Worship Reflections

Geraldton

We had a 'salvo day' as we shared with the congregation at Geraldton. Almost 500 kms north of Perth this city benefits from the harvest of land and sea. Fishing, farming and mining drive the economy of this country port. With the highest number of millionaires per head of any city in Australia it is also home to many who struggle with the challenges of daily life. Here the Salvos operate a thrift shop, a family support service and a daily 'soup kitchen', as well as a range of other activities.

On Sunday we found a family church that welcomed its pastors back from holidays. It was a friendly and personal service involved a great deal of interaction - and drew our attention to God's love for us.

The message was partly a reflection on a changed status. Leaders are prone to become immersed in their role and their responsibility and carry heavily the responsibilities of their position heavily. A break from those tasks gives an opportunity to reflect on that scenario. No matter how hard we work to achieve, or what target we may set it was a helpful reminder that our role is to care for creation, and to love family, friends, neighbors - whether they believe in Jesus or not. Change in individual lives is not something we can manufacture. The task of Christians is to help the individuals concerned, and encourage them in their relationship with God. It is God who brings change, not us.

Once again we shared post worship refreshments. In this congregation we met folks we had first encountered in our first year of ministry in Tasmania, and a couple from Zimbabwe. Amazingly these folks are friends with a couple we knew from Preston who had facilitated the journey of this family. It's a small world after all.


Benedictine Experience

It was a very different form of worship when we visited New Norcia.

Under the guidance of the Benedictine community we shared in the morning worship at the abbey. With a big crowd in attendance (at least in terms of the available seating) there were not enough songsheets to go around. Those familiar with the liturgy clearly knew the required responses, we did not. Little nuisances like this did not stop us from enjoying hearing and singing the Word, and learning from the teaching and the environment. All who participated in worship that day were surrounded by images of the gospel. Notable were the stations of the cross, but there were also images from the life of Christ that have been shaped by the Australian experience and environment. Jesus is Christ for all nations.

Clearly the focal point of the service is the celebration of the mass, the Eucharist, where Christ's sacrifice is remembered. After readings from scripture, singing (led by the cantor) and the reaching of the Word, were were invited to share in a time of Preparation for the Gifts. As I glimpsed the title on the songsheet of my neighbour I thought only of the offering/collection. As the service unfolded I began to understand it as more. The songs and readings were a time of preparation to receive the blood and body of Christ. Although the theology of the Roman Catholic Church on this matter does not sit comfortably with me I came away appreciating the centrality of Christ in their worship.

For all who name Christ as Saviour and Lord we would pray for such centrality in life.

Dongara

This was a one night stop on our way south.

Dongara is a pleasant little fishing village/holiday destination that made the news in WA during the school holidays.
Unfortunately there seems to be a spate of attempted child abductions here at the moment. None have been successful so far thankfully.
It was at Dongara that the first attempt was made.

Apart from the beach, fishing, a river walk and a golf course there is not much to do here - makes it a good holiday destination really.

Beth filled in her time by keeping the Irwin River water and the Indian Ocean apart. She is an amazing woman.
I managed to catch a picture of her in action holding back there two great bodies of water.
We don't know what will happen now that we have left the area.


The golf course was OK and the greens were good once the mower hade been over them. For a small town on the coast you would have to say the course is a real bonus.

Four holes had trees strategically located in the middle of the fairway. That makes for interesting and challenging golf even if it doesn't fit with the modern rules of golf course design. At left is a picture from the 7th green. The hole is only 250 meters or so - and those trees are a pain. They don't really come into play if you hook your ball left into the scrub though!

Ellendale Pool

Inland from the coast is a popluar little picnic and camping spot - Ellendale Pool.

We spent a couple of nights there ($5 a night is good value) and enjoyed a power free break.


The facilites are good and the locals are friendly - too friendly.
A little stroll to the lookout required some imaginative work to gain privacy and relief from the flies and it worked, on the face at least.

Greenough

Still not sure how to pronounce this one...Grenoff seems to be the way it sounds.

An historic little village south of Geraldton was worth a visit. The village is classified by the National Trust, and we had a bit of fun as we toured the old building. We even recognised the storage unit in one of the old houses. We both recall similar 'cupboards' from our younger days. They were cheap, and they did the job. Beth also found a place and a room that she was familiar with! So did I!

