Saturday 15 October 2pm to 5pm

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1 OCTOBER I n 2016 St. Matthew s Monthly Newsletter WOMEN ON A MISSION Saturday 15 October 2pm to St. Matthew s Uniting Church Join us as we gather together for the afternoon! Who is Robyn Claydon? F o c u s Robyn has a wealth of experience in Christian ministry. She has ministered in over 50 countries as an evangelist, preacher, conference speaker, mentor and Bible teacher. She is currently vice chair of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and is the Lausanne senior associate for women. Robyn has also written three inspirational books: Doors are for Walking Through (1998), Keep Walking (2001) and One Step at a Time (2010). We will be hearing from speaker Robyn Claydon, enjoying Devonshire tea, and preparing 400 Birthing kits for Women in Uganda. Robyn Claydon is a preacher, bible teacher, evangelist, educator and convention speaker, involved in international ministry and more. Cost: $20 registration fee covering project costs Who: All Women High School Age upwards Registration: Available from the welcome desk at the front of St. Matthew s Church or on our website. Please get these in as soon as possible to secure your spot as there are limited spots available! Please hand your registrations to: (8am) Vivienne Strong , (9.30am) Fiona Chong, or (6.45pm) Barbara Gibb or contact for further information. We look forward to seeing you there! ** Please note that there will be no child minding available ** S AT U R DAY 8 October 8am to 11am To have another successful community event and Church fundraiser we need your help. help. Wednesday 5 October & Thursday 6 October 9am 9am Volunteers needed to help to put tables into place and move the church pews. Help to carry boxes of goods to the upstairs hall & church and book stall set up. Friday 7 October 9am 9am Ladies to display sale items onto tables. 4pm 4pm Men to assist with bulky items into preschool play area. 5pm 5pm Anyone interested to help Terry Oliver with testing of electrical items. Saturday 8 October - Garage Sale Day 7.45am 7.45am Helpers all areas areas books, hot food, electrical/computers, toys, white elephant and plants. 11am 11am Clean up gang gang packing into boxes left over to go to other charities and return pews to church and tables to dungeon. This event is a good opportunity for us to present ourselves to the Hills community with good well priced items, and those who help experience a deep sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. day.

2 Thursdays 10am to 12noon at St. Matthew s 27 October 3 November 10 November Sharing Our Environment With Wildlife Aussie Bush Poetry Lest We Forget Bev Young Exploring all the joys and problems we have, living with wildlife in our backyard. Finding ways to live in harmony. How to have a wildlife friendly garden, what to do about possums in the roof, magpies swooping, snakes in the house etc. Your questions and discussions are welcome. Graham Sims As a former teacher of literature and a lover of our own bush ballads and poetry, Graham likes to discuss and recite a personal selection of Aussie poems, including both well known and some of the lesser known. Elders at St Matthew s Uniting Church Baulkham Hills On the 30th October, St. Matthew s will be holding an election of Elders. You may vote from Wednesday 26 October, if you won t be at church on the Sunday. We believe that everyone within our Church community has an important role to play in preparing to elect Elders. We invite you to spend a few minutes reading this information. Its purpose is to enable you to understand the process of electing Elders, and how best you can fulfil your important role. Background and Structure At present we have 27 Elders. The term of office for an Elder is normally 3 years. The Elders of St. Matthew s Uniting Church share with the Ministry Team in the spiritual oversight of the congregation. Together they are responsible for building up the congregation in faith and love, sustaining its members in hope, and leading them into a fuller participation in Christ s mission in the world (Basis of Union). The Elders are a team. Each Elder brings his/her particular gifts and insights. Elders have different amounts of time to give to being an Elder. Together with the Ministry Team, Elders have a shared ministry. The following elders come to the end of their term of office and we express our sincere thanks to them for their ministry during this time: Hugh Darling; Barry Gregory; Janet Goodman; Judy Woods; Helen Olley; Katherine Pedersen; Pamela Leslie; Jane Cole; Daniel Gibb; Doug Mathewson These elders are eligible for re-nomination