From the wayside chapel by Jon Owen

Dear Inner Circle,

“When you’re wearing a mask, don’t spit!” This was a piece of wisdom given to me today by a wise old fella who I think learned his lesson the hard way.

Yesterday I was taken to lunch. I didn’t have time for a socialising lunch, and worse, I wasn’t in the mood when juggling some heavy burdens that demanded my attention. So reluctantly, with a sense of suffering I met up for lunch. I didn’t choose the cafe and in the first few moments, felt some regret that the bill for lunch would not be cheap. A bit like waking from a deep sleep, I realised that the purpose of the lunch was to tell me about his passion for life now that he had secured stable housing and paid work for the first time in years. His joy was so full-on and I realised that he only wished to express his absolute thanks for the staff and volunteers at Wayside who were part of his story. Lunch ended and my once homeless friend paid the bill. “I can’t hug you Jon because of this bloody virus, but I can pay this bill and wish I could do more.” I remembered what Wayside is about. I realised that I’d forgotten all the “important things” that had burdened me before the lunch began, and I felt much lighter after it.

Hope was born in me at the start of this COVID crisis, when I began seeing our politicians cast aside their divisions to work together for the sake of the collective health and people of Australia. With a National Cabinet and other signs of leaders working together across the various states and parties, I saw true collaboration for the greater good and hope continued to grow, for me anyway. Lately I’ve glimpsed a return to the bullying tactics of wasting time and looking to blame. Let’s recognise that compared to the rest of the world we have done an outstanding job so far by working together through extremely difficult circumstances. I urge our politicians and some of the media, for whom ideology trumps facts and the best interest of the people of this country – let’s not return to ‘old normal’ as we are all so much better than that.

Plagues have been a feature of our history forever. When the Black Plague was at its height in 1349, the priests went out on the streets and preached that it was a sign of God’s anger against sin. The message worked until the priests and even the bishops began to die in great numbers. The more you study history, the more you discover side notes that plagues had visited and revisited constantly. The year before the great fire of London, a plague took out a third of the population. The Black Plague came to Sydney in 1900 and by then we understood that it spread from fleas on rats. Sydney Council offered threepence per dead rat, but no headway was made until they offered sixpence per dead rat. You can find photos of piles of dead rats on Sydney’s streets higher than the heads of the men who were making sixpence per rodent. Talk to anyone in their eighties about the fear that polio struck into the hearts of Australian families. Talk to anyone in their seventies about the yearly “skin test” (a euphemism for whopping great needle) administered to every kid, every year, in every Australian school looking for kids who’d been exposed to tuberculosis. This country had a 64% casualty rate in the First World War - think about that for a moment. Our whole country was in trauma. The war took about 22 million lives in total and then the Spanish Flu took another 55 million lives. We were still only making fair progress with the black death in Sydney when the Spanish Flu hit us. In our capital cities, we wore masks. A sign in front of a church recently said, “Thou shalt wear a mask” HYGENISIS 20:20.

I won’t pretend the way forward is easy and I won’t say anything clever that minimizes our pain. The health of each other is too important. Some wonder if it is the end of our mission to ‘create community’ but the truth is that we endure whatever we need to endure for the sake of one another. It is sad to sit in our empty cafe at Wayside Chapel devoid of people in the early to late afternoon in dead silence – which was not long ago was the beating heart of our community. I miss the scores of voices and even the raised voices that this space was designed to provide. Yet it gives me comfort to know that our teams are out on the streets armed with care packs, finding people wherever they’ve crashed for the night and doing all we can to offer the comfort of community – with love that for now is on wheels and on foot, instead of in our buildings.

Thanks for being part of our socially distanced, yet connected Inner Circle,

Jon

Jon Owen
Pastor & CEO
Wayside Chapel 

From the Wayside Chapel by Jon Owen

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

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From the Wayside Chapel-Kings Cross

Dear Inner Circle,
Over summer I wrestled with Stan Grant’s book Australia Day. I recommend it to you all. Even though I don’t share all of his views, I deeply respect the man. If you think there is a simple way to deal with January 26th, then it is essential reading for you. In his book, he describes the boats arriving at Kurnell through ‘the view from the ship and the view from the shore’ as both perspectives are alive within his body. Looking from the ship through the lens of the shore invites new vision and opens fresh possibilities for relationship and dialogue in our society that is all too quickly retreating behind the battle lines drawn by identity politics.
The only way we can avoid walking away from each other is to walk together. We are proud that the 1965 Freedom Rides left from the doorstep of the Wayside Chapel our building, at a time before the 1967 Referendum, when people of Aboriginal descent were not counted in our national census and were not yet recognised under Commonwealth laws to receive basic rights like old-age pensions and maternity allowances. Wayside played a small but significant role in supporting our Aboriginal brothers and sisters, as well as their leaders to campaign for their rights to be recognised.
We are proud of our Mob Space at Wayside. It is a place of welcoming, culture and safety for our Aboriginal community. It was established and is run by staff for whom cultural obligation, knowledge and sensitivity gets no rostered day off. Last week, two new women were added to the team and together I have no doubt they will continue to have a great impact in the lives of our visitors. The work they do deserves our special thanks. There are days where from the moment they open the doors to the moment they close, they support people who have faced trauma, disconnection and challenges to survive. Amongst this, there is hope and celebration. They dream of being able to do more and are now planning to run a Women’s Group to complement their Men’s Group, with a focus on mental health, suicide prevention and cultural connection. They are our unsung heroes, who I can guarantee are embarrassed that I am writing about them, at all such is their humility. We have a lot to learn about kinship and connection from our First Peoples.
School is back, and if you have managed to forget, I am sure that your social media feed is clogged with “first day back” images. I fear that we are making the price of education too high for the poor. We will pay a price for making the pathway out of poverty inaccessible to those who need it the most. I’m getting requests for assistance with back to school essentials. Thankfully, we have a few angels who have been able to help us get these kids back to school through the provision of books and uniforms. I’ve seen parents go to extreme lengths to get their kids to school. Once I was asked to give a mum a lift to their cousin’s house on the first day of school. There was a ‘no uniform, no attendance’ policy at her child’s school. I got a little suspicious when she asked me to drive to an unfamiliar affluent neighbourhood and then instructed me to slow down the car as she scanned front doorsteps. “This’ll do, pull over, but keep the car running” she ordered, and I tend to do as I’m told. I idled next to a house with lots of shoes out front, she grabbed a black pair, ran to the car and yelled “Gun it!” That morning I became an unintentional accessory to education. I wouldn’t mind that as an epitaph. 
Of course, we don’t condone stealing. But this cheeky story from 15 years ago highlights the harsh reality of a mother’s desperation and the importance she placed on her child’s education. We thank you all for the many ways you make it possible for us to help other people who are in desperate circumstances.
We also thank you for being a part of this Inner Circle,
Jon

Jon Owen
Pastor & CEO
Wayside Chapel

From the Wayside Chapel

Our friend Graham Long has retired from his role as the CEO of the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, Sydney.

Jon Owen is now in that role.

This is his latest message to supporters.

Don't only read this but follow the link to his recent Tedx talk.



