Australia Branch

People arrive… 142 cars!

About 400 people...

They are welcomed….

Have a look at the book-table to see what

they can get... Chat to friends...

To everyone who thought

of us,

Thank you for all your

prayers for this special

evening. May these pictures

and responses be an

encouragement to you.

Guests choosing places to sit…

The front places are already taken at

4.30pm by ones who come early to get

a good seat.

The Carols Team getting ready to start…

Microphones, tuning

instruments, checking

equipment …

Some special friends …

Theo from the Netherlands

Our neighbours the Fosket

family …

William (who had helped so

much with IT at Canaan)

with his wife and family.

A surprise visit to the

carols of our friends from

Elcho Island.

Gundj, Danganbarr and

her husband with friends .

Elizabeth Hall with friend,

Michael Hall …

John and Margaret Hall.

The Webster family

(Brett our builder his wife

Brooke, and Luke and James).

With Sr Joanna as the

‘Shepherd team’.

Jai Rowell (NSW Parliament) and

Judy Hannan (Wollondilly Shire Council) share

Christmas greetings with everyone present.

Everyone focused on the child Jesus.

A Canaan Friend who has

been to many carols says

Sister Dominica was the

best ‘Gabriel’ she has seen.

A few responses from the evening:

- a very safe place to bring friends, this is not ‘entertainment’.

- every year a little bit different, even though it is the same

story.

- I really liked John’s introduction about ‘enlightenment’; how

new information of truth causes us to change.

- Í have been to many church Carols and school Carols, but I

have never seen a play like this anywhere else.

- ‘the penny dropped when I heard the ‘hallelujah chorus’

when Mary and Joseph came out with the baby Jesus. It was

then I understood what the piece is about. [this person had heard it a

few days before in Sydney at a concert in the Town Hall]

- I wouldn’t miss it [the Carols] - superb

- the Hallelujah Chorus [when Jesus is presented] was a very powerful

moment

Franz took especial gentle care of a child with disability as ’Joseph’

Laurie Boardman and

Naomi Butcher

singing a duet

‘Be Thou my vision’

Jai Rowell (State Member

of Parliament) asked to be

told when the carols

would be next year, as he

wants to come again. Heidi (who played Mary)

was especially touched by

the depth of worship

around the manger with

the song ‘O come let us

adore Him’.

The chapel is turned into a Costume area...

Angels, shepherds

and kings all getting ready

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!