Welcome to the Anglican Parish of Numurkah – Nathalia
St George’s Numurkah, Sunday Service 10.30am. Holy Trinity Nathalia, Sunday Service 8.30am.
Great that you have found our website come on in and browse around.
About us
The Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia is located on the Broken Creek, North Central plains in the State of Victoria, Australia. The Parish has congregations in the townships of Numurkah and Nathalia. Established 120 years ago we offer worship in the Anglo-Catholic tradition based on a liberal-progressive understanding of the Christian faith.
Our Vision: To be a joyous, worshipping, accepting, loving community of caring people.
Our Mission: To joyously proclaim God’s love for all, with compassionate outreach to those in need.
Inside this site you can look around at the two centers and find where you would like to attend and be assured of a warm welcome. We hope you will find this site useful – leave a comment if you feel inclined.
“Events” reviews some of the activities that have already happened.
Click on the “Contact” for addresses, phones & email.
Following the Season of Creation Service at Bishop’s Lodge, Wangaratta, each parish was given a Seville Orange tree to plant. Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia planted their tree at St George’s a symbol of our commitment to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.
St Paul’s Wakiti Creek De- consecration.
A Service of Thanksgiving And De-consecration of St Paul’s Anglican Church, Wakiti Creek was held on Saturday 29th July 2023.
Led by the Right Reverend Clarence Bester, Bishop of Wangaratta, assisted by Archdeacon Neil Hicks, Rev Gunner Rippon with the lesson read by Marj Smith and Intercessions by Rob Elliott.
Refreshments were served in the grounds following the service.
St Paul’s was dedicated in 1895 by the Bishop of Melbourne, Field Flowers Goe, and has served the district of Wakiti Creek as a place of worship.
SUNDAY SERVICE TIMES
As from Sunday 4th June the Sunday Service times will change to the following.
HOLY TRINITY, NATHALIA: 8.30am
ST GEORGE’S, NUMURKAH: 10.30am.
The Anglican Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia welcome the appointment of Revd. Gunnar Rippon as Priest in residence.
Revd. Gunner acted as locum in 2018 and now returns as locum for the next three years.
Gunner Rippon was born in Amble, Northumberland in north east England and in 1965 married Margaret and have three children and 10 grandchildren.
Gunner migrated to Australia in 1968 and worked as a mine surveyor in Queensland, Tasmania, New South Wales, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Accepting retrenchment in 1998, Gunner answered the call of our Lord and was ordained as Deacon in 2001 and as Priest in 2002 in Bunbury W.A. serving in two parishes then Dean of Cathedral in 2004.
In 2009 Gunnar retired to South Australia but answering the Bishop’s invitation to become district priest in Claire for three years.
Retiring again 2012 Gunnar and Margaret enjoyed caravanning around the country, doing locums in Port Fairy, Ararat, Ballarat, and Canon in Residence in Goulburn for 18 months.
In 2016 Gunnar and Margaret returned to Shepparton to a part time ministry, For the last two years Revd. Gunner has been serving as locum in the Parish of Beechworth.
Revd. Gunner and Margaret have taken up residency in the Rectory. at 9 Brennion Street.
This week’s feature of ….Churches around the Diocese of Wangaratta……and a visit by Michelle and Bishop Clarence on Sunday 30th April.
St George’s Numurkah.
Photos: Michelle L Bester
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St George’s Fete
Good turnout for St George’s Church fete. Great social occasion with stalls and musical entertainment by St Joseph’s School choir and the Numurkah Town Band. Thanks to the community members who supported our fete.
St George’s Anglican Church, Numurkah
Sunday Service 9.30am
from August 2022.
Bishop Clarence Pastoral Visit.
Pastoral visit of Bishop Clarence, together with Fr. Allan Jarrad and Fr. David Still to St Georges Sunday 29th May.
Thursday 10th March: Reflections “Cup of Life”. Numurkah 10am.
Mothering Sunday – 4th Lent 27th March.
