Current Notices
Christmas Eve
Wednesday 24 December, 2025
6pm Children’s Pageant & Nativity Service
Children are invited to come dressed as Sheep, Kings or Angels
10.30pm Carol Singing
11pm Candlelit Midnight Mass
with the University of Melbourne Choral Society & The Majestic Brass Ensemble, directed by Andrew Wailes
Christmas Day
Thursday 25 December, 2025
10am Sung Service of Holy Communion
All Christmas services include Christmas Carols!
‘Food for Friends Appeal’ 2025
As we have done for the last four years, with considerable success, we are asking for financial donations once again to support those who go hungry in our community. The money raised is spent during the coming year on food supplies for the various agencies nominated by the member churches of the Toorak Ecumenical Movement. This has proved to be very successful as all the agencies have been experiencing increasing demand throughout the year, not just at Christmas time, for their services as inflation continues to contribute to the rising cost of living. So, please consider donating to;
The Toorak Ecumenical Fund – CBA Toorak
BSB: 063 177
ACC: 1002 6147.
Please mark ‘F for F.’ Cheques/cash may be dropped into the parish office. Cheques should be made payable to the ‘Toorak Ecumenical Fund.’ Sincere thanks to all those generous people who have supported our appeal in previous years.
January at St. John’s
From Christmas Day until February 1, 2026, we will have just one service weekly, Sunday at 10am. Wednesday at 7pm and Sunday at 8am will resume in February.
Parish Office Closed
Please note that the Parish Office will be closed from Christmas Day, Thursday 25 December, through to Sunday 4 January, inclusive. For urgent enquiries, please call the parish office and leave a voicemail or email vicar@saintjohnstoorak.org. Office hours will resume as usual from Monday 5 January 2026.
Victorian Anglicans Together (VAT)
VAT advocates for a Church that is open, diverse and inclusive, tolerant and welcoming. VAT provides a forum for Anglicans from a broad spectrum of beliefs to meet together in unity and diversity. Both Peter and Wendy are members and encourage you to look them up and join. You can find out more here: www.victoriananglicanstogether.org
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.
