31 October marks our return to Sunday worship in person at Holy Cross after two months of lockdown. We will be celebrating All Saints Day at our 9am Eucharist.
Today is also our “Offering Sunday”, as we give thanks to God for all the many blessings we have received. Copies of the offering cards we’ll be using in our service can be found below.
We will be continuing to offer the option of attending all our services via Zoom for the foreseeable futures. To join us via Zoom, click here.
Good morning and welcome to Holy Cross on this beautiful spring day.
This is our final Sunday service exclusively on Zoom; we will be resuming in-person worship on Sunday 31 October (though Zoom will still be an option for all our principal services). Today we are celebrating “Gratitude Sunday”, giving thanks to God for all that God has given us.
ACT Attorney General and Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction Shane Rattenbury will discuss the ACT’s progress toward 100% renewable electricity, the future of gas and environmental sustainability issues one year on from the 2020 ACT election.
He will be quizzed by young people in his electorate.
The event, part of the Sustaining Our Future Festival 2021 which is this year online, is hosted by the Social Justice and Environment Group, Holy Cross Anglican and St Margaret’s Uniting in Hackett, Canberra.
Welcome to our spring Sustainability Festival in partnership with St Margaret’s Uniting Church, which this year is entirely online. All events are free, open to all, and can be accessed via the usual Holy Cross Zoom link: https://adcg.zoom.us/j/5675297261
Saturday 16 October, time TBC – poetry reading with Geoff Page and John Foulcher
Sunday 17 October, 9.30am – joint service with St Margaret’s for Global Climate Justice Day
As part of the Festival, below you’ll find a gallery of images that celebrate nature / sustainability / the environment and/or the challenges of community during the pandemic. There will be a special section of the gallery especially for younger members, so please encourage our Holy Cross kids / youth to submit their photos and artwork. Please email contributions to gallery@holycrosshackett.org.au
Jamie Isbister, Australia’s Ambassador for the Environment heads to Glasgow in late October as part of the Australian delegation to the United Nations conference. COP26 will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Isbister will outline the goals and challenges of the meeting as Australia comes under increased pressure to do more.
The event, part of a Sustainability Festival which is this year online, is hosted by the Social Justice and Environment Group Holy Cross Anglican and St Margaret’s Uniting in Hackett, Canberra.
(The psalm, reading, and collect for each day can be found on the free epray app downloadable here. The Holy Cross epray code is 6806. A print-friendly version of the liturgy can also be found at the foot of the page.)
Opening Responses
Lord open our lips And our mouth shall declare your praise.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
A Time of Open Praise
Opening Prayer
The night has passed and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm
Bible Reading
For the word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
A Time of Quiet Meditation
Benedictus
In the morning, Lord, I come into your house, Alleluia.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel: who has come to God’s people and set them free. The Lord has raised up for us a mighty Saviour: born of the house of God’s servant David.
Through the holy prophets, God promised of old: to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us, To show mercy to our forebears: and to remember God’s holy covenant.
This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship God without fear: holy and righteous before God, all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the Lord to prepare God’s way, To give God’s people knowledge of salvation: by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God: the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death: and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
In the morning, Lord, I come into your house, Alleluia.
A Time of Open Intercession
Lord in your love, hear our prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Collect
Closing Responses
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God. Alleluia.
A “Retreat in Daily Life” gives you a special opportunity to draw closer to God in your personal prayer at home, by following a set pattern of prayerful meditations on Scripture passages over several days. Our Retreat in Daily Life will be drawing on the wisdom of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of Ignatian spirituality.
The Retreat in Daily Life has been designed so that you can do it on your own, in your own time: you’ll find all the necessary resources and information on this web page. It can also be helpful to gather a few other people (e.g. members of a prayer group, a parish or ecumenical group …) to do the Retreat together over one calendar week, in which case the group should start together with an initial meeting on Sunday, and then close together with a final meeting the following Sunday. Please contact rector@holycrosshackett.org.au for more advice on doing the Retreat as a group.
You’ll need to set aside about an hour each day for the Retreat in Daily Life. All you’ll need to take part is a quiet corner, a Bible, a notebook … and the desire to deepen your relationship with God and discover the call of Christ for your life.
Before you begin, you will need to watch the two short introductory videos on the Holy Cross YouTube Channel (on “Praying with a Bible Passage” and “Praying the Examen”). Below you’ll find the handouts referred to in the videos, which you can print out – or save on your device – and use as a guide for your prayer during the week.
The programme is then as follows:
six 20 minute talks (Monday to Saturday), posted on the Holy Cross YouTube Channel, for you to watch in your own time
six 30 minute prayer exercises (introduced at the end of the daily talk), for you to do in your own time
a short prayer exercise (the “Examen”), to do at the end of each day
At this time many members of our community are self-isolating, in quarantine, or having to stay within their local community. Whether you are unable to visit our site in person, or you are choosing to stay at home for the safety of yourself and our community, the peace of God can offer solace for all pilgrims. We invite you to find rest and renewal in meeting the Creator, the Redeemer and the Spirit as you take a prayerful virtual walk through our Trinity Labyrinth with us.
