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St David's Missive and Liturgy

Dear St David's Church Family💒

As I write this, we have just gathered for our first morning prayer of the year. It was lovely to gather together again for a time of stillness, prayer, discussion and Taize music. All are welcome at 9.30am on Wednesdays and/or a cuppa at Garnish after the service.

This Sunday 7th February is the 5th Sunday in Epiphany and it is also our Communion Sunday.

Liturgy for 7th February 2021 here

We will be using bread (rice crackers for those of you who need gluten free) and juice again. If you are coming to church, please byo cup and don't worry if you forget as there will be spares. For those of you joining us from home, you might also like to have bread and juice ready.

This Sunday is also our Church Council meeting after morning tea (which will be back on again this week, over at the hall).

Here are the things that I would like to pass on to you this week:

• Genevieve's retrospective art exhibition and BBQ. Thank you to Genevieve and Phil for their hospitality last Sunday. It was very special to be able to gather together again in this way.

• We are thrilled to let you know that Prue and Chris have a wedding date: 14th March. We look forward to celebrating this special day with them in our service.

• Kim will be taking a well-earned break after this Sunday for 3 weeks, so, if you would like to lead our singing over the following 3 Sundays in February, please let me know.

• United Mission and Education is holding a Mental Health First Aid course next week. Please see here for more info: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/mental-health-first-aid-training-registration-132892477979

Mental Health First Aid Training

This course is for any interested adult within the Uniting Church in Austalia, Synod of NSW & ACT.

www.eventbrite.com.au

You will notice that the wording has changed in our Acknowledgement of Country - A few of us have spent some time this week re-looking at the wording of our Acknowledgement of Country that we do at the beginning of each service. We also requested advice from Stuart McMillan from the National Consultant Covenanting Assembly Resourcing Unit. We are keen to ensure that the language we use is appropriate and respectful of our Aboriginal sisters and brothers. If you'd like more information on this let me know.

Common Grace has recommended this film -The first series is available on SBS On Demand https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/first-australians

First Australians | Documentary | SBS On Demand

First Australians chronicles the birth of contemporary Australia as never told before, from the perspective of its first people. They Have Come to Stay - This landmark series chronicles the birth ...

www.sbs.com.au

Let me pass on a book recommend by Alan Russell: https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/as-a-young-woman-lowitja-o-donoghue-was-told-she-d-amount-to-nothing-20201001-p5610m.html

As a young woman, Lowitja O'Donoghue was told she'd amount to nothing - The Sydney Morning Herald

BIOGRAPHY Lowitja Stuart Rintoul Allen & Unwin, $45. As Stuart Rintoul tells us in this fine biography, in 1935, as a two-year-old, Lowitja O’Donoghue was taken by her white father from her ...

www.smh.com.au

I have ordered a copy (for $30 on Amazon), so if you would like to borrow it, please let me know.

Story-time - Hello to our St David's kids! Dominic, Matilda, Harry, Frank, Sophie, Edie, Ella, Aiden, River, Sacha, Eli and Elise. Our story this week is called The Very Noisy Bear by Nick Bland. We look forward to seeing you on the story mat (either in person or via computer)😊

This week's photos include: pics from our BBQ last Sunday; Belinda and Dominic; David celebrating his birthday in style, with Tom on the Goulburn River; our first morning prayer of the year; Kaye, Brian and I at Garnish; this week's story book.

This week's prayer is another poem by Steve Garnass-Holmes - Prayer for the weary:

God, I am weary.
I am worn by my daily tasks,
burdened by all that is demanded of me,
tired of the world's turbulence.
Even my faith, sometimes, is too tired
to get up and go.
There is so much to do.
Restore my energy.
Be my heartbeat, my breath,
the spark of my nerves.
Like a leaf carried on the river of your love,
bear me through this world
by your grace, not my effort.
May your love and hope and courage
rise in me like the sun,
and shine me through this day,
in the love and presence of your Spirit.

Amen

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, whether physically or via our live-stream.

Wherever you are and whoever you are, you are welcome in this place.

May God's light shine in us and through us🌟

With love, hope and peace

Joy💒