Croydon Uniting Church

Transcription

1 TODAY 6 th DECEMBER 2015 Preparing the Way (Advent 2) 10:00 am Worship with Communion Rev Bronwyn Daniels WORSHIP CALENDAR 8 th Dec No So Merry Christmas 7:00pm Worship Rev Bronwyn Daniels 13 th Dec Advent 3 10:00am Worship with STEPS, the Band, Choir & Young Singers STEPS Leaders & Rev Bronwyn Daniels 20 th Dec Advent 4 10:00am Carols & Readings with the Choir & Young Singers Rev Bronwyn Daniels 24 th Dec Christmas Eve 7:30pm Family Celebration 11:30pm Candlelight Worship Rev Bronwyn Daniels 25 th Dec Christmas Day 9:00am Christmas Celebration Croydon Uniting Church Minister: Rev. Bronwyn Daniels minister@croydon.unitingchurch.org.au Children, Families & Youth Ministry (CFYM): Carolyne Chandler Mobile: CFYM@croydon.unitingchurch.org.au Helping Hand: Dianne Bull Mon Fri 9:30am 11:45am Church Office: Peter Mitchell Phone and Fax: office@croydon.unitingchurch.org.au Wed Fri 10:00am 1:00pm Church Postal Address: 6 Tallent St Croydon Making a difference

2 POINTS OF INTEREST NOTES & NEWS EVENING FELLOWSHIP Notices for SUNDAY 13 TH DECEMBER need to be in to Peter in the office by Wednesday 9 th December. Please your articles and notices to office@croydon.unitingchurch.org.au or put typed hardcopies of them in the red letterbox in the foyer. Articles/notices should be no more than words in length. The Notes & News is also available electronically, via , in.pdf format. If you would like to receive your Notes & News by , please request this via: office@croydon.unitingchurch.org.au FAITH IN HOMES We are now in Advent, that great time of the year when we start to look forward to Christmas! How about checking out this website to see if there are some activities you can try at home with your family. The Evening Fellowship meets at 7:30 pm on the 3 rd Wednesday of the month (except in December and January) for fun and fellowship. Everyone is welcome to attend. We have guest speakers on a range of subjects. We raise money through cake stalls and catering, and donate the proceeds to worthy causes. Please see Adele Allen if you d like to find out more or join in. KUCA (Kids of the Uniting Church in Australia) Club meets on the 3 rd Sunday of the month during term time in the Church Hall between 2:30 4:30 pm for fun, food, friendship and more fun! It is an activity for children in Foundation to Grade Five to get together for games, learning, cooking, outings and other fabulous activities! Please contact Phil Daborn and Janet Yen (on ) for further information! A DEFIBRILLATOR CAN SAVE A LIFE Church Council was fortunate in being able to purchase a subsidised Automatic Defibrillator to add to our First Aid Equipment. If you can donate towards the cost, it would be greatly appreciated. Please make a cheque payable to Croydon Uniting Church and place it (or cash) in an envelope marked: For Defibrillator. Our defibrillator might just save your life or someone you love!

3 ROSTERS Next Week Sunday, 13 th December :00am Foyer Steward Ernie Franklin Doors John Lewis & Glenys Toomey Greeter Jo Lewis Vestry Elder Barney Wilson Organist Heather Tinney Scripture Reader Robert Ewen Prayers David Collett Sound Operator Glen Brun Data Operator Phil Daborn / Janet Yen PowerPoint Prep Phil Daborn / Janet Yen Incident Controller TBA (refer Carolyne Chandler) Finance Shirley & Tom Maddern / John McCabe Morning Tea Kath Elsworth / Ewan Gallop / Lynda Reid Flowers Mary Birch Grounds Zone 1 Ron Laussen / Tom Maddern / Terry Maher Cleaning Chin Community First Reading Zephaniah 3: Second Reading Philippians 4: 4 7 Weekly Readings (Lectionary) 13 th December 2015 Advent 3 Psalm Isaiah 12: 2 6 Gospel Luke 3: 7 18 SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Benjamin Franklin

