The focus of this year’s Wimmera Easter Convention, held at Warracknabeal, was the event’s 80th anniversary.
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Video clips and the spoken stories told of the enjoyment, spiritual value and fellowship that the convention had provided to so many through the years.
This Easter, the Uniting Church was full for the opening meeting - the teen campers, young adults and adults joining together. Glen Waverley Pastor Steaven Cheung addressed the meeting and later led the teens’ Bible studies, youth event and closed the convention.
Steavan spoke of the isolating effect of being born in Hong Kong, migrating to Melbourne, being raised in a single parent home with his brother and the impact of poorly spoken English. In contrast, he detailed the warmth of acceptance experienced at his first Christian youth camp, which contributed significantly to his personal belief in Jesus Christ.
Reverend David Cook’s challenge was not to be pressed into the world’s mold. ( Rom 12) So much of secular thinking is one’s self first, rather than God first, followed by others.
The junior campers at the Warracknabeal Secondary College enjoyed a wild creatures theme. Dressing up as wild creatures, learning so many can be tamed but one cannot be tamed ie the tongue. A huge tongue up front illustrated the tongue speaks of what is inside our thinking in contrast to God’s thoughts.
The teen camp had a pirate theme and participants enjoyed a costume night, canoeing, raft building, banquet dinner and studies led by Steaven Cheung.
The cross-culture speakers, Paul and Gerrah Kulikovsky, of Global Literature Outreach, spoke of the need in the Philippines for education and schools.
Peter and Dianne Stevens, of Family First, spoke of the philosophy and concerns behind the `Safe Schools’ program in Victorian schools.
Prison Fellowship and the Barnabas Fund were represented at the Convention for attendees to appreciate and learn of the needs being met. Prison Fellowship personnel spoke about the loneliness of many prisoners, as they have no one to visit or write to them.
An enjoyable selection of music was provided by the band led by lead singer Kate Staley, of Ballarat, alongside Brad Parson, guitar, Will Campbell, bass guitar and Ben Allen on drums.