NORTHERN / WESTERN REGION
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Caretaker Co-ordinator:
Bev Cottell Northern & Western Region Branches (updated October 2023) Altona St - Eanswythe’s MU Altona St - Eanswythe’s Caritas Corio - St Andrew’s Diocesan Members Geelong - St Paul’s MU |
Glenroy - St Matthew’s / St Linus’ Merlynston St Alban’s - St Alban the Martyr MU Sunbury - St Mary’s MU Watsonia - Holy Spirit MU Werribee - St Thomas’ MU |
News from the 2022 Diocesan Annual Report
Looking back over the past year, I thank God for the resilience of our member branches for persevering through this year of immense change. We have seen All Saints Newtown and St Albans West Coburg branches formally close. The parish of St Cuthbert’s Grovedale was to have closed on Easter Day this year, which caused uncertainty with the Grovedale Caritas branch. Thankfully the decision to close has been shelved.
In spite of these hiccups, the members have continued serving in their local environments, providing mittens and beanies to the Mission to Seafarers, in Melbourne and Geelong and also providing babies blankets to both the Royal Women’s and Geelong based hospitals.
Lady Day, this year at St Paul’s Cathedral was incorporated in the Choral Evensong on Mothering Sunday, 25th March. Bishop Genieve’s sermon embraced how the Anglican Church is addressing abuse within the church. Bishop Genieve spoke on this subject matter at the recent Lambeth Conference. Mothers’ Union has an ongoing commitment to make our home parishes aware of the problem of family abuse, especially through our involvement in the Holding the Light Service, which I’ll raise later.
The Geelong Region Lady Day celebration was held at St Paul’s Geelong on April 2nd. Branch banners were proudly displayed and it was a blessing to have 4 clergy from the local parishes attending with their Mothers’ Union members. A special thanks to Alyson Dillon for co-ordinating this occasion.
When visiting Altona in February, Margaret Rice handed me a photo of the ladies who had created the tapestry cushions which were presented to St Paul’s Cathedral on the centenary of MU in Melbourne. These cushions are in the two front pews at the Cathedral. We have been unable to identify all of the ladies in this photograph. The photo is now in the MU archives. If any member across the diocese is able to assist in completing this historical detail, this would be appreciated.
Christmas cards, once again will be distributed to the incarcerated ladies at both Dame Phyllis Frost and Tarrengower. These cards continue to be gifted to this project from branches across Melbourne and Geelong and it is rather special to pick them up either from Margaret Dunbar, when collecting the Mia Mias from her house, or exchanging Mia Mias with Christmas cards from branches during the year. MU Melbourne has the Christmas Cards ready, and I’d like to thank the many branches for their ongoing support and a special thanks for Altona MU and Caritas branches for co-ordinating this worthy project.
Another project being supported this year is the “Sharing the Dignity” annual event in which essential items are collected and distributed through Bunnings, across Australia through registered charities. It is sobering to realise that MU’s involvement, which has now been embraced Australia wide, was suggested by Katrina, the daughter of Sunbury MU’s President, and I thank her for the encouragement she has given to so many members in a very practical way.
It has been a pleasure serving the NW Region over the past seven years. May we all continue to shine the light of Christ in our small corner across the globe, actively bringing transformation now.
Thank you.
Bev Cottell
NW Region Co-ordinator
In spite of these hiccups, the members have continued serving in their local environments, providing mittens and beanies to the Mission to Seafarers, in Melbourne and Geelong and also providing babies blankets to both the Royal Women’s and Geelong based hospitals.
Lady Day, this year at St Paul’s Cathedral was incorporated in the Choral Evensong on Mothering Sunday, 25th March. Bishop Genieve’s sermon embraced how the Anglican Church is addressing abuse within the church. Bishop Genieve spoke on this subject matter at the recent Lambeth Conference. Mothers’ Union has an ongoing commitment to make our home parishes aware of the problem of family abuse, especially through our involvement in the Holding the Light Service, which I’ll raise later.
The Geelong Region Lady Day celebration was held at St Paul’s Geelong on April 2nd. Branch banners were proudly displayed and it was a blessing to have 4 clergy from the local parishes attending with their Mothers’ Union members. A special thanks to Alyson Dillon for co-ordinating this occasion.
When visiting Altona in February, Margaret Rice handed me a photo of the ladies who had created the tapestry cushions which were presented to St Paul’s Cathedral on the centenary of MU in Melbourne. These cushions are in the two front pews at the Cathedral. We have been unable to identify all of the ladies in this photograph. The photo is now in the MU archives. If any member across the diocese is able to assist in completing this historical detail, this would be appreciated.
Christmas cards, once again will be distributed to the incarcerated ladies at both Dame Phyllis Frost and Tarrengower. These cards continue to be gifted to this project from branches across Melbourne and Geelong and it is rather special to pick them up either from Margaret Dunbar, when collecting the Mia Mias from her house, or exchanging Mia Mias with Christmas cards from branches during the year. MU Melbourne has the Christmas Cards ready, and I’d like to thank the many branches for their ongoing support and a special thanks for Altona MU and Caritas branches for co-ordinating this worthy project.
Another project being supported this year is the “Sharing the Dignity” annual event in which essential items are collected and distributed through Bunnings, across Australia through registered charities. It is sobering to realise that MU’s involvement, which has now been embraced Australia wide, was suggested by Katrina, the daughter of Sunbury MU’s President, and I thank her for the encouragement she has given to so many members in a very practical way.
It has been a pleasure serving the NW Region over the past seven years. May we all continue to shine the light of Christ in our small corner across the globe, actively bringing transformation now.
Thank you.
Bev Cottell
NW Region Co-ordinator