It’s from 1.30pm on Wednesday, October 5 at Bendigo Baptist Church, Junortoun.

The voices of more than 300 seniors from throughout Victoria will join for community hymn singing, musical items and competitions.

Singing will be led by Stephen Higgs, formerly lead soloist with Bill Newman Crusades, and will feature hymns many people enjoyed singing in their youth.

Singing will be accompanied by a seven-piece band including keyboard, flute, violin, saxophone, cornet, euphonium and drums.

The afternoon will also feature vocalist Jeanette van Gaalen, a former principal singer with the Melbourne Salvation Army Staff Band.

Jeanette and her husband Andrew were originally based in Bendigo but are now very busy officers at the Ballarat Salvation Army Community Church.

There will also be opportunity to win prizes during a competition segment.

A delicious afternoon tea will conclude the afternoon.

The event is free, but donations will be appreciated to cover costs.

Facilities are senior friendly. People can be dropped off at the front door and there are no steps to hinder wheelchairs or walkers.

A free bus service will run from Bendigo railway station at 1pm, returning afterwards.  

Bookings must be made by October 1 on 5447 8161.

Those travelling on the Melbourne line will need to check if there will be a train or bus to Bendigo.

The committee appreciates the support of Bendigo Avis Car Rental and Bendigo Baptist Church for providing the buses on the day, and also City of Greater Bendigo’s home support services department, which financed the buses. Thanks also go to Bendigo Toyota for its continued sponsorship.

St Paul’s

This Sunday is the 20th after Pentecost.  

The scriptures tell us that even though our world is going through dark and dangerous times, we can give thanks to God for his great love. His compassions never fail and they are new every morning.

At the 11am service, we will celebrate Saint Francis of Assisi and his love for all of God’s creatures.

Everyone is welcome to bring pets, great and small to this celebration service for a blessing.

Services are at 8am – said Eucharist; 9.30 – choral Eucharist; 11am – celebration Eucharist with pet blessing.

Midweek services are at Tuesday 12.30pm, Wednesday 10.30am and Thursday 12.30pm.

The cathedral is open to visitors most Saturday mornings, Monday afternoons and occasionally on other days.

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

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

The second Live @ The Chapel – Bendigo will be held this Sunday.

It is a free, bi-monthly concert open to anyone who would like to attend.

Music for these evenings is provided mostly by contemporary artists/bands, whose music is an expression of a Christian faith.  

Deborah Robertson and Kathryn Johnston will perform this Sunday from 5pm.

Deborah presents what God has done for her through the genre of jazz.  

The Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society described her as a "woman who sings the sweetest blues".

Kathryn is a songwriter, a photographer and a lover of the Father and all of his creation.

She likes to listen and watch, and endeavours to amplify and bring to light the wonder of what she sees and hears through sharing songs, sounds, stories, poems and photographs.

There will be a light tea open for all who wish to stay afterwards.

Come along to 94 Spring Gully Road, Spring Gully for a great musical evening with a message of hope.

More information can be found on our Facebook page -  just search for ‘Live @ the Chapel Bendigo’.

Lutheran services will be held this Sunday at 9am in Bendigo and 11am in Castlemaine, where we will come together and receive the good things God gives us through worship and fellowship.

Central Bendigo Uniting Churches Cluster

Cluster worship at St Andrew’s was led by Reverend Di Esbensen, assisted by the Bendigo Uniting Church social justice members. Guest speaker was Jan Govett, member of Bendigo’s Rural Association for Refugees.

Many commented that the theme, relating to the refugee issues, contributed to a powerful message for the cluster’s annual Social Justice Sunday.

Regular church activities in recess for school holidays will resume next week.

A spring sausage sizzle and cake stall will be held at Bunnings Epsom on Saturday, October 8. Profits will be used to buy supermarket vouchers to supplement the food given at UnitingCare Bendigo’s emergency relief centre.

