St Paul's: This Sunday is the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. 

In the gospel reading we are made aware of a new teaching, one with authority. 

The exorcism Jesus performs is a graphic demonstration of that authority. Jesus’ word becomes Jesus’ deed.  

The amazed congregation recognises the source of Jesus’ authority just as the unclean spirits did.

Services this week are 8am – said Eucharist; 9.30am – choral Eucharist; and 11am – Celebration Eucharist with children’s church.

For more information about St Paul’s. go to www.stpaulsbendigo.org.au or find us on Facebook.

Kangaroo Flat: Merry Music Group today restarts for 2015. A chance for children aged up to four years to sing, dance and have fun. They meet on Thursdays at 10am in St Mary’s hall. Gold coin donation (includes snack).

 The Walking Group restarts for 2015 on Tuesday, February 3. The group meets at the church at 8.30am every Tuesday and Friday. 

The annual general meeting of Parish Council will take place on Sunday, February 22. Nomination forms are available in the Narthex. 

Join us at St Mary’s this Sunday for worship at 9am or 11am. 

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

Catholic

Holy Rosary: Exposition has resumed for 2015. Our next day will be Tuesday, February 10, starting after the 9am mass and continuing until 5.30pm.

 Our next Catch Up on Friday, February 6, will begin with mass at 6pm followed by dinner at 7.15pm in the parish centre. The function is fully booked.

Connect Church

Hymns Alive will hold their first meeting for 2015 today in the hall at 1.30pm.  

More than 70 people will enjoy singing their favourite hymns and making new friends over afternoon tea.  

Guest speaker will be Pastor Brock Gravener from Eaglehawk Baptist Church.  New members are alwayd welcome and free bus transport may be arranged; phone 5447 8161.

Transformations group invites all interested people along to their Soak meeting in the house tonight at 8pm. This is an opportunity to get to know and encourage the residents and be spiritually refreshed to Christian music and testimonies.

Don’t forget to come along to the Church Focus Supper this Wednesday, February 4, in the hall at 7pm. Please bring a plate of food to share.

Sunday services are at 10am at 35 Solomon Street, Bendigo. For more information on weekly programs, phone the church office on 5441 3133.

Daybreak

Daybreak is a spiritual direction and retreat house here in Bendigo offering programs, and opportunities for private retreats. 

There will be yoga on February 3 from. 9.30am to 10.45am. Christiam meditation will be from 7pm on February 3. Quaker workship as from 7.30pm on February 4. 

Private retreats can be organised by calling 5441 1814.

Oasis Christian Church

Last Sunday Sue brought an encouraging but challenging message in relation to prophetic words foreseen by Johnny Enslow and Cindy Jacobs in four lots of seven years.  

The years 1994 to 2001 brought revival such as witnessed in Toronto, Brownsville and around the globe, poured out by the Holy Spirit.  

The years 2001 to 2008 were the war on terror that released fear, and 2008 to 2015 were years of negativity, anxiety, murmuring and complaining.  

The next seven years, 2015-2022, the world will breathe again as winds of worship, wealth, wisdom and wonder are prophesied.    

Wisdom must come before the getting of wealth; it is divinely applied knowledge and it trumps any PhD.  

God is looking for people with His heart for the nations as signs and wonders will increase, along with a new zeal for the lost and hurting when evangelism takes off.    

Believers need to arise and shine for God’s Glory to heal and build society while growing in God’s love and releasing more of it.  

The Lord shall pour out wealth, spiritual gifts, unexpected blessings, manifestations of miracles, signs and wonders.  

Believers must not get distracted by the blessings, but continue to seek God’s Face in this season, for there is much work to be done for God. 

All are warmly welcome at our regular Sunday services held on Sundays at 10am at the Long Gully Community Centre, 27 Havilah Road, Bendigo. 

For more information, contact 5443 1468 or 0402 087 083.

Presbyterian

Eaglehawk: Last Sunday Pastor Steven told of “The obedience of Abraham”.

As with Abraham, we are awaiting that place whose maker is God.

Abraham lived a life of faith in God. He left his homeland, his family and friends to go to a place that God had told him to go to. This is faith in our maker.

All believers need to strengthen their faith and obedience to God’s holy word. We are born to sin and it is very easy to go with this sin-filled world. God has our eternal home ready for us if we are faithful to Him.

We are made in the image of God, as His word tells us. But it is hard to believe when we see what is happening in today’s world here and elsewhere.

Because of his faithfulness, God promised Abraham that He would make Him the father of a great nation. 

Abraham listened to God. Are we hearing what God is telling us? Faith in God is the power of unseen things and we must believe in what He has promised. 

We will face trials and tribulations in this life, but if we are faithful, that crown of glory awaits us.

On Sunday, February 1, there will be a 10am worship service.

On Wednesday, February 4, the 9am weekly prayer meeting will be followed by Bible study at 10.30am.

For more information, contact Pastor Steven on 0408 990 903.

St John’s: Last Sunday at St John’s, the Reverend Philip Burns preached from Psalm 67. 

