GFS Sydney celebrated 150 years since the start of the Girls’ Friendly Society began in England by inviting our current GFS World President to visit us from 14th to 16th February. We asked anyone in GFS Australia to join us. Some members from Brisbane, Perth. Newcastle and Tweed Heads came to join our celebrations.
Saturday 15th February was our main celebration.
Once guests arrived and signed in, a delicious morning tea of fresh home-made scones and home-made jam and cream was served. Everyone chatted and looked at the history and uniform display.
We all moved to sit around the “Campfire” where everyone was officially welcomed by Jennie Young (GFS Sydney Chairman) especially our esteemed guests GFS World President, Jeanne and GFS Australian President, Julie and our GFS Sydney Patron, Cailey.
Mava then played the guitar so we could sing some old camp songs from the Camp Howard song books. Four songs were sung: Standing on the Promises of God, Kum Ba Yah, My girls a Corker and Waltzing Matilda.
We shared memories and showed memorabilia while sitting around a “campfire”.
Hilda brought many items from when she was a branch leader at Kingswood to things she was given during World Council. Heather read a card she had kept from the 1970’s. Roslyn can’t quite fit into her original uniform any more but she still treasures it. Dianne brought a photo and memorabilia from when her Mum was in GFS.
Doreen brought a blackened cross. It had a story. It was the cross on the top of the Blaxland GFS banner in 1968. The banner was in the church when a bushfire burnt the church down. The next day Doreen and her husband Ern went to the church to see if anything was left and found this cross. Although it was blackened, it had not been deformed. It had been through fire. Doreen likened this to Jesus who also went through trauma for us by dying on the cross. She never got this cross re polished so that it always reminded her of how Jesus must have suffered on the cross.
Julie (Australian President) then interviewed Jeanne (World President) and asked her about her GFS World theme “Rooted in Faith … Reaching for the Stars” She explained that first we need to establish a strong foundation in Christ.
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”Colossians 2: 6 – 7
You must then rely on Jesus alone. By establishing a strong faith and reliance on Jesus so that you will not fall or be tossed around during trials. Then we will Bear fruit for the Kingdom and bring glory to God with our lives.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
A bright future beckons. The onus is on us through hard work, honesty, and integrity, to reach for the stars. – Nelson Mandela
Jeanne challenged us to: Spread your wings and fly. You never know what you can do till you try. Get out of the boat. Get your feet wet.
A gift was given to Jeanne, from GFS Sydney, thanking her for visiting us and sharing her insights and encouraging us to stay
Next Jennie (GFS Sydney Chairman) gave us a talk about the stars. She showed us images of Alpha Centauri, the closest star to Earth (apart from our Sun). From our back yards, it looks like one star but when we use telescopes, we find out it really is a binary star system. And if we get even better images, we can see a third star. She likened that to when we meet a person, we don’t really know much about them but once we get to know them, they are more than we may realise. Dawn was such a person who when in her 90’s decided to learn to make jam and sell it at church and give the proceeds to the GFS World Project. In this way she was able to help girls who she would never meet. Jennie quoted “No greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his brother. Not for millions, not for glory, not for fame. For one person, in the dark where no one will ever know or see.”
After this talk, a question arose as to what GFS is doing now? Deidree then spoke about the Arundel project and invited two of our bursary recipients to stand up. To our delight Makenzie asked if she could speak to the audience. She wanted to thank GFS for helping her at a time when she needed it and express how much she appreciated receiving such a bursary. Next Klancie also asked to speak and impressed on everyone how grateful she was for receiving the GFS bursary.
Following this we had a special surprise for two members – Cheryl and Lynne were made Life members. Two very worthy recipients. Both of these ladies have done so much for GFS over more than 60 years of their lives. Jennie Young presented each of them with a citation and a Life Member badge. Neither of them knew this was planned so it was a very special time for both of them.
Stephanie, our Chaplain, said grace and we all enjoyed a catered lunch.
After lunch, we asked the World President, the Australian President and our oldest Life Member, Doreen to cut the cake.
Once our tummies were full, we joined in a meaningful Thanksgiving Service prepared by our Chaplain, Stephanie. She spoke on 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1. Reminding us to persevere in our faith, hope, and love, not grow weary in doing good and to rekindle our zeal. The way we do things may change but Christ’s love will never change.
To conclude our day we participated in making star cards, wrote our GFS memories on star shaped post-it notes, ate cake and had another drink and of course, continued to share more memories with friends.
