Last Sunday we heard about the great gift of God's Word and we were encouraged to live victorious Christian lives by reading the word, believing the word, living the word, and speaking the word. I hope you’ve been intentional in leaning into his word and had an awesome week because of that.
This Sunday, we will look at the great gift God has given us in his name. The name ‘Jesus' brings many beautiful thoughts of our saviour to mind. The mention of his name fills my heart with warmth and love, and a reverent holy fear. I marvel at him. I worship in his name. I pray in his name. I declare freedom in his name. I am healed in his name. I renounce evil and overcome the evil one in his name. When David went up against Goliath he went in the name of the God of Israel. He claimed the victory in God's name. There is power in his name. I encourage you to ponder a new, what his name means to you. As I think about the meaningful and amazing gift that his name is... several songs come to mind. Here’s a lovely one by Hillsong “What a Beautiful name it is” to prepare your hearts and minds for worship on Sunday. https://youtu.be/90xM2WA3EGE
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I’m delighted to say it’s been a whole year since I became Priest in Charge at Mount Eliza Anglican Church. And what a year it’s been! We have so much to celebrate and give thanks to God for!
I’ve spent much time this week reflecting on God’s gifts to us as we’ve just heard 2 sermons by John on the spiritual gifts God graciously gives us. I will now spend the next 3 weeks focussing on other amazing gifts from God, namely: His Word, His Name, and His Blood. Each of these gifts hold great power for victorious Christian living and it’s my prayer that we will all realize this afresh. May each one of us receive a fresh revelation of God’s power in our own lives, for victory over evil, and for accomplishing God’s purposes in our world. Each good gift God gives us comes with responsibility. For example, we aren’t just called to be hearers of the word, but, doers of the word. This week I’ll remind you that the power of the word is activated when the word is received and applied to our lives. Isaiah 55:10-11 (paraphrase) says: “As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” May God’s word accomplish His will in our lives this week and always. I love being part of this Church community. It’s certainly been a week packed full of fun
and fellowship. On Tuesday we held a wonderful community lunch. We are truly thankful to Peninsula Grammar staff for their community service… cleaning, setting up, preparing food and serving plus pack up, choir and music performances (and a back yard blitz behind the scenes). They did a great job! We also give a "thumbs up" to Woolies for donating 7 roast chooks. And thank Brumby’s for spoiling us with some treats. The Lions Club donated cakes to be served as dessert puddings with all the trimmings. And Mornington Community Centre and Bakers Delight arranged for us to receive sliced and bagged bread and pastries. Our own John Welsh was a star, co-ordinating the kitchen duties, Wendy led a sing-along on the piano, and Alicia provided the most gorgeous decorations! What a day it was! Our stomachs were full and so are our hearts - with gratitude. Thanks to all who brought neighbours, friends, and colleagues along to be blessed. You made it all worth while! On Wednesday, the fun and fellowship continued at the Dava Hotel for MEAC Munchies and a great time was had by all. We are certainly well fed physically, and look forward to some spiritual food this Sunday as we look at the scriptures together and I bring a reflection on another old Christmas Carol “God rest ye Merry Gentlemen" which can be nowadays understood as "God make you Strong, people" God bless you and make you strong, Reverend Tanya I've been reading about the origins of the Nine Lessons and Carols festival this week and I was delighted to learn that it was created to bring more imagination and creativity to worship.
The Nine Lessons and Carols service, which had its origin in 1880, was made famous through services held at King’s College, Cambridge beginning in 1918. The dean of the college became convinced that more imaginative worship was needed by the Church of England. Nowadays we can find many variations of the Nine Lessons and Carols service. This reminds us that, though all traditions were once new, the church’s worship needs an injection of creativity every now and then. In my opinion we need this especially at Christmas to keep us from taking the nativity for granted. It is my hope that you will enjoy the Lessons and Carols service we have put together for you this coming Sunday. I have sought to mix some of the old tradition with some fresher expressions of worship. In this service you can expect to sing some of the Carols you know and love, as well as some others which will encourage us go deeper in our time together with God. That is my heart’s desire for all of us to draw closer to God this Christmas. May we reflect deeply and consider afresh, the birth of Christ in all its fulness and meaning. God bless you, Reverend Tanya When did you first hear the story of Jesus’ birth? Do you remember? Maybe you feel like you’ve always known it.
Sometimes it can be hard for us to remember that God’s people waited many long years for Jesus to be born. Advent is a season that helps us to remember this. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God’s people had been expecting Jesus, even though they didn’t know exactly what it would be like when he came. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus is a simple song that helps us to remember that Jesus’ birth is a part of the big story of the Gospel. This Sunday, I will be bringing a message inspired by this song. In preparation I encourage you to watch this video which literally paints the story of God’s people as they wait for a Saviour: Click HERE or go to https://youtu.be/VLcTLCCpI5A I pray God meets the deep longing in each of us; to be set free, to experience a soul at rest, to feel a child’s joy this Christmas. That’s why Jesus came. I pray the Holy Spirit, inhabits the deepest and darkest places within each of us. Sets us free. Helps us rest. Gives us joy. In Jesus’ name, Rev. Tanya While setting up my Christmas tree last night, I thought about how richly blessed we are to have a wonderful church family. We get to enjoy worship, fellowship, mission, our calling, purpose and every good gift in the Lord Jesus together. Others around us are not feeling as blessed this Christmas. Many feel lonely, rejected, sad and some are afraid. How does that make you feel? It fills me with compassion, and so I want to reach out to them. That is “WHY” we are hosting a “Christmas Carols and Community Lunch” on December 13th.
