Another day in the 'ville

Another day catching up on admin bits and pieces. Nothing too exciting, but important stuff none the less!

Have sent all the letters regarding Red Shield. We are collecting in Healesville, Yarra Junction, and hopefully at two other well known attractions in town - just waiting for them to get back to me! Just need to fill all the collecting spots now!

This evening I invited Aunty Dot Peters over for tea. Aunty Dot is one of the Aboriginal elders that lives in town. She has asked us to host a reconcilliation services in May, which we will be doing. Am working on some other initiatives for this time - will see how we go and keep the blog posted!

Room with no Pew

Today we dedicated out new chairs - no more pews! Not too sure what the reaction was to the new chairs. No one complained...but its probably not going to happen right away.

I like this cartoon! I could go with chaise lounges! That way if the sermon is boring I can go to sleep...oh, hang on, I mean the congregation can go to sleep.

So...we have 8 pews to get rid of! If anyone wants some let me know. We are looking at selling them for $100 each - only because we need to recoup some of the cost of the chairs! Let me know if you want to make us an offer!!

ANZAC Day in Healesville

Today I participated in the Healesvile RSL ANZAC Day service - another first experience for me! I was invited to say the Lord's Prayer, and then lead the hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers".

There were over 600 people in attendance. The Healesville Salvos marched down the main street, to the cheers of onlookers. We laid a wreath - to cheers of the crowd. Actually, we got two applauds. I found this quite interesting. Not too sure why, whether its because we are well loved in town, or because of our efforts during war time, or just 'cause!

It is so good to be part of a local community like Healesville. I went to pay for our wreath at the nursery on Wednesday, and made a comment about bulbs still being available for the hall garden. The nursery man said he had something that might help us out...and I walked out of the nursery with 30 punnets of seedlings - free! I spent several hours planting them out in our garden (recently cleaned up at our working bee!). I have a blister on my hand to prove my hours of toiling! If they all survive, we will have a bit of a cottage garden, but hey - it was free!

Fingers in ears and spit in mouths

Today was my second week of Christian Education (CE) with the grade 6 classes at Healesville Primary School.

We looked at the story of Jesus healing a deaf/mute man, as recorded in Mark 7.

Today was hard going for some reason. I perhaps thought that this story would have connected better with grade 6 boys! It was school photos today, so the kids were a bit distracted.

It's school sports next week, so there's no CE class. It's a week off for me! I think next week I will introduce Splash - and some of the online features the kids can look up - need to find a way to connect with them.

Needs are growing

Tonight there were a record number of people attending Dinner at Darrons, Healesvilles weekly community dinner. (The record set was 78 for the stats people out there).

The numbers have been growing the past few weeks, and we can't explain why. There have been more families of late, with lots of kids. This creates an issue of "what do we do with the kids?". It's been interesting listening to the committee talk about "the kids should sit and eat their meal at the table". Is this imposing values upon people? Is it necessary?

I personally don't think so, but would be interested in anyone else's thoughts.

The Salvos helped kick-start this meal, with a grant to the tune of $4000. There is a new publication being released by the Shire of Yarra Ranges on Thursday, which includes the story of the meal. The publication is called "Communities Unite". Grab a copy if you can!

From little things big things grow

First Fresh Friday Munch a Success!

This week has been fantastic in Healesville!!!

Yesterday (Friday) we launched "Fresh Friday Munch", a new monthly community lunch. I wasn't expecting huge numbers initially, but in the end we had 35 people in attendance!! Virginia had done some great work spreading the news with other agencies, and was a bit like the pied piper! We ate some yummy rissoles, with fresh bread rolls and fruit - all from local businesses in town. We set up the table tennis and pool tables, which were used by several people. Down the track we might show movies in the afternoon. The area outside the back of the hall was used, which was perfect! The weather was great too.

I can't upload any pictures because we don't have permission from those in attendance - sorry :( You will just have to come along next month to see for yourself!

