Issue 90 April 2013 - Anglican Diocese of Bendigo

MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF BENDIGO
www.bendigoanglican.org.au
St Luke’s David Pugh
charts a new course
S
t Luke’s Anglicare CEO, David Pugh,
has announced his resignation as
from 24 May
2013. David
has worked at
St Luke’s for
more
than
23 years, and
became
its
Chief Executive Officer in November 2006.
David was integral to the development
of St Luke’s mental health service. As
CEO, he oversaw a significant expansion
in services, and the development of stronger partnerships and service integration.
He has been influential in advocating for
community services at statewide level,
particularly with the Victorian Children’s
Council, and formerly as president of the
Victorian Council of Social Services.
Issue 90
New deacon,
new priest!
S
uccessive Saturdays in February and
March saw ordinations at different ends
of the diocese.
Stuart Winn (pictured with Bishop Andrew
at left, holding Elijah, alongside Monica holding Hugh) was ordained deacon at Christ
Church Echuca on 23 February, to serve as
part of the new Echuca / Rochester / Lockington cluster. Heather Blackman (pictured
below with Canon Wayne Sheean, Bishop Andrew and the Revd Sandra Field) was ordained
priest on 2 March, to serve at St Arnaud.
Continued on page 5
David led the development of the State
of Bendigo’s Children Report, and other initiatives that connect the broader community to a stronger sense of shared commitment to children and young people.
His vision culminated in the opening of
Bendigo’s Youth Central, a vibrant youth
hub and landmark example of a pioneering
continued on page 4
Caring at a time of need
Ridley Pastoral Seminar
151 McCrae Street Bendigo
12 Victoria Street Eaglehawk
P. 5441 5577
www.williamfarmer.com.au
A tradition that continues...
April 2013
Monday April 22, 2013
9:30am - 3pm
Ridley Melbourne
Register online
and more information:
www.ridley.edu.au/disability
I
Dear friends,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!
We are in the season of Easter. Easter
Day is just the start – the season and celebration of Easter continues for another 50
days. It is a beautiful time of the year, with
cooler nights, the anticipation of some
early rain, and the colours of autumn surround us. They are wonderful reminders
of the resurrection of Jesus who came to
give us life and well-being. Breathe autumn in and taste and smell resurrection!
Easter is also a time of the year for many
weddings. The papers have many wedding announcements and photographs,
and these days Facebook and the internet
are also used extensively to capture the
wedding season. Sadly, we do not see too
many weddings in churches these days. At
the recent Diocesan Clergy Conference
one session was addressed by the Deputy
Registrar for Births, Deaths and Marriages in Victoria. He stated that, in 2012, of
the weddings in Victoria, 58% were taken
by marriage celebrants, 29% by clergy,
and 13% in Registry Offices and Courts.
I knew that clergy were not taking as
many weddings compared with previous
generations, but I was shocked to see that
it is only half that of wedding celebrants.
And it should also be taken into account
that clergy now can obtain permission to
marry people outside of churches, which
means that very few weddings are taking
place in churches.
What is this saying to us in the Church?
That couples prefer wedding celebrants.
That they prefer weddings held in a wide
variety of venues. That the clergy are not
nearly as popular as wedding celebrants
for conducting weddings. That couples
do not like the wedding liturgies the Anglican Church has available to them. One
of our clergy told me recently that a big issue with many couples using the Anglican
Church is that we do not allow couples to
write their own wedding vows.
Perhaps you know of more reasons.
I recently read that young couples are
not going to the churches for marriage
because of the Church’s very tarnished
2 The Spirit April 2013
reputation in relation to child abuse, and
that many couples living together before
marriage feel the church is judgmental.
These are major issues, and not easily
addressed in today’s climate, especially
where the Church is receiving a negative
press and media coverage.
That 29% of weddings are in churches
is probably a true reflection of where we
are in contemporary Australia in relation
to Christian practice and commitment. In
fact this percentage is considerably better
than church attendance, which in Victoria is less than 5% of the population.
What all this means is that the churches
have a huge opportunity on their hands
to engage people and our society. The
churches’ task is not just about encouraging people to get married using a Christian
rite, but about having a Christian faith.
It is about knowing the risen Lord Jesus
Christ and the meaning of Christianity.
The task is huge and the resources are few,
but this is the real challenge before us, and
all of us who consider ourselves to be active Anglicans are needed to be involved
in responding to this challenge.
Easter is a good time to start!
With every blessing
n the middle of March
we all woke up one
morning to hear that
white smoke was pouring
out of the Sistine Chapel.
A new pope had been
elected: Cardinal Jorge
Marlo Bergoglio became
Pope Francis I, and world
leader of the Roman
Catholic Church. He is
Argentinian, and the first
Latin American and Jesuit to become pope.
A little over a week
later the new Archbishop
of Canterbury, the Right
Revd Justin Welby, was
formally installed in a
ceremony in Canterbury
Cathedral and became
world leader of the Anglican Church.
The Pope has enormous power in
his leadership of the Roman Catholic
Church, and through formal statements
sets down doctrine and policy for that
church. The Archbishop of Canterbury
does not have that same degree of formal
power, and has to lead through influence
and relationships. He can make statements, but they are not binding.
So: two new world Christian leaders,
but each has to operate very differently
in exercising their leadership. Let us pray
for them both, and their relationship. q
The Spirit
T
he Revd Peter Holloway recently
marked 65 years as a priest, having being ordained on 14 March 1948
in Christ Church Cathedral St Arnaud.
As far as I know, he is the longest-serving
priest in Victoria. He served as a deacon
in Quambatook in 1947, became priestin-charge of Birchip in 1948, was rector
of Boort 1957-1963 and has an ongoing
association with that town. Since retiring from full time ministry, he has held
a PTO in this diocese for over 20 years.
Peter has been a remarkable servant
of God and the Church: I want to acknowledge his commitment and service
over many years. He is a regular visitor
to the diocese and only in recent times
has he slowed down. So please do give
thanks for Peter’s ministry and leadership over many years. q
Monthly Newspaper (except January) of the
Anglican Diocese of Bendigo.
