Semi structured reflection every second Tuesday in the park (12pm byo lunch)
unstructured catchup every fourth Tuesday in Bellingen (12pm byo lunch or heat up some soup)
email folk@ecofaith.org for Bellingen location, see below for the park location, and/or join us on whatsapp for last minute notices, locations etc
FOLK is an experiment in creating a Christian gathering, and maybe eventually community. One which is explicitly Earth friendly/grounded, and queer affirming- a safe place for people to work out what it means to follow the God of love, as pointed to be Jesus, in the 21st Century.
We will also draw on the wisdom of the Gumbaynggirr people, who have lived in this area for 15 million or so dawns, celebrating their relationships with each other and the Creator Spirit(s) in story, ceremony and song.
Everyone is welcome, who makes others welcome, and amongst other things can live with the assumptions that life is ancient and evolving, gender is an irrelevant consideration in leadership and sexual relationships, and that the best person to make a decision about pregnancy is the pregnant person.
We are creating space for us all to explore our relationship with God in the light of Jesus’ life and teachings, without dictating to each other what that should look like. We also affirm the value of other religious teachings
Read on for some practicalities, and a little more about us- Jessi and Jason, two friends and Uniting Church ministers living in the valley.
Practicalities- 2nd Tuesdays (in the Park)
The venue we use will depend on the weather. If it is dry enough we will meet under trees by a creek, if not, we will meet under cover, in a small garden just down the road.
If it is dry weather
Meet in the NW corner of Bellingen Park (across the footbridge at the west end of Creek Lane- the green circle on the map below)
We will be at the fork of the rainforest creek, which has been lovingly restored by Bellingen Urban Landcare over the last few decades
There is a public loo on ground level nearby
Children are welcome, and will be included in our gathering. We acknowledge that “it takes a village” but since we arent a village yet, an adult guardian must accompany all children under 15, and no adults apart from guardians are to be alone with children at any time. Jason and Jessi both have current Working with Children Checks.
The creek is small, but could be a drowning hazard for small children. The road is fenced but there is no gate on the footbridge.
Come dressed in whatever is comfortable for being outside. If you think it’s safe you can paddle in the creek.
If you have any safety related questions please ask, either beforehand or on the day.
We are keeping it pretty simple, we will have a few chairs and rugs and tea/coffe and cups. Or grab your own coffee in town first. You might want to bring water, a hat, and insect repellant.
If it is rainy weather
Meet at the east end of Creek Lane, Bellingen, in the porch out the back of Bellingen Uniting Church- (the blue circle on the map below)
The church has a car park, please drive very slowly.
There is a toilet on site, with a ramp.
Children are welcome, and will be included in our gathering.
We acknowledge that “it takes a village” but since we arent a village yet, an adult guardian must accompany all children under 15, and no adults apart from guardians are to be alone with children at any time. Jason and Jessi both have current Working with Children Checks. There is no fence between the porch where we will gather and Creek Lane, which is about 20m away.
We will have chairs and tea/coffee and water, and will be under shelter.
Practicalities- 4th Tuesdays (coffee)
On 4th Tuesdays we will meet at 12pm in Bellingen for un(less)structured, conversation, and some ritual if there is interest on the day. Email folk@ecofaith.org for the meeting location, or join the whatsapp group
About Jessi
I’ve been “Pastor” (Student Minister) of Bellingen Uniting Church since mid-2023, part of the Forest Advocacy Ministry with Jason and others since 2022, and am delighting in finding Gumbaynggirr country is home for me – 28 years after having been part of the community in Kalang valley.
Up here is where I began to open, explore, grow spiritually: through nature and community connection, hatha yoga and kirtan, learning and sharing in worship and music with the Sikh community of Woolgoolga.
My path eventually led – after trauma and tragedy – to the nurturous community of a church and to a deep and progressively transformative encounter with Christ … to being amazed, challenged and inspired by Jesus’ life and teachings; drawn into Chaplaincy (which has ‘sent’ me to women who have loved ones in prison or are in prison themselves, mental health hospital and aged care); and, most unexpectedly, called into ministry in and from the church – giving voice and embodiment to God’s passionate love for and in all beings, and the call to learn and allow that love through us.
In the midst: getting free from fundamentalist ideas of Christianity, gaining courage to know that “everything belongs”, being a conscious ally of rainbow people, and -finally- re-encountering and validating the fact of my own bi-sexuality as an acceptable part of myself.
About Jason
I have lived on Gumbaynggirr Country for about 16 years, having grown up in Kaurna Country in Adelaide. I hope I die here, eventually. I currently live surrounded by Pine Creek forest with my family.
I’ve been an athiest, Evangelican six-day Creationist, and for most of my life a “Progressive” Christian.
I am currently a forest chaplain, with support from the Quakers and Uniting Church.
I have spent most of my ministry encouraging the church and others to live as better members of the Earth family, in collaboration with all kinds of people of good will.
My thesis was on the implications of evolution for the Christian story, my books and poems and talks give a good idea of my approach to advocating for a much broader celebration of sexual relationships, especially in the context of all we have learned about our evolutionary origins and the fluidity of life.
In 2000, I went from being a safely married man doing that advocacy, to being separated but still legally married, entering into a new relationship, having a kid and eventually marrying again. There’s a poem about it.
You can suss me out in more detail here
If any problems arise which can’t be resolved by talking to us, we are both accountable to the Mid North Coast Presbytery of the Uniting Church in Australia.
Following the God of Love can be a dangerous thing, just look at what happened to Jesus, but when we come together we are informed by the Uniting Church’s aspiration to be a safe place for all people.
If you use spotify, here’s a playlist of some songs that fit the vibe of the group, according to Jason at least.
most of the gathering from our first experiment in November 2024
