On Thursday 21 July 2022, the Cathedral welcomed Students, Chaplains and Principals from all Anglican Schools across Melbourne and Victoria for their first Combined Worship Service in three years.
The Dean, the Very Revd Dr Andreas Loewe, welcomed the 700+ congregation on behalf of the Cathedral and Archbishop and other Bishops who were travelling to attend the Lambeth Conference in England.
As Anglican schools in the Province of Victoria, we gather today to reflect on the grace of God in each of our lives, in each of our schools and embodied by the life and love of Jesus.
As we listen, reflect, sing, confess, pray, and celebrate; may we leave this place with a fresh inspiration and desire to be ripples of that grace in what we do and say.
Extract from the Bidding
The theme of the service was ‘Creating Ripples’, inspired by the story of the Woman at the Well (John 4.1-42). Students from Ivanhoe Girls Grammar presented a dramatic reading of the text from John’s Gospel and the Revd Paul Joy from Yarra Valley Anglican School preached the sermon, encouraging students to be ripples of God’s grace in their school communities and in their lives.
Students from Melbourne Girls Grammar and Mentone Girls Grammar led the prayers throughout the service and the Cathedral Choristers from Lowther Hall and Trinity Grammar led the singing of hymns along with Chapel Choir from Christ Church Grammar School. Darby Lee, a Year 12 student from Camberwell Grammar School played Chorale no. 3 by César Franck as the organ postlude to conclude the service.
As students and staff departed, they were invited to put a gold-coin donation into a ‘well’, with proceeds going to support Dixon House Neighbourhood Centre, associated with All Saints Anglican Church in Clayton.
Image Credit: Peter Bratuskins