April 2018 Issue 20 - Laura SA
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April 2018 Issue 20 Hi readers We’ve just experienced a jam-packed January, full-on February, mad March and are about to head into all-go April, I wish you all a safe and blessed Easter break. No rest though, we then go straight into our famous Laura Folk Fair and add in some winter sport and it will be just as busy as the start of the year. Thanks to our committee for the background work to get a shelter at the West Laura Lookout and a big thanks to the lookout locals for their help to erect the shelter and tables plus the windbreak. What a great idea to sit in comfort whilst enjoying the view - Georgetown to the southeast, Crystal Brook to the southwest, Bundaleer and Jamestown to the east and Stone Hut and Tarcowie to the north and far northeast. Always a beautiful view and ever changing with the seasons! Good luck to all who start sport this coming season, I hope you enjoy an injury-free run and have an enjoyable year, hopefully leaving nothing and giving it your all with some fun along the way. Our Folk Fair will again need volunteers to help make it the success it has become over the last 30+ years. I urge those that can spare the time to help before and across the weekend to fill some time slots and enjoy the rewards that come from the Folk Fair atmosphere. There will again be roles to fill on committees when the AGM’s come around so please consider joining and spending some time in a role that takes your interest. You may have an idea that we can assist with to get more projects completed and keep our lovely town moving forward. Thanks to all who helped with the Long Lunch in March, with special thanks to Val Thomson for all her background work, maybe next time with good weather it can be held outside for all to enjoy. All the best as the year continues. Andrew Zanker, Co-Chair LCDTA Your FREE bi-monthly newsletter of Information produced by the Laura Community Development & Tourism Association (LCDTA) Inc. The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 1
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 2
Introducing Flower Storm - a new business is opening in Laura. Annette and Steve have both spent most of their working lives being self employed and decided to settle in Laura in 2014. Laura offered a genuine sense of community, ideal land, growing climate and of central proximity to Adelaide and a large swathe of rural South Australia. All were factors in their decision to create a new business housing a florist, plant nursery and gifts which include; garden and wall art pieces, statues, fountains, pots and general gift lines to service the Flinders Ranges across differing tastes and budgets. Same day flower deliveries are available in the region while freight can be arranged to outer locations across the Flinders Ranges and delivered across the world via relay service. Annette has worked in plant nurseries and is an experienced florist, having worked and owned both retail and wholesale business in Port Lincoln for thirty years, including a commercial rose farm producing cut flowers for the floral industry. As part of Flower Storm’s commitment to quality, freshness and availability, a commercial growing component of plants and cut flowers will be a part of our business development. We look forward to serving you in 2018. Weddings by appointment - Bulk orders available on enquiry. Trading Hours Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm Selected weekends - Saturday and Sunday – 10am – 1pm 24/7 ordering - www.flowerstorm.com.au - Contact: Mobile 0403220199 The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 3
We Specialise in:
• Solar Power – On & Off Grid
• Solar & Water Pumping Systems for
homes, farms and community projects –
design, supply & install
• Water Treatment & Filtration
• Irrigation Systems, Pipe & Fittings
• Solar Lighting
• Tanks- Liner & Poly, Level indicators
New opening hours: 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday
20 Herbert St, Laura SA 5480
T. 08 8663 2284 F. 08 8663 2310
www.powerandwater.com.au
SAND & METAL SUPPLIES
Free Delivery in Laura
or pick up from 11 Bristow St
Bobcat & Excavator Hire: Trenching & Earthworks
Ph. Wayne: 0428 810 338 or Joel: 0457 846 033
Frank Smith
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 4
Mothers Day Sunday 1 3th May
Open Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 am
Pre order to avoid disappointment
Huge selection of fresh flowers, plants
and gifts
Online ordering 24/7 - Mob: 0403 220 199
www.flowerstorm.com.au
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 5
Art Exhibition at the Laura
Folk Fair:
An open invitation is extended to all to attend the opening of the
Art Exhibition on Friday 6 April at 8pm.
Perhaps after a busy day (or days) of preparation for this busy weekend,
attending the opening is an ideal way to have a time of relaxation and
enjoyment. ‘Tis also the opportunity to have first selection of the paintings
for sale! This exhibition is one of the longest-running in rural South Australia
attracting entries from artists across the state and interstate.
So come along and have a preview on the Friday night. Opening night
includes refreshments
This year we offer FREE ADMISSION on Friday night!
