Holy Cross walking group meetings regularly to walk together and experience the blessings of nature, the sites around Canberra and each others’ company.
The group meetings alternate Tuesday mornings at 9.15am at the Holy Cross Hackett car park, and travels together to the site of the walk.
Following on from the success of the Advent women’s retreat last year, we are planning another weekend with the same format for Lent.
Two events will be held to ‘top’ and ‘tail’ a weekend, one Saturday and one Sunday. Women from all walks of life are welcome to attend only one, or both.
Event One Morning Bushwalk – Saturday 20 March, Hackett
7.30 – 9am Bushwalk on Mt Majura reserve. Meet at the Hackett Gate on Grayson Street. Bring a thermos and drink tea with a view!
Event Two Evening Gathering – Sunday 21 March, Holy Cross Church 7pm Evening of contemplative prayer and fellowship, followed by
The North Canberra Nativity Festival is back for a second year running! Holy Cross is proud to co-host an exhibition of over 200 nativity displays and Community Carols by Candlelight with our friends at St Margaret’s and Holy Rosary.
Thursday 10th-Sunday 13th December Exhibition 10am-5pm every day
Sunday 13th December 6.30pm Community BBQ 7.30pm Carols by Candlelight
It’s been quite a year, and more than ever many of us are feeling the vital need – and the significant challenge – of carving out time for fellowship and quiet reflection.
This year, our women’s retreat will, like so many other things, be done a little differently. Join us in a welcoming atmosphere as we spend time together the weekend of 5-6 December:
Saturday 5 December 7.30-9am Bushwalk on Mt Majura reserve (meet at the Hackett Gate on Grayson Street)
Sunday 6 December 7pm Evening of contemplative prayer and fellowship, followed by 8pm Wine and cheese under the cherry tree.
In a spirit of community building and healing, the faith communities of Holy Cross Anglican and St Margaret’s Uniting in Hackett in Canberra’s inner north recently hosted a festival focussed on sustainability.
A stallholder from Canberra Seed Savers shares the fruits of their work
The ‘Sustaining Our Future’ Festival on the weekend of September 19-20 brought together local groups and speakers to offer information on climate change and inspiration on how to reduce one’s individual or household waste and carbon footprint.
“During these pandemic times, it’s even more important we find ways to get together safely and discuss common concerns, be inspired and make a difference,” said Reverend Chris Lockley of St Margaret’s.
People were able to test ride electric bikes and learn about composting. There was also a concert in the church featuring singer-songwriter Lucy Sugerman and local youth bands, a visual arts exhibition, and an ecumenical ‘Celebration of Creation’ worship service.
Dickson College students facilitate the ACT Candidates’ Forum
The program included an ACT election candidates forum moderated by Dickson College students.
“It was a great opportunity for our young people, who have a lot invested in a low-carbon future, to quiz local candidates about their sustainability policies ahead of the October poll,” said Reverend Tim Watson of Holy Cross.
This event, the first of its kind in Hackett, demonstrated the potential of the venue for more community events in the future where people can gather for spiritual and personal resourcing, community development, and to encourage each other in working for the Common Good.”
The Festival was organised as part of Holy Cross/St Margaret’s joint Carbon Action Project, launched earlier this year. Both churches have committed to make their operations carbon neutral within two years, and to help church members and the local community take climate change seriously through local action and engagement.
The once-fixed pews in the ecumenical Hackett church were recently removed to allow for more dynamic and mixed uses of the interior worship space.
Audiences enjoying the live music concert at the end of a great day
“The event was joyful and inclusive, and it put our mandate to evangelise as followers of Jesus into practice in so many different ways. It was a real celebration of beauty (art, music, God’s creation), truth (political debate, scientific and practical learning) and goodness (community, social and environmental action)”, said Reverend Watson.
“It also resonated with Bishop Mark’s encouraging comment about enabling people to return to church after lockdown: ‘re-integrating people to community through community, and helping us think about how we could implement similar steps with people who’ve never been part of our gathered worship’,” Rev. Watson added.
The two ministers also thanked volunteers who worked hard to make it happen.
“So many people made the event work. There were many hours served planning it and then during – to ensure it was safe and kept the festival moving along,” said Rev. Lockley.
Canberra’s inner north will this weekend host a Sustaining Our Future Festival that seeks to reduce our carbon footprint and build resilient communities.
The churches of Holy Cross Anglican and St Margaret’s Uniting in Hackett have put together an afternoon of talks, demonstrations and tips for action.
