By MARA PATTISON-SOWDEN
THE Yarra Ranges receives its fair share of motorcycle tourists, but this month the visitors on two wheels are on a mission from God.
It may seem like a line from the Blues Brothers, but the God Squad Christian Motorcycle Club is spreading its message that Unity Creates Community.
Reverend Marshall Smith of St Martin’s Community Church in Lilydale said the tour will include speaking in schools and community groups in Yarra Junction, Millgrove, Monbulk and Lilydale, as well as a few family afternoons with live entertainment.
“We’ll have The Reverend John Smith, our founder doing a lot of public speaking,” he said.
“We’re there to support local churches and communities, a lot of us are youth workers, some are ministers.”
Reverend Smith said the tour Unity Creates Community encourages people to work together in the spirit of unity, “but we also believe there’s a God who encourages us to live like that”.
“There are a lot of community groups trying to do their best but I think as a Christian, there’s a call by God for us to recognise there’s a spirituality that we need to obtain too to fulfil that,” he said.
“A lot of the topics we’ll be speaking to young people about will be social issues, bullying, heroes, body image, what sort of world you want to live in and grow up in?
“Students are the future and it’s about trying to give them a social conscience now that they can develop, look outside the social norms and question the way they live – not to accept what’s offered to them but to actually think through the issues themselves.”
The week-long tour begins with a family day at Lillydale Lake on Saturday 25 May, with a Welcome to Country, sausage sizzle, motorbike display, face painting, jumping castle and a live band playing between noon and 3pm.
On Sunday Rev Smith will speak in church at Monbulk in the morning and St Martin’s Community Church in Lilydale in the evening, and during the week members will attend schools including Upper Yarra Secondary College, Oxley College, Ranges TEC and Luthor College, skate parks and community care food programs.
On Saturday 1 June Rev Smith will address people at Cunninghams Hotel in Yarra Junction, alongside live entertainment from Eden Parris and the Second Chance, while on Sunday 2 June there will be a service at River Valley Church in Millgrove at 10.30am and a combined church service that evening at Lilydale Baptist Church from 6pm to 8pm.
