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)

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)

Your 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

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