the junction

March Gathering and Happenings

michelle — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:03:48 +0000

Just a quick reminder, that due to the Labour Day holiday being at the end of the first weekend, our March Gathering has been scheduled later. It will be the following weekend - Sunday 14th March.

We're back for 2010

michelle — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:12:31 +0000

We’re back for 2010 with our first Big Gathering to be held this Sunday at our meeting place of choice - Doveton Neighbourhood Learning Centre.

Starting time is 10.30am as usual, more details will follow by email.

This year some of our Gatherings will not be held on the first Sunday as usual, due to clashing with school holidays or long weekends.

Sad new from the Hammonds

michelle — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:10:47 +0000

Some sad and challenging news about Carter our 7 year old.

For those who haven’t heard, Carter our 7 year old, has been diagnosed yesterday with “ALL” Leukaemia, he’s in the University of Chicago Hospital-children’s ward. He is receiving world class care, Community-our church has been outstanding in loving and helping us,

Carter is being very brave & in good spirits despite having had a blood transfusion and several serious procedures.

Keeping up with the Hammonds

michelle — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:33:44 +0000

They’ve been gone over a month, but its still easy to not realise they aren’t around somewhere. After all, the Junction only gets together as a big group once a month and we always have a break in January, with many people taking holidays.

But the Hammonds have arrived and settled into their new home in Chicago and are settling in well from what I can tell.

How can I tell?

Hammonds Farewell at Cardinia Reservoir

michelle — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:51:34 +0000

The Junction and friends braved the typical, unpredictable Melbourne weather to gather together at Crystal Brook Park at Cardinia Reservoir, to spend some last times with the Hammonds, before the leave on 9th December.

Disregarding both sun and rain, we took the opportunity to do what the Junction does so well - eat and share life.

We will bid a last farewell to the Hammonds at our gathering next Sunday, so be sure to join us there.

Dave Ferguson - Casey Combined Churches Service

michelle — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:02:50 +0000

Dave Ferguson is the pastor from Chicago that the Hammonds will be working with. He visited Australia recently and we heard him speak at the Casey Combined Churches service, where the Hammonds were commissioned for their US endeavour. Here’s what I took away from his message.

Studies have shown that Christians are no more likely to help the homeless, than non-Christians.

Casey Missional works

michelle — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:57:15 +0000

At the Casey Combined Church Service last weekend, where the Hammonds were commissioned, a pastor from the Casey Pastor’s Network outlined some of the local missions work being done by local churches. So here’s some inspiration for us as we look to what we want the Junction to be doing.

Background first. The Casey Pastors Network has been running for 15 years and has 46 local churches connected to it. It also comprises the Casey Youth Network and the Casey Leaders Network.

Meals are a big mission field.

Wynand de Koch - Guest Speaker

michelle — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:53:52 +0000

Wynand de Koch is the Principal of Tabor College and was our guest speaker at the November Gathering.

Growing up, Wynand believed that God was a grumpy old man, with strict rules, who could turn on you quickly, swallow you up for no good reason. It wasn’t a healthy view.

However, after hearing then Bishop Desmond Tutu speak, his whole world was shaken.

What is God really like - Steve Swain - Big Gathering 11th October 2009

michelle — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:45:05 +0000

Steve started with the story of a missionary to the Masai warriors. When he asked them what they would do if they ever met God, one warrior replied that he would run his spear into this stomach.

We then talked about we would describe God.

You Matter

michelle — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:31:05 +0000

I read this on Seth Godin’s blog a while ago and it resonated with me.

My refuge

michelle — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:21:06 +0000

A few weeks ago, I was out walking our dog along the back fence line on one edge of our housing estate, when it started raining quite heavily. It was too far to run to find an entrance back into the estate, to find a place where I could find some shelter, so I stuck as close to the fence line as I could.

Missional Community - Steve Swain - 6th September 2009

michelle — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:59:42 +0000

Here are my notes from the message Steve Swain gave at our Father’s Day gathering:

Doing things is church – regardless of whether you have an official meeting.

