INFO

Bi-Monthly magazine of South Woden Uniting Church Congregation

April 2015

May 2015

Regular Sunday Service

9.30 am

Pearce Community Centre Hall

Collett Place PEARCE

Website: www.southwoden.unitingchurch.org.au

The Church Council

Minister Secretary:

Phone

Phone: 6286 1057 Email; secretary@ southwoden.unitingchurch.org.au

Email:-minister@southwoden.unitingchurch.org.au

Treasurer:

Ray Lowe

Chairperson: 7 Maria Place Lyons ACT 2606

David Cran Phone: 6281 0089

4 Capel Place Email; treasurer@southwoden.unitingchurch.org.au

Fisher ACT 2611

Phone: 6288 9948 Other Members: Stephen Brand, Sue Baglow

Email:-Chairperson@southwoden.unitingchurch.org.au Carolyn Curnow, Helen Fairbrother,

Helen O’Loghlin, Joan Pratt, Stephanie Tolson

Bette Triglone, Bruce Warrington

Contact People

Worship Liaison Group Rosters Joan Palmer Ray Lowe

15 Oldham Court Swinger Hill 7 Maria Place Lyons

Phone: 6286 4615 Phone: 6281 0089

Email: j.palmer10@optusnet.com.au Email: rlowe@grapevine.com.au

Contact Group Presbytery Representative Helen Fairbrother Carolyn Curnow

17 Prescott St. Farrer 27 Araba Street Aranda

Phone: 6286 4008 Phone 6251 5357

Email: fairbrother@grapevine.com.au Email: ctweedie@pcug.org.au

Items for INFO.

Rosie and Ray Lowe

7 Maria Place Lyons

Phone: 6281 0089

Email: rlowe@grapevine.com.au

INFO is published bi-monthly in February, April, June, August, October December.

Contributions please for the April/May issue are due by 10th June 2015. .

SWUC and Privacy

The South Woden Uniting Church (SWUC) uses information and news provided by its members, adherents and

officers for purposes of conducting its pastoral ministry. In the course of that ministry, material published in this

bulletin may/will reach an audience wider than the immediate membership of the congregation.

If any source of such information or news does not wish the information they provided to be used for such purposes,

they can require and gain access to their personal information and request the information not to be used, by contacting

the editor of Info, Mr Ray Lowe, on (02) 6281 0089 or the SWUC Privacy Officer, currently Mr David Cran, on (02)

6288 9948.

If you have any queries in relation to the manner in which SWUC handles your personal information, please contact the

Privacy Officer, currently Mr David Cran.

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FROM THE COUNCIL CHAIR

I have written this a few weeks in advance of the INFO deadline, as Trish and I will be overseas on that date – so please forgive me if events have overtaken my comments.

There is little as yet to report about our search for a new minister: we have received the occasional request for our Profile, but as yet no substantive follow up. The SWUC members of the Joint Nominations Committee have met to plan and implement the next steps – more advertising and some proactive word-of-mouth investigations, using people known to us (mainly former Ministers). We have also been informally approached by Presbytery about a sharing arrangement with two other Congregations, whereby the three of us would share two Ministers. There is a lot of thought and discussion still to go into that proposal – and it is one that would be presented in full to a Congregational Meeting should it be developed. There are obviously some plus and minuses in such an arrangement, and these will need to be fully explored.

There are however, many positives, and I’ll touch on four of them.

Firstly, we have been blessed with a fantastic worship program. We have successfully tapped into the wealth of experience, skill and enthusiasm for worship and spiritual life that I’ve previously mentioned and have been supported by external preachers – Arto Avakian in January, Jean Shannon in February and Elizabeth Richardson in March. By the time this is distributed, Elizabeth Richardson will have also guided our worship over Easter. The Worship Liaison Group, and the planning groups for each season, have done a marvellous job in tying our worship program together to provide us with a continuous worship package. And that’s not to forget all the other elements that continue to contribute: worship liaison, communications and worship sheets, the musicians, the Sunday School teachers, and those who go on to rosters for everything else – flowers, set up & put away, sound, counting, readings, prayers, communion, welcomers & stewards and morning tea. I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone!

