St Paul's ChurchBurwood, Sydney
A warm welcome
Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, we would be delighted to welcome you as a parishioner or have you join us at one of our regular services or parish activities.
圣公会圣保罗堂欢迎你前来参加我们的英语传统圣樂圣餐崇拜。
Acknowledgement of Country:
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land upon which we meet. In his wisdom and love, our heavenly Father gave this estate to the Wangal people of the Eora Nation. Upon this land they met for generations until the coming of British settlers. As we continue to learn to live together on these ancestral lands, we acknowledge and pay our respects to their elders, past, present, and emerging, and we pray that God will unite us all in the knowledge of his Son, in whom all things were created, in heaven and on earth, whether visible or invisible — for all things have been created through him and for him.
Recognising those who have been custodians of this land is not a perfunctory gesture, but an acknowledgement that many have gone before us and many will come after us—we are but passing through. As King David stated some 3,000 years ago:
We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors; our days on earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. (1 Chronicles 29:15)
The first inhabitants of this land were created by God to tend this land as stewards of his common grace. With only general revelation in the created order as their guide, they were allotted this land 'that they should seek God, in the hope that they might reach out to him and find him', as the apostle Paul declared to his first century Athenian audience, 'for in him we live and move and have our being' (Acts 17:27-28).
God says through the prophet Jeremiah that: "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." (Jeremiah 29:11) Because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, Christians are a people of hope and because we are a people of hope we seek to work and pray for peace, justice, and love for all, including God's beautiful creation, and to devote ourselves to seeing God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
We seek to bequeath God's beautiful creation to future custodians in a far better state than what we inherited so that creation itself and all beings may flourish as God intends.
"Luck brushes some people unnoticed. Dozens of Governors and their ladies laid the foundation stones of scores of mediocre Australian churches, but it fell to the lot of the Countess of Belmore to lay the foundation stones of the two churches which can be considered the best buildings of Blacket's very best period. We saw that she laid the foundation stone of St Stephen Newtown in November 1871. This was only four months after she laid the stone of St Paul Burwood, … for St Paul Burwood is the work of Blacket at his best period …
The church is small, not particularly ornate, but the disposition of the parts, the proportions and scale are nearly perfect. The details are of the finest craftsmanship …" (The Blackets: An Era of Australian Architecture, Morton Herman, 1963. p.138)
Baptism of Jesus
Lord, we pray for the church universal, for unity of purpose for all Christians, for the leaders of all denominations and especially for the Anglican church throughout the world. We pray for our parish family asking that you will give those who are away on holidays safe travel and that they will return to us rested and refreshed. Lord, as we celebrate your baptism, we pray for all who are contemplating baptism or have been recently baptised, that they may be guided by your loving spirit.
God of grace: hear our prayer.
Lord we pray for the peace of our world especially bringing to you the tension between Iran and the US. Banish from the hearts of all people the spirit that makes for war and encourage the peacemakers and support their endeavours.
God of grace: hear our prayer.
Read all (continued)...
Lord, we continue to pray for meaningful rain to refresh our dry and burnt land. We pray for all whose lives have been impacted by the fires and drought asking that they may be supported and sustained and given the resources they need for recovery. We pray particularly for families who have lost loved ones and for the safety of others in the path of the fires.
God of grace: hear our prayer.
Lord, we bring before you all those who have been damaged by the events of their lives, both physically and mentally, those in distress, those who mourn and those who comfort them. We pray particularly for Andrew and his family as they mourn the loss of Hilary. Surround them with your love and grace. We pray too for the sick. Rest your healing hands upon them and restore their health good Lord.
God of grace: hear our prayer.
Lord, through our baptism we are buried with you and given the promise of eternal life. We give thanks for the life and work of Hilary Jane Davies. Rest eternal grant unto her, O Lord and let light perpetual shine upon her.
We pray too for those who have their year's mind at this time: Daphne Furley, Rev'd Lyn Plunkett, Jack Mannix, Cecil McKinnon, Ted Gough, Alice Richardson and Mark Evans. May they and we be one in you in everlasting life.
Almighty God, you have promised to hear our prayers. Grant that what we have asked in faith we may by your grace receive, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
What's On
Weekly Newsletter
Information about current events and activities at St Paul's is available in our Weekly Pew Sheet:
Advent 4/Christmas - 22 December 2019Ministry Team
-
Father James Collins 
Father Michael Deasey
Father Jim Pettigrew
Ms Rosemary King
Mrs Sheryl Southwood, OAM. 
Mrs Judith Laurence
Mr Graham Norman
Rector
TC Dip Teach, Grad Dip RE, Grad Dip RE Stud, BEd, BTheol, CPE RPH, Post Grad Dip Arts(Rel Stud), MA(Rel Stud), PhD
Father James was born and raised in rural Western Australia. He obtained a degree in education from the WA College of Advanced Education and taught music at both primary and secondary school levels. In 1984 he began to study theology at Perth Theological Hall and later at Murdoch University. He was ordained in 1987. He holds a PhD from the University of Tasmania. Father James' interests outside ministry include reading, bush walking and music.
Fr James is married to Dr Helen Collins and Helen and James were married in St George's Cathedral, Perth over 30 years ago.