A missional community is us as Jesus’s apprentices. We journey together. Its a finite expression of the infinite trinity. Jesus was a genius – we don’t want to follow anyone who’s not smart, not in the know. Jesus was not about other worldly weird stuff, but about coping with the everyday.

Ephesians 5:18-6:18.

Never give up

michelle — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:07:13 +0000

Things that happen in your life can teach you the most interesting lessons.

Murray was our much loved tabby black and white cat. At 17 1/2 years old, he went out one day six months ago and didn’t come home. We thought he had gone away to die. Until he turned up in Hallam nearly 2 weeks ago.

If you haven’t read the full story - check out Evan’s wonderful perspective at: Do you have a cat named Murray?

Back now? Anyway, we are still dealing with the implications of his return.

Appreciating the little moments

michelle — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:19:32 +0000

All of you who know me, know how much I have in common with a cyclone - fast-moving and endlessly so. But I had a small lesson last week in stopping and taking the time to appreciate the moment.

I had just finished business at Casey Council and was driving out of their carpark. Opposite the entrance to Council is a small park and lake, just adjacent to Casey ARC. Whilst I was waiting for traffic to clear, I noticed a couple with a young dog - looked like a Red Heeler, walking around the same side of the lake that I was on.

Church signs

michelle — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:48:22 +0000

If only these signs were an indication of how much fun church could be!

Check out a lot more at Faster Pastor.

Doing the right thing

michelle — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:17:54 +0000

Whilst I was walking the dog the other day, I got to thinking about my actions in this life. I thought about things that had happened, comments that people had made to me in response to actions I had made, usually small and inconsequential.

After some thought and some distance with the dog (a longer walk that day), I came to the conclusion, that more often than not, I do manage to do the right thing.

Notes from our celebration gathering.

kim — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:30:37 +0000

Things to remember and celebrate at the junction. The Hammond’s Team Leaders January 2002-July 2009.

Dreaming with the Swains. Serving together.
Opening in a pub, giving $1000 to Windermere.
Working bees at their Pakenham house,
Ignition at the Berwick Inn, 2 H fundraiser at Berwick Inn. Using the Common Room (Front Bar).
Tutoring kid with parents with intellectual disability.
Steve and I, Adam and Judy at Kambrya college.
Lunch time program, breakfast, sports days and swimming carnival. We were part ofthe school community.
Caesar playing b/ball.

Good Friday 2009

michelle — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:03:51 +0000

A good proportion of the Junction turned up at the Hammonds to enjoy good company, plenty of hot cross buns, great coffee (thanks Mark) and other drinks and of course, an Easter Egg hunt for the kids (the mini versions, not the overgrown ones).

To add to the importance of the occasion, the Hammonds spa became a baptismal tank as David was baptised, with people crammed into the ensuite to witness this special moment.

It was a time filled with family, friends, food and the importance of the day.

January Gathering 2009

michelle — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:11:00 +0000

On an overcast but mild Sunday morning, a group of the Junction’s dedicated families got together for our first Big Gathering at Buchanan Park in Berwick.

As in past years, our January gathering is a casual affair, a lunch out and about somewhere local. A chance for those who haven’t gone away, to catch up now that Christmas is done and the new year begun.

With so many boys in our group, the cricket game was inevitable and quickly set up, whilst the adults took the time to eat and catch up. Check out the photos at Flickr.

Junction Camp 2008

michelle — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:27:00 +0000

It was another great weekend away at CYC The Island, as 50+ members of the Junction headed to Phillip Island for our church camp in the last weekend of November.

We enjoyed lots of fun, sharing, good food, good laughs, fresh air, lots of rockwall climbing, swimming, flying foxing, trampolining and much more, in a relaxed environment with great company.

Check out the photos at our Flickr account, for a record of the fun.

