community we pray for our clergy Fr George and Deacon Gail; for the work of mission and evangelism; for ourselves in the various ministries to which you call us; and for the Beresfield-Tarro Baptist Church

Holy God, in your mercy hear our prayer

Remember the communities in which we live and work; for the various commercial enterprises, their proprietors and their clients, for Beresfield Chinese Takeaway, Very Sharpe Tattoo Studio, and James Henry Real Estate

Holy God, in your mercy hear our prayer

Remember the sick, the dispossessed, the lonely, the unloved and the unloving, those who live in poverty or violent domestic situations. We pray especially for those for whom our prayers have been asked; Jenny, Indi, Barbara D, Val Frazer, Lynn, Betty, Les, Mandy, Jill, Ann, Daphne, Bruce, Debbie M, Samuel, John J, Merv T, Jenny H, Didi, Margaret, Peter McC, Susan, Elizabeth, Dawn A, Heidi, Wendy, Peter, Vicki L, Laurie, Jenny M; and for those known to you alone.

Holy God, in your mercy hear our prayer

At Remembrancetide we remember before you all those whose lives have been stolen from them by war, regardless of which side they were on or their faith or lack thereof. At the anniversary of their death we remember before you Anne Atkins, Alick Redman, and Jessie Giles, and all those whom we have loved and see no more. Eternal rest grant to them and may your perpetual light shine upon them.

Holy God, in your mercy hear our prayer

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom stands our eternal live, whose service is perfect freedom; defend us from all assaults of our enemies that we, surely trusting in your defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Holy God, you have promised to hear us: grant that what we have asked in faith we may, by your grace, receive; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen