A Joyful World Day of Prayer Service

What a joy it was for the Cooloola Coast Christian denominations to gather again for our annual World Day of Prayer Service on the first Friday of March. This year the Tin Can Bay Anglican congregation coordinated and hosted it at the Cooloola Cove Veterans & Community Hall, led by Lay Preacher Lillian Lochel.

The country in focus was Taiwan; the theme: ‘I have heard about your faith’ from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians (Chapter 1:15-20).

Fortunately Marie Parker knows Irene from Taiwan, owner of Coffee on Channon, and enquired about inviting one of the Taiwanese community in Gympie to be the Guest Speaker. We were delighted to be so privileged to meet and hear Chi Yang.

As Lillian commented: ‘An excellent speaker, Chi spoke straight from her own heart’.

We learnt about Taiwan, and also of Chi’s life as an agricultural worker on a Temporary Visa in South Australia, and subsequent opportunities, sponsorship and studies in Brisbane, culminating in her career as a remedial massage and myotherapist and running her own business, Chi Body Work in Gympie.

Katrina van den Brenk said ‘It was a very friendly morning. Many seemed keen to talk with our Guest Speaker, Chi Yang, and Chi commented that she enjoyed her conversations with members of the congregation’, at the delectable shared morning tea afterwards.

Highlight of the morning tea was Bubble Tea donated by Chi’s Taiwanese friend, Irene. I had never heard of Bubble Tea, nor did I realise it originated in Taiwan during the 1980s. I preferred the delicious iced lemon and lychee to the milk based bubble tea.

Lillian says ‘It was a really good roll up. Thank you to everyone who helped and who turned up, which makes the morning.”

We were blessed to have three ministers present, Fr Shaji Joseph from the Anglican congregation, Rev Gary McClintock of the Wesleyan Methodists, and Pastor Dawn Peel of the Arise congregation.

We are very grateful to Rev Gary and his team for their generosity and technological skills in managing the powerpoint presentations, as well as the venue and the rousing live music and singing.

The generous offering of $238.55 will be used by the Bible Society in their work overseas.

Next year’s service is written by the women of Palestine on the theme ‘Bear with one another in love.’ On the Cooloola Coast, 2024 World Day of Prayer Service will be hosted by Rev Gary McClintock and the Cooloola Wesleyan Congregation at the Cooloola Cove Veterans & Community Hall at 10am on Friday 1 March.

Maggie Travers