mgpcpastor's blog

The following came in my email tonight. It has been issued by Andrew Bray, the current moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It may be of help, particularly to those who will be leading prayers in church worship services tomorrow.

Victorian Flood Update as at 3.30pm, 22^nd January 2011

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Contact                  Town             Situation

Ian Brown                       Rochester          Clean up proceeding well.   Retailers reopened.   Services reconnected – still have to boil water.

John Gething                 Carisbrook        Clean up preceding well.   Carpets out of the Church, floor still drying out.   Parishioners looking forward to worship tomorrow.   Piano accordion will be used until organ is cleaned/repaired.

Hui Lim                             Skipton              Clean up and recovery slow.   Retailers not yet trading.   Small town centre badly affected.  No parishioners seriously affected.

Pam Vandenberg           Horsham           Whilst there was inundation for some families within the community, extent of damage is not as great as first expected.   Roads have reopened.   Willem serving in “Recovery Centre.” Horsham Ministers’ Association has arranged a public worship service tomorrow afternoon to offer thanks to God and acknowledge the contribution of the various services and volunteers.

John Pascoe                     Kerang                Parishioners said to be OK.   Vast areas of water receding very slowly.   Many roads still closed.   Some retailers reopened but not all.   Worship service for tomorrow cancelled.

Wife of Dean Stanyer  Swan Hill            Flood waters are still to arrive.   Expected to peak next Tuesday.   Extensive work done on levee bank and sandbagging.   Pray these will hold.   Pray that the already high level of the Murray River can cope with these added flood waters.

Linton Mills                     Pyramid Hill       Flood waters have passed.   Heaps of water with some houses affected but 3 feet of flooding was stopped by levee banks, sand-bagging and an irrigation channel skirting the east side of the town, all of which managed to hold the onslaught.   It was a close call.   The people are looking forward to worship tomorrow.
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From my update contact today with those of our folk in flood affected towns, it is my judgement that a denominational appeal through our Church is not warranted.
Please continue in prayer, there is still much work to be done to regain normality in community life.   I remind you again, you and your people are invited to attend the Scots’ Church next Monday, 24^th January at 1.00pm for a Prayer Service, I encourage you all to attend – refer separate email circulated by Scots Melbourne, Rev. Richard O’Brien.

In His grace,

Andrew (Bray)
Moderator