St John’s Weekly Bulletin – Sunday 8 April 2018

Happy Easter!

It such an important time to commemorate the Crucifixion and celebrate the Resurrection last weekend. It was wonderful to be able to do this with so many members of our church and so many visitors! Thank you again to everyone who was involved in offering our services of worship last weekend.

A few weeks ago we held our parish council elections and last Sunday didn’t seem right the right weekend to announce my nominations, but I’m happy to do so now. I have asked Phil Ashley-Brown to be the Rector’s Warden, and Carey Gent, Cathy Banney, Ruth Woolfrey and Gill Speirs to be my nominations for parish council. These are in addition to the members that the Annual Meeting elected: Wardens, Howard Benson & Andrew Roth. Missions Secretary: Angus Draffan; and Parish Council Members: Penelope Young, Liz Anelli, Fr Ken Youman, David Hails, and David Holt.

Thank you to everyone who served on parish council last year and helped lead our parish through some very important decisions.

Two outgoing members of parish council have served for many years and I want to pay tribute to them especially: Jen Benson as Missions Secretary and June Wooden as Parish Secretary. The Missions Secretary is the person who guides and leads our parish in our giving to external mission organisations. This is something for which Jen has had a passion for many years and has encouraged giving towards missions that make a difference here in Australia and overseas. Our Parish Secretary has a number of important roles, not only preparing agendas and recording minutes for our parish council meetings, but compiling a large number of statistics that the diocese needs after our annual meeting.

Both Jen and June have served to the best of their abilities for many years and I want to pay tribute to their generosity in giving their time and effort to support our parish in those ways.

Blessings, Murray

This bulletin was emailed to members of the parish on Thursday 5 April 2018 – if you would like to join the Weekly Bulletin email list, please call the church office on 02 4927 5399 and we will happily arrange this.

From Bishop Peter

Dear sisters and brothers,

I invite the people of the Diocese to Regional Meetings to explore Jesus’ call that we might have abundant life. My prayer and my vision for the Diocese is that we will flourish by grace. There are, across the Diocese, some wonderful green shoots of creative change. It is a delight to see clergy and people reenergise existing ministries and embrace new opportunities.

In February, the clergy met and we listened carefully to one another and we believe also to the Spirit. We recognised that for the Diocese to flourish there was a need to embrace further significant and even radical change. The changes in society, the impact of the disclosures of abuse in the church and our sense of vulnerability meant that there was an urgency to be different in and as a Diocese. An emerging view that this was essential to our mission and ministry viability.

I am convening 5 regional meetings for clergy, Synod reps, church wardens and other lay leaders to share a vision for the diocese, some key directions and to tackle some strategic questions.

RSVP for catering is an important courtesy. Please feel warmly invited to come and share in this important work.

+Peter

Newcastle – Venue New Lambton Parish

Thursday 19 April 2018

4.30pm to 6.30pm Meet with clergy

6pm to 6.30pm Soup and sandwiches

6.30pm to 8pm Meet with clergy & Laity

Mark Thornton – Ministry Intern

Mark Thornton has been working with us since February this year, but we finally have an official licence for him and it will be wonderful to formally commission Mark for his ministry among us this weekend. Mark is preaching at 9am, 10.45am and 5pm this Sunday, so please join us for this day of celebration for Mark’s ministry here at St John’s. Please join us if you can!

St John’s Fair

The Annual Parish Fair will be held on Saturday 5 May 2018 from 9.30am-1.30pm!

Your assistance with the Fair would be very much appreciated. The Women’s Guild need help with the provision of goods for the various stalls and also help on the day.

Stalls include: Morning Tea, Raffle, Soup, Pickles and Jam, Handcraft, Books, BBQ, Trash and Treasure, pre loved toys, Sweets, Cakes, Fruit and Veg.

If you can help on any of these stalls please contact Jenny Walkom on 0419497392 or speak to any of the Guild members.

Lemons are needed to make lemon butter, also small to medium glass jars with lids to put the jams or pickles in. These can be left in the Hall kitchen on the back shelf.

Trash & Treasure can be either left upstairs in the Hall or stacked neatly in the storage room on the Dawson St side of the Hall in the week leading up to the Fair. As our last hall booking that week is on Thursday 3 May, we ask that no goods are left in the Hall before then.

A Big, Bold and Beautiful Trivia Night!

Keep your diaries free for our next amazing trivia night – Saturday 26 May from 6–8.30pm. More information and tickets available soon!

Rosters:

  8 Apr. 2018 15 Apr. 2018
9:00 am
Welcomer Amanda H & Penny P Jennifer B & Howard B
Leader Isobel P Matthew B
Preacher Mark T Murray W
Communion Murray W Murray W
Server Thomas P Mark T
Candles Matthew B & Xander G Sebastian T & Amy D
Bible reading 1 Joanne D Helen C
Bible reading 2 Margret Y Ken Y
Prayers David B Howard B
Chalice   Jennifer B & Jenny W
Kids Church Leader Rob W Cathy B
Kids Church Helper Kenna J  
Refreshments Bill D & Kara D Lance W & Dianne W
Counters Nona B & Penelope Y June W & Penelope Y
Flower Arranger Jennifer B Dianne W
Brass Cleaner   Dane T & Sue T
10:45 am
Welcomer Liz A Liz A
Leader Murray W Mark T
Preacher Mark T Murray W
Communion Murray W Murray W
Music Leader Mark T Mark T
Music 2 Roger M  
Drums Stephen R  
Prayers Liz A Liz A
Refreshments Helen P & Ian P *Volunteer needed*
5:00 pm
Welcomer *Volunteer needed* Lyndsey M
Leader Rob W Murray W
Preacher Mark T Murray W
Communion X X Murray W
Prayers Lyndsey M *Volunteer needed*
Music Leader    
Music 2    
Kids Church Leader Murray W Phil A
Kids Church Helper   Gill S
Creche Leader Bec D Fiona D
Creche Helper Lauren P Gavin D
Refreshments *Volunteer needed* Lyndsey M
Tidy after service    
Activity 1    
Activity 2    
Activity 3    
Activity 4    
Activity 5    
Activity 6    

Upcoming at St John’s:

Friday, 6 April 2018
4:30pm KoG Primary School Youth Group
7:00pm Worship: Your Way & Youth
Saturday, 7 April 2018
12:30pm Hall booking: Forbes Family Event
2:45pm Wedding of Soto & Pursehouse
Sunday, 8 April 2018
9:00am Sunday School: New Life through Belief and the Spirit
9:00am Traditional Communion service
10:45am Informal Communion
12:30pm Baptism of Sage Poolman
5:00pm Evening service
5:00pm Kids Church: New Life through Belief and the Spirit
Tuesday, 10 April 2018
9:30am Morning Prayer
Wednesday, 11 April 2018
10:00am St John’s Playgroup
Friday, 13 April 2018
4:30pm KoG Primary School Youth Group
7:00pm Worship: Your Way & Youth
Saturday, 14 April 2018
9:00am Hall booking: Acting Lessons – Feb/March 2018
2:45pm Wedding of Houghton & Most
Sunday, 15 April 2018
9:00am Sunday School: New Life by Word and Breaking Bread
9:00am Traditional Communion service
10:45am Informal Communion
5:00pm Kids Church: New Life by Word and Breaking Bread
5:00pm Evening service