Coming Up…Merry Christmas to You All!
Services will continue as normal on Sunday at 8.30 and 10am until Christmas eve 24th – there will be no 10am service that day. Christmas eve there is a Carols and cake service at the Methodist church at 8pm and carols at St Matthews at 11pm carols followed by a Christmas service at 11.30pm.
We look forward to welcoming the people who especially ordered a midnight Christmas service!!!
Christmas Eve 8pm at Methodist Church
11.00pm for carols and 11.30pm at St Matthews
Christmas Day 9am
Dec 28th 10am at St Matthews
Jan 4th at Methodist Church
Jan 8th Selwyn Centre resumes
Jan 11-25th at St Matthews
Jan 14th Wednesday service resumes
If you would like to begin a financial contribution please let Diane know or simply go in line and set up a direct debit with your name as reference. Bank account is St Matthews Church 02 0368 0027228 00.
If you would like communion brought to your home please let Val know – we have a number of people willing to bring communion to people in their homes. Please don’t be shy to ask.
Our Church NO longer has a rubbish collection. If you have any Council Bags (pink or black) the church would love to have them as we have to transport all the rubbish to the dump. If you have room in your bins – please contact the Parish Office on Tuesday mornings and we would really appreciate being able to add some to your bin 😊
Vicar: Val Riches 078880878 or 0274448286, Lance 0275553286, Email [email protected]
The newsletter can be opened as a PDF from the Weekly Service Sheets page and can be requested to arrive in your email box by filling in the form in the Subscribe to Newsletter page.
Loaves and Fishes can be opened on the Loaves and Fishes page.
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Services will continue as normal on Sunday at 8.30 and 10am until Christmas eve 24th – there will be no 10am service that day. Christmas eve there is a Carols and cake service at the Methodist church at 8pm and carols at St Matthews at 11pm carols followed by a Christmas service at 11.30pm.
We look forward to welcoming the people who especially ordered a midnight Christmas service!!!
Christmas Eve 8pm at Methodist Church
11.00pm for carols and 11.30pm at St Matthews
Christmas Day 9am
Dec 28th 10am at St Matthews
Jan 4th at Methodist Church
Jan 8th Selwyn Centre resumes
Jan 11-25th at St Matthews
Jan 14th Wednesday service resumes
If you would like to begin a financial contribution please let Diane know or simply go in line and set up a direct debit with your name as reference. Bank account is St Matthews Church 02 0368 0027228 00.
If you would like communion brought to your home please let Val know – we have a number of people willing to bring communion to people in their homes. Please don’t be shy to ask.
Our Church NO longer has a rubbish collection. If you have any Council Bags (pink or black) the church would love to have them as we have to transport all the rubbish to the dump. If you have room in your bins – please contact the Parish Office on Tuesday mornings and we would really appreciate being able to add some to your bin 😊
Vicar: Val Riches 078880878 or 0274448286, Lance 0275553286, Email [email protected]
The newsletter can be opened as a PDF from the Weekly Service Sheets page and can be requested to arrive in your email box by filling in the form in the Subscribe to Newsletter page.
Loaves and Fishes can be opened on the Loaves and Fishes page.
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Val Writes:
I hope you are having a Christmas that offers peace rather than stress, joy rather than pain and a sense of Gods love at the center of it all
A few people have requested a midnight service on Christmas Eve so we are offering it. It has been part of my Christmas all my life; but as we are early risers and getting older, I wonder how much longer we can offer it. Do hope to see you there!!
The Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams has offered us a statement worth reflecting on this Christmas:
“The Christ of the first Christmas is a child born far from his parents' home because of decisions made by a distant imperial power.
He is a child who has to flee to a foreign country with his family in the wake of a massacre.
He is a child who has to grow up under the daily threat of violence in a landscape where the evidence of atrocities is all around.
He is a child who grows up to offer his life so that dividing walls of hostility between different communities -and between humanity itself and the love of God - can be broken down in a new togetherness.
Are we ready to put this Christ back into Christmas today?”