To volunteer for the sizzle, phone Judy Causon on 5443 5909, or for the cake stall phone Glenyce Lourie on 5449 6080.

Love your Muslim Neighbour as Yourself spring conversations will be held at St Andrew’s from 1.30-3pm and at Daybreak from 7.30-9pm on Thursdays in October. Inquiries to Reverend Di Esbensen on 0437 370 075.

ELM Uniting Church Cluster

Eaglehawk

Sunday’s services from 10am include Cornerstone for young people and the FOCUS Service in the Church. The theme will be celebrating the building blocks for peace and how, we as individuals can contribute to peace.

Morning tea will follow the Service.

The evening service, starting at 6.30pm, will include a study on the lectionary readings for the day.

Men's coffee and conversation will be held from 10am Friday at the Preston's home. Everyone is asked to bring some footy memorabilia.

The church’s annual grand final breakfast is from 7.45-9am Saturday. Entry is by gold coin donation.

A MAGS fashion parade will be held from 11am on Tuesday. Admission is $10 per person and includes a light lunch.

An op shop working bee will be held at the op shop from 1pm Tuesday.

Church council will meet at 7pm Wednesday.

Items for emergency relief this month include breakfast cereals.

Long Gully

Sunday’s service at 9.30am will be led by the Reverend George Buckle.

Holy Communion will be celebrated.

Marong

Reverend Chris Venning will celebrate Holy Communion from 9am this Sunday.

Bendigo South Cluster

Services for this week:

Kangaroo Flat Pentecost 20 Service, 9.30am, including Holy Communion led by Reverend Ian Stewart.

Lockwood: 9.30am, led by Rob Harris.

Chum Street: Pentecost 20 Service at 11.00am, including Holy Communion led by Reverend Stewart.

Reverend Stewart is on leave until September 30t. Please contact the Elders if you have any pastoral concerns.

Monday playgroup resumes at Kangaroo Flat Uniting Church from 9.30-11am. It’s a welcoming place for parents and grandparents to bring children under 5 years. Everyone is welcome. For details, phone Sheryl on 0438 413 533 or Anne on 5447 8430.

Kangaroo Flat church council meeting: Monday, 5pm.

UnitingCare emergency relief: Tuesdays and Fridays at Kangaroo Flat Uniting Church from 10am-1pm.  Phone 5443 5458.

KYB Bible study: Tuesday, 10-11:30am at 22 Magellan Crescent, Kangaroo Flat.  Phone Marj on 5447 7970.

Fellowship lunch: Golden Brew cafe, 429 High Street, Golden Square from noon, Tuesday. Phone Mary Raymond, 5442 0161.

Craft group: Each Wednesday from 9am-noon. Everyone welcome.Contact Lois on 5444 3020 for more information.

Operation Christmas Child

Shoebox gifts are for kids in need, regardless of their background or religious belief.  

Each shoebox is a gift of love that tells a child they are not forgotten.

We invite you to help pack at Kangaroo Flat Uniting Church from 11am Wednesday.  

If you are unable to help with packing but would like to support this program, a donation towards freight costs would be of great assistance.

Contact Mary Curnow on 5447 2705 for more information.

Indoor (non-bias) bowls: Uniting Church Hall, Golden Square on Thursdays from 1:30-3:30pm.  Afternoon tea is provided after two games of bowls. Cost: $2.  All welcome. Contact Anne, 5447 8430.

Red Hats “Fun After Fifty”: Make some new friends over tea and cake at Kangaroo Flat Uniting Church from 2-4pm on Friday, October 7. Cost: $5. RSVP 54423934 or email mothercurnow@msn.com

Seniors Week variety concert: 2-4pm, Sunday, October 9 at Kangaroo Flat Uniting Church.

