Macquarie Fields Salvos on ‘holy’ ghost parade
BY LAUREN MARTIN
The Salvation Army recently entered a float in a parade that celebrates a 200-year-old myth about a local ghost, inviting people to the ‘best party in town’ – heaven.
The ‘Fisher’s Ghost’ festival in the south-west Sydney suburb of Campbelltown is a beloved local tradition that honours the legend of Frederick Fisher, a farmer who allegedly vanished mysteriously and appeared as a ghost to point a nearby farmer to where his remains lay.
The legend is embedded in Campbelltown’s history and has been celebrated by an annual festival for most of the past 70 years, including a street parade.
This year, The Salvation Army joined forces with other members of the Macarthur Christian Network, as well as The Word Christian Fellowship Church, to enter a float in the parade and hand out bottles of water and Christian showbags containing lollies, Bible verses printed and rolled up like an old-fashioned scroll, tracts and bookmarks.
The float included Macquarie Fields Salvos’ big red barbeque van, decorated with balloons and a large sign that read: ‘YOU’RE INVITED TO THE BEST PARTY IN TOWN. RSVP: JESUS’
“We met before the parade, and we prayed together and prayed for Jesus to show us the names of specific people who were going to see and be impacted by the float,” said Sarah Camillieri, Macquarie Fields Salvos’ Volunteer Events Team Leader and Prayer Team member. On the day, she held up a sign saying, ‘Kate – Jesus is your saviour’.
Those who participated marched alongside the barbeque van, some waving flags bearing messages about Jesus as the saviour, baptiser, healer and coming King.
Sarah said it was a wonderful day spent being involved in the local community and sharing God’s love.
“The name of Jesus was proclaimed over the city through the float and from the announcers of the parade,” she said. “Seeds of his love were scattered from a heart of unity … we know this will have a ripple effect in the church and the community and we anticipate a great harvest!”
