1. Return to gathered worship services at MtE. The church council has considered this week the timing of a return to worship, as COVID19-related restrictions are slowly relaxed. We resolved that we would return to gathered worship as soon as possible after restrictions on church gatherings allow as many of the congregation to attend who wish to, without the need to exclude any or run multiple services . That is, we will return to worship when it is possible to gather with around 40 people (the present limit is 20 for a religious gathering, and would likely mean excluding some from worship). We recognise that there may be some who will be hesitant to attend even as the authorities relax the restrictions. It is our plan to continue with an online provision of the service in addition to the gathered service, shifting from the present pre-recorded service to an online livestream of the gathered service. This will mean that those who can’t come to the service will be able to watch a real-time broadcast. We will be working on the logisitics of this over the next couple of weeks so that it is in place when we are ready to return to church (more or less!) together. 
2. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster (June 3)
3. This week’s Synod eNews (June 4)

4. On Thursday 04/06/20 the following food parcels were provided by Hotham Mission:

    –          30 x St. Joseph’s Flexible Learning Centre

   –          25 x Unison Housing

   –          25 x Wombat Housing

   –          15 x The Venny

   –          15 x Hope Co-op West Melbourne

   –          8 x Mount Alexander College

   –          8 x African-Australian Multicultural Employment and Youth Services (AAMEYS)

   –          6 x West Melbourne Baptist Church

   –          6 x Asylum Seekers accommodated by Hotham Mission

    Total = 138 food parcels, including 70 fresh ready-made meals donated by the RACV.

5. This week June 7 / Trinity Sunday, Rob Gallacher is our preacher. Background to the readings for Sunday can be found here.
6. A brief account of ministry of the saint(s) commemorated this Sunday can be found here: June 9 – Columba of Iona.

1. While the relaxing of restrictions on social gatherings now makes a form of gathered worship service possible, the cleaning and spacing requirements are presently onerous and the church council has not yet considered the logistics for a return to ‘normal’ services at MtE. Some of the Synod’s advice in relation to this is available from the Synod eNews postings in this and the last few weeks’ MtE Updates. For the next couple of weeks (at least) Sunday services at MtE will continue to be delivered online. Church Council will consider what we might be able to do in response to the easing of restrictions at the next council meeting, June 4.
2. Our second quarter study groups continue online for as long as we need to before going back to face-to-face. The studies are an introduction to modern scholarly readings of the Old Testament using online an video and transcript resource — lots of new things to discover! The two groups presently comprise 20 people from 6(!)  congregations. It’s not too late to join in — see here for more information.
3. Latest Synod eNews (May 28) is here.
4. This week May 31 / Pentecost we continue our 1 Peter series, looking at 4.1-11; we are a couple of weeks behind where the lectionary is now with 1 Peter. The psalm and the gospel for the Sunday will be as set in the Lectionary, and some background can be found here
5. A brief account of ministry of the saint(s) commemorated this Sunday can be found here. May 27 – John Calvin.

1. Our second quarter study groups are now underway, online for as long as we need to be before going back to face-to-face. The studies are an introduction to modern scholarly readings of the Old Testament using online an video and transcript resousrce — lots of new things to discover! It’s not too late to join in — see here for more information.
2. Latest Synod eNews (May 21) is here.
3. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster (May 21)
4. This week May 24 / Easter 7A we continue our 1 Peter series, looking at 3.8-22; this a couple of weeks behind where the lectionary is now with 1 Peter. Some background on part of this text is available here: 1 Peter 3:13-21; see also the By the Well podcast on this text
   Part of this text . The psalm and the gospel for the Sunday will be as set in the Lectionary, and some background can be found here
5. A brief account of ministry of the saint(s) commemorated this Sunday can be found here: May 24 – John and Charles Wesley  

1. Our second quarter study groups are underway, online for as long as we need to be before going back to face-to-face. The studies will be the first of several as part of an overview of the Old Testament — lots of new things to discover! It’s not too late to join in — see here for more information.
2. If you would still like to be added to the opt-in ‘MtE C-19 contacts list’, find and reply to the email from Craig a couple of weeks ago…
3. Latest eNews from the Synod (May 14)
4. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster
5. This week May 17 / Easter 6A we resume our 1 Peter series, looking at 2.13-25; this a couple of weeks behind where the lectionary is now with 1 Peter. The psalm and the gospel for the Sunday will be as set in the Lectionary, and some commentary can be found here.
6. A brief account of ministry of the saint commemorated this Sunday can be found here: May 14 – Matthias, Simon, Jude  

1. Our second quarter study groups are underway, online for as long as we need to be before going back to face-to-face. The studies are an overview of the Old Testament using a video resource on YouTube; see here for more information. Not too late to opt in!
2. If you would still like to be added to the opt-in ‘MtE C-19 contacts list’, find and reply to the email from Craig last week…
3. Most recent Synod eNews (May 7)
4. Among the things Hotham Mission continues to do during the health crisis is provide food relieve through several centres North Melbourne and Kensington: on Thursday 07/05/20 the following food parcels were provided:
   –  30 x St. Joseph’s Flexible Learning Centre
   – 25 x Unison Housing
   – 25 x Wombat Housing
   – 15 x The Venny
   – 7 x African-Australian Multicultural Employment and Youth Services (AAMEYS)
   –  5 x Asylum Seekers accommodated by Hotham Mission
   – 4 x City of Melbourne
   Total = 111 food parcels, including 70 x fresh ready-made meals donated by the RACV.
5. This week Peter Blackwood is preaching, and we take a break from the 1 Peter series. The commentary for this week’s readings, May 10 / Easter 5A, is here.
6. A brief account of ministry of the saint commemorated this Sunday can be found here: May 8 – Julian of Norwich  

