New Times - September 2011 by Synod of SA

September 2011

Ethics & living Issue 30, No 8 September 2011

expanding the spectrum

Overviewing an ethic Children, contraception and covenant pp.10-11

Hungry Hare Cafe Turns sweet sixteen p. 24

iStock ref: : Cover: nu_andrei; p.9 sjlocke;p. 10 DaydreamsGirl, p.14 ImagineGolf; p.16 jondpatton

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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 sa.uca.org.au/new-times-home. Articles and advertising do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor. Phone: (08) 8236 4200 1300 766 956 (toll free from regional areas) Fax: (08) 8236 4201 Email: presbyterysynod@sa.uca.org.au

Journalist Louise Heinrich e. lheinrich@sa.uca.org.au

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Street address: Level 2, 212 Pirie St, Adelaide Postal address: GPO Box 2145, Adelaide SA 5001

The Climate Clock is running out of time for Climate Change. How can we turn â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;love your neighbourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; into globally-friendly climate-behaviours, without the guilt?

I’m a loud mouth. And I’m incredibly passionate about an awful lot of things. Amongst my friends, it’s quite common to joke about my ‘easy going’, ‘shy’, ‘wallflower’ type personality and how I am always lacking for something to say, or an opinion to host. Somewhere though, between teenage angst and my mid-late twenties, I realised that it was possible, and often better, to learn to hold my tongue. And it had very little to do with my ‘conversion’.

In my late twenties though, as part of my ongoing journey of faith, I disciplined myself toward being less my-opinion-isbetter-than-yours, but I began to realise

The vigour, the passion was still there, but I’d totally lost the ability to fight a good fight. Because I had fought badly for so long, I had (unbeknownst to my love of opinions) thrown the opinion-baby out with its arguing-water. But I believe there are some things worth fighting for. I also think the ‘how’ of our fighting is really important. Often when we start to share our values and ethics, we get a bit steamed, without even feeling it, and then things are said that can’t be taken back.

Together we find peace – and we do whatever we can to seek this. When we live for what we believe in, we have something to fight for, and fight about. The mark of our true self is in how that fight plays out.

*Hmmm. Seemed right at the time.

There is an art to fighting which requires balance, creativity and, hopefully, some sincerity and heart.

I remember several (if not more) very bossy telling-offs of people who ‘needed’ my opinion on how they should be running their life. I wasn’t offering them my opinion because I cared, or because I thought it would better them, but because I was right*.

that in my attempt at peacemaking, I was not being a diplomat, as much as I was often just being a mat.

It’s OK to have a heated discussion. But know your limits. Know when to cool off, laugh it off, count to ten – whatever works for you. But don’t shy away from having difficult discussions because it’s a bit uncomfortable.

Slippery issues ..... Rev Rob Williams

My first holidays as a newly ordained minister took me and the family to one of our capital cities to catch up with long lost relatives. On one of the 40+ degree celsius days, we found ourselves in the swimming pool of an exclusive boys’ college with a friend who was a teacher there. Its chapel dominated the whole campus and there were statues of former headmasters, most with clerical collars, lining the walkways to this impressive place of worship.

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We were joined in the pool by another staffer and her family, also seeking relief from the heat. I was introduced as ‘a minister’. To my surprise, I was asked, “And what is your portfolio?”

“No, not that kind of minister,” replied my friend. “He’s a ‘priest-type’ minister.” End of conversation, worldrecord time to the other end of the pool – exit complete! I don’t usually have that effect on people. When meeting strangers in a non-church environment, most play the game of probing questions to determine the pecking order and, once they’ve got me sorted out in their own minds, it’s usually something like, “Don’t agree with what you lot are on about with the boat people,” or, “The church should keep out of political issues and leave it to those without such bias.” And then the fun starts. We are confronted with slippery issues in our lives every day. I find it curious that some people I meet do want to hear what I think about “the boat people” or “your attitude to Australians serving in Afghanistan” or “why you’re not doing anything about poker machines,” like it’s all up to me!

It’s been said that if you really want to liven up a dinner party, all that is needed is for someone to start talking about sex, politics and religion - not necessarily in that order. Having been present at a number of tables where these topics were raised, I would agree – they do make for a very interesting evening; not necessarily enlightening but, certainly, interesting. All these situations involve me in dealing with “ethics” – as one definition puts it – “those standards of conduct and moral judgement” by which my life is guided – “a code that you can follow and live by.” Some years ago, many in our youth groups wore wrist bands bearing the letters WWJD – “What Would Jesus Do?” – a helpful place to begin reflecting on how one might live one’s life, considering the life of Jesus in the Gospels. I heard again recently that only 10% of worshippers in mainline Australian churches read their Bibles between Sundays. If the scriptures are the Christian’s basic building blocks for ethical living, some of us haven’t even enrolled in Christian Ethics 101. It’s hard trying to deal with life’s slippery issues, though, without the basic foundation.

New radio show makes APY mark it's helping Anangu people obtain information that's of critical importance to them in their first language,” explains Jonathan Nicholls. “Until Rose came along, an important piece was missing from the Paper Tracker project. The radio program is changing the whole way the project works.” “There are well over 2500 Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara speakers in the APY lands,” says Rose. “I’m lucky enough to have grown up on my country and learnt the language - I feel that I have a skill and want to help get information out to my community so they can make better decisions. “The show is getting a lot of positive comments about how beneficial it is to people on the lands. It’s calming people down. They’re not suffering as much because they’re understanding.” Past attempts at creating open and equal dialogue with Anangu people haven’t been anywhere near as successful as the radio version of Paper Tracker. “In my experience, people out there are asked to make all sorts of decisions by Governments who drive in in

the morning and call everyone together,” reflects Jonathon. “People have very little, if any, information in their own language. Meetings consist of spending time getting to the starting point, and even then a decision often doesn’t get made.” Paper Tracker is an example of the church in action, working out the new relationship between the wider church of SA and this particular community of people. “We’re setting an example for churches while providing clear, honest and accessible information for Anangu

people around their services and politics within their community,” says Rev Peter McDonald. “We’re not only modelling something to the Government; we’re saying that the Anglo community needs to be in dialogue with Aboriginal communities. For this project, it’s about the remote communities, but it’s needed here in Salisbury and Adelaide too. It’s a part of reconciliation,” says Peter. To listen to previous recordings of Paper Tracker, or to find out more, visit the website: papertracker.com.au/ radioshow

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A weekly radio program communicating Government decisions and promises to the Anangu people of the APY lands in their own languages is proving successful, according to presenter, Rose Lester. Produced at Radio Adelaide by Jonathon Nicholls and Rev Peter McDonald from UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide, the program, Paper Tracker, reaches across the APY lands and as far as Alice Springs, with news and information presented in Pitjantjatjara/ Yankunytjatjara and English. Paper Tracker originally began as a website, collating information about Government comment on issues in the APY Lands and keeping track of promised commitments. While it has been successful at keeping track of the Government – Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Grace Portolesi describes it as the ‘bane of her life’ – the website has not been as successful in understandably communicating this information to the Anangu people. “We're really excited about the radio show and the way

A new weekly radio program communicating Government decisions and promises in Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara and English is proving successful thanks to Rev Peter McDonald, Rose Lester and Jonathon Nicholls.

