The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Sunday, March 22, 2026

We thank you, heavenly Father,

that you have delivered us from the power of darkness

and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:

we pray that

as by his death he has recalled us to life,

so by his presence abiding in us he may raise us to joys eternal;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

Stay In Touch

Father Ted Starr - Priest-in-Charge - 0451 929 180 - edward.starr@anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Mrs Liz Peters - Rector’s Warden - 0400 844 946

Mrs Gail Symons - People’s Warden - 0409 618 511

Mr Tony Hughes - People’s Warden - 0468 764 009

Zoom Church - 328 492 8300 - 548 747

Readings

for The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Ezekiel 37:1 - 14

Psalm 130

Romans 8:6 - 11

John 11:1 - 45

Giving

Offering - 704 901 - 0000 0780

Building Fund - 704 901 - 0001 4767

Want to give in other ways? Cards are on sale at the back of the church.

For Your Prayers

We ask of your goodness, Lord, to comfort and sustain all who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity, and especially Shirley Kimber, Alex, Ann, Lois, Barbara, Helena, Ian, Maggie, Dave, Uncle Peter, Chris, Bill Tattam, Jeff Byrne, Karne, Greg, Aaron, Joanne, Grace and Faith, Beryl Old, Fr David, Nina, and Gary McKenzie. Please contact Fr Ted to be on this list.

We also give thanks for those whose year’s mind occurs at this time. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.

Mission and Outreach

BCA (support for the Church in the Bush) are running a donation drive for water during Lent. Also, March is the time to return our BCA boxes. There are spare boxes on the back table – try filling one up with your spare change to support this ministry.

Meals for Woody Point Special School are starting again. Please label your meal with title, ingredients and date cooked, then freeze it, and bring it to church on Sunday. Meal containers are on the back table. Alternatively, give a monetary donation or supermarket gift card. For more information on both of these ministries, contact Elizabeth on 0404 080 861.

Barnabas Brekkie is on Saturday, 9 May to raise money for persecuted Christians in Ghana. Your parish needs you! Do you have a CostCo membership? Can you cook eggs and bacon, brew tea and coffee, wash dishes,or  move furniture? Contact Florine, Dale or Gail if so.

Ministry During the Week

Mother’s Union meets at a new time: Third Wednesdays at 9am.

Thursday Fellowship: every first and third Thursday from 9:30am to 11:30am. All welcome for a cuppa and a chat. Bring your craft to work on or just enjoy the company.

Caring and Sharing: every fourth Wednesday from 11am.

Talent Table: every last Sunday after the second service.

Bible Study: Tuesdays at 9am and Thursdays at 7pm. All materials supplied.

Easter Services are now live on the website, the calendar at the front of the church, and inside this pew sheet. Please prayerfully consider engaging with the full suite of services that take us through our Lord’s arrest, passion, death and resurrection.

The Week Ahead

Tues, 24 Mar

8:00 am - Holy Communion

9:30 am - Bible Study

Wed, 25 Mar

10:00 am - Holy Communion: The Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary (9 months until Christmas!)

10:45 am - Caring and Sharing

Thu, 26 Mar

8:30 am - Sung Matins

7:00 pm - Bible Study

Sat, 28 Mar

8:00 am - Working Bee to prepare the church for Holy Week and Easter including Morning Tea

Sun, 29 Mar

7:00 am & 9:00 am - Sunday of the Passion with the Liturgy of the Palms

Easter is coming soon, and there are many ways you can enter into this time of the Church year with your parish.

Saturday, 28 March is the working bee to prepare the church for Passion Sunday with Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Week. Join in from 8am for an autumn clean and some well-deserved morning tea.  Please consider bringing some palm branches with which to decorate the church. Tuesday, 31 March at 7pm, Chrism Mass will be held at St John’s Cathedral, where holy oils are blessed for the coming year.

If you have access to olive branches, do consider coming to help set up the side chapel after the 10am service on Wednesday, 1 April in preparation for the vigil on the following evening. Thursday, 2 April is Maundy Thursday, beginning with an Agape Meal at 6pm. Agape is the New Testament word for love, and we will affirm Christ’s command and example for us to love one another. Please sign on if you intend on joining us for the Meal. From the command to love one another, we move to Christ’s words “as I have loved you”, and a service of divine worship will commence at 7:30pm in the church, concluding with the stripping of the altar and the vigil at the altar of repose. Friday, 3 April is Good Friday, worship at 8:30am. Saturday, 4 April begins at 8:30am with a traditional service of Sung Matins, followed by a working bee to prepare the church for Easter, which begins that evening at 6:30pm with The Great Vigil of Easter. Do consider coming to this service; it is “the big one”. Sunday, 5 April is our combined service at 8am to celebrate Easter Day.

