OCTOBER 2016
THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF ADELAIDE
The Empty Cathedral
INSIDE: Meet the Real Jesus
1
THE ANGLICAN GUARDIAN Published by the Diocese of Adelaide Edited by Peter March Phone: (08) 8305 9350 Fax: (08) 8305 9399 Email: pmarch@adelaideanglicans.com www.adelaideanglicans.com Layout by Alex Gatley agatley@adelaideanglicans.com Subscriptions: Diocesan Office 18 King William Rd, North Adelaide 5006 Phone: (08) 8305 9350 Printed by Lane Print & Post Phone: (08) 8179 9900 www.laneprint.com.au The Guardian is a member of The Australasian Religious Press Association
Scripture Cake, King James Version 4 ½ cups 1 Kings, Chapter 4 Verse 22 1 ½ cups Judges, Chapter 5 verse 25 (last item) 2 cups Jeremiah, Chapter 6 verse 20 2 cups 1 Samuel, Chapter 30 verse 12 1 cup Numbers, Chapter 17 verse 8 2 cups Nahum, Chapter 3 verse 12 1 Tbsp 1 Samuel, Chapter 14 verse 25 Season to taste with 1 Chronicles, Chapter 9 verse 29 (last item) 6 of Jeremiah, Chapter 17 verse 11 a pinch of Leviticus, Chapter 2 verse 13 ½ cup Judges, Chapter 4 verse 19 (last item) 2 tsp Amos, Chapter 4 verse 5 (or alternatively, 1 Corinthians, Chapter 5 verse 6) Follow Solomon’s prescription for making a good boy (Proverbs, Chapter 23 verse 14) and you will make a good cake. A few tips for modern-day cooks: Put ingredients together in the way you usually would for a fruit cake. For example: mix together all the dried fruit, honey, spices, chopped nuts and milk (and let them soak together for a while). Sift the flour together with the baking powder and salt. Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Add the dried fruit mixture in 3 lots, alternately with the flour mixture in 3 lots, beating well after each addition.
Bake at 180°C for 1-2 hours or until the cake tests done. After the cake is done and cooled, I would consider pouring over it several tablespoonfuls of Isaiah Chapter 29 verse 9 (strong drink – try brandy, rum or sherry) This makes a large cake – use a big tin, at least 23cm square, lined with baking paper. You can make this cake in half quantities, in which case use a 20cm square cake tin. Enjoy your Scripture cake! And if you have any old or unwanted Anglican cookbooks, do consider sending them to us in the Diocesan Archives at Church Office. In the archives we have a small selection of Anglican cookbooks. Fundraising cookbooks put together by parishes, schools, social services or Anglican charities, to make money for good causes, they hold the recipes used by our families over generations. They also sometimes express useful or entertaining ideas on living our faith. One common recipe in Anglican cookbooks of an earlier era was for Scripture Cake, which tested out the cook’s bible knowledge as well as baking skills. See how you go!