Productivity Commission Report a welcome start In August, UnitingCare Australia welcomed the Productivity Commission’s final report into disability care and support, and the Prime Minister’s endorsement of a National Disability Insurance Scheme.

support a priority, and the creation of an advisory committee, including experienced community representatives, is a demonstration of the partnerships needed for a better deal for people with disabilities.

“These reforms signal that the Federal Government is stepping up to the social challenges of our time,” commented Lin Hatfield Dodds, UnitingCare National Director.

“The expertise and commitment of communities and carers built the momentum for this reform; their experience will be essential for the successful design and implementation of the changes.”

“We welcome the Government’s intention to make disability care and

The Productivity Commission has

proposed a seven-year timeline for the full implementation of the Scheme, beginning with a trial in Victoria in 2014. “This Scheme will change not only the lives and experiences of people with disabilities, but will make Australia a more equitable and just society. “UnitingCare Australia and the UnitingCare network is committed to positive change in the disability sector and look forward to working with the State, Territory and Federal Government to implement this much needed reform.”

Placements news: Placements finalised since the last edition of New Times: Rev Darren Lovell to Burra (0.7) from 1 September 2011 Rev Anne Hewitt as Chaplain to The Lodge, Eldercare from 15 August 2011 Mr Peter Riggs (Candidate for MOW) to Playford from 1 January 2012 INDUCTIONS Rev Mark Hewitt Crossways 13 September 2011 (TBC) Rev Richard Banham Tea Tree Gully 27 September 2011 7.30pm Â

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Congress and Presbytery Inductions and Commissionings Synod Office Wed 21 September 2011 10.00am Denise Champion, State Development and Outreach Officer Covenanting Officer Melissa Cellier, State Children and Family Ministry Coordinator Rev Beth Seaman, Mission Officer, Urban Rev Adam, Tretheway International Mission Officer

Assembly 2012 The 13th National Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia will meet in Adelaide, 15-21 July 2012. This is an exciting time for the Church and for our Presbytery Synod. As the host Synod, we are in the unique position of installing our own Rev Dr Andrew Dutney as National President during the Opening Worship and Installation Service. This public service will be held at The Entertainment Centre on Sunday 15 July, 7.30pm. All members of our congregations are invited to attend and free tickets will be available early next year for distribution. The Assembly will be meeting for business at the Grand Chancellor Hotel 65 Hindley Street, Adelaide, with members staying onsite. Nominations to be part of the 13th Assembly will be received and elected at the next Presbytery Synod meeting, to be held at Adelaide West Uniting Church, 27-29 October. Pre-nomination forms are available from administrator, Gwenda Kerley. If you are able to volunteer your time and support, Gwenda would be delighted to hear from you. Contact: Gwenda Kerley p. 8236 4283 e. gkerley@sa.uca.org.au

Malcolm Wilson, Associate General Secretary

8261 8211 All hours

www.ivanbutlerfunerals.com.au enquiries@ivanbutlerfunerals.com.au 26 OG Road Klemzig SA 5087

AUSTRALIAN FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

Geoff Lewis General Manager

Storing up hope in the Copper Triangle Moss Potter (on behalf of the UCCT Board)

A well-earned cup of tea for three men involved with UnitingCare Copper Triangleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much-needed new storage facility.

Rev Rob Stoner

The rain has come. The drought is over. This seems to be the attitude of the government as funding for support workers is withdrawn from the Riverland region. More than 500 families across the Riverland are caught in a cycle of despair and hopelessness. Fruit growers are still doing it tough. Many have taken exit grants; some have walked off their property whilst others have bought in water and accrued massive debts. Those still surviving have faced the ravages of unseasonal weather and low commodity prices. One light in the midst of this is the presence of Family & Business Mentors (FAB Scouts). They visit growers and their families in their homes and assist them to tap into professional support. After government funding withdrew, only three FAB Scouts were left but then came an idea: the funds could be raised locally. A consortium of community organisations pooled their funds together to enable the FAB Scouts to continue. The local Uniting Church obtained a $5000 grant, while a FAB Scout encouraged Riverland congregations to raise over $3000, and are looking to employ a Children & Families Outreach Worker. These churches opened their hearts and their wallets to respond to this missional need. If you or your congregation feel moved to assist us in funding the FAB Scouts, contact: Rob Stoner p. 8582 2524 e. rhstoner@adam.com.au

John Chase ajchase@riverland.net.au

The rain may be falling in the Riverland again, but the fruit trees are still struggling, as are the growers.

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On Sunday 31 July, the cooperative spirit of Copper Triangle celebrated as UnitingCare opened its new storage facility. After two years in planning and six months of work on-site, the large shed was created to meet the urgent need for assistance in setting up new homes by providing immediate access to donated furniture and homewares. While the resources to build the facility were obtained through SA Government and UnitingCare grants and funding, $15,000 of in-kind assistance was provided by the local community and UnitingCare Copper Triangle (UCCT) volunteers in order to complete the project. The storage facility will be responding to requests from UnitingCare Wesley Country and Families SA to furnish a rental property for a variety of clients: elderly, indigenous, single mother or father, and the poor. At the opening event, Mayor Paul Thomas commended UCCTs dedication to supporting the disadvantaged; a number which he claims is escalating due to the increasing wealth divide. Jane Gersch and Joy Bull cut the ribbon to open the shed, as their properties were used for emergency assistance prior to the new facility. Roger Norris-Green prayed and dedicated the facility to Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in the community. UCCT wishes to sincerely thank UnitingCare SA, Uniting Church SA and Property Trust for assistance with grants and legal issues.