Address: The Spirit, PO Box 2, Bendigo 3552
Member, Australasian Religious Press Association
Editor: The Revd Dr Charles Sherlock
charlesherlock@gmail.com
Committee Chair: The Revd Bryn Jones
The Spirit is published in the first week of the
month (excluding January).
Advertising: rates are available from the
Editor. All advertisements are accepted at the
Editor’s discretion; acceptance does not imply
endorsement of the product or service.
Contributions are welcome, and will be edited:
email submission is preferred. Anonymous
articles will not be considered for publication.
Photographs should be in digital form (4.1
megapixels: 300dpi). Physical photographs are
normally not returned.
The Anglican Diocese of Bendigo and Editor are not
responsible for opinions expressed by contributors, nor do
these necessarily reflect the policy of the diocese.
Next contributions due: April 22, 2013
Billy Graham
documents found at
Ridley Melbourne
A
discovery of precious documents
from the 1959 Billy Graham Crusade was made recently in the archives
of Ridley Melbourne. Among the documents is a telegram from Dr Graham
accepting the invitation to come to
Australia.
“This telegram is of national importance,” says Ridley Faculty member Rhys
Bezzant, lecturer in Church History. In
the telegram, Billy Graham describes
Melbourne as one of the most liveable
and moral cities in the world!
Of particular interest are a series of
personal letters between former Ridley
Principal, Dr Stuart Barton Babbage,
and Dr Billy Graham himself, concerning the Melbourne mission and an invitation to Babbage to be involved in the
Philadelphia crusade of 1961.
The archival discovery also included a
copy of the ‘Breeches Bible’ from 1609,
and a book on the Reformers signed by
John Pascoe Fawkner, founder of Melbourne town.
Ridley Melbourne is thrilled to make
this find, and to secure the legacy of previous generations. q
Jane Ellison
The telegram from Dr Graham to Dr Babbage accepting the invitation to come to Australia.
Echuca enjoys jazz
A
warm Sunday 24 February welcomed the Maryborough Jazz Ensemble to the 2013 ecumenical jazz
service hosted by Christ Church and St
Andrew’s Uniting Church, Echuca. Featuring an abundance of musical talent,
the service had elements woven in and
tailored to suit the relaxed style. Singing to the ensemble’s music proved challenging until we ‘got the hang’ of it!
Six members of the ensemble attended – the piano player came from Canberra! Two of the six were soloists with
the band and their diction was excellent. How many of us say at the end of a
Echuca enjoys restored pipe organ
O
n 1 March people from Echuca
and surrounding districts were
privileged to have world renowned German Concert Organist Hans Hielscher
perform on the newly restored pipe organ at Christ Church, Echuca. This brilliant organist has performed over 2800
concerts around the world since 1962,
including 36 tours through the USA.
The program featured music both classical and more well known, and included
works by Rawsthorne, Rheinberger and
Guilmant. It was a memorable event to
listen to Hans (pictured above), who has
promised to return to Echuca! q
Glenise Masters
performance? ”I missed the words”? The
Ensemble has a 27 year history, with
two members serving all those years
with the band.
Canon Glenis Traill, rector of Christ
Church, centred the service around the
history of Afro-American music in the
USA. We were reminded of the history
of slave trading, liberation, freedom to
worship, and the prophetic word from
Micah: “Act justly, love mercy and walk
humbly with your God”.
Everyone enjoyed the children’s message of the Good Samaritan with excellent graphics. The excellent overheads
portrayed the potted history of jazz
and reformers such as Martin Luther
King. The band did full justice to the
rousing, foot-tapping melodies to the
songs sung.
Some of the many positive comments
were: “I felt that the Gospel was woven
into the whole service.” “The enthusiasm of the band was palpable.” “Our
UCA minister enjoyed it immensely.”
“Those present mixed with each other.”
“The morning tea was more than adequate.” “I loved the music. Everyone
was tapping their feet.”
Proof of the success of this musical
feast was shown by the smiles on the faces of the people as they came out to join
in the sumptuous morning tea prepared
by the ladies. May there be many more
such services! q
Pearl Collins and Ron Johnson
April 2013 The Spirit 3
Daylesford
ChillOut festival
David Pugh charts a
new course
S
aturday 9 March saw the Annual
ChillOut festival come to Daylesford,
the largest regional gay and lesbian festival in Australia.
Editor’s note: In the March issue of
The Spirit, the photograph of Ross with
Bishop Andrew at the commissioning
was replaced by one of a trumpet player,
repeated from an earlier page. We apologise for this error. q
approach to intervening early and comprehensively in young people’s lives.
“I can use my skills to contribute to
the complex work of addressing Aboriginal disadvantage and Aboriginal selfdetermination,” David continued.
“I trust that the skills I have gained
from my colleagues at St Luke’s will assist me to be prepared and effective for
this challenging, future role.
“Throughout my time as CEO, the
one constant has been our passionate
and dedicated team of more than 380
employees. They have always been my
inspiration and I am immensely proud
of them. St Luke’s is a very special organisation: its ethos, knowledge and influence is highly regarded.
“During my time I have been well supported and steered by St Luke’s Board:
they are a wise, strategic and generous
group of people who share a commitment to the mission of St Luke’s.”
Bishop Andrew praised David’s long
ministry at St Luke’s. “And he has made
enormously valuable contributions to
the diocese, including writing for The
Spirit, and recently as one of three members of the Strategic Planning team.”
Ms Lauren Bean, St Luke’s director
of operations, will serve as acting CEO
after Mr Pugh’s departure in mid-May.
“We are deeply grateful to David for his
23 years of outstanding service,” she said.
