Guardian Synod 2014

SYNOD 2014

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF ADELAIDE

Sharing Christianity

Younger Generations

with

INSIDE: 42nd Anglican Diocese of Adelaide Triennial Synod

G

THE ANGLICAN GUARDIAN Published by the Diocese of Adelaide

Edited by Katrina McLachlan THE ANGLICAN GUARDIAN Phone: (08) 8305 9348 Fax: (08)of8305 9399 Published by the Diocese Adelaide Email: Edited by Katrina McLachlan communications@adelaide.anglican.com.au Phone: (08) 8305 9348 www.adelaide.anglican.com.au Fax: (08) 8305 9399 Email: Layout and design by WOW! Creative communications@adelaide.anglican.com.au Phone: (08) 8362 1533 www.adelaide.anglican.com.au www.wowcreative.com.au Layout by Writing by Ashleigh Knott and Ellie Benjamin vanCooper Caspel Phone: 0478 082 114 Photography by Brenton Edwards www.caspeldesign.com Phone: 0419 815 443 www.storieswelltold.com.au Photography

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Phone: is (08) 8179 9900 The Guardian a member of The Australasian Religious Press Association The Guardian is a member of The Australasian Religious Press Association

EVERY TIME WE David Thornton-Wakeford DRAW A LINE LOOKING BACK

THE INHERENT EMOTIONAL CONFLICT OF DEFENCE MISSIONS

By David Thornton-Wakeford Looking back, Looking back, do you see some daft moments you can’t change a thing and when you must have totally ‘the benefit of hindsight’ lost the plot and had a is poor consolation for freeze? your mistakes.to tolerate but Everybrain time we draw a line, Or condescend

the good guys and body language Looking back,bad guys we define; the Looking back: says: eliminate; we distinguish friends from enemies; go back where you came from mate, do you wish you’d had the insight what’s the point? invent categories. orAll at least legalget then tous-and-them know you were barking you’llget really at migrate. best up the wrong tree is a sore neck or at worst We erect a fence, make our defense, We marginalise and sanitise, without a prayer? a pillar of salt. show disregard and give offence; protest our case and ostracise; discriminate, while God waits on the other side, Looking castigate back, and alienate; exclude, denigrate. every time we draw a line. weredismiss you tooand impatient to see the big picture; We state what’s wrong & what’s driven to distraction with right; all simply a case of black and white. fleeting fancies?

You’re in or out, no shadow of doubt; one size fits all; just figure it out.

AnnAnn Nadge is The Guardian’s poetry editor.

Submissions of 20oflines or less are welcome.

Nadge is The Guardian’s poetry editor.

Submissions 20 lines or less are welcome.

SendSend to the general editorial email address. to the general editorial email address.

The joy of learning

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contents

4

FA ITH

Archbishop Jeffrey Driver

When is it right for a people to take up arms?

It is a vexed question that defies easy answers.

The fundamentalist answers are always the easy ones; the extremist leaders of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have no doubts about the rightness of taking up arms to impose their view of the universe.

The black and white pacifist can take the opposing fundamentalist position, arguing that it is never right to take up arms.

The Christian tradition has a more nuanced approach, articulated by great thinkers like Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas. Basically they argued that there are times when to take up arms, or to go to war, is the least evil thing to do.

In his great volume The City of God, Augustine struggled with the question as to whether Christians could in all conscience fight in the army against those invading their country. His answer was that the wise person always lamented war, but there could be times when to do nothing was more of a sin than acting to take up arms.

This is the quandary that nations like Australia have wrestled with over recent weeks as people around the world have witnessed the terrible deeds of extreme fundamentalists convinced that their cause totally justifies the most horrible acts of violence.

By contrast, I suspect that there are few Australians who hold a black and white position on committing troops to harm’s way. Once more Christian thinkers like Augustine and Aquinas give some touchstones to hold while we agonise over these issues:

• Is the resort to arms a last resort? All reasonable peaceful alternatives must have been exhausted or have been deemed impractical or ineffective.

