April – May 2025 Newsletter
St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Longueville
April – May 2025 Newsletter
CHURCH COUNCIL REPORT
I really cannot believe that this is the last newsletter with Krikor’s expertise in the layout. Who knows what form the next edition will take!
How can we thank Krikor for all that he has done to minister to us over the past 13 plus years? There will be opportunities to express our individual personal feelings over the next 2 months and especially at his closing service. The way forward is unclear as I write this, but we must not lose hope in the future.
At an interim congregation meeting held during morning tea on Sunday 23 March there was unanimous agreement that church council endeavour to engage a variety of preachers to take services from June to December 2025. These will be retired ordained ministers and lay preachers. This is permissible within Presbytery guidelines. A further meeting with Presbytery Minister Rev. Martin Levine will take place in September to review our progress.
In the meantime, church council can report that we will continue to care for our buildings, which are actually the property of the Uniting Church, we are merely caretakers. Our treasurer Wendy will continue to respond to requests for hall rental and make sure invoices are paid to those who provide services for us. The Manse is occupied but is constantly needing repairs. The church and the small hall are in good repair, except for the pipe organ which is currently having major maintenance.
It is timely to thank our Elders (Chris, Ned, Ruth and Frank) and members of Church Council (Wendy, Adrienne and Virginia) for faithful service for many years. Wendy, as treasurer, and Chris, as secretary, have given exceptional service and deserve our heartfelt thanks. They will be critical to our successful transition to our future life as a church community.
Penny Goodley
WEEK AWAY TO WAGGA WAGGA
Our final week away with Krikor as our minister will be from Monday April 28 to Monday May 5. We will travel from and to Central Station by train and hire a 12-seater bus at Wagga Wagga. Accommodation will be at the Big 4 Ingenia Holidays Park at Wagga Wagga. We have tickets for a concert and a visit to a winery and a list of possibilities. Our first trip away was to New Zealand, then west to Broken Hill, following that north to Narrabri, then east to the Shoalhaven River – so we’ve been west, north, east and finally south – all points of the compass. A highlight of the trip is always Happy Hour at 5:00 pm where we gather in one of the cabins to reminisce on the day and plan the next. Will it really be our last trip away with Krikor as our navigator and driver of the minibus and finder of great restaurants? Who knows?
KRIKOR’S CLOSING SERVICE
This will be held at 11:30 am on Sunday 25 May 2025 followed by a finger food lunch and refreshments in the War Memorial Hall. Please note this date in your diary and invite friends and family members to attend. RSVPs are coming in from specially invited guests. You will be pleased to know that Rev. Graham Perry will be delivering the message on that day.
MARCH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Ned celebrated his 93rd birthday on March 8 with visits from his extended family. Unfortunately, the venue was not of his choice as he was in Longueville Private Hospital. We wish him a speedy recovery. Adrienne’s 91st birthday was celebrated on March 23 during Jan’s special church morning tea.
Krikor celebrated his 67th birthday (March 18) on March 16 at morning tea with a birthday cake made by Adrienne. He then went home to prepare a BBQ for his single male family members whose wives were in China on holiday!
PIZZA AND MOVIE NIGHT – First Tuesday of the month – since Dec 2011!
6:30 pm Pizza, 7:15 pm movie! BYO drinks!
1 April – The Promise (2016) 134 mins – An historical war drama set in the final years of the Ottoman Empire immediately before and during the Armenian genocide. Starring Oscar Isaac, Charlotte le Bon, Christian Bale.
6 May – The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) 106 mins
A delightful and refreshing American romantic drama which focuses on a book club formed specifically to discuss the six novels written by Jane Austen. As they delve into Austen’s literature, the book club members find themselves dealing with life experiences that parallel the themes of the books they are reading. Finding wit, wisdom and comfort from the pages and each other they soon discover the things in life that really matter. Starring Maria Bello, Emily Blunt and Kathy Baker. (Jane Austen was born in 1775 so this year we celebrate her 250th birthday!)
Come along and enjoy what is the best value dinner and movie combo in town!
