Category Archives: MtE News

MtE Update – August 10 2018

  1. THIS SUNDAY August 12 Anja & Zlatna invite you to their annual concert ‘Music without borders’ – in support of ‘Befriend a Child in Detention.’ This is to raise much needed funds for educational resources for these unfortunate children. Location: 4 Elm Street North Melbourne, Hall of Congregation of Mark the Evangelist, 1pm. The programme will feature beautiful and intricate music from the Balkans and beyond. The programme will run for an hour without interval. Entry by donation to the cause but if you are not in a position to donate, please come and enjoy our music and community.
  2. Next Wednesday August 15 we will begin an experimental online discussion group, looking weekly at a chapter of a book. The book will be Northrop Frye’s The Great Code; for more on the book, see some of the reviews here. It is a challenging but very rewarding read! The quickest and cheapest way to obtain a copy is probably here (typically arrives in 7-10 days); electronic versions do not seem to be available. The experimental and online aspects of this group are that we will ‘meet’ via Skype or a similar video-conferencing vehicle — more details to come, and not as hard as it might sound (we think!). This means not having to travel in the evening for the group. The group will ‘meet’ online at 7.45pm on Wednesday August 15. Let Craig know if you are interested in joining; details on how to participate are here.
  3. The most recent Synod eNews (August 9) is here.

Old News

  1. A monthly series of sermons on the the Ten Commandments will commence on Sunday August 26. Some more details are given here, including some suggested background reading to the Commandments for the series.
  2. ALSO on Sunday 26 there will be an open conversation following morning tea around the recent resolution of the UCA’s national Assembly on marriage.

 

Connecting to the online discussions

The group will use the Google Hangouts
Google’s own instructions for using Hangouts is here but you might find the following enough.
If you already have a Google account set up on your home computer or phone, that will to the trick. If you’ve not got a Google account, it’s easy to obtain one; follow the instructions here.
Work out whether you want to use your phone or home computer — chances are your phone might be better suited to the task, but make sure it’s charged up!
Your phone or computer will need the Hangouts app. This is probably already on your Android phone or, if you’re with Apple, there’s an app here. In the case of the home computer, the app may be an extension to your web browser.
The ”hangout’ link for the conversation will be sent to you from us in an email; clicking on the link will take you to the location for the group.
It will be best if you test all this with another in the group before the first meeting; we’re keen to make it work but it might take a little effort!
If an issue with connection arises on the night of the meeting, check your email for an another address for linking in.

MtE Update – August 3 2018

  1. This Sunday we formally welcome of couple of members as transfers to the congregation!
  2. Late-ish notice but… on Wednesday August 15 we will begin an experimental online discussion group, looking weekly at a chapter of a book. The book will be Northrop Frye’s The Great Code; for more on the book, see some of the reviews here. It is a challenging but very rewarding read! The quickest and cheapest way to obtain a copy is probably here (typically arrives in 7-10 days); electronic versions do not seem to be available. The experimental and online aspects of this group are that we will ‘meet’ via Skype or a similar video-conferencing vehicle — more details to come, and not as hard as it might sound (we think!). This means not having to travel in the evening for the group. The group will ‘meet’ online at 7.45pm on Wednesday August 15, 7.45pm. Let Craig know if you are interested in joining, and we’ll send the details on how to participate!
  3. A monthly series of sermons on the the Ten Commandments will commence on Sunday August 26. Some more details are given here, including some suggested background reading to the Commandments for the series.
  4. You might be interested in this brief account by the composer of the music setting for the Eucharist, ‘the Mass for the Fallen’, which we regularly use in worship at MtE (YouTube video link).
  5. For those interested in some background commentary to the readings for this Sunday August 5, see the links here (we’ll hear Ps 78 and the gospel reading this week, in addition to our focus text from 1 John – 1 John 4.13.-16 (cf. here), a reflection on the church’s faith in God as Trinity).

Other things potentially of interest

Old News

  1. For those interested in the question of indigenous sovereinty in Australia, two lectures at RMIT Uni
  2. A Jazz fundraiser for Refugees, August 4

The Great Code – An Online Discussion Group

Wednesday August 15 we will begin an experimental online discussion group, looking weekly at a chapter of a book. The book will be Northrop Frye’s The Great Code; for more on the book, see some of the reviews here. The quickest and cheapest way to obtain a copy is probably here (typically arrives in 7-10 days); electronic versions do not seem to be available.

The experimental and online aspects of this group are that we will ‘meet’ via Skype or a similar video-conferencing vehicle — more details to come, and not as hard as it might sound (we think!). This means not having to travel in the evening for the group.

