St Paul's
Beaconsfield

Anglican Church near Fremantle, Western Australia

Fifth Sunday of Lent 21 Mar 2010

Our parish is a community that seeks God and the fullness of creation by finding ourselves in relation to others. Our giving to the common, to the other, our sharing of ourselves is our commitment to this endeavour.

You have shown us, O Christ, that grace changes life,
that grace can turn the ordinary into the festive
and emptiness into fullness.
When we find ourselves in you, O Christ,
we find that we too are bearers of grace
and that we too can be part of changing the world
J. Philip Newell - Celtic Treasure

Prayers this week from Alison Kershaw...
Let us remember those things that have enlarged our hearts and brought us strength and wisdom, but let us leave behind those things that hold us back ; let us strain forwards towards what lies ahead, and in company with all souls who have journeyed before us let us press on until we attain our resurrection in you.
Christ, who makes all things new – hear our prayer

Collect

God of Love – source of Joy and of all Life,
We are formed in the Divine image and called to offer praise,
called to be a voice of Divine Love and a voice of restoration.
Christ reveals the power of resurrection
and as we seek anew the pathways through the wilderness of Life
we find in each other a reflection of the Divine
that turns us toward new life in every moment......
........Amen

Pray that we may join together in imitating Christ, knowing and trusting in the Spirit that is with us in the wilderness. Pray that we may continue to empty ourselves for the encounter of Easter and have the courage to commit ourselves to the call of the Christ within us and in each (and every) other. Pray for those in our community who inspire us to seek the reality of God’s Word and God’s Love.- Pray without ceasing - Give thanks for each other as we seek the holiness that is found in the stillness of the wilderness.

Pray for those who share out Lenten journey with us. Give thanks for those who hear the words of truth, and those who guide others into the way of Peace. Give thanks for all who nurture and make real in acts of love the call of our community - Give thanks for our diversity, our strengths and our weaknesses. Give thanks for all that we share in common with all people and with all faiths -

Pray that we may hear when others speak of truth.. Pray that we might feed others and nurture within ourselves a spirit of compassion. Pray for all refugees and for hospitality in the hearts of all. Give thanks for the Divine fullness that we glimpse as we share together in worship

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A Sesquicentenary Prayer

Lord of all generations
Bless our celebration of 150 years of ministry with the Diocese of Perth.
We give thanks for those whose dedication and vision enabled the foundation and development of this diocese.
Guide those of us now entrusted with this responsibility.
Encourage us and give us the commitment, enthusiasm and inspiration we need.
May we have breadth of vision and generosity that will enable us to provide a solid foundation of faith for future generations.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Prayer from Perth Anglican Diocese See left hand column

Prayer in the tradition of St Paul

Creator of Life, of light and all Love, we pray thee
to fill this house with thy Spirit.
Here may the strong renew their strength and seek
for their working lives a noble consecration.
Here may the poor find succour and the friendless
friendship.
Here may the tempted find power, the sorrowing
comfort and the bereaved find the truth that death
hath no dominion over their beloved.
Here let the fearing find a new courage and the
doubting have their faith and hope confirmed.
Here may the careless be awakened and all that are
oppressed be freed.
Hither may many be drawn by thy love and go
hence, their doubts resolved and faith renewed,
their sins forgiven and their hearts aflame with thy
love.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the Chapel porch, Pleshey Retreat House, with amended
divine address.

The Creed

We believe that in the Child of Bethlehem
all love and grace
is gathered for the world.
Here God entered our life
in a way which honoured forever
our struggle to survive
our possibilities for newness
and our ordinary human journey
Here we see our God
in a surprising way
a God who travels with us
a God who loves us to the death
and a God who comes among us
as a small and vulnerable child
This God we Praise
This God we welcome into our life
This God we celebrate today.

***********************

Gâyatrî Mantra

We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of all Sin and Ignorance;
May the Divine enlighten our Intellect.

************************

May creatures all abound in wealth and peace;
May all be blessed with peace always;
All creatures weak or strong,
All creatures great and small;
Creatures seen or unseen,
Dwelling afar or near.
born or awaiting birth,
May all be blessed with peace!

++++++++++++++++++++++++

We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of all Sin and Ignorance;
May The Divine enlighten our Intellect.