Dear Inner Circle,
Last week I spoke about listening out for the small wisdoms coming to us as whispers during these troubled times. When the shock of all the rapid changes in our lives subside, there are many messages to be received and lessons to be learnt as we move towards a hope for a better tomorrow. A crisis like this has within it all the power we need to get our bearings, take stock, clarify the big issues and to expose the “noise of normal” as riddled with illusion.
Listen carefully and you’ll hear a whisper that we are all connected. Truths almost unthinkable weeks ago are now revealing themselves. The health of the rich also depends upon the health of the poor. The notion of every person for themselves, has been replaced by a collective sense of responsibility. The idea that health is a commodity that can be bought, now bears no discrimination. The habit of spending our way to happiness is being exposed as hollow. Celebrities are being seen at home as regular people. And what is most important, like the hug of friends and family, and the support of loving community are glaringly obvious, only now that they have been taken away.
So too are the illusionists showing up. The leaders of the world who work for economic profit over social good are being revealed with a smile on their face, but with death in their hearts. Essential medical supplies are being shipped overseas to the highest bidder, even at the expense of local need. Funding is being withdrawn from international health organisations as a matter of pride. The familiar naysayers are being revealed as destructive and having nothing meaningful to say. Many spiritual leaders aren't praying for the people, but preying on them.
We all deserve better, and we can do so much better. The choice is ours to embrace. To make what once was impossible and continue to make new things possible. To see the huge potential of creating better communities and collectively a better world.
I give special honour to our essential Wayside frontline teams who are spending every evening now reaching out to people who need our help the most. It’s not just those who sleep on the street or who are in cramped boarding houses or garages or sleeping in cars. Our biggest worry now is for those who have no family, or pets, and who live on their own. I doubt that anyone has begun to count the cost of isolation for these people yet. Some thrive on their own, but most are being brought to the edge as mental health issues are made unmanageable by loneliness. Our teams are literally a lifeline for many people who are totally isolated, who hear the news and worry themselves into a state of anxiety that is crippling and dangerous. We will continue to deliver our care by phone, by foot and by van to driveways and through front screen doors at people's homes. We are working differently these days but as always, we direct our efforts towards the people who live at the intersection between life and death every day. My deepest respect to our outreach teams.
Thanks for being part of this Inner Circle,
Jon
Jon Owen
Pastor & CEO
Wayside Chapel
Order Heart Cafe
Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information is important to us, as it is fundamental to the way we operate. All information is kept in the strictest confidence and is stored in a password secure database. Levels of access to information are determined by an authorised employee's specific need to do their job. Personal information collected by Wayside Chapel is never sold or passed on in any way, shape or form to any other organisation or non-authorised person for any purpose. If you would like to seek access to, or revise your personal information or feel that the information we currently have on record is incorrect or incomplete, or you believe that the privacy of your personal information has been interfered with, please contact us at mail@thewaysidechapel.com.
Last week I spoke about listening out for the small wisdoms coming to us as whispers during these troubled times. When the shock of all the rapid changes in our lives subside, there are many messages to be received and lessons to be learnt as we move towards a hope for a better tomorrow. A crisis like this has within it all the power we need to get our bearings, take stock, clarify the big issues and to expose the “noise of normal” as riddled with illusion.
Listen carefully and you’ll hear a whisper that we are all connected. Truths almost unthinkable weeks ago are now revealing themselves. The health of the rich also depends upon the health of the poor. The notion of every person for themselves, has been replaced by a collective sense of responsibility. The idea that health is a commodity that can be bought, now bears no discrimination. The habit of spending our way to happiness is being exposed as hollow. Celebrities are being seen at home as regular people. And what is most important, like the hug of friends and family, and the support of loving community are glaringly obvious, only now that they have been taken away.
So too are the illusionists showing up. The leaders of the world who work for economic profit over social good are being revealed with a smile on their face, but with death in their hearts. Essential medical supplies are being shipped overseas to the highest bidder, even at the expense of local need. Funding is being withdrawn from international health organisations as a matter of pride. The familiar naysayers are being revealed as destructive and having nothing meaningful to say. Many spiritual leaders aren't praying for the people, but preying on them.
We all deserve better, and we can do so much better. The choice is ours to embrace. To make what once was impossible and continue to make new things possible. To see the huge potential of creating better communities and collectively a better world.
I give special honour to our essential Wayside frontline teams who are spending every evening now reaching out to people who need our help the most. It’s not just those who sleep on the street or who are in cramped boarding houses or garages or sleeping in cars. Our biggest worry now is for those who have no family, or pets, and who live on their own. I doubt that anyone has begun to count the cost of isolation for these people yet. Some thrive on their own, but most are being brought to the edge as mental health issues are made unmanageable by loneliness. Our teams are literally a lifeline for many people who are totally isolated, who hear the news and worry themselves into a state of anxiety that is crippling and dangerous. We will continue to deliver our care by phone, by foot and by van to driveways and through front screen doors at people's homes. We are working differently these days but as always, we direct our efforts towards the people who live at the intersection between life and death every day. My deepest respect to our outreach teams.
Thanks for being part of this Inner Circle,
Jon
Jon Owen
Pastor & CEO
Wayside Chapel
Order Heart Cafe
Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information is important to us, as it is fundamental to the way we operate. All information is kept in the strictest confidence and is stored in a password secure database. Levels of access to information are determined by an authorised employee's specific need to do their job. Personal information collected by Wayside Chapel is never sold or passed on in any way, shape or form to any other organisation or non-authorised person for any purpose. If you would like to seek access to, or revise your personal information or feel that the information we currently have on record is incorrect or incomplete, or you believe that the privacy of your personal information has been interfered with, please contact us at mail@thewaysidechapel.com.
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