Holy Week across the diocese
No Palm tree in the Bendigo Diocese was safe in the days preceding Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week! The congregation of All Saints’, Newstead met outside under the shade of a eucalypt to hear once again the Palm Sunday reading before processing triumphantly into church with palm crosses held high, dancing to the strains of When the Saints Go Marching In.
Christ Church, Swan Hill had the joy of celebrating two baptisms as part of their Palm Sunday service. Brothers Hunter (10 years old) and Achilles (4 months old) Brunhoever-Stehens were baptised together accompanied by Mum (Beate) and Dad (Aron). Reverend Denis Gell and Reverend Julie Worrall worked together to ensure everything went smoothly.
As churches across the diocese followed the story of Holy Week the congregation of St Luke’s, North Bendigo followed in the footsteps of Peter. After a Maundy Thursday service, Peter’s denials of Christ were read as a fire was lit. Many then gathered around the fire pit at the front of the church to keep vigil. Slightly different to Peter’s experience, those present did enjoy hot chocolates and a good laugh! Nonetheless a wonderful witness was shared with all those passing by.
On Good Friday afternoon, at the request of two Islander men from the PALM Ministry, a different type of service took place. Missing the traditions of their home countries, they asked if we could perform The Stations of the Cross around the caravan park where they and other workers live. The workers obtained a copy of the readings from their priests in the Solomon Islands, marked the stations around the park, and organized different men from various countries to read.On arrival, there were about a dozen men. A few phone calls later and we had around thirty men and a couple of women. Some came from another farm. The boss of the company and his wife came and joined in. Those reading read without hesitation and in between the men sang as they walked between the stations. The Holy Spirit flowed. Unbelievably as we moved from station to station, more men came out of their cabins and joined in. We stopped counting at 75! The men found their way to the foot of the cross where their saviour had died for them. We joined together again on Easter Sunday to share in a service of celebration and praise to Jesus before enjoying a shared meal … a typical islander feast. Again, as the service progressed, more and more men came.
Perhaps through these two events the men from the PALM Ministry were engaging in their own HOPE25 activity, reaching out to the men in the caravan park they work with, men who have not been active in their faith, men they are concerned for. May the Holy Spirit move in their lives.
Easter Sunday at the Walpeup Lake was a glorious day with a slight breeze and a few bush flies. There were eleven locals gathered at the lake and one large dog named Thomas. Until, alas, an orange and white ‘hippy van’ pulled up. Some of our congregation looked worried until out of the bus came seven young ladies and one large dog called Albi (all my relations in one way or another). It was Revd Steve Weickhardt’s last morning with the Central Mallee Cooperative Parish and we shared a lovely Holy Communion for Easter followed by the sharing of Easter eggs and a picnic lunch.