except Janet Goodman and Judy Woods. The following are CURRENT elders whose term concludes in November 2018 (They cannot be nominated this year): Sandra Drayton; Barbara Gibb; Kathy Lewis; Sandra Gordon; George Haines; Christine Haines; Jeff Cuff; Bruce Rowe; Charmaine Rowe; Anne Oliver; Mario Nicolas; Earl Gray; Margaret Gray; Yee Cheng Eldridge; Ron McIntosh; Erin Mathewson; Joseph Kelly Currently, the elders meet once a month (except for January and July). Ron Mallyon An Armistice day commemoration presented by Ron. Doingt Communal Cemetery Extension Doingt, Peronne, Picardie, France 17 November A to Z and the Rest. and More! David Short Please join us for a morning of well known music for piano and organ to relax with and finish off our Coffee & Discovery year. Duties and Responsibilities of Elders The ministry of Elder is one of spiritual oversight, and may also be exercised in pastoral visitation, teaching, encouraging members of the Congregation to share in mission, and assisting the Minister in leadership of worship and administration of the sacraments and other areas in the life of the Congregation (Regulations a). Nominating someone to be an Elder We ask you to pray about the people whom you know, and consider who among them would make excellent Elders. We encourage you to nominate those people. From the 25th September, nomination forms will be available. You will need to find someone else from the church to sign the nomination form with you. It is also important that you do not speak to the people you are nominating. Please do not ask them whether or not they wish to be nominated. Please hand nomination forms directly to me, or leave them for me in the Church office. You may nominate as many people as you wish. Nominations close on the 16th October. The next step After nominations close those who have been nominated will be contacted. They will not know who nominated them, or how many times they have been nominated. An additional hand-out will be available for people who have been nominated to assist in deciding whether or not to accept the nomination, and an information session will occur on Sunday 23rd October. Electing Elders The election of elders from those who accept nomination will take place by written ballot at worship services on Sunday 30th October. We would encourage you to attend, and participate in the ballot. For further information please speak with me or other elders. Dirk Van Doorene 2

3 Events and Classes for OCTOBER 2016 Thanksgiving & Closure of Ministry for Rahna Hollis Sunday 16 October at 8 am worship Time of acknowledgement of the end of Rahna s role. Followed at 9am by morning tea for everyone. Please bring a plate to share. During this time there will be an official thank you for Rahna s wonderful years of service. St. Matthew s Women s Fellowship Wednesday 19 October at 7.30pm Trivia night with Melinda Lumb Enquiries: Lorraine Harrington Eremos Book Club Families with Young Children The Blacksmiths Beach weekend away Thursday 6 October at 7.30pm 5 Woodlands St Baulkham Hills October Octo New members very welcome. has been booked again for our St. Matthew s families. This year we are booked for Friday 28th to Sunday 30th October. It's a great chance to just hang out and watch the kids play things like cricket, at the beach, in the pool etc and to catch up with the adults without the Sunday rush. Any questions please contact Fiona or Sally. We invite you to come along to our monthly meetings on the first Thursday of each month at 7.30pm. Copies of our new book The Way of the Wind by Bruce Sanguin, are available from our lending library. The author is quoted in one review as saying A fundamental meaning of the life of Jesus, from an evolutionary perspective, is that in him, the conditions have been established for the emergence of a new humanity. We are enjoying rich sharing and discussion..the book is compelling reading. Each chapter, although following on from the previous one, is complete in itself Contact Betty on or betty.carmody@ex .com.au or Church office WEDNESDAYS C H R IS T I A N ME DI T A T I O N Now More Classes St.Matthew s Oct 12 - Nov 9 You are invited to come along to the church on Tuesdays at 9.15am The group will give you (us) a chance to centre and locate ourselves in God s presence, an opportunity to leave behind our often hectic lifestyle and simply be. All are welcome to come and learn about this way of prayer. St. Matthew s U.C. U.C The all important aim of Christian meditation is to allow God s mysterious presence within to become more and more not only a reality, but the reality which gives meaning, shape and purpose to everything we do, to everything we are. John Main OSB Enquires: Katherine kathped56@gmail.com 3

