News & Events

It often feels like the people who would most benefit from what we do here at Box Hill are often the last people who would think to walk through a set of church doors.

You may recognise them yourself…

They’re the ones who grew up in faith and quietly drifted. Not because they stopped caring about the big questions, but because the answers they were being offered stopped making sense.

Or they’re the ones who were explicitly told, in one way or another, that who they are isn’t compatible with who the church wants them to be.

Or they’re simply people who’ve never had any connection with church at all, but carry a private sense that there’s something more to being alive than what the purely material world can account for.

Most of them would never describe themselves as looking for a church. But when you talk to them – really talk to them – they’re often looking for exactly what a church at its best can offer: a community that takes deep questions seriously, a place where they can be honest about where they’re at, and people who are trying to live with some kind of integrity and meaning rather than just getting through a week.

I think about those people a lot.

I think about them because I know that most of them have already written off the possibility that a place like this exists. They assume that church means certainty, conformity, and a particular set of cultural expectations they’ve either outgrown or never shared in the first place. And in many cases, that assumption has been earned by experience. The church hasn’t always been honest about its own limitations, or generous enough with its welcome.

One of the great things about this small church in Box Hill is that we’re not trying to be something we’re not! We’re small. We’re (relatively!) unpolished. We have more questions than answers on pretty much every Sunday. We have people who’ve been here for decades and people who showed up for the first time last month and weren’t sure what to expect. We have people who believe deeply and people who are genuinely not sure what they believe but keep showing up anyway, because something about the conversation feels worth having.

We don’t ask people to agree with us before they belong. We don’t have a list of positions you need to hold or a particular identity you need to present. What we do have is a table – sometimes literally – where people can sit down, be themselves, and find that they’re not as alone in their questions as they thought.

I don’t know if that’s what you’re looking for. But if any part of this resonates, it might be worth finding out.

Eddie Chapman is the Executive Pastor at Box Hill Baptist Church in Box Hill, Melbourne. The church gathers on Sundays at 10am and hosts the Last Breakfast, an informal monthly gathering over food and conversation, on the last Sunday of each month. More at boxhillbaptist.org.au

Parents have to do it. Teachers have to do it. Employers have to do it.

Any leader has to give critical comments and this for most people is the hardest part of being a leader. But there’s an art in giving constructive criticism.

We will all have vivid memories of when we were given criticism that was blunt and our self-esteem took a big hit or we were humiliated in front of others.

Some of the old-style footy coaches are remembered for their legendary sprays—their blistering attacks on their players which were intended to cause hurt and provide fuel for a better performance.

In our ‘Listening to the Spirit’ series on the Letters to the Seven Churches, we’ve reached the hard part—the bit in most of the letters where the Son of Man reveals the weaknesses and wrongdoing of the churches. They’re not necessarily models of how to say hard things and the weaknesses in those first century churches may not be the faults that we share.

In each letter the criticism is followed by a call to action which illustrates the principle that the purpose of criticism is not to make a person or a church feel bad about what they have done; it is to help them to become better at what they do.

Remember that we are writing an eighth letter—to the church at Box Hill. So think about our weaknesses, our wrongdoing and our neglect but speak the truth in love.

Welcome to Worship this Sunday

This Sunday is The Last Breakfast: eating breakfast or brunch around the tables (bring some food to share) — a great opportunity to chat with others.

• Led by Eddie Chapman.
• Scripture: Revelation 2: 12-17, The Letter to the Church at Pergamum.
• Theme: Looking at words of strength in the seven churches, and asking, ‘What are the good things and strengths of the church at Box Hill?’

