Author: Simon Holt

Welcome.

Our videos for worship today are provided below.

As we continue to reflect upon and live into the resurrection life of God, may you find here encouragement in faith and and a sense of community with others.

Peace be with you.

Prayers

Reflection

Welcome.

After the 40 days of Lent and the challenging journey of Holy Week, today we celebrate one of the pinnacle days in the Christian story, Resurrection Sunday. This day marks the beginning of the Easter season.

There are two videos provided. The first includes some words of gathering, music and prayers, and the second a reading from Matthew’s gospel along with words of reflection, poetry and song.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Music and prayers

Reflections

Our Good Friday ‘service of shadows’ provides a means through which we can sit with the story of Jesus’ death and burial, allowing it to speak into our own lives.

We meet by candlelight. Inspired by the Tenebrae tradition, we gradually extinguish the candles as the story of Jesus progresses.

Join us tonight at 7.00pm.

We meet tonight for our Maundy Thursday service. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus met with his disciples to share a final meal. With the elements of bread and wine, we participate in that meal, remembering together the sacrifice made for us in Jesus’ death.

Join us at 7pm by watching the video below. Remember to have with you some bread, something to drink — wine, grape juice or water — and a candle ready to light.

Welcome.

For our Palm Sunday gathering, we’ve provided two videos. The first includes a reading from the Hebrew Bible and prayers prepared and presented by Sherry and Geoff Maddock. The second includes the Gospel reading and a reflection from our pastor Carolyn Francis.

It is our usual practice at Collins Street to share in communion each first Sunday of the month. Given our circumstances, we have made the decision to provide a special service of communion on Maundy Thursday. If you would like to participate, you can return to this page on Thursday evening and share in a simple online service in which we share the elements of bread and wine together. In the next few days, we will provide some simple instructions via email to help you prepare.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Prayers

Reflection

Welcome.

For a second time, we meet as a community of faith in this strange, perhaps awkward way. Regardless, we do so together and with confidence that God meets with us.

There are two videos provided. The first includes some words of gathering, music and prayers, and the second a reading from Luke’s gospel, a reflection, and some prayerful words of poetry.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Prayers and music

Reflection

Welcome.

This is the first Sunday of a season in which we’ll meet in different ways to those we’re accustomed to. Though scattered across the suburbs of Melbourne, we remain a community of faith and worship. As you click on the links below, we invite you to do so expressing your continuing commitment to God, to each other, and to the world of which we’re a part.

May the peace of the Lord be with you.

Prayers and Music

Reflection

As an expression of care for our neighbourhood and all those who are part of it, we have made the decision to suspend our gatherings and close our facilities, including the Verandah Cafe, until further notice.

We do this with heavy hearts and yet a strong sense of commitment to the community and to all those who visit us.

As soon as it is safe to do so, we will resume our gatherings and reopen our facilities and look forward to welcoming you back.

Please know that despite our closed doors, we continue to function as a community of faith committed to loving and serving our neighbours in all the ways we can. As part of this, we are providing weekly resources for worship and reflection here at this website. You are welcome to check back as often as you can.

For more information, you can read a letter addressed to our members and friends here.

Peace to you.

One of our deacons Nigel Smith is currently in New York. He linked us to these words from the American poet Lynn Ungar. Something to reflect on in these uncertain times.

Pandemic

What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?
Cease from travel.
Cease from buying and selling.
Give up, just for now,
on trying to make the world
different than it is.
Sing. Pray. Touch only those
to whom you commit your life.
Centre down.

And when your body has become still,
reach out with your heart.
Know that we are connected
in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.
(You could hardly deny it now.)
Know that our lives
are in one another’s hands.
(Surely, that has come clear.)
Do not reach out your hands.
Reach out your heart.
Reach out your words.
Reach out all the tendrils
of compassion that move, invisibly,
where we cannot touch.

Promise this world your love-
for better or for worse,
in sickness and in health,
so long as we all shall live.

~ Lynn Ungar ~ 11 March, 2020

Photograph courtesy of Geoff Maddock