Quaker Shopping

Monday was a busy day. After breakfast we went to the Quaker Shop, a charity shop (they call them 'Opportunity Shops' or Op-Shops for short here) run by Quakers with the help of a vast army of non-Quaker volunteers. My host Topsy is the manager and moving spirit behind all this. It's quite a big operation: when we arrived, so did someone else with all his deceased aunt's clothing, a boot and back seat full (and it wasn't a small car!). My job was to sort all this into categories, and put everything on hangers. It was quite fun, and I had various people assisting and advising: and some of the clothes were, you might say, a bit different! Cups of lovely filter coffee abounded as needed, and the morning soon went by.

Back home for lunch followed by a snooze and a revision of the talk on Ministry I was to give in the evening. I discovered I'd left the 'final version' behind, though in fact it had only been a few notes on paper: most of my talks are in my head and get embellished as the Spirit moves at the time. So I did a bit of restructuring of what I had (the previous version, done for local Elders), and felt reasonably happy with it.

Soon after six, folk started arriving: we were starting with a bring and share meal, and indeed with a drink. When you live surrounded by vineyards, most people simply appreciate the local produce. So the usual delicious meal, including some quite scrummy desserts: and then we were ready. There were twelve of us including me - a good number for a discussion without the need to split into groups. I talked for a bit, with extracts from the wonderful 18th century Quaker Samuel Bownas, and some more modern writings, and then asked some questions about what makes Ministry 'real' or deep. The discussion was a little slow moving to start with, but warmed up and most people were participating. It seemed to go down OK: I'm doing the same talk in Melbourne in a few days, though I guess it will have changed a little, and I think I'll ask different questions!

So altogether a good day. Tomorrow will be quieter: and then on Wednesday the first journey across Australia, leaving this state and going into Victoria. I've sensed a bit of rivalry, though not quite on the Sunderland-Newcastle level! It's good to feel the enterprise is well and truly under way.