Welcome to Worship It’s good to have you with us. We pray that God may bless you as you join us for

worship. We hope you are able to join us for morning tea and a time of fellowship

following each of our services.

It’s common to think about ‘living

water’ – the powerful metaphor

from this week’s readings – as

something we receive , and we

know, as humans, that water is

still absolutely critical for our

survival. A healthy person can go

for days, even weeks, without

eating; but 48 hours without water

means serious problems for

anyone. In the heat and aridity of

the desert, this is even more true.

But water is not only the basis of life; it’s the universal solvent. To stop there is to leave

the extraordinary message of this passage incomplete. As we follow Christ the call this

week is to move from being not only recipients of living water to givers of it – especially

to the poor and the marginalized. So many barriers are broken, dissolved, in the

encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, it is hard to know where to begin.

A man addresses a woman; a Jew speaks to a Samaritan, and asks to share a flask of

water; the religious traditions of almost a millennium are declared to be obsolete.

Christian Stewardship is about what we do as water-bearers; the time, skills and

money we can use in our lives. It’s about how we can make ourselves oases from which

others can draw refreshment and life.

Lent 3 14/15 March 2020

The Mackay Anglican Cluster

THE

Collects, Readings and Intercessions

Sentence ‘The water that I will give,’ says the Lord, ‘will become in you a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ John 4.14

Prayer of the day O God, the fountain of life,

to a humanity parched with thirst you offer the living water that springs from the Rock, our Saviour Jesus Christ: stir up within your people the gift of your Spirit, that we may profess our faith with fresh-ness and announce with joy the wonder of your love. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Special Prayer for Growth God of Mission, who alone brings growth to your Church, send your Holy Spirit to give vision to our planning, wisdom to our actions, and power to our witness. Help our churches to grow in numbers, in spiritual commit-ment to you, and in service to our local community. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings for this Week - Lent 3 Exodus 17.1-7 Psalm 95 Romans 5.1-11 John 4.5-42

Readings for Next Week - Lent 4 1 Samuel 16.1-13 Psalm 23 Ephesians 5.8-14 John 9.1-41

All items for the Beacon next week need to be forwarded to Kristi

admin@mackayanglicans.org.au

(deadline for articles or notices is by the Wednesday prior to the weekend )

PLEASE PRAY FOR Our World - for world leaders and the difficult decisions they need to make; for the declared pandemic and those affected by the Coronavirus

Our Community - for the upcoming Local Government elections; continue to pray for those affected by the bushfires, drought and flood; for calm, common sense and self-control

Our Wider Church - for the Church of England; The Most Rev’d and Right Hon Justin Welby - Archbishop of Canterbury.

In Australia - for the Diocese of Mel-bourne - for Archbishop Philip, their Re-gional Bishops, Clergy and People.

Our Diocese of NQ, - for Bishop Keith, the Ministry Units of Mareeba with Dimbulah; Mareeba Garden Settlement; Chillagoe, and the Lotus Glen Correctional Centre.

Our Cluster - pray for our Rector John; for the appointment of a second priest; for our upcoming annual meeting and for those nominating for the various posi-tions; for our vision and planning for 2020 and beyond; give thanks for our commu-nity and the fellowship we enjoy together

Those who are unwell or need support - healing for those who are journeying through sickness in body, mind or spirit remembering especially … (see separate list)

Those who mourn - the family of Jean Dutton

Those whose YEAR’S MIND (Anniversary) occurs this week: (see the “in memoriam” book)

SUMMARY - JOHN 4.5-42

While sitting beside a well in Samaria, Jesus’ conversation with a Samaritan woman draws her, and her community, into the new family of faith – those who know that Jesus is ‘the Saviour of the world’.

Picture Pointers

1. When have you been grateful - and more - for water?

2. What does Jesus’ ‘life-giving water’ mean to you?

3. How does it make a real difference to your life?

Tuesdays 10:30am at St Ambrose Hall

Come along, have a chat, a coffee, a laugh and maybe do some ‘Craft things’.