At this event we will enjoy a relaxed “Carols” sing-along around the piano beginning 11:30am, followed by loving fellowship over food (all food donations welcome!), and then a concert by the Peninsula Grammar teachers after they serve us lunch (with the food provided by God’s gracious hands – think loaves and fishes :). This event is specifically planned for outreach to connect with the local community of Mount Eliza with the love of Jesus. Therefore, I encourage you to invite any unchurched or lonely persons you know to enjoy fellowship and fun with us. We have invited people from Neighbourhood House and other local community connections. It’s our prayer that each of us may learn to love those who come (and all others) like God loves them. It is my hope that God will use us to draw others closer to Himself through this event. If you’d like to be more fully involved, please speak with me about it. Now turning to our own Church Community; we have a wonderful month of celebrating the birth of our Saviour together. We have MEAC Munchies on the 14th for food and fellowship, and a month of celebratory Sundays, beginning December 4th. This coming Sunday (Nov 27) is actually Advent 1, but since it’s also our APM day, I’m not ready to launch into full on Christmas Carols yet. We will make up for it in the coming month. December 4th- 9:30am Lectionary readings, a reflection on a Christmas Carol, & Holy Communion. December 11th – 9:30am; contemporary “lessons and carols service” December 18th – 9:30am lectionary readings, a Carol reflection & Holy Communion. December 24th – 7pm family service - 11pm Holy Communion December 25th – 9:30am; Lectionary readings, a Carol reflection & Holy Communion. This coming Sunday as we prepare our hearts and minds for the coming Christmas season, we will reflect on Jesus' words in Matthew 22:15-22 “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s”, and consider especially “What is God’s?” It’s a timely reflection as we start to think about “gifts” and giving at Christmas time. I encourage us all to think more about what we give to God… not just what we offer our family and local community at Christmas time. I look forward to worshipping together with you on Sunday, Rev. Tanya If you ask me “What am I most grateful for this week?” The answer is you!
In response to my message last Sunday, I have been greatly encouraged to receive loving, kind and supportive words from many of the beautiful people in our congregation. Thank you. I have been singing your praises all week. I’m delighted that our congregation cares for me, and one another. May we keep cultivating this loving and encouraging culture among all in our Parish, and beyond. I hope the wider community will come to know us as a loving community of God’s people. As we connect with our local community in increasing measure over the Christmas period; through such activities as partnering with Mount Eliza Neighbourhood House and knitting Christmas decorations for town tree, plus hosting a Christmas “Sing and soup” or “Carols and Community lunch” outreach event, I pray we will each have opportunity to demonstrate Christ's love to those around us. Meantime, I hope you can come along this Sunday at 9:30am as we look at Luke 21:5-19 where Jesus tells his disciples they will face many hard things and many will be against them, but they are to “stand firm” and know they will win life! I pray we all continue to stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ and “win life” (abundant life!), in Him. Much Love in Christ, Tanya "We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing." These are the words Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica (2 Thes 1:3).
I here write the same to you as I am greatly encouraged that many of you continue to grow in your faith in the Lord, and in your love for one another. May we continue to do these things in increasing measure, so that all who join us may feel loved, and come to know Christ more fully too. Let us continually seek to express a warm welcome and show loving care to all, especially those newly joining us. Ignoring people we don’t know, and being concerned only with our own agenda, plus gossip and complaining is sadly all too common in many church's culture. Let it not be so with us. Let us throw off what is not of God, and move more fully into the good things He has for us to do, and become more fully the Church he’s called us to be. Let us be the loving, welcoming, united community we envision Mount Eliza Anglican Church to be. Let us become a Church known for our faith and love. This Sunday Rev. Tanya brings a message to you from 2 Thes 2:13-17 to comfort your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word. We look forward to a wonderful time of worship and fellowship together. Suffering Church action week begins this Sunday.
As I think about the persecuted church all over the world, I am all the more grateful for the freedoms we have in Australia. We are blessed to meet in beautiful church buildings and worship the God we can learn to know through the bible, and through the revelation of the Holy Spirit. This week we can rejoice that God’s spirit and the good news of the Gospel is never chained or contained even though Christian’s may be. Jesus always warned his followers that they would face suffering and troubles in the world. In chapter 21 of Luke’s Gospel we read of the Lord Jesus Christ warning His disciples of the events that will take place before the end comes: wars, famines, diseases and disasters (Luke 21:9-11). The Lord also warns of persecution, in which Christians will face imprisonment, betrayal and death (Luke 21:12,16-17). These prophecies are being fulfilled today, as it has been in every age since they were given. Therefore, Barnabas fund have highlighted five ways the worldwide Church is suffering – namely through war, disaster, famine, disease and persecution, and remind us that our brothers and sisters desperately need our continued, prayerful support. For more information click HERE. This coming Sunday Alison will briefly remind us of these things, and Geoff Bird will bring us a timely reminder to “Stand” for our faith. You may like to prepare your hearts and minds for his message by pre-reading 2 Chronicles 20:1-17, and Ephesians 6:10-18. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, |
Reverend
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