Creative Faith Discussion Group
2018-04-15 11:45 - 12:45 (Australia/Melbourne) | Waratah Room, 120 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
Our Past and the Experiences that Shape Our Present.
Our life journey is a personal one-full of experiences, which help guide our response to everything happening in our lives.
All are welcome to Join Neil in the Waratah Room for this conversation.
Tea and coffee provided
Date: Sunday 15 April
Time: 11.45 am to 12.45 pm
Location: Waratah Room, Level 1, St Michael’s Place

Organ Recital
2018-04-19 13:00 - 13:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Every Thursday at 1 pm, the St Michael’s Carillon is sounded and the grand organ comes to life for a free 30 minute recital. Now into their ninth year, these recitals are well attended by the public.
Performed by organist Rhys Boak, and visiting artists, brings the joy and beauty of live music to many Melbournians and visitors.
Please check your orders of service or our Facebook page each week to see who will be performing the following Thursday.
Music has an important role to play in the functioning of society and has had for many thousands of years. No human culture appears to be without music. Singing, in particular, seems to be universal. Music is invariably expressed in relation to religion. The music program at St Michael’s each week brings us some of the best musicians and music that Australia has to offer to enrich our experience during our Sunday services at special events during the year.

Sunday Service
2018-04-22 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-04-29 10:00 - 11:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
St Michael’s is a unique church in the heart of the city. Unique for its relevant, contemporary preaching that embraces and inner wellbeing as its core message.

Sunday services include a mix of traditional and modern presentations interspersed with inspirational music performed by world-class musicians.
St Michael’s affirms and encourages the best expression of humanity, not only through the Sunday service but through our programs and our commitment to counselling. We believe faith, spirituality and a meaning to life are vital ingredients for our health and wellbeing and that there is a need to get hold of a more authentic religious understanding.
Sunday services commence at 10am.

This Sunday at St Michael’s, Rev Ric Holland will Preside over the service.

Sunday Service
2018-05-06 10:00 - 11:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
St Michael’s is a unique church in the heart of the city. Unique for its relevant, contemporary preaching that embraces and inner wellbeing as its core message.

Sunday services include a mix of traditional and modern presentations interspersed with inspirational music performed by world-class musicians.
St Michael’s affirms and encourages the best expression of humanity, not only through the Sunday service but through our programs and our commitment to counselling. We believe faith, spirituality and a meaning to life are vital ingredients for our health and wellbeing and that there is a need to get hold of a more authentic religious understanding.
Sunday services commence at 10am.

This Sunday at St Michael’s, Rev David Dawes will preside over the service.

Sunday Service
2018-05-13 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-05-20 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-05-27 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-06-03 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-06-17 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-06-24 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-07-01 10:00 - 11:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
St Michael’s is a unique church in the heart of the city. Unique for its relevant, contemporary preaching that embraces and inner wellbeing as its core message.

Sunday services include a mix of traditional and modern presentations interspersed with inspirational music performed by world-class musicians.
St Michael’s affirms and encourages the best expression of humanity, not only through the Sunday service but through our programs and our commitment to counselling. We believe faith, spirituality and a meaning to life are vital ingredients for our health and wellbeing and that there is a need to get hold of a more authentic religious understanding.
Sunday services commence at 10am.

The Grigoryan Brothers
2018-05-18 19:30 - 21:00 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
“Guitar playing of uncommon originality and authority. Musicality, expressivity and daring,” The New York Times
“Their ability to play as if drawing from a shared musical consciousness and their subtle nuances of tempo, bordered on the uncanny,” The West Australian
Although regarded as Australia’s finest guitar duo performing much of the instrument’s standard classical repertoire, the Grigoryan Brothers’ passion is to expand their horizons through new arrangements, their own compositions and commissions. This ambition can be heard as the brothers take the classical guitar into genres such as jazz, folk and contemporary music. There are no boundaries, only new frontiers to cross. In concert, mix it all together and you have a dimension to guitar-playing rarely seen in the musical world.
For this performance, The Grigoryan Brothers will be performing works from their latest release, which sees a return to classical repertoire with songs by composers such as Bach, Elgar, Dvorak, Rachmaninoff, Faure, De Falla and Ponce all masterfully arranged for them by their father Edward. This familial collaboration is not new, with Grigoryan senior arranging the music of Tchaikovsky’s suite for piano ‘The Seasons’, for his sons’ critically acclaimed 2012 release. The program will also include other works highlighting Slava and Leonard’s diverse skills as the brothers take the guitar into genres such as jazz, folk and contemporary music.
The program will also include other works highlighting Slava and Leonard’s diverse skills: their deep appreciation of a broad spectrum of musical styles has resulted in many collaborations involving music, both written and improvised. Combine this with their classical training and the result is a unique sound incorporating all these influences. It is not classical, not jazz, not world music…it is the Grigoryan Brothers.
When: 7.30pm Friday 18 May
Where: St Michael’s on Collins, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Cost: $45 Full, $35 Concession
Bookings: Click here

