Last Saturday saw a small but enthusiastic band of volunteers from the worshipping and non-worshipping congregations of the Alpine Uniting Church get to work to transform a section of the property into a native garden (see attached photo). At the same time another small group, were busy staffing the Garage Sale and restocking AMOS (the mobile Op-Shop) with winter clothes ready for the arriving seasonal staff for winter 2007. As I write this, the early snow is falling on the mountains and a renewed sense of urgency is felt in the town as we ready ourselves.

During the planting of the 120 natives, one quick volunteer commented that we had probably planted enough native trees to just about off-set the Greenhouse gas emissions from my Sunday Sermons! I make no comment.

This garden is stage two of our project to honour those that have gone before us in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in the Alpine region. The first stage was a more formal "Garden of Memories" with a commemorative wall and pergola (see attached photo). The wall contains the plaques from the old church in the Old town which was flooded 40 years ago to make way for the snowy Hydro scheme, along with plants dedicated to the memory of past saints (and sinners) who laid the foundations of the work we continue today.

This new garden is dedicated to the 'less formal' shall I say, members of the same incredible people. The Mountain men and women who pioneered much of the connection that we still maintain today with the Ski Fields Chaplaincy. The Characters who made the legends of this area that are celebrated in poems, books, songs and movies.

The new garden will benefit from the new 'Grey Water Recycling Plant', which is about to be installed and the rain water tanks that will join it in the next few weeks. Following a grant from the Commonwealth Government through the "Community Water Grants Round 2", we have begun to install a series of measures to cut the waste water and the waste of water from the site by three quarters. Dual flush toilets throughout, re-use of water for washing and water of the gardens and collection of the water from the various buildings will all do a bit to help conserve this precious resource.

The planting of natives adds to this through the protection of the soil from erosion and the reduction of greenhouse gas. Combined with the Solar Hot water system for the residence and the energy efficient light globes and use of energy efficient heating and the Alpine Congregation is taking very seriously the challenge to be a "Green" Church laid down by Synod last year.

Challenges are funny things though. You no sooner face one and rise to it and another one rear's it's head. For Alpine Congregation, this has come in a number of forms, the first being the discontinuation of funding for half of the Ministry agents stipend and the second is the loss or immanent loss of several key members of the leadership team.

For the past ten years or so the Synod Mission Resource Fund has provided half the stipend for the ministry agent to allow them to provide the vital services of Chaplain to the NSW Ski Fields. This has meant that the companies, staff and visitors have had a Chaplain to help them through some of the most difficult times that not only the individuals have faced but the nation as a whole.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Thredbo Disaster and it was our Chaplain who was the first on the scene. Thank you Graham Abrahams for the amazing work you did. Each year unfortunately, people die whilst enjoying the beauty of this area and the Chaplain is always there to support the staff, volunteers and family of the victim through those first vital hours and days of the incident.

Without the funds from Synod, this work is at risk but the Congregation is not going to give up without exhausting all the options for continued financing. ALL donations would be gratefully received.

As the current ministry agent I am currently updating my skills to allow us to offer an Industrial Chaplaincy model to the Companies as a further investment in the spiritual well-being of our non-worshipping congregation. Oh I should mention, we consider our congregation to be made up of worshipping, non-worshipping and distance members. The non-worshipping membership is about 3 million as that is the number of visitors to the area each year. From June to Oct, the town of Jindabyne goes from population of 3500 to over 25,000. so there is some challenges there!!

Our second challenge as I mentioned is that a number of key leaders are being called to other ministry in Canberra, and at least one to her ultimate ministry. Kathy Beer has been the Treasurer of this congregation for the past decade or so and has managed the finances of this very complex and vibrant ministry with such wisdom and grace. I have never met or worked with such a diligent, honect and tough treasurer in all my 25 years of working with community organisations and churches. Two years ago Kathy was diagnosed with Cancer and has continued to serve as Treasurer until she could no longer afford to focus on anything other than her own state of health some two months ago.

Kathy is still serving God though even in her final weeks with us. The nurses, Doctors, and many visitors to her room comment of the peace in the room and in her countenance. Kathy quite quickly shares with them how God is with her and how He longs to know them better. We cannot thank Kathy enough for who she is to us and what she has done for us. We will miss her physical presence but know that she will be joining if not leading the heavenly "Cheer Squad" for this amazing little congregation of believers in our living God.**

So for a group of 50 or so dedicated believers, we are bearing up ok under the challenges that we face. God is Good to us and will lead us through. We do not believe that God wants us to stop any of the ways in which we serve our community now, including the Op-Shop, the Bus Lunches, the Noah's Lark Childrens Church, The Mens Shed, the computer classes, the youth ministry, the Chaplaincy, the numerous community groups our members are part of, the bible study groups in two of the main towns and in the two mountain villages, or our Sunday Morning Gathering and Morning Tea (which both attract different people at times).

We do appreciate help though. Killara Congregation in particular is a source of strength and encouragement to us along with South West Rocks and Kenthurst who have both helped in the past. Our distance congregation members all chip in when with us and support us with prayer and a place to stay when in Sydney and beyond.

We have established a direct giving system with the Synod and people can support us through regular donations. Any visits, emails, cards and letters all lift us as we serve God to the best of our ability. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please pray for us and know that God Loves You and So Do WE.

Matthew McBurney
Pastor
Alpine Congregation of the Uniting CHurch.

** Kathy went to be with her Lord and ours at noon on May 25. Peter was at her side to the end. She will be missed, but is now at peace.