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I hope you are having a Christmas that offers peace rather than stress, joy rather than pain and a sense of Gods love at the center of it all
A few people have requested a midnight service on Christmas Eve so we are offering it. It has been part of my Christmas all my life; but as we are early risers and getting older, I wonder how much longer we can offer it. Do hope to see you there!!
The Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams has offered us a statement worth reflecting on this Christmas:
“The Christ of the first Christmas is a child born far from his parents' home because of decisions made by a distant imperial power.
He is a child who has to flee to a foreign country with his family in the wake of a massacre.
He is a child who has to grow up under the daily threat of violence in a landscape where the evidence of atrocities is all around.
He is a child who grows up to offer his life so that dividing walls of hostility between different communities -and between humanity itself and the love of God - can be broken down in a new togetherness.
Are we ready to put this Christ back into Christmas today?”
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The original St. Matthew's was dedicated 31st May, 1895. It was replaced by the new building in 1959.
Read more on the About us page.
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Read more on the About us page.
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December 21, 2025
Advent 4 Love
Readings: Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25
Sentence: A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel: God with us. Matthew 1:23
Collect: God of all hope and joy, open our hearts in welcome, that your Son Jesus Christ at his coming, may find in us a dwelling prepared for himself; one God now and forever. Amen.
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Advent 4 Love
Readings: Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25
Sentence: A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel: God with us. Matthew 1:23
Collect: God of all hope and joy, open our hearts in welcome, that your Son Jesus Christ at his coming, may find in us a dwelling prepared for himself; one God now and forever. Amen.
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PREPARATION FOR SUNDAY.
Isaiah 7:10-16
Question: What are we missing out on by choosing not to listen to God?
Prayer: Loving God, give us the humility to hear your voice when you are saying what we do not want to hear.
Psalm 80:1-7,17-19
Question: Where do you see glimpses of Jesus hope and salvation in your life?
Prayer: God beyond, beside and within us, thank you for the gift of your presence in Jesus that we might truly know your love and learn your humility.
Romans 1:1-7
Question: How might obedience be understood as a grateful response rather than an act of submission?
Prayer: Gracious God, we pray our identity may be deeply rooted and woven with yours.
Matthew 1:18-25
Question: when have you been reminded that God is greater than your abilities?
Prayer: Powerful God, remind us of your presence and guidance as you call us to work.
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Isaiah 7:10-16
Question: What are we missing out on by choosing not to listen to God?
Prayer: Loving God, give us the humility to hear your voice when you are saying what we do not want to hear.
Psalm 80:1-7,17-19
Question: Where do you see glimpses of Jesus hope and salvation in your life?
Prayer: God beyond, beside and within us, thank you for the gift of your presence in Jesus that we might truly know your love and learn your humility.
Romans 1:1-7
Question: How might obedience be understood as a grateful response rather than an act of submission?
Prayer: Gracious God, we pray our identity may be deeply rooted and woven with yours.
Matthew 1:18-25
Question: when have you been reminded that God is greater than your abilities?
Prayer: Powerful God, remind us of your presence and guidance as you call us to work.
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SPECIFIC PRAYERS FOR THIS WEEK
PRAY FOR:
GIVE THANKS to GOD FOR…
PRAY FOR:
- For the grieving and traumatised from the Bondi beach massacre
- those who aren’t well, especially Junne, Peter and Joy, Janice and her 4 day old greatgrandchild who has been diagnosed with Meningitis and those known specifically to us.
- For those have died recently and for families facing their first Christmas without a loved one being present.
- People on emergency duties over the Christmas period
GIVE THANKS to GOD FOR…
- the lovely people who came for baptism last Sunday – Rebecca, Kenedie, Stevie and Neve and their families
- the generosity of so many people as they gave gifts and food to families in need
- opportunities to celebrate Christmas with families, friends and unexpected meetings.
- Cameron, Janine, Ella and Neve Murray and their wider family.
Prayer is sitting in the silence until it silences us, choosing gratitude until we are grateful, and praising God until we ourselves are an act of praise. Mature prayer always breaks into gratitude. —Richard Rohr
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