Sunday Duties: To see if you are on duty click here. Please notify the parish office if you are unable to do a duty. If possible arrange with some else to do your duty but please still notify the parish office.
Readings: The lectionary readings for this Sunday 22nd February 2015: Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15
7.30 am Celebrant: Revd Cynthia Botha Sermon : Revd Cynthia Botha
At 9.30 am Celebrant: Revd Tim Gray Sermon: Revd Cynthia Botha
Please note: Services during this week are Eucharists on Tues at 5.30 pm, Ash Wednesday at 7 am, 9.30 am and 7 am; Fri at 7 am.
Stations of the Cross: Each Thursday during Lent at 5.30 pm there are meditations on the Stations of the Cross.
There are five Sundays in Lent leading up to Holy Week. During Holy Week Bishop Brian Germond will preach on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Day.
BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION CLASSES: Confirmation Classes for young people have begun and will continue each Sunday at 11.15 am each Sunday after the 9.30 service. It is still possible to join the class. (16 years is the minimum age for confirmation).
Adult classes for baptism (or for their children) and confirmation will begin on Monday 23rd February at 7 pm at the church. Please notify the parish office as soon as possible if you are interested in either of the groups. Phone Ceri at 011 646-2660 Mon-Fri 8.30 am- 1pm.
The Annual Parish Vestry Meeting will take place immediately after the 9.30 am service on Sunday 1st March. The agenda is posted in the church but its main business is to receive the reports of the Rector and Church wardens on the state of the parish; to adopt the audited accounts for 2014 and to approve the 2015 budget; and to elect the Church Wardens and Parish Council for the current year. Please note that nomination lists for the election of church wardens and councillors are at the back of the church.
LENTEN STUDY GROUPS will start at the beginning of Lent (Ash Wednesday is on the 18th February.)
There are groups at the church on Monday evenings and Wednesday Mornings, on Wednesday evening in Parkview and at Darrenwood, and Tuesday evenings in Emmarentia. Please put your name on the poster at the back of the church. More details from Cally at 0829015857.
When the storms of life are exhausting Mark 4: 37-38
– A reflection from Maria Frahm-Arp
A furious storm came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’
I have meditated a lot on this passage about Jesus in the storm with the disciples. The passage speaks about being in a boat and tossed about by the great waves of a storm. Over the years I have often felt that my life is like the small, fragile boat being battered about by a storm which seems to have no purpose and which rages on relentlessly. Recently a new dynamic in the story has begun to be the focus of my meditation, namely the figure of Jesus. What fascinates me is how completely exhausted He must have been to fall so soundly asleep. He did not even notice the storm. Every fibre in my being resonates with this. I know exactly how that feels – being so tired that you can barely lift your head off the pillow and having a conversation with a loved one just takes too much energy. In my spaces of bone tired exhaustion I so often feel that no one can understand what I am going through. But this small passage from the gospels shows that Jesus also experienced this tiredness.
The response of Jesus to the disciples is also something I relate to. He is frustrated with them for having woken him. Could they not just have handled this on their own? Now I know that the underlying theological message of the story is that Jesus is the Son of God because he has power even over nature. Which means that he has the power to heal, calm the storms of life and rescue us when we are in distress. All of this is comforting and important to hold onto: but what I connect with in the story is that Jesus also became exhausted and in His tiredness He also found it difficult not to snap at the people around Him. I am not for a moment suggesting that we use this story as an excuse to be short tempered with those around us. But I am suggesting that we realise that extreme exhaustion makes it very difficult for sick, tired, depressed people to communicate with other people. Illness or deep tiredness from lack of sleep because you have a new born baby or a demanding job is never experienced in isolation we need to help those around us understand what we are going through. Being upfront with your family and spouse, acknowledging your tiredness and admitting that you have limited emotional energy is so much better than randomly flying off the handle with no explanation.
AN EASTER CRAFT MARKET will be held in the Church gardens on Sunday 22 March 2015. Parishioners who have a creative hobby are invited to participate. Part of the proceeds to be donated to the Church.
MEN’S CLOTHING REQUIRED: Our Community Worker Eunice requires clothing & shoes for the homeless.
WANTED:
IRON: Siphiwe would like to start an ironing business if someone can donate an iron.
COOLER BOX: Derek is looking for a cooler box for his roadside business.
Youth Activity
Contact: Yvette: vettiwils@gmail.com
Rock n’ Roll: Every Sunday at 9.30 am
Friday Nights: 4 pm for younger Youth and 6pm for older Youth
NB Parents – Please drop/fetch your children within the parking area. Yvette can assist you with the code.
Visit the Young Peoples page.