News
Pentecost Sunday service
There will a combined Hanbit / St Andrew's Pentecost service on Sunday 4th June at 11.00am in the blue stone church (909 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill). All very welcome to attend.
Important note: This 11.00am service is instead of the usual St Andrew's 9.30am service on Sunday 4th June. Hope to see you there (at 11am!)
2017 Easter Services
Easter service times for 2017 are:
Sunday 9th April – Palm Sunday service– 9.30am in the St Andrews Church, Box Hill
Thursday 13th April - Maundy Thursday Communion Service followed by a shared meal – 5.30pm in the St Andrews Church, Box Hill
Friday 14th April - Good Friday Service – 9.30am in the St Andrews Church, Box Hill
Sunday 16th March – Easter Sunday Service – 9.30am in the St Andrews Church, Box Hill
Everyone is very welcome to attend. Hope to see you there!
Rev Ojitha Goonetilleke leave / temporary change to Sunday Service start time
Note that Rev Ojitha is on extended leave from 30 October 2016 and will be returning on 6 February 2017.
Rev Ki Soo Jang is very kindly taking the St Andrews services during Ojitha's absence but at the earlier time of 9.00am on Sunday mornings.
We wish Rev Ojitha a very happy time away and also thank Rev Ki Soo very much for taking the St Andrews services during this time.
Hope to see you bright and early at the 9.00am Sunday services! :)
Advanced Care Planning information session
The Austin hospital is very kindly holding an information session on advanced care planning at the Box Hill Uniting church on Thursday 10 November 2016 at 2pm. The session is to help people plan for the care they will need in the later stage of life.
There is no fee and all are very welcome to attend. However please confirm your attendance first with the church office. Hope to see you there!
Location:
St Andrew's Uniting Church, 909 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Time:
Thursday, November 10, 2016 - 2:00pm
Combined service to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Hanbit congregation at Box Hill
There will be a combined service of the St Andrews and Hanbit congregations to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Hanbit joining the Box Hill parish. Everyone is very welcome to attend!
Note that this will be the only service on this day and there is be no service at 9.30am on 11 September, 2016.
2016 Share Winter appeal
The 2016 Share Winter appeal is underway. The money raised in the Share winter appeal is used to give emergency support to families in crisis in Victoria and Tasmania. Donations may be made via the Share website, by phoning free call 1800 668 426, by downloading a donation form or you can pick up a donation envelope from a local Uniting church.
Share raises funds to resource UnitingCare, one of the largest providers of community services in Victoria and Tasmania. They also support vital Uniting Church services to the local community and international disaster relief.
More information on this important appeal can be found on the Share website.
Pentecost Service Sunday 15th May, 11.00am (please note changed time of 11.00am)
On May 15th St Andrews will be combining with the Hanbit Korean church to celebrate Pentecost, a foundational event in the life of the church. The Service will be at 11.00am (note change from usual time) at the St Andrew's Uniting Church, 909 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill. Everyone is very welcome to attend!
2016 Easter Message from UCA President Stuart McMillan and Rev. Denise Champion
The President of the Uniting Church in Australia Mr Stuart McMillan has appealed for a serious national conversation on Indigenous Sovereignty in his 2016 Easter message.
In a message delivered with Rev. Denise Champion, the first Aboriginal woman to be ordained as a minister in South Australia, Mr McMillan said, “The Easter message is one of renewed hope for the world.”
“A conversation about sovereignty and how it can empower and bring hope to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples is a crucial conversation for our nation.
"Sovereignty and what that means for us as a Church is an issue we’re committed to exploring. I don’t believe that we can ever close the gap until we honour First Peoples as sovereign and negotiate treaties on just terms.”
In her contribution to the Easter message Rev. Champion - an Adnyamathanha woman from central South Australia - talks about her parents’ deep relationship with their homeland and the stories they shared.
“These stories gave us courage as we journey through this life and hope for the next,” she said. “This Easter I invite you with us on the journey.”
The video message was recorded on location at Ikara (Wilpena Pound), an important Adnyamathanha gathering place.
This video was filmed and edited by Mike Crowhurst of Cunning Crow Productions. cunningcrow.com/
Fiji Cyclone Appeal
The people of Fiji are suffering widespread destruction in the aftermath of Cyclone Winston, which hit on Saturday 20th February. Share have launched an emergency appeal with donations supporting UnitingWorld’s partner, the Methodist Church in Fiji.
Update: 4th March
It has now been confirmed almost 350,000 people were affected by cyclone Winston. 120,000 people are estimated to need urgent humanitarian shelter assistance, over 54,700 people are still sheltering in evacuation centres and in the hardest hit areas, up to 90 per cent of structures are destroyed.
If you wish to support this important emergency appeal then please visit the share website for details on how to donate.
2016 Lenten Offering
The Lenten Offering is an annual event in the life of congregations within the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. It is conducted during Lent and Easter at a time of reflection, renewal and recommitment. In response to God’s love for all people and the giving of his son to the world, an opportunity is provided for people of the church to make a sacrificial offering to support important mission projects.
The four projects to be supported in this year's appeal are:
- Post-war Ministry Restoration Project, Sri Lanka
- Easy Learning Adult Literacy & Numeracy Education Program, Corio
- Thirsty Ground: Sharing Faith through Music, Hobart
- Commission for Mission Disability Inclusion, a three day national multi-faith conference to be held in Melbourne in August, 2016
Please consider supporting one or more of these worthy causes. For more details and how to donate see the share website