Don's Blog

Hi all.

….. and weren’t we impressed with the presence, gifts and abilities of our Penrhos College families last week? Again I received many positive comments after the service, many who are grateful for the connection we have with them. I only had two mothers this year approach me saying that I conducted their weddings!!

On Tuesday morning around 60 people gathered to farewell Mavis Scadden at her funeral service. It had a good feel as we remembered her life, gave thanks and committed her into the hands of God. It is hard to condense 101 years of life into a few minutes but Rev Geoff Blyth gave us a very good picture of her life, loves and faith. We will continue to offer our support and prayers for Laurel and Jill as they readjust to life without their mother. Below are more details regarding a special celebration we will have at Wesley Church.

Every Wednesday a group calling themselves “Perth Prayer” meets in the UCIC Centre. They have been meeting every Wednesday since June last year and on 23^rd June they celebrated their first anniversary. They represent a broad spectrum of Christian denominations having grown slowly to about 30 people with weekly attendance averaging between 10 and 20.

During the 45 minutes they spend together there is a focus on sharing, prayer and a commitment to Christian Love, Unity and Humility. From time to time I am able to attend and I always find warmth and welcome that allows me to feel comfortable to be with them. It is a very gentle group and I always hear the heartfelt compassion and desire from the group that they might be a blessing to other people who work in the city.

This Wednesday a young man shared his story about working in South Africa, where he shared his music with thousands of people listening. He then sang for a song, “Heal this land”. As he sang my mind drifted to the land, the people, the politics, the church and his song became a prayer.

May we always be reminded to offer and participate in healing, as we are able.

Thanks for reading

Don

Don's Blog

Hi all.

The week started like any other normal week, thinking about next Sunday, some planning for future events, etc, etc…… and then the news came that our wonderful Mavis Scaddan had died.
Mavis has been a very faithful member of the congregation for many, many years and although she found it hard to get around, she still managed a smile and was willing to speak with any one who wanted to talk with her.

Some of you may remember that I did a video interview with her on the occasion of her 100th Birthday. I went to her home and we filmed for quite a while with me asking lots of questions and sometimes receiving some very frank answers. I remember asking what she would like now that she reached 100 years of age and as quick as ever she replied. “I would like to die now”. I was a bit taken aback at first but then came to realise she was struggling with feeling that she couldn’t do anything and several of her friends had died many years before.

We will not forget her and we now have a wonderful photograph of her, taken by the West Australian, at last years Good Friday service. We will find a place for it in the Church.

Our prayers and thoughts are with Laurel and Jill as they re-adjust to their Mother not being with them. I know they will appreciate the support that will be given to them at this time.

As many of you know the Funeral is to be held at 10.30am on Tuesday 22nd at the Purslowe Funeral Chapel, 289 Albany Highway, Victoria Park.

We will in the next week think about what we might like to do as a congregation to remember and celebrate Mavis’s life and I will let you know as soon as possible, what that might be.
Life is fragile sometimes and in the midst of it, we again turn to our loving God to support us and guide us, keeping us on that “Walk in the Way of Love.”

Thanks for reading
Don

Don's Blog

Hi all.
The Stations exhibition is over, the pews are back and I guess there is the sense of being ‘normal’ again at Wesley.

Unfortunately, the cold/flu that I managed to keep at bay over Easter finally claimed my attention and I gave into it taking a couple of days off work, visiting the doctor and re-entering the world of antibiotics. I am now on the mend.
When I returned to work, the “Comments Book” was on my desk and I began to read.

So many comments….. “Brilliant”, “Truly an inspiration”, “Excellent”, “Awesome”, “through provoking”, “Moving interpretation”, “Made Easter complete for me” ….. and many many more. What was also interesting that of the huge number of visitors that came to see the exhibition a significant number were those visiting Perth from other states and countries.

Some of the paintings have gone to very good homes including ‘The Crucifixion’ by Norma McDonald, our indigenous artist, whose work was purchased by the Synod.

And now is it back to normal? I don’t think so. We take a deep breath and continue the journey of being a witness to the story of Jesus to the people of Perth in other ways. Those ways will continue to emerge, as we remain faithful.

A huge thanks to all the volunteers and staff who gave so much of their time and energy to the Stations of the Cross Art Exhibition. The Comments Book reflects the quality of the work we presented this year but also acknowledges the generosity of those who helped in the many and varied ways. A special thank you to those who were either a ‘presence’ or a ‘tour guide’. In listening to some of the conversations, we were able to achieve so much. Also my deep appreciation to Rev Lee Edwards for coordinating this group.

So a big thank you from me for all your assistance and support. My hope is that we will all get together soon to reflect and debrief from the exhibition and I look forward to hearing more of the stories.
Thanks for reading
Don

Don's Blog

Hi all.

