Table of Contents
Filled to Its Fullness
Wednesday 19th November 2025
When Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” He wasn’t sending a few specialists; He was commissioning His entire body. The Great Commission is not an optional program but the defining purpose of the Church. The resurrection turned frightened followers into heralds of a new world order — the reign of King Jesus. The Church doesn’t simply proclaim a future hope; it announces that God’s kingdom has already begun in Christ.
Fear often keeps us silent. We feel illequipped or afraid to speak in a culture indifferent to faith. Yet Jesus anchors His command in a promise:
“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”
Matthew 28:20 NIV
Mission flows not from our competence but from His companionship.
Every Christian has a sphere of influence — homes, workplaces, friendships, neighbourhoods. Within these spaces, discipleship begins with presence: listening, loving, and living in ways that reflect the grace of Jesus. As Paul reminds us,
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us”
2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV
Barriers persist: fear of evangelism, comfort zones, and lack of grounding in Scripture. Yet when we step beyond them, the Spirit meets us with power. The gospel, Paul insists, is
“the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”
Romans 1:16
This week, ask God for one opportunity to share His love through word or action. It might be a conversation, a prayer, or a simple act of kindness that carries eternal weight. Jesus has already promised His presence — we need to walk in it.
Prayer: Lord, give me courage to carry Your light into the places You send me. Let my words and actions point others to Your grace. Amen.
Welcoming and loving community
One of our values at BCOC, is to be a welcoming and loving community – to sustain the culture of warmly welcoming visitors and our church family.
Due to our growing numbers, it is easy for people to slip in and out of services, missing genuine connections. We have a fantastic Welcome Team, but the task of connecting broadly is too great for them alone; it requires everyone who considers Berwick as their church home to take an active role.
Can you join us in being intentional about meeting and greeting others each Sunday?
Please help us be a welcoming and loving church community.
Bring Christmas to Life for Local Families in Crisis | Donate
As Christmas approaches, many of us look forward to laughter around the table, the joy of giving, and the warmth of being together.
But for some families in our local community, this season can be one of deep stress and uncertainty, wondering if there will be food on the table at all.
Bringing Christmas to Life is our way of changing that story.
We provide Christmas Food Hampers for families connected through the Food Pantry, who are doing it tough and struggling to make ends meet. This includes single parents, grandparents caring for children, and individuals facing unexpected hardship.
A simple hamper may seem small, but to someone in crisis, it means the world. It’s an expression of God’s love; and an action of unexpected kindness that brings hope.
This year, the need is greater than ever. Your generosity can help us fill each hamper with practical essentials and festive treats that bring smiles and relief to Food Pantry clients when it’s needed most.
Together, we can make sure every family we reach experiences the true heart of Christmas: love, kindness, and hope.
Thank you for helping us share the joy of Christmas with those who need it most and be His presence in every place.
Donations can be made:
- The Desk (Sundays 8:30am–1:00pm), Cash or EFTPOS
- Reception (Monday–Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm), Cash or EFTPOS
Sunday Service | 9:00am & 11:00am
We were never meant to live empty or ordinary lives. God has placed His very Spirit within us, a treasure in jars of clay, so that His presence can flow through us into every place.
In this new series, “Carriers of His Presence”, we will explore what it means to be filled with the Spirit of Christ, to live as His body, and to carry His love, peace, and power wherever we go.
Together, we will rediscover who we are, what we’re called to, and how the presence of Jesus transforms everything, from our homes to our workplaces, and beyond.
Come be refreshed, filled and inspired to live as a Carrier of His Presence in every place.
Kids Church | Sunday 23rd November 2025 | 9:00am & 11:00am
This week at Kids Church…
2 to 4-year-olds | Abraham and Sarah | Genesis 12:1-3; 15:5-6; 18:1-14; 21:1-7
5 to 12-year-olds | Esther | Esther 1-10
Boys Brigade | Monday 24th November 2025 | From 6:00pm
Be part of the action! For over 20 years the Boys’ Brigade has advanced Christ’s Kingdom among boys.
ANCHORS | Grades 1 & 2: 6pm – 7.15pm
JUNIORS | Grades 3 – 6: 7pm – 8.30pm
SENIORS | Grades 7 to 18 years old: 7pm – 9.30pm
Prayer & Fellowship Walk | Tuesday 25th November | 6:30am
The Tuesday morning Prayer and Fellowship Walk is around the church property and is a powerful time of seeking the Lord together in prayer.
