Willunga Uniting Church hosts the 11th annual Christmas Tree Festival on December 1st & 2nd.

Willunga Christmas Tree Festival.

December 1st & 2nd, 2012.



Willunga Uniting Church hosts the 11th annual Christmas Tree Festival on December 1st & 2nd.

This year our theme is Advent – Love, Joy, Hope & Peace.

Enjoy an inspirational display of Christmas trees, kids trail and activities, tasty treats and crafts for sale & Devonshire teas.

Open from 10am to 4pm, entry is $3 for adults, kids free.

Bethany Hall – corner of St Jude Street and St Andrew’s Terrace, Willunga.

Miss it and you’ll have to wait a whole year!

Enquiries for bookings for Group tours to Lois on (08) 85 57 41 82.

More info: contact Jenny - j.esots@bigpond.com or 85562758.

Community is blessed by the dedication of local orchestra

It is rare to find an orchestra that combines beautiful and subtle playing with the cold hard facts of pain lived raw.


Tonight an audience were witness to the first performance of 'on the sorrow of war'.

Or Concerto for cor anglais by Peter Webb with soloist Rachel Tolmie.

Centring on the theme of conflict both in the past with the loss of HMAS Sydney and the after effects of that tragedy.

But also on the very real conflicts that pervade our world everyday around the globe.

The Unley Symphony orchestra is led by the dedicated Peter Webb, who inspires such dedication from all his players.

If you feel inspired to find out what they sound like, too late!

But they will reignite again in 2013 for what one hopes is another stella and inspiring year.

Well done to all including featured sponsor the Goodwood Community bank.

Willunga Christmas Tree Festival

Willunga Christmas Tree Festival
The Christmas Rush - what happened to peace, love and understanding?




Christmas time can be very hectic.

Taking some time to enjoy all the celebrations can wear people out.

Willunga Uniting Church will host many events in the season of advent.

Starting with their 11th annual Christmas tree festival on the 1st and 2nd of December, open from 10am to 4pm each day.

This is an event not to be missed.

Worship on the 2nd of December will be at the special time of 9.30am.

Our festival theme this year is Advent, which collectively includes the themes of Love, Joy, Hope and Peace.

Christmas eve is also a special time of worship for their midnight service, which commences at 11.30pm.

This will be a candlelight service.

Christmas day celebrations and worship continue with worship at 9.30am.

Our church hopes that whatever your celebrations may be, you will take some time out to rest, reflect and enjoy the gift of family, friends and our community.

Thank you to all those who have assisted and nourished our faith family throughout the year.

Prayers were shared, sometimes in words, and songs sung.

People gathered to hear about justice in action in our local community and beyond.

Food was made and sold at markets. Community walks happened in our beautiful and natural surroundings.

Kids sang and played in our celebrations. We are grateful to all who were apart of it all.

Hope your little bit of Christmas is full of all the love, joy, peace and hope that is waiting to be shared.

2012 Willunga Christmas Tree Festival

Want up to date info on the latest for the festival?
Check out the Facebook page here-:

https://www.facebook.com/WillungaChristmasTreeFestival

Congratualtions Frankie on turning the big 50. Believe me it's not so bad(!)

This art work is bold, bright and amazingly still topical after three plus decades.

What do old books smell like?

Having a house full of old books I can say with confidence they smell of dust, mothballs and something else peculiar.


I think it must be the smell of childhood, having not been able to part with any of an eclectic collection of books.

Welcome Enid Blyton, Biggles and Milly Molly Mandy to name but a few, plus my year five reader.

Smells like childhood never really leaves you.

I Am Eleven - connecting with a type of innocence.