Dear Inner Circle
What we love changes. There was a time long ago in my life when wet weather days and nights like the ones we’ve had in Sydney in the last couple days would have seen me gleefully crawling up into bed with a hot cuppa and good book, I loved them. A couple of nights ago as I walked through the building I saw a different kind of love in action, it looked like a frenzy of activity as plans were being made for the night of storms ahead. It looked like extra blankets and clothing being handed out. It looked like people sharing their “secret spots” where it was the driest and least wind exposed for sleeping. It looked like one of our regulars running around giving his mobile number out to everyone “if you get stuck call me and we can huddle together to stay warm”.  Could there be more generous acts than that? Yesterday morning after the deluge had really hit, love looked like quick access to our warm showers, dry towels, fresh clothes and hot breakfasts. Can you really imagine how hard it would be to live on the streets and not to have a roof over your head in this weather?  What I see is absolute resilience and willingness of those on the streets to help others even in the toughest times. Love looks quite different to me now and I’m a lot richer for it.
Last weekend all who have been in the building have been uplifted by a new choir practising in the building. There is a little girl who we have seen quite regularly of late and she is often dressed as a superhero. When I’ve asked who she is, she has looked at me like I must have been blind or a little slow. “I’m Woman Wonder!” For the first time, I saw little miss Wonder Woman sit still. She was truly captured by the wonder of the choir and it wasn’t just our little superhero who was dazzled, it was all of us in the room who were similarly captivated by the beautiful sounds together.
I was also recently invited to conduct a funeral service for someone from the transgender community. About 20 women and the deceased’s dog all huddled together in our chapel to mourn her passing and to pay tribute to a life lived to the full. What a character she was. There were lots of stories that were told about her life. One such colourful story recounted a time when she was asked to leave a women’s refuge when it was discovered she was running an escort agency from within it - the staff only found this out because her certificate of business registration arrived in their mail. When confronted she argued that she was running a perfectly legal social enterprise that was empowering and employing women. Did I mention that we certainly have some characters in Kings Cross? We love them all.
Just over a month ago I received the privilege of being invited to give a TEDx Talk at 1 Bligh St, it was an opportunity to share a little of what got Lisa and I started on a journey that has led us all the way to Wayside Chapel. It has not been a path marked by striving to be higher, faster and stronger, but rather an opportunity to move the other way, to be lower, slower and weaker and able to respond to the world as it is, rather than what we all expect or constantly aspire for it to be. As we move towards the silly season, I ask you to slow down and pause to really think about what things mean most to you. You can view my TEDx Talk here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0oXbuQ6WRI&t=15s


Thanks for being part of the Inner Circle.
Jon
Jon Owen
CEO & Pastor
Wayside Chapel

Wayside Chapel farewell for Graham Long

Our family has known Graham Long and his wife Robyn for a long time. I have taken the liberty to post this message from the Wayside Chapel which is a wonderful tribute. John Owen is the young man replacing Graham as the new CEO.

"Dear Inner Circle,

Have you ever emerged from an event or a moment that left you feeling somehow, changed; knowing you had just been elevated out of time, and been touched by the awesome? Surely last Sunday afternoon was such a moment. Close to 600 of you, our beloved Inner Circle, came from all over Australia, to attend our Celebration Sunday event to thank Graham for his contribution. At the same time we recognised that we have found ourselves on a path to a destiny where, “Love Over Hate” is not a slogan but lived, real, and embodied in us all. At the event we were all surprised and delighted that in the front row, sat Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull. What a nightmare of a week they had just experienced, and who of us in that spot would have wanted to face a large public audience? To have them fly up from Canberra on Sunday especially to attend our event was truly remarkable. It spoke volumes of the Turnbull’s love of Wayside, Graham and our continued mission. When Malcolm addressed the audience, he didn’t just speak, but, opened his heart to us – what a moment!

For over two years, Graham and our Board have carefully planned generational change in this succession. Finding a new leader is a tough assignment but no plan would have worked unless the current leader had the extraordinary ability to step out of a role in which he was currently thriving. For years, Graham has been teaching that whenever we find ourselves thriving in an occupation, or in a relationship, at our happiest, we find ourselves to be “necessary, significant but not central”. It’s been a joy to hear him teach this, but also an inspiration to see him live it out in this succession process.
 
This week, I've been flooded with story after story of lives slowly turning around through participation in our art, gardening, karaoke and evening bingo. We know good things are going to happen when the driving question changes from “What can I get?” to “What can I give?” We are seeing more and more people from our community moving into roles that serve others, everywhere I look I see sparks of life shining brightly. A few months ago I was deeply concerned for a young woman who had gone missing. This morning she tapped me on the shoulder, smiling but nervous. She has just gotten out of rehab and trying to do all she can to avoid bad company, “Good wins in the end right?”, she asked me. I replied with a smile "That’s our hope and we’ve staked our lives on it”. 
Thanks for being part of this inner circle,

Jon
Jon Owen
CEO & Pastor
Wayside Chapel

PS. We premiered two very special videos at Celebration Sunday, of members of the Inner Circle sharing their own personal messages of thanks to Graham. If you weren’t able to make the event, you can watch Part 1  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSD9NKzjDN0&t=    and Part 2   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knret1MN7eg&t= here.

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,
Sometimes the impossible confronts my eyes, defying me to explain it or daring me to be arrogant enough to explain it away. It’s not easy to stand before the impossible, baffled and in awe. A man came into my office just now to offer me a slice of apple cake. Perhaps this doesn’t sound like a moment that could arrest the progress of time, but it was. The man was wearing a long apron and a white beret. This fellow is our baker. He’s learning his craft with the help of some of our fabulous staff and he’s thriving as he discovers himself doing well. I said, “I can’t begin to tell you how inspired I am to receive this cake.” “Well,” he said, “You say often on Sunday that, ‘God says you’re ok’ and no one has ever told me that I’m ok.” This fellow spent many years living on the street and perhaps in the order of twenty years fighting an addiction to heroin. We’ve shared the ups and downs of what is a daily struggle and broken our hearts as his story is revealed. It’s a story of an intelligent man who never had much but lost everyone and everything in life. Too humble to fight for a place in the world and too sensitive to blame his losses on others, he lived the life of a hermit, his only shelter and only comfort to be found in drugs. What I just saw was a man engaged; engaged with this community, engaged with life and moving on a path to health. Awesome, bewildering, impossible but real.
Here is an offer you’ll get from nowhere but Wayside! A lovely bloke involved in our program for people living with long-term mental health issues, is putting on his own exhibition. Pee Wee is a treasured part of this community and he’s always had a thing about pillows. He makes them and carries a collection wherever he may be. We are holding a “Pillow Exhibition” at Wayside Monday 8 August from 5pm to 7pm. There will be no pillows for sale and we won’t be asking anyone to part with any money for any reason. We want to honour Pee Wee because we love him. Call in if you have some minutes to spare and to catch the love of pillows perhaps, but especially, our love for Pee Wee. There is every chance that Pee Wee himself will sing a song or recite some poetry. We promise no dignitaries, no celebrities, no lectures, no fuss. It will be a night when we honour a good man. We promise no value for money; we promise nothing that might lead to excitement or inner peace; we promise only that you might remember that a city is judged by how it treats its poorest, and character is revealed in generous acts that cannot yield any return. It will be fun and very Wayside.
An urgent phone call came from a man suffering a, “religious emergency”. He was down in the café and I couldn’t help but stop what I was doing to discover what a religious emergency might be. An elderly alcoholic man told me that he’d accidentally touched a black man this morning and he wondered if he might have been rendered unclean or in need of prayer. “Mate!” I said with a tone that was confronting but full of compassion and sadness, “You do know that Jesus wasn’t a white man?” Genuinely bewildered he eventually said, “But I’ve seen photos!” “My funny old sausage, we’ve only had photography since about 1850. I promise you, Jesus must have looked like Klinger from MASH.” He shuffled away saying, “Ahhhh” but I think I only deepened the religious emergency.
My heart aches for America. This week they passed a bill in Texas ensuring people could carry concealed guns on all their college campuses. Various students gave testimony to how they feel safer knowing that there could be so many gun-toting students. All of us can at times turn people that ought to be friends into enemies, but to turn them into targets? The election process over there was always bewildering to me but this time around has taken my confusion to a whole new level. I’m nobody in the scheme of things but it looks like I’m watching an empire go down in history. Momentous times and so much at stake. Australia owes much to America and for a long time we counted the American way and approach to things as something to be unthinkingly copied, but dear God above surely now is the time to pull back. How could any leader over there arrest the headlong plunge into “everyone for themselves” and “rich is right”. America has many enemies but it looks like most of them put their hand on their heart when they sing the national anthem. If it all implodes, we’ll have to erect a memorial that reads, “We take it to be self-evident that all men are created isolated.” Our world so needs an outbreak of love.
Thanks for being part of our inner circle,
Graham


