Marsden Road Uniting Monthly Newssheet August 2020

Marsden Road Uniting Church

203 Marsden Road Carlingford

Monthly Newssheet

August 2020

Our mission: to reflect Christ alive in the Community

Greetings to you out there in your homes. As we worship in our homes in the homelands of the Wallumedegal people. We acknowledge their Elders, past and present.

We hope that you will experience the presence of God in and through the Service, privately or as a Family joining with the people of God who continue to gather in Spirit although not physically.

August Services by Zoom, Web and Delivery

2     9.30am Wesley – God and Science - Sunday Service Virtual Holy  

                     Communion (Zoom)

9     9.30am Wesley – Response to Slavery -Sunday Service (Zoom)

16   9.30am Wesley’s Response to Politics – Sunday Service (Zoom)

23   9.30am Wesley - On War and Peace Sunday Service (Zoom)

30   9.30am Wesley – Scripture and Scripture Alone – Sunday Service 

                     (Zoom)

CHURCH SERVICES

Worship which is found On-line and Delivered by Hand to people. How you can access these services, Newssheet and Rev John’ weekly Blog:

1. Through Zoom on the Internet on Sunday at 9.30am
2. On Marsden Road Uniting Website:

http://www.marsdenroadunitingchurch.org.au/

3. On Marsden Road Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/MRUCC082016/ 

4. Receiving as a PDF Attachment by Email.
5. Receiving as printed Documents in Mailbox.

Offerings

• Please consider offering via EFT – Direct Credit can be done anonymously and scheduled to occur automatically at whatever frequency you choose - weekly, monthly etc. See details of Church Bank Account below.
• By stewardship envelopes - set aside the money in them & bring to Church at the next service at MRUC
• A/C Name: Marsden Road Uniting Church

BSB: 634 634              A/C: 100049856

Month of Wesley

Our mid-year study using “John Wesley for the 21^st Century will start next Wednesday 29^th July. The studies will be held through Zoom. They will start 7.00pm and will run until August 26^th inclusive.

·         An Email has been sent inviting attendance and once you reply you will be sent the Zoom address for the study. 

·         Those without books will be sent copies of each Chapter.

Changes in Services and Newssheet

As face to face worship at Marsden Road looks likely to be some time in the future and maybe not before the New Year a few changes need to take place in the way we have been doing things. As there is not much news about events the Newssheet will come out once a month from August onwards. Any notices for the coming month, please send to Rev John at whitestarhaven@gmail.com.

The Rev John who is part-time has been leading and preparing all Sunday Worship since the beginning of the Pandemic along with attending many required Zoom meetings and other preparation work. Sadly, this has meant that his time for phone calls to congregation members has been limited over the last month or so. Rev John will change back to not leading or preparing the third and fifth Sundays worship when they occur each month.

The alternative for those Sundays will be to take the opportunity offered at any of the neighbouring Congregations. A separate letter has been sent out to all those with Email Addresses listing what is available. Please pass this on to all congregation members and Email Rev John if you did not receive that list.

Prayer Cycle.

The Prayer Cycle for August has been sent by Email to those we have Email addresses for. Please print and deliver for those without Internet/Email.

Church Council Meeting

The next meeting of the Marsden Road Uniting Council will be 7.30pm on the 11^th of August 2020 via Zoom. Please send any reports to Ruth: Ruth Henderson (avalonbinda@bigpond.com)

Pastoral and Other Meetings

While there is no Vaccine or Treatment for the Covid-19, the Rev John is unable to be available for face to face pastoral needs and/or conversations. However, if you need or wish to have a pastoral chat with Rev John and prefer not to do this via the phone and do have Internet connection then you can contact him and arrange a Zoom meeting time. Rev John will send you a Zoom URL addre4ss and we can connect at an appointed time. Groups who wish to meet can also contact Rev John and plan for their meeting to be through Zoom.

