A wave of race-fuelled hatred has swept through the Sutherland Shire, but local Christians are rising above the violence as they unite to share the spirit of Christmas.
Volunteers from St John's, Sutherland and St Patrick's Catholic Church together with local residents will host the fourth annual John Franklin lunch tomorrow for people seeking company on Christmas day who may otherwise spent it alone.
The lunch is an act of grace because of God's grace for humanity, says rector of St John's, the Rev Rod Harding.
"God's love is our primary motivation," Mr Harding says.
"Obviously the two things are unrelated " the lunch was going to happen anyway," Mr Harding says, referring to the recent rioting and thuggery in Cronulla and neighbouring suburbs.
"It is a way of Christians saying we care about our community and we want it to be a place of love and acceptance rather than a place of violence and hate."
"It's been terrific to develop friendships with [St Patrick's], to say to the community, "we're not on opposite sides'. We can unite on this very clearly, [to show that] Christians are together and not always fighting each other."
The lunch is funded by financial and material donations from individuals and businesses in the Sutherland Shire and the St George Districts.
It is staffed by a team of 150 volunteers who work on a roster system on the day.
The event is held in memory of a local homeless man, John Franklin, who was 37 when he died in tragic circumstances on a Cabramatta street in 2000. He befriended the St Patrick's priest, Father John Sullivan, and spoke to him of his loneliness on Christmas Day for people like himself.
While fewer than 50 guests attended the first lunch in 2001; last year guests totalled 350. Tomorrow they are catering for 500.
The organising committee has sought the advice of Uniting Church minister the Rev Bill Crews from the Exodus Foundation at Ashfield who has been running similar lunches since the 1970s.
On the organising committee is Elizabeth Stevens, a member of St John's, who says the lunch bring together many elderly people who join with single parent families to celebrate Christmas together.
Being a "behind the scenes person' in ministry, Mrs Stevens sees the lunch as an opportunity to reach out to people in a non-confrontational manner.
"We are interested in building bridges to the community to find ways to be more relevant," she says. "As a Christian it's important I live out the ideals of helping the widows and the fatherless."
A fellow organiser, Virginia Peoples from St Patrick's church, says 8000 flyers have been distributed, 66 schools have been notified, advertisements have run on local radio and press and most importantly, the "food is fully under control'.
"We have been overwhelmed with volunteers wanting to work," Mrs Peoples says. "We hope by being there we set the example that this is a godly act."
"We have seen a growing number in young families attending, [including] lots of single parents, particularly dads who don't know how to cook Christmas lunch."
The John Franklin Christmas Day lunch will be held at St Patrick’s Parish Hall, corner of Flora and Belmont Streets, Sutherland on Christmas Day from 11.30am to 2.30pm. There is wheelchair access and it is an easy flat walk from Sutherland Railway Station. Lunch is free. For more information phone Virginia on 9521 2356.
