Love in Action is both an historical account of the relationship that will continue between the residents of Manly and Manado, and a demonstration of the mutual transformation that can result from one community meeting the needs of another community. Few copies of Love in Action remain. It can be purchased online via Compassion and in person at Humphreys in Manly, on the Corso. Profits from the sale of the book go to supporting people living in Manado.

If you’re thinking of setting up a community partnership in your local town Love in Action is a great example and motivational tool for getting people behind your vision. If you’d like to get in touch with Jim Goddard about Global Community Partnerships, the organisation that Jim has set up to help other communities develop a community partnership, then check their website by clicking here.

If you’d like to comment on the interview please do so here on the blog.

Stuart Harris, Jim Collins, Andy Meier and Ryan Wrigley

Last night over 200 people gathered at the Novotel Manly Pacific for the launch celebration of Love in Action. Guests included Acting Consul-General of The Republic of Indonesia Mr Pratito Soeharyo, Ken Duncan, Mayor Jean Hay, MP Mike Baird, the Manadonese community of Sydney KMMK and the founder of Manly-Manado Jim Goddard.

Love in Action was available for purchase together with limited edition photographic prints. Profits raised from the sale of both will be donated to Manly-Manado. The money will then be distributed to development partners, Compassion Australia and Bridge of Hope.

Ken Duncan and Stuart Harris

You can now buy a book in person starting today from Humphreys in Manly, or have one delivered to you by purchasing online from Manly-Manado. See the where to buy section on this website. The Love in Action photographic exhibition can be seen in the foyer of the Novotel Manly Pacific today through to Wednesday 5 August.

Love in Action featured in the Friday edition of the Manly Daily (see page 19), and was mentioned during Adam Spencer’s breakfast show on ABC JJJ. Mayor Jean Hay has written a piece for her weekly column in today’s Manly Daily (1/08/09 page 14), and Mike Frost’s weekly column, Faith Matters (1/08/09 page 14), also features Love in Action. What wonderful news.

Thank you to everyone that came along last night, and thank you to everyone that has purchased a copy of Love in Action and a limited edition photographic print. If you took any photographs of the evening and would like to share these with people reading this site, please email them to stu@loveinaction.com.au For more photos from the night, follow this link.

“Love in Action is opening a car door for an elderly gentleman; carrying a pram down the steps for a new Mum; offering a meal to a homeless man on the streets; stopping to check that a child running on the street has not lost her parent; surprising your wife with some flowers and saying ‘I love you’; dropping a meal round to a couple with a new baby; offering to tend the garden of a widow; painting the toilets of a local primary school with few resources; putting on a birthday party for someone who struggles with depression.

Love in Action is seeking justice for the oppressed; caring for the orphan and widow; offering a poor family an opportunity to get their dignity back through a microloan; providing education for children who have none; rescuing a child from a rubbish dump; purchasing fair trade products; speaking up for those who can’t speak for themselves; lobbying our government to increase their % GNI of foreign aid.

Love in Action is sharing the love of Jesus, the one who can inspire all these actions and more to flow from the heart of an inherently selfish human being, because of His unfailing love for us.

Love in Action is Jesus.”

About Jim Goddard. Jim is the founder of Global Community Partnerships and the original architect of Manly-Manado. You can learn more about Jim and Global Community Partnerships on the GCP website.