CONTACTS

Minister of the Word

Rev John Candy 0411 267 639 or 98681658 or whitestarhaven@gmail.com

Church Council Chairperson:         Ruth Henderson 9875 2194

Church Council Secretary:             Susan Halgren 9858 1409

Elders’ Chairperson:                        Alan Craymer 9874 0531

Elders’ Secretary:                            Elaine Forrest 9874 7231

Congregation Meeting Chair:         Warwick Roden 9874 7584

Property bookings/enquiries:         Warwick Roden 9874 7584

Website: www.marsdenroadunitingchurch.org.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MRUCC082016/

Rev Johns’ Weekly Blog: http://whitestarhaven.blogspot.com/

Weekly Blog on the Sunday Service:

                        margaretssundayreflections.blogspot.com

Please send messages & items to share to Rev John by Tuesday night. Phone: 9868 1658 or email: whitestarhaven@gmail.com

EASTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AID

Did you notice the dip in the temperature during the week? Your help is very welcome in building stocks of canned, warming foods which will help those less fortunate than ourselves. Also remember that many lonely people depend on their four-footed or bird friends for company and those need feeding too.

Those who would prefer to make a financial donation to Community Aid (amounts of $2.00 or more are tax deductible) can be made using their website https://ccas.org.au/ or the form sent out last week.

Marsden Road Uniting Newsheet 26 July 2020

Marsden Road Uniting Church

203 Marsden Road Carlingford

Sunday 26^th July 2020

Our mission: to reflect Christ alive in the Community

Greetings to you out there in your homes. As we worship in our homes in the homelands of the Wallumedegal people. We acknowledge their Elders, past and present.

We hope that you will experience the presence of God in and through the Service, privately or as a Family joining with the people of God who continue to gather in Spirit although not physically.

LECTIONARY BIBLE READINGS

Genesis 29:15-28, Psalm 105:1-11, 45b, Romans 8:26-39, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

PRAYER

O God, the fount of wisdom, you have revealed to us in Christ the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price: grant us your Spirit's gift of discernment, that, in the midst of the things of this world, we may learn to value the priceless worth of your kingdom, and be ready to renounce all else for the sake of the precious gift you offer. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

CHURCH SERVICES

Worship which is found On-line and Delivered by Hand to people. How you can access these services, Newssheet and Rev John’ weekly Blog:

1. Through Zoom on the Internet on Sunday at 9.30am
2. On Marsden Road Uniting Website:

http://www.marsdenroadunitingchurch.org.au/

3. On Marsden Road Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/MRUCC082016/ 

4. Receiving as a PDF Attachment by Email.
5. Receiving as printed Documents in Mailbox.

Offerings

• Please consider offering via EFT – Direct Credit can be done anonymously and scheduled to occur automatically at whatever frequency you choose - weekly, monthly etc. See details of Church Bank Account below.
• By stewardship envelopes - set aside the money in them & bring to Church at the next service at MRUC
• A/C Name: Marsden Road Uniting Church

BSB: 634 634              A/C: 100049856

Month of Wesley

·         Our mid-year study using “John Wesley for the 21^st Century will start next Wednesday 29^th July. The studies will be held through Zoom. They will start 7.00pm and run until August 26^th inclusive.

·         An Email has been sent inviting attendance and those who reply will be sent the Zoom address for the study.

·         Those who don’t have the books will be sent copies of each Chapter.

·         Worship – the preaching and services will reflect the theme of each week’s study with worship starting on 2^nd August 2020.

·         As part of our month we will be sharing our favourite Wesley Hymns. Please Email Rev John your favourites or pass them on to your Elder for them to pass them onto Rev John.

Return to Face to Face Worship

To fulfil Government requirements, we need to fulfil the relevant checklists for activities on Church premises and be able to fulfil and develop a COVID-19 Safety Plan. The Government Health Regulations and our Synod agrees, that before we can use the premises, either ourselves or any Hirer, then the group or we must have a risk management Safety plan in place.

For all users of any party of the Premises, Church Council must agree to their Safety Plan and ensure that it meets all Health Regulation requirements. It is essential that Safety Plans are in place before any face to face meetings or any worship or use of the premises can take place.

For Marsden Road these means that a Safety Plan must be in place and meet Synod and Government requirements before anyone can enter the premises at all.  It will be some time before we can worship face to face again. Your Church Council continues to monitor the situation and work on its Safety Plan ready to commence face to face worship when it is deemed safe. 

