20th March Bulletin

18 Mar

Written By Sonya Gubbins

The Anglican Parish of Tamborine Mountain

PARISH BULLETIN

20th March 2022

Third Sunday in Lent

Sentence

‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts,’ says the Lord.

Isaiah 55.9

Collect Third Sunday in Lent

O God, the fountain of life,
to a humanity parched with thirst
you offer the living water that springs from the Rock,

our Saviour Jesus Christ:
stir up within your people the gift of your Spirit,

that we may profess our faith with freshness
and announce with joy the wonder of your love.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for Tom

God our Shepherd,

we thank you for calling The Rev’d Dr Tom Hunton

to serve in the Parish of Tamborine Mountain as Priest-in-Charge.

Uphold Tom and his family as they prepare to re-locate;

and prepare us to receive and welcome them.

Equip and strengthen Tom for his ministry and leadership in the years ahead.

Enable him to be among us as one who

Preaches the Gospel with conviction,

Administers the Sacraments with reverence

and cares for your people with love,

that together we might `go for growth’

and bring forth the fruit of your Spirit in all we do;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Liturgy: via PowerPoint + APBA Colour – Purple

Readings: Isaiah 55.1-9; Ps 63.1-9; I Corinthians 10.1-13; Luke 13.1-9

Fr Peter writes:

In my bible (NRSV), Isaiah chapter 55 has the heading An invitation to Abundant Life. The prophet invites us to ‘Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near’. Paul writes to the church in Corinth reminding them that we are all on the same journey and God provides what the community needs for the journey. He encourages the people not to desire evil things or grumble as these lead to destruction. It is not sufficient to just be a member of a community. We are to take care that we do not give in to temptation.

The gospel reading set for today tells how Jesus taught that life events do not reflect our relationship with God. Bad things happen but they do not reflect on how great a sinner the victims are. We are not to judge. The parable of the fig tree clearly asks that the tree not be judged by past performance. The gardener pleads to be allowed to care for it, fertilise it and that the tree be given another chance.

As we continue our Lenten journey, do not rely on going through the motions but see temptation for what it is and resist it. Allow the gardener to care for you in your current situation, to feed you through your Lenten study and reflection and follow the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near’.

Draw nearer to Jesus each day as we prepare to celebrate the Passion of our Lord Jesus and our salvation.

Move forward in faith on our Christian journey this Lent.

Yours in the household of God, Peter+

Fr Peter will be in the parish Thursday and Sunday this week

Prayer points from Tom: We uphold Tom and his family - wife, Amy, and four children: Matthew, Sophie and Adam, and Bee. We give thanks that they have received their visas and booked their flights. They will start their ministry with Revd Dr Tom’s Commissioning 21st April 2022 at 7pm. Please pray for them and respect their privacy once they arrive during the settling in time.

Hymns

Introit TIS 672 Lord of Earth and all creation

Gradual: TIS 48 You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord

Offertory: TIS 47 O God our help in ages past

Communion TIS 417 Loving Spirit, Loving Spirit

Missional: TIS 687 God gives us a future

Labyrinth Message

This week's labyrinth message for you to "walk with" is : Is there a "barren fig tree" in your life at the moment ? A project, personal goal, event or a person to whom you are ministering to or praying for … is not "coming along" or progressing as you had hoped or planned?

In this week's Gospel, Jesus challenges us to reassess our priorities. Perhaps the time necessary for the project's, your or the other person's development is not yet " right" and a further period of effort, support or input is required ? [e.g. Some fig trees in Biblical times required up to 6 years to bear fruit + the first 3 years fruits were not to be eaten anyways]. Or, perhaps the season for that particular focus is over for you and it's time to "let it go"? I wonder if we are assessing our ministries through our own time line, ego and needs for success and achievement and not through the callings of God's or other's needs? Blessed are those who can rightly discern when God is calling us to "keep on" and when we are invited to "let go".

Prayers of the people Prepared by David

The World:

As we gather here today in your name to thank you and praise you for all you offer us through your Holy Church. We are blessed with so much - so much to be thankful for and so much to celebrate. Thank you, for our beautiful world filled with natures beauty of flowers, trees, birds, and wildlife. Thank you for our families and our friends – all of whom we can share our love with and reflect our Christian faith through what we do.