Author Archives: Jan Harper

Shirley Wilkie, Joan Mellahn, Ada Wood, Ethel Riley, Lynne Stephens, Leone Tress, Jeanette Healey, Debra Chaplin, Reverend Jan Harper and Nicola Perry with some of the care bags.

Various Swan Hill community groups have worked together to create health care bags for Members of the local Aboriginal community who are admitted to hospital under traumatic circumstances.

Members from the Department of Justice, Swan Hill Dental Health, Nyah West/Swan Hill Mother’s Union, and the Swan Hill Anglican Church recently donated a dozen bags to Swan Hill District Health to distribute to people in need.  The bags include items such as clothes, deodorant, shampoo, notebook and pencil and a dental health care pack.  Swan Hill District Health Aboriginal Hospital Liaison officer Debra Chaplin was inspired to start the initiative after she heard about a Melbourne hospital that did a similar thing.  She spoke to Jan Harper who had previously discussed how money the church had raised for Indigenous health through selling post cards, could be best used.  Ms Chaplin said she definitely saw a need for the care packages in Swan Hill.  People come in after traumatic experiences – it could be a fight or domestic abuse – and their clothes are often damaged. They really appreciate the fact that they have something clean to change into while they’re in hospital. This is a way of making them feel more comfortable during a difficult time.

At the moment 12 bags have been donated, but the group hope to create more to keep up with the need.

WINTER SALE

Bargain price reductions on Winter Fashions on sale

at the Anglican Church

on Wednesday 14^th June at 1.30 pm.

Admission  $5.00

towards the Swan Hill/ Nyah West Mothers’ Union mission

to the Hamlin Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia.

Door prize, raffle & refreshments.  Bring friends, all welcome.

Despite some cold wet weather and somehow, by a long list of unavoidable changes, we ended up on the Synod weekend so our clergy and a couple of parishioners were away, our Fair was a great success, in the number of people involved in helping, the number of people visiting and the money raised, but more importantly in the building of joyous community among us all.

There was great interest in the patchwork display and materials. We have many patchworkers in the Swan Hill area.

Displays of car badges and farming equipment added interest to our Fair. We even had some cars of interest parked on the lawn out the front of the church.

Coral Henderson demonstrated the art of spinning along with some beautiful garments made from hand-spun wool.

Artist Joan Mellahn sketched people during Saturday. Even on Sunday she fitted in a sketch of Rev’d Denis.

Our usual Cafe ran in the Foyer, with morning and afternoon tea as well as a light lunch. Here Rieke shows her portrait; a very accurate likeness.

Throughout the church, the craft of flower arranging was present. Next year we hope to have demonstrations available so we can all learn.

Swan Hill Ukulele Group (SHUG) opened the concert with three items including ‘When the Saints go marching in’.

We even had a bird in to enjoy the music.

Joan Mellahn presented the successful students with their scholarships. Congratulations Alannah and Jorja.

Alannah and Shontai with their Trombone and clarinet duet.

Charlotte played the violin.

The art competition was judged by Maren Chandler from the Grain Shed. The winning entry was number 14, ‘High Country’, by Carol Preston. A beautiful representation of Psalm 1 – ‘Happy are those whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water.’

Six Nyah West Op shop volunteers braved the early train from Swan Hill to Melbourne to tour the Brotherhood of St Lawrence Sunshine warehouse and 3 of their op shops as part of their ongoing skills training.  We were met at Footscray station by Debra Saffrey-Collins in the Brotherhood’s new van and went directly to the warehouse where the bags we send to the brotherhood are sorted.  After lunch and a talk about the operations we visited the book sorting area, saw the kindling and house packs for immigrants areas, and then down to where cloths are sorted and packed for op shops or to be shipped to Africa.

One of the initiatives of the Brotherhood is bagging kindling from wood off-cuts ready for sale.

The Brunswick store was huge, with furniture, white goods and a wonderful record collection.

At All Saints Northcote we saw the Op Shop they ran in their hall. One of the wardens, Betty showed us around. It the photo we have the Northcote Betty and our Betty.

The Hunters and Gatherers Store in Fitzroy was very elegant and rivaled the other collectables shops in the main street.

Harvest Thanksgiving at Nyah West 30th April 2017

The Nyah West congregation created a splendid Harvest display for our 5th Sunday Service with hay bales, fruit, vegetables and herbs as well as processed foods.

Our reading of the Emaus walk was a wonderful theme for the day.  Instead of the usual wafers we used a loaf and in the sermon we contemplated the way Jesus broke the bread, thinking of the many related images in the gospels.

They knew him in the breaking of the bread. There was something special about the way he does this.  Perhaps his reverence.  His reverence, for the sower who planted the seed, for the farmer who protected it from weed and grazing animals, for the harvesters and threshers, for those who stored the grain and those who sold it, those who ground it and the stones they used, those who mixed it with water and yeast, those who stoked the fire and cooked and served it; for those with whom he is sharing it.  And reverence for his Father God who created all of these.

And they finally recognised him.  They look at each other. They are dumbfounded.  Why did they not recognise him before?  How foolish they were, but O what amazing joy and delight.  And then they look back and he is gone.

After the service and lunch  the non-perishables were gathered to give to Anglicare, and the fresh produce were sold with the money raised to go to those suffering in the famine in East Africa.