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Merry Christmas!
Wednesday 24th December 2025
As we arrive at Christmas once again, I want to pause and speak a word of blessing, gratitude, and hope over you. This season reminds us that God has not abandoned the world, and He has certainly not abandoned us. In the birth of Jesus, heaven touched earth—and nothing has been the same since.
At BCOC, our vision has always been clear: to be His presence in every place. Christmas anchors that vision. God’s presence didn’t arrive through power, spectacle, or dominance, but through a fragile Child laid in a manger—in humility, vulnerability, and astonishing love. God stepped into the complexity, chaos, and beauty of human life to redeem it from the inside out. This is the heart of the Kingdom we proclaim.
N.T. Wright reminds us that Christmas is the beginning of God’s new creation, the moment His Kingdom breaks into the world with unstoppable hope. Tim Keller reminds us that Jesus came not merely to inspire us, but to rescue us—because we needed salvation, and because His love is deeper than our brokenness.
And so, this Christmas, I want to remind you of this truth:
God is with you. Truly with you.
In your home, in your work, in your waiting, in your struggles, in your hopes, and in every ordinary moment of your life. The same Jesus who stepped into Bethlehem steps into your story today.
As a church family, we have walked through challenges, change, and growth this year. And yet, the grace of God has carried us. The light of Christ has guided us. The Spirit has continued to shape us into a people marked by faith, courage, humility, and compassion.
My prayer for you this Christmas is simple:
May Christ fill your home with peace, your heart with joy, and your steps with renewed purpose.
May His presence surround you and His Kingdom work through you.
May you know, deeply and personally, the love of the One who came for you.
Merry Christmas, BCOC.
The King has come—and He is making all things new.
Help wanted | Share the load in 2026
Are you looking for an opportunity to serve our church and local community who are in need? Do you have a few hours spare on Monday’s to help gather resources for the Food Pantry team? Have you got a car that can tow a trailer?
We are looking for help in collecting food from the Food Bank in Dandenong each Monday during school terms. It usually takes 2-3 hours. This would greatly help share the load between our current volunteers. We will provide all training and ongoing support.
To participate in this role, you will need to register as a BCOC volunteer. If you are not a current volunteer, please click here to complete the Volunteer Application Form.
Please contact Ps Arlo (arlo@bcoc.com.au), Joy McKerihan (0400 062 962) or Lyn Stephens (0414 517 849). We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Care Visits Team
Our Life Groups at Berwick Church of Christ are the main avenues of love and care for our church community. But not everyone is in a Life Group yet – and sometimes people have needs beyond their Life Group’s capacity. This is where our Care Visits Team step in to assist. We would love to expand this wonderful team, so if you feel that you have the skills, gifts, and capacity to visit people and offer care, please use the Care Visit Team form or contact Sue Nicholls (suen@bcoc.com.au) to find out more.
Office Hours | Christmas Holidays
The church office will be closed from 12:00 noon on Wednesday, 24 December 2025, and will reopen at 9:00am on Friday, 2 January 2026.
During this time enjoy the Christmas break with family and friends. May this season be filled with joy, peace, and meaningful moments together. We look forward to welcoming you back in the new year.
Christmas Day Services | Thursday 25th December | 9am & 11am
Christmas is the beginning of God’s new creation, the moment His Kingdom breaks into the world with unstoppable hope. Jesus came not merely to inspire us, but to rescue us because we needed salvation, and because His love is deeper than our brokenness.
This Christmas Day, we invite you and your family to celebrate with us. Come experience the wonder of Christ’s birth through worship, Scripture, and the joy of gathering together as one community. Join us and let Christ fill your home with peace, your heart with joy, and your steps with renewed purpose.
A Day Of Rest | Sunday 28th December
We want to celebrate and honour our incredible volunteers! Your passion, generosity, and servant hearts are the heartbeat of our church, and we are so thankful for all that you do.
To bless and care for our amazing team, church services will not be running this week as we give our volunteers a well-earned and much-deserved rest. We celebrate you and are deeply grateful for each one of you!
Kids Church | ONLINE ONLY | Sunday 28th December
This week Kids Church will be online only.
2 to 4-year-olds | The Wise Men | Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11
5 to 12-year-olds | The Wise Men Visit Jesus | Matthew 2:1-12
Prayer & Fellowship Walk
The Tuesday morning Prayer and Fellowship Walk is taking a break over the holidays and will resume in February.
Please message 0419 277 500 if you’d like to know more.
Breakthrough into 2026 Evening | Wednesday 31st December 2025 | 7:00pm - 9:30pm
This New Year’s Eve, don’t just count down the clock—consecrate the year.
Join us for a powerful, reflective evening of worship, prayer, and renewal as we:
- Let go of what no longer serves God’s purposes
- Receive His grace and mercy
- Step into 2026 with clarity, hope, and direction
This is a safe, Spirit-led space to close one chapter and open another—together.
Worship | Prayer | Reflection | Communion
Berwick Church of Christ
New Year’s Eve: 7pm-9:30pm
Come expectant. Leave renewed.
