Current Notices
Welcome to The Revd Victoria Bakerov, our new Assistant Curate
Please join me in welcoming Victoria to St. John’s. Victoria was ordained deacon and priest in 2025 and will serve as curate in a half-time capacity until the end of January, 2027. Victoria has a heart for the church and its life, particularly pastoral care and liturgy, and holds degrees in Midwifery, Christian Education, Theology and is completing her Master’s degree in Divinity at Trinity College. She is also fluent in Ukrainian and Russian. The Vicar
Sunday 3 May, Patronal Festival & Visit from Archbishop Ric Thorpe
On Sunday May 3, we will celebrate our patron St. John the Evangelist with a visit from the new Archbishop, The Most Revd Dr Ric Thorpe, and his wife, Louie. Following the 10am Eucharist we will enjoy a special morning tea, prepared by our dedicated volunteers. It is vitally important that as many people attend this service as possible to show our new Archbishop our lively church, so please put it in your diary and commit to come! The Vicar
Sunday 3 May, ‘DV Aware Sunday’
Our parish is joining churches across Australia for DV Aware Sunday, an initiative of the Anglican Church of Australia’s Families & Culture Commission. This day helps us acknowledge the reality of domestic and family violence and to affirm that violence has no place in our homes, relationships, or communities. To donate visit: www.charidy.com/DVSUNDAY or make a bank transfer to ‘Anglican Health and Welfare’ BSB 067 000 Acc 1072 0017 Add Reference DVSUNDAY + your last name (Eg: DVSUNDAY SMITH)
Food for Friends Appeal 2025
The Appeal for 2025 raised $24,000 that is shared equally between the 3 churches, giving us $8,000. We thank everyone who generously donated. Maureen List, Ted Mouritz and I did shopping for our 3 nominated agencies, Christ Church Mission St Kilda, Richmond Churched Food Bank and St Mark’s Fitzroy, spending in total $2676.40. We do each shop separately, as requirements differ. This being the first shop for 2026 and, hopefully, if continuing donations allow, we will do a further 3 shops. The agencies are extremely grateful for this support as demand increases by 10% weekly. Christ Church Mission main clients were homeless, these are now the minority with families increasingly needing assistance. Richmond Churches see people who never thought that they would require assistance. St Mark’s Fitzroy main focus remains with the homeless, and seeing more. They are also in need of socks as the tents in which they live are often flooded. There is a huge need out there and I encourage you to consider donating to this very needed and worthwhile Appeal. BSB: 063177 Acc: 10026147 Brenda Mouritz
Op Shop Volunteers Needed!
Toorak Op Shop in Carters Avenue has been running for over 40 years thanks to the dedication of volunteers from St. John’s, St. Peter’s and Toorak Uniting Church. Each year funds are carefully distributed to charitable and community organisations. If you would like to join this team of incredible volunteers and contribute to this worthwhile cause please contact Phillip Thomas opshop2019@outlook.com 0404 335 477.
Victorian Anglicans Together
– advocating an open, diverse and inclusive Church
Victorian Anglicans Together provides a strong voice speaking into the Diocese for generous, open and welcoming Anglicanism. Individual membership is $20 a year, and offers a community of like-minded Anglicans, meeting through a range of events, and sharing resources to support and encourage us. You can find out more on the website www.victoriananglicanstogether.org, where you can download the membership application form.
Thursday 30 April, 10.30am, Prayers for Christian Unity, at St. John’s
SAVE THE DATE – 4 July, 7.30pm, Harvard Krokodiloes Concert, St. John’s
Community Groups
Various community groups meet in our church hall, ‘Buxton Hall’, on a regular basis.
Happy Destiny
AA
Wednesday 6.30pm
Toorak Tuesday
NA
Tuesday 7.30pm
Kumon
Maths & English Learning Programme
Monday, Tuesday & Friday
3pm-6.30pm
Outreach
St. John’s Toorak supports various worthwhile community organisations.
Continue reading to find out more!
Richmond Churches Food Centre
The Richmond Churches Food Centre is an ecumenical, grass roots initiative that has been providing food security for hundreds of people each week for some 30 years. At Richmond Churches Food Centre people receive enough food and a warm welcome, regardless of their background, culture, beliefs or lifestyle.
Christ Church Mission Community Centre
St Kilda’s Little Mission
The Centre offers opportunities for social interaction and personal growth, particularly through free weekly meals, emergency support, volunteering opportunities, engagement in free or low-cost activities, and community outreach.
Saint Mark's Community Centre
St Mark’s Fitzroy, partnered with Anglicare Victoria, provides support to people in the community who are experiencing primary and secondary homelessness in the City of Yarra and the City of Melbourne. Including emergency relief, case management, facilities such as showers and laundry as well as hot meals.
Dixon House
Anglicare Victoria
Dixon House is a neighbourhood centre located in the heart of Clayton, in the City of Monash, Victoria, Australia. They have a range of programs and services that cater to the needs of those in the local community. Their hope is to provide a place where you can make friends, learn new skills, volunteer your time, and get support.
Connie Benn Centre
Brotherhood of St Laurence
BSL believes that all children have a right to quality and affordable early education and care regardless of cultural or social background. BSL runs a variety of programs, offering opportunities for both parents and children to make connections and learn in a safe and culturally caring environment.
Sunday Suppers
Anglican Parish of
St. Silas & St Anselm
The Parish of the Parks community offers meals to those in need every Sunday from 4:30pm to 5:30pm in the church hall.
For Port Phillip residents with a concession card, food parcels are given out on the first Sunday of each month from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.
“Get Out for Good”
Anglican Criminal Justice Ministry – Anglicare Victoria
This program provides people who have been released from prison access to social and emotional support. Drop in Centres, phone calls and informal meetings provide safe spaces to talk about what they are going through and encouragement to reconnect with family, friends and community. The program acts to strengthen people’s ability to identify and develop their own resources and build capacity while making the adjustment from prison to the “outside”.
Refugee Child Outreach
Brotherhood of St Laurence
This program works with children and families who are newly arrived in Australia. Settling in a new country is challenging and navigating a complex system of services for children can be confusing. The program is open to families with young children of a refugee background, who are seeking asylum or arrived in Australia on community detention.
The Lazarus Centre
St Peter’s Eastern Hill,
East Melbourne
The Lazarus Centre operates onsite at St Peter’s in East Melbourne. The centre provides food, pastoral care and essential support to people experiencing homelessness; it provides people a warm and secure place to eat breakfast seven days a week, every day of the year. Breakfast is available daily between 7:30am and 9:00am. On Fridays at 11.00 am a BBQ is held in conjunction with Doutta Galla Community Health Services.
Order of St Lazarus Victorian Commandery Foundation
Charitable Trust
A foundation to help poor, disadvantaged and marginalised members of our community. OLJ aims to promote and assist education in hospital care and administration, nursing and first aid and to establish and promote aid and assistance to hospitals, medical centres and institutions for the treatment of human ills of every kind.
The Mission to Seafarers Victoria
(MTSV)
The Mission to Seafarers Victoria has operated from its heritage-listed building in Melbourne’s Docklands since 1917. Serving a special place in the life and community of those who live and work at sea, the dedicated team of staff and volunteers provide comfort, a friendly face, and a sense of community to the thousands of seafarers who visit the Port of Melbourne annually.
The Queen’s Fund
Since 1887, The Queen’s Fund has been dedicated to supporting single women & children in Victoria who are in distress, crisis, or emergency situations. They are committed to providing them with the necessary resources and assistance to help them overcome their challenges and lead a better life. The Queen’s Fund is one of Victoria’s oldest charities, run by women for women.
