Dear Inner Circle,
There is a story, one that I wish were true, told by Søren Kierkegaard that goes like this: a group of thieves broke into a jewellery store one night, but instead of stealing anything, they switched all the price tags. The expensive jewellery was suddenly labelled as cheap, while the costume jewellery had high-value tags. In the chaos that ensued, elaborate fakes were sold for a fortune while precious gems were bought for peanuts.
It can feel like we live in a society that has our price tags switched around.
Right now there is a popular American food franchise that has opened 500m from our doorstep and people have been camping out and staying in line for 4-5hrs to try chicken wings. Whilst I wish them good luck, I do wish there was a similar queue for compassion. There’s only so much an eight-piece wing order can solve.
Recently, we completed a renovation of our Mob Space, a place for our First Nations community members. It was long overdue and sorely needed after much use. Up to 30% of the people who come here are members of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community, and it was their input that helped determine the designs. We partnered with some amazing groups (Property Industry Foundation, Shape Construction and SJB Architects) to completely renovate the space. Their dedication, creativity, and cultural sensitivity have resulted in something truly remarkable.
It feels appropriate that this renovation was completed just in time for Reconciliation Week, a week where we remember Wayside’s role in the Freedom Rides and a time when we recommit to being a place that doesn’t just serve our community — we design it with our community, by our community for our community.
Stepping through the space, what struck me wasn’t just the physical transformation, but watching our mob walk into it and immediately feel at home. Their faces lit up. They expressed their deep sense of belonging and ownership of this space — which I must admit looks pretty schmick with its new kitchen, art area and space for a yarning circle. Comments ranged from “this is exactly what we asked for!” through to “this isn’t SH*t!” …ahh the sounds of a new space coming alive with community, priceless.
Thank you for being part of the Inner Circle,
Jon
Rev. Jon Owen
CEO & Pastor
Wayside Chapel