Rob Gallacher, The Colour of Prayer; Contemplating Christian Icons (Blackburn, Victoria: Penfolk, 2020)

Melbourne based icon writer Rev Dr Rob Gallacher has produced this stunning collection of his own work. The author, who began developing his own skills in this art form thirty-five years ago, founded the Otira Icon School, later known as the Uniting Church Icon Schools, in 1995. He has also travelled extensively in the Eastern European and Middle-Eastern homelands of the icon as a distinctive form of Christian art. The Book, The Colour of Prayer, was to be launched in late April, but this had to be postponed because of the lockdown. In the meantime the author has made his book available following a ‘soft launch’ on the internet, with a proper book launch to follow, hopefully in September.

The book contains reproductions of thirty-nine icons in brilliant colour, beautifully photographed by Michael Shirrefs, each accompanied by two sets of text: an explanation of the icon in the context of biblical story behind it; and a contemplative reflection on the scene depicted. The contemplation is invariably completed with an excerpt from a hymn from Together in Song, an element that ties the foreignness, to western eyes, of the icon art form with the familiarity, to western ears, of the hymnal. The book is thus more than simply and exhibition of Rob Gallacher’s impressive and skillfully executed body of work – it is also, and more importantly, offered as an aid to prayer.  Whether or not you are already familiar with the place of icons in Christian art and prayer life, this book will lead you to see some of the Gospel narratives with new insight; whether or not you already make use of icons in your prayer life, this book will deepen your approach to prayer.

 Rev. Dr. Duncan Reid.

If you would like to order a copy and haven’t received the details directly, email the minister to have your request forwarded: minister@marktheevangelist.unitingchurch.org.au

1. Our second quarter study groups return next week, online for as long as we need to be before going back to face-to-face. The studies will be the first of several as part of an overview of the Old Testament; see here for more information
2. Rob Gallacher has published a book — ‘THE COLOUR OF PRAYER’ — and it may be that some people from Mark the Evangelist would like to buy a copy. For details and a review, see this dedicated post.                 
3. If you would still like to be added to the ‘MtE C-19 contacts list’ but haven’t responded yet, find and reply to the email from Craig earlier in the week.
4. This week’s Synod eNews (May 1)
5. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster (April 29)
6. In the Easter season (from now till end of May), our Sunday reflections will look particularly to the lectionary’s selections from the book of 1 Peter. For more information, see the dedicated post.
7. We will vary the lectionary slightly this week; the lectionary re-orders chapter 2 this week and next, but we’ll take the readings in the order they appear in 1 Peter — so will take next week’s selection this week and this week’s later! So, for commentary on the Gospel and Pslam this week Easter 4A, May 3, see here; for commentary on the 1 Peter text we’ll consider this week see here
8. A brief account of ministry of the saint commemorated this Sunday can be found here:    May 4 – Monica, mother of Augustine of Hippo

You may have noticed that our new paschal candle has ‘crept’ into the worship space; it usually arrives with some fanfare during the Easter Vigil service but we didn’t have one this year! Thanks to Mary who did most of the work — blues to pick up on our work with Jonah earlier this year — and to the kids who did just a little…

1. In the Easter season (from now till end of May), our Sunday reflections will look particularly to the lectionary’s selections from the book of 1 Peter. For more information, see the dedicated post.
2. We have a new paschal candle!
3. Again, links to the online services can be found on the home page as the services become available, and on the online services page. Remember that, if you have a smart TV (or Apple TV, Chromecast, etc.), you can watch the service on the TV by opening the YouTube app on those devices.
4. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster.
5. “Getting through the crisis. As we are planning the autumn edition of Mark the Word, we would like to include contributions from you about any aspect of the topic of Covid-19. If stuck , please turn to possible sources such as the radio, Letters to the Editor, cartoons, literature and anything else you wish to draw upon. If you have something to contribute, please contact Rosemary or Suzanne.
6. Synod e-news update (April 9)
7. Synod e-news update (April 16)
8. Presbytery e-news update (April 17)
9. For commentary on the RCL readings for Easter 2A, April 19, see here;  These weekly commentary resources now include a link to the new lectionary  podcasts from the Synod’s Centre for Theology and Ministry
10. A brief account of ministry of the saint commemorated this Sunday can be found here.

1. Over the Easter weekend, there will be brief services for Maundy Thursday (TONIGHT), Good Friday and Easter Sunday available online – in time for their normal time slots – early evening Thursday (a reading of St John’s passion), Friday morning (featuring Robert Gribben as preacher) and Sunday morning (a ‘normal’ service…). Links to the services can be found on the home page as the services become available, and on the online services page. Remember that, if you have a smart TV (or Apple TV, Chromecast, etc.), you can watch the service on the TV by opening the YouTube app on those devices.
2. “Getting through the crisis. As we are planning the autumn edition of Mark the Word, we would like to include contributions from you about any aspect of the topic of Covid-19. If stuck , please turn to possible sources such as the radio, Letters to the Editor, cartoons, literature and anything else you wish to draw upon. If you have something to contribute, please contact Rosemary or Suzanne.
3. Synod of Victoria and Tasmania e-news update
4. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster
5. The latest Synod eNews is here, including a digital Crosslight.