July 27th - Question and answer session following film at the Mercury cinema.
Emailed and followed this via Facebook.
Very fortunate to be able to attend.
It has been a bleak set of days in the lead up to this. The sort that makes you want to curl up in a warm bed and stay there for the day.
Never-the-less I was determined to experience this film.
I was aware that a photo session was done following the film to document what particpants recall of when they were eeleven ie
When I was eleven I ...............................
I recorded that I strated to write a diary.
I am on a State library computer now and kicked someone off with my booking who just wanted to retrieve something?
Anyway the film.
It is a very skillful revisiting of life as an eleven year old seen through the eyes of multiple children across 15 countries. I recalled children I have met that reminded me of those on screen.
It seemed to be a type of innocence resonating. Questions asked about ambitions towards marriage and children in the future were met with embarrassment and sometimes bewilderment.
There was some mention of releigious beliefs but quite superficial, maybe this is not easily articluated for most of us?
The journey across countries was facinating. Life growing up with elephants, remote villages, orphanages, tenaments in England.
Common threads?
Music that was danced to, rapped to and musical intruments and rythymns played.
A belief that citizens were all united in one common species, so what was the need for wars.
Overall not a lot of pessimism. The kids were looking forward to their chosen fields and interests.
They shared their expereinces with whatever sibling or parent they had.
We all shared in a giagantic experience of life emerging.
I thank the filmaker and producer who had the vision and drive to travel so widely and connect with so many.
The Q & A session highlighted the eclectic selection process of finding the different children, who the director now keeps in touch with. There were glimpses towrads the end of life at 12, 13, 14 and beyond.
Will we see 'I Am 22, 30, 50 plus?
It makes me want to go home and reread those scribblings of my eleven year old self.
Where was I and what did I hope for?

Catch 22 - 50th year anniversary.

I am sitting here listening to the rain.

I am in the middle of reading Catch 22, which I have never read.

I love the spin the author has on life.

So cynical, but very funny.

Can we be one?

Image taken at the Multifaith service of lament, 1st of July, 2012, Pilgrim Uniting Church. The candles are floating on pools of water, a powerful metaphor for the many asylum seekers who make the treacherous journey by boat to Australia. Each participant of the service placed a candle in the pools of water.

Where are the human rights of these refugees, is the law protecting them? This is a long running issue in our Australian society. But the longer we back away from supporting our fellow citizens of the world the longer more will suffer. ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’. This was both a sombre and uplifting service. The lamenting was tempered by the divine voices joined as one across age, race and religion. Can we be one?

Tilda's Reign

No evil queen could look as chilling as Tilda Swinton in Narnia.

Take away animation and special effects film gimmicks and Tilda can still command the screen with a look.

The ultimate in bringing everything into her unique orbit.

It is a door that she has gone through, and I can't follow.

It is a door that she has gone through, and I can't follow.

At a gathering the conversation turned to how different people were coping with difficulties in life.

Job, family and financial issues and so forth.

A friend mentioned the article by Caroline Overington and her examination of grief and loss.

It is topic that is not often let out for public view.

As a mental health professional on the coal face,

I see the burnout factor and what is known as compassion fatigue frequently.

The business of caring can be rewarding and painful in equal measure.

Looking after yourself when you are sometimes the last person on the list.

It is timely to remember all the carers and supporters, whether personal or professional.

A special thanks to Matthew Reilly for being so refreshingly open in regard to the battle 

he and his wife had with her mental illness.

I hope there is more honesty and sharing on this complex topic of how we grieve and 

cope with the real struggle of mental illness in the 21st century.

Timeless Trees

There are two massive gum trees by the road in St Jude Street, Willunga. They reside in what is known as the Bell Paddock, which is opposite the Willunga Uniting Church. The first tree that I will talk about is known as the Bell Tree - this tree has the distinction of having a working bell in it - very high up in the tree. The Willunga uniting church originally had a bell tower in it, which was demolished early last century. This led to the bell being permanently placed in the tree. There is a bell shaped plaque by the tree. It is a beautiful restful spot in the paddock, the bell tree is by the roadside edge of St Jude Street. A bit further up the paddock is another huge tree, well over 100 feet tall. Both the trees are South Australian Blue Gum Trees. The second tree seems so solid and timeless. I can't imagine how long it has been there. These trees are both an historical and aesthetic asset to the streetscape and the township of Willunga.

These trees represent solidity and a sense of timelessness. There is also a feeling of reverence, which may be due to the size and enormous height of the trees. They have survived from the 1800's when the first settlers were making the township of Willunga. They are also such beautiful and huge specimens of big South Aussie Blue Gum. May they live on for many a year and for future generations.

Connecting and the rewards of volunteering

Thank you for your feature on volunteering in the May edition.




It is an old adage but true that you get out of life what you put in.



