Sunday morning worship services don’t happen magically – at St Luke’s we have a dedicated group of helpers to ensure that doors are unlocked, heaters turned on, microphones are set up and working, morning tea is prepared, people are welcomed to church, the offering is reconciled, the service is shared online for those unable to attend in person, and the cleaning is taken care of. (And many other tasks besides).
It’s a great example of the sharing of skills, gifts and time in the service of ministry. So that the workload is shared and people don’t get burnt out, we are looking for some more helpers in the roles of:
Sound Technology
Streaming producer
Cleaning (COVID safe)
Training is provided and you might pick up some handy, transferable skills!
If you can give some time. please speak to Robyn, Christopher or Paul – we’d love to chat with you about what could be possible.
Our latest update and appeal letter from Frontier services arrived last week – perhaps some of you received a letter too. Our bush chaplains in rural and remote areas play an important role in encouraging and supporting communities that are experiencing great hardship caused by natural disasters, especially after the initial attention that such disasters often receive.
Unlike the media, our chaplains stay focused on the people who are recovering for the long haul.
Frontier Services also runs work parties connecting volunteers to communities in the bush.
Perhaps you are originally from a rural area yourself?
You might be just the right person to share the stories from Frontier Services with the congregation and wider community, helping to raise much needed funds and connect city and rural places with each other.
The Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) is a free program where volunteers get matched up with an older person for social companionship and friendship on a weekly or fortnightly basis. You might have a cuppa, do puzzles together, reminisce or otherwise enjoy each other’s company. At the moment, connection is limited to phone calls, video calls and letter writing but we hope to return to face to face visiting soon.
CVS is available to older people who are living in a public aged care facility or receiving a home care package. It is an initiative funded by the Australian Government.
Red Cross are currently seeking male volunteers in the Geelong Region as we have male participants who are waiting to be matched.
If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering with CVS please email or phone Rose Jackson, CVS Program Officer 0419 151 830
Reconciliation week 2021 starts on Wednesday this week the 27th May 2021. The largest local reconciliation event in reconciliation week in Geelong is Reconciliation in the Park held in Johnstone Park on the Sunday of Reconciliation week. This year this will be Sunday 30th May 2021.
As part of Uniting Barwon’s Reconciliation Action Plan we have established contact with the local community reconciliation group Geelong One Fire Reconciliation Group. Geelong One Fire helped establish Reconciliation in the Park and has supported it each year since its establishment. This year Uniting Barwon is going to assist Geelong One Fire with their support for the event.
Uniting Barwon people will be assisting with;
Set up which starts at 7.30am at Johnstone Park and runs until about 9.45am,
Various activities during the day, and
Pack up which will start between 3 and 3.30pm and run until about 5pm.
Those assisting will be given some time to participate in and enjoy the activities taking place.
If you are interested in assisting in any of the roles please contact Des Younghusband by Thursday 27th May 2021, please also enquire of your families, friends, acquaintances and network members if they might be available to help.
If you are unable to assist please consider coming along to enjoy the activities and again encourage your families, friends, acquaintances and network members also to do this .
The lawns at St Luke’s are very “hairy” at this time of year! Volunteers are needed to mow sections of the remaining lawn around the buildings. Some can be done by ride-on mower and other parts are push mower only.
Volunteers able to do the job saves the church hundreds of dollars per year, money that can be directed towards Ministry and Mission with refugees, and keeping our facilities affordable for community groups like choirs and Repair Cafe by subsidising venue hire fees.
Mowing can be done at times and frequency to suit our volunteers. If you are able to help on a regular, semi-regular or even a one-off basis, please contact Ken Anderson via the office on 5244 2997.
As we prepare to re-open our buildings for worship and community use, there are some extra requirements we need to put in place to keep the buildings COVID safe.
Spacing seating and setting out movement guidelines
We will need some fit and strong people to move furniture around the church buildings so that we can ensure people are sitting, standing, and moving in a way that allows them to keep 1.5 metres apart.
Cleaning
There are more complex cleaning requirements for the building, and we need to recruit and train volunteers in COVID safe cleaning practices. Volunteers will be needed for Worship and other church meetings held in the building, and people will also be needed to assist with cleaning for community use.
COVID Marshals
As people come together again, it is recommended that there are specific people present at events to ensure that people are signing in and out of the buildling, sanitising their hands and wearing their masks, and following guidelines for physical distancing. We are hoping to recruit and train a few Marshals so that the work is shared around.
Tech support team for video streaming of worship and other events
To ensure that everyone can be part of worship, whether in person or online, we will be streaming our services at times. We will need people who can set up and operate cameras, lighting and microphones, and who can operate streaming software. If you are interested in learning how to do this, please contact Paul or Robyn via the church office.
If you would like to find out more or offer your assistance, (or volunteer a relative – cheeky!), please contact Robyn through the church office ASAP.
The Justice and International Mission Cluster is asking you to be part of a taskforce on climate change action. The taskforce’s purpose is to identify, encourage and support the implementation of measures across the Synod to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. To lodge an expression of interest, contact Mark Zirnsak at mark.zirnsak@victas.uca.org.au or on 0409 166 915 by October 28.
Uniting Barwon Volunteer Peter Wheeler is one of 6 finalists in the Westfield Local Heroes awards with the chance to win a grant of $10,000 for Uniting Barwon Norlane.
Peter needs your vote!
Please forward this link to your network of family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.
Volunteer Peter Wheeler has created an Op Shop and community space that offers much more than second-hand clothes and household goods. With his vision and drive, Uniting Barwon’s new Norlane Op Shop is also a safe place for disaffected locals to socialise and seek help. There are comfy sofas where any members of the community can read a book, have a chat, relax and enjoy a cuppa, plus a kids’ corner with toys, books and puzzles. Thanks to Peter’s dynamic and inclusive approach, there has been a surge in volunteers and shoppers as word of mouth spreads. He is proud that the Op Shop has saved several tons of goods from ending up in landfill each month, while helping those in need.
“We have community members who, by volunteering and participating, have gained an improved level of self-worth,” Peter says.
Peter is driving further initiatives, before COVID-19 restrictions, including a community arts program and literacy and numeracy programs, conversational English for new arrivals (in conjunction with Diversitat), Messy Mums group (an evening program for parents and kids), an evening wellness program (some yoga and relaxation), community internet café, a vegie garden supporting provision of free light lunches from our approved kitchen, community engagement events, including community movie nights and regular car boot sales with sausage sizzles.
“Any profit made from the shop goes to our Emergency Relief Program for those in greatest need in our community.”
