RANGES TRADER STAR MAIL
Home » News » Community spirit is big at Olinda’s St Matthews Anglican Church

Community spirit is big at Olinda’s St Matthews Anglican Church

The Anglican Parish of Mount Dandenong will be holding a morning tea on Saturday 27 August to raise funds for Christian organisation Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF).

A $2 admission fee will get attendees a boarding pass into St Matthews Anglican Church in Olinda, tea, coffee, cake and biscuits, with jerrycan fuel gift card donations available for purchase as part of MAF’s ‘Fuel for Father’s Day’ initiative.

The equivalent of one jerrycan, or $50, fuels an flying aircraft for 20 minutes, helping MAF support development agencies, missions, local churches and other national groups in delivering medical care and emergency food to those in need.

Andrew Smith, Vicar of both St Matthews Anglican Church in Olinda and St Michaels Anglican Church in Kalorama, said the Anglican Parish of Mount Dandenong tries to support other churches, mission agencies and the local CFA when it can.

“We have been doing a similar thing at our church at Kalorama since the big storm event up here in the Dandenongs and Kalorama last year,” Reverend Smith said.

“In Kalorama we run a drop in and a coffee and a chat session and have some food relief available.”

The inspiration to help MAF came from ties within the Anglican Parish of Mount Dandenong’s congregation.

“One of our elderly ladies who’s now in a nursing home…is in her 90s, [and] her husband used to be a pilot for Mission Aviation Fellowship back in probably the 1950s, when they were first starting,” Rev. Smith said.

“She actually met her husband when he was flying planes for this organization., and we didn’t realise until MAF [visited] a couple of years ago there was a picture, and we realised that the vintage airplane on the picture was the one that her husband had used to fly, so that was rather extraordinary.

There’s a little bit of a historical link between us and them as well.”

All are welcome at the morning tea which will run from 10am to 12pm.

St Matthews Anglican Church is located at 17 Monash Ave, Olinda VIC 3788.

Digital Editions


More News

  • OAM awarded to Jim Child

    O’Shannassy Ward councillor Jim Child received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his unwavering dedication to the Yarra Ranges. Cr Child was one of 680 award recipients…

  • Belgrave’s Neil McLeod honoured with OAM

    Belgrave’s Neil McLeod honoured with OAM

    Belgrave resident Neil McLeod has received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2026 Australia Day awards for his service to the visual arts. Mr McLeod is…

  • Paul Birch recognised for decades of service

    Paul Birch recognised for decades of service

    Upwey horticulturist Paul Jonathon Birch has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for service to the community through a range of roles.…

  • Two lives lost in shock accident

    Two lives lost in shock accident

    Purchase this photo from Pic Store: 148496 The community are shaken after a horrific and tragic accident in Ferntree Gully over the weekend saw two young lives lost on Victorian…

  • Juniors in the spotlight as heat disrupts play

    Juniors in the spotlight as heat disrupts play

    With scorching temperatures predicted on Saturday, many competitions abandoned play for the safety of players and officials. The Ringwood and District Cricket Association was one such association that cancelled all…

  • Macclesfield conservationist awarded OAM

    Macclesfield conservationist awarded OAM

    Macclesfield conservationist Alan David Clayton has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for service to conservation, the environment, and to the community.…

  • 13-year-old honoured for environmental leadership

    13-year-old honoured for environmental leadership

    Ferny Creek resident, Coen Pearson has already established himself as a leader in environmental conservation, earning Yarra Ranges Council’s Young Environmental Achiever of the Year award. The 13 year-old has…

  • Structure fire in Macclesfield extinguished by local CFA brigades

    Structure fire in Macclesfield extinguished by local CFA brigades

    CFA crews responded to a structure fire in Macclesfield on Wednesday 21 January. The house was already fully involved in fire upon arrival of CFA units and crews worked quickly…

  • Banks closed nationwide on Australia Day

    Banks closed nationwide on Australia Day

    All banks across Australia will be closed on Monday, 26 January, in observance of Australia Day. Customers are encouraged to plan ahead, as in-branch services will be unavailable for the…

  • Communications crucial in bushfire

    Communications crucial in bushfire

    It’s been a difficult and anxious week for many as bushfires rip through the state, inching close to our own community on Friday 10 January. Marked the worst fire danger…