“He has been an inspirational leader who
has embodied St Luke’s values in all aspects
of his time here. He leaves us with a strong
foundation for the future.” q
Jacqui Mott
We were blessed with the ministry of
the Revd Terry Templer (now at Kangaroo Flat) as we waited for a permanent
priest. We pray God’s blessing on Ross
and Terry in their new beginnings. q
Sandra Clayton
continued from front page
David’s early career was in Aboriginal
community work in the Northern Territory. He now leaves St Luke’s to take up
a position as CEO of Anglicare Northern
Territory, a compelling opportunity he
found ‘irresistible’. He said he would
draw strength from his working experience in Bendigo.
Swan Hill parish, where Ross has been
the locum minister for some months.
Tatura
Daylesford parish, in conjunction
with Changing Attitude Australia, held
the second annual ‘ChillOut Mass’.
With folk coming from Melbourne,
Clunes, Castlemaine and Daylesford,
those gathered were appreciative of a
powerful sermon by Fr Stuart Soley of
St Mark’s Fitzroy during a eucharist of
thanksgiving for the life and ministry of
LGBTI Christians.
The following morning my wife Monica, I and our two children were part of
the ChillOut parade (see photo above). It
was a humbling as well as joyful experience, and a reminder the church has
much work to do to become truly inclusive of all God’s children. q
A busy February
ur Annual Parish Meeting was first
on the agenda for an extremely busy
February. We then hosted the World Day
of Prayer, a wonderful evening with a
theme developed by women from France.
We celebrated with over 70 guests,
our brothers and sisters from all churches in town, dressed in brightly coloured
clothing. Some of our people acted out
their parts extremely well. The theme
carried over into the hall, decorated as a
French cafe with French music playing.
The fellowship was most enjoyable for
everyone.
O
Congratulations were extended to two
of our parishioners, Peter and Jane, who
announced their engagement.
Andrew Eaton
Elmore
Priest commissioned
lmore parish shared in a special time
of worship on 31 January when the
Revd Ross Craven was commissioned as
our priest-in-charge by Bishop Andrew.
Along with parishioners, family members
and friends, many folk attended from
E
Mothering Sunday saw us enjoying
ourselves with a simnel cake made by Sharon Sole, and a beautiful posy of flowers
made by our little friend Mardi with Phyll
Bramley (see photo above). Thank you to
them all!
A welcome to Ross Craven (left)
and a farewell to Terry Templer
(right) after Ross’ commissioning
service at St Peter’s Elmore.
All this was finished off with a bring
and share lunch and more wonderful fellowship. q
Joan Hart
4 The Spirit April 2013
New priest for St
Arnaud
S
The presbyterion (see 1 Timothy
4:14), the college of priests, gather
around Bishop Andrew to lay hands
on Heather Blackman.
Celebrating a new deacon in Echuca
A
perfect summer morning in Echuca
provided an appropriate backdrop to
a very special occasion at Christ Church
Echuca. A large, expectant congregation
of people from Echuca, Rochester, Lockington, and Ormond had gathered for
the ordination of Stuart Winn as Deacon
- the church was ‘packed to the rafters’!
Thanks to a hardworking team, the
beautiful church was positively gleaming,
from snow white perfectly starched linen,
shining brass, and polished furniture, to
sparkling windows and attractive wellkept garden areas. Everything was in readiness. As a gentle breeze wafted through
the open doorways, and strategically
placed fans whirled, the colourful procession of clergy appeared, and with lusty
singing of ‘Tell Out my Soul’, the service
had begun. At the beginning, Bishop Andrew made the official pronouncement of
the newly formed Cluster Parish, consisting of Echuca, Rochester and Lockington.
As the service progressed, solemn
promises were taken by Stuart before
he was ordained. A burst of enthusiastic, prolonged applause broke out as
the Bishop presented him as Deacon to
the congregation. Following the Communion it was almost all over, and the
procession again formed to ‘retreat’ to a
rousing fanfare from the organ.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, much activity had taken place as the faithful ‘ministers to the interior’ prepared everything
for welcome refreshments following the
service. What a team of gems!
Well done to everybody involved!
PS: It would be well for us all to ponder
the solemn promises we were asked to
make, recommitting our lives to sharing in Christ’s ministry. The questions
were very pertinent – for example, to
love and forgive as Jesus did. q
Jan Wood
T
he hymns at the service expressed
the ministry we have to one another:
Brother, sister, let me serve you, let me be
as Christ to you; pray that I may have the
grace to let you be my servant too. To do this we need the Holy Spirit
amongst us: Come, Holy Spirit, Lord of
grace, eternal fount of love: inflame, we pray,
our inmost hearts with fire from heaven
above. As you in bonds of love unite the Father and the Son, so fill us all with mutual
love and knit our hearts in one.
Our praises rang out as we sang Praise,
my soul, the king of heaven; to his feet your
tribute bring; ransomed, healed, restored,
forgiven, who like me his praise should
sing? Praise him, praise him, hallelujah,
praise the everlasting king!
And the final hymn was a confirmation of our faith: In Christ alone my hope
is found. He is my light, my strength, my
song. This cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all, Here in the
love of Christ I stand.
Let us continue singing with gladness
of heart — Hallelujah! q
Gwen Barrett
aturday 2 March brought many
blessings to St Arnaud parish. The
church was full of visiting clergy, parishioners and visitors, and God blessed us
on sending us our new parish priest, the
Revd Heather Blackman – ordained in
our own church!
To witness this very special occasion
on St Chad’s day, the Old Cathedral
was filled with no less than five bishops
including Bishop John McIntyre from
Gippsland, where Heather was ordained
deacon in 2011. Members of her family
joined parishioners and visitors from as
far away as Tasmania, Gippsland, Albury,
Wangaratta and Melbourne. Singing was
led by choir members from St Paul’s Cathedral, St Arnaud and Maryborough.
Bishop Andrew and Canon Wayne
Sheean welcomed everyone. (Until this
day Fr Wayne was rector of the Old Cathedral as well as Maryborough/Avoca.)
Re-affirmation of the ministry of all the
baptized was followed by the installation
of the Revd Gayle Teasdale from Cohuna
as the Goe Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral.
