Rural Chaplains Gather

The Rural Chaplains of NSW Network meets twice a year (my editor, Sue, tells me that the correct word is “biannually” but I can never remember if that is every 6 months or every two years!) in different places, and this time we were hosted by the Salvation Army Rural Chaplains in West Wyalong. There were chaplains from the Salvation Army, the Anglican Church, the Catholic Church and of course, the Uniting Church.

These meetings are always great times of fellowship, sharing and developing ways we can work together. This time we had a focus on natural disasters and how we can coordinate recovery and pastoral efforts across the denominations. We had sessions with the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and the Rural Fire Service that helped to broaden our understanding of how the various systems work and how Chaplains can be effective at these times. We also talked about where various denominations were putting their efforts after the fires in January, places that are not currently being covered and how we could coordinate what we were doing

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As always I came away from the meeting praising God for faithful people from all the denominations who are as passionate about those living in the bush as I am, and who are just as committed to be the People of God in whatever places we find ourselves.

Nolene and Les Barrass, Salvation Army Rural Chaplains based in West Wyalong

Phill - Our new Rural Chaplain!

New Rural Chaplain -Phill  Matthews

I am the new Rural Chaplain my name is Phillip Matthews, I prefer Phill; I started as a Rural Chaplain based in Narrabri this month. Big thanks to the folks of Narrabri for making us so welcome.

 So who am I?

I was born in the North East of England. I came to Australia with my family in 1968 when I was 16.

My wife, Lyn, and I have 2 children, and 5 wonderful grandchildren (2 boys & 3 girls) and they all live in the Campbelltown area. We also have a faithful dog, BJ, a Blue healer cross who chose us on a holiday to Forster 9 years ago.

Pre-church I worked as a stockman on piggeries did tractor driving and fencing/clearing. I owned a trucking company, mainly selling soft drinks and a bit of general carrying. This was in the Young district. I returned to Sydney to take up Youth Work in the Campbelltown suburb of Claymore in a Community Youth Centre, then I became the co-ordinator of a Youth refuge sponsored by the Uniting Church, from 1986-1996.

In this time I took on “tent-maker ministry” in Claymore as part of “Parish on the Way”, made up of 2 house based churches. In 1996 I moved into fulltime ministry with “Parish on the Way” and with Airds High School as South West Community Youth Worker, as Chaplains had been stopped in public schools. (They came back in 3 months after I finished this ministry in 2006). This time was split between community ministry and youth work. We had a Dept of Housing house as our base and church. We ran a Kids club of 18 children, Youth group with varying numbers, plus did 8 camps a year and 4 school conferences, as well as Baptisms and weddings, most in the great outdoors.

I have been working with a joint Placement on the Mid North Coast at Nabiac and Hallidays Point Uniting Churches for 7 years. This was a mixture of Rural and Coastal communities, the latter with a high tourist turnover and retirement villages. Also for the last the 4 years I have been the Southern Zone Presbytery Minister for the Mid North Coast; this had me working with a number of Congregations seeking their way forward in these exciting times. I did mission planning Pastor Assessments and trained to present Safe Church workshops as well as the normal Presbytery business of  PRC Standing Committee .

  I have been in ministry since 1974 – as youth group leader, elder, a Partner in Mission, a Lay Pastor; then I became a Minister of the Word in 2008 through the transition process. This was an affirming move by the Synod and my presbyteries.  I have been in churches in Blacktown - Lalor Park, Yeoval, Young, Campbelltown, Claymore, Rosemeadow, Airds High school and Nabiac - Hallidays Point .

Why am I a Rural Chaplain?

As Paul Creek read out the profile at ACOMP (of which I was also a member), I heard the call of God to this placement. I spoke to Lyn in the break and she affirmed it sounded like my kind of placement, and she was willing to go if called.  Over the next months, in conversations with the RMU, JNC members, Dorothy Creek and Julie Greig, the Rural Chaplain, my understanding and also call were affirmed.

On the job- Phill and Julie deep in discussion with UnitingCare Community Development officer,Corrina.

I have a love for hearing people’s stories and walking with those on the margins of community and the church. I believe in building links with church and community. I have had, over many years, come to see my gift in connecting with people in real ways and connecting the gospel to those who feel they do not fit in the mould of the main stream churches. This has been affirmed in many ways .

My background has given me many gifts and experiences that I believe equip me for this role. I love to travel and Lyn and I are used to being in different places, often for a couple of weeks at a time.  So with that, and my background in Rural and Community work, the wisdom of the RMU and a good GPS ( God Prayer Service ) I look forward to meeting the challenges and  to building some good friendships and strong networks.  I will be inducted into the placement on 23^rd March at Narrabri UCA at 2pm.

