1. This Sunday we will have another of the new ‘sermon reflection‘ sessions after morning tea, this time on the recent preaching from the book of Timothy. The five sermons in the series can be found via the series post or in one download here. If you’re able to come bring:
   • A question about something you heard
   • A comment about something more you’d like to hear
   • Any other comments on your experience of hearing or reading these sermons
2. Advent Study at St George’s Travancore – The study will be conducted on the first three Mondays in Advent (December 2, 9, and 16), and will be based on the book, But what if she’d said ‘No’? by Cathy Laufer. The studies will start at 6:30 pm and take about 90 minutes each Monday, with the venue to be finalised in the next week. Participants are requested to bring some food to share. It is not necessary to have read the book, nor to have purchased a copy. Interested people are asked to contact Richard Murray at rgmurray@bigpond.com by November 29 – please include contact details (phone and/or email).
3. THIS SUNDAY December 1 we will hear set RCL readings for the Advent 1A: the readings are here, with some commentary available here.

Advance Dates

1. Sunday December 1 – Responding to the 1 Timothy series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea 
2. Mondays December 2,9,16 – Advent Studies at St George’s, Travancore
3. Sunday December 22 – Advent Readings and Carols (with Eucharist)
4. Christmas Day – 9.30am service (with Eucharist)
5. Normal service times Dec 29 and through January

1. THIS SUNDAY November 24 will be a service of readings, psalms and hymns around the theme of the Reign of Christ to wind up the liturgical year (Advent beginning the following week!).
2. Last week a number of us learned a new hymn which will feature in the service this Sunday. This rendition makes the point, ignoring the chanted bit in the first 15 seconds (which we’ll not include!). The verses are straightforward but it might help to familiarise yourself with the male/female voice ‘echo’ in the refrain.
3. There will also be a congregational meeting this Sunday November 24 following worship, to receive the proposed budget for 2020 and a proposal for focusses for ministry and mission over the coming year. Papers are available in the church or via the email circular.

4. Advent Study at St George’s Travancore – The study will be conducted on the first three Mondays in Advent (December , 9, and 16), and will be study is based on the book, But what if she’d said ‘No’? by Cathy Laufer. The studies will start at 6:30 pm and take about 90 minutes each Monday, with the venue to be finalised in the next week. Participants are requested to bring some food to share. It is not necessary to have read the book, nor to have purchased a copy. Interested people are asked to contact Richard Murray at rgmurray@bigpond.com by November29 – please include contact details (phone and/or email).

5. The latest News from the Justice and International Mission Unit (Nov 20) is here.

Advance Dates

1. November 24 – Congregation meeting (2020 budget approval and ministry and mission focusses)
2. Sunday December 1 – Responding to the 1 Timothy series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea 
3. Sunday December 22 – Advent Readings and Carols (with Eucharist)
4. Christmas Day – 9.30am service (with Eucharist)

1. Following worship THIS SUNDAY November 17 there will be another of our hymn-learning sessions.
2. Sunday November 24 will be a service of readings, psalms and hymns around the theme of the Reign of Christ to wind up the liturgical year (Advent beginning the following week!).
3. There will also be a congregational meeting Sunday November 24 following worship, to receive the proposed budget for 2020 and a proposal for focusses for ministry and mission over the coming year. Papers are available in the church or via the email circular.
4. ‘The Bible in My Head’ is our current project in ‘with the children’ time in worship. Last week we thought up 4 visual prompts to remind us of the first four books of the Torah — Jeans (Genesis), Exit (Exodus), Lever (Leviticus), Numbers (Numbers!). We now need thinking caps on for a visual prompt to remind of ‘Deuteronomy’ to round out the first section of the Old Testament.
5. ‘Illuminating Faith’ is an MtE ministry in service of the wider church; have a look at recent additions to the suite of resources now available.  There have been over 1600 downloads for the various studies and orders of services in the two years they have been on offer.
6. The latest Synod eNews (November 8) is here.
7. This Sunday we welcome again Matt Julius as our preacher, looking at the set RCL readings for this week. 

