Going! Going! Gone! These words signal that you’re at an auction. And if they’re directed at you, there’s a good chance you’ll be smiling. Jennie Lonsdale was indeed smiling as the successful bidder at a fundraising auction, winning an invitation for herself and two friends to have lunch with Tim Costello at Dromana Estate Restaurant. I was fortunate to be one of those friends, along with Ben Smith, invited to join Jennie and Tim.

Tim Costello is an Australian Baptist minister who was the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Advocate of World Vision Australia. He has also worked as a lawyer, served as mayor of St Kilda, and authored several books on faith and life. A National Trust poll in 2014 named him one of Australia’s 100 National Living Treasures. Tim has previously spoken at a Community of Christ Peace Event held in Newcastle and is eager to collaborate again on a similar event in the future. He will also be a guest speaker for Community of Christ Australia Worships Online in 2026.

While the fine food at Dromana Estate was excellent, what truly filled our cups was the fellowship and the blending of perspectives, hearing each other’s passions and our collective hope for a future guided by a loving God. Naturally, our conversation turned to the words of the prophet Micah:“What does the Lord require of you? To seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” Those words remain as relevant and compelling today as they were thousands of years ago. How we interpret and, more importantly, act on them in this generation was my lasting takeaway from that fine repast. We drank deeply from the cup of friendship, told stories, laughed and shared our unique understandings of how we are living out Christ’s message.

Our many thanks to Jennie Lonsdale from Frankston who made this memorable meeting possible.

Robert Thompson