Posts from October 2022

Posts from October 2022

Kindess Month – November

World Kindness Week is celebrated around the World from 7 November to the official World Kindness Day on 13 November. Annually, on 13 November, the world joins hands for World Kindness Day, a day highlighting random good deeds and positivity. The idea behind this started with the 20-nation member World Kindness Movement (WKM) which crystallised at a conference in Tokyo in 1997 when the Small Kindness Movement of Japan brought together like-minded kindness movements from around the world. The WKM…

Sankofa #18

SingaporeYes, I am writing this Musing from Singapore. Came back to celebrate my eldest brother 80th birthday. The last few years he has some heath issues. I told my second sister recently that I don’t know which one of us will go first. I am the second youngest in the family of six. I am a realist. 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-racism Not long after I arrived in MUC, I was told that there are racists in the congregation.…

Sankofa #17

Introduction Last Sunday 51 members and friends came together to enjoy an afternoon of singing and listening of ‘favourite’ hymns. It’s another celebration of the International Day of Senior Adults. We are thinking of having a Christmas Carols Fest sometime in early December. I want to thank Ron Gaudion and Tony Wheeler especially, for helping to make Hymn Fest happen. Advent Conspiracy In 2006, three pastors, Chris Seay, Greg Holder, and Rick McKinley, decided to try something different. They called…

Sankofa #16

Introduction I am confident that if we take a survey on the question of ‘What is Worship?’ we will have a myriad of views. Is there a definitive answer to the question, ‘What is worship’? Let’s be honest, our understandings of worship are probably coloured by the denominations we belong to. I understand the Greek word for ‘worship’ is proskyneō and it is translated as ‘to kiss, to lower oneself in humility or reverence, to adore, to surrender completely to another’. Simply…

Seniors at Playgroup

Some of us may have watched the TV show ‘Old People’s Home for 4 year olds’ and now the one with teenagers, and felt moved by the relationships built between the oldies and the youngies. The same is happening in our Playgroups. The ‘senior’ helpers at our 4 Playgroups make our Playgroups very special and unique and the reason why many mums are still coming with their 2nd child after starting in Playgroup with their tiny first babies. Being a…

Parents with a Disability

There are stories waiting to be told, stories of disempowerment, prejudice, preconceived ideas, ableism and judgement. Stories centring around parents who have a disability. Australia has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention[1] that acknowledges there has been serious discrimination against people with disabilities, but then in practice, allows that discrimination against them to continue. As an advocate for parents with disabilities who are engaging with Child Protection, DFFH[2], I have become convinced there must be a better way to…

Minister’s Message

Introduction “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:32). Celebrated Annually on 1 October, International Day of Older Persons was passed by the United Nations General Assembly on 14 December 1990, which declared 1 October to be the International Day of Older Persons. There are currently around 700 million people over the age of 60. It is predicted that by 2050, this figure will have risen…