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Christ Church Cafe

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??????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????Christ Church Swan Hill’s first Cafe Church was held at 5pm on Sunday 17th August. We turned the foyer of our hall into a cafe for the evening, with real coffee.  The Cafe Team catered for 30 and 50 people turned up.  Luckily we had catered generously.  We told the bible story of Joseph and his brothers.  Jon Roberts was Joseph and Don Baker and the younger people at the cafe were Joseph’s brothers.

???????????????????????????????All ages joined in our activites on the theme of Forgiveness making our hands into hearts and writing things we learned about forgiveness, around the heart.  We looked in newspapers and magazines to remind us of thing to pray for and shared our prayers. It was a wonderful friendly night with everyone joining in and mistakes were part of the fun.

Our next Cafe Church is planned for Sunday 15th November but we plan to have a few other different services in that 5pm Sunday time slot before then.

National Day of Mourning

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???????????????????????????????At the close of the Prime Minister’s address at the service for the National Day of Mourning, Rev’d Jan Harper tolled the bell at Christ Church Swan Hill fortyone times, remembering the 38 Australian passengers who died, and three more for the other passengers, the aircrew, and all those affected by this terrible tragedy. Candles had been lit in the Lady Chapel , across the altar and windowsills, and parishioners were invited to spend a time of meditation, reflection, and prayers for peace in the world as quiet music played.

One who attended recalled a similar gathering during the funeral of Princess Diana, when “Pavanne for a Dead Princess” was played as prayers for her family, and especially for her young boys, were offered at the altar.

Joan Mellahn

 

Rev Robyn’s Walkabout Diary Part 2

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Robyn & EdWalkabout Diary continued
Page 3
 
Friday 18th July 2014
Arrived at Tenant Creek early afternoon to shop and look for an Auto Electrician to check our 12v wiring. The charge doesn’t seem to be getting to the van battery. Sure enough our new van had been wired wrong but only cost $50 to get re-done, thank goodness. Ed was offered a business here in Tenant Creek. The local panel beater has just retired and closed his shop, couldn’t get anyone to take over. What an opening for an enterprising young man. Apparently a good business, but very isolated, of course. I was talking to the post office lady whose husband is the ranger at The Pebbles where we intended to camp for the night and she informed us that there are an average of 60 vans pull in there every night. So that was the end of us going there. The last time we were there, about 5 years ago we were the only ones and they were just building the toilets and fireplaces, very quiet and peaceful. We travelled along the road and turned east at Three Ways to find a good bush camp about 15ks onto the Barkly Highway.
 
Saturday 19th
Dirty day today!! – that’s the day when it’s time to shower and wash clothes, but we are bush camped with not much water left and will travel all day so won’t worry about it – just wear dirty clothes till we shower and put up with the smell. Actually I am the only one to put up with the smell as Ed has no sense of smell at all, too bad for me.
Our new van is very comfy with all its bells and whistles, which we are trying to get used to but one of the things I like most is the sky lights. They can be closed completely, opened to let the light in, opened fully to let the breeze in or just screened for the insects. It’s so lovely at night to be able to just look up at the stars. Last night I woke in the early hours with the feeling that someone was there, I opened my eyes slowly to see the full moon shining down on my face, just like God shining his torch on me!!
We camped last night on land owned by the Waramungu people. We don’t like to camp on Aboriginal owned land if they don’t know we are there but in this case it was getting late due to car repairs in Tenant Creek and we had no choice. Therefore we acknowledge the traditional owners and pay our respect to them. We always practice “Perichoresis” – to walk gently around another’s country.
We travelled all day to pull in to the Georgina River at Camooweal about 6.30.
 
