E-BLAST - 4 JANUARY 2015

Tony Dunkerley: Mark read one of the bible readings at the funeral (Service of Thanksgiving) in Melb on Tues 30 Dec (passed away in his sleep - 74). Mark flew Mon night where Sport Panellist Simon Farrer collected, hosted and drove him to the service, back to airport. Country Town Tours and speaking at the Young Writer conferences - so special to Tony.
Photo:  NZ young writer conference April 2014 in Wellington: Casey, Daniel, Tony and Tash. Tony always took copious notes, invited to reflect at the end of the conferences - he waxed lyrical, he spoke their language, he was brilliant, articulate, passionate and folksy! They loved him.       

E-BLAST - 28 DECEMBER 2014

Summer holidays No.1
The summer of cricket - all at our finger tips on the 'remote' - Test, T20, Big Bash, One Day, World Cup.
Classic photo - our family clan's experience of the Boxing Day Test.

E-BLAST - 21 DECEMBER 2014

Writer's Block  -  the 2014 young writer Tronson du Coudray "art work" painted for the Basil Sellers private art collection. Last year's art work depicted a set of "eyes" celebrating the young writers and these annual young writer art works can be viewed on the PSI home page as the header photographs.

http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/

YOUNG WRITER CONF VIDEO

2014 young writer conf short video is being celebrated - please view it - another remarkable production by Belinda Croft and helper Laura Veloso - both from Melbourne - both young writers, mum's with three children each, husbands Russell and John respectfully - wait for it - sisters - daughters of Peter and Jenny Scotland - Peter is Mark's IT helper and friends of a life time.

YOUNG WRITERS JIMMY AND SARAH

Jimmy and Sarah Young are young writers from Melbourne who this week returned from a few days away celebrating their first anniversary. They had their honeymoon at Laguna Quays Respite and to date four or five young writers (families) have visited Laguna Quays Respite - wonderful!Jimmy is an Anglican Youth Minister and Sarah is completing her Masters in Clinical Psychology and won the 2014 "Mark and Delma Tronson Young" Writers Award at the Sept., annual conf.

TOMATOES - DELMA'S GARDEN

Tomatoes from Delma's garden at Tweed Heads. Delma had no success at the back of the block at Timeout in the Tweed as the birds and bush turkeys attacked everything. But planted near the rear kitchen veranda next to where the house action is - the plants have borne fruit.

SHUTE HARBOUR WHITSUNDAYS

Mission people visiting the Laguna Quays Respite cottage are encouraged to make the effort to experience the beautiful Whitsundays during their stay. Many take it up, others just jell out. It may be of interest that Mark's grand-father Walter and Jessie Tronson established in 1934 the first tourist resort at Happy Bay, Long Island. 

LAGUNA QUAYS RESPITE BBQ

Laguna Quays Respite entertainment bbq area gets well utilised by mission visitors. Looking forward to 14 Jan - Basil Sellers, his PA Deb Thompson, Delma and Mark - visiting Aldinga Beach 1 hr south of Adelaide the recommended location by Dr Omar Djoeandy of MissionInterlink for the Triage Missionary Respite site.

E-BLAST - 14 DECEMBER 2014

Christmas Card 2014  -  another of Delma's card creations featuring her remarkable tatting. Mark scanned it and then turned it into a jpg file, and sent it out in the snail mail envelopes with the December newsletter. A couple of years ago Delma and Mark were at a Mackay Councillors meeting at Bloomsbury Memorial Soldiers Hall (Midge Point - Laguna Quays) where residents might discuss issues with their elected Councillors. One of the Councillors saw Delma tatting and exclaimed she had not seen tatting being done since she watched her grand-ma do tatting many years previously. The Councillor made quite a fuss of Delma. pic - our Christmas Card to you, with our thanks for such wonderful support throughout 2014.   

DELMA'S CERTIFICATE

Delma's appreciation certificate for her pastoral care role at the nursing home in Tweed Heads. Delma spends Tuesday afternoons visiting three elderlies and attending the pastoral care meetings. Delma enjoys the Auslan (deaf signing) class Wednesday evenings where many "silent jokes" get told with much hilarity. Thursday's Delma helps at the church cafe along with two KYB classes and tennis Wednesday mornings.      