Rev Graham Long AM
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.revgrahamlong.com/
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,

Last week I lived for a few days in the old Jewish quarter of Krakow in Poland and spent a day walking through Auschwitz-Birkenau. There is no sense in which you could say this visit was enjoyable even though years of reading came to life for me. It's one thing to learn history and another to walk the ground, to climb the steps, to feel the barbed wire and to stand in the torture chambers of Block 11.

I walked from the Judenramp to the gas chambers. It's a tough thing to learn that children were judged to have no utility so most of them were sent to death without delay. It could be argued that death was a greater mercy than the life suffered by those whose labour was considered to have some value. I went to the building where Dr Mengele did his work. I remembered reading how this man scolded an assistant because he had smudged a record that Mengele, "had constructed with such love". Ponder how a person could murder infant twins without a thought but be concerned about a smudge on his beloved records. I looked into the rooms where Sonderkommandos lived. It was prisoners who did most of the work that made this camp run. A fate much worse than death.

For six hours of brisk walking, I struggled to ponder the sheer industrial scale of this place. A place purpose built for theft, forced labour and death. I walked the same ground that a soldier named Moll walked. I'd read of his acts of cruelty over the years. He once made a prisoner stand in a petrol-filled dish and ignited it. He made prisoners climb electrified fences. He smashed skulls and shot people without a thought. When small numbers were liquidated ("small" could mean less than 500 people), people would be lead to a spot by Sonderkommandos and then shot by soldiers. Moll used a soft bullet that meant people were often still alive when they were thrown into the pit to be burned.

These places are a massive tourist attraction. There is no time to stop and ponder, groups of about 30 people are pushing each other around trying to keep to a timetable and to cover enough ground to get a high level concept of the camp's size and purposes. It’s impossible not to notice others on the tour. Some were "know it alls" who wanted to correct the guide on some points, some whinged about the length of the walk, some were overwhelmed and paralysed by what they saw. I was silent. One lady hesitated to enter a room that displayed tons and tons of human hair. She froze with tears quietly flowing. I just touched her on the shoulder as I walked past and said, "thank you".

For the rest of my life I'll wrestle with this visit. I will return home determined to check racism wherever I find it. I will return home knowing that the Wayside mission of creating community with no 'us and them' is one of the most important tasks in life.

Until then, thanks for being part of our inner circle,
Graham


Rev Graham Long AM
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.revgrahamlong.com/
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

 

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,

As a young man, I liked to think I was pretty bright. In my mid-twenties my head was awash with Freud, Ellis, Berne and the like. I wanted to serve people well but in the process I ran a solo commentary on how the world worked. I look back in horror and embarrassment at my pretentious twenty-something self. Knowledge comes through books but wisdom comes through pain.

In the little town of Waikerie, South Australia, I ran a visiting service for a government department whose primary responsibility was child protection. The office I used had no receptionist and no telephone; just a sign on the door to say that I’d be there on Fridays. No one had thought of mobile phones in those days. I started each visit with a full waiting room and I’d work until everyone had gone. They were often long days with no way for me to make enquiries for people or ask for help when my way got difficult.

One day a woman walked in with her daughter who I imagine might have been four or five years old. I will never lose the image of the little girl’s face. Her facial expression was akin to a snarling dog and yet she said nothing. I’m not sure she could talk. She seemed to be hiding a hand and so I gently pulled her arm up so that I could see her hand. Her little fingers were badly burned and blistered. The pattern of the burns suggested to me immediately that the burns were caused by a hotplate. The sore hand had received no medical treatment and had swollen to become as large as my hand. “How did this happen?” I asked the mother. She replied, “She tells lies”. I felt sick. Nothing I had ever learned was any good to me. I had no phone and no one to ask for advice. Under all my fundamentalist Christian formation was a question that gnawed at me for years. Where was God when that little kid’s hand was being held on the hotplate?

A couple of months later, I helped another mother with seven kids run away from the domestic violence of her drunken husband. The family lived on a part of the Murray River that was miles away from anyone or anything. On the day of escape, two of the children were unexpectedly with their father and so we escaped with Mum and five kids. When the husband returned, he was so incensed that his wife would leave him that he took his five-year-old daughter, put her in a weighted bag and lowed her into the river. The child died. My soul numbed for years until I could bare to ask myself where God might have been when that little girl was being lowered into the river.

It took me years to be able to ask my question let alone move toward an answer. Today, I know where God was when the little girl was mercilessly lowed into the Murray River. God was, “in the bag”.

Easter makes no sense except to reveal that there is no God-forsaken place where God isn’t. There is no person who is too far gone. The is no hole you can fall into where there is not goodness and hope at the bottom.

That is my Easter message for this year. When you are bewildered by Christians who observe this season and seem to honour what looks like an act of unspeakable brutality, understand that they know; God is in the bag.

Thank you for putting up with my odd religious message and thank you for being part of this inner circle,

Graham


Rev Graham Long AM
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.revgrahamlong.com/
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/




 

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,

I’ve never done this before but below is a note I sent to all staff this week. Several people suggested that this note would be a helpful insight for you, our inner circle. I hope this note provides insight into Wayside and how we deal with extraordinary pressure but also maybe this could be helpful for any family or any organisation that likewise might be living through hard times.

So here it is… and…

Thanks for being part of our inner circle,

Graham
...

To the whole Wayside team,

Our way has been torrid lately. I was whinging a bit about my workload to Mon the other day and she told me about how someone had just projectile vomited on her. It put my whinge into perspective.

You’ll wonder if our way could get any more difficult after losing two people last week but I bring you more bad news today. Tammy died this morning. Some of you will know that Tammy, being transgender, was brutally bashed on two occasions before her death. I’m told her death is not directly the result of the bashings but what a dreadful week was the last week of her life. I know I’ve just delivered a deep wound to the hearts of many of you whose hearts were already heavy.

This week, more than ever, we need to show kindness to one another. We need to allow more room for wobbles than we might normally allow. Many of us are grieving. There is a massive blessing for us who do this work, and if we’re doing it right, there is a massive heartache too. Especially to Una’s team in the Community Services Centre but also to Mon’s team in the Aboriginal Project and all those with whom I’ve shared tears recently, thank you for your lack of professional distance and thank you for your abundance of professional love. You inspire us and your tears set off a chain reaction of love in the rest of us. You each build my faith more than if Jesus were to suddenly appear before me. Actually, in watching you work, embracing the tough stuff, engaging in fun and pain, in celebrating small wins and in shedding tears for our losses, Jesus does suddenly appear for me and I am reborn and filled with awe.