Funding the FAB scouts

Time to assist in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis

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Alistair Gee

A famine was declared in southern Somalia on 20 July. 10 million people in the region are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The drought over the past few years has affected people across the Horn of Africa. Many Kenyans and Ethiopians are in urgent need of assistance, and Act for Peace’s partners are at work providing food packages and distributing water. They are easier to reach than the war-torn communities of Somalia. The Egyptians once referred to Somalia as Ta netjer, “God’s land”. Now, a civil war which began in 1991 wages on. The lack of centralised control, combined with an illicit arms trade has led to periods of fighting and widespread use of small arms. This war has displaced 20 per cent of the entire population and made it the least peaceful country on earth according to the Global Peace Index. Al-Shabaab, a group aligned with al-Qaeda, controls much of southern Somalia and until recently refused to allow humanitarian assistance. Last month, 55,000 Somalis fled across the borders into Ethiopia and Kenya. One aid worker from the south of Somalia describes a desperate situation: “People are walking for more than a week to reach safety in border camps, and are forced to make the painful decision to leave weak and disabled ones behind. Act for Peace is working with partners in Somalia in providing humanitarian assistance. Our partners hope to provide life-saving assistance to over 200,000 famine-affected people in the Gedo region and to those who have fled to Mogadishu. They will also increase support for refugees in Dadaab camp, providing basic needs and psychosocial support. Much more needs to be done and we desperately need your help to do it. This is an unprecedented humanitarian crisis . As God’s people, let’s help God’s land. To give to Act for Peace’s Horn of Africa emergency appeal, please visit www.actforpeace.org.au or free call 1800 025 101.

After trekking for a month across east Africa, two Somali women wait with their children on 21 July to be registered in the Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya. Tens of thousands of newly arrived Somalis have swelled the population of what was already the world’s largest refugee camp. PHOTO: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance

A Uniting ordination On Sunday 21 August, the Uniting Church SA celebrated five ordinations: Christa Megaw as Deacon and Dr Vicky Balabanski, Coralie Evans, David Hoffman and Titus Ng as Ministers of the Word. As part of this service, the Presbytery of South Australia invited Bishop Devasahayam of the Madras Diocese, Church of South India at Vicky’s request. The Church of South India union in 1947 inspired the Uniting Church founders, as it brought Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists and Anglicans together. By involving the South Indian bishop, Vicky hoped to pursue the Uniting Church's vision of breaking down barriers between the churches in Australia. Since 2007, Vicky had viewed this ecumenical presence as an important part of her ordination. Married to an Anglican priest, Vicky was hoping that such a gesture could support mutual recognition between the Uniting and Anglican Churches. Bishop Devasahayam visited Adelaide from 19-26 of August. The purpose of his visit was to participate in the laying on of hands in Vicky’s ordination. As well as being thrilled by her ordination and the presence of Bishop Devasahayam, Vicky is optimistic that this will be the beginning of a stronger working relationship between the two churches.

Ethics The world is full of very complex issues, ones that challenge us physically, emotionally, spiritually – and ethically. It’s often the ethical ones that have us polarised, and fuming, over our differences. One of the difficulties with ethics is that there is rarely a black and white, they can live and thrive within the shades of grey in between. Reading in the greys may not mean letting go of your own values – it might just mean allowing someone else to share their values with you in the hope of mutual respect.

Potter pop culture gives a magical insight In 1997, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley sprang from the pages of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and into the imaginations of children and adults alike. This was the first of seven fantasy novels to be released over the course of seven years. The books have been immensely popular, as have their film adaptations. As of June 2011, the book series had sold approximately 450 million copies, been translated into 67 languages, and the last four books had consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history. The Harry Potter series has been a phenomenon, tracing the stories of main characters, Harry, Hermione and Ron, as they attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Which is where a lot of the criticism and controversy, particularly from Christians, has sprung from. Viewed

as Satanic, evil and occult indoctrination because of its use of magical spells and themes, the books created an uproar in Christian circles. They continue to be banned from Christian schools, never to grace library shelves, teachers unable to discuss them with their students and most definitely not able to incorporate them onto their curriculum. Because of the magical element, many have outlawed Harry Potter, but the stories of Harry and his friends help children and adults understand what it means to come of age, to experience community, to face hardships, to own up to responsibility, and to come to terms with loss, injustice and an attempt to understand the gravity of death itself. The darkness of the themes and the significance of death become more overt throughout the series, as does the complexity of magic, intelligence of language

usage, and genuine maturing of characters in all facets, relationally, physically and emotionally. So as Christians, what do we do with this? For many, the idea of reading Harry Potter themselves, or allowing their children to, is akin to endorsing witchcraft. For others, they have grown in their love of the books, and indeed, feel as though they have grown with the characters. This series changed the face of children’s literature. Where children were shutting off from books for the sake of video games, Harry Potter hooked them into a different world, where their brains were expanded and their imaginations were nourished. Rowling’s careful penning meant that those that started the Potter journey at the beginning, increased their vocabulary, learned to comprehend and articulate more complex themes, and have a greater understanding

that things are not always as black and white as they seem. Sadly, many Christians wouldn’t even consider that there may be a benefit to these books, instead thrusting only Christian fiction into their children’s hands. While many parents wish they could wave their wands and infuse their children with appropriate morals, it is through texts such as Harry Potter that kids learn to make up their own mind, how to be courageous in the face of hardship, and how to tousle with the battle between good and evil – whatever face that may have. Perhaps it is worth considering the more complex nuances of pop culture before we condemn it all to blasphemy. CR

Rev Dr Andrew Dutney

When I was a child in the 1960s, I didn’t know anyone whose mother wasn’t Mrs someone. I was dimly aware that some of my friends were adopted. I’d heard that older girls sometimes, ‘got into trouble,’ and that some couples, ‘had to get married,’ although I had no idea what that meant. Aside from the kids who came to my school from the Salvation Army home a couple of suburbs away, every other child I knew was looked after by a married couple or a widow.

Ethics

When I was a child, I didn’t know any kids whose parents were divorced. Certainly, there were a few who didn’t see much of their father. He was ‘away’, presumably temporarily in another town or country for work. The only kid I knew whose mother worked was one of those. His dad was ‘away’. In those days families were big. I was one of five children and plenty of my friends were in families of a similar size or bigger. We took a lot of looking after – full-time Mums. Whatever happened to ‘nice’ families? They used to be all pretty much the same. Now every family seems to be put together differently. Sociologists tell us that the nuclear family has been disintegrating for the past 200 years, throughout the modern industrial period. They also tell us that the ideal of a man earning a living wage to support an unemployed wife and children in a single-family home which he was buying only existed for one generation, from the mid-1940s until the late-1960s. The disintegration of the nuclear family still feels very recent though as the key events have happened in my lifetime. The accessibility of no-fault divorce normalised sole-parent households which increased dramatically the number and variety of blended families. Progress towards work-equality for women and the introduction of anti-discrimination