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Community News

• News from the church meeting:
  • The new budget for the coming year was discussed and approved.
  • We heard updates on a range of things, including the Eco Church progress, what’s happening with our potential redevelopment project, and news from the Open Baptists.
• Church office relocation
  • From the 7th of September, the ground floor of the Village Well (#5 Ellingworth Pde) is being leased out to the Australia China Yangzte Delta Chinese Association, to enable their work with Chinese seniors in the area.
  • This means that the current church office (loosely located in that building), and other activities (such as Bible and Chat) will be moving to other spaces in the church.
• The new roster for our Sunday worship needs is being put together now. There are a number of gaps where we need some new volunteers to help out, or else things like morning tea, communion, greetings at the door, or the audio-visual/livestreaming are at risk of not happening (or falling on the same few people). Helping out once every few weeks can make a huge difference, so email the office or talk to Michelle if you can help.
• The shocking news reverberated around the air waves last Wednesday that Simon Carey Holt had died. Simon was a chef who became a teacher (Whitley College), a pastor (most recently at Collins Street Baptist Church) and a writer who helped people become aware of the activity of God in their neighbourhood, their city and in ordinary things like eating meals. Do offer a prayer for Simon’s wife, Brenda (Principal of Burgmann College in Canberra), their daughter Ali and their son Nathaniel. Simon was a wise, gracious person who died at the age of 64.
• Lynn Arnold has been appointed Chancellor of the University of Divinity — read more at VOX.
• Colin Carter, member of Ashburton Baptist Church (ABC), shares Ideas and Reflections on the AFL (the title of his new book) at ABC on 17 September at 7.30pm.

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Upcoming Events

• Communion Service – Sunday 6 September at 10am (first Sunday of the month).
• Exploring Faith course begins Fridays at 7pm, from 11 September.
• Colin Carter, Ideas and Reflections on the AFL – Ashburton Baptist Church, 17 September at 7.30pm.
• Baptist Union Member’s Dinner — 16 October, Newhope Church.
• Save-the-date: 125th Anniversary — Sunday 18 October: Service of Thanksgiving at 10am, morning tea/lunch at 11.30am, book launch at 12.15pm. All former members and friends invited.

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This Week

Monday

• 4.30pm-8.30pm Social Table Tennis (upstairs, 5 Ellingworth Pde).

Tuesday

• 9.30am The Box Hill Community Choir. Newcomers are welcome to join — no audition needed.
• 7.15pm The Bible & Chats Group meets for a cuppa, and at 7.30pm a study begins on Revelation 2: 18-29, The Letter to the Church at Thyatira.

Thursday

• 11am-1pm The Social Chat Group (upstairs in the Village Well) will be learning basic English, playing table tennis and other games, drinking tea and coffee and making friends.
• 1.30pm-2.30pm Bakehouse in the Barn: Saving bread, fruit and vegetables from waste by giving food to those wanting to ease their weekly budget.

Friday

• 4.30pm-8.30pm Social Table Tennis (upstairs, 5 Ellingworth Pde).

Saturday

• 7.30am-8.30am Bakehouse in the Barn: Saving bread, fruit and vegetables from waste by giving food to those wanting to ease their weekly budget.

(Note: the regular weekly groups above are carried over from recent editions of The Record, as this week’s emails didn’t update them — please flag if anything’s changed.)

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Food for Thought, Prayer and Action

• “In July 2005, I stood at my kitchen sink, poured a bottle of spirits down the drain, and fell to my knees on the floor and wept. I’d been preaching most Sundays for years, teaching in a theological college, and caring for a congregation, and drinking heavily every single day for about a decade while almost nobody knew.” Graham Hill (Sydney) tells his story of addiction and recovery in this podcast.
• ‘Church Introduces Breakaway Stained Glass Windows for Introverts to Use during Sharing of the Peace,’ The Babylon Bee.
• Inspired by the prophet Isaiah (2:4), who imagined a day when resources would be used for agriculture and sustaining life instead of war, Pope Leo says, ‘War fuels a vicious cycle of environmental destruction,’ Religion News Service, 20 August 2026.

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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.

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Next Sunday – 6 September 2026 at 10am

• Communion Service (usually held on the first Sunday of the month).
• Offering: On first Sundays we bring non-perishable food items that are given to support needy people in our community.
• Worship Leader: TBC; Preacher: TBC.
• Scripture Reading: Revelation 2: 18-29.
• Theme: Learning from the Church at Thyatira. Fourth in our series: Listening to the Spirit.

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Offering details

BSB: 704-922
Account name: Box Hill Baptist Church
Account number: 100005657
Please use the reference ‘Offering’ in the reference line.

If you have any issues in making an offering, please contact office@boxhillbaptist.org.au

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Worship Roster

What are we good at?

It’s a strangely hard question to answer out loud, isn’t it?

Ask most of us what we’re bad at and we’ll give you a list. Ask what we’re good at and we go quiet, or we deflect, or we change the subject. Naming a strength can feel like boasting, so we don’t. Especially for Australians!

But this Sunday, at our Last Breakfast, we’re going to try anyway.

