PANCAKE DAY ON 17th March

The heat of recent days may have deterred a few, but the quality of the pancakes and the great entertainment made up for the smaller than expected gathering for our Uniting Care Pancake brunch after church last week. Proceeds from the sales went to the work of Uniting Care in the wider community. 

We also ran a Lucky Numbers competition for Uniting Care 

A big thank you to the kitchen staff (Wendy, Geoff, Janet and Suzy) who laboured through the morning /early afternoon to load up our groaning paper plates with yummy pancakes laden with fruits of many kinds and ice cream. 

Ali and John Davies and David Scott also provided the musical entertainment. 

None of this would have happened without the energy, enthusiasm and organisation of Wendy who convinced the church calendar to delay Shrove Tuesday especially for us! We hope St Patrick didn’t mind sharing March 17th with us! 

Enjoy the photos from our happy gathering. 

Our happy band of helpers in the kitchen
John & Alison along with David Scott
Guests enjoying their pancakes in a relaxed atmosphere
Guests enjoying their pancakes in a relaxed atmosphere
Money collectors
Guests enjoying their pancakes in a relaxed atmosphere

PANCAKE SUNDAY

Please join us straight after the 9:30am service on Sunday 17th March for pancakes and a hot or cold drink in lieu of our usual morning tea. Wendy Hinde would be grateful to any volunteers to flip for a good cause in the kitchen and also for donations of pancake mixes and toppings. All funds raised will be donated to UnitingCare. We apologise for delaying this much awaited event on our church social calendar but our main organiser was away.

PLEASE BRING CASH!!!

Live music will accompany the serving of food.

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE

We had some special guests at our Christmas Day service in the form of a ‘live’ Nativity scene. Shepherds Jack and Ben McDonald were joined by angels Annabelle McDonald and twin three year olds Gaia and Arya. They were attending the birth of baby Jesus with his parents Joseph (Scotty Webster) and Mary (Katie Barnes- the twins’ parents). It was quite a family affair.
It was also lovely to see several members of the congregation whom we haven’t seen in a while to catch up on their family news.
It was also great to see life Elder Philip Stewart attended church on Christmas Day after spending a week or two in Kingston Hospital with a nasty chest infection. We pray for Philip’s speedy recovery.

CHRISTMAS EVE CAROL SERVICE

Following the lighting of the Advent Candles by the Webster twins, we were treated to a beautiful Carols Service last Sunday 24th December, featuring an enlarged St Martins Choir led by Geoff Hinde which led us in singing our favourite Christmas Carols. We thanked our very generous pianist Rhonda who provided the accompaniment during rehearsals as well as playing for us during the service.

We were also pleased to welcome Katrina Pezzimenti (Wendy and Geoff’s daughter) as a soloist during the Carols Service. Her contribution added another string to the Choir’s bow of traditional Christmas carolling that St Martins has become well known for over the past four or five decades in the Bayside Community.

We also had some visitors from Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, and from Germany and Sydney at the Carols Service. News of the event has travelled across the world!

ANNUAL GIVING TREE 2023

During the morning church service on Sunday 10th December , we placed under the “Empty Christmas Tree” generous donations of unwrapped children’s toys or gift vouchers or gifts for the families supported by Family Life.   We also brought forward a mountain of non-perishable grocery food items for these vulnerable families. Many thanks to all members of our congregation who brought along these much needed donations.

Wonderful array of gifts donated by the church congregation for Family Life to distribute to its clients in the area who are facing challenges this Christmas
Thanks to the Chard family for collecting gifts from the congregation and placing them all under the tree.
Family Life were thrilled to receive our generous gifts.

CHURCH CHRISTMAS LUNCH 2023

What a lovely afternoon of Carol singing and sharing lunch together during our annual Christmas lunch last Sunday. More than forty of us gathered in the Hall where the tables were all decked out in Christmas colours. An added blessing was to listen to and then sing along with our very own Carol singers and musicians, consisting of John Davies, Jenny Small, Alison Davies, Carol Parker and David Scott.
Before the final Carol of the afternoon, it was fitting that we thanked our musicians and also thanked Wendy Hinde for organising everything, including her willing kitchen staff. Thank you to all those who brought along a vegetarian dish, salad or sweet to share. We have great cooks in the congregation!

Church members enjoying their Christmas lunch
Church members enjoying their Christmas lunch
Church Council Chairperson Nick Toovey presents organiser Wendy Hinde with a thank you gift
St Martin's Band