Category: The Path in 2019

The next fun adventure ticked a huge item on my bucket list: going to the Red Centre of Australia and seeing Uluru, the massive rock known previously to European Australians as Ayre’s Rock. There is a train from Adelaide to Alice Springs, the town in the middle of Australia, but I flew. Maybe another time I’ll take the famous Ghan through the centre. In Alice Springs, I stayed with my friends Tim and Chris Kendrick. I’ve known Chris for several years through her involvement with the NCIA Board, and NCIA family camps/retreats. Tim was a fabulous tour guide within Alice and in the surrounding region. For seeing Uluru and Kata Tjuta (another rock formation, previously known as the Olgas) I took an all-day bus tour, from 6am till 1am the next day. Certainly an experience of a lifetime!

Flooding prevented us from going in to a sacred “women’s cave” with its rock art, but allowed kids to swim near the rock where a small post-rain waterfall was mistaken long ago for a spring – hence the name Alice Springs. Below you can see the Todd River flowing through Alice in a spot which is normally dry for the annual boat race on foot, and also another view from Anzac Hill in the centre of town. Highlights of my tour around Alice were the Flying Doctor Service (I got to sit in a cockpit), the School of the Air, Alice Springs’ birthplace the Telegraph Station that connected Adelaide to Darwin and allowed communication with England, the original Ghan locomotive, and some wildlife at the Alice Springs Desert Park. Flies are everywhere, hence the obligatory fly masks!

Because of all the rain, the “Red Centre” was more like the “Green Centre,” which was actually a bit disappointing for me. I had been looking forward to seeing the red soil for which the Centre is famous, and I did see some of it, some with emu tracks on it (see below.) But I also witnessed the unusual blooming of the desert, and waterfalls on Uluru, which about 1% of tourists ever see. But I was not disappointed with the overpowering spiritual aspects of both Uluru and Kata Tjutu. Both are sacred to the indigenous population, and have been for around 30,000 years, or more. The creation stories associated with both of them are embedded in the majesty of the 500-million year old rock formations, such as the snake in one of the photos below. Art is a prominent feature of many sites in Uluru, both the rock art that is thousands of years old, and original art by indigenous people. The artist who painted the one I bought is pictured signing the back of it.

Easter Sunday was the last day in March. Easter is a much bigger deal in Australia than in the USA. All the little schoolkids decorate their Easter hats, get four days off school, and everyone seems to celebrate regardless of religious identity, if any. I went to the Roseville New Church on Sunday, and celebrated with Angela’s family on Easter Monday.

From Perth, I flew to Adelaide, South Australia (refer if needed to the map in the “Wonderful Woonona” post) to engage with the Adelaide Christian New Church. As I’ve mentioned before, my maternal grandfather was the minister there for many years, and my father came into the Swedenborgian/New Church faith community in Adelaide after meeting my mother there. In the surrounding area, I have many relatives as well as church friends.

Rev. David and Mandy Millar were my gracious hosts in Adelaide. Somehow I neglected to take an “ussie” with them, so I’ve lifted one from social media. David was experimenting with making home-baked sourdough bread, for which I was happy to be a taste-tester! Their home overlooks the Southern Ocean, with spectacular sunsets, and is also near the Hallett Cove Conservation Park. I love walking the boardwalk there through the amazing glacial rock formations, down to the rocky beach.

While in South Australia, I drove almost over to the border with Victoria to have lunch with my cousin Neville on my Dad’s side of the family. He has been touring Australia for years now in his campervan and happened to be in the area. Afterwards I traveled back to towards Adelaide to Tintinara, where many of my Brock relatives, on my Mum’s side, were gathering for the wedding of my cousin’s daughter, Emma. The wedding and reception were both held outside on the Brock family’s farm property, on a 41 C/105 F degree day. The groom ended up being taken to hospital (45 minutes away) with heatstroke during the reception! Fortunately Brad was able to return in time for the wedding brunch the next morning. And of course I spent some time with my brother Stephen and sister-in-law Soula, my friend Suzi, two cousins who weren’t at the wedding, and time at an Adelaide beach as well.

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Near the end of that long flight from Sydney to LA, the captain announced our flight path had been altered due to a rocket being launched. The people on the other side of the plane could see it. Never heard of that before! When he started talking about a rocket, I’ll admit I had a flash of fear that it was coming towards us. But all was well!

As usual, I had the joy of going on a run/walk with Moose on the bluff near their home, until he got too hot, lay down in the shade and refused to get up until Jon came to rescue us. The next day I twisted my knee while playing too energetically with him, so that was the end of run/walking. I suspect he deliberately tripped me up to prevent any further heat exhaustion! We also enjoyed a family dinner with Lucie’s parents who are always a joy to be around. Then onwards to home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a joyful reunion with my family.