Article 11

Of the Justification of Man.

We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings: Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith only is a most wholesome Doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.

 Our Bible Study groups this week were challenged to come up with a definition for several dense theological terms, and a great definition for “justification” was offered: “just as if”. That is, to be “justified” is for God the Father to look at us “just as if” he were looking at God the Son. Since God the Son is “the beloved, with whom [God the Father] is well pleased” (Matt 3:17), for our Father to look at us with that same affection is a very good place to be! Today’s Article teaches us how we are to be justified: by faith only. Only the incarnate Son, Jesus Christ, is perfectly just, and so we must approach God in faith in him in order to be justified. “Many roads lead to Rome”, but only one road leads to God. Jesus is the only way to the Father; indeed, no-one comes to the Father, except through him (John 14:6). Not through trying our best, “not for our own works or deservings”: only through faith in Christ do we come near God and hear the words “my beloved” spoken directly to us. Then comes the logical conclusion: this “is a most wholesome Doctrine, and very full of comfort”. No-one need worry if they are good enough for God. No-one is “good enough” for God. “We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith”. Our relationship with God rests entirely on Jesus’ perfection, and his death and resurrection. Since that will never change, neither will our relationship with God change, as long as we have placed our faith in Christ. What a relief!

Laetare (“Rejoice!”) Sunday

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Almighty God,

in Christ you make all things new:

transform the poverty of our nature

by the riches of your grace,

and in the renewal of our lives

make known your heavenly glory;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Stay In Touch

Father Ted Starr - Priest-in-Charge - 0451 929 180 - edward.starr@anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Mrs Liz Peters - Rector’s Warden - 0400 844 946

Mrs Gail Symons - People’s Warden - 0409 618 511

Mr Tony Hughes - People’s Warden - 0468 764 009

Zoom Church - 328 492 8300 - 548 747

Readings

for The Fourth Sunday in Lent

1 Samuel 16:1 - 13

Psalm 23

Ephesians 5:8 - 14

John 9:1 - 41

Giving

Offering - 704 901 - 0000 0780

Building Fund - 704 901 - 0001 4767

Want to give in other ways? Cards are on sale at the back of the church.

For Your Prayers

We ask of your goodness, Lord, to comfort and sustain all who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity, and especially Shirley Kimber, Alex, Ann, Lois, Barbara, Helena, Ian, Maggie, Dave, Uncle Peter, Chris, Bill Tattam, Jeff Byrne, Karne, Greg, Aaron, Joanne, Grace and Faith, Beryl Old, Fr David, Nina, and Gary McKenzie. Please contact Fr Ted to be on this list.

We also give thanks for those whose year’s mind occurs at this time, and in particular Matthew Wisz, Brian Livett and Bill Neville. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.

Mission and Outreach

BCA (support for the Church in the Bush) are running a donation drive for water during Lent. Also, March is the time to return our BCA boxes. There are spare boxes on the back table – try filling one up with your spare change to support this ministry.

Meals for Woody Point Special School are starting again. Please label your meal with title, ingredients and date cooked, then freeze it, and bring it to church on Sunday. Meal containers are on the back table. Alternatively, give a monetary donation or supermarket gift card. For more information on both of these ministries, contact Elizabeth on 0404 080 861.

Retiring Collection today is to raise money to support literacy efforts in the Solomon Islands.

Barnabas Brekkie is on Saturday, 9 May to raise money for persecuted Christians in Ghana. Your parish needs you! Do you have a CostCo membership? Can you cook eggs and bacon, brew tea and coffee, wash dishes,or  move furniture? Contact Florine, Dale or Gail if so.

Ministry During the Week

Mother’s Union meets at a new time: Third Wednesdays at 9am. Please also note AMUA is holding a fundraiser concert of favourite hymns this afternoon at 2pm, at the Deception Bay Anglican Church, $5 entry.

Thursday Fellowship: every first and third Thursday from 9:30am to 11:30am. All welcome for a cuppa and a chat. Bring your craft to work on or just enjoy the company.

Caring and Sharing: every fourth Wednesday from 11am.

Talent Table: every last Sunday after the second service.

Bible Study: Tuesdays at 9am and Thursdays at 7pm. All materials supplied.