• Has the decision to go to arms been reached by legitimate authority? Has there been a request from those who are at risk?

• Are the real intentions clear and correct? The reasons for declaring taking military must actually be the objectives. The action should not be a proxy for another agenda or conflict.

Is there proportionality? The good that is achieved by taking military action must not be outweighed by the harm. What good is it to wage war if it leaves the country in total devastation with no one really being the winner? Modern means of warfare give great weight to this criterion.

Guiding principles such as these come out of centuries of reflection on a question that has sadly needed to be answered in nearly every generation.

Are the answers clear?

Mostly they are not and thank God for that!

In any situation where we might contemplate the use of military force, that touch of hesitancy, that note of caution and ambivalence is the gift of our own humanity.

So if there are times when we feel we must take up arms, let it always be with a heavy heart; and for people of faith may it always be with a prayer on our lips: “Lord have mercy…”

+Jeffrey

• Does the action confront an unquestioned danger? It must be clear that the taking up of arms is to confront a grave danger, particularly to the vulnerable.

4.

Christian Responses to Poverty

6.

Synod 2014

8.

The Guiding Force

10 MISSION 10. Church with Community Spirit 12. Iona Pilgrimage 14. Calling all Grandparents 15. Korean Bishop Visits Adelaide

16 FOCUS 16. Archbishop of Canterbury attends the inauguration of new Primate of Australia 17. Archbishop Driver presents the Barry Marshall Lecture 17. Primate Freier 18. Community is Not Just About Sundays 20. A Musical Equation: St Peter’s Cathedral Bell Ringers

22 COMMUNIT Y 22. God Words 24. Local, National International News 26. Books 27. People and Places

On the cover: Anthony Radford reads a Bible story to his 2 year old grand daughter Carla (page 14).

3

F AITH

CHRISTIAN RESPONSES TO POVERTY The Rev’d Dr Lynn Arnold AO questions the way we label people in the wake of National Poverty Week in Australia.

Each year in the month of October National Anti-Poverty Week is held. Anchored around the United Nations’ International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (17th October), community groups are invited to host activities that not only highlight the existence of poverty in our country and in our world, but also to seek to understand causes of poverty as well as explore solutions.

A quick update on poverty in our shared world: The World Bank reports that 880 million people live on less than $1 per day, while 2.6 billion live on less than $2 per day. Looking at the figures another way, the poorest 40% of the world’s population receive 5% of global income, while the richest 20% receive 75%. Though it is at half the rate of the figures of the 1990s, there are still 22,000 children under the age of five dying each day of poverty-related causes – i.e. avoidable causes. Australian figures are less dramatic but should not blind us to how many live in very straightened circumstances in this country. Australian Council of Social Service reports that 2.3 million Australians live below the poverty line (which is set at 50% of the median average wage) and this figure includes 575,000 children. A survey a couple of months ago revealed that one quarter of Australian households could not raise $3,000 in an emergency – such as the car engine blowing, or sudden loss of employment.

4

So how should we, as Christians, apply our faith to the problem of poverty in our shared world?

Jim Wallis of Sojourners has spoken about his creation of a new “Holy” Bible – a Bible from which he and friends had literally cut out every reference to poverty and social injustice, leaving a Bible that was full of holes. Their purpose was to highlight the partial Bible that many Christians follow – a Bible silent about those suffering in poverty and under injustice. Wallis claims that there are thousands of verses in the Bible that deal with poverty and social injustice.

So the first point in applying our faith to the problem of poverty is not to ignore these myriad references. But then we face the challenge of how to understand them and the calls to action they surely imply.

As with so much of the Bible, selectivity has often bred dubious theology. Jesus is reported in three of the Gospels as having referred to the poor as always being with us; and this has been taken by some through history to downplay the need to assist them; or, more damagingly, any need for an analysis to be made of the causes of poverty.

The dubious nature of such interpretations is highlighted, however, when we consider the full import of the Inasmuch sermon in Matthew 25 (verses 31-46). In these verses, Jesus clearly states his expectation of succour being provided to those in need.

“Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these, you did it to me …” They are wonderful, motivating words that encourage us to do good deeds helping people who live on the margins of our comfortable world.

But we should be careful to ensure that we understand the full import of these verses, for in them lie the seeds, from the Christian

The Rev’d Lynn Arnold outside St Luke’s Mission, true supporters of the poor and needy.

perspective, of a more complex response to poverty than simply providing assistance.

Indeed in these verses, Jesus commands us to give personality to those needing assistance; he also removes from us the opportunity for relativising need. Regarding the first point, we are instructed to see the King in each of those needing assistance; they are not to be massed together in groups identified more by their problems than their individuality. He did not say: “Inasmuch as you fed the hungry, the thirsty, the sick &c” in a plural kind of way – he individualised them by linking them to the individuality of the King. And having done that, Jesus did not then prioritise some needs as more valid than others; more significantly, he did not cast any aspersions about some in need being more acceptable than others – the prisoner, and the stranger at the gate are to be considered equally with the hungry and the sick.

On the point of giving personality to those in need, we have, by and large, moved away from using anonymous references

such as ‘the poor’ in our description of those who are economically deprived; the implication being that we recognise it as disrespectful to dehumanise a group by such a stereotyping. Yet, how often do we replace one stereotype with another, perhaps even more demeaning? How often do we hear the phrase ‘low socioeconomic’ where previously we might have used ‘poor’? Yet this phrase is really worse than the generalised term ‘the poor’.

Why? Because ‘the poor’ simply refers to economic well-being or lack thereof, whereas ‘low socio-economic’ casts a judgement about the social behaviour of people who are economically poor as if the two are in direct relationship. If one is low on the income scale, the term implies, then one is also low in terms of appropriate social behaviour and relationships. The corollary must therefore be that high socio-economic people are to be assumed to behave better because of their better incomes. However, there is no sociological evidence to prove such a direct correlation. More importantly, there is no theological justification.

The social justice paradigm of the Bible links fairness to freedom from oppression rather than blaming those who are poor for their own plight. Perspectives that focus on the latter often bring with them coercive social policies that disempower; whereas those that focus on the former, base their solutions on empowering the marginalised.

Dr Lou Wilson (in J. Spoehr’s State of South Australia: From Crisis to Prosperity) writes about such coercive practices in his incisive critique of Social Inclusion:

… a social inclusion agenda (can be) about defining difficult individuals and groups (for example homeless people, early school leavers, bikies) who become a danger to the social order if their difficulties are left untreated. The issues faced by such individuals or groups are to be treated as exceptional social problems … unrelated to any systemic issues.

Underlying such approaches is a secular obsession with usefulness. Everything is measured by its value to others, including people (don’t most organisations have Human Resources Departments?). Such a utilitarian perspective requires that the non-useful or less than useful be contained rather than that the cause of their circumstance be challenged.

This utilitarian worldview is distinctly at odds with the idea of preciousness to which Jesus calls us. To be called to love our neighbours as ourselves only has real power if we can understand that our own egoistic appreciation of our distinctiveness applies to every single other person as well. This is a fundamental challenge to the Me and Them dichotomy that the worldview attaches to neighbour. And if we can make that leap of understanding to the ‘neighbour’ of the second greatest commandment, then we relook at the statistics of the second paragraph of this article and find, in their millions, the faces of Jesus saying “inasmuch …”

5

F AITH | SYNOD 2014

delivery of ministry and mission? The fastest growing congregations in the Diocese of Melbourne are affiliated congregations called the City on a Hill, which are outside the parish system. Do we as a Church need to think radically outside the box?”

LANDMARK

debates

Anglican Archbishop Jeffrey Driver has called all members of the Adelaide Anglican Synod to embrace change and “embark on an adventurous journey together under God and be open to surprise, risk and new horizons”.

The Archbishop delivered his message in his President’s Pastoral Address at the service to mark the opening of the Second Session of the Forty Second Triennial Synod on Friday the 17th of October at St Peter’s Cathedral.