Advance Dates

1. Sunday November 17 – Hymn-learning session after morning tea
2. November 24 – Congregation meeting (2020 budget approval and ministry and mission focusses)
3. Sunday December 1 – Responding to the 1 Timothy series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea 

1. THIS SUNDAY – All Saints Day Lunch Sunday 3 November – After Worship. As has been our practice for many years, this Sunday morning, 3 November, we will be celebrating All Saints Day with a lunch after worship. All are welcome – the more the merrier. The lunch is always a great occasion for good conversation, and for enjoying life together over good food. Most important: Please give your names to Rod or Ann if you can come. AND equally important – please talk with Ann, Mary or Mepandi and let them know what you can contribute for the lunch.
2. The last of the Hotham Mission Bunnings BBQs for 219 will be THIS Saturday November 2 (Sydney Rd, Brunswick). Please let Joey known if you are able to assist for a period of time – particularly for any period during the busy 11.00-2.00pm time slots!)
3. ‘Illuminating Faith’ is one way in which MtE seeks, out of its own life, to serve the wider church; this week several new resources were published, to be made known across the UCA Assembly via presbytery email lists. Have a look at the IF home page here.
4. THIS SUNDAY October 20 we continue with our reflections from 1 Timothy — 1 Tim 3.14-16, complemented by a couple of the readings for All Saints: Psalm 149 and Luke 6.20-26.

Old News

1. TOMORROW: ‘Religion in the University’ Seminar, November 1
2. ‘The Bible in my Head’ is a new project with the children (and others who listen in!) on Sunday mornings, particularly as part of our ‘With the Children’ time. Over the next few months, we’ll be working to build up an understanding of how the Bible holds together. This will involve a number of images and other mnemonic techniques . Most weeks new images or thoughts will be included in the pew sheet and also on this web page, as well as small ‘pointers’ within the order of service itself as to which parts of the Bible are being used at different times.

Advance Dates

1. Sunday November 3 – All Saints luncheon
2. Sunday November 17 – Hymn-learning session after morning tea
3. Sunday November 24 – Congregation meeting (2020 budget approval and ministry and mission focusses)
4. Sunday December 1 – Responding to the 1 Timothy series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea 

1. THIS Sunday October 27 there will be a Safe Church workshop after morning tea. You may be one of the members required to attend this as part of our obligations as a public institution — you’ve received an email about this if you are — and other interested members are welcome; please see here for more information.
2. All Saints Day Lunch Sunday 3 November – After Worship. As has been our practice, on Sunday morning, 3 November, we will be celebrating All Saints Day with a lunch after worship. All are welcome – the more the merrier. The lunch is always a great occasion for a good chat, and for enjoying our life together over good food. Most important: Please give your names to Rod or Ann if you can come. AND equally important – please talk with Ann, Mary or Mepandi and let them know what you can contribute for the lunch.
3. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster
4. The last of the Hotham Mission Bunnings BBQs will be Saturday November 2 (Sydney Rd, Brunswick). Please let Joey known if you are interested to assist – particularly for any period during the busy 11.00-2.00pm time slots!)
5. This Sunday October 27 we welcome Matt Julius again as our preacher, tending to the set RCL texts for the day.

Old News

1. ‘The Bible in my Head’ is a new project with the children (and others who listen in!) on Sunday mornings, particularly as part of our ‘With the Children’ time. Over the next few months, we’ll be working to build up an understanding of how the Bible holds together. This will involve a number of images and other mnemonic techniques . Most weeks new images or thoughts will be included in the pew sheet and also on this web site, as well as small ‘pointers’ within the order of service itself as to which parts of the Bible are being used at different times.
2. ‘Religion in the University’ Seminar, November 1

Advance Dates

1. Sunday October 27 – Safe Church workshop
2. Sunday November 3 – All Saints luncheon
3. Sunday November 17 – Hymn-learning session after morning tea
4. Sunday December 1 – Responding to the 1 Timothy series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea 