Secondly, pastoral care is still provided in the same caring and sensitive way that we are familiar with and value. Our community is looking after itself – while looking to contribute more widely, as the third positive in part tells.

Thirdly, we have been able to expand our wider work by making the Manse available to a needy asylum seeker family, initially for a six months period – which may be extended depending on the time it takes to find a new Minister – and indeed whether the new Minister wishes to live in the Manse. The family had just moved in as I wrote this missive, so I can’t report on how they’ve settled. I can, however, express my heartfelt thanks to so many in our community who came forth with contributions of furniture and food items, and who made them so welcome.\

Fourthly, as a major part of our Wider Work, this year we will again contribute to worthwhile international, national and local organisations that make a difference. The choice of these recipients is yours – please read the item elsewhere in INFO and, if you have a suggestion or a recommendation, pass it on to any member of Council.

To finish on my final point from the last INFO, the AGM is due in July – four Council members will complete their two year term – of course, they may renominate! So there is an opportunity to join Church Council and contribute to the life of our community in a role that embraces our worship and spiritual life, pastoral care and management and administration. Don’t be surprised if you’re tapped on the shoulder for a quiet conversation some time soon, but you don’t have to wait. David Cran

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WIDER WORK DONATIONS IN 2015

In the February edition of INFO, the article below was published, calling for recommendations for our Wider Work donations this year. The deadline approaches, so please put in your suggestions. We have, as usual, budgeted for donations in support of our Wider Work. The exact amount is yet to be finalised: a number of factors will be considered, including available funds, the number of proposals, future budget requirements and so on. But at this stage we look to have about the same amount to disperse – around $20,0000. Last year we donated to the following organisations:

Organisation Amount

Canberra Refugee Support Scholarships $2 200

Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital Nepal $3 000

Uniting Church Linbong NE India School $2 000

UAICC (Community Justice Group in the Gulf community of Napranum)

$1 000

Frontier Services $1 000

Technical Aid for disabled $1 000

Cancer Council Wig Service $ 540

Women with Disabilities $1 000

Leftemap Helt mo Skul Inc-Vanuatu $1 000

Companion House $1 000

Uniting Church - Early Morning Centre

Tupou College, Toloa, Tongatapu $ 500

Downs Syndrome Association $ 500

Assistance Guide Dogs $ 500

Kids Cancer Project $1 000

Australian Islamic Centre, Monash $1 000

TOTAL $17 240

In deciding where our donations will go this year we will again be guided by the following principles:

1. We will support a mix of local, national and international causes. 2. Where appropriate, we could commit to funding a particular amount for a

specified number of years (eg $3000 per year for 3 years to Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital)

3. In general, we will give preference to a cause which does not have large government or corporate support and will favour Uniting Church causes.

4. We will apply our priorities and especially social justice principles in making our decisions.

5. We will seek to support causes with which SWUC members already have a connection and look to develop our relationships with the people and causes we support.

The above guidelines were adopted by the Church Council on 12 March 2013.

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Council is seeking your recommendations for recipients for donations for this year. If you would like to propose a donation would you please complete the following proforma (it doesn’t have to be exact!) and hand/email it to a Church Council member by 19th April 2015. We will call a Congregational Meeting for the final decisions. I propose that we make a donation this year to: Organisation/Institution/Person: Because: Sponsor Name: Signed: Seconder Name: Signed Date:

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VALE -The Rev. Beth Howard.

We all knew Beth in our own way – for me and some it was through her beautiful flowers and plants – Willa and I have a few of her plants that will remind us of her – her smile – her humour . She became a Deaconess and then a Minister of the Word when we became The Uniting Church of Australia – she was known the breath of N.S.W. and probably beyond. She came to South Woden when she moved into Goodwin Village at Farrer ACT some 6 or more years maybe 7. I especially became a very good friend – but she was friends of Elaine & Peter Griffiths and also friends with members of Wesley Uniting Church and Yarralumla too. – My friendship with Beth was always flowers and she loved Open Garden Scheme Gardens which we took her to. It was a sad day when she announced that she was moving to Sydney to be closer to Bronwyn and her family. But we understood.