Be on the alert for one another. Remember that multiple tragedies can have a cumulative effect. I urge each manager to do something with your team that gives room to focus on that which is fun and that which is beautiful. The fun and the beauty are always with us so we don’t have to invent it, just make room for it.

Remember too that it was never our task to fix anyone. Our task is to be alongside and when such a meeting takes place, people will fix themselves. It is right that we should feel pain. It is not however the pain of failure. The sessions we have when tears flow are our finest hour. Many want to judge Sallie, Tammy, Paul and the many others I could name, but when many choose to judge, we do not. We knew these people and we loved them. For some, the only tears shed for their sake came from our Chapel and your offices. That makes Wayside a special place on this earth.

What shall we do? Are there better days ahead? Yes, yes, yes. Amazing days are just ahead. What shall we do? I suggest every one of us hug Una and thank her for the job she does for the world and for the rest of us. I suggest we hug Mon and thank her for the job she does for the world and for the rest of us. I suggest we find everyone on both these teams and give them a hug and thank them for all they do to make this world a better place. We should thank them for being affected and vulnerable and responsive. I’m not forgetting Day to Day Living nor our Youth team nor our Bondi team. All of our programs is where the human rubber meets the road and this is a good moment for all of us to express our thanks to every person in every one of our programs.

Wayside isn’t a monoculture that we project onto the world. We are not an explosive device that is aimed at the world. We are a group who knows that ‘meeting’ rather than ‘fixing’ is the way to a better world. It means we actually risk a fair bit. We are prepared to lose ourselves to some extent in order to be part of a community with no ‘us and them’.

I wouldn’t work anywhere else in the world for any amount of money. Thank you and look after each other this week.

Graham


Rev Graham Long AM
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.revgrahamlong.com/
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

From the Wayside Chapel by Rev Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,

“Torrid” is one way of explaining life here just lately. We had a fellow attempt to take his own life with a rope although he fell into the capable and compassionate hands of Una before he came close to doing himself damage. Another dear lady, under the influence of ICE, suddenly produced a knife and threatened two of our staff. The saddest part of this situation was that she was threatening the person who loves her in this world the most. I’m thankful for highly trained and disciplined staff members who handled this according to long-practiced policy. The person was soon enough contained behind a locked door. Police responded quickly and soon enough the lady was in custody and on her way to psychiatric help. To top off a busy few days, on Sunday while our little church was on, a lady at our front door suddenly produced a knife and cut her own arm open causing a dramatic, spurting bleed. If that was me, I would have fainted, but this lady ran, fast. Our staff who were concerned that excessive blood loss could be fatal, also ran, fast. The outcome was a quick resolution where medical care and psychiatric care were put in place. Fabulous work on the part of all our people but you’ll understand that while they look pretty relaxed, they are on their toes all the time.

Quite often, members of our inner circle write back to me with stories that resonate with something I’ve written. I have to share this one with you (with permission) because it made me laugh out loud.

Dear Graham,
I always love reading your "Inner Circle" letters. When I read your comments on rules in the latest one, "wisdom is a tricky business", I thought you might enjoy this little story. I went to mass yesterday for Ash Wednesday and because it's a day on which Catholics come out of the woodwork to go to church, the church itself filled up quickly and the overflow was directed to a hall underneath. We were sitting on chairs waiting for the priest when a nicely dressed man standing towards the back (a church warden apparently?) said in a booming voice, "Please turn your phones off. It's rude to have them on." ...so far so good... "And if you don't like our rules, you can f*** off." Well, that's telling it like it is! (A few more interjections made it clear he probably had some kind of mental health issue. To state the obvious, one hopes that those outraged by the breaking of rules about appropriate language in a church could look past that.)
Best wishes

Do you want to be part of Wayside history? Over the past few months we’ve been working with renowned photographer, Gary Heery, and creative director, Andrew Henderson, on a follow up book to Stories from the Wayside. Our last two shoot days for the book will be next week so it is your last chance to be included in what will be a stunning book, celebrating the sometimes raw, sometimes confronting but always awesome and beautiful community. We extend to you, our inner circle readers, neighbours, volunteers, supporters and visitors, a warm invitation. Final shoot days are Wednesday 24 February from 11am to 2pm at Wayside, 29 Hughes St, Potts Point and Saturday, 27 February from 10am to 3pm at the Kings Cross Markets, El Alamein Fountain. We’d just love to include you what will be an important snap shot of our history.

We’re on the hunt for a Direct Marketing Manager to develop and drive direct marketing programs across multiple channels. Applications close this Friday so if you or someone you know is interested, find out more information here.

Walking in the front door this morning a lovely, gentle Aboriginal man stepped over to me to shake my hand. A rather lovely woman that we only see once every few months also walked over and gave me a hug. A group of four men interrupted their conversation long enough to each shake my hand. As I passed them and was near the door, one of them yelled, “So are you busy today, Rev?” “Well,” I responded, “that is the impression I’m trying to give”. One of them came back with, “You mean ‘that’s the illusion you want to create’”. I walked through the door with all four of them doubled over with laughter.

We shed more tears here than in your average community. Often tears of laughter and sometimes they express unspeakable sadness. It’s what we do. We stand with those who are discarded or irrelevant. We stand with those who just couldn’t cope in this high tech, low human world, in order that no one will be alone. This is not an act of charity on our part but rather is an acknowledgement that our deepest need is to belong to one another. We not only stand with the ‘down and outs’ but we stand with the ‘up and outs’ for every act of racism, every act of snobbery, every act of blindness gives the illusion of 'them and us' but the deepest, truest, highest thing we know is that there is just 'us' and when one is hurt or devalued, all are hurt and devalued.

Thanks for being part of our inner circle,

Graham


Rev Graham Long AM
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.revgrahamlong.com/
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,

Walking in our front door and heading in for choir practice, a young woman struck up a conversation with a homeless person. It was an interesting, easy flowing exchange that ended when the man said, “I’m not really homeless, I’m just outdoorsy”.

At the door this morning a young fellow stopped me to announce that he had a new girlfriend. “I’m happy for you” I said. He told me that his secret was that he’d told the young woman that he was me! He said she was chuffed to be keeping company with Rev Graham Long, Pastor and CEO of The Wayside Chapel. “Gosh” I said, “So you’re not planning for this to be a long term relationship then?” This poor young bloke is very unwell and didn’t understand how I could foresee a problem. “Well” I said, “She might find out you’re lying to her and I doubt that she’ll take it well, or, she might meet me and see that you’re impersonating a poor old burnt-out has been.” I went on to ask the fellow why he wasn’t happy or content to be himself and claim to be only himself when meeting a young woman. Unfortunately the man is unwell and he slipped into gobbledygook.

Last night the building was buzzing with a large AA group meeting, hand massage and nails going on with the Twilight Team and the Honeybees choir filling the building with their beautiful sounds. The special thing about last night for me is that my dear daughter is a Twilight volunteer and she was doing some of the hand massaging and nail painting. I’m so proud of her I could burst. When I walked out of the building the Honeybees were singing with full blown angelic power, “Hallelujah”. Perfect!