“The term “Synod” comes from the Greek syn (with/together) and hodos

and supported motions

(road/journey); to make a journey together,” the Archbishop said.

“Beyond being the name we give to the primary governance structure in our diocese, syn-hodos is a great metaphor for the Christian calling.

“Too often in the Church we have neither syn nor hodos. That is, we can allow our relationships to be eroded to the superficial and sometimes oppositional, surrendering the deep “with-ness” (the syn of syn-hodos) to which we are called.

“And at times there is far too little hodos (journey). The rather well-worn joke about how many Anglicans it takes to change a light bulb reminds us of our ecclesiastical trait of liking things just as they are and sometimes even more

so, “just as they were”. Like individuals, organisations often resort to stasis when they feel vulnerable or diminished.”

A Report, prepared by the Viability and Structures Task Force appointed by the General Synod Standing Committee, was enthusiastically debated during Synod after the Archbishop stated in his Presidential Address that it “could provide abundant reason for Anglicans in Australia to feel vulnerable and diminished, and therefore to adopt a grim and defensive view of our place in the world”.

The Archbishop’s comments were prompted by a question raised in the Report “Do we need to have geographical diocese?”

“With the Christendom model of the church dying do we need a parish model for the

“My view is, though, that the report calls us to hodos – to an adventurous journey together under God; to be open to surprise and risk and new horizons,” the Archbishop said.

A number of suggestions for the future proposed by the Viability and Structures Task Force, including restructuring dioceses to improve efficiency, were considered by Synod and a response will be drafted by the end of October.

A particular focus was on how the Anglican Church can ‘look at ways by which the dioceses can focus on sharing more with each other eg. diocesan offices, infrastructure, expertise and finance, professional standards, training and information’.

“These suggestions show that many Anglicans across our nation are giving thought and careful consideration to the issues this Task Force has sought to address,” Archbishop Driver said.

“It would appear that the tension between “place” and “association” as the context of human community will characterize Australian life into the coming decades.

The growth of the capital cities, the cost of transport infrastructure, pressure on fuel costs and CO2 emissions may act as a limiter on the ‘commuter culture.’

“As digital technology continues to develop and impact on the way people work, there is the possibility that more people will live and work in the same place.

“Future planning by the broader community does not suggest an abandonment of the sense of region and place for a body such as the Church. It does mean, however, that dioceses will need to recognise the power

of networks as the context of belonging and identity and use them effectively.”

site, upon such terms and conditions as the Diocesan Council may approve.

Protecting a strong sense of community also featured strongly in the Report and the Archbishop said a particular challenge for the modern diocese is to hold the associational in engagement with wider expression.

After the vote the Archbishop said he assured the Synod that he would take the year to explore the possibility of a long term lease as a way of the diocese “having it’s cake and eating it as well”.

“For Anglicans the ‘common’ of liturgical prayer, hymnody and cultural heritage has inevitably given away to postcolonial and multi-cultural diversity.”

“The commonality of institutional belonging so powerful through the 1950’s no longer compels the under 50’s in Australia to put their names on a roster!

We are left with relationality and crossassociational vision and task. This presents a challenge for a diocese often heavily invested in trying to maintain community through institutional expression.”

“We may be able to provide for the possibility of the eventual return of the property as an asset of the diocese,” the Archbishop said.

Other matters debated and passed included calling for the Federal Government to lift our refugee quota from its present level of 13,750 to the formerly endorsed target of 20,000 and supporting the placement of a name before Diocesan Council in the near future to appoint a Bishop who is an Aboriginal person.

In other matters relating to ‘place’ the Synod enthusiastically debated the potential sale of all or part of Bishop’s Court.

Addressing Synod the Archbishop spoke about the importance of looking to the future when it comes to allocating resources for mission.

“My hope is that the Synod takes the view that whatever decision is taken the members should ensure the impact of the sale or retention of Bishop’s Court on the missional work of the Diocese is minimised,” the Archbishop said.

