Happenings & Events 2009
JULY
Sun 26th 9.30pm MASS at Ararat
11am ANNUAL MEETING
AUGUST
Sat 1st August 10am Western Region Council
10am in Horsham
Sun 9th August 11am CONFIRMATION at Ararat
BYO Lunch to share after the Service
Thursday 27th August 7.30pm PARISH COUNCIL in Rectory
Sat 29th August
Pilgrimage to Camperdown Benedictine Abbey
SEPTEMBER
Friday 5th Sept SPRING TIME BALL in Ararat Hall
Sat 6th Sept 11am DIOCESAN MASS for MARTYRS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
at ARARAT (see Martyrs of PNG page on this web page)
Sun 13th BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY
9.30am Mass at ARARAT
11.30am Mass at WILLAURA
Mon 29th Sept 10am POLICE REMEMBRACE DAY SERVICE at Ararat
PRAYER SHAWLS
On a regular basis, a group of women are spending time making the shawls, praying over them as they worked - praying that God would bless the unknown recipient, bringing to that person healing or comfort or whatever else might be needed. Then the shawls are brought to the church to be prayed over by the Priest and congregation before being distributed to people who were ill or grieving or despairing. They are lovingly and prayerfully being wrapped in God.
On some of the Web sites, people posted stories about how the shawls had ministered to different people. One woman put on her shawl when she woke up in the middle of the night, alone and afraid; another woman wore hers before and after her mastectomy as a reminder of the prayers and support of her friends. A man diagnosed with terminal lung cancer watched as his daughter knitted a shawl for him; he wore it until the day of his death and beyond. Just before the casket was closed for the final time, his daughter draped his body with his beloved prayer shawl.
Like other tangible objects the ancients used in worship, there's no magical power or superstitious element associated with prayer shawls. But what a loving reminder they are of God! It is important to wrap the ill, the sick and the fail in God. And when they're received as a gift, that loving reminder extends to the giver.
Kay Reading and a small group of knitters are making prayer shawls and will be wrapping people in them with lots of prayer in the near future.
Kay Reading and the first prayer shawl made in the parish