The Vine June Edition 2013 by SCYP

Edition 36, June 2013

Connecting Christadelphian Young People

Me You Him Us

The Vine is published quarterly by the Sydney Christadelphian Young People (SCYP)

FROM THE EDITOR

COORDINATOR Georgia Muir. EDITORIAL TEAM Georgia Muir, Dan Blackwood, Naomi Joseph, Cecelia Muir & Isaac Pogson. LAYOUT/DESIGN Isaac Pogson. MASTHEAD DESIGN Alisa Thompson. CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS (in order of appearance): Stuart Muir, Nick Morgan, Wendy Gould, Sam Collins, Kylie Shamwah, Matt Teal, Dave Burke, Rosie Dennis & Ruth Devis, Aunt Agony, Dan Blackwood, Steph Jamieson. PHOTOGRAPHY: Laura McKinlay (pg 3, 4, 7, 8 & 24), Cecelia Muir (pg 11) Lauren O'Toole (pg 13 & 14), Brad Harris (pg 15, 16 - 18 Praise photos), Stuart Muir (pg 19) The Vine is published to the Glory of our Heavenly Father, through whom all things are made possible. Opinions expressed in The Vine are the authors’ and are not neccessarily held by the Editorial Team or the SCYP. ADDITIONAL: Val Muir (Origami pg 12) All Bible quotations are from the New International Version (1978) unless otherwise stated. e: thevine@scyp.net To view past editions online visit: scyp.net/thevine & issuu.com/scyp

Welcome to the second edition of The Vine for 2013! The theme for this edition is ‘You’, and we are looking at how those around us relate to God and others and how this might be different to the way we do. I’d like to thank everyone who submitted an article or another element of this edition - there were lots of you! Also a big thank you to everyone who submitted an entry into the cover competition! We have four winners - Cecelia Muir, John Dawson, Elizabeth Halliwell and Judy Muir - and they are featured on the cover of this edition. Next edition will look at ‘Him’, and will give us the opportunity to focus on all of the aspects of God. As always, we would welcome any contributions for consideration and inclusion in that issue. And if you know anyone who would be interesting in subscribing, contact thevine@scyp.net for details. So, with all that said, get on into the rest of this edition! There are heaps of exciting and thought-provoking things contained within the next 30 pages, so jump in! Love in the Lord, Georgia

YOU CONTENTS

EDITION 36 _ JUNE 2013 4

Agape Love

Making Different Good

People Profiles

Peer Pressure

Vine Stirrings

Praise Events

Praise in the Park Photos

Praise in the Mall Photos

Easter Camp + Rockclimbing Photos

Studying Scripture

The Bible Education Centre

Aunt Agony

Music Review

Message From a Traveller

28 Origami 30

Comic Corner

The Vine Cover Entries

31 Grapevine

Agape Love 4

Stuart Muir

There are four Greek words which translate as the English word “love”. They each focus on particular aspects of “love”. Three of these appear in the Bible. 1 The first of the four is storge. It means "family love". It is the love of a parent for its child, the love of a child for its parent. It is the love between brother and sister. And it is family affection. 2 The second is eros – a word that does not appear in the Bible. Eros is passion. The Greeks described eros as a terrible longing. There is nothing essentially bad about it, but over time it has become linked to lust. 3 The third is philia. This describes the tender affection that we feel for our warmest, dearest, and truest friends. We use this word today with our cream cheese – “Philadelphia”, “brotherly love”. 4 Lastly, there is agape. Before the New Testament, ‘agape’ did not mean “to love” to a Greek. It meant to welcome somebody, to entertain, to be pleased with something. But the writers of the New Testament, under the inspiration of God, took this word and gave it a particular use.

Agape means "to esteem, to give a particular direction to one’s will; to regard with favour, good will, benevolence." Strong's Concordance notes that agape "is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety". Agape does what is right regardless of how a person feels about it. Agape love has a moral core rather than an emotional one. The difference between the other three words and agape is this: storge, eros, and philia all happen automatically. These are things that we have little control over. We are born as part of a family, we usually develop friendships, and many fall in love.

Turn over for more!

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Agape is used where the person who shows this love is consciously exercising his will in response to the acts of God, and is often doing this for the wellbeing of some other person.

Perhaps this is equivalent to the description given in Joel 3:15, when on the eve of the day of Yahweh the stars choose to withdraw their shining or diminish their brightness.

1 John 4 shows that agape love is directly related to God:

If we were to look about with a critical eye in our community today, maybe we could find examples where it seems that there is not the life and vigour that could be, or should be, or once was, shown. If this is our observation, then what should we do?

1 John 4:7-8 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (NKJV) I Corinthians 13 describes agape at work. As you read this, you can think of examples among the people you know in our community where this love is demonstrated. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. . . And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (NKJV) Matthew 24 lists a number of signs which Jesus gave in answer to his disciples' questions regarding the timing and sign of his coming and the end of the age. Among these is Mathew 24:12-13: "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. " (NKJV) There is a cause and effect shown here – an increase in lawlessness leads to the love of many growing cold. This verse uses the word agape, the conscious exercise of the will for the well-being of another. It also uses another Greek word, which in the NKJV is translated “grow cold”. Strong describes this word as “to breathe, voluntarily, but gently”. It is different to forcible, purposeful breathing. It is also different to the blowing of the wind, which has no conscious aspect to it. The cause and effect described by Jesus in Matthew 24 is this: in an environment where there is an increase in lawlessness, many of those who consciously took on and focused their love for others will respond by reducing their effort, reducing the heat of their focus, and so growing cold. 6