I’m staying light this week to balance the heaviness and often intemperate commentary that’s everywhere in the air today. My word to the sad is that there are times when the only gift possible for humanity is to carry a heavy heart. Your hope for a dignified and fair world has been offended. In times of such grief its common to strike out with angry words and quick judgements. We need to not shield ourselves from the full sadness that comes from the haunting thought of bullets ripping through the flesh of those executed yesterday but we also need to know that our grief is just that, grief. It is not the time for us to find new ways of offending Indonesia. Let the grief blow us where it will but let the healing begin soon. Indonesia’s position on the death penalty will not move while we are waving our fingers and beating our chests. Both countries are sickened by the work of drug pushers and both countries could work together to form policies and practices that are humane and constructive. Australia is not superior; we’re not even more humane. If there was a referendum calling for the death penalty for peadophiles in this country, I promise you it would be successful. There is a dark side in both our countries and it requires people of good will in both countries to look for the best in the other and work for the best of both.

A lovely man is sitting in our cafe just now who said to me, “There’s a lovely freedom of speech vibe down here. As long as everyone believes the same thing”.

Thanks for being part of our inner circle,

Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.revgrahamlong.com/
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/


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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com
    
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     This email was sent to geoff.g.thompson@gmail.com by graham@thewaysidechapel.com   
     http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/   

    

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,

The good people of Bombala hosted me for their Australia Day celebrations. Sydney’s Kings Cross to the little town of Bombala is quite a cultural contrast. I began my speech by saying, “I walked down your main street last night and I didn’t see a single strip club or massage parlour. What kind of town is this?” I met so many hard working, honest people who mostly reminded me of an Australia that has largely disappeared. The primary activity of the day was shearing sheep. They stopped for a brief speech from me and also from the local Mayor and then they returned to shearing. The comedy act of the day was when they organised for me to shear a sheep. I didn’t want to hurt the poor animal that they put at my feet and so the job I made of shearing was just laughable. It’s an activity that is not kind on your back even to shear one sheep. How these folks are able to shear 200 and even 300 sheep a day is simply beyond my understanding. What an honour to speak with the locals and hear their concerns; to hear about the price of wool; the price of lambs; their vulnerability to weather; their understanding of the role of politicians; their fear about the threat of drugs to their young people. There were some clearly well-heeled people at the gathering and there were some young people whose fitness and strength left me in awe. There were many people who looked like they’d lived out in the weather for 40 years or who hadn’t removed their hats in that time. The main street literally had hundreds of 4x4 trucks and utilities and only one solitary small sedan. Even my car was something of a cultural shock to the street. I’m grateful to have met so many colourful characters and to have learned that should Wayside suddenly come to an end, shearing is not a way that I might make an alternate living.

Chatting in the cafe yesterday, a homeless man insisted on buying me lunch. I tried to talk him into allowing me to buy lunch for him instead. He said, “Think of all the times you’ve helped me in the past month.” “You’re right,” I said, “I’ll have spaghetti and a can of drink.” There are many people in this world who have so little but give so much. One of this city's most notorious criminals wrote to me from prison this week. He earns $20 per week in prison. If I told you the crime he committed, you probably would read no further. He sent me $200 and asked me to give it to someone in need. What an astonishing act of generosity! You can’t hate a whole person. The only way you can hate someone is to take a picture and call it the whole movie.

Sometimes our way is heavy. I’ve done two funerals last week and have three booked for next week. You should put a Wayside funeral on your bucket list. They are often sad, hilarious, deeply moving and inspiring all at once. Most of our eulogies come from voices that are never heard. Almost always, someone will stand and say, “I never met this person but if I had…” Sometimes there is the moving affirmation that, “This person was a bastard but he was my mate and I loved him.” Every now and then my mind plays the hundreds of funerals I’ve done here in fast forward. They are among my most precious memories as I’ve witnessed words of love with no polish and poor expression but almost extracted directly from the heart, bypassing the brain, lungs, throat and mouth. There is often a 'death weariness' to be clearly seen. Many people begin their words with, “How many times can we do this?”

Our team gets better and better at what they do. The other day I went into the cafe to see a table with five men all sitting around our Lisa, learning to sew. I saw our Julian and Katherine in our Twilight Team, sitting on the seats at the front playing some musical instruments. I stayed long enough to see quite a crowd gather. There were a few homeless people who got right into the singing, even shouting at various appropriate spots. There was a neighbour walking home from Woolworths who stopped and picked up a tin whistle to join in the jam. I saw a young mum with a couple of kids stop and join the fun. That was our mission, embodied and lived right there. To see the barriers that normally separate people melt is pure inspiration. Julian and Katherine created a moment where there was no good or bad, in or out, saved or lost, sick or well, housed or homeless. There was, “just us” and I went home more alive for having witnessed this vision of what could be.

That’s enough, thanks for being part of our inner circle,
Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.revgrahamlong.com/
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

                
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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Graham is a personal friend of our family.
This is this weeks weekly newsletter from the wayside chapel.



Dear Inner Circle,

First thing this morning a man stopped me with an infectious smile. He pointed to his face in a way that made it obvious that he was growing a beard. He put his arm around me and walked me to the front window of Wayside so that we could both see our reflection. He proudly proclaimed, “Like father, like son”. The significance of this moment was not in the beard but in the proclamation of father and son. I suspect no higher honour could be given to me.

Yesterday while walking through the cafe, I saw a woman and in passing asked, “How are you going?” Her reply was, “My life is like a rigged game of snakes and ladders.” I paused to look into her face. If ever there was a high milage face, it's this one and yet there is a beautiful woman to behold. I wanted to say, “I’m with you” or “I’m glad you’re here” or something that showed I could see her. I couldn’t think of anything to say except, “If I had a magic wand, I’d give it to you”. She smiled for the first time and said, “If you had a magic wand, I would have stolen it by now.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek. Beautiful!

Last night I had cause to be in Woolloomooloo quite late. As I was leaving, I saw the distinct walk of an old guy that I love. He had a stroke some time ago and I’d recognise his walk anywhere. I thought that he had accommodation and it worried me to think that such an unwell and frail man might be living back out on the street and still walking around at this time of night. He’s an old-fashioned skid row type of alcoholic but there is much to love about him. When I saw him this morning in the cafe I told him that I’d seen him last night and was quite worried that he should be out on the street so late. His yellow-stained but soft hands both grabbed mine and he said, “Thank you for worrying about me because I don’t have the time to worry about me.” This dear old man is much-loved by everyone at Wayside. A week ago he sat on the side of a silly conversation I was having with some young people who were likening their lives to cakes. They asked me, “If you were a cake, what kind of cake would you be?” My lovely skid row friend piped into the conversation saying, “Unfortunately someone dipped my cake into alcohol.” He knew he’d cracked a funny joke; his timing was perfect and his face and mine met at that moment. The mostly dirty, blood-coloured face had lit up in a burst of hilarity. A perfect toothless smile broke into a belly laugh. None of us really knew what to say next and I was kind of relieved for the natural end. As he shuffled away I knew I was mightily privileged to have shared a laugh with a lovely man.

A young, articulate, successful man sat in my office this week and I have his permission to tell this story. Some years ago he survived the most dramatic attempt at suicide. Today he’s in a long-term relationship; he has beautiful children and more wealth than most of us would understand. In the early part of our conversation he began to tell me that he has certain needs that are not being met. I stopped him. If unmet needs is where the conversation begins, there is no happy way to finish the conversation. Nothing human and life-giving comes from the project of getting your needs met. All the endings are unhappy. Sometimes a kind of mutual need-meeting arrangement looks human in the short term but it’s a temporary illusion. I always make it clear to people that I don’t do counselling. I’d rather relate to people as Graham. There are plenty of good counsellors around. I told him that the longer he sooks about his needs, the more comprehensive they will become. He’ll only find life by losing it. It’s not his attitude that needs to change but the direction of his feet. He’s made an appointment to see me next week so I’m comforted to know he’s curious and not offended.