INVESTIGATOR COLLEGE 2 Glendale Grove, Goolwa. Ph: 8555 5755
ST. PETER’S COLLEGE Hackney Road, St. Peter’s. Ph: 8362 3451
PEDARE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE 2-30 Surrey Farm Drive, Golden Grove. Ph: 8280 1700
ST. PETER’S COLLEGIATE GIRLS’ SCHOOL Stonyfell Road, Stonyfell. Ph: 8334 2200
PULTENEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL 190 South Terrace, Adelaide. Ph: 8216 5555 ST. ANDREW’S SCHOOL 22 Smith Street, Walkerville, Ph: 8168 5555 ST. COLUMBA COLLEGE President Avenue, Andrew’s Farm. Ph: 8254 0600
ANGLICAN SCHOOLS . . . the right choice Enquiries: Jim Raw, Anglican Schools Liaison Office 18 King William Rd, North Adelaide 5006 Phone: 8305 9349
2
ST. JOHN’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL 29 Gloucester Avenue, Belair. Ph: 8278 2233
ST PETER’S WOODLANDS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 39 Partridge Street, Glenelg. Ph: 8295 4317 TRINITY COLLEGE Alexander Avenue, Evanston South. Ph: 8522 0666 WALFORD ANGLICAN SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 316 Unley Road, Hyde Park. Ph: 8272 6555 WOODCROFT COLLEGE Bains Road, Morphett Vale. Ph: 8322 2333
RETHINKING NOTIONS OF TIME Bishop Tim Harris - Administrator (Sede Vacante)
Trying to understand notions of time as perceived by high level scientists leaves my head in a spin! Hollywood versions (‘Back to the Future’ and ‘The Lake House’ etc) are more entertaining, but do tend towards more than a light touch of creative fiction. The way we view time reflects our culture more than we recognise. Western culture is preoccupied with precision and accuracy, and to fail to observe punctuality and keeping to time is generally frowned upon. Timekeeping in our churches is something of an Anglican speciality, while the state of being so immersed in something that we forget all about time points to the quality of a great concert or event. The Bible provides us with some rich ways to rethink our notions of time. Biblical time is less focussed on linear timeframes, and enters much more into qualities of times and seasons. Passages such as Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”) are much loved, and easy to relate to. More challenging is that the way the Bible relates time to opportunities, and something that we may enter into. We are called to enter into times of rest and recreation, and equally instructed to take responsibility for ‘Sabbath-rest’ (however identified in terms of dedicated Sabbath time each week). We are not to live at the same pace 24/7 – it is not healthy personally, as a community, and certainly for those closest to us.
On the cover: Christians gather in the empty
Cathedral for Adelaide As 1
The Bible also presents us with time for choices and responses that are only available ‘now’ – something known as ‘kairos’ time. These are opportune moments of time which may not be available in the future. Both as individuals and as a Church we need to become better at recognising such moments which may pass if we delay unduly. At other times, the quality is ‘not yet’, and we are called to keep in step with God’s timing. I would describe the present stage in our life as a Diocese as ‘transitional time’. A significant season of ministry under +Jeffrey and Lindy has concluded, and we now busy ourselves with preparing for the season that lies ahead. I dislike the term ‘interregnum’ (the church does not have ‘reigns’, nor are we looking for regime change!), and ‘interim’ is not much better (we don’t want to simply tread water).
Both as individuals and as a Church we need to become better at recognising such moments which may pass if we delay unduly. Viewed as transitional time, I am encouraged to see the extent to which our diocesan life and processes continue in healthy fashion. Please continue in prayer for the Bishop Nomination Committee, and our synodical election processes. And above all, let us trust in God’s time and providence as we seek to bring our expectations and hopes into alignment with those of God.
Bishop Tim Administrator (Sede Vacante)
contents
4 SCHOOLS 4
Anglican Schools as Communities
of Hope
5 MISSION 5
Christ on Campus
6 FOCUS 6
Cathedral Clears Out For Week
of Festivities
8
Old School Gets New Look
9
Archbishop Driver Swaps
Flock for Fish
10 Cathedral - a Sanctuary for Local
Art Scene
12 SYNOD 12 Godliness and Good Order
14 COMMUNITY 14 Bishop Chris Awarded Gold at
ARPA Awards
14 Local Business Harness Power
of Prayer
15 Film Review: Hacksaw Ridge
Photo: Andrew Victorsen
3
Anglican Schools as Communities of Hope: Conference 2016 by the Revd Julia Denny-Dimitriou,
Chaplain, St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School
More than 250 delegates from Anglican Schools around the country converged on Adelaide in early August for the annual Anglican Schools Australia (ASA) Conference. The ASA Conference is hosted by representatives of Anglican schools in a different city each year. The theme for this year’s conference was “Rivers in the Desert: Anglican Schools as Communities of Hope”, taken from Isaiah 43: 19 “I am about to do a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” The ASA serves 165 schools around Australia and it is typically the principals, leaders, chaplains, senior staff and Board members of these schools who attend the conference. “Rivers have particular significance in South Australia, the driest state on the driest continent in the world”, explained the Chairman of the 2016 Conference organising committee, Christopher Prance, Principal of St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School in Glenelg. He said that the Organising Committee set five broad goals for the conference. It aimed to provide: • • • • •
4
A break from routine A chance to restore the soul An opportunity to network Reflection on current issues in society Challenges around 21st Century learning.