1. This Sunday October 20 there will be the first of an occasional series of opportunities to engage with the preaching at MtE, beginning this day with Responding to the Ten Commandments series. From 11.30 for about 45 minutes. You can refresh your memory of the series here.
2. ‘The Bible in my Head‘ is a new project with the children (and others who listen in!) on Sunday mornings, particularly as part of our ‘With the Children’ time. Over the next few months, we’ll be working to build up an understanding of how the Bible holds together. This will involve a number of images and other mnemonic techniques . Most weeks new images or thoughts will be included in the pew sheet and also on this web site, as well as small ‘pointers’ within the order of service itself as to which parts of the Bible are being used at different times.
3. The latest Presbytery (Oct 15) eNews is here .
4. If you’ve not had a look a the Hotham Mission website for a while, now might be a good time: here.
5. ‘Religion in the University’ Seminar, November 1
6. On Sunday October 27 there will be a Safe Church workshop after morning tea. YOU may well be one of the members required to attend this — you’ve received an email about this if you are — and other interested members are welcome; please see here for more information.
7. All Saints Day Lunch Sunday 3 November – After Worship. As has been our practice, on Sunday morning, 3 November, we will be celebrating All Saints Day with a lunch after worship. All are welcome – the more the merrier. The lunch is always a great occasion for a good chat, and for enjoying our life together over good food. Most important: Please give your names to Rod or Ann if you can come. AND equally important – please talk with Ann, Mary or Maggie and let them know what you can contribute for the lunch.
8. The last of the Hotham Mission Bunnings BBQs will be Saturday November 2 (Sydney Rd, Brunswick). Please let Joey known if you are interested to assist – particularly for any period during the busy 11.00-2.00pm time slots!)
9. THIS SUNDAY October 20 we continue with our reflections from 1 Timothy — 1 Tim 6.6-12.

Other things potentially of interest 

1. Taize Prayer, October 18

Old News

1. We have had a new sound system update, making it possible to connect directly into the sound system via hearing aids or headphones — speak to Rod to see whether it will help you in the services!

Advance Dates

1. Sunday October 20 – Responding to the Ten Commandments series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea
2. Sunday October 27 – Safe Church workshop
3. Sunday November 3 – All Saints luncheon
4. Sunday November 17 – Hymn-learning session after morning tea
5. Sunday December 1 – Responding to the 1 Timothy series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea 

1. This Sunday October 13 we will start to use the final addition to our Mark the Evangelist communion setting – the Gloria. A number of us learned this after worship last Sunday, but for those who didn’t and would like to have a look in advance, a simplified draft of the sheet music and the words is available here (PDF download), and you can listen to the tune here (should open a player on your computer or phone). 
2. This Sunday October 13 our series on the Ten Commandments concludes: ‘You shall not covet…’, supported by Micah 2.1-3, Psalm 10, Romans 7.7-12 and Luke 18.18-27.
3. The most recent Synod eNews (October 10) is here.
4. On Sunday October 20 there will be the first of an occasional series of opportunities to engage with the preaching at MtE, beginning this day with Responding to the Ten Commandments series. From 11.30 for about 45 minutes.
5. On Sunday October 27 there will be a Safe Church workshop after morning tea. YOU may well be one of the members required to attend this, and other interested members are welcome; please see here for more information.
6. All Saints Day Lunch Sunday 3 November – After Worship. As has been our practice, on Sunday morning, 3 November, we will be celebrating All Saints Day with a lunch after worship. All are welcome – the more the merrier. The lunch is always a great occasion for a good chat, and for enjoying our life together over good food. Most important: Please give your names to Rod or Ann if you can come. AND equally important – please talk with Ann, Mary or Mepandi and let them know what you can contribute for the lunch.
7. The last of the Hotham Mission Bunnings BBQs will be Saturday November 2 (Sydney Rd, Brunswick). Please let Joey known if you are interested to assist – particularly for any period during the busy 11.00-2.00pm time slots!)