4 School Holidays Calendar of Events for OCTOBER 2016 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday am Uniter Folding 9am-12pm Op Shop open 12.30pm Play Group Sunday 2 Daylight Savings starts today set your clocks forward one hour includes Holy Communion & Healing service 9.30am Worship includes Holy Communion KUCA in recess 12noon Korean Fellowship NO Evening Worship 7.30pm Christian Meditation 3 4 Labour Day Public Holiday am Christian Meditation in the Community Room 9am Garage Sale Setup 10am Christian Meditation 10am In Stitches Craft Group Catholic Church, Canyon Rd B.H. upstairs hall 7.30pm Christian Meditation No Thrive tonight 7.45pm Elders meeting pm Play Group 9.15am Christian Meditation in the Community Room Details back page Offsite today 7.30pm Christian Meditation 10am Christian Meditation Catholic Church, Canyon Rd B.H. 7.45pm Bible Study am Grandparents Play Group 9.15am Christian Meditation in the Community Room. Details back page 7.30pm Christian Meditation 8am-11am GARAGE SALE 9am Garage Sale Setup Youth Group in recess for school holidays 7.45pm-9pm Choir practice in the Church 14 No Simpson s or Flourish tonight am Play Group in Details page pm Christian Meditation 9.15am Christian Meditation in the Community Room. Details back page 7.45pm Bible Study at Bev Harkness am Grandparents Play Group 10am Christian Meditation 1pm Intro to Computers Class 1 2pm Intro to Computers Class 2 in the Series pm Thrive in 7.30pm-8.30pm Dance Fitness Catholic Church, Canyon Rd B.H. 9am the Willow s 6.45pm Worship 16 Elders nominations close 9am-morning tea for Rahna 9.45am Worship KUCA returns for term 4 Preschool, Years K-2 & Years 3-6 5pm Teen Plus 6.45pm Worship Includes Holy Communion 23 No Scheduled Activities 7pm-9.30pm EMERGE and ALIVE Youth groups 7.45pm-9pm Choir practice 9.30am Worship KUCA for Preschool, The Ministry Years K-2 & Years 3-6 team and office staff wish in the Church in Church details page No Simpson s or Flourish tonight 10am-12noon Men s Morning Tea Stitches Craft Group 10am Christian Meditation 10am In upstairs hall Catholic Church, Canyon Rd B.H. 7.30pm Women s Fellowship Women on a Mission Details front page 4pm Youth Hang Church you and your 4.30pm Elders nominees information session family a safe and 9.30pm Friday Night Light Holy Christmas 6.45pm Worship 7.30pm-8.30pm Dance Fitness 2pm-5pm 9.30pm Friday night Light at Church 1pm Intro to Computers Class 1 2pm Intro to Computers Class 2 in the Series am-Garage Sale Clean-up am Play Group am Worship KUCA in recess 7.30pm-8.30pm Dance Fitness pm Play Group pm-9.30pm EMERGE and ALIVE Youth groups 1pm Intro to Computers Class 1 2pm Intro to Computers Class 2 in the Series 5 Youth Mission trip returns 7.30pm Eremos Book Club 5 Woodlands St B.H. Details page pm Thrive in at Bev Harkness 9am Garage Sale Setup Dance Fitness in recess for School holidays Rowe s Bible Study in recess am Coffee and Discovery : Bev Young Sharing our environment with Wildlife am Play Group No Simpson s or Flourish tonight 7pm-9pm EMERGE and ALIVE Youth groups 29 FYWC weekend away at Blacksmiths Beach Details page 3 in the Church 9.30pm Friday Night Light 30 away at Blacksmiths Beach Elders elections all services Meet offsite FYWC weekend away at Blacksmiths Beach 7.45pm-9pm Choir practice and a Happy New Year. FYWC weekend 4pm "Murder Mystery and Cooking Night" at the church 9.30am Worship NO KUCA 5pm Teen Plus 6.45pm Worship

5 Group Events for OCTOBER 2016 MINISTRY WITH YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS FRIDAY YOUTH GROUPS 7.30pm to 9.30pm Cost $3 EMERGE for Years 5 & pm to 9.30pm Contact: Hugh Darling October Combined Devotion 21 October Bushwalk 28 October Aqua Golf ALIVE for Years 7 to pm to 9.30pm Contact : Chris Eagles October Combined Devotion 21 October Bushwalk 28 October Aqua Golf Friday Night Light 9.30pm for Young Adults 18 Years & up Contact : Chris Eagles October Castle Towers 14 October St. Matt s 21 October TBA 28 October TBA Teen Plus New Members always welcome. Contact the church office Teen Plus are still collecting for their shoebox appeal supporting a school in the Philippines. Donations of Combs and Washers are greatly appreciated. Please place donations in the box provided at the top of the stairs in the church foyer. FLOURISH Yea r 6 to Yea r 12 Come along and join us for Bible Study, food and fun 6pm ever y Fr iday Check the youth programs for more details! Food provided please bring $5 Contact: Kate Eagles or the church office MINISTRY WITH YOUNG FAMILIES KUCA for Preschool, Years K-2,and Years 3-6 DURING TERM KU UC CA A K Simpson s Brotherhood Thinking of