NB: Parents, you are most welcome to take your toddlers into the creche. (Birth – 2 yrs) during the evening. To keep our kids safe, children must be supervised by a parent or carer (18+) at all times. Many thanks.
Sunday Services Return | Sunday 4th January 2026 | 9am & 11am
Welcome to 2026 and our new series, In the Beginning.
As we step into a new year, Graeme Cann will explore what it really means to be “a new creation.”
We will unpack questions like:
- Is it just a theological term or does it really speak of us being completely transformed by the Holy Spirit?
- Is the transformation at our rebirth complete, or is it the beginning of our growth into Spiritual maturity?
- If becoming a new creation involves a process, what does the process of seeking ongoing transformation look like?
Start 2026 by discovering what it truly means to live as a new creation, renewed, restored, and continually transformed in Christ.
Kids Church Returns | Sunday 25th January 2026 | 9am & 11am
Kids Church is on summer break and returns with a Summer Fun Day on Sunday 25th January – another great outreach opportunity for family and friends.
Alpha Course Commencing | Tuesday 3rd February 2026
WHAT IS ALPHA?
Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that create a safe and honest space, where people can explore life, faith and meaning.
Enjoy a meal with others, watch an Alpha Talk video and have an open discussion in a friendly and non-judgemental environment.
Connect
Connecting with others is important; friends gather around the kitchen table, meeting for coffee or catching up online. It’s no different at Alpha. All sessions start with a time to connect, relax and build friendships – whether in person or virtually.
Watch
The Alpha talks are designed to engage and inspire conversation. Each video talk is around thirty minutes long and explores important issues around faith and the basics of Christianity.
We address questions such as;
- “Who is Jesus?”
- “How can we have faith?”
- “Why and how do I pray?”
- “How does God guide us?”
Discuss
One of the most important parts of any Alpha Course is sharing thoughts and ideas in small groups. There’s no obligation to say anything, and there’s nothing you can’t share (seriously). It’s an opportunity to hear from others and contribute your own perspective in an honest, friendly, and respectful environment.
The Marriage Course Commencing | Wednesday 11th February 2026
The seven-week Marriage Course is for married couples who are seeking to strengthen their relationship. Some married couples attend the course to intentionally invest in their relationship, while others are looking to address more specific challenges. Either way, the course offers essential tools and practical ideas to help you build a relationship that lasts a lifetime.
The seven-week Marriage Course is based on Christian principles but designed for all married couples with or without a church background. The course will help you to:
- Understand each other’s needs
- Communicate more effectively
- Grow closer by learning methods to resolve conflict
- Recover from the ways you may have hurt each other
- Recognise how your upbringing affects your relationship
- Improve relationships with parents and in-laws
- Develop greater sexual intimacy
- Discover each other’s “love language” and much, much more….
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!
Growing To Maturity (GTM 1 & 2) Course | Commencing Tuesday 28th April 2026 | 7:00 pm
GTM1 is the ideal follow-on course to Alpha. It is the perfect next step for those who:
- Are hungry to grow in their relationship with God
- Want their faith to move from head knowledge to life experience
- Desire to learn how to live out the Christian life in a practical way
GTM2 is aimed at developing deeper levels of intimacy and obedience to Christ and is an option for further growth for those who have completed GTM 1.
Growing To Maturity (GTM) is a unique discipleship course that combines the use of:
- Participant App
- Videos
- Weekly inspiring audio talks
- Group discussion and sharing
- Special weekends
- Personal challenges
Join us! Book now and find the truth.
The Compliance Compass
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe and welcoming environment for staff, partners, and volunteers, we continue to review and strengthen our policies and safety practices.
We are dedicated to ensuring your safety and are actively improving our systems to maintain high standards of care and compliance. As part of this work, we have now completed all policies and procedures related to our Work Health & Safety (WHS) Management System.
On 11 December the Elders approved these policies and procedures:
- WHS Legal Compliance Procedure – this procedure is to ensure the Church has a mechanism in place to identify and keep up to date with its Work Health and Safety (WHS) legal requirements.
- Document Control and Records Management Procedure – to ensure that documents and records are appropriately created, captured, accessed, managed and stored in a manner that reflects regulatory compliance requirements.
- WHS Self Audit and Management Review Procedure – to ensure a review of all existing policies and procedures is in place to determine if they are current, meet compliance obligations and best practice.
- Return to Work Program and Return to Work Plan Template – these documents help meet some of the specific duties and obligations the Church needs to comply with under the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act).
- Workplace Violence and Harassment Policy – this policy meets the requirements under the WHS laws, where the Church must manage the health and safety risks of workplace violence and aggression between workers and from other people at the workplace, like customers and clients.
- Hazardous Chemicals Procedure – this procedure is to ensure the safe handling, storage, and management of hazardous chemicals at the Church.
Next year we will look at implementing all the WHS policies and procedures across our ministries and ensuring that all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities under the WHS Management System.
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).
Thank you for your continued support as we work together to foster a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
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.
Thank you for being His Presence in Every Place!
BRAAM BOTHA
Senior Pastor
