Winter Solstice at Baroona Farms

On the evening of June 20, residents of St Francis College joined members of the Baroona Farm ministry around the campfire to share in a short liturgy acknowledging the shortest day of the year. 

The Reverend Samuel Dow, who officiated over the service, says 'this change from darkness to light has been marked and celebrated throughout many cultures over thousands of years, primarily because of the anticipated hope in new and higher crop yields as light increases and as Winter turns to Spring. This is still particularly important to those in agricultural endeavours to this day. In the northern hemisphere the church has also done well over the centuries in coupling this movement theologically to Christmas and the birth of Christ - a light entering the darkness. We in the southern hemisphere have perhaps not overly developed that same rhythm with the church year. 

However, this year in the context of our rapidly changing world with communities cautiously emerging from COVID-19 restrictions, there is a sense of new life and hope emerging where we might pray that our God of resurrection and life send forth new shoots of green within ourselves and the world.'


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We acknowledge all First Peoples of the land on which live, walk and work. We honour them and their Ancestors for their survival, continued traditions and spiritual connection to and caring of country, land, sky, water and sea. We pay respect to their Elders past and present and will continue to support their right to self-determination. We are committed to Reconciliation and respectfully recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded.