September Fellowship News

A small group met around the table for the August Meeting, and we were delighted to have Rev Doug Hosking with us for the day. He joined in like one of us, and after our meeting at which Lillias Thomson presided, he shared with us the time he and his wife Jenny spent recently as Volunteers in Mission in the Philippines. Doug is a retired minister having served in many parishes in both metropolitan and country South Australia.

Doug and Jenny were based in Baguio, a town in the mountains about five or six hours' drive from Manila. Many houses have been built up the mountainside, and Doug illustrated his talk with a Power Point presentation, so we were able to get a good idea of the country. They were there just ahead of the monsoon period, but sometimes it was showery and as the monsoon season approached it bucketed down! The Ecumenical Theological Seminary of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines has a library with thousands of books to be catalogued with details of author, title, and number, entered first on the computer and then on a card. It was a difficult job, not helped by the cold and damp weather as many books were mouldy. This is the second time that Doug and Jenny had been, and he hopes that the system works!

News was shared by the members about recent events, and forthcoming events concerning us. The Royal Show commences on September 5^th - do visit the Red Dove Cafe for a delicious morning or afternoon tea, or for a meal. The Fellowship donated $150 towards their supplies. To raise awareness of the work of Frontier Services there will be an exhibition in the Farm Expo, and members of the South Australian Team will be there. The National Committee is sponsoring major prizes in the Beef Cattle Competition.

Earlier in the year you may have noted in your diary the Regional Celebration for Adelaide North West, to be held at One Tree Hill on September 17^th. Please note that the date for this event has been changed to Wednesday 24^th September, at 10.00am. There is a notice on the notice-board in McGregor Hall giving all the details, and we hope that some representatives from Scots will be able to attend.

The next Fellowship Meeting is on Thursday 4th September. BYO lunch and join us – a special invitation is extended to all members of the congregation to come and meet John Duval, a member of the South Australian Team of Frontier Services. John has some very interesting and amusing stories to tell - he has been on many Work Parties for Frontier Services, and last year was part of a Support Team for the Solar Car Race from Darwin to Adelaide - he will share something of both these experiences with us.

The latest "Frontier News" has illustrations of their beautiful and inexpensive Christmas Cards - Rev Norah Norris will have samples of these very soon, and also cards for National & World Mission - so do not buy your Christmas Cards until you have seen these! 

Mary Thomas