Services at St Mary’s THIS WEEK
9.30am in the Worship Centre
5.00pm in the Worship centre
Wednesday 10:00am in the bluestone chapel
Our Mission & Vision
St Mary’s is a community. Loving God, Following Jesus, Sharing God’s love with all
St Mary’s Anglican Church is a beautifully maintained 150 year old bluestone church nestled in the heart of Sunbury. Its walls, slate roof and stained glass windows contribute to the picturesque image of an old country town church. It is a popular venue for weddings and baptisms and has a long history of serving the community of Sunbury. However, don’t let it’s looks deceive you…. St Mary’s is also a modern church with a constantly growing membership of more than 200 regulars. Behind its romantic walls are people who care about people and who serve and love each other and the community of Sunbury.
We acknowledge the triune God, the Creator of heaven and earth and His ownership of all things. We recognise that He gave stewardship of these lands upon which we meet to the First Nations Peoples of this country. In His sovereignty, He has allowed other people groups to migrate to these shores. We acknowledge the cultures of our First Nations Peoples and are thankful for the community that we share together now. We pay our respects to the Gunung-Willam-Balluk people of the Kulin nation and their elders/leaders, both past and present, and those who are rising up to become leaders.
Click on any of the headings below to find out more
Contact Us
All the information you need to know to get in contact with St Mary’s and where we are located.
Our Staff
Meet our staff and put a face to the names
History of St Mary’s
150 years and stronger than ever!
Community Store
Volunteer your time, donate goods and find yourself a bargain!
Being a Christian
Find out more about God and what it means to be “a Christian”
Join us as we worship God
Weekly Services
9:30am Sunday- Holy Communion service followed by morning tea
5.00pm Sunday- All ages service with contemporary music and kids church, followed by dinner
10:00am Wednesday- Traditional Anglican Communion
To find out more about a specific service please click on the menu on the left
Our church is wheelchair accessible and has a hearing loop installed.
Children at St Mary’s
We welcome children at all of our St Mary’s services. We have a special area in our church where parents can sit with their children whilst they play with quiet toys, and still be very much part of the body of the church.
Kids Church is held at the 5.00pm service.
Music Playtime
**Resuming February 2023 **
Music Playtime is a playgroup which meets each Thursday from 10.00am til 11:30am in the Hall.
The hour incorporates actions, rhythm, singing and stories and open to anyone to come along. Gold coin donation.
The hour incorporates actions, rhythm, singing and stories and open to anyone to come along. Gold coin donation.
Join our Music Playtime Facebook Group by clicking here
Baptism
For more information about Baptism at St Mary’s please click here
How Do I get Involved?
St Mary’s Anglican Church is not a place for spectators. It is a place for team members. Whether you are a five-year old child, a ninety-five year old grandmother, a busy mum, or a businessman with big responsibilities, we want you to be a part of our vibrant church community. Here is how you can learn, serve, and grow at St Marys.
Home Groups
Often, small groups of people are better able to interact and learn about a topic than larger groups are. For that reason, St Mary’s has small bible studies held in member homes. The size of the group is anywhere from six to twenty people. At a time, designated by your group, you can participate in the small group study.
Pre-schoolers
Children are welcome at all of our St Mary’s services, and we have a family area in our church where small children can play quietly, Mum’s can feed babies and families can be part of our worshipping community. Music Playtime meets every Thursday during school terms from 10.00- 11.30am in the Parish Centre.
Please note that Music playtime is not currently meeting due to COVID density restrictions in our hall
Youth
Youth United is a youth group for Secondary school students, and meets every Friday night.
Young Adults
Life can get complicated once you cross that nebulous threshold into adulthood. There are complicated decisions. Bigger stakes. Serious relationships. And a whole lot more decisions. The young adult group of St Mary’s provides a welcoming atmosphere for university and early-career aged young people.
Stitch n Sew
This group meets weekly on Tuesday afternoons for a great time of sewing and chatting and encouragement. They have produced some marvellous pieces of work and welcome new members.