joining a Play Group? Bible Study for guys in years 7 to 12. Food Provided Please bring $5 Meet in St. Matt s at 6pm THRIVE is our young adults group for those from year11 up to the age of 25. We meet twice a month; fortnightly for a bible study where we are currently journeying through the Book of Romans. The fourth Saturday evening of the month is a social gathering Contact Daniel Gibb for more details gibbothegr8@hotmail.com or Teen Plus is a special needs social group for all ages from high school up. Meets Sundays fortnightly for dinner and fun. Next meetings: 16,30 October St. Matthew s offers a friendly, safe environment for you and your children to meet new friends, and join in activities including craft, toys, library and singing. We are also able to accommodate mothers groups who would like to join us or even start a new play group. St. Matthew s, Baulkham Hills Uniting Church Cnr. Edgar & Charles Streets, Baulkham Hills Speak with Sally Yabsley-Bell at the Church Office Grandparents! would you like to come to Play Group with your grandchild/ren? A Play Group, specifically for Grandparents who mind babies and preschoolers. The group usually meets the Meets Wednesdays except for the third Wednesday of the month. (in recess during school holidays) 5,12,26 OCTOBER Play Group toys and space to play for the children coffee and chat for the grandparents. Enq: Sally Yabsley-Bell C H R I S T I A N ME DI T A T I O N Meditation is about relationship. This is not how it is often packaged or presented in the media. In a hyper-individualistic culture like ours, health is seen to be a very individualistic thing: my health. This hyper-individualistic sense of self means that we look not only at medicine but at meditation in this very self-centred way: What is this going to do for me? That may be where you start, you start where you are. But it is also why it is so important the way meditation is taught. In what direction is it pushing you? Is it towards a deeper and more inflated self-centeredness, which will eventually blow up in your face, of course? Or is it the beginning of a training in attention, where the attention becomes comprehensive rather than just self-centred. In other words, about relationship. One of the very first areas, in which we experience the changes of meditation in our life, is in our relationships, beginning in our relationship with ourselves. Laurence Freeman OSB (Health & Wholeness) 6

6 Upcoming DIARY DATES Ebenezer Uniting Church Fellowship Mark your diaries MEN S BREAKFAST Saturday 5 November at St. Matthew s Church Spring Fair 7am to 9am : Darryl Stokes Operations Manager Airbus Group Australia Pacific who will speak about his RAAF and International C-130 Hercules experience. Cost $5 For more information contact George Haines Dance St. Matthew s 7.30pm in the Church hall. If you are looking for a fun way to get fit, come along and join in. The class caters for adults of any fitness level and ability. Entry is via gold coin donation which will be used to support the work of the church. Contact Noni nones81@gmail.com or For more information Check Calendar of Events for dates Please send articles to the church office. by Thursday 13 October at the latest. New contributors welcome! REMEMBER to try and send photos to accompany your articles. C O M M U N I TY E V E N TS It s time again to start thinking about articles and advertising for the 6th NOVEMBER EDITION of the Uniter. Ebenezer Uniting Church Coromandel Road, Ebenezer Saturday 1 October am till 3pm Antique Engines, plants, books, Jams & Pickles, stalls, cakes, sausage sizzle, White Elephant. And so much more!!! THERE S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE All Enquiries: Dawn Case Wesley s Castle Hills Annual Coach Trip Saturday 15 October Coach trip to Wollongong, leaving Wesley U.C. at 8am. Morning tea at Bulli Lookout, overlooking the escarpment & the south coast. The journey will continue to Wollongong seeing the lighthouses & stop at Start Park. Lunch at your own expense (many choices available). After Lunch we will travel to the Botanic Gardens & walk around the impressive grounds. Don t miss out on this enjoyable outing $50 is the cost which includes morning tea. Please contact Elaine & Warren Charlton on for more information and booking. Spring Intensives Ministry Training School Beecroft Uniting Church 82 Beecroft Rd Beecroft 9am-4pm Sat 22 Oct Introducing the Tanakh Sat 29 Oct Introducing the New Testament Sat 26 Nov Knowing What We Believe An Introduction to Theology Presenter Rev Martin Levine Cost $25 per intensive Bookings office@beecroftuntiing.org or Thank you Please note: Photos must include a list of people shown