Organ Recital
2018-05-31 13:00 - 13:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Every Thursday at 1 pm, the St Michael’s Carillon is sounded and the grand organ comes to life for a free 30 minute recital. Now past their ninth year, these recitals are well attended by the public.
Performed by organist Rhys Boak, and visiting artists, brings the joy and beauty of live music to many Melbournians and visitors.
Please check your orders of service or our Facebook page each week to see who will be performing the following Thursday.
Music has an important role to play in the functioning of society and has had for many thousands of years. No human culture appears to be without music. Singing, in particular, seems to be universal. Music is invariably expressed in relation to religion. The music program at St Michael’s each week brings us some of the best musicians and music that Australia has to offer to enrich our experience during our Sunday services at special events during the year.

The Agatha Christie Radio Mysteries
2018-06-01 19:00 - 20:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
St Michael’s and Lux Radio Theatre Presents The Agatha Christie Radio Mysteries!
Let your imagination run wild as a group of top Melbourne theatre and screen actors recreate the pre-television days using recently rediscovered radio scripts by Agatha Christie.
The show recreates live radio drama with versatile actors stimulating the audience’s imagination: doubling roles, creating live sound effects and presenting vintage soap commercials. Agatha Christie is still the world’s best selling writer – these plays by were written directly for radio and first produced by the BBC. Dangerously entertaining!
Agatha Christie was an English crime fiction writer chiefly remembered for her 78 detective novels. Her work with these novels, particularly featuring detectives Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple, have given her the title the ‘Queen of Crime’ and made her one of the most important and innovative writers in the development of the genre.
The Lux Radio Theatre actors play a wide range of roles, perform the soap commercials and do the live sound effects.
Lux Radio Theatre began with a series of shows at Arts Centre Melbourne and has subsequently toured extensively including the Brisbane Festival, Noosa Longweekend, Castlemaine Festival. Recent productions have included The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, Gone with the Wind and Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Featured in the show are Kirsty Child (Melbourne Theatre Company, Neighbours), Simon Russell (We will rock you), James Wright (winner of the TDK/National Library Award for Best Narrator in the Aust Book Awards), Lucy Gransbury (Australian Shakespeare Company) and Rosalind Mackay who has been featured in numerous Lux Radio Theatre shows.
Bookings can be made online by clicking here. Tickets are set to sell fast, so be sure not to miss this amazing event!
When: 7pm, Friday 1 June
Where: St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne
Cost: $20 (General Admission)

Organ Recital
2018-06-07 13:00 - 13:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Every Thursday at 1 pm, the St Michael’s Carillon is sounded and the grand organ comes to life for a free 30 minute recital. Now past their ninth year, these recitals are well attended by the public.
This Thursday the performance is by visiting artist David Reccia Chynoweth, it will bring the joy and beauty of live music to many Melbournians and visitors.
Please check your order of service each week to see who will be performing the following Thursday.
Music has an important role to play in the functioning of society and has had for many thousands of years. No human culture appears to be without music. Singing, in particular, seems to be universal. Music is invariably expressed in relation to religion. The music program at St Michael’s each week brings us some of the best musicians and music that Australia has to offer to enrich our experience during our Sunday services at special events during the year.

Sunday Service
2018-06-10 10:00 - 11:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
This Sunday Dr Francis Macnab will be preaching as Guest Minister. The Address Topic is:
A Fabulous Future: A Gift to Receive – A Gift to Give
St Michael’s is a unique church in the heart of the city. Unique for its relevant, contemporary preaching that embraces and inner wellbeing as its core message.

Sunday services include a mix of traditional and modern presentations interspersed with inspirational music performed by world-class musicians.
St Michael’s affirms and encourages the best expression of humanity, not only through the Sunday service but through our programs and our commitment to counselling. We believe faith, spirituality and a meaning to life are vital ingredients for our health and wellbeing and that there is a need to get hold of a more authentic religious understanding.
Sunday services commence at 10am.