There are two possibilities. The first is that our discernment is correct, and what Jesus foretold in Matthew 24 is coming to pass. If this is so, then Jesus has already indicated what He wants us to do. Matthew 24:13 says, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved." If many are letting their own relationship with God deteriorate or are reducing their involvement in the community, then the emphasis for us is to endure patiently and continue to display God's love rather than allow our own agape to also grow cold in response. The other possibility is that it is our own assessment that is wrong. Maybe we only need to take a step back and look for those facets of God's love that are present, rather than focusing on what may be absent. To illustrate this, suppose I asked you to turn your (physical) Bible to page 149. In my Bible, on page 149, in the right-hand column and maybe three-quarters of the way down, there is this record of Jesus' words, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Is this the case with your Bible? Would it be so for everyone who owns a Bible? Are we all on the same page? Technically, we are. Yet my page 149 is probably at least a little bit different from yours. Maybe it is very different. We are all using our Bibles, we are on the same page, but we see different things. In just the same way, we may be on the same page with regard to agape love, but the way we do this may be different for each of us. Some people are quite outgoing. They are good at welcoming others. They know how to encourage and provide support. Other people may not have as much to say, but they will give the shirt off their backs to the needy. They will even have it dry-cleaned first. Some serve behind the scenes, and we may not even be aware of all their sacrifices.

Others show their love through gifts, in much needed financial assistance, or the quiet passing of a small token of appreciation or admiration that, even though it does not have much value in itself, stands for a more meaningful thought. Because we are each individuals, because our page 149 is not the same as everyone else’s, we may not recognise the sacrificial love of another if we are only looking for one aspect of this love. Some people may not feel like they are loved unless they receive a hug every time they see you. That is not a shortcoming. Other people find hugs uncomfortable. They need their personal space. Some feel as if they are being ignored unless they receive an occasional handwritten note. Others may find such a note is not as valuable as the spending the equivalent amount of meaningful time together. Both the card and the time can be examples of sacrificial love, but to some people one means more than the other. For some, “silence is deafening”. These people need love to be verbally expressed to them. Others find that "talk is cheap". The real evidence of love on their page 149 is some form of physical service or gift.

The measure is quite high when it comes to love, as we are told in Mark 12:28-31: “Then one of the scribes came, and . . . asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (NKJV)

Regardless of whether we are in the time of Matthew 24:12, it is our individual responsibility to work on perfecting God's love in our lives. We do this by submitting to God and by sacrificing for others. Whether we are loved imperfectly in the process, either by our own judgement or in fact, it is our own responsibility to demonstrate agape love in our lives.

So although we are all on the same page in one sense, we do not all find the same thing. If we are only looking for one facet of God's love, we may miss other aspects of His workmanship in His children.

Making Different Good By Nick Morgan

Celebrate the spicy life I love food courts. They’re happening places, with a smorgasbord of delectable choices for a meal. ‘What’s it going to be, Nick? Chinese? Sushi? Subway? Kebab? Salad?’ (Yes, I talk to myself. But that’s normal right?). Wouldn’t it be a woeful Westfield that only offered a single type of food for lunch? Diversity is something to be celebrated, and often the joys of life are in its variety. Just because I often end up ordering the same meal at the food court doesn’t mean I don’t love the fact that I could potentially choose anything I wanted! If variety is the spice of life, then I certainly love spice. Us and Them Sometimes though, within communities differences are not celebrated. They’re shunned. Oh, no one would be first to put their hand up to admit discrimination in our modern-day society which is so ‘vocally’ anti-discrimination. But we don’t need a show of hands when we’re sporting cold shoulders, judgemental glances and clenched fists at those who so obviously differ from us. Read the following list and decide whether you’ve personally used these differences as a platform for exercising discrimination. We don’t like the same worship music. We have different views on what Jesus would class as suitable dress for Sunday attire. We’re literally decades apart in age. We’re from completely different circles. He’s the head-in-the-clouds intellectual, I’m the cool, downto-earth one. She’s the takes-herself-too-seriously good-looking one; at least I don’t care what anyone thinks of me. Our common sense often runs away at this point and our irrational mind begins to believe that we are completely incompatible with differing parties. Thus, our community can easily find itself gravitating towards groups with common ground at the expense of celebrating diversity, and even more easily begin to develop an ‘Us and Them’ mindset, viewing different as dangerous. Sometimes these divisions spiral beyond the realms of a loving body of Christ into the ugly image of pride-filled man. Though it is a heart-wrenching admission to make, you and I both know that our church community is not above such divisions. How do people deal with differences within the church? Here are two less-than-helpful ways of dealing with discrimination within the church: 1. The loudest voice is the strongest argument. 8

In the way we present our opinions, some of us lace our words with so much boldness that they come out as iron declarations that brook no further discussion. While there’s nothing wrong with personal preference, it is important that preferences should not be equated with essentials. And if our perspectives are challenged, some of us are so quick to take offence that pride-injured emotions quickly transform a simple discussion into a heated argument where everyone is hurt. 2. “Let’s find a different church!” There are Christians who say this phrase too often, I fear, in the search for the shiny, unattainable notion of the ‘perfect’ church. I recall something that Bro. Harry Tenant once said - “If you find the perfect ecclesia, don’t join it. You’ll ruin it.” As a jumbled mix of fallible men and women, the church is far from being the spotless bride we’re called to be. That’s why we need Jesus. “And now I will show you the most excellent way.” 1 Cor 12:31 The “most excellent way” in dealing with conflicting differences within our body is not a mystery. It is not some secret social ingredient, or some profound revolutionary notion you’ve never heard before. It’s love. Jesus did not call us into individualism as much as He called us into community. A community rooted and established in _____ (Eph 3:17), and growing and building itself up in _____ (Eph 4:2) as it bound together in perfect unity (Col 3:14) through _____. Not the most difficult ‘Fill in the Blanks’ :)

If only everyone would “in humility consider others better than yourselves” (Phil 2:3) we would be doing summersaults to just make someone feel MORE SIGNIFICANT than ourselves. That’s what Paul says to do here. Consider others better. But - hang on - aren’t we all equal? Wouldn’t it be more correct to say I should treat people as myself, and not more significant? No. Because - stunningly - Jesus treated us as more significant than himself. Has it ever entered your mind that you were more significant than Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? It entered Jesus’ mind. He gave it all for you. Treasures in Heaven Matt. 6:19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Your greatest treasures in the age to come are your brothers and sisters you see every week. With all their frustrating flaws. Jesus laid down his life for them, and he asks you to do the same. Embrace the differences within your church and learn to love them as the spicy variety of the body of Christ. Your spiritual family is your crown, your joy, your glory, if you take up Christ’s call to love as he did. It is always worth remembering his words, “Whatever you did to one of the least of these your brethren, you did it unto me.”

