Issue 31, No 10, 2012
The voice of Uniting Church SA
November 2012
Called to ministry, called to Christ
FROM DRUGS TO DEACON
THRILLS, CHILLS AND
One man’s journey of life,
SUNDAY SPILLS
faith & hope
Youths camp out in October
pp.10–11
p. 24
CHRISTMAS
APPEAL
Contents FEATURES A need for change
5
November Presbytery & Synod Meeting
6
Call, and timing
9
From drug addict to deacon
10–11
The road less travelled
14–15
Thrills, chills and Sunday spills
24
REGULAR PAGES Moderator’s Comment
4
Diary
19
Letters to the Editor
21
Reviews
22–23
Editor Caryn Rogers p. 8236 4230 e. crogers@sa.uca.org.au Advertising Loan Leane p. 7007 9020 m. 0404 089 762 e. advertising.newtimes@sa.uca.org.au Enquiries e. newtimes@sa.uca.org.au
H L IS T MY C H R IS T M A S W IS s - b e w it h lo v e d on e d in ne r - have a Christmas - un w ra p a g if t - s na p a b on - b on
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Is God calling you?
ISSN 0726-2612 New Times is the voice of Uniting Church SA. Published monthly, February through December, New Times represents the breadth, diversity and vision of Uniting Church members in SA. News policies, guides and deadlines appear online at newtimes.sa.uca.org.au. Articles and advertising do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor. Phone: (08) 8236 4200 1300 766 956 (toll free from
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Period of Discernment Is God calling you to step out in a new direction? An exciting opportunity to consider God’s call in your life through reflection, prayer, conversation and learning over a period of 12 months. “The PoD helpfully facilitated space for me to specifically focus on hearing God’s call for the next stage of my life, as well as increasing my knowledge and guiding my discernment. It proved a life-changing experience.� Priscilla, PoD participant Uniting College for Leadership & Theology is the ministry training and theological education agency of the Uniting Church SA.
Contemplation When the busy season is about to hit, or is already upon us, this is the time when contemplation is most important. And what a wonderful season to contemplate within!
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iStockphoto reference: Cover: hillwoman2; p.16 annedehaas
editor
As the owner of an iPhone, I’m often patting my pockets or rifling through my abyss-like handbag to accept the call I think I’ve heard. With the familiar ding and ring of iPhone sounds echoing across any given space, I find myself frequently checking my phone in multiple false-starts across the day. For anyone who has ever owned a popular type of mobile phone, you will likely be familiar with this quandary of the ‘ghost-call’. It may not be my call, but I hear it and try to respond to it accordingly because when I hear a call, if I don’t answer it at the time, I know I will need to answer it eventually – albeit sometimes begrudgingly. It is often easy to sense and engage with a calling that is not our own. Sometimes this can be due to our own
ambitions; other times because we find it difficult to say no or ‘let others down’. One thing is certain – we are frequently presented with a plethora of ministry opportunities as we engage in church settings. It is always important that when a call is heard/sensed/felt/considered, it’s taken out into the open to be addressed. There are multiple ways to hear or heed a call – some are fuzzier than others, and often need more thorough viewing. For some, call comes through a clear passion for a certain vocation. For others, there has been an immediate sense of purpose when they considered a role. Some heard a voice, be it God’s or a trusted friend’s. No matter how they heard/sensed/ felt/considered a call to ministry, they knew it was a call they had to respond
to – though many let the call ring out numerous times over their life as they waited for their right timing or because they were hesitant to accept it. We have to answer our own call some time, be it to labour, to administration or to ordination – as unusual or ‘unspiritual’ as it may seem - because it is ours to engage with. When we answer someone else’s call, it’s as unsatisfying as attempting to pick up a call on your own phone which is actually ringing out on someone else’s.
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moderator
God’s inviting I once asked my parents about a woman who came to speak at a Sunday School Anniversary service, sandwiched between two other speakers over two Sundays – both male. How was it that she was allowed to do what the minister usually did? She was a “deaconess”, or a “lady minister” – the first I had heard of such a role. As a child, I thought that a minister had to be an elderly male who had white (or no) hair – these characteristics fitted most ministers who came to our little church in the southern suburbs of Adelaide. I thought they had an ideal job – one hour’s work on a Sunday morning followed by another hour’s work on a Sunday night. Thankfully I, and the church, have grown into a more helpful understanding
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of ministry. How blessed the church is through the various ministries of men and women, ordained and lay! I am sometimes asked why I became a minister. My response is always that I sensed God calling me. This statement is often quickly followed by, “How did you know it was God calling you?” All I can say is that when my boss at work offered me a promotion, followed by “I’ll give you two weeks to think about taking it, or whether you should be going into the church,” I thought about my ‘call’ like never before. When speaking with my minister, his first reaction was to ask: “Why would God go and do that?” He was testing me. Though I believed I had received a call to ministry, it needed to be tested. What if I’d got it wrong? What would be the
implications for my future, for my family? What if it was just me?
Thankfully, I was part of the Church. My sense of call was going to be tested by the Church – and tested it was, in sometimes stressful ways - over the next seven years which led to my ordination. With the passing of each test imposed by the church, the sense of call became clearer - within me, within my family and within the many who were praying for me throughout theological college. My call was confirmed by the church as I moved into my first placement as an ordained minister. Not strangely, the sense of call has been a vital component every time I have had to consider moving from placement to placement. It was certainly present as I began to serve you as your Moderator – understanding that God’s Spirit had truly been active in leading the Church to call me to this particular ministry. I have learned that God equips us for the ministries to which we are called – it’s not a solitary venture. Call is an invitation to serve God with the people of God.
news
Tauto Sansbury spoke about the need to address the significant issue of suicide amongst Aboriginal people – a death rate almost four times the annual Australian road toll.
A need for change Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in Indigenous communities, especially among males. The Indigenous suicide rate is close to double that of other Australians. Aboriginal leader and activist, Tauto Sansbury, wrote an open letter entitled ‘The 13th Day’ earlier this year. It detailed the premature deaths of eight Aboriginal people in South Australia, all occurring in the first 13 days of 2012. Three of these deaths were the result of suicide. Realising the lack of discussion in communities and in the media, Tauto used his letter to urge both the government and the general population to take action. On Friday 5 October, the Uniting Church opened up this difficult topic by holding a forum on Aboriginal suicide at Pilgrim Uniting Church in Adelaide. The forum, titled ‘The 13th Day’ after Tauto’s letter, was coordinated by Uniting Church SA’s Moderator, Rev Rob Williams, and Justice & Advocacy Officer, Rev Sarah Williamson, as part of Uniting Church SA’s ‘Suicide: it’s no secret’ campaign.
