25th December Bulletin
The Anglican Parish of Tamborine Mountain
25h December 2022
Join us this Sunday at:
St. George’s, Tamborine Mountain St. Luke’s, Canungra
10am Eucharist 8am Eucharist
MERRY CHRISTMAS
What role did you get in the nativity play? Think back, who where you cast as? I was the innkeeper. When you think of that character you probably think of an uncaring businessman who said “no room” and slammed the door in Mary and Joseph’s face. In my starring performance at the primary school nativity play I saw him differently. He would have loved to have given the Holy Family a room but he physically couldn’t but he was so concerned about their welfare that he came up with a creative solution to their problem and thought outside the box… to the barn.
Throughout advent we have been studying different characters that are somehow connected to the Christmas story and I know that we stereotype individuals when we do this. I know that Joseph was a human being and therefore must have had his doubts about Mary’s story. Mary too was human so I know she was not ‘FULL of grace’, I know there would have been times she shouted at the child Jesus (especially when he ran off to the temple for a few hours or days.)
We know that we don’t have the full story when it comes to the characters involved in the Bible stories, but I don’t think that matters, I think it can be helpful to embrace the fact that we stereotype them so long as we use those stereotyped examples to inspire our own behaviour. It’s why I love this blessing which I use at this time of year and why I’ll leave it with you for this Christmas day:
May the joy of the angels, The eagerness of the shepherds, the perseverance of the wise men, The obedience of Mary and Joseph, And the peace of the Christ Child be yours this Christmas time and always. Amen
Tom
NOTICES…
Grateful thanks to the 2022 Parish Councillors for the time and talents you contributed to Council proceedings throughout the year.
Parish Council 2023
Churchwardens: Delma McCrea, Peta Tierney
Nominators: Anne King, Yvonne Relf, Jan Armstrong
Synod Reps: Peta Tierney, Kristy de Freitas
Parish Councillors: Joan Kahler, Louise Goodman, John King, Marea Little
Thank you all for volunteering to fill these roles that are so important to the functioning of our churches.
This week’s intercessions: Prepared by Tom
Lord God, we thank you for the miracle of Christmas. We thank you that you, God, came to dwell amongst us humans and we thank you for the humans who were involved in that nativity story. Our prayers are inspired by their stories, we pray that they may inspire us this Christmas time.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, thank you for the JOY of the angels. Thank you that they appeared in that sky over Bethlehem and praised God with the joyful declaration that Jesus was in the world. We pray that we may be inspired by their example, we pray that there may be more joy in our hearts in the new year. We pray that we would take opportunities to joyfully declare to people that Jesus is in the world. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, thank you for the EAGERNESS of the shepherds. We thank you that they heard the good news and immediately ran to be in the presence of Jesus. Thank you that they spent time with Jesus and then went out and witnessed to family and friends. We pray that we may be inspired by their example, we pray that we would be more eager to spend time in your presence in the new year. We pray that we would take any opportunity to experience the blessing of spending time with you.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, thank you for the PERSEVERANCE of the wise men. We thank you that they spent days trying to find you, even when the journey was difficult they kept seeking you. We pray that we may be inspired by their example, we pray that we will persist with our faith in the new year. We pray that even when the journey is a difficult one we will keep seeking you.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, thank you for the OBEDIENCE of Mary and Joseph. We thank you that they were people who were presented with a plan, that they chose to accept that plan and chose to stick with it. We pray that we may be inspired by their example, we pray that we may accept the plans you have for our lives and be obedient to where you may lead us in this new year.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord we thank you that at Christmas you sent our Lord Immanuel, God with us, we thank you for the PEACE of the Christ child, we thank you that you dwell with us in our hearts this Christmas and forever more. Amen.
Year’s Mind Anniversaries this month
Sylvia Tomlinson, Yvonne Cossins, George Curtis, May Finch, Nancy Lovell, Garry Mailer, Beryl Jenyns, Tom Powell, Sylvia Perkins, Raymond Curtis, Vincent Youngman, Jean Jenyns, Wendy Lyne.
December Retiring Collection: Christmas Bowl
As it is almost Christmas, on behalf of Act for Peace and the Christmas Bowl, I wanted to wish you, your family, and your congregation a very merry Christmas and a blessed new year. I hope that you feel encouraged, knowing that your congregation’s gifts, prayers and support are genuinely making a real difference. I ask you to take a moment to reflect and remember all those who are struggling to survive this Christmas, especially those who have been uprooted by conflict and disaster. By bringing together committed Australian Christians with dedicated local partners around the world we can give hope to refugees going hungry this Christmas. Through the Christmas Bowl we can respond to this crisis through practical Christian action, providing refugees with food, care and lifesaving support. Janet Cousens, CEO - Act for Peace
Toddler Time Preparations Saturday 7th January 9.00am Georgian Room
A working bee will be held to prepare for Wednesday Toddler Time in 2023, John Corner is looking for help from anyone interested in supporting this program for pre-school age children. Also, does anyone have a fairly big soft rug suitable for babies to lie on and roll about?
High Tea Sunday 1st January 11.00am St George’s
An opportunity for all to farewell Tom after his last service with us.
WEEKLY EVENTS:
Little Lukies Mon 3:00pm @ St Luke’s (in recess)
Meditation Tue 9.30am @ St George’s (in recess until 10 Jan)
Toddler Time Wed 9.30am @ St Georges (in recess)
Bible Study Wed 11.00am@ St Luke’s (in recess)
Friday Bible Study 1st/3rd Fri 10:00am (in recess until February)
PARISH DIRECTORY
Priest-in-Charge Rev Tom Hunton 04 0177 3012
tom.hunton@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Churchwarden Delma McCrea
07 5545 1856 delma.mccrea@live.com
Churchwarden Peta Tierney
04 1325 8332 peta.tierney@hotmail.com
Parish Office
Phone: 5545 2919 Monday to Friday 9.30-2.30
Email: tamborinemountain@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Website: https://tamborinemtandcanungraanglican.com
Parish Bank Details: BSB 704-901 Account No. 00000450
This week’ readings: Titus 3:4-8a; Luke 2:1-20
…and next Week: Galatians 4:4-7; Psalm 8; Numbers 6:22-27; Luke 2:15-21
We acknowledge and pay our respects to the Wanggeriburra people of the Yugambeh Nation, the traditional owners and ongoing custodians of the land on which we gather, and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people worshipping with us today.