JourneyOnline
PEOPLE TRAVELLED from Townsville to be part of the Burdekin Uniting Church’s puppet making workshop over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June, where nine new puppets were ‘born’.
Burdekin minister Rev Paul Clark and his wife Rebecca have run these workshops from Mackay to Cairns and have now
helped “give birth” to over 70 puppets.
“It’s wonderful seeing the people’s faces light up as pieces of fabric and foam are slowly transformed into creatures that
come alive,” said Ms Clark.
Mr Clark said the workshops have created a new ministry for some congregations.
“We’ve had feedback from past participants that our workshop created a whole puppet team with children staying back after church to be involved,” he said.
“We’re not real grandparents yet, but we feel like grandparents to a whole multitude of puppets!”
Mr Clark uses puppets in his work with everyone from little children to people in nursing homes.
“Now when I go to a speaking engagement people are disappointed if I haven’t brought one of my puppets,” he said.
“With a puppet on my arm I can safely have a conversation with myself and no-one calls me crazy.”
The Clarks also plan to have a workshop in Cairns in late July.
One of Mr Clark’s other projects, the Car Park Parables book and DVD series, is also gaining popularity.
The Car Park Parables jigsaw puzzle is launched this month and is available online from Mosaic Resources.
Photo : Proud new puppet parents after the Burdekin workshop. Photo by Paul Clark