Sunday 20th
The lagoons on the Georgina River are not as lovely as we remembered years ago, not much water and very compacted, surrounding bush and vegetation very dry and sparse. Could be the drought up here or too many free campers or a combination of both. The water lilies are still beautiful, along with the brolgas, ducks, pelicans and many other water birds. Alas they are swamped by a thousand squawking Corellas who crowd the trees all day long. They all swarm down for their evening drink about 7 pm and fly off to bed somewhere till 6.30 am which suits us fine.
Our little spot here is very quiet and peaceful, about half a mile from the 50 other vans crowding the bank a little further along where there is more water. We have had a young couple from Melb camped a little over from us who sold their apartment, got rid of the mortgage and have been travelling with just a tent since March. Then the next night they were replaced by German backpackers and last night two older couples from Adelaide tenting it around for a few months. We had coffee with a couple of ladies travelling together from Geelong and met them again in the pub that night where we joined another couple from Brisbane for a good old country pub roast (cooked by a Spanish backpacker!)
A couple of days here is just what we needed, I am starting to relax and enjoy this trip, although I still am trying to get work done that I was silly enough to bring with me.
 
Monday 21st
Catch up day for washing, showers, cleaning, book work and relaxing if we have time. And a drive around town.
 
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Tuesday 22nd
Goodbye to Camooweal after a great visit to the Drovers Camp Museum. What a refreshing change this was – $5 to get in and a free guided tour with an authentic old drover. The museum was built by these old fellas, is all staffed by volunteer ex drovers, aged over 75yrs, all dinky di Aussie legends with great stories to tell. This place is well worth a visit.
Off we go again. Hot day today. We arrived in Mt Isa after lunch looking for a lock smith as we can’t undo the spare tyre. We think we are hard done by sometimes when these little things crop up but when we talk to other travelers we realize how well we do and thank God for his protection and guidance everyday we travel. We really needed to shop but it’s just too hot and the locksmith can’t do the car till tomorrow so we move along. We have been told of a great camp spot about 75 ks east of Mt Isa. so will try to get there tonight
WOW, God is so good. This beautiful, peaceful place has only three other people camped, all a long distance from each other along a dry creek bed, with water holes and rock pools. We passed the Mary Kathleen free camp which was so crowded the vans looked like they were on top of each other and spilling onto the road, there looked to be about 40 vans which is not unusual. We don’t stop at the free camps because of the crowding. Anyway this little spot will be our secret.
Wednesday 23rd
 We are camped in a gorge between towering red granite hills with beautiful white trunked gums lining the banks of the creek the rock wallabies are plentiful, jumping from rock to rock, but we did see a dingo last night right on dark at the very top of the gorge. Two campers left this morning so there is only a man from Tassie and us, I do hope it stays that way as we want to have a quiet break and will stay another day. We have had a bird watching group in this morning from all over Australia on a tour, and learned a little of the bird life from them, there are many little bush birds flitting around the water holes catching the little insects and a bower bird making his nest.
Alas, as I write we have two caravans pulling in, Ed quickly puts our two chairs at the old fireplace near our camp to make it look like someone is there. This is the first time we have done this but some campers will pull in as close as they can to others. Early on in our camping life we pulled into a free camp and someone pulled in so close we couldn’t even open our window. That was the end of our free camping.
The chair thing seems to have worked as they have pulled in behind Tassie, he doesn’t like it too much either, but we can’t do much about it except hope that they don’t have generators going all night. We only use ours during the day time and usually only once or twice a week for a couple of hours to charge the battery. We had a little siesta and just looked out the window and Tassie is gone!! He was so quiet. I think the other campers got too close as he was definitely going to stay till Friday and he has left his cooking pan behind that he was getting ready to cook his meat in. Another couple have come in and seen the chairs, walked around them and discussed the situation, she wants to pull into the space beside the chairs, he doesn’t. They camp not far away and immediately get the generator out, put it between us and start it up!! So much for a peaceful rest.
Thursday 24th
Well the generator didn’t go all night so we all got a good nights sleep. I had a good chat to the others who pulled in behind Tassie they are nice people and fixed our shower for us. They headed north early this morning. We went for a walk up to the wall of the dam, where the road has been blocked off, we squeezed through the fence, walked down a steep hill and found paradise! There is a secluded valley with lush greenery, a reed lined creek and birds, birds, birds. How peaceful and quiet it was in this “secret” valley. No dilly dallying for us. Off to Cloncurry we went. Managed to get Ed into doctor with ear infection, showers, washing, groceries all done and quick look around before we headed east once more and camped on Eastern Creek by the bridge about 10ks from Julia Creek.
Friday 25th
This is the way to start the day. Cuppa in hand, swallows darting after the early morning insects and the sun just peeping through the trees, promising a warm day. I am startled by a loud splash and look across the river to see a large bull has just jumped in and is swimming towards the middle where there looks to be a small island of grass, however before he gets there he turns back and climbs up the bank giving himself a good shake as if to say ‘That’s better, I feel cooler now” I haven’t seen a bull go for a swim before, although I know that they can swim. On the road again, through Julia Creek and on to Richmond where we stopped for counter lunch and tried to find a spare wheel for the car. No luck so on we go to Hughenden arriving late afternoon and set up camp in the dry bed of the Flinders River on the edge of town.
 
