ADELAIDE
We in Adelaide have been at a disadvantage in holding services since an out of control vehicle driven by an unlicensed driver crashed into the side of the Church building causing a wall to collapse and causing considerable damage.
The Church is out of bounds for health and safety reasons and we have been holding a reduced number of services in the adjoining hall. Hopefully, repairs will be completed before the end of the year. A surprising drop-in visit to Adelaide on their way home to Canberra from Perth were Jeremy and Jasper Visser-Marchant. June and Ken Johnson met the lads and gave them a quick sight-seeing tour between flights.
Thanks to David Millar for his article regarding same sex marriage; it was good to contemplate our Church’s perspective at a time that we are being bombarded with the views of populist pressure groups. The silent majority is being ignored but one is consoled in the knowledge that our teachings will eventually take hold and fill the vacuum.
Randall Rabone
BRISBANE AND SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND
June 18th the Brisbane Society began their New beginnings with the official opening of our new Church premises together with the celebration of New Church Day. Over sixty members and guests were in attendance and witnessed the installation of the WORD to its permanent place on the Altar by the Revs Brunne and Arnold.
Our special guests for our celebration and official opening was the Rev David Moffat, President of the N.C.I.A. David was accompanied by his Wife Pam. His New Church Day Sermon on SERVANTHOOD was interesting and thought provoking.
Following the service all enjoyed lunch including the cutting of special New Church Day cake. On August 4th Neville Barrett, one of our oldest Members, passed into the Spiritual World after battling a long illness. He was 91 years young. In earlier days Neville, for many years, was Sunday School Superintendent as well as an active Committee Member. His funeral service was held on the Gold Coast where he lived with his wife Muriel with the Rev. Brunne officiating.
Two of our members have recently been hospitalized and we are happy to report both have recovered well. Bev Sheppard is currently in England visiting her daughter Jane after stopping in the United States to attend a wedding.
On October 15th we will hold our annual general meeting.
Diane Thompson
PERTH
Our New Church Day celebration was a very happy time with a special service lead by Reverend Moffat. This was followed by a “long table luncheon”, the table being set with an all-white theme (tablecloths and crockery) and red poinsettias as floral decorations. (See picture)
Our services on each third Sunday of the month are taking the form of an alternative style service and hopefully lead by a lay person. July’s service focussed on ‘Trees’ being our understanding and the leaves corresponding to perceptions. Participants were asked to choose a verse from the Word, write it on a leaf, and then tie it onto a branch. We then shared how we felt we could use these words in our daily lives. The service was led by Joy Moffat. In August Sarah Walker facilitated the Service focusing on Psalm 1. Prior to the service Sarah lead our monthly Logopraxis meeting. We are finding all the Logopraxis work quite challenging in terms of the tasks we undertake. However, we are at the same time experiencing great benefit in our daily lives. How fortunate are we that Sarah has stepped up to lead this group, as she has a very gentle and wise approach to our responses and our life’s journeys. Four ladies met for a very happy monthly get together at our favourite cafe on the beach in Trigg. We braved very strong winds to watch huge waves crashing on the shore, before being forced to run for shelter from a very heavy downpour.
We are enjoying some sunshine in Perth after a very chilly and wet time, during which two of our members have been quite ill with flu type symptoms and a very debilitating cough. David and Ros Walker are off on a car journey during September. They plan to visit places in South Australia and Northern Territory.
Trevor and Joy Moffat are away for two months in the outback. They are spending August at Millstream National Park as camp hosts, followed by September on Koordarie, a cattle station north of Carnarvon. Here Joy will take over the schoolroom to assist 3 children with their School of the Air lessons. Trevor will be cook for station staff during the busy time of mustering.
SYDNEY
Our services and midweek meetings carry on, with appreciation and also varying numbers. The New Church Day service looked, hopefully usefully, at how we can talk meaningfully and helpfully (and perhaps invitingly) to people who ask about the New Church and its beliefs and activities. We had a special morning tea afterwards.
The Angel Service had another Winter Solstice dinner after the service on June 24th, enjoying warming food of all kinds and an outside fire in the fire pit. There were 23 of us there.
One of our six overhead lights in the church came tumbling down one Sunday, not during the service but that afternoon, landing neatly between two rows of chairs but cracking. This has been replaced and we bought a second just in case.
Three of our members have had time in hospital, two with surgery, and they are now back home and doing well.
Work is beginning on the manse and its needs, with a lot of listing and planning. This and the fairly arduous work of steering the visa process takes a good amount of the time and attention of the committee. Graham Hanna and Elizabeth Kemmis are just back from a three-month car drive with friends over the west and north of Australia.
Our fortnightly Bible tutorial (very interactive) has recently finished Elijah and Elisha going since February. So it felt right to come to the Gospels and we are starting looking at some special features in Mark’s gospel.
VICTORIA
At the Annual Meeting it was agreed to go with the plan to sell the Melbourne church property and move ahead into new future directions.
Rev Glenn Alden and his wife Mary, well-known to many people in the New Church in Australia, have agreed to be here in Victoria for several months from November this year until after Easter in 2018. They are very experienced and have taken in many kinds of church activity and programs. Eva Teed, one of our beloved and devoted members, recently celebrated her 90th birthday and a good number of family and friends joined her for the occasion.
A Bible Study group has started meeting fortnightly from August and will run through September and October.
Karl Robinson and Helmut Lopaczuk
