As promised, you will find a few pages of prayers, poems and images for the Season of Christmas including:
It is our hope this resource will help you weave moments of intentional reflection into these days. Feel free to pass this resource onto anyone you think may appreciate it.
Hard copies are available at the church for those who wish.
The latest advice from SA Health is available here.
The Advent reflections for this week are to help us hear again and explore more deeply the story of Elizabeth and Mary’s encounter and the joy that erupted in their meeting.
The latest advice from SA Health is available here.
A poem from St. John of the Cross who knew suffering intimately. The poetic language of the mystics can sound unusual to our ears, but they speak out of a lived experience of God that may be welcome in our day.
Today is summer solstice in the southern hemisphere. In the week we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World, we experience the longest day of the year. Priest and author Edward Hays says about this day:
We are children of the sun, the daystar that makes all life possible, as we travel in the icy darkness of frozen space. It is only fitting that we celebrate this turning point of our planet.
riest and author Edward Hays
Below is a prayer by Hays for this day…
The latest advice from SA Health is available here.
Our final Tuesday night meal for 2021 was held on Tuesday 7 December. Several folk made donations so we could serve entrée boxes from Wild Truffle Catering followed by turkey and ham, roasted vegetables and pudding with custard and cream for dessert.
Anna Wilson from Ascot Community Uniting Church came as a guest to distribute gifts from Ascot for our volunteers. Someone at Ascot made a number of ceramic ornaments with “Thanks” engraved on the back. She also handmade each beautiful paper box. The volunteers who received them so far are deeply touched.
The generosity of the wider community to the ministry of St. Andrew’s speaks volumes to us. People are longing to be part of genuine (and diverse) community, to put their hands and hearts to sharing of themselves and seeing the love of Christ come to life in our world. The food is starting to fill our pantry again, we are receiving end-of-the-year financial donations from clubs and individuals, and new volunteers continue to arrive as late in the year as yesterday.
May these signs of love lead us to sing with Mary: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour!
The latest advice from SA Health is available here.
Sometimes we can overcomplicate things. Brother Roger’s words are reassuring in their simplicity.
The latest advice from SA Health is available here.