legislation made husbands an economic option rather than an economic necessity. The availability of reliable female contraception in the early 1960s finally broke the link between sex and procreation and, consequently between sex and marriage. The decriminalisation of male homosexuality in Australia between 1972 and 1997, and the gradual relocation of same-sex parenting within the range of normality, has added another dimension to parent-teacher nights, family reunions, and ministry with children. Astonishing developments in Assisted Reproductive Technology – from IVF to egg freezing, from sex selection to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis of embryos – provide the technical means for people to form families in whatever way they choose. Lutheran theologian and ethicist Ted Peters observes that the prevailing culture in societies like ours is characterised by the high value placed on choice. This is nowhere more evident than in the area of marriage and family formation. Peters maintains that Christian ethics have to respond to their cultural context to have any real role in the lives and discipleship of contemporary people. In particular, in a culture of choice, Christian ethics have to involve reflecting on what choosing well means for followers of Jesus. Peters says that, “the concept of covenant – the concept of a freely

entered into promise to remain faithful – could and should be applied to the relationship parents enter into with their children… a covenant to love children means that we will treat children as ends and not merely means to fulfil someone else’s desires.” In South Australia, the Assisted Reproduction Treatment Act 1988 the legislators sought to put the child at the centre and its interests above those of the prospective parent/s, any already existing siblings, grandparents, doctors, medical researchers or anyone else. It requires that the welfare of children, “must be treated as being of paramount importance,” in the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology. This is an ethical principle that ought to make sense to Christians too.

Christians certainly know that the Old Testament provides a bewildering number of possibilities for the family. The message of God’s covenant-making, covenant-keeping love though, as read in the stories of Noah, Moses, David and, supremely, in Christ, is the good news of God’s choice to be our God and to be faithful to that choice - and a good place to start when discussing the necessary centrality of children within the ethical sphere. So, how to construct a Christian ethic? One place is to start with the most vulnerable – in the instance of family, the most vulnerable are likely to be children.

Another time, when the disciples were trying to send away the people who were bringing their children to be blessed by Jesus, he got angry. He told them that unless they heard his message the way the children did, from a child’s point of view, they couldn’t hear it at all. Unless they received his ministry like children, through a child’s eyes, they weren’t getting it at all. In fact, “anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (Mark 10:13-16). We know that families are put together in so many ways now. As we keep thinking this through together our challenge is to keep in front of us the child that Jesus puts in the midst of his disciples.

Some resources for further reading Child Theology Movement www.childtheology.org Andrew Dutney, Playing God: ethics and faith (Melbourne: HarperCollins, 2001) Andrew Dutney, “Surrogacy: our next ministry challenge”, Australian leadership, Vol 4, Issue 1, May-June 2011, pp.4-5 Ted Peters, For the love of children: genetic technology and the future of the family (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1966)

Ethics

Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who was the most important. Jesus put a child in the middle of them to show them the crucial thing they weren’t getting (Matthew 18:1-5). He then warned the disciples of the terrible fate in store for any of them who made things difficult for

children who trusted in him (verse 6). And he told them the parable of the lost sheep to explain how radical God’s love for each one of the children was. They needed to see children the same way. It wasn’t optional (verses 10-14).

There’s a place at the table for you to make a difference in your church...

your community...

your world...

One Mission, Many Expressions. Mission is more than collecting blankets, knitting jumpers, handing out soup, preaching on Sunday, going overseas, teaching children... Mission has many expressions. Have you ever thought that mission could be using your gifts and skills in serving on a board, committee or council? This doesn’t fit our typical ideas of mission... but it is! Our founding document, The Basis of Union, tells us that there is no gift without its corresponding service: all ministries have a part in the ministry of Christ. We are called, every one of us to play a part in the life and mission of Christ’s Church. Not just that blanket collector, knitter, soup cook or teacher and not just that Reverend..... EVERYONE. In our church, there are many services which are looking for your gifts. In fact without Uniting Church members, our governing boards cannot plan for the todays and tomorrows of Christ’s mission. I have been privileged to spend time with many governing boards and I’ve found the experience very rewarding. It’s amazing to be a part of the Church “at work in the world” and to see the inner workings and how everyone’s experiences and talents mesh together. After all, Paul reminded us that we are all one body. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but many. If the foot would say to the hand, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body... If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? (1 Corinthians 12:12-31) If one of us is missing, the whole body will feel it. The Body of Christ is waiting for you to find a new way to use your gifts and skills in service, so get on the internet and Jump on Board today! - Rev. Rob Williams, Moderator

I’ve always seen myself in a support role. I didn’t realise my skills would be useful on a board.

EVERYONE

has something to contribute and every contribution is vital.

I’ve always thought you needed to have more life experience to add value to a board. I didn’t know I could join now.

Please see the brochure included in this magazine. Register your interest at unitingdirector.sa.uca.org.au If you would like more information about how you can serve in this way, please contact us: governance@sa.uca.org.au

Louise Heinrich

Ethics

Magazines dedicated to ‘glamour, fun, and style’ are ready to ‘encourage’ you to a ‘better you’. Perfect-looking, thin, white women fill page after glossy page, boasting flawless skin, ample cleavage and parted, shining lips, amidst headlines like:

“Cameron’s bikini bod – Sexy or Scary?” “Flawless on the Field” “How to Burn Fat Faster!” “Twitter Yourself Thin!” Celebrity magazines urge us to criticise women’s figures, and by analysing their bodies, we scrutinise our own.The models’ true forms have all-but disappeared underneath a flurry of merciless airbrushing, while their promise lures you, “Yes! You too can be gorgeous if you buy product X...” Author Naomi Wolf calls this unattainable ideal The Beauty Myth. According to Wolf, women are being forced to conform to an unrealistic standard of beauty defined by the media. In advertising, TV and film, women (and increasingly, men) who fit the archetype of beauty are

depicted as normal, simply through sheer repetition. Our culture has defined beauty in a maddeningly shallow way. Mainstream media tends to disregard the wonderful diversity of shapes, colours and sizes which populate our world, rendering them invisible. Without an alternative or challenge to archetypal beauty, we are taught to believe that those whom we see in the media are what every woman (or man) should look like, resulting in a fierce cycle of body-dissatisfaction, and a consequent spike in consumer activity. Growing rates of plastic surgery and the billion-dollar beauty industry depend on us to be continuously unsatisfied with our appearances. In adherence to the consumer system, our concept of beauty is designed to be just beyond our grasp. It never ends, and neither does the cosmetic industry’s profit. As Christians attempting to live under biblical principles, we may believe that we are immune to the beauty ideals which pervade our culture. But, like many values which trickle into our consciousness, the way that we view beauty is so accepted and ingrained that often, we don’t recognise it - or think to question it.

Humbly, we must examine our true understanding and acceptance of the Beauty Myth, and how it influences our ideas of ourselves and others. Kahlil Gibran said, ‘Beauty is not in the face; beauty

is a light in the heart.’ The Lebanese-American poet passed away in 1931, and did not live to see our imageobsessed culture. One could question if this statement is still relevant. How do you define beauty?