Cost: $15.00 Bookings essential: 9428 4287/9427 4740
TIME 4 U, Wednesdays at 10:00 am
This year Time4U will meet in our War Memorial Hall on the second Wednesday of the month and the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Library where we will enjoy their music program.
We had a very interesting visitor in March – Betty’s son Rodney was visiting from Bali. He travels far and wide introducing wheelchair rugby to communities that would otherwise have no formal wheelchair sport.
LANE COVE MUSIC – CELEBRATING 80 YEARS
Our March concert was a great success with over 200 attending the fabulous ‘Gershwin and More’ celebratory concert with Simon Tedeschi and George Washingmachine.
At 7:30 pm on Tuesday 13 May we will be enchanted by international flautist Jane Rutter and former SSO harpist, Louise Johnson with their program titled ‘Blues and the Silver Screen.’ Jane will play her gold & silver flutes and Celtic whistles; Louise will play her classical gold and electric blue harps. More details can be found on our website.
At 7:30 pm on 17 June Acacia Quartet will present a program titled ‘Precious Colours’. Now in their 15th anniversary year Acacia Quartet are proud to present a program of string quartets, featuring three of their favourite Australian composers, Alice Chance, Elena Kats-Chernin and Lyle Chan with two of their favourite classical composers, Joseph Haydn and Antonin Dvorak. Be treated to wonderful melodies and tunes throughout the whole program! Acacia Quartet features Lisa Stewart (V1), Doreen Cumming (V2), Stefan Duwe (Viola) and Anna Martin-Scrase (Cello).
Membership bookings for the 2025 season are still open. $90 will buy you a membership ticket for the remaining 5 concerts for 2025, $55 if you have a valid pension card. All details are on our website www.lanecovemusic.org.au
Enquiries: Chris Butters 9428 4287
OUR BANK DETAILS
Thank you for depositing money into the church bank account by EFT.
If convenient for you, you are welcome to continue.
We bank with Westpac BSB 032 085, a/c 810147.
THE SERENITY PRAYER
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
RECYCLING BLISTER PACKS
There has been an overwhelming response to the suggestion that we recycle blister packs from our little pink, blue and white pills. We are doing our bit for the planet.
Lane Cove Council Civic Centre is where the blister packs end up. Just beyond the reception desk you will find a small room which houses containers for all sorts of recycling including batteries, cosmetics, light globes, pens, mobile phones, toothbrushes, toner cartridges. The council offices are open weekdays so please take advantage of this free service.
STAMP NEWS
Please continue to save your used stamps. Amazingly, stamp sales for 2024 were $23,088. This money is then recycled into Outreach and Community Projects for congregations. The maximum per congregation is $1,000 and the money can be used for the purchase of equipment and consumables.
APRIL DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:
Apr 1, Tue 6:30 pm – Pizza/Movie “The Promise”
Apr 2, Wed 10:00 am – Elders/Church Council Meeting
Apr 6, Sun 9:30 am – Sunday Communion Service
Apr 9, Wed 10:00 am – Time 4U – 2nd Wednesday of the month
Apr 13, Sun 9:30 am – Palm Sunday – Guest Rev. Keith Garner
Apr 18, Fri 9:30 am – Good Friday Service
Apr 20, Sun 9:30 am – Easter Service
Apr 27, Sun 9:30 am – Sunday Communion Service
Apr 28, Mon 7:00 am – Trip to Wagga Wagga
MAY DATE FOR YOUR DIARY:
May 4, Sun 10:00 am – Worship with Crows Nest Uniting Church
May 6, Tue 6:30 pm – Pizza/Movie “The Jane Austen Book Club”
May 7, Wed 10:00 am – Elders/Church Council Meeting
May 11, Sun 10:30 am – Mother’s Day during Morning Tea
May 18, Sun 9:30 am – Regular Sunday Service
May 25, Sun 11:30 am – Krikor’s Closure of Ministry Service with Communion
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
To contact Krikor call on 0418 417 411
standrewsunite@tpg.com.au
Church Office phone: 9427 4740
Church Website
http://www.longueville.unitingchurch.org.au