Paul Clark: On the Bright Side February 2024

As we rush into a new year, the world seems more in turmoil than ever. It can be overwhelming. There are lots of needs in our world – the environment, housing, peace and unity – and it’s not clear how these needs will be met.

Yet my experiences at Christmas give me hope. Organisations came together through the Redcliffe Care Network to provide Christmas hampers to those in need. Redcliffe Uniting Church, with the help of many others, provided Christmas lunch to those doing it tough.

When people came together - community groups, churches, local businesses, and individuals - something divine happened. We found we had more than we needed.

For the first time, the Care Network didn’t have to shop to complete the hampers. There were leftovers, which the Breakfast Club and Salvation Army will put to good use. With the Christmas lunch, we had to close volunteer registrations early, due to the huge numbers of people wanting to help.

There’s something in that; when we resist the urge to divide, denigrate and demonise, and instead come together as one people, we will find our needs more than met. Let the way we live show that we believe that.

Paul Clark; Minister Redcliffe Uniting Church