Fence-sitters anonymous Rev Jennifer Hughes

Why does this issue spark such passion, conviction and confusion? Certainly our experiences of death and dying largely shape our stance on this issue. Seeing loved ones suffer or having an opportunity for reconciliation at the end of life provide the emotional background for this controversial issue. But in the current climate we are being asked to consider much more than simply our own personal experiences. It has become a question to which we as a society must respond. For some people the choice of when to die is simply not ours to make, which complicates euthanasia with questions around suicide and abortion. For others euthanasia is a compassionate and merciful act, which is confounded by notions of the sanctity of human life. It is evident that for medical practitioners there are significant legal ramifications, which are frequently the focus and concern of conversations, but this says nothing of the spiritual and emotional consequences of such responsibilities. For some people having the autonomy to decide when to die is of supreme concern, while others are concerned as to whether individuals will actually have this autonomy or whether financial, health, and family concerns may influence them to make a decision that is irreversible. The vulnerable become more vulnerable. You may be reading this and thinking – she is totally fence sitting. Well, honestly, yes – I am. I don’t think the answers are clear-cut, for churches or society. But I am absolutely certain that we must have these conversations with one another and in the church. Since the forum, I have had conversations both within the Brougham Place community and beyond it. One of the year 12s who was present at the forum has made this the focus of an ethics assignment for Religious Studies and has had a number of us completing surveys. The forum

has provided space to talk about our fears, permission to share stories and opportunities for healing. The answers are not clear cut and simplistic; they require thought and discernment by Christian churches, people of all faiths and the whole of society. If there was a magic wand to know the will of God and legislate accordingly it would make life much easier. Unfortunately, we know that such claims usually turn out to be false and have resulted in abuse in God’s name over the centuries. So instead, we muddle our way through – praying, reading Scripture, sharing with one another, using our God given skills of intellect and reason. Above all, being open to listening, hearing and sharing the journey together. So, where would God stand on the issue of euthanasia – the answer is obvious isn’t it? On the side of compassion and the vulnerable. Oh wait – which side is that?

Ethics

Following a recent community forum at Brougham Place Uniting Church on Euthanasia: Life, Faith and Politics – Perspectives of the challenge of difficult end-of-life experiences, I received some anonymous, strongly-worded mail, making all kinds of accusations and assumptions about my beliefs around euthanasia. I wasn’t one of the speakers and didn’t have a specific position on the issue. I was simply on the organising team for the event and quoted in The Advertiser as encouraging such community conversation. The night had included presentations from Rev Gayle McClimont, chaplain at Helping Hand Aged Care; Dr Lawrie Palmer, Director of Palliative Care Services at Modbury Hospital; and Rev Dr Craig de Vos, Minister at North Adelaide Baptist Church and representative of Christians for Euthanasia. Julie Redman, lawyer with Alderman Redman and chair of the UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide Board, provided a legal perspective on the current bill before South Australian parliament. These speakers provided diverse perspectives, experiences and expertise when approaching the choices we can and can’t make when our loved ones or we are suffering and dying. The motivation for such a forum sprung from a house group that had been interested in the issue for some time but unsure how to tackle it and felt it may be best presented to a larger setting. There was intense interest in the evening – from the Brougham Place Uniting Church community, the wider Uniting Church and also the community. At the end of the evening it was not evident whether the response from those gathered was largely for or against euthanasia (nor was this the purpose of the evening) but what was highly evident was just how emotionally charged people are about this issue.

Ethics

Louise Heinrich For 26 years, the Sri Lankan Civil War forced death and destruction on its population. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (known in international media as terrorist organisation Tamil Tigers) are a separatist military organisation, which repeatedly attempted to create an independent state of Tamil Eelam in the nation’s northeast. For more than a quarter of a century, the Tamils created banks, hospitals, schools and a television station in their language while the Sri Lankan government has denied them a separate state. Though it has been two years since the war has finished, the Sri Lankan people are still attempting to pick up the pieces of a country blown apart by atrocious human rights violations. Just before Sri Lanka defeated the LTTE in June 2009, the fighting increased, with an estimated death toll of 40,000, between January and May that year. Earlier this year, ABC screened the BBC Channel 4 documentary ‘The Killing Fields’, which introduced

new evidence of war crimes committed by both sides during the war. The graphic and disturbing documentary showed: • Footage, shot by mobile phones, of point-blank executions; • Bodies of dead Tamils, including women in poses suggesting sexual abuse had occurred; • A Tamil woman speaking of how she and her daughter were gangraped by Sri Lankan Army soldiers.; • Evidence that the Sri Lankan Army systematically bombed hospitals and civilians, under the oversight of senior military and government officials. During wartime, the International Red Cross sends delegates to hospitals, to take GPS coordinates of the buildings. These details are sent to both sides as clear and distinct ‘No Fire Zones’, to ensure that hospitals are not inadvertently bombed. In the final weeks of the civil war, however, the International Red Cross’ coordinates, instead of offering a safe haven to displaced people,

were used for quick, targeted attacks on hospitals. No Fire Zones are nonnegotiable under international law. The Sri Lankan army ignored their wartime obligations, according to Britain’s Channel Four exposé, blatantly disregarding international law and the obligations of human decency. The LTTE were not without fault either, using civilians as human shields, allegedly employing child soldiers in battle, preventing people from leaving No Fire Zones by force, and shelling supply lines of food and medicine. Both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE deny the actions attributed to them through the documentary. The Sri Lankan government remains adamant that civilian deaths in the fighting were essential to destroying the LTTE, overlooking war crime culpability. The Sri Lankan President has told Channel 4 that they are not welcome in his country, until they recant their claims. Much of the international community is urging the UN Secretary General to launch an independent investigation of the war crimes, so that

those responsible for these atrocities may face justice. International Humanitarian Law is in place to protect the most vulnerable during conflict, and to ensure that civilians are treated with respect and dignity whilst the country is in unrest. Amnesty International Asia-Pacific Director Sam Zarifi believes that, “Such a mechanism is crucial to avoid a horrifically negative precedent for lawless behaviour worldwide, and to act as a neutral and independent body to bring out the truth that must be at the heart of genuine reconciliation.” Though many struggle with the concept of war bringing justice, there are established settings for how this might be attempted. But when humanity is forgotten, war can bring no justice, and all that remains is destruction. Amnesty International and the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions have both certified that the footage used in the documentary, even that recorded on mobile phones, was authentic.

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

Mission Resourcing SA

Hearing, then speaking

Getting to know...

