A vacancy had existed at Christ Church Daylesford since the departure of the  incumbent, Fr Neil Fitzgerald, to the Parish of Woodend in March.

In July, the Bishop of Bendigo The Right Reverend Dr Matt Brain announced  that Josephine Snowdon had accepted his invitation to take up the role of Curate in  Charge in the Parish of Daylesford.  

Josephine was not new to the Bendigo Diocese having worked throughout the  region in her previous career as an occupational therapist.  

She began exploring a call to ministry in 2014 undertaking theological  studies and a variety of lay chaplaincy roles in both the Dioceses of Newcastle and  Melbourne, alongside parish-based lay ministry roles.  

This month Josephine (pictured above centre) was ordained a Deacon at St Paul’s Cathedral, Bendigo to the Diaconate. On Sunday, September 15, Deacon Josephine was welcomed to the  Parish of Daylesford attending Holy Communion and assisting Fr Malcolm Thomas  in the service.  

Josephine felt called to pursue a career in occupational therapy, continuing to  study throughout her career attaining a master’s research degree in this area at La Trobe Bendigo, while raising two children, building a home and working throughout  the regional community.  

Passionate about rural health, Josephine worked hard to assist in establishing a  new rural school in occupational therapy with Deakin University in Geelong, in the  early 2000s, this being the final accomplishment in her OT path.  

An equally strong vocational calling, growing out of her work and the growth of  women ordained in ministry, was realised with Josephine’s return to study in the area of her faith and spirituality – theology studies at the University of Divinity.

This study  was enriched and encouraged through attendance at St Mary’s North Melbourne.  Josephine then entered into a pathway of lay ministry in both parish work and  chaplaincy, in Melbourne and Newcastle Dioceses.

Josephine’s ministry has a strong  focus on disability and inclusion of all people within the church community as well as  social justice areas of concern within the broader community.  

The Christ Church Daylesford (Anglican) will hold a Christmas Eve service at 10am on Sunday, December 24 and a Blue Christmas service at 6pm for people who have lost someone this year.

All are welcome to this all-faith no-faith service of prayer, reflection and hope. The Christ Church Daylesford (Anglican) will also hold a Midnight service at 11pm and a Christmas Day service will be held at 10am.

The Catholic Parishes of Creswick and Daylesford will hold Christmas Masses on: Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24, 8.30pm at St Peter’s Daylesford and Christmas Day, Monday, December 25, 9am at St Augustine’s Creswick.

The Uniting Church Daylesford will hold: a Sunday service on Christmas Eve at 9.30am and a Christmas Day service at 9am.

The Saltbush Ensemble, Reidun Turner on viola da gamba, Joy Lee on harpsichord and Tim Willis on baroque violin, will perform at Christ Church, Daylesford on Saturday, September 30 from 2.30pm.
Finding new perspectives in music of the past and utilising some of Australia’s best period instrumentalitists, The Saltbush Ensemble presents a program for the modern, baroque-curious mind with works by Couperin, Marais, Kuhnau and others.

Formed in 2017 in Melbourne, long time musical collaborators and friends Reidun Turner and Ryan Williams reunited after many years abroad, forming the Saltbush Ensemble to showcase the range and depth of early music in Australia. Visit the Christ Church Concerts facebook. Tickets: www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1040691

The Coomoora Ensemble, with Alison Catanach on baroque flute, Elizabeth Welsh on baroque violin, Edwina Cordingley on baroque cello, Ruth Wilkinson on viola da gamba and Ann Morgan on harpsichord, will play at Christ Church, Daylesford on Saturday, August 26.
The performance offers the elegance of Telemann’s Paris Quartets and an opportunity to enjoy the exquisite sonorities of these baroque instruments.
The Coomoora Ensemble brings together outstanding musicians who are passionate about performance on historical instruments. They have performed together over many years and in various chamber music combinations. Their 2023 Daylesford concert presents some of their favourite repertoire, Telemann’s wonderful Paris Quartets, and is an opportunity for an audience to enjoy the exquisite sonorities of baroque flute, violin, cello, viola da gamba and harpsichord.
Georg Philipp Telemann was held in high esteem by his 18th century musical contemporaries. Employed as musical director of the principal churches in Hamburg from 1721, Telemann composed prolifically in a wide range of genres, directed concerts and developed his own music-publishing business.
In 1738 Telemann published his six new quartets while on an extended stay in Paris. They were immediately recognised as outstanding chamber music and successfully taken up throughout Europe.
The Daylesford performance includes three of the Nouveaux quatuors, often called Telemann’s Paris Quartets. The quartets pay homage to French style with each designed as a suite.
Telemann wished to flatter his Parisian audience as well as impress with his musical inventiveness. The quartets display Telemann’s masterly exchange of musical ideas; the musical dialogue is constant and highlights the colour, virtuosity and character of each instrument.
The concert starts at 2.30pm and will be held at Christ Church, 54 Central Springs Road, Daylesford. Links: Christ Church concerts facebook page. Tickets: www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1040691

Christ Church Daylesford is holding a Trash & Treasure at Stanbridge Hall as the first initiative for the hall’s renovation fund campaign.

The hall, built in 1857 and funded by William Stanbridge, started as a girls’ school and place of worship. The fund will pay for repainting, upgrading kitchen facilities and exterior works.

The stall will be held on Saturday, October 29, 10am-3pm. Trestle tables are $50. Contact Anne on 0408 038 717.