St Paul's
Beaconsfield

Anglican Church near Fremantle, Western Australia

Trinity Sunday 2009

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.

Year B

Sunday, 9.15am Holy Communion see also Readings

Regular Services

Lectionary

The full text of the readings for Sunday are available in our Sunday's Readings section.

Other Resources

Textweek The Text This Week - Revised Common Lectionary, Scripture Study and Worship Links

Online Revised Common Lectionary Vanderbilt Divinity Library

Earlier Thoughts      Year B 0506      Year C 0607      Year A 0708

Sunday, 9.15am Holy Communion

LITURGICAL NOTE
From the start of Advent we follow the YEAR B readings in the three year lectionary cycle.

Before entering the sanctuary or the vestry…
Please allow the Choir to complete the ‘postlude’ and any additional songs that are part of our offering in worship – Our holding the sacred space is part of our common union - our being together in communion

The Lord’s Prayer
To give us the opportunity to reflect on this prayer, the prayer will be ‘restated’ by the Liturgical Assistant after we have joined together in sharing the prayer during the service. It also provides us with a reminder (or with permission) to revisit our traditional understandings… and to see the ancient wisdom of our tradition in a contemporary context.

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You must be born from above

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Alex asked Peter:Why are we here on Earth?
Alex, You asked a wonderful question.......
Why we are here on earth?
A wonderful and important question… It is wonderful because the more it is asked... the more answers you will find.
And it is the asking of the question that is important... the answers will be many and varied and will lead you to ask more questions.........
Some questions have only one answer........ What day is it today?....... Saturday... and what day will it be tomorrow?... Sunday...
Other questions we do not know the answers (yet): What will you become when you grow up? Although we can always take a guess and answer them, or we can answer them in general terms. "Something very special"
Your question..... is a special question....
Why we are here on earth?
Because it asks something from someone...... It does not look for a 'correct' answer... it looks for a truth..... and so it looks for the presence of God........
And each time you ask it.... there is an opportunity to see a little glimpse of God's presence...........
Each time you ask it..... the question - and it's answer - will ask something from you as well....... It will ask you to ask even more questions........
So it is a wonderful and important question
And my answer...Which can only be my answer.... and so only a part of the whole answer........
We are here on earth to
shine as a light in the world to the glory of God
and to live a life worthy of the calling to which we have been called.......
I found those answers when I asked the same question as you have asked..........
and they now lead me to ask more questions...........
You will meet many, many people in your journey through life...... Choose those who you want to share your question with...
and as you collect the answers..... many different answers....
so follow where they lead you....
Remember ... the questions is important... the answer may be important... the question IS important...
and maybe....
You...... Alex..... like me..... are part of the answer.......
Peace & Love ….Peter H

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The trinity is the largest embrace in the universe…. All of us live within the circle of the Trinity. No one or no thing can fall out of this circle. In God there is no outside… Regardless of how numbed, ordinary or dull a life might seem to itself or to others, each life is urgent with divinity… Each of us is born out of a different place in the circle of God’s heart. This is the reason why each individual is unique; each comes from a different nest in the divine. It is towards this nest that our deepest longing tends: it is only here that the soul can discover her true poise and rhythm.

From “The Priestliness of the Human Heart” by John O’Donohue

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Praise to the divine light
Praise to the true light
Praise to the light of life
Praise to the light of the world
Praise to the light of the self
Praise to the inner light.
Priest: Eternal light, shining beyond the heaven's radiant sun, illuminating all regions, above, below and across, true light enlightening every one coming into the world, dispel the darkness of our hearts and enlighten us with the splendour of your glory.

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Let us praise God the Creator,
who is filled with glory and power - with holiness and splendour;
Let us worship God the Saviour,
who is filled with love and compassion - with justice and peace;
Let us experience God the Spirit,
who fills us with faith and joy - with love and eternal life.

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"Parables do not just communicate information; they are moments of grace. Jesus tell them to startle people into a new way of looking at things. We begin to engage with the word of God when it puzzles us.” Timothy Radcliffe, Why go to church?

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From Pentecost 2006…… Pentecost calls a church into being, not as a social club, not as a home for strays, not as an institution that manages and preaches about sin, righteousness and judgement; but rather, Pentecost calls a church into being a church that is seeking full humanity, a church that is seeking to realize what we are created to be – an image of the Divine.

We and all people are spirit-filled, filled with the Divine.

The flame of Pentecost is within. The opportunity, the call of Pentecost is to find an expression of that flame, so that we might shine
as a light in the world.

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The Elm Dance

After the choir sings the postlude on Sunday morning, those who wish to join in “The Elm Dance” gather in the circle dance area outside the church before going up to coffee in the hall. The Elm Dance

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The Divine Gift of Life, Light and Love
Our offering - a reflection of the gifts we have received
and an orientation of our giving to the life of this community.

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There is nothing in all the Universe so much like God as silence.
Meister Eckhart

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Sacred Space, Liturgy & our Community @ Worship
As we seek to offer our best in worship these guidelines may be helpful.

1. Silence before worship enables us to be ‘gathered’ into the introit sung by the choir
2. Conversations with others are often our way of avoiding those more divine words that search for us.
3. The sanctuary ‘space’ is ‘held’ by those who lead our worship, please keep to a minimum any movement in this ‘space’ and, at the end of our service, please wait until the choir have finished singing before entering.
4. NOTICES are an important part of our community story… however please use the service sheet to convey notices so that we can minimise the number that have to be given in church.

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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.

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Peace
Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthi

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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!
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Giving made easy
Direct debit forms are available from the back of the church and the hall for anyone who wants to use this facility. 
St Paul’s bank account details are:
30004913 Beaconsfield - for the East End account
30003006 Beaconsfield - for regular giving
For Internet or other bank transfers you will also need the BSB which is the same for each account – 706-001
Please contact Bob Matthews if you have any questions.

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