VICTORIA
Our weekly services have continued with a Musical Service with Helmut Lopaczuk playing monthly on the first Sunday in the month. Rev Martin Pennington has led the service on the third Sunday in each month and his messages recently have covered subjects from The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine.
Due to the Minister’s health problems some services have also been led by Karl Robinson and Neville Jarvis which have given variety.
In conjunction with speaking at the Swedenborg Group both Revs Julian Duckworth on 25th July and Ian Arnold on 28th September led our services and these were enjoyed by us all.
We were pleased to have Clifford and Linda Phanjoo at our service recently. They were on a short trip from Mauritius to see their daughters.
Our Coffee & Chat meetings are enjoyed by all and the ladies like the craft activities.
On Sunday 26th October it will be a joy to welcome Sophy Athan into formal membership of the church and the service on that day will incorporate a Commitment Ceremony. On the same day we will hold a General Meeting of Members when Sophy will sign the register of members and an update will be given to members of the Congregation on progress with the Way Forward Program.
Our Ballarat members enjoy meeting together once a month with members from the group leading worship although on 25th July they were pleased to have Rev Julian Duckworth conduct the service.
BRISBANE
Warm congratulations and very best wishes to Darren and Renee Brunne on the birth of their baby boy Xavier Ezekiel on Wednesday 12th November, weighing in at 10pounds 8 ounces, a brother for Jordan, Joshia, Grace, Evana, Elijah and Melody, no problem looking for baby sitters.
Congratulations also to Margaret and David Chambers who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on the 23rd October.
It was good to see Mrs Lyn Williams back at Church after her recent hospital stay.
Brisbane held its regular family service on the 7th December followed by lunch, and then carol singing at Rosalie Nursing home. Two weeks later on the 21st December. Our Christmas Service includes a Nativity Tableau, followed by festive lunch and childrens games at the nearby park on Baroona Road.
We wish you all a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year.
Diane Thompson
ADELAIDE
A visit to Adelaide by Rev. Ian Arnold was a recent highlight for us. Ian gave a presentation talk on Saturday 13th Sept and followed up with a holy supper service the next day. A larger than usual congregation including a group of Rwandans (friends of Michael Delbridge) enjoyed a luncheon in the Church hall afterwards. Birthday cake was shared for Ian Brock’s 90th and included Ian Arnold’s as well.
The Church recently purchased several computers with the idea of conducting computer awareness classes in the Church hall, starting soon.
Yvonne and David Bell have spent many hours doing a library and books update and started on a general stocktake, and they even camped at the Church overnight in their motor home so as to continue working the next day, many thanks to them.
A recent flying visit by Julian Duckworth and Kevin Attwater to meet with the ASNC committee successfully sorted out the lease arrangements for the manse currently occupied by the Director of Spiritual Training.
A mobile service was held at the Encounter Bay home of the Bells on 23rd Nov. This was well attended despite some people from Adelaide getting a bit lost on the way, a fantastic luncheon was put on by Yvonne and David setting a high standard for the next home service.
There will be a carol service on 19th Dec. after which services will resume in the new year on the 25th Jan.
Merry Christmas to you all from Adelaide.
Randall Rabone
SYDNEY
A delightful event was held at the Swedenborg Centre in late October, a ‘Soiree for the Spirit’. It was a dinner occasion, but there was also some wonderful singing on guitar by a friend of one of the members. There was also a dialogue presentation on two books by Ursula Groll who passed on in Germany earlier in 2014 and was a good friend of the Centre. Just before dinner we enjoyed a short 15 minute movie which helped us reflect on uplifting experiences.
Ruth Duckworth went to England for two weeks to spend her time there with her parents, Christopher and Joy Hasler.
Our Angel Service continues on Saturdays, an in October everyone there had a ‘quality’ put on their forehead, and they had to guess what it was. At almost the last Angel Service of the year, we shared ideas on the lyrics of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and they got Julian to sing one of the arias.
Michael Zarb and Emma Lees were married on Saturday November 8th, with family over from England, on a glorious evening in a perfect location.
The church chancel wooden panels have been expertly renovated by a friend of the church and after years of splits and snags, look very good.
Our Friendship Group meets every other month and is always enjoyed by everyone who comes.
We’ve had several Christmas services and events, with a simple Nativity Play and an enormous number of Gifts for the Salvation Army, and the Carols by Candlelight in the church hall, a decision made after days of rain and storms. The evening was perfect to be outside, but we stuck to our decision.
We wish everyone a meaningful Happy Christmas and a safe 2015.
