with Broadford, Tallarook and Pyalong

PO Box 289 Kilmore 3764 www.anglicankilmore.org.au

The Diocese of Wangaratta

The Anglican Parish of Kilmore

2nd Sunday of Advent

4th November 2011

Kilmore Broadford Tallarook Pyalong

9am 11am 11am 5pm

Eucharist with Hymns Eucharist with Hymns Morning Prayer Eucharist with Hymns

Today

Usual Services check notices for updates

Mon Wed Thu Thu Thu Fri Sat - - - - - - - - - Priests day off - - - - - - - - 10am Christ Church Eucharist with Bach 10am Willowmeade Eucharist 10am-1pm Church House Flameingoes Womens Support Group 4pm Dianella Eucharist (EP 3rd Thur) 10am-4pm Church House Op Shop 10am-12pm Church House Op Shop
Honorary Priest: Father John Young 9 St. Matthews Village 34-40 Powlett Street Broadford 3658 Ph: 5784 2224 Theological Student: Ms Kasey Holyman 185 Fassifern Rd Highlands 3660 Mb. 0405 028 438
kholywoman@hotmail.com

Parish Priest: Revd Trevor Smith 9 Union Street Kilmore 3764 Ph: 5782 1155 tssmith@dragnet.com.au

First Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11

1Comfort,

O comfort my people, says your God. 2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lords hand double for all her sins. 3A voice cries out: In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 6A voice says, Cry out! And I said, What shall I cry? All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. 8The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. 9Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, Here is your God! 10See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep. For the word of the Lord: Thanks be to God Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 (said antiphonally) 1 O Lord, you were gracious to your land: you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people: and covered all their sin. 8 I will hear what the Lord God will speak: for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful ones, whose hearts are turned to him. 9 Truly his salvation is near to those that fear him: and his glory shall dwell in our land. 10 Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other:

Truth shall flourish out of the earth: and righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12 The Lord will also give us all that is good: and our land shall yield its plenty. 13 For righteousness shall go before him: and tread the path before his feet.
11

Second Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-15a

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. 14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. For the word of the Lord: Thanks be to God
8

The Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark chapter one, beginning at the first verse. Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ 1The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight . 4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to

him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camels hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. For the Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. Please pray for those who are sick and in need: Seth Gunther, Adrian Walsh, Ethan Forcier, Jeannette Jolley, Gwenda Stomann, Eileen Matts, Rosemary Homewood, Diana Kelly, Fr. Alex Kornaczcwski, Spencer Field, Lasse Prosser, Kurt, Jean Evans, Joan Edge, Tom Davidson, Warren Davies, Lyn Ryan, Heidi Yates, Di Vidal, Donna Quadara. Anyone wishing to add a person to the Parish prayer list please make sure the person is happy to be named and then contact Trevor.

Years mind:
Today we remember before God those whose anniversary of death occurs this week: 4th Hilda Maher, Nell Pearce; 5th Angus Cooper; 6th George Poulter, Joan McLean, Edward Kennard; 7th Edith Wittingslow; 8th Ray Jackson, Eric Beaumont; 9th Michele Potts, Tara Alexander; 10th Clarence Parkinson.

Notices
Congratulations! As many parishioners might be aware, Fr Trevor has put in many hours of studying over the years. In July this year he completed and passed his Masters degree. Running a parish, moving interstate and studying all at the same time can be quite a task! Our biggest congratulations go to him (and to Lyndell for putting up with a 'student' in the house!!!) as he celebrates his Graduation next weekend in Canberra. Well done Trevor - we are all very proud of you. With love from all your parishioners and friends in the parish. Music Practice: The Christ Church Ensemble will meet to practise for Nine Lessons and Carols this Tuesday 6th Dec @ Christ Church 7.30pm.

St Pauls Cathedral Nine Lessons and Carols: A bus trip is being organised for Sat 10th Dec (next Sat). A few seats remain for this excellent event. Please ring Mary Dodge to book seats on 5784 1220 Friday Night BBQ dates: An end of year Christmas BBQ will be held on 16th Dec. at Nerrida and Andrew Prossers home 415 Boundary Road Kilmore 5782 037, BYO meat and salads and sweets to share. Mid-week services: Thursdays Eucharist with Bach at St Matthews is in recess until Feb 2nd Wednesdays Eucharist with Bach will finish on Wed. 21st Dec and resume Feb 1st Dianella services will finish on Dec 22nd and resume on Feb 2nd. TEAR catalogues now available give a gift to someone who needs it, and one that keeps on giving. Mission Giving for Advent: The Christmas Bowl Appeal Act for Peace. NCCA. The Christmas Bowl program has been supporting Act for Peace's project partners around the world for more than 60 years. It is an important symbol for churches, schools and individuals all around Australia who work together to promote peace, justice and partnership. Anglicares Christmas Appeal: The parish made a great contribution last year. Lets do it again. Items can be brought in now and kept until the trees go up. Gift List: lego, building blocks, arts and craft materials, board games, baby blankets, educational DVDs, bikes, books, clothing, sports equipment, back packs, jewellery, gift vouchers, musical instruments, diaries, beach towels. Food Items: hams, canned vegetables, canned fruit, jellies, jams, coffee, tea, rice, pasta, biscuits, beans, legumes, puddings, ring-pull canned food, instant meals, tinned salmon or fish. AGM for 2012: Sunday 4th March. Please prepare Annual Reports as soon as possible. The preferred (by far) method for submission is by email direct to Caroline Burge email@carolineburge.com or to the Rector tssmith@dragnet.com.au Reports must be in by the end of January.

