edition 71 - news letter september 2014

8/11/2019 Edition 71 - News Letter September 2014

1/8

MESSA

GE

THE MAR THOMA PARISH PERTH

PARISHMESSENGERVolume 71 / September 2014

TWO-EDGED

SWORD

This notion that grace

is healing omits the fact

before it heals, it cutswith the sword Christ

s a i d h e c a m e to

bring (OConnor 1979)

OConnor was not in the

least sentimental. Her

story deals directly with

the power of grace to

shatter people and

change them violently.

This causes some good

peop le to become

s q u e a m i s h a b o u t

reading her work. They

want a gentler vision of

the church and Gods

grace. But she will notgive them one.

Her vision of the powers

of Gods grace is

purifying and radical.

The idea that Christ

simply takes us as we

are and does nothing to

us is not very Christian.

From the very first Godis out to re-create us. In

baptism, we are put to

death in Christs death

so that we may rise

again with him each day.

To think this as an

e n t i r e l y p a i n l e s s

undertaking is foolish.

God is out to change us.

One image of this is

God as the potter who

shapes the clay. This

shaping and remaking

of the lump of clay into a

useful pot is hard work.

The potters hands slap

and caress the wet clayuntil it takes the shape

of the potter has felt

within the clay.

Or we may speak of

God as being like a fire

in us, burning out the

dross, cleansing us with

the intense heat of the

r e fi n e r s fi r e . T h epurging that gives on

refining fire is violent

and yet beautiful. Gods

work in us is like that.

The idea that Gods

grace is simply a sunny

addiction to our already

nice lives misses hat

most terrible of facts

about human beings: we

have all sinned and

come short of the glory

of God. There is no

standing before the fire

of Gods love for us on

our own. Only Christ

can spare our being

c o n s u m e d b y t h e

flames. His life in us

saves us, even while it

changes us utterly. For

this, we thank God.

For the word of God is

living and active sharper

than any two-edgedsword, piercing to the

division of soul and

spirit, of joints and

marrow, and discerning

t h e t h o u g h t s a n d

i n t e n s i o n s o f t h e

heart. (Heb 4: 12)

May our good God blessyou all,

With prayerful regards,

Mothy Achen

PARISH MESSENGER www.perthmarthoma.org.au 0426 283 829


2/8

MEETIN

GS



3/8

MINIST

RIES


YOUTH FELLOWSHIP

Youth Fellowship meets fourth Saturdays of every month at 04:00pm at

the residence of a parish member.

Encourage all youngsters of our parish to participate in the activities of theYouth Fellowship. For further details, please contact Ms Shauna Rivya

Jacob ([email protected]).

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Regular Sunday School on all Sundays before the Holy Communion

Service. Contact: Mr Ninan Thomas or Mrs Susan Abraham for further

details ([email protected]).

EDAVAKA MISSION

Edavaka Mission meets at the residence of a parish member every

month. For further details, please contact Mr Solomon Jacob.

PARISH CHOIR

Parish Choir meets for practice every Sunday after the Holy CommunionService at Murdoch Worship Centre. For further details please contact Mr.

Ginsu Ninan ([email protected]).

SENIOR CITIZENS FELLOWSHIP

Senior Citizens Fellowship meets fourth Saturdays of every month at

12:00pm at the residence of a parish member. For further details, please

contact Mr Retnarajan.

SEVIKA SANGHAM

Sevika Sangham meets once every two month at the residence of a

parish member.

Encourage all women in our parish to participate in the activities of the

Sevika Sangham. For further details, please contact Mrs Babbin Mathews

([email protected]).
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


4/8

KIDSO

NLY



5/8

KIDSO

NLY



6/8

PRAYERS



7/8

WISH

ES



8/8PARISH MESSENGER www perthmarthoma org au 0426 283 829
mailto:[email protected]?subject=mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

edition 71 - news letter september 2014

Documents