E-BLAST - 31 MAY 2015

CoolyRocksOn Church Service - Sunday 7 June - Bill Parr and Ken Harris. Bill is the bible reader this year in the big marquee on Coolangatta Beach. Ken is bringing his rock-band 'The Son Chasers' (Beachside Baptist, Gold Coast) for the CoolyRocksOn Church Service. We put the final touches on the church service on Thursday. Mark is the annual preacher. It runs for 1 hour, 8.30 to 9.30am.

JOHN GROCOTT

John Grocott is the statistician for the young writer awards. The Panellists send in their marking points at the end of each Cycle and John gets busy. There are 6 weeks remaining in the marking period prior to the annual awards conference. John remains in recovery since his recent operation.  

ANDREW AND SOPHIA SINCLAIR

Andrew and Sophia Sinclair and 1 year Guy. from Christchurch, now Sydney. Sophia is the young writer's editor and Andrew is at the Sydney Missionary Bible College in Sydney (theology degree). Sophia was editor of CMS NZ and previous to that a journalist with NZ's equivalent to our ABC.

2013, 2014, 2015

Young writer awards coffee mugs - each young writer who attends our conferences receives an inscribed coffee mug -
2013  -  red
2014  -  blue
2015  -  green

8 ART BOARDS

8 art boards  -  Mark has placed two undercoats on these art board for the young writer awards on 1 August in Sydney. These art works will be presented to the winners of the various awards as he has done in previous years.

EVERYDAY SITUATIONS

Mark's promotion in Christian Today - "Everyday situations in a Christian context". Mark is not writing devotions or sermons, rather he writes 'comment'. His previous articles can be found

http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html

E-BLAST - 24 MAY 2015

Hand railings for the front stone steps at the Laguna Quays Respite cottage is next. Will Pearce measuring up, planned to be completed in June. Both sides of the steps will have railings, the staunchens concreted deep into the ground on each side. Margaret is also painting OHS yellow lines on all the edges of the concrete slabs. Very pleasing, big thanks to Will and Margaret.

LAGUNA QUAYS RESPITE

Entertainment barbeque area has been a remarkable blessing which was constructed 20 months ago. Essentially it is a double car port in which cars are banned. It is set up exclusively for relaxation with many mission people finding it ideal for reading. We use it for morning teas with visitors and barbeques. It has beautiful sea breezes and views to Repulse Bay. Very graciously Mr Basil Sellers AM funded this.

LAGUNA QUAYS RESPITE COTTAGE

Laguna Quays Respite cottage 'front view' can be viewed and photographed from many different angles. This photograph shows the cottage with the morning sun on the small mango tree Delma planted two years ago. There is also a mango tree in the back yard. 

CONCRETE SLAB

Concrete slab beside the Laguna Quays Respite cottage was poured two and a half years ago has been such a blessing. It was constantly muddy and difficult when when dry. Very graciously Mr Basil Sellers AM funded the slab. Delma's pot plant trays were attached to the cottage 18 months ago. The missionary's AVIS car is in the drive way, a special deal with AVIS for visiting mission people.     

MARGARET AND DELMA

Will and Margaret Pearce live opposite adjacent to Laguna Quays Respite and help run their church at Calen where they have another place. Margaret and Delma are here inspecting one the plants along the fence. Margaret was a 2014 Basil Sellers Midge Point Art Prize finalist.  

JEREOME AND BETTY

Jerome and Betty Dray are part of the support network at Laguna Quays Respite. Like quite a few in Midge Point, they spend the summer away and return for the winter. It is a very enjoyable morning tea visit.    

E-BLAST - 17 MAY 2015

Midge Point annual business luncheon last Thursday saw 14 locals meet where Mark having linked his lap top to the big screen gave an informative presentation on the mpbnews - young writer Josh Hinds set up this on-line weekly news vehicle for the locals when the hard copy monthly news closed down in July 2012. The ladies that ran it took up the on-line news. The luncheon was well received. This was the second annual business luncheon.

DELMA'S HAND CRAFTED CARDS

Delma spent a lot of her respite time at Laguna Quays Respite creating cards - this is a selection photographed this past Thursday. Mark gets to be the chief inspector of created cards whereupon he gives the most enlightening and encouraging comments. 

COUNCIL MOWING

Mackay Council sent a team of people to mow and clean up the nature strips and gutters of the streets of Midge Point and Laguna Quays. We were taken by surprise! Tweed Shire Council doesn't do this for Tweed Heads. 

MOTHER'S DAY DINNER

Sean and Sue Spencer joined Delma and me for a Mother's Day dinner at The Point Tavern. The evening before the entire Spencer family of five came over for a prawn barbeque in the Laguna Quays Respite entertainment area - perfect weather.  

BEACH PLANT WATERING

Midge Point Beach - the volunteer team of locals water the small planted trees every third week. There is a watering hose attached to the large plastic water tank on the trailer hauled by a tractor.  

MIDGE POINT BEACH LEAVES

Laguna Quays Respite - every morning we go for a 7.00am beach walk and Mark photographs leaves for his articles in Christian Today. He found this set of leaves asking to be photographed.  

E-BLAST - 10 MAY 2015

Laguna Quays Respite - Midge Point Beach at a very low tide - Delma at 7.00am is seen walking along the isolated beach. Mark walks way out to the edge of Repulse Bay which at low tide can be over a kilometre out. Midge Point Beach is quite flat - wind surf contests are held as well as fishing club events, horse trials and many walkers. We return to Tweed Heads next Sunday, 17 May.    

BILLABONG NEAR RESPITE COTTAGE

This billabong is one street away from the Laguna Quays Respite cottage along Paterson Crt. On our way back from Midge Point Beach (our 7.00am beach walk) on Wednesday morning we took a scenic drive along Paterson and came across this billabong. The mirror image was majestic!

INAS JACKSON AND DELMA

Inas Jackson coordinates the Basil Sellers Midge Point Art Prize. Inas came for morning tea on Wednesday. Art Prize is on July 25. Last March we were at husband Roe's funeral - a man who read his bible every day. The respite cottage was purchased from Roe and Inas in 2011. He trucked houses - in 2002 this one came from Clare (near Townsville) - it was the Water Board Manager's house.   

BRISBANE YOUNG WRITERS

Brisbane / Sunshine Coast young writers on 2 May The Coffee Club at the airport shopping complex. Photo - Bridget Brenton, Kelly Bingham, Lisa Goetze, Sophia Sinclair, Charis Jackson, Russell Modlin, Jason LaLone. Young writer editor Sophia Sinclair flew up from Sydney for the lunch, her third regional meeting - others in Melbourne and Sydney.  

ROAD SIGN NOT FAR FROM LAGUNA QUAYS

Not far from us at Laguna Quays Respite ......  echidna's, wallabies, possums, dingoes, cows ....

AMAZING VINE LAGUNA QUAYS

The Devil's Ivy has such a huge vine - at Hans and Jill Leipertz place - the 2013 Basil Sellers Midge Point Art Prize winner.