4 Uniting Church in Australia Croydon Congregation December 6, 2015 Preparing the way Advent 2 WELCOME TO WORSHIP AS WE GATHER AS COMMUNITY No offering bowls will be passed around this morning. Please place your offerings in the bowls provided during the service. Notices of the Community Time of Silence and Contemplation Please stand & sing as the Bible and symbols of worship are carried in Ring bells, ring, ring, ring (v 1 & chorus, v 2 & chorus) TiS 283 Call to Worship (paraphrase of Baruch 5:1 9) All praise to our redeeming Lord TiS 442 Opening Prayer Welcome Advent Candles Christmas is coming (chorus, v 1, chorus, v 2, chorus) TiS 289 Prayer of Confession & Words of Affirmation WE LISTEN FOR GOD S WORD FOR US Scripture Readings Lynda Reid Malachi 3: 1 4 Luke 1: (A Canticle) Luke 3: 1 6 Message Social Justice Spot WE RESPOND TO GOD S WORD FOR US There s a light upon the mountains TiS 276 Dedication of Offering Joys and Concerns Prayers of the People Francis Little The Peace HOLY COMMUNION Joy to the world! TiS 268 Great Prayer of Thanksgiving Bread Breaking Prayer Distribution Today you are invited to come forward via the centre aisle and gather around the table. You will be served with bread and juice, given a blessing before you move back to your seats via the side aisles placing your glasses in the baskets provided. Please indicate to the servers if you require gluten free bread. Prayer after Communion WE ARE SENT INTO GOD S WORLD The voice of God goes out to all the world TiS 282 (tune: TiS 411) Blessing and Sending Love came down at Christmas (verses 1 & 3) TiS 317 Thank you for worshipping with us this morning. Please sign our visitors book and make yourself known to us if you are new or visiting. Everyone is invited to stay for a drink and a biscuit which will be served in the Fellowship Room adjoining the Worship Space. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - Many of the words of the prayers, hymns and songs used in this order of service are reproduced with permission under licence # 232 with LicenSing Online cleared music for churches, licence # 3476 Copyright Agency Limited (CAL), Church Copyright Licence # and Music Reproduction Licence # with Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) and the Australasian Performing Rights Association Limited (APRA).

5 What s On Monday 7 th December 7:30PM Helping Hand Kitchen Tuesday 8 th December 7:00PM Not So Merry Christmas Worship Space 7:00PM 7:30PM Advent Study Croydon North UC (389 Maroondah Hwy, Croydon N) Church Council Fellowship Room Wednesday 9 th December Deadline for Notes & News submissions 9:30AM 10:30AM Playgroup Community Room Advent Study Croydon North UC (389 Maroondah Hwy, Croydon N) Thursday 10 th December 9:30AM Music Together Community Room 7:45PM Choir Worship Space Friday 11 th December 9:30AM Playgroup Community Room 6:30PM FFEET Chandler Residence (7 Gardenia St, Croydon South) ADVENT STUDY Croydon North Uniting Church (389 Maroondah Highway, Croydon North) are running an Advent Study. The study may be attended in the morning (on Wednesdays 9 th & 16 th December, at 10:30AM) or in the evening (on Tuesdays on 8 th, 15 th & 22 nd December, at 7:00PM), or a combination of both! For more information, please see the flyer on the Notice Wall in the Fellowship Room, or call Sue on ASYLUM SEEKER PROJECT A update from the Lentara Asylum Seeker Project (ASP) is now up on the Notice Wall in the Fellowship Room, for interested parties to read. Also, donations are being sought for the ASP clients for Christmas. A list of recommended items is on the Notice Wall, and a marked box has been put out in the foyer to collect donations. For further information, please refer to ISLA MACLEOD. MISSING CHAIR The minster s chair has gone missing from its usual spot behind the pulpit, and cannot be located. If you are responsible (or know who is responsible) for moving the chair, would you please see that it is returned to its rightful place, as soon as possible.

6 Note otes & News MUSIC AT ST. MARGARET S The final Music at St Margaret s for 2015 will be held TODAY (Sunday 6 th December) at 2:30PM at St. Margaret s Uniting Church (219 Hull Road, Mooroolbark). Admission is by gold coin donation, and includes a light afternoon tea. This will be the annual orchestra afternoon, featuring the Dandenong Ranges Orchestra, under the direction of John Collins. On that day, the church will also be having an Alternative Christmas Market, with a variety of goods on offer. For further information, please phone Alan Bromage on SHARE CHRISTMAS CARDS These are now available to purchase. Please see the board in the Foyer for samples. There are five different cards and each pack of ten cards costs only $8.50 Please use the order forms that are also available or see CHRIS HILL. By purchasing SHARE Christmas Cards, you are helping support community programs that make a real difference to people in need. EMPTY CHRISTMAS TREE This year we will again be supporting Helping Hand with our Empty Christmas Tree gifts. The tree will be in the church for the last time TODAY (i.e. 6 th December) to enable distribution to clients during the two weeks before Helping Hand closes for Christmas. Gifts suggested for this year include: food (e.g. cakes, hams, tins of fruit, canned vegetables, long-life custard, milk, minced pies, shortbread, canned tuna/salmon, etc.) toiletries (i.e. shampoo conditioner, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste) children's books (stories, colouring and puzzles, etc.) crayons, pencils and paints, etc. HELP WANTED! We are looking for people to fulfil two important roles in our congregation: Presbytery Representative and Treasurer. Please prayerfully consider if you, or someone you know, would be suited for one of these positions. As in the past, these positions could be undertaken by one person, or be a shared role. If you have any questions, please speak to ROHAN PRYOR, PAUL or CAROLYNE CHANDLER, or REV BRONWYN DANIELS. Additional information about the roles is available on the Notice Wall in the Fellowship Room.