“What we do must set the mission of the church free.”

In an iconic decision that symbolised looking to the future and prioritised the changing needs of mission of the Adelaide diocese the following motion was passed: That Synod, Pursuant to Paragraph 3 (3) of the Trusts of the See, and subject to the consent of the Archbishop, gives in principle support to sell or lease the entirety of Bishop’s Court excluding approximately 1,070 m2 of the north east corner of the

OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR CHANGE TO CANON OF CONFESSION The Adelaide Anglican Synod has overwhelmingly passed a motion earlier move by the Anglican Church nationally to allow clergy to disclose the contents of confession in extreme cases, including child abuse.

Earlier this year, the national synod met in Adelaide and voted to allow individual dioceses to adopt the policy, a vote the Archbishop is pleased the Adelaide diocese was among the first to pass.

“We’re one of the first dioceses in Australia to deal with this particular Canon.

6

There was a protocol in place before but it didn’t provide for disclosure around these matters,” the Archbishop said.

The change is an extension of the 1603 Canon that provides an exemption to the confessional seal when a life was at risk.

The Archbishop said that in his experience of more than a decade of dealing with child abuse he considered child abuse did put human life genuinely at risk.

The Synod encouraged the Archbishop to establish a protocol around the new

legislation and the Archbishop tabled a draft that made it clear that the disclosure of the contents of a confession was to be regarded by clergy as a last resort and following every endeavour to encourage the person making the confession to self disclose.

“After some further consultation with clergy about the protocol, the legislation will be signed into effect that means people can have the reassurance that the we are doing our absolute best to ensure we are responding properly to the situation where vulnerable minors are at risk of the terrible experience of abuse,” the Archbishop said.

7

F AITH

SAPOL employees are people first and police second.

“That’s where it becomes quite different, operational policing is a far cry from church work,” Tim says.

Chaplains lift a heavy mental and emotional burden from the shoulders of police, but Tim is adamant that this doesn’t take its toll.

“The chaplains love what they do,” Tim says.

Police chaplain Tim Sherwell.

the

GU I DI NG

by ELLIE COOPER

Police protect and serve the community. When someone is rocked by tragedy or suffers a harrowing experience, police are by their side. But who is looking out for them?

expertise. The role offers the excitement of policing while fulfilling his spiritual calling.

in psychology and business just made him the right fit for the job.

“Police undertake a role that sometimes puts their safety at risk and which impacts on their wellbeing. A part of every chaplain’s role is recognition and acknowledgement of the sacrifice many police make and the personal toll that accumulates,” Tim says.

He oversees the 33 chaplains throughout South Australia who are ordained clergy from a number of Christian denominations.

They provide services to over 5,000 police and non-sworn employees.

Tim Sherwell was drawn to the police force from a young age. He applied to be an officer in Victoria but was held back for being an inch too short. Tim jokes that these days it wouldn’t be an issue, “but now I’m too old”.

“Good chaplaincy builds relationships with police and good chaplaincy is the end of isolation for those in a difficult and unique role in our community.”

Police chaplains go through a recruitment and induction process before receiving their uniform – a humble black and purple shirt emblazoned with the SAPOL crest and the word ‘chaplain’.

It was a desire that never left him though and Tim has found police chaplaincy to be a worthwhile outlet for his passion and

8

force

Tim has been a police chaplain for 15 months and serves the force through a managerial role. He didn’t undertake any special training – his experience

Occasionally, new chaplains seek advice from Tim after their accreditation, unsure of how best to approach their task ahead.

“I don’t care how you go about it, but I want you to love your job, to really enjoy your job,” Tim tells them.

The chaplains are as diverse as the officers they support, with backgrounds in psychology, management, law, medicine or military organisations.

But they all share a desire to stand behind the men and women who serve the community.

“Police have a unique culture with specific pastoral issues arising. It is a place where the sort of person you are counts for a lot,” Tim says.

“There is no place for incompetence or big opinions. Efficiency, ethics transparency and friendship are valued. There are issues specific to all emergency services that centre on trauma and stress.”