Tomorrow we "launch" the mission intentions - and we've created 4 very large banners - 1 for each intention - which now brighten up the main hall. We will be looking at Jesus' parable of new wine in old wineskins:

No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. Matt 9:16-18

Should be fun! All are welcome - especially if you live in Healesville!

Holy Church Mouse!!

I just got the biggest fright!

It's chilly here today, so I thought I would see if there was any milo in the hall kitchen. I open the cupboard, move a tin, and suddenly a mouse runs out.

I got the biggest fright, said something I shouldn't have, and watched as the mouse ran under the oven.

It was actually quite a cute (and very small!) mouse, however it certainly frightened me as I wasn't expecting it.

So, there was milo, however the tin was use by Sep 2006, so it's gone in the bin. Forget the milo, I want something stronger now.

Idols sing again...with Jesus

So, Idol sung the song again...this time they included "Jesus" in the words. I don't actually care that they changed the words. Just think its an interesting song for the Idols to sing.

Wow! Make over in 1 day!

The title of this entry says it all - wow! I started at the hall at 7:30 this morning with Jim, one of the guys who does gardening (insert franchise joke here), and left about 3pm this arvo with the hall gardens transformed from an awesome team of volunteers.

I don't have a digital camera (yeah, go figure!!!), but will try and get some pics during the week. Healesville hall is in a prominent location on the main highway through town. The gardens needed some TLC, and today they were weeded, plants trimmed, and 3 cubic metres of mulch layed down. We even discovered a garden bed that was hidden under some weed groundcover - with brick edging and all! Now there is mulch on the garden bed ready for some plants in the future.

We removed 8 cubic metres of rubbish!!! I had one skip ordered, and we filled it so quick that I ordered another and we filled it too!

The hall windows were washed, and now they sparkle! The piano was polished, and tuned on Friday as well, so looks and sounds great. The shed is cleaned out, with some of our pews stored in it in preparedness for our new chairs for the hall!!!

Seriously, I am EXTREMELY PROUD of all the people at Healesville. Today has been a great day. We had lots of helpers, and thanks to Jean who was concerned that due to her age and fraility she couldn't help with the working bee, so she made a cake for us for morning tea! It was a seriously good cake!

A big shout out to David H too - thanks for coming to help - really appreciated it.

I was given some freshly caught fish fillets for tea, so they are in the oven now and I am really looking forward to them! Will try and get some photos of the hall up soon - but if you are in town come and see for yourself!!! 114 Maroondah Highway, Healesville!

America's Idols "Shout to the Lord"!

Just read about this - as the closing on on American Idols "Give Back" show, the contestants sang "Shout the the Lord". While they dropped out Jesus, the rest seems the same. Interesting to see the song used on a show like this. Any thoughts from people?

Mission Opportunity in the 'ville!

This year there is the opportunity for youth to go on a mission trip to Healesville to be involved in a kids program with kids from the local community.

The kids program runs in the first week of the July school holidays (July 1st-4th).

We are looking for leaders aged 15 years old and above.

There are limited places for leaders for the week so please email richard.parker@aus.salvationarmy.org or graeme.mawson@aus.salvationarmy.org for more information.

Bring it on!

National Youth Week

This week is National Youth Week. The celebration aims to encourage young people to share ideas, attend live events, have their voices heard, showcase their talents, celebrate their contribution to the community, take part in competitions and have fun!

One of the events organised by the Shire of Yarra Ranges was a young leaders forum held tonight at Swinburne in Lilydale. The night included Tom O'Connor, Victorian director of the Oaktree Foundation. Tom presented a great message to the young people in attendance, encouraging them to find out "what turns them on", get a vision of how the world can be changed, and then do something about it! I felt encouraged and fired up after hearing Tom speak!

There were musical artists A.R.A.B (Anti-Racism Action Band) who presented beat boxing, hip hop, and rapping faster then I have ever heard before! The night also featured Pat & Brendon (who played a piano accordion!), these guys were the winners of the south-east battle of the bands. They weren't bad either.

