Maybe you were raised Catholic, but somewhere along the line stopped practicing your faith. Now you want to come back, but you don’t know how to re-engage with the church. Catholics who have been away for some time often worry about the changes that have occurred in the Church and how they may feel when they don’t know what to do or what others might think.

Maybe you know someone who has fallen away from the Church but is looking to come back. Where should you direct them to help them reconnect and grow in their faith? An invitation is more likely to be effective if it comes from a family member or friend or someone who attends church and is willing to walk with them on the journey. 

The aim of this program is to connect fallen-away Catholics back to the Church in a friendly non-judgemental environment. The six sessions of informal conversations will answer questions about returning to Church after having been away. A small group of Catholics who have returned to the Church, or joined the church as adults, will be part of the group assisting with the running of these sessions. 

By Fr Barry Dwyer 

Alectown local, Mitch Westcott and his wife Cailin are excited to announce they will be opening a new shop front in Parkes, in what will be next exciting step for EMC Electrical Maintenance & Construction. 

They have recently secured the lease for the old plumbing hardware store, next to Super Cheap Auto in Parkes, on the Forbes Road.

Mitch has been an electrician for 10 years and has worked with other companies in Parkes on projects such as the Water Sewerage Treatment Plant and the Pet Food Factory. 

While EMC previously focused on industrial and commercial electrical services, they will be looking to take on more residential work, and have also just taken on a new employee, Ellie Russell.

Mitch has quietly graduated from apprentice, to sole trader to partnership to Director of his own company. He is now looking to build and expand on the experience that he and his team share. 

EMC boasts a level two certified electrician and an apprentice. Cailin is the administrator and brings a wealth of experience to the business. 

“I’ve been lucky to have worked jobs in HR, safety, administration, accounts and procurement, which has really helped me be an asset to Mitch and EMC,” said Cailin.

EMC service the areas of Parkes, Peak Hill, Forbes, Condobolin, Dubbo, Yeoval, Wellington and beyond.

They provide a range of electrical services including industrial, commercial, rural, solar and residential. With the new shopfront, that range of services will now include electrical repairs for appliances and whitegoods including washing machines, pumps, dryers and basically any electrical fault. You just have to drop them off to the shop and they will repair them on-site.

Mitch and Cailin love to support local and are also heavily involved in the Parkes Rugby Union Club with Mitch playing first grade for the Boars and Cailin playing for the Boars women’s team.

The Labor Government’s Budget will introduce a new food tax on Australian families. Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack, said the new tax on farmers to pay for the biosecurity risk of international importers was senseless and would be passed on to consumers, which means even higher grocery prices Australians.

“It is quite rude that the Labor Government would ask farmers to pay for the biosecurity costs of importers from other countries, especially considering the power of work they do to keep our economy strong” Mr McCormack said.

The Albanese Government is also increasing the road user charge on truckies by 6 per cent, compounding each year, that will add to grocery bills for families, because transport companies can’t absorb that cost.

“The very popular Stronger Communities Program, which delivered $150,000 to every electorate for smaller-scale infrastructure projects – up to $20,000 – has been scrapped by this Labor Government,” Mr McCormack said.

Labor will also force local communities to wait two years to access regional grant programs, with funding that was available in 2022 under the Coalition now delayed until well into 2024.

 

Central West Libraries has announced the chosen book for this year’s One Library One Book community read.

Dianne Yarwood’s bestselling novel The Wakes has been chosen for the innovative program in the Central West that takes the traditional book club concept to the next level. Named One Library One Book, the program aims to have everyone in the region read and discuss the same book.

“I’m thrilled that The Wakes has been chosen for the One Library One Book community read for 2023. What a wonderful program! Travelling through the Central West and talking to book-loving community members will be such a pleasure for me. I can’t wait,” Dianne Yarwood said.

Central West Libraries has distributed multiple copies of The Wakes across the Central West Libraries footprint – Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes and Orange. These copies have been added to the catalogues of the Library branches.

Author Dianne Yarwood will be touring the Central West in May to discuss the book with audiences. Dianne will be speaking at:

• Cowra Library on Monday 22 May at 10.30am

• Blayney Library on Monday 22 May at 2.30pm

• Forbes Library on Tuesday 23 May 11am

• Orange City Library on Tuesday 23 May at 5.30pm – 7pm

• Canowindra at Montrose House on Wednesday 24 May at 11am. 

“The One Library, One Book program takes the idea of a book club and expands it to cover an entire region,” Central West Libraries Manager, Roslyn Cousins, said. 

“The book is a heartfelt, funny and uplifting debut about two failing marriages, two strangers falling in love, two friends embarking on a catering business – and the four funerals that connect them all.”

“We are pleased to bring this book to readers of the Central West. It is already making a name for itself as a bestseller and will be filmed for TV, ” she said. 

The Service NSW Business Connect program, which provides small businesses with free, tailored business advice from independent advisors who have experience running their own business, is supporting the City of Sydney’s Reboot webinar series to help small businesses and people across NSW looking to learn, innovate and grow a business.

Leaders from some of Australia’s most successful companies will share their inspiring stories, valuable insights and practical tips across a range of business topics in free, weekly webinars from 2–30 May.

The free webinars will include The Man Cave and STUFF CEO Hunter Johnson on setting up a purpose-driven business and Snuggle Honey CEO Julie Mathers and Birdsnest founder Jane Cay on the secrets to rapid online growth. Other webinars in the Reboot series will focus on building a brand, engaging with audiences, storytelling, networking and growing a customer base. 

For more information about Service NSW Business Connect, call 13 77 88 or go online at: www.service.nsw.gov.au/business/business-connect