Willa and I still kept in touch with her - She was also a big part of the Methodist Crusader Choir and got a reunion group started up in Yass Uniting Church – every year in March we would come from all around to sing our hearts out from the Methodist Hymn Book with the Uniting Church ladies looking after us – we would congregate about 10-30 onwards at Yass with Beth welcoming us all - we of course had (or some of us had) already been to

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Parramatta to Leigh Memorial – where Crusader Choir members congregated to do the same thing in September and we would all catch up later over a cuppa. My very last visit of Beth was when she came out of hospital after having a stroke – her words to me were “You took your time – where have you been” I was blown away as I hadn’t seen her in the church –we had a lovely cuddle and then she was driven home to her new address (Arunga Nursing home) I did see her one more time at her new home for a short time and that was it. So I consider myself a very lucky lady to have had that privilege. She loved South Woden and loved how welcome we made her feel. I WOULDN’T HAVE MISSED IT FOR QUIDS!! This story came from Beth’s book “I WOULDN’T HAVE MISSED IT FOR QUIDS”

I wanted to ride a bicycle.

Staying 5 days a week with Aunty Bess at Rockcliffe so I could get to school was great, but if I could ride a bike, I could cycle the 5 miles to school and live at home. A kindly cousin set out to teach me. With his hand on the back of the bike I did brilliantly, but when he let go, I invariably fell off. So round and round the Rockcliffe woodheap we went – I quite enjoyed it. He didn’t – I think he got blisters! As always, confidence was my problem; when he was hanging on to me I was ok, but when I was on my own, things got a little wobbly. There comes an end to all things and finally, this very patient man decided he’d had enough. He opened the gate into the house yard, gave me one almighty push – and let go! It was all downhill I flashed past the house at what seem to be lightning speed, narrowly missing the gatepost and agitating the cat. Pigtails flying; feet frantically groping for the pedals: a fixed wheel meant a whack on the back of the legs at every rotation; too scared to shriek. Down the avenue of pines which seemed miles long and as steep as Bulli Pass. Not only was I out of control, I was heading directly for a closed gate. The gate was far sturdier than I was – and I couldn’t stop! The last seconds brought self-preservation – I wrenched the handlebar to the right and in a mad flurry of pine needles, I fell off. Pine needles are soft. I lay on them without injury – and finally I felt a great sense of wellbeing – I had ridden a bike! I pushed it uphill beaming, blithely unconcerned that my cousin’s face had turned a funny shade of grey. I perched my bike at the top of the hill, got back on it and did the whole thing again, I fell off several more times, but eventually I got the hang of stopping. It wasn’t long until I was riding to school. Visiting Rockcliffe years later, I looked for the steep hill – only to find the gentlest of slopes. A bit like life really, I’ve been round and round the woodheap a lot. There have been many learning experiences with many steep hills and I have fallen off a lot – but the grace of God has attended every fall. Gradually over the years, I got the hang of life and after a lifetime of loving and serving my God, I can say with gratitude – I wouldn’t have missed it for quids! Rosie Lowe.-

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For those who remember the McGhee family’s time with our congregation, Nola was in Canberra recently visiting for a few days. She sends warm greetings to friends at South Woden. She came with a friend from Perth and was combining a visit to Canberra with a trip to Sydney see Aida at Opera Under the Stars. She looked and sounded great and gave a good report on her children and grandchildren.

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A group of mums and kids from the Sunday School and the neighbourhood had a great afternoon at Mauldons on Easter Saturday.