We have all witnessed the messiness around the change of Labor leadership. Of course we only had limited glimpses from politicians. The public face of the change was not good though; we can only presume that behind closed doors there were some very tough conversations. It did not always seem that the best interests of South Australia were paramount and not everyone was respectful. When we are having mission conversations the bigger picture does matter and there always needs to be respect. The writer of 1 Peter sums it up clearly: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3.15-16 We do need to be clear about how our life has changed through knowing Christ, but how we tell that story matters. A mission conversation is not about getting a prescribed outcome. Rather it is about loving the person that we are talking to. Acting with integrity is vital because this values the other person. I have found that when we listen carefully to people, when we take seriously what matters to them as well their circumstances, conversations continue and sooner rather than later turn to the deepest things of life.

Quiet, reflective Alan Brocklehurst is Uniting Church through and through – right to his diplomatic core. The 41 year old Web Education and Support officer is currently waiting for - and somewhat fearing – the arrival of his coming-soon third and fourth children. Yes twins will be blessing the Brocklehurst clan – with all the excitement, fear, exhaustion, sleep deprivation and fun that those new lives will bring.

REV ROD DYSON Executive Officer, Mission Resourcing SA

Family: Wife Heather, Jacob (7), Sam (5) and twins (TBA). Church: Adelaide West Uniting Church Background: Having grown up in the Uniting Church, I have served in many voluntary youth positions. This involvement increased when I arrived in SA, from Tasmania, after 10 years in local government administration, to take on a fulltime community youth outreach ministry position. Key decisions and faith growth have seemed to coincide with my involvement with the National Christian Youth Convention (NCYC) and it was an absolute delight to serve as the coordinator in 2005. Since then I have completed a Bachelor of Education (Middle School)/Arts and have been doing some contract teaching in a high school and tutoring at Flinders Uni. Why you wanted this job: I have always had a passion and interest in IT and using the resources of the Internet to share God’s word. I thought that this role would be the best fit to connect both my passion for technology and resourcing people, while providing me with the continued challenges that a satisfying job requires! Hopes for this role: I hope that the various aspects of this role can help resource people to engage with the tools of the Internet and share the amazing story of God’s grace.

Making a difference Jo Lohmeyer This October, South Australian youth are getting together to make a world of difference at the 21st SA Youth Camp Out (SAYCO). “God has such an enormous desire to use everyone, including young people, to make a difference in the world, which is something we so desperately need to feel in our spirits,” says Ralph Mayhew, SAYCO 2011 speaker. Ralph is looking forward to exploring ways in which we can make a world of difference through being a part of God’s revolution. We will be challenged by the way Jesus powerfully changed people, and what they did as agents for change – all explored through the lens of fresh, real faith within our current culture. Your group provides the tents, cooks and leaders; we provide an awesome program that helps think through faith and decision-making, workshops to help grow leaders, worship, community and small groups for exploring faith and living it out in a world that is always searching. All in an environment that is fun, relaxed and exciting! Ralph and the SAYCO leadership team are excited about the potential in every young person, in every church, to encounter and serve God in truly incredible ways. Don’t miss being a part of this movement! SAYCO is a 48 hour camp for youth aged 12-17 years, on 1-3 October at Woodcroft College. For more information visit sayco.sa.uca.org.au or find us on Facebook.

letters to ed

Celebrating a Walkerville identity Having been a member of the congregation for his entire life, it was only fitting that Bruce Whitehead’s funeral service would be celebrated at Walkerville Uniting Church. Bruce was an integral member of the Walkerville church and all the significant events in his spiritual journey occurred there – his baptism in 1940, his marriage to Raye in 1962, and the celebration of his life on 1 August, 2011. Bruce’s sudden death on 24 July, aged 71 years, shocked the Walkerville community, and a congregation of over 300 gathered to pay tribute to the life of this remarkable man. The service was conducted by the minister of Walkerville Uniting, Rev Geoff Ellery, and the preacher was Bruce’s brother-in-law, Rev Allan George. Moving eulogies were delivered by his wife, Raye, and their children Michael and Christine.

Almost every aspect of Walkerville Uniting Church life has benefitted from Bruce’s direct involvement. He taught Sunday School for 40 years – 28 as Sunday School Superintendent. He had a key role in the church’s financial affairs and property maintenance, chairing the committee that undertook the extensive rebuilding program. Bruce held numerous other positions including Chair of the congregation, Elder and Synod representative. Bruce loved to sing and, in retirement, joined the Metropolitan Male Choir, serving as Choir President and Overseas Tour Chairman. Highlights of his choir involvement were singing in Royal Albert Hall, London and the Sydney Opera House. In recognition of his service, Bruce was made a life member of the choir just days before his death. As a fitting tribute,

choir members sang some of Bruce’s favourite songs at the service – leading the congregation in the rousing “Guide me O thou Great Jehovah”. Prior to his retirement, Bruce worked for SA Water (previously E&WS) for 42 years, and held the office of Executive Manager, Customer Services. Bruce was also a keen sportsman, playing district cricket for North Adelaide, and later, tennis and basketball for many years. Retirement also gave Bruce the opportunity to indulge his interest in history, particularly as Chairman of the Friends of the Walkerville Wesleyan Cemetery. On Australia Day 2007, he was given the honour of Citizen of the Year in recognition of his service to the community and the church. For all of his public and professional activities, Bruce’s first love was his family. As was emphasised in each of

the eulogies, Bruce took great pride in the activities and achievements of his children and grandchildren. He always encouraged them. He will be greatly missed at Walkerville Uniting, but his passing will be especially felt by his much loved wife, Raye, his family and their children.

Bruce Whitehead was an integral member of the Walkerville Uniting Church, and will be sorely missed.

KILLING OFF THE GOOSE

TRULY BLESSED

Recent news reports suggest that the opening up of Roxby Downs copper/uranium using the big hole approach is imminent. This disturbs me on two fronts.

My wife Alysone (nee Wilson) and I (Dean Giles) celebrated our 60th Wedding Anniversary on 18 August, having married at Scots Uniting Church in North Terrace on that date in 1951. The officiating minister was the Reverend Giles (whom we belatedly found during family history research was a distant cousin.)

Firstly, I fear that our cash-strapped Labor Government will make unwise concessions in its haste to get a ‘golden egg’. One of these will be to allow BHP Billiton to build a desalination plant in upper Spencer Gulf, compromising the prawn and giant cuttlefish breeding areas. Secondly, Roxby is one of only a handful of similar sized world class mineral deposits. A national treasure of this magnitude should provide wealth and employment to Australians for hundreds of years – not tens. We sold Cooper Basin and Bass Strait oil and gas too quickly and too cheaply. Why the hurry? They will only get more valuable as the world population increases and minerals become scarce.

We are now living in Perth, having settled here over 40 years ago. As a metallurgist we have lived in several mining towns in Australia. We have three children, eight grand-children, and two greatgrandchildren, and look back on that happy day so long ago with much satisfaction and pride. We were truly blessed. D Giles, Perth

As an ex-geologist, I’m all for mining but slow down. Don’t kill off the goose. That way we can continue to sensibly harvest the golden eggs for a very long time. S Wicks, Clare 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.

