Hi all. I have been busy with many things - training in
Dubbo, Gunnedah and Tamworth - I love it when a week comes together. Monday I drove over to Dubbo, I picked the
Tamworth people up from airport - the Fly in-Fly out folk love a country
gathering.The odd 'Roo on way - quintessential Australia. Add SSSSloow talking
Simon. Great time was had by all, about 50 made their way, lots of input and
heaps of ............. This is the new
way, but will it work? To keep the old,or build on the new ways.
On the road i see great views but also dry and failed crops |
What’s changing? The RMU (Rural Ministry Unit) has become
RMU 2 - made up of people with proven
vision and a willingness to change in the name of God... Supporting Scattered
Communities by connecting in a number of ways. Ruminations will go in the mail
or your Email - if you're reading this then no more drive to
the mail box, more time to pray or cook whatever.
Using Uniting Community Engagement workers to grow new ideas
of how to, without blowing the budget or your boiler, grow into a church that connects its
community.
We will be looking at
ways of connecting Ministers in the City
to Congregations. No, not happy
holidays helping you find ways of doing
worship that you all enjoy. We have
heard the pain of many with no respite -
even the Lord took time out .
Everyone spoke, some more than others (you know who you
are), feedback was good and then I ran
NENW folk back to airport then drove home with my crew - Me, myself and I. I
played up, too much coffee mat eeting in
coffee shop - was good.
Sir Ivan fire 12 months on from this picture is still a struggling Community but they still can have fun |
Gunnedah I took on
the role of team Leader. It was a Mock evacuation - Gunnedah was going under
during a "big rain" - we wish. This is part of the training we do as
Disaster Recovery Chaplains but wow the Red Cross was made up of Church people!
It often gets asked: "what’s your
mission"? nothing! and they're out
in the community helping those in moments of need. Great day .
Then onto Tamworth for "Preaching in Corinthians".
For my non-church going followers Corinth is a place mentioned in the bible
from a long time ago and a great guy named Paul who hung out with and looked
after the people. Anyway, it stated at
9.30 am and I got there at 4 pm - I had a note from "myself" - he is
the best writer of the team.
Back to Narrabri so I could preach on Sunday - what a week.
Not enough rain in storms to fill the dams but the nice cool day was great for sleeping in. Then out came the sun - I do like it warm - but not so hot you can't pick up your sunnies off the dash!
Yes thanks to the Presbytery for their care the Local church putting up with me all those wonderful people I have met along the roads .Rev. Janet Dawson who puts my head back in the right place , My wife who gives me the freedom to do this and support on those days you don't talk about . To go on is my call and thanks God for another year or more