They dyed and decorated beautiful hen eggs, made Easter baskets and had a hunt for Easter eggs. The exotic eggs decorated the worship table at church on Easter Day and after the service people in pairs cracked eggs together while saying “Christ is risen!”, “He is risen indeed!”. Willa

Report from Leftemap Helt mo Skul, Vanuatu 2014 MELIP AIDPOST PROJECT REPORT.

During the construction phase of our 2013 project, we lived in the village of Melip, which is in the remote southwest of Malakula Island. Seeing and hearing about our efforts, the villagers were very keen for us to improve their Aidpost, which had been built out of local and traditional materials – thatch roof, woven bamboo, dirt floor and flimsy bamboo framed door. There was no running water, no windows and it was

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dark, dusty, at the mercy of the weather and unhygienic. As with all our infrastructure projects the project was planned with community members, with the completed structure being managed by the Melip Aidpost Committee, and staffed by John Lenny, the village health worker who receives training and support from Save the Children Fund. Medical supplies are

funded by the Vanuatu Health Department.

The new Aidpost was sited on a concrete slab which had been the site of a dispensary built in the 1970s. There was a derelict building, which was removed and a new 2 roomed Aidpost was built, it is constructed of cement b locks and corrugated iron with local hardwood timber. A new water tank stands next to the Aidpost. As well as providing water for the Aidport, this tank will also supply drinking water for the nearby kindergarten. The project cost was around $8,000, less than our projected budget. Not surprisingly, transport of building materials was a big cost when working in remote areas. Broadly, the major areas of expenditure were building materials, shipping & transport and wages for two local carpenters.

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We must acknowledge the wonderful hospitality of the Melip community who provided us with a bungalow and cooked for us.

The Leftemap volunteers – Paul McGoldrick, Jenny Blackett-Smith and Brett Ross-Wilson – lived in Melip, and worked with community members and local builders. The Aidpost was completed and officially opened October, 2014. The Aidpost provides basic health services including testing for and treating malaria, treating common conditions such as diarrhoea, respiratory tract infections and skin ulcers.

We were delighted to hear that nurses from the nearest Health Centre (6 hours walk away) travelled to Melip in October 2014 to conduct an immunization clinic there.

We will visit Melip again in 2015 and look forward to seeing it operating and adding value and capacity to the local community.

We are very grateful to our donors, who made this work possible. All donations go directly to projects and do not pay administrative or salary costs. Leftemap volunteers fund their own travel and living expenses whilst in Vanuatu.

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This piece came from our Neighbourhood watch and it is about the CAMPBELLS OF YARRA GLEN It is about part of our Woden Valley history and thought that it was interesting enough to reprint some of it for you in INFO.

George and Nancy Campbell of Yarra Glen are the subjects of the interpretive Plaque on the corner of Groom and Carruthers Streets Curtin. There’s a photo of the small, 2-bedroom fibro-cement cottage (with caneite lining) that George bought in 1926 from a Mr. Gifford, the soldier-settler who was allocated it in the relevant ballot after World War 1. Gifford could not make a living from it. However, it was he who assigned the name Yarra Glen to the property as he came from Yarra Glen in Victoria. The Campbell’s occupied it in 1928 and the house was expanded considerably as family arrived (Robert in 1931 and Curtis in 1935). The big pine tree that stands near the Curtin overpass was in their home garden. They also built a tennis court above the homestead, just below the current St. Andrews Retirement complex.

The house initially had no phone or electricity. In order to obtain a telephone, the Campbells had to supply poles (at thirty shillings each) from the house to Westridge (now Yarralumla) Post Office. They didn’t have the money, so Nancy’s mother (who lived in Moss Vale, half-way to Sydney) paid for the poles as she could not bear the thought of not being able to speak with her daughter.

George Blomfield Campbell was born on 23 April 1894 in Sydney but spent his early childhood at Duntroon. He was the great-grandson of Robert Campbell of Duntroon. He voluntarily enlisted on 1 November 1916 as a Gunner and served with the 4th Field Artillery Brigade. He was discharged on 20 November 1919 (after doing a wool-classing course in England). Campbell also served in the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) during World War 2.