Other things potentially of interest 

1. Taize Prayer, October 18

Old News

1. We have had a new sound system update, making it possible to connect directly into the sound system via hearing aids or headphones — speak to Rod to see whether it will help you in the services!

Advance Dates

1. Sunday October 20 – Responding to the Ten Commandments series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea
2. Sunday November 3 – All Saints luncheon
3. Sunday December 1 – Responding to the 1 Timothy series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea 

1. THIS SUNDAY October 6 there will be another hymn-learning session after morning tea, with a special focus on the final element (the Gloria) of the communion setting we learned in Lent and have been using since.
2. On Sunday October 20 there will be the first of an occasional series of opportunities to engage with the preaching at MtE, beginning this day with Responding to the Ten Commandments series. From 11.30 for about 45 minutes.
3. On Sunday October 27 there will be a Safe Church workshop after morning tea. YOU may well be one of the members required to attend this, and other interested members are welcome; please see here for more information.
4. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster
5. All Saints Day Lunch Sunday 3 November – After Worship. As has been our practice, on Sunday morning, 3 November, we will be celebrating All Saints Day with a lunch after worship. All are welcome – the more the merrier. The lunch is always a great occasion for a good chat, and for enjoying our life together over good food. Most important: Please give your names to Rod or Ann if you can come. AND equally important – please talk with Ann, Mary or Mepandi and let them know what you can contribute for the lunch.
6. THIS SUNDAY October 6 our series on 1 Timothy continues, with a focus on 1 Tim 1.12-17.

Old News

1. We have had a new sound system update, making it possible to connect directly into the sound system via hearing aids or headphones — speak to Rod to see whether it will help you in the services!

Advance Dates

1. Sunday October 6 – New hymn-learning session after morning tea
2. Sunday October 20 – Responding to the Ten Commandments series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea
3. Sunday November 3 – All Saints luncheon
4. Sunday December 1 – Responding to the 1 Timothy series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea 

Safe Church Awareness Workshop Sunday 27 October, 11.30am after Worship

To all congregation members

Church Council invites you to a Safe Church Awareness Workshop on Sunday 27 October 2019 at 11.30 after the service. 

In November 2018 we held our first Safe Church Awareness Workshop and 21 people attended.  A further workshop is now planned, for new leaders and for any interested members of the congregation.  Such workshops are designed to provide leaders and congregational members with knowledge and understanding of our Safe Church policy and procedures. It is a valuable opportunity to understand the importance of striving to be a Safe Church in our community.  Each of us is an important part of our success.  All local appointed leaders – largely those who are required to have Working with Children Police Checks – are required to attend such a workshop. 

This invitation is extended to all church members who would be interested. It is highly relevant to us all.  We have engaged a facilitator who will lead the workshop and Ann Wilkinson will organise practical matters.   The name of the facilitator is Barb Brook.  Barb is an experienced safe church trainer for the Synod and looks forward to meeting you all at the workshop.  She works part time in the Banyule Network co-ordinating their community programs, and part time at La Trobe Melbourne.

If you are able to attend, please add your name and contact details to the list on the notice board or let Ann Wilkinson know direct. Ann Wilkinson, our Safe Church Contact Person, is organising the workshop and is happy to let you know more about it.

1. THIS SUNDAY September 22 we will begin a new sermon series on 1 Timothy; see here for more details.
2. AND THIS SUNDAY September 22 there will be an update on MTEFP buildings project, straight after the service (before morning tea)
3. We have had a new sound system update, making it possible to connect directly into the sound system via hearing aids or headphones — speak to Rod to see whether it will help you in the services!
4. News from the Justice and International Mission Cluster
5. The Church Council has recently signed on to the Keeping Children Safe policy of the Synod, with its associated code of conduct and statement of commitment. More details about this can be found here.

Advance Dates

1. Sunday September 22 – an update on MTEFP buildings project, straight after the service (before morning tea)
2. Sunday October 6 – New hymn-learning session after morning tea
3. Sunday October 20 – Responding to the Ten Commandments series: a ‘sermon feedback’ session after morning tea