St Michael's Film and Theatre Group
2018-06-10 13:30 - 16:30 | Kino Cinema, 45 Collins St, Melbourne, Vic, 3000, Australia
There are two films which could be viewed this afternoon.
‘Breath’ based on the novel by Tim Winton is screening at 1.40p.m at The Kino, Collins Place.
‘Tea with the Dames’ starring Judie Dench and Maggie Smith screens at 2.20 p.m. at The Kino.
Please feel free to gather with others to see either film.
It would be helpful if you indicated your interest to Catherine Jones, during morning tea time. if you are there
It is suggested you purchase your ticket before having lunch, then meet in the cinema foyer 15mins before the film starts

When: 1pm, Sunday 10 June
Where: Kino Cinema’s 45 Collins St
Duration: 1.5 hours (no interval)
Cost: Cinema Prices
For all enquiries, please contact Catherine Jones 0n 0431 442 150

St Michael's Church General Meeting
2018-06-17 11:45 - 13:15 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
General Meeting of the Congregation of St Michaels.
All Members Welcome
Non Members may attend and only speak with the permission of the Meeting but MAY NOT VOTE
To Commence after Morning Tea, approx. 11.45am, please check back here to confirm time.

Special Morning Tea with Rev. Ric Holland
2018-06-24 11:15 - 12:15 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Join Rev. Ric Holland for a cuppa and some lovely morning tea in the Hall on Sunday the 24th of June. This will be an opportunity to meet with Rev. Ric and express our thanks for fifteen months of Ministry at St Michaels.
All are welcome to attend.

Postponed: St Michael's & Port Phillip EcoCentre Presents PLASTICS: SONGS, SCIENCE & SOLUTIONS
2018-06-24 12:15 - 13:15 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Please note this event has been postponed due to a bereavement in the family of one of the team members.
Enquiries: Sally Clarke, Roger Hersey, Cheryl Power, Healing Our Planet Earth (H.O.P.E.) via Church Office 03 9654 5120 or office@stmichaels.org.au

Staying Alive
2018-07-01 12:00 - 13:15 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Developing Positive Attitudes towards Ageing
This session kicks of Series 2
The “Young Ones” held Sunday the 27th May explored the idea that our youth can make us young again. If we revisit the things the things we did when we were younger, that we ay have given up for some reason, we can be re-energised and feel younger. We ay find ways to still be involved in these things in some way.
When we believe we have the ability to do something it can change the way we behave in profound ways. If we have ore confidence we tend to put in ore effort. We cant always be younger but we can feel younger

Sunday Service
2018-07-08 10:00 - 11:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
St Michael’s is a unique church in the heart of the city. Unique for its relevant, contemporary preaching that embraces and inner wellbeing as its core message.

Sunday services include a mix of traditional and modern presentations interspersed with inspirational music performed by world-class musicians.
St Michael’s affirms and encourages the best expression of humanity, not only through the Sunday service but through our programs and our commitment to counselling. We believe faith, spirituality and a meaning to life are vital ingredients for our health and wellbeing and that there is a need to get hold of a more authentic religious understanding.
Sunday services commence at 10am.
This Sunday Rev. John Smith is leading the Service and Preaching

Guest musician: Sydney Braunfeld (Horn)
Music between the readings: Nocturne (op.7) – Franz Strauss (1822-1905)
This beautiful work by Franz Strauss, the father of Richard Strauss, was published in 1904, a year before his death. This lyrical work now forms a mainstay of the horn repertoire.
Music during the offering: Morceau de concert Op. 94 – Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Saint-Saëns’ Morceau de concert was written in 1887. Originally scored for Horn and Piano, we hear this work today scored for Horn, and Saint-Saëns’ own instrument, the organ.
The Postlude: Humoresque per l’organo primitivo – Pietro Allesandro Yon (1886-1943)
Before he emigrated to the United States, the Italian born Yon held the position of organist at the Vatican. He eventually settled in New York where he became the organist of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC. In New York he became a famous teacher and recitalist touring the United States several times and teaching many famous pupils, one of whom, perhaps surprisingly, was a young Cole Porter.
Musician Bio: Sydney Braunfeld is currently a full-time member of Orchestra Victoria. She was born in New York, and began playing the horn at the age of eight. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, studying under William Purvis and Jennifer Montone. She went on to attend The Curtis Institute where she was awarded a Performer’s Certificate in 2011. The following year, Sydney moved to Australia, and began freelancing in Melbourne. She performs regularly with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Macau Philharmonic, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. As a soloist, Sydney has played concerti with the Essendon Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Sinfonia

Sunday Service
2018-07-15 10:00 - 11:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
St Michael’s is a unique church in the heart of the city. Unique for its relevant, contemporary preaching that embraces and inner wellbeing as its core message.

