Active Hope in times of change and crisis: a workshop
The Work That Reconnects is a spiral of practices that supports us in meeting the multiple crises of our times.
Based in the teachings of Joanna Macy, the Work unfolds as a spiral journey through four stages: Coming from Gratitude, Honouring our Pain for the world, Seeing with New/Ancient Eyes, and Going Forth. The journey helps us experience first hand that we are larger, stronger, more creative - and more deeply interconnected - than we knew.
This workshop provides useful resources that strengthen our motivation, creativity, courage and capacity to respond to challenging issues in our world, and allows participants to explore and grow connection - to the land, ourselves, and each other. This is Active Hope.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the second Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Connecting to Celtic Christianity
Meeting at 12pm, we will provide a vegan lunch and use this time to get to know each other a little. This will be followed by a short discussion by Colm, which will cover topics such as;
The emergence and key developments of the Celtic peoples
The arrival of Christianity in Ireland and the syncretism that followed.
The hagiograhies of St Colmcille, St Brigit and St Patrick
The animist and autonomous roots of the Gaelic Church from the early 400s - 1169 and the anglo-Norman invasion.
Steve will then explore the commonalities and differences between the Gaelic (Irish and Scottish) church and those in England and Wales.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the fourth Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Active Hope at Downs Community Farm
Are you working and longing for change in our world?
Do you have spaces to share your painand be heard?
To feel connected to yourself, others, and the wild living world?
This workshop, based on the Work That Reconnects, shares practices and frameworks that strengthen our motivation, creativity, courage and capacity to respond to challenging issues in our world, with a renewed sense of hope, joy, and nourishment of the spirit.
This is Active Hope.
Encountering Your Ancestors
The retreat will include a range of group discussions, story-telling and story-listening in a ceremonial space, mindfulness practices, and time for personal reflection.
Together we will engage with these questions:
What is Ancestry? Who are my Ancestors?
How does Ancestry and Ancestors differ?
Why is connecting to my Ancestors important?
Can we heal the wounds of separation from our Ancestors?
How can we deepen our relationships with our Ancestors?
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the fourth Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Active Hope in times of change and crisis: a workshop
The Work That Reconnects is a spiral of practices that supports us in meeting the multiple crises of our times.
Based in the teachings of Joanna Macy, the Work unfolds as a spiral journey through four stages: Coming from Gratitude, Honouring our Pain for the world, Seeing with New/Ancient Eyes, and Going Forth. The journey helps us experience first hand that we are larger, stronger, more creative - and more deeply interconnected - than we knew.
This workshop provides useful resources that strengthen our motivation, creativity, courage and capacity to respond to challenging issues in our world, and allows participants to explore and grow connection - to the land, ourselves, and each other. This is Active Hope.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the fourth Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Monthly Writing Workshop
Each month, under the facilitation of Dr. Colm McNaughton, we embrace a new theme. The third of this series will be, ‘Pitch & Tone’.
We aim to have you well equipped in distinguishing your writer’s voice, tailoring it to specific audiences and playing with language to find its rhythm.
No previous experience in writing is required.
Beyond Colonialism
Join transformative facilitator Rob Patton for storytelling and reflective group discussion as he draws on indigenous knowledge systems, postcolonial theory, narrative therapy, racial and trauma theory and his own lived experience to explore understandings of colonialism and how we can act to influence change.
Revegetation Planting Day
Come get your hands dirty by tending the land!
Sponsor a tree for $5.
We will be planting Natives around the Retreat.
All Welcome!
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the fourth Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Monthly Writing Workshop
Each month, under the facilitation of Dr. Colm McNaughton, we embrace a new theme. The second of this series will be, ‘A Sense of the Audience’.
We aim to have you well equipped in distinguishing your writer’s voice, tailoring it to specific audiences and playing with language to find its rhythm.
No previous experience in writing is required.
Monthly Writing Workshop
Each month, under the facilitation of Dr. Colm McNaughton, we embrace a new theme. The first of this series being, ‘Finding Your Voice’.
We aim to have you well equipped in distinguishing your writer’s voice, tailoring it to specific audiences and playing with language to find its rhythm.
No previous experience in writing is required.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
A monthly Meeting for Worship is held on the second Tuesday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Connecting to Celtic Christianity
This three-hour introductory workshop is a doorway, inviting and enabling participants to engage with the dark mysteries, healing possibilities and fecund wisdoms available within the Celtic Christian tradition.
Discuss the Bunyip in the room, that is, ‘finding your roots’ while living on stolen land!