Angela Evans
Members meet for the AGM
A variety of social activities, including a cocktail reception in the Mortlock Wing of the State Library, sightseeing tours of city highlights and a gala dinner at the National Wine Centre, contributed to achieving the first three objectives. The Conference’s keynote speakers provided the other two. Each keynote speaker
focused on a particular aspect of building Anglican schools as communities of hope. Conference Prophet, the Bishop of Ballarat, Garry Weatherill, offered conference reflections and connected its themes.
Christ on
Campus by Peter March “Meet the real Jesus” was the invitation extended to students at Adelaide University and UniSA’s East and West campuses by members of Evangelical Students (ES) at this year’s Jesus Week. Jesus Week is a week over which ES runs a number of events specifically designed to give university students an opportunity to find out more about Jesus. These events challenge students’ thinking on faith, religion and Jesus while at university. ES Staffworker, Laura Maddock explained the simple idea behind the theme, “We wanted to challenge people to read a Gospel as an adult, and we invited them to do that with us to (in effect) ‘meet the real Jesus’.” While some took up the invitation presented by ES, Laura points out that there is still plenty of work to be done, “Two people became Christians, which in itself is pretty exciting and pretty encouraging but there’s a bunch of people to follow up who are interested but still have questions.” One of the key times for ‘ESers’ during Jesus Week is the daily Prayer Breakfasts. They are an opportunity to encourage each other at the start of every day, pray together, find out what's going on and how you can help out.
President of ES, Chloe Bartel found them to be a great time of rejuvination, “The breakfast is awesome because it’s a mix of setting up the day, you’re ready and you’re all praying together about what could be, but you also hear stories about what’s happened on other days.”
“We wanted to challenge people to read a Gospel as an adult, and we invited them to do that with us to (in effect) ‘meet the real Jesus’.” “You can’t see every (student) over the week, but you get to hear stories of people who have seen (one of us) and talked with one of us, and maybe that doesn’t happen to you, but it gives you encouragement that as part of a group you’re working together to bring people to Jesus. It’s good to be part of a big thing with everyone playing their part.”
instagram.com/esnorthterrace
5
Cathedral Clears Out For Week of Festivities by Peter March St Peter’s Cathedral was transformed in October, with pews removed to create an ‘empty’ space in which to host a range of events.
“Its a great opportunity to assemble as Christians in Adelaide and enjoy unified worship.”
The first of these was the ‘Adelaide as 1’ service, which saw hundreds from all Christian denominations gather for an evening of music, praise and prayer.
The evening’s speaker was Graham Power, from Unashamedly Ethical, an organisation that works to stem the tide of corruption and unethical behavior in our institutions and societies by rallying public support for ethics, values and clean living.
Coordinator Andrew Marshall said the event was organised as a time for prayer and reflection ahead of the South Australian Prayer Breakfast, held the next morning.
6
Worshippers gather for Adelaide As 1
“We want to see the Cathedral full of people as a lot of faith is built when people all come together,” Andrew says.
The following night, which the show’s director, Rob Croser said came from
his involvement with last year’s Anzac Centenary celebration in the Cathedral, “for that, I constructed a 45-minute dramatic centrepiece to the service, drawing from letters, diaries, newspaper accounts and songs from the Gallipoli campaign. The Cathedral was interested in holding a similar event in the “empty” cathedral, to commemorate the Shakespeare 400-year anniversary.”
“We want to see the Cathedral full of people as a lot of faith is built when people all come together” “I gathered together speeches and scenes from over 20 of the Shakespeare plays (as well as some of the sonnets), and linked them together thematically, in order to present the breadth of Shakespeare’s understanding of every facet of human existence. I linked them together with a narration that I wrote. I invited 6 actors to perform the pieces, which we did in the open space created by the removal of the pews, with individual chairs circling the central performing space.”
Will Cox performs during Shakespere at the Cathedral
The actors remained in view throughout the performance, and stepped forward to perform the various pieces.” Rob explained that the ‘empty’ space provided a unique experience for audience members, “(They were) very close to the performers and their performances, and seemed genuinely enthralled to have such glorious language and powerful performances within touching distance of them. The comments at interval, and afterwards, were hugely complimentary.”
“(They were) very close to the performers and their performances, and seemed genuinely enthralled to have such glorious language and powerful performances within touching distance of them."
“It was an enormous privilege to me to have the opportunity to re-visit the plays, and draw from them familiar and unfamiliar pieces, which I thought would open Shakespeare up to local audiences, and send them back to the plays. The actors did an amazing job in making the texts perfectly clear and understandable to the audience, and it was a joy to see the connections being made between the listeners and these amazing texts. It was a truly exciting and rewarding experience for me and the actors.” Rob is a founding member of Adelaide’s Independent Theatre and their upcoming project – Terence Rattigan’s play, ROSS – about Lawrence of Arabia, commemorates yet another famous historical figure, “I’ve always been fascinated with Lawrence, and my work on the Anzac Centenary for the Cathedral last year, made me think that the Arab Revolt Centenary might be worth exploring this year. Will Cox, who played in the empty Cathedral event – is playing Lawrence. The play focusses much more on Lawrence’s psychological journey – a truly intriguing, enigmatic hero – and the world’s first media megastar.”
A birds-eye view of the AnglicareSA fundraising dinner
SPACE THEATRE ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTRE
NOVEMBER 11 – 19
bookings www.bass.net.au 131 247 www.independenttheatre.org.au
Ross the lives of
Lawrence of Arabia
Festivities in the ‘empty’ Cathedral concluded with Anglicare’s annual fundraising dinner, from which proceeds support their Emergency Assistance programs running out of The Elizabeth Mission, Salisbury, The Magdalene Centre, Outer Southern Hub, Picket Fence Partnership, and ‘The Turning Point’ program supporting victims of family violence with emergency accommodation.
a play by Terence Rattigan
directed by
Rob Croser starring Will Cox as Lawrence 7
Old School gets New Look Principal of St Barnabas' College, Matthew Anstey unveils to schools new logo
One hundred and thirty-six years after it was founded by Bishop Augustus Short in 1880, St Barnabas' College has reshaped its mission to be: Encouraging people to know and love God through learning in community. This new narrative was successfully launched on Monday 19 September 2016, along with the new logo and new website (www.sbc.edu.au). The new modern logo was designed by Edi Leane ( joiecreative.com.au) to reflect the centrality of Christ to the life of the College and to the study of Theology and Scripture. The cross is “open” and conveys the commitment to make St Barnabas' College a welcoming community, where any question can be asked, and for many it also symbolises a crossroads, where lives are changed and beliefs are examined. The Principal of St Barnabas' College, The Reverend Canon Dr Matthew Anstey,
8
Brenton Edwards
explains: “We also changed our name back to the historic name, St Barnabas' College, which symbolises both drawing from the past and looking to the future.”
we have are recent arrivals to Australia, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for them to learn more about the Christian faith.”
“The rebranding process took its time to ensure we listened carefully to views from across the Province of South Australia. We had been wanting to undertake this review for a long while and it came to fruition when Michael Neale (St Peter’s Cathedral) from marketing agency, Literally Brilliant, approached us in the middle of 2015, saying he’d love to help us reimagine St Barnabas' College for the twenty-first century.”
Enrolments are also at a historic high, with many new students commencing in 2017. St Barnabas' College is delighted at the number of students continuing also to honours and doctoral studies, and the new enrolments in the Graduate Certificate in Ageing and Pastoral Studies and the new Master of Ministry.
The result of fifteen months' hard work was the new narrative about the College: “We wanted to tie in with St Barnabas the encourager, we wanted to emphasise learning and loving, the mind and the heart, and we wanted to say that all we do takes place in community.” Aside from the new logo and change of name, there are other important changes at the College. Visitors to the website will see a link in Mandarin. “There are over 50,000 Chinese in Adelaide and a very large number of them are Christians, so this year we asked Dr Joseph Chung to run courses in Mandarin. Many of the Chinese students
Dr Anstey is confident life at the College will continue to thrive, “Anyone who has been watching the College for the past five or six years will know we’ve consistently started new initiatives, … we definitely want to grow the College a lot more, build a really strong and highly skilled team, … and we’re also keen to find new ways to deliver education online and in remote areas. We are also investing a lot more in research and publications in the years ahead.” Now is an ideal time to visit the College and speak with Dr Anstey about how you might like to commence learning more about the Christian faith and Scriptures in 2017. He can be contacted at manstey@sbc. edu.au (8305 9380).
Archbishop Driver left no doubts as to what he'd be doing in his spare time
Archbishop Driver Swaps Flock for Fish by Peter March Adelaide Archbishop, The Most Reverend Jeffrey Driver, and wife, Lindy will retire to their home in Gippsland, where Jeffrey will, “engage in occasional piscatorial pursuits”. Archbishop Driver, a famously keen fisherman, was farewelled at St Peter’s Cathedral during a Thanksgiving Eucharist after 11 years of service to the Diocese.
Brenton Edwards
Archbishop Driver addressed the congregation in his final sermon, speaking on Ezekiel to give his view on the state of the Church, “Over forty years in ministry, I have heard many outside the Church predict its death. But in recent years,and as our world has changed almost as massively, if not as violently, as it did in Ezekiel’s time (Ezekiel 37:1-14); and as tragic revelations of abuse have shattered confidence in church leadership, there has grown an assumption in parts of our church, of inevitable decline, of dying; an almost subconscious presumption of dying among those within.”
The Service included the laying up of the Pastoral Staff (a gift passed down from the first Bishop of Adelaide, The Right Reverend Augustus Short), a tradition that symbolises his relinquishment of authority and responsibility.
“As you go into your future, please do not surrender to
Among the 600 in attendance was His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC, heads of various denominations, members of clergy, diocesan staff, and representatives from the Sudanese community.
bones. And be brave to be the Church of God. ‘Mortal
the narrative of decline and dying. Remember who you are and whose you are. Lift your eyes beyond the dry man – can these bones live? You know Lord.’”
9
Eyes Of Innocence Bonnie Supple
Cathedral - a Sanctuary for Local Art Scene by Peter March The 2016 Cathedral Art Prize and Exhibition opens next month, with hopes of raising in excess of $15,000 to support a water and sanitation project in Vanuatu. The project will assist the Anglican Church of Melanesia to install clean water systems and toilets in Vanuatu, repair existing systems, and train local youth in toilet installation, giving young people a practical skill they can use to benefit their community. Now in its 12th year, the Cathedral Art Prize is a significant event in the arts calendar in South Australia. It is one of the largest community art shows in Adelaide, offering artists of all persuasions the opportunity to exhibit in one of the city’s most beautiful and iconic spaces. It has become a source of delight for artists and art lovers alike, and has been a platform for some of Adelaide’s finest emerging artists, including Mike Barr, Ross Morgan and Drew Harrison. Chair of the 2016 Art Prize and Exhibition, Sarah Stephens believes there is no other event quite like this one on the local art calendar, “The Cathedral Art Prize is an important event because it is an opportunity to showcase the wealth of local artistic talent we have, in the beautiful surrounds of the Cathedral.”