 Oh yes, I love “real” Coffee, so you will probably find me checking out the local coffee shops in your area.  

What am I not good at? Using punctuation and spelling. But I do ask for help (yes, I asked this time)

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Shalom

Rev Phill Matthews

Rural Chaplain  0418627875

 0267922971 madpom52 @gmail.com

* Julie and Sue welcome Phill to the work of the Rural Chaplain and look forward to working with him. Sue especially, is looking forward to some coffee times! (We don't let Julie have coffee. She's too active as it is!- No -just joking!)

Response to Disaster Situations -What is the best thing to do?

This year started with bushfires.

Photo courtesy U.C Insight magazine

 During January Julie was responsible for the Disaster Response co-ordination, as the usual incumbent in that job took a well earned rest. She had hoped for a quiet time but it wasn't to be. A good season followed by a hot summer had its consequences. Fires broke out in Coonabarabran and surrounding areas,as well as near Sydney, in Victoria and Tasmania.
Julie's job was to co-ordinate the best response to assist people affected in Western NSW. This meant sending in teams of chaplains,trained for the job and mobilising and supporting the local support agencies, community organisations and churches as they worked to assist people affected by the fires.

Coonabarabran Chaplains -Photo from UC Assembly.

 While the Uniting Church offers a raft of assistance during crisis situations individuals and church congregations are often not quite sure what is the best response they might give to a crisis such as a fire or flood.

Here are a few brief guidelines on what you can do to help.

1) Before a crisis
      -Make sure your presbytery has a Disaster Contact Person who has a list of resources and contacts to be called on if the need arises.

2) During and immediately after a crisis churches can:-
     - Call on a Synod trained Peer Supporter to assist your congregation
     - Provide accommodation and facilities for evacutation centres and be on the Recovery Committee to        keep local churches informed about community needs
     - Let people know of church services available in town           
     - Provide kids activities

3) In the Short term -
     -Apply to Synod for support funds to assist in supporting the congregation in supporting the community and for food and school help funds
     -Organise community recovery education, pastoral visitors practical help and ecumenical services to provide spiritual support to those recovering from loss.
     - Keep an eye on the kids and make sure they have something to do while everyone else is so busy.
     -ALWAYS donate cash only.Goods provide logistical problems for recovery teams.

Goods only create problems-Always donate cash *

 4) In the Longer term -
        Communities often feel abandoned after the initial crisis and assistance period is over and    they can find it of takes a long time to recover. On-going support is required.
      -Organise community events,community projects, plant days to replenish gardens and holidays to give people a break and some enjoyment
      - Again- how can you help the children with the changes which have occurred, which may include loss of friends form the area?
      -Ecumenical services of commemoration can be helpful -focus on looking forward and beware of retraumatising by focusing on the pain of the loss.

Each community is different and what works in one place may not work in another but it is hoped that these ideas will give you some ideas of where to start. (For a more detailed outline, provide your email contact through the blog so we can send one to your congregation.)

* Image courtesy of the Colonnade Paper -Georgia college and State University - Photo by Manoj Kunici This pile clothes and goods was donated after Hurricane Sandy in the USA but Australian agencies report similar problems.

   

Yoga For Seniors in Hillston

A new activity is now available in Hillston. Jenny Jones, the yoga teacher, has started a new class for Seniors. Having attended Jenny's yoga class herself, enjoying it and thinking of activities which would benefit the many older people in Hillston, Julie had the idea of a yoga class for seniors.

The ladies gather before the class.

She spoke with Jenny Jones to see  if it was possible and then with Jenny Rose and Hillston church members to see if the church wanted to be involved in sponsoring it as a service to the community. All thought it a great idea.The next step was to apply to Unitingcare for the Aged for a grant and once this was achieved, the program was up and running.

 The program and exercises are specially designed for the over 55’s, or even the over 75’s! Anyone over 55, male or female, who wants to attend, is welcome to join the class.There is no charge due to the grant and the Uniting Church congregation also provides morning tea free of charge.

Yoga aims to improve balance and breathing as well as posture and flexibility. The aims of the Seniors classes remain the same, even though the program is modified. Instead of getting down on the floor, participants sit, or hold onto a chair, and the movements are gentle and slow. Jenny is very mindful of how each person is managing at all times and encourages the group not to compare one with the other as everyone has different capabilities and are of different ages.

Jenny assists a class member in a balance exercise.

Nine people attended the first class of 20 classes, held at the church hall and most stayed for morning tea afterwards. Everyone enjoyed it and managed very well with Jenny's gentle approach and encouragement.