Palm Sunday – 10th April – Holy Trinity to UCA 8am, St George’s 11am
Maundy Thursday 14th April – Washing of the feet – Holy Trinity 10am, St George’s 4pm
Good Friday 15th April – Combined Parish Service St George’s Numurkah 9am.
Easter Day 17th April – Service of light and renewal of baptismal vows – Holy Trinity 7.30am St George’s 11am.
WALK IN GRACE
Bishop Clarence visited St Paul’s Wakiti Creek on Sunday 3rd April to lead a Procession of witness service, Attended by 44 people from Numurkah, Nathalia, Shepparton and Cobram.
PALM CROSSES
CONFIRMATION.
Originally planed for April, the confirmation by Bishop Clarence, his first in the Diocese, took place on Sunday 20th December in St. George’s Numurkah.
In a 5pm service, with a church near capacity with COVID restrictions, Bishop Clarence Confirmed Grace Hall, Lily Patrick-Oudeman, Emily Hall and Shaylee Patrick.
In the same service Admitted to First Communion were Xavier Hall and Charlotte Hall.
Heather Stammers was the Confirmation Instructor, using Zoom and You Tube, as instructional tools due to lock-down
MORNING PRAYER LED BY REVD VICTOR ADAMS
NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER BPENTECOST
MORNING PRAYER led by Rev’d Victor Adams.
EIGTHEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Morning Prayer led by Heather Stammers.
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Morning Prayer led by Heather Stammers.
THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Morning Prayer led by Rev. Victor Adams.
THE FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Online Zoom Morning Prayer.
TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Morning Prayer for The Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost led by Rev. Victor Adams.
We welcomed Rev. Jerome Francis from Shepparton Parish who delivered the homily.
THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
MORNING PRAYER LED BY REV. VICTOR ADAMS.
MORNING PRAYER
With the reintroduction of Stage 3 restrictions, St Georges reverted to a service online via zoom. We were blessed to have Bishop Clarence with us and for his homily. The Parish also welcomed residents of Pioneer Lodge.
TRINITY SUNDAY WORSHIP
Trinity Sunday, first Sunday Service in St Georges since March 22nd. Observing limitations on numbers, social distancing, recording of attendees and hygiene. Good to be back!
PARISH COUNCIL ZOOM MEETING
Parish Council Zoom meeting Tuesday 2nd June discussed the opening of the churches for Sunday Services 7th June. It was decided to continue the mail-out weekly contact Sunday services will be shortened and follow guidelines of social distancing, registering attendees and sanitization with only first reading and psalm and no hymns. Contact by phone for this Sunday to discover interest as limited to 20. Zoom Morning Payer will be held 12 noon for those who are unable to attend the church service.
THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Online Morning Prayer
knees before God. The first reason I am saying this is the fact we need God to save us, only God can fix this. Secondly, as we are brought low already by this pandemic, it`s probably right there, on our knees that God is speaking to us and want to speak to us. What would God communicate to us on our knees? That we have strayed away like sheep from Him and He is calling us back, that we don`t see and recognize Him in our daily lives and don`t know Him (anymore?) Is not this perhaps, the hidden text and message, that God brought all the world to a standstill to ponder on Him? Whilst being in isolation and distancing ourselves from others, on our knees, is it not there where He meets us face to face? No matter what creed or color we are, the God of us all has silenced us. The quiet in the streets that we had seen throughout all the world had silenced the world before God who said “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 and 2 Chronicles 7:14) The world has been brought to a stand-still and God got our attention and focus at last. God Who desires our attention for so long that we, the world should “see” and come to “know” Him. Sadly, that it took the corona-virus to turn the face of the whole world to God. Hopefully. God breaking through the rhythm of our lives, disturbing our routine and suspending our normality (even if it`s for a while) speaks to us all and say “see” Me, come to “know” Me, “love Me and keep My commandments.” The spoon full of sunshine of the little girl of earlier has indeed some relevancy and truth to it, that we all have to scoop of that bright, golden light into our souls, so that we may shine by the glory of God within us. God within us and we in God. Amen
FIRST ZOOM
MORNING PRAYER SERVICE.
