Dear Friends,

With St. Francis day here I hope our thoughts turn to the wonderful creatures that bring us such joy and comfort – our pets. Let us thank God for them. Let’s also spend some thought on the wider creation so under threat because of the human races exploitation and abuse. I think it’s worth reading through the creation stories in the book of Genesis as they are poetic and beautiful but also point us to how we might cherish and think about creation. At the end of each days creation we have this beautiful phrase commenting on what has just been created, ‘and God saw that it was good’. This seemingly innocuous line repeated again and again throughout the story is enormously powerful as we contemplate the ongoing damage to our world and climate. If God sees the land, the oceans, the trees, the animals and yes, even we humans as ‘good’ then every time we abuse or exploit these things we are repudiating God. So our actions become even more serious than just our immediate effects on this beautiful world – our actions often contribute in turning what God holds as beautiful into something ugly, polluted and corrupt.
So we are called to think seriously about how we shop, how we consume and how we discard trying to discover ways to live that are more in accord and closer to God’s declaration that what he created was good. For it to remain good all of us must be more diligent in the way we live being conscious that everything we do, no matter how small or inconsequential it seems does have an effect on all of God’s wonderful world and creation. Most of us are of the generation that thought the worlds resources and its ability to absorb our carelessness were limitless – we now know that is not true and that human activity in some parts of the world has already made what was ‘good’ very ‘bad’ indeed.
It starts with each individual, with you and me. So as we remember Francis, that gentle man of God, let us approach everything in the world, animals, trees, water, everything, with the same reverence we see from Francis and let’s work together to ensure what God made good stays that way.

For those of us fortunate enough to be able to travel by aircraft I wonder if you are struck with the enormity of a modern airplane and the miracle of it becoming airborne? The hundreds of tons of fuel, people and luggage are thrust along the runway at great speed and then amazingly into the air towards its destination. Standing at the airport looking out of the windows these behemoths appear anchored to the ground because of their weight and size. The strange thing is that when you look into the sky and see one of these incredible machines approaching, they appear small even, tiny. Distance has a way of reducing the size of even the largest item.

So, it is with the problems we face in life – up close they may look gargantuan and impossible to move with their size and weight seemingly impossible and like aircraft distance may well diminish their size and have them flying carefree. One way of distancing ourselves from our problems, at least for a short time is prayer and meditation. We hold formal meditation every Thursday at 8:45 am for about 35 minutes where we sit quietly and distance ourselves from the every day cares and concerns of the world. You can do this at home – make yourself comfortable, turn off all electronics, close your eyes and breathe deeply and disengage. At the end of our formal meditation we pray, ‘ may this silence be a power’ and ‘may all who come weighed down by the problems of humanity, leave, giving thanks for the wonder of human life’.

Often after these silences the heaviness of human care can take flight and what seemed so heavy at the beginning may now seem lighter and airborne. There is a wealth of resources to help us take off at wccmaustralia.org.au or talk to the Vicar.

May I keep reminding you that Sunday October 13th, the day of the Melbourne Marathon, there will be NO services at Holy Trinity – instead we are moving both services to the Saturday evening before, Saturday October 12th at 6:00 pm. Following the service, we will share whatever you bring along for dinner with wines provided by some very generous parishioners. The Archbishop and Joy will be with us for this occasion as we bid them farewell prior to the Archbishop’s retirement in February. This might be an ideal occasion to invite a friend or family member to join us.

GRANT.

Sunday October 13th, the day of the Melbourne Marathon, there will be NO services at Holy Trinity – instead we are moving both services to the Saturday evening before, Saturday October 12th at 6:00 pm.

The gospel calls us to be people of Hope even in the darkest hour. Maybe you can find time to say an extra prayer for all those in such desperate circumstances in Australia and the rest of the world?

Our prayer for days ahead is for balance, consideration and listening

God of Comfort,

send your Spirit to encompass all those whose lives

are torn apart by violence and death in Israel and Palestine and Lebanon.

You are the Advocate of the oppressed

and the One whose eye is on the sparrow.

Let arms reach out in healing, rather than aggression.

Let hearts mourn rather than militarize.

God of Justice,

give strength to those whose long work for a just peace

might seem fruitless now. Strengthen their resolve.

Do not let them feel alone. Show us how to support their work

and bolster their courage. Guide religious leaders to model

unity and reconciliation across lines of division.

Guide political leaders to listen with their hearts as they seek peace and pursue it.

