6  September 2009

Welcome to  St Alban's Anglican Church       

Today's Scripture: Isaiah 35: 4-7a                     James 2: 1-17                          S. Mark 7: 24-end

Today: 9.00 a.m. Matins;      9.30 a.m. BCP Holy Eucharist;         6.00 p.m. Evening Prayer

This Week: Midday Prayers Tues-Fri 12.30 PM

Next Week: Sunday 13^th September 9.00 a.m. Matins; 9.30 a.m. Holy Eucharist.

13^th Sunday after Trinity

Almighty and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

FAITH IN FOCUS: HAPPY DAYS

The Jewish people couldn’t wait for the Messiah to come. The prophets had promised that when he did arrive, things would be very different and it would be a time of great rejoicing. Isaiah paints a picture of blind people seeing once more, deaf people hearing again and disabled people jumping like deer. There was a tremendous feeling of longing and yearning for the Messiah, especially since the land was currently occupied by a foreign army.

So when Jesus appears on the scene people begin to wonder whether or not he might be the Messiah they were expecting. By the end of today’s gospel they have made their minds up. “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak”, they say, quoting what Isaiah had predicted would happen.

Jesus hasn’t gone away. He’s still with us till the end of time through the Spirit. So what about these “happy days”, these Messianic signs? Have they disappeared? Or is Jesus still doing “all things well”?

The Jewish people did not fear the coming of the Messiah, because they had an expectant hope that he would set them free from all that prevented them from living the life that their God had promised them. Christians welcome Jesus as Messiah, for he comes to set us free, to release us from a blurred vision of our world, from being deaf to the voice of God in our surroundings. He invites us to sing for joy!

WORD OF GOD

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unsealed; then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy.

(Isaiah 35:5-6)

 

WORD FOR TODAY

People knew that when the Messiah came he would be accompanied by wonderful things happening in the world. Christians accept Jesus as the Messiah. As a Christian what positive signs do you see around you that point to the Messiah?

JOB OPPORTUNITY

 Churches provide different areas of ministry for the running of the parish and the proclaiming of the gospel. Some common ones are:

Adult Education

Altar Servers

Baptismal Preparation

Bereavement Ministry

Building and Maintenance

Children’s Ministry

Counselling, Family and Marriage

Finance Group

Marriage Preparation Programme

Ministry to Sick and Housebound

Missions

Music

Prayer and Spiritual Life Committee

Readers

Senior Citizens Group

Social Committee

Social Outreach

Ushers

Vocation Liaison

Youth Group

Advertising

Since September is a month of new beginnings, why not consider if there is more that you could contribute by helping with one of the above areas, or with other skills that you might have? The pay is fantastic!

 

BE MERRY, really merry. The life of a true Christian should be a perpetual jubilee, a prelude to the festivals of eternity. (Theophane Venard)

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS 

Mon: Proverbs 25: 1–14, Mark 8: 11-21, Acts 10: 34-end

Tues: Proverbs 25:15-end, Mark 8:22-26, Acts 11:1-18

Wed: Proverbs 26: 12-end, Mark 8:27 – 9:1, Ac 11:19-end

Thurs: Proverbs 27:1-22, Mark 9: 2-13, Acts 12: 1–17

Fri: Prov 30:1-9, 24-31, Mark 9:14–29, Ac 12: 18–end

Sat : Proverbs 31: 10-end, Mark 9: 30-37, Acts 13: 1-12

NEXT SUNDAY: Isaiah 50: 4-9a, James 3: 1-12, S. Mark 8: 27-end