Let’s treat Jesus well, shall we?

Consider Paul’s words in 1 Thess 2:19-20. “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” What beautiful words. Paul’s most precious possessions in life were the people he preached to. Their faith and well-being was more important to him than anything else. He called them his crown, his joy, his hope, his glory. If there was anything Paul counted as treasure in the kingdom of God, it would be the people he “poured himself out like a drink offering” for (2 Tim 4:6).

PEOPLE PROFILES Name: Jordan Cubbin Age: 16 Ecclesia: Shaftesbury Rd Years at SCYP: 3 Favourite thing about SCYP: I think for me the best thing about SCYP is all of the people there. Throughout the week I'm surrounded by a lot of people, and a lot of them I would call friends. But not many of them have the knowledge of the hope that Jesus gave us. They haven't read God's word and don't give him any credit for the world that we live in. It's really sad to see. At SCYP though I'm surrounded by all of these people whose goal it is to serve God and who are overjoyed to learn more about him. It's just such an awesome thing to see and be involved in!

Profiles from Shunem Home Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India: Name: Sony Age: 8 Favourite subject: Art Favourite colour: Red Favourite food: Dosa (a flat, groundrice and white gram crispy pancake) What would you like to be when you grow up: Social scientist Message for SCYP: I would like to visit Australia.

Name: Pratiba Age: 9 Favourite subject: Music Favourite colour: Red Favourite food: Cherries What would you like to be when you grow up: Doctor Message for SCYP: How are you? Goodbye.

Name: Swathi Age: 11 Favourite subject: English Favourite colour: Pink Favourite food: Egg rice What would you like to be when you grow up: Scientist Message for SCYP: Hello, how are you?

Names: Rajapatcham & Juliet Ages: (R)72 & (J)62 Name: Ruth Divya Name: Prabhukiran Favourite foods: (R) Potato, carrots & Age: 17 Age: 19 beans; (J) Lime rice & curry rice. Both of us Favourite food: Noodles Date baptised: 19/02/2011 also like tapioca. Date baptised: 19/02/2011 Favourite Bible character: Philemon Favourite Bible verses: (R) Acts 8:12 Favourite Bible character: David What are you studying: Bachelors of - But when they believed Philip as he What are you studying: Multi Science in Maths, Statistics & Computers preached the good news of the kingdom purpose health worker [f ] of nursing Message for SCYP: Remember your of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they Message for SCYP: Hello everyone. creator in the days of your youth. were baptised, both men and women; Acts 28:30-31 - For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. (J) Philippians 4:13 – I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Favourite Bible characters: (R) Abraham, David & Jesus; (J) Esther & Mary mother of Jesus Date baptised: (R) April 2006; (J) April 2008 What are you looking forward to in the Kingdom?: Walking with Jesus and seeing characters from the Bible. What is your story?: (R): I was brought up by a Christian missionary lady after I was orphaned at a young age. She taught us that God loves us all. She used to take in the children of temple prositutes and devoted her life to helping Indian children in need. I worked as a district director (pastor) for a church for many years. I have had the same bible for 38 years. Once it was stolen out of a motorbike bag. I went to the station to report the theft and the man was amazed, he said “it is not an ornament or money but only a book!” I told him that that book was my life and it was eventually returned to me after two weeks. (J): I have been baptised 5 times into different beliefs and sometimes not knowing why I was baptised. God has guided me to find the truth and now I understand about His Kingdom. We first came into contact with Christadelphians through our work translating into Tamil and handwriting copies of the book ‘New Creation’ for a brother in 2004. We speak 6 languages between us and are able to write in 5 of these. We had an arranged marriage and are still very happy! We had two sons; one died of cancer at 23 years old. We consider this a blessing because it brought us closer to God. Message for SCYP: (R) Seek ye first the kingdom of God & His righteousness – Matthew 6:33. (J) Pray without ceasing and don’t tire in praising and thanksgiving. Love and greetings to our brothers and sisters in Australia.

Dear Sydney Young People and readers of The Vine: For the last 3 months Rochelle Hadley and I have been teaching at Nithsdale Learning Centre in India. Nithsdale is a home school that was set up last year to provide children in Lower Kindergarten, Upper Kindergarten, First Class and Second Class with a good learning foundation before they are sent to schools in the local area. The 30 children who attend the school all live at Shunem Home in Hyderabad, India, which is funded and run by Christadelphian brothers and sisters and paid staff. A number of older people also live at Shunem, which provides it with a lovely family atmosphere. Most of the children who live at Shunem have parents who are leprosy patients and are receiving treatment in either street leprosy clinics or through the Christadelphian leprosy colony. The education the children at Nithsdale receive is more complete than what they could receive by attending a local school where ROTE learning is so common that the children often copy pre-written answers as thinking for themselves is considered ‘wrong’.

