Words from the streets of Kings Cross and Bondi Beach
About Rev. Jon Owen
“I am the Pastor and CEO of Wayside Chapel. I write with my heart wide open and my eyes looking at life. I am a philosopher, a dreamer, a tower of weakness, a leader and a follower, a husband and a father and I hope to give you a flavour of life by the wayside.”
About Inner Circle
The Inner Circle is a weekly letter with musings on humanity, acceptance, and love from the Pastor and CEO of Wayside Chapel. It often includes anecdotes of life at Wayside Chapel and speaks to anyone who wants to lean deeper into the question of what it means to be human.
Something A Little Different
Dear Inner Circle, I’d like to share something a little different this week. Many of you will have heard of the passing of James Valentine.
Don’t Speak, Just Act
Dear Inner Circle, There are moments in the life of a community that deserve to be named out loud. Last week, we paused to mark one of them.
Slowly, Imperfectly, Honestly
Dear Inner Circle, What does it mean to reconcile? The word itself feels heavy in the mouth. As though it already knows something difficult is
As Good As It Gets
Dear Inner Circle, What is the value in being good for nothing? This week I asked a dear friend, one of our community members, to
As Good As It Gets
Dear Inner Circle, Sundays arrive at Wayside in something of a predictable manner — quietly, and then all at once. Last week, two people found
Of Breakfast and Brothels
Dear Inner Circle, Mother’s Day arrives this Sunday. For some, it’ll be a warm moment perhaps with flowers, a long phone call and breakfast in
Don’t Look Back In Anger
Dear Inner Circle, What an honour it was to march briefly with Uncle Ray on the weekend, to be in proximity to a man of
Where It’s At
Dear Inner Circle, A once-young man, well known in his community, fell into a coma after being assaulted. He recovered, but was never the same.
The November Migration
Dear Inner Circle, The start of November is when hearts begin their migration home, pulled by the same mysterious geometry that draws sea turtles back
What Weighs The Most
Dear Inner Circle, Last Tuesday, someone asked me the question I’ve been asked a hundred times before: “What should I do?” We were standing outside the op
