Cafe – Melbourne Welsh Church

28
Jun 16
0

Category:be excellent to each other,Being,Bubba,Cafe,Community,Compassion,Doubt,Fall,Family,FEELING IT,Fog,happiness,Hope

A true Christian path would lead them into the untidy stables of the poor and oppressed, to shovel shit with the Messiah. Instead they remain spiritually shipwrecked, floundering on the shoals of their own ambitions and indifference, slick and ridiculous in their genuflections to greed.

From B Cockburn: Rumours of Glory: on thoughts of Brennan Manning

Over the past seven weeks I have had time to read and reflect while a fractured ankle healed.

I read, listened to music and watched movies and documentaries.

I was challenged as to how and why I do what i do as i loiter.

I was challenged as to my responsibility in the communities i live and move, so now I’m back on my feet, i need to implement the “KISS’ method…….

KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!!!!!

05
Apr 16
0

The Home of the Lost and Found

Category:Cafe,Chocolate,Coffee,Community,Compassion,Darkness,death,Doubt,Family,Fear,Forgiveness,Hope,Hospitality,life

Easter Saturday Vigil

What happens when a few people,with no idea of what they are really doing, don’t seek notoriety or claim success, are aware of their own ‘issues’ and failings, take risks, love people and seek to see where God is and join in??……….. well you get something like this…
children hiding chocolate eggs in the park for other children,whose parents score their ‘stuff’ in this park, where dispossessed people meet, hot chocolate, hot x buns and conversation for those whose backyard this is, a meeting place during the day to converse as together we share life in the simple day to day stuff………….

The Saturday of Light

The In Between Days Liturgy

for

Easter Saturday

Father forgive us, for we know not what we do.

In the Eastern Orthodox Churches, today is known as the Saturday of Light, it is the first celebration of Easter and the first time the “Hallelujah” is used since the beginning of Lent. The sadness of Friday has passed and the faithful wait for the Light to shine in the darkness once more, renewed for the beginning of the liturgical year.

We give thanks for the traditions of the faithful in other places.

The Church has a history of making solemn the celebrations of it’s seasons. We, called to live in hope and joy, more often than not live in the struggle of fear, of doubt and in ignorance. It is only what is appropriate, for on this night long passed, those followers of the Light sat in mourning, in disbelief and in terrible fear. For the Light that shined around them had gone out and they knew not where to find Him. The land had turned to darkness, the veil was rent, the women wept at the foot the cross, His disciples had fled in mortal terror. Only John stayed, to keep comfort His mother and to hear that sinner’s great prayer “truly, this man was the Son of God”.

LORD we are scattered like sheep with no shepherd

Lifeless He hung there, bruised for our transgressions, heavy with the weight of the world. The Jesus of the miracles, of the parables, of the teachings, the Jesus of the highways and the byways, somehow, had become the Jesus of the garden, the Jesus of the trial, the Jesus of the cross. Where should they turn now? He had the words of eternal life, and now, that life was over. Were they condemned because the light had come into the world and that light was the light of men? What now when there was darkness? Where is light in the darkness, where is faith, hope, joy, love? The darkness of this Saturday was darker than any before.

Between dark and light

Between death and life

LORD grant us Faith

and strength to keep searching for the Light

Scripture is filled with stories of darkness, from the creation in Genesis, the barren womb of Sarah, the slavery of Egypt, the time before the Torah, poor Jonah in the belly of the great fish, that time when there were no prophets in Israel and God had taken the light of revelation from the people who would declare His truth. Beside the rivers of Babylon, exile, genocide, the darkness prevailed. Hope was lost, doubt was everything, and in the hearts of men and women, terrible fear.

LORD in your mercy, HEAR OUR PRAYER

Yet…..God in the darkness is still the God of light, even the darkness of a new tomb, sealed by rock, and guarded by enemies. He clothes Himself in light as a garment, He made two lights in the heavens, He made the stars also. He is the God of Life we are never to forget, those stars are meant to remind us of the glory of the creator of all light.

LORD we seek you in the glory of your creation, light our path we pray

We too are in darkness, sometimes, in despair, loneliness, loss, uncertainty, in the fear that things will never be bright again. We stumble in the darkness of our own faithlessness and arrogance, in the dark night of legalism without grace, judgement without justice, crown without cross, in the darkness of plenty in a land barren of salt and light.

You LORD, only you, be our light in the darkness

For the Jews, the new day starts at the sunset of the old, a new beginning in the darkness of the day before. Night before light, blackness before the morning, the waning moon before the rising sun. The Rising Son.

LORD the Son rises.

