The Parishes of St Mary's Kingsburgh and The Church of the Good Shepherd Amanzimtoti
All-loving God, your servant Yona of Rwanda prayed for those who were about to kill him and by his prayer, won freedom for his friends; make our lives a witness to your love, enabling us to forgive all who hurt us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
God of grace and glory,
your Son revealed your power in many things: transform our everyday lives and make us worthy of our calling to serve the world in your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
The Season of the Epiphany, is a season of presentation of Jesus to the world to Magi and Shepherds, representing Gentiles and faithful Jews and in the temple where Jesus is presented as the first born son, with two doves- the offering of the poor.
Jesus was born into a time in Jewish history where they were under occupation, he was born into a failed society, a disobedient society a society who had returned from exile, had been set free from oppression but fallen straight back into it. So often when I read the scriptures, I wonder how it could have been written thousands of years ago, when it describes today!
And people are expecting a saviour to come and give them freedom: someone to unite them against their enemies liberate them from the of oppression of society, poverty, stigma, traditional belief and custom, ignorance and sense of hopelessness.
The Shepherd’s hear the Angles sing and
respond’ let us go to Bethlehem (Ephrata) (Hb-place of fertility, which
could be said place of bread in the original poetic language). ‘can
anything good come from there? They asked.
Herod and the leaders of
Israel heard of his birth. But only the Magi and the Shepherds went to
the stable,and found the Christ Child and worshipped him.
And you? You’ve heard the Christmas Angels, the glad tidings bring, but are you seeking the King? Too many people are saying ‘what good can come from Ephrata’ (the church, where His chooses to reveal himself to the world)?
The world is in a bit of a mess, our social cohesion is at an all time low and with an election year upon us, there is going to be a lot of noise and posturing and rhetoric. But you? Where will you be seeking meaning and hope and life?
Do not serve the foreign god’s of consumerism, political ideologies, individualism and post modern philosophy. Choose life and serve God, the Father ,Son and Holy Spirit. Seek His Face seek His favour:
He comes to declare the year of the Lord’s favour.
This year let us ‘walk with Jesus” let us go and discover what this means.
2019 lies ahead of us with a great deal of spiritual journey to “walk with Jesus.”
Trips to Egypt, Galilee,Samaria,and Jerusalem are all included on the itinerary. But it has to begin, in a stable and a babe wrapped in a manger, it has to begin with humility, it has to begin with trust, it has to begin with listen to God’s call! “Come and see.”
When Jesus met sick people he offered said “what is it that you want me to do for you?”
He asks that of you today!
What is your heart’s desire for 2019. Let us be honest with God about it! Let us continually place our hearts desires before God and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us!
Be assured of my prayers as we sojourn with and in Christ through out the year
Amen.
Fr. Andrew Manning
When I go swimming, which is honestly love to be doing now, this heat is ‘soul sapping’. I always dive in on the deep end. And so it’s to the deep end we go as we get down to ministry 2019. I am busy finalizing the year plan, please study the Pew bulletin for dates and contact me for more information.
Please support the people that are given authority to minister in the parish, we are a team and we need your support
Please prayerfully consider your role as a member of the “priesthood of all believers”
I am looking forward to seeing our parish go from strength to strength this year.
The Diocese has called for February to be a month of listening. Specifically over the issue of funding the Diocese through the Parish Assessment. The Diocesan funding must pay for the Diocesan vision, and judging by yesterday’s clergy forum, we have lots of work to do to get on board with both.
I will devote The Midweek services of February to this process and this will include our Wednesday afternoon Bible Study at St Mary’s (all welcome 14:30 to 16:00) and our Wednesday evening fellowship which will start in February at 18:00 at St Mary’s and just for good measure our Sunday Evening gathering which is at 18:00 as well, so there can be no excuse, we are committed to listening and participating in this Diocesan exercise to seek God’s will. Please make an effort to participate.
There will also be a statistical survey being conducted, on the 4th and 11th of February.
We also need to start our preparation for Vestry, please prayerfully consider nominations for Parish Council. Please read the reports as they become available.
Remember our website is going to be used extensively to communicate information.
Meditation: We serve a God who Speaks and we are to be a people who listen.
Rector – Fr. Andrew Manning
Heavenly Father,
You inspired Saint Peter first among the apostles, to confess Jesus as the Messiah and Son of the living God: keep your church steadfast on the rock of this faith;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen