Author Archives: CraigT
LitBit Commentary – Rowan Williams on the Eucharist 11
“To take ‘the world’ in the eucharistic elements and name them as signs of Jesus, signs of creative love and reconciling gift, is to recognize the possibility of the world’s transfiguration, in the name and power of Jesus, into a world of justice and peace; not to allow this possibility to be realized, not to act in such a way that our belief in transformed relations is made evident, is to be convicted of unbelief. We do not trust the risen Jesus: which means that we do not trust ourselves to be forgiven or others to be forgivable.”
Rowan Williams, Resurrection, p.115f
LitBit Commentary – James Torrance on Worship 3
“As the head of all things, by whom and for whom all things were created, [Christ] makes his Body, and calls us to be a royal priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices. He calls us that we might be identified with him by the Spirit, not only in his communion with the Father, but also in his great priestly work and ministry of intercession, that our prayers on earth might be the echo of his prayers in heaven. Whatever else our worship is, it is our liturgical amen to the worship of Christ.”
James Torrance, Worship, Community and the triune God of Grace, p.2
LitBit Commentary – Rowan Williams on the Eucharist 10
“… when the Church performs the eucharistic action it is what it is called to be: the Easter community, guilty and restored, the gathering of those whose identity is defined by their new relation to Jesus as crucified and raised, who identify themselves as forgiven. What happens in the Eucharist is, among much else, that the Church assembles simply to make this identification in praise and gratitude, and to show in concrete form its dependence on Christ. It is an action which announces what the community’s life means, where the roots of its understanding and its possibilities are, and as such it is a transforming, a re-creative act – a human activity radically open to the creative activity of God in Jesus.”
Rowan Williams, Resurrection, p.58f
LitBit Commentary – Alexander Schmemann on Preaching
“Witness to Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit is the content of the Word of God, and this alone constitutes the essence of preaching: ‘and the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth’ (1 Jn 5:7). The ambo is the place where the sacrament of the word takes place, and therefore it must never be turned into a tribune for the proclamation of even the most elevated, most positive, but only human truth, only human wisdom.”
Alexander Schmemann, The Eucharist, p.78
Mark the Evangelist Update – October 15 2015
Friends,
the latest MtE news update:
- The final study group series is almost upon us – the Tuesday evening group begins next week Tuesday 20, the Friday morning group the following week. If you’re interested in coming but haven’t registered, please send me an email or register via the web page.
- Our annual All Saints luncheon approaches again: Sunday November 1! If you are likely to be attending for the luncheon, please let Rod know; if you are able to assist with bringing something to contribute to the meal, please speak to Bev.
- We are seeking someone to take over responsibility for overseeing the provision of morning tea after worship. While the work on any day is done by those rostered, we need a person to maintain the tea and coffee supplies (not milk; with reimbursement), wash the tea towels as needed, order, supply or arrange occasional birthday cakes (usually just the “decade” birthdays) and for baptisms or over special events. If you think might be able to take this on or share it for a shorter or longer term, please speak to Rod.
- The October 2015 newsletter Synod is here.
- A recent request from Yarra Yarra Presbytery re support of several ministries in region oriented towards mental health issues can be read here.
Craig
LitBit Commentary – James Torrance on Prayer 2
“The gift of sharing in the intercessions of Christ is that when we do not know how to pray as we ought, the Spirit makes intercession for us. Whatever else our faith is, it is a response to a Response already made for us and continually being made for us in Christ, the pioneer of our faith.”
James Torrance, Worship, Community and the triune God of Grace, p.18
Latest Synod Newsletter (October 2015)
Mark the Evangelist Update – October 8 2015
Friends,
the latest MtE news update:
- Following worship (morning tea) this Sunday October 11 there will be a short workshop considering the new preamble to UnitingCare Hotham Mission’s Strategic Plan, which is being reviewed after three years. We encourage you, if you are able, to stay for a half hour or so to reflect on UCHM’s work and its link to the life of the congregation, as expressed in the preamble. The focus text for the service will be the gospel for the day (Mark 10.17-30); we may get to finishing up with James the following week! The text of the new preamble is available here.
- Our annual All Saints luncheon approaches again: Sunday November 1! If you are likely to be attending for the luncheon, please let Rod know; if you are able to assist with bringing something to contribute to the meal, please speak to Bev.
- We are seeking someone to take over responsibility for overseeing the provision of morning tea after worship. While the work on any day is done by those rostered, we need a person to maintain the tea and coffee supplies (not milk; with reimbursement), wash the tea towels as needed, order, supply or arrange occasional birthday cakes (usually just the “decade” birthdays) and for baptisms or over special events. If you think might be able to take this on or share it for a shorter or longer term, please speak to Rod.
Craig
LitBit Commentary – Alexander Schmemann on Worship and the Church 1
“We need to be thoroughly aware that we come to the temple not for individual prayer but to assemble together as the Church, and the visible temple itself signifies and is but an image of the temple not made by hands. Therefore, the ‘assembly of the Church’ is in reality the first liturgical act, the foundation of the entire liturgy; and unless one understands this, one cannot understand the rest of the celebration. When I say that I am going to church, it means I am going into the assembly of the faithful in order, together with them, to constitute the Church, in order to be what I became on the day of my baptism – a member, in the fullest, absolute meaning of the term, of the body of Christ.”
Alexander Schmemann, The Eucharist, p.23