ST Paul’s: This Sunday is the 20th after Pentecost and in the gospel we hear Jesus summarise the whole of religious observance in two commandments, “Love God and love one’s neighbour”. Our prayer is that we can achieve this in our lives.

On Sunday at 6pm there will be a Taizé-style service with music, prayers, readings and a time of silence. All welcome.

St Paul’s Christmas Shop opens next Monday at the rear of St Paul’s Hall. The charity shop stocks Christmas cards, decorations and small gifts. Proceeds go back to the various charities.

For more information about St Paul’s, visit www.stpaulsbendigo.org.au or find us on facebook.

Kangaroo Flat: The annual parish fair is on Saturday, November 1. It will include a jumping castle, CFA and SES displays, sausage sizzle, coffee, morning tea, craft, cakes/slices, produce, plants, books, lucky dip, chocolate spinning wheel, trash ‘n’ treasure stall and car boot stalls. 

A number of local choirs will perform inside the church for the fair including the Kangaroo Flat Primary School Choir, Sing Australia, Rusty Divas and the Euro Fest Choir. 

For information on St Mary’s Church and the Anglican Parish of Kangaroo Flat, visit http://stmaryskangarooflat.com or find us on facebook.

South-East: On Saturday, Jon and Jill Morshead from CMS will be our guest speakers at Strathfieldsaye Uniting Church. Starting at 5pm, a shared meal will follow. They will also be at Sunday’s 9am Strathfieldsaye service and Holy Trinity’s 11am service.

Caritas meets on the first Thursday of the month at 7.30pm at Holy trinity. Men’s Breakfast is at Strathfieldsaye Uniting Church from 7.30am on November 1.

Baptist

This Sunday Dave Lovell will speak on “The Song of the Broken” from Psalm 51 at Eaglehawk at 9.30am, Junortoun at 10.30am and at 6pm. Pastor Morris Morris will speak at the 10.30am service at the Htoo Moo Plaw church at Junortoun.

Shed Youth (years 11-12) meets on Fridays at Junortoun from 7.30pm to 9.45pm. See Kevin Sourgen for more details or phone 5449 3033.

Hymn-along is this Sunday at the Eaglehawk campus from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. Please bring some afternoon tea to share.

On Friday, October 31, Tim Costello and friends from World Vision will appear at the Junortoun campus in a special thank-you event for the people of Bendigo. 

Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Entry $5 at the door. 

Tim will be joined by singer/songwriter Levi McGrath and comedian Michael Connell. Volunteers are needed for the event. Please contact Jenny McWilliam.

The church’s annual general meeting is on Saturday, November 8, with a dinner at 6pm in the Novo Centre at Junortoun. 

Cost will be $20 per head for a two-course meal and drinks. Non-members are most welcome. Please sign up at the connect desk for catering purposes. Payment may be made on the night.

A Men’s Breakfast will be held at Sparky Malone’s shed on Saturday, November 15, at 7am. Contact Andrew Johnston for more details.

Life Essentials is looking for donations of clothing and furniture. Leave them at Life Essentials in Hargreaves Street, use the purple bins at the church or call Life Essentials to pick up large items.

The Bendigo Baptist Church Choir is rehearsing for Christmas cantata and welcomes all interested in joining. Rehearsals are on Thursdays from 7.30pm to 9pm at Junortoun campus. For details, see Alison Apostolou or Sandra Kroker. 

As part of the two-year Bible reading plan, the passages for this week are: Thu. 2 Kings 1,2; Fri. 2 Kings 3,4; Sat. 2 Kings 5,6; Sun. 2 Kings 7,8; Mon. 2 Kings 9,10; Tue. 2 Kings 11,12; Wed. 2 Kings 13,14. 

Catholic

ST Kilian’s: The Bereavement Committee of St Kilian’s Catholic Parish is holding its Annual Remembrance and Thanksgiving Mass on Monday, November 3, at 6pm in St Kilian’s Church.

Anyone who has lost a loved one and would like to remember and pray for them is welcome. For more information, ring the parish office on 5441 6244.

Nominations are open for membership of the St Kilian’s Parish Pastoral Council. If you wish to nominate someone or be nominated, please pick up a nomination form from the church or the parish office.  

Nominations close on November 11.

Sacred Heart Cathedral: We had a marvellous series of celebrations last weekend, particularly the unveiling and blessing of the new glorious statue of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. 

Please feel free to sit and say a prayer!

This week we farewell the VCE class from the Catholic College tomorrow at 7pm and on Sunday, the 11am Mass – referred to as the Racing Mass for those engaged in that industry – will see the blessing of the racecourse and the Bendigo and Marong cups.

Later on Sunday at 3pm is the conclusion of the Christus Rex Pilgrimage, which began in Ballarat the previous Sunday.

