Pardon the weak headline – but there seems to be a thing about shop fires and church communities in our family affairs. Shopping centres and churches in town planning seem to have symbiotic connections. There are practical benefits like negotiated shared parking, one stop benefits for shopping and participation in church programs and the ambienceContinue reading “Firing up church and community connections”
Tag Archives: Wembley Downs
Wembley Downs Shops – the walls are going up!
A simple door frame at lunchtime – two hours later a whole section of wall. This calls for another haiku! At dawn, a grey slab now sitting up strong and proud September awaits.
Mystery at Wembley Downs
The RAC traytop was off-loading my wife’s disabled Colt last night. It was behind the church, where she usually parks the car. The tray had just lowered the vehicle, when some loud shouts made us look up. Torch lights were bobbing towards us from the road reserve. Behind the lights loomed two characters, running fullContinue reading “Mystery at Wembley Downs”
Labyrinth – a pathway to encounter with God.
A bit slack today – installed new church PA system and laid down a labyrinth in the church forecourt. What is a labyrinth? For many it conjures images of the Minotaur of ancient Crete – half man and half bull, consuming young Greek captives left to wander in a maze of dark undergoround tunnels. WhileContinue reading “Labyrinth – a pathway to encounter with God.”
Demolition begins – what of the future?
A strange silence has descended on this once thriving street. Once it was busy with cars and delivery trucks as well as pedestrian traffic – neighbours walking dogs, skateboarders, children buying after school snacks, “golden girls” meeting for coffee – now there’s nobody. Even an advocate of silence, like myself, finds the silence is tooContinue reading “Demolition begins – what of the future?”
A community laments, remembers and hopes
Photos courtesy Brian Hills [click each to enlarge] About 400 people gathered this afternoon to share in a process of community affirmation and support following the loss of the Wembley Downs Shopping Centre by fire seven days ago. A short simple ceremony invited each person to hold a rock and to imagine it absorbing sorrowContinue reading “A community laments, remembers and hopes”
From the ashes the phoenix…
The community is beginning to rally. There have been very positive expressions to the proposal outlined below and which is being distributed, as I write, throughout the district. Compassion for one another – neighbour for neighbour, customer for trader, trader for customer has been working it’s way through the community. The annual District Fair tomorrow willContinue reading “From the ashes the phoenix…”
Fire aftermath
LAMENT HOPE These two signs hang on the fence surrounding the charred remains of our local shopping centre. One expresses the deep sorrow of the community, the other is a pointer to the community spirit that will carry us on. Both lament and hope need to find expression and it is my desire that weContinue reading “Fire aftermath”
Local shops destroyed by fire
Our local shops have been very handy to us – just across the road from where we live. More than that, however, they were the hub of the Wembley Downs community. As I write, the street is full of emergency vehicles while the ashes are hosed down. The crowds have dwindled now and the heartbreakingContinue reading “Local shops destroyed by fire”
Sustainable September
It being the first day of Spring, a PeaceChurch sojourner draws my attention to Sustainable September, a Western Australian initiative involving church and community groups. Earlier discussion here revealed several correspondents who have reservations about climate change discussions. Whichever side of the debate we fall on, and whether we believe the cause of climate change is natural or human orContinue reading “Sustainable September”
Wondering Pilgrim 