“If you want to do something about climate change but aren’t sure where to start, the festival can help identify simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint, tell you how much CO2 you would save and inspire ideas for the future,” said Reverend Chris Lockley of St Margaret’s.
“During these pandemic times, it’s even more important we find ways to get together safely and discuss common concerns and to ways to make a difference.”
The program includes an ACT election candidates forum moderated by college students.
“We think it’s great and appropriate that our young people, who have a lot invested in a low-carbon future, will have this opportunity to quiz local candidates about their sustainability policy ahead of the October poll,” said Reverend Tim Watson of Holy Cross.
Also speaking will be Australia’s Ambassador for the Environment, Jamie Isbister.
The full program is as follows:
Saturday 19 September
12.00 noon – 12.20 pm Welcome to Country by Aunty Vi Sheridan
12.25 – 1.00 pm Australia’s Ambassador for the Environment and head climate negotiator, Jamie Isbister in conversation with author, Toni Hassan
1.05 pm – 1.35 pm Brook Clinton from Capital Scraps Composting on “The science of composting”
2.05 pm – 2.45 pm Mia Swainson from Zero Waste on “How to halve your household waste”
3- 4 pm ACT Candidates’ Forum run by students from Dickson College, with Kurrajong candidates including Elizabeth Lee and Shane Rattenbury. To book https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=659164
4.30 – 6 pm Free concert with Lucy Sugerman (The Voice / National Folk Festival Youth Ambassador 2020) pluslocal bands including Northbourne Flats and Pig Dog To book: https://www.trybooking.com/654789
All afternoon – stalls by Society, Environment and Economy (SEE) Change, Canberra Seed Savers, Switched on cycling, ENJO & Women’s Climate Congress, photography on display, art for kids and food/coffee cart
Sunday 20 September
* 9.30am Ecumenical “Celebration of Creation” outdoor worship service
On 19-20 September, Holy Cross Anglican Church and St Margaret’s Uniting Church, Hackett, are running a community sustainability festival, as part of our joint churches Carbon Action Project. This is a COVIDSafe event, and is open to all.
Saturday
12.00 noon to 12.20 pm. Welcome to Country by Aunty Vi Sheridan
12.25 to 1.00 pm. Australia’s Ambassador for the Environment and head climate negotiator, Jamie Isbister in conversation with local writer and journalist, Toni Hassan
1.05 pm to 1.35 pm. Brook Clinton from Capital Scraps Composting on “The science of composting”
2.05 pm to 2.45 pm. Mia Swainson from Zero Waste on “How to halve your household waste”
3pm to 4pm. ACT Candidates’ Forum run by students from Dickson College, with candidates for Kurrajong, including Elizabeth Lee and Shane Rattenbury. To book for this event please go to: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=659164
Stalls by Society, Environment and Economy (SEE) Change, Canberra Seed Savers, Switched on cycling, ENJO & Women’s Climate Congress.
12 noon to 4 pm. Photography exhibition with photos from lockdown
4.30 pm to 6 pm. Concert with Lucy Sugerman (The Voice / National Folk Festival Youth Ambassador 2020) and local bands including Northbourne Flats and Pig Dog. To book for this free concert go to: https://www.trybooking.com/654789
Sunday
9.30am: Ecumenical Creation Service outdoors under our flowering cherry tree
The Bishop has announced that all public worship in the Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn will cease as of this Sunday. You can read his announcement here: https://anglicancg.org.au/cessation-of-services/
We are looking at a number of alternative ways in which we can pray and worship together, including:
online services (using Zoom)
opening the church for private prayer
household liturgies (including kid-friendly ones!) for you to use at home
Parish Council is meeting this Saturday to make more plans, and we’ll update you again soon.
I spoke to Bishop Mark today and he informed me that welfare services such as Tuckerbox should continue at present, as they have a crucial role in meeting the needs of some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Tuckerbox will therefore be taking place this Saturday, and we will be putting in place some strict hygiene protocols to ensure that this is done safely.
One final thing: Sunday 22 March is Mothering Sunday, the middle Sunday in Lent, and Iris usually makes us a simnel cake for morning tea. This year, I suggest that those of us who are able to do so take part in a Holy Cross Simnel Cake Competition – if you’d like to have a go, why not bake one this week and email me the photo so we can post the results on the web site? We’ll ask Iris to judge the entries and award an appropriate prize! Recipes can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/simnel_cake
Keep well, keep in touch, and remember: Christ is still risen!
