1. News from the Justice and International Mission (March 23)
2. Our Lenten studies finish up this week. The next study series will be a survey of the New Testament, commencing online after the Easter school holidays, Wednesday night and Friday afternoons. This is a great course using online video (lectures), complemented by printed transcripts. Details of the NT studies can be found here. We are also looking at the possibility of running an online series again on the Old Testament if there is interest
3. Our Holy Week and Easter services details are here
4. This coming Sunday March 28, being Passion/Palm Sunday, will feature a reading of the Passion of the Christ according to St Mark, with psalms, hymns, prayers and Eucharist. Some comment on this text (Mark 14-15) can be found here.

Old News

1. AGM — April 18, following worship

1. The most recent Synod eNews (Mar 18)
2. The most recent Presbytery News is here. (March 16)
3. See the Hotham Mission home page for information about a new program for young women, at Kensington.
4. This coming Sunday March 21 we will give Job a rest in view of the baptism to be celebrated, and hear several of the readings set for the day; details and some comment can be found here.

Old News

1. Lenten study details are now finalised (with a recent, slight change t the presenters!): Wednesdays 10, 17 and 24, and Fridays 12, 19 and 26, and possibly others. The Friday series will be online — easy to get to, and a great conversion! The audio recordings and other materials are available via the above link.

Advance Dates

1. AGM — April 18, following worship

1. Congregational Meeting — THIS SUNDAY March 14, following worship.
2. WORSHIP UPDATE: From this Sunday March 14 we will only wear facemasks during the singing of the principal hymns (usually at the opening, before communion and at the end). Masking for the quieter communion sung responses will not be necessary. 
3. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster  (March 9).
4. The most recent Synod eNews (Mar 4)
5. Lenten study details are now finalised (with a recent, slight change t the presenters!): Wednesdays 10, 17 and 24, and Fridays 12, 19 and 26, and possibly others. The Friday series will be online — easy to get to, and a great conversion! The first audio recording is now available via the above link. It’s NOT TOO LATE to join the Friday group for the whole series, or to join in Wednesday nights for the two remaining sessions!
6. This coming Sunday March 14 worship we will return to more thought about Job (24.1-17), although with a focus on the set gospel reading as a ‘resolution’ of Job’s question. Some background on this week’s readings can be found here.

Advance Dates

1. AGM — April 18, following worship

1. The most recent Synod eNews (Mar 4). This features news about the Synod’s new ‘Moderator-elect‘ (2022+) and an invitation sign an online petition regarding climate change and associated issues sponsored by a network of faith communities (follow the links in the ‘Tackle climate change’ section).
2. The second meeting of the proposed UCA City Churches justice network will be on Tuesday March 9, 7.30pm by Zoom. For the connection details (if you’re not already on the list!), contact Craig. 
3. Lenten study details are now finalised (with a recent, slight change to the presenters!): NEXT WEEK Wednesdays 10, 17 and 24 (gathered at 7.30pm), and Fridays 12, 19 and 26 (online at 1.30pm), and possibly others. Being onine the Friday session will be easy to get to, and a great conversion!
4. Study-Discussion Groups. Following Easter, our online study groups will pick up where we left off last year, now commencing the New Testament series from Yale University. If there is sufficient interest we may also do a re-run of last year’s OT series. Basic details with links to the materiasl are available here (dates yet to be finalised).
5. This coming Sunday March 7 worship will be led by Peter Blackwood and Robert Gribben, featuring the set lectionary with a focus on the Psalm. Some background on this week’s readings can be found here.

Old News

1. Friends of MtE organist Donald Nicholson may be interested in his upcoming concert (March 10), Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home!
2. Book Launch: There will be a book launch at St Mary’s on Saturday 10 April at 4 pm: Dorothy A. Lee, The Ministry of Women in the New Testament. Reclaiming the Biblical Vision for Church Leadership (Baker Academic, 2021). The book will be launched by Bishop Kate Prowd and will be on sale for 20% discount. The event will include refreshments by the Hospitality committee. All are welcome!

Advance Dates

1. Congregational Meeting — March 14, following worship
2. AGM — April 18, following worship

1. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster  (February 22) AND February 24.
2. The most recent Synod eNews (Feb 25)
3. The nascent UCA City Churches justice network will be meeting again on Tuesday March 9, 7.30pm by Zoom. For the connection details (if you’re not already on the list!), contact Craig. 
4. UCA Assembly ‘Circles’. The UCA Assembly sponsors ‘circles’ of interest across a range of areas including justice, theology, worship and ecumenics (among others). More information can be found here.
5. The Assembly also has a new repository for reports, historical documents and such: ‘illuminate’.
6. Lenten study details are now finalised: Wednesdays 10, 17 and 24, and Fridays 12, 19 and 26, and possibly others. The Friday series will be online — easy to get to, and a great conversion!
7. This coming Sunday February 28 Job will be on hold, with Rob Gallacher and Bruce Barber leading the service. Some background on this week’s gospel reading can be found here.

