Contacts & Communication

We have been working towards improving the way we communicate important information to the whole parish.  This week is a stark reminder of the importance of providing up-to-date information to our entire parish.  The ability to adapt quickly and stay connected in changing circumstances is essential.  I am aware that people don't all receive our communication in the same way.  Some are comfortable with email or Facebook, but some require a piece of paper or a phone call. To provide a variety of channels, we are asking for your help.

Can you please help by making sure that the contact information we have is up to date?  

I sent out an email to all people we have on our current database during the week.  This email provided the opportunity to update your details and those of your household directly.  If you did not receive this email, we might not have a valid email address for you.  It could also be that you need to check your email spam and mark emails from us as trustworthy.  If you have any concerns please contact the office or Erika or me.

We use personal information to assist us in providing pastoral care and religious services to our church community.  The parish has kept this information electronically for some time now.  We commit to follow the privacy requirements as determined for the Anglican Church of Southern Queensland .

We have recently begun to use an Australian provider called UCare who have an arrangement with the Anglican Church of Southern Queensland.  This organisation provides Church management software that allows us to handle much more than just a parish database.  It assists with communication, rostering, events, pastoral care, and giving as well.  It is the sort of tool that helps us manage a church with contemporary requirements and increased compliance needs.

I am grateful for any feedback or questions that you may have.  I hope that these new tools can assist as to be the Anglican Church at Mt Gravatt: To know Christ and make Christ known.

God's Peace,
Michael

Welcome Reverend Erika Williams

I am so pleased that this week

we welcome The Rev'd Erika Williams as an Associate Priest here at St Bartholomew's.

It is clear that this parish functions best with two full-time clergy.  Erika is a joyful and caring person and I look forward to her bringing her skills to be part of the mission of this church.  Erika has long experience in working with children and youth as a teacher and school chaplain. Erika's is appointment is intended to for a short period until an Assistant Curate is appointed in early December this year. I know that Erika will quickly find a welcome place in which her ministry gifts are well appreciated.

Next Sunday, we will seek to welcome Erika in all our services officially.  On Sunday evening, we also hope to pray for and commission leaders of the Senior Ichthus camp to be held in the school holidays.  This parish has a strong history of Young Adult leadership that supports this camp ministry of the Anglican Church of Southern Queensland.  I encourage us to pray for these leaders and others from around the Diocese as they lead this vital week of Christian formation for senior school students.  The theme for this years camp is "Living Lives of Integrity."  You are welcome to join our evening service community to support them in prayer.

Last Sunday, I suggested that we might consider celebrating baptism anniversaries in our worship.  I wonder how many of you can recall the date of your baptism, let alone celebrate it each year?  Catherine and I have tried to make it a habit in our family to do so with our children. Do you have Godchildren? Do you take the opportunity to remind them of the love that you celebrated at their baptism?  I like the idea that we remember the event that publically acknowledges our belonging to God and our call to participate in God's mission.  This practice is something that allows us to help deepen our faith and the faith of others.

God Bless,

Rev’d Michael Stalley

Just The Beginning

Leaders of political parties who want to get elected will often help people understand their priorities by telling them what they will do in their first 100 days in office. Today is 91 days since I started as the Rector of the parish, and I thought it might be helpful to give some insight into what I have been doing and what I think the priorities are for the near future.  

I arrived in the parish during Lent, a hectic time in the Church year to begin. I did very little in this time leading up to Easter other than look, listen and learn. There was the small matter of Easter to prepare for as well. I have involved myself in visiting Aged Care Facilities for worship, attended a couple of home groups, and had many conversations with people who see my office door open. I have learnt that St Bart's is quite a large parish for one clergy person.

I have learned over time that it is better to take the time to set something up right the first time. It is more effort in the beginning but saves energy and resources moving forward. It also can mean some tasks remain undone for longer than I would like. So here is a summary of my priorities at this time. 

Challenging the whole church to consider what God's mission looks like at St Bart's. This teaching prepares us to engage in a Mission Action Planning process that leads us to a contemporary response to "Knowing Christ and making Christ known."

I intend to focus our teaching on living as Christians because I believe this is a necessary response to a world emerging from the pandemic.

We are establishing a solid foundation in areas of communication, finance and governance. This work seems mundane but must be done well if these underpinning activities are to support our intended mission in the future.  

I want to prioritise training for our congregation to support our mission in pastoral care, worship and faith formation.  

On this day, when we celebrate Pentecost, we look forward to the ways God will pour the Holy Spirit into our hearts.

God's Peace,

Michael Stalley

Celebrating Ministry

Last weekend I was blessed to attend the celebration service marking 100 years of Anglican Ministry in the Brisbane suburb of The Gap. I grew up at The Gap, and this church played an integral role in my faith development. It was from here that my sense of call to ordained ministry was nurtured and affirmed. I am grateful that the St Bart's community offered me the opportunity to be a part of this celebration and share it with my mother, brother and daughter.

My late father wrote a parish history that began in 1920 until the early 2000s. This history has been recently extended and updated, and three generations of Stalley's presented it to Bp Jeremy Greaves during the service on Sunday. The revised history includes interviews with people who have entered into ordained ministry from St Mark's, including one with myself.

Many of you will be aware that The Rev'd Ann Edwards has recently begun as the Associate Priest at The Gap. Ann is an example of someone who found their way into ordained ministry through our parish of Mt Gravatt.

Bp Jeremy preached a very relevant sermon for us all in this Easter season. In recognising the long history of ministry in that parish, he encouraged those present to see the celebration as only the beginning that our Christian journey is one of continually becoming like Jesus Christ.

This idea remains my prayer for our Church at Mt Gravatt. We have a long history of loving ministry that we can celebrate. As our response to Easter, how are we now being called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

How will our life together Tell, Teach, Tend, Transform and Treasure like that of the life of Jesus Christ;

To know Jesus Christ, and make Christ known.

Rev’d Michael Stalley

2021 Easter Services

Can I ask you to bring a flower with you to our Easter services at St Bart's?

This year our services are both familiar and different. Some of the difference will enable us to follow the COVID guidelines intended to reduce our community's risk. It may help if I set out these changes as you consider how you might join us in the week ahead.  

In addition to our regular services, we have added two services. One at 10am on Good Friday and one at 6pm on Easter Eve. These extra services help us ensure that we manage the numbers of people who attend each service to provide appropriate physical distancing. I highly recommend that you register before attending as we may reach our capacity at some of these services. You can do this either through our website or by contacting the office.  We hope that any visitors who attend Easter services will find that there is space for them.

Easter Eve at 6 pm will be a special service that, through story, music and participation, is particularly suitable for families with children. All Easter services will include Communion and the reaffirmation of our Baptismal Vows.

Over many years now, I have found a sense of joy at Easter by decorating the Cross with flowers that symbolise the new life that resurrection brings. Can I encourage you to bring a flower to whichever Easter service you attend so that you can take part in this expression of new life through the events of Easter?

God's Peace,
Michael Stalley