17th April 2016

Encouragement

“But they … comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” 2 Corinthians 10:12

When you understand that God loves you unconditionally, two things will hap-pen. Firstly, you’ll learn to accept yourself as you are, and secondly, you’ll learn to accept others as they are too. Stop and ask yourself today, “How do I really feel about myself?” Before you answer, read the following ten things … slowly and carefully. Better yet, put them somewhere where you can read them daily.

Never think or speak negatively about yourself, for that puts you in disa-greement with God.

Meditate on your strengths; learn to encourage yourself, for most of the time nobody else will.

Never compare yourself with anyone else. You are unique, one-of-a-kind, an original. Don’t settle for being a copy.

Focus on your potential, not your limitations. Remember the “Greater One” lives in you! (1 John 4;4)

Find something you like to do, and are gifted to do well, and do it over and over.

Have the courage to be different; be a God-pleaser, not a people-pleaser.

Learn to handle criticism; let it develop you instead of discouraging you.

Determine your own worth - before others do it for you.

Keep your flaws in perspective; you’re still a work in progress.

Focus daily on the one and only source of your confidence - God! Work on your relationship with Him.

This year begin to think and speak good things about yourself, knowing that God loves you despite your weaknesses.

Pew Reflections The Third Sunday of Easter

Sunday 17 April 2016 Acts 9.36-43; Psalm 23;

Revelation 7.9-17; John 10.22-30

In the modern world, so many won’t take the step of believing in Jesus until the question, similar to this one is answered to their satisfaction, plainly and in scientific terms. “If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus has answered this with “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me”. We need to answer the modern doubters in the same way. In Jesus’ time the doubters were there with him and could clearly see what he was doing, and yet did not believe. How much harder it is for us, in this day and age to show the works of Jesus to the doubters. The problem is that they are not always easy to see and there are none so blind as those who do not wish to see. Let us find ways to bring the modern miracles of Jesus to those who are blind to them.

Pray for the ‘modern spiritually blinded’, that their eyes may be opened to the works, beauty and glory of Jesus.

The Rev Ken Spreadborough,

Chair of ABM’s Brisbane Diocesan Committee

© Anglican Board of Mission, 2016

2016 Harvest Festival

Sunday May 1st 11.00 am Bentley

Please support it with produce and help. Fresh produce e.g. Cakes etc.

Can be delivered prior to the Festival on Sunday morning. Non perishable produce may be left at the office during the week

leading up to this day.

ANZAC Biscuit Comp.

Sunday April 24th

Feast of St Mark

& ANZAC Commemoration

The peoples choice awards.

Why not showcase your favourite

ANZAC Biscuits at morning tea after the

9.00am service.

A man is laying on the operating table, about to be operated on by his son, the

surgeon. The father says, “Son, take good care of me. Remember...if anything hap-

pens to me, your mother is coming to live with you.”

Why you should never make your bed The lazy among us have always thought making your bed is a bad idea. Now we have proof. People often tell you to make your bed because it ‘starts the day off well’ or that it brings order and calm. But the lazy among us have always known making your bed is a bad idea. For starters, it’s difficult to see the point of arranging all your throw pillows and stuffed animals on the bed if you’re only going to push them off hours later. If you have to leave the house early in the morning you’re probably all bleary-eyed and you don’t have the time or desire for tackling chores. Even if you thought about making your bed, as soon as someone nags you to do it, that immediately makes you not want to do it. It’s all very complicated. Plus, it’s harder to get comfortable in your bed if it’s been made and the sheets are firmly tucked in. (I like to create a cocoon out of blankets and fold all the sheets up around my legs, to the point where it’s stupidly warm, which is why bed-making is not for me.) Another thing to consider: if you make your bed in the morning, that means you’re telling yourself that you won’t be getting back into it for the rest of the day, and you just don’t need to place those boundaries on yourself. Finally, all these very valid points have now also been backed up by scientific evi-dence. Thanks science. According to reports, making your bed every morning may be bad for your health. The reason is dust mites; they don’t just look nasty, they are nasty. In the average bed there’s as many as 1.5 million microscopic mites crawling around and feasting off the skin cells you shed while you sleep. In the morning, if you make your bed immediately, all of the skin cells, sweat, mites and their droppings – which can cause asthma and allergies – will be trapped underneath. However, if the bed is left unmade, the mites, dead skin, the sweat, all of it, will be exposed to fresh air and light. So, if you have to make your bed it is better to wait until the evening. By that point your bed is much less appealing to dust mites and they will have died from dehydration or just lost interest. There you have it. You’re welcome.

