Friday Forum at St Johns

Friday Forum, where we talk, share, listen, laugh and learn, is a regular Friday programme held at St Johns Hall throughout the year.   There’s  coffee, cake and chatting from 9.30am, Round-the-Circle Discussion 10am – 11.30am. 

We’ve been going for two years, but now that December and school holidays are on the scene, we go into recess over the summer. We love Friday Forum and think you might too !  We are firm believers that communication ( ie listening to each other, talking with each other even though there will be disagreements) is at the heart of any effective relationship.

We discuss current affairs, good values, sometimes “religious” topics though rarely. As December and school holidays arrive, we conclude the programme for 2011- having shared topics and guest speakers including:

• Ramdas Sankaran OAM (Multicultural Affairs),
• John Hetherington( death and funerals),
• Sam from Drug Arm,
• John Hyde MLA for Perth,
• Vicki from Passages WA,
• former Asst Commissioner of Police Graeme Lienert,
• Father Pat Dwyer (Rosies Youth Mission,Gold Coast),
• Prisons in WA and Prison visiting, Hospital Visiting ( RPH  Pastoral care ),  
• Mike Lauer(Northbridge Street Chaplains),
• Abuatika ( Perth Mosque)
• and many more.

For Naidoc Day 2011 in July, we celebrated with food,drink and listening to the stories of some indigenous Northbridge neighbours, including Cherie and Alisha who head support for the Aboriginal Students’  Group at TAFE next door.

We held a 9-week session on the chapters of What Makes Us Tick the bestselling recent book about human nature and communication by Hugh Mackay, as well as a series on the many countries of CHOGM and their leaders and values.  We look forward to some kind of continuation in 2012.

More Info:  Harry Mithen, co-ordinator ( 9444-4626 )