Gold coin admission during the weekend.
Archives building at the Folk Fair:
Lorraine and Marty Gilbert are presenting an amazing insight into the
beekeepers of the northern areas during Folk Fair weekend.
Make sure that you visit the Laura Archives in the heart of the Folk Fair.
HELP required over the Folk Fair weekend:
Most organisations require assistance over this busy weekend, but RRHAS
offers an easy and pleasant task as a gallery attendant. Simply, we need to
staff the marquee in front of the Court House Gallery. The tasks are simple -
greet people and take gold coin admissions and distribute exhibition
catalogues. As a bonus, from the marquee, you can still see and hear most
of the action of Folk Fair… and the LCDTA tea and coffee is very close.
Please contact Greg Slattery: 0417 877 145. Time slots of an hour or so can
be arranged.
LAURA COMMUNITY GYM
Providing an excellent opportunity for people of all ages to live
a healthier lifestyle.
Join the Gym now as a casual or permanent member
Membership fees:
Casual visit $5, 3 months $70, 6 months $150, 12 months $200
Concessions available
Enquiries and application forms available from the Laura Post Office
or call Deb Palmer: 0408 082 614.
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 6
Hello friends from Laura and surrounding areas.
Are you a singer who has nowhere to sing?
If you are, we would love you to come and sing with our choir, the
N S of
Please come and join us - We sing a variety of genres and
meet together during school terms on
Mondays 1pm-3pm at the Bap)st Church, Laura
The only expense is a small weekly fee of $5 to cover costs
and your 1st week is absolutely free!
For more information, phone
Ann Marie Holt: 8663 2614 or Anne Hansen: 0429 866 242
Hope to see you soon!
Support for the Help Tai Walk Again campaign
continues to grow:
Western Border League premier, East Gambier Football
Club, recently played the premier from the Mid
South-East Football league, Mt Burr at McDonald Park in
Mt Gambier with more than league pride at stake.
The pre-season clash provided the opportunity for valuable funds to be
raised for the Help Tai Walk Again campaign to support former Southern
Flinders Tigers player, Tai Martin-Page, who suffered a serious spinal
injury in Darwin in January.
If you would like to support Tai, go to:
https://www.gofundme.com/HelpTaiwalkagain
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 7
Laura Events news:
Laura Twilight Market:
Laura Events have held two markets recently, one in
November 2017 and the other on the 16th
February this year.
The February market was opened by Rowan Ramsay MP and turned out to
be a very pleasant evening.
The Events Committee were very pleased with the attendance at both
markets and would like to thank all those who have supported our
fundraising for the Laura Country Music Festival.
Both markets had a variety of stall holders, with BBQ, cake and coffee,
garden produce, led lights, paper goods, plants, Greek food, candles and
soy melts, strawberries and ice cream, Golden North ice cream, soft drinks,
ezy shades, and a lot more. The November market also featured a bucking
bull ride, with a few locals enjoying
themselves on the ride.
No event could happen in our area without
those special people called volunteers, so I
would like to send a big thank you to those
that helped out on both occasions.
Joyce Wode.
COMMUNITY
FORUM
Laura Civic Centre
7pm Wednesday
18th April 2018
An overview of Council activities and objectives will be presented.
Followed by opportunity for questions from the Community.
Members of Council and staff will be in attendance
ALL WELCOME
Colin Byles
Chief Executive Officer
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 8ORDER NOW
Fruit Trees Roses Ornamentals
Fresh Flowers - Seedlings - Plants - Stock arriving daily
Member of Interflora and Petals
26 Herbert St Laura - M: 0403220199
www.flowerstorm.com.au
Amalgamation of Crystal Brook Medical Practice with the Rocky
River Medical Practice:
From early March the Crystal Brook Medical Practice will be
amalgamating with the Rocky River Medical Practice (Laura and
Gladstone).
Dr Helen Robertson will be working at Laura and Gladstone, Dr Richard
Mackinnon, Dr Holly Deer and Dr Fiona Forrester will be working at
Laura and the two Crystal Brook sites in Crystal Brook. Dr KC Chen and
the Registrars will be working only at the two sites in Crystal Brook.
Appointments can be made at either location by phoning Crystal Brook
on 8643 2500 or Laura on 8663 3124 as we will be sharing one
database. Patients will now have one medical record across all
locations. This record will incorporate past visits from both practices.
