Seventh Sunday of Easter

This Sunday is my final day with you as your Locum priest and the Incumbency committee is hard at work. In the interim if a clergyperson is needed, please contact the Church wardens.

The last 11 months have gone past very quickly as we have travelled together on our journey of faith. This has involved being in Lockdown and the need to zoom services and has also meant the cancellation or postponement of planned shared activities. Several of us through the year have caught Covid including myself and thankfully we have all recovered. I give thanks for the efforts of researchers, carers, medical staff, political leaders and all who have contributed to maintain the health and well-being of our community.

During our time together we have committed ourselves to create a new entity for the parish. I know this has not always been easy and many of the challenges continue. I have appreciated the support of many across the two churches in my own ministry and commend you for the way you all seek to be faithful to the Gospel. It is not possible to mention everyone by name because without doubt I would leave some names off.

As I have said previously there has been much learning in our community over the past two years of the need for better health, aged care, and infrastructure services needed to ensure the quality of life for us all is protected and responsive to life in Australia in the 21st Century. This must also include a better detail for refuges and asylum seekers, the homeless, and the creation itself. The voice of this parish community in many of these issues has been strong and consistent. I hope this continues. 

A change in Government at the Federal level including an increase in the number of independents and green representatives will I hope to inspire us all to look to the future with hope and anticipation.

Today’s Gospel has Jesus speaking and praying to the Father for us all. He is praying that we may be called into the life of God. This passage is about our relationship with God and one another. It is not about structures. How fitting then that today we welcome a new child into the fellowship of Christ.

For the disciples of Jesus in South Darebin may we be encouraged that Jesus continues to uphold us in our mission for the days ahead.

Shalom

Ray