Main Content
The Mosaic of Joy
Hundreds of people gathered in Mirrabooka on the 27th of July for a dinner and cultural pageant which celebrated the rich diversity of the Anglican community in Western Australia.
The theme for the function was ‘Mosaic of Joy’ and was based on Ephesians 3:6 which declares we are members together of one body in Christ Jesus.
The dinner was the first major engagement for the Archbishop of York, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr John Sentamu and his wife Margaret who flew into Perth in the early hours of Friday morning to take part in the 150th celebrations of the Anglican Diocese of Perth.
Archbishop Sentamu delivered the keynote address on the theme of ‘Christianity as a Cosmopolitan Faith.’ The Archbishop – who describes the Church as `a living Pentecost’ – spoke of the Gospel’s power to speak across times and cultures, and to bind people together, whatever their ethnic backgrounds.
The Archbishop of York was given a warm musical greeting at the door by the Sudanese choir, to which the Archbishop added a spontaneous accompaniment on drums! Members of the Chow Kwoon Yarn Yee Tong lion-dancing troupe then provided the Archbishop with a vibrant, high-energy welcome to the celebration.
The truly cosmopolitan flavour of the gathering at the John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School was sampled in the wonderful Chinese banquet and in the rich variety of desserts of Burmese, Sudanese, South African and Australian origin.
Recognition of Australia’s first inhabitants was made in a moving welcome to country by Mrs Doolan –Leisha Eatts and Mr Walter Eatts.
The multicultural mosaic continued to be pieced together when guests were entertained by a presentation of dancing, singing, and the reading of a piece of Australian bush poetry written especially for the event by poet, Valerie Read.
There were performances by the Aboriginal dance group, Gya Ngoop, the Sudanese and Burmese singers and the St Mary’s West Perth Choir led by Paul Ho.
A highlight was the singing of ‘We are one, we are many’ by the combined choir led by Richard Symons and Thomas Freiberg.
An electronic art competition for schools which was run as part of the Mosaic of Joy pageant was won by John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School. The prize was presented by Margaret Sentamu.