We have been reminded that failure to comply with regulations brings heavy penalties. We can see the consequences of failure to be vigilant and safe by what has been occurring in Victoria and parts of Sydney.

Changes in Services and Newssheet

As face to face worship at Marsden Road looks likely to be some time in the future and maybe not before the New Year a few changes need to take place in the way we have been doing things. As there is not much news about events the Newssheet will come out once a month from August onwards.

The Rev John who is part-time has been leading and preparing all Sunday Worship since the beginning of the Pandemic along with attending many required Zoom meetings and other preparation work. Sadly, this has meant that his time for phone calls to congregation members has been limited over the last month or so. Rev John will change back to not leading or preparing the third and fifth Sundays worship when they occur each month.

The alternative for those Sundays will be to take the opportunity offered at any of the neighbouring Congregations. A separate letter will come out to all those with Email Addresses listing what is available. Please pass this on to all congregation members.

CONTACTS

Minister of the Word

Rev John Candy 0411 267 639 or 98681658 or whitestarhaven@gmail.com

Church Council Chairperson:         Ruth Henderson 9875 2194

Church Council Secretary:             Susan Halgren 9858 1409

Elders’ Chairperson:                        Alan Craymer 9874 0531

Elders’ Secretary:                            Elaine Forrest 9874 7231

Congregation Meeting Chair:         Warwick Roden 9874 7584

Property bookings/enquiries:         Warwick Roden 9874 7584

Website: www.marsdenroadunitingchurch.org.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MRUCC082016/

Rev Johns’ Weekly Blog: http://whitestarhaven.blogspot.com/

Weekly Blog on the Sunday Service:

                        margaretssundayreflections.blogspot.com

Please send messages & items to share to Rev John by Tuesday night. Phone: 9868 1658 or email: whitestarhaven@gmail.com

EASTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AID

Did you notice the dip in the temperature during the week? Your help is very welcome in building stocks of canned, warming foods which will help those less fortunate than ourselves. Also remember that many lonely people depend on their four-footed or bird friends for company and those need feeding too.

Those who would prefer to make a financial donation to Community Aid (amounts of $2.00 or more are tax deductible) can be made using their website https://ccas.org.au/ or the form sent out last week.

Marsden Road Uniting Newssheet 19 July 2020

Marsden Road Uniting Church

203 Marsden Road Carlingford

Sunday 19^th July 2020

Our mission: to reflect Christ alive in the Community

Greetings to you out there in your homes. As we worship in our homes in the homelands of the Wallumedegal people. We acknowledge their Elders, past and present.

We hope that you will experience the presence of God in and through the Service, privately or as a Family joining with the people of God who continue to gather in Spirit although not physically.

LECTIONARY BIBLE READINGS

Genesis 28:10-19a Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24, Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

PRAYER

Saving God, in Jesus Christ you opened for us a new and

living way into your presence: give us pure hearts and constant wills to worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

CHURCH SERVICES

Worship which is found On-line and Delivered by Hand to people. How you can access these services, Newssheet and Rev John’ weekly Blog:

1. Through Zoom on the Internet on Sunday at 9.30am
2. On Marsden Road Uniting Website:

http://www.marsdenroadunitingchurch.org.au/

3. On Marsden Road Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/MRUCC082016/ 

4. Receiving as a PDF Attachment by Email.
5. Receiving as printed Documents in Mailbox.

Offerings

• Please consider offering via EFT – Direct Credit can be done anonymously and scheduled to occur automatically at whatever frequency you choose - weekly, monthly etc. See details of Church Bank Account below.
• By stewardship envelopes - set aside the money in them & bring to Church at the next service at MRUC
• A/C Name: Marsden Road Uniting Church

BSB: 634 634              A/C: 100049856

Month of Wesley

·         For our mid-year study this year we will be “John Wesley for the 21^st Century. The studies will be held through Zoom. They will start 7.00pm July 29^th and run until August 26^th inclusive.

·         An Email has been sent inviting attendance and those who reply by the 24^th of July will be sent the Zoom address for the study.

·         Those who don’t have the books will be sent copies of each Chapter.

·         Worship – the preaching and services will reflect the theme of each week’s study starting on 2^nd August 2020.