Tauto was the keynote speaker at the event, with other speakers including SA’s Public Advocate, Dr John Brayley; State Coroner, Mark Johns; Rachel Abdulla from Centacare; and Uniting Church SA’s Denise Champion. Also in attendance were Port Power players and Suicide: it’s no secret ambassadors, Byron Pickett and Paul Vandenburgh. Although the speakers differed in background and perspective, there was a clear and common theme present throughout the forum – something needs to change. This was readily summed up in Tauto’s keynote speech:
“Our destiny is not entirely in the hands of those who have power. It’s time to take control... We have to be responsible for our actions, we have to be accountable for our actions.”
Aboriginal community in South Australia shared their stories and their concerns. It was an emotional time – many seemed unable to see a clear path for the future, but there was also a definite determination for change. There is no easy solution to repair the high level of Indigenous suicide or the premature death of Aboriginal people. Only with further discussion and cooperation can we attempt to mend this growing problem in our communities. An audio recording of the forum will be available on the Uniting Church SA website: sa.uca.org.au For further information about the Suicide: it’s no secret campaign and its events go online to: nosecret.org.au
After the panellists spoke, there was a long period of time reserved for questions and discussion. Several members of the
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news
November Presbytery & Synod Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the Presbytery & Synod met on Thursday 1–Saturday 3 November at Adelaide West Uniting Church. The packed schedule included business and reporting, as well as promotional spots for the variety of resources, programs and opportunities that exist for Uniting Churches, Schools and Agencies in South Australia. One of the important roles of this business meeting was to nominate a Moderator-Elect to take over the role of Moderator in October 2013 when Rev Rob Williams finishes his term. There were eight nominees from differing backgrounds, strengths and sense of call. These nominees have been introduced on page seven of this month’s New Times with a short biography; the elected nominee will be featured in the December edition. Included amongst the promotional spots was the unveiling of the CommUnity Day banners, which featured submitted pictures from CommUnity Day events across the state that occurred between the 35th Anniversary of the Uniting Church in Australia on 22 June and the end of September. The banners will adorn participating churches across South Australia, including the Synod office. The simple message – Love is Community, is mirrored by the Christmas postcards and 2013 Uniting Church Uniting People calendars which were made available at the Presbytery & Synod meeting to those who had pre-ordered them.
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As this meeting took place so close to the publishing of New Times, information was not available for publication other than what is featured here. However, we will be bringing a full wrap up of the event in the December edition of New Times.
A business decision agreed by consensus (raising of orange cards in agreement).
moderator-elect nominees
The Moderator-Elect was nominated at the November Presbytery & Synod meeting. A wrap-up of this event and a fuller bio of the successful candidate will be included in the December edition of New Times.
Dr Deidre Palmer BA, Dip. Ed, MRE, PhD, MSW
Mrs Susan Burt BTh
Mrs Lynne Aird
Mrs Margaret Gunn
Lynne has served the Church at Assembly, Synod and Presbytery levels as a member and on various committees, and regularly supports Uniting Church events. Currently she is a chaplain to the present Moderator and convenes his Support Group. Lynne has a strong call to serve the church and understands the role of Moderator is not discerned by an individual – it is the call of God as discerned by the church.
Margaret’s call to follow Christ first became clear when she was 12. She believes we are shaped by the God who calls us; her trust is in the God who sustains each of us with wisdom to live in obedience and grace together. Her hope is for us to recognise that Christ’s call of ‘follow me’ is common to us all, and makes divisions of age, race, gender, language, social status, experience and culture unimportant.
BA Dip Ed., Grad Dip Ed. (TESOL), MAppl Linguistics, A Mus A
Deidre was 21 when the Uniting Church came in to being; at that time she was working for the Synod in children, youth and young adults ministry. She understands that her gifts as an educator have prepared her well for the requirement of a Moderator. Deidre has a deep love for God and a passionate commitment to the Uniting Church’s expression of Christian ministry and its engagement in God’s mission in the world.
Susan has been involved in church life from her birth. Leadership and participation in church life has continued throughout her adult life. She has been actively involved in Christian education locally and at Assembly level. She has a commitment to empowering and equipping lay people in their ministries. In her work, Susan has shown a gift of leadership and caring for people, which she would bring to the role of Moderator.
Rev Peter McDonald
Rev Rob Stoner
Rev Sandy Boyce
Rev Sue Ellis
Rob Stoner began his professional career as a scientist. He responded to the call of God and acknowledges God’s leading in his life. If elected Moderator, Rob sees his role as enabling the church to reflect theologically and biblically on what it means to be the people of God in today’s culture so that together we may discern, and respond to, God’s vision for being a healthy and thriving church in this time and place.
BEd, BTh
Sue’s vision for the Presbytery/Synod is linked to the image of the Body of Christ and our unity in Christ as the Body. We are called to focus on Christ together, appreciating the Body’s diversity, becoming Christ in our communities and being the Body of Christ through our relationships with others. Sue brings a strong sense of call to the position of Moderator and offers herself to the process of the discernment of the church.
BTh, DipPS, MBA, GAICD
Peter converted to Christianity in his late teens; his faith was shaped by the history and tradition of the Uniting Church, by the Basis of Union and the study of systematic theology, biblical studies and sociology. As Peter senses a call to the role of Moderator, his vision is that we will be a community which practices discernment for the purpose of seeking God’s call on our lives as individuals and as a whole church.
BSc, Dip Min
(Deacon)
Sandy believes that she is able to enthuse and encourage others to participate in God’s mission and ministry offered in and through the Church, beyond the gathered congregation into the community – local and global, to offer compassion and accompaniment, to work for liberation and justice and to act as advocates of creative transformation. In this context, Sandy considers a Deacon would offer a great deal to the role of Moderator.
BMin, DipT
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Call to ministry Is God's call general or specific? How do you know if you've heard it? The next eight pages offer a variety of voices who have sensed a call to ministry in likely, and not-so-likely, forms.
Call, and timing Rev Dr Graham Buxton
Early in my Christian life, I became convinced that God was calling me to leave my job as a university lecturer to serve him in a full-time capacity in my local church. This Anglican church was experiencing the beginnings of charismatic renewal – it was all very exciting, and nerve-wracking at the same time. My wife, Gill, and I found ourselves spending much of our relaxation time, including holidays, talking and praying, but never reaching any solid conclusion, or any sense that it was time to discuss it with anyone else. Eventually, and without Gill's awareness, the time came for me, to speak to my pastor, a wise Irish man, about the growing conviction we both had about the matter. This was about three years after I first felt God’s hand guiding me in this direction – a measure of how important it is to wait for God’s timing, and not just his call. My pastor sensed the hand of God in my call, and acknowledged that the time was approaching when the church would need someone to share in pastoral ministry full-time. He suggested that we wait a little longer to see how the matter settled in our hearts. At the same time, however, Gill had gone to speak to his wife about the very same thing! On the Friday of that week, Gill and I attended a half-night of prayer at our church. Some time that evening a picture of an archery target, with several circles around the bulls-eye, was strongly impressed on my mind. Someone was standing a distance away from the target, and the person shot an arrow into the bullseye. That was all.
