St Paul's
Beaconsfield

Anglican Church near Fremantle, Western Australia

27 June, 2010 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

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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Your way, O God, is holy

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Eternal God,
the light of the minds that know you,
the life of the souls that love you,
and the strength of the thoughts that seek you:
Help us so to know you
that we may truly love you,
and so to love you that we may fully serve you,
whose service is perfect freedom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit."
As we continue (and come to the end of) the reading of the Elijah saga, so we see that the story continues in the person of Elisha. This ‘continuation of blessing’ invites us to consider the same in our lives and in the life of our community. The “East End” is completed (Elijah) and now we look to the continuation of blessing (Elisha) and the unfolding of a new story that is birthed from what has been done.
The ‘movement’ of continuation within this story is very different to that we have adopted in our culture. We inherit from those who die, and much of what we inherit, much of who we actually are and how we behave is inherited from our ancestors – from the past!
In today’s reading we hear that Elisha asks what he needs for the future, for the way forward… He does not inherit from the dead, but rather from Elijah, from one who is ascending to higher things and rising above the material inheritance that so shapes our culture.

Meister Eckhart says, “I have been asked what God is doing in heaven. I answer; He has been giving his Son birth eternally, is giving him birth now and will go on giving him birth forever..”

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A reflection on the Gift of Love
People think God has only become a human being there - in his historical incarnation - but that is not so; for God is here - in this very place - just as much incarnate as in a human being long ago. And this is why God had become a human being: that God might give birth to you as the only begotten Son, and as no less. (Meister Eckhart, born 1260)

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"The vocation of the prophet is to keep alive the ministry of imagination,
to keep on conjuring and proposing alternative futures
to the single one the agents of the dominant culture
want to urge as the only thinkable one."
Walter Bruegemann, The Prophetic Imagination

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“There is nothing so much like God as silence”
Meister Eckhart

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Love winter when the plant says nothing.
Thomas Merton

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They are forever free who renounce all selfish desires and break away from the ego-cage of the “I”, “me” and “mine” to be united with the Lord. Attain to this, and pass from death to immortality.
Bhagavad Gita 2.71 Hindu Scripture

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We are children of God
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us
It’s within everyone.
And as we let our light shine
We unconsciously give other people
Permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear
Our presence automatically liberates others
Nelson Mandela

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People travel in wonder at the height of the mountains,
at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers,
at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars;
and they pass by themselves without wondering.
St Augustine

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Our Parish Finances
The AGM underlined that EVERYTHING we do at St Paul’s is funded by ourselves and that includes our Priest’s stipend, building maintenance and renovation, and all other expenses we incur as a community. We receive no financial assistance from “the Church” and in fact we provide 16% of our giving to maintain the centralised functions of the Anglican Church. We are also committed to offering some of our income to support charitable works in other communities. Our Giving – week by week – is therefore critical in supporting our community and our ministry - and in fact is a major consideration in determining/limiting what we can do. Currently our average weekly giving provides 64% of our actual expenditure, we are therefore made viable by supplementing our giving with other income from fundraising and hall users etc. Our ‘movement’ into sustainability will be accomplished through our giving.

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AGM – Thanksgiving
There is a delightful list of “What we give thanks for”… such a list would be hard to find in many other places…. It is a delight, to delight in ourselves.

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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