Broome Anglican Community School Blocked by Minister for Education

August – October 2007

Hello Friends,

The winter has ended and with it the Broome visitor/tourist season. So the season of ministry changes.

August
August always sees the beginning of the wet season exodus from town. We miss our dry season regulars that add so much to the fellowship of Broome Anglican Church (BAC). It also saw three of our permanent church families leave. Two families are now on the road, taking some time out to travel and another had moved to Victoria to be close to family. These families have left a hole, we miss them.

Bishop David and Maureen Mulready found themselves in Broome as a part of their “Kimberley tour” to build up and encourage our ministry team. We appreciate their dedication to serve us by spending so much time away from home so that they can spend time with us.

September
Before we knew it our annual break was upon us and our long awaited Canning Stock Route trip began. Our 5 vehicle convoy left Broome on the 10th September. Many thought we were mad going so late in the season. We were expecting it to be oppressively hot. However, we thrived in the 38 degree dry heat at the northern end of the track. We passed abandoned and burnt out vehicles; roamed over 15m high dunes; were surprised at the plethora of wild flowers; appreciated the indigenous link to the land; had fun watching out for dingoes, camels, snakes, lizards etc; enjoyed the fellowship of great friends; relaxed at beautiful waterholes; bumped over ruts and corrugations; marvelled at the engineering and survival skills of the pioneering surveyors and the bravery of the stockmen moving their herds down the track that crosses 4 deserts. Our beefed up suspension, air conditioning and modern camping equipment proved most beneficial! Our group had a few mechanical and structural problems, but nothing that some bush mechanics and welding could not overcome. We all made it out in one piece – praise God.

October
By the beginning of October we had made it to civilisation – Wiluna, 3km south of the first Canning Stock Route well. We farewelled our travel mates and pushed on for Perth. After an overnight stop with Bill and Jackie France in Mount Magnet we made it to Perth for a flying visit with the Eatoughs. Lachlan finished off the Diocesan “Professional Standards” manual in preparation for its presentation at the upcoming DNWA Family Conference. Bec finished off an essay on Ecclesiastes that she had been working on while on the Canning. We also had the opportunity to catch up with some families from the kid’s old Perth school and some of the church families that were our homes when we lived in Perth. Our few days before the conference were over very quickly. We are sorry that we could not meet up with everyone.

The DNWA Family Conference was held in the second week of the holidays. We were fed literally, emotionally and spiritually. We hardly saw Tim and Emily – they were too busy with the kids program and playing with new and old friends to worry about spending time with their parents. It was great to have an opportunity to meet up with the other Diocesan families scattered across the North West. Thanks MU for helping pay the cost for the wives and families to come along, and thanks Diocesan Office staff and Mulreadys for making it happen. After the conference we were treated to a Colin Buchanan concert, where Emily was able to go onto stage as the birthday girl!

The week also brought us news of the appeal for the Broome Anglican Community School (BACS). The Minister for Education has decided to block the building of the School, even though the independent panel that heard the appeal recommended that the Minister for Education approve the school. The Anglican Schools Commission has decided not to fight the decision. We can already see the effects of this decision. Families who wanted the choice to be able to send their children to an Anglican school, who either cannot afford or do not want to send their kids to boarding school will now leave Broome.

So our trip home to Broome was tinged with disappointment. It was however, great to be home after 5 weeks away. We were home in time for the beginning of the school term and the start up of the kids ministries. The two older kids groups at Sunday school are learning how the Old Testament points towards Christ. They are excitedly preparing to run the end of term Family Christmas Service. The Friday afternoon kids club is looking at the ‘Big Picture’ of the Bible. Lachlan is currently looking for a volunteer to take over his responsibilities as the Sunday School co-ordinator as he takes on a larger preaching and service leading role.

Bec was able to run a GLAM spring dinner when she came home. While numbers were down, it is always encouraging to see women from both our congregations and invited friends meet together over a meal. The ‘GLAM season’ will end in late November with a Christmas celebration. A meal and gifts will be shared and the birth of Christ will be our focus. Our hope is that many will invite their friends who do not normally came to church. We know that many of you will also be involved in organising Christmas outreach events – Carols, Gingerbread house and card making days etc.

October has also seen a number of celebrations. There were a number of birthdays in our family, including, most importantly, the birth of our new niece – Millie Richter. Lachlan acted as celebrant at a wedding and we witnessed the baptism of one of our church kids, Phoebe, who is off to boarding school next year.

October has also been a time of farewells in our church. We have farewelled one of our long time members (5 years) and may also see another couple of ladies permanently leave Broome.

We are sure that November and December will march on with the end of school term, and the lead up to Christmas. We love the reminder that God loved us so much that he was prepared to send his Son – fully God become fully man – right down to the lowly stable birth. He accommodated himself so that he could teach us about the kingdom of God. He even humbled himself on a cross taking away the punishment for our rebellion against God. And praise God, he rose again, taking the sting out of death!

Prayer and Praise
· Thanks for the healing of our dog Rhapsody and the great care she had while we were away. Carley, a wildlife carer house sat for us!
· Thanks for the safe arrival of Millie Richter.
· Thanks for safe travel, for our Canning Convoy and all the clergy families that travelled for the Family Conference and for the conference itself.
· Praise for the huge efforts by the Anglican Schools Commission and the local steering committee in their work toward the Broome Anglican Community School.
· Prayer for provision for a new Sunday School Co-ordinator.
· Prayer for Bec as she prepares for her final exam on the 16th November. God willing this will be her final assessment for a Graduate Diploma in Divinity.

With Love – Bec, Lachlan, Tim & Emily