Help all people choose the rigorous path of just peace and disavow violence.

God of Love,

we lift up Palestine and Israel — its people, its land, its creatures.

War is a monster that consumes everything in its path.

Peace is a gift shared at meals of memory with Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

Let us burn incense, not children. Let us break bread, not bodies.

Let us plant olive groves, not cemeteries.

We beg for love and compassion to prevail

on all your holy mountains.

God of Hope,

we lift up the cities of the region: Gaza City and Tel Aviv,

Ramallah and Ashkelon, Deir El Balah and Sderot,

so long divided, yet so filled with life and creativity.

Come again to breathe peace on your peoples

that all may recognize you.

God of Mercy,

even now work on the hearts of combatants

to choose life over death, reconciliation over retaliation,

restoration over destruction. Help us resist antisemitism in all its forms,

especially in our own churches. All people, Israelis and Palestinians,

deserve to live in peace and unafraid, with a right to determine

their future together.

God of the Nations,

let not one more child or elder be sacrificed on altars of political expediency.

Keep safe all people from unjust leaders who would exploit

vulnerability for their own distorted ends.

Give wise discernment to those making decisions to pursue peace.

Provide them insight into fostering well-being, freedom, and thriving for all.

Teach all of us to resolve injustices with righteousness, not rockets.

Guard our hearts against retaliation, and give us hearts for love alone.

Strengthen our faith in you, O God of All Flesh,

even when we don’t have clear answers,

so that we may still offer ourselves non-violently

for the cause of peace.

Amen.

© Rose Marie Berger Sojourners October 9, 2023

 

 

Maybe he can’t stand on his feet anymore and suffering has shaped his character but this speech by Pope Francis from a few days ago is simply AMAZING!

“You can have flaws, be anxious and even be angry, but don’t forget that your life is the greatest business in the world. Only you can stop it from failure. You are appreciated, admired and loved by many. Remember that being happy is not having a sky without storms, a road without accidents, a job without effort, relationships without disappointments.

“Being happy is to stop feeling a victim and become the author of your own destiny. It’s going through deserts, but being able to find an oasis deep in your soul. It’s to thank God every morning for the miracle of life. It’s kissing your children, cuddling your parents, having poetic moments with your friends, even when they hurt us.

“To be happy is to let live the creature that lives in each of us, free, joyful and simple. It’s having maturity to be able to say: “I made mistakes”. Having the courage to say “I’m sorry”. It’s having a sensitivity to say “I need you”. Is having the ability to say “I love you”. May your life become a garden of opportunities for happiness… that in spring I can be a lover of joy and in winter a lover of wisdom.

“And when you make a mistake, start over. Because only then will you fall in love with life. You will find that being happy doesn’t mean having a perfect life. But she uses tears to irrigate tolerance. Use your defeats to train your patience.

“Use your mistakes with the serenity of the sculptor. Use pain to tune into pleasure. Use obstacles to open the windows of intelligence. Never give up … Above all, never give up on the people that love you. Never give up on happiness, because life is an amazing show. “.

POPE FRANCIS 

 

A PRAYER FOR GROWTH
God of mission,
Who alone brings growth to your Church,
Send your Holy Spirit to give
Vision to our planning,
Wisdom to our actions,
Joy to our worship,
And power to our witness.
Help our parish of Holy Trinity to grow in numbers,
In spiritual commitment to you,
And in service to this city and community,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

UPCOMING CONCERTS -

 

Worship at Holy Trinity each week

Sunday: 8am Eucharist; 10am Sung Eucharist and Morning Tea

Sunday October 13th, the day of the Melbourne Marathon, there will be NO services at Holy Trinity – instead we are moving both services to the Saturday evening before, Saturday October 12th at 6:00 pm.

Wednesdays at 10am Eucharist followed by Morning Tea

Thursdays at 8.30am Morning Prayer and scripture readings followed by Meditation at 8.45am.

On the First Wednesday of the month the 10am Eucharist has an emphasis on healing with the opportunity of anointing.

Wednesdays Playgroup 9.30am – 11am (during school terms)

Parish Contacts

Vicar:  The Rev’d Grant Edgcumbe 193 Hotham Street East Melbourne

T: 9417 3341

Website: www.holytrinitymelbourne.org.au Email: office@holytrinitymelbourne.org.au

Vicar’s Warden: Laurie Moore T: 0484 792 134

People’s Wardens:  Lynne Mitchell T:0412592005;

Sue Moses-Critchley 9486 3598