Prayer throughout the month

Yesterday we started something new at Healesville (well...new for Healesville but blatently pinched from Mooroolbark!!)

Once a month the congregation members will select a name of another member of the congregation and pray for them during the month. I recommend people stick the name on their fridge - that way they are sure to see it several times a day!

There was a real buzz in the hall as people hugged each other and told them they would pray. It was good seeing some people with fractured relationships re-connect with eachother - all over prayer!

Hopefully this will be an important part of our community in the months to come. If you ever visit Healesville on the last Sunday of the month you will know whats going on now!

Safari Trek School Holiday Program

The Salvation Army Healesville presents "Safari Trek" - a school holiday program that is sure to be on the wild side! Come along for "the mane event", critter crafts, watering hole snacks, jungle faces and wild games! If you enjoyed Power Lab, you will love Safari Trek!

Running 9:00 am to 1:00 pm each day from Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 September 2008 at The Salvation Army Healesville - 114 Maroondah Highway. Cost is $5 per child each day, or $10 for all three days. Includes morning tea - finishes in time for you to have lunch with your children!

For more information phone Graeme on (03) 5962 4826, collect a registration form from your prischool office, or download at www.salvationarmy.org.au/healesville

PS> I think I am crazy...but we have the youth leaders from Ringwood Corps coming to run this program!

Winter sleepout

Last night I took part in the Shire of Yarra Range's Winter Sleepout - in aid of Anchor Community Care. For me, however, there was no sleep!!!

The night kicked off with a quiz about homelessness issues. The young people had to respond as to whether they agreed, disagreed or were unsure about a number of statements. How would you respond to the following:

• Young people living in lead tenant housing have more freedoms then at home
• It is cheaper to live in a caravan then rent a house
• Young people who are homeless get lots of money from the government

In reality, people living in lead tenant housing have less freedoms then living at home - they have a curfew every night, they need special permission to stay over at a friends, they cannot have friends stay at their place.

A one bedroom house costs around $230 per week to rent. A caravan can cost $270 per week in a caravan park.

Anchor's research shows that after the purchase of essential items, homeless young people are usually need to spend $30 over what their government allowance gives them - they are constantly behind.

Youth homelessness is an issue in the Shire. This night did a great job to raise the awareness of the young people of the issues surrounding homelessness. A short video clip of a young person from the local community was shown - a very powerful and real story, with images that relate to the young people in the area.

Oh - as well we had sumo suits, bungee run, food (including me taking my coffee machine for 1, 3 & 5 am caffeine shots!), and some movies. We watched August Rush and The Pursuit of Happiness. Man - these are great movies - esp TPoH - when you have a night about homelessness. Very moving movie.

Anyway...I have had far too little sleep, but I need to do something this arvo so that I can sleep tonight! Make a difference to a young person experiencing homelessness - donate money to Anchor or the Salvos to care for people.

mainly music

On Wednesday we held our third mainly music session. The aim of mainly music is to provide an environment where preschool children develop skills to enhance their preschool education, through the use of music, rhythm, rhyme, and other music related activities with the participation of a parent or primary caregiver.Each week, parents and caregivers bring their children for a thirty minute session of music, rhyme, movement, listening and more. The adults must participate in the session, and in fact, it is vital that they do so, because this encourages the children to enter into the actions and singing.

At this session, adults and children are given morning tea. This allows time for children to enjoy each others company, and to develop social skills. It also allows those adults who don’t have a wide circle of friends to be introduced to others who have preschoolers and they are therefore able to “learn” from each other.

At present, there are no families with young children attending worship services at Healesville. Commencing mainly music is one way that we can connect with families in Healesville (and wider - we have mums coming from the Upper Yarra too!).

I'm the computer operator - with PowerPoint and iTunes used each week. As soon as I can train someone else to do this, I will hand over the baton, and hopefully will see not only leaders develop, but allow myself to do other things!

Ever hapenned to you?

It's bad when it's your own phone!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

I enjoyed a chilly afternoon in the snow this afternoon!!! This is the yard at my sister's place in Toolangi. There was snow everywhere! It was amazing to drive up to Toolangi through the tall gum trees with snowflakes glistening in the sun as the floated gently down.

While it didn't snow in Healesville, it certainly did close by - and it felt cold enough! Might be worth leaving the heater on low tonight, I think it will be cold!

Back to the grind of study

I am so excited! There is a light at the end of a six year long tunnel!

Today I commenced my final unit of study in my Bachelor of Ministry degree. It's been a long journey, but well worth it.

My final unit is Exegesis - which is the analysis and exploration of biblical texts. It's a pretty full-on unit, with a large amount of out-of-classroom work. I thought I would be a diligent student and went to the IB this afternoon for a coffee as motivation to do my first lot of reading. It worked!

So, one week down...13 to go...not that I'm counting ;)