The old police station and courthouse still has its uses - but the facilities out the back were not really up to standard. I wonder how many policemen came here to relieve the regular coppers?
This one was a two-holer, but only had one door. Privacy may be an issue today, but it wasn't such a big deal back then I suppose. Maybe it was just that the women were not in the vicinity of the police post, courthouse and jail as often.



Along the coast there is a fair amount of wind, and some of the trees provide evidence of just how much. Glad I don't have to stand outside all day in this environment.


In case you were wondering the pictures were posed, all of them! Yes really! Yes they were - just ask the photographer!

Geraldton

The major city in the region Geraldton is the centre of a farming, fishing and mining area and home to some significant landmarks.


The HMAS Sydney II Memorial is here. The HMAS Sydney was lost in a battle some 120 miles offshore with the loss of 645 lives. The cupola/canopy has 645 seagulls framed against the sky, and the names of the Australians lost in that battle are listed on the wall of remembrance.


A recent addition to the venues around the town is an annex of the WA Museum. It is a very good regional museum, and the staff may be a little slow but they do have a sense of humour.

Not so recent is the lighthouse. On an overcast and breezy day (when are they not breezy on this coast) we visited the old landmark. Later that day there was a sound and light show as a thunder storm hit the town. No big deal really, but it was the first solid bit of rain that we had experienced since a wet weekend at Orange in June.

There are also two golf courses - but my budget only allowed one round of golf. Geraldton was my choice but the greens were a little on the slow side, and the greenkeeper decided to put the holes in some challenging positions on a couple of holes. OK for a championship perhaps, but not for a weekend stableford competition. Still, it is a course that is made challenging and interesting by the gum trees that line the fairways and demand good positioning off the tees. After an early struggle with the greens and my driver (4 holes and my handicap was all used!) my golf reached an acceptable level.

Kalbarri

Our journey south is slow. Yes, there was a head wind but the temperatures are colder....not good.

Kalbarri was home for a week.

With a golf course nearby, coastal cliffs with passing whales and dolphins less than five kilometers away, inland gorges and lots of wildflowers there was plenty to enjoy for a few days. That I could pay a weekly fee at the golf club was a distinct bonus. Value for money it was!

Kalbarri is predominantly a holiday destination at the mouth of the Murcheson River. The swimming/paddling is safe along the river and there are a few additional attractions around the town. We visited the wildflower centre and Rainbow Jungle, a parrot breeding centre.



Every day there is Pelican Feeding on the beach at 8.45am. Days one and two were a wipe out - lots of people, no pelicans. The next day Percy turned up, and a few of his friends dropped in regularly after that. The feeding is done by volunteers - and I have forgotten this lady's name. She and Percy made a good double act.

It was a spot for a bit of exercise as well. Beth and I complete the 8 kms Loop walk from Nature's window, and the next day rode to Red Bluff - close to 10 kms return. Add at least nine holes of golf a day, and the leg muscles should be toned up by now.

Shark Bay

This delightful locale is listed as World Heritage area.

It meets all four criteria for listing and is a fascinating place.



The peninsula is separated from the rest of Australia by an electrified fence and the recorded sounds of a dog barking (I'm not joking about this one). It is the site of Project Eden where they have removed the feral animals (foxes, cats, goats) and are trying to keep them out.

We paid good money to see dugongs, dolphins and turtles - and we saw them. As expected they were mainly underwater and our glimpses of dolphins were few and fleeting while the dugongs popped up all around us.


Since you have no idea where they will appear the few seconds they are above the surface to breathe seconds are taken up turning head and body in the general direction. The photographic result is a lot of water, and pictures of the backs of dugongs as they go below to graze on the seagrass banks of Shark Bay.

Our day on the bay was very calm, which made it easier to see them and contributed to a generally good experience. A bonus 'sunset cruise' meant we spent about 4 hours cruising Shark Bay.


At the other end of the scale the park entry was all that was needed at Monkey Mia to see the 'dolphin interaction' area. When few others were around the sight of a small pod of dolphins (6) chasing a fish less than a metre offshore was an amazing bonus.

Add some amazing views, observe a family of emus at a waterhole and other wildlife encounters we had a worthwhile stay at Denham in the Shark Bay shire.

Oh...we also got to play garden golf and have a sausage sizzle for just 5 bucks. That's all about that little exercise though. The food and company were good. The mini-golf course was interesting and well done, but the golf itself was not quite up to par. No more will be said about that little exercise .