We’re continuing our series writing The Letter to the Church in Box Hill, and we’ve reached the letter to the church in Pergamum. It’s a church living at a hard address (Christ calls it the place “where Satan has his throne”), and yet the first thing he says to them is not a criticism. It’s a commendation. He tells them what they are getting right. “I know where you live… yet you remain true to my name.”

That’s a pattern worth noticing. Before the difficult word, the positive word. Before what’s lacking, what’s good. Christ names the strength first.

So this week we’re asking it of ourselves, and of each other. What has God actually made us good at? Not to boast. But because a gift unnamed is a gift half-received. Because the strength you can’t quite see in yourself is often obvious to the person sitting across the table.

And we’ll ask it of us together, too. What is the church in Box Hill good at? What are we like at our best? Those answers become the next line of the letter we’re writing.

Of course one thing we are definitely good at is putting the food on the table, so come and eat with us! And come and find out what someone else sees in you.

Listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Welcome to Worship this Sunday

We continue our series on the Letters to the Seven Churches this week, turning to the letter to the church in Smyrna. Where last week’s letter (to Ephesus) focused on identity, this week we look at the Sender: the vision John receives of the risen Jesus as “the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life.”

+ Worship Leader: Andy McCulloch; Preacher: Geoff Pound.

+ Scripture Readings: Revelation 1: 9-20, and Revelation 2: 8-11 (the letter to the church in Smyrna).

+ Theme: Continuing our series, ‘Listening to the Spirit.’ Geoff will finish the sermon by inviting us to reflect on the aspect of Jesus most needed at Box Hill, completing the line “From the One who…” — watch out for a QR code and follow-up email during the week.

+ A Church Meeting (open to all) will be held after Morning Tea, in the Barn.

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Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Man of Sorrows
• Welcome & Community News
• Reading 1: Revelation 1: 9-20
• Offering & Offering Prayer
• Song: Blessed Be Your Name
• Reading 2: Revelation 2: 8-11
• Sermon
• Song: Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God
• Pastoral Prayer
• Benediction: Holy Spirit, Living Breath

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Community News

+ Church Meeting papers: this Sunday’s meeting has a hefty agenda, to keep the meeting manageable, the Budget will be the main item for full discussion and adoption on the day; the Constitution Summary, Grievance and Complaints Policy, Eco Church Action Plan and Ellingworth Project report will be tabled and introduced, with adoption to follow at a later meeting. If you spot gaps or have questions on any paper, please speak with the person who prepared it.

+ Seeking AV/tech volunteers: we’d love a small core group to share the load of putting together the slides and other audio-visual materials that enrich our worship each week. If you have a knack for this (or want to learn), have a chat with Eddie.

+ Exploring Faith: A Journey of Discovery — a new 10-week course exploring the foundations of the Christian faith begins Fridays at 7pm from 11 September. You don’t need any prior knowledge — it’s designed for every level. Anyone interested, or wanting to know more, is welcome to have a chat with Eddie or register interest at office@boxhillbaptist.org.au.

+ Community Musicale: our next musicale (supporting local live classical music) is coming up on 20 September.

+ The next Member’s Dinner for the Baptist Union will be held at the Newhope Church on 16 October.

+ Check out the latest spirituality events at WellSpring, including a gathering with Steve Biddulph.

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Upcoming Events

+ Church Meeting — 23 August, after Morning Tea, in the Barn.

+ Community Shed Bicycle Workshop — Saturday 29 August, 9am-12pm. Refurbished bikes will be on sale, and it’s a chance to bring your own bike along to get it checked, serviced or fixed up.

+ Exploring Faith course begins Fridays at 7pm, from 11 September.

+ Baptist Union Member’s Dinner — 16 October, Newhope Church.

+ Save-the-date: 125th Anniversary — Sunday 18 October: Service of Thanksgiving at 10am, morning tea/lunch at 11.30am, book launch at 12.15pm. All former members and friends invited.

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This Week

Monday

+ 4.30pm-8.30pm Social Table Tennis (upstairs, 5 Ellingworth Pde)

Tuesday

+ 9.30am The Box Hill Community Choir. Newcomers are welcome to join — no audition needed.

+ 7.15pm The Bible & Chats Group meets for a cuppa, and at 7.30pm a study begins on Revelation 2: 12-17, The Letter to the Church at Pergamum.