Featuring songs of the 60s by Bendigo & District Concert Band; K and L Community Singing.  Gold coin entry and afternoon tea. Inquiries: 5442 3934 or mothercurnow@msn.com

UnitingCare PRAYER POINT:  

Often, people come to us for help after relocating to Bendigo in search of work. They have many expenses to face in the resettling process, and many find it far more difficult to build a new life than expected. Please pray for those who are new to our community, looking for somewhere to belong.

Join us for a walk in the Bendigo bush from 9.30am-noon on Wednesday, October 5th.

Meet at 34 Kendall Street, Bendigo.

Leader is Jenny Shield, a field naturalist who formerly lectured at La Trobe in biology and ecology.

Jenny believes nature is one of the “thin places”where we can experience the sacred.

Gold coin donation.

Inquiries to Daybreak: 5441 1814 or 0429 175 176.

Transformations weekly soak time is in the supper room from 8pm tonight.

Enjoy relaxing to Christian music and being involved in a powerful move of the Holy Spirit through ministry and prayer.

Playgroup for preschool children resumes on Thursday, March 6 from 10-11.30am. No charge, but  bring a plate of food to share. New families welcome. Phone Dee on 0429 349 893 for more information.

Sunday’s service is at 35 Solomon Street, Bendigo from 10am. A new series on the importance of the Holy Spirit will begin. A prayer meeting is at 9.20am.

Most programs are resuming after school holidays. For full details, phone the church office on  5441 3133.

Our Sunday service was highlighted by the need to have faith in God.  

God has never changed. He was, is and will always be there for us.

Pastor Allan Jakobi taught from Daniel on how the three young men who were thrust into the fiery furnace actually refused to bow, bend or obey the King. They had faith in God. We need to have faith and act on it.

Pastor Peter shared the communion reflection on how the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross washed away our sins forever.

The Blood of the Lamb has cleansed all mankind of sin. It was prophesied in Isaiah 53 and in Psalm 103 that Jesus would be wondrous for all time.

Karolyn Webster and Linda Fraser led our praise and worship with Holy Spirit fire and joy. Next Sunday we will have a baptism following the service. Shared lunch will still take place after the service at 6 Bullock Street, where we will have the baptism.

Our service starts at 10am in the Y community hall opposite Aldi in Kangaroo Flat. Come and enjoy the healing power of Jesus.

Next Wednesday’s Hour of Power prayer is from 11am at the Pritchard home.

Eaglehawk Presbyterian Church

Preaching from 1 Peter 2:4-5 last Sunday, Reverend Grant Vayne spoke of the choice and precious cornerstone.

Jesus Christ should be the cornerstone of the believer’s life, this stone is life, we should draw near to Him in an intimate and personal way as Simon Peter did.

Why is Jesus a living stone? He is the one raised from the dead, a living stone that draws others to Himself.

Before He draws us to Himself we are cold hard stones. Now we have become living stones living to serve Him.

The spiritual leaders of the day were offended with what Jesus said about them and they rejected Him, as it is today He is rejected by the world, but God was pleased with Him.

“This is my beloved Son”. There is no one else like Jesus, Simon Peter realised how precious Jesus was as his friend and saviour.

We must realise how precious Jesus is, no amount of money could pay for our sins but Jesus paid the price with His precious blood.

Being accepted in Christ we have spiritual privileges, being one with Him we become partakers of the divine nature.

We have spiritual resources to help us in all situations, we live in a world that has many temptations and trials, there are many ways the Christian is being persecuted and it will get worse.

We have many issues to be concerned about, and we see some church leaders abandoning scripture for a lie.

Reverend Grant asked: “are you confused, confounded at these things, how do we Christians deal with it?”

We have been given spiritual resources, when Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our heart and we look to Him and trust Him, He will never leave us or forsake us.

Sunday’s worship service is at 10am. Following the service at midday, the congregational annual meeting will be held.

Weekly prayer is at 9am Wednesday, followed by bible study at 10.30am.

All inquiries to Pastor Steven on 0408 990 903.