Welcome to Worship
This Sunday at 10am, we come together at our monthly, informal Last Breakfast service.
Over good food and good company, we’ll be celebrating ‘Australian Stories’.
+ Worship Leader: Eddie Chapman
Community News
+ Celebrating 125 Years!
This year is the 125th anniversary of the Box Hill Baptist Church as a community.
In August of last year, we celebrated 100 years since the opening of the red brick sanctuary.
We are planning some special events during our Church Anniversary weekend which is scheduled for the 16-18 October 2026 (please reserve these dates in your calendar). This weekend will include a Morning Service of Thanksgiving and also a time to launch the history book that Lorraine Mitchell has been writing.
We are planning some segments in church services (often on the second Sunday of each month) when we invite a former pastor or member and their family to attend. We will usually interview them about their time at Box Hill Baptist. We also want to send a special letter of invitation to people who attended BHBC during the years when that person was a pastor, a church leader etc. These will be Back to Box Hill Baptist Church Sundays and it will give visitors returning a chance to catch up with our returning guests over morning tea in the Barn.
The Rev Colin Hunter plans to attend our morning service at Box Hill at 10am on February 8 and he will take part in an eight-minute interview as part of the service. This will focus on remembering and celebrating the ministry of the church while Colin and Jenny were at Box Hill from 1990-1996.
If you would like to ensure that certain former members and friends who attended BHBC receive a letter of invitation to this first event on 8 February when Colin Hunter will be present, please give the names and contact details to Eddie Chapman as soon as possible.
+ Lyn Pound writes: “After two very happy years of running our church Playgroup, we have decided not to continue for 2026. By the end of 2025, our numbers had dropped and the remaining children were transitioning to kinder or childcare. We have greatly appreciated the enthusiastic help of our volunteers: Su, Barbara and Geoff, but also earlier on, Sonya and Mina. A huge thanks to you all!”
+ The Box Hill Community Choir is getting underway on Tuesday 3 February at 9.30am in our church sanctuary. Newcomers are especially welcome.
+ Thank you for Christmas Gifts 2025. Note from Meredith Beaton, Pastoral Worker for Jubilee Housing to Box Hill Baptist Church: “We wish to thank you for the kindness shown towards the children who are a part of Jubilee Housing. We received a wonderful variety of gifts for those in our Box Hill and Burwood housing complexes. They were distributed and received with joy and excitement. We are thankful to have such great support from BHBC along with our other partner churches. Please know you have made a big difference to these families at a time when life can be challenging. Thank you to the Box Hill Baptist Church Community for your ongoing support of our program.”
+ World Leprosy Day (today, Sunday 25 January 2026) is recognised around the world as an opportunity to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and celebrate progress. Check out the Leprosy Mission Australia website to learn about progress in the fight to end leprosy, to donate and to discover projects you can support. Some things to pray for:
- Churches and prayer partners — that together we may continue to bring God’s healing and justice to life.
- People still waiting for diagnosis or treatment — that they may find healing and hope.
- Those living with stigma and rejection — that they may experience acceptance and love.
- Community workers and health staff — that they may serve with strength and compassion.
- The Leprosy Mission’s work worldwide — that it may be effective, loving, and guided by God’s wisdom.
+ Like to be part of a Small Discussion Group in 2026?
In the first week of February we resume our Small Groups after the Christmas holiday period. So far, we have a Know Your Bible that meets on Zoom on Tuesdays every fortnight and a Bible & Chats Group that meets on Tuesday nights in the Village Well which looks at the Scripture for the next Sunday. Have a think and let us know what you’d prefer in terms of a study, the day of the week and whether it is daytime or evening. We may be able to assemble some new groups.
Food for Thought
+ Jody Ray writes about the Mercy hospital ship on which Australian medical experts volunteer to bring health care to people in need, ‘The Hope Ship,’ ABC, 18 January 2026
Coming Soon:
This Week
Monday
+ 4.30pm-8.30pm Social Table Tennis (upstairs, 5 Ellingworth Pde)
Thursday
+ 11am-1pm upstairs in the Village Well: The Social Chat Gathering continues at this time.
+ 1.30pm-2.30pm Bakehouse in the Barn coordinated by Lynne Dyer: Saving bread, fruit and vegetables from waste by giving food to those wanting to ease their weekly budget.
Friday
+ 4.30-8.30pm: Social Table Tennis (upstairs, 5 Ellingworth Pde)
Saturday
+ 7.30am-8.30am Bakehouse in the Barn coordinated by Lynne Dyer: Saving bread, fruit and vegetables from waste by giving food to those wanting to ease their weekly budget.
Small Groups @ BHBC
Box Hill Baptist Church runs a number of small groups which create opportunities to build friendships, study the Bible and other resources, pray and strengthen our spiritual journeys.
If you are interested in any of the groups below, feel welcome to contact the convenor, or speak to one of our pastors. (And if you’d like to be part of a group but these don’t work for you, come and speak to us and we’ll see if we can start something new!)
- Bible & Chat: Currently each Tuesday, 7:15pm for 7.30pm start at the Village Well (5 Ellingworth Pde). The group normally reflects on a Scripture passage for the following Sunday service. Convenor: Geoff Pound
- KYB (Know Your Bible): Tuesdays fortnightly via Zoom. (Convenor: Helen Timms)
Next Sunday 1 February at 10am.
+ Walking with God: First in our new series “Dust to Dawn: Walking into Easter”
+ Scripture: Genesis 3:1-13
+ Worship Leader: Eddie Chapman + Preacher: Geoff Pound
+ Includes our monthly Communion service, and offering of non-perishable food items for the community through Box Hill Community Information & Support.
Worship Roster
An inclusive community at the heart of Box Hill 