50 years of outreach and blessings

Following on from last year’s launch of the 100 ways to spend quality time with your kids booklet, Uniting Church Uniting People is hosting a Family Fun Day to help provide lasting memories for families. On Sunday 16 October, a range of activities inspired by the 100 ways booklet will be set up on the oval at Pedare Christian College to create a fun day out for families, encouraging them to spend quality time together. “Life moves so fast, and with many commitments filling our days, it can be hard to just enjoy being a parent – or a child, for that matter,” says Sarah Urmston, Communications Officer and Event Coordinator. “This free event is about showing the community that the Uniting Church values families – of all shapes and sizes – and wants to encourage them to enjoy being a family. With games, face painting, free BBQ and more, it’ll be a great day - the more the merrier! “I encourage all congregations to invite families to the Fun Day.” The event runs from 11am – 3pm, on 16 October, at Pedare Christian College. Information is available from unitingpeople.org.au or contact Sarah Urmston: p. 8236 4260 e. surmston@sa.uca.org.au

BURNSIDE CITY UNITING CHURCH Women’s Evening Fellowship is holding a Fashion Parade at the church (384 Portrush Road) on Wednesday 7 September at 7.30pm. Fashions are by Collections Boutique. Supper provided. $10 tickets are available at the door. Proceeds will go to Schools Ministry and Dr Jon in Thailand. Enquiries: Marlene Richards, bmrichards@tpg.com.au STATE MISSION FELLOWSHIP meets on Tuesday 27 September, 10.30am at Scots Church. Lunch available. TIPARRA WEST UNITING CHURCH closing service takes place on 9 October at 2.00pm. For catering purposes, please RSVP by 30 September to Lloyd Geater-Johnson 0419 033 937, lloydgeater@ bigpond.com. WESLEY CHURCH KENT TOWN is holding its fourth 2011 Winter/ Spring series concert, continues the celebration of the historic JE Dodd organ with Organist, Dr Ray Booth and Pianist, Eu Jin Wong. 2pm Wednesday 21 September. Tickets at the door $10/$7 concession, includes afternoon tea. DRIVER RIVER CHURCH, Verran is celebrating its 100 years on 15 & 16 October. A book launch, an opening of improvements, and a Strawberry Fete is planned for Saturday afternoon, while Sunday brings a worship service and Sunday Music Group reunion. All past members welcome to attend. Enquiries: Bronwyn Smith kerryjbsmith@gmail.com. HYMN FEST Sunday 23 October from 1.00pm at The Corner Uniting Church. Enquiries: Mavis Thomas 8377 1921. WOODVILLE UNITING CHURCH invites you to come and hear the SA Police Dixie and Brass Band. Wednesday, 26 October at 7.30pm in the Church Hall (44 Woodville Road, Woodville). Entry is a donation of $10 with tea, coffee & biscuits provided. Proceeds in aid of the Q.E.H. Mental Health Chaplaincy.

To have your upcoming event or message published here, email diary@sa.uca.org.au with ‘Diary’ in the subject line.

diary notes

Seacombe Uniting Church will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary in the first two weeks of November. An Anniversary Committee chaired by Jan Jones has been planning a program of events to celebrate the occasion. “The aim of the Anniversary will be one of thanksgiving,” Jan says, “We’ll be praising God for bountiful blessings; honouring and remembering those who have helped to lead the church, and outlining a vision for the future.” Since 1961 the Seacombe congregation has been involved in mission, concentrating on the local community and nearby primary school. The Anniversary Committee has prepared an exciting program for the 50th Anniversary. On Friday 4 November there will be a congregation dinner, while on Sunday 6 November there will be a guest service with Rev Trevor O’Brien, followed by a luncheon. The celebrations will end on Sunday 13 November with a service and family picnic on the Clarendon Oval. All who have been associated with the Seacombe Church are cordially invited to attend the Anniversary events. Further information can be obtained by ringing Jan Jones on (08) 7129 6363 or Marg Sutton on (08) 8381 6156.

Uniting families in fun and games

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Wishing the world a Merry Christmas

Ordering your postcards Congregations can order their postcards by filling in the simple online form at: sa.uca.org.au/goto/postcards Postcards are $65 per 1000, with a minimum order of 1000. For further queries: Sarah Urmston p. 8236 4260

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This year has been pretty tough for our world and its people. The floods in Queensland captured our attention at the beginning of the year, as well as the fires which raged in Western Australia. Japan was rocked by a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami. The residents of Christchurch, New Zealand, are still living in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes. London was burning and the Horn of Africa is starving. Communications Officer and postcard coordinator, Sarah Urmston, explains, “It was in light of the tumultuous year we’ve all experienced that the message chosen for this year’s Christmas postcard was a simple one: Peace. “Whether people attend a church or not, the message of peace is one which resonates in the hearts of all mankind; we all long for a better day where peace reigns and ‘every tear will be wiped away’.” On the front cover of the postcard is a depiction of a world map, represented by people, which serves as a reminder that we are all in this together. A play on words on the reverse of the postcard wishes the reader ‘a world of peace’ this Christmas, on behalf of their local Uniting Church. “As well as thinking on a global level, often the busyness of Christmas means that people experience the direct opposite of peace in this season. We hope the postcard will be a reminder of what we can experience at Christmas time if we focus on the important things,” says Sarah. The annual postcard, produced by the Uniting Church’s Communications Unit, is a low cost way for congregations to share a Christmas greeting with their local community, as well as the opportunity to provide service information for those people who are looking for a church to attend at Christmas time.

Love and fear

An Improbable Feast: The surprising dynamic of hospitality at the heart of multifaith chaplaincy. Author: Geoff Boyce Available from: Uniting Church SA Office Recommended for: Anyone who works, lives and plays in a faith-diverse environment In short: An invitation to love and be loved; to be and belong. RRP: $20.95

“There are only two feelings: Love and Fear There are only two languages: Love and Fear There are only two activities: Love and Fear There are only two motives, two procedures, two frameworks, two results: Love and Fear. Love and Fear.”