Since the school started in June 2012, the children have all made significant progress in many areas, especially behaviour and problem solving. Their abilities in English, Maths, and Science are far beyond the knowledge of children attending a typical Indian school. The school employs a local teacher to teach the children two local languages – Telagu and Hindi. At present a long-term Christadelphian volunteer from the US, Julie Jennings, is teaching First Class. Following the summer break, school will begin again in June 2013 and more volunteers are needed as there will be two classes without teachers! This is a fantastic opportunity to volunteer in India for a short time or longer term. I promise that you will be well looked after with accommodation and meals provided, and unlimited love from all the kids! There are many opportunities to become involved in Shunem Home and ecclesial life, take weekend trips to visit other areas of India and experience Indian culture while you’re there. English is spoken exclusively at school and no qualifications or experience are required. You will also find that many of the children at Shunem Home speak excellent

English as do many people in Hyderabad. Please consider this opportunity to challenge yourself, meet enthusiastic brothers and sisters and young people, and have a fantastic reference on your CV! If you have skills or an interest in programming lessons and teaching children up to 10 years old, please contact me wegould@hotmail.com or Julie jules_jennings@yahoo.com We are more than happy to answer any questions you might have and provide you with practical information for planning your trip. Love from India, Wendy Gould Charlestown

Peer pressure is a serious issue. The force of it has the power to take us down different paths in our lives, whether it’s through positive or negative influence. The bible gets straight to the point – there are many verses which say similar things, but Proverbs 13v20 from The Message says it straight; “Become wise by walking with the wise, hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces”. This verse may sound extreme and maybe even over the top, but so much truth lies underneath it. Maybe you’ve had it happen to you or you’ve witnessed it happen to someone else. You hang out with a crowd and begin to find yourself changing and being influenced by the people around you. You may begin to say things you wouldn’t normally say and act in ways which you never thought you’d act. The people around you have the power to change the way in which you think and behave before you even realise it. Choosing to associate with the wrong people can lead to seriously bad consequences. I remember hearing about four teenage Sydney boys who decided it would be a good idea to throw a cinder block off a highway pedestrian crossing in the way of oncoming traffic. All holding the block over the edge of the bridge, they let it go at the same time. They managed to time it so that the concrete block fell straight through the windscreen of a truck, killing the driver instantly. It goes without saying that all four boys would have suffered all sorts of serious consequences, not to mention the trauma which would have affected the lives of those who knew and loved the truck driver. Thinking about that terrible scenario, I wonder what may have been going through their heads before they let the block go. Surely at least one of them must have thought it was a bad idea, but decided not to say anything for the fear of being different or being rejected? No doubt we have all been in scenarios when we feel pressured into doing things we don’t want to do, or things which we know are wrong or unwise. It can be SO HARD to be the one who steps up and decides not to do something, despite what others may think. Though it may be an extreme example, imagine how different those four boys lives would be had just one of them decided it wasn’t a good idea. Maybe if one of them stepped down, the others would have followed, accepting it wasn’t a good choice to make. We also have the power to have a positive influence within our friendship groups. Though peer pressure can have a negative effect, we can use it in a positive light. If we set our standards high and do our best to make choices which would please God, we will be positive influences on our peers. It’s a fact that more often than not, if you can explain to people why you don’t want to do something and why it’s not for you and follow through with your decision, you’ll gain respect. 12

The best way to combat negative peer pressure is to set your bar high for what you consider acceptable/ unacceptable and stick by it. If you’re currently in a friendship group where you’ve decided to hide your faith and ideas of what’s right and wrong, it will be hard to start showing that you want to change, however if you stick by it, it can only get easier. I think back to when I was around 16 and I decided to make it known that I didn’t believe in sex before marriage. Initially there were a lot of jokes aimed at me, but after a while my friends began to respect my decision, and stopped making jokes about it. Soon most of the people around me at school knew about my commitment and respected my decision. Since then I’ve learnt the importance of setting my standards high and not allowing the negative choices people make influence me. Though it would make sense to only hang out with people who believe the same thing as you, we don’t always get the choice, as we can’t choose the people we go to school, uni or work with. What we do have choice over is the standards we choose to live by. Though we can’t always walk with the wise every day and become wise like Proverbs 13 suggests, we can choose to be the wise one who others walk with. Use peer pressure as a positive thing. Set your standards high and simply say no when you know it’s not right. In doing this you’ll make it easier for yourself to keep doing the right thing, and you may also be a positive influence on your peers too.

“Become wise by walking with the wise, hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces”.

The Message

PEER PRESSURE Sam Collins 13

Vine Stirrings

Did you just hear something? Don’t you love it in the movies or a play when a long awaited “salvation” shows its first signs of stirring? A recalcitrant character undergoes a change of heart, shown by just the slightest change of expression on their face. The first few drops of rain splash onto the dry sand. A land based bird appears alongside the albatross soaring over the survivor on his raft? It is interesting to feel the first stirrings of our salvation in the opening words of each gospel. There had been four hundred years of silence since the last prophet wrote, and the “land of promise” was a different land now. Rome was in charge. Hope of a return to past glory was but a small ember burning, although in many hearts. Politics was either godless, or godlessness masquerading as godliness. The fullness of time had come, it was time for change, big things were about to happen.

How would you introduce the faint stirrings of a new age? Here’s “news you can use” in your next essay. Take a lesson from the gospels. Get started, and get into it. Matthew: “The book of the Generation of Jesus Christ….” Mark: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ”. Luke: (After his foreword), “There was in the days of Herod……” John: (After his foreword) “ There was a man sent from God, whose name was …” Simple words, a little faint, but exciting when you realise what is happening. After all, don’t they say that a butterfly flapping its wings in Patagonia may lead to a hurricane in Hawaii? Kylie Shamwah

Praise Events I hope everyone reading this made it to at least one of the Christadelphian praise events that happened in March, because there were THREE! (9th, 16th and 23rd March)

