These really are crazy times. A spreading viral pandemic. Countries banning travel in and out. Fights in the supermarket aisle over toilet paper! Who could have seen this coming? Not many, I suspect.

Here at St John’s we are not about to prepare for the end of the world, but we are about to run a course that asks (and answers) some of the bigger questions of life that are so relevant in these crazy times and will always be eternally important. Questions like, ‘Who is Jesus’ and ‘What does it mean to believe in Him’? These are questions that will be raised during this course called ‘Christianity Explored.’

Christianity Explored is an informal and relaxed seven-week course based on the Gospel of Mark that gives you time and space to consider the big questions of life and to explore the life of the person at the heart of the Christian faith – Jesus Christ. It’s an ideal course to attend if you want to;
• Find out what it what it means to be a Christian
• Get involved in a Bible study group on the Gospel of Mark
• Hear what the Bible says about the meaning of life
• Go over some Bible basics so that you can share your faith better
• Ask some questions about Christianity in an informal and non-threatening setting
And by the way, the following also apply. You don’t need to know anything about the Bible or be asked to read aloud, pray or sing and you can ask any question you want, or just listen.

When is it on? There are two options to choose from.
Wednesday evenings @ 7:30pm on April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, May 6, 13
Thursday mornings @ 10:30am on April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14
(It’s the same course run twice. You can attend either or alternate between them as it suits!)

Where is it? The meeting room in the St John’s Presbyterian Church Hall, 35-41 Forest Street, Bendigo.

There’s no real need to RSVP, but if you would like to attend and want to let us know visit our contact us page 🙂

We are excited to announce a public meeting featuring Creation Ministries International speaker, Mark Emerson.

(Click on Mark’s name to read his bio.)

Date: Friday March 13th

Venue: St John’s Presbyterian Church, Forest Street, Bendigo

Time: 7:30pm

CMI materials available to purchase after the meeting. Watch for updates and latest news on this..

These are desperate times and the best approach is always to go to God.

Our PCV Moderator, Elder Colin Morrow, has shared the following with the people our denomination throughout our ravaged State;

It’s time now for the whole of the Presbyterian Church to turn to our Lord and King in prayer. Plead with Him to end this fire storm that grips our nation. Like the disciples in the boat in Matthew 8, we now plead with our Lord to save us, save this nation, from this storm that doesn’t threaten to sink the boat with water but rather burns and causes continued destruction and loss of life as fires rage. Our prayer, unlike the pleading of the disciples in the boat, is not lacking in faith as we know that He has all authority in heaven and on earth.

He has also invited us all to join him in this prayer;

Lord God, we turn to You in our hour of need. Please end these fires. Bring to an end this time of emergency. Protect those fighting fires. Protect and provide for those who have either lost loved ones or have lost all their mortal possessions or are threatened with the loss of them. Lord, may it be that out of this time Your church will rise up to help those in need and may Your Spirit go before us as we would share of the eternal hope found in You. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

We’ll be praying too on Sunday morning January 5 at 10:30am, humbling ourselves before Almighty God and pleading for His protection upon locals, tourists, fire fighters, emergency service workers, communities and everyday people affected by the bushfires. Come and join us as we do that together.

Well, 2020 has arrived…with more of a ‘blaze’ than a ‘bang’. There’s no question that these last few days have been more than difficult for many people in too many parts of Victoria and NSW.

If it is true as C.S. Lewis once wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world”, then the events of these last few days must surely tell us something.

The following article found on the ‘Australian Presbyterian’ website, written by our Moderator General, Rev Dr Peter Barnes, is well worth a look, even if it is a ‘little’ (just 6 weeks) out of date.

May it lead you to the only One in whom we can put our hope…

Droughts, Fires and Other Disasters

It might surprise you to read that Christmas is not about the nonsensical items of snowmen, reindeer or the North Pole. Have you noticed that it’s summer here? Besides, Christmas isn’t about the weather, either – cold or hot. It’s about Jesus, sent by God to be the Saviour of His people.

The Bible says in Hebrews 1:1-2 that, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”. When God spoke through the prophets, he often gave them a glimpse of something that would happen in the future. So, the prophet Isaiah foretold that ‘the virgin shall conceive and bear a son”. Seeing that God knew exactly what he was doing, Matthew 1:21 tells how this was fulfilled in the birth of the One they would call Jesus. Of Him it was said ‘for He will save His people from their sins’.

If the Old Testament prophets looked forward toward the day of His birth and if the New Testament writers recorded the fact of His birth, then it must be that Jesus is the centre of everything that God has said and done – and that must mean that Christmas is all about what God sent us in His Son, Jesus.

No wonder the angels sang at His birth. No wonder they spoke of ‘good tidings of great joy’ for ‘all people’. It’s little wonder then too that Jesus is still the reason for the Christmas season. And why is that? Because He is still doing what God sent him to do – saving God’s people.

Do you know the One who makes Christmas make sense? He saves. Seek Him now.

Due to a forecast temperature of 44°C on Friday, we have decided to cancel the BBQ and Carols event out of concern for our guests. Stay safe.

Christmas Day service is still planned for 9.30am.

Come and join with us on Sunday November 24th at 10:30am when we’ll be wrapping up our Playgroup, SMILE Playgroup and Sunday School year once again with our annual Celebration Service! Lots on for the children and a yummy shared lunch to follow in the hall…!

Every year, the Church and Nation Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria puts together a world-class collection of speakers who address topics at the very heart of current public debate – all with the purpose of equipping God’s people to address our ever changing culture with the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This year’s Colloquium is no exception. You can read about the full line up of speakers and their topics here.

The dates are November 15th and 16th. The venue is the Assembly Hall, 156 Collins Street (next to Scots’ Church, Melbourne) and is easy accessed via public transport in the CBD. Lunch is provided in the purchase of full or part registrations on both days.

Register now to reserve a place!

The start of the September school holidays are not so far away now, and with their arrival comes… PYV’s  North Camp!  

You can click on all the details of the Camp, including the venue and costs and registration here.

In the meantime we are happy to play ‘host’ to the North Camp Leaders’ Training Day, tomorrow! May God richly bless the day of learning and preparation!