Other things of interest

1. Book Launch: There will be a book launch at St Mary’s on Saturday 10 April at 4 pm: Dorothy A. Lee, The Ministry of Women in the New Testament. Reclaiming the Biblical Vision for Church Leadership (Baker Academic, 2021). The book will be launched by Bishop Kate Prowd and will be on sale for 20% discount. The event will include refreshments by the Hospitality committee. All are welcome!

Old News

1. Friends of MtE organist Donald Nicholson may be interested in his upcoming concert, Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home!

Advance Dates

1. Congregational Meeting — March 14, following worship
2. AGM — April 18, following worship

1. Worship this Sunday February 21 returns to the church for those who would like to attend; the live streaming will also continue as before.
2. The most recent Synod eNews (Feb 18)
3. Check out the Hotham Mission web site for an update on what we’re up to!
4. Friends of MtE organist Donald Nicholson may be interested in his upcoming concert, Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home!
5. Lenten study details are now finalised: Wednesdays 10, 17 and 24, and Fridays 12, 19 and 26, and possibly others. The Friday series will be online — easy to get to, and a great conversion!
6. Job Series On most of the Sundays between Feb 14 and Easter (that is, when Craig is preaching), our focus text will be from the book of Job, reading in tandem with the set gospel for the day. This coming Sunday February 21 we will jump from the beginning almost to the end and hear Job 42.1-6. See here for some more information about Job and the series; some background on this week’s gospel reading can be found here.

Other things of interest

1. Book Launch: There will be a book launch at St Mary’s on Saturday 10 April at 4 pm: Dorothy A. Lee, The Ministry of Women in the New Testament. Reclaiming the Biblical Vision for Church Leadership (Baker Academic, 2021). The book will be launched by Bishop Kate Prowd and will be on sale for 20% discount. The event will include refreshments by the Hospitality committee. All are welcome!

Old News

1. A primer on pastoral care conversation is being offered in a neighbouring Presbytery; details here.

Advance Dates

1. Congregational Meeting — March 14, following worship
2. AGM — April 18, following worship

 

Lenten Studies

Once again we are joining in a Lenten study series with St Mary’s Anglican Church, North Melbourne. This will be a three week series on the Gospel of Mark — the focus gospel in our lectionary this year. Details will be available from the MtE homepage soon!

Services

Ash Wednesday — Wednesday February 17 6.45pm. On account of the present COVID-19 inspired lockdown, this will be a LIVE ZOOM service from 6.45pm. The Zoom link will be sent directly to those who usually receive our weekly eNews mailings; if you don’t receive these but would like to ‘attend’ the service, contact the minister via the email address on the Contacts page

Services will be at the normal time. Check the MtE homepage if there is any doubt as to whether the services will be gathered or online.

Passion Sunday — March 28 — We have usually had a reading of the passion narrative of the year’s appointed gospel on this Sunday; check the MtE homepage closer to the date for any COVID impact on plans for this Sunday and for the following services.

Maundy Thursday — April 1 — A Tenebrae service, 7.30pm (Gathered only, not live-streamed)

Good Friday  — April 2 — 10.00am (Gathered and live-streamed)

Easter Vigil — Saturday April 3 — 8.00pm (Gathered only, not live-streamed)

Easter Day — 10.00am (Gathered and live-streamed)

1. Lent begins next week with our Ash Wednesday service, 6.45pm in the church/hall.
2. The most recent Presbytery News is here. (Feb 8)
3. The most recent Synod News is here. (Feb 11)
4. A primer on pastoral care conversation is being offered in a neighbouring Presbytery; details here.
5. If you are making use of the online-streamed services, or know someone who is, it would help us to hear from you — how you use it and how it is coming across. Please contact Craig T directly, or let us know via our contact page.
6. Richmond UCA is looking for a new coordinator for the local Ecumenical Food Center; details are here.
7. Carer Respite stays are presently available in some Uniting Church aged care centres: details
8. Lenten studies are planned for the coming season; the dates and details are still being finalised but likely to be over three weeks, Wednesday evenings March 10-24. Watch this space!
9. Job Series On most of the Sundays between Feb 14 and Easter (that is, when Craig is preaching), our focus text will be from the book of Job, reading in tandem with the set gospel for the day. This coming Sunday February 14 we will hear the beginning Job (1.1-12). See here for some more information about Job and the series; some background on this week’s gospel reading can be found. here.

1. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster  (February 2)
2. The most recent Synod eNews (Feb 4)
3. If you are making use of the online-streamed services, or know someone who is, it would help us to hear from you — how you use it and how it is coming across. Please contact Craig T directly, or let us know via our contact page.
4. Lenten studies are planned for the coming season; the dates and details are still being finalised but likely to be over three weeks, Wednesday evenings March 10-24. Watch this space!
5. This coming Sunday February 7 we will hear some of the set readings for the day, Epiphany 5B, The details of the readings and some commentary are available here; our focus will again be on the 1 Corinthians reading.

1. The most recent Synod eNews (Jan 28)
2. This coming Sunday January 24 we will hear some of the set readings for the day, Epiphany 4B, The details of the readings and some commentary are available here; our focus will be on the 1 Corinthians reading.