St Paul's
Beaconsfield

Anglican Church near Fremantle, Western Australia

Second Sunday of Easter 11 April 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

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Receive the Holy Spirit

Our Easter celebration is like a wedding feast……. It is very much a lived and symbolic “life event”… It is also a Beginning.
As we look at the Cross, the Tomb and the Easter Egg we have an opportunity to see (and seek) that which is life giving to us….
We are birthed and wedded to the whole of creation……
We also have the figure of Thomas to remind us of ourselves..... Before we write of Thomas as the one who doubted......we might recall that he was named as a witness to the raising of Lazarus....... That makes quite a difference...... For rather than doubting the actuality of resurrection was he in fact giving voice to the changed appearance of the world......
For things to change, first I must change... and when I change the world itself is different,

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Before I formed you in the tomb I knew you; walk in my ways

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"Christ has no body on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion is to look out 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 us now." Teresa of Avila

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Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; walk in my ways
Before I formed you in the tomb I knew you; walk in my ways

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Easter + Pentecost + Christmas + Baptism + Marriage + Burial
These “Events” in the our community Life and our Church Life are all
Moments of Birth
They are more than Moments of Celebration as they are times in which we can intentionally and intently attend to our unfolding and our shaping and our becoming…..
During the season of Easter reflect and Participate in that which is being created within you and that which you create around you.

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That Cross is a tree set on fire with invisible flame, that Illuminateth all the World. The Flame is Love. The love in His Bosom who died on it. In the light of which we see how to possess all the Things in Heaven and Earth after his Similitude. For he that suffered on it, was the Son of God as you are: tho He seemed a Mortal Man. He had Acquaintance and Relations as you have, but he was a lover of Men and Angels. Was he not the Son of God and Heir of the Whole World? To this poor Bleeding Naked Man did all the Corn and Wine and Oil, and Gold and Silver in the World minister in an Invisible manner, even as he was exposed Lying and Dying upon the Cross.
Thomas Traherne (1637-1674) Centuries of Meditation I.,56,60.

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We Certainly did encounter the Messiah this Easter
Halleluiah to the Choir/musicians

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Thank You
As a community we encounter Easter with a ritual and symbolism that speaks an eternal truth…..
To those who created our worship, the choir, musicians, readers, and creators of our sacred space we acknowledge your gift….
To those who provide the support and the hospitality that we receive and offer as a community….. we acknowledge your gift……
And to each other, each and every one, we look with wonder at the possibility of new life and new direction that is birthed in the resurrection.

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Celebrate
The season of Easter continues for the 50 days that lead us to Pentecost.
Easter is not finished, it is begun….. As we reflect on the journey through Lent, the contemplation of the cross and the celebration of the new light we continue to allow new life to unfold, creating an Easter in this community that will give life to us individually and as community

Easter & the East End of the Church

It is auspicious timing, we are MOVING beyond the Church coming out from the confines of the past...... As we come into the light of the new East end, we see ourselves building on the traditions of the past as we stretch toward the future........ an opportunity for us to realise our lives as a contemporary Acts of the Apostles……..

What “Acts of the Apostles” will you participate in........ Has Easter GIVEN you an opportunity to Live like you’ve never LIVED before........

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When we dote upon the perfections and beauties of some one creature, we do not love that too much, but other things too little. (Thomas Traherne)

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Thank You and we give thanks for each other…… What a wonderful community we are and what a wonderful place to encounter Easter….. There are many activities and many individuals that work together to make Easter happen here at St Paul’s - Thank YOU… and may we continue as a people of the resurrection - seeing in each other the risen Christ.

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection

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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