Collins Street Baptist Church

Welcome.

Our two videos for this fourth Sunday of the Easter season are posted below. The first video features reflections from two members of our community on ‘some words that changed my life.’ The second video includes prayers and readings from the Green Room.

Peace be with you.

Reflections

Prayers

Welcome.

For our worship today there are two videos to watch and the text of our prayers available to download.

Regarding the two videos, the first includes music, reflections and prayers. The second is a story of ministry from our Green Room.

Though no substitute for gathering together at Collins Street, we trust these resources bring encouragement to your spirit and a sense of connection with our community.

Peace be with you.

Prayers and reflections

A story of ministry from the Green Room

A Walking Prayer

The text for our walking prayer can be downloaded HERE.

There is a force in nature called “geotropism.” It simply means the movement of plant parts deeper into the earth. Dictated by gravity, the very end of a plant’s roots grows in a downward direction. Botanists consider this an impulse of faithfulness to the Earth. Inescapable, apparently no matter what you do to a plant within Earth’s atmosphere, this active, peculiar force will drive roots to grow down. To quote from my favourite book at the moment, a book on the ontology of plants, “Roots are the essence of descent” (Coccia, The life of Plants).

Plants are firmly situated (otherwise known as sessile) and in their immobility, they both collect the energy of sunshine and remain steady when storms come. This impulse of downward descent is instinctive and unfailing. What a relief to know it is at work beneath the Earth’s surface and the natural world responds obediently to its dictates. By way of science, I’m given a definition and an image of anchored life. An invisible force is elucidated, and I am comforted. What this means to me is there is a way to be held in place, especially in the midst of unavoidable chaos.

As a foreigner, permanently living overseas, in a global pandemic, I’ve had to grapple with the far-awayness of the familiar and the nature of my new home, now a place I can’t leave even if I wanted to. Whether I am ready or not, my roots need to descend and find locations of greater depth to hold me here. The territory is unfamiliar but knowing this steadying force of belonging to a place is at work in the world brings me peace. In yet another way, plants lead me and teach me about mysterious truth and help me return to my place with a creaturely calm. By universal design, descent is elemental and natural and good.

Sherry Maddock
Central House
Collins Street Baptist Church

Welcome.

Our videos for worship today are provided below.

As we continue to reflect upon and live into the resurrection life of God, may you find here encouragement in faith and and a sense of community with others.

Peace be with you.

Prayers

Reflection

Welcome.

After the 40 days of Lent and the challenging journey of Holy Week, today we celebrate one of the pinnacle days in the Christian story, Resurrection Sunday. This day marks the beginning of the Easter season.

There are two videos provided. The first includes some words of gathering, music and prayers, and the second a reading from Matthew’s gospel along with words of reflection, poetry and song.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Music and prayers

Reflections

Our Good Friday ‘service of shadows’ provides a means through which we can sit with the story of Jesus’ death and burial, allowing it to speak into our own lives.

We meet by candlelight. Inspired by the Tenebrae tradition, we gradually extinguish the candles as the story of Jesus progresses.

Join us tonight at 7.00pm.

We meet tonight for our Maundy Thursday service. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus met with his disciples to share a final meal. With the elements of bread and wine, we participate in that meal, remembering together the sacrifice made for us in Jesus’ death.

Join us at 7pm by watching the video below. Remember to have with you some bread, something to drink — wine, grape juice or water — and a candle ready to light.

Welcome.

For our Palm Sunday gathering, we’ve provided two videos. The first includes a reading from the Hebrew Bible and prayers prepared and presented by Sherry and Geoff Maddock. The second includes the Gospel reading and a reflection from our pastor Carolyn Francis.

It is our usual practice at Collins Street to share in communion each first Sunday of the month. Given our circumstances, we have made the decision to provide a special service of communion on Maundy Thursday. If you would like to participate, you can return to this page on Thursday evening and share in a simple online service in which we share the elements of bread and wine together. In the next few days, we will provide some simple instructions via email to help you prepare.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Prayers

Reflection

Welcome.

For a second time, we meet as a community of faith in this strange, perhaps awkward way. Regardless, we do so together and with confidence that God meets with us.

There are two videos provided. The first includes some words of gathering, music and prayers, and the second a reading from Luke’s gospel, a reflection, and some prayerful words of poetry.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

Prayers and music

Reflection

Welcome.

This is the first Sunday of a season in which we’ll meet in different ways to those we’re accustomed to. Though scattered across the suburbs of Melbourne, we remain a community of faith and worship. As you click on the links below, we invite you to do so expressing your continuing commitment to God, to each other, and to the world of which we’re a part.

May the peace of the Lord be with you.

Prayers and Music

Reflection