His experience with the land began at Yarralumla with the Campbell family. It was honed at age 15 when he became a jackaroo in Queensland. He was paid 15 shillings a week; of which he sent 10 shillings a week to his mother.

Mrs. Nancy Campbell had lived with her family in the Riverina but had no actual farming experience to bring to her new life. She was born Nancy Victoria Dyce Reid on 19 November 1901 in Sydney. Her ancestors were quite famous. one, Dr David Reid RN. was a surgeon in the battle of Trafalgar and later saved many convicts’ lives on the long sea voyage to Australia. He was retired after Trafalgar but brought out of retirement to accompany a convict vessel.

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He was given the power to require the captain to put into the nearest port to take on fresh produce when necessary. Voyages like that were repeated several times, eventually becoming the norm (using other surgeons); reducing the death from scurvy “to only 3%”.

Nancy Campbell was the youngest daughter of Curtis Victor Reid and his wife Ethel who were well known in country NSW. Curtis Victor Reid was the inspector of a suite of properties in west NSW for the Australian Agriculture Company. Young Nancy was brought up in a large country home with a governess, two maids, a cook and a gardener. Late in her life, she would say that her embroidery was magnificent (as was expected of a young lady of that period) but she “could not sew a patch to save herself”. She also said she could not use a fuel stove, so her husband had to teach her how to cook a chop.

George Campbell and Nancy Reid were married at All Saints Church, Sutton Forrest. That church is one of the oldest in Australia, being opened and dedicated on 10 January 1830. The first rector was rev. Thomas Hassall “the Galloping Parson” who – on horseback – serviced all of southern NSW from his rectory at Cobbity.

After the Campbell’s rural lease finished, they moved to Stonehaven Crescent, Deakin, then to Norman St. (on flatter land, as George’s mobility had become impaired}. George Campbell died 5 January 1971. Mrs. Nancy Campbell died on 22 April, 2002 (aged 100) the last of the Valley matriarchs to pass away. She spent her last years in the Brindabella Garden Hostel in Curtin, which was built on land that overlooked the property of Yarra Glen. That seems only fitting. Neville Bleakley, assisted by Curtis Campbell.

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Pentecost - The "Other" Story

Every year on Pentecost Sunday the lectionary offers the Acts 2:1-21 as the key reading for the day. This familiar story tells of the believers gathered together in Jerusalem and experiencing an unusual wind and something like tongues of fire appeared on each head. They believed these things to be signs of God's Spirit.

Everyone began to speak at once, and they realized that they could understand one another. Bystanders assumed that the disciples were drunk, but Peter pointed out that they were only under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The lectionary also provides another reading for Pentecost Sunday which often gets, understandably, overshadowed by the Acts text. This year, it is Numbers 11:24-30. The people of Israel have been journeying in the wilderness for some time, and they are getting tired and cranky. "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" they wail, pining for what they seem to recall as the "good old days." (Apparently they have had a momentary memory lapse, because their days in Egypt had been spent in slavery!)

Moses is at the point of burnout and begs God for help. God in turn responds, taking some of the spirit that rests upon Moses and parcels it out to 70 elders who are then commissioned to help provide community leadership. But a curious thing happens.

Two other men, Eldad and Medad, also receive God's Spirit. They begin to prophesy, even though they are not in the "official group." Someone immediately tried to stop them and ran to Moses with great concern. Moses, however, was not worried.

"I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets," Moses said, "and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them" (Numbers 11:29b, TNIV). Something similar happens at Pentecost - God's Spirit comes to all people: men and women, boys and girls, slaves and free, young and old. May we recognize and celebrate the Spirit of God moving and working in our midst today.

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Try and Catch the Wind This was the title of a song sung decades ago by Donovan: "Ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind." Written as a love song it reflects the longing for the beloved and the joy of being together, but also the elusive element that refuses to be captured or contained. I find it appropriate to describe life in the Spirit.

The wind, as Jesus told Nicodemus, blows where it will. (John 3:8) It chooses where it will go. We cannot control it or pre-empt it.

