our midsumma celebration

What a great time we had last Sunday with Rowena Allen!  Ro is Victoria’s Commissioner for Gender and Sexuality. This is the first appointment for such a Commissioner, not just in Australia but in the world.  She is a delight to listen to and I think we all felt proud of what has been achieved in the first six months of Rowena’s appointment.
Ann wrote a blessing that we shared together for Rowena:

We bless you Rowena and the work you undertake on behalf of us all and the wider community.  May you continue to build justice roads for others to travel. May you give voice to the voiceless, may your challenges be heard in the halls of power.  May you be encircled by a diverse community who will celebrate with you and who will sustain you as you confront the challenges ahead.

We lit a rainbow of candles, using the following liturgy, written by me:

RED is tomatoes, ripening in the summer heat.
Red is anger and energy.
It is love and it is passion,
especially for justice.
Red is the heart colour.
We light this red candle for courage,
for the times when courage is required of us
and for the those who inspire us with their courage to make a difference,
to make a stand for equality
and to stand against violence in all its forms.

ORANGE is mango, dripping with sensuality and delight.
Orange is caution; gently, gently.
It is the colour of harmony.
Orange is the leader’s jersey
and of the campaign to end violence against women.
Orange is warmth and it is friendship.
It is the colour of inclusivity.
We light this orange candle for non-exclusive communities
and for the good that humans can be and can do together,
and for the leadership that facilitates life-giving community.

YELLOW is sunlight and lemons,
road signs and high vis vests.
Yellow is the colour of discernment,
of wisdom and clarity.
We light this yellow candle for light;
light to find the justice way ahead,
for changes that need to be made
for the betterment of the planet,
for the poor and the powerless.

GREEN is for growing things;
for nutritious leafy veg and twining vines,
for shady trees and exit signs,
Green is the colour of refreshment and resilience.
We light this green candle for nourishment,
for all that keeps us resilient and well.

BLUE is the ocean and summer sky.
It is our beautiful planet from outer space.
Blue is inner space. It is tranquil and calm.
It is the colour of peace.
We light this blue candle for peace:
for places of peace and for peacemakers.

PURPLE is deep, it is music and it is creativity.
Purple is us; it is feminist, spiritual.
Purple is mysterious and dignified.
It is rebellious and it is proud.
We light this purple candle for the meaning we make of life,
as varied and diverse as we ourselves are.

A rainbow of colours for a rainbow of people;
people of diverse genders and sexualities;
a rainbow of colours generated by sunshine and rain,
a sign to celebrate.We light this rainbow candle for Sophia
– that energy on the ‘side of Life and its fulfilment’,
who gathers us.


and at morning tea we ate rainbow cake (made by Jan) and lots of other yummy, colourful, some even healthy, things.