Toowoomba Christians Connect, Reflect and Sparkle at Carnival of Flowers

Toowoomba, Australia’s largest regional inland city, is synonymous with stunning gardens filled with gorgeous flowers. The annual Carnival of Flowers marks that special time of the year when the region’s gardens are at their glorious best. Throughout the month of September Toowoomba’s parks and gardens, private homes, schools, aged care services and businesses attract visitors from across the nation to enjoy the floral abundance of the city and region. The pinnacle event, which captures this best, is the Grand Central Floral Parade.

This year Emmanuel Lutheran Fellowship led an ecumenical group of Toowoomba Christians on a creative journey of a different kind! The parade theme for each float to adhere to was Connect, Reflect and Sparkle – and we did precisely that! After many phone calls, emails, zoom meetings, craft days, engineering feats and lots of prayer, we came up with this idea!

Jesus Loves All Sorts

We painted boxes and made skirts to look just like liquorice allsorts; made the funkiest headpieces out of pizza boxes; and had the most stunning, reflective, sparkly cross made from recycled cardboard covered with cut up CD’s.

Together an ecumenical group of around a dozen churches from a broad selection of worship styles walked the streets of Toowoomba, singing worship songs, loudly and brightly, to the thousands of people who were present at the street parade.

It was such an overwhelming, uplifting experience! Meeting so many Christians from different churches, building relationships around crafting, flowers, building props, singing boldly, praying boldly was as much a positive blessing as was walking and singing in the parade itself! It was truly amazing to participate in this venture! Many parts of the one Body, coming together to publicly profess the love and promise of Christ – He loves all sorts; every sort; no matter who you are.

2023 will be bigger and better. Watch this space! Or better still, join us!

Monika Bennett
Coordinator – Administration Officer, Emmanuel Lutheran Fellowship
office@emmanueltoowoomba.org.au

Links to Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers website and Carnival history:
https://tcof.com.au/
https://tcof.com.au/history/