10
“We are fortunate to have so many talented artists in Adelaide and across South Australia. As a community art show, the exhibition has a wide diversity of genres and artists.” “We are fortunate to have so many talented artists in Adelaide and across South Australia. As a community art show, the exhibition has a wide diversity of genres and artists.” “The event is also a means of welcoming people into this iconic space who would otherwise never step foot inside the Cathedral.”
This year’s judges are Andrew Durham, Director of Artlab Australia, Tsering Hannaford, a finalist in the Archibald Prize in 2015 and 2016 and daughter of Robert Hannaford, South Australia’s most celebrated portraitist, and Ann Preston Flint of the David Roche Foundation Gallery. There are 8 non-acquisitive prizes, including $3,000 for first prize, and $500 for the best work by an artist under 25. The Opening Gala and Prize Giving will be held on Friday 4 November at 7 pm. The evening will feature music by the Chelsea Smart Quintet, including award winning graduates of Elder Conservatorium's jazz program as well as the head of jazz studies, Dustan Cox. According to Sarah, this is an event not to be missed, “Opening night is always a fantastic evening. The Cathedral is abuzz, there is lovely food and wine, and this year we’ll again be joined by the hugely popular Chelsea Smart Jazz Quintet.”
Tickets to the opening gala are available at trybooking.com/MVLT. Entry is free for the remainder of the exhibition.
Sun shower - Town Hall Mike Barr
11
Godliness and Good Order by Keith Stephens Diocesan Registrar & Secretary of Synod In 2015 the Diocese of Adelaide celebrated one hundred and sixty years of Synodal Governance in our Church. It could be said it was an unusual event to celebrate, however, the vision of Bishop Augustus Short (the first Bishop of Adelaide) to bring the whole Church in South Australia together as a unit of governance was ground breaking in institution and ecclesiology. We may take it for granted, but as a result of the work undertaken by Short to establish the Synod as a primary unit of governance in the Church each of us, whether clergy or lay, has a voice and responsibility in how we order ourselves, and strive to grow God’s Kingdom in Adelaide and beyond. It is especially noteworthy that Short had a firm conviction that the laity, as the people of God, should be in the majority on the floor of Synod, and lead the mood of Synod by casting their votes first. At that time, this was in contrast to the Diocese of Sydney, where Bishop Broughton desired that any diocesan synod should consist entirely of clergy. Only in the small colony of South Australia, the ‘paradise of dissent’, could such church reform take place! As 2016 is a new triennium of Synod, the 43rd to be precise, there will be a number of people who have had very little experience with Synod until now. With
12
the history lesson behind us we should ask the question “What is Synod?” The Synod is the major governance body within each Diocese of the Anglican Church of Australia. “Synod” means 'a council of the church meeting to decide doctrine and administration'. The modern Synod is a theologically informed governance structure that allows all the people of God, both lay and ordained, to provide not only for the life and growth but also the order and good governance of the Church. Synod is similar to an Annual General Meeting of a large organisation, however, it is far more than just the receiving of
reports and approving policy - it is an opportunity for the church to share its stories of faith, and collectively discern our part in God's mission in Adelaide. The Synod of the Diocese of Adelaide is legally structured as an incorporated association, with approximately 260 members, being around 140 lay people elected by local churches and 120 licensed clergy. The laity are elected by parish according to the size of that parish and the clergy are summoned to Synod on account of their holding a license from the Archbishop. Generally, Synods in Adelaide are summoned once a year, but can be
called at other times to consider items of business pertinent to the good order or the Diocese. Later this year, 3 and 4 December, there will be a special Election Synod, where all members of the Synod will be summoned to elect the 10th Archbishop of Adelaide. If you are new to Synod you may be wondering “How does Synod work?” The Standing Orders Ordinance is a useful document for understanding how the Synodal process works, including how to submit motions, questions, and petitions. Other Ordinances directly relevant to the conduct and composition of Synod include, the Constitution of the Diocese of Adelaide, Election of Members of Synod Ordinance and the Elections and Appointments Ordinance. These are available on the Adelaide Anglicans website. In the lead up to Synod, all members will receive an information pack that will include the Notice Paper (Agenda) and supporting documents. There will also be the Reports and Accounts Book that will contain the consolidated financial
