Welcome to Waranga Uniting Churches
Waranga Churches are Online
Here we go again!
Following an announcement from Premier Daniel Andrews, from 11.59 pm Wednesday 5th August regional Victoria has moved to Stage 3 Stay at Home restrictions which amongst many things means travel outside of the home is only permitted for one of the four permitted reasons, shopping for food and essential items, care and care giving, daily exercise and work or study if it cannot be performed from your home. Church attendance is not one of these reasons.
Here we go again! These changes will be in place for at least the next 6 weeks, face coverings are essential for all Victorians if they are do have to be out.
Online Services to Continue on Zoom and Facebook
This new period of lock-down will be challenging to say the least.
During this new lockdown period we want to assure you that the Waranga Uniting Churches in collaboration with the Presbytery of North East Victoria will continue to support our members and the wider community through every means possible. You are not forgotten. We will continue to reach out to our community, to shut-ins and to people further afield with a message of hope, faith and grace.
Our online services will continue on Zoom and on Facebook. We will seek ways to engage in pastoral care, prayer and fellowship by every means possible.
Wherever you are from, and whatever your tradition, you are welcome to join us.
Our church buildings at Colbinabbin, Murchison, Rushworth and Tatura will be closed, but the church goes on! Please contact our Minister Brian Spencer or one of the elders of your congregation if you have any questions or need any advice and guidance through this challenging time.
THIS SUNDAY 9th AUGUST- LIVE ON ZOOM AND ON FACEBOOK
MIRACLES AND MAGIC, FEAR AND FAITH: REFLECTIONS FROM A STORM
With Melbourne experiencing Stage 4 Lockdown and regional Victoria moving to Stage 3 restrictions, determination to lower case numbers and deaths is balanced in part by observations that hospitals will not be able to cope with increased numbers of cases, and by suggestions that hopes for a vaccine may never be satisfied. Careful observance of the restrictions on one hand, and a tendency to flout them on the other, are signs of stormy waters – metaphorically speaking – in our society. Do the Lectionary readings speak to this situation?
A stormy sea in Matthew 14:22-33 depicts Jesus walking on wild waves and Peter wanting to do so. Why would Peter want to walk on water? Why have people, including Leonardo da Vinci, tried to do so? Many ancient cultures have a sea-walking theme, the Greek god Orion and kings Xerxes and Alexander being examples, although the kings’ claims to walk on water were rejected as regal arrogance. A little research will reveal the ‘magic’ behind recent attempts to walk on water, and the ‘Liquid Mountaineering’ of 2010. How do these differ from Matthew 14?
‘You can walk on water’, and ‘Three ways you are walking on water’ are listed as titles of sermons. Our explorations of Matthew 14 will lead us to two different aspects of the story and whether followers of Jesus are actually meant to walk on water. And we’ll be reminded that Jesus walks towards us, whatever the storms of life toss up for us. That’s good news!
Join us this Sunday at 9.30 am with Joan McRae as we sing, pray and share together.
There are three exciting ways to join us in worship each Sunday.
Through Zoom
Where we all can talk to each other, see each other, worship together, pray for each other, and have Church as we normally do but do it all via interactive video conferencing. In the weeks to come we may work out a way to have communion together!
The live services will start at 9.30am with the “room” open for you to log-in to from 9.00am. Log-in, chat to others, be the church!
Click on the button below to join the Waranga Cluster Zoom Church Service
Join Zoom Church ServiceSunday at 9:00 am for 9:30 start
Through Live streaming
It the congregation gets too large (Zoom can cope with 100 people) then you can watch the service live on Facebook LiveStream. Facebook doesn’t have the interactivity of Zoom, but you can comment, “like” and see what others are saying. The Facebook LiveStream will be available from 15 minutes before the start of the service.
Watch on FacebookWatch the recorded service later
Facebook records the service and it will be available to watch later or share with others in your family and friendship circle. The recording of the service can be found on this website
Watch recorded services
The live services will start at 9.30am with the “room” open for you to log in to from 9.00am. Log in, chat to others, be the church!
Our church needs your support.
Please consider donating your offering online via the button below
or by direct bank transfer:
Account name:
Waranga Uniting Churches.
Bendigo Bank:
BSB 633-000
Account No:162 446 371.
Rather stay anonymous?
We understand that you may prefer to remain anonymous. It may have been a while since you went to church, maybe you’ve never been to church and are just curious. We understand that you don’t want to be hassled just because you were curious.
If you want to remain anonymous there are four ways you can do it.
- Choose the “Join without video” option. You will be able to see, hear (and talk if you want to)
- Your name also appears in the bottom left of their picture in Zoom. This name will be the one you entered at sign-up. At any time in the meeting you can right-mouse click on your name and change or delete it.
- You can choose to attend via the Livestream option.
- You can watch the recorded service later on the website
About us
The Waranga Uniting Churches comprise congregations from the towns of Colbinabbin, Murchison, Rushworth, and Tatura.
You are welcome to join us at any of our worship services or activities.
Many faces… Many places… Many forms
Our congregations throughout the district are caring communities to which all people can belong.
Some of our congregations may be a tiny community of a dozen people, but they are warm vibrant and alive.
They have many faces. There are older people and young, families and single people, people of one culture or many.
While our congregations can be different, each aims to embrace all people… to unite them with each other and with God. This is expressed in part by our having an open table for Holy Communion, to which all baptised people are invited, welcoming children for baptism and being willing to marry those who are divorced.
We are by no means perfect, but we know that God loves us as we are and as we grow. Our congregations are communities in which people seek to follow Jesus, learn about God, share their faith, care for each other, serve the local community, and seek to live faithfully and with real joy. This is the kind of engaging church to which we belong.
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