Photo: Australian Flannel Flower Kevin Bunt

Worship at St Stephen's Uniting.
Worship will not take place in the building this week.
Our mission in regard worshipping God is to offer hospitality in public worship, with necessary modifications for the safety and well-being of our community. The worship of God will not take place in the gathered community this Sunday.
Other services of worship will be assessed as we progress through these days.
We are sorry for the sadness and distress that is occurring in our world at present.
​Loving God, may your kingdom come.

The worship space will remain closed until further notice and clarification on whether the space can be open for private prayer.

197 Macquarie St, Sydney  
For other worship times, follow this link: Worship Times
Services, (worship, baptisms, weddings, funerals, and other services.)

This land is God’s land and God’s Spirit dwells here.
​We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, 
traditional custodians of this land under God. 
​We commit ourselves again to working for reconciliation in this land.

LOCKDOWN
​
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
-from Richard Hendrick (Brother Richard) in Ireland
March 13th 2020

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Thanks everyone, especially the amazing musicians who gave their time,
raising $21,000 so far for the Rural Fire Service.

The Early Bird Café is now operating every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from St Stephen’s Church. The Café provides a warm breakfast to homeless and is staffed by volunteers from Sydney Rotary, Brookfield, Woolmark, Woolworths, St Stephen's Uniting congregation.

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Links to our life of worshipping the living God, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, growing as followers of Jesus, living our life in love for the world for whom Christ died, and caring for each other along the way:
Worship Times
What's On
Ways we serve the community

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DO YOU NEED IMMEDIATE HELP NOW?

Call any of these numbers:
                      LIFELINE                                       BEYOND BLUE                         DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELP LINE