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Saturday 26th                   Hughenden
 
We woke today as we usually do to the sound of bush birds greeting the dawn. I can’t seem to relax enough to sleep past 6.30 and find I need to get up and into the day. The quiet of the pre-dawn is the perfect time for prayer and contemplation and here in the outback the quiet is QUIET!!
Early this morning we walked the “Eco Walk on Flinders” and decided that we needed to stay in this place and look around a little more. We tried to find a camping spot but due to the annual Country Music Festival and a Netball tournament everything was booked out and no free camping is allowed within the town boundary. We enquired about the show grounds but were refused because our grey water is not in a sealed container (a bucket with a lid is not considered to be a sealed container) in our 10 years of caravanning around this country I have never seen a regulation like this and I was not a happy camper! I, who is known to carry long handled tongs and rubbish bags to clean up campsites all over this country! I, who have been known to escort wayward shopping trolleys long distances to their home! I, who refuse to use modern cleaning agents because of their un-necessary chemical content! I, who complain loudly at other campers who do the wrong thing and disrespect this beautiful land!  Enough! Enough! You get the picture that I was not happy, however I did not make a fuss as I believe in the principal of the matter it was just that you can carry things a little too far and in this case people are turned away from this beautiful little town because of it.
 
While I had a quick haircut, Ed explored the main street and crossed paths with a local lady several times. Sometime later she approached us for a chat saying that she had been watching Ed for awhile. She was not in the habit of watching strange men or following them in the street but felt she wanted to talk to him and felt better about it when she saw that I was with him. In the course of our conversation we found that the service at the Anglican Church had been changed to 2pm today and we would be most welcome to join them. We had two hours to get ready. This arrangement suited us fine as we would then have time after to head along the road and find a camp spot before dark. I had been looking forward to meeting Rev’d Anne Nixon from Winton, who is supported by BCA and I believed was coming to do the service at 9.30 on Sunday morning, so I would still get to meet her. We freshened up and turned up at 2 to find that the priest had her days mixed up and was a no show.
Of course you can guess who did the service. I was quite unprepared, of course, but we had a lovely evening prayer service with the three local ladies (our little street lady being one of them) and got to know each other over a cuppa afterwards. A wonderful God incidence!
“One good turn deserves another.” So the ladies said and here we are now camped in the big yard of St. Thomas’ Anglican Church, Hughenden, Qld. Under a big shady tree, all plugged into the power for as long as we want to stay, within walking distance of everything in town. We toddled off to the Music Festival at the Diggers Hall and had a great night.
 