However from behind the scenes you could hardly tell the difference – the same enthusiasm and energy flowed through weeks of dedicated practise and all three events, making them a powerful (if a little exhausting) experience. If you missed out on any of them, have been living under a rock and have not heard of them or are simply still trying to come to terms with it all, here’s a summary: Praise in the Mall is a great way for us to promote the Liverpool Bible Education Centre, which runs weekly seminars in a small establishment on busy Bathurst Street. The BEC’s size doesn’t match its impact however - the Gospel is being preached and lives have been changed for the better. Two groups played some great music in the middle of the busy Liverpool Mall thoroughfare this year, a perfect location for passers-by to stop, see what’s going on, have their faces painted and walk off with a seminar leaflet. After one more week of intense

preparation and anxiety, the main event, Praise in the Park 2013, began. It was amazing, and HUGE! Our setup this year was a little smaller than 2012 but we made up for that with a record total of TEN groups performing in Burwood Park, including collaborations from Sydney, Adelaide, Newcastle and Brisbane. While music poured from the stage and the soundguys listened and adjusted with ear-twisting scrutiny, other important tasks included the BBQ, snow cones, face-painting, puppet shows, clowning and the information stalls. I should also mention the TWO jumping castles! As a preaching tool, PiP is brilliant. We were blessed with good weather and many receptive visitors this year – Shaftesbury Rd Ecclesia has reported 26 new attendees to its Spoken English classes, which brought the total to a record 70 students!

The final event was Praise in the Park: Castle Hill (I have heard it called Praise in the Castle…), a great way to carry the remainder of the energy through and take one more chance to spread God’s word. This event has quickly grown (last year it premiered as Praise in the Car-park) and is another terrific preaching opportunity, particularly for the Castle Hill BEC, attached

to the Castle Hill Ecclesial Hall. Four groups/performers provided the music for the day, which resounded from Arthur-Whitling Park to the parking lots of nearby Castle Towers Mall. It’s easy to forget sometimes, in the midst of all the excitement and organisation, that all three of the events contain the word “Praise.” In the end, that is primarily why we are there – to bring praise to our heavenly Father who has given us the ability to reflect, if only imperfectly, His glory. When we think about the blessings of the Bible and of Christ, we can’t help but give due praise to God. This shouldn’t just be a once-ayear (or thrice-a-year!) event – we should try to praise God through our lives every day. That said, PiM, PiP and PiC are all incredible ways to really focus on these blessings and share them with a huge group of people and if you want the pleasure of being able to do that, I recommend you find a way to get involved next year. That also said, we pray that Christ returns before then and our next event can be called Praise in the Kingdom! “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.” by Matt Teal

Praise in the Park

Burwood Park, March 2013

Praise in the Mall Liverpool, March 2013

Easter Camp + Rockclimbing!

Studying Scripture with Dave Burke

Socio-historical Context (I) Reading the Bible regularly is a great habit to get into because it keeps the Word fresh in our minds and allows easy recall when we need it. But our familiarity with Scripture can lead us to assume we can just dive into the Bible and ‘get it right automatically’ because ‘I already know this stuff.’ Reading is no substitute for studying. We forget that the Bible is a highly detailed book, and details are easily missed if we don’t make a conscious effort to spot them.1 This series will look at the way we think about Scripture and the methods we use to interpret it. The following article is intended to show how an appreciation of social and historical context2 can enrich our understanding of the text. By ‘social and historical context’ I mean the background of the passage; the time, place, location and culture in which it is set. We don’t always understand these details because our era and culture are so far removed from the text. The earliest audience had no such problem because they were often living in the time of the narrative or not long after it. It was their era; their culture. So let’s examine the sociohistorical context of Hosea and see what it can tell us about the prophet and his message. Hosea was an OT prophet contemporary with Isaiah; his story is set within the final 30 years of Israel's northern kingdom (roughly 752-722 BC). Assyria (under Tiglath-pileser III) represented the greatest threat during this period, though the danger was not immediately apparent. Hosea's account of Israel in chapters 5 & 6 depicts an era of calm and prosperity in which his warnings of divine retribution must have seemed absurd.3 Even as the Assyrians prepared for invasion, Israel's complacency blinded her to the truth until it was too late. By 743 BC Damascus was paying tribute, and in 732 BC the city fell. We know little of Hosea himself, and attempts to reconstruct his background are largely speculative.4 Although based in the north and probably a native of the region, he defines his era by the reign of the Judean kings, mentioning only one king of Israel without listing any successors.5 Some have interpreted this as a deliberate slight against the last six northern kings (apparently 'deemed unworthy of mention'6). Their omission from the record emphasises the force of Hosea's prediction that God would 'punish the dynasty of Jehu' and 'put an end to the kingdom of Israel.'7

The book of Hosea is concerned with the following issues: (a) Israel's lapse into corruption, idolatry and lawlessness, which Hosea blamed on the assimilation of Canaanite culture8 (b) the civil war between Israel and Judah, for which both would be punished9 (c) Israel's breach of her covenant relationship, demonstrated by everything from religious pluralism to an increasing reliance on foreign powers10 Hosea's message of judgement and retribution was directed at the nation as a whole, and symbolically dramatised in his personal life.11 In chapter 2 this message is amplified by reference to three significant socio-historical elements, described below. Divorce (verse 2): a serious undertaking, permitted only in cases of sexual misconduct.12 Unlike our modern era, divorce was deeply shameful in Israelite culture and intended to be permanent. God's desire to repair the relationship even after divorcing Israel (verse 7) speaks of a love which defies social expectations. We might find this idea romantic, but to Hosea’s audience it was extremely controversial.13 Baal worship (verses 514 , 8 & 13): a fertility cult which taught that agricultural and financial productivity are stimulated by ritual sex.15 It enjoyed particular support during times of affluence, but led to a decline in moral behaviour.16 Loss of agricultural fertility (verse 9): Israel was an agrarian society,17 so this punishment was a dual blow at her economy and her trust in Baal (see the previous point).18 God stripped away Israel’s material support and exposed the futility of faith in pagan deities. The cumulative effect was to remind Israel of her reliance on Yahweh.

