<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Dear Parishioners and Friends of St Peter’s,<div class=""><br class=""><div class="">This is a big newsletter, but it contains important information for the remainder of Advent and Christmas, so please bear with me and take the time to read and inwardly digest :)</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">This weekend is <i class="">Gaudete</i>
Sunday, so-called from the opening of the traditional Latin Introit for the
third Sunday of Advent: <i class="">Gaudete in Domino
semper</i> “rejoice in the Lord always” from St Paul’s letter to the
Philippians 4:4. It is a day to rejoice, but also to remember that we are still
in the penitential season of Advent. As we worship on Sunday, it is a foretaste
of the great Feast of the Nativity that will soon be upon us. After much of the
year in lock-down, there is so much to rejoice about today. Last Sunday our
Premier announced even further easing of restrictions, and I would like to
share a significant portion of the Archbishop’s newsletter this week, which has
huge implications for our worship as we approach Christmas.</div><div class=""><p class="BasicParagraph"><b class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Archbishop’s
Newsletter: </span></b><i class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Indoor and
outdoor church services now have no limits to attendance other than the density
quotient for the area of the space. Provided there are complete electronic
attendance records, the density quotient is one person for every 2sqm. If no
electronic attendance record is being kept, the density quotient is 4sqm … Electronic
record-keeping includes an electronic booking system (for example Trybooking)
or the use of a QR code … Where a person attending does not have access to
electronic booking or recording attendance, someone must enter the first name
and phone number electronically as soon as practicable after the event. This
requirement applies for all church groups, activities and meetings … The
requirement to be seated 1.5m apart no longer applies, but we ought to be as
distanced as possible. People of the same household can sit closer together. We
urge as much ventilation as possible in church spaces. Masks are no longer
mandatory for indoor worship, though we encourage their use for congregational
singing … We recommend [choirs] and cantors still keep a significant distance
from the congregation. Holy Communion continues to be bread only … The same standards
of hygiene and sanitiser apply. We suggest using masks to distribute communion.
Collections and offerings can be taken but anyone who has touched cash in the
process should sanitise hands afterwards, and especially before receiving
communion. We discourage hugging, kissing or shaking hands when greeting
people. There is no longer an official limit of time between services, but
please leave sufficient time to clean high touch surfaces and ensure no overlap
of people indoors. Refreshments before or after services or as part of other
activities are allowed. There must be no buffet or self-service of food or
drink, no sharing of utensils, and all dishes must be thoroughly washed.</span></i></p><p class="BasicParagraph"><b class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">What
Does this Mean for St Peter’s? </span></b>Please note the following, as the Archbishop’s
guidelines apply to St Peter’s:</p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">I
have measured our church building carefully, and our density quotient allows
for up to 110 people in the pews, and a total congregation (including choir,
servers, children’s church, overflow etc) of up to 174 people.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">We
are now allowed to have refreshments after church, and so will recommence these
today. The main body of the Hall has a density quotient of a maximum of 99
people. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, however, there will be no
refreshments.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Booking
ahead of all Sunday and Christmas services is strongly encouraged; see the list
of TryBooking urls for each service below. You can still book, however, through
the Parish Office (phone or e-mail) if you prefer. Limited walk-in bookings can
be made on the day, using our QR Code, or leaving your (or your guest’s) first
name and phone number with the sides-people.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Masks
are now optional, but we strongly encourage you to still bring your mask to
church, and especially wear it for congregational singing (which is now allowed
once again … softly </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">).<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">The
new 2sqm spatial distancing essentially means keeping an elbow’s distance from
others.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">There
will be an Offertory collection once again, in the usual place, rather than a
retiring collection.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Please
continue to sanitise your hands as you enter or leave church.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Communion
will continue in one kind only.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">If
you are feeling sick, especially with COVID-19 type symptoms, you must not come
to church, and get tested immediately.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph"><b class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">On-line
Booking for all Advent and Christmas Services: </span></b>Now that we finally have some certainty around
restrictions for the remainder of Advent and Christmas, I list all the upcoming
St Peter’s Sunday and Nativity services below, with TryBooking links, so you
can book-a-pew for as many services as you like. Please note, that for the time
being, as we rebuild our congregation following the lock-downs, there will be
only one Sunday Mass at the new time of 10.30am, with Children’s Church. In the
New Year, after the January holidays, we will start to reintroduce other Sunday
service times.</p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Advent
3 – Sunday 13<sup class="">th</sup> December, 10.30am </span><span lang="EN-US" class=""><a href="https://www.trybooking.com/BNFTA" class=""><span style="line-height: 120%;" class="">https://www.trybooking.com/BNFTA</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Advent
4 - Sunday 20<sup class="">th</sup> December, 10.30am </span><span lang="EN-US" class=""><a href="https://www.trybooking.com/BNFTB" class=""><span style="line-height: 120%;" class="">https://www.trybooking.com/BNFTB</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Christmas
Eve Children’s Mass - Thursday 24<sup class="">th</sup> December, 6pm </span><span lang="EN-US" class=""><a href="https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOF" class=""><span style="line-height: 120%;" class="">https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOF</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Midnight
Mass - Thursday 24<sup class="">th</sup> December, 11pm (carols) 11.30pm Mass </span><span lang="EN-US" class=""><a href="https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOL" class=""><span style="line-height: 120%;" class="">https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOL</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Christmas
Day High Mass – Friday 25<sup class="">th</sup> December, 10am </span><span lang="EN-US" class=""><a href="https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOM" class=""><span style="line-height: 120%;" class="">https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOM</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Holy
Family – Sunday 27<sup class="">th</sup> December, 10.30am </span><span lang="EN-US" class=""><a href="https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOR" class=""><span style="line-height: 120%;" class="">https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOR</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph" style="margin-left:36.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;
mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">Nine
Lessons and Carols – Sunday 27<sup class="">th</sup> December, 7pm </span><span lang="EN-US" class=""><a href="https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOU" class=""><span style="line-height: 120%;" class="">https://www.trybooking.com/BNOOU</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="BasicParagraph"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">The weekday Mass will continue Monday to Friday,
usually at 7.15am, but at the later time of 9am between Christmas and New
Year’s Day, and on other Public Holidays. The Wednesday Mass is at 1.15pm each
week, including on Wednesday 23<sup class="">rd</sup> December. There is no need to book
for any of these services, please feel free to just turn up</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 120%;" class="">.</span></p>
<!--EndFragment--></div><div class=""><b class="">Other Happenings at The Hill:</b> our in-person church-activities are bursting back into life, thanks be to God. You will find other relevant notices and information in the weekly pew sheet, and for those who are not yet ready or able to come back to Church in person, we are still live-streaming and recording Mass. All this information and our on-line links can be found on the home page of the St Peter’s website: <a href="http://www.stpeters.org.au" class="">www.stpeters.org.au</a> </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Blessings to you and yours,</div><div class="">Fr Hugh</div><div class=""><br class=""><div class="">
<div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">___________________<br class="">The Rev’d Dr J. Hugh Kempster<br class="">Vicar, St Peter’s Eastern Hill<br class=""><a href="http://www.stpeters.org.au" class="">www.stpeters.org.au</a><br class="">vicar@stpeters.org.au<br class="">+61 488 960 022</div></div>
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