Sunday 27th
Off to the Diggers Hall at 8am for the Poets Breakfast to meet our little local lady, Ailsa, who introduced us to the locals. Country music is not our first choice of music but one of the things we love to do is support the local communities in the outback. For this reason we do all our shopping at the smallest places, where we know that our money is going to support the local communities. We also avoid the larger petrol stations with the shopper docket discounts- we don’t qualify for the discounts anyway as we avoid the bid chain stores. The best thing about the way we travel is meeting the local people and being included in community activities for a few days. The people who live in these little outback towns are struggling with drought and isolation most of the time and to be along side them even for a little while is a privilege and honor. They have always been the real Australians the backbone of this country and quite often feel forgotten by the rest of the country.
 
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Sunday 27th continued
Our day at the Country Music Festival was great fun as the day before we got to know some of the contestants, who had come from all over Qld and today was the big day of finals. Ed had his favorites and I had mine out of the 50 contestants in 4 age groups – ranging from 6 yrs to 80yrs. This morning was Gospel time where each contestant in each age group had to sing a gospel song.  I can honestly say that I hadn’t taken much notice of a little wispy blond girl of 12 with the skinniest little legs, until she stood on the huge stage looking like a little dot and with no accompaniment sang beautifully “How great thou Art” the whole hall was silent – not a breath could be heard. What an experience it was!!!  Ed’s favorite sang a beautifully powerful rendition of “The Power of Your Love” which I was almost swayed by but in the end my young man, who I had stuck with all through won every section he entered. This young man, Judah Kelly is not yet 18 and will be a young man to watch in the future as he has, I believe, a God given gift and a special presence.
We are sitting now at the end of another lovely day under the big tree with a cuppa in hand and a casserole cooking slowly in the oven. We will have a shower soon before settling down for the night. Oh the convenience of the shower and toilet in the van cannot be explained!!
 
Monday 28th
Well it’s goodbye to Hughenden. We have had a wonderful break in a friendly community with salt of the earth people. Maybe we won’t get away soon as Ed is now having a long chat with the old man (and his dog) who wanders around and looks after the church grounds. Ok here he comes and I hear the old fella yell after him “Please come back again” how lovely is that! I will continue this later tonight, must go now or we will never get away.
8.30 pm – here I am again we are camped in the bush about 50ks east of Townsville and will continue on there tomorrow to visit our granddaughter who is in the army there.
I have always been a traveler and have travelled over most of this country but I have never seen a dirtier road than the one we travelled today. We found Hughenden to be one of the cleanest little country town we have ever been in and to then find the opposite along the road was so disappointing. Not far along the road it started. The road surface was wonderfully smooth but the road sides were littered with rubbish and the decaying bodies of dead animals. Native animals, I understand, accidents happen in the country but I have heard of some outback councils having night patrols which start out about 5 am daily to clear away the road kill and dispose of them. Not only is it environmentally responsible but also safer for motorists, especially as this road is mostly through hilly country. (It would be a lot kinder on the nose as well) We found lots of piles of old truck tyres in among the bush along the road and when we pulled into a clearing for lunch we counted 57 old truck tyres in several dumps around the clearing.
Our bush camp tonight revealed several dumps of old furniture and what looks like the cleanout of someone’s shed, garden waste and lawn clippings – and this is 50 ks out of town.
It really saddens me that we treat our land as a rubbish dump and we really should know better but I also think councils have a responsibility to keep our road sides clean and safe. Well, that’s my moan for today!!
 
Tuesday 29th
 
Well here we are in CLEAN and tidy and beautiful Townsville. Have had a lovely catch up with Lauren and also washing and book work. Lovely afternoon and evening in front of the telly as well.
We head north tomorrow to catch up with grandson Keagan at Innisfail.
 
