ANGLICAN
AT 10am today, some representatives from four local congregations will meet to finalise the service for the annual World Day of Prayer.
Prepared by the people of Vanuatu, the service will be in the Churches of Christ Grain Shed at 10am next Friday, March 5.
Some readers may recently have seen NZ actor Sam Neill’s series on the ABC, The Pacific: In the Wake of Captain Cook, which this week featured Vanuatu.
It was so encouraging to see the boot sale and cottage crafts market up and running again last Saturday after the absence of a long year (it included an extra day in February).
The Nyah West Op Shop and Men’s Shed are also open for business and community service. New faces will always be warmly welcomed at both.
Following this Sunday’s 9.30am service, the parish AGM will be held in the function centre, 11am to 12 noon.
People who took the prepared reports home last Sunday should bring them back to the meeting prepared for any matters to discuss.
Peter will be celebrating a monthly service in Quambatook in addition to his usual diocesan commitments as archdeacon.
He and Denis will continue for the time being to distribute reflections and reading leaflets by email, and make house calls to those without the internet.
Wednesday 10am services are also looking close to ‘normal’ but being mindful of social distancing, of course.
Nyah West Mothers Union had its delayed AGM this week after the service, and the first of the six week Lenten studies.
Annual subscription of $30 is due now, and activity details are included in the parish AGM annual report.
Bring and share lunch is at present limited to BYO only, tea and coffee is provided for self service.
May we be enriched throughout Lent.
GRAIN SHED
WELL, who else is feeling like a Tasmanian devil has just come through?
Going from our first full lockdown, masks back and church off to the start of vaccinations … watching overseas with the UK’s plans to open up, talk of overseas travel, it feels somewhat surreal and a reminder how we need not focus on our worldly events but trust in our Heavenly Father.
‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. In all your ways obey him. Then he will make your paths smooth and straight.’ Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV.
Grain Shed youth have a Little Aths happening this evening here at the Grain Shed at 7pm.
If you are a secondary student who would like to know more about Jesus while connecting with others and having fun, please contact Liz, youth@thegrainshed.org.au.
This Sunday our church doors are open and at 10am here at the Grain Shed, all locals, visitors are welcome to join us as we worship, listen to what Pastor La’Mont has to share with us and close in fellowship.
If you are unable to attend, please check out our online service, The Grain Shed Church Swan Hill on YouTube, Facebook or on our website www.thegrainshed.org.au.
Finally, after waiting one year, we were able to start our mainly music program for pre-schoolers officially last Monday.
As there are still places available, we invite those interested to contact robyn.carson@thegrainshed.org.au to pre-register or come along to the Grain Shed this coming Monday at 9.15am and register.
Session starts at 9.30am until 11am. Morning tea is provided for both young and old and at a $5 per family cost.
Wednesday create is back for 2021 at 10am to 12 noon for all like-minded women working on a set craft project while sharing a cuppa and chatting and Thursday our craft group meet at 10am.
Save the date: Friday, March 5, 9.30am to 12 noon is Women’s World Day of Prayer at the Grain Shed.
UNITING
PRAISE him, you servants of the Lord.
Ps 22 encourages us this week.
We pray as you read this that restrictions will be further eased and vaccines will be rolling out to those most vulnerable and those working on the frontlines making things safer for all of us.
However, with our daily news and our lectionary readings, we think of the whole world situations at present such as COVID in USA, military coup in Myanmar and refugees around the world.
Tonight at 6.30pm, we will have a Welcome to Refugee information night in a COVIDSafe setting in our hall, so please join us.
We also have the great opportunity to pray for such situations on Friday, March 5 at 10am at the Grain Shed for The World Day of Prayer.
The liturgy has been prepared by our neighbour Vanuatu and Tony Waldron will share some thoughts on volunteering for seven months in the Kiribati Islands in 2019. Meanwhile, we rejoice that our own worldwide congregation can meet safely this Sunday at 9.30am with those whose ancestors may have been born in Australia or perhaps from Europe, Asia or the Pacific Island Nations.
Our Psalm continues “All nations will remember the Lord. From every part of the world they will turn to God; all races will worship God”.
In our Hebrew Scripture reading Genesis 17, God makes a covenant promise to Abram even though he was the same age as Prince Philip.
He gives him a new name Abraham along with his wife now called Sarah.
Romans 4:20 reminds us “Abraham’s faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God’s promise; his faith filled him with power, and he gave praise to God”.
May that be true for you whatever your age. Well, we as a church are moving forward with a new name as a member of the Murray River Cluster with a new arrangement of a shared ministry team.
So Mark and other ministers (yet to be placed) will not be ours alone, but ours in a shared arrangement.
Details and other ministers are yet to be finalised, but we look forward to God doing a new thing in our congregations along the Murray.
Meanwhile, whatever our age and stage, there is much to do as our Gospel reading challenges us in Mark 8:35 Jesus said, “If any of you want to come with me you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me”.
We hope to continue our Lenten studies on discipleship each Tuesday at 7.30pm, hopefully with option of more visitors allowed in the homes.
Study sheets are available from Jenny if you’d rather peruse ideas in your own time and place.
Peace be with you, and if you are over 70 or in another priority group and are called for the vaccine jab, be brave.
