It was an article about Jervis Bay that captured my attention a week ago. The story was about two twin aboriginal girls from the Wreck Bay aboriginal community. When you think about Jarvis Bay what comes to mind? Pristine calm blue water, sandy beaches, mangrove trees, woodlands, sea grass and marine life? I imagined seeing the girls as young children splashing along the shoreline, hearing their laughter as they picked up shells, listened to stories around the campfire or explored the bush that surrounded their home. 

“How about we make a paper doll,” I said to my grandchildren. “What are paper dolls?” my granddaughter asked and soon, at my instruction, the children were enthusiastically drawing, cutting, gluing and colouring. I demonstrated a few techniques but quickly the children began to develop their own solutions and creative responses to their art. The paper doll needed a friend, then they needed a theatre,  a narrative, and an audience.  We explored and shared and it brought us closer together as we problem solved. Isn’t it interesting - given the right conditions - how learning becomes thoughtful, compassionate and interdependent;  how with positive intent our very interactions can model empathy and deep listening skills and allow children to flourish. As Kass Unger explains in Reflections on Children’s camp, in the guided, thoughtful processing of story, the children were learning to develop faith, meaning, worth and so much more.  

CONGREGATIONS closing up, buildings being sold, attendances dwindling, the number of financial supporters declining - not a very rosy picture for the church in Aus­ tralia just now.

We needed to start with truth and fact. All responsible scripture study should.

As I hand my little grandson a box of markers if I could tell him anything, 
It would be that all the colours are already within him. 
That he must never become afraid of white paper as some adults are, 
And he must treat each colour as a stroke of luck, a gateway to wonder.

Calling for Volunteers - South East Queensland

This week we have just observed Anzac Day.  It is a National Day of Remembrance in Australia and New Zealand commemorating all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.  And on this day, we have had the opportunity to express our thanks for the contribution and suffering of all those who have served their countries.

“I enjoyed working with a team to help build a prosthetic hand and learning about the impact that community organizations have, both locally and internationally”

“The spiral is the age-old intuitive symbol of spiritual development and our identity with the universe. It is found in cultures the world over… As ‘re-volution’ or ‘re-evolution’, the spiral progression is symbolic of the transpersonal route to that higher level of consciousness. “ (Geoff Ward - The Pattern of Existence).

No scene setting required. God is in the place, in the kids, in the chaos, in the connection to each other and the natural environment, in the bravery to come, make new friends and be authentically who they are created to be, of accepting who others really are.  Of showing enthusiasm and actually trying one’s best because what else would you do?