Holy Week and Easter Services:

St Hilda's Anglican Catholic Church Maitland NSW

Holy Week and Easter Services: 

Maundy Thursday, 
7pm Mass, including Footwashing, Stripping of the Altars, and Vigil till miidnight. 

Good Friday, 
10am Liturgy of the Presanctified, with Veneration of the Cross, 
then Stations of the Cross at Noon. 

Easter Day, 
11 am Mass, with Blessing and Lighting of the Paschal Candle 
and Litany of the Saints.

Join us at the chapel of St Mary's Campus of the All Saints College in Victoria St Maitland NSW Australia

Prayer requests

In an earlier blog post we requested prayer for "Lisa", a 21 year old local girl who was facing a heart transplant. We know some of you were praying for her recovery and strength so Id like to give a brief update.

Lisa had a few little hickups along the way, but is now doing fine physically as far as the transplant goes. She is no longer hospitalised but sharing a house with a loving and supportive person. As expected after such a major ordeal not every day is easy to deal with. But through the love of God, along with talented surgical staff, kind hearted carers, lots of prayer and a generous organ donor, her future is looking so much better. If you kept Lisa in your prayers - THANK YOU.

Most gracious God and Father, we render humble thanks for the restoration to health of Lisa, for whom we lately besought thy loving kindness; and joyfully do we confess that, as thy power is infinite, so also is thy mercy toward them that call upon thee for succour, in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Our little parish of St Hilda's has friends and family at the moment that also need your prayer. A little earlier in our blog we introduced Saint Peregrine (patron saint of Cancer sufferers). At the moment we ask prayer for Dave, Kay and Robert, who are all currently dealing with cancer.

Dave, has been diagnosed with cancer in his hip, prostrate and spine. He is part-way through his hormonal treatment and has been told by the doctors that the cancer in his hip has gone. We hope this is a positive sign of even further cure. Please keep Dave in your prayers.

Kay, has been diagnosed with melanoma which has resulted in huge cancerous growths within her abdomen, She has just finished her 3rd chemotherapy session (possibly her last, depending on the resulting scans). She has been told there is no chance of cure. Please Keep Kay in your prayers.

Robert, has been diagnosed with bowel cancer and is now preparing himself for treatment, he is currently looking at Chemo, radiation therapy and operation. Please keep Robert in your prayers.  

Almighty and immortal God, the giver of life, health and healing:
We beseech thee to hear our prayers for Dave, Kay and Robert, for whom we implore thy mercy. Grant to them, the sense of thy presence that they may have perfect trust in thee, In all their suffering may they cast their cares upon thee, so that, enfolded in thy love and power, and by thy blessing upon them and upon those who minister to them of thy healing gifts, they may be restored, according to thy gracious will, to health of body and mind, and give thanks to thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Remember that family and friends who offer their love and support during these stressful times can also use the strength of your prayers, ask God to help them trust their loved ones to His care and to help them to keep faith.

The image used is Rosa Celeste, an artwork by French painter and illustrator Paul Gustave Doré who lived from 6 January 1832 till 23 January 1883

Sermon Sumary notes - Lent II 2014

"Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?"

 (Ezekiel18:23) †

God loves sinners.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die.  But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.  Romans 5:6-8.
Bad news:
God does not value humans for the things they pride ourselves on, Smarts Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 1 Corinthians 1:20, looks Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30a, fame God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 1 Co. 1: 28a, power But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 1 Co. 1:27b. Without him and his grace, even good deeds are lost to futility And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, Ga. 2:16b.

Good news:
We are valuable in ourselves, just for who we are, despite our sin. He loves us anyway, enough to offer us restoration to his image and likeness. He would prefer to save than punish, as today's Old Testament lesson makes clear. He is just, with each man having to face the penalty for his own sin, but, amazingly, He'd prefer to pay the penalty Himself. So He did.
But there is a condition. The wicked must turn from their sin. Because God hates sin -- and must do so to be a loving, righteous, holy God -- His love for us cannot take effect in us till we let go of the sin. Nevertheless, his grace reaches out to even very wicked people, and does change hearts and forgive great sins and sinners. And he rejoices in such transformation.  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7.

But do we? It isn't terribly hard for us to be enthusiastic about the infliction of punishment on the unrighteous (unless it happens to be us). Who doesn't like to see the bad guys get their due on cop shows? And that is reasonable, as far as it goes. However, we are meant to desire even more that sinners repent and are changed for the better, even if it means a merciful reduction of just punishment. Now, of course, since we know how TV plots work, we don't have much expectation a change of heart can be part of the story. In reality, fortunately, God's grace does break through hard hearts, and the lost are found by Him. In real life do we yearn for the conversion of the wicked? To be like God, we need to do so. Don't wait for the right feelings, though. Pray for sinners, even terrible ones, learn of their sufferings where relevant, for many perpetrators were once victims, and let emotional empathy catch up.

And it may well be the case that you already are on this path. Christians are moved by stories, fictional and non-fictional, of redemption and transformation. Let this joy in Grace's past victories lead us on to desire more of them. Let that beautiful petition from the Litany become our heartfelt prayer: 

To forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers,

 and to turn their hearts, We beseech thee, good Lord. †

The image used was photographed in our chapel at St Marys Campus of the All Saints College in Victoria Street Maitland NSW Australia. Join us there for ACC Anglican Catholic Worship, Prayer and Holy Communion on Sunday Mornings at 11am (note that the last Sunday of the month will be held in Taree).

the beginning of Lent

Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent
LINK: to a nice write-up by Father Ed Bakker

Lord, have mercy.

Lord have mercy,

I feel your embrace in the air around me.

Your whispers encircle my soul

and through my tears I feel your presence.

I throw my head back momentarily loosing myself

in the vastness of the heavens.

I realise the smallness of my being

and my vulnerability before you.

My heart cries out in pain,

isolated and trapped.

I wordlessly pore out the poisons of the world

that have dented my soul.

Your presence absorbs the bulk of my wounds,

my scars left as a sad reminder

of the sin around and within me.

Lord forgive my sins.  †