Lets Go St George

Lets Go..Following Jesus, was the theme for a 3 day kids Club, that Redcliffe Uniting Church ran in St George. Looking at the time after Easter, Lets go down the road with Jesus, Lets to upstairs with Jesus, and Lets go fishing with Jesus.
We had singing, games, movie bits, groups, crafts, food, fellowship, and lots of love.
It was a great week, lots of kids having a great time, and young leaders, learning the ropes.
Praise God, for all the things he does, big and small.

Easter

Jesus in the garden at Gesethme, AGONY
Jesus at his trial, MOCKERY

Crucified, FINISHED


These images were created, first by setting up the Church stage in to 3 sceenes, The Garden, the Trial, and Calvery. The sceens were then potographed, and then I painted in images of Jesus. In the image of the trial, the courtyard is a painted backdrop.

Items of need.

Lots of the stuff I make is about need, somebody always needs somthing made or mended.
We are currently covering books and naming pens, and pencils for school, by the time we have finished we will have named/covered approx. 170 items.
I have seen pencil/pen/crayon holders on several blogs, I can't remember which one, but the are all basically the same thing, and some are very pretty, and lots of love and care, has been poured in.
Though I love the children, making these has been needs based, because the crayons in the box were just to hard, for them to manage.
I have deconstructed, the whole thing, to reduce the amount of time, to make them. The fabric, is some 100% poly, matress making stuff, it has a bit of a canvas quality. I just cut a strip, left the fluffy selvedge, folded it, ziz zagged, the edge (I don't overlock) and sewed all the little pockets. Finished with an elastic loop, and a pretty button.
And the reaction from the kids 'WOW Mum thats MAD"

This bit of stuff, is what I have prepared for Church this Sunday. We are doing stuff about the relevance of the bible.
This stuff is for an activity. When the early Christians, were sharing the the word of Christ, they shared bits of letters, stories and stuff, different people had different stuff, and they had to come together to get the big picture.
So in this activity, I got 10 great Jesus quotes, on A3, stained the paper, and tore it up. When people get to Church, everyone will be given a piece, and during the service there will be a time when we all wander around and find the people, with the other bits.

Love

Today I have been asked to speak at Church about Love, this is a new experince for me. this is the written version of what I will say.

To the 10 am Redcliffe UC congreation.

Today is the day that we want to be sure, that you are totally maxed out with love, for this Christmans time. So full of love, that there is heaps to spare, that it is overflowing, wetting your feet and touching the hearts of all those people you come across in the next few days,
We are not talking about that human love that waxes and wanes, that can be needy, or demenading.
But Gods love, the love that is always there, the love that is in every breath we take, the love that makes flowers bloom, Gods love is the love that holds everything in place and keeps everything moving foreward.
Before I became a Christian I was a "New Ager". I had always searched for love, human love and I have found it to be elusive and insecure. When I was a "New Ager" I had love, but we called it the light. My tiny human understanding of God need more, and so God sent me Jesus. I get Jesus love, I get that God sent a baby, his son, who grew into a man,- to show us the way. And the way is to love one another.
Its not a love that wants something back, not a love that has conditions or is dependant. You know we can be in a room of people who love us, and still feel un loved. Gods love for us is our very foundation, the rock of our lives and through Jesus we are told what love is , in Pauls first letter to the Corinthians he repeated what Jesus had taught him. " If I have no love than I am nothing". Sometimes I feel like nothing when the Humans around me don’t love me the way I want them to. What keeps me together is knowing Gods love.
Jesus love, is a love that serves, nurtures, heals, and forgives, it is constant and gracious.
At this Christmas time we are called to stand up for Jesus, to spread the news of his mirical birth, and to be the embodiment of Gods love for human kind.
So lets get down to the nitty gritty of this time, It can easily be, a really stress full time, we all know that. And I am going to ask to you rise above that stress, and embrace the people around you. To behave as Jesus would, enjoy the joy, the hospitality, and the people around you.

Serve out of love, not because of a sense of duty or obligation. If you feel obliged to serve, either change your attidue, or don’t bother serving, because service without love, is meaningless, in Gods world.
The really big thing to remember is that sharing the Love of God, is a Choice you make
So here is a little exercise you can do if it all getting to much, (everyone stand), Ok raise your hands in the air,- take a deep breath, -and another one, and say " God please fill me with your grace and love". Amen.
If you see others stressing out, have a quite prayer for them, smile offer to help, laugh it off with them, be there for them, let them feel the love from your Maxed out heart. Remember love is good, love is kind, love is generous.
And God loves you.

At the end of the service, everyone was invited to experience some love. In a walk through, that touched all the senses.

We burn't Sandal wood and rose insence, and played Bethovens "Moonlight. Sonata" The lights were dimmed and we had fairy lights.

Walking through the curtians, touch, beautiful soft fabrics.

Here is Kurtis, my Angel (Ha Ha) he sat very quitely, and sprayed everyones feet with rose water.

Taking a moment to stop, see your reflection, and say God Loves Me.

Someone who cares.

The walk through finished with hugs, and a cold drink, strawberry/rose/kaffir lime cordial, I made mixed with sodawater.

It was great, and I would like to give a big thanks, and hug to Jen, for helping and being so much fun, and to the REV Pete, for allowing such creativity.

Look, made it to the paper

Got the memorial wall in the paper, reaching into the community. Yesterday
I got a grant for this project. Its called a "Go Grant" for misional work, it comes from the Uniting Church (Corporate). THANK YOU.

Christmas Lights, PO BOX HEAVEN

This is one of the Christmas Lights windows I've been working on. This is a memorial wall, to acknowledge, that people are missing Family and Friends at Christmas Time, that not only is it a time of great happiness, it can also be a time of great sadness.

The people who have participated in this installation, have appreciated the opportunity, to publicly acknowledge their grief. In the lead up to Christmas, our Church is open every night, during this time I hope to collect more 'dedications'. Thanks to all those people who participated, may the peace of God be with you, at this time.


Made from, Photocopied Acetate, tape, white plastic sheeting, backlit, with the room fluro.

ps. this photo dosen't really do it justice.

Jesus - he's here

And isn't he beautiful. I am absolutly positive that Jesus was a beautiful baby, one that slept through the night and didn't sick up, all the time.

This centre piece is about 1.5m and is the gift, in a "Jesus is the Gift" window display for church. The rest of the display is wrapped and unwrapped Christmas boxes, and maybe some dud gifts. More photos to come. Let me tell you, this image maxes out my heart with love.