Updates:

There are still deceased persons in homes and despite a big police,CFA and army presence they still have not been able to identify and move all bodies

In some cases forensic teams are unable to tell if 1, 2 or 3 bodies lie in a particular spot

A discreet search has begun…requesting black suits and dark coloured dresses…..soon thoughts will turn to arrangements that need to be made for funerals

 

PREPARING FOR SUNDAY:

 

The Victorian Council of Churches is currently distributing an “Ecumenical Liturgy for the Victims of the Bushfires”,grounded directly in the experience of people and church in one of the bushfire areas.(See attached or pick it up on the VCC website: http://www.vcc.org.au/

 

Looking for music/hymns, check “Singing from the lectionary: Lament/bushfire Relief-for Sunday February 15”:  http://lectionarysong.blogspot.com/

 

SOMETHING DIFFERENT, check out “WILDFIRE 2006”

This was written by Fay White and the Community Association of Halls Gap following the disastrous Grampians fires in 2006.It has been put to music by the Rainmakers. Poets,artists and musicians, are an important part of grieving, celebrating, remembering, crying, and I hope congregations and clergy involved in support ministries, will ensure their involvement.

The listening to Wildfire 2006,was an important part of our reflections at Surrey Hills CofC last week.It begins…

 

“Forty degrees,hardly a breeze,the forest is dry as kindling

Suddenly in the heat of the night,the sky is lashed with lightning

Goes for hours,spectacular powers lighting up the sky

It strikes and strikes til the forest’s on fire

In the craggy rocks up high-in the craggy rocks up high.

Fire————-

 

 It continues….

 

And the mountains an inferno,volcano open wide

Looks like rivers of molten lava pouring down its side

A fierce and terrible beauty,glowing threads of light

A might pillar of cloud by day-

and pillars of fire by night-and pillars of fire by night.

 

And concludes……

 

Then at last it’s over,finally it’s done

Finally nature ending what nature had begun

And though you’re grateful you’ve survived,grateful for your friends

The world has changed forever-

It’ll never be the same again-never be the same again.

( Details and contact at:  http://www.makingmusic.com.au/

 

 

NB. News of the Vic CofC Bushfire appeal is now up on the WA,Qld and the national websites.