If you have any concerns regarding the access to your medical record
across both sites or the amalgamation, please do not hesitate to speak
to your General Practitioner or the Practice Manager Sonya Irvine.
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 9Help required to ensure the Laura Folk Fair
runs smoothly:
Always, we seem to ask for assistance. Have you
ever known a community event to operate without
the input of volunteers?
The Laura Folk Fair has run on the
selfless time and energy of volunteers for the
last 38 years and if we want to still be here in the years to come, there's
more energy still needed!
We have spaces on rosters:
• Over the weekend manning the 3 entrances for gold coin donations
• Clean-up crew Roster
• Folk Fair Stall; for these we only require an hour of your time.
If you can spare a small amount of time we would really appreciate it, so
please call Sue: 0418 844 935.
New look for Folk Fair:
The committee is currently developing a branding update, including an
updated logo. A bright, fresh image will help make our promotion really
pop in our efforts to attract people to the event.
Let us know what you think?
Laura Folk Fair on Facebook!
Did you know that Laura Folk Fair has a Facebook page?
It would be great for local residents to show their support of our iconic
event by liking our page, and this is where you can keep an eye on news
about what’s happening at Folk Fair 2018 as well as fundraising events
throughout the year.
Anzac Day Wednesday 25th April 2018:
RSL members and the community are invited to
attend the commemoration of Anzac Day.
Please assemble at the Laura Soap & Gift Shoppe at
6.50am for a short march to the War Memorial for the
Anzac Day service.
Following the service, you are invited to the RSL
clubrooms for breakfast and fellowship.
For further information, please phone Trevor McKerlie: 0408 635 054
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 10Stone Hut Bakery, selling quality pies and
sausage rolls, including the famous crocodile pie.
With over 14 different types of pies, you will
definitely find your favourite. Try our gourmet pie
range: Wild boar, Crocodile or Seafood. We sell
the best pies in the universe.
Enjoy a bottle of wine and your favourite pie in our
tranquil setting in Stone Hut. Try our famous quandong and apple
crumble and vanilla slice as you travel through, you will not be
disappointed.
Opening Hours: 7:30am-5pm Daily including Public Holidays
1 Horrocks Hwy Stone Hut SA 5480 Phone (08) 8663 2165
Email: stonehutcottages@gmail.com
Website: www.stonehutcottages.com.au
Saturday Night entertainment:
Critical Limit starts at 4:15pm, with food stalls open
for dinner and the licenced bar open until 10pm.
Headline act, ACDC tribute band Back in Black will be
performing till 10pm.
A bus service will be running between Port Pirie > Crystal Brook >
Gladstone > Laura.
Phone 8663 2221 for details.
Come along for a great night of entertainment!
Contacts:
• Council Office Jamestown 8664 1139, 1300 664 108
(Please Note: the 1300 number is only available for landlines)
• Council Office Gladstone 8662 2018
• Dog Control Garry Harris 0419 858 375
• NAC Fire Prevention Officer Jennie Window, 8664 1139
• Manger, Regulatory Services Alan Thomson 0409 286 542
• Councillor Geoff Lange 0427 632 334
• Councillor Sue Scarman can be seen personally at Laura Visitor Information
Centre (check the LIC roster for times when she is there) or 0418 844 935 or
Sue.Scarman@NACouncil.sa.gov.au
• NAC Fire Prevention Office Jennie Window, 8664 1139
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 11Then and Now: The Range Lands of the Northern Beekeepers - # 2 South Australia has 3 beekeeping sectors: • Hobby beekeepers 1- 4 hives • Part Time beekeepers 5-250 hives • Commercial beekeepers > 250 hives Honey Bees are considered livestock and as such all persons keeping bees must register their hives with PIRSA even if it’s just 1 hive (there is no cost for hobby beekeepers with up to 4 hives). In addition, all persons keeping bees must comply with the new national code of practice. With the subdividing of the pastoral runs that covered the Southern Flinders area in the late 1860’s/early 1870’s came the Blockers – both mixed farmers and gardeners. Our area of the State was often referred to as the food bowl with significant producer gardens along the Rocky River Valley, Bundaleer, Beetaloo, Baroota, Napperby and Nelshaby, Bangor, Wirrabara and Wirrabara Forest. Vegetables, fruits and nuts were grown and the remnants of some of the old gardens are still evident. For fruit and nuts to set and vegetable seed to be viable, the honey bees were needed for pollination. The part-time Blocker beekeepers were the first to bring the European honey bees to our district. These bees were kept in stationary apiaries. March 2nd, 1876 the hundred of Booyoolie was proclaimed a district council and Mr. Ed Matthiessien was appointed to the newly formed council representing Central Ward. The first council meeting was held 13th of March 1876. Mr. Matthiessen‘s gardens were 3 miles south-west of Laura and elevated in the hills. He had 2 gardens comprising of 22 acres and maintained 30 beehives for his gardens. It is evident from the historical record that he was passionate about our region and its produce and the need to keep honey bees to improve his fruit, nut and vegetable production. References: • http://pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/animal_health/bees • http://beeaware.org.au/code-of-practice/ (free to download) • http://www.agrifutures.com.au/wp-content/uploads/ publications/14-098.pdf (free to download) • https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ article/192266593?searchTerm=hundred%20of% 20booyoolie%201871&searchLimits=l- state=South+Australia The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 12
Laura Community Caravan Park
news:
Hi to all from Trish and Peter.