No materials needed.

Contact Flo Fortescue 4954 0745

A PERSONAL PRAYER THIS WEEK

Open my eyes, Lord, open my heart, Lord, open my mouth, Lord, to your life-changing Spirit, that all around me might see you in me. Amen.

Are meeting at Breakwater Bar & Grill Sunday 22nd March at 11:30am Join is for lunch and fellowship.

ALL WELCOME

CLUSTER COUNCIL Meeting Monday 16th March at 7.00pm

MISSION of the

MONTH for March

(the Church Missionary Society of Australia)

LENTEN STUDY Ash Wednesday to Easter

Bishop David Robinson The Psalms for Lent - a look at the psalm set down for each Sunday in Lent. Each has its own specific

theme and we will try and show how they can be as relevant today.

JOIN A GROUP Join a Lenten Study group for the 6 weeks

of Lent starting from Ash Wednesday. Group 1

St Ambrose Hall - Thursday at 3.30pm Convenor: Sheryl McAuley

Group 2 St Charles Hall - Wednesday at 3.30pm

Convenor: Margaret McAuley Group 3

Cluster Office [HT] Friday at 9.30am Convenor: Revd John

LECTIONARY READINGS - Lent 3 - YEAR A

FIRST READING - Exodus 17.1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stag-es, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’ But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?’ So Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.’ Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Isra-elites quarrelled and tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’

Hear the word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Psalm 95 (APBA Page 322)

SECOND READING - Romans 5.1-11

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the un-godly. 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. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Hear the word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

GOSPEL - John 4.5-42

So Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’. (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The

Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come back.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this moun-tain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’ Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or, ‘Why are you speaking with her?’ Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?’ They left the city and were on their way to him. Mean-while the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’ Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I have ever done.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world.’

This is the Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Mackay and District Mothers’ Union

LADY DAY Wednesday 25th March

at Holy Trinity Church at 10am

~ All Welcome ~ Please bring a plate to share.

For further information contact - Deane 4942 1557 or

ed-dbray@bigpond.com.

Have your contact details changed?

Help us stay up to date. Please complete the sheet near the front

door of the Church.

Admission of

Children

to Communion

The resource book we use for prepara-tion is “Going to the Supper of the Lord”

Please contact Father John or Henry.

Confirmation Service

with Bishop Keith Joseph Tuesday 31st March at 6.00pm

Holy Trinity Church Come support those being confirmed

St Charles Hall West Mackay 9.30 - 11.30am.

THURSDAY during term time.

This is a great ministry and helps us, the church, connect with young families in

our community through music, fellowship and food

If you would like to know more about what being on team involves, or other

ways you can help, or just have a question that needs an answer, please contact a member of the Mainly Music

Team for assistance.

Sunday

14th JUNE 3.30pm

St Ambrose Nth Mackay

Come and join an informal style of worship for families.

Followed by Afternoon Tea.

Contact Sheryl 0407 120 685

ALL WELCOME

This is a great opportunity to invite family or friends or people on the fringe or

those from outside the church to connect with the Gospel message.

Live your faith Strike up a conversation with someone you would not normally engage with, and be prepared to listen to their story.

(Blessing of Oils)

Will be held at Holy Trinity on Tuesday 31st March at 11am Special Service - All welcome

Those who are sick or unwell -

Kylie, Howard, Bruce, Avon Erickson, Bob Miles, Bonnie, Colin Deeley, Arnold Dimond, Daphne McGinn, Julie Lake, Keith Dodds, Yvonne, Eric, Graham, Cedric Swayne, Lily, Rub, Noel, Robyn Bowser, Edwin Jarrett

……. and others who are known to us personally who have asked us to pray.

My Offering to God

Regular giving is an important part of Christian discipleship.

What can be done to put the church in a stronger financial position and so allow us to grow?

Here is a thought:

Ensure all members of the church family are aware that regular sacrificial giving is vital.