MORNING PRAYERS THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Online Zoom Parish Council Meeting.
FACEBOOK
The Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia now has a Facebook page to enable another form of communication.
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
The Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia are producing a weekly newsletter which includes news, reading sheet and sermon from Fr. Victor Adams.
If you are nor on the email list, and would like to receive the newsletter, please contact the parish by email – numurkahanglican@gmail.com or phone 035862 1046.
SERVICES CANCELLED
Due to the restrictions imposed due to the Coronavirus outbreak, all Sunday and Weekday services are cancelled until further notice.
Lenten Bible Studies and Children’s Kidzone are also cancelled.
The Parish will attempt to maintain contact other than face to face.
PALM CROSSES
PARISH DIARY DATES
December 1 – Advent Sunday – Fr Victor’s first services 5 – St George’s ladies lunch – 12 noon at the Telegraph Hotel 8 – Advent 2 10 – Parish Council 2pm, Numurkah 15 – Advent 3 – Holy Trinity (UCA to combine) 17 – Blue Christmas Ecumenical service, St George’s 6.00pm 19 – Karinya Holy Communion 3.15pm, Pioneers Lodge Holy Communion 4.00pm 21 – Bp John lays up his Pastoral Staff at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wangaratta 22 – Advent 4 24 – Christmas Eve – St George’s, Midnight Mass 11.00pm 25 – Christmas Day – Holy Trinity 9.30am, St George’s to join with UCA 9.30am 29 – Christmas 1
January 5 – Christmas 2 12 – Baptism of our Lord 16 – Karinya Holy Communion 3.15pm, Pioneers Lodge Holy Communion 4.00pm 19 – 2nd after Epiphany – Holy Trinity to UCA 10:30am 26 – 3rd Epiphany 28 – Nathalia Mothers’ Union, Eucharist & Meeting 10.00am
February 2 – Presentation of Christ 4 – Parish Council 2.00pm, Nathalia 9 – 5th Epiphany 16 – 6th Epiphany – Holy Trinity (UCA to combine) 20 – Karinya Holy Communion 3.15pm, Pioneers Lodge Holy Communion 4.00pm 23 – Transfiguration 25 – Nathalia Mothers’ Union, Eucharist & Meeting 10.00am Shrove Tuesday pancakes at St George’s 26 – Ash Wednesday
March 1 – Lent 1
INTRODUCING Fr. Victor Adams and his family, Elizabeth, Ruth and Nathan
INDUCTION OF
REV’D VICTOR ADAMS.
Vicar General Clarence Bester inducted Rev’d Victor Adams as Priest in Charge of the Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia at a service held in St. Georges Numurkah on Thursday 28th November.
Bishop John Farewelled
Bishop John visited the Numurkah-Nathalia Parish to say farewell before retiring after 11 years as Bishop of the Diocese of Wangaratta.
Fr. Gunnar Rippon retires.
On Sunday 26th May Fr Gunnar Rippon celebrated his final Eucharist in the Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia at St George’s Church, Numurkah after nearly 12 months as locum in the parish. The parish has indeed been blessed by his presence. Parishioners have appreciated his thoughtful sermons and his fine singing voice on Sundays. And during his part-time ministry he made a point to visit many parishioners in their homes and he also took regular services in the four aged care facilities within the parish. He introduced new services to the parish – a ‘Spring’ Service to give thanks for the promise of new life, a solemn and thought-provoking Service of Reproach on Good Friday and a ‘Blue Christmas’ held in the week before Christmas – a simple service to give people for whom Christmas can be difficult or associated with sad memories an opportunity to pray, reflect on their sorrow, and to find hope and some comfort. It was much appreciated by many in the Numurkah community, with a number of people from other denominations attending. However, one of Fr Gunnar’s greatest achievements was to ensure that Parish Council meetings did not go beyond 60 minutes duration; quite a feat! His wife Margaret also encouraged the parish to support ‘A Dollar a Day for Lent’ to raise money for swags for the homeless. As a result of this outward focus, $540 was raised to supplement the funds raised by the Parish of Shepparton. As a celebration of his time with us, Fr Gunnar was farewelled at a light lunch by the parishioners of St George’s. After the lunch Warden Lou Hamon presented Fr Gunnar with a painting of the Broken Creek footbridge near St George’s church. The painting was kindly donated by a local artist Geoff Lugg, husband of Parish Councillor Carol Lugg. The parish has been very fortunate to have had Fr Gunnar as a locum priest and we give thanks for his ministry among us.