statements of the Synod as well as reports from each parish, mission partners and agencies such as Anglicare SA, ABM and CMS. At the beginning of a new triennium, many of the governing bodies in the Diocese are refreshed through an election process. Included in this year’s Notice Paper are the names and biographical information for those seeking to be elected in the various boards, councils and committees of the Diocese. Over the two days of Synod members will be asked to consider items of business that include the annual financial presentation, which includes a look at the financial performance of the Synod over the past twelve months as well as the budget for the year ahead. There will also be a period of time set aside for a forum to explore and discuss the development of a Diocesan Reconciliation Action Plan. On the Sunday, The Rev’d Sandy Jones, from the Diocese of Melbourne, who was invited by the Bishop Nomination Committee to lead a consultation process in July exploring
the key issues that should be considered in the election of the next Archbishop of Adelaide, will be presenting the findings of the consultation process so as to keep members of Synod informed in the lead up to the December election. As well as these three significant items there will be a number of motions put forward by Synod members covering a range of issues from the Diocesan Companion Diocese of Bor, youth ministry and St Barnabas’ College. Synod first gathers in worship at St Peter’s Cathedral at 7pm on Friday 28 October. This is a chance for the whole Diocese, not just Synod members, to come before God in prayer as we approach the significant task before us over the weekend. All members of the Diocese are welcome to join in this service. If you are new to Synod, I would very much like to meet you over the course of the weekend. Please do not hesitate to find me during one of the breaks and say hello. I look forward to welcoming old and new members of Synod later in the month.
13
Bishop Chris Awarded GOLD at ARPA Awards Bishop Chris McLeod from the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide claimed the Gold Award in the category of Best Social Justice Article at this year’s Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) Conference dinner in Sydney. The article published in Guardian titled “Trinity & Reconciliation”, explored the idea that “Christians, whose lives are shaped by repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation, are well placed to lead by example”, when it comes to reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.
The ARPA judging panel called it a “well-researched, clearly written, comprehensive and honest discussion about a very important issue in Australian life. It challenges its readers to embrace the idea that relationships with God and relationships with other people are intrinsically connected.” Bishop Chris, who is South Australia's first Aboriginal Anglican Bishop, was not present at the ceremony to receive the award, but upon receiving it in Adelaide at the Diocesan Office said, “It’s not quite like winning the Brownlow”. It was one of two prizes awarded to the Adelaide Anglican publication, with previous Editor of Guardian, Katrina McLachlan taking out Silver in the category of Best Headline. Bishop Chris McLeod
Local Business Harness POWER of Prayer Dr Graham Power, founder and Chairman of the Power Group of Companies, addressed more than one thousand people from the local business community as they gathered to pray and fellowship together at Christian Business & Marketplace Connections International’s (CBMC) Annual Prayer Breakfast at the Adelaide Convention Centre in October.
Brenton Edwards
Dr Power, who is also the initiator and leader of the movement that has come to be known as the “Global Day of Prayer” encouraged those in attendance to “make a commitment to ethical behavior in business and personal life.” Staff from the Adelaide Diocesan office attended the event, including Executive Officer of the Registrar, Rev’d Darren Russ who said, “It was good to gather with brothers and sisters in the church community, to pray about the things that matter and the way we behave towards others in our businesses, work, churches and homes.”
“It was good to gather with brothers and sisters in the church community, to pray about the things that matter and the way we behave towards others in our businesses, work, churches and homes.”