7 ASYLUM SEEKER PROJECT UPDATE December 2015 The North Ringwood house has three young men there at present, since Akbar was returned to detention. One is an Hazara and the other two are an Iranian and a Bangladeshi. The Bangladeshi is of student age and was apparently a bit too radical for his government and had to flee the country. He did try to return, but is still on the wanted list, so back he had to come to Australia. He needs physio treatment three times a week and is in a poor psychological state, suffering from anxiety. Most of the asylum seekers with whom Lentara are connected have never had vaccinations and that is just one of the many problems case workers have to overcome. Another problem is that Immigration staff can be sceptical if one of the asylum seekers declares that he or she is a Christian. They tend to scoff and say: You only say that so we ll let you stay and besides you re too dark to be a Christian. That really has been said to some. Others are told they only take on Christianity when they realise they are being put in detention. There are three ladies in the new Camberwell house, which has room for four more. Also, Burwood Uniting Church have made a house available for asylum seekers and it is being officially opened on Sunday 6 th December. Lentara received $4,732 from the Whitehorse Community Chest this year and recently the Mt Waverly Outreach Program donated $5,000. The Julian Burnside afternoon collected $1,190 in donations from the 300 or so people who attended. Lentara has also had many contacts from various members of the audience offering help or asking how they can help, so even just from an advertising point of view it was a very successful afternoon. If you can assist Lentara with household goods, toiletries or donations it would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be in cash or cheque (made out to Croydon U.C, Asylum Seeker Project ) and are tax deductible.

8 Can You Help? Lentara Asylum Seeker Project is in need of the following to help give all their clients a Happy Christmas. The list below gives examples of things that would particularly be helpful, to use as a guide: Food items: Canned salmon or tuna Coconut milk Dried red lentils Rice Couscous Burghul or cracked wheat Sugar Curry paste Milk powder Cooking oil (peanut oil, olive oil) Dried onions/shallots Tea and Coffee Spices (turmeric, chilli, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, dried ginger) Flour self-raising, plain, rice flour Baby food Biscuits (sweet) Chocolate Fruit juices and iced teas Fruit bars and muesli bars Savoury biscuits (shapes, rice crackers etc.) NB: Please avoid pasta (this is quite unpopular). Personal care items: Full sized shampoo and conditioners Razors (male and female) Shaving foam Toothbrushes Toothpaste Shampoo and conditioner Deodorant Feminine hygiene products Nappies (Crawler size) Small first-aid kits (basic) General household supplies: Laundry detergent (top and front loaders) Dishwashing liquid Steelo / scrubs / dishcloths Multipurpose cleaning sprays (bench spray; toilet cleaners; JIF; glass cleaner, etc.) Other items that come in really handy are gift vouchers from stores, such as WOOLWORTHS, COLES, ALDI, TARGET and BUNNINGS. Please leave your donations in the marked box in the foyer.

9 VISITORS We welcome you to Croydon Uniting today! Please ask the Greeter for a copy of our Newcomers Kit, and sign the Visitors Book so we can get to know you better. If you have young children, a Family Corner at the rear of the worship space is available if you choose. Our Sunday STEPS program for children and young people operates during term times, and visiting children are most welcome to join in. At Croydon Uniting Church we welcome everyone who wishes to come to the table in Holy Communion and take part, so if today s worship includes Holy Communion, please participate as you feel comfortable. FOR YOUR INFORMATION CHURCH OFFICE Peter is in the office on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 10:00am and 1:00pm, except for Public Holidays. At other times, please leave a message and Peter will return your call (ph: ). You can also the office on: office@croydon.unitingchurch.org.au BOOKING FACILITIES If you would like to the church property for church or private use please contact the office. Please remember to book any use of the buildings! ANNOUNCEMENTS If you would like to have an announcement made during Notices please give the details in writing to the Vestry Elder before the service. RECORDED SERVICES CDs of the Worship Service are available. Please collect from the box in the Foyer, or contact the office for a copy. NAME TAGS Don t forget to wear your name tag to church. If you don t have one, or need a replacement, please speak to Adele Allen. KEY CONTACTS Band Donald Marsham Choir David Collett Church Council (Chairperson) Rohan Pryor Church Council (Co-Secretaries) Paul & Carolyne Chandler Congregational Chairperson Russell Davison Croydon Parish Players Evening Fellowship Adele Allen Finance Committee Paul Chandler KUCA Club (Foundation-Year 5) Phil Daborn & Janet Yen Music Together Mary Birch Friday FFEET Paul & Carolyne Chandler Playgroup Jacqui Nicholls Prayer Group Rev. Bronwyn Daniels Safe Church Contact Person Chris Hill Safe Church Contact (alternate) Phil Daborn Social Justice Committee David Collett Sunday STEPS Carolyne Chandler Young Singers Kathryn Lorimer YUCC (Years 6-12) Carolyne Chandler