Welcome!
In making preparations for our advent season ‘down under’, perhaps December prompts you to think about your favourite spot on the beach, or a shady tree by a cool creek, and how soon can I get there? As the weather heats up, and we feel the call to a languorous break after a weird, topsy- turvy year, our chance to relax around Christmas – even for a short break – ties in to the Nativity story of Mary, Joseph and Jesus.
Not much of their pregnancy story was ‘typical’ or by the book, and certainly Joseph and Mary felt the effects of ‘peak demand’ on accommodation as well. After Jesus’ arrival, they did take their chance to rest and reflect – or as Luke puts it – ponder. ‘Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.’ Once the busyness of visitors, angels and Magi tailed off, they must have been thinking “so here we are, left to ourselves again, with our baby…the Son of God”.
Remarkable days indeed, but that’s where God meets us, in the busyness of life, where divine encounters are usually not in our appointment schedules. If you can get a break this Christmas, take the opportunity to reflect and do some pondering of your own. How has God been strengthening you in your own time of challenge? What’s the deep understanding you discovered to your surprise? What personal message has God given you over 2020 to ‘treasure up’ to keep in your own heart’? Please let us know if its something you would like to share wider. Email Matt so we can start a discussion.
On behalf of everyone who calls TUC home, we send our sincere thanks and appreciation to the many people who contributed to creating the spiritual food and worship for our live-stream church. It’s been wonderful to watch the creativity and enthusiasm of so many of you, through video content or ‘live to camera’ contributions, each Sunday over the period of isolation. We will forever be a different church because of the fresh ways you found to share your gifts in worship and care for the wider community. We thank God for you!
As a church, we’ve been on a journey to places we never expected to go! We started the year with sharing the discerned vision and mission – and that has continued to gain clarity through prayer and wider discussion. Then, a huge Covid challenge was forced upon us – and you responded with magnificent energy. Looking forward, we face 2021 with a great sense of anticipation of what God is doing right now among us – to live into the calling of being the Body of Christ here in Toowong and Brisbane.
Great tidings of comfort and joy!
Clare, Garry, Lauren, Matt, Rui and Zac.
Important Information:
Starting from Sunday 13 December, we are back at capacity at TUC. This means over 140 seats will be available each Sunday. However, we must all sit in allocated seats. Click through the images to read more. Click here to book your tickets for all our December worship services, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Unwrapped: Christmas 2020
Our theme this Christmas is “Unwrapped”, so each week we’ll be unwrapping a different part of the Christmas story and delving into its characters and meaning.
Check out the video to find out more about what’s coming up this Sunday, 6 December!
This Sunday
6 December, 9.30 am
Bible Reading:
Luke 1:26-56
Songs:
10,000 Reasons (D)
Joy, Unspeakable Joy (G)
King of Kings (D)
O Come All Ye Faithful (G)
This Sunday we’re also really looking forward to having the KATS Christmas Celebration! The kids will perform a nativity play during the service before heading downstairs for their breakup party. Please note, we will not have Communion this Sunday. Instead, we will celebrate Communion on Sunday 13 December.
Join us in-person on Sundays!
We’d love you to join us in the church building for worship on Sundays.
Head here to book your seat:
Sunday 6 December 2020 (Family Sunday + KATS Christmas Party)
If you’d rather still worship from home, you can join in with the service on our YouTube channel.
Join us at 6.30pm on Thursday, 24 December, for a Christmas Eve celebration!
Join us bright and early at 8am on Christmas morning for worship!
Everything in Common:
Gifts That Make a Difference
This year, TUC is supporting Everything in Common as our Christmas charity! Each gift from the Everything in Common catalogue represents a life-changing project helping people to break the cycle of poverty and step towards a life of dignity. So instead of the usual socks/scented candle/chocolates you'd give to loved ones, why not pick a gift from Everything in Common? Head to their website to check out the full catalogue of gifts/
Care & Connect 2021
Do you have a passion for other people and their needs?
Would you like to help to continue to foster a Christian community at TUC where every person considers they belong, where they feel safe, where they are cared for, and where they can grow and share in God’s love?
If the answer is “Yes” please pray about, and consider, joining one of the pastoral care teams in the Care & Connect program at TUC in 2021.
I am very excited to share that someone has already been led by the Holy Spirit to speak to me about being involved in pastoral care for 2021. How amazing is it, that the words of Philippians 4:19 ring true: “and my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
CONNECT Clusters
Have you forgotten that you are part of a Cluster? Your Companions have not, so please know that they have faithfully continued to pray for you as individuals, families and couples in their Cluster throughout 2020.
If you are new this year, it is most likely you are not yet in a cluster, and if you would like more information about the Clusters please contact Dianne.
Thank You!
Thank you to every member of our congregation for being such wonderful examples of how we love and serve each other – your individual and collective kindness is a blessing and has helped TUC to care and connect throughout 2020. Our support of each other will assist us to genuinely reach out even more to others outside our congregation to be ‘the light of Christ for all the world’.
Dianne Hubbard
Care & Connect Coordinator
Contact details:
dianne.j.hubbard@gmail.com
0410 680 023
Christmas Office Closure
Please note that the TUC office will be closed from Wednesday 23 December, 2020.
We will reopen on Monday 11 January, 2021.