Another of the Midge Point Arts Group morning tea was held last week 9 July which has become something of a regular event.
There is always a story – this story goes back to 2011 when the Laguna Quays Respite cottage became a missions respite for mission people on the Whitsundays Repulse Bay mainland as a gifting from the Lord thru Well-Being Australia.
My wife Delma and I travelled to Proserpine four times a year for two weeks for maintenance and developed our own ministry in Midge Point and one way we did this was thru an art prize.
Mr Basil Sellers AM saw the potential and good-will of Well-Being Australia to provide community ministry with an art prize of $1000 which grew to $2000 over a five year period from 2013.
The years 2013 and 2014 Basil Sellers visited the Laguna Quay Respite cottage and at the same time chaired the art prize luncheon.
This built up good will in ministry on a wider scale with a fancy dress occasion and a number of annual business luncheons along with the art prize and supported by the Point Tavern Neil and Kaye Brooks.
Separate occasion
Then each year as a separate occasion an arts morning tea was held at the Tavern and at various of the arts people’s houses. This went of year after year and provided an opportunity for the local community to seek ministry apart from the arts scene.
The arts group meet Thursday at Bloomsbury Hall where they hone their skills in the arts, crafts, sketches, water colour, sewing, sculptures …. whatever.,
When Mark and Delma Tronson come up a special occasion it set - one year we went to a local artists’s workshop. Another at an art winner’s home in Bloomsbury, another on a farm, another art winner.
The past two years this special morning tea has been held at Inas Jackson’s home in Midge Point on a beautiful veranda which Dr Tronson named the “Onshore Breeze Café”. Everyone approved and delighted in the most suitable expression.
July 2020 morning tea
Last week the 2020 arts morning teas was held at Inas Jackson’s home and on the veranda – ah la – the Onshore Breeze Café”.
The people gathered bought a plate and there was so much food ….. it was a social distancing gathering where no one sat close to each other.
We had not seen the arts group people since 2019 and it was joy in the Lord to catch up and find out what was happening in the community of Midge Point and Bloomsbury.
Dr Tronson gave a speech (as he is expected) told a story about his cricket ministry years (Australian Cricket Team chaplain for 17 years), discussed what was the local situation with Covid 19 and those who were ill or under duress.
Community ministry is very important in small regional areas such as Midge Point and Bloomsbury.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 25 books, and enjoys writing. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Dr Mark Tronson’s Press Service International in 2019 was awarded ‘The Gutenberg’ - the Australasian Religious Press Association’s premier award. In September 2020 Summer Moore presented her commission portrait of Dr Mark Tronson holding the Gutenberg plaque. He and David Chang editor of Christian Today together bought the young writer ministry into fruition in 2009. In 2011 Mark established Laguna Quays Respite (Whitsundays) for missionary respite and replicated at Aldinga Beach 2016 (Adelaide) and Greens Beach Bass Straight (TAS). His ministry is honoured all these years by Christian philanthropist Mr Basil Sellers AM. He is married to Delma (44 years), with four adult married children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/dr-mark-t.html