and permission form signed. IN GOD'S HANDS: THE ECUMENICAL PRAYER CYCLE At the very heart of the ecumenical movement is the reality of prayer. Jesus prayed that we may all be one, united in God in the mystery of the Trinity. That is the basis and the goal of our search for unity. Week 39 Week 40 Week Sep-1 Oct Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine 2-8 October Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia 9-15 October Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Week 42 Week 43 Week Oct ober Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal October India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka 30 Oct-5 Nov The Indian Ocean islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan North Rocks Carols by Candlelight Friday 16 December, 2016 The North Rocks Carols by Candlelight has run for the past 12 years. We have seen it grow from a small gathering of 300 people to being a major North Rocks community event (and starting to become a regional event) with between people attending. Each year our goal is to provide a fun community evening which includes food, entertainment and a focus on community carol singing with a Christian message about the good news of Christmas. This year North Rocks Carols by Candlelight is being held from 5-9pm on Friday 16th December at North Rocks Park (on the soccer grounds near the tennis courts), corner of Farnell Ave & North Rocks Rd. For more information or to ask any questions please contact: Rev Phil Swain phil@northrocks.org.au

7 Bible Study Groups C H R I S T I AN M E D I T AT I O N Be still, and know that I am God PSALMS 46 Bev s 7.30pm usually twice a month 10, 24 OCTOBER Monday St Matt s 7.30pm 11, 25 OCTOBER Group Meetings Mondays 7.30pm at St. Matthew s B.H 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 OCTOBER Enq: Betty Tuesdays 9.15am at St. Matthew s B.H. 4, 11, 18 & 25 OCTOBER Katherine kathped56@gmail.com Tuesdays 10am at Catholic Church Canyon Rd B.H. 4, 11, 18 & 28 OCTOBER Enq: Leonie or Betty G i v i n g From time to time, we receive questions on how someone can make donations to St. Matthew s Uniting Church Baulkham Hills, to further support God s work through the Ministry team and congregation, in the wider Community. AVAILABLE FROM THE CHURCH FOYER WITH LOVE TO THE WORLD a lectionary based daily Bible reading guide 8 August 6 November 2016 Please place $5.00 in open plate to cover costs. the Rowe s 7.45pm In Recess for OCTOBER Contact : Bruce Rowe Venue details available from the Church Office To assist with this, we have set up the following If required a Direct Debit Request Form is account with Uniting Financial Services: available in the foyer. Account Name: For your support of God s work here at Baulkham Hills Uniting Church Giving Direct St. Matthew s, a big thank you! BSB: Account number: St. Matthew's WEEKLY NEWSLETTER WORSHIP ROSTERS Ministers - Everyone Minister of the Word Rev. Dirk Van Doorene Mobile No YOUTH PROGRAMS dirk@stmatthewsuniting.net.au St. Matthew s In Focus monthly publication INSIGHTS, a free monthly magazine from the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia. USED STAMPS may be left in the bin in the foyer. Please leave plenty of paper around the stamp if you take it off the envelope. Day off Friday (School Term) Monday (School Holidays) Seniors Pastor Rahna Hollis Day off Friday Pastoral Carer for ages 30s & 40s RECYCLING MOBILE PHONES Superseded mobiles may be left here. OLD GLASSES & HEARING AIDS may be left in the box in the foyer. (During office hours & emergencies) SALLY YABSLEY-BELL Part Time Maintaining contact with you and your family is very important to us. We would be grateful if you change your address, phone/mobile or details that you let us know by phoning and leaving a message on or by office@stmatthewsuniting.net.au Youth, Young Adults and Families with young children Pastor Chris Eagles Day off Thursday Girls Youth Coordinator Kate Eagles Part Time Church Office Secretaries: Robyn Morrall and Lynn Samuel Church Office Hours 9am-3pm monfri To include your activity in the NOVEMBER In Focus St.Matthew s Monthly Newsletter please send details to Robyn and Lynn in the Church Office by 15 OCTOBER Thank you Please check St. Matthew s weekly News letter for details of Worship on Sunday and last minute changes to scheduled activities. Office : fax: Location: Cnr Charles & Edgar Streets Baulkham Hills Postal Address: Baulkham Hills Uniting Church PO Box 773 Baulkham Hills 1755 Web Site: Weekly newsletter available on website office@stmatthewsuniting.net.au PreSchool Director Ms Anne Mayberry PO Box 321 Baulkham Hills stmatthewsps@bigpond.com 2153St.Matthew's PreSchool