But support isn’t only offered for the challenges of policing. Chaplains see beyond the blue uniform, recognising that SAPOL employees are people first and police second.

“Just as police are in the community, so too are the community in police,” Tim says.

“Police and non-sworn employees are confronted with the exact same life situational problems as anyone else would be, which includes a range of personal and relationship issues.”

A main focus of police chaplaincy is creating a rapport with officers before the need for counselling arises.

Jeff Oake, a veteran SAPOL chaplain, is first on the scene meeting with the new recruits after graduation day and when they begin their first shift as an officer.

“I see my role as providing a friendly ear outside the SAPOL organisation, assuring them that what we talk about is between the officer, me and God if they believe in Him,” Jeff says.

Jeff began volunteering at Port Adelaide 17 years ago, before moving to Water Operations and then to Sturt.

The service of chaplains extends far beyond their parishes into areas of the community that require special emotional and spiritual support.

He visits the base once a week when the afternoon shift change takes place to touch base with as many officers and support staff as possible.

Throughout the Adelaide diocese, Anglican clergy commit to work with hospitals, schools, prisons, the armed forces, fire fighters and the elderly.

“I go around the base looking in every open door to say g’day,” Jeff says.

While Tim spends most of his time in the office, many chaplains are out in the community working with police.

This provides opportunities to form a bond, which is the essence of the pastoral approach to police chaplaincy.

“Officers in particular have commented that it’s great to have a smiling face

who wants to see them, most people they encounter don’t,” he says.

“Often the encounter is brief, but frequently I engage in a conversation about something happening in their lives, sometimes a frustration or an incident they have experienced during the day, and often this is followed up by a phone call or a meeting off base for a coffee.”

Jeff has been called in to support police dealing with particularly distressing events, both professional and personal.

“I am occasionally called in to support officers in situations of grief, including the death of their newborn baby, or the suicide of an officer I knew well,” Jeff says.

Jeff is unwavering in his support and modest about the important contribution he makes.

“Support of officers and families can continue for some time and it always enriches my relationship with those involved,” he says.

A friendship has grown between police and Jeff’s parish, who are supportive of his chaplaincy work beyond the Church.

“The parish groups have also had several speakers on various aspects of policing, and this relationship will continue, even after I have retired,” he says.

From young officers newly sworn in, to those who have been serving for decades, police chaplains offer support at all stages of career and life.

Whether it’s providing guidance or a shoulder to lean on, chaplains are a steadfast foundation during times of change and decision-making, whether it’s relationships, surviving teenagers or preparing for retirement.

“Chaplains offer themselves for service to the police, and that is something that gives life balance, and perspective, and which brings them fulfilment, meaning and friendship in a community aside from the Church community,” Tim says.

9

MISSION

CHURCH

with community

SPIRIT The newly renovated St Barnabas Church at Croydon officially opened its doors to the community on Sunday, 31 August with a church warming celebration.

Minister Ben Woodd with original church members.

Assistant Bishop Tim Harris addresses the crowd.

Croydon’s new Minister, Ben Woodd, was commissioned amid afternoon tea, a jazz band, magic and balloons.

“We want to invest in the local church that’s accessible, that people can wander off the street into and feel comfortable,” Tim says.

But a deeper message about the future role of the Church in a modern society lay beneath the festivities.

“We need to rediscover church as being a community, rather than doing church as an event.”

The rejuvenation project, overseen

by Assistant Bishop Tim Harris, has kept St Barnabas alive despite only having a handful of parishioners.

“The wider picture with what’s happening in the western world, especially with the mainstream churches, is the gap between churches and society is getting wider and wider in a whole level of ways,” Tim says.

“We want to bridge the gap and for that to happen we need to move closer to where people are, rather than expect them to come to us and be like us.”

This ethos is the foundation of the Re.Create Network made up of St Barnabas at Croydon and St Albans at Largs Bay.

Paul and Bel Phillips and their children at the opening.