SUMMER CHEER

Summer Cheer was the painting Mark did for the Christmas Chamber of Commerce breakfast "business card' draw. Mark does an art work each month for the Chamber breakfast. Near the end of the meeting Mark was given the microphone where he noted that he and Delma drove around noticing the houses with Christmas lights and not one had a nativity scene. Mark explained that the meaning of Christmas is more than tinsel ..... he was given a very hearty handclap and afterwards many came and said thank you. 

ALISON BARKLEY - NGO IN THE PHILIPPINES

Alison Barkley was our 2013 Basil Sellers Young Writer Award winner (Melbourne conference) and this year relocated from Newcastle to the Philippines where Alison serves with an NGO. In 2015 Alison is being placed in the International Columnists Week as are all young people who are living overseas. New Zealand's Helen McIntosh is in the same situation, living and working in England. Wed /Thurs this week Mark's articles in Christian Today features the NZ (Wed) and International (Thurs) young writers.    

ZACH RADLOFF

Zach Radloff is our IT columnist with Christian Today (young writers) and be sure to check out his article tomorrow Monday 15 Dec in Christian Today titled: "Analog Mixers 102: Microphones and Channel Strips". Zach has a huge nerd readership. Zach has been over to our home a number of time helping with Delma's lap top and adding a wireless card to a spare desk top.   

2015 PLANNING

Delma asked Mark - 2015 travel guide as to what and where. Like this year and in previous years there are four visits to Laguna Quays Respite - March, May (Business Luncheon), July (Art Prize) and November. Then following the pattern of 2013, visiting the young writers in Adelaide (Jan), Melbourne (Feb), Sydney (March), Sunshine Coast (May), New Zealand (June) - Conf in August - and then Tasmania (Oct). Starts with a Brisbane and Gold Coast young writers picnic on Australia Day. Pic - beach leaves at Midge Point Beach. 

E-BLAST - 7 DECEMBER 2014

Tim Everton from Adelaide was the only young writer to take up the option of a business card at a discounted rate from our local printer here in Tweed Heads. The offer was made to all those attending the Sept young writers conf. for the princely sum of $20. (Tim got 250 cards). Many young people today use iphones etc - in effect - for business card entries. Now many have seen it  .... well ..... but they will have to wait 'til 2015 conf., in Sydney. 

TIM EVERTON - BEST ARTICLE AWARD

Tim Everton (left) is presented with his Best Article Award by Russell Modlin of Well-Being Australia in Sept at the young writers conf on the Gold Coast. Tim lives in Adelaide our only young writer from South Australia and is keen on youth ministry.

DAKATO NEIBLING - NEW YOUNG WRITER

Dakota Neibling is a new young writer from YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in Brisbane has her first article published tomorrow (Monday 8 Dec) in Christian Today and her subject was her experiences at Schoolies at Airlie Beach on the Whitsundays. This is both a good read and an eye-opener, Dakota doesn't hold back. Mark asked how mum and dad (also YWAM) chose Dakota (perhaps RAAF) ? - her fun reply: 'They lived in South Dakota for 18 months".

IN MEMORY OF PHILLIP HUGHES

Cricket bat, cap and ball (Mark's) in memory of Phillip Hughes. Mark was the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years retiring at the end of 2000 and then turned to Life After Cricket. He knows Sean Abbott from AIS Cricket in Brisbane and connected again. The nationally televised funeral on Wed saw the Priest saying that as Phillip was baptised in 1993 into the Church he was now with God (a Roman Catholic theology). Protestants / Pentecostals theology on Salvation - personal repentance and be born again and transformed in the Spirit. This was one of the great Reformation principles. 

FOOTPLATE PADRE

Mark's Footplate Padre article on Thursday deals with the issue of how dribbles of beach sand onto the rail head allows the driving wheels of the huge locomotives to grip the rail when wet. Mark was a locomotive engineman for 10 years prior to seminary and he fired these giant 57 Classes on the southern line.

MISSION MEETING

Global-Interaction's Nathan Reid (right) addressed the Northern Rivers Baptist Ministers on Thursday in Ballina. Ministering to 9 people groups around the world (Africa, Asia, Sub-Continent) in some situations where there are huge numbers of Christians. Laguna Quays Respite has hosted Global Interaction mission people.