What Happens To Our Money?
As you know, we charge a small fee for soup and bread, and cakes and slices with coffee / tea at our winter soup lunches. In the past the proceeds from these have been deposited into general church funds. However, recently it was suggested that we donate this money to an organisation which assists farmers and communities in rural areas, affected by the severe drought currently engulfing our country. Our Church Council has approved this.
I have spoken to Rev’ d Mark Faulkner who is the Director of Rural and Remote Ministry for the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church. Mark recommended, as a recipient of the donations, the Rev’ d Phil Matthews who runs Frontier Services for Barwon( North / east NSW to Narrabri). Mark said Rev’ d Phil“ will use your donations directly. Phil is on the ground and works in some of Australia’ s poorest and most drought affected areas.” I believe a number of you who went on the Murray Darling Basin trips have met Phil and Chris knows him from some years back.
I have written to Phil Matthews, advising him of our plans and he has replied with thanks. Following Sunday’ s( 20 August) combined soup lunch with Holy Cross( the proceeds of which will be divided between our two parishes), the proceeds from the June and July lunches will be added to our share of this coming Sunday’ s proceeds and Lynda will deposit this amount into the account which Mark has given me, for Phil.
In the summer months, we may hold sausage sizzles / barbecues to raise funds for this cause.
We hope that farming families and communities will be able to benefit, even if only just a little, from our donations.
- Robyn Swadling-Rope Pastoral Care Convener
14 / 8 / 18
Image from the blogspot https:// ruralchaplains. blogspot. com /
St Margaret’ s News 6 August 2018