I received an email from Grace, in answer to my enquiry about her visitors (she probably had told me they were coming). They were an Australian missionary couple and their 7-yr-old Mongolian son Daniel whom they had adopted when he was 3 weeks old. They used to live in Katoomba and have been working in Mongolia with an American organization called Asia Connect. They stayed with Grace and Chris for 4 days and Daniel went for l day to the Kids Club, held in St Aidan's for the first week of the school holidays. (Corrections to my report of Grace's visit to Castle Hill: It was Harold not Stuart whom she visited and she didn't see Glenhaven Village.) Greg, Cath and Jack came to Blackheath the previous week and set up a new TV and DVD player. Blackheath had a fall of snow on Monday and it was freezing but the snow did not settle. They have never before had snow so early in the year. On Thursday Grace had a good start back to school Scripture.
Cousin (Dr) Robert Weedon, Western Australia, has sent several interesting emails and here are some extracts: 20.4.08 "Nyole (wife) is in Coffs Harbour visiting her daughter and family. She has played bowls each week but has come home very tired. We went to "The Magic Flute" and it was a stunning performance. About 25 of the 30 singers were WA grown, some just graduating from here or Sydney. We have tickets for Elgar's Cello Concerto after Nyole returns. We had only 2 days' rain in the first 3 months but this month has been good. Most vegetables are in and the fruit trees coming on well. The new mango and custard apple trees like the rain. Every tree needs a guard against a trouble-some rabbit. My Scripture class is a split 4/5 with some of last year's students still in the class. We use "Connect" from Sydney Diocese." (Grace uses that at Blackheath.) 'You may have heard that a lady priest has been elected to be consecrated as bishop and is warmly welcomed here." (I fully agree with the ordination of women. HH.) Robert's sister Judy and husband Ron have moved back from Melbourne to a unit not far from their previous home in Eaton. Judy played the organ at Easter.
On Tuesday I went on a half-day trip to Ebenezer in an ARV bus driven by one of our Diversional Therapists. There is a tree marked as the site of the first prayer meeting in Australia. The church ladies served coffee with scones, jam & cream, then we looked inside the little church, and bought some dried-apricot jam and lime-and-ginger marmalade and pens from the shop. I kept one small jar of marmalade and gave the other two away. Some people made a tour of the graveyards with many tombstones. We were back home in time for lunch and our usual church service. On Wednesday afternoon we had our Bible discussion group with Louise, who had printed out references on the topic "Peace for Anxiety". Several of my correspondents have asked for copies of the previous references on "God values you" and I will send them this sheet too. Louise had asked what we would like to study in the future and one member suggested "Prayer", so Louise bought copies from Matthias Media of "Bold I Approach" by Tony Payne, paid for by the ARV Chaplaincy. We will start that next Wednesday.
We were to see a DVD called "Sergeant Stewart" on Tuesday night but while it was being rewound it became tangled in the machine, so we enjoyed seeing "Anne of Green Gables" instead.
Yesterday afternoon we had our monthly "Spiritual Guest Speaker", advertised as a writer of short stories. That was only a small part of his activities, but like others in the same category of "Spiritual Guest Speaker" he gave a summary of his life story, concluding with the way God had used his singing to bring him to take part in church services where he learned hymns and scripture
verses which led him to be challenged to become a Christian.
This afternoon I was taken to St John's for a "Scripture, Song and Scones" afternoon tea, with 49 ladies present. We started with a quiz, followed by coffee with scones, jam and cream. The scones came from Sara Lee and were very deliciously light. Then four ladies (Jenny Pearce, her daughter Morwenna, her daughter in-law Laura (daughter of our Rector), and Lyn Halton) read their favourite verses and said briefly why they were special, and we sang a hymn chosen to go with each.
I rang Wal's Jean before lunch and she is well. Jean will miss the session "Singers of Renown" presented by John Cargher, who had recorded his last session just before he died this week aged 89, planning to retire. We haven't heard from Wales for a while. I rang Jean in Ballina tonight. All are well there and send special love to Win & Lindsay.. David and Lyn have been busy caring for 5 sick koalas at the park, and visiting their quadruplegic friend in hospital.. Lots of love to all, Hilda
Cousin (Dr) Robert Weedon, Western Australia, has sent several interesting emails and here are some extracts: 20.4.08 "Nyole (wife) is in Coffs Harbour visiting her daughter and family. She has played bowls each week but has come home very tired. We went to "The Magic Flute" and it was a stunning performance. About 25 of the 30 singers were WA grown, some just graduating from here or Sydney. We have tickets for Elgar's Cello Concerto after Nyole returns. We had only 2 days' rain in the first 3 months but this month has been good. Most vegetables are in and the fruit trees coming on well. The new mango and custard apple trees like the rain. Every tree needs a guard against a trouble-some rabbit. My Scripture class is a split 4/5 with some of last year's students still in the class. We use "Connect" from Sydney Diocese." (Grace uses that at Blackheath.) 'You may have heard that a lady priest has been elected to be consecrated as bishop and is warmly welcomed here." (I fully agree with the ordination of women. HH.) Robert's sister Judy and husband Ron have moved back from Melbourne to a unit not far from their previous home in Eaton. Judy played the organ at Easter.
On Tuesday I went on a half-day trip to Ebenezer in an ARV bus driven by one of our Diversional Therapists. There is a tree marked as the site of the first prayer meeting in Australia. The church ladies served coffee with scones, jam & cream, then we looked inside the little church, and bought some dried-apricot jam and lime-and-ginger marmalade and pens from the shop. I kept one small jar of marmalade and gave the other two away. Some people made a tour of the graveyards with many tombstones. We were back home in time for lunch and our usual church service. On Wednesday afternoon we had our Bible discussion group with Louise, who had printed out references on the topic "Peace for Anxiety". Several of my correspondents have asked for copies of the previous references on "God values you" and I will send them this sheet too. Louise had asked what we would like to study in the future and one member suggested "Prayer", so Louise bought copies from Matthias Media of "Bold I Approach" by Tony Payne, paid for by the ARV Chaplaincy. We will start that next Wednesday.
We were to see a DVD called "Sergeant Stewart" on Tuesday night but while it was being rewound it became tangled in the machine, so we enjoyed seeing "Anne of Green Gables" instead.
Yesterday afternoon we had our monthly "Spiritual Guest Speaker", advertised as a writer of short stories. That was only a small part of his activities, but like others in the same category of "Spiritual Guest Speaker" he gave a summary of his life story, concluding with the way God had used his singing to bring him to take part in church services where he learned hymns and scripture
verses which led him to be challenged to become a Christian.
This afternoon I was taken to St John's for a "Scripture, Song and Scones" afternoon tea, with 49 ladies present. We started with a quiz, followed by coffee with scones, jam and cream. The scones came from Sara Lee and were very deliciously light. Then four ladies (Jenny Pearce, her daughter Morwenna, her daughter in-law Laura (daughter of our Rector), and Lyn Halton) read their favourite verses and said briefly why they were special, and we sang a hymn chosen to go with each.
I rang Wal's Jean before lunch and she is well. Jean will miss the session "Singers of Renown" presented by John Cargher, who had recorded his last session just before he died this week aged 89, planning to retire. We haven't heard from Wales for a while. I rang Jean in Ballina tonight. All are well there and send special love to Win & Lindsay.. David and Lyn have been busy caring for 5 sick koalas at the park, and visiting their quadruplegic friend in hospital.. Lots of love to all, Hilda
No comments:
Post a Comment