Basil Sellers, an Anglo Indian, came to his 75th Birthday dressed as a Maharajah - to the acclaim of all.
As is fitting for a celebration, the evening was imbued with much humour – some of it about business enterprises that did not go to plan! Some of the eminent speakers were happy to reveal all to the audience.
As a beneficiary of Basil Sellers' generosity, it was an honour and privilege to have been asked to offer the grace and blessing. Both my wife Delma and I were introduced by the evening's MC, scientist and journalist, Adam Spencer who referred to our recent internationally acclaimed Gold Medals that were awarded last year for our then 27 years of Olympic and Sports ministry.
Basil Sellers holds a 'birthday celebration' party every five years, the first was his 50th birthday bash in Sydney. His sixtieth birthday party was held in the UK, where his guests arrived in the Orient Express which had been specially hired for the occasion.
For his 70th birthday party held in Adelaide, Basil Sellers had hired as many rooms as required in the Hilton hotel for that one night for all his guests. On that occasion Basil Sellers entered the function in a parachute harness, as he had recently returned from South Africa where he had ridden in a jet fighter into the stratosphere.
We have been friends with the Sellers family for over 20 years and have been previously honoured with saying the Grace and Blessing at Basil's 70th birthday celebration in Adelaide, as well as the wedding of his son Darrell to Ruth in 2009.
For this 75th birthday Grace and Blessing Psalm 100 was read, a Psalm of thanksgiving, celebration and praise; followed by the Grace, into which the word 'conviviality' was incorporated. It was remarkable the number of people during the evening who said they had not heard the word, 'conviviality' for decades.
Perhaps fashions go in cycles. It certainly described a wonderful evening.