Heather was presented to Bishop Andrew by the congregation of St Arnaud
parish and the Board of Ministry. After
the scripture readings, Bishop Andrew’s
stirring sermon and the prayers, Heather
confirmed her response to God’s call and
received the laying of hands from Bishop
Andrew and the priests present (see photo).
Heather was greeted with loud applause
when Bishop Andrew presented her to the
congregation, licensing her as priest-incharge of St Arnaud parish. Heather acknowledged the support and guidance she
has received from many, especially Canon
Wayne Sheean and the Revd Dr Peta
Sherlock, who led her ordination retreat.
The following day, as Heather, Canon Wayne and the choir processed into
church, they were met by Rector’s Warden Joan Preece, who welcomed Heather
to her first service as priest-in-charge, assuring her of the loyalty, love and support of the parishioners. q
Valerie May
April 2013 The Spirit 5
From Rwanda, with love
M
y name is Larissa Hudgson, I’m 19
years old and I spent nine weeks
over in Rwanda in late 2012, my gap year.
I chose Rwanda for no particular reason: I
had met some missionaries that lived and
worked there, so Rwanda seemed as good
as anywhere!
After much research and convincing
mum and dad, I signed up for work in
a Children’s Program with Global Volunteers Network and I soon found myself on
my way! I was living with four other volunteers from all corners of the world in
a lovely house in Kitchukiro, a suburb of
Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda.
Kyneton / Malmsbury
The ministry of laughter
he parish has been under the care of
the Revd Dr Peta Sherlock for the
past six months. We are still toe tapping
to her Christmas Rap and bootscooting!
And our self-esteem has risen dramatically as we look in the mirror each morning and say, “God loves you - no buts.”
Peta and Charles have had to go on a long
cruise to recover from the parish frolics.
Now we are very fortunate to have the
Revd Heather Vander Reest at the helm.
She has been brought out of peaceful retirement at Woodend to steer us as we
wait for the appointment of a full-time
rector. We found her story of Creation
very amusing. Here it is:
T
A young girl went to her mother and asked
how the human race came about. “Well,” said
her mother, “God created Adam and Eve and
from their children the human race grew.”
Next the youngster went to her father, who
answered her question about the origins of the
human race by explaining that the human race
evolved from monkeys. Not a little confused,
the girl approached her mother again and
asked how there could be such a difference between the explanations that she had received.
“That’s simple,” said her mother. “I was talking
about my side of the family.”.
We think Heather will keep us laughing.
Ruth Murphy
6 The Spirit April 2013
Once I had arrived, I got straight into
it! Two days after arriving I was taken to
where I was going to work for the next
nine weeks: Gisimba Memorial Orphanage, which also has a nursery school that
children from outside the orphanage
come to from 7.30am-noon. According
to what I signed up to I was supposed
to be helping out in the orphanage, but
within an hour I was introduced to my
class of 42 four year olds that I was to
‘help’ teach! I worked with Anne-Maree,
the middle class teacher, and she said to
me “Larry, you teach. Go!”
These children knew VERY basic English and like all four year olds, were very
excitable. I had no clue how to handle a
class of four year olds, let alone 42 of them
who couldn’t understand me! As you can
imagine I did struggle at the beginning,
and due to the language barrier I didn’t
get much help from the teachers. Fortunately, I soon found my place at Gisimba
nursery school and every morning you
could find me teaching music and basic
English to the most beautiful children.
Afternoons were spent in the orphanage
with children and adults from infancy to
25. A lot of these children’s parents had
died from the genocide, disease (HIV)
or had been left at the gate. But despite
their past, they were wonderful, bright
people that I was truly blessed to have
met and worked with. They loved to sing
and dance, and we spent many afternoons
doing just that or hanging over the wall
listening to the nearby church celebrating.
I also helped them with their homework:
what I found remarkable was that many
of them could speak wonderful English.
By the time I left I was amazed and excited to see that their English had improved.
My job really consisted of helping these
girls with their pronunciation and meaning of words.
Victoria, another volunteer, worked
with me at Gisimba, and we became
great friends. A qualified music teacher,
she was wonderful to work with as she
had skills that came in useful in getting
the kids to do projects together. Victoria
mainly worked with group of boys, teaching song-writing and music recording
basics on her laptop, while I worked with
a group of girls. The girls and I started a
small choir and as I am tone deaf, to a lot
of people that sounded hilarious.
The children loved to hang over the wall
and listen and sing along with the nearby
church. I soon learnt that we knew a lot
of the same gospel songs which was very
surprising to me. Victoria left Rwanda in
late December to have Christmas with
her family but is planning to head back
to continue her work with the boys. She
has raised funds and soon there is to be
a studio built on the grounds of Gisimba
so the boys especially can learn and develop their musical skills!
I had many opportunities to discover
the wonderful Rwandan culture during
my lunch breaks and weekends. When
not working you could find Victoria
and me exploring Kigali, riding around
on ‘motos’ (the motorbike taxi service)
to various markets and friends’ houses.
We learnt to get around by remembering
common landmarks and learning the local language, Kinyrwandan.
Whilst I was only working for a short
time, I was truly amazed at these people.
They’ve seen horrifying things in their
lives, have lost loved ones and don’t have
access to many resources. Despite all of
this, the Rwandese people I came across
were the most welcoming and giving people I’ve ever met in my life. Sometimes I
would be on a bus and a stranger would
give me a quick lesson in Kinyarwanda.
Others invited me into their house and
fed me; some would come up on the street
to chat or give me a ‘Rwandan token’. I
found this amazing as they obviously had
so little, but what they had they shared.
Truly wonderful people.
It was the most amazing experience of
my life. I know how blessed I am to live in
Australia: one day I’ll be heading back. q
Larissa Hudgson, Golden Square
Generation
i-Easter…
Women at the retreat. Faye Donaldson
is at the back, seventh from the left.
From Phoebe’s place to Cowra Station:
Sunraysia South’s women’s retreat 2013
T
he women’s retreat from 15-17
March was a treat, with Faye Donaldson leading the weekend. A long trip
for Faye from Blairgowrie. A relaxed Friday night with singing and praising and
Faye talking about her Christian walk to
the mission field in Thailand … some
people went to bed about 10 ish and others sang on. We use the shearers’ facilities
on Cowra Station, not far from Merbein.
