Over the weekend, Regatta Park was transformed into a vibrant hub of joy, pride, and community spirit for Western Sydney’s annual IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia) Picnic.

The Open Door congregation was right at the heart of it all, working tirelessly with the IDAHOBIT planning team since January alongside other local groups to bring this vital event to life. The Open Door also hosted a stall at the picnic, powered by a fantastic team of Community of Christ volunteers who generously gave their time, care, and energy to ensure everyone felt welcomed.

Reflecting on the event’s success, Sue Palmer, Pastor of The Open Door shared her deep gratitude for the collective effort:

"There are so many people to thank today, it's hard to know where to begin... In a nutshell, it was the Rainbow community working together to bring about the success of today's IDAHOBIT event. The team first met in January, many of us as strangers, but over time we became connected, bouncing ideas, taking on new roles, and working together to make today a wonderful celebration. Thank you for your help, your time, your creativity, your willingness to roll up your sleeves, and do all the jobs that got us to today...What a great day!"

The momentum for the picnic had been building for weeks, even catching the attention of local media. In the lead-up to the weekend, The Western Weekender featured a wonderful write-up highlighting the event's mission to build a safe, local network of support in Western Sydney. As Sue Palmer beautifully noted in that feature article, "IDAHOBIT is about standing together and making it clear that discrimination has no place in our community."

May the spirit of the day resonate across our community, offering a beautiful reminder of how our shared values come to life when we step out to make the love of God visible, practical, and deeply meaningful in our local neighbourhoods.