CMBC work to serve the business and marketplace community in South Australia, bringing a message of hope and seeking transformation through alignment with sound values and principles. They are a non-denominational ministry with a focus on business and professional leaders.
14
FILM REVIEW: Hacksaw Ridge by Russ Matthews “In our jaded world, we continue to search for heroes and when we hear of true heroism from ordinary people, it begs our attention. The soldiers of World War Two continue to provide rich fields of courage under fire and none quite compare to the story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield).� Growing up in Virginia during the depression era moulded Desmond's very existence. Through his relationship with his father and brother, the young Virginian learnt to defend himself, through the love of his mother he grew to know the importance of family and through his faith as a Seventh Day Adventist, this young man developed a sanctity of life. Desmond's father being a veteran of World War One and still suffering from the memories associated with its horrors, caused continual turmoil in the Doss household. Tom Doss (Hugo Weaving) opposed the Second World War, but his sons still chose to enlist despite his opposition. In the process of enlisting, Desmond made a choice to be a military medic, thinking that this would allow him to live as a conscientious objector, not be required to hold a weapon and still serve his country. This naive view ultimately leads him through great trials within the Army itself and his platoon. Even through the threat of a court marshall and regular physical abuse, Desmond perseveres and was allowed to serve in the South Pacific conflict. Hacksaw Ridge continues his journey as a medic on the island of Okinawa and the heroic acts that led to his eventual winning of the Congressional Medal of Honour. Desmond Doss' story has been told many times over the years through books, television and even a comic book, but this is the first dramatic depiction of his life as a soldier on the big screen. It is a film
about a man of faith, but this should not be mistaken as a 'faith-based' film. Mel Gibson (The Passion of the Christ) brings forward this captivating story without sacrificing the faith of the central character or minimising the horrors of war. Gibson manages the direction of Hacksaw Ridge with a measured approach in light of both of these areas. He shows the faith of this young man and incorporates how it influences all that he chose to do, but Gibson does not hold back in depicting the battle scenes. The realistic use of extreme special effects accurately depicts the impact on these soldiers. This aspect of the film should be a subtle warning that this film is not for the faint of heart. Yet, this Academy Award winning director chooses to minimise the depiction of other areas of the military lifestyle by having virtually no foul language or sexual content. Like Chariots of Fire, this is a compelling biographical sketch that has at it's heart a man of faith who takes a stand, but continues to find a unique way of serving his country. Coming off his strong performance in 99 Homes, Andrew Garfield continues to prove that he has more to offer the cinematic world than his role as Spider-man. His commitment to the role was evident and his performance provides the very heart of Desmond Doss' story and brings it to life. Gibson has surrounded Garfield with a stellar cast who give the same level of conviction to getting this his story right on screen. Hugo Weaving is exceptional in his portrayal of Thomas Doss and
Vince Vaughn (True Detective) as Sargent Howell gives one the best performances of his career. It could be said that some of the roles were a mere cliche of the era, but the direction gives room for all of these characters to have a place on screen. Gibson has done well in picking the right cast members and proving his exceptional skill at telling historical dramas. Regardless of people's faith convictions, Hacksaw Ridge is a story worth seeing. The graphic nature of the war scenes may cause some to give it a miss and it needs to be said that this is not a film for young children. For all other ages, Desmond Doss' story is one to engage with and this depiction of his life ranks as one of the best films of 2016. REEL DIALOGUE: What are some of the bigger questions to consider from this film? Do not kill - This statement or law is part of the 10 commandments and is addressed throughout the Bible. It is one that seems pretty straight forward, but even the writers of the Bible wrestle with its application. What do you do in times of war or in defending yourself? These are discussions that will challenge lawyers, theologians and mankind for the rest of time. Hacksaw Ridge is less a story of taking a stand on killing, as it is on standing up for what you believe. The challenge to all who attend this film will be to think of what would you be willing to take a stand on and what it is based in. Where do you base your convictions? www.reeldialogue.com
15