Welcome to Worship this Sunday
Welcome to Box Hill Baptist this Sunday, 8 November 2026, at 10am.
- Worship Leader: Keith Dyer
- Preacher: Geoff Pound
- Sermon: Keep Awake!
- Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13
- Theme: What does it mean to “keep awake” to God in our daily lives? We will think about staying alert to Jesus in the faces of the poor, the forgotten and the stranger.
Order of Service
- Acknowledgement of Country and Call to Worship (Psalm 78:1–7)
- Song/Hymn: ‘Take this moment, sign and space’
- Prayer of gathering and confession
- Welcome and community news
- Our offering and prayer
- Song/Hymn: ‘The love of God comes close’
- Bible reading: Matthew 25:1–13 — Theresa
- Sermon: ‘Keep Awake!’— Geoff
- Song/Hymn: ‘Lord, let me see’
- Prayers for the world
- Song/Hymn: ‘Christ be our Light’
- Benediction: Geoff
Community News
- Diane Heagney, who recently had a stay in hospital, received the sad news that her younger brother died last Tuesday. Do keep Diane and her loved ones in your hearts and prayers at this time of loss and grief.
- Unwrapping Christmas: Over three Tuesday evenings (10, 17 and 24 November) Dr Keith Dyer will be opening the Bible and speaking about Christmas without all the wrappings. Each session includes a segment called “You Can’t Ask That!” where you can ask the questions you have longed to ask, such as “Did the Virgin Birth really happen?”, “What was God’s part and Joseph’s part in the conception of Jesus?” and “What about the line in that Christmas hymn, But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes?” Held in the Gallery, starting with a cuppa at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start and an approximate 8.45pm finish. Open to all!
- Annual General Meeting: Takes place next Sunday after the church service in the Barn. Check your emails to make sure you’ve got your Annual Report contributions, and made a nomination for the Diaconate if you want to! More info to come this week, including how to connect and vote online.
- News from the Deacons: The Deacons met last week, and some of the topics being discussed and considered were:
- Preparing for the upcoming AGM – fun stuff like financial documents and annual reports!
- Reflecting on the 125th Anniversary Service – the warm response and the strong reception of Lorraine’s book.
- Directing the Christmas Day offering again this year to Baptist World Aid.
- Looking ahead to a gentler Advent season, with theme of rest and finding time for yourself amidst a busy year.
- Encouraging progress on the Ellingworth Project, with Christian Finance and Middle Ground Housing now working directly on the financial model.
Upcoming Events
- Tuesdays 10, 17 and 24 November: Unwrapping Christmas with Keith Dyer, the Gallery, 7.15pm cuppa for a 7.30pm start.
- Saturday 14 November (9am-midday): Special Saturday bike session at our Community Shed. A great chance to pop in, and maybe even pick up a bike (or some handy skills in maintenance and repair!)
- Sunday 15 November: Morning Tea at 11.15am followed by the Church Annual General Meeting. Everybody is welcome to attend.
This Week
Monday
- 4:30pm-8:30pm – Social Table Tennis (upstairs, 5 Ellingworth Pde)
Tuesday
- 9.30am – The Box Hill Community Choir practises in the Sanctuary.
- 7.15pm (cuppa) for 7.30pm – Unwrapping Christmas with Keith Dyer in the Gallery. Everyone is welcome. (See the note in Community News.)
Wednesday
- 7.30pm-9pm in the Gallery – A reminder of the second meeting with Danny Krivan for those who have offered to be part of his project on communal discernment, “Where Two or Three are Gathered Together.”
Thursday
- 11am-1pm – The Social Chat Group (Village Well upstairs): English language learning, table tennis and socialising
- 1:30pm-2:30pm – Bakehouse in the Barn: our food rescue program
Friday
- 4:30pm-8:30pm – Social Table Tennis
Saturday
- 7:30am-8:30am – Bakehouse in the Barn
Food for Thought, Prayer and Action
“It is a broken Christianity that desperately looks for Jesus returning in the clouds but refuses to recognise him in the faces of the poor, the sick, the homeless, the immigrant, the bombed, the starving, the marginalized and the oppressed.” Benjamin Cremer.
More and more, churches in the USA are taking a “yes in God’s backyard” approach to converting unused and under-utilized properties into affordable housing. Jeff Brumley, “Yes in God’s Backyard Addresses Housing Crisis,” Baptist News Global.
Next Sunday, 15 November 2026
- 10am: Worship Leader: Andy McCulloch; Preacher: Sue McDonald
- Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30
- 11.15am: Morning Tea followed by the Church Annual General Meeting. Everybody is welcome to attend.