After a while, with the picture still strong in my mind, I shared it out aloud. There was a pause, and then someone who was not a member of our church, but who attended our regular times of prayer from time-to-time, stood up and spoke clearly and confidently: “I believe the Lord is saying to us that he is going to shoot someone here to full-time service,” he said. He then paused, before adding, “I sense that it will be sometime next year, around September.” My knees almost gave way. That was the very time I had mentioned to my pastor! The next step seemed clear enough - this had to be tested by the church eldership. A fortnight later, I was invited to share the whole thing with the elders; I was an elder myself at the time. As we prayed, a dear old man named Jack quoted Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Immediately, I sensed that the Spirit was saying to me, “Pick up the Bible and open it – I have a word for you.” Now, this is not a procedure I recommend to anyone when seeking God’s guidance, but I did not know how to escape the pressing conviction that this is what I should do. With intermingled hesitation and excitement, I opened my Bible and read to myself the first verse on which my eyes alighted: “He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.” (Isaiah 49.2)
Confirmation had come to me – endorsed wholeheartedly by all the elders – about God’s call upon my life. As I reflect on this, I realise that a whole series of resources contributed to my decision to enter ministry – an inner conviction, the encouragement of my pastor, my wife’s affirmation (very important!), a vision from the Lord and immediate interpretation of that vision, the testing of elders, a word of Scripture from another person, the inner witness of the Spirit to open the Bible, and a final confirming word from Scripture. Certainly no human person could have organised all that!
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I’D BEEN A DRUG ADDICT AND CRIMINAL UP TO THAT POINT, AND I JUST SORT OF SAID, ‘OK GOD, I’VE DONE IT MY WAY ALL MY LIFE – I’LL GIVE YOU A GO'.
Call to ministry
From drug addict to deacon Albert Patrizi sensed a call to prison ministry, but never considered himself worthy of the task. Now, in his final stretch as a Candidate for Minister of Deacon, Albert shares his path to faith, and his ongoing journey of learning, sharing and seeing God’s spirit at work in places where others fear to tred. CARYN ROGERS
The little silver cross buttoned to his left lapel is a proud badge of Albert Patrizi’s hard-won faith. “In my school days in the 60s, they had religious studies as part of the curriculum and, given my Italian background, being Roman Catholic was part of that,” Albert reflects. “I had a basic understanding, but didn’t really come to faith until I was 28.” There’s a quietness to the 52-year-old father of four as he talks about the darkest hours from which his faith first sprung. “I came to Christ in jail after all my closest friends had over dosed or committed suicide. I was in a fairly dark place. I’d been a drug addict and criminal up to that point, and I just sort of said, ‘Ok God, I’ve done it my way all my life – I’ll give you a go.’ “My life started to change. I didn’t change overnight - it was a progression as my understanding of faith grew. “Although my life improved once I was released from jail as a Christian, I didn’t have the social skills to find the community I needed to guide me and encourage me in this new found faith. “After ten years, I ended up back in jail. I needed community with other Christians. I tried to connect with Christian programs that were running within the jail; I hoped these would lead me to community once I was out. “I got to know some Kairos team members and once I got out, I was invited
to a men’s group; after about six months or so I joined in with their church also. “I would have gone with whoever invited me – it just happened to be a Uniting Church person who invited me along. The Candidate for Minister of Deacon - no stranger to the inside of a prison -is hoping he’ll spend many more hours within their walls in the future, ideally as a full-time prison chaplain. “Richard Miller, my minister at the time, saw how enthused I was with my involvement in Kairos prison ministry. He asked me whether I would consider going into ministry full-time.
“I ACTUALLY FELT AN INNER JUMP FOR JOY, THAT SOMEONE WOULD CONSIDER ME WORTHY FOR SUCH A TASK. MY WIFE KNEW IT WAS IN MY HEART, BUT WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN. “I just needed the encouragement of my minister to see what was happening within me.” Albert is currently volunteering at Yatala Prison, where he started his Supervised Field Education at the beginning of last year and has volunteered ever since. Yatala is the
main maximum security prison in South Australia and the first residence for prisoners being classified into regional prisons. It’s the centrality of that location within the penitential system that made Albert choose to do his SFE there where he was supervised by, and now works in conjunction with, Ian Schneider the coordinating chaplain. Albert sees much evidence of God at work within prisoners’ lives. He finds his greatest encouragements in building rapport and the sense of morale that comes from that. “When you first see them they’re looking down to the ground, their lives are torn apart. But you build relationships with them and you see the hope grow in them, you see a person’s head lift - you see God’s spirit in it all.” “I love it. To give hope, to see lives change, to see smiles, the possibility of some knowing they don’t need to go back to the life they had and that they have a life to go forward to in the future”. Albert was presented at the November Presbytery & Synod meeting to be affirmed for Minister of Deacon. For more information about Kairos prison ministry, visit kairos.org.au.
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Call to ministry
A call to ministry can come in many forms. It is often embraced, sometimes avoided but regularly understood as challenging. These blurbs are written by Uniting Church people – ordained and lay – who have sensed a personal call to ministry. They represent the breadth of the Uniting Church’s geographical, experiential and theological spans – yet are all drawn together and participating in God’s mission in South Australia and beyond.
I was praying before going to sleep for God to bring me a new job that would enlighten and enrich me. Before switching off the light, I grabbed a copy of New Times and opened directly to the Uniting Church Communications Manager vacancy. I felt like I had been awarded the role then and there. Feeling that I could make a difference and having God’s presence right alongside me throughout the interview process to where I am today, has been made seamless by God and my faith journey. Bindy Taylor
At the age of 29, while working in the UK, I was doing well as a scientist but, as much as I tried, my joy and passion lay not in accumulating amazing publications, but in having life-changing conversations. The church was calling me and the peace of God was disturbing me - so I joined the amazing roller coaster ride of full-time ministry. I continue to be awestruck by the abundant life Jesus has on offer for those who follow him. It's a joy, a privilege and a challenge. Thank you God for the journey so far and the many who have helped. Benji Callen
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Working in the orchards of Central Otago as a 23 year old, I sensed a call to grow not only fruit trees, but people. There was an accompanying realisation that this needed to be about mission. As Principal of Uniting College, both of these strands – growing people and mission – have been knotted together. Steve Taylor
There's no greater joy for me than to journey with young people through the highs and lows of life. My sense of calling has grown over time, and the more I involve myself, the more I feel that this is where I belong. Mitch Winkel-Davis
On 24 June 2007, while conducting a church service in Canberra, God called me to ordained ministry. God told me I could not fill in for another minister – I should be in full-time ministry. I was obedient and was called to South West Fleurieu Uniting Churches. Julia Pitman
I was radically converted at 21, and immediately understood that salvation inevitably led to Christian vocation. I knew God needed to do a sanctifying work in me before I would be useful in professional ministry. Over the following 15 years I had a fulfilling secular career. Sometimes I yearn for those days of daily contact with the secular world, but I know God has called me to equip and encourage others to be full-time Christian missionaries in their homes, work-places, clubs and communities... a calling worth devoting my life to. Ian Dow
I was going to be a scientist until the moment I experienced a compelling passion to serve young people on a Scripture Union camp. School chaplaincy followed and with it came a growing sense that no other job went far enough for me. It was full-time ministry or it was nothing. Pete Riggs
I first sensed – no, got hit between the eyes with – a call to ministry when I was 21 during an incredibly long and boring sermon. I did NOT want to be a minister! It felt like a ‘go to jail’ card. After putting it off for as long as possible, I finally started testing the call at 25. I feel like I've been testing it ever since... and it just won't go away!