We pray for our church, community and nation. So come and join us at 6:30 am in the Berwick Church of Christ Car Park.
This is a wonderful way to start the day and you are most welcome to join us. If you haven’t joined us before please message 0419 277 500 by 8.00pm on Monday evening so we can keep you updated of any changes to the plans.
Annual Emergency Evacuation Exercise | Sunday 30th November | 11:00am
As part of our commitment to safety, we’ll be holding our annual Emergency Evacuation Exercise during the 11am service only on Sunday, 30 November, at approximately 12:10pm.
If you prefer not to participate, please consider attending the 9am service instead. We encourage everyone who can to stay and take part, as this helps us prepare for a safe and effective response in the event of a real emergency.
Kids Church Evacuation: Parents, please note that Kids Church will have its own separate evaluation process. Please DO NOT attempt to enter the Kids Church rooms to pick up your child during or just before the evacuation drill. All children will be safely escorted to the Gwendoline Drive Assembly Area by the Kids Ministry Team. You will be able to pick them up from there once the Room Leader has signed them out. Make sure you have your Kids Church parent labels ready to present to Leaders. Thank you.
We trust this will not cause too much inconvenience and truly appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and well-prepared environment for everyone.
Thank you for your cooperation and support.
Christmas Carol Services | Sunday 7th December | 9am & 11am
This Christmas, you’re invited to discover the greatest invitation God gives us. “The Inn-vitation” is a reflective and hope-filled carols service that tells the story of God’s love, from creation to the manger, and into our lives today.
Through Scripture, song, and story, we’ll remember that Jesus didn’t just come to a stable long ago, He is alive and living in and among us. He is still inviting us to make room for Him now. Bring your family, invite your friends, and celebrate the good news of Emmanuel, God with us.
- 📌 Berwick Church of Christ
- 📍 446 Centre Road, Berwick, Vic, 3806
- 📅 Sunday 7th December 2025
- 🕘 9:00am & 11:00am services
- 💬 Invite family and friends!
Kids Church End of Year Activities | Sunday 7th December 2025 - Sunday 25th January 2026
Sunday 7th Dec | BCOC Christmas Carols
Our Christmas Carol services are well attended by many people in the local community. To ensure there is space for your child in Kids Church, please come early, as it will be necessary to cap numbers in some rooms.
Sunday 14th Dec | End of Year Kids Church Celebration Day | Grade 6 Graduations
Grade 6 Graduations will be held on the 14th December. Further details coming.
This will be the last week of Kids Church for 2025, and our focus will be thanking God for the amazing year we have had.
This is a great outreach opportunity for your kids to invite their friends.
If your kids bring guests, please pray that they will have a meaningful encounter with Jesus. Encourage your kids to pray also. 🙂
We have an Ice Cream Van coming for a special treat, and every child will be given a small gift bag. 🙂
Sunday 25th January 2026 | Kids Church returns
Kids Church returns with a Summer Fun Day – another great outreach opportunity.
Family Camping Weekend or Day Out | 20 February 2026 @ 2:00 pm - 22 February 2026 @ 12:00 pm
It’s on again! Calling all camping families – kids of any age are welcome!
We invite you to join us from Friday February 20th to Sunday February 22nd 2026, for the Family Camping Weekend at Warburton. Our main priority is to strengthen the bonds between your family and others.
We’ll enjoy being surrounded by stunning nature and a sense of freedom as we watch children play, enjoy the fantastic free water park and paddle in the Yarra River. The nearby town has plenty of cafes and a Redwood Forest with walking and cycling trails; a great place for fun photos.
At night, get ready for cosy campfires, where we’ll swap stories, roast marshmallows, and enjoy fellowship (please note that campfires and the water park are not available if a Total Fire Ban is declared)
We are staying at the Warburton Holiday Park. Camping is always loads of fun, and even better in a group, but you are welcome to book a cabin if you prefer.
Engage your adventurous spirit, pack a sense of humour, and book a site or cabin for this fantastic weekend. Come and embrace the great outdoors with us! We do advise booking soon if possible as cabins and good sites go quickly!
