By Nick Dalgety
Biblical truth: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [ACTS 1:8]
This command was given by Yeshua (Jesus) on the Mount of Olives after his resurrection to his apostles and moments before He ascended to heaven to be once again with His Father. The commission is to the ends of the earth and this certainly includes the nation of Australia.
The gospel was first shared in Australia on February 3, 1788, by the First Fleet’s chaplain, Reverend Richard Johnson, who conducted the first Christian church service in Sydney Cove. This event marked the beginning of the formal sharing of the Christian faith with the European settlement of Australia, as he preached to the colony’s inhabitants, including convicts and settlers.
Australia, a vast country just across the Tasman Sea from us. Although I visited briefly when young, I had little or no contact until more recently. I had heard great stories of the provenance of the Barossa Valley in South Australia – check out Extra-ordinary Everyday Barossa.
Two recent trips provided me with better insight into early German settlement, diverse land use and of course, the importance of viticulture and wine-making to the region. The Barossa is also home to Barossa Central – a co-operative retail store – and only a 90-minute drive from the cosmopolitan city of Adelaide.
The supermarket scene in New Zealand is controlled by two major players, making it really hard for families to make ends meet. I think the co-operative retail model has potential here in New Zealand. I, along with some colleagues, evaluated such a model for Nelson, including having conversation with locals.
I will share some thoughts on this in an upcoming blog. Love to hear from you if you have ideas in this space.
About the Author
Nick Dalgety is a Kiwi born in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. In recent times my wife and I have made Nelson in the top of the South Island home.
My day job involves working with people making a living from land and sea. In my spare time my passion is taking pictures that celebrate what is iconic about Aotearoa New Zealand. Inevitably this involves discovering amazing people, in their special place making and doing what they do best.
When travelling overseas, I often seek out similar experiences. I created Provenance101 to share these experiences.
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