Mothers Union
Mothers’ Union is a worldwide organisation with the Anglican Church with over four million members. Our primary focus is to support and encourage Christian marriage and family life. This year 2020, MU Australia are financially supporting PNG through a new Parenting Program. Melbourne MU supports the Karen displaced people along the Thai/Burma border. Five Christmas Cards are also given to every incarcerated woman within the Victorian Prisons, for her personal use. Funds have already been distributed this year from its Disaster Fund, as a result of the recent natural disasters, to eight Dioceses across Australia.
St Mary’s Sunbury branch meets on the third Wednesday of each month.
Further information is available from the Melbourne Diocese website at:
www.mumelbourne.org.au
Mission Outreach
St Mary’s is thrilled to be part of the spread of God’s kingdom around the world. We are active in supporting missionaries with our money and with our prayers. Every second year, a small team from our church travels to Chibobo, Zambia to assist in practical projects and evangelistic outreach. We encourage all of our people to respond to God’s call for laborers, whether it means that they move to a foreign country or live and minister in our own community.
For more information on our outreach activities, and other mission activities and agencies that St Mary’s supports please click on one of the links to the left.
Chibobo
Chibobo is a rural community in Northern Zambia, and ST Mary’s has a a very close link with the community, through our support of the HMP Orphanage there. St Mary’s have a mission team travel to the orphanage in Chibobo every two years.
Kids Hope
KIDS HOPE AUS. is a mentoring program that helps Australian children needing additional support, and their families. Through a partnership between local churches and primary schools, Kids Hope Aus. works to improve opportunities for mentored children in the areas of education, self confidence and wellbeing.
Events
Coming Events
Details of our coming events and a full calendar can be found by clicking on the events tab.
For further information about any of the events listed, please contact the office on 03 9744 1347.
The Marriage Course
The Marriage Course is eight sessions designed to help couples strengthen their relationships.
Click here for more information and to watch testimonies from couples from our community who have undertaken the course together.
Child Safe
As a community walking in Jesus’ footsteps, we follow this command, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbour as yourself.” (Deut 6:5, Matt 22:37, Luke 10:27) God calls us to love and minister to vulnerable and marginalised people – these are people who need special care, protection and support.
St Mary’s, as a member of the Anglican Church of Australia within the Diocese of Melbourne, is committed to child safe practices. The safety and the wellbeing of children and vulnerable people are embedded in policies and practices which reflect a commitment to zero tolerance of abuse.
Clearance for Ministry
Clergy (a person in Holy Orders) and authorised lay ministers must hold a Clearance for Ministry granted by Kooyoora stating they are fit to hold the proposed role, office or position in the Church. A new Clearance for Ministry must be obtained for each new role, office or position.
Clergy (a person in Holy Orders) and authorised lay ministers must hold a Clearance for Ministry granted by Kooyoora stating they are fit to hold the proposed role, office or position in the Church. A new Clearance for Ministry must be obtained for each new role, office or position.
Clearance for Service
The Professional Standards Uniforms Regulations prescribe at Schedule 1 that lay people who hold any of the following roles, offices or positions, are required to hold a Clearance for Service which is a certificate granted by Kooyoora (Office of Professional Standards):
1 (A) Those who hold a role, office or position that requires them to have a WWC Clearance under the Worker Screening Act 2020 (Vic).
1 (B) Those who hold a role, office or position that constitutes “ministry to children” within the meaning of the Safe Ministry to Children Canon 2017, currently as follows:
Ministry to children means work of a kind where a person:
(a) is required to hold a working with children check, or a working with vulnerable people check by reason that the person has contact with a child as part of engaging in a regulated activity; or
(b) exercises a pastoral ministry which has direct, regular and not incidental contact with children; or
(c) provides services to children that are ancillary to the exercise of a pastoral ministry within General Synod – Safe Ministry to Children Canon 2017 Adopting Ordinance 2017 paragraph (b) which involve:
(i) contact with children during an overnight activity (such as camps and similar activities); or
(ii) close, personal contact with children (such as changing clothes, washing and toileting); or
(d) supervises the ministry of a person within any one or more of paragraphs (a) to (c); or
(e) performs a professional standards role; or
(f) performs a safe ministry role.