In the case of giving your time, energy and spirit to something, whether as an individual or collective project the rewards are huge.



Our congregation, Willunga Uniting Church, is in progress with an art exhibition run over three months, entitled Spirit & Place.



This exhibition has been running to coincide with the time of Lent through to Pentecost, Sunday on May 27th.



It is open each Saturday morning with many guests having been through the doors, this time coincides with the local markets.



Last Saturday was a hive of activity as a group called the Gateway group from Morialta Uniting Church came to visit.



This group does road trips and biannual trips away. The Willunga quilters were also gracious hosts to the visitors as they toured the art exhibition.



The working bee folk were also cohabitating. So all it all it was a very busy setting.With other members of the public popping in too.



Have heard many favourable comments about the art works and the messages from the artists on their work.



In my time as a guide at the art exhibition I have had some great conversations with people on the topic of spirit and place and many other things.



I know other guides have also. It has been a rewarding way to connect with many others in the community.



Connecting is what it is all about, with our spirit, place and our neighbours.

One hundred years of intersecting events are celebrated in the Sunday Mail (5.5.12).


A living form of history.

Whether it is the letters of complaint, which it seems echo along similar lines across the decades.

Or the human interest stories of lives torn apart.

Thanks to all the journo's who stir the pot(!)

A newspapers role is not only to reflect but to challenge the times we find ourselves in.

Where was my invite?

I confess to initially resisting the lure of the Sunday Mail when I moved to S.A. 25 years ago.


I now greedily lap up the comments, articles and what not to wear sections.

The giveaways and request noticeboard and footy score cards.

Plus of course your Hot and Nots.

My only quibble is where was the invite to the 100th anniversary party?

What Gina Wants

What Gina wants sounds a lot like total domination.


In business and relationships.

Exposed to the riches and wealth of her father's empire since she could walk and talk.

She embodies his legacy of a land to be plundered unmercifully.

One of the noticeable perils of being a billionaire seems to be the marked bitterness

and hostility when dividing up the spoils of someone's life.

Gina is on track with this.

The business empire may scream invincibility but in reality this is never the case.

Fascinating portrayal by Nick Bryant non the less.

Thank you to all concerned.

Now the drugs don't work

I've found love many times over.


The euphoric high of living many lives with my children.

The true love of faithful friends.

The soul mate that was living 800 kilometres from me, but we still found each other.

The many, many people that have come into my life, who give something back.

My biggest regret is the feeling of powerlessness in something I could do nothing about.

Not being able to protect my parents from illnesses that overtook them.

Why did things happen the way they did, leaving them feeble and weak.

Where no medicine or therapeutic measures could assist.

These are the questions that I try and answer, but can't.

Spirit & Place

Spirit & Place.


This exhibition has been running to coincide with the time of Lent through to Pentecost, Sunday on May 27th.

It is open each Saturday morning with many guests having been through the doors.

Last Saturday was a hive of activity as a group called the Gateway group from Morialta Uniting Church came to visit. This group does road trips and biannual trips away. The Willunga quilters were also gracious hosts to the visitors as they toured the art exhibition.

The working bee folk were also cohabitating. So all it all it was a very busy setting.

With other members of the public popping in too.

Have heard many favourable comments about the art works and the messages.

Putting on my Public Encounters hat the church is looking in to getting a sandwich board to put out to better advertise events. Another notice board may also be converted to provide additional outside advertising. So keep your eyes out for those.

In my time as a guide at the art exhibition I have had some great conversations with people on the topic of spirit and place and many other things. I know other guides have also. It has been a rewarding way to connect with many others in the community.

Remembering is a Prayer

Grief is painful. Thanks for your words (April 9th).


As a palliative care nurse I saw many families racked with pain,

but among it all the majority came together.

Grief can pull people apart or bring them closer.

It really depends on how your family and friends relate.

If it is in silence - think of the portrayal of the Queen, recently seen again on TV.

She is the master of represssed grief.

Or in shared rememberances.



It is in remembering that I find solace.

Your article mirrored a recent interview I read given by Bruce Springsteen.

(in Rolling Stone magazine)

He was talking about the loss of Clarence Clemons.



'Losing Clarence was like losing the rain.

You're losing something that has been so elemental in your life for such a long time.