The next week Jenny added some floor-relaxation work into the session for those who could do it. 16 people attended that class -so the word had got around! The third week also had 16 participants,including one man who thought he'd give it a go.

Next week ?

Who knows? 

Will we need a bigger hall?

Two Special Ladies - Part Two - Ruby

 Behind us, Weilmoringle.

Ahead of us, in the village of Enngonia, an hour and a half down this road, was Ruby.

Julie was particularly keen for us to meet Ruby, as on a previous visit she had called Julie inside as Julie passed her house in the village and showed Julie the emu eggs she carves.

Ruby and Julie on Julie's first visit.

Ruby is very proud of her eggs and is working on carving a special one for each member of her family. She keeps them carefully in the blue container you can see on the table. Each one has a unique design made just for that particular person but is based on traditional designs handed down from past. 

Each egg is designed for the person who will receive it.

She may look shy in the photo but Ruby loves having visitors and says it is rather quiet in Enngonia otherwise. Ruby made us most welcome the day we were there, providing us with a cool drink, a tour of her family photos and information about the local natural area  She has a lot of knowledge about special spots to go to, particularly good places to camp,where the local people still gather as they have for generations.

We only met her for about an hour but felt we were friends already.

Two Special Ladies - Part One - Josie

One of the privileges of this job is the opportunity it provides to meet new people and to experience different places. On recent trips to Enngonia and Weilmoringle we met up again with two ladies well known to Julie - Josie and Ruby.

        Josie, you have met before. She lives in Weilmoringle in a house at one end of the small village. Earlier in the year Julie and Josie had met up at the tennis,drumming and preschool community day held in June and she was the inspiration behind the Book Buddies project through her discussions about pre-school.

Josie ,in a familiar role,surrounded by kids.

 Josie, a retired teachers- aid, runs a playgroup and at the community progress meetings in Weilmoringle had been pressing for a preschool to better prepare children and families for school. This is where Julie met Josie and now they work side by side; Julie to bring expertise, ideas and make contacts and Josie; living and working each day within her community, having ideas and advising on local context, to improve opportunities for the people of Weilmoringle. 

Weilmoringle Primary school and playground

After the Book Buddies day we had dinner in the teacher house near the school where we were staying for the night. Josie and her sisters were invited to share a meal with us. We had a wonderful time and talked freely of many things. We felt we had the privilege to glimpse something of the perspective of women descended from a very ancient culture,where the people love the land and understand it well. 

As they talked that night of the land and life in the village, it reminded those there, who had visited in June, of the time Josie took a small group to see the scar tree. What started as a walk with a mission in mind became an interesting journey as Josie explained aspects of the land to the visitors. She talked about the uses of various plants and pointed out significant landmarks. She knew the area in great detail and shared aspects of her knowledge with her visitors. 

It was a very special time, one of those which stays in your memory, as they saw the land through new eyes.

Behind the Scenes of the Book Buddies Project

For some time Julie has been visiting the isolated north-western community of Weilmoringle. She is now friends with Josie, who is one of the elders there. Josie has a vision for her community, which involves improved relationships and more education for community members. 

Josie in a familiar role,surrounded by kids.

Their discussions led to a realisation of the lack of availability of books in the village. (The closest book shop is Dubbo, 4-5 hours away) Books in homes lead to reading and familiarity with books. This all helps with building relationships at home as adults and children enjoy doing something together, and with pre-literacy, as part of getting ready for school.

This led to the idea of a joint project between the Uniting Church Rural Chaplaincy and a larger city institution,church or school, which could partner Weilmoringle and provide books to the children in the village several times a year.

Mosman Preparatory School for Boys in Sydney heard of the project and was keen to get involved.They saw opportunities to make a difference in Weilmoringle and to benefit the students at their own school as well.

Meredith with her library class at Mosman Prep.

Mosman Prep donated money to supply the books and will continue to do this 3-4 times each year to keep up a constant supply of books to the community. In addition, they funded the school librarian, Meredith Ryals, to visit for 3 days, which she did, giving up her holiday time to do so.

Meredith of Mosman

And so it was that  Meredith of Mosman, found herself in Weilmoringle in December last year at the first Book Buddies launch, * accompanied by Sue and Julie, who introduced her to the school and the community. She looks forward to many more such visits and realises that her students will benefit just a much as the Weil. kids from the association. 

                                              Thank you, Mosman Prep for your generosity.    

  

* See December 20th, 2012 blog - Book Buddies in Weilmoringle, Apologies to Banjo Patterson.