I had a sense of call to ministry before I finished high school. People talked me out of studying theology straight away – ‘no life experience!’ – so I did an honours arts degree first, then theology. My vocation – teaching the Bible – brought all my passions and gifts together, and I still love it! Vicky Balabanski
Sue Wickham
I come from a family of ministers and missionaries. This gave me a concrete example of ‘living the faith’ from my earliest years. I chose a career in social work as a way of being a ‘helper’ without being religious. I found that how I worked and what I tried to do was greatly influenced by the values I had taken on board in my earlier years. I now work in several settings, with disaster ministry and with refugees struggling to achieve family reunion against great odds. I frequently see acts of grace which allow unexpected and ‘miraculous’ outcomes to occur. People help me far more than I help them.
I sensed God’s call in my late teens. I was working as a draftsman but was also fully engaged in lay ministry with youth, Sunday School and preaching - for which I was doing lay preacher studies. The call came as a conviction that I was to serve full-time in ministry. It was accompanied by a deepening understanding of God and my relationship with God. My study, formation for ministry and ministry experience over the years has affirmed my call and has brought me a profound sense of fulfilment and joy. My call has been a key factor in sustaining me in the challenges of ministry. Dean Brookes
Andrew Clarke
Travelling with my family through Europe as a child, I loved climbing into the pulpits of all kinds of churches. I have always felt a call to ministry, a constant clear urging to talk about God with people. Though avoided throughout my university years, at 23 I felt a direct and profound reminder from God, switched my study focus, headed back to church, and got involved. Tim Hein
For me, the call to ministry has been an organic growth out of the roots of my faith. I was baptised at seven when we started attending church – this was the beginning of my ever-evolving call to ministry. My instruction in the faith was always focused on our responsibility to serve. Working with UnitingCare is a way I can use my gifts to fulfil my responsibility. Julianne Rogers
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Call to ministry
The road less travelled A call to ministry can take many forms and come at any time in a person’s life. While some people’s paths to ministry are clear cut, others follow life’s twists and turns before realising God’s call on their lives. Catherine Hoffman talks to Rev Beatrice Panne about her journey to ordained ministry.
“I want to be an artist when I grow up,” Rev Beatrice Panne jokes. While the comment is made with a wry laugh, those who know Beatrice – a self-described ‘lifelong learner’ – might easily imagine her adding that to her increasing string of vocational titles. The twists and turns in the Germanborn minister/lecturer’s life have led to many unexpected opportunities and career paths, mostly in the fields of theology and therapy. Her call to ministry has been anything but straightforward. “I first felt a call to ministry when I was 14 or 15. Amongst other things, I think this was sparked by the fact that my minister at the time was a woman. She was the first female minister in our district in Germany and she was just brilliant, as well as being absolutely fantastic with youth. “The example she set, and feeling a call within myself to be involved in preaching the gospel and caring for people, created a strong sense that I was meant to go into ministry.” When Beatrice finished school she began to study theology but, despite the strength of this calling, she did not become a minister at the completion of her studies. Life was calling her towards another career path. She started to study psychotherapy, and went into private practice in Germany.
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“I became involved with therapy because I had a number of significant wounds from my upbringing that I found were starting to interfere with leading a healthy life. When I tried to find help for that within the church, no doors were opening. “I started to see a therapist and got some real help with my problems – quite a lot changed for the better.” During the 1980s, Beatrice married, had a daughter and visited Australia for the first time. At 33 years of age, Beatrice and her family moved to the Adelaide Hills, a time in her life that she describes with fondness. They quickly established themselves in a tight-knit community that included Beatrice’s sister and brother-in-law. Beatrice continued to work in private practice and had a number of students and patients visit her from Germany. The comfortable life that Beatrice established in the Hills wasn’t to last though – her tight-knit community disintegrated, as did her marriage. Beatrice was left with the choice to return to Germany or stay in Australia. It was a time of great change – yet she decided to stay. Although Beatrice had been involved on only the periphery of the Church for the twenty years prior to this tumultuous period, it was at this time that God
made his presence known to her. “I had a conversion experience: an experience of Jesus dying on the cross for me. It was so profound, to put oneself into the history of God’s salvation of the world, to realise that it wasn’t just for the rest of the world – that it was for me. Jesus died for me. To read the scriptures again from that point of view... brought this whole new level of reality and truth to them.” This experience encouraged Beatrice to become an active member of a congregation and eventually led to involvement in theology - practically and vocationally. “I had my first contact with ParkinWesley College* in 1995. I heard this very strange, small voice in my head when I stepped foot onto the site for the first time. “It said, ‘One day you’ll be teaching here’. It was really unsettling.” The voice was right. Beatrice started teaching within the Adelaide College of Divinity (ACD) and, after having worked there for several years, she knew it was time to study for ordination. She was ordained in 2010 and placed as interim minister at Wesley Kent Town Uniting Church last year, a position she will hold for another three months. In her work at ACD and Wesley Kent Town, Beatrice encourages others to follow their own calls to ministry.
I FIRST FELT A CALL TO MINISTRY WHEN I WAS 14 OR 15. AMONGST OTHER THINGS, I THINK THIS WAS SPARKED BY THE FACT THAT MY MINISTER AT THE TIME WAS A WOMAN. SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE MINISTER IN OUR DISTRICT IN GERMANY AND SHE WAS JUST BRILLIANT, AS WELL AS BEING ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC WITH YOUTH.