The first Bible Study was Saturday
morning, starting with lots of praise
songs: ‘Father I adore you’ as a three-part
round is amazing, along with all the other singing. Some of the day visitors added to the singing by doing harmonies.
Down to business was the song of
Hannah in 1 Samuel 2.1-10 leading into
Mary’s song, Luke 1.46-55. Faye is good
at challenging you to look at familiar material in a different way. The points I remember are sing a new song, do not give
up singing your song, and songs plant
seeds. Hannah’ s song was twenty-four
hours a day praise, but Mary’s was praise
forever. Of course we ended up singing
more songs and choruses!
At 2pm we went to ‘the chapel’ for Bible study number two. Faye had worked
as a CMS missionary in Thailand so after
more songs we had a slide show of Thailand. We learnt what Thailand had taught
Faye. Her major point was how the Thai
people respect their king, and she related
this to how Jesus was not respected and
how today we need to show respect and
reverence, and insist that others do so and
not take the name of our Lord in vain.
We covered the Beatitudes, the Ten
Commandments, the Tabernacle and the
significance of symbols. Hannah had introduced a new way of life and Mary was
the first ‘miracle’ mum. The reason for
creation was Jesus, and Jesus is the pattern for humanity.
Later in the day was a testimony and
healing prayer time. Then a fantastic
baked dinner and pudding – the chefs
were super great – followed by a trivia
night, and all went to bed exhausted.
On Sunday we had a morning service
and the singing was related to ‘who is my
neighbour?’ We concluded with Robin
Mann’s Blessing song. Then we learnt
how to make palm crosses before the final
lunch together, thank yous and goodbyes.
If this sounds good, why not join us
in 2014, 28-30 March? So far we cover
Robinvale, Underbool, Ouyen, Red
Cliffs and Mildura however all females
are welcome. Fun, food, fellowship can
be highly recommended!
W
ouldn’t it be amazing and wonderful, if when you asked a young
person how they were going to spend Easter, they replied, “I’m gonna spend some
time with Jesus, seeking God’s will for my
life.”? Is that a scoff or a sigh I hear?
Well I don’t blame you if it was, because many of our young people today
can be quite narcissistic and shallow. It
may be sad, but the likely response you’d
receive would probably be more along
the lines of “well I’ve downloaded this
cool Easter app, so I’m gonna play that
on my i-Pod …” Hmmm …
I’m sure you’ve heard
people comment on how
appropriate it is that
Apple have called their
products i-Phone, i-Pod,
i-Pads and so forth, because who is it all
about? God is the great I-AM, not us! So
then, what are we going to do about it?
Yes, I did just write we, it wasn’t a typo!
We cannot be idle and let the truth
about this life go untold. Personally, I
don’t think taking your child or grandchild to church is enough for our kids
today. Now that’s not an attack in any
way: if you’re able to take them, please do
as it will introduce them to Christ and to
God’s people. However more importantly build a relationship yourself with your
child or grandchild that allows you to introduce them personally to the Lord Jesus.
I wrote in an earlier issue of The Spirit
of how academics assert that younger
people relate to authentic personal stories. Well then who better than you
(someone they know, love and respect)
to introduce them to the best authentic
personal story of all?
This Easter, avoid just showing your
young people ‘religion’ and giving them
chocolate eggs. Take some time and tell
them about the REAL Easter story, and
how it changed your life. q
Melanie Baker, Lockington
Coral Crook
April 2013 The Spirit 7
Beating around the bush
Climate change and God’s business
A focus on archives
M
aldon parish hosted a workshop
on caring for church archives, led
by Diana Smith, Diocesan Archivist. An
interested group talked about what could
be preserved and how best to go about it.
Participants had a wide variety of experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to
bring to the task and had selected archives to share, which were examined
with interest during the meeting. St Arnaud, having been a diocesan centre, has
a wealth of treasures. Maldon is listing
items from recently closed centres. All archives shared bore distinctive witness to
their own parish and community.
All parish records and registers belong
to the diocese and may not be passed to
community organisations. Baptism and
marriage information should be provided on request within privacy constraints.
Caring: First, select those things which
are to be kept to preserve the history of
the church. These include baptism, funeral and marriage registers, special services, Parish Council minutes, events
records, newspaper reports, memorabilia and newsletters. Other items such
as regularly used brass ware and linen
need also to be assessed, as time weathers them. Every parish should have a person responsible for these records, to help
maintain them and answer enquiries.
The enemies of photos and documents
are dust, moisture and insects. A room to
house retained items needs to be kept vacuumed and as dust free as possible. Photos
and documents can be stored in archival
plastic sleeves or zip-top bags, ring binders
or boxes. Copies should be made of items
to be displayed, like photographs and certificates, while the original is stored away
from light and the risk of damage.
Records of all items should be kept in
an organised system, with a date range,
brief description and a note on physical
condition. Digital copies of records are
an accessible way of storing information.
The afternoon was constructive, with
much positive and informative input and
has provided a guide for us to work from.
Rosalie Young, Maldon
8 The Spirit April 2013
I
wonder what you made of the summer
just passed. Did it seem to you hotter
than previous remembered seasons? Did
this summer take a greater toll on your
garden, or your farming, or on you, or
was it about the same as previous years
you recall?
What are your thoughts in respect to
the continuing debate in the media, or
in ordinary conversation, over climate
change? Scientists researching climate
change have put forward a case, others
come up with a contrary view. We have
people who are convinced that climate
change is a real threat, while others are
sceptical. I wonder where you stand
… and on what basis do you take your
stand?
The whole of my ministry in Rockhampton diocese saw the vast region of
central and western Queensland in the
grip of a severe drought. Many waterways dried up, as did tanks and dams
on properties. Cattle and sheep producers had to take some drastic methods to
reduce numbers. Many cattle and horses
in gaunt condition wandered the roads
looking for food and water.