Sunday services include a mix of traditional and modern presentations interspersed with inspirational music performed by world-class musicians.
St Michael’s affirms and encourages the best expression of humanity, not only through the Sunday service but through our programs and our commitment to counselling. We believe faith, spirituality and a meaning to life are vital ingredients for our health and wellbeing and that there is a need to get hold of a more authentic religious understanding.
Sunday services commence at 10am.

Sunday July 15th 2018
Guest Musician: Amir Farid (Piano)
Music between the readings: Intermezzo in Bb minor, Op.117 No.2 – Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Completed in 1893 the six pieces for piano from which this intermezzo is drawn was the second last work of Brahms to be published during his lifetime. It has become a favourite amongst pianists and audiences alike.
Music during the offering: Sonata in E minor Op.90, 1st mvt – L. Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
This sonata is dedicated to dedicated to Prince Moritz von Lichnowsky and was written during 1814. Beethoven wrote to his friend and benefactor Moritz von Lichnowsky about the sonata: “I had a delightful walk yesterday with a friend in the Brühl, and in the course of our friendly chat you were particularly mentioned, and lo! and behold! on my return I found your kind letter. I see you are resolved to continue to load me with benefits. As I am unwilling you should suppose that a step I have already taken is prompted by your recent favors, or by any motive of the sort, I must tell you that a sonata of mine is about to appear, dedicated to you. I wished to give you a surprise, as this dedication has been long designed for you, but your letter of yesterday induces me to name the fact. I required no new motive thus publicly to testify my sense of your friendship and kindness”.
The Postlude: Loose Control – Joseph Rebman (born 1991 USA)
Many words in the English language are frequently mixed up due to similar spellings, but with very different meanings. One pair I have often struggled with is “loose” and “lose.” After this work was completed and I was looking for a title to cover its unusual character, I thought of these two words. There are points in the piece where the effect is of losing control, but the player must always be in control to avoid actually falling apart. Thus, a sense of loose control can be thought to cover this balance.
“Playing expressively requires loose control, but you can easily lose control.”
About today’s guest musician:

Winner of the 2006 Australian National Piano Award, US born Iranian-Australian pianist Amir Farid has been described as “a highly creative musician – a pianist of great intelligence and integrity. He brings strong musical substance to all that he does, imbuing it with his own particular experience and understanding”, and who “in a well-populated field…distinguishes himself for all the right reasons”.
Recital collaborations include tenor Ian Bostridge, saxophonist Claude Delangle, violinists Arabella Steinbacher and Nikki Chooi, violist Lise Berthaud, cellists Mats Lidström, Alexander Baillie and Martin Loveday, sopranos Greta Bradman and Siobhan Stagg, baritone Wolfgang Holzmair, flautist Michel Bellavance and clarinetist Philippe Cuper. As a chamber musician, Amir is pianist of the Benaud Trio (www.benaudtrio.com), winning the Piano Trio prize at the 2005 Australian Chamber Music Competition.

As one of the most versatile and loved musicians in Australia, the currently New York-based pianist has performed concerti with major orchestras, collaborating with conductors such as Christopher Hogwood, Oleg Caetani, Johannes Fritzsch, Alexander Briger, Marko Letonja and Benjamin Northey. Highlights include Rachmaninoff’s 2nd piano concerto with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in front of a 13,000-strong crowd at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Mozart’s concerto No.14 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and “The Mozart Dances” with the Mark Morris Dance Group and West Australian Symphony Orchestra as part of the 2015 Perth Festival.
Since graduating with distinction from the Royal College of Music London in 2009 with Andrew Ball, he has performed as a solo recitalist and collaborative artist in concert halls and festivals internationally, including Carnegie Hall New York, St. Martin in the Fields London, Al-Hashemi-II Kuwait, MONA FOMA Festival Hobart, Coriole Festival SA, Huntington Festival NSW, as well as other venues in USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand and China.
His numerous highly acclaimed recordings (primarily with Move Records) are heard frequently on radio stations throughout Australia and internationally, including a solo CD of works by Persian composer Javad Maroufi, multiple albums with cellist Zoe Knighton and soprano Siobhan Stagg, and numerous releases on ABC Classics and Melba Recordings with the Benaud Trio. Several of his albums have been nominated for an Australian Independent Music Award. Amir is also a recorded artist on the Steinway & Sons Spirio catalogue, as part of the piano manufacturer’s revolutionary player-piano system.
Amir has studied under the guidance of Ronald Farren-Price, Geoffrey Tozer, Rita Reichman and Timothy Young while at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (MCM) and the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM). He continues to work with Farren-Price since beginning studies with him in the mid 90’s. As well as his concert career, Amir has worked as a collaborative pianist at MCM, ANAM, the Australian Children’s Choir, and the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust. He was the Melba Trust’s inaugural répétiteur scholar in 2013, working under the guidance of Sharolyn Kimmorley. As of 2017, Amir is a staff pianist at the Vocal Arts department of the Juilliard School, New York City.

