Red Bandana Victoria
Just don’t call it Church (or Synagogue, or Mosque)
Next Red Bandana Gathering:
Thursday 3rd November, 6pm
Locations for Red Bandana gatherings will never be publicly advertised. If you’re interested in attending, please join our private facebook group. All gatherings are advertised there. Link at the bottom of this page.
What is Red Bandana?
Red Bandana is a gathering of people who were once part of an organised religion, but who no longer feel they fit.
This may because of institutional abuse, disillusionment, being excluded, theological differences, or what is commonly becoming referred to as a ‘faith shift’.
This transition out of a faith community can be traumatic and filled with grief. Friendships can be broken, community lost, and the sense of loneliness intense. In their counselling rooms, Zoe and Matt often hear people in this situation say, “I feel like I am the only one that has ever gone through this.”
Red Bandana is an opportunity for people who are experiencing their own faith shift to meet together with others on a similar journey with out fear, judgment or pressure. There will be no prayers, worship or expectation to go back to a church. Just food, fun, and new found friends.
How it Started
Sitting in her counselling room, with a small chest of drawers beside her chair Zoe often asked, “If I pulled a Red Bandana out of this drawer and gave it to you, and said come down to the local shopping centre mid afternoon on Saturday. You will see a number of people also wearing red bandanas. They are questioning their faith, spirituality and or the role of church in their life; they don’t feel like there is a place they belong. Together these people simply want to meet, share a little about their experiences, engage together knowing they have a common bond.”
The response was always immediate and affirmative.
“Yes I would want to go. Does it actually meet?”
This conversation was repeated countless times over the years. In August 2019, Zoe and Matt decided to organise a gathering and see what happened.
Where We Meet
Red Bandana gatherings will be held occasionally at locations around suburban Melbourne and rural Victoria.
The precise location will not be advertised publicly, but shared with those who are part of the private facebook page.
Meetings will generally be held at a cafe or pub, but also at parks and gardens as the warmer weather allows. There will be no formal structure, speeches, themes or anything other than a gathering of people for food and conversation.
Who Should Come?
Red Bandana is NOT for everybody.
If you are happy with your involvement in your faith community, then please keep going to that.
A faith shift is often a very difficult time for individuals, and having people offer to pray for them or invite them to church activities (for example) can often trigger anxiety and panic attacks.
Red Bandana is a safe place for vulnerable and grieving people. Anybody that threatens the safety of the group will be asked to leave.
Red Bandana is an initiative of Zoe Broomhead of Living Life Counselling and Matt Glover of MGA Counselling Services
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redbandanaaustralia/
Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/993138541059438/
Instagram: @red_bandana_vic