Virtually everyone and everything experienced hardship during the prolonged
drought - people and animals, flora and
fauna, people on the land and people in
the towns. The sun-baked earth of the
outback cracked open with gaps nine
inches wide, trapping weakened animals. At the time of writing, the area of
which I speak has long recovered, for the
rains eventually came and today is lush
and green, and farmers are able to offer
agistment to cattle producers from other
parts of Australia that have received insufficient rain.
What is the contribution of climate
change? Or are the conditions described
weather cycles experienced over many
years in Australia?
On a very lovely 70,000 acre property
named ‘Beaconsfield’, just out from Ilfracombe near Longreach, weather records
have been kept daily since 1895 by members and descendants of one family since
1911. Jo and Max continue the recording today and their findings are interesting. The Bureau of Meteorology sets the
average annual rainfall at ‘Beaconsfield’
as 427ml. Its records
show: 1910-1970 (61 years) annual average 424ml; 1950 to 1969 – 494ml; 1993
to 2012 – 462ml.
My outback friends say, “We get hot
years, then not so hot. We get dry years
and wetter years, there has been no
real change, but on the law of averages
we will get hotter, drier years or wetter
years. Living so far away from the coast
or a mountain range it is a wonder it ever
rains here!”
It surely takes a considerable amount
of faith to farm the land … and it is faith
in God that keeps many people going
who farm the land in rural areas and in
outback Australia, and they would not
want to do anything other than continue
in farming. So what do you make of the
weather? Is climate change real or is there
a cyclic pattern operating?
T
he outback reinforced my faith that
God’s business is ‘resurrection’. One
sees this in the resurrection of droughtstricken land. When the sun baked earth
cracks open, seeds of the native Mitchell grass drop deep down into the gaps
where the soil is cooler. They can remain
there for years, until the rains come, fill
the space, raise the seed to the topsoil,
and life begins again. God, whose business is resurrection, may be seen in many
ways bringing new life out of tragic loss,
changing the lives of people and making
all things new.
God raised Jesus from the dead … a
fact we celebrate with great joy at Easter.
God going about God’s business.
Easter is the time we celebrate the hope
of fresh starts and new beginnings. It is a
time to think about our own lives, and
the lives of people we know, where God
has brought a fresh breath of life into a
situation in which there seemed to be
no hope. It is a time to thank our Risen
Lord that he is active in human lives today. Happy Easter! q
Bishop Ron
PS Where do I stand on climate change?
I am trying to keep an open mind and
doing my best not to contribute to global
warming. How about you?
Meet Brian Rosner
– CMS Autumn
weekend speaker
T
he new principal of
Ridley
Melbourne
is coming to Bendigo to
speak at the 32nd CMS
Autumn Weekend, Friday
26 to Sunday 28 April at
Holy Trinity Flora Hill.
Brian has many attributes that make
him the ideal person for this significant
event. He grew up in southwest Sydney
and spent sixteen years studying and
working overseas before returning to
Australia in 2000. His ministry experience has ranged from student work and
the local church to theological education, a field in which he has been serving
for most of the last twenty years.
With his wife Natalie and youngest son
Toby, Brian moved to Melbourne in July
to commence his new role at Ridley. He
has a PhD from Cambridge University
and is a well-published author, including
the Pillar commentary on 1 Corinthians
(on sale over the weekend at the comprehensive bookstall). This prepares him well
for the theme of the weekend based on 1
Corinthians 3 & 4: “Not all gold glitters the Church Vulnerable and Valuable”.
Brian is well aware of contemporary
issues, writing on these in newspapers
and magazines. Thus when Kevin Rudd
was removed as as Prime Minister, Brian
wrote “Dear Kevin, with love from Dietrich”, with three pieces of advice based
on the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
a hapless hero of Kevin: focus on the invaluable, don’t give up, and stay cheerful.
Missionaries from Japan, Indonesia
and Rwanda will also be sharing their
experiences. They have all attended previous Autumn Weekends so will be familiar to many who are coming. As a
bonus, we have Chris and Grace Adams,
missionaries in training prior to service
in East Timor.
To participate in what promises to be
a treat, fill in an application form before 12 April, available from your parish
priest or mission secretary. Part-timers
can just make a donation on arrival, but
unless you register you will need to arrange your own meals. q
Barry Rainsford, on behalf of the organising committee
BOOK REVIEW: Manga Messiah
(Tyndlae House, 2011).
T
ranslations of the scriptures in English are very very many. It is three
decades since The New Testament in
Twenty-Six Versions was issued, and the
tide has swelled since. This multiplicity of versions fits neatly into that false
modern faith, ‘freedom of choice’. In my
opinion it is one sign of the consumer
religion that most English-speakers worship today, and which is making deep inroads into Chriatisn consciousness.
Languages spoken by as many people
as English, notably Chinese and Spanish,
have many less versions: check out the
Bible Society website, or www.biblegateway.com. This has its good sides: common translation helps memorisation and
fosters cultural familiarity. Many languages (notably the indigenous tongues
of this land) have but one version, rarely
covering the whole Bible.
So what has this got to do with a review of Manga Messiah? Perhaps I should
explain that this is in fact a version of the
New Testament, using the Living Bible
translation as its base – a well-proven
rendition in ‘personal’ language.
What sets Manga Messiah apart is not
the text, but its illustrations and ‘cartoon’
style commentary. I am not deeply familiar with the ‘manga’ comic culture,
with its Japanese flavour, but I found this
volume – drawn to my attention by the
redoubtable Hugh Elphinstone – to be
impressively done. The illustrations are
consistently well drawn, and engaging:
seeing Jesus as a cross between a Middle
Eastern and Japanese man is interesting!
The commentary, integral to this cartoon form, has a ‘Wah! Boom’! style. But
I found it to be effective, and true to
what the New Testament seeks to convey.
Inevitably it is less subtle than a scholar
might like, but it does not mislead.