What an amazing opening night. So many people, such a good atmosphere and a wonderful opening speech by Rev Tom Wilson. I have had so many great comments from those who attended, in particular the artists.
It has been wonderful going down to the church every day and sitting with the volunteers and from time to time showing people around the artworks. I have enjoyed immensely the sharing with individuals and groups and engaging in conversations around the themes and interpretations of the Stations. The comments book has been used extensively, and I am yet to see a negative comment. “Stunning, moving, a new interpretation”, and many other positive comments have added to the feeling that this is a good exhibition.
One interesting comment from a member of the congregation – ‘why can’t we do something like this all the time?’
This is a good and thoughtful question that makes me wonder how we can continue telling and witnessing to the story in the same powerful, imaginative way. How can we share in conversation and connection with those who flow by and come into our church? We managed to do something at Advent/Christmas and now at Easter, and now we need to wonder how we can do something more continuously. At this point in time, all suggestions greatly received
Another comment I have heard quite strongly during the week is how wonderful the church space looks. “It is a welcoming warm space”, “it lends itself to being flexible for worship and other events” I am finding it hard to ignore these comments.
Let me conclude by sharing the poem I wrote and shared with the congregation on Sunday. Titled “I Sit”

I sit,
A church,
Art all around,
The journey to the Cross
Painful, overwhelming, gutsy
Artist’s souls in these works
Their gift creating a blessing for us.

I sit
Voices, Conversations,
People sharing their journey,
Listening, hearing,
Lives touching lives.

I sit
I wonder at this journey
Struggle, hardship, pain and yet…
In the watching, in the gift, in the conversations
I see life…
And life out of death is good.

Thanks for Reading.
Don

Don's Blog

Hi all.

What a week around Wesley. The pews are out, the chairs are in, and the artworks arrived, their arrivals staggered to let Catherine our curator put them in position. The last one arrived today and as I write, they are nearly all in position. To see them in the flesh, so to speak, reinforces the powerful interpretations they offer on Jesus’ journey to the cross.

A friend of mine said last week. Often in church, we think we hold all the truth about Jesus, sometimes keeping it to ourselves, locking it up in the way we talk about or don’t talk about the bible. But when we give the Jesus story to artists and ask them to share their reflections they offer us a truth that we may have not seen before. They open up the story in a new way for us.

As I have wandered around each of the artworks this week, I listened to the personal stories of some of the artists as they engaged the work, as they let the Jesus story make an impact on them. It has been quite moving to hear these stories. I gained many new insights that I had not thought about before. My hope is that you too will find something new that will make an impact and be and encouragement as we travel this faith journey together. After all, as the song goes, we are all in this together.

Thanks for Reading.

Don

Don's Blog

Hi all.
On Monday along with Rev Viv Larkin and Catherine Czerw our curator, I visited two more artists to see their work for the Stations exhibition. Hans Arkwveld who draws body parts for the Biology Department of UWA has produced an amazing drawing around the theme of “Jesus meets his Mother” (Station No 4). I can promise you a very thought provoking piece of art that will stimulate many a conversation. Don’t get me wrong, it is not controversial. It just has so many fine and detail images in it that you may want to visit it several times in order to discover all its intricacies.

The second artist we visited is the indigenous artist, Norma McDonald who has completed a work on Station Number 12, “Jesus is Crucified”. Once again, (will you ever tire of me saying this) I was very moved. Norma has “fused” (her word) Aboriginal culture and Christian Culture. She stated that she is a Christian and her mother was one of the children in Mogumber Mission, so she has a real connection with us. She said that in her work she wants to bring together many of the Aboriginal perceptions of life and death with Christian understandings. You will see from her work that she achieves this rather well. She offers us a very reflective piece that for me brilliantly brings out the central theme of our faith that Christ died for us all.

Can I say once again? I think you will enjoy and be moved by this exhibition.

Thanks for Reading.
Don

Sunday 14th March. Sinners and Outcasts this week. So you are all invited. Just prior to my reflection we will be watching a presentation from “Make Poverty History”

Opening night for the Stations of the Cross Art Exhibition will be 6pm Friday 26th March.
Please let Kerri know on admin@ucic.org.au or 6103 4222 if you would like to attend.

Volunteers for Stations of the Cross Art Exhibition.

We are still interested in receiving expressions of interest from those who would like to act as volunteers, either just to ‘be there’ or to be ‘Tour Guides’. The Exhibition will be open from 9am till 5pm from Saturday 27th March through to Monday 5th April.
Please contact Revd. Lee Edwards at leerev@optusnet.com.au if you are interested.

For the ‘Tour Guides’ there will be an initial briefing at 4pm, Monday 22nd February and then the final briefing in the presence of the 2010 artworks at 5pm, Thursday 25th March.

8.30am Discussion Group.

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.

STATION OF THE CROSS Art Exhibition.

Go to http://www.perthunitingchurch.com.au/viewStory/Wesley to see a list of participating artists

Don's Blog

Hi all.

I shared last week that we were to have a funeral at Wesley. It happened, and was a wonderful occasion. The church looked good, it was a good service, the eulogies were appreciated, the Tuesday Singers where outstanding and we had a wonderful morning tea afterwards. We even had some tourists come into the church while the morning tea was on, and thinking it was a normal part of church life, helped themselves to coffee and cake. It was that sort of gathering.

However, the best for me was seeing members of the family embracing each other, allowing a healing to take place. There had been some tension and there is still more healing to take place but is was so refreshing to see mother and daughters and grandson, who had not had contact for four years, embracing each other, crying together, sharing stories about their mother and grandmother, agreeing on the influence and legacy of her life. I found out after the service that they had come together the previous Friday and began to reconnect.
One of the good things that happens around Wesley.

The journey of Lent has been an interesting one for me full of the normality of church life, with meetings, preparation and pastoral situations. It has also had tension, hardship and the difficult side that life often throws at you. I am looking forward to the season of celebrating resurrection.

Thanks for Reading.
Don

Sunday 7th March.