“I think being called to ministry is about being called to be a witness and a disciple of Jesus, not just in churches but in wherever you work and wherever you are – to not just be a mechanic in your car workshop, but to be a disciple-ofChrist-mechanic in your car workshop. “It is important to watch out for opportunities to express the relationship that you have with Jesus in your relationships with others. “We are all called to ministry, every single one of us who knows the grace of Jesus Christ. It’s not necessary to be ordained – that’s one particular call to ministry.” Because of this conviction, Beatrice is very supportive of the programs that the Uniting College provides, not only on campus but in local churches and rural communities. She is a firm believer that education can improve a person’s ability to follow their own call to ministry, no matter where they are. *Parkin Wesley College was relaunched in 2009 as the Uniting College for Leadership & Theology. This College was, and remains, part of the Adelaide College of Divinity.
Photo by Jade Kearns.
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Call to ministry
Exploring pastoral care
Thank you Mr Jones
Judy Knowling
It’s not something everyone wants to do or has the gifts for, but have you ever thought you might like to help a chaplain as they visit with people in hospital? For those who do, it’s a remarkably rewarding ministry. Often, getting involved can be a matter of people being able to let go of some of their common concerns like: I don’t have the skills. The first qualities needed are a heart for people and the ability to listen. Training is offered periodically throughout the year and will depend on the training you have already gained. Pastoral Care units, Pastoral Pathways courses and Clinical Pastoral Education, are offered through Uniting College for Leadership & Theology which may be a helpful place to expand your skill set. Each hospital has a team leader whose job it is to support and nurture you. I don’t have the time. Volunteering in pastoral care need only take a few hours of one morning or afternoon a week or fortnight. I don’t think I’m religious enough. Offering pastoral care is really about being present for the other person, having good listening skills, and tuning into the other person’s understanding and expression of spirituality. This may include some talk about religious issues, but it may not. It is really about ‘being there’ for the other person – present in their time of crisis. You are not expected to go beyond your comfort zone. It is about listening with your heart. If you think you are ready to explore the possibilities, we have a number of hospitals who need volunteer pastoral carers. If you would like to talk further please be in touch with the co-ordinator of this ministry in the hospital or hospitals closest to you. A number of hospitals need administrative and other kinds of support, so give them a ring and have a chat about what possibilities may be available. Offering your time as a volunteer can be very rewarding for yourself and for the people you are caring for. Maybe now is the time you are being called to ministry, at this stage of your life and in this way. If you would like to talk further about volunteering in hospitals, Judy would be happy to hear from you on 8222 5388 (Page 1322).
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B
rian Lewis Jones formally retired at the November Presbytery & Synod meeting, having served as Governor of the Parkin Mission of South Australia for 44 years and as President for 35 years. A farewell luncheon was held in the Adelaide Town Hall on Monday 17 September to celebrate Brian’s (then pending) retirement as a Governor and President of The Parkin Mission of South Australia Inc and The Parkin Trust Inc. The well-respected gentleman had a few words to say in parting – here is a short excerpt of his speech: “Early in the 1950s, I determined to put my main efforts – apart from work – into serving my local church and my denomination (Congregational)... “The funds provided by William Parkin in the late 1800s have grown to over $18m (Parkin Mission 80%; Parkin Trust 20%) from $80,000. Current distributions of income amount to approximately $1.4m (PM $1.13m; PT $0.27m). “Current policy for Parkin Mission and Parkin Trust is to transfer to capital funds approximately 10% of income each year. In times of severe decreases in income, this may not be possible, but it is very easy to dissipate funds, and transfers to capital help to build up funds for the future. “For perpetual trusts such as the Parkin Mission, Parkin Trust and Pilgrim Foundation, it is the duty of Governors (directors) to do what they consider is best for the long term future of the trusts. They should aim to build up the value of the funds to enable larger distributions to be made for the purposes of the Trusts... “I give thanks to my late wife Ruth Keynes for her support over the years.”
magazine
It’s roundabout Christmas time Riki Owens-Bennett
I
t’s that time of year again! We’ve survived The Royal Adelaide Show, the AFL Grand Final has been won and Christmas decorations are glittering in the shops. As we enter into the last months of 2012, the Community Program members at Blackwood Uniting Church are working towards their own big event, held every November – the Roundabout Craft Fair & Exhibition. To celebrate the end of the year, the Community Program hosts the two day Roundabout Craft Fair to showcase the diversity of the crafts learnt, but also to show the local community what the program is about and what we have to offer. The Community Program currently has close to 300 members attending each week, with much socialising over crafts and a cup of tea or coffee. For many, being part of the Program is not simply about learning new craft skills or completing projects for loved ones, but more the feeling of community and strong friendships built over the years. Many members started attending when
Sue Bomford has attended the Community Program for nearly ten years. An avid quilter, she participates in each of Blackwood Uniting’s four Patchwork & Quilting classes each week.
their children were babies; these babies are now grown adults and the parents still continue on. This year, the Roundabout Craft Fair will be held on Friday 23-Saturday 24 November, and will include an exhibition of artwork and craft items such as teddy bears, mosaics and quilts. There will be stall-holders from the local community
selling gifts as well as jams, cakes, plants and much more – just in time for Christmas. For more information about the Roundabout Craft Fair or the Community Program, please contact the Community Program Coordinator (myself) on 8278 7699 or email comprog@blackwood. unitingchurchsa.org.au
Solar benefits communities A ustralians across the country are increasingly looking for sources of electricity that are not only cheaper but also cleaner and more sustainable than traditional dirtier methods of power generation. The amount of solar PV installations in Australia has soared in recent years, and South Australia has always led the way. In 2008, SA became the first Australian state to introduce a solar feed-in scheme (see sa.gov.au for details) and, as of August 2011, residential solar installations accounted for around 2.5% of annual generation. Increasingly, local communities are coming together for the benefit of all and the environment. An example of this has been seen recently in the Goldfields region of Victoria where Braemac Energy has been working
closely with the Goldfields SolarHub project since March 2010. During this project, Braemac Energy worked together with the Uniting Church community to install solar PV systems on churches in and around the Bendigo area. Eaglehawk and Golden Square Uniting Churches are examples of churches that are helping the environment by using the latest technology to generate electricity from the sun via their own rooftops. These solar PV systems are a lasting legacy for future generations. For more information contact Graham Smith at Braemac Energy on 8275 0100.