As part of our month we will be sharing our favourite Wesley Hymns. Please Email Rev John your favourites or pass them on to your Elder for them to pass them onto Rev John. 

Reflection Pentecost 7

In the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven, Jesus may be telling his hearers that their idea of infection or danger is different from his. At one level, he engages the more-than-human and talks about respect for the complexity of eco-systems. At another, he is talking about societal inclusion: the people that many consider unclean or sinful or evil possessed are not to be displaced from God’s field or God’s table. On the contrary, they may be the very ones who season the life of the whole. Life is messy after all and God is in the mess. It is worth noting that the leaven parable offers one of the few occasions in the gospel where God is imaged as female. While we know that God is neither male nor female, most of us have been conditioned to use only male images for God. The parable of the woman kneading dough validates the potential of female experience to reflect the life and activity of God in our world.

CONTACTS

Minister of the Word

Rev John Candy 0411 267 639 or 98681658 or whitestarhaven@gmail.com

Church Council Chairperson:         Ruth Henderson 9875 2194

Church Council Secretary:             Susan Halgren 9858 1409

Elders’ Chairperson:                        Alan Craymer 9874 0531

Elders’ Secretary:                            Elaine Forrest 9874 7231

Congregation Meeting Chair:         Warwick Roden 9874 7584

Property bookings/enquiries:         Warwick Roden 9874 7584

Website: www.marsdenroadunitingchurch.org.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MRUCC082016/

Rev Johns’ Weekly Blog: http://whitestarhaven.blogspot.com/

Weekly Blog on the Sunday Service:

                        margaretssundayreflections.blogspot.com

Please send messages & items to share to Rev John by Tuesday night. Phone: 9868 1658 or email: whitestarhaven@gmail.com

EASTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AID

Did you notice the dip in the temperature during the week? Your help is very welcome in building stocks of canned, warming foods which will help those less fortunate than ourselves. Also remember that many lonely people depend on their four-footed or bird friends for company and those need feeding too.

Those who would prefer to make a financial donation to Community Aid (amounts of $2.00 or more are tax deductible) can be made using their website https://ccas.org.au/ or the form sent out last week.

Return to Face to Face Worship

To fulfil Government requirements, we need to fulfil the relevant checklists for our activities in the Church and be able to fulfil and develop a COVID-19 Safety Plan. The Government Health Regulations and our Synod agrees, that before we can use the premises, either ourselves or any Hirer then the group or we must have a risk management Safety plan in place.

For any Hirer, the Church Council must agree to their Safety Plan and ensure that it meets all Health Regulation requirements. This the same procedure is used for any business or group that is gathering or opening and it is essential that it is in place before any face to face can take place.

For Marsden Road these means that a Safety Plan must be in place and meet the Synod and Government standards before anyone can enter the premises again.  It will be some time before we can worship face to face again. Your Church Council continues to monitor the situation and work out its future safety plan ready to commence face to face worship when it is deemed safe.  We have been reminded that failure to comply with regulations brings heavy penalties and we can see what happens when our vigilance disappears by what has happened in Victoria.

Marsden Road Uniting Church

203 Marsden Road Carlingford

Sunday 12^th July 2020

Our mission: to reflect Christ alive in the Community

Greetings to you out there in your homes. As we worship in our homes in the homelands of the Wallumedegal people. We acknowledge their Elders, past and present.

We hope that you will experience the presence of God in and through the Service, privately or as a Family joining with the people of God who continue to gather in Spirit although not physically.

LECTIONARY BIBLE READINGS

Genesis 25:19-34, Psalm 119:105-112, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

PRAYER

Saving God, in Jesus Christ you opened for us a new and living way into your presence: give us pure hearts and constant wills to worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

CHURCH SERVICES

Worship which is found On-line and Delivered by Hand to people. How you can access these services, Newssheet and Rev John’ weekly Blog:

1. Through Zoom on the Internet on Sunday at 9.30am
2. On Marsden Road Uniting Website:

http://www.marsdenroadunitingchurch.org.au/

3. On Marsden Road Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/MRUCC082016/ 

4. Receiving as a PDF Attachment by Email.
5. Receiving as printed Documents in Mailbox.

Offerings

• Please consider offering via EFT – Direct Credit can be done anonymously and scheduled to occur automatically at whatever frequency you choose - weekly, monthly etc. See details of Church Bank Account below.
• By stewardship envelopes - set aside the money in them & bring to Church at the next service at MRUC
• A/C Name: Marsden Road Uniting Church

BSB: 634 634              A/C: 100049856

Month of Wesley

From the end of July until the end of August we will be focusing on the teachings and contribution of the Wesley Family to our faith.