PARISH WELCOME
REV’D GUNNAR RIPPON
The Anglican Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia welcome the appointment of Rev’d Gunnar Rippon as Locum Priest for the next six months.
Since the retirement of Rev’d Sally Boothey the parish has relied on retired priest Rev’s Geoffrey Poliness to conduct Sunday services and maintain parish life and are grateful for his devoted service.
Rev’s Gunnar Rippon will spend three days each week within the parish not only conducting Sunday services but undertaking pastoral care within the parish.
Gunner Rippon was born in Amble, Northumberland in north east England and in 1965 married Margaret and have three children and 10 grandchildren.
Gunner migrated to Australia in 1968 and worked as a mine surveyor in Queensland, Tasmania, New South Wales, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Accepting retrenchment in 1998, Gunner answered the call of our Lord and was ordained as Deacon in 2001 and as Priest in 2002 in Bunbury W.A. serving in two parishes then Dean of Cathedral in 2004.
In 2009 Gunnar retired to South Australia but answering the Bishop’s invitation to become district priest in Claire for three years.
Retiring again 2012 Gunnar and Margaret enjoyed caravanning around the country, doing locums in Port Fairy, Ararat, Ballarat, and Canon in Residence in Goulburn for 18 months.
In 2016 Gunnar and Margaret returned to Shepparton to a part time ministry.
Gunnar & Margaret will continue to live in Shepparton, whist working three days each week in the Parish of Numurkah-Nathalia.
The Parish are planning a Parish Dinner on 10th August, and a Film Night on Wednesday 15th August in Shepparton for the screening of the film “The Book Shop”.
Rev’d Sally Boothey’s last service and retirement.
Rev’d Sally Boothey celebrated her last service in St Georges on 15th April before her retirement.
At a luncheon after the service Sally was presented with a Joan Harding painting and flowers.
Pictures Sally with husband Dennis and Rectors Wardens Lou Hamon and Mary Muntz.
Holy Week & Easter Service Times
Palm Sunday
8.40am Palm Procession, Nathalia
9.00am Holy Trinity (UCA to Combine)
10.30am Sung Eucharist, St George’s
Maundy Thursday
7.30pm Foot Washing & Sung Eucharist St George’s
Good Friday
9am Nathalia at Uniting Church
10.30am St George’s Numurkah
11.30am Ecumenical Procession of the Cross, Numurkah
Easter Day
9.00am Holy Communion, Holy Trinity
10.30am Sung Eucharist, St George’s
De-consecration of Holy Nativity and All Saints Barmah.
The Rt. Rev’s John Parkes, Bishop of Wangaratta de-consecrated Holy Nativity and All Saints Barmah at a well attended service on Saturday 15th July 2017.
The Barmah church was the town’s first, and now the town’s last, place of worship, after it originally began as a wooden structure that was brought over from Picola in 1913.
The original timber building had to be eventually pulled down in 1966 when it was ravaged by termites.
The existing building designed to be a multi-purpose space was built in 1966.
The new church was fitted out with locally sourced red gum and the fence was made out of the cable from the old Murray River punt.
Services stopped last year and the power cut off, the building is sound and will be put up for sale.
Rev’d Sally Boothey, rector of Numurkah-Nathalia Parish said “It is a time of sadness, to contemplate the closure of this, or any church, and it seems that an era when traditional Christian worship and teaching centered around church buildings is passing”.