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magazine
Evidence for effective worship W
ho am I? Who are we? Why are we here? We’ve probably all asked these kinds of questions at one time or another, but what about asking them intentionally in the context of worship planning? If you’re involved in worship planning, you can probably look back over services you’ve put together and find traces of these questions sitting just behind the reflections, songs and sermons you’ve prepared. Likewise, as a participant in worship you have (hopefully) experienced times when worship really strikes a chord with these deeper channels of meaning and exploration. In her workshop at the upcoming PCNet SA Resourcing Day on Saturday 10 November at the Effective Living Centre Wayville, Rev Jana Norman hopes to help participants be quite intentional about engaging questions like these in the worship experiences they prepare and participate in. From her work with the Northern Territory Palliative Care service, evidence-based research into spiritual well-being has provided Jana with useful
frameworks for worship planning and participation. These ‘deep and meaningful’ questions, for example, are part of an inclusive model of spirituality found in the work of the Rev Dr Michael Wright, Honorary Senior Research Fellow with the International Observatory on End of Life Care based at Lancaster University in the UK. Taken out of the healthcare context and applied to worship, resources like Wright’s model become maps for creating congregational experiences that work directly and intentionally towards spiritual health and vitality. Jana considers that liturgy can be understood as “the work of the people.” Over the course of more than 16 years writing and editing congregational resources for worship, learning and service and in her current role as Minister of the Word at Pilgrim Uniting Church, Jana is always on the lookout for new ways of encouraging people to do this work, both as planners and participants. “It was a real treat to discover resources in the medical field that offer such insight
into the how’s and why’s of effective and engaging worship,” Jana says. “These resources, with virtually no translating from medical jargon required, show us the potential of worship experiences for helping people to move from spiritual disease of one sort or another to new forms of well-being. “At the end of the day, don’t we want our worship experiences to be transformative and life-giving? That’s certainly what gets me out of bed on a Sunday morning.” There will be the opportunity for participants to experience creative worship at the start of the day, and Nicholas Rundle, minister of Christ Church, will lead reflections in ethical living. This event is open to everyone, but places do need to be booked with Christine Gilbert via office@effectiveliving.org or 8271 0329. A contribution of $10 towards costs would be appreciated. For more information, please see the website pcnetsa.org
Maternal distress and disaster I n the poorest countries, like Tanzania, one woman dies every minute from complications with pregnancy or childbirth. When her child was born, Dorotea suffered an obstetric fistula – a birthing injury which meant she constantly leaked urine and faeces. There was nothing Dorotea could do to stop it – she couldn’t afford the care she so desperately needed after the birth. She was embarrassed, alone and frightened – abandoned by her husband, rejected by her family and friends, and shunned by her community. Dorotea lived this way for 22 years. The tragedy of obstetric fistula is virtually unheard of in Australia. Things like fistula don’t happen when good health care is affordable and accessible. For women like Dorotea, living in the poorest of places, lack of help can often have tragic consequences.
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But things don’t have to be this way. CBM is working to help mothers just like Dorotea. For over 100 years CBM has been committed to improving the quality of life of the world’s poorest people with disabilities. CBM works with local partner organisations to restore the miracle gift of sight, help surgeons straighten twisted limbs, deliver babies safely into the world, and help include and empower people with disabilities in their own communities. With support from generous Australians, CBM is reaching the most vulnerable women, and bringing hope and healing where it’s needed most. To find out more about CBM’s work with women like Dorotea, visit cbm.org.au or call 1800 678 069.
magazine
A tale of two cities
D
r Brian Edgar, Professor of Theological Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky USA, will present the inaugural Robert Iles Memorial Trust Lecture on Thursday 8 November at Burnside City Uniting Church. The lecture will explore the relationship between Christ and culture and the best way to present the gospel in today’s world. “We are delighted to present the inaugural Robert Iles Memorial Trust Lecture with Brian as the speaker,” said Callum Iles. Brian is an ordained Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church and has pastored several churches. He lectured for 18 years in theology and ethics at the
Bible College of Victoria at undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels. He was also Academic Dean for seven years and was the primary instigator behind the introduction of the MDiv degree onto the Australian theological scene. “This lecture is the first of five free, annual lectures that will be hosted by the Trust,” Callum continues. “Our aim is to inspire and equip Christians to engage more effectively with the world while sharing the gospel. “My father, the late Robert Iles, was passionate about sound doctrine and sharing the love and hope of Christ in the world, and we are proud to continue his legacy through this initiative. “We would like to thank the friends,
The Corner Uniting Church will be holding a GARAGE SALE on Saturday 17 November from 9am - 1pm. Bargains for everyone, lots of stalls including kids corner, Christmas gifts, cakes, plants, sausage sizzle and a cafe serving Devonshire teas and coffee. Fun for all. STATE MISSION FELLOWSHIP THANKSGIVING SERVICE, Tuesday 27 November, 10.30am at Scots Uniting Church, Adelaide. Fellowships bring thanks offerings. The speaker is Dr Rosemary Dewerse, Director of Missiology and Post-Graduate Studies at Uniting College for Leadership & Theology. All welcome. Morning tea and lunch available. Enquiries to 8261 3843. The Australian Christian Meditation Community SA is holding an ADVENT TWILIGHT RETREAT on Tuesday 27 November from 6pm - 8pm at St Columba’s Church Hall, 3 Rosevear Street, Hawthorn. The theme for the retreat is ‘Do Not Worry’. Tea, coffee and book stall from 5.30pm. Free entry. For more information contact Bev on 0407 392 809. It is almost time for the annual VINES UNITING CHURCH STRAWBERRY FAIR, corner of Reynell Road and Rolton Avenue, Woodcroft, from 5.30pm until dark on Friday 30 November. This has been a traditional community event in the Happy Valley (and now Woodcroft) district for well over 100 years. Along with the usual food, amusement, craft, white elephant, books and produce (etc) stalls you'd expect to find at a Christmas fair, Santa will be making his customary appearance for the children. A truly great time for all the family! Please note that all stalls have been allocated. The Corner Uniting Church, on the corner of Diagonal Rd and Oaklands Rd Warradale, invites you to ‘MESSY CORNER – MESSY CHRISTMAS’. Start the Christmas Season with fun and friendship! Date: Sunday 2 December. Time: 3.30pm - 5.30pm. Crafts and Activities from 3.30pm. Meal together at 4.45pm. It's for all ages, it's fun and it’s family friendly. 50 YEARS OF ORDINATION. Wesley Kent Town Uniting Church will hold a jubilee of ordination at 4.30pm on Sunday 11 November, celebrating 50 years of service for eight retired ministers – some of whom have passed away. This will be a time of thanksgiving for ministry offered over past years. All are encouraged to come along. Afternoon tea will be provided. To indicate your desire to attend or for further enquiries, please contact Lindsay Faulkner: p. 8365 5664; m. 0417 537 010; e. nessiefaulkner@bigpond.com. To have your upcoming event or message published here, email diary@sa.uca.org.au with ‘Diary’ in the subject line.
family and former parishioners who have supported the Trust and enabled this to happen.” The lecture will be held on Thursday 8 November, 7:30pm at Burnside City Uniting Church. For further information about the lecture or the Robert Iles Memorial Trust, please contact Owen Davis at ilesfund@gmail.com. In May 2009, the Rev Dr George Robert Iles lost his battle with brain cancer. To honour his 20 years of service in the Uniting Church and love for theology, The Robert Iles Memorial Trust was established as a legacy to his ministry. A selection of Robert’s sermons and theological writings are being published weekly at ilesblog.com.