The group will ‘meet’ online at 7.45pm on Wednesday August 15, 7.45pm. Let Craig know if you are interested in joining; details on how to set up to participate in the group are here.

The Ten Commandments 2018-2019

Ten Commandments

An Old Prescription in a Culture without Purpose

The Ten Commandments series – Now completed!

Together with other Western cultures, we inhabit a world dedicated to a flight from truth. Some characteristic marks of cultures in decline are these: an ideology of relativism with regard to all claims for truth; inward self-protection from a questioning of the status quo; a secular religion which worships choice above everything; the cultivation of detachment from ultimate claims.

Why then bother with commandments from a world long gone?

From August 2018 to October 2019, Rev Bruce Barber presented a series of sermons on the 10 Commandments; the the full suite of sermons is gathered below:

INTRO: The Ten Commandments – Old Prescriptions in a Culture without purpose

  1. The First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me”
  2. The Second Commandment: “You shall not make for yourselves any carved image”
  3. The Third Commandment: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain”
  4. The Fourth Commandment: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”
  5. The Fifth Commandment – “Honour your father and mother”
  6. The Sixth Commandment – “You shall not kill”
  7. The Seventh Commandment – “You shall not commit adultery”
  8. The Eighth Commandment – ‘You shall not steal’
  9. The Ninth Commandment – ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour’
  10. The Tenth Commandment – You shall not covet

MtE Update – July 26 2018

  1. This Sunday we will welcome in worship a number of students from the Uniting Church Studies course at the Centre for Theology and Ministry.
  2. The latest Presbytery eNews (July 24) is here.
  3. A Jazz fundraiser for Refugees, August 4
  4. For those interested in some background commentary to the readings for this Sunday July 29, see the links here. Our focus text will be a continuation in our series on 1 John – 1 John 4.7-12.
  5. Old News

  6. For those interested in the question of indigenous sovereinty in Australia, two lectures at RMIT Uni

MtE Update – July 19 2018

  1. A week ago, the UCA Assembly came to a resolution on the nature of marriage and the celebration of marriages by UCA celebrants; the unconfirmed minute of the resolution can be found here. A pastoral statement from the UCA President in relation to this matter is available here.
  2. A brochure and invitation to protest changes to the government support of asylum seekers in Australia.
  3. For those interested in the question of indigenous sovereinty in Australia, two lectures at RMIT Uni

MtE Update – July 5 2018

  1. Our ‘Dinners for Eight’ are underway; please see the pew sheets or speak to Norma or Wendy to register!
  2. The latest Presbytery eNews (July 4) is here.
  3. The latest Synod eNews (July 4) is here.
  4. For those interested in some background commentary to the readings for this Sunday July 8, see the links here. Our focus text will again (likely!) be a continuation in our series on 1 John.
  5. Old News

  6. The 15th Assembly of the Uniting Church gathers this July in Melbourne; you can see some of what is to be discussed on the dedicated web site (see especially the menu items at the top right of the page).

MtE Update – June 28 2018

  1. Our ‘Dinners for Eight’ are about to commence; please see the pew sheets or speak to Norma or Wendy to register!
  2. The 15th Assembly of the Uniting Church gathers this July in Melbourne; you can see some of what is to be discussed on the dedicated web site (see especially the menu items at the top right of the page).
  3. For those interested in some background commentary to the readings for this Sunday July 1, see the links here. Our focus text will again be taken from 1 John, this week 3.1-3.

MtE Update – June 15 2018

  1. This Sunday June 17 our after-worship talk will be presented by Peter Blackwood, on Christian iconography. This is part of our continued reflection on the use of icons in our own weekly worship.
  2. ‘Dinners for Eight’ are planned in members’ homes for the following dates and locations; please see the pew sheets or speak to Norma or Wendy for more details and to register!
  3. Sunday 24:6:18 lunch at Midday (Parkville).

    Sat 30:6:18 dinner at 6 pm (Nth Melb).

    Sun 1:7:18 lunch at midday (Sth Melb).

    Fri 6:7:18 dinner at 6.00pm (South Yarra).

    Sat 14:7:18 dinner at 6 pm (Lower Plenty).

    Sun 15:7:18 lunch (Full)

    Fri 20:7:18 dinner at 6.30pm (Nth Melb).

  4. For those interested in some background commentary to the readings for this Sunday June 17, see the links here. Our focus text will again be taken from 1 John, 2.18-28
  5. Old News

    1. The 15th Assembly of the Uniting Church gathers this July in Melbourne; you can see some of what is to be discussed on the dedicated web site (see especially the menu items at the top right of the page).
    2. Events in Refugee Week 2018 (June 17-23)
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