We have settled in at the Park and things are coming together well with
Trish’s gardening and small solar lighting improving both the day and
night look of the park, and myself getting on top of maintenance
requirements.
It must be stressed that the Caravan Park is not a public thoroughfare
for drivers. We do not know if it’s locals or tourists driving all around the
park without checking if it’s alright and also exceeding the park speed
limit. It is especially dangerous when the offenders are disobeying the
5km speed limit and children may be in the park.
Although business has been quiet over summer, bookings are coming in
thick and fast now. The park is fully booked for Folk Fair which also
includes a lot of un-powered sites in the rear area of the
park. Bookings are also strong for the Easter period.
The Caravan Park committee has approved the making
of an off-leash dog run behind the utility yard and we
hope to have it completed asap for our guest's pups to
have a run.
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 13New Members
always welcome:
What: Rocky River Garden Club
When: 4th Monday of the month
Where: Wirrabara institute 7:30pm with light supper
Cost: $2 entry
Who: anyone who loves plants and wants to meet like-minded
gardeners, and find out more
Interested people can also join the Club at any time during the year.
TOPICS:
• April 23rd Arid Lands speaker talking about propagating natives
• May 28th Bill Treloar talking on bromeliads. There will be a shared
tea at 6:30 before meeting; bromeliads for sale. Bring a plate.
• June 25th Joan McDonald's garden in Laura - 10:am Entry $5 with
morning tea provided.
Contact:
President: Penny Robinson: 0458 672 096
Treasurer: Debbie McCallum: 0428 866 721
Secretary: Janet Ashby: 0400 091 250
email: rrgc95@outlook.com
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 14Laura Bowling Club news:
Region 3 Upper North team were winners of this
year’s 2018 Country Round Robin Carnival held in
Adelaide between the 13th and 16th of February.
The event was played at Marion Bowling Club
where all 8 country regions play a tournament
against each other. Each region plays each other once and the region
with the highest points is the winner.
This is the first time in 25 years that Region 3 has won this Shield.
Laura was well represented in the Region 3 team with Ben Hopgood,
Jake Prior and Todd Brand all members of the winning team.
Region 3 Upper North defeated Region 7 Fleurieu Peninsula and KI on
the last day to clinch the victory.
At a Club level, all four teams, 2 Ladies and 2 Mens have made the
finals which commenced on March 3rd.
Cemeteries and pets:
Officers recently received advice about the
unauthorised interment of much loved, deceased
pets in a cemetery in the district.
We certainly acknowledge the affection with which
we hold our pets as family members of a kind,
however, the cemeteries which are developed to inter our human
brothers and sisters are not for animals.
To avoid the distress of having an animal exhumed and otherwise
disposed of, please do not bury pets in council cemeteries.
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 15150 years of the township of Laura:
In 2022 we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Laura. The first
township blocks were auctioned on 8 August 1872.
In 1871 Governor Fergusson named the proposed town ‘Laura’, the
Christian name of Mrs Hughes of Booyoolee. The street names of the
original township area reflect names of the Hughes family of Booyoolee.
175 years of our founding family:
2018 is another significant year - being 175 years since the Hughes
family established what was to become Booyoolee Station.