diary
150 years of ministry Marion Uniting Church will celebrate 150 years of ministry on Sunday 25 November. The foundation stone for the chapel building was laid on 15 July 1862, while surrounding buildings were added in 1892 and 1959. In 1965, a new church was built to provide a more appropriate space for worship and for Sunday School activities. The Marion-Warradale congregation will hold a church service to celebrate 150 years of sharing and community. Morning tea will be served at 9.15am in the Chapel Hall, followed by a worship service at 10.30am in the main church. A booklet, titled The Next Fifty Years, commemorates past and present church activities and will be available for purchase on the day or from the church office. For further information contact Bev: p. 8296 1646. Marion Uniting Church: 150th Anniversary Service Where: Marion Uniting Church When: Sunday 25 November, 9.15am (morning tea) or 10.30am (church service).
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Roundabout Craft Fair & Exhibition Art & Craft Exhibition Plants & Gift Fair Kids corner • Raffle prizes Friday 23 & Saturday 24 November 9am-4pm Blackwood Uniting Church - 266 Main Road, Blackwood 8278 7699 | www.blackwood.unitingchurchsa.org.au Refreshments and light lunch available Gold coin entry proceeds go to Act for Peace Christmas Bowl
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positions vacant
p o s i t i o n s va c a n t . s a . u c a . o r g . a u
Director of studies in Systematic Theology Trinity Theological College Brisbane The Uniting Church in Australia Queensland Synod Trinity College invites applications from suitably qualified people, lay and ordained, women and men, for the above position. The Queensland Synod will make an appointment to the above position from 1 July 2013, or as soon as possible thereafter. The Synod reserves to itself the right to make all decisions with regard to the appointment. Trinity College is the Uniting Church in Australia’s theological college in Queensland, with responsibilities for training for ordained and lay ministries.
Visual Presentation Systems Public Address Church - School - Board Room - Retail Display - Hospitality Data Projection - Plasma - LCD - Projection Screens - Accessories Sale - Installation - Service “TEC - Everything Electronic installed with Excellence” Greg Hallam 0411 550417 - Keith Ellison 0411 556075 Campbelltown: 8365 0377 - Fax: 8365 0677 Web: www.tecsa.com.au
The College’s formation program contains academic, field and integrative components. Its core academic program is taught within the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy of the Australian Catholic University (ACU) within the parameters of an Affiliation between ACU and the UCA (Qld Synod). The person appointed would be expected to participate in the preparation of students for a variety of ordained and lay ministries, and in the preparation of students for Degrees and Diplomas at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. An interdisciplinary approach to teaching is encouraged. Enquiries should be made to the General Secretary of the Queensland Synod, GPO Box 674, Brisbane Qld 4001, or by email at gensec@ucaqld.com.au Applications should be lodged by 4:00 pm on Friday 21 December 2012.
RESTORE your phonographic records or tapes to near original quality & preserve them on CD Restore your faded 35mm slides to bright colour and preserve them on DVD. Ask us about VHS or MiniDV video tape & 8mm film to DVD conversion, SA MEDIAWORKS, Kent Town SA Ph: 8362 2251 samediaworks@soundtrack.net.au SEEKING ACCOMMODATION Mature single Christian woman looking for accommodation in Adelaide area. Will consider all areas. I am quiet and respectable, I am looking for single accommodation (I don’t wish to share) I possess excellent references. I have been a Christian for over 20 years and live by the Christian ethos. Please contact Trish on 0429 072 165 HOLIDAY RENTAL –VICTOR HARBOR 3br ground floor apartment on the Esplanade at Encounter Bay with glorious sea views across to Granite and Wright Islands. Relax in cool a/cond comfort and watch the waves roll in- cafes’ nearby. Special pre-Christmas rate of $600 pw(or $170 pn min 3 nights)not available schoolies week –Jan 2013 vacancies @ $1,008pw reducing to $600 pw in Feb –This is a self-catering apartment. Managing agents; Dodd and Page P/L –ph Kerry at 8554 2029 or email kerry@doddpage.com.au and ask for details and web photos of “BY THE SEA” holiday apartment.
l e t t e r s t o e d i t or Belittled men of faith While a minority of the 'men of faith' portion of September’s New Times shared some positive views on men in Church, the majority was offensive and belittling to masculinity and men in the Uniting Church. Perhaps it would be better to focus less on feminism and beer chugging drunken boxing masculinity and to remind the members of the Uniting Church how Scripture and Christ portrays masculinity and how men in the Uniting Church are/can be on a path to such a biblical (Christ-like) masculinity. D. Adam, Cumberland Park
Send your letters to: newtimes@sa.uca.org.au or PO Box 2145, Adelaide 5001. Be topical, be brief, be timely. Letters over 150 words will be edited; responses to previous letters /articles will be considered within two months of the original item’s publication only. All letters are published at the editorial team’s discretion.
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reviews
One hundred years of heart Book: At the Very Heart: 100 Years in Remote Australia Authors: Storry Walton Recommended for: A magnificent tribute to 100 years of ministry in the heart of our vast nation. In short: anyone who enjoys great photographs and a great story. Available from: Uniting Church SA RRP: $49.95
At the Very Heart: 100 Years in Remote Australia is an album of memories and reflections, pictures and stories; a marvellous tribute to the people engaged in ministry throughout the great heartland of Australia. It is a story of outstanding mission activity by the Church in Australia, presented in a way which is creative, challenging, educational and inspiring. The reader meets people face to face who have lived this ministry in many diverse places – stations, mining towns and isolated communities beyond the coastal fringe; people who make up only seven percent of the Australian population. The story begins in 1912 with the establishment of the Australian Inland Mission by the Presbyterian Church, with the Rev John Flynn as its first Director – a position he held for 40 years. Blessed with the luminous qualities of resilience and hope, Flynn’s vision was to provide a mantle of safety across the outback. The essential element of that monumental task was appointing a network of dedicated padres to cover the nation (currently there are 21 patrol ministers), and the provision of medical help in clinics and hospitals in strategic locations. In 1917, a young pilot named Clifford Peel heard of Flynn’s difficulties in the outback and outlined a proposal for aerial medical services. It took Flynn nearly ten years to accomplish this amazing project, which later became the organization we know as the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Thanks to these “angels of the bush”, the world’s first portable pedal radio was invented and solutions were developed to meet the needs of various groups in crisis. Much of what Flynn dreamed of has come true, but much more is still required for those who live across the outback. Prior to the 1977 formation of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA), this shared work of Presbyterians and Methodists in the outback led to what we now know as Frontier Services – a celebrated agency of the UCA.
