Yes our long-awaited renovations (99.9% completed) were officially opened today, Sunday October 28, 2012, with much rejoicing and thanksgiving, debt free!

After expressing our thanks to the Ministry Development Committee of the PCV, the Presbytery of North Western Victoria, Kevin Slater building design, Robert Phillips Builders, members of our own Board of Management, various individuals and the whole church family, the ribbon was finally cut by two nonagenarians (it’s what you call people in their 90’s) in wheelchairs, Cec Shilling and Joyce Adams. Lunch followed and what a meal!  Thanks be to God for His blessings!

Aimee and Russ Grinter

Are these just fancy big words? Well they are, but they’re also filled with lots of meaning and importance!

After the process of nomination and election, Russ Grinter became an elder of Bendigo (St John’s) Presbyterian Church, thus strengthening our servant leadership team (the ‘Session’) during the service on October 28th.

Russ has also been set apart and commissioned for the work of church planting in SE Bendigo in 2013 (see post below).

Please join us in praying that God will equip and enable Russ for this task with much grace.

The Bendigo (St John’s) 2012 Naval service was well attended with the message given by Commander Michael Oborn RAN, Executive Officer HMAS Cerberus, from Ecclesiastes chapter 1 (see summary and link to this message in ‘sermons’).

Michael is pictured below (centre) with Rev. Philip Burns (L) and Petty Officer Mark St Clair (R) at morning tea (in our newly renovated hall!)

An invitation is extended to all to join with the Bendigo Christian Union as they celebrate what God has done on campus this year and pray for the year ahead. There will be a recap of the highlights of 2012, a sending out of the 2012 graduates, thanks to the outgoing committee and welcoming of the new committee.

Guest speaker is Max McKay, a co-founder of La Trobe University, Bendigo.

The dinner will commence at 6pm on Friday, 26th October at Bendigo Pottery (146 Midland Hwy, Epsom: map). Cost is $35. All welcome. RSVP by Friday 19th October.

To register see the details on the Bendigo Christian Union’s site (see link below)

The renovations of the Church Hall have been going along at a pace and the time has almost come – the finish line is beckoning!

Everything looks amazing and we can’t wait to make use of these new facilities. A tentative date for an ‘opening celebration’ has been set for Sunday October 28th at 10:30am. Keep watching this page for more details.

We’re pleased to announce that plans have all come together under the good hand of God to plant a new Presbyterian Church in South East Bendigo in 2013.

More details will be revealed in time and when they are appropriate, but for now rejoice with us and pray for us as we take on this ‘open door of opportunity’ for the gospel’s sake.

It’s Spring!

Time for AFL finals, blossom trees, sunny days and picnics!

All are welcome to come and join in our Church Family Picnic, Sunday September 23rd, after worship and morning tea at the White Hills Botanical Gardens (Midland Hwy, White Hills). If wet, no picnic! BYO everything!

The renovations of our church hall continue to progress smoothly. The new kitchen and (indoor) toilets, new entrance and ramp should all be ready for use by the end of September. However not all will be done then! At a congregational meeting held today it was agreed that we should proceed with the ‘Stage 2’ of the renovations – the installation of a lower (false) ceiling in the hall. This is going to add some time to the project’s length, but will be a wonderful addition in the long run. We’ll keep you posted on when all is done!

“The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is pray. It is not the only thing; but it is the chief thing. The great people of earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who talk about prayer, nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer;  but I mean those people who take time to pray.” (S.D. Gordon)

Join us at our next “Quarterly Prayer Gathering” 2pm-4:30/5:00pm, Saturday August 25th in the Church Vestry

One of the earliest statements written about the first Christian believers in the book of Acts was that; “they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people”. (Acts 2:46-47) On our 6th ‘Hospitality Sunday’, in some small way, we hope to do just as those first believers did.

How will it work? Continue reading →