1 Anyone who has ever said to themselves, ‘Wow, I’ve been reading this for years and never seen that before!’ will know where I’m coming from. 2 Commonly known as ‘socio-historical context.’ 3 'There was a bull market, the future looked bright, and the mood of the country was high and optimistic, at least for the upper class (Hos. 12:8; Amos 3:15; 6:4–6).' Clendenen, E. R. 1998. The Minor Prophets. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary: Simple, straightforward commentary on every book of the Bible (D. S. Dockery, Ed.) (342). Broadman & Holman Publishers: Nashville, TN. 4 'Hosea’s proclamations suggest that he was affiliated with the official prophets (Heb. nebî·îm; cf. 6:5; 12:10, 13 [MT 11, 14]). Some scholars, however, assert that he arose from the priestly class (cf. 4:4–9).' Myers, A. C. 1987. The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (504). Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, Mich. 5 Hosea 1:1, 'This is the word of the LORD which was revealed to Hosea son of Beeri during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah ruled Judah, and during the time when Jeroboam son of Joash ruled Israel.' 6 Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. 1996. New Bible dictionary (3rd ed.) (482). InterVarsity Press: Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill. 7 Hosea 1:4. 8 Hosea 4:4-19; 5:1-7. 9 Hosea 5:8-6:6. 10 Hosea 6:7-11; 7:8-19; 8:4-6, 11-14; 9:1-9. 11 'Following God’s command, Hosea marries the prostitute Gomer, who bears him three children symbolically named Jezreel, Not pitied, and Not my people (1:2–2:1 [MT 2:3]); this marriage is likened to Yahweh’s relationship to the faithless Israel (2:2–23 [MT 4–25]). In ch. 3 Hosea is instructed to redeem his wife from harlotry.' Myers, A. C. 1987. The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (504). Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, Mich. 12 Deuteronomy 24:1. A footnote in the NET Bible observes, 'The Hebrew phrase ‫'( ֶע ְר ַותָּדָבר‬ervat davar) refers here to some gross sexual impropriety (see note on "indecent" in Deut. 23:14). Though the term usually has to do only with indecent exposure of the genitals, it can also include such behavior as adultery (cf. Lev. 18:6-18; Lev. 20:11; Lev. 20:17; Lev. 20:20-21; Eze. 22:10; Eze. 23:29; Hos. 2:10).' 13 Cf. Deuteronomy 24:3-4. Since Israel had not taken a new husband Yahweh was technically free to remarry her, but within Israelite culture the shame of the original breach—compounded by Israel's continued immorality—effectively precluded reconciliation. The imagery of God faithfully pursuing His ex-wife under these circumstances was deeply shocking to Hosea's audience, and intentionally so. 14 'This statement alludes to the practice of sexual rites in the Canaanite fertility cult which attempted to secure agricultural fertility from the Canaanite gods (note the following reference to wool, flax, olive oil, and wine).' NET Bible footnote (1st Edition). Israel foolishly attributed her material blessings to Baal (verse 5) rather than to God (verse 8). 15 'The Baals were regarded as the source of fertility (2:5; 4:10) and of financial prosperity (2:8). To worship them demanded neither self-discipline nor high moral standards.' Paschall, F. H., & Hobbs, H. H. 1972. The teacher's Bible commentary: A concise, thorough interpretation of the entire Bible designed especially for Sunday School teachers (537). Broadman and Holman Publishers: Nashville. 16 Cf. Hosea 6:7-7:7. 17 An agrarian society is one in which the economy is based almost exclusively on agriculture. Crop failure in such societies was always massively damaging and could result in catastrophic famine. 18 'The Israelites were literally uncovering their nakedness in temple prostitution in the Baal fertility cult rituals. Yahweh will, in effect, give them what they wanted (nakedness) but not in the way they wanted it: Yahweh will withhold the agricultural fertility they sought from Baal which would lead to nakedness caused by impoverishment.' NET Bible footnote (1st Edition).

The Bible Education Centre Serving Good News and great coffee to the people of western Sydney

Three years ago a group of people opened a shop in Liverpool, in South Western Sydney, as a learning centre where people can come in and have a cup of coffee, talk about the Bible, browse in the Book Shop and attend Bible courses. Why South Western Sydney?? The group had been working away at this vision for a couple of years and a demographic of Sydney had shown the Liverpool area having the most opportunity for a needy community to access a shop such as this.

The vision:

"To be a place of learning and care spreading the Good News of the Kingdom of God in the local community, and a place where people can talk to the volunteers for support in their spiritual growth and in the practical realities of life."

After much prayer, a funding grant, hassles through council and some hard work by lots of people, the old printing house scrubbed up OK to become a Bible Education Centre, by God’s good grace. Many people have lent a hand and we have been blessed to have had the support of most of the ecclesias in Sydney. People visiting India and Cambodia have overloaded their luggage allowing the shelves to be stocked with lovely silk scarves, wallets, headscarves, bags, cards and book covers. The musicians in our community have supplied original Christadelphian CD’s from Australia and overseas. The shelves are also stocked with Bibles (including other languages), books from many sources, Christadelphian brochures, and lots of children’s Bible books, games and DVDs.

The shop is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 3 pm - Daytime seminars - Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings – 10.30 am to 12 noon - Evening programs - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights – 7.30 – 9 pm - Playgroup – 1st & 3rd Tuesday morning of month – 10 – 11.30 am - Sunday School – Sunday 8-10 am Special thanks to all organisers, presenters, teachers and volunteers, without whose vision, support and hard work, these programs would not have been possible. There are also displays from Christadelphian groups and activities including Heritage College, Christadelphian Homes, Support Service, Agape in Action, Bible Mission, Praise in the Park and Bethezer Initiative. Three years down the track there are about 17 regular people attending Bible courses of different sorts, and one brother who was baptised after attending the seminars (see his testimonial following). If you are fervent about sharing your faith, reaching out to others in need and have 3 hours available (even once a month) the Bible Education Centre NEEDS YOU!!