If the whole weekend isn’t an option for you, you are very welcome to bring food etc and join us on Saturday (provided it is not Total Fire Ban), just let one of the organisers know to expect you, and use the ‘Book Now’ button so we have your details and can keep you updated.
When and where is this all happening?
CAMPING Option:
- Date: Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd February 2026
- Time: Arrive from 2.00 pm Friday, leave by 12.00 pm Sunday, or time of your choosing on Saturday
- Address: Warburton Holiday Park, 30 Woods Point Rd, Warburton, VIC, 3799
DAY Option:
- Date: 21st February
- Time: From 9:00am to 9:00pm or whatever time suits your family
Here’s what to do next!
- Choose your site from the “L”, “F” and “C” sites. You can see where others are camped here, so please add your family to this list after booking.
- Call and book a campsite 5966 2277 or visit the Warburton Holiday Park website to book. A powered site costs $59 per night for two people, plus extra for children (book for Friday and Saturday nights unless you want to stay longer than the rest of us). You can also book a cabin or lodge if that suits you better. Advise the caravan park office or note in the comments section that you are with Berwick Church of Christ. Note that a laptop is easier than a phone when navigating the online booking system.
- Importantly, we need to know that you are coming so we can send communication updates. After booking with Warburton Holiday Park and obtaining a site or cabin number, please REGISTER HERE.
- If you plan to come for the day, please also REGISTER so we can update you and look out for you. We will add campers and day visitors to the WhatsApp chat group for easy communication before and during the weekend.
Shout out if you have any questions
Sue 0403 822 324 or sue@bcoc.com.au
Mikayla 0431 317 332
James 0449 662 512
Amie 0448 762 314
Sarah 0490 016 122
We look forward to seeing you in Warburton whether for the weekend or the day!
Have a safety concern?
We are serious about keeping our faith community safe. We encourage all staff, volunteers, partners and congregation to report any concerns they have about safety and wellbeing. We are committed to handling all concerns seriously, legally and in a child-focused way (if concerning children).
If you have any concerns about safety at the Church, we strongly encourage you to share your concern with one of our Pastors or the Safety Contact Person, Karen Fletcher and fill in our Reporting Concerns Form.
The Compliance Compass
A monthly update on policies and safety to help guide staff, partners and volunteers and ensure a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
We are committed to ensuring your safety and continue to review and develop policies and procedures to ensure our standards of safety are improved. Our policies/procedures are not just a list of rules; they are a clear statement of our commitment to protecting the vulnerable and ensuring a compassionate, appropriate response should a concern or problem arise.
In October we reviewed the following existing policies and procedures:
- Child Safety Policy – no changes made
- Mandatory Reporting Procedures – no changes made
- Transport Safety Policy – removed the reference to Covid 19 Restrictions.
- Volunteer Recruitment Policy – modified this policy to include an exclusion for Teachers to be required to obtain a WWCC and only be required to provide their VIT registration number.
We also continued to develop our WHS policies & procedures which form part of the WHS Management System. These were approved by the Elders on 30 October 2025.
- Purchasing Procedure – the purpose of this policy is to ensure that everything purchased is thoroughly assessed for WHS risks prior to purchase.
- Incident Reporting & Investigation Procedure – this procedure is required to ensure that every work health and safety incident is reported and investigated, as required under the WHS Act and an Incident Review Form (as referred to in this procedure).
- Psychosocial Safety & Mental Wellbeing Policy – this is a very important policy as there are new laws coming into place on 1 December this year in relation to psychosocial hazards.
- Hazardous Manual Tasks Procedure – this procedure meets the requirements of the WHS Code of Practice for Hazardous Manual Handling.
- Electrical Safety Procedure – this procedure meets the requirements of the WHS Code of Practice for Managing electrical risks in the workplace.
We encourage questions or feedback about any of our policies or procedures, simply email policies@bcoc.com.au or contact Karen Fletcher at the Church Office (9702 1011).
Interested in becoming a Volunteer?
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please check out the volunteering page on the website. There are several ministries listed but if you do not see the ministry you are interested in, click on the link “Volunteer Application Form – Other Ministries” located at the bottom of the page.
Thank you for being His Presence in Every Place!
BRAAM BOTHA
Senior Pastor