You may think I’m something of a cracked record but we’re right out of socks, undies and blankets again. So many times you have responded with extraordinary generosity to give our city’s most vulnerable the dignity that comes with a clean pair of undies or socks. If you could jump in again we’d be most grateful. Perhaps you could run an undie drive in the office or a sock or blanket drive in a club or church. I give you our deepest thanks on behalf of the knickerless.

Thank you for being part of our wonderful inner circle,
Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.revgrahamlong.com/
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

                
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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com

From The Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

 Please note Graham is a family friend and a relative through marriage.

Dear Inner Circle,

All was pretty quiet in the nursing home on my last visit with my Mum. She was sleeping in the lounge area and I woke her up with a kiss. We held hands and she told me how blessed she was to be receiving the best of care. She pointed out various staff members and told me how much she loved them. At one stage I told her that I was thinking about writing another book. She looked me in the eye and gave me her best advice. She told me to centre myself in God rather than myself and “something of the power of prayer and the power of right living will come through your words.” She was so warm and generous with me and it took me ages to realise that she didn’t know who I was. She told my sister later that she’d been visited by the most lovely man.

Every time I went downstairs yesterday I saw Kate, one of our community workers, sitting alongside someone on our front deck. Sometimes it looked like she was sorting out minor matters for people and sometimes it looked like she was being alongside someone in their darkest moment. It was Wayside at its best and Kate is a gem. After dark I went downstairs and observed our Twilight Team in action. John (our very own saint and another of our community workers) was dressed in a Chinese style hat that had a pony tail attached and he was calling bingo numbers. This probably sounds unremarkable but the early hours of dark are often the toughest for people who have not been able to find a bed for the night. For those who have had a rough day and have nowhere to go, twilight is more than just the time when the light of day fades. John’s work was not about “legs 11” or “two fat ladies 88”, it was a stunning, breathtaking, hopeful act of love and engagement. The cafe was busy and Mitzi, who leads the Twilight Team, was overseeing everything in her unique, gentle way. As I walked away, I was never more proud to be a part of such a team. A man and a woman joined me as I walked up the street. They are clearly in love and many times in the day I had seen them in a deep embrace. Part of me wanted to say, “Get a room” but under the circumstances, such an expression could not have been more cruel. They carried with them some warm clothes that we’d found and several blankets. I guess they were headed to a nearby park for the night. As I climbed into my own warm bed last night, I couldn’t help but think of these two and hope that their love made the cold bearable.

The other day I read that in London people are erecting “homeless spikes”. Just like pigeons are kept off window sills, homeless people are being kept off public places by spikes. The older I get the more I think I’m an alien in this world. I understand and support the notion that we as families and as a society should not live beyond our means but this can be done without making victims of the poor. We can be humane and careful if we choose to do so. Pain can be shared without looking for someone to blame. For the foreseeable future I can't see how Australia could have the cheek to talk to any other country about human rights. We are in a moment where good people must stand up and speak up. We need to assert again the dignity of the human person and insist our leaders turn a “fair go” from an empty cliche to real, living policies. I urge every member of the inner circle not just to be upset about the current trends but to act. Do something lovely for someone. Let your words be more than noise in the air. Donate to ease the burden of someone who is sleeping rough or who has hit hard times. Let your vote of confidence in humanity move from your head to your heart and to your wallet. For those who are long term members of this inner circle, you’ll know I only ask for money twice a year; at Christmas and at the end of financial year, so if you’re in a position to do so, please give to our winter appeal here before June 30.

We will gather tomorrow morning at Wayside to lay to rest a woman whose personality animated this place for more than 30 years. I’ll miss her laugh and sense of fun. Our friend died at age 47 and every one of those years was a battle. This lady has proved that the highest and most noble is revealed in difficult circumstances rather than when the way is easy. I predict a large funeral and a mighty outpouring of love for a woman whose presence added grace to our days.

Thanks for being part of our inner circle,
Graham

PS. If you're around next Monday, I'd love to see you at a special 'Wayside Voices' event we're having in our Community Hall from 6pm to 8pm. People from our community will be sharing their own personal experiences of 'love over hate' and what it means to them. There is nothing more powerful than stories about love triumphing over hate. More details here.

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/


 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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com

                 




This email was sent to geoff.g.thompson@gmail.com by graham@thewaysidechapel.com   | Privacy Policy  

                    

From the Wayside by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,

Nothing gives me more joy than to have someone try to explain to me how grace works. A lovely man whose life’s journey has been as tough as any that I have known, sat with me yesterday to share something of his journey back to life. He was a street dweller but today he holds quite a senior job. He had no money, no credit and no recent work history and so the jump back into the workforce was quite a daunting leap. He sat in our cafe one day pondering all that was before him when one of our angels put something in his pocket. It turned out to be a gift voucher for $200 so that he could go and buy some business shirts. Those shirts became something of a symbol of the goodness of the giver and of his massive life turn around.

The year that passed soon saw him put on so much weight that the shirts he treasured, no longer fit, but he kept them and liked to look at them. Recently he decided that it was wrong for him to hang on to the shirts when their value was really just sentimental. He lamented there will be someone in the world who would need them and be able to use them. After pondering this for some time, this week he gave the shirts to someone he knew could use them. “As I’m talking to you Graham, look at my arms, I’ve got goose bumps”. Last Saturday while volunteering at Wayside, someone walked into our front door here carrying a suit bag and asked for this man by name. Inside was six new business shirts, in his size. “This is how it works Graham. The more you give away, the more of you there is!”
In a particularly busy moment yesterday my phone rang. I shouldn’t have answered because someone was sitting in front of me and someone else was waiting at my door for the current interview to end. I answered because I was expecting an important call so I excused my bad manners and took the call. “Guess who” said the voice on the other line. “I have no idea in the world”. “Guess then” he repeated. “I’m sorry but I’m so busy today that I don’t have any time for games. Please tell me your name and how I can help.” By now I’m getting annoyed and seriously thinking about hanging up. “I once came from behind you in the cafe and put my hands over your eyes and said, "Guess who”. I have not the slightest recall of what must have been an endearing moment. He quickly told me his name and a bit of his story. Suddenly I remembered to whom this annoying voice belonged. My heart sank because I remembered a man so disempowered that to even ring me would have been an act of some courage. I have to confess that for a little while I thought I was too important to deal with someone like this. I’d lost my way. I was a prime example of a big wheel with an empty centre. I’m thankful for his courage and I’m grateful that he melted me yesterday and saved me from a day of impressive, driven, time poor, non salvation.

You can help Wayside in a big way without spending a cent. Everyone from Claudia Karvan to my own sister have been submitting photographs of themselves holding a Dick Smith Foods product. Dick is giving $1 million to charity and will allocate the money based on how many people send him photos holding his products. We could be allocated up to $50,000 if enough of you send him such a photo. Send your photo to charity@dicksmithfoods.com.au and don’t forget to nominate The Wayside Chapel in your email as your preferred charity. Click here for more information.

