19 November 2023

18 Nov

Written By Sonya Gubbins

The Anglican Parish of Tamborine Mountain

19 November 2023

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

and Ministry Sunday

St. George’s, Tamborine Mountain St. Luke’s, Canungra

2 Dapsang Drive, 15-21 Kidston Street,

Tamborine Mountain Canungra

Sunday: 10.00am Eucharist Sunday: 8.00am Eucharist

4.00 pm Eucharist

We are a Christian faith community living in the way of Christ accepting and welcoming all in loving service, growing Christ’s future on Earth.

Sentence for the Day

God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other. 1 Thessalonians 5.9, 11

Collect of the Day

Everliving God, before the earth was formed, and even after it shall cease to be, you are God. Break into our short span of life and show us those things that are eternal, that we may serve your purpose in all we do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect for Commitment Sunday

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves; when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little; when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to shore. Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of the things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life. Stir us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas, where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes and to push us into the future in strength, courage, hope and love. Amen.

Liturgy: via PowerPoint + APBA Colour – Green

Readings:

Judges 4.1–10; Psalm 123; 1 Thessalonians 5.1–11; Matthew 25.14–30

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.

A note from Helen

Are you aware of God working in your life? Do you recognise God’s presence with you in your day-to-day activities? It is a tricky question because we almost ‘automatically’ answer – of course, but if I stop and think about it deeply, maybe the answer is ‘not always’. We become so busy in our lives that recognition of God in our day-to-day living is not always present. Certainly, ‘in hind-sight’ I know God to be with me, but I have to admit that it is not always ‘top of mind’ as I go through my daily living. Now certainly, there are definite moments and times when I ‘know’ that God is there, and I can easily see God in the person or moment, but as a daily, every moment event, I am not always ‘open’ to seeing God in every situation. The letter, this morning, to the Thessalonians alerts us that God comes into our lives like a ‘thief in the night’, at unexpected, surprising, and often unnoticed times, and we are counselled to be aware of the ‘God-moments’ which may be disguised as chance encounters, as dreams, or even unexpected events. And we need to ask – will I sleep though God’s visitations in my life, or will I be alert to the angels in disguise who bring tidings of great joy and invite me into creative transformation. God seeks wholeness and salvation for us. The surprises of grace involve not only our well-being, but our care for others. And in each moment, God comes to us in the disguise of our neighbour, and the vulnerable stranger.

NOTICES

Services around Christmas. The current suggestion for services are:

24 Dec – no morning services; 4pm children’s service; 11.30pm ‘Midnight’ service

25 Dec – 8am St Luke’s; 10am St George’s

If you are disappointed that there is no morning service on 24 Dec, you are invited to discuss it with me. I do not want anyone to ‘miss’ church over the Christmas period, so if your circumstances mean that the morning of 24 Dec is ‘the only time’ you can attend for Christmas, talk to me and we can hopefully work something out. Rev’d Helen

AGM 1 Dec 10 so please prayerfully consider who you think are being called to serve this parish as either warden, nominator, synod rep, council member. Nomination forms are available at the entrance of the church. Ideally nominations should be made on or before Nov 24.

Children’s Service: On 24 Dec at 4pm we will have our children’s service. So we need cast, helpers, audience, backstage crew. And lots of children. If you know of children who you think would like to be part of this, or at least attend this, I encourage you to encourage them. If you are willing to ‘be’ a cast member, helper, or backstage crew, please let us know.

Hymns Introit 595 O Jesus I have promised

Gradual 647 Comfort, comfort

Offertory Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me

Missional 690 beauty for brokenness

Stewardship Thought

1. What does ‘living in the way of Christ’ mean for us/you?

2. How do we/you live in the way of Christ?

3. How do we/I communicate ‘living in the way of Christ’ in the wider community?

Intercessions – prepared by Keith

Generous God, we give you thanks for Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.