It was great to be part of a night like this. I got to make some new connections -met our local councillor and the head of the shire's youth services).

One thing that has stuck me this week is the difference between church based youth work, and community based youth work. Some of the principles are the same, but the application can be very different! I think I want to do more study in community social work to enable me to be equipped better. Speaking of study, I have an assignment to do! I'd better stop procrastinating!

Healesville Working Bee

Come and help Healesville Salvo's working bee! There's lots of gardening to do, and the spiders have gone crazy outside.

Help make a difference to our facilities, as we prepare to launch new community initiatives that will build upon 92 years of ministry and plan for at least 92 more!

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2008
Time: 9:00am - 2:00pm
Location: The Salvation Army Healesville
Street: 114 Maroondah Highway (Corner Harker St & Maroondah Highway)
City/Town: Healesville, Australia

Free barbecue lunch!!!

Bring gardening tools, cleaning tools, and a great attitude for heaps of fun!

Advance Community Leadership @ Healesville High

Today was my first day with the year 10's doing Advance Community Leadership at Healesville High. It's been 11 years since I've been in year 10!

There are three requirements for the course:
1. Completion of a project with a community organisation
2. Completion of a First Aid Level 1 Certificate.
3. Research a leader of your choice and do either a presentation to the class or submission of an assignment on what you have discovered.

My part is working with some of the students on the project with a community organisation!

Some of the projects suggested today included breast cancer research, homelessness, breakfast program, road safety awareness, and animal cruelty.

I will be facilitating a group working on a before school breakfast program. I will know which students and how it might look in two weeks after the next class - we get next week off because of school sports.

It was a good day, and I am excited about the next twelve weeks! This is one of the reasons I wanted to work in Healesville, so I am glad I am able to get invovled in the local commununity.

Bring it on!!!

Clustering...

Here are a few thoughts borrowed from another blog - thinkchristian.net. I think the thoughts are worth noting.

When people—especially talented and creative ones—come together, ideas flow more freely, and as a result individual and aggregate talents increase exponentially: the end result amounts to more than the sum of the parts. This clustering makes each of us more productive, which in turn makes the place we inhabit even more so—and our collective creativity and economic wealth grow accordingly. This in a nutshell is the clustering force.

I’m convinced that the church’s spiritual influence capital can be increased when the artists, musicians and creatives hanging around in the church begin to cluster and create. I want to see the creative force of the people of God released in a new way. I’m becoming convinced that it is the key that unlocks the door to our next season.

In the Division, there are "clusters" for officers. While I have not attended one yet, I guess they will provide a clustering force experience as described above in relation to Christian ministry.

I'm still here!

Life is ploughing ahead here in Healesville!

Have had an interesting week so far. I invited a homeless guy for lunch after church on Sunday - he just walked into the hall just before the meeting. I made the best mushroom and bacon risotto ever - so maybe God was please that I invited him back for lunch! (What kind of God-blessing-cooking theology is that!?!) The journey continues with this guy, and I guess it's what the Salvos are all about!

Everything else seems to be going full steam ahead. We had our first "UFO" craft morning today. UFO stands for "unfinished objects", which is when people bring those craft projects that have stashed away in the cupboards and all support each other as they finish them. Hopefully this initiative, spearheaded by Pam, will connect people to the church, and ultimately Jesus.

One bad note - 10 games in a row over the last 6 years, and still St Kilda refuses to let Carlton win! I have spent way to much on Shanksy's breakfasts... This year I came to the game prepared, and had a "make it yourself" breakfast muffin ready to hand over. Resigning to the fact of another loss before the game you might say - well, technically I owed Shansy one from last year, so it was going to be needed either way! While I didn't wear the scarf, I have put the logo up here for you Shanksy!

So there's another brief life in the 'ville update. Starting to settle into a bit of a routine now, but am really looking forward to getting my assignment in for Tabor and not having to drive "down the line"!