Life must overcome, the life that is the light of women and men, of girls and boys, of lost and found, is rising. This is the story of tomorrow, and the story of tonight. For what went on in that tomb was life besting death, which now will have no sting. Mourning has been soothed with the oil of joy. Beauty for the ashes of despair. This is the Good News of the light and of life. The Son is rising anew, for the first time, forever.

LORD we pray

for those trapped in darkness, LORD we pray

for those who prefer the darkness, LORD we pray

for those in the darkness of addiction, LORD we pray

for those who suffer abuse, LORD we pray

for those who abuse, LORD we pray

for the wealthy, LORD we pray

for the poor, LORD we pray

for those in war, LORD we pray

for the soldier, LORD we pray

for the child soldier, LORD we pray

for those without a safe home, LORD we pray

CBD

for those seeking refuge, LORD we pray

for those without clean water, LORD we pray

for those stricken with illness, LORD we pray

for those who minister to them, LORD we pray

for those without power or voice, LORD we pray

for those in power, LORD we pray

for us, LORD we pray

for the weak, the weary, the sad, the broken, the fearful, the despairing, the grieving, the hungry, the ignorant, the doubting

LORD hear our prayer.

It is the custom of Christians to wait until the new night of tomorrow, to kindle the candles that brighten the new year. We of faith, gathered here now, in faith, knowing that tomorrow is already history, light these candles, because for us, tomorrow is here, tomorrow has already come. Life and light are ours, the new light of tomorrows miracle shines in our hearts, darkness is no more. The life is the light of women, and men, and we prefer the light.

Let us light these candles, and go forward, bearing the light into the all our tomorrows.

LORD, in your goodness, hear our prayer

POPUP

broken people in a broken world
working on mending together
offering hope where it would appear
there is none to be found
light where often there is only darkness
love where love is often lost

21
Mar 16
0

heaven don’t miss it for the world

Category:#God,Bubba,Cafe,Chocolate,Clone,Coffee,Community,Compassion,Doubt,Family,Fear,Forgiveness,Hope,Hospitality

heaven don’t miss it for the world….
so said the sign on the road side…..

It appears like we think Heaven is somehow going to be better than The World????

When we pray for God’s will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, what are we asking or expecting??

Its seems we are just biding time, or waiting for ‘pie in the sky in the sweet bye and bye rather than steak on the plate while we wait’?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m eager for things to be ‘put right’, whatever that looks like.

All new things or all things renewed??

Its Easter, perhaps its time to get on with God’s will being done on earth, rather that waiting for your insurance policy to be invoked.

Don’t hide Jesus this Easter, get out there where its happening and be part of things being renewed…….if your looking for Jesus this is where Jesus will be…..

10
Nov 15
0

life is like a cup of hot chocolate

Category:Being,Bubba,Cafe,Chocolate,Community,Family,happiness,Hero,Hope,Hospitality,Mercy,Neighbour,nobody,Peace

Its 645 am on an overcast Tuesday morning, people are out, running, riding, exercising or rowing along the yarra river. People every where are rushing to work or going about their daily business,
not me I’m loitering, with a thermos of hot chocolate blended from several ingredients in my hands.

The homes under the bridge are silent as residents sleep, stirring occasional, unaware of the activity, seagulls wait impatiently for them to stir as they await the crumbs of their food.

I sit quietly, waiting, watching and contemplating, as the residents continue their slumber.

After some time I leave the thermos and cups at the entry to the home under the bridge and go about the day, wondering who will i meet today, whose story will i hear and what will become of the hot chocolate??

14
Jul 15
0

hot chocolate and peanut butter choice chip cookies, conversation and community

Category:#Jesus,be excellent to each other,Cafe,Family,Forgiveness,Hope,Hospitality,Love,Mercy,Neighbour,Second Chances

The value of stories should never been underestimated.

As a small group of us sat sipping our hot chocolate and eating delicious cookies, ( Thanks Ana)

we listen to four men tell stories of brokenness, recovery, relapse and Grace, Mercy,Love, Forgiveness and second chances.

These men also work together, not because they love money, or power, no, rather because together as they mow, paint, weed gardens or build fences, they encourage each other, support each other and share in the Grace, Mercy, Love,Pain, Forgiveness and second chances, they share on the journey.

The Good News in action, practice, purposeful and real.

31
Mar 15
0

‘popup church’.

Category:#Jesus,be excellent to each other,Bubba,Cafe,catch up,Coffee,Community,Family,Godsmacked,Hope,Hospitality,LISTEN,Love,Neighbour,News,Peace,rant,respect

POPUP is an informal get together of people, who have faith communities, but sometimes like to to discuss, vent, encourage, be encouraged and heard in a different setting.
Today three of us spent one and a half hours drinking coffee/hot chocolate and discussing matters of faith and personal stuff.
We are quite different, rather than look for differences we share what we have in common and challenge and are challenged to think and rethink what we believe and why.
It is always good to listen and be heard, and to go away knowing we love and care for each other.
One person who is a regular, has recently moved back with partner and family after a time of separation,another is a single dad coping with all the stuff of life and who hangs out with ‘dangerous’ people, then there is me, who struggles to make sense of doubt and faith.