There is a good hearted but quite mad man who has lived on the streets around here for longer than anyone can remember. Wayside is important to him for everything from food to company. Everyone loves him even though he rarely makes any sense. This morning while walking down the street, he spotted me and was clearly happy to see me. He held his can of coke high in the air as if he was about to propose a toast. “Here’s looking up your chooks,” he said. That was one of the most bizarre toasts I’ve ever heard, but never the less one of the warmest and I was pleased to share the moment with such a lovely old sausage.

So, thank you for being part of this inner circle and “here’s looking up your chooks”,

Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/


 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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

 Graham Long is a Family Friend and brother of one of our in law relatives.

Dear Inner Circle,

Here’s a first! A note came to my desk yesterday with $30 in it. The note said, “I stole a bag from the front of your building yesterday and I didn’t realise that there would be money in it. Could you please find whoever lost their bag yesterday and give them back this $30. I’m keeping the bag because I need it.” How quaint is that? We have a thief with a conscience. I’m not sure if the thief reads this note but if so, I’d like to express my thanks for being able to recognise how important $30 is to someone who has “fallen by the wayside”.

A man recently asked me to take photos of all his jewellery and to make notes about who will inherit it after his death. I took photos of each piece even though it looked like there was nothing of any real worth among it and I made notes about where it should go after the man’s death. Eventually I asked the obvious question, “Are you expecting to die soon?”. “Tonight,” he said. This was not my most comfortable moment of the week. As he told me of a life of physical and emotional pain, I felt something of a longing for death that actually made sense. It was sad to think a journey could be so unrelentingly bleak that there seemed to be no beauty and nothing funny left. I’m not sure what he expected of me but I reminded him that I have no magic powers. As much as I’d love to wave a wand and help the man fall in love with life, my only gift really was to be a tower of weakness by his side. I told him that I’d be off to Canberra and then South Australia for a couple of weeks and joked that if he wanted a truly classy funeral, he might like to hang on for two more weeks. As I said this, the man smiled and I saw enough of a glimmer of hope to make me think he’ll still be here when I get back.

Robyn and I are off to Canberra this weekend because I am nominated by New South Wales as a Local Hero finalist in the Australian of the Year Awards. Because I know well that there is no such thing as a single human person, I also know that there is no such thing as a singular hero. Every achievement is shared as is every failure. Provided everyone understands that this Wayside achievement is shared by my family, our board, our staff members, our volunteers, the many officials of the church who could have tried to turn us into a sausage machine but instead have encouraged us and celebrated our victories and the many people who I’ve met from the street who taught me about life and love, then, I’ll accept any award and I'll readily admit we are part of something heroic and that there is nothing more we’d love than for this to be seen as a gift to Sydney, NSW and the whole of the country. There are other worthy contenders for the same award so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. The ceremony will be televised from the lawns of Parliament House Canberra on ABC TV at 6pm on Saturday. It’s an honour to be nominated and it will be no disgrace to miss out.

Given Australia Day is this weekend, it seems like a good time to tell you about an initiative of a truly great Australian. Dick Smith has supported The Wayside Chapel since the 1970s and continues to provide significant donations on a regular basis. We love Dick Smith and we love what he stands for. This year, Dick Smith Foods will give away $1 million to charities. Where this money goes will be decided by people who submit a photo of themselves with Dick Smith Foods products that they have purchased. If you want to help Wayside receive a donation, send or text* a photo of yourself with a Dick Smith Foods product to charity@dicksmithfoods.com.au, making sure you nominate The Wayside Chapel with your submission. Click here for more information. If enough votes come in, we could receive up to $50,000.

On Tuesday Robyn and I are off to Adelaide to catch up with my lovely old Mum for a few days and then we’ll fly to Port Lincoln and  drive for quite a way to a place called Coffin Bay. I’m not sure that even God knows where this place is but it’s a special place to a young couple whose wedding I will perform there. The groom is the son of my little sister. I'll be back the week after next.

With love from all here by the Wayside to you, our amazing inner circle,
Graham

*If you put our email address in the phone number field for texting, your message and photo will be received.

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

 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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Graham Long is a family friend and slightly distant  relative via family marriage.
He is the Pastor of the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross,Sydney.
His newsletter is sent out weekly to his "Inner Circle".
There are many supporters  of the Wayside Chapel and it's work in the "Inner Circle"



Dear Inner Circle,

Surprises happen here on a daily basis. I remember walking into our Chapel once to conduct a wedding only to find the bride and the groom using the most foul language on each other at volumes that could be heard all through Kings Cross. I’m not a detective but judged this as being a difficult time to be pledging undying love. I’m not a counsellor either because my best efforts to calm this situation led to them physically throwing things at each other. I walked away but in a bizarre Wayside moment the couple came back a few hours later and I conducted their wedding. I’ve long since stopped making guesses about people’s suitability for marriage for the years have taught me that no one is in a position to know such things and that my judgements were usually wrong anyway. I saw the same couple today. They are together and drug free and each in awe of the other’s success with sobriety. They told me about their difficult road to recovery and how they had each helped the other. They didn’t really need to tell me anything because one glance at them said it all.

A woman who has spent many years living on the street said to me today, “I saw you this morning walking down the street, holding Robyn’s hand.” “We like each other,” I said. “How long have you been married?” she asked. “42 years,” I said. She looked at me like I’d not long landed from Mars but in a lovely way said, “Well that’s amazing.”

In another surprise on Sunday a woman came to church who I’d not seen in many years. I was delighted to see her and introduced her to a few of the locals. Lots of people use language that is a tad too dramatic for the circumstances but I was never-the-less blown away to hear her talk about how Wayside had changed her life and how she’d reached a point where she needed another dose of love. As she shared the tip of the iceberg of her journey with some, I remembered how dramatic it was at the time. Although still a young woman, she’d spent nearly all of her working life selling what can never be sold but only given. It’s a truth mostly lost in our day but you cannot take what can only be given and you cannot buy or sell what can only be given. I remember well her slow discovery that she had a soul; a personhood; a right to be and to live rather than to use and be used. As I’m writing this I’ve just recalled an amazing event when this lady landed quite a good job and held the only “I’ve-just-paid-tax party” that has probably ever been held anywhere in the world. What an honour it was to see her celebrate her achievement of pulling her weight in our community and what an honour it was to meet her again just now and see that her life has gone from strength to strength.

I’m inviting you to a party and I’d love you to save the date of Sunday, 13 April 2014. The Wayside Chapel will be 50 years old on that day. We’ll start the day with a mighty celebration at 10am in our Chapel followed by a huge street carnival. We’re shutting the street for the day and there will be stalls and jumping castles and all manner of fun things on the street. It won’t cost anything but a decision to stop and celebrate the presence of a good thing in our city and in our history.

Our Christmas Day was a success in every way. Although it was raining, street people and neighbours danced in the street together. It was a marvellous moment of mission. We really were a community of no 'them and us’. You can see photos from the day here. The new year has started with a bang. It looks to me to be far and away the busiest and biggest that I’ve ever known at Wayside. Hang on to your hats, fasten your seat belts, it could be quite a ride.

