31st July 2022

We gather in order to hear God’s voice as his word is read and preached.  It is a precious thing to hear God speak to us (hence the response, “Thanks be to God”).  I pray you will have a real sense of hearing God speak to your heart today.

Youth Bible study and creche are on at 9.30 am, and Sunday School at 4 pm.  We start all together in the main gathering, and then children and youth head off to their programs.

With the dramatic increase in COVID numbers recently, we are again increasing our precautions in church gatherings.  Those administering communion will revert to using gloves and masks.  While mask wearing throughout the service is not compulsory, it is a helpful precaution to slow the spread.

Today we welcome a special guest to our church gatherings. Bronwyn Kyngdon is the coordinator of Chaplaincy at Prince of Wales Hospital, liaising between the hospital and chaplaincy department. Along with visiting patients, she is also responsible for organising and mentoring the Anglican volunteer chaplains. The aim of the chaplaincy team is to offer spiritual and pastoral care to patients, families and hospital staff.

We are aiming to get to know Bronwyn and support through our prayers. Please take the opportunity of meeting her and finding out about her work.

Both our sermon text (from 1 Corinthians) and Psalm 95 take us to Israel’s journey through the wilderness, which serves as an image of our pilgrimage through this life.  Psalm 95 was chosen by Cranmer for constant reading at Morning Prayer, because of its earnest warning, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts”.  As we sit under God’s word today, let us come with soft hearts.

In brief:

  • There is a Working Bee next weekend: Saturday 6th August 8.30 am.  Come along to help in the church and grounds and stay for morning tea.
  • We farewell Anne Giles tomorrow (Monday) in a service at St Jude’s at 2 pm.

Yours,

Andrew Schmidt

Rector