This has been a week of meetings and so very much like being back in my own parishes. The Church Council members have just left - it was interesting to find the agenda and discussions to be very much the same as back home...except that their parish share has not increased this year....and there's a possum in the church roof ( they are protected so cause similar problems to bats in England).  Worship leading at st Oswalds is getting easier as I am now better ( and quicker)  at finding my way around the Australian Prayer Book and I've also been to Emmanuel, Wayville to lead a BCP Eucharist. 

In our wanderings, we have visited an Aboriginal Cultural Centre and a memorial site which remembers Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their parents 'to be educated'. The story of these 'stolen' children is heartbreaking and the memorials are very powerful

In many places we have visited we have seen plaques expressing sorrow and regret for the sufferings and injustices imposed on the Aboriginal people since colonisation and the fact that they are the traditional owners of the lands and waters of that particular region.   It is humbling to read some of their stories.

Other wanderings have seen us on a river trip from Port Adelaide in the hope of seeing dolphins but they were rather shy - but we did see a pelican. And, we've been proper tourists and visited the 'Old Gum Tree' - the site of the proclamation of the State of South Australia - for a major heritage site it was almost impossible to find even with a local guide! 

We've been back to some of the museums and the Botanical Gardens in the city, to Glenelg for more paddling, supper and sunset................and on some super walks, during which we've seen some fantastic bird life, had a thankfully very brief encounter with a large red backed spider (ugh!) and met this lovely but sleepy koala ..

The weather has changed and it is now much cooler - mind you it is the start of winter.  It rained heavily the night (it woke us up as we have a tin roof) but we avoided getting wet on our travels today.  

We have music planning tomorrow evening and a BBQ at church on Sunday.  It's Pentecost on Sunday and I  am preaching at both churches and presiding at St Oswalds.  Then we will be into our final week in the parish. I am going to the Adelaide Clergy conference and will be away for 3 nights and on Sunday 3rd June our Aussie friends, Lyn and Alan ( ex Elstow Abbey), are coming to collect us and take us to their home via the Great Ocean Road. So lots more wandering in between working still to come.....

We are enjoying corresponding with Lilac Class at Balliol School ( Emma's class) and answering all their questions about Australia