Dear Friends of the Chapel,
While taking a walk in Bondi one evening recently I unsuspectingly stumbled upon three of our Norman Andrews House men settled in for the evening, sheltered from the cold under the awning of one of the local landmarks. They hadn’t yet hit the hay and were sitting up reading the bible together and discussing some of the deeper issues of life. I felt pretty honoured to have be included in the conversation. These were all single men in their 40’s and 50’s, all sleeping it rough, all sharing friendship and time in their common experience of the struggles of life. One of them told his story of how as a teenager he had spent time “in jouvie”, and his grandparents who were raising him, thought it would be a good idea to send him back to his Eastern Bloc country of heritage to stay with relatives and get his act together. Unfortunately his relatives didn’t share his grandparent's desire for him to straighten out, and when he came home to Australia he was in more of a mess than when he had left. He shared how he went on from his miss-spent youth to spend significant periods behind bars as an adult on three different occasions. As we sat around the table he told of how on his last trip to prison he had encountered Christian chaplains and inmates, and he came back to life this time with a resolve not just to never again darken the corridors of the “Lithgow mansion”, but to finally really live life, and do it well. There was agreement around the table that the bible held answers to living life more fully.
At our 3pm service one Sunday we were discussing welcome and generosity, and there was consensus around the room that just because someone may not have a lot of money or possessions, it doesn’t stop them from being generous of spirit. In the short time I have been here I would have to say that this conclusion has been proven over and over, with many of the 'poor' of Bondi offering the most generous of welcomes and a warmth of spirit.
Last week we farewelled Liz Steed, the Director of our Iluka Long Day Care Centre, after 37 years of faithful service. There are hundreds of children who have grown up around Bondi knowing Liz's love and care - she will be much-missed and we thank her for her dedication and commitment over so many years to so many children! For those who knew her, Liz will be taking a bit of a break before entering the next stage of her working life.
Peace and blessings,
Rev. Graham Anson
Minister in Supply
[email protected]
While taking a walk in Bondi one evening recently I unsuspectingly stumbled upon three of our Norman Andrews House men settled in for the evening, sheltered from the cold under the awning of one of the local landmarks. They hadn’t yet hit the hay and were sitting up reading the bible together and discussing some of the deeper issues of life. I felt pretty honoured to have be included in the conversation. These were all single men in their 40’s and 50’s, all sleeping it rough, all sharing friendship and time in their common experience of the struggles of life. One of them told his story of how as a teenager he had spent time “in jouvie”, and his grandparents who were raising him, thought it would be a good idea to send him back to his Eastern Bloc country of heritage to stay with relatives and get his act together. Unfortunately his relatives didn’t share his grandparent's desire for him to straighten out, and when he came home to Australia he was in more of a mess than when he had left. He shared how he went on from his miss-spent youth to spend significant periods behind bars as an adult on three different occasions. As we sat around the table he told of how on his last trip to prison he had encountered Christian chaplains and inmates, and he came back to life this time with a resolve not just to never again darken the corridors of the “Lithgow mansion”, but to finally really live life, and do it well. There was agreement around the table that the bible held answers to living life more fully.
At our 3pm service one Sunday we were discussing welcome and generosity, and there was consensus around the room that just because someone may not have a lot of money or possessions, it doesn’t stop them from being generous of spirit. In the short time I have been here I would have to say that this conclusion has been proven over and over, with many of the 'poor' of Bondi offering the most generous of welcomes and a warmth of spirit.
Last week we farewelled Liz Steed, the Director of our Iluka Long Day Care Centre, after 37 years of faithful service. There are hundreds of children who have grown up around Bondi knowing Liz's love and care - she will be much-missed and we thank her for her dedication and commitment over so many years to so many children! For those who knew her, Liz will be taking a bit of a break before entering the next stage of her working life.
Peace and blessings,
Rev. Graham Anson
Minister in Supply
[email protected]