Thursday

+ 11am-1pm The Social Chat Group (upstairs in the Village Well) — learning basic English, playing table tennis and other games, drinking tea and coffee and making friends.

+ 1.30pm-2.30pm Bakehouse in the Barn: saving bread, fruit and vegetables from waste by giving food to those wanting to ease their weekly budget.

Friday

+ 4.30pm-8.30pm Social Table Tennis (upstairs, 5 Ellingworth Pde)

Saturday

+ 7.30am-8.30am Bakehouse in the Barn: saving bread, fruit and vegetables from waste by giving food to those wanting to ease their weekly budget.

+ 9am-12pm Community Shed Bicycle Workshop: refurbished bikes on sale, plus servicing and repairs for your own bike.

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Food for Thought, Prayer and Action

• Rod Benson, ‘Archaeology, Theology and the Search for an Australian Christian Imagination,’ All Told, 5 August 2026.
• The saying, ‘What is learned in song is remembered long,’ applies to much learning — but for a church it’s important to ensure our songs in worship are teaching us well and true.
• Lindsay Branham, ‘Writing as a Potent Spiritual Ecological Practice,’ Aspen Times, 12 August 2026.

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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

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Next Sunday, 30 August 2026

+ The Last Breakfast: Eating breakfast or brunch around the tables (bring food to share) — a great opportunity to discuss with others.

+ Led by Eddie Chapman.

+ Scripture: Revelation 2: 12-17, The Letter to the Church at Pergamum.

+ Theme: Looking at words of strength in the seven churches and asking, ‘What are the good things and strengths of the church at Box Hill?’

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Offering details

BSB: 704-922
Account name: Box Hill Baptist Church
Account number: 100005657
Please use the reference ‘Offering’ in the reference line

If you have any issues making an offering, please contact office@boxhillbaptist.org.au

In our series on the Letters to the Seven Churches (Revelation 2 & 3) we’re challenging ourselves at Box Hill Baptist to write an eighth letter based on the Patmos template.

Last week we came up with the address: “To the Church at Box Hill Baptist.”

This Sunday things get harder as we describe the Sender, “From…” and like the other letters penned by John on the island of Patmos, we include aspects of Jesus that are appropriate to the church in their context and in that time.

In Box Hill there’s the ‘Immanuel Lutheran Church.’ That’s comforting to know God with us.

In Mont Albert there’s ‘The Church of the Holy Redeemer.’ That’s all-encompassing.

In Ascot Vale there’s ‘Christ the King Anglican Church.’ Would you go if you had republican aspirations?

Does ‘Sacred Heart’ or the ‘Corpus Christi’ Baptist Church cut it?

Who gets to choose the name for a church? Some bishop a hundred years ago? Some ecclesiastical body?

At least we get to choose (with the help of the Holy Spirit of course!) the name of the Sender of the letter to our church. We get to provide some aspects of their character and action that we need at Box Hill. We’ll get it right if we have ‘ears to hear’ and ‘listen to the Spirit.’

Welcome to Worship this Sunday

This Sunday marks the beginning of a new sermon series on the Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation, as we listen for what the Spirit is saying to the church at Box Hill.

+ Worship Leader: Keith Dyer; Preacher: Eddie Chapman.

+ Theme: ‘Name:Address’ — Week 1: Revelation 2:1-7, the letter to the church in Ephesus. This week’s focus is exploring questions of identity: who Box Hill is, and who we are as a church in Box Hill.

+ Scripture Readings: Revelation 2: 1-7 (the letter to the church in Ephesus).

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Order of Service

• Acknowledgement of Country and Call to Worship (Psalm 67)
• Hymn: You were in this place, but we never knew
• Prayer of gathering and confession
• Welcome and Community News
• Offering and prayer
• Song: Ballad of God’s People
• Bible reading: Revelation 2:1-7 (Letter to Ephesus) — Theresa
• Sermon: — Eddie
• Song: Bring Many Names
• Prayers for the world.
• Song: Gather Us In
• Benediction

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Community News

+ Service and Sermon Series: This week we begin our new ‘Letters to the Seven Churches’ series from the book of Revelation, where our challenge as a church will be to listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church at Box Hill Baptist. We hope that after all the looking back we have done in our Anniversary year, this series will help us look forward to what we are being called to be and do in the future.