Between 1840 and 1843 three Hughes brothers came to South Australia
separately. John Bristow Hughes arrived in 1840, with thirty sheep he
had brought from Van Dieman’s Land, and became the founder of
Bundaleer. In 1842 Bristow Herbert Hughes emigrated from England
followed in 1843 by Herbert Bristow Hughes.
In 1843 the brothers opened up the country along the Rocky River, with
Herbert, then twenty three years old, taking charge of 1,450 ewes at the
northern outpost. In 1846 the younger brothers (Herbert Bristow and
Bristow Herbert) formed their own partnership and founded Booyoolee.
In 1853 the Hughes’ freeholded 6,000 acres along the Rocky River flats
(including the land on which the town of Laura stands), leaving the
remaining 194 square miles as leasehold.
In 1854, Herbert Bristow Hughes returned to England, where he married
Laura White, a sister of the Whites of Wirrabara, with whom he had
become friends. The couple returned to Booyoolee and in 1855 their first
son was born. In 1858 the two brothers dissolved the partnership, BH
Hughes returning to England and HB Hughes becoming the sole
proprietor.
Booyoolee activities diversified to include cattle and bloodstock horses.
In 1864 seventy men were employed and Goyder’s assessment that
Booyoolee had 48,000 sheep, 350 cattle and 1,000 horses, was
disputed by Hughes.
Herbert Bristow Hughes died in 1892, and Mrs Laura Hughes died in
1909.
At the time of his death, The Register reported that “few squatters in
Australia have devoted more energy and intelligence to the improvement
of their runs and stock than the late HB Hughes…”
Continued on page 17….
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 16...continued from page 16
All of the street names of the original township of
Laura relate to Laura Hughes.
• Her husband’s names; Herbert Bristow Hughes
• Her father’s names; Samuel White
• Her mother’s maiden name; O’Halloran
• Her home; Booyoolee
As a town, we should consider recognition of
Laura Hughes – perhaps a project for our 150th in
2022? Portrait of Laura
When shearing started at Booyoolee in 1848, the wool Hughes (nee White) as
a young woman in the
1850s
was loaded onto ships at Port Pirie bound for England. (painted by her sister
The Beetaloo and Crystal Brook Runs shared a common Ellen)
storage shed and a caretaker (Port Pirie’s first inhabitant) utilizing the
harbour for landing their stores and shipping their wool.
How did they organize the shipping without mobile phones?
New laws for cat and dog
owners will come into effect
on 1st July 2018:
The laws and rules include:
• Mandatory microchipping of cats and dogs
• Desexing of dogs and cats born after the 1 July 2018
• New rules for breeders who sell dogs and cats
• Introduction of a State-wide database, called Dogs and Cats Online.
For more information visit: dogandcatboard.com.au
Food Producers in the Southern Flinders
Food Safety and New Labelling Requirements
The Southern Flinders has a heritage of amazing cooks with
culinary skills passed on through families of different cultural
backgrounds resulting in a wide variety of food styles since
the region was settled in the late1860’s/ early 1870’s
FOOD SAFETY is the responsibility of the producer, however,
compliance is the jurisdiction of local government. SA Health has produced
an online guide to pre-packaged food for retail sale (Dec 2016).
It can be downloaded from the link below:
http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/
protecting+public+health/food+standards/composition+and+labelling+of+food
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 17Laura and Districts Probus Club news:
It was good to get together for the February meeting after the
Christmas break. The Meeting was held at the Laura Sporting
Reserve and the women of the Sporting Reserve organised a
tasty roast for lunch for us. Meanwhile, Colin Raison, one of our
members, spoke of his latest trip to China, where, with slides, he took us to
Jilin, a city of 2.2 million people in the North East. Colin has a long-term
relationship with a family there and ‘we’ attended their son’s traditional
marriage which was followed by a western style marriage. Very different,
very interesting, very beautiful.
In March we held our AGM. Executive positions this year are held by
Wirrabara. Gladstone people have the Vice/Assistant positions and Laura
the Tour Director etc. We had about 20 minutes to fill in before lunch at the
North Laura Hotel so three members talked about their younger
days. Everyone has an interesting story to tell and these three people took
us back to the 1940’s-60’s in the mid-North, a kid’s life in Adelaide when
kids could get around by bike, and the London Blitz.
The next meeting will be at the Wirrabara Hall at 10am on 10th April,
followed by lunch at the Wirrabara Hotel. All retirees welcomed.