It was like losing some huge part of your own psychic construction

- suddenly it's gone, everything feels less.



Remembering is also a prayer.

The sometimes reluctant Aussie Traveller

I admit to being way behind in exploring my own country. I found my way to Central Australia at age 50. When I say Central Australia I mean via The Ghan from Adelaide through to Darwin.

I literally spent about 6 hours in Darwin before going home again! Adore train travel so have done The Ghan again since and experienced Darwin in the centre of a storm. But huge tracts of Australia remain uncharted for me. Hence I really value Australian Traveller magazine. I love travelling, writing, photography and the shock of the new. On reading your Broken Hill feature (Feb/March Edition) I decided to give it a go, via the Indian Pacific of course.

What a gem of a place. The sweet little tin houses and big wide streets. We were shown around on a hastily arranged tour by a Broken Hill local born and bred. There was nothing he did not tell us, leading to quite an extended tour. He took obvious pride in his days in the mines. The mines continue to dominate the town. With the line of vision drawn high up the mountain of the lode and the starkly modern architecture of the memorial and visitors centre at the peak. It feels like these buildings have just been plonked there on top of a gravel heap and mining site - which in fact they have!

My only regret is we had another quick turn around to get the train back to Adelaide. So lessons learned, need to spend at least 5 days in Broken Hill, to see all the galleries and salt bush country & surrounds. (Also avoid motels that are kilometres from the train station and main drag of town).

Kind Regards,

Jenny Esots - the sometimes reluctant Aussie traveller.


pix of a rusty hinge on an abandoned mine building - all I could hear was the cooing of a congregation of pigeons who had made there home inside.

The indefinable

Poets try to identify feelings that can be indefinable - that paradox of words. There however can be nothing more mournful, sad or searching the sound of a lone bugler on the horn for the last post.

The last eight eclectic years with the State Theatre Company

Thanks for the final interview with Adam Cook.

Having had an awakening to the world of theatre by the State Theatre Company, it is to Adam and Co. that I say thanks.

And add some memories and ramblings of the past eight eclectic years.

My highlights begin with the Night Letters production in the out of the way Queen Street Theatre,

We walked miles around Light Square that night before we found it hidden away. What a gem.

Blue Orange rang so many bells for me, so who is really the lunitic in the asylum?

The staging has always been innovative, but Death of A Salesman and The Price out did themselves.

Have enjoyed some riotous comedies and costumes including over the top The Misanthrope and The Lyrebird expose of Sir Robert Helpman.

Hamlet was brought to life by Cameron Goodall, a real find.

We were prividiged to see Andrew Bovell's When the Rain Stops Falling world premier, the venue left a lot to be desired however.

So many moments to build on.

Thanks for the annual launch gatherings and the design details on everything.

Everything changes, so I look forward to the new.

The Last Letter............

It seems we are doomed to revisit our past, to try and make sense of it.


(The Last Goodbye - April 21st.)

The 'if only's' that come back to haunt us.

Letters can be treasures and such painful reminders of a person who is no longer with you.

Being a devotee of the art of letter writing, I wonder what this generation will leave for future generations.

A list of deleted emails and posts.

Or will cyber space live on long after the paper and ink of letters fades?

Too old to rock'n'roll?

Thanks for the article 'Too old to Shock'n'Roll'
There is the implied double standard of many men as veteran old rockers out there still able to strut there stuff.
Strong veteran woman are thinner on the ground.
Tina Turner seems to have been there first on this.
With her trademark mane of hair, heels and shimmy.
It seems it is alright if you can still produce the goods.
In this format it is killer dance songs.
Madonna is a music and style icon.
She can't keep away.
All I can say if you're reading this Madonna, is come back to Adelaide.

