Points of Power Metaphysical Miscellanea

By the Wayside
(New EVERY week)

February 2, 2012

The Wayside Chapel in Sydney's infamous Kings Cross is a unique and special place. Serving the needs of 2000 young, elderly, frightened and displaced people each week, it remains a place of unconditional love, acceptance and support for the lost, lonely, homeless, abused and dispossessed.

Established over 40 years ago by the Reverend Ted Noffs, the Wayside quickly became known for its emphasis on self help recovery, and encouragement for all to speak and act on social issues. It is a sacred place for people of all faiths and of none, where the human journey of the whole family of humanity is celebrated and all creation loved and respected.

Graham Long is now the Pastor at the Wayside, and with his vast and valuable experience as a social worker, a prison chaplain, a child protection advocate and a welfare agency founder (and his intolerance for misguided religious extremists), there is simply no better or more qualified person for this job. It is an honour for us to include Graham's weekly Inner Circle Newsletter on the Points of Power website.

The Wayside is always looking for volunteers for their Crisis Centre, Cafe, Op Shop and their Street Outreach Team. If you reside in Sydney and have a few hours a week to spare and would like to help with this great work, they would love to hear from you.

Dear Inner Circle,

As I walked in the building yesterday a big, boofy bloke stepped into my path and asked me how I was. I felt a bit put out because I was in a hurry, my mind laden with many things. This guy was a former street dweller and now living in a dodgy boarding house. As it happens, I wasn't feeling well but I was in no mood for an organ recital because it would take time to explain that I wasn't well and it might constitute an invitation for him to tell me about his aches and pains. I just wanted to get past and into my office. To my surprise the man could see that I was unwell and he put his arms around me and whispered in my ear, "I'll be praying for you". As he took a step back and looked at me, I was captured by the kindness in his face. I'd not seen the amazing warmth and care in his face before. I left that conversation a different man. This big, boofy man is my brother and there's more of me today because of him.

In the cafe the other day, I noticed a young woman who I've not seen before. She was easy to notice because her hair was up in an almost Marge Simpson style. Her make up was applied so heavily that her face seemed more prepared for the circus than a visit to Wayside. She had an intense conversation happening with the chair beside her. I thought I would try and make contact and so I sat on the chair on the other side of her. She looked at the chair and then at me and said, "You're not half as hot as him". I looked at the empty chair and said, "Well, he doesn't look like much". "Maybe" she said, "but he's twice as hot as you."

Our staff meetings happen usually in small teams but 4 times a year we get together as a full team. On Tuesday just gone, we met altogether and I'd like to tell you that I am so proud to be leading this team. This group of people possess marvellous qualifications and experience but mostly they have a quality of goodness that makes Wayside an extraordinary place. We had some serious stuff to discuss but after 40 minutes we organised a table tennis match in which all 30 people participated. The idea was that you had to hit the ball, drop the bat on the table and move away so the next person could play. The prize for the last person standing was dinner for two at the Wayside cafe (value $10). I believe Laura, who won the prize, is looking for a date. If I was 30 years younger, I would think that dinner with Laura on a land fill site would be romantic so I'm sure that lots of young men might like to be Laura's date at our cafe. Knowing Laura however, she's likely to find a way to turn this into a fundraiser for Wayside.

I'd like to make a quick suggestion before I sign off. A lot goes on at Wayside in any given week, a lot more than what I can fit in here. If you'd like to stay connected to Wayside and keep up to date with what's happening on our little patch of earth in the heart of the Cross, go to our Facebook page and 'Like' us.

Onwards and upwards, thanks for being part of our inner circle,

Graham

Rev Graham Long
Pastor
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
www.thewaysidechapel.com

Free barbecue for the homeless.
Thank God for the Wayside.