St Paul's
Beaconsfield

Anglican Church near Fremantle, Western Australia

Baptism of our Lord 10 January 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.

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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I have called you by name, you are mine

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Today we welcome Agatha in Holy Baptism and share with her parents (Paula & Dermot) and God-parents as we support each other in our Divine journey.....

You are my Beloved Child; with you I am well pleased
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you
Having been entrusted with the Divine child in the Nativity,
today we receive a wonderful affirmation of faithfulness and trust in who we are.....
The incarnation of Love in humanity is not the story of one birth... it is the story of all creation.....
Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which is to look out
Christ's compassion to the world;
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about
doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.
Teresa of Avila

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We are a feather on the breath of God
Hildegard of Bingen

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January is generally quieter around the Church and also the hall activities are often in recess…. It is a good time to plan the year ahead and to make room for those things we want to participate in.

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May the star which shone upon kings and wise men
shine upon us
till we are dazzled by its beauty and ready to commit
to the folly of a journey,
there to surrender our tiny possessions
and our timid beliefs.
Reveal to us, as we can bear it,
the mystery and the joy.
From Women Included, St Hilda Community

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HOPE - 2010 - PEACE - 2010 - JOY - 2010 - LOVE
Be blessed and be a blessing in the year ahead

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From the Christmas Day sermon: Touch on the abundance, but reflect on everything. Take the opportunity to see what brings a smile to your face, what makes your heart sing. Enjoy the choir, but know that that voice is within you as well. Wonder at the beautiful story of birth, and know that that birth is within you. It’s a wonderful sign – it’s not there in our little plastic stable. It is within: you are being sought out, for you are a holy people.

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More from the Christmas Day sermon: This - the wheelbarrow – represents the oldies of the church. They’ve finished, they’ve packed up; they’ve just leant themselves up against the ladder of prayer. Work is done; old, rusty, legs are a bit frail…. and yet….. turn that around and it’s still capable of holding everything it’s ever held. It is still an emptiness to be filled. It is still a thing of beauty, it still has a place, it still has a story to tell.

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Peace on Earth – Goodwill to All
We participate in the birth of tomorrow: not just in the day after today but in the birth of every tomorrow.

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Why Poinsettias?
The New World has contributed a flower from Central America to
the Christmas decor and a lovely legend to go with it. The story tells
of two poor Mexican children who had nothing to offer the Christ Child on Christmas. On their way to church, they picked some weeds from the side of the road. Although the other children made fun of them, they placed the weeds before the crËche.  Immediately, they blossomed into the flowers we now call poinsettias, but which Mexicans call the Flor de la Nochebuena, the ‘Flower of the Holy Night’. It is also said that the red bracts, the coloured leaves that surround the tiny flowers of the plant, resemble the star that led the wise men to Bethlehem. These plants, which are now used
around the world to decorate for Christmas, get their name from Joel R.
Poinsett, the ambassador to Mexico in the 1820s who first brought them
to the U.S.

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Epiphany
"Epiphany" means "manifestation." The full title of this feast that
begins a new season of the Church Year is, "The Epiphany, or the
Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles." The Epiphany season, which
extends from January 6th through Shrove Tuesday, highlights various
occasions when Jesus was manifested to both Jews and Gentiles. The first manifestation to the Gentiles was when wise men from the East came to visit the infant Child in Bethlehem.
Both of these are from the interesting Full Home divinity

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Shine as a light in the world to the Glory of God.....
What greater purpose could there be

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We participate in the birth of tomorrow: not just in the day after today but in the birth of every tomorrow.

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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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