The allure of bleak negativity

What a timely review by Alan Attwood.
(Beyond Belief 'Religion for Atheists' by Alain de Botton. - 403)
As Christians get ready to pause to celebrate Good Friday and the resurrection.
De Botton writes that there is not a word for one who has no belief but is quite involved in the religious concepts.
I guess a large slab of the population could likewise identify.
As they lap up the associated holidays, symbols and merchandise of religion year after year, but fail to look deeper.
This failure to look deeper is like a global coping mechanism.
Too much reality about death and life's seeming futility is a downer(!)
Loved Alan's metaphor about musical chairs. As most could relate to missing out on that crucial spot on the chair.
But is life really a lottery? That too has a ring of fatalism about it.
Authors such as De Botton prefer to conclude faith and religion as all baloney, (just not for me) rather than acknowledge the experience
of reaching a real sense of peace and belonging in the mystery of a loving God.
As interfaith dialogue gains pace, it may be revealed more of our population coming together across faiths.
More searching but indeed more harmony.
The allure of bleak negativity is for the academics.
Real life faith is for people with guts.

Big Issue session

I managed to read the entire issue of the Big Issue yesterday (issue 401) whilst in a marathon hair appointment.
I save up my visits into one big rescue mission.
Thanks to the Norwood vendor who said hello and had been making good sales.
Helen Razer's comments stood out, as they often do(!)
How do you know how to help someone who is very unwell mentally and is not in reality with you?
Is there a manual on this?
Hopefully the person is getting some advice via a professional.
So just visiting and offering to sit and talk, even if it means it goes around and around is a help.
But time and medication usually do help.
The mind sometimes takes a while to unravel, putting it back in 'order' is the hard part.
Good on you Helen for being there.

The redemptive power of a loving family.

Elizabeth Smart weds.
Feature and pix in New Idea.
I found the story on Elizabeth Smart overwhelmingly life affirming.
This is a story about belonging and the redemptive power of a loving family.
Elizabeth is moving forward as a woman.
The photos of her wedding were so unaffected and real.
Thank you to the writers, photographers and Elizabeth and Matthew.

The Olympics are within sight

Thanks for the feature on Libby Trickett, training hard for the world stage at the Olympics.
The Olympics are within sight.
All day coverage of events and analysis.
The big world event that only comes to us every four years.
With all the colourful costumes and monets of pure elation.
What a build up.
A sportsman who is held in high regard who came back seemingly from oblivion is Geoff Huegill.
He probably felt that life had passed him by and was unwell physically and mentally.
But he set goals and got support and not only recovered, but got back to Olympic fitness.
This says to us all, 'you can do it'.
Thank you Geoff.

Suburbia rules

Thanks for the feature on Suburbs - in the March issue.
I like Stephen Orr's take on rebirthing of different areas and eras.
I grew up in an outer suburb of Melbourne.
What I felt lacking in the book Melbourne by Sophie Cunningham, was her lack of recognition for the vast majority of us who grew up in the suburbs.
It was not 'My Melbourne' There was no voice of the suburbs.
The suburbs may never have been the place to be in history, but there was a sense of community.
There were our shops, our school, our street.
It was our place. Sure we went on to migrate all over, but those were strong beginnings.

My Halls dairy Walk - Willunga

My Halls Dairy Walk.

In the grand scheme of life or a series of fortunate accidents (!) I have found my place in Willunga. This small quaint town full of old Cornish cottages, hidden lanes and bridges, curious old street names and many heritage churches.

It seems this was a place to build a church.

Amongst the land, the buildings, the harvest: the yields of the vines, the orchards and the dairy I have found that the creative spirit flourishes here.

There is also a stillness that enfolds me. Particularly in my little refuge of home. There is no road frontage of cars to disturb. The bush and its animals and the birds are our close companions.

My fondest moments of praise, wonder and contemplation within this spirit and place are found on my solitary walks along the Halls Dairy Road.

It is barely a few minutes from home and one is in the midst of the hills, solid old gums and the grazing cows of Halls Dairy.

The sense of timelessness is a joy.

A feeling of gratitude for all that is around me and beyond.

The only anxiety is that our ceaseless need for more might ruin this scene. Somehow take away this spirit of refuge and eternity.

I put out a silent prayer for our place to be protected and savoured for many moons to come. In the words of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.

Do not quench the Spirit.

—1 Thessalonians 5.1

The politics of fear and surplus.

The economy is the patron saint of politics now.
It is all about getting into surplus.
The actuals of what our country excels in is being left behind.
Peter Goer's reflections that there is little to choose from in politics does ring true.
Howard brought our country back to the dark days of white Australia with his fear mongering.
Now both parties are massively over reacting to the trickle of refugees that by some miracle get to our country.
Our system of barbaric detention is setting us back as people and as a nation.
Perenial problems need reformed thinking.
We do all have a role in this.