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Rosemary Young, the Director of Frontier Services for the past 12 years and a passionate advocate for this ministry across Australia, describes the continuing task: “We can, and will, provide the listening ear, the supportive shoulder, the outstretched arms.” With its amazing range of photos and vivid text, this book is a magnificent tribute to 100 years of ministry in the heart of our vast nation. It captures those involved, both past and present, and outlines the many challenges and opportunities which have helped to fulfil Flynn’s vision. This is a book to treasure and enjoy! Rodger Bassham
The reader meets people face to face who have lived this ministry in many diverse places—stations, mining towns and isolated communities beyond the coastal fringe; people who make up only seven percent of the Australian population.
reviews Provocative indeed!
Life hurts, God heals...
Book: Arousing the Spirit: Provocative Writings Author: Susan McCaslin Recommended for: the discerning mystic In short: Creative stories and testimony to a spirited life. Available from: MediaCom RRP: $33.75
Book: Broken Hearts & New Creations: Intimations of a Great Reversal Author: James Alison Recommended for: anyone looking for God in the machinations of the Church In short: A timely message of a genuine hope in God despite the hurts of the Church. Available from: Koorong stores RRP: $29.95
This book certainly lives up to its title! Through her creative and thought-provoking writing, Susan McCaslin indeed calls forth the Spirit in each reader. McCaslin is both poet and mystic, and this book shares part of her playful, arousing, and profound journey with the Spirit. This book is probably not for everyone. McCaslin is certainly not always orthodox in her approach, but she approaches the biblical text and her spiritual quest with a freshness and openness that is rare. At several points while reading this book, I found myself in disagreement with the specifics of McCaslin’s thinking. However, I also found myself open to hearing what the Spirit might be saying. Mystical readings are sometimes like that. This is the sort of book that I want to run out to buy several copies of – not because I want my friends to believe everything it has to say, but because it calls forth something in the soul. It is in part practical and in other ways evocative. Well worth the read. John Hughes
“Sin is boringly normal: excitement lies in practicing virtue.” James Alison is an English priest currently based in Brazil who writes on ethical topics within the Catholic tradition, including questions of sexuality, friendship, and working through pain. This book is a call to the Church to return to the pastoral nature of Christ’s work, caring for the individuals in the crowd and finding ways of inviting outsiders into enjoy the fellowship of local believers. This book makes for hard reading. Academic jargon and wordiness often hide the simple beauty of Alison’s message that God is love and God wants to offer and receive love above all other acts of devotion and service. This is not the account of a priest’s loss of faith; rather it is a pastor’s search for hope and joy in a tradition that has at times been oppressive and ignorant of the human needs of its adherents. This book is worth reading for the ultimate message of a genuine hope in God despite the hurts of the Church. Damien Tann
Hope for a better world
The Church and humour? Oh dear!
Book: Suffer the Children Author: Andrew White Recommended for: everyone In short: A book about caring for ‘little people’ in Baghdad and beyond. Available from: Koorong stores RRP: $24.99
Book: 10 Second Sermons ... and even quicker illustrations Author: Milton Jones Recommended for: those who have a sense of humour about church life In short: A short, sharp book that is both challenging and comedic. Available from: bookdepository.com RRP: $9.29
Andrew White is an Anglican priest with multiple sclerosis who is known as the ‘Vicar of Baghdad’, or simply ‘Daddy’ to many children. In war-torn Baghdad, as well as Israel/Palestine and the US, White says what matters most is that children know they are loved. He admits that things don’t look good for many of the children of Iraq who are often physically and psychologically damaged by conflict. Yet he has a hope that he believes the children share – hope in the man who said, “Let the little children come to me.” White shares personal details about his own curious childhood and adult life; colour photos help to share this compelling story as do pictures drawn by the children White comes into contact with. I wanted to know more about this amazing man so have ordered his earlier book, The Vicar of Baghdad, to find out more of his story. Watch this space for the review! Glenys Badger
This little book has a lot of clout and rattled the bars of my religious cage. Milton Jones is an English comedian known for his sharp one-liners. In this book, he applies his style of comedy to the life of the Church, the Christian faith and other aspects of the religious life. Like any good comedian he turns things upside down and inside out to make us look at them in a different way, not always for our comfort. I read this book of eighty pages in about twenty minutes with great delight and satisfaction, and found myself nodding in agreement with many of his puns and anecdotes. The book is not all jokes, often revealing Jones’ own Christian beliefs and his profound, sharp theological insights. At the serious level, Jones challenges readers to look afresh at their Christian faith and its place in their lives. As a warning, it has to be said that it is not a book for those in the Church who are easily offended by humour related to religion. Ray Creevy
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(L-R) Eva Manyon, Nyamal Tear, Aluel Kuol, Achok Mading, Agum Deng, Ayak Akech.
The smiles of flour-bombed and shaving cream covered teens were more difficult to wipe off than the mess they were covered in.
Alex Walker from Murray Bridge enjoying the ‘tribal games’
Thrills, chills and Sunday spills Bindy Taylor
It was a multicultural South Australian Youth Camp Out (SAYCO) in 2012 with many young people uniting as first- and ancient-generation teenage Australians from India, Sudan, Ghana, Liberia and Australia, both Aboriginal and nonAboriginal. There was a heightened sense of God’s favour and presence throughout the three days of SAYCO. Scott Hawkins, Pastor and Mission Mentor from Compassion, encouraged youth to utilise their Godgiven gifts in incredible ways through the theme of ‘True Identity’. The camp offered a number of activities including a carnival and group time on
Saturday, and workshops on the Sunday. Workshop sessions ranged from the extremely popular ‘How to create a video’ session to the important ‘How to party safely’ session. There was also a broad range of faith-based presentations such as ‘Listening to God's voice in discerning my direction’ and ‘How to write and be creative with prayer’. Open, gender-specific forums for boys and girls helped the 12–17 year old campers to further explore the SAYCO theme with discussions on relationships, leadership and spiritual formation. As always, ‘Tribal Games’ united young people within an unleashed mix of flour,
water, shaving cream and dirt After a welcome clean-up effort, campers experienced a powerful prayer session. As people united in worship on the Sunday evening, there were tears and hugs; groups stood with their arms around each other as God’s Spirit moved through SAYCO. The evening of worship and prayer was a highlight for many of the hundreds of youth as they came to understand their own faith more fully.
“SAYCO was amazing. The worship band was excellent, Scott Hawkins was spot on. There seemed to be a real fervency amongst some of the youth groups, and a really positive vibe generally. My feeling was that there was a heightened sense of God 's favour and presence. I came away really encouraged”. Rev Dean Whittaker, Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (SA)