Other ways to help are: 1 Volunteering on stalls at Fairs:

- May 25th Heritage College Sydney Fair - October 12th Southhaven Spring Fair

2 Volunteering for Sat. Bunnings BBQ Fundraisers - June 22nd, July 20th, August 24th, October 26th, November 23rd, December 14th 3

Financial support: Account name: Bible Education Centre Inc BSB: 012-468 Account number: 484892104 4 Pop in and have a cuppa to support the volunteers who are on: the address is 76 Bathurst St, Liverpool, Ph: 9822 2667 Ruth: 0488 488 236 Rosie: 0411 292 824 Special thanks to all the ecclesias and the Christadelphian Homes who have supported us financially. Special thanks to all the volunteers who freely give their time and energy. Praise God for this wonderful opportunity. We can’t heal the blind, or cure the lame, but we can ...TEACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.

Michael Langtry’s Testimonial For me discovering the BEC Seminars was answered prayer. After spending 10 years wandering through the foggy haze of mainstream Christianity, hopping from one ‘great’ church to another and hearing so many ‘powerful’ sermons, I didn’t really understand why I was dissatisfied. Things just didn’t seem to add up right. I didn’t think to question or challenge all those ‘highly trained professionals’. I supposed the reason why so much of the Bible seemed hard to understand, or in fact just didn’t make sense, was probably because I was too sinful to be ‘filled enough with the Holy Spirit’ to understand what God was trying to say to me, or perhaps I just didn’t have enough faith. They teach stuff like that. Then the BEC exploded on the scene! What was that like? Well a bit like a long distance truck driver having a real hard time because he can’t see properly, because his headlights aren’t working. Mechanic comes along and fixes the lights. Wow! He can now see the way ahead. That’s what the seminars did. They fixed my headlights. I still have to drive my own truck, check the load, straps, tyres, oil, water, etc, but I can see the way ahead now. That’s point one.

Point two: I had heard a lot about the great commission before, but I had never seen commitment to it like I saw at the BEC. Those involved in the running of the seminars were just so tirelessly supportive. They know who they are. I thank God for them. Love in Christ, Michael Langtry

Aunt Agony Answers ?

Your Questions

Dear Aunt Agony, Is the Bible even real? From Brian Sinique.

Dear Brian, That’s a difficult question to answer and it’s a question I’ve asked myself many times. In fact, I’m pretty sure most believers have doubted this at some point along their journey. There are a lot of factors that suggest the bible is an accurate, historical record - things like archaeology, events that are consistent with other historical texts, and historical figures that match up across different historical accounts. An example of this is Hezekiah’s Tunnel in Jerusalem. This was a massive civil engineering project undertaken by the king of Judah to divert water into the city while they were under siege from the King of Assyria. The event is described in the bible and you can still walk through the tunnel today and see a written description of how they constructed the tunnel from two ends, meeting in the middle. The record is also described in ancient Assyrian documents. There are also a significant number of prophetic passages that were written in the bible thousands of years before the events actually occurred. There are heaps of passages in the old testament that describe the coming of Jesus. There are also a number of prophecies that predict the destruction of Jerusalem and then the return of the Jews to their homeland. The destruction of Jerusalem happened in AD 70 and the Jews were scattered across the world until they eventually returned to their own land in 1948. For people who are over 70 years old, these things were super exciting, because they were predicted ages before they actually happened and these people actually read about them happening in their local newspapers. Some people have told me that these things prove the bible to be true, and yet, I still doubt. I don’t think anybody can actually prove these things to you. It is faith that bridges the gap between belief and doubt, and faith is made up of more elements than simply proof or evidence. Faith is believing that the message of Jesus can save you from your sins. Faith is hoping for big problems being fixed in the world. Faith is trusting that the spirit of God can work through us to produce the big picture. Faith is believing that there is someone out there who is looking out for you and guiding you towards the light. When these doubts arise for me, I often pray this prayer: ‘Father, “I believe, help me overcome my unbelief”’ (Mark 9v24). Some verses to think about: - All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the followers of God may be competent and equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3v16-17) - And we have something more sure - the prophetic word - to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1v19-21)

Dear Aunt Agony, My parents are always saying that I spend too much time on facebook, twitter, youtube and computer games. I just think they’re stuck in the 20th century and don’t understand that this is the way the world works and it’s how I connect with my friends. What do you think? From Don Tagging.

Dear Don, Yep. I hear you and I get it. It’s pretty normal for parents to misunderstand their kids, and (I should add) for kids to misunderstand their parents...I think it’s an age old battle! We all know people for whom facebook has been super beneficial, others who have become addicted and perhaps we know others for whom it has become dangerous. The only person who can REALLY know how social media impacts your life is you, but you are also the best person to talk yourself into whatever you think is good for you. And here is the conundrum of being human...a lot of the time, we want what’s bad for us. It’s probably a good idea not to completely disregard the concerns of the people who love you the most. But it’s really you who needs to think deeply about how these things affect you. So what is social media for you? Are you really connected, or is it a place for you to gossip and spy on other people’s lives? Is facebook helping you make friends with the right people, or is it just making you sad? Do you spend time with technology to avoid spending real time with people? Are you experiencing the world through a screen, or are you really getting a feel for life? Do people know you for your online persona, or do they know the real you? Some verses to consider: - After having heard it all, this is the conclusion: Fear God, and keep his commands, because this applies to everyone. (Ecclesiastes 12v13) - The heart is more deceitful than anything. It is incurable— who can know it? (Jeremiah 17v9) - Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. (Colossians 4v6)

Do you have a question you’d like Aunt Agony to answer? Email it to thevine@scyp.net and we’ll pass it on to her!

