Safe Harbour: the Power of a Thousand Boats
“A colourful, swirling flotilla of more than a thousand small, painted boats designed to bring attention to the plight of refugees indefinitely detained offshore.”
A SALA event running from 4th until 3oth August. Opening event is on Friday 4th August, 6pm – 8pm in the forecourt of Clayton Wesley Church. Further openings are;
Wednesdays & Fridays, 11am – 3pm
Sundays, 1pm -3pm
All welcome.
Held here on June 12th 2016.
Professor Michael Hawn, director of the Sacred Music Program at Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, Texas, led an afternoon of singing that focused on the theology of Creation from an historical perspective. He explained how views of our relationship with the environment have been reflected in the text of hymn-writers through the ages. The structure of the afternoon followed that of a typical order of service and included Communion. Musicians included an organist, pianist, violinist, flautists and vocalists, whilst Michael himself played guitar, recorder and piano. Reflections were highlighted by wonderful artistic displays at the front of the church and a scrumptious afternoon tea followed the service. – Mandy H
Open Wednesdays and Fridays: 10am-3pm
English lessons: from 11am
Find us in Hope Hall
Entry through Goodies Op Shop
Craft and Conversation Group – Wednesdays 1-3pm
A good way to learn English, learn and share some skills and pass the time.
Are you free for a few hours on a Tuesday? Would you like to be part of a friendly group who get their hands dirty? Then come on over to the corner of The Parade & Portrush Rd from 10am til 12noon
In our aim to create a sustainable garden, we’re also working to create some compost bins, plant boxes and even make our own little tool shed!
written by Shirley Wheeler
Persian carpets festooned the walls and intricate brassware and Persian artefacts enriched the exotic atmosphere.
Long tables and seating were set up in the two church spaces.
Our Chapel and the adjacent Hope’s Café were transformed into a lively Persian restaurant for our fund raiser on the night of Saturday the 23rd of August.
The grand evening was booked to capacity with paying diners and refugee volunteers and other guests.
Attendees were treated to an authentic Persian feast of dishes rare and delicious, served on two large heavily laden tables.
There were koresh dishes which combined meat and fruit, kebabs cooked on an outdoor open charcoal grill by Iranian (modern Persian) asylum seekers.
The rice dishes were flavoured with pomegranates, saffron and other amazing ingredients. Vegetarians were not forgotten, with a succulent eggplant dish, salads, pickles, and this is just a small sample of the sumptuous buffet.
Fesenjoon, a Persian special-occasion dish, included meat marinades with walnuts in pomegranate juice. Some of the food was decorated with brightly coloured vegetables, such as carrots and corn kernels, such that it resembled a beautiful work of art.
A wide range of drinks was served in the Hope’s Café area, including a full barista service.
Desserts included some Australian favourites, such as cream puffs, cream sponge roll, waffles with ice-cream and coconut cookies.
However, the mounds of different varieties of halva made with sesame seed paste and the delicate nutty Turkish delight were Persian treats worth getting your elbows out for.
Everyone had the chance to eat their fill and enjoy the company and entertainment.
Music and singing were provided by the ‘We Women Sing’ choir and the JACI acoustic duo, which were uplifting and joyous.
A Persian song enhanced the atmosphere of the cultural ambience.
The refugees mingled freely and provided some attendees with their first chance to engage in conversation with someone who had survived a perilous journey to be in a free country.
Some refugees had escaped extreme danger and death in their home country as they had converted to Christianity, which was viewed as a crime that attracted torture and the death sentence.
The stories of injustice and hardship endured by the asylum seekers were eye opening for many.
Community detention has a prohibition against doing any paid work whatsoever and the provision of much less support than any other Australian resident.
Despite all their deprivations, the refugees demonstrated resilience and cheerfully served as volunteer helpers on this special occasion to raise much needed funds for their English classes and the Hope’s Café program.
At the end of the night, there was still some food left over for takeaways.
All expectations for the event had been met, and largely exceeded.
Thank you and well done to all involved!
Thanks to everyone who joined us to raise funds on Saturday the 23rd of August, at our Persian Dinner.
The money raised will help us continue our work at Hope’s Cafe, helping refugees with English classes, meals and friendship.
The successful dinner was sold out and had some great music, entertainment, interesting people and the opportunity to select from a menu of delicious Persian treats.
John Richards FurnitureFine Quality Furniture Ph: 8362 3380 |
The Therry Dramatic Society Inc.
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The Grace Establishment127 The Parade, Norwood |
Blooms49 The Parade, Norwood |
Sally’s Seconds (Salvos)55 George St, Norwood |
Kavir Rug Gallery128 Wakefield St, Adelaide |
| Goodies Op Shop |
Tehran Persian Rug Gallery71 Unley Rd, Parkside
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Church Historian Geoffrey Bishop has come across this beautiful photograph of a wedding at Clayton Congregational Church.
The photo provides no clues as to who the people are or the date it was taken, on the reverse side.
Geoffrey’s keen eye for history tells him that from the style of dress, it was probably taken around 1900.
If you have any ideas, email thespirecommunity@gmail.com
Clayton Wesley Uniting Church site has become more vibrant, with a new mural painted on our toilet block.
Effie Chaniotis is a qualified art therapist who offered her time and talent to beautify what we here at CWUC have coined, the ‘Cistern Chapel’.
Originally from Melbourne, Effie was looking for projects, and the opportunity to paint murals around town while she is here in Adelaide visiting her family.
Effie overheard our Reverend Paul Turley talking to someone in a café about The Spire Community’s projects happening here on site.
She offered her time to paint a mural and of course, Paul jumped at the opportunity.
Within days, the proposal was put to the Church Council for permission to paint the toilet block and to cover the cost of Effie’s paints and supplies.
The Cistern Chapel has now been painted in a decorative melange of cultural patterns.
Effie says the design is inspired by Persian art, as well as the beautiful paintings of South Africa’s Ndebele women put on their homesteads in their town of the same name.
The artwork was completed in February 2016, with the help of other artistically-inclined community members.
If you’re interested in learning more about Effie, head to her website.
Marisha, Bev, Mansoureh, Cynthia and Paul just after revealing the brilliant news
The generosity of the Clayton Wesley Uniting Church congregation has helped Mansoureh Ghanbari to take her first step into a new career.
Since becoming a part of the church congregation, Mansoureh has advocated to get her two daughters into school so they can develop their English language skills and have a bright future.
The three women regularly volunteered at the church and assisted in starting up Hope’s Café, donating many volunteer hours in cooking, planning, waitressing and welcoming patrons.
The church congregation recently donated money for both Sepideh and Fatima to attend school and buy uniforms, with the help of the advocacy of congregation members and Uniting Communities.
Mansoureh was so thrilled and has since considered her own future vocation, expressing to other members of the community that her ambition is to work in aged care, assisting and caring for the elderly.
Today Minister Paul Turley announced to those at the café that the Church Council on behalf of the congregation, would provide an interest-free loan to Mansoureh, so she can attend a 10-week Red Cross course to obtain the qualification she needs to follow her dream.Mensoureh has 
Shocked and elated, she hugged Bev Watson, who was one of the advocates for the money that would send her back to school.
“What a wonderful surprise!”, she said.
We wish her all the best.
News Flash!
Mensoureh began a paid position at Aldersgate Aged Care Facility in April! Congratulations Mensoureh, we wish you all the best for your future!!
