WIP Wednesday

Since last Friday night I have been at the meetings of the Uniting Church in Australia Queensland Synod. This is where representatives from all the UCA church congregations, presbyteries and agencies meet together to deal with the business of the church, share ideas, report on what has been going on, pray and worship and try to discern the will of God for us in the next 18 months and further into the future. Its been tiring, exhausting, at times frustrating and often exhilarating. And Busy. 

Meetings started with worship on Friday night... and amazing and exciting time as we were lead by choirs from 3 of our faith communities - Tongan, Korean and Sudanese, with representatives from our First Peoples as well. We continued on for the next 4 days, beginning at 8.30AM with bible study and continuining on all day till 9PM some nights and 6PM. Today finished at 3. (well its supposed to, We have left early)

It wasn't all sitting in our seats listening to reports or other people speaking. The worship sessions involved singing, clapping, even a little dancing. And the business sessions involved debates and opportunities to ask questions. There were visuals to look at too on the big screen. We also broke into smaller groups for discussions and discernment times and also had the opportunity at different times to go to self selected topics to learn about and discuss different things. It was very interesting and stimulating. We also had the opportunity to make a message board and have our photos taken with it to send a message of love and support to refugees coming to Australia

Anyway there was times of sitting and listening and since I sit and listen a lot better if I am doing something with my hands I organised craft projects. I didn't have any embroidery to do (as I have done some times) or other hand stitching but did have some crocheting... I bought wool when I visited the wool shop last week. I took 4 balls of wool with me and started on the infinity scarves I spoke of last week. 

My first attempt had been one where I crocheted a long chain, joined it and gone around and around but that wasn't really successful. I ran out of wool before I had completed it so unpulled it. 

The pattern I chose this time was the Bellflower Infinity scarf, a free pattern available here

    

In this pattern the scarf worked like a normal scarf (across the width rather than the length) and worked back and forth. Once long enough the two ends are joined together. I didn't get adventurous but worked all the scarves I made the same way. I wanted a pattern I was super familiar with which would enable me to work without concentrating on what I was doing, enabling me to listen to the discussion. 

By the end of the Synod I had made 5 scarves. I completed the last one minutes before the final session that we attended ended. (I only have photos of the first 3 I completed)

 I have started work on another one today which will keep me occupied whilst we drive home over the next two days. I went to Spotlight today and bought some more wool. I have a request for a rainbow striped one.

I did do some sewing on Thursday night before Synod and got a little zipper bag made but that has been the only sewing I have done this week. I thought I might sew something today but... just not feeling the vibe so haven't pulled anything out.