Help is needed for

Foodbank Parcels

Christmas Parcels will be packed on Monday 15th December. Volunteers are needed from 9am. Please phone Andre'a at the Baptist Community Ministeries on 8686274 if you are able to help.

CONTACTS Email:info@thamesanglicanchurch.co.nz

Website: www.thamesanglicanchurch.co.nz

Pastoral Ministry Contacts Graham Colley (Vicar) PO Box 227, Thames Ph 07 868 6267

Rae Hinton 6/82 Richmond Crt, Thames Ph 07 868 8164 Wardens Kate Jones Ph 07 8686 003 & Finlay Clements Ph 07 868 7516

Parish Office Thur & Friday mornings 9-12midday Ph 07 868 6266

Thames Anglican parish seeks an inclusive ministry of serving Christ in prayer, action and worship.

If you are a visitor to the Parish, please let the sidesperson know your name.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A CUP OF TEA IN THE CHURCH AFTER THE 9:00am SERVICE.

A safe place for the LGBT Communities

Music reproduced with permission under license 604812 LicenSing - Copyright Cleared Music for Churches

THIS WEEK: 7-14 December 2014

Mon: Vicar’s Rest Day 5:15pm Place at the Table Trust meets Tue: 11am Vicar at Supervision Wed: 9:30-12 noon Selwyn Group, Hall MT/Hostess - Heather McCormick Assistant - Lynne Mounsey 7pm Vestry 1st meeting, vicarage Thurs: Office Attended 9am to 12noon 10am Holy Communion (1662) Saint Georges Chapel (Peter Philip) 12pm CD Welfare Regional Mtg 2pm Weekly Bible Study Group at 3 Wakatere Place, Totara Palms. Fri: Office Attended 9am to 12noon.

Sun: 9:00am at Saint Georges, NZ Eucharist Theme - Advent 3, Shouts of Joy

Presider & Preacher: The Vicar

Readings: Isaiah 61 v 1-4,8-11 Lois Robinson John 1 v 6-8, 19-28 Colin Bayliss 1 Thessalonians 5 v 16-24 George Haffenden

Liturgist: Annette Herbert Server: Kate Sayer Intercessor: Fiona Harden

Music Ministry: John Mounsey Welcome Team: Eva Golding, Des Herbert, Winnie Sheehan Morning Tea: Margaret MacKay Sanctuary Guild: Lois Robinson, Vivian Bathurst

Evacuation Procedures - In the event of a fire,

listen to the presiding team & Welcomers; leave by nearest, safest exit & assemble on lawn in front of Hospital & wait for “all clear”. NOTE THE EXIT NEAREST YOUR SEAT. TOILETS are in the Hall, next door.

INSPIRE ROSTER

Mon 8th: Del Patten, Judy Bronlund Tue 9th: Gillian Hawkes, David Cooper

Wed 10th: C Bayliss, Liz McCracken

Thur 11th: Robin Plummer, G & R Meehan

Fri 12th: Joe Fawcett, Annette Herbert

Sat 13: Kate Jones

MORNING TEA ROSTER

One of the week by week important ministries of hospitality is hosting the Sunday Morning Tea. If you’d like to share on that roster to help the current 5 people who do that ministry please let one of them know and we’ll adjust the main roster to include you. At present it’s just over once a month. With another half dozen it could be every second or third month.

Christmas Flowers

Fiona Harden seeks a merry band of floral helpers to decorate the church

on the morning of the 23rd December. Red and White are the traditional Christmas colours but any donations of flowers are most appreciated. Morning tea will be provided. Please see Fiona or ring her on 8681136 if you are able to help.

Magazines

Local and National magazines — our Diocesan The Anglican and the national magazine Anglican Taonga have arrived this past week. Some interesting background articles about the future of the Anglican International Communion as well as news from around this country.

Opening Prayer

Keep shadows without and light within; let your face shine that we may be saved. Keep fear without and justice within; comfort, comfort your people.

Keep chaos without and life within; may those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. Keep despair without and hope within; deliver us that we may rejoice.

Come, O Advent God, and reveal your promise in us now.

Sunday 2014 - 7 December Advent 2

Service: 9:00am at Saint Georges - NZ Eucharist Theme: Messengers of Hope Sentence: [Hear the words of the prophet Isaiah:] Shake yourself from the dust,

says the Lord, arise, O captive Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. Isaiah 52 v 2

Call to worship

Tikanga Pakeha partner church in the three strand Anglican Church

in Aotearoa/ New Zealand/Pacifica

AA 154 Where is the

Room Where is the room, where is the house of Christmas? Where shall we welcome Jesus, where are the signs of home? Where are the signs of home?

Let Christ have space, place at the heart of living, centre for birth’s new breathing, cradle for hope and peace, cradle for hope and peace.

Let there be room, room for the friend and stranger, room without hurt or anger, room for whoever come, room for whoever come.

Let love be here, love from the Christmas stable, love at our open table, love to be shared all year, love to be shared all year.

Words © Shirley Murray, No. 154 Alleluia Aotearoa, © New Zealand Hymnbook Trust

Comfort us, O God, with a comfort that strengthens us for the world. Comfort us, O God, with a comfort that encourages us to trust you. Comfort us, O God, with a comfort that inspires us to be messengers of hope that our world may be transformed, and that it may begin here, in this place and among these people. Comfort us, O God, with a comfort that renews our living and our worship.

TO THE

THAMES

ANGLICAN

CHURCH

Lighting the Advent Candle of Peace

Creator God, with the people of war torn countries we cry out for your Peace We thirst for nothing less than the holy water of justice and freedom Loving Lord, bring us to your Light and Life. Amen

But you, O God, have looked kindly on us: you speak peace into the hearts of your people. Here steadfast love and faithfulness meet, righteousness and peace kiss, faithfulness springs up from the ground, and uprightness from the sky. Your love calls us into healing, into renewal, into justice, for all people. ╬ May we journey, renewed, across a reshaped land, that proclaims your presence among us, and prepares the way of love.

Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Pardon

Wild God of the wastes, whose gospel begins with a cry and a summons: take us to a pathless place where we can start again to taste creation’s gifts anew and await the Spirit’s touch; through Jesus Christ, the one who is to come. Amen.

Today’s Reflection … When we are despairing, when we feel far from our true centre, we need the message of hope contained in today’s readings. God is faithful. God will restore and guide. Isaiah, Cyrus, and John were all God’s messengers of this hopeful word. When have you

encountered such messengers of hope? What message about God’s love and care do you want to tell others?

Collect

Versicle & Response

Keep us faithful:

to your calling.

SHC 34 O God, you once

prepared the way Elizabeth J Smith

1. O God, you once prepared the way for Mary’s “Yes” to Jesus’ birth. In human form, your love would pay the price of hope for lifeless earth.

2. O God, prepare in us the way to meet in love, as Christ has taught. Our bread and wine we bring, and pray: Forgive us, feed us, send us out.

3. O God, prepare with us the way of justice for a world in pain. Send out your Spirit, so we may learn how to live in peace again.

4. O God, prepare for us the way to face our death with joy and trust, to come to resurrection day with Christ, who brings us home at last.

Words reprinted under licence.

Christmas Services

December 14, 21 9am Communion & Advent Wreath

Christmas Eve 7:30pm A family interactive Nativity Communion

remembering 200 years since Samuel Marsden visited Oihi "Te Haranui".

Christmas Day 9am Family Communion and Carols

(Note no 10am Thursday communions on 25 & 31 Dec)

For the seed we have planted called “injustice,” that destroys the land and the community, where some have and others have nothing, forgive us.

For the seed we have planted called “conflict,” that ruins the earth and the lives of the many, and where only weeping silence can fully tell the story, forgive us.

For the seed we have planted called “imbalance,” that bears the fruit of frazzled lives where Sabbath way is neglected and restoration is unknown, forgive us.

For the seed we have planted called “prejudice,” that disfigures the beauty of nature and the faces of your people, where what is said and unsaid disfigures love, forgive us.

For the seed we have planted called “faithlessness,” that cares nothing for the ground or the lives of your people where blessing is never offered and worth never celebrated, forgive us. Amen.

We go in the daring of God, to bless the world with justice; we go in the reign of peace, to bless the world with peace; we go in the intent of God, to bless the world with promise; we go in the longing of God, to bless the world with hope; we go in the love of God, to bless the world with good news. AMEN

Sending Forth

Today’s Reflection … When we are despairing, when we feel far from our true centre, we need the message of hope contained in today’s readings. God is faithful. God will restore and guide. Isaiah, Cyrus, and John were all God’s messengers of this hopeful word. When have you

encountered such messengers of hope? What message about God’s love and care do you want to tell others?

SHC 34 O God, you once

prepared the way Elizabeth J Smith

1. O God, you once prepared the way for Mary’s “Yes” to Jesus’ birth. In human form, your love would pay the price of hope for lifeless earth.

2. O God, prepare in us the way to meet in love, as Christ has taught. Our bread and wine we bring, and pray: Forgive us, feed us, send us out.

3. O God, prepare with us the way of justice for a world in pain. Send out your Spirit, so we may learn how to live in peace again.

4. O God, prepare for us the way to face our death with joy and trust, to come to resurrection day with Christ, who brings us home at last.

Words reprinted under licence.

AM 30 Hark the glad sound!

Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes, the Saviour promised long: let every heart prepare a throne, and every voice a song.

He comes, the prisoners to release in Satan’s bondage held; the gates of brass before him burst, the iron fetters yield.

He comes, the broken heart to bind, the bleeding soul to cure, and with the treasures of his grace to bless the humble poor.

Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace, thy welcome shall proclaim; and heaven’s eternal arches ring with thy belovèd name.

Philip Doddridge; T Ravenscroft

AM 166 Lord, thy word

Lord, thy word abideth, and our footsteps guideth; who its truth believeth light and joy receiveth.

When our foes are near us, they thy word doth cheer us, word of consolation, message of salvation.

When the storms are o’er us, and dark clouds before us, then its light directeth, and our way protecteth.

Who can tell the pleasure who recount the treasure, by thy word imparted to the simple-hearted?

Word of mercy, giving succour to the living; word of life, supplying comfort to the dying.

O that we discerning its most holy learning, Lord, may love and fear thee, evermore be near thee.

Adapted from a German Medieval Melody by W H Monk; H W Baker

Christmas Services

December 14, 21 9am Communion & Advent Wreath

Christmas Eve 7:30pm A family interactive Nativity Communion

remembering 200 years since Samuel Marsden visited Oihi "Te Haranui".

Christmas Day 9am Family Communion and Carols

(Note no 10am Thursday communions on 25 & 31 Dec)

Today’s Readings & Ministers

First Testament: Isaiah 40 v 1-11 Prepare the Way of the Lord Reader: Max Baggaley Gospel: Mark 1 v 1-8 The Forerunner Reader: Natalie Geary

Presider & Preacher: Graham Colley

Intercessions: Rae Hinton then to page 465 in NZ Prayer Book

Liturgist: David Juby Server: Jessica Juby

After Communion: 2 Peter 3 v 8-15a The Day of the Lord Reader: Sue Lewis-O’Halloran

Music Ministry: Finlay Clements Welcome Team: Colleen Jones, Colin Bayliss, Ray Deed Morning Tea: Raewyn Struthers Sanctuary Guild: Pam Kenny, Rae Hinton

The Advent Appeal goes to CWS