Trip Report: St. Johns Church 101st Anniversary
Sunday 24th July 2022
Location: Asquith Anglican Church (Yep, that’s right!)
Neil Flower reports…
“This would have been one of the hardest TRAX trips that I have ever done… and I didn’t even get the old LANDY into Low Range!”
It was a nice fine day (for a change), and I had been asked if I would organize a BBQ luncheon for 101st Anniversary of St. Johns Church at Asquith. Why me? Well, I’m not sure.
It may have been because I was the ‘last man standing’ since both the Senior Minister and the Assistant Minister had both had their families come down with ‘Covid 19’ in the fortnight before the event, or, it may have been that it was going to be held at a local farm at Cowan just a bit up the railway line to give it an outdoors flavour.
Anyway, on visiting the farm 2 Saturdays before the event the ground was sodden – black soil country and totally waterlogged with all the rain of the last 2 years. I had been told that they were expecting over 100 people to attend – that meant about 40 vehicles trying to park in a small paddock with one small entrance to it.
I got my Land Rover Disco in, but found the wheels wanted to spin on the way out. – and the Disco is a constant 4WD vehicle!
First decision, the Anniversary Luncheon was not going to be held on the farm! It was going to have to be held at the Church where there was at least a large bitumen covered car park where ordinary vehicles would not get stuck. (I had no desire to spend most of Sunday afternoon winching a whole lot of 2WD vehicles out of the mud!).
Second decision, since this was a very special service (actually it was the 100th anniversary that had been postponed because of rain and Covid last year), and, given the fact that the Archbishop was preaching and many former clergy had been invited, we needed something where a ‘proper’ lunch could be made, served and consumed in some semblance of comfort. Thus, the church buildings were the only alternative.
Third decision. Sausages and a bun with sauce? Not on. This had to be something special and the food therefore had to be special while still fitting into a very tight budget. Yours truly would not be able handle that single handed. A team was needed.
Fourth decision. If this was going to be a real fellowship occasion where everyone could meet and enjoy themselves then, how could I ask the local people to give up such a great occasion by slaving away over a hot BBQ and in the church kitchen to prepare food for and then feed 100+ people? The above- mentioned team had to be brought in from outside the Parish and then asked/threatened/cajoled into ‘volunteering’ their services as cooks, wait staff, and cleaners for the day. But, (as the TV ad once said) “where do y’ get ‘em?”
TRAX – that’s where.
After years of submitting ‘TRAXCOOKX’ articles and having members comment on them I decided to have a phone around and see who might be willing to help.
Nine calls and nine offers to help!
Thanks to :
Ron Paton – who because of his RFS catering experience was made ‘Foreman’ of the team,
Ron Owen – who worked so hard at serving salads and desserts,
Rob Drummond – Willing to have a go at anything,
Matt Smith – BBQ attendant and salad server,
Will Smith –Who won the undying admiration of the children with his Ice Cream servings,
Daniel Lee – another great helper, willing (and able) to follow the foreman’s bidding,
Phillip Favaloro – able to turn his hand to almost anything,
Vanessa Flower – seemed to be everywhere and never stopping for breath,
Stephen Flower – Chief chicken fillet cook and BBQ expert.
Boy, did they work! Every one of them
Not just in getting food ready but in the making of teas and coffees and especially in the mammoth task of cleaning up, washing up, and leaving the kitchen in such a state that it would have won a prize for cleanliness anywhere.
Hard work? It was hard work! After everything was served, cleaned, washed and ‘put away’ we were all really weary. It was a TRAX trip with a difference!
As the title of this article says “This would have been one of the hardest TRAX trips that I have ever done… and I didn’t even get the old LANDY into Low Range!”
But it was a great ‘trip’. TRAX was able to free up at least 10 – 13 parishioners who for once were able to sit and enjoy fellowship with others from the Church and not have to work and miss out on the great day.
Sooooo, thanks to all the TRAX members who helped. You were a great witness to the Christian faith and you brought honour to Christ Himself.
Neil Flower.
PS. I’m kind of glad that I didn’t have to get the old Landy into Low range on this one”