After ordination in 1987, James worked full-time in ministry, having parishes in Western Australia and, since 2001, in Tasmania. He has also had a university chaplaincy position. Prior to his induction as Rector of St Paul's on 9 February 2011, Fr James was Rector of the Parish of Moonah in Hobart where he had responsibility for two churches, St Mary's and St Anne's. In addition, Fr James was an Enabler in the parishes of New Norfolk, Break O'Day, Channel/Cygnet, Hamilton and Brighton. This role involved training parishioners to take responsibility for all aspects of parish life and to reach out to the local community with the Gospel message and with practical ministry.
The following verse atttributed to King Alfred has played an important part in my life:
To see Thee is the End and the Beginning
Thou carriest me and thou goest before
Thou art the Journey and the journey's End.
I believe that God is love, and that where there is love there is God. God has been present with me, sustaining me throughout my life as an ever present Presence. Sometimes God is revealed in quietness and peace, sometimes through hardship and disquiet; but most often through the love of those who care.
As God is the God of love, and life, and of being, we are called to participate in and share God's love, life, and being, so that others may love, live, and be who and what God intends them to be (that is, to grow into the fullness of life which God has for all). This call is to participate in and share God's love, life and being may, at tmes, involve a struggle to work for justice and peace, and involves as active engagement with our community/society.
This Kingdom of God way of living is beautifully expressed in the words of Micah Chapter 6 verse 8:
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
It is wonderful to be part of a Parish which is seriously seeking to engage in this mission to, for, and with our community/society.
Reverend Michael Deasey OAM, CGS, Senior Assistant Priest
BD, BEd(Mus), FRSCM, Hon FGCM, FTCL, LRAM, ARCO, ARCM, ARSCM, DipAngOrd,.
After a career in church music in England and Canada, and then as organist/director of music at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney for more than two decades, Michael graduated as a Bachelor of Divinity from the Melbourne College of Divinity and was ordained in 2005 for the diocese of Bathurst. Here he served for ten years as Precentor, Assistant Priest and Director of Music at All Saints Cathedral, Bathurst. In addition he was, and remains a Priest Companion of the Company of the Good Shepherd, which provides ministry to the more remote parts of the Central West of NSW.
Michael is married to Antonia who sings in the choir of St Paul’s and they have three adult children, Meghan, Jeremy and Amélie who currently reside on three different continents.
So far they have three grand-daughters, twins Willow and Olive, and Piper, who live in Chicago USA.
Honorary Priest
MTC ThL(2 Cl Hons) Dip
Fr Jim has served faithfully in many parishes, including both rural and urban settings, and as well as assisting at St Paul's Fr Jim often helps in other parishes as a locum.
Lay Minister
Dip PE (Hons), B.A., M.Litt., B.D., CPE RNSH., Grad. Cert World Religions
Rosemary King is a retired high school teacher. Having trained as a Physical Education teacher Rosemary soon added History and Geography to her teaching subjects. Then after graduating from Melbourne College of Divinity with a Bachelor of Divinity she went on to teach Religion and Studies of Religion in both Catholic and Independent Schools. Alongside Studies of Religion she developed a passion for Service Learning.
With the three years spent at St John's Theological college in Morpeth and her teaching experiences she retired in 2013 to embrace the position of Lay Minister in the parish.
Director of Music
DSCM (Hons), L.Mus.A.
Sheryl Southwood has recemtly retired from the position of Director of Music, Trinity Grammar School Preparatory School Strathfield. She graduated as "Student of the Year" with First Class Honours from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. A strong interest in choral music led to her involvement with the choirs of St James' Church, King Street, the Sydney University Graduate Choir, Christ Church St Laurence and St Paul's, Burwood. She has conducted the Sydney University Graduate Choir and been Acting Choirmaster of St James' King Street and the Cathedral Singers. Until recently, Sheryl was the director of the Mater Chorale.
Sheryl stands firm in the belief that liturgy is sustained and uplifted through music - choral, organ and other instrumental forces
Coordinator Playgroup, B.A., Dip Ed., T.C., FACE.
Judith was born in Newcastle NSW and trained as a mathematics teacher at Newcastle University before embarking on a career which saw her teaching mathematics, English and special education classes in both primary and secondary schools across the state and assuming senior leadership roles.
In retirement, Judith coordinates St Paul's Monday Playgroup and enjoys buying and arranging the flowers which beautify our church with the help of a small group of very dedicated parishioners. She is also a server at the 8am Sunday service. She enjoys creating the seasonal resource packs for our young people.
Sacristan
Graham Norman serves as Sacristan at St Paul's and has done so for many years. Our worship of God at St Paul's consists of classical Anglican liturgy of Word and Sacrament and Graham helps in many ways to ensure that our worship of God remains life-giving, meaningful, and beautiful.
Graham had a long career as an educator having held senior positions in New South Wales over a long and greatly appreciated career.
One of the wonderful aspects of the worship of God at St Paul's is that people of all ages and backgrounds are welcome especially families and children and Graham oversees the many people who contribute to leading our worship.
Graham serves with all of our Ministry Team to ensure that the two great commandments to love God and to love our neighbour are lived out in word and deed.