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the fourth Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Active Hope workshop taster
Want to know what “Active Hope” is all about? Are you working for change in our world? Do you get overwhelmed or exhausted by the various crises we are facing?
At this Active Hope taster event, Jane and Samara will give an overview of the Work That Reconnects developed by Joanna Macy, and teach some songs to introduce the spiral of practices that underpins the Work.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
A monthly Meeting for Worship is held on the second Tuesday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the fourth Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Encountering Your Ancestors
Encountering your Ancestors is a two-day introductory retreat for people seeking to deepen their understanding of and relationship to their Ancestors.
The retreat will include a range of group discussions, story-telling and story-listening in a ceremonial space, mindfulness practices, and time for personal reflection.
Chestnut Harvest Open Day 2025
It’s that time of year again, our annual Chestnut Harvest Open Day!
We invite members of the public to come and collect chestnuts, roast them on a campfire, have a picnic and enjoy the harvest.
Cost: $5/kilo (no longer by donation, weighing scales onsite)
Bring:
• Baskets or bags for chestnuts.
• Sturdy shoes, gloves and clothing suitable for spiky chestnuts and variable weather.
• Picnic blanket and lunch
Gates open at 10am. Please, no early callers!
Parking is on our narrow and winding road. Please drive slowly, take care around pedestrians walking along the road, and follow signage and instructions.
See you for the harvest!
Quaker Meeting for Worship
A monthly Meeting for Worship is held on the second Tuesday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Active Hope in times of change and crisis: a workshop
The Work That Reconnects is a spiral of practices that supports us in meeting the multiple crises of our times.
Based in the teachings of Joanna Macy, the Work unfolds as a spiral journey through four stages: Coming from Gratitude, Honouring our Pain for the world, Seeing with New/Ancient Eyes, and Going Forth. The journey helps us experience first hand that we are larger, stronger, more creative - and more deeply interconnected - than we knew.
This workshop, based on the Work That Reconnects, provides useful resources that strengthen our motivation, creativity, courage and capacity to respond to challenging issues in our world, and allows participants to explore and grow connection - to the land, ourselves, and each other. This is Active Hope.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the fourth Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Active Hope in times of change and crisis: a workshop
The Work That Reconnects is a spiral of practices that supports us in meeting the multiple crises of our times.
Based in the teachings of Joanna Macy, the Work unfolds as a spiral journey through four stages: Coming from Gratitude, Honouring our Pain for the world, Seeing with New/Ancient Eyes, and Going Forth. The journey helps us experience first hand that we are larger, stronger, more creative - and more deeply interconnected - than we knew.
This workshop, based on the Work That Reconnects, provides useful resources that strengthen our motivation, creativity, courage and capacity to respond to challenging issues in our world, and allows participants to explore and grow connection - to the land, ourselves, and each other. This is Active Hope.
Active Hope Community Gathering
Join fellow Active Hope community members as we connect with each other, return to the Spiral and support each other explore Going Forth ideas and projects.
There will be space in the afternoon to be nourished by the beautiful land of Gembrook Retreat.
One Free Gathering for anyone who has done an Active Hope workshop with us in the past 12 months.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
A monthly Meeting for Worship is held on the second Tuesday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
Our Sunday Meeting for Worship is held on the fourth Sunday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Sing around the Spiral
A day to reconnect with yourself, each other and the wild living world through song. All voices welcome!
Following the spiral of Gratitude, Honouring our pain, Seeing with New Eyes and Going Forth which underlies the Work That Reconnects, Samara will teach some short acapella songs as a way into reconnection, nourishment and joy.
No music reading required, just a willingness to share your own voice and tune in to the songs and singers around you.
Lunch and drinks provided, BYO snacks.
Quaker Meeting for Worship
A monthly Meeting for Worship is held on the second Tuesday of the month at our Meeting House, surrounded by sounds of the bush.
Active Hope in times of change and crisis: a workshop
The Work That Reconnects is a spiral of practices that supports us in meeting the multiple crises of our times.
Based in the teachings of Joanna Macy, the Work unfolds as a spiral journey through four stages: Coming from Gratitude, Honouring our Pain for the world, Seeing with New/Ancient Eyes, and Going Forth. The journey helps us experience first hand that we are larger, stronger, more creative - and more deeply interconnected - than we knew.
This workshop, based on the Work That Reconnects, provides useful resources that strengthen our motivation, creativity, courage and capacity to respond to challenging issues in our world, and allows participants to explore and grow connection - to the land, ourselves, and each other. This is Active Hope.