MtE’s Quarterly Conversation seeks to foster conversation in the community on important social and political themes. Our hope is that these conversation groups will broaden understanding of — and engagement in — what is happening in Australian society.

The conversations have as their basis the corresponding issue of the Quarterly Essay, a widely-known journal which treats important community and national issues in a single extended, focussed essay.

Participants should get a hold of the current essay and read it in preparation for discussion in the group. Copies are available at your local library, bookstore or newsagent, and in hardcopy and electronic versions from various online sources or by direct subscription.

NEXT Quarterly Conversation

FRIDAY April 24 — in the library at the Center for Theology and Ministry. (Some parking may be available onsite, but plan to park in the surrounding streets, just in case…). Catch a coffee at the CTM cafe before the meeting (although coffee not allowed in the library), and then stay for lunch afterwards! We meet for the conversation from 11.00-12.30.

Please register for this event, or ask to be added to the contact list, with the form below

1. Church of All Nations (UCA, Carlton) is running a series of discussions on the “Statement from the Heart” on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, for six sessions commencing the Sunday July 10. The sessions will follow Sunday worship, around 11.30am, and run for about 75 minutes.
2. The most recent news from the UCA Assembly (July 6)
3. This Sunday July 10 will take a short(?) break from the book of Revelation (we’ll probably get back to it!), and look at the “easier” Gospel reading for the week – “the good Samaritan”. For commentary on the other lectionary readings for this week, see here.

Worship

1. Our COVID policy for worship continues to be as follows, to be reviewed again by the church council in July:
2. Mindful of the health-vulnerability of some members of our congregation and the uncertain state of play with respect to the pandemic, the church council has decided that we will continue to wear masks in worship throughout March, except for those who need to remove them when leading the worship, and for morning tea, or who have an exemption from wearing a mask. Holy Communion continues to be servied in both kinds, the wine via small communion glasses only.

Advance Notice

1. Congregational Meeting following worship July 24

1. Our study groups next week will be looking at the work of grace and forgiveness – details
2. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster (June 29)
3. The most recent Synod eNews (June 30)
4. The most recent news from the UCA Assembly (June 29)
5. This Sunday July 3 will continue with the book of Revelation, looking this week at the theme of divine vengeance (!!!) (16.1-7). For commentary on the other lectionary readings for this week, see here.

Worship

1. Our COVID policy for worship continues to be as follows, to be reviewed again by the church council in July:
2. Mindful of the health-vulnerability of some members of our congregation and the uncertain state of play with respect to the pandemic, the church council has decided that we will continue to wear masks in worship throughout March, except for those who need to remove them when leading the worship, and for morning tea, or who have an exemption from wearing a mask. Holy Communion continues to be servied in both kinds, the wine via small communion glasses only.

Advance Notice

1. Congregational Meeting following worship July 24 (previously erroneously advised to be July 17)

1. Our study groups next week will be looking at the work of grace and forgiveness – details

1. The most recent Presbytery News (June 23)
2. The most recent news from the UCA Assembly (June 22)
3. This Sunday June 26 will continue with the book of Revelation, looking this week at the theme of martyrdom (6.1-11). For commentary on the other lectionary readings for this week, see here.

Worship

1. Our COVID policy for worship continues to be as follows, to be reviewed again by the church council in July:
2. Mindful of the health-vulnerability of some members of our congregation and the uncertain state of play with respect to the pandemic, the church council has decided that we will continue to wear masks in worship throughout March, except for those who need to remove them when leading the worship, and for morning tea, or who have an exemption from wearing a mask. Holy Communion continues to be servied in both kinds, the wine via small communion glasses only.

Advance Notice

1. Congregational Meeting following worship July 24 (previously erroneously advised to be July 17)

Our third-quarter study groups in 2022 will look at Miroslav Volf’s “Free of charge: giving and forgiving in a culture stripped of grace”.

This text is available in paper and electronic form (Amazon, Koorong [e-book is in epub format], Book Depository, and elsewhere). Participants should get their own copy of the book ($11-$20).