Our singles group meets on Tuesday for their monthly lunch and a reminder that Mass will be celebrated at Lilley Lodge tomorrow at 10.30am.

Connect Church

Hymns Alive resumes today in the hall at 1.30pm. All invited to join 70 to 80 others who enjoy praising God through hymns.  

Today we have the opportunity to support and encourage the Bendigo singing group Choice Voices, which includes people who live with physical, intellectual and mental disabilities, plus people who just love to sing. Delicious afternoon tea. Free bus transport may be arranged; phone 5447 8161. 

Transformations will conduct their SOAK night in the house tonight from 8pm. Come along and be refreshed by the Holy Spirit through music and testimony. 

Monthly mission’s offering this Sunday will go toward supporting organisations that minister to local schools in various ways. These include Gideons, Supa Clubs and Chaplaincy Australia. 

The annual general meeting will be held after the Sunday service on November 9. Annual reports are now available at the help desk.

Sunday service is at 10am at 35 Solomon Street, Bendigo. More information from the church office on 5441 3133..

Lutheran

It has been said that there are two certainties in life: death and taxes.

If you think about this, it says more about taxes than it does about death.

In general we hate taxes. We wish that they didn’t have to be paid.

Last Sunday Pastor Nathan spoke about tax, among other things, as he preached on Matthew 22:15-22. In this biblical account Jesus supports the notion of paying tax even though His opinion was likely to ruffle a few feathers.

When you think about it, the government provides so much to society and our general well-being – schools, roads, infrastructure, libraries, hospitals, ambulances, police, firefighters, parks, wildlife, welfare payments and the list goes on.

In Matthew 22:15-22 Jesus essentially made the point that those in government can rightly demand tax for the provision of such services. Elsewhere in the Bible we learn that God has appointed all governments for the good of society.

The fact that Jesus was a supporter of taxation may surprise some, but there are many surprising things in the Bible. 

Read Matthew 22:15-22 yourself and take note of something else Jesus says immediately after speaking about taxes.

This Sunday our church celebrates the Reformation of the 16th century and the work and legacy of Martin Luther. We are also hosting a free meal after worship called the Longest Lutheran Lunch.

Please join us for worship this Sunday at 10am and stay on for the free food. 

We meet at 94 Spring Gully Road. All welcome.

Oasis Christian Church

Prophet Howard Willard’s visit to Bendigo over October 18 and 19 drew a large audience and many were blessed as he brought revelation of the word of God.  

Last Sunday Howard preached that every believer needs to understand how to activate their faith in God’s word.   Jesus came so that believers would live victorious lives in His gift of Salvation and healing is incorporated in it.  

God’s people in the Old Testament did not live in the resurrection victory Jesus acquired for the New Testament believers. Luke 17:6 states: “Faith is as a grain of mustard seed.” You must plant it to do the job.  

Howard told the audience “If you do not read the Bible, how can you know what the Truth is and the miraculous power of it?” 

Home Fellowship will be at The Manse  on Mondays at 7.15pm. Thursday Bible Study will be at 1.30pm at High Street Christian Church Hall. 

Services are held on Sundays at 10am at the Long Gully Community Centre, 27 Havilah Road, Bendigo. 

Inquiries to 5443 1468 or 0402 087 083. 

Presbyterian

EAGLEHAWK: “Wilful sin – a warning”, Hebrews10 V26-27, was the message Pastor Steven brought to us last Sunday.

Looking at scripture and this sinful world, one wonders how many will be saved. Scripture tells us at the time of the great flood in Noah’s day, God only spared eight people, in Sodom and Gomorrah three people were saved and when the people entered the promised land only two of the original Israelites who came out of Egypt were saved.

This was because the people turned their back on God. It is the same warning to us today – obey God and have eternal life or reject God and face eternal spiritual death.

If we have heard the good news that Christ died for our sins and have drifted away with the world it is not too late to change our ways. Come back to the one who cares for us, and we will abide with Him forever.

Sunday’s 10am worship service is the last of the month, but there will be no lunch or afternoon service as Pastor Steven will be on holidays.

On Wednesday, October 29, the 9am weekly prayer meeting will be followed by Bible study at 10.30am.

All inquiries to Alan on 5446 8086.

St John’s: At St John’s last Sunday, the Reverend Peter Hastie, principal of the Presbyterian Theological College, preached at our annual Seafarer’s Service, from Acts 27 concerning the shipwreck the Apostle Paul endured on his journey to Rome. 

Peter asked the question, “How do you handle your worst fears?” and then proceeded to provide encouragement from the way Paul trusted in God’s promises and plans in the most dangerous of situations, encouraging us to also “cast our anchors deep” into the solid nature of those promises God gives us in His Word. 

