Welcome to St Margaret's Anglican Church in Eltham, Victoria, Australia.

The children who attended our Ash Wednesday service knew about secret places - under the bed, in a cubby house, up a tree. So the idea of a secret place in our imagination to be with our special friend Jesus was not hard to grasp. Jesus encourages us to "go into your room and shut the door", (Matthew 6.6) to our "secret heart" (Ps 51.6) to experience the delights of relationship with God.

Children of the parish enjoying the cubby house in the enclosed play area.

Lent began as a training program for new Christians, then the Church realised that existing Christians could benefit from a time to rekindle their early love again. Meeting Jesus in prayer in that secret room in our hearts, leads to almsgiving as we emulate or are inspired by the compassion of God that we experience in that prayer. Then we realise that our prayer is hindered by behaviours and addictions that diminish us, and so we are lead to fasting, letting go of those actions that get in the way of us living the abundant life that Jesus speaks of.

I hope that you are able to join us in a wonderful Lent, our first together as an amalgamated parish, as we live the Lenten disciplines of almsgiving, prayer and fasting. (Matthew 6. 1-6,16-18)

St Margaret's has been an active presence in this district since 1861, worshipping God, growing in our faith in Jesus and serving the wider community. Currently we describe our mission as:-