That’s enough for now. Will talk again soon. God bless

Rev’d Robyn Davis’ Walkabout Diary

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Robyn's FootprintsWalkabout Diary 2014

 Friday 4th July
We finally left Bendigo at 2pm and headed straight up the highway through Kerang and Swan Hill to spend the night by a warm fire and in our own bed at Balranald. Didn’t get far but at least we got away from Bendigo.
Our last walkabout trip was 2011 and we have certainly missed it. We both look forward to the peace and quiet of the bush and the time to do the little things that get pushed aside in the business of life at home.
Saturday 5th
Called in for early cuppa with friends Brian and Marlene before leaving Balranald and travelled through to Lake Benanee where we stopped to cook up veggies, (forgot about not taking them over the border!!) We met one fellow traveler who was in some trouble with his electric brakes stuck on his van and another with a tale of having his van stolen from his front yard by a disgruntled neighbour. What a way to start our trip!! Through Mildura to arrive in Renmark and have a short visit with family. We don’t see these two grandchildren as much as the others so it’s always an exciting visit with lots of jumping around and not being able to sleep, the kids that is, we are tired out after a couple of hours!!
Sunday 6th
We had a great morning with family and headed off for an afternoon travelling to bush camp at a little town called Halbury about 10 ks from Balaklava.
Monday 7th
Just after lunch we arrived at Port Victoria to visit our good friends Peter and Raelene and their family. Raelene’s two little grandys have certainly grown since we saw them last, three years ago. Isis is going to school now and Jamila, who was only two months old on our last visit, is now three. Raelene is a member of NATSIAC (National Aboriginal & Torress Strail Islander Anglican Council) and Peter is a retired Anglican Priest and Vietnam Veteran, so we all have lots to talk about. We enjoyed a big family get together over a roast tea and pancakes.
Tuesday 8th
Morning tea with Raelenes daughter, Monique, and the little girls before we set off at mid day in very windy conditions for Gladstone and a visit to our dear friend Mona. Mona is a very well known and respected Aboriginal elder whose parents were forbidden to marry by the Protector of Aborigines in Western Australia and were hunted down for many years. Her father was a Muslim, Afgan Cameleer and her mother a traditional Aboriginal woman. An interesting book has been written about their story called “The Linden Girl” a great read if you can get hold of a copy.
Mona is recovering from a broken hip and is not getting around at all so was glad of the company.
Wednesday 9th
This morning saw us having Eucharist with Bishop John Stead, then morning tea with his office staff before we caught up for a private meeting. Our previous visits to Gladstone have always included a visit with the bishop here in the Diocese of Wilochra as the diocese office is only across the railway line from Monas house. It was lovely to meet up with Bishop John again as we haven’t seen him for a few years but we do miss our friend Bishop Gary who is now the bishop of Ballarat. We are having dreadful weather here, cold bitter winds and heavy rain so will stay another day here, catch up with some chores and keep Mona company.
Thursday 10th
Travel day today. Said goodbye to Mona at 11am, had a quick stop at Pt Augusta and onto a beautiful bush camp about 40ks south of Pimba. Need to get to Roxby Downs as early as possible in the morning to catch the BCA Tag-along-tour.
Friday 11th
We arrived in Roxby at 10 am in time to get aquainted with the BCA people before they set off for William Creek, where they will camp out for the night. We will meet them again tomorrow in Coober Pedy. This inaugural Tag-along-tour is being led by Mrs Vivien Bleby (and her husband Martin) Vivien is the BCA Regional Officer for SA/ NT Ministry Centre. There are 5 cars on the tour, each supply their own food and camping gear. I believe this is a first for BCA but an idea that certainly is worth developing. We are camped at the Roxby Downs community church for the night all comfy and happy to be here.
Saturday 12th
After a quick meeting with Revd Mary and Owen before they set off on a break, we settled down to a meeting with BCA affiliates Revd Barry and Avril Luke over a delicious breakfast. We were joined by a local school teacher, Jasper, who came expecting morning  prayer to be on. I don’t think he was too disappointed as he got a good feed and great conversation.
We finally got away at 11 am travelling north and arrived at Coober Pedy to join the tag-alongs at 5.30 pm.
Sunday 13th
