Author Archives: CraigT

MtE Update – 30 January 2020

  1. Our series on the prophet Jonah continues this Sunday, jumping to chapter 3. In addition to looking at chapter 3 before Sunday, read also the book of Nahum (only three chapters!) for background on Jonah’s distaste for Nineveh! See here for more information on the series.
  2. Details of our Lenten Studies for this year are now posted here; there are presently three groups in place for these studies in Nth Melbourne, the city and Hawthorn. Another great little Lenten devotional resource which might interest you is Walter Brueggemann’s, A Way other than Our Own: Devotions for Lent.
  3. We are pleased to welcome Br Peter Bray back to Melbourne to speak more on the work of Bethlehem University; this time his public address in Melbourne will be jointly sponsored by Wesley Uniting Church (and the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network), and hosted at Wesley at 630pm on Monday February 24. See the flyer here.

Other things of interest

MtE Update – 23 January 2020

  1. Welcome to the first MtE update for 2020!
  2. This Sunday we’ll commence a short series on the prophet Jonah — a 3-4 week fill-in before Transfiguration and the beginning of Lent. See here for more information.
  3. A reminder that our Lenten Studies for this year have been set in place, with time, details are now posted here; there are presently three groups in place for these studies in Nth Melbourne, the city and Hawthorn. Another great little Lenten devotional resource which might interest you is Walter Brueggemann’s, A Way other than Our Own: Devotions for Lent.

Other things of interest

  1. The following information about an asylum-seeker appeal is may be of interest to some: Operation Not Forgotten; Why it is needed.

Old News

  1. 12th ISCAST Conference on Science and Christianity, July 2020

Jonah – Sermons in 2020

When’s the last time you heard a series of sermons on Jonah? If ‘never’, let’s see what we can do over a few weeks in February 2020!

Preparing for the series:

  • The best introduction to any scriptural book is to read the book itself! It’s not long — 15 minutes are more than enough to get you through it quite comfortably. Plan to do this a few times through the series.
  • A short animated video introduction (9 minutes) can be found here, which tells the story well and gives a few clues to its structure and purpose.
  • A more academic introduction can be found in this lecture, which sets Jonah in the context of a couple of other ‘outlier’ scriptural books – Esther and Ruth. The comment on Jonah begins at 9.20.
  • A very brief introduction to the book can be found in the first few paragraphs here. If you’re interested in reading something more substantial and don’t already have access to a commentary on Jonah, Phillip Cary’s commentary in the Brazos series (available in hard and electronic versions) is very readable and, more importantly, very good!

The sermons in the series so far can be found below:

MtE Update – 19 December 2019

  1. THIS Sunday December 22 will follow the fashion of Advent 4 services at MtE in recent years — a cycle of advent carols and readings featuring our cantors and choristers.
  2. CHRISTMAS DAY service: 930am, with Eucharist
  3. Keep yourself up to date with Hotham Mission via its website; it is possible also to donate to the HM Christmas Appeal via the web site.
  4. If you want to make sure you get your book for next year’s Lenten Studies(!) in time, details are now posted here. Another great little Lenten devotional resource which might interest you is Walter Brueggemann’s, A Way other than Our Own: Devotions for Lent.

Old News

  1. 12th ISCAST Conference on Science and Christianity, July 2020

Advance Dates

  1. Sunday December 22 – Advent Readings and Carols (with Eucharist)
  2. Christmas Day – 9.30am service (with Eucharist)

Lenten Studies 2020

In view of the COVID-19 epidemic, the study groups will move to online mode from the week beginning March 23; Details of online provision of these services will be provided as soon as we can.

This year our Lenten Studies will be offered across a several churches/locations and times, to enable greater participation and to encourage more people to attend.

The Lenten studies will be around a little book by Rowan Williams, ‘The sign and the Sacrifice: the Meaning of the Cross and Resurrection’. Williams unpacks a number of central themes around Easter in a helpful and illuminating way. An easy read, with 30-40 minutes of preparation for each session.

Participants should obtain their own copy of the book, which is readily available from online sources such as The Book Depository and Amazon, and lots of other sources.

An electronic (Kindle) version of the book is also available, although it is published under a different title: God With Us: The Meaning Of The Cross And Resurrection – Then And Now . You can peek at the first few pages of the book on this web page.

There are presently three groups on offer but we hope that more will be added before Lent begins.

The dates for the study groups presently organised are below; please register your intention to attend any of them here:

  • NORTH MELBOURNE: CHANGE OF TIME – NOW 6.45pm, without the meal, pausing for coffee/tea/cake mid-way through the study and finishing up aroun 8.15pm. Meet in the church/hall, MARK THE EVANGELIST UNITING CHURCH, 4 Elm Street, North Melbourne. [Annual ecumenical studies with St Mary’s Anglican Church, Nth Melb]
  • HAWTHORN : 10.00am Fridays March 6, 13, 20, 27 and April 3, at HABITAT UNITING CHURCH, 2 Minona St, Hawthorn.
  • CITY : 12.30-1.30pm Wednesdays March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1, The UCA Synod buildings, 130 Little Collins Street, in the 7th floor Chapel.

MtE Update – December 12 2019

  1. Sunday December 22 will follow the fashion of Advent 4 services at MtE in recent years — a cycle of advent carols and readings featuring our cantors and choristers.
  2. CHRISTMAS DAY service: 930am, with Eucharist
  3. THIS SUNDAY December 15: the RCL readings for Advent 3A are here, with some online commentary available here. These weekly commentary resources now include a link to the new lectionary  podcasts from the Synod’s Centre for Theology and Ministry

Other things of interest

  1. 12th ISCAST Conference on Science and Christianity, July 2020

Advance Dates

  1. Sunday December 22 – Advent Readings and Carols (with Eucharist)
  2. Christmas Day – 9.30am service (with Eucharist)

MtE Update – December 5 2019

  1. The latest Presbytery new is here (Nov 27).
  2. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster
  3. Latest Synod eNews (Dec 4)
  4. PLEASE NOTE that the Advent Studies at St George’s Travancore have been cancelled.
  5. THIS SUNDAY December 8 the service will be led by Peter Blackwood and Rob Gallacher. The RCL readings for Advent 2 are here, with some online commentary available here. These weekly commentary resources will now also include a link to the new lectionary  podcasts from the Synod’s Centre for Theology and Ministry.

Advance Dates

  1. Sunday December 22 – Advent Readings and Carols (with Eucharist)
  2. Christmas Day – 9.30am service (with Eucharist)

Christmas 2019 at Mark the Evangelist

Christmas 2015 Reflection ImageYour are most welcome to join us at our Christmas celebrations this year!

Sunday December 22 (Advent 4 morning worship): a service of Advent carols and readings with Eucharist, 10am.

Christmas Eve (afternoon and evening): (we have no Christmas Eve services at Mark the Evangelist, but commend the Christmas Eve services at St Mary’s Anglican Church – the 4pm “Kids’ Christmas” and the 11.30pm Christmas Eve Midnight Mass). Wesley Uniting Church (Lonsdale St) has a 9pm service.

Christmas Day: Worship with Eucharist, 9.30am

Normal services will continue, 10am, on December 29 and throughout January

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