The Week Ahead

Mon, 17 Mar

8:00 am - Holy Communion for St Patrick, bishop, missionary to Ireland (d. 461)

9:30 am - Bible Study

Tues, 18 Mar

6:30 pm Parish Council

Wed, 18 Mar

9:00 am - Mother’s Union

10:00 am - Holy Communion for St Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop and teacher (d. 386)

11:00 am - Ladies Guild

Thu, 19 Mar

8:30 am - Sung Matins for St Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

9:30 am - Friendship and Craft Group

7:00 pm - Bible Study

Sun, 22 Mar

7:00 am & 9:00 am - Holy Communion for the Fifth Sunday in Lent.

Article 10

Of Free-will.

The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God: Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

Having established in our previous Article that Original Sin runs through every human being, we now turn to reflecting on the question: how does this then affect our relationship with God? Firstly, it means that no human being can have faith in God “by [their] own natural strength”. Sin has taken everything captive, even our ability to freely will. Note that this means we sit between two extremes. We do not say that humans do not have free will, neither do we say that humans have absolute free will naturally, on their own apart from God. We affirm free will in every human being; but we also affirm that the power of sin is holding it captive. The strength of sin over our capacity for free will means that we need God to set us free – free from sin, to be able to will freely.  John 6:34-36 reads: Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  St Paul writes in Romans 8 using similar language about slaves being set free, and becoming children and heirs of God. In the second chapter of his letter to the Ephesians he takes it one step further and describes this captivity to sin as total and as complete as death:  “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked,” highliting the absolute power of sin over us (and our ability to will freely).

There are objections to this, and there have been since Jesus spoke those words in Capernaum we referenced earlier from John 6. In the Gospel according to St Matthew, chapter 19, Jesus speaks on several moral topics: divorce, the role of children in the kingdom of God, and matters of wealth. He finishes with the great line “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” To which his disciples reply with that heartbreaking question “who then can be saved?” (vv 24-25). If there is nothing we can do on our own to turn and place our faith in Christ, not even our best efforts, to the point where we do not even have a will free to choose Christ, what hope do we have? Our Article answers: ...the grace of God by Christ preventing us. “Preventing” here is used in its old sense, that is, to go before us. The grace of God by Christ comes and sets us free from the power of sin, so that our wills are truly free, and we are truly free to  “turn… to God” and “do good works pleasant and acceptable to God”. Not only that, God remains with us, “working with us” as we live lives set free by his grace. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  (Ephesians 2:8-10)

The Third Sunday in Lent

Sunday, March 08, 2026

Lord God, our Redeemer,

who heard the cry of your people

and sent your servant Moses to lead them out of slavery:

free us from the tyranny of sin and death

and, by the leading of your Spirit,

bring us to our promised land;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Stay In Touch

Father Ted Starr - Priest-in-Charge - 0451 929 180 - edward.starr@anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Mrs Liz Peters - Rector’s Warden - 0400 844 946

Mrs Gail Symons - People’s Warden - 0409 618 511

Mr Tony Hughes - People’s Warden - 0468 764 009

Zoom Church - 328 492 8300 - 548 747

Readings

for The Third Sunday in Lent

Exodus 17:1 - 7

Psalm 95

Romans 5:1 - 11

John 4:5 - 42

Giving

Offering - 704 901 - 0000 0780

Building Fund - 704 901 - 0001 4767

Want to give in other ways? Cards are on sale at the back of the church.

For Your Prayers

We ask of your goodness, Lord, to comfort and sustain all who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity, and especially Shirley Kimber, Alex, Ann, Lois, Barbara, Helena, Ian, Maggie, Dave, Uncle Peter, Chris, Bill Tattam, Jeff Byrne, Karne, Ika, Greg, Aaron, Joanne, Grace and Faith, Beryl Old, Fr David, and Nina. Please contact Fr Ted to be on this list.

We also give thanks for those whose year’s mind occurs at this time, and in particular Alma Ziebarth. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.

Mission and Outreach

BCA (support for the Church in the Bush) are running a donation drive for water during Lent. Also, March is the time to return our BCA boxes. There are spare boxes on the back table – try filling one up with your spare change to support this ministry.

Meals for Woody Point Special School are starting again. Please label your meal with title, ingredients and date cooked, then freeze it, and bring it to church on Sunday. Meal containers are on the back table. Alternatively, give a monetary donation or supermarket gift card. For more information on both of these ministries, contact Elizabeth on 0404 080 861.

Ministry During the Week

Mother’s Union meets at a new time: Third Wednesdays at 9am, starting in March. Please also note AMUA is holding a fundraiser concert of favourite hymns at 2pm on March 15th at the Deception Bay Anglican Church, $5 entry.