Historically there’s a long-standing rivalry between cultured Melbourne, Victoria and fun-loving, beautiful Sydney, New South Wales. Can you tell I grew up in Sydney? But both sides of my family have roots in Melbourne and rural Victoria, so my ministry and travel in Victoria straight after my month in Sydney was in a sense a familial homecoming.

For now, the congregation is meeting in two rooms in a community centre, while carefully looking around for a new permanent home. A full-time minister will be starting early in 2020, after a hiatus of a few years since the congregation had a minister.

During the month I was there, the programme included weekly Bible study, two Saturday seminars, Sunday worship, some pastoral visiting, helping put out the monthly newsletter, and a presentation for the Melbourne Swedenborg Association. We also had a BBQ at a park, and dinner at a Thai restaurant. For all of these events, I worked closely with Neville Jarvis, who has very ably lead the congregation since their pastor passed on.

During all of this ministry work, which kept me plenty busy, I was also going through the last throes of preparing for my July ordination in the USA. I submitted two written assignments, started writing my mini-sermon for the Ordination ceremony, and was involved in multiple planning emails about the service, travel and other details. My month in Melbourne was definitely my busiest ministry month, and it was good to feel like a “real” pastor. It was a fitting conclusion to my ministry path in Australia, and one for which I am very appreciative.

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Just have to include some photos of classic Aussie activities! Two Aussie barbecues in Melbourne – but no shrimp on these barbies! Backyard family cricket at my cousin’s home (he’s the bowler, with his grandkids at bat.) Making tea from loose leaves in a teapot with a knitted tea cosy to keep it warm.

Below you can see some of my meanderings in Victoria. There was one road trip that started with lunch with Rev. John and Mary Teed and Pam Teed north of Melbourne, whom I’ve known since age 6 and whose family goes back three generations with mine. From there to Ballarat for the church group , then to Trentham overnight at my friend Suzanne’s place. From there it was up to Majorca to visit Barrie and Edith, including a jaunt over narrow country roads in his Mini Minor that he has been nurturing along since 1967. The other road trip was to Terang to visit Susan Heldon and her son Justin, who took me down to see the popular 12 Apostles. I drove back to Melbourne from there along the Great Ocean Road, renowned for spectacular views of the coastline and tortuous hairpin curves with sheer drop-offs down to rocky beaches. Very fun but challenging driving, especially for someone who is more accustomed to driving on the right.

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This gallery shows some touristy meanderings around Melbourne. L-R, top-bottom: Melbourne lit up, with the famous “South Bank” on the left, pseudo Eiffel Tower to add to the Seine south bank feel, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra concert, the Queen sat in this chair in 1950s when opening Victoria State Parliament, inside a State Parliament chamber, Melbourne CBD from the Shrine of Remembrance, Shrine of Remembrance in which I saw records of my grandfather and great uncle’s service in WWI, two displays at a native plants nursery in the Dandenong ranges, four sculptures which Helmut and Toni took me to see in the William Ricketts Sanctuary which protects his famed indigenous rock sculptures, and finally 3 views of the South Bank of the Yarra by day with my friend Martin.

This ministry trip I’ve been struggling to find time for blogging and the other projects I thought I’d get caught up on while in Australia for three months. Story of my life! Between ministry activities, and traveling to visit friends, and dropping everything to go and have fun here and there, I’ve come to almost the end of my trip with not much of a blog to show for it. But I do have a great sense of satisfaction about the work I’ve done, the relationships I’ve enjoyed both new and old, and reconnecting again with my “sunburnt country.”

I’ll start with spirituality in Sydney, which includes ministry of course. Palm Sunday and Easter involved many lovely events and traditions. In the Hurstville New Church, in the southern suburbs, I was able to give the regular piano player (my friend Margaret Heldon) a break on Palm Sunday and the week after Easter. Very fun for me to revive memories of playing the piano for Sunday School in the same church, when my father was the minister there decades ago. The tradition in Hurstville is real Hot Cross Buns – not the sad, sticky version that is available in the USA! – after Holy Supper on Good Friday evening. After celebrating “He is Risen” at the Roseville New Church, on the “north shore” of Sydney Harbour, my dear Baringa (church guest house and church hall) roomie Margaret Ward and I made a rainbow of roast veggies for Easter Dinner with the two ministers’ families i.e. Todd/Jenn/Zach Beiswenger from Hurstville and Howard/Debra/Lance Thompson from Roseville. We dined in the house where I grew up, on the property I still consider “the centre of the (my) Universe.” Just wonderful to celebrate with such dear people in a place so dear to my heart.