Retiring Collection: Our Mission Retiring Collection over the coming months will be for the famine on the Horn of Africa through AngliCORD. Children, pregnant women and the elderly are amongst those hardest hit in the burgeoning humanitarian crisis caused the worst drought in sixty years in the Horn of Africa. Please give generously. Saints Days this week: Tuesday 6th Dec Nicholas of Myra, bishop & philanthropist (d.c.342); Wednesday 7th Dec Ambrose of Milan, bishop & teacher (d. 397); Thursday 8th Dec Richard Baxter, pastor & spiritual writer (d. 1691). A few thoughts on Prayer from the Diocesan Spiritual Director for Cursillo: In preparation for a recent Secretariat meeting I was reading the Gospel set for the day. It was Luke 20:45-48 which recounts Jesus cleansing of the Temple and it struck a chord. As Jesus drives out those who were selling things he says My house shall be a house of prayer My house shall be a house of prayer, and the question which confronts me is Is it? Is the Lords house a house of prayer? Is todays church our church, a church of prayer? Are the people of God a people of prayer? The Anglican Church is blessed with its Prayer Books BCP, AAPB, APBA, it matters not, each is a testament to the intention of prayer. Each is filled with prayers for all conditions and purposes of humankind. Prayer is central to all our liturgies yet I wonder about our lives are they full of prayer? BCP! The Book of Common Prayer, of common prayer and the question is how common? Prayer in the Temple clearly indicates prayers of the people corporate prayer, communal prayer, the prayers of the community gathered. How often do we gather together as the people of God to pray - to gather humbly before the throne of Grace and pour out our hearts to God? I pray that across this Diocese it is more common than I in my melancholy suspects. You see, I suspect that many of us do not pray well. Psalm 134 was set for the day of the Secretariat meeting Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the Lord. May the Lord, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion. This prayer was prayed by one shift of pray-ers in the Temple for the new shift coming to take over for the night watch.

What an idea, shifts of pray-ers in the house of the Lord praying day and night for all conditions and purposes of humankind. Perhaps we could start with a little less ambition, say, once a week, gathered as the people of God praying for all conditions and purposes of humankind its just a thought. My final thought is formed from the passage immediately before the cleansing of the Temple, vv. 41-44, in which Jesus weeps over Jerusalem Jerusalem, the city of the people of God, a people who could not recognise the things that make for peace. And Jesus laments Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognise the time of your visitation from God. Is this not reminiscent of the church of the people of God today? What can we possibly do? May I suggest that Advent is a season for reflection, repentance, preparation, and prayer, as we, the people of God, along with the cosmos, wait with eager longing for the coming of the Christ and the revealing of the children of God. And as is said in the best of Anglican circles Let us pray! Peace and blessings to all, Trevor Smith. Pew Reflections for the 2nd Sunday of Advent There is no doubt that John the Baptist shakes the hell out of his hearers in an effort to prepare them for the most important event they were going to experience: the coming of the Messiah, the re-direction of history. Today, the world waits for the final event in history albeit at times it does not know the Second Coming of Christ. How are we, as the Church, preparing ourselves and also others for the final event? Pray for those people in our churches who are charged with preparing people for baptism, confirmation, marriage and ministry of the laity and ordained. Give thanks for the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (The Anglican Church in Japan), for its Archbishop, Nathaniel Uematsu, and for his clergy and people.
Text: The Revd Vongai Mkaronda, Gender Co-ordinator for the Anglican Church of Papua New
Guinea Anglican Board of Mission, 2011

The words and inspiration of Archbishop Desmond Tutu A person is a person through other persons.
Parish Diary: 1st Mon. of the month - Building and Maintenance Committee Meeting 7.30pm Church House (unless otherwise notified) 2nd Wed. of the month - Parish Council Meeting 7.30 pm Church House Sat Dec 3rd St Matthews December street stall, 9am, The Mall. Tue Dec 6th Music Practise, Christ Church 7.30pm Sat Dec 10th Nine Lessons & Carols, St Pauls Cathedral Fri Dec 16th Friday Night Christmas BBQ, see notice for details. Sun Dec 18th Nine Lessons and Carols, Christ Church Kilmore 7pm Sun Mar 4th 2013 Parish Annual General Meeting

Next Sunday: 11th December

Readings Kilmore Broadford Tallarook Pyalong Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11; Ps126; 1 Thess 5:12-28; John 1:1-6,19-28 9am Morning Prayer 11am Morning Prayer 11am Morning Prayer 5pm No Service this week

Pew Sheet Notices to Trevor by Thursday evening tssmith@dragnet.com.au; or email Michael Jones mjrmjones@optusnet.com.au