In our circles, we talk a lot about community and building community. Sometimes we get confused about whether people are talking about the church community, the community where we live or the local community that is our suburb.

Question: Sometimes in church discussions when lots of words are used to talk about our ‘vision’, ‘values’ and ‘mission’, someone asks the salient question:

“In a nutshell, what as a church are you on about?”

Answer: Boiled down to the basics, here is an answer:

“Being there for others.”

Ever had to fill in a form? Some of us have filled in so many that we have ‘form-filling fatigue.’ Onerous at the best of times, form-filling is particularly difficult when English is not our first language, or if we are stressed or anxious, or if we live with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, or any one of a number of neurological conditions.

In 1995 Barry Larkin ended his life but his suicide left his family and friends in grief and guilt.

In 2009, Barry’s son Gavin Larkin came up with a question both to honour his father’s life and to protect other families from the pain he and his family endured. The question: “Are you OK?”

We spend some time recently in one of our Zoom church gatherings asking the question: “What are you doing that is stimulating you, supporting you or nurturing you?” This question has taken on a greater significance now that we Melburnians have gone into COVID-19 lockdown Mk. 2.

Here in Melbourne we are still locked down to curb the spread of the coronavirus. During our curfew (8pm to 5am) the roads outside no longer have heavy traffic sounds and it is unusually quiet at night. As we get out for our one hour of exercise each day, we seem to be more attentive to the songs and warbles of the birds.

Instead of G’day, Namaste, Kia Ora or Shalom, the Zulus of South Africa greet each other with the beautiful word, Sawubona.

While the government is working on much needed economic responses to the COVID-19 crisis in Australia, the health responses don’t seem to be so evident.