The Holy Spirit is like quicksilver - here one moment, somewhere else the next. Unpredictable, exciting, surprising, creative. It's like a dance, or a child playing, or the wind sighing through the trees.

It brings life, power, energy and gifts. And dancing with it bears fruit, we become more patient, gentle and self-controlled.

There is a certain inner disposition that is invited of us if we wish to live by the Spirit and it is reflected in Donovan's song. We cannot expect to direct or control it. And it cannot move or flow through people or communities who are tough, rigid, inflexible or closed.

Life in the Spirit is a wild adventure. We set our course, choose our programs, but unless the wind catches our sails we are going nowhere. We establish our lives, set up our relationships, homes, work, interests - but unless the Spirit animates them we are moribund.

I like to think of life in the Spirit as a kind of dance - yes, even for old, stiff limbs! When the music starts, when a hand is held out to us, we join in. We know the basic steps, but the rhythm invites new ones. We risk doing things differently.

So in this season of Pentecost, let us discern and celebrate and move with the Spirit, and experience, like the singer, the joy of "trying to catch the wind."

-Ann Siddall - Ann Siddall is a Spiritual Director working within the life of the Uniting Church. She lives in South Australia

Smuggling or Not

There was an old woman who crossed the Brazilian frontier every day on a motor scooter with a sack of sand behind her. The customs officer eventually became suspicious and enquired, “What have you got in that sack?” “Only sand sir,” came the reply. The officer emptied the sack and, indeed, it contained nothing but sand. And so it went on for a month,. One day, the officer said to the old woman, “I won’t arrest you or say anything to the police, but just tell me: are you smuggling or not?” “Yes,” she answered truthfully. “Well, what are you smuggling?” he pressed her. With a smile, she replied “Scooters.” How common it is to have one’s vision veiled by looking for the wrong thing when the obvious is right in front of our eyes. This is an enigma of the Gospel, that it is screened from many by the “god of the world” – as Paul puts it – because we are looking for the wrong thing. © Pulpit Resource. Used by permission

Sunday 26th April.

There will be no service at Pearce on this Sunday as the main hall floor is being repaired and will be a work site. Due to lack of accessibility to facilities both halls will be closed from 20th to 29th April.

It is suggested that we attend either Yarralumla 9.30 am service or St James 10.30 am service on this Sunday.

Yarralumla U C at Denman Street Yarralumla 9.30am

St James Curtin at 40 Gillies Street Curtin 10.30am

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April 6 7 World Health

Day

8 Deadline for

INFO

9 10 Term 1 Ends 11 12 Easter 2.

INFO. Worship Leaders:

Helen & Brendan O'Loghlin

Worship

Liaison: TBC

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Easter 3. 3rd Sunday.

Worship Leader: Keith

Fairbrother

20 21 Carers Group

Church Council

22 23 24 25 Anzac Day 26 Easter 4. No Service.

Hall not available.

27 Term 2 Starts 28 29 30 1 2 3 Easter 5 Communion.

Worship Leader:

Rev Gregor Henderson

May 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Easter 6. Worship

Leader: Andrew Steele

11 12 13 14 Ascencion 15 International

Day of Families

16 17 Easter 7. Worship

Leader: Elders

Worship

Liaison:

Andrew Steele

18 19 Carers Group 20 21 22 23 24 Pentecost.

Worship Leader: Gwenda

Bramley

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Trinity Sunday.

Worship Leader: T B A

June 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pentecost 2.

Communion. Worship

Leader: Evelyn Austin-

Flannery

8 Queens Birthday 9 Church Council 10 INFO Deadline 11 12 13 14 INFO. Pentecost 3.

Worship Leader: TBC

15 16 Carers Group 17 18 19 20 World Refugee

Day

21 Pentecost 4. Worship

Leader: Social Justice

Group - Kirsten Preece

22 UCA

Anniversary

23 24 25 26 27 28 Pentecost 5. Worship

Leader: John Cope