In an age where “selfies” are becoming more and more popular, the Psalm rightly points us back to God (instead of man) as the source of all grace and blessing. 

The need of the hour is that we know more and more of this grace and blessing – not so that we become comfortable, but so that we may be a blessing to others, even the whole world. 

Given too that God is the Lord of all the nations, the Psalm points out that His praise ought to be sung by peoples from every land. 

In this day when less than half of the world has even heard about the Lord Jesus Christ, we must pray that God would fulfill the Psalm’s vision and send His word to the ends of the earth. 

Next Sunday at 10.30am, the Reverend Burns will resume his series on 1st Peter. Morning tea will follow in the hall. 

For more information or to hear this message, visit http://bendigopc.org.au

Reforming: Can you imagine what it would be like if someone said, “You need to become an Australian to be saved and safe?” 

On Sunday we heard from Acts chapter 15 that something just like that was happening. 

When the gospel is assumed, when we think that the good news of Jesus isn’t all that important, our society quickly relegates a person’s security and happiness to the measure made by cultural categories. 

Yet, just as we celebrate whatever it means to be Australian, we see in the gospel of Jesus something that brings celebration for eternity. 

For as we go to the Bible and get the gospel right, and as the nations and people groups come to our city, we want real happiness for them. 

We see that lasting joy is not found in what others say we should wear or how they say we should act and speak, but in how Jesus has done everything to make us accepted with God. 

We can now be citizens of an eternal home, no matter where we are from. 

Maybe you’ve been living your life like most do around the world, by a lifeless standard. A standard that measures your performance or categorises you by culture alone. 

What you and I need is the good news of Jesus, which is not a lifeless standard but a power that changes everything. 

Come and check out who Jesus is and what he has done for you at Reforming Church. 

We launch our new morning service this Sunday, February 1, at 10.30am, and our evening service continues at 5pm. 

Find us in room B5 at Bendigo South East College in Ellis Street. All are welcome. Check us out at reforming.org.au

Southern Gateway

This last Sunday we were led in praise and worship by Pastors Ros and David Palmer. We celebrated the joy of our mighty God.

Pastor David preached from Luke 13:22 to 14:11 with great fire. 

We were encouraged to have Jesus as our priority in all things. 

For eternal life we need to embrace the habit of striving to go forward and humble ourselves by being servants to others  and giving all things over to God. In this, if we deny self and take up the cross we are on the right path.

Next week Pastor Shaun Foster will lead praise for us on our First Sunday of the month. The service will be followed by a shared meal. 

All are welcome at our 10am service.

This is our Mission Sunday and we emphasise our role in blessing others who take The Word into the world.

On February 18 Sondra Baras from Israel will speak on current events there and the wonderful developments in Judea and Samaria. 

Many works are sponsored by Christians United for Israel. This global body honours God by blessing His chosen people as they return and restore biblical Israel. 

The meeting will begin at 7.30 in our usual venue – the Y Community hall opposite Aldi in Kangaroo Flat.

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

Uniting

Weeroona Uniting Church Bendigo:

This Sunday there will be two Weeroona Uniting Church Services – a 9.15am service at the Neale Street Church and an 11am service at the White Hills Church. 

Both services will be led by the Reverend Ralph Clarke and will include Holy Communion.

The Reverend Clarke has been the supply minister at Weeroona UCB for the past six months and this will be his final Sunday leading worship with us.

We thank him for his support and ministry throughout this period, and wish him every blessing for the future.  

Central Bendigo Cluster:

Next Sunday, February 1,  at 9.30am at St Andrew’s, Myers Street, the Reverend Rex Fisher will conduct the monthly combined communion worship service. 

Worship at St Andrew’s Axedale begins at 2.30pm.

Progressively the various churches’ activities will resume. This includes the Forest Street UC Choir, which will practice in their church on Friday, February 6, at 4.30pm. New members are welcome.

Our warmest congratulations to long-serving Forest Street congregation and choir member June Reid, who received an OAM in the Australia Day Honours Awards.

ELM Cluster:

Eaglehawk: Everyone is welcome to come along to our Services this Sunday at 10am for Cornerstone (Sunday school) and the service in the church, which will be led by Merrill Cole with guest the Reverend Tricia Blanks, a chaplain at La Trobe University Bendigo. Morning tea will follow the service.

The evening service will be at 6.30pm and will be led by the Reverend Cynthia Page.

Men’s Coffee and Conversation will meet tomorrow at 10am at Graeme and Ellie Davey’s home.

The AGM of Cornerstone will be next Monday at 7.30pm at the Taylors’ home.

The  Bible study groups will resume next Tuesday at the church from 10am and next Wednesday at the Prestons’ home from 9.30am.

Playgroups will begin on Wednesday, February 11, and Friday, February 18, from 9.45am.

The Property Committee AGM will be on Wednesday, February 11, at 7.30pm at the church.

Long Gully: The service on Sunday will meet at 9.30am when the Reverend George Buckle will be the leader. The service will include Holy Communion.

Marong: The Reverend Cynthia Page will lead the service next Sunday at 9am. 

The service will include Holy Communion.