Moderator comes to the West

Preaching at Presbytery Meeting

 How to fill five days - meet with eight Congregations, travel over 1000 kms, go to a Presbytery meeting, visit a farm, see lots of landscape, listen to many stories and enjoy much fellowship.

The Moderator of the NSW/ACT Synod took 5 days out of her busy schedule to visit congregations in the west of the of the Riverina Presbytery last week (You may remember reading about this in an earlier blog. Eight congregations were able to meet with the Rev Myung Hwa Park and talked to her about being Uniting Church in the bush.

A Traditional Cook Island welcome at Griffith

Lake Cargelligo, Tullibigeal, Barellan, Leeton, Narrandera, Hay, Griffith and Coleambally Congregations all extended a welcome to Myung Hwa and were able to share lots of stories as well as hear some of Myung Hwa's.

Morning tea at Hay

It was quite different for the Moderator to spend time with congregations who do not employ a ministry agent and are lay-lead. Many of those we visited are growing and doing very valuable things in their communities.

Window from Whitton church which has now been moved to Leeton community centre for everyone to enjoy

The other aspect that Myung Hwa found most surprising was the amount of ecumenical sharing that occurs in rural areas. Everywhere we went there were lots of examples of working with other Christian churches in communities.

Lunch with Lake Cargelligo and Tullibigeal congregation members

Saturday was spent at the Riverina Presbytery meeting and the installation of the new Chairperson, Paul Ballard. To complete the trip we were invited to the property of Jeff and Margaret King at Darlington Point to learn a bit more about farming.

Meeting an Angus calf

And of course I came home a couple of kilos heavier as the food for morning and afternoon teas, lunches and dinners was spectacular!