St Paul's
Beaconsfield

Anglican Church near Fremantle, Western Australia

Fourth Week of Advent 20 December 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 C readings in the three-year lectionary cycle. See the inside back cover for more about the liturgical year.

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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My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour

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Magnificat anima mea Dominum,
My soul magnifies the Lord
The person of Mary gives us much to contemplate..... her response to the Divine call was an unqualified “Yes”... her orientation was toward birthing the Divine - itself a divine activity -to bring the ‘Word” of God into reality. And her song, the harmony of her life, was to ‘magnify the Divine’...
These contemplations give us a chance to look at ourselves... and to contemplate our ‘response’, our ‘orientation’ and our ‘song’.
Our culture invests much in the power of the media, for it has the ability to ‘magnify’, and we are easily drawn toward that which is easy to see.......
As we look at ourselves we see that shape of St Paul’s changing - something that has been long-awaited is coming into reality. We are participating in the nativity of a new order......
We are being reshaped and re-formed..... as one body we will not be the same again.... This year WE experience the reality of Mary. Perhaps we too are birthing something Divine.......

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HOPE PEACE JOY LOVE

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May the blessing of light be upon you,
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine upon you
and warm your heart
till it glows like a great fire
and strangers may warm themselves,
as well as friends.
And may the light shine out of the eyes of you,
like a candle set in the window of a house,
bidding the wanderer to come in
out of the storm
(Celtic Blessing)

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The Feast of the Holy Innocents
the first buds of the Church killed by the frost of persecution; they died not only for Christ, but in his stead (St. Augustine, "Sermo 10us de sanctis").
As a day with a traditional focus on Children, I thought this might be an auspicious day to share some photos of my time with the children of the Snowlands School in Kathmandu. It is also within the octave of Christmas and so a busy time for many, so there will be further opportunities in the New Year. Please put your name on the list in the hall if you’d like to come

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The Magnificat (also known as the Song of Mary) is a canticle frequently sung (or spoken) liturgically in Christian church services. The text of the canticle is taken directly from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:46-55) where it is spoken by the Virgin Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. In the narrative, after Mary greets Elizabeth, who is pregnant with the future John the Baptist, the child moves within Elizabeth's womb. When Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith, Mary sings the Magnificat in response.
The canticle echoes several Old Testament biblical passages, but the most pronounced allusions are to the Song of Hannah, from the Books of Samuel (1Samuel 2:1-10). Along with the Benedictus, as well as several Old Testament canticles, the Magnificat is included in the Book of Odes, an ancient liturgical collection found in some manuscripts of the Septuagint.
Within Christianity, the Magnificat is most frequently recited within the Liturgy of the Hours. In Western Christianity, the Magnificat is most often sung or recited during the main evening prayer service: Vespers within Roman Catholicism and Evening Prayer (or Evensong) within Anglicanism. In Eastern Christianity, the Magnificat is usually sung at Sunday Matins. Within protestant groups, the Magnificat may be sung during worship services.

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ADVENT Candles
Today…We light the fourth candle. Today’s candle burns for Mary of Nazareth, a young girl of no name or importance who places her life at the service of God’s plan. We celebrate her freely spoken Yes, her courage in embracing the unknown future, her love lavished on Love, teaching the Word the language of faith. Mary of Nazareth was an ordinary young Jewish girl who loved God and wanted God's love to fill her heart. God filled her to overflowing with the presence of Jesus. She conceived Jesus in her mind before she conceived him in her womb, and we too can carry Jesus inside us like Mary. He can influence everything we think and do and say, and he can reach out through our hands to touch and heal the people we meet. From ‘Approaching Advent’ – Litmus -Archbishop’s Liturgy & Music Committee, Diocese of Perth
Take time to dream to find the vision of which you are a part

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Postcard from Kathmandu
An update on Suraj, the street kid I met on my first day...
Hi, How are you? I came back this evening and the good news is that mission complete. This was really cool and new thing in my life.
The journey starts from Thamel. I met him in morning at around 10 and we both went to airport and hour flight was on time but we went 2 hours before the flight actually we should go 1 hour early but in excitement we went early any ways. The flight was full of people and I was looking their faces and was thinking with me that what kind of mission they have. This was my first experience in my life to fly in that tiny little flight.

We arrived and we took taxi from airport and straight we went to hotel were I made booking from Kathmandu. The hotel was ok but not good. My next step was to collect some information about his village. In evening we took dinner together and went to sleep in our rooms. Next day morning we took local bus around 7.30 and it was around 83 kilometres from my hotel.

Finally we arrived in his village he took me to his home no one was there and I start asking people about them .They said that may be they are in field .I start looking for them finally we met his mother and the movement I saw some tears in both mother and son’s eyes. My next step was to go his school and talk with headmaster we went there and I talked with school they took him back and I made new admission and pay all his 6 months fees. I told them that I will come in every 3 month and see his growth. The new classes will begin from April till that he will be in 6th grade and will continue after April in same class. Suraj has 2 sisters one younger and 1 elder and 1 elder brother they have only 2 years difference in age. I gave money to his mother to cover his lodging and food and also bought some clothes for his family. I will continue looking his activities and will inform you time to time…..Best regards….Raja

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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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