+ This coming Saturday we have one of our regular working bees. There will be a mix of jobs to help keep our ‘address’ in good order – including replacing the lights in the Barn (great for anyone fond of heights!), and clearing some stuff out of the Village Well (#5), and assorted cleaning! If you’re free, even for a couple of hours, join us Saturday morning at 10am. We also would benefit from anyone free on Friday evening (from 6pm) to help assemble our scaffold in the Barn so we’re ready to go on Saturday.

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Upcoming Events

+ Church Working Bee – 22 August, commencing at 10am.

+ Church Meeting – 23 August (after the service)

+ Exploring Faith: a new course exploring the Christian faith begins Fridays at 7pm, from 4 September. Anyone interested, or wanting to know more, is welcome to have a chat with Eddie.

+ Community Musicale: our next musicale (to help support local live classical music) is coming up on the 20th of September.

+ Save-the-date: 125th Anniversary on Sunday 18 October: Service of Thanksgiving at 10am, morning tea/lunch at 11.30am, book launch at 12.15pm. All former members and friends invited.

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This Week

Monday

+ 4.30pm-8.30pm Social Table Tennis (upstairs, 5 Ellingworth Pde)

Tuesday

+ 9.30am The Box Hill Community Choir. Newcomers are welcome to join. No audition needed.

+ 7.15pm The Bible & Chats Group meets for a cuppa, and at 7.30pm a study begins on Revelation 2: 8-11.

Thursday

+ 11am-1pm The Social Chat Group (upstairs in the Village Well) will be learning basic English, playing table tennis and other games, drinking tea and coffee and making friends.

+ 1.30pm-2.30pm Bakehouse in the Barn: 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: Saving bread, fruit and vegetables from waste by giving food to those wanting to ease their weekly budget.

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Food for Thought, Prayer and Action

+ Jason Goroncy (Whitley College) writes on ‘How Christianity Both Creates and Can Resolve the Problem of Monoculturalism,’ Religion & Ethics, 21 July 2026.

+ If you’ve ever wondered about receiving or offering spiritual direction, or wondered what it is, here’s an introduction from a variety of perspectives: Spiritual Growth Ministries (NZ).

+ A new venture in the UK linking theology and nature: ‘We Garden on Our Knees,’ Religion News, 10 August 2026.

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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)

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Next Sunday, 23 August at 10am

Also Church Meeting day, to be held after the service.

+ Worship Leader: Andy McCulloch; Preacher: Geoff Pound.

+ Scripture Reading: Revelation 2: 8-11.

+ Continuing our series, ‘Listening to the Spirit.’

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Offering details

BSB: 704-922
Account name: Box Hill Baptist Church
Account number: 100005657
Please use the reference ‘Offering’ in the reference line

If you have any issues making an offering, please contact office@boxhillbaptist.org.au

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Roster

This Sunday we start something unusual. Over the coming weeks, together, we are going to write a letter. To ourselves. The Letter to the Church in Box Hill.

We take our cue from the book of Revelation, where the risen Christ writes to seven real churches in seven real cities. Every letter opens the same way: “To the church in…” and then a place. A name, and an address. He does not send a group email to “the church <everywhere>.” He writes to particular people in a particular place, and he tells each of them, “I know.” He knows this church, because he has been to this address. We are addressed by name. Christ knows where we live.

Which makes us ask what our address says about us. Say it slowly. The church in Box Hill. What does that stir in you? It is a place, not a preference. We are named after a suburb on a map, not after the people who happen to think like us. And a place comes with whoever else lives there.

That is where it gets interesting, because our name and our address may not always match. We know who we are. But do we know where we are? And what happens when the two rub against each other?

Over these weeks we will sit with some questions:

• Who has Christ addressed us to be, here, at this particular address?
• What did we once love about this place, and has some of that love gone cold?
• Are we ever tempted to pick up our lamp and find somewhere more “like us,” and whose choice is that to make anyway?
• How do we hold on to what we believe without letting our certainty outgrow our love?

We are not going to answer all of those this Sunday. But we are going to begin listening.

Because every one of those ancient letters ends the same way: “let anyone who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” A word spoken to one church, at one address, is meant to be overheard by all of them. And by us.

So this week, just sit with the name. The church in Box Hill. Ask what it might mean that Christ has addressed us here, on purpose.

Listen to what the Spirit is saying.