Posts from April 2022

Posts from April 2022

Maundy Thursday Service – Feet Washing

As the idea of such passion week celebrations spread to other areas, various local rites and customs were incorporated into the Maundy Thursday celebration. Doubtless the best-known of these customs is foot washing, an old monastic exercise inspired by Christ’s example in the upper room and associated with the “new commandment” of love recorded in John 14 (hence the familiar name Maundy Thursday, “maundy” being an English corruption, via French, of the Latin  mandatum: “commandment”).

“Do Not Be Afraid” – Minister’s Message

“But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5,6) By the time you read these words from me, Easter is round the corner (Sunday, 17 April 2022). I asked myself, “What can I say to you before we celebrate Easter?” It’s been said that this world is a…

Ukraine Crises Reflection

The world is horrified and sickened at the atrocities unfolding in the Ukraine. Every day the tragedy of stories and media visuals confront us, as millions of Ukrainians, mostly women and children leave their homeland and trudge through bitter ice and snow to seek refuge in foreign countries. Pushing prams, clinging to bags of meagre possessions they walk and often perish for want of food, water and warm clothing or simply of exhaustion. In besieged Ukrainian cities death is everywhere.…

The beginnings of a Mural…

Over the past week there have been a series of Mural workshops lead by the amazing Katherine Gailer – the community artist who has been engaged to complete the mural in the processional driveway. Four workshops were held – looking at Asylum Seekers, Social Justice & Equity, Sustainability & the environment, and intergenerational. Katherine will take all the bits and pieces from all the workshops and create 4 murals to depict each theme. For the intergenerational workshop the task was…

Recapping Playgroups for term 1

We’ve had a fabulous 10 week 1st term but it’s now the end of term 1 and there will be 2 weeks holiday from Playgroup. From 2 playgroups at the start of the year we now have 3 Playgroups and 2 Babies Playgroups.   We have had fun on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this term exploring all the colours of the rainbow with a special fun session the last week of term with the parachute and bubbles and lots of fun rainbow…

Catch Your Breath – A neurodiverse ‘Friendship Group’

Manningham Uniting Church is preparing to launch a new ministry in the form of a Friendship Group for neurodiverse young people aged 12-16, called Catching Your Breath.  The phrase catch your breath commonly refers to the act of slowing down to enable you to breath normally after a period of intense physical exertion.  Likewise, we live in a fast-paced world, bombarded by stimulation and mental challenges that can leave us emotionally breathless, especially for those who live with anxiety and…

Historic Church’s 125th Anniversary

Last Sunday we gathered around and celebrated the 125th Anniversary of the historic church. There were lots of shared stories of it’s history – some well known and some not so known. Finished off with a tour and a BBQ luncheon.

A Unexpected Dinner Guest

The phone rang.  It was Helena Roces, our land lady from the 28th floor. We rented a one-bedroom unit from her in the same condominium in Wack Wack, a suburb in Mandaluyong in greater Manila.   Joan and I had been in the Philippines for 18 months. Helena had become a very special friend to us both.  It was 2001. “Come up for dinner on Sunday. I have some friends coming around. There will be 8 or 10 people there. Come…

World Day of Prayer Services held 4 March 2022

We would like to thank the many folk from MUC who once again attended either or both of the World Day of Prayer services this year; and also to acknowledge our Doncaster West committee which includes representatives from St Clement of Rome Catholic Church Bulleen, St Kevin’s Catholic Church Lower Templestowe, Pathway Baptist Church Bulleen, St Marks and St Timothy’s Combined Anglican Church Lower Templestowe, MUC  and our host church this year St Bishoy and St Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church…