So: to whom would I recommend this
book? Obviously those (of whatever age)
who enjoy the manga style. But also to
those of us perhaps too wedded to a
‘wordy’, ear-based understanding of the
living Word. The eye-gate is now our
main media ‘input’, with films, TV, the
web, video clips and electronic games
dominant. Manga Messiah offers one gate
into how we might re-learn of Christ in
this day and age. q
Your
donation
makes
the
difference.
‘Our Society sees many
achieving a great deal but,
equally, many others are feeling
marginalized, squeezed out.
St Luke’s has ever increasing
demands on its services. Thank
God for St Luke’s. I count it a
privilege to be part of it’.
Bishop Andrew Curnow, President.
Deposit your gift into St Luke’s Appeal
Account at a Bendigo Bank branch or online:
BSB: 633 000
Account Number: 130329535
Albury
Bendigo
Castlemaine
Deniliquin
Echuca
Kyneton
Maryborough
Swan Hill
For more information contact us at:
| info@stlukes.org.au
www.stlukes.org.au
(03) 5444 8100
Charles Sherlock
April 2013 The Spirit 9
Jesus: the goat of escape
CALOUNDRA Sunshine Coast Qld.
Beachfront holiday units available
from $300 per week: details at Registry.
Phone Ray on 0427 990 161 to book.
I
Cycling by faith
t is now 17 years since I started riding
a bike as a serious pastime, and some
18½ years since committing my life to
Jesus Christ (not that I chose him - he
chose me, and took me from the miry
clay and certain death).
If some one had said to me then that I
would be doing the bunch rides, the distances and speeds now being experienced
I would have scoffed. I had raced for four
years in competitive cycling but am now
experiencing bunch ride speeds and enjoyment that surpasses any of my racing.
This is not something I had actively
pursued, but I became involved with a
special group of like-minded cyclists. I
enjoyed their company and felt they had
a lot to offer. They did not push me into
increasing my capabilities excessively, but
were accepting of my presence around
them to learn from them. And in hind
sight, maybe they enjoyed my inquiring
mind and company as well, which made
for a wonderfully relaxed partnership.
I came to find that I did need to increase
my training levels a little, but it seemed to
be more about the style of training and
intensity, and then making good of a rest
and recovery time. I also learnt from them
the value of being an effective technician
on the bike, with pedalling styles and getting my headspace right for sitting in the
saddle for longer hours of increased endurance. Being taught to be consistent in
the amount of power being exerted, both
10 The Spirit April 2013
T
he Son of God came down to earth
as a man. And like all people – he
was subject to criticism.
Jesus again by asking about divorce, and
John 8:1-11 shows us how Jesus dealt
with the woman caught in adultery.
Jesus was called ‘Rabbi’, which means
‘Teacher’ in Aramaic, the language he
spoke. But sadly his ‘colleagues’ – the
chief priests, the elders, and the high
priest - couldn’t leave him alone.
Jesus’ co-rabbis just couldn’t let him go
about his business of preaching, teaching
and healing. But Jesus was ‘the new kid
on the block’. His success would have got
many of the older preachers’ and teachers’ backs up. Who did he think he was,
preaching love and peace while defying
Moses’ law? The Sadducces blamed him
for civil unrest among the people, who
were angry at the Israel of Jesus’ day being oppressed by Rome.
It seems that workplace bullying was
evident even in first century Palestine.
Jesus’ teaching colleagues were always
trying to catch him out. Matthew 21:2327 tells us about Jesus’ authority being
questioned. Matthew 22:15-22 tells us
how the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus by
asking if they should pay taxes. Mark 10
tells us how the Pharisees tried to trick
- learning from others
for the uphills and downs, then being able
to sustain the outputs of power in the
drudgery of flat roads as well.
When I committed my life to the Lord
Jesus there was not one aspect of my life
that was not to be for him. In a way, Jesus
was my coach, my mentor and ever present guide in all aspects of my life, and the
cycling was all part of this as well.
I have come to appreciate that what I
have been experiencing is a form of discipleship, a gentle journey where the Lord
provided the right people around me to
share, to enhance, and develop me on the
bike as well as being a more rounded person in a recreational sport.
I also came to appreciate that mentors
and leaders are not necessarily defined by
age or experience. Commitment, dedication and openness to share their journey, their ups and downs along the way,
without reservation, is what matters. The
Lord can use any of his followers to show
us God’s way.
For us as Christians, being filled with the
Holy Spirit and knowing his power that
flows in us for all occasions when we place
our hope and trust in the power of the
Word of God – that is what matters. When
we believe we have the fullness of new life
already in Christ, when we walk with others in faith to the commands of our Lord
Jesus, we see this being realised. q
Eddie Barkla, pioneer minister,
Bendigo cycling community
In short, the colleagues of Jesus in his
teaching ministry made him a scapegoat, blaming him for all that was
wrong. Even in the workplace today
there is always someone who becomes
the ‘scapegoat’ – the fall guy, the person
whom everyone blames – or simply bullies. The news recently told of a teacher
from southern Europe who was bullied
verbally at school, and constantly being reminded that he was ‘the foreigner’
there. At a different school, a teacher
struggling to control his classroom had
his authority undermined: instead of
getting support, he was blamed and
became the ‘scapegoat’ for what was
wrong in the school.
The word ‘scapegoat’ developed from
its biblical origins to indicate a person
on whom the problems of others are
placed. Leviticus 16:8-10 tells us about a
goat chosen to be the ‘goat of escape’ on
the Day of Atonement (September 14 in
2013 – federal election day!). The high
priest confessed over it all the sins of the
past year, before the goat was sent into
the wilderness, bearing away those sins.
In the New Testament, Jesus is presented as bearing away the sins of the whole
world, as he died outside the city in the
wilderness (1 John 2:1-2, Hebrews 13:916). His atoning death gives us eternal
life – and calls us to do good, sharing
rather than blaming others.
Jesus was the ultimate goat of escape,
the ‘scapegoat’ for all humanity.