10

The focus of Re.Create is to have church reflect the surrounding community and to encourage people to feel welcome in the space.

Over the past 18 months St Barnabas has undergone extensive renovations to make it a more inviting space.

“Having light put in has transformed it, the whole goal was to bring daylight inside and that’s been a big success,” Tim says.

The pews have been removed to open the space and put conversation and relationships at the heart of church.

Round coffee tables now dot the floor under the arched roof with seating for 50.

“Sitting in pews you don’t really get to know people other than the back of the head in front of you. But when you sit around tables, suddenly you’re not only seeing people’s faces, but you have a chance to converse,” Tim says.

“It’s less about the monologue at the front and more about community interaction and conversation.”

For Tim, there is little point in preserving the buildings, however beautiful the architecture, if the spirit of church is lost.

It is hoped St Barnabas will become part of the bustling, vibrant Elizabeth Street profile.

“We’ve got cafés, we’ve got the shops, but the one thing Croydon hasn’t got is community space,” Tim says.

“How can we make our sites work for us as a way of gathering community and be of much better use Monday to Friday as they are on Sunday.”

St Barnabas has already begun to fill this gap, a ukulele group have held a cabaret in the Church and are regularly using the space, as are a children’s theatre production and classical musicians.

Minister Ben Woodd says he is still finding his feet in Croydon but his vision to open St Barnabas to everyone is firm.

“The idea behind things like the Church warming party is that it’s a Croydon community party, and the members of Croydon really feel that this is a party for them,” Ben says.

“That’s my real hope, that local residents will feel that this is their Church, whether they believe what we believe or not they’ll feel that they can be part of the life at St Barnabas.”

Paul and Bel Phillips attended the event with their daughters Megan, 12, Rachael, 10, Emma, 8, and Claire, 7.

“Our family is excited to be joining the St Barnabas community, we had been going to a city church but we feel that God wants us here,” Paul says.

“The renovations look great and provide a very flexible space.”

The traditional purpose of church hasn’t been lost in the modern approach.

“We’ve got a space if we want somewhere to pray, something that links the older traditions that we have with the new versions, it really moulds the two together,” Tim says.

The rejuvenation of St Barnabas proves the pathway to contemporary church doesn’t necessarily require a big band and sound system.

“Small is actually positive, because it means you can be far more creative, you can start with a small group,” Tim says.

“People who move on from big churches most often move to a smaller church.

“There’s a lot more happening under the radar by lots of local churches making a difference rather than just the big profile churches that get the big numbers.”

Tim hopes St Barnabas will grow within a year to have 50 people regularly attending.

Any more than this and he says the congregation will divide into smaller groups to preserve the intimate atmosphere.

The future vision of the Adelaide Anglican diocese is for parishes to adopt a community based approach to faith, tailored to fit their neighbourhood.

“The vast majority of our parishes aren’t in a position to do the big church thing, but every one of them can do this, add something of this nature alongside their ministries,” Tim says.

“I believe a new work of God is happening at that grassroots level.”

St Barnabas Church is certainly paving the way for this ground up approach with its infectious community spirit.

11

MISSION

Iona PILGRIMAGE Wayne Gladigau, Deputy Principal of St Columba College, coordinated the Iona Pilgrimage which took a group of 11 students through the United Kingdom on a journey of self discovery and religious fulfilment.

London Underground

What is a Pilgrimage? How is a Pilgrimage different to a holiday or an educational tour?

London Museum

Mountain Gondola

A pilgrimage is a journey of spiritual significance and most often involves travel to a location important to a person’s beliefs, faith or for their search for God in their life.

Pilgrimages have played an important part in almost all cultures and world religions for thousands of years.

Tower of London

Edinburgh Castle

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Eleven fortunate Year 10 students from St Columba College in Andrews Farm, South Australia have recently undertaken a pilgrimage of their own. Winding through some of the most significant and religious icons in the United Kingdom these students have realised the significance of this journey and shared with us the profound impact it had on them as young pilgrims.