Two of the photos in the gallery above show examples of some spirituality/ministry activities in Sydney. One shows some volunteers at the Swedenborg Centre in Roseville, putting together a newsletter. I spent two days a week there, working with the director Joe Vandermeer on a couple of projects. The Swedenborg Association of Australia is based in the Centre, and I had the pleasure of being the “international speaker” for the April meeting. The other photo is of an evening dinner and talk in Hursy, where I was rehearsing and getting much appreciated feedback for my Swedenborg Association talk. I ended up giving two evening talks in Hursy and a testimonial during a church service.

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Sydney has a beautiful harbour, and up and down the coast there are other magnificent bodies of water that soothe the soul. In my travels in Sydney and up the coast to Tumbi Umbi in New South Wales, and down south to Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory, I was able to relish a few, though almost always on cloudy or rain-spattered days.

Clockwise starting from top left: Sydney Harbour, “Miriam’s Manly” as we affectionately call this little beach on Sydney Harbour (ask me or Miriam for details!), Hawkesbury River up the coast, Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, George’s River in southern Sydney, Lake Ginninderra in Canberra, and Tuggerah Lake near Tumbi Umbi.

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Donna and Jason’s cutie twins Anna and Eric; al fresco dining with Kerry L in Tumbi Umbi; lunch with school friend Helen and hubby Greg; Kerry L made a perfect Devonshire tea for her visitors; dear friends Ken, Babette and Kerry Horner; Kerry L and adorable granddaughters; lunch with “girls” from high school; official annual reunion of St George Girls’ High School for which I offered the blessing before lunch; two senior citizens trying a selfie (Barrie) in Canberra; al fresco dining again with Owen, Margaret, Rachel and the little cousins visiting/being babysat by their grandparents.

The path in South Australia (SA as Aussies say) also included fun and family and friends, and a funeral.

Since it was the final days of summer, I packed in as many trips to the beach as possible! The church, where I was staying, was a quick train ride away from Brighton Beach, so I spent a few afternoons there. These photos show the lovely shops at Brighton where I bought a much-needed hat, a very comfy Adelaide train, elevating my surgical foot on the rock wall at Brighton, new and traditional architecture for homes overlooking the beach, north view with a life-saver hut to keep us all safe, Brighton Beach looking south, and view from a beachfront cafe where my sister-in-law Soula and I had lunch, with the landmark Brighton jetty behind me.

I was also able to get to the famous, more touristy Glenelg Beach and enjoy an icecream with my friend Michael from the Adelaide Christian New Church.

I stayed overnight with my cousin Christine at her place in “the hills” which encircle Adelaide, enjoying her abundant garden and serene verandah. On the way to Tintinara we stopped to see (and massage) her brother David who was hospitalised with back pain. From the hospital we could catch a glimpse of Lake Albert, a far better view than from the hospital where I work in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! David was released for a few hours the next day to attend his father’s service and life celebration.

Growing up in Sydney, we had learned in school about Coober Pedy, an opal mining town in the outback of South Australia, famous for its underground buildings. Early 20th century miners had dug into the hills to construct homes where they could escape the extreme heat in the summer, and enjoy consistently comfortable temperatures inside year round. I had always wanted to see Coober Pedy, so I made a “bucket list” trip via Greyhound bus, a few days after returning from Tintinara with my brother Stephen and his wife Soula.

It was an 11 hour overnight journey from Adelaide up north to Coober Pedy, transitioning from elegant urban Adelaide to scrub gum country to huge red-earthed sheep stations to sunset over flat countryside with sparse trees. I wasn’t able to get photos of the sheep and kangaroos crossing the road during the night via walking or hopping. But I got one of a phone booth, lit up in the middle of nowhere after midnight at a petrol station, where we were so remote that there was no mobile phone service.

A German couple and I were the only tourists on our very personalised tour for the afternoon. Our excellent guide was Dimitri AKA Jimmy, who had been an opal miner for many years, an active citizen in Coober Pedy, extra in some movies filmed there, and now tour guide extraordinaire. We learned a lot, and ended up having wine and cheese on the Breakaways where a Mad Max movie was filmed, followed by a drink at an underground pub in the underground mall.

L-R, top -bottom: 80% of residents live in dugout homes like this; an impressive underground Orthodox Christian church; our tour group above the plain that was the floor of an inland sea millennia ago which contributed to forming opal; I came across a friendly old-time miner in this opal mine that Dimitri had once worked in; the Dog Fence, which is the longest fence in the world and keeps dingoes away from sheep stations in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia; cocktail hour at the Breakaways with Dimitri; one of many warning signs in the mining areas; a hole AKA mine shaft that Dimitri had dug years ago; relaxing in the underground pub before dinner.