Don Dowling's Blog

Don's Blog

Hi all.

Music that soothes the soul.

I reported last week that a small group of people from the Tongan community, mainly young people from the Beth Shalom church (a Uniting Church Tongan Congregation) would be playing brass and drum instruments outside the Church. It was a small but enjoyable group. They played some Tongan hymns (sang and played) and even a couple of Christmas Carols.

The band had been playing about half an hour and a woman came down and thanked them for the music. She had been in a dentist’s office somewhere in the mall about to have the dentist drill into one of her teeth. She started to hear the music and was so distracted that she forgot about the pain and the dentist. A True Story.

Just a reminder for some that the 8.30 service is still happening. A small group gathers, we get a ‘good’ coffee from across the road and then sit together for 45 mins and talk about the Gospel reading for the day. It's really a ‘chat with the minister' or could be seen as 'minister's corner'. It a great time for me, not only because I get a coffee to get me going but we get to think more about the reading and discuss it’s impact on us. Please feel free to join us.

Last night, Wednesday 20th, We listened to Mary Jo Meadow, Catholic Sister, Teacher of Buddhist Meditation, Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, writer and lecturer. I really enjoyed what she had to say and she is now off to leading a 9 day and 3 day retreat.

She talked a lot about “Mindful Meditation” sometimes referred to as ‘Insight Meditation’ which helps people empty themselves of thoughts and concepts that clutter the mind, including perceptions about God. She used a phrase that said. Mindful Meditation helps the ‘best get better’. My thinking is that we can use that phrase in a great many things. Our mission is always to help the best we do get better.

Thanks to those who helped out, David, Jan, Bill and Merylyn.

Mary Jo Meadow will be joining us for worship on Sunday 31^st January. Her theme that day will be “Why Meditate?”She has a great deal of wisdom and is worth a listen.

Stations of the Cross Art Exhibition.

As I know this will be upon me before I can blink an eye, can I invite those who may be interested to be volunteers during this time to let me know? There are generally two types of volunteers for this event.

Firstly, those who can just be there to keep a watchful eye on the artwork and the people who will wander through it. They will open and close the building and generally keep a count on how many people come through the doors.

Secondly, those who would like to be tour guides, that is those who are willing to take people around the exhibition and be involved in conversations that arise from that experience.

As before we will be open from 9am till 5pm from Saturday 27th March through to Monday 5th April. Please let me know via admin@ucic.org.au if you would like to be involved and in which capacity.

Thanks for reading.

Don