What to expect on a Sunday at Church

What do I need to wear?
There is no dress code, please wear what is comfortable for you.
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What will happen during a church service?
You will be welcomed when you arrive and handed some information.
We will sing some songs together (you can join in or simply sit, listen and enjoy).
We will read the Bible.
A sermon about the Bible reading will be shared to help us explore it.
Someone will lead us in a time of prayer.
If the service includes the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion), a small piece of bread/waffer and an individual cup of wine or juice will be offered as a celebration and remembrance of Jesus’ death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
Some folk may prefer to just have a prayer and blessing.
After the service, we have a great chat and a few laughs while enjoying an awesome morning tea.
Prayer is always available  after the services

Will I be expected to give any money?
We do not ‘pass the plate’ around.  For those who would like to contribute towards our ministries, ​an offertory bowl is available when arriving before the service for voluntary contributions. Alternatively, many people choose to give online.
BSB: 633 000
Account: 169 629 797
Account Name: Anglican Parish Bass/Phillip Island

What we believe   -​
In an ever-changing world, we are striving to make our faith real and relevant to our modern lives and to those around us.  However, what doesn’t change is God’s truth, so we believe:​

– that the Bible is the word of God and ‘is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

– that ‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.’ (John 3:16-17).

– that ‘God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8).

– that Jesus said ‘I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die’ (John 11:25), and proved this to the world through his own resurrection.

– that in response to God’s love we are to, as Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37-40).

– the forgiveness that we have through faith in Jesus is a great joy and is relevant to our lives today as we strive to live for Jesus and share his love with others.

Who are we
We are a wonderful mix of Jesus’ followers.  Many of us are faithful saints who have been worshipping here for decades, while many others have only recently joined us.  It doesn’t matter how long any of us have been here, we are all united in our faith and our desire to follow Jesus.

Our faith is real and relevant to our modern lives because Jesus is.  He famously said that he came so that we ‘may have life, and have it to the full’ (John 10:10).  We value God’s word, knowing that learning from it is the best way for us to keep our faith real and relevant.  Our Sunday sermons are faithful to the Bible’s teaching and we also meet to study the Bible in a number of home groups.

We are a growing community and there is always room for more.  You’re welcome to come and experience the joy and peace that we have in knowing Jesus as a community.  We’re not perfect, but we do our best to keep growing as we love and serve God and our neighbours.  We’d love to meet you. We are blessed to have three churches as part of the one parish, being St. Philip’s Church here in Cowes, and also St. Agustine’s in San Remo and St. Paul’s Church in Bass.

I’m a Christian but I haven’t been to church for a while
Whether or not there is a reason, we want you to know that we would love for you to reconnect with us.

If it has been some time since your last visit, you’ll notice positive changes.

While some traditional ways of expressing our faith may not resonate as they once did, we are embracing new methods to share the love of Jesus.

Our beliefs remain unchanged, though the way we share them has evolved.

We continue to cherish and integrate the richness of our past to deepen our understanding of God and share it meaningfully today.

Join others who have recently connected with us and see these changes for yourself.

You might be in for a pleasant surprise.

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