Regardless of whether a role, office or position is within the meaning of 1 A. and 1 B. above, any of following roles, offices or positions:
- Child Safety Officer, Family Safety Champion
- Leader or coordinator of, or instructor, teacher, or other position providing leadership, oversight or direction in
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- children’s or youth group;
- camp where children are present;
- crèche;
- Sunday School or other educational program for children or young people;
- small groups where children are present and not accompanied by a parent;
- choir, music, dance or acting group that includes children;
- bus driver for children;
- candidate for selection conference for Holy Orders;
- theological exiting student intending to seek ordination;
- theological student doing a youth or children’s practicum;
- Warden of Altar Servers or coordinator of the altar serving team where the team includes children.
Church authorities may also require other people to obtain a Clearance for Service (see section 60(3) of the Professional Standards Uniform Act).
For more information you can visit the Melbourne Anglican Diocese Website
Our organisation takes all allegations seriously and has practices in place to investigate thoroughly and quickly. Our staff and volunteers are trained to deal appropriately with allegations.
We work to ensure all children, families, staff and volunteers know what to do and who to tell if they observe abuse or are a victim, and if they notice inappropriate behaviour.We all have a responsibility to report an allegation of abuse if we have a reasonable belief that an incident took place.
If an adult has a reasonable belief that an incident has occurred then they must report the incident. Factors contributing to reasonable belief may be:
- a child states they or someone they know has been abused (noting that sometimes the child may in fact be referring to themselves)
- behaviour consistent with that of an abuse victim is observed
- someone else has raised a suspicion of abuse but is unwilling to report it
- observing suspicious behaviour
- To report concerns that are life threatening, ring Victoria Police 000
- To contact a child protection office close to you, call a local office.
To report concerns about the immediate safety of a child after hours, call:
After Hours Child Protection Emergency Service
Ph: 13 12 78 (5.00pm – 9.00am Monday – Friday, 24 hours on weekends and public holidays).
Note: this is an emergency service for week nights, weekends and public holidays only.
After Hours Child Protection Emergency Service
Ph: 13 12 78 (5.00pm – 9.00am Monday – Friday, 24 hours on weekends and public holidays).
Note: this is an emergency service for week nights, weekends and public holidays only.
Child Safe Policies and Documents
Building Project
NOW OPEN!!!
St Mary’s Anglican Church is building for the community of Sunbury and the future.
Following Council approval and the raising of funds, construction has been completed on new facilities on St Mary’s O’Shanassy Street site.
The new facilities include:-
- a new auditorium, capable of seating over 400;
- a café;
- upgraded meeting and counselling room facilities; and
- child safe areas for children’s and youth activities.
The new facilities will be available for schools and other community organisations to use for larger gatherings, including larger funerals and end of year functions.
The Bluestone Church and Community Store will remain and preservation of the Village Green as open space for use by the community was a priority in our planning.
Donations towards the building project can be made to the following account
Account name- St Marys Anglican Church Sunbury
BSB number- 703122
Account Number- 05004990
Click on the link below to download our
To view the latest proposed floor plans please click the link below
(uploaded 13th October 2016)
(uploaded 13/2017)
To view the architects impressions or how the project will look click the link below
(uploaded 13th October 2016)
We would love to hear from you!
Office Hours:
Monday – Thursday:- 10.00am – 1.00pm.
Church Location & Address:
7 O’Shanassy St, Sunbury. (map)
Postal Address:- PO Box 2049, Sunbury, VIC, 3429
Telephone:
Tel: (03) 9744 1347
St Mary’s Community Store- Tel: (03) 9740 5547
Email Us
admin@stmarysanglican.org.au
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