Thanks for being part of our inner circle,
Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/


 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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Awesome Inner Circle,

There are almost 10,000 of you in our inner circle and you are an impressive lot. One of you heard of a man’s dramatic life turn around and paid a year's rent for the man. One of you gave me enough money to remake the garden of a man that has only a short time to live. A lawyer recently read an inner circle and offered his services to a person I’d written about. A small group of you heard of another guy who landed a job after years of unemployment but needed a car so you lent the money for the man to buy a modest car. That was a loan but it was given at almost no notice and I’m pleased to say the money was repaid in full. The staff here joke about how when I ask for razors or soap or towels or blankets that the goods start marching in the front door just minutes after the note to the inner circle goes out. One member of the inner circle bought 10,000 blankets when we were running short. Storing so many blankets became a major headache but what a problem to have. Thankfully there are still plenty of blankets on hand for those in need of some warmth at night. 

We’ve reached the end of what has been an awesome year. We love our building but I’m just as proud of the team we’ve built. We have an extraordinary team of people and for each one that has toiled this year for the sake of the people we serve, I stand in awe of you and offer my thanks and admiration. For the over 680 active volunteers who serve in a wide variety of ways, I thank you for your pure gift and for inspiring the rest of us. For the members of our Board who ensure our governance and finances are right, I offer thanks on behalf of everyone. For all the companies and experts who have given their services this year for help with everything from graphic design to auditing and the bewildering number of ways in which we’ve been the object of so much good will, I offer our deepest thanks.

It’s been a year of pain, passion and purpose. I’ve sat at many death beds this year. I have sung to people as they transitioned out of this world. I’ve been called into rooms where someone’s son or someone’s daughter lies motionless, their struggles all over. I have placed my hand and said prayers at these moments with tenderness, as if it was my own son or daughter or brother or sister. I’ve witnessed some, who seemed committed to their own destruction, come to life. I’ve seen the moment of turning. I’ve heard the words, “I’ve always blamed others but you know what, Rev, it’s me that kills my own chances for life.” I’ve seen families that were decimated by drunken and hateful words reconcile and move to better days. I’ve seen marriages this year that I thought were over come back to life and I’ve witnessed forgiveness and love renewed.This year I married lots of people, buried lots of people and christened lots of people. I managed to squeeze out a book this year and it has sold and still sells well and the publicity it earned for Wayside was astonishing.

We are throwing a street party on Christmas Day as usual and you are warmly invited. There is a simple church service in the street at 10.30am. Our own choir will sing and Geoff Bullock will be on the keyboard. The short church service will be followed by our usual street party. We’ll fill the street with happy music and you’ll see street people dancing in the street. If you missed out on a voluntary role but would like to make a contribution, just come and bring a smile and a willingness to say “hi” to people and to wish them well on this special day. Share something of the joy of our mission in a community of no 'us and them'.

Thanks for being our awesome inner circle this year. The pain, joy, struggle and celebration proved once again that you can’t measure the fullness of life by how many times you breathe but rather by how many moments take your breath away.

Wishing you a happy and safe Christmas and New Year that leads to life. I’ll begin writing again in early 2014.

Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/


 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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com

From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle,

As our plane just lifted off the tarmac in Sydney a little girl seated right behind me said, "Oh wow, Dad! I can see the whole world!" Sacred moments come to us every day and many, if not most of them, are either not seen or simply overlooked as unimportant. This little girl's sense of wonder changed the dreadfully mundane business of flying into a moment filled with wonder. The confidence of the little girl in her father was contagious. "How fast are we going now?" "How far above the clouds are we?" The barrage of questions had me straining to hear the answers because I caught the little girl's sense of confidence in her father. He knew everything. When the wheels touched the ground in Adelaide, the little girl said, "That was the funnest thing ever!"

If we allow ourselves to be addressed in sacred moments, we are transformed. I not only felt the excitement of the little girl but I remembered when I had a 4 year old girl of my own who would confidently jump into anything assuming that I knew everything and would protect her. Sacred moments change history. At my brother's recent wedding, his three fine, grown up sons stood at his side. They were a holy trinity of best men. These boys knew as well as anyone the bumpy history of their farther and the many painful failures of the past. Yet in this sacred moment they stood with their father. The facts of history had not changed but the way we looked at those facts had changed completely. In the light of this sacred moment, past hurts had become lessons, and even a means of grace that added to the wisdom and depth of the moment. The deeper the past hurts, the greater the grace.

Sacred moments, when they come, transform the future. The future, when considered in the light of the everyday, can be summarised by the word 'fate'; a kind of projection based on the past. In a sacred moment, that which we knew as fate crumbles and dissipates and, in its place, 'destiny' is revealed. My little brother has joined hands with a good woman. They are not kids; they're in their fifties but they are literally working toward a future that nobody anticipated and toward a destiny that nobody had dreamt about just a short time ago.

I'm glad to be back home and back by the Wayside. When I said good bye to my dear old Mum, we recited together Psalm 23. It's funny that she can't remember anything from the last 10 years or the last 10 minutes but she recited the Psalm perfectly. Somehow, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me" seemed more powerful than ever coming from the mouth of this dear lady.

With love and thanks for being part of our inner circle,
Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/


 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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com

                 




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From the Wayside

Dear Inner Circle,

Preventing a major life crisis can be a simple matter. Last night I sat with a woman who, in the past, had lost several years living on the street in a drunken haze and copped all the indignity that comes from a life on the street. She's reconciled with her family and has lived a productive life in the past few years. Last night she walked into my office anxious. She has good reason to be anxious but it became clear enough that it was leading her into a kind of paralysis. She's stopped eating. As we talked she kept burping in a way that interrupted her speech and looked painful. She spoke her worst fears and somehow trusted that I wouldn't belittle her by suggesting "solutions" and nor would I be overcome with the bleakness of her situation. When she walked out of my office nothing had changed except you could physically see that a burden had been lifted. She said, "All those years ago I reckon I allowed things to go on until I was overwhelmed and eventually had no other option but the street. The difference now is that I've got someone to talk to." You know what, not all of the time but most of the time, I think it is that simple. If we can overcome our instinct to "fix" people and instead allow ourselves to be alongside, most people will find a way forward or at least find the next step and that part of their burden which seems to be the darkest will be lifted when they feel they are not alone.

A woman living on the street sent me a message on Facebook last night. "Quick send me a bible verse," was the message. She doesn't own anything except a mobile phone and that is glued to her hand. She didn't tell me anything about what her sudden need was for a bible verse. I sent back, "When you pass through the fire, you will not be burned for I am the Lord the holy one and you are precious and honoured in my sight and I love you." I saw her on my way in this morning and she kissed me on the cheek and said, "Perfect". I still have no idea what drama she was living through last night.

Malcolm Turnbull will be the speaker at our next night at the Imperial Pub in Paddington on Sunday, 20 October at 6pm. I'll probably steer him away from politics if possible. I'd like this to be fun for him as well as for the rest of us. If you're inclined to want to score political points or whinge about the state of the world, I'd prefer that you do not come. He said on the tele recently, "I'm more sure of Malcolm and Lucy than I am of just Malcolm". His statement wasn't picked up but I thought it was lovely and I'd like him to start there (if he's willing) when he talks with us. Arrive about 6pm and organise food and a drink, Malcolm will talk, followed by Q and A and it will be all over at 8pm. Numbers really are quite limited and it is essential that you register your intention to come with Guy Cooper.

I am going away for the next two weeks which means there will be no note to the inner circle. I'll be off to Adelaide on Saturday where I will conduct the wedding of my youngest brother. A gathering of the Long clan will be noisy but it will be lovely to see everyone again.

Behave till I get back. Thank you for being part of this inner circle,
Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/


 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 The 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. Our appointed Privacy Officer is Laura Watts laura.watts@thewaysidechapel.com