Solitude in the modern world.

Is Shelley in league with Peter Goers on the tyranny of technology?
She writes of too much instant media and overload on personal opinion drivelling out everywhere.
(The power of one - Feb 4th)
The dangers of 'group thinks' and open plan offices versus the individual space.
Team mores and committee meetings versus the glory of uninterupted private work spaces.
The team atmosphere does have the advantage of increased accountablility.
In your little world you can drift off and easily distract yourself ie slack off.
Also the team gives you someone to bounce off, connect with and complain too.
So in short the open plan nature means your own colleagues do keep you honest even if they drive you up the wall!
Solitude in the modern world is probably only found in rare moments - the shower?!

Marvellous Meryl to Women's Weekly

You always do a wonderful mix in your magazine.
Politics, sportsman and real life on the frontline.
But the highlight was your feature on the marvellous Meryl Streep.
She just embodies Margaret Thatcher with a raw energy and humanity on screen in The Iron lady.
How does this happen? A figure widely despised, yet we are held by her performance.
Meryl is a marvel of our age, a chameleon who doesn't fall for the cult of celebrity.
Also I hope I look half as good at 62 as she does naturally.
Thanks again for the expose of the actress and mother.

Grand Designs for 2012

I was a bit miffed that Graham Norton jumped ship to Channel ten, but I still adore him.
The other talk show hosts Letterman, Ferguson and Carr do their best, but Graham really does seem to enjoy himself.
We won't mention the dire Jonathon Ross, will we.
Have also been appreciating the new series of the charming and enthralling Grand Designs.
I find myself fantisizing about the huge free range projects that occur over many turmultous years.
Kevin Mc Cloud trudges in to set the scene and reflect on their downfall or ingenuity.
I wonder what Grand Designs await us this year on the telly?

First post of the year.

Is this really my first post for the year?
Have been doing other writing and letters, just not posting them up.

Darwin too far away.

Darwin is two days away.
It beckons us to come and explore its lush tropical vibe.
There is some apprehension about the choice of visiting Darwin in the middle of its wet season.
We decide to give it a burl.
A legendary trip up on the Ghan is the real draw card.
As usual I am packing at midnight the night before in blind panic.
The end result is usually far too many cosmetics I never use and not enough basic things like actual clothes(!)
The morning of the big train trip I am frantically making lists and sorting out crucial things like a clean up under the sink where no one ever looks.
Eventually we arrive at the station with ticket and bags and a mountain of reading material it would take six months to read.
The Ghan team greet us before we board and we find we are facing backwards all the way to Darwin.
Still the cabin is comfy and we get to watch the world go by with our feet up.
Once we have made decisions on when to eat we are duly summoned to the dining room.
Little booths with white tablecloths along the dining cabin.
Great wines and a very respectable menu selection.
In fact a large part of the journey is either eating, watching the world slide by or sleeping.
The other big plus is that we are now passing Port Augusta and heading into the land of ‘no signal’.
That is no internet, emails, TV, radio, Facebook and the compulsive grip of twenty four hour news.
Free to while away my time with my own thoughts, writings and reading said large pile of books, magazines and correspondence.
The only glimpse of the commercial world is a small amount of merchandise on the train.
We are greeted by many people during our dining experiences. Brits on long holidays, smug Californians on sabbaticals,
a trainspotter with coke bottle glasses and seasoned aussies from all over.
Alice Springs is the first stop over. We are warned to expect heat and as we leave the luxury of our air con we are slammed by a wave of pure heat.
It’s 40 degrees celcius in the shade and we are wilting fast. We head off with our friend to get a few supplies, noting the frozen roo tails on sale.
We then hop straight into our friend’s pool, a welcome respite.
Returning to our little nook on board we savor the cool and await the call for dinner.
We roll on throughout the night towards Katherine.
Katherine greets us with the full force of her humidity.
We take refuge in the visitors centre before loading up again on the stationary train.
This time we sit and go nowhere while we dine. The Edith river bridge wash out means we will take the bus from here on.
We sadly leave the comfort of our cabin to bus it to the steamy rains of Darwin town.
Across the land we came.