We had a full house and a wonderful day which helped raise $3100, used to provide equipment to those with life-limiting illness in our community. The equipment is provided at no charge to the patient.

Local businesses supported us with donations to offset our costs and without the support of Amcal Pharmacy, Wes Davidson PRD Nationwide, Shelton and Lane Stationary, Horsham Family Footwear, Latus Jewellers and Spotlight, we would not have raised such an outstanding amount.

We were also supported by Horsham College VCAL hospitality students and teacher Celia Fairley, who served meals and did an exceptional job with the clearing of tables and general clean-up.

Students from St Brigid’s College and teacher Lesley Lannen assisted us with the set-up the day before.

All the students were fantastic ambassadors for their school and the teachers guiding them through were exceptional by showing their students what to do by example. It was simply wonderful.

This year the entertainment was provided by violinist Robyn Gibson, who now resides in Ballarat. Robyn has lived in Horsham and still has ties here. She was delighted to perform for us and played beautifully.  

A big thankyou to all those who attended. I see many of the same faces each year and the support given to the auxiliary is really heart-warming.

It is such a special day in our fundraising calendar and the auxiliary works extremely hard to provide a friendly and relaxing event to the Horsham public.

I would personally like to thank the members of the auxiliary for their ongoing and enduring hard work. It is a real privilege to belong to this auxiliary and I truly believe we are making a difference in our community.

Thank you one and all.

Lea Crammond, president, Wimmera Hospice Care Auxiliary

WHILE endorsing most of the article titled, “Called to be an example for others” (Wimmera Mail-Times, Friday, May 19) I would like to comment on statements in it relating to “mistakes” and “good works.”

The “mistakes” referred to are our sins. I would be loath to call my sins a “mistake” – they are much more than that. We seriously offend God by our sins when we break His Holy Law. This Law of God is a mirror which reveals to us our faults and hence a knowledge of our sins. This then, should lead us to confess our guilt to God, repent and pray for forgiveness. When this is done God will certainly “use a delete key”, as God is ever ready to forgive.

God in His holiness, justice and righteousness has found a way to save us sinners from our well-merited punishment. We have been reconciled to God by the death of His only-begotten son, Jesus Christ, who paid a terrible price for our sins. We have redemption, but only if we believe through faith in Jesus.

This faith should be exhibited in the lives we lead and so our resulting good works will be seen as the fruit of our faith – not as something we consciously set out to do to accumulate ‘Brownie Points’ in order to be rewarded with eternal life in heaven.

I hear a fair bit these days about ‘God is love’; ‘Jesus loves me’; ‘we are all going to heaven’ and so on. This is only partly true.

This has to be balanced with statements of Christ such as: “Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” and “many are called but few are chosen”. 

We have to be careful that we do not mould scripture to this world as we live in it today, but rather mould our way of life to scripture – that scripture which never changes.

In spite of what some think or are told, there is still such a thing as sin, which still damns; and hell is still there for those who do not repent. The thoughts I have been trying to express are well put in the old Passion hymn, Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted, verses three and four: 

“Ye who think of sin but lightly,

Nor suppose the evil great,

Here may view its nature rightly,

Here its guilt may estimate.

Mark the Sacrifice appointed!

See who bears the evil load;

‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s anointed,

Son of Man, and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation,

Here the refuge of the lost,

Christ’s the rock of our salvation:

His the name of which we boast;

Lamb of God, for sinners wounded!

Sacrifice to cancel guilt!

None shall ever be confounded

Who on Him their hope have built.” 

Phil Lienert, Horsham 

EGG consumption continues to soar with new data showing Australians consumed record numbers of eggs during Easter.

Grocery scan data from IRi shows Australians consumed more than 246 million healthy and delicious hen eggs in April 2017 – an average of 8.2 million eggs a day. 

This is on the back of a record Christmas period with customers buying 7.7 million eggs per day throughout December 2016.

An AECL and egg farmers campaign, including OK Every Day stickers on egg cartons, supports consumers as they choose to put eggs on their plate more often by providing comfort that eating eggs every day is approved by Australian Dietary Guidelines.

Rowan McMonnies, managing director, Australian Egg Corporation