Guitar classes striking a chord at The Third Place
20 December 2022
19th DECEMBER 2022
BY DARRYL ROBERTSON
Strumming a chord on the guitar will boost anyone’s mood – and thanks to an initiative at The Third Place in Perth, people are being given a chance to make connections through music.
Guitar lessons commenced in July 2019 at Fremantle Salvos.
The idea came about at an Area Leadership meeting between local Corps Officers and other Salvation Army Managers/Leaders, when the Southern Area Manager for Salvos Stores, Kelly Morrison suggested Kay and I start guitar lessons at Fremantle.
Posters were placed in the window of the store and attracted some interest.
It was a fledgling start, but people were keen to learn to play guitar and were committed to being involved. Whilst learning to play guitar was the main reason people attended, friendships developed.
In the past 3.5 years at Fremantle there have been more that 50 people who have attended.
Of that number of attendees, there are approximately 50% still attend on a regular basis.
In early 2021, Major Lyn Jones the Corps Officer at Subiaco, The Third Place, asked Kay and me if we would like to commence guitar lessons at Subiaco. We had retired at the beginning of that year and were happy to start another guitar group.
In April 2021, with a new name, "Just Guitars" commenced in Subiaco.
Again, like Fremantle, it was a fledgling start. Now, more that 18 months on, we average 20 -30 people each week at Subiaco. Some of the guitarists attend both groups during the week.
The guitar groups have become their own community, learning guitar together, encouraging and supporting one another.
As I reflect on this journey, I realise that all of us were strangers at one point and have come together through music. In that, we have become friends, playing music, enjoying each others company and sharing the journey of life together.
Some of the comments Kay and I have received are:
"I need this... it’s helping me cope"
"This fills a void in my loneliness"
"Life’s busy… I need this for me"
"I’ve made new friends… AND I’m learning guitar!"
"I feel like a rock star"
"I never thought I could play guitar… and now I’m part of a band"
Just Guitars has provided a place where people learn a new skill and make new friends. They feel accepted, loved, part of something bigger than themselves. Their sense of self-worth improves as they meet the challenge of learning and achieving.
For Kay and me, it’s ministry. Our love for God, faith in Christ and seeking the Holy Spirit’s direction, particularly in retirement, has brought us to a place of ministry.
Just Guitars is the catalyst for this ministry. When we play some gospel songs there is opportunity to share personal testimony, spiritual insight and the background story to the song.
It’s a seed-sowing ministry and from time to time has led to further discussions, one on one.
Just Guitars has grown through prayer. In our personal prayer time we pray for the group collectively and individually. We also pray for God to bring new people along.
Recent examples:
A lady arrived at Fremantle Store a few months ago, guitar in hand. She had nursed her husband who had cancer for more than 2 years. He passed away in May this year and she didn’t know what to do without him. She found an old guitar in the house, had heard about guitar lessons and decided to move forward with her life and not live in grief and loss. She is loving guitar lessons, making new friends and enjoying this new dimension of life.
At our local shopping centre two weeks ago, a staff member who knew us and that we ran 'Just Guitars' called us aside and asked if she could come along. She had had a really bad year and wanted to do something for herself. We sent her the information and organised a loan guitar to get her started. She attended Fremantle for the first time yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. She texted "Thanks Darryl and Kay for sharing your love of music and guitar. I’m grateful to have this opportunity and to start the year with a new beginning".
Kay and I were at Kooring Bookstore last week and had a coffee in the café. Later Kay went to look at some books and I sat at the table checking my phone. A lady and her friend came over and asked if they could sit at the table as there were no other vacant tables. I obliged and we started chatting. She was a Pastor of a Chinese Church in Perth. Her friend was visiting from China. In the course of the conversation I shared something of my Salvation Army background… and then she shared that her church meets at the Rivervale Salvation Army Hall. I shared about Just Guitars and she said she had always wanted to learn guitar. Long story short… the Pastor and her friend were at Subiaco on Tuesday this week learning guitar. She wants to be able to play in church.
There are as many individual stories as there are people.
Just Guitars exists for people in helping them find fulfillment, love, acceptance and purpose. Just Guitars is another expression in ministry of sharing the love of God and the message of the Gospel.
For Kay and me, our hearts desire is to see each of them come to faith in Christ. That’s our prayer, our motivation and our mission in retirement… and we are having so much fun.
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