Creative Faith Discussion Group
2018-07-15 11:45 - 12:45 | Waratah Room, 120 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
Emerging Conversations Series
Topic: Religion in 2018 and the ‘Emergent’ Church

Towards the end of the twentieth century there was the idea that as culture changes a new church should emerge in response.
The emerging church was a postmodern approach to Christianity.
How does the emergent church in 2018 respond to postmodern thought?
“Postmodern thought seeks to find new and more truthful versions of the world, it does not take other people’s views as final truth, it values experience and feelings over imposed ‘truth’ and supports the deconstruction of the organized and institutional church, seen as ‘inherited’ church.”
The past is the past – the future is there to shape – our response.
You are invited to join Neil as we continue the conversation.
When: Sunday July15, at 11.45am for an hour.
Where: Waratah Room 1st floor St Michael’s Administrative Building

Rev. Terence Corkin Consultation, Living into the Future - Conflict Transformation Weekend
2018-07-21 09:00 - 13:30 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Living into the Future – Conflict Transformation Weekend
• Learning about Conflict
o The “7 Levels of Conflict”
o Understanding your own Conflict Style
o Identifying future issues for the Congregation
• Collaborative and constructive ways of communicating
o Exploring clear communication strategies
o Values and Practices for collaborative decision making
The Consultant for the process, Rev. Terence Corkin, has stressed the importance of having the whole range of views from the congregation present at the workshop on July 21st 9.00 am – 1.30 pm. I agree that this is in the best interests of the congregation and our chances of mending our broken relationships.
I realise that it may not easy for you and some others to feel comfortable about being involved, so I am reaching out to encourage your attendance and contribution. The members at St Michael’s need to find a way to come together and I hope that we call all use the opportunity provided by this process to make a start on this important journey.
Richard Siegersma
Chair of Council
Join us from 9am. Food and Refreshments provided.

Sunday Service
2018-07-22 08:00 - 17:00 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
St Michael’s is a unique church in the heart of the city. Unique for its relevant, contemporary preaching that embraces and inner wellbeing as its core message.

Sunday services include a mix of traditional and modern presentations interspersed with inspirational music performed by world-class musicians.
St Michael’s affirms and encourages the best expression of humanity, not only through the Sunday service but through our programs and our commitment to counselling. We believe faith, spirituality and a meaning to life are vital ingredients for our health and wellbeing and that there is a need to get hold of a more authentic religious understanding.
Sunday services commence at 10am.

Rev. David Dawes is Preaching This Sunday “The Lord is My Shepherd”
Guest Musicians: Amid Farid, Piano, Annabelle Farid, Oboe and Bruno Siketa Trumpet

Staying Alive
2018-07-22 12:00 - 13:00 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Thank you for your feedback from last week’s session:
“A note of appreciation for an enjoyable and uplifting session.”
“I love the humour and your charged, vivacious, bright energy…”
“… it fuels my determination to do all that I can to be well and inspires me to Stay Alive.”
Despite our physical decline with age there is not the same straight-line decline in our mental capacities. Certain kinds of mental skills even improve with age – a broadening of our knowledge, roles, and vision that can be included in the term wisdom.
How to meet the challenges of ageing with our Crown of Wisdom continues on ….
Sunday 22nd July
12pm – 1pm (Waratah Room)
Please join us.

Joint Nominating Committee Nominations Close
2018-08-10 17:00 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia

Staying Alive
2018-08-12 12:00 - 13:00 | St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
Next session: Sunday 12th August
12pm – 1pm (Waratah Room)
Discover how our new knowledge, insights and imagination can help us create new ways of living.
For sale on the day: Patricia Edgar’s “In Praise of Ageing” ($20).
“Patricia Edgar brilliantly portrays the challenges and, more importantly, the manifold joys of growing older. This book is a “must read” for every thinking Australian.”
(Sir Gustav Nossal)
The last session of this “Staying Alive” series will be Sunday 19th August
Everyone welcome!