·         For our mid-year study this year we will complete a study of the last five chapters of the book by John O Gooch of the United Methodist Church USA. The Book is titled; “John Wesley for the 21^st Century. The studies will be held through Zoom. Day and time yet to be finalised – more details to come.

·         Worship – the preaching and services will reflect the theme of each week’s study starting on 2^nd August 2020.

·         As part of our month we will be sharing our favourite Wesley Hymns. Please Email Rev John your favourites or pass them on to your Elder for them to pass them onto Rev John.

Reflection Pentecost 6

Jesus loves to tell stories about the things he sees around him. Birds, flowers, fields. He tells stories about all of them. Jesus tells his friends about how the farmers sow wheat—they till up their fields and just kind of throw the seeds out there—and then they wait. Not all the seeds end up turning into wheat—some of them don’t grow, some grow too fast a die, some get eaten by critters. But the ones that do grow are enough to make so much flour and bake so much bread and feed so many people. You and me and everyone we know; we are like those seeds. Jesus is the farmer and he has put us in his field to grow. When we listen to Jesus and the people who love us, when we are kind, when we feed our bodies good things, we are like healthy wheat. Jesus can harvest the healthy wheat we grow in our hearts and help us keep each other strong and healthy and happy.

CONTACTS

Minister of the Word

Rev John Candy 0411 267 639 or 98681658 or whitestarhaven@gmail.com

Church Council Chairperson:         Ruth Henderson 9875 2194

Church Council Secretary:             Susan Halgren 9858 1409

Elders’ Chairperson:                        Alan Craymer 9874 0531

Elders’ Secretary:                            Elaine Forrest 9874 7231

Congregation Meeting Chair:         Warwick Roden 9874 7584

Property bookings/enquiries:         Warwick Roden 9874 7584

Website: www.marsdenroadunitingchurch.org.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MRUCC082016/

Rev Johns’ Weekly Blog: http://whitestarhaven.blogspot.com/

Weekly Blog on the Sunday Service:

                        margaretssundayreflections.blogspot.com

Please send messages & items to share to Rev John by Tuesday night. Phone: 9868 1658 or email: whitestarhaven@gmail.com

EASTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AID

Did you notice the dip in the temperature during the week? Your help is very welcome in building stocks of canned, warming foods which will help those less fortunate than ourselves. Also remember that many lonely people depend on their four-footed or bird friends for company and those need feeding too.

Those who would prefer to make a financial donation to Community Aid (amounts of $2.00 or more are tax deductible) can be made using their website https://ccas.org.au/ or the form sent out last week.

From Chrisanthi and the Social and Education Team

Last week we donated $200 to Parramatta Mission, being funds collected in our coin jar, plus dollar for dollar matched by the Education and Social Committee.

Since the start of the small change project we have donated $1,100 to Parramatta Mission which includes $100 for sponsoring 4 plates at the meals-plus Christmas lunch 2019.

Return to Face to Face Worship

To fulfil Government requirements, we need to fulfil the relevant checklists for our activities in the Church and be able to fulfil and develop a COVID-19 Safety Plan. The Government Health Regulations and our Synod agrees, that before we can use the premises, either ourselves or any

Hirer then the group or we must have a risk management plan in place.

For any Hirer, the Church Council must agree to their Safety Plan and ensure that it meets all Health Regulation requirements. This the same procedure is used for any business or group that is gathering or opening and it is essential that it is in place before any face to face can take place.

For Marsden Road these means that a Safety Plan must be in place and meet the Synod and Government standards before anyone can enter the premises again.  It will be some time before we can worship face to face again. Your Church Council continues to monitor the situation and work out its future safety plan. We have been reminded that failure to comply with regulations brings heavy penalties.