Small is good

Robyn and I are on a seven week caravan tour of Central and Far North Queensland. We are intentionally visiting ‘small’ Uniting and Anglican churches because of our wonderful experience at Dayboro. We have not been disappointed. They usually demonstrate:

  • great commitment by the whole congregation
  • closeness to their communities
  • a desire to maintain the pioneering spirit of their founders
  • people who are living out the challenging life of the outback or small towns
  • wonderfully friendly and great conversationalists
  • morning teas to die for!

Today was no exception as we dropped into the service at St Mark’s Yungaburra, the smallest church on the Atherton Tableland, built in 1912 and determined to be here in another 100 years.

The conversations resonated with our own experiences, but they had more to tell us than we expected. The church in the Far North was founded in the boom years of gold, copper and tin in the late 19th Century and that boom had busted by 1910. Their survival can be attributed to a level of determination we long for today. In the case of St Mark’s the Bush Brotherhood were the drivers of the Jesus train through the Outback and this little church was one of their biggest supporters.

Best of all, for us, was the standard of preaching that raised important and critical questions about our following of the Jesus paradigm. We will have recorded seven of these experiences by the time we finish this tour. Go small churches…!

Paul Inglis, 6th August 2017.

oOo

2 thoughts on “Small is good

  1. Robert Orr

    This may seem like an odd reply/request. I have been trying to contact a Paul Inglis who may have known Eric Laverack and his sister Hazel Laverack (Hedge). I am a Laverack descendant doing Family History. Eric and Hazel’s father, Arthur, is my great uncle.
    If this intrusion on this forum is inappropriate then I do apologise; if on the other hand I am on the correct path, I would certainly appreciate contact with Paul.
    Many thanks.
    Robert Orr
    McDowall, Qld 4053.
    Ph 3353 1083

  2. Paul Inglis Post author

    Hello Robert,

    You are on the right track Robert. Great to make the link. Robyn and I live at Ocean View near Dayboro but at the moment we are in FNQ on a caravan holiday until early September. It would be good to catch up after that. Eric and Hazel were very dear to me. I think I can safely say I was Hazel’s favourite relative!! We were very close friends. She married my grandfather Jinken Hedge and lived at Aspley. As you would know she grew up in the old Aspley Hotel. In his latter years Uncle Eric lived with Hazel and I often did things for him when he was in advanced Parkinson. He had a great sense of humour. Lots to talk about so we must meet or at least chat on the phone after we get home in September. Please give me a call then: 3425 3220. Paul

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