Our first full day at Coober Pedy with the BCA Tag Along Tour. We started with a church service in the beautiful but simple Catacombe Church with Martin and Vivien leading. The service was different as they start with a half hour of praise and singing, then a half hour cuppa and get to know visitors (who come from all over Australia) before resuming for prayer and worship. At the end of the service a local parishioner took us for a tour before we all met at Johns Pizza for a leisurely lunch. We left our car and van at the church and joined one of the tag-along cars for the day, which was a good move as it gave us time to make a new friend, Peter from Adelaide. The tour proceeded to the Breakaways in the afternoon. The Breakaways are a truly beautiful place but I was affected by an overwhelming feeling of sadness and felt a great weight of womens sorry business which made me very emotional and I stayed in the car for the rest of the trip. The second place I felt was mens business and OK but I still couldn’t walk the land.
Monday 14th
Said good by to our new BCA friends who are travelling to Pt Augusta for a bush camp tonight.
The weather is miserable again, cold, wet and windy so we decide to catch up with laundry before we go. The Laundromat is a little rough with only four washers working out of eight and one dryer of the three so waiting time is long. We have our van outside and decide to share morning tea in the laundromat with another man who is waiting, (the locals are just coming and going) this stranger introduces himself as an opal buyer from Sydney, who used to be a local jeweler. He certainly looks the part as he stands out from the locals and the tourists in all ways. After a time of sharing he calls us over to the corner and whispers to us (looking around furtively) “I can trust you people of the church, you good people” he says in his Greek accent. He then produced from a hidden pocket a small parcel which he unwrapped while keeping it close to his body. He said “I just get this great bargain, man down on his luck needs cash, had to sell quick, I got for half price, only $22,000!!” and there in his hand was the most biggest and most beautiful diamond I have ever seen!! He then proceeded to tell us he had a house in Athens and we could use it any time for a holiday!  You just never know who you will meet next do you? After all the excitement we headed north for a bush camp 50 ks north of Marla.
Tuesday 15th
Travel day today. Could have got to Alice Springs but decided to bush camp 15ks out and book into caravan park early in the morning. The vegetation is changing. We now see the little red mounds of the termite nests poking their heads above the straw coloured grass. Trees are sparse and only about 12ft high with needle like leaves to cope with the dry seasons. Every now and then the stark white trunk of an elegant ghost gum reaches to the sky above the dull vegetation of the shorter trees.
Wednesday 16th
We booked into our first park for the trip at 10am and headed off for the shops and visiting friends. My favourite Indigenous shops are here where I buy all my Aboriginal designed materials and I do look forward to getting up here to see the new designs every couple of years.
Thursday 17th
What a life!! Here we are in the red centre and I mean RED centre – the ground is bright red and so beautiful. I have been here many times before but it never ceases to amaze me – the red of the earth and the blue of the sky.
It’s 6pm and we have just pulled into a bush track about 50ks south of Barrow Creek, made a cuppa and now sitting listening to the little bush birds calling their warning of strangers in their midst. The shadows are getting long. The breeze is getting fresh and the sun will soon set. As I said “what a life!!’ Thank you, Lord!
 
Talk again soon
God bless from Robyn & Ed on Walkabout

Confirmation

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Kyren1On a mid July Sunday morning when the grass was white with frost, and the grey nomads had already headed to warmer parts for winter, we had reason to celebrate at Christ Church Swan Hill;  Kyren Myers was being confirmed.

Kyren2This is no mean feat for the young father of a lively toddler.  Bishop Andrew Curnow spoke about the service of confirmation being like a seed of hope that is planted and that the resulting growth is not usually instant.  It takes time, yet slowly but surely good growth is seen in the years ahead. We pray that this will be so for Kyren; that the step he has taken, and the work he has put into the preparation, will bear a fruitful harvest.

Kyren3For the occasion Bishop Andrew wore a chasuble he has rarely worn since he received it as a gift from the parish of West Coberg, 40 years ago when he was assistant Priest there. It was particularly fitting for the occasion, showing the farmer from the Gospel reading of the day; Jesus’ parable of the wheat seeds falling on the stony soil and the good soil.

At the end of thKyren4e service Kayden helped his dad to cut the celebration cake ready for morning tea.