Presbytery of Port Phillip East

Pilgrimage

A new journey is planned for us as part of being on the way together!

I sit here in my office on Shrove Tuesday, reflecting on the coming weeks.What!  no pancakes?   The day before Ash Wednesday is variously known as Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday. The French know it as Mardi Gras (Greasy Tuesday) It is the day to clear out all the old greasy foods (yummy) and prepare to fast
during the coming Season of Lent.

Looking ahead to the lectionary readings for Ash Wednesday I observed that God doesn’t appear
to be all that interested in our fasting. It seems that the focus is on coming to live righteous lives.
I’m sure that during these coming weeks and months that we can begin to earnestly be a people at
prayerful mission. The Presbytery has set out a prayer calendar and each week invites congregations
within its bound to pray for the congregations listed.

This week we are praying for Beaumaris/Blackrock
They seek prayer for
- the guidance of the Holy Spirit for discernment and wisdom in our mission panning work this year.
- a blessing on our activities through Lent and Easter: our annual Pancake Night, Ash Wednesday service and the various special Lenten worship services and discussion groups, ecumenical Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.
- uphold the regional initiative to hold a monthly youth service among Uniting Churches in the Bayside/Kingston area which our Youth Group is keen to participate in.

and for Narre Warren North.
They seek prayer for
- their Opportunity Shop Project as they explore ways to engage with their community.
-they are building a shed as part of the project and seek the Spirit's guidance
on their increasing their inclusive fellowship.
Both these congregations have wonderful websites which can help you see what
their mission is. As we mature this process of delivering you Peppering we will begin
to see photos and information from the specific congregations.

Check the resources area of this website for the prayer calendar to see
when your congregation is listed and so that you can send information to me for inclusion.

Just last Sunday February14, the Presbytery ordained Julie Ross to Ministry of the Word at High Street Road UC in Mount Waverley. To see the Presbytery in celebratory mode is joyful and solemn. After we ordained then we inducted Julie to Ministry at High Street Rd in which she had carried out her Intern Year. Celebration and promise, joy and hope were strongly present. As it was the Transfiguration of Jesus ( The last Sunday of the Epiphany) a strong theme of ministry as transformational was put forward. The liberation theology of the Exodus and the role of the prophet in announcing God’s call of the people to justice, was seen as being summed up in Jesus.

The Presbytery has been busy in Celebration with other inductions Rev Dr Ji Zhang at Gardiner, and  Rev Peter Whitaker to Leighmoor. There are more on the way and is really exciting to see all the Presbytery together. On the 24^th we will gather as the Presbytery in Council at Serrell St East Malvern. It too will be a celebration as we install the new Chairperson, Rev Nicole Lourensz. We will also want to thank the outgoing Chairperson Rev Dr Graeme Sutton for his splendid leadership into the new Presbytery Structure.

Here at the office ( without pancakes!) I am engaged with a number of matters pertinent to my areas of responsibility. Currently we are collecting the property audits that congregations have done. After completion of the Essential Services Compliance this probably would have been seen as another drag. Given the state of the current Synod budget we need to have a clear picture of our resources and how they are being utilised. I would encourage you to see it as preparation for the Pilgrimage.

Let’s walk in the footsteps of Jesus, together,

Grace and Peace to you,

David Peel

Comments are closed.