When visiting the Whitsundays Basil Sellers Laguna Quays Respite mission cottage, Delma Tronson has hosted the Midge Point art-group ladies for a high tea at the Point Tavern.
This has become a feature of the annual calender and it is one of the most enjoyable events for the art ladies of the year.
Since the Laguna Quays Respite was established in 2011, a number of community developments have been introduced by Delma and myself as part of our ministry links into the local community of Midge Point and Bloomsbury.
In 2012 the local hard copy stapled A4 sheet newspaper closed due to ongoing costs, without any replacement. I asked young writer IT whiz Josh Hinds whether he would put an online weekly news together and this we handed to the lady who had been doing the hard copy.
The Midge Point – Bloomsbury – News and Mews – www.mpbnews.org has been running ever since with a weekly audience of 800 separate visitors in a population of less than 1200. A remarkable local effort.
In 2013 we established the Basil Sellers Art Prize which has been running ever since and now expanded to other small communities in the area. This is followed each year in September with an art finalists' lunch hosted by Mr Basil Sellers AM.
In 2014 an annual business luncheon was likewise developed and this year we had the Proserpine ANZ manager speak to the small business community.
Then Delma initiated the High Tea. This was developed as an expression of thanks to the art ladies who have made her so welcome and incorporated her into all their activities as an esteemed and honoured guest.
Air brushing exhibition
The arts community last Thursday saw a Kevin Garner air brushing demonstration at his art workshop. This was arranged last September at the Basil Sellers Midge Point art finalists lunch.
Kevin Garner exhibited the technique with a small air gun with the artist's finger pressure determining the paint shoot and the extent of the distance from the canvas creates the images.
It was a fascinating presentation with many having a trial shoot (as it were). Merle Garner provided a lovely morning tea for everyone.
Country Town Tour – Men's Breakfast
Last Saturday it was my privilege to speak at the Mackay Baptist Men's Breakfast as part of another Well-Being Australia Country Town Tour - a 30 year ministry to regional and rural Australia.
In this instance my evangelistic push was speaking of my 17 years as the Australian cricket team chaplain followed by Life After Cricket – this breakfast was in the midst of the First Test against South Africa being played in Perth.
In addition, to illustrate 2 Chronicles chapter 6 verse 7 from Solomon's prayer of dedicating the temple, he reported David his father was not permitted to build the temple, 'but' because it was in his heart do so, it was well with him, blessing were his.
It was noted, in our lives there are times where it was in our heart to be engaged in a particular ministry – whether that was at home or overseas mission – but the circumstances were such it logistically could not happen. Nevertheless because it was in our heart to do so, the blessing is ours.
To highlight this I bought along my paints and created an art work illustrating this biblical announcement.
65th birthday function
65th birthdays are a bit of a milestone and it was mine on Saturday 5 November. The night before, friends came over for a barbeque at the respite cottage to celebrate this milestone, then a Mackay morning tea followed by a Sunday night dinner at The Tavern with other friends.
We have birthday morning teas Wednesday with real estate friends and Friday with art friends. It's quite a week.
Rural mission
Midge Point – Bloomsbury is a rural area south of Proserpine whose boundaries are the Bruce Highway and to the east, the Whitsundays Repulse Bay.
There are many such rural ministries necessarily involving the community is a variety of ways from the SES, Rural Fire, Sports, Fishing and Pony Clubs, Arts and Crafts, School P&C's, physical exercise classes, charities and a whole host more.
Christians are involved in all these bringing the 'salt of faith in Jesus Christ' into the community. This is Gospel 101.
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 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html