The study groups will meet online for 60-75 minutes on:

• Wednesday nights, 7.45pm from Wednesday July 20
• Friday afternoons, 1.30pm from Friday July 22

You’re welcome to switch between groups if one week you can’t make your prefer. The groups will run for 6-8 weeks – about a chapter per week.

It will help if you register below, to received the Zoom meeting link (which is the same for both study groups).

1. The most recent Synod eNews (June 16)
2. Have a look at what is happening through Hotham Mission; details of the Hotham Mission EOFY appeal are here.
3. The most recent news from the UCA Assembly (June 15)
4. This Sunday June 19 will continue with the book of Revelation, with another “take” on Revelation 21.1-6a. For commentary on the other lectionary readings for this week, see here.

Worship

1. Our COVID policy for worship continues to be as follows, to be reviewed again by the church council in July:
2. Mindful of the health-vulnerability of some members of our congregation and the uncertain state of play with respect to the pandemic, the church council has decided that we will continue to wear masks in worship throughout March, except for those who need to remove them when leading the worship, and for morning tea, or who have an exemption from wearing a mask. Holy Communion continues to be servied in both kinds, the wine via small communion glasses only.

• The most recent news from the UCA Assembly (June 8)
• This Sunday June 12 worship will be led by Peter Blackwood. For commentary on the lectionary readings for this week, see here.

Worship

1. Our COVID policy for worship continues to be as follows, to be reviewed again by the church council in July:
2. Mindful of the health-vulnerability of some members of our congregation and the uncertain state of play with respect to the pandemic, the church council has decided that we will continue to wear masks in worship throughout March, except for those who need to remove them when leading the worship, and for morning tea, or who have an exemption from wearing a mask. Holy Communion continues to be servied in both kinds, the wine via small communion glasses only.

News

1. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster (May 31)
2. The most recent Synod eNews (June 2)
3. The most recent news from the UCA Assembly (June 1)
4. This Sunday June 2 is Pentecost, although our focus texts will continue to be from the book of Revelation, with some glancing attention to Rev 21.1-6a: what heaven might be like.

Worship

1. Our COVID policy for worship continues to be as follows, to be reviewed again by the church council in July:
2. Mindful of the health-vulnerability of some members of our congregation and the uncertain state of play with respect to the pandemic, the church council has decided that we will continue to wear masks in worship throughout March, except for those who need to remove them when leading the worship, and for morning tea, or who have an exemption from wearing a mask. Holy Communion continues to be servied in both kinds, the wine via small communion glasses only.

News

1. The most recent news from the UCA Assembly (May 18)
2. This Sunday May 29, we will continue with the book of Revelation, with some glancing attention to Rev 2.8-11 and the theme of life after death.

Worship

1. Our COVID policy for worship continues to be as follows, to be reviewed again by the church council in June:
2. Mindful of the health-vulnerability of some members of our congregation and the uncertain state of play with respect to the pandemic, the church council has decided that we will continue to wear masks in worship throughout March, except for those who need to remove them when leading the worship, and for morning tea, or who have an exemption from wearing a mask. Holy Communion continues to be servied in both kinds, the wine via small communion glasses only.

News

1. The most recent Presbytery News (May 16)
2. The most recent Synod eNews (May 19)
3. The most recent news from the UCA Assembly (May 18)
4. This Sunday May 22, we will continue with the book of Revelation, with Bruce Barber leading us through Revelatio 21.10, 22-22.5. For commentary on this and other texts for the day, see here.

Worship

1. Our COVID policy for worship continues to be as follows, to be reviewed again by the church council in June:
2. Mindful of the health-vulnerability of some members of our congregation and the uncertain state of play with respect to the pandemic, the church council has decided that we will continue to wear masks in worship throughout March, except for those who need to remove them when leading the worship, and for morning tea, or who have an exemption from wearing a mask. Holy Communion continues to be servied in both kinds, the wine via small communion glasses only.