MUSIC REVIEW

Denver and the Mile High Orchestra Live! It Up (2006)

By Dan Blackwood

Nowadays it seems like when it comes to Christian music, the main genres are either orchestral, c-pop, or c-rock with lots of guitars and 4/5-piece setups. But what if you're like me and love a great horn section? Thankfully, there are alternatives such as the album we're looking at today. Live it Up is a live album by Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, an eighteen piece christian big band, and musically it is brilliant. The thirteen tracks on this cd cover a range of styles, from swing (‘One Time Show’, ‘Act the Scat’) to funk (‘Get Down’) to Dixie (‘Never Gonna Say’) to blues (‘Can't Get Enough’) to ballads (‘Stand’) to straight congregational (‘Glory Forever’) and back again. Also part of the mix are covers of some old-school hymns, which 26

translate particularly well into their new arrangements. Part of the thrill of a good big band is the horn section, and this album certainly does not disappoint in that regard. DMHO is based out of Nashville, and the pedigree shows. The soloists all show amazing skill, and the horns as a whole are amazingly tight, with some very tricky parts at times. Personal favourites would be ‘It is Well’, ‘Solid Rock’, ‘Get Down’, and ‘Can't Get Enough’. Now this album is a live album made at a concert at a pentecostal megachurch, and it comes with the trappings associated. At points there are spiels of the style you'd expect at such an event, which can get irritating if you aren't a fan. While doctrinally most songs are ok, there are a few with trinitarian

and substitutionary influences. Indeed, the remake of ‘All Hail the Power of Jesus Name’ with an added bridge from Isaiah 9:6 can raise an interesting philosophical conundrum. On the whole though, this is a pretty amazing album, and it’s one I’d highly recommend to someone who appreciates good musicianship and Christianfocused music. Hope you enjoy it!

Message From a Traveller Steph Jamieson Hi SC where YP – hail fr I’ o last li ve been resid m the UK ttle wh ing th surrou i nded b le! Yep, I’ve b is red tel y Brit een e guard phone booths ish accents, s and th with huge f , the u e quite a queen. It’s rry hats, The Vin e, a n especia experience ll been , l l y as I wa over to 84 Sh sa aftesb my wa USA and C ble to get ury R a y n a t oad o the U da on been b K B l a urwood attend essed enoug nd have , NSW h 2783 confer lots of yout to h ences/ Austra weeken lia ds ... ...during my travels! So I wanted to give you a little rundown of some of the spiritual fun that happens in the Northern Hemisphere. We’ll start with America: Manitoulin Youth Conference was back in August, and it took place in Canada at a beautiful lakeside campsite, amongst the bears and the bees. Yep, bears Canada is renowned for their wild bears, and Manitoulin Island is no exception.. which definitely makes for a more exciting camp. We learnt about the bible character Jehoshophat, learnt a ‘cantata’ of original songs in four part harmony, and spent lots of time next to the lake or canoeing on it. Beautiful! The time there was super spiritually inspiring and it was great to meet so many amazing people with real faith. Schooleys Mountain Camp – each weekend of summer, a heap of families from New Jersey go deep into the forest where they stay in cabins and have campfires, sing-alongs, sports and study God’s word together – there’s a different speaker each weekend, but the weekend we were there we learnt about the cherubim. This is also where we were first introduced to the American tradition of the

and held talks in the common room. An afternoon ramble in the picturesque Mulvin Hills also didn’t go astray and the scenery was beautiful. Newbury 18+ was run by the Newbury ecclesia on the weekend that England celebrates Guy Fawkes being burned on a consumption of s’mores. (Google bonfire.. (one of England’s stranger them if you’ve not heard of these traditions!). The weekend included delights, but to give you a hint some inspiring talks on the life the word “s’more” derives from the of Christ as well as a competitive sentence “I want some more”) bowling afternoon, and the nation’s celebration of Guy Fawkes meant England: there were homemade fireworks There are youth weekends going off in the background every frequently as there are stacks of ten minutes. Exciting! young people in the UK. Some Have you heard enough yet? I’ve great ones I discovered were: only really touched the surface of Llandmadoc – takes place in some of the many activities that Wales (and here’s a bit of culture go on in the UK and Canada, any you pronounce the Ll at the start of which you would be more than of the word as if you are about to welcome to be a part of if you’re hoik up some phlem.. pleasant). travelling in the coming year! For The camp is set in some cabins me it is so inspiring to find likeon a cliff and features some talks minded people on the other side based on Gods word, discussion of the world who study their bibles, groups and campfire singing, and and are trying just like us to live a not to mention the beautiful Welsh good and Godly life. It’s amazing coastline. that our hope and the things we Swanwick - Craig Blewitt have in common transcend the from South Africa was sharing his miles between our countries. knowledge here, and the weekend So amigos, I must be off but I included a massive bongo hope to see you all soon, at SCYP drumming night that everyone or maybe across the blue yonder in could participate in with 50+ a far flung place! Meanwhile, have percussion instruments all being lots of fun at Easter Camp and the pounded in a energetic frenzy of other great Aussie camps that are African pulse. occurin’. Bunkhouse - was a more informal weekend camp, where Love in Christ, they hired out a backpackers hostel Steph Jamieson 27

Origami

COMIC CORNER

by Nell Saxon

The Vine Cover Entries

BAPTISMS Nicola Fenger (Baringa) Matt Devis (Moorebank) Lachlan Peden (Riverwood) Matt McClure (Punchbowl) Nell Saxon (West Ryde) Kate Hicks (QLD) Hannah Davis (Newcastle) Eliza Davis (Newcastle) Jonny Tappouras (Newcastle) Jamin Riley (QLD) ENGAGEMENTS Peter Nicholls and Jodie Errington WEDDINGS Gavin and Jacquie McGuigan Robbie and Aleisha Lawson Kate and James Morgan

BIRTHS: Joseph Hughes (Josh and Esther Hughes)

Flynn Crawford (Katie and Dan Crawford)

Nathan Garry Burns (Scott and Chrissy Burns)

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