There is a way to give regularly either:

Cluster Direct through WESTPAC (BSB 034 195 Acct # 893499) or the “My Offering” Envelope system (available now).

As we move into a new phase of ministry prayerfully consider increasing your present regular commitment.

Cluster Service

St Ambrose * Sunday 29th March at 8.00am

Holy Trinity *

Palm Sunday 5th April at 8.00am

Come celebrate together and share in the worship, fellowship and

good food at our Cluster services.

[bring and share morning tea] Kids Zone during service -

Bring a friend - ALL WELCOME

* Note change of venues

We have registered for “Containers for Change. You can take your containers to a refund point and quote our regis-tration number and the cash will be deposited directly into our account. Quote Our Number - C10080908

(see poster for types of containers)

Making Palm Crosses

Friday 3rd April at 4.30pm at St Charles Hall followed by

traditional fish and chips

All Welcome ... See sheet

Maundy

Thursday

6pm - Fellowship Meal in the St Charles Hall

(see sign-up sheet for catering) 7pm – Foot Washing / Eucharist

ALL WELCOME

Friday - 13th March

9.30am - Eucharist (St Charles)*

9.30am - Study Group (Holy Trinity)

2.00pm - Funeral for Velma Jean Dutton (HT)

5.30pm - Mackay Quiet Time-Out with

The Revd Dr Rosemary Dunn (St C.)

Saturday - 14th March

7.30am - Cursillo Reunion Breakfast (St C.)

8.30am - Morning Prayer (St Ambrose)

9.30am - 3.30pm - Mackay Quiet Time-Out

9.00am - Cascade Gardens Service

6.00pm - Eucharist (St Charles)

Sunday - 15th March Lent 3

8.00am - Cluster Service (St Charles)*

[*services followed by Morning Tea]

9.15am - Eucharist (GS L)

9.45am - Annual General Meeting

(St Charles’ Hall)

Monday - 16th March

7.00pm - Cluster Council Meeting

Tuesday - 17th March

9.30am - Homefield Nursing Home

9.30am - Glenella Care Nursing Home

10.30am - Craft, Coffee & Chat (St Ambrose)

Wednesday - 18th March

2.30pm - Stations of the Cross (GSL)

3.30pm - Prayer & Study Group (St Charles)

5.30pm - Eucharist (St Charles)

Thursday - 19th March

9.30am - Mainly Music (St Charles)

3.30pm - Study Group (St Ambrose)

5.00pm - Confirmation Class (Holy Trinity)

Friday - 20th March

9.30am - Eucharist (St Charles)*

9.30am - Study Group (Holy Trinity)

THE CLUSTER THIS WEEK

CONTACT INFORMATION

https://mackayanglicans.org.au

Mackay Anglican Cluster

Rector - Rev’d John McKim

0408 188574

Non-Stip. Priest: Fr Henry Kennell

Non-Stip. Deacon: Rev’d Niki Power

Mackay Anglican Cluster Office

Office Hours: 9am-3pm

Monday - Friday

39 Gordon Street, Mackay

07 4957 3341

admin@mackayanglicans.org.au

Holy Trinity, Mackay

39 Gordon Street, Mackay

St Charles’, West Mackay

37 McGinn Street, West Mackay

St Ambrose, North Mackay

28 Glenpark Street, North Mackay

Saturday - 21st March

8.30am - Morning Prayer (St Ambrose)

6.00pm - Eucharist (St Charles)

Mothering Sunday -

22nd March - Lent 4

8.00am - Morning Prayer (St Charles)*

8.00am - Morning Prayer (Holy Trinity)*

9.00am - Eucharist (St Ambrose)*

[*services followed by Morning Tea]

9.15am - Eucharist (Good Shepherd Lodge)

11.30am - Ladies Club (Breakwater Bar/Grill)

SPECIAL THANK YOU

to the Revd Dr Rosemary Dunn who has been sharing with us in ministry

and leading our Quiet Time-Out