Vicar's News - 15.11.26

43 minutes ago

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Anonymous, Judith send Barak into Battle, 13th century

Pentecost 25

We don't often read about the biblical figure, Judith. She is the heroine of the Book of Judith, a deuterocanonical story found in the Apocrypha, not in the Old Testament.

An Assyrian general named 'Holofernes' leads a massive army to besiege the Jewish town of Bethulia, cutting off its water supply and pushing the desperate city leaders to plan a surrender. Judith, a wealthy, pious, and beautiful Jewish widow from the tribe of Simeon, rebukes those leaders for losing faith. She devises her own daring plan to save her people.

Accompanied by her maid, Judith enters the Assyrian camp, charms Holofernes with her beauty, and gains his trust over several days. After Holofernes becomes heavily intoxicated at a private banquet and passes out, Judith takes his own sword and decapitates him.

She returns to Bethulia with the general's head. (This has given rise to some remarkable paintings, including by Caravaggio, though we have chose a more circumspect one for the pewsheet covers!) Upon discovering their leader is dead, the Assyrian army panics and is easily routed by the Israelites.

Music on Sunday

SOPRANO & ALTO EUCHARIST @ 10.00 AM

Prelude: 'Toccata seconda' from Second Book of Toccatas by Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643)

Hymns: Processional Soldiers of Christ arise

Gradual Stand up, stand up for Jesus

Thanksgiving Let us with a gladsome mind

Post Communion Be still, my soul

Setting: St Andrew’s Mass – Timothy Mallis (b.1996)

Psalm: 123

Anthem: He, whom Angels worship – Trad Irish, arr. Alan Bullard (b. 1947)

Motet: A Gaelic Blessing – John Rutter

Postlude: Concerto in B minor, 1st Movement - Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748)

Welcome - Holy Baptism

On Saturday we welcomed Christopher, Alexander and Isabelle into God's church through the sacrament of Holy Baptism.

On Sunday we will also welcome Chris Engeham into God's church through Holy Baptism.

Commissioning of Lay Minister

On Sunday we will be commissioning Alex DeLeon as our Lay Minister, who has been licensed by the Archbishop. Alex assists with our services from time to time and will have a special focus on youth ministry next year. Alex is Mthr Xeverie's husband as is a Deputy principal at Wyndham Central College. He has studied theology at Trinity College Theological School, and practical experience from a placement at St James Old Cathedral. He will be conducting the new outreach programs - St Andrew's Chess Club and Music for Pleasure Youth Group which will commence in the new year. I will formally welcome Alex as a member of the St Andrew's Team on Sunday at 10am.

Parish Annual Meeting

Our Parish Annual Meeting will be held next Sunday in the church at 11.30am, following the refreshments after the 10am service.

Our 2026 Parish Annual Report will be issued to those on our Parish Electoral Roll by email separately tonight. Due to the global Microsoft Outlook outage yesterday, we have lost physical contact with our Auditors and so haven't yet received their Audited accounts for inclusion with the Annual Report. We will distribute these accounts as soon as they are available, hopefully early next week. The 2026 Annual Report does already contain our Treasurer's Report and a detailed Profit & Loss statement on a cash basis. This is more detailed in its breakdown than the audited version which is prepared on an accrual basis. The Annual Report can be downloaded here.

Nominations for Officebearers for the 2026/27 year have closed and the nominee Notice can be downloaded here. We have so many volunteers that elections are required for all categories for the first time.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as are available next Sunday at 11.30am.

There is an apologies list in the Narthex for those who are unable to attend.

St Andrew's Day

As there are so many events at this time of year, our St Andrew's Day celebration this year will be a special morning tea, where the Parish will provide the food.

Advent Studies

There is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex, but come along anyway.

Christmas Party

This is our first time organising a new outreach event for the Parish's wider communities including Firbank and Brighton Grammar Schools. We are inviting our neighbouring schools and everyone from the Bayside region to come to enjoy the mirth and joy of Christmas.

There will be finger food and a program of performances:

- BGS teachers and 8 students

-Firbank Chaplain and 8 students

-Calvin is the Organist

-Phoebe Daisy Paine as soprano

Please book in to welcome visitors to our Christmas celebration using the QR code above or SMS the Vicar on 0421 321 321 and I will sort your booking.

Concerts

Experience the energy and imagination of our children’s and youth choirs alongside the warmth and rich harmonies of our adult singers. Together, they celebrate music as a source of connection at every stage of life. A varied programme brings Chinese poetry and song together with contemporary choral works and international repertoire, offering moments of tenderness, rhythmic vitality and reflection.