Waranga Uniting Churches
Colbinabbin, Murchison, Rushworth, Tatura
FAITH | HOPE | MEANING | GRACE | COMMUNITY
Advent: Awake to the Promise –
Courage to Clear the Way
Sunday 9.30am 7th December – Streaming from Colbinabbin- Led by Brian Spencer
via Zoom at Tatura, Murchison, Rushworth, and for folks at home.
This Advent we explore what it means to stay awake to the moments when God’s promise breaks into our lives.
There’s an old saying: “Good luck is when preparation meets opportunity.”
Advent invites us into something deeper:
grace meeting us when spiritual preparation meets God’s opportunity.
Across these four weeks, and into Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we follow the pathway of Hope, Courage, Joy, and Love, preparing our hearts to recognise Christ coming among us: sometimes quietly, sometimes unexpectedly, always with promise.
This Sunday, John the Baptist strides onto the scene. He calls people out into the wilderness – away from comfort, denial and distraction – and invites courageous truth-telling, repentance, and a different way of living. Courage here isn’t bravado; it’s the willingness to face reality and trust that God is already at work bringing new life.
John the Baptist reminds us that preparation matters. Opportunity often comes quietly: courage opens the way for grace.
Whether you’re joining us in person or online, we look forward to welcoming you this Sunday. Join us as we sing, pray, and reflect together on these stories. Let us open our hearts to the ways God is transforming our lives and the world around us. And remember, the most important things in the world are not things at all; they are love, hope, joy, courage, grace, faith, peace, perseverance, and friendship.
The live Zoom “room” will be open for you to log-in to from 9.00am. Log-in, chat to others, be the church!
Watch on Facebook Live Streaming
Watch the service here on Facebook
Watch 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.
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
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.
ABC Radio Shepparton
Matt Dowling interviews Brian Spencer. Monday 5th July.
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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