Good Friday evening on the beach

michelle — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:53:28 +0000

A gathering of Junction members, joined with Life Expedition for a sunset service on the beach at Mt Eliza on the evening of Good Friday.

Life Expedition musicians led a short, energetic and powerful worship session before they baptised two of their number in the cold waters of Port Phillip Bay.

Refugee Realities

michelle — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:54:03 +0000

After our Big Gathering this morning, 7 adults and 10 kids ventured off to GasWorks Park in Albert Park to experience Oxfam’s Refugee Realities - "a free interactive experience that puts you in the position of a refugee or internally displaced person trying to find safety and a long term solution.

Refugee Realities is both an interactive performance event involving moving image, improvised theatre, audio-visual and photographic art forms as well as an ongoing online project to document the various realities refugees face.

100 Revs

michelle — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:53:43 +0000

Our Pastor Kim Hammond has become involved in a movement "100 Revs" - in which participating ministers offer their personal apologies for the treatment that the gay and lesbian community has received from the established church.

Twins dedication

michelle — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:19:11 +0000

Our February Big Gathering became an even bigger family event, with Junction member Michelle inviting her family and friends to join with her Junction family for the Dedication of her twin daughters Amelia and Makayla.

This special event was celebrated with a wonderful slideshow of images of the girls first few years, accompanied by good music, a good time of sharing from Kim and of course - good food and great company.

Casual start to 2008

michelle — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:15:13 +0000

The Junction started 2008 with what it does best - gathering together around food. Our January gathering was held in the beautiful bushland of Crystal Brook Part at Cardinia Reservoir,with good food and great company. The nearby children’s playground kept the kids active and happy whilst the adults took the time to catch up and relax after the hectic Christmas holiday period.

The Junction Camp

michelle — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 13:35:51 +0000

Wow, what a great time we had away at camp.

Twenty-nine adults and 21 kids headed down to The Island CYC Camp from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th November. It was a time to spend as a community, getting to know people in our broader community, as well as spending more quality time with people from our own PCs.

Monks, Cheerleaders and Activists

kim — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:45:00 +0000

by Steve Drinkall

I am often asked what I do for a living. I drop my son to the local Catholic primary school in the morning, briefly exchange greetings with the other mums and the occasional dad and then wander off to an obscure workday. This could involve anything from helping my neighbour shovel sand from his driveway to having coffee with a friend of mine who is not coping with life, or even recording a podcast for download from our website. I am of course your run of the mill Pastor. Many of you can understand what I do because you are familiar with the concepts and language of the church. You understand that Pastors fill their days with attempts to serve people, encourage loyalty to Jesus and even articulate the values of the kingdom. These activities make sense to us in the church but spare a thought for the average mum at my son’s preschool.

New meeting place

michelle — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 10:37:02 +0000

Sunday 5th August was our first Big Gathering at Doveton Neighbourhood Centre. Thirty-five members of the Junction and visitors, along with our 20+ children helped launched a new chapter of the Junction with the move to a new location. The move came about due to our diverse locations, with Doveton chosen as a reasonably central location. The Doveton Neighbourhood Centre has a large meeting hall, more than we anticipate needing for a while, a great kitchen feeding off this area and several meeting rooms, two of which will be used for the children’s ministry.

Junction's 5th Birthday

michelle — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 08:25:19 +0000

We celebrated the 5th birthday of the Junction with a low key, but moving gathering at Beaconsfield Community Complex. Many friends and family joined us for this time of sharing, thankfulness and worship.

Birthing Kit Blitz

michelle — Sun, 06 May 2007 22:44:52 +0000

A blitz is what happened during the Junction’s 2 hour birthday kit blitz on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th April. The three locations, Beaconsfield, Box Hill and Frankston, linked to Primary Communities in those areas, hosted upwards of 100 people, many who were not church people or not from the Junction. Approximately 3000 kits were created, which could save upward of 1500 lives!

And the feedback! All positive and all wanting to know when we will be doing it again. So expect it to be bigger and better next time around!