So next time you hear people blamed,
especially when you are at work, ask
yourself: “Who is the scapegoat?” q
Angela Morrissey
media matters
The ‘queen of gospel
hymn writers’
Q
ueen of gospel hymn writers’ and
‘mother of modern congregational
singing’ are titles given to the writer of
‘To God be the Glory’, first published in
1875. The first conference I attended in
2013 had this hymn sung.
Whilst I was away from home recently,
I attended five churches and heard the
hymn several more times, so I thought I
should write about its author!
Frances Jane van Alstyne (18201915) was how she was known in the
United Kingdom and Fanny Crosby in
the USA. This lady was a worker in the
Methodist rescue mission, a poet, lyricist
and composer, who played piano, harp,
guitar and organ. She was blinded by a
misuse of a mustard poultice as an infant.
There are 8,000 hymns penned in her
names. William Howard Doane (18321916), an industrialist who composed
hymn tunes, penned 1,500 tunes for lyrics by Frances. Now that was team work!
To God be the glory, great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
Who yielded his life in atonement for sin
And opened the life-gate that all may go in.
Is this hymn expounding John 3:16? A
clue is in verse two – ‘every believer’.
I first heard this hymn when Billy
Graham came to Australia, and it has
led people to ‘Jesus the Son’ for over a
century. Have you ‘come to the Father,
through Jesus the Son’, and given God
the glory? Great things he has done!
The hymn can be found in the Australian Hymn Book 85, Mission Praise 708
and Together in Song 147. q
Coral Crook
The Diocese of Bendigo expects the
highest standards of professional service
from its Clergy and Lay Ministers.
IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT
Please call (free)
1800 135 246
A phone call to the above number will mean
that your complaint will be handled by the
Director of Professional Standards.
The Diocese is a full participant in the
Victorian Anglican Provincial Abuse
and Harassment Protocol.
This is an independent, objective procedure
adopted by the Diocese of Bendigo.
When bold is not so beautiful
S
omething happened on ‘The Bold and
the Beautiful’! Something actually
happened! Nothing ever happens, or only
once in five years. That’s why we addicts
watch it, because something may one day
happen instead of all the constant talking
over each other’s shoulder with their best
side to the camera. What happened? The
matriarch of the show, Stephanie, died.
I don’t mean the way Taylor died some
years ago, when she went down in a plane
crash and was saved by an Arabian sheik
who kept her under ‘loving’ lock and key
until she finally found her way back to
Forrester Fashions. Nor do I mean the
way Taylor died (again) when she was
shot dead (I think by the wicked Sheila)
and was somehow whisked away and put
on life support. That was probably while
the real life actress had her baby. The real
life actress, by the way, has a better name
than anyone on the show, Hunter Tylo.
Exclamation mark, exclamation mark. I
remember visiting a parishioner in hospital one afternoon at 4.30pm when Taylor came back from the dead. I heard a
scream of pain from the woman in the
next bed. When I went over, I was able to
empathise with her solemn vow never to
watch such rubbish ever again. But I am
sure she did, even as I have.
I claim to watch B&B in order to perfect my wedding sermons. They never say
‘I will’ like we Anglicans do in the wedding service, and they never promise in
sickness and poverty and worse. It’s always
airy fairy, love you for all eternity. Until
the next adulterous relationship. But my
wedding sermon is now pretty good, and
I just watch B&B because I enjoy it, albeit
in a warped kind of way.
Stephanie has tried to die before, when
she was diagnosed with cancer. But cancer gave her a chance to meet a young
black woman who was doing good works
with the homeless and so Stephanie and
Brooke learnt how to serve food at a
soup kitchen for a couple of episodes and
make a comment or two on social justice.
The young woman has since joined
the fashion business and for a time fell
in love with one of the young squarejawed white men. The fans must have
disapproved of a ‘mixed marriage’ because Dayzee soon broke up and fell for a
young black man instead, and they seem
to be happy even with the baby of his
former relationship with Amber of the
big American teeth.
You can tell the next plot line fairly easily because you just need to ask who has
not had a relationship with whom. Sometimes in the supermarket queue I sneak a
look at a TV magazine and discover the
upcoming plot. I have also once or twice
gone on the website to find out what happens. I told some friends that this felt like
cheating. They fell about laughing and
said, “Peta, that’s the whole point.”
And it is annoying when the children
and grandchildren are all just repeating
what Stephanie and Eric and Brooke
and Ridge and Thorne and Taylor have
done for years. I also have vowed never
to watch it again when one young thing
said last year “They can’t do that, it’s
adultery!” But I did.
Stephanie died peacefully last week in
the arms of her arch rival Brooke Logan,
sitting on a bench looking at a spectacular view of mountain lakes, her pain and
coughing having miraculously ceased.
Easy forgiveness was in the air as Stephanie handed on the mantle of Matriarch
to Brooke. I doubt she will come back.
The supermarket magazines write of another death or two on the way, but it may
just be Bill Spenser falling asleep from
exhaustion beside his new baby when
his wife ran away with post-partum depression. This gave the writers another
chance to comment on current issues
and solve them as easily as popping a pill.
Perhaps I watch it for the chance of
love. Perhaps Eric really meant it when
he and Stephanie talked about their life
together, and apart, and together, and
apart, etc., and finally together, and said
they loved each other after all. I long
for the moments, every five years or so,
when love becomes a matter of the will, a
gesture of kindness, rather than the rush
of lusty feelings. q
Peta Sherlock
April 2013 The Spirit 11
A panorama of Bendigo Anglicans, pictured outside Christ Church Old Cathedral St Arnaud on 2 March 2013, after the
ordination as priest of Heather Blackman (on Bishop Andrew’s right). Left to right are the choirs of St Arnaud, St Paul’s
Cathedral, clergy and servers, more choristers from Maryborough parish and St Paul’s, and more clergy.
Citizen of the Year!
T
atura Citizen of the Year
in the 2013 Australia
Day awards went to our own
Phyll Bramley (pictured at
left). Phyll works tirelessly
in both church and community. A recognition well and
truly deserved! q
Joan Hart
12 The Spirit April 2013