News

A great start to the year

Sunday, January 31, 2011- Australia Day Service, Harvest Festival and Blessing of Children and Teachers

A good number attended the service and a large collection of food, both home-grown and non-perishable, for the emergency relief centre we support was collected. Unfortunately, due to the very hot day the BBQ was cancelled. We thank the Band members for their enthusiastic playing of the Australia Day songs.

Wednesday, February 16 - Ash Wednesday

The imposition of ashes took place at the 10.00 am service at Holy Trinity and at the 7.30 pm Ecumenical (Interchurch) service at St. Mary’s Catholic church in Holyrood St. As in previous years, a lovely touch was that people who had saved their palm crosses from the 2010 Palm Sunday service were invited to bring them along during December and January so they could be burnt and the ash used.

Lenten Study Group

This group met every Wednesday throughout Lent from March 16 to April 13 for an hour or so. The Booklet discussed was “Saved by God’s Grace” by Bishop John McIntyre and was the best attended Study Group since Fr. David joined the parish 8 years ago.

Sunday, June 19th - Trinity Sunday

To celebrate our Patronal Festival, the Parish had a choice of two delicious soups with bread, cakes and slices. The soups were made by Martin Turner and Andrew Esplan in their slow cookers.

Sunday, August 28 - Football Sunday

At the 10am service the Sunday School hosted “Football Sunday”. Most people came along in their footy scarves and colours and it was a lot of fun including a balloon race, a sports quiz with the left side of the congregation saying “amen” as their buzzer noise and the right side saying “ball”, a story all about Echidnas using team work to climb Mt. Everest and lots of football flavoured hymns to sing along too.

What could possibly top all that? Why a footy pie and sausage roll lunch in the hall afterwards of course!

Sunday, September 11 - Back to Church Sunday

This year the primary focus of Back to Church Sunday was on our stewardship of our faith as we were encouraged to invite at least one person to accompany us to church. We had around 20 guests come on the day which was mildly successful. Hopefully we will do better in our inviting and welcoming of others in 2012.

Saturday, October 16 - Progressive Dinner

The Parish Progressive dinner commenced with delicious finger food and champagne at the Appelbe home, followed by a delicious Spit Roast in the Hall and then back to Service St to the Esplan home for dessert, coffee and port. Thank you to the Appelbe and Esplan families who hosted the night, to those of you who came along on the night, and to those of you who helped set up and clean up the hall. Another great night!

Sunday, October 16 - Annual Blessing of the Pets

Don’t know how Fr. David could bear (get it?) to be away for this service but he was on long service leave. Our locum, Fr. Brian filled in admirably as Helen, Jill and the Sunday School children ran the service. The congregation was treated to a “Claymation” of Noah’s Ark using the amazing animals the Sunday School children had made out of plasticine at the end of Term 3. It was a short one and a quarter minute film and excellent.

As for the pets, the Saint-John family won “most unusual pet at church” by bringing their pet blue tongue lizard. But we also had 4 six week old bantam chickens, 2 rats, 2 budgies, 2 cats and, as usual, lots of dogs. Everyone, including their owners, was very well behaved and enjoyed the service.

Sunday, October 23 - The Inaugural Forest Frolic with Tree Hugger Trev!

Tree Hugger Trev led 5 of the Sunday School kids and 3 parents on a frolic through Cheltenham Park looking at the plants, birds and animals - and they only covered approximately 20% of the park! Trev’s knowledge was amazing and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it.