Here, the congregation reflect together along with Fr Olaf during the sermon. The sermon (also called a homily) usually unpacks the scripture readings for the day, applying them to our lives, and typically lasts around 10 minutes.

On the first Sunday of October every year (St Francis’ Day and World Animal Day), our 8:30am Sunday Eucharist is transformed. People bring their fury and feathered friends for a pet blessing. In the ordered chaos, the role of animal companions - both current and past - in our lives is celebrated. In this photo, pet companions accompany their carers to receive a blessing (a prayer of thanks, accompanied by the sprinkling of water) and also a small metal medallion depicting St Francis of Assisi - patron saint of animals, from the 12th/13th century in present day northern Italy.

An ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of quality pre-loved items stock the church, for curious customers to peruse at their leisure. The Garage Sale usually continues over a three day period early in March, spanning a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Items can be donated by being left at the church on Sunday mornings, or during the week days of the week leading up to the Garage Sale. See the Community Connection page for more information about the Garage Sale, including which community services it supports.

As part of a traditional Anglican Eucharist, the priest Fr Olaf, deacon Tim and the liturgical assistant (on this particular morning, Grace) are robed. The practice of wearing robes during public Christian worship can be traced back to the fourth century in Roman cities around the Mediterranean. Robes, along with other symbols (like the processional cross, visible in the photo carried by the liturgical assistant), help create a sacred space where participants enact together the ritual of the Eucharist and encounter God’s Spirit in a real way. Such regular participation in worship helps transform us in the image of Christ.

Here, Fr Olaf baptises an infant in the presence of family and loved ones. Baptism is the ancient rite of entry into the Christian faith. People are baptised as infants (where parents and God parents recite vows on the child’s behalf, and commit to bringing the infant up in a Christian setting - ready to take on the Christian faith should they so choose, once old enough) or adults. For more information on baptisms at St Michael’s, see the Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals page.

St Michael’s pipe organ was made in the late 19th century, installed around 1894 into the Old Church, and later transferred in 1959 into the New Church. Pipe organs became popular for accompanying singing in maintstream church worship in Europe by the sixteenth century, replacing folk instruments such as guitars (or their medieval equivalents), drums and whistles. Len is a talented pipe organist and generously donates his time and creative efforts to play this fine instrument, beautifully, for the enhancement of our worship at St Michael’s.