Wayne Gladigau, the Deputy Principal of St Columba College, shared his reflection as a mentor on the pilgrimage journey.

For Christians, pilgrimages are commonly to places associated with the life of Jesus or great saints, to places mentioned in the Bible, or to Rome, for example, where the early Church was established.

Undertaking a pilgrimage involves participants experiencing events or celebrations that are of a spiritual nature often in significant places of worship.

A pilgrimage is thus very different to a holiday or tour as it is much more than an interested visit. A pilgrim visiting a

Cathedral that is both centuries old and of magnificent architectural significance will obviously still enjoy the building for its grandeur but will also seek to find the presence of God within the space and reflect upon how it affects them personally.

In this brief editorial it is impossible to describe all the different and memorable ways the 11 students who were invited to be part of this year’s two-week ‘expedition’ to England and Scotland experienced and shared ‘pilgrimage’ together. I have chosen two examples but hope that this story and the accompanying photos from the journey convey the purpose of Iona Pilgrimage and the significance of these student experiences.

In London and Canterbury the pilgrims visited several incredibly spectacular Cathedrals. The sites where these present day churches stand have been places of Christian worship and pilgrimage for considerably more than a thousand years.

The students learned that during this period Christianity in England experienced considerable turmoil and at times brutal change, culminating in the emergence of the new Anglican tradition from the Catholic Church established in Rome. Our current understanding of the College’s two faith traditions is directly linked to the history of these Cathedrals. Our visit to each Cathedral was more than a passage through history as we were fortunate to join in liturgy together. We were invited into a small chapel above the quire of Canterbury Cathedral and were lead in a moving prayer service by Canon Clare of the Cathedral. At St Paul’s in London we joined with people from all over the world in a celebration of the Eucharist.

Stonehenge Happy pilgrims St Columba Bay

In Edinburgh, before heading to the western coast of Scotland and to the small Isle of Iona, we were honoured to be joined by our Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide, Archbishop Jeffrey Driver. As our students know, Iona is where Columba chose to settle after fleeing from Ireland and, with a small company of monks, is where he established his first Christian community. From this small beginning on Iona Columba brought Christianity to many of the pagan clans of Scotland. The St Columba group, in visiting Iona, joined thousands of Christians who have made their way to Iona since his death in the 6th century. Pilgrims to Iona commemorate Columba’s life and mission and enjoy the peace, beauty and serenity for which the island is renowned.

Our second day on Iona was a wonderful experience with the Archbishop joining us on a trek across the island to the beautiful St Columba Bay where Columba landed his coracle and set foot on the isle for the first time. Here the pilgrims collected ‘Tears of Columba’ as mementos and joined together in an inspiring liturgy. After returning to Iona village the group was privileged to have Archbishop Jeffrey celebrate Eucharist within the Abbey. Surrounded by relics and representations of St Columba’s life in an abbey constructed on the hallowed ground where he built the first simple wooden abbey more than 1400 years ago and sharing the Eucharist with each other was a truly remarkable blessing.

To conclude this article I wish to sincerely thank the team of staff and volunteers whose contributions made the Pilgrimage possible; Mrs Deirdre Walters for developing the motivating and challenging educational program undertaken by the students; Mrs Jane Bailey for the spiritual and liturgical program that focused each day’s activities and encouraged us to reflect on our faith journey; Mr James Walters for his creative ideas for engaging the Primary School, and for building and maintaining a brilliant Pilgrimage blog; and Rev’d Simon Bailey for his constant, valued support and versatility across all aspects of the pilgrimage.

My final thanks are to Ms Brennan for her leadership and confidence in the staff team, and to Archbishop Driver who took time out of his extremely busy schedule to join us on Iona and mentor us as pilgrims.v

Iona Abbey

L I F E CH A NGI NG E X PE R I E NCES “For anyone else who might be about to undertake a spiritual journey, my best advice is to take it in and be happy for where you are and what you are doing. This is because there are very great and rare moments that you will not be able to do again, so take it all in and love every