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IN RESPONSE TO A LETTER IN YOUR SAY | 2020 SUMMER INSIGHTS

In the “Your Say” column of Love” organisation where the Summer Insights, Bev completed rugs made of 28 Plaizier from Leura Uniting knitted squares are sent all made comment about the over the world where disaster “women members at Gordon has struck, to bring help and Uniting have been making comfort to the struggling stoles for recently bereaved survivors. women for comfort in For the last their loss”. I would just like to expand on THE STITCHING GROUP couple of years we’ve hosted a Wrap With Love Knit-in, that a little. For many years the Stitching Group BASED AT GORDON HAVE OPERATED A “SHAWL similar to that the ABC used to hold, where members of the public come and join based at Gordon MINISTRY” us and also hear firsthave, at the hand from a suggestion member of of one of the founding the WWL organisation of the members, Mary Cripwell, amazing work they do. operated what we know as a “Shawl Ministry” whereby To-date, Gordon has some members make contributed more than 200 knitted/crocheted shawls completed rugs, and probably (or scarves for men) and have another 40 ready to give them to those in the take out to them when the community known to be Covid disaster allows us to grieving or struggling in some do so. way to let them know they are ROSEMARY WATSON in our thoughts and prayers. GORDON/PYMBLE UNITING The shawl is accompanied by an appropriate verse and note of explanation. The Stitching Group and some others, including now students at Ravenswood School, have for the last several years been involved with the “Wrap With WHY IS THE AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN LOBBY WAGING A CULTURE WAR OVER LGBTQ ISSUES? SHOULD CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY?

We need to distinguish between two ideas:

1. How I want to live in my community (faith) 2. I will make everyone obey me by making laws (power). This first is right of religious freedom – people have a right in groups to agree on a certain lifestyle, the second is power politics. Power over others is an intoxicating drug and misses the point of religion and grace over rules (power wants it the other way around). Throughout history there are many people who will wield the sword of the state to smite people that do not agree with them and this generation of humans is no different.

LLOYD ROBINSON Why do we ‘celebrate’ Valentine’s Day? They didn’t for 11 centuries after Valentine’s life and death. Only after Geoffrey Chaucer in about 1375 wrote a poem called Parliament of Fowls did it take off. In the poem, birds of all kinds gather “on St Valentine’s Day” to find a mate. In the northern hemisphere, late February is near the end of winter and spring approaches. Apparently, since then Valentine’s Day has been celebrated as the time when the gloom of winter begins to fade and, as Tennyson later wrote, young men’s fancies could ‘turn to thoughts of love’. So, don’t let anyone dismiss this great day. It’s origins are many, but all the tales, legends, historical truths and poems come together because human love matters.

My wife (of almost 40 years) and I have always celebrated on this day. I suppose it’s our own mini parliament of birds!

WARREN BIRD