rev i ew s

MICHAEL LEUNIG In less than 150 pages, Geoff Boyce invites readers into his heart with, thoughts and stories of multifaith chaplaincy at Flinders University in South Australia, flowing from Henri Nouwen’s concept of, “hospitality (as) the act of creating space for the other” (p13). The Other faith, culture, ability and orientation is often treated with suspicion, fear, exclusion; the author pleads for love. Starting with the story of how multifaith chaplaincy (in the form of Oasis) was birthed – a place of rest, spiritual refreshment and community in the midst of what was often a hurtful, fearful and distrust-filled chapter – Boyce manages to be honest about his hurts as well as criticism, while maintaining a true sense of generosity and hospitality to those he critiques. Improbable Feast sets out a robust practical theology for multifaith chaplaincy where spirituality (instead of religious education) creates space where the fear and suspicion of the other is disarmed by truly meeting the other, hearing the other, learning to love the other and be loved by the other. The theology is rooted in practice, sustained by good theological thinking around hospitality within the Christian faith. Boyce’s multifaith model respects the integrity of the chaplain’s background, faith and tradition, an important distinction from interfaith models (where the chaplain is an “expert” in a variety of different faiths). Perhaps the most promising section of this Improbable Feast is the space that it provides not only for individuals but institutions as well, allowing space for sectors that often disregard spirituality to enter into, question and taste the nourishment of the spiritual life. Regardless of one's position on multifaith chaplaincy, An Improbable Feast brings a fresh helping on how to love those we are called to care for. It is practical, personal and beautiful. A must read for the chaplain and pastoral care worker yet, I also believe, that any follower of Jesus in a multifaith environment will benefit from the insights in this book. It may be a lot to chew on, but will certainly be worth it! The rich appendix includes a “Blessing on Leaving” (p130), that summarises the heart and hope of the Improbable Feast Boyce proposes and looks forward to: “May the hopes you hold in your heart go with you May the friendships you’ve formed grow in grace May the adversities you faced give you wisdom May the sun always shine on your face And may the God of new beginnings renew and refresh you.”

- eDuard Helmbold

Why the Least of these matters most Too Small to Ignore

In Too Small to Ignore, Wess Stafford begins with his own experience as a missionary kid in Africa. Growing up in this village became a creative and dynamic foundation for Stafford as he learned pearls of wisdom, love, joy, and hope, that people matter, and how to give and receive gladly. When he was sent to a mission school, though, he was abused, crushed and demoralised by those meant to be his teachers and mentors. His stories are emotional and profound. These experiences made him determined to find a better way, and to give his life in ministry to children. Author: Wess Stafford Recommended for: anyone wanting to discover the importance of ministry to children, based on Jesus’ words, “whoever welcomes a little child like this, welcomes me.” In short: A passionate plea to understand the place of children in God’s mission, and the need to reach out to them in love throughout the world. Children matter! RRP: $22.95

As the leader of Compassion International, Stafford shows how a ministry to children can help change the world, one child at a time. He argues that one changed child eventually changes a family, a changed family will influence change in a church, changed churches will transform the community, changed communities can change regions, and regions will in time change an entire nation. Too Small to Ignore reveals how children are victimised by war, pornography, sickness and poverty, as well as neglected in the provision of education, protection and basic resources for living. Stafford draws on his experiences in many places—Haiti, Ivory Coast, USA, India, Thailand—and provides many biblical insights. This is a powerful and moving book, with a mighty message—children matter to God, to the church, and to the future of the world.

Book: Realising the Dream – Journey of a Lost Boy Author: Akoi Manyiel Guong with Sandra Lindemann Available from: Uniting Church office; Andrew Clarke, 0429 190 007 Recommended for: those who want to understand the refugee experience In short: Follow a boy’s journey from family safety to flight; to Australia and beyond.

Akoi Manyiel Guong tells his own story from the age of nine when, along with other boys in his African village, he was warned to flee if it was attacked. When he inevitably fled, he had no knowledge of what had happened to other members of his family.

Eventually, and not easily, he escaped to Kenya and the Karkuma Refugee camp. From there, he located some members of his family and eventually came to Australia as a refugee. This book, tracing his experiences, must have been painful to write.

Guong was trained as and became a child soldier, traversing much of South Sudan, as well as time in Ethiopia. Survival was random, and he says he owes much to the leader who saw, in these boys, the future of South Sudan.

Akoi Manyiel Guong has a story worth the telling. It is one of an indomitable spirit who survived daunting experiences. - Andrew Clarke

Book: Rosie Author: Anne Lamott Recommended for: lovers of good fiction In short: A heart-breaking but inspirational tale about the reality of human brokenness and the way God plants a seed within us that desires redemption.

Each of us is broken in our own unique way. Some of us recognise it, others don’t. This brokenness comes as the result of life; some of us make bad decisions, others are the unfortunate victims of other people’s bad decisions. Anne Lamott beautifully captures the brokenness of humanity and the power of redemption in Rosie, the first novel in the Rosie trilogy. As a result of abuse, neglect and an alcoholic mother, we see Rosie finding security in the arms of fickle men and experiencing continued violence throughout her life.

However, Lamott shows through Rosie’s story that if we do our part in loving the broken, God promises to do his part as well. In the midst of despair, we can all – like Rosie and her mother – still experience joy, love and romance, an appreciation of good books and beauty. Adopting at times an autobiographical tone, Lamott – a master linguist – draws powerfully from her own experience in crafting Rosie’s story. Depth, great writing and hope for all of us come together in Rosie. - Callum Iles

rev i ew s

Beauty, brokenness and a great turn of phrase

Child soldier to refugee

John Geddie greets me with his usual warmth, before turning back to serving one of the Hungry Hare Cafe regulars, jesting as he scoops, spoons and smiles. John, a Church Elder at Hare St Uniting, Kurralta Park, is also the driving force behind Hungry Hare Cafe.

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Every Friday evening, from 5-7pm, a well-oiled machine of volunteers gather at Hare St Uniting to serve three course meals to 60+ guests, many of whom are regulars. Over the past 16 years, Hungry Hare Cafe has served in excess of 44,000 meals and, as John jokes, “hasn’t poisoned anyone yet!” ‘Dining with friends’ is the Cafe’s motto and could not be more accurate. The generous, home-style meals are garnished with a hearty serve of love, laughter and music – which, according to one of the new friends I made that evening, are the three most important things in life. Hungry Hare Cafe came about in 1995 when, then minister, Rev John Mauvil suggested that a change was needed if the All Saints and Hare St churches were to have a future. All Saints became a regional church; Hare St became a missional outreach investing in a closer involvement within their local community. Over the course of 16 years, the joint venture of the Cafe and Hare’s Market, an on-site op-shop, has given away more than $250,000 to help areas and people in need. So, if you’re after a good old fashioned, low cost, home cooked meal with proceeds supporting charities and mission across the globe, Hungry Hare Cafe would be delighted to serve you. Happy sweet 16 Hungry Hare Cafe – and a resounding ‘well done’ to John and the tireless teams of volunteers. CR PICS: A meal at Hungry Hare Cafe is served with a generous side of humour, kindness and good old fashioned value. Volunteers come from as far as Murray Bridge to be part of the team.