The service was attended by members of Bendigo’s Ex-Navalmen’s Club, Lieutenant Commander Amy York, RAN, OAM, Cr Elise Chapman, Lisa Chesters MP and cadets from the TS Bendigo. 

Home Groups continue on Wednesdays at 1.30pm and Thursdays at 7.30pm. Playgroup meets on Fridays at 10am. 

There will be a working bee at the church and hall from 9am on Saturday. On Sunday the Reverend Philip Burns will finish the series on 1 Samuel at 10.30am followed by morning tea and a picnic in the Botanical Gardens in White Hills at 1pm. 

For more information, contact 5443 6189 or visit http://bendigopc.org.au.

Southern Gateway

On Sunday Pastor Peter spent time highlighting the promises for our children and our children’s children made by God for them. 

There is a condition. We need to be faithful to him and keep our eyes on Jesus. The promises are so exciting that no matter where our children have strayed into areas of confusion in their lives – even to the point of rejecting us – God will still hear our prayer. 

Parents and grandparents get excited that our mighty God is doing something in response to our prayers. Our children will return to Him and us for He is faithful. 

Next Sunday we will have Pastor Shaun Foster from Project Compassion preaching to us. Richard Tatti will be our guest worship leader also. 

On October 29 the next Lady Day will be at Beryl Holland’s home at 10 m to share scripture and morning tea. 

All are welcome to our Spirit-filled services to worship God at 10am on Sundays in the Y community hall opposite Aldi in Kangaroo Flat. 

Inquiries and prayer needs to Pastor Peter Pritchard on 0413 682 999. 

Uniting

ELM Cluster:

Eaglehawk: Everyone is welcome at our services this coming Sunday at 10am. Cornerstone (Sunday school) will meet together with the service in the church,  when the Reverend Adrian Peglar will lead and celebrate Holy Communion. 

Morning tea will follow the service as will the monthly pub lunch, which will be held at the One Tree Hotel. 

The evening service at 6.30pm will include a study. The Reverend David Uren will also celebrate Holy Communion. This Sunday, Cornerstone will be packing the boxes for the Samaritan’s Purse 

On Saturday from 8am to noon, the annual garage sale will be held in the church car park. Sites can be obtained at $8 per site and $10 if a table is required. Items for sale can be left at the church. 

On Monday from 10am the Women’s Get Together will be held at Cafe Crema Cafe. 

On Wednesday the Annual Church Picnic will be held in Canterbury Park from 11am to 2pm. Barbecue supplied but please bring drinks and a sweet to share. Church Council Executive will meet on Wednesday from 5.15pm. Nominations for Elders close this Sunday. Elections will be held on November 9.

Long Gully: The service on Sunday will be at 9.30am, led by the Reverend Dale Pascoe. At 2pm, the Cooma Male Voice Choir will present a concert in the church. All welcome.

Marong: On Sunday the service will be at 9.30am, led by Richard Symes. 

Weeroona Uniting Church Bendigo:

Our annual Church Camp will be held this coming weekend at the Laanecoorie River Reserve, on the banks of the Loddon River. 

A great weekend of fun, fellowship and good food. A barbecue tea will be provided on Saturday night and therew will be an outdoor worship on Sunday morning. 

Arnold Street and White Hills congregations will have their church service at the Arnold Street Church at 11am this Sunday, led by the Reverend Ralph Clarke and including Sunday school. A bring and share lunch will follow the service.

There will be two morning services at Neale Street this Sunday, at 9.15am and 11am. The 9.15am service is family orientated and will be led by the Reverend Ralph Clarke. It will include a Sunday school program for children aged from crèche to grade 6. 

The 11am service is more traditional and will led by the Reverend Jock McOrist. 

Central Bendigo Cluster:

Tomorrow,  Forest Street UC Choir resumes practice at 4.40pm. Also at 4.30pm but at St Andrew’s, messy church has the theme this month of “Love your Neighbour”. A time of fun and fellowship together for all generations. All welcome. 

Sunday’s worship at 9.30am will be led by the Reverend Julianne Parker at Forest Street and David Shield’s team at St Andrew’s.

This Monday week, Forest Street UC Evening Fellowship folk are reminded it’s their annual meeting and Dutch auction. 

(please bring your parcels wrapped).

Remember that Bendigo Card Shop in St Paul’s Hall has cards from Uniting Church agencies Frontier Services and SHARE. St Andrew’s has arranged this and will staff the shop each Tuesday afternoon.

Bendigo South Cluster: 

This week’s Sunday services are:

Chum Street: At 11am with the Reverend Ian Stewart leading the service. 

Kangaroo Flat: At 9.30am, led by the Reverend Ian Stewart.

Lockwood: At 9.30am with the Reverend George Buckle leading the service.

Envelopes for the asylum seeker appeal are available at church, or donations can be made by phoning 1800 668 426 or online at www.shareappeal.com.au