Thursday Fellowship: every first and third Thursday from 9:30am to 11:30am. All welcome for a cuppa and a chat. Bring your craft to work on or just enjoy the company.

Caring and Sharing: every fourth Wednesday from 11am.

Talent Table: every last Sunday after the second service.

Bible Study: Tuesdays at 9am and Thursdays at 7pm. All materials supplied.

The Week Ahead

Mon, 10 Mar

8:00 am - Holy Communion

9:30 am - Bible Study

Wed, 11 Mar

10:00 am - Holy Communion

Thu, 12 Mar

9:00 am - Growth Committee

7:00 pm - Bible Study

Sun, 15 Mar

7:00 am & 9:00 am - Holy Communion for Laetare (“Rejoice!”) Sunday, also known as Mothering Sunday.

Don’t forget to wear something pink – the liturgical colour for joy – next Sunday! There will also be a retiring collection after the service for ministry in the Solomon Islands, alongside posies and cake.

Article 9

Of Original or Birth Sin.

Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God’s wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek, phronema sarkos, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin. 

Having established who God is, and where we learn about him, the Articles now move to us – humanity, and what we are like. And it is not pretty. The doctrine of Original Sin has taken a bit of a beating over the millennia, yet orthodox believers in every age have held to it. Most disagreements come not with the doctrine itself, but with extreme exaggerations. Original Sin does not teach that people always choose the worst of all options. Rather, it teaches that when we do good, our sin runs so deep that it still infects those good deeds. Take, for example, charitable works. It is unarguably good to do works of charity. Yet there are always sinful instincts like pride and self-interest lurking in the background when we do them. We are “naturally ingendered” in that way. We also suffer from the struggle between right and wrong, between good and evil: “the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit”. Since God is holy and perfect, these imperfections of sin that get into everything we do means that “every person born into this world… deserveth God’s wrath and damnation.” Then we get pastoral: “this infection of nature” remains in us even after we are born again by the Holy Spirit. This is actually a  great comfort: even though we fall into sin after our baptism, that is not a sign we are not saved. Rather, “there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptised”. And here is the key. Christ died on the cross, meaning that the old person, born with original sin, is now dead and buried. When he rose, he rose in a glorified body, meaning those who believe and are baptised will rise again in perfection, with no stain of sin, original or otherwise.                                     Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!  (Romans 7:24-25).

MARCH NEWSLETTER 2026

February concluded with Burning Palm Crosses, Ash Wednesday and first Sunday in Lent services. Bible study commenced with thought provoking reflections of Romans and will continue for several weeks.

The Care and Connect Team had a very productive meeting with Fr Ted. The team’s lists were updated but if you have had any changes with your phone, email or postal address contacts, please contact Liz Peters 0400844946. Likewise, if you need Home Communion and are unable to come to church, please contact Liz.

The AGM was well attended and wardens, parish council, liturgical assistants, sacristan, MU, Ladies Guild, Growth, Thursday Friendship, CCT, Home Communion members were inducted and anointed by Fr Ted on Sunday February 22.

A working bee, for both inside the church and grounds will be held SATURDAY MARCH 28.  Trim and collect your garden palms, bring dusters and garden implements to help spruce up everywhere in readiness for PALM SUNDAY MARCH  29.

Please diary date for Holy Week

Sunday 29 March Palm Sunday 7am and 9am services

Tuesday 30 March 8am Holy Communion

Wednesday 31 March 10am Holy Communion

Maundy Thursday 2 April Meal 6pm Stripping the altar 7.30pm

Good Friday 3 April 8.30am service  

Easter Eve Saturday 4 April 8am Mattins morning service and 6pm Holy communion

Easter Sunday 5 April 8am Holy Communion

Planning has started on many of the annual events and a new one. A Barnabus Brekkie, on the church deck, will raise money for the purchase of pigs and chickens to establish efficient farming in communities in Ghana. Saturday 9 MAY. Bacon and eggs, tea and coffee, orange juice with a suggested $10 donation. Contact Florine Simon 0450962705

Redcliffe Floral and Art Festival JUNE 19,20,21 Planning is underway, with musicians and artists all confirmed. This is the biggest Parish event and needs lots of help. Please volunteer for inside seated jobs of selling raffle tickets or cards, being outside to sell on the plants stall, serving and working in the parish kitchen for the ever-popular Devonshire Teas over the 3 full days

Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name: tell among the peoples what things he has done. Psalm 105 v 1