Together we travel this road we call ‘our faith journey’, and together discover the importance of life before death!!

It’s a mixed group, crazy group, and its sinners and saints together making sense of life

17
Mar 15
0

Debt Paid

Category:Bubba,Cafe,catch up,Coffee,Community,Family,Hospitality,streets

‘M’ came and sat next to me the other day on a Mall in Melbourne.
‘M’ was the first person I met as I started loitering and lurking just over a year ago, we met on March 20th, 2014.
I enquired as to his well being and he started sobbing, I put my arm around him as he told me why he was upset.
After a while we decided it would be good to eat, so I invited ‘M’ to choose where we would go.
Upon arriving we were met with some suspicion, and as soon as we placed out order we were asked to pay. I explained we may want more food and or drink and that I was paying and would do so at the end, ( as in normal practise).
I approached the owner of the cafe and asked if there were a problem or if ‘M’ had been before and gone without paying?it transpired he had so I offered to pay the whole $2.00 !! She politely refused and then proceeded to ‘warn me of giving any money to ‘M’!!
I returned to the table and asked ‘m’ if he owed the owner money, he did and knew it was $2.00, I gave him the money and he paid his debt in full!!

I so am blessed to get to hang out with crooks!!

Yes people its almost Easter!!

03
Mar 15
0

Still Small Voice

Category:Bubba,Cafe,catch up,Godsmacked,Hope,Hospitality,LISTEN,Still Small Voice,Stranger,streets,The Other

In the bigger scheme of things, where you have your morning coffee in not that important…..right?

Maybe not, but sometimes you have to listen to that ‘small still voice’.

Recently as i was riding into the city for my daily loitering activities, I had my mind made up where i would go first and get a long black!!
As I neared my destination, something, I call a ‘still small voice’ suggested an alternate venue.

I listened, and went to another cafe instead, had my coffee and you guessed it nothing happened, that is until I was skulking back to the bike, when out of nowhere a pair of arms came around me from behind and I got a bear hug.

It was a bloke I had met once, at the funeral for Les, which I wrote about last year.

We hugged and chatted for a time, which was good for the heart!!

We parted company a short time later, and I now listen more carefully to the ‘small still voice’, maybe just maybe its God and maybe I should listen.

PS Please don’t tell The Ruth, she says I never listen!!!!

03
Feb 15
0

Yackandandah

Category:Bubba,Cafe,Coffee

What or where is Yackandandah I hear you ask??!!

Nestled in thew country side of Northeast Victoria Australia, a small town with two pubs, mind you many years ago it had three, but, i digress.
This rural town was my home in the early 60’s and 70’s, and a place where family still live in the close vicinity of.
It holds many memories, some pleasant, some not so.

My partner and I recently returned for a brief visit, to see family and as is our tradition it included a visit to a local cafe for coffee and food.

After placing our orders, and our coffee cups were long empty, an hour had past, we were wondering if the ingredients for our meal were being freshly harvested, baked or purchased from the local stores!!

At the prompting of The Ruth (my partner in crime) I decided to approach the young person,who as fate would have it was no in charge of taking orders!! Before I could get my request out for the whereabouts of the seemingly elusive order, a person sporting chefs attire, met me at our table.

I explained our order, which had been placed over an hour earlier had not made it to our table.

I need to explain that I worked in the hospitality industry from 1974 through to 1999, and whilst not a difficult customer by nature, did wonder how our simple and straight forward order had seemingly been overlooked!!
It also needs to be said I at no stage became, irritated, irrational or grumpy!! rather composed and calm.

What happened next showed the team at the cafe understood how to manage what could have been a difficult situation.
No excuses or blame was made, no promises of money back or special treatment, just resolving the issue of the absent food, and a round of drinks (coffee) delivered post haste!!

We will visit again without hesitation, not because it was ‘perfect’ rather because they made good and were allowed to make good.
There is something in that for us all!!

Category Archives: Cafe

Jun 16

Apr 16

Mar 16

heaven don’t miss it for the world….so said the sign on the road side…..

It appears like we think Heaven is somehow going to be better than The World????

Nov 15

Jul 15

The value of stories should never been underestimated.

Mar 15

Mar 15

Mar 15

Feb 15

heaven don’t miss it for the world….
so said the sign on the road side…..