Lions Club of Rocky River news:
Rocky River Lions are proud to again be
a major sponsor of the Laura Folk Fair.
The Folk Fair is so important to the
Laura community and district as a venue for many local organisations to
raise funds to improve life in our community. It is also an event that
binds the community together for a common cause. We will be selling
our donuts as usual from our van on Site 18. The Folk Fair is one of our
major fundraising events and every dollar of profit goes towards
community projects.
Our thanks go to our farmers who allow Lions to collect the sampling
grain at the Viterra Gladstone Silo Complex during harvest. We have
two specially-adapted trailers to collect the grain. Over $5,000 was
raised this season and proceeds will be spent in Rocky River on
community projects.
Lions were able to contribute to the Tai Martin-Page Appeal recently.
The courage and determination shown by Tai has been an inspiration to
all. We wish him well in his recovery.
Please note, report on the Laura Long
Lunch, held on Sunday 17th March will
appear in the June edition of the Laura
Standard.
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 18Finding a Justice of the Peace:
Barry Harvie 8663 2187 or 0409 698 009
Geoff Lange 0427 632 334
Jon Hawkins-Clarke 8663 2172
John Stevens 8663 2303
Laura Community Development & Tourism Association Inc.
PO Box 149 Laura SA 5480 www.laurasa.com.au
Co-Chairmen: Andrew Zanker 0438 118 227 &
Denise Higgins 0428 222 610
Secretary: Darren Pech 0429 705 520
Newsletter Editor: Newsletter Committee
Reports, articles and advertising for the June Newsletter can be
submitted by email to lcdta5480@gmail.com or delivered to The Laura
Soap and Gift Shoppe no later than 5pm Friday 25th May 2018.
Receiving articles, photos and logos electronically assists in the
production of the newsletter.
Advertising:
Contact Hans Simons 8663 2170 or 0439 093 100 for details.
As an incentive for supporting the Laura Standard with your
advertisements you will receive your 6th advertisement free of charge.
Please Note:
If you know of someone who unfortunately hasn't received a copy of the
Laura Standard, extra copies are available from the Laura Information
Centre. Newsletters in colour can also be emailed to you by providing us
with your email address.
This edition as well as all previous editions can be viewed,
downloaded and printed in colour by visiting www.laurasa.com.au
and clicking ‘News’
This is a community publication. Views expressed are not necessarily
those of the Association. The Editor reserves the right to edit or refuse
articles.
Laura Standard Advertising Latest time to submit articles
Fees:
for inclusion in the June
Full page - $40.00
Half page - $25.00 edition of The Laura Standard is
Third page - $15.00 5 pm Friday 25th May 2018
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 19Sunrise – where everything begins!
One of the things that have always fascinated me in my
life since I was a young person is the sunrise. It
happens so gently and subtly, the rays of sunlight
slowly peer over the horizon – and the whole world
comes to life (except for those who quickly pull the pillow over their head to
shut out the new day).
You can go anywhere and the sunrise is always different, in the centre of
Australia or by the ocean of this great wide land. Maybe that is something
indicative of each day – every day is a new and different day. There are not
many days that we would want to live over and over again. Each day holds
a promise that it can be better than the last one, or we may be marking off
the calendar to a significant day in the future that promises to be full of joy
and celebration.
For many people of faith, Easter is a significant day to celebrate the sunrise,
not because of the sunrise in itself, but because of the significance of what
happened on one specific sunrise two thousand years ago in Palestine.
A bloke had been put to death on a cross on a Friday for something that
upset the hierarchy at the time. For the people of the time, it was just
another death to all intents and purposes. Yet at sunrise three days later the
people who were near and dear to him went to see to last matters at the
tomb, that sunrise awoke a whole new world of confusion which in a short
time led to joy and celebration. The tomb was empty! The body was gone!
Could it be that the words that he had spoken were true! He was alive! In
the coming days and weeks, these people got to see that reinforced over
and over again.
What happened on Easter dawn is pivotal to the Christian faith. Without it
we have nothing. With its truth we have each new day as a day full of hope
and promise, it’s a reason to celebrate!
Blessings in your Easter sunrise (and all your sunrises) with your family and
your loved ones as you celebrate the promise of a new day.
Robin Zadow (Pastor) Southern Flinders Lutheran Parish. 0427 881 540
The Laura Standard April 2018 Page 20You can also read
