What a wonderful visit we had with our new friends on the Historic Sites Foundation Tour, as shared history, worship and friendship came together across a meaningful weekend on the Mid North Coast.
“I’ve always enjoyed history, especially the way church history, family history and the story of a place can become intertwined, a tapestry of woven stories,” reflected Tim Prescott. “In our gatherings over the weekend, those things came together in a particularly meaningful way.”
The weekend began on Saturday afternoon at Tuncurry Cemetery, where guests visited the graves of some of the pioneers of our faith. The story of Community of Christ in this area is closely woven into the story of Tuncurry itself. John Wright, widely regarded as the European founder of the town, settled there in 1875, and generations of the Wright family became part of the developing church community.
At the grave of his son Sidney Garden Wright, the group sang the historic RLDS hymn “Shall We Gather Home to Zion.” Sidney’s own story connected Tuncurry with the wider church: while in the United States in 1891, he met and married Ina Inez Smith, granddaughter of Joseph Smith Jr. and Emma Hale Smith, before the couple returned to Australia.
For Tim, another detail at the grave carried particular meaning.
“One thing that I found significant was the word ‘Peace’ carved into the sandstone on Syd Wright’s grave,” he reflected. “I found it meaningful that this was the word his family chose to represent him. It is such a simple word, but one that also carries so much meaning for Community of Christ.”
That word echoed the Peace Pole on the Tuncurry foreshore and a commitment to peace that continues to shape the church today.
From the cemetery, visitors explored more of Tuncurry’s story, including historic Tokelau beside the church before gathering at Tuncurry Community of Christ. The church had been transformed into a welcoming dining space, where a beautiful dinner was provided for the guests. During dinner, Fran Breen and Wendy Ballard shared stories about the history of the church at Tuncurry and Tiona, including the Green Cathedral and Tiona Chapel. Much care had gone into planning the gatherings across Tuncurry, Tiona Chapel and the Green Cathedral, helping create opportunities not only to learn about the history of these places, but to experience the community and faith that continue to shape them.
Sunday brought the opportunity to do just that. Tiona Chapel was full for worship on the theme “Blest Be the Tie That Binds.” Guests and Australians shared testimonies, the Green Cathedral Community Choir sang, and voices filled the chapel with a joyful sound. For people normally separated by great distances, there was something especially meaningful about gathering in one place to worship together.
“I always knew the theme for our time of worship, right from when I heard about this group coming, needed to be ‘Blest Be the Tie That Binds,’” Wendy reflected. “And we were truly blessed and bound together by a wonderful time of sharing.”
There were unexpected connections, too. Beryl Ferrett was delighted to discover that one of the visitors was the daughter of a close friend from her years at Graceland University in the United States, another reminder of just how far the threads of our church relationships can stretch.
After lunch and time exploring Tiona, guests joined a workshop with a local Indigenous artist, creating paintings reflecting the water, gathering, local flora and fauna, and the dolphin, a totem of the local Worimi people.
The weekend came to a peaceful close at Sunset Reflections in the Green Cathedral, where a special Communion service was held for the travelling guests. Planned as part of the weekend’s welcome, it became an especially meaningful expression of shared faith as the group gathered beneath the trees at the end of their time together.
The weekend offered opportunities to remember those who came before, to share the places and stories that have shaped our communities, and to discover new connections with one another. A special thanks to the members of the MNC community and the Green Cathedral Choir who attended and participated, helping to make this a memorable weekend for all in attendance, and to those who thoughtfully planned and prepared each gathering with such care.
As Matt Dobing beautifully reflected, “Some weekends become part of the story — shared places, shared history, new friendships, and the quiet reminder that we belong to something bigger than ourselves.”
