Melbourne Haze

We are not sure just how compromised we are breathing the smoky air. What is concerningly evident is the continual haze blanketing the sky. We are told that a good rain shower will wash it away and until then this is what we are experiencing. Every attempt has been made to match the pictures taken with the real colour and tone as seen with our eyes. The bushfire season is expected to last a few more months yet so this does not bode well.

Gembrook Meeting Hut

It was wonderful to make it to Gembrook Retreat and help a little. The present project is to save the Lower Hut by mostly rebuilding it to cater for a groups up to twenty (at least for meetings). Peter helped wire up (12 volt) and paint, while Barb got into cleaning the windows. The view outside was worth Barb's effort.

Leap of Faith

Tallarook kids had a camp recently and one of the activities was the "Leap of Faith". This involved climbing a pole to a ledge about 15 metres up and springing off this ledge to touch the hanging rubber ball. To make the climb and simply step off was brave enough. Not every student had to resolve to do this. Some decided half way was enough and swung out from that point to be lowered down by the safety line. This is a particularly good activity for teenagers and not so much for ten year olds. Students were affirmed to have given it a go.

School Athletics

As part of the Whittlesea Primary School Athletics Carnival the staff also raced, the last race of the day. Peter was somewhere in the middle of the pack. He is not as fast as he used to be for obvious reasons.

2019 Tesselaar KaBloom Day

We had the good fortune to hear about this event at the Tesselaar flower gardens, Silvan (east of Melbourne). The last time we visited the place was blooming with tulips, now it was full of Snapdragons, Marigolds, Zinnias, Cosmos, Dahlias, Sparkler Roses and the rest. We brought our lunch but we could have bought any amount of food there. Good friends joined us so it was a bit of a party and there were activities for kids. There were loads of families visiting from all ethnic groups. There were quite a few merchandising shops for any amount of souvenirs. The day was absolutely perfect for us as an excursion goes, but care a thought for the farmers waiting for some drenching rain.

Good-bye Mill Park Baptist Church

This is a reflective/memory because we have officially left Mill Park Baptist Church. We have pieced together some photographic memories of our 25 years being a part of this faith community. The pictures are roughly chronological starting with an amazing picture of how the church looked when we first started going there, even while still living in Brunswick! That was all it was - a "quick build" structure that popped up on one wet weekend half a year before we rocked up. The children, especially in the early snaps are a grown up now. The river of time never stops. We were involved in all the programs below, especially Children's Church, and many others that we don't have pictures of. We have moved our energies into a Mill Park Anglican Church 'plant'. It might seem like we are setting up in competition! when in fact we are exploring what God would have us do next. After all, it really is God's mission and our theology must always hold on to that fact.

Early Christmas service

Money raising success for Tear Fund

Building the auditorium as a faith community. Peter down seven foot holes.

Peter involved in the wall fittings.

Memory of a fall off scaffolding. Prayer challenges very real.

All Age service in the new building.

Children's Church in the original building.

Children's Church small groups

In front of the adults.

Craft fun.

Godly Play flavour

Lighting the Advent Candles

Christmas service

2009 Children's Church

Team challenges.

Holiday colour in sheets more often original drawings.

Peter leading a Godly Play story

Peter telling the Joseph story with camera putting the action on the big screen for the adults.

Building and car park finished, the car park costing a huge chunk.

Some Godly Play shepherds and their sheep. Can you see the wolf?

Zone wider children's ministry.

Youth Group hunt the leader at Greensborough. Who might this be?

Men's Bible Study Group supporting faithful men.

Men's Bible Study Group Christmas meal.

Kids Hope excursion to the Melbourne Zoo.

Supporting the Whittlesea City Council Community Christmas Carols.

Stations of the Cross through young eyes.

Our going away afternoon tea, a relatively private affair.