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 17th April, 2016

First Reading Acts 9.36-43 Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the re-quest, ‘Please come to us without delay.’ So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner. H Hear the word of the Lord,

Thanks be to God. Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing. He will make me lie down in green pastures: and lead me beside still waters. He will refresh my soul: and guide me in right pathways for his name’s sake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me, your rod and your staff comfort me. You spread a table before me in the face of those who trouble me: you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full. Surely your goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Second Reading Revelation 7.9-17 After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before

the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, singing, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ Hear the word of the Lord,

Thanks be to God. Gospel John 10.22-30

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Je-sus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eter-nal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord,

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Catering

April 19th (Tuesday) Meals on Wheels Luncheon

Baked Meal for 100 served at 12.30pm Caterers start Monday 18th at 9.00am for set

up and preparation. And 8.30am on the day of the Luncheon

May 7th (Saturday) Bootscooters Dinner

Stroke Victims Research Fundraiser Baked Meal for 60 served at 5.30pm Caterers start at 9.00am and 2.30pm

May 14th (Saturday)

Manchester Unity Dinner

May 21st (Saturday) Op-Shop High Tea

May 27th & 28th

Beef Week Catering Civic Hall

June 3rd Debutante Ball

An Ecumenical Service

featuring contemporary hymns

and reflection,

will be held on Sunday April 24th

at the Relihan Centre ‘Theatrette’

Canterbury Street

commencing at 7.00pm

Join in with others

and worship together. www.casinoanglicanchurch.org

NOTE:

Over the next 3 months, the current email addresses will be

deleted and be replaced by;

office@casinoanglicanchurch.org

This email address is now operational and can be

used.

Solomon Islands

Last weekend another 37 cartons were transported to Brisbane.

Packing has resumed in the Ministry Centre on Wednesday’s,

at 9.30am, any form of assistance would

be greatly appreciated. For more details contact Bev Hendley

All Saints Clovass, will be holding a

morning tea on Wednesday May 18th

at 10.00am, there will be a guest

speaker and raffle. With the proceeds

going to the Cancer Council.

Please bring your own chair.

Russell Cole (April 19)

St Mark’s Rainbow Debutante Ball

Will be held on Friday June 3rd in the parish hall.

Practise will be held on Sunday nights at 6.30pm in the parish hall.

Looking Forward Saturday April 23rd 11.00am Casino Holy Baptism Sunday April 24th Feast of St Mark ANZAC Commemoration Monday April 25th ANZAC Day Sunday May 1st Harvest Festival 11.00am Bentley Saturday May 7th Rev. Naomi Cooke, Chaplain at Bishop Druitt College, will be ordained to the priesthood at 10am in the Cathedral. May 13-15th ‘Beginning Experience’ weekend to be held at Wollongbar for more details con-tact Judy 02 6624 1549 Saturday May 21st Op Shop High Tea Sunday May 29th 8.00am only Catering Service Parish Breakfast Sunday July 31st 8.00am only Op Shop Service Parish Breakfast

Please Pray for: Brian Lister, Bert Shipway,

Margaret Jennings, Audrey Parker, Trisha Pearson, Rayda Mison, Judith Pickering, Jim Sullivan.

Details of events that will be conducted in the parish

during 2016. To assist with the formatting

of a parish calendar. Please leave details

at the office.

Bountiful God, give to this parish a faithful pastor who will faithfully speak your word and minister your sacraments; an encourager who will equip your

people for ministry and enable us to fulfil our calling.

Give to those who will choose, wisdom, discernment and patience, and to us give warm and generous hearts, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

PARISH DIRECTORY Parish (Locum Tenens) Fr. Mark Sibly 0413 618 406 Sunday—Wednesday Parish Mobile 0427 813 593 Parish Office Wed—Fri 9.30-12.00 Phone 02 6662 1018 39 West Street Casino Fax 02 6662 6655 Postal Address P.O. Box 71, CASINO NSW 2470 Email casinoanglican@westnet.com.au soon to be deleted

St. Mark’s Catering Annette Battistuzzi 0457 913 883 St. Mark’s Op-Shop Cnr. Centre & Pratt Streets 02 6662 4918 Toy Library (Open Friday 10.00 am—1.00 pm) Lis Humphreys 02 6662 4350

The Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted, 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ

in the United States of America, and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Flowers

B Hendley & J Causley

Cleaning

G & F Miller, S McNaughton

Court Care

B & J Drinkwater (April 20)

Morning Tea

R & T Cole

SERVICES THIS WEEK

Sunday, 17th April St Mark’s 7.00am St Mark’s 9.00am Clovass 11.00am

Wednesday, 20th April

St Mark’s 10.30 am

Sunday, 24th April St Mark’s 7.00am St Mark’s 9.00am Rappville 11.00am

Readings for, April 24th

Acts 11.1-18 Ps 148

Revelations 21.1-16 John 13.31-35

7.00 a.m.

Min Word M Earl

Server R Beattie

Chalice M Earl & R Beattie

Readers R Beattie & M Earl

Intercessions M Earl

Sidepersons

9.00 a.m.

Min Word S Lollback

Server - C D Rea

Server - S1 R Cooper

Server—S2 G Phelps

Chalice S Lollback

Readers J Whittaker & S Lollback

Intercessions S Lollback

Sidepersons

Liturgical Rosters for Week Commencing April 24th