A Deeper Thirst
Dear Friends and Families,
‘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.’ [John 4:13-14].
Next Wednesday, 2 March is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the time of Lent – a period of forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays). Christians have traditionally marked this time with fasting and penitence, where there is space for self-reflection and inward discernment, in preparation for the later specific time of remembering and celebrating both the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, respectively).
In Secondary school chapel services this term, we are looking at the theme of thirst in the Bible; how God’s people have literally been thirsty in their respective journeys (such as the Israelites travelling out of slavery in Egypt towards the Promised Land), and how Jesus is the one who ultimately satisfies our greatest thirst, which is the need to be forgiven, restored and renewed.
As we now move towards the second half of this busy term, I do hope that you will be able to use the time of Lent to reflect upon your own walk before God and consider the wonderful opportunity that is given to us afresh each day: to have a spring of water welling up inside us – the Holy Spirit.
If you would like to speak further, or have questions about the Christian life, then please contact either me or Reverend Sheela at the respective email addresses below:
Reverend Peter: [email protected]
Reverend Sheela: [email protected]
I also encourage you to pray the prayer for the week written below.
If you would like to explore the certainty of Christ further, the two local Anglican churches listed below lead regular Sunday gatherings.
St Peter’s, Craigieburn (meeting at 10:30am on Sundays in the Chapel at Hume Anglican Grammar 100 Mt Ridley Road, Mickleham)
Minister: Reverend Sheela Pandhare
Mobile: 0451 973 733 / 03 9308 2452
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
http://www.humeparish.melbourneanglican.org.au
Redemption Church Craigieburn (meeting at 4.00pm on Sundays in Building 12 (Year 5/6 Centre) at Hume Anglican Grammar 100 Mt Ridley Road, Mickleham)
Pastor: Reverend Akhil Gardner
Mobile: 0400 021 381
Email: [email protected]
https://www.rccraigieburn.com.au/online
https://www.facebook.com/rccraigieburn/
Prayer on Ash Wednesday
Gracious God,
out of your love and mercy,
you breathed into dust the breath of life,
creating us to serve you and one another:
call forth our penitence and acts of love,
and strengthen us to face our mortality,
so that we may look with confidence for your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Song - I heard the voice of Jesus say
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuFEDPfgbmE