Thursday 31 May 2012

Graham and I have been wandering separately this week.

I have been in the Barossa Region for the past 3 days at the Adelaide Clergy Conference. It was certainly worth the trip.  It was interesting to listen to the Australian church debating 'Pioneer' and 'Fresh Expression ministries and I got a lot from the sessions - lots of ideas to ponder over. Archbishop Jeffrey was very welcoming and it was good to meet lots of Aussie clergy - mind you at least 5 of them were exiled 'Poms'. The Ministry discussions were led by Graham Cray, a Bishop from England who is our own Archbishops Missioner.  The provision of excellent local wine on the tables at dinner gave this conference the definite edge over Wakefield's equivalent!

Meanwhile Graham has been out and about with members of St O's.   Having seen his photos I am envious of his days out!

He has been south to Goolwa  (where he met the Pelly triplets) and to visit remote old copper mines at Burra in the mid-north of South Australia.


This is a Red River Gum Aboriginal Canoe tree  - you can see the scar from where many years ago  bark was stripped away to make a canoe.

On a much less cultural note we have, whilst wandering, come across some rather up market loos! First a very polite American voice tells you that you have 10 minutes max before the door will open..and then you are serenaded by piano music...I think the last one was 'you are the sunshine of my life'.. you have to wonder how they chose the tunes....?


It is getting cooler here - well it is the equivalent of  our November.  The palm trees next to the church are looking spectacular. We have two full days left in Adelaide. Tomorrow we hope the weather will be good enough for us to have a last day at the seaside and on Saturday we are going to an Aussie Rules footie match - then on Sunday Lyn and Alan Bromage (whom we first met at Elstow in 2001) will come to our final service and take us off on the next part of our wanderings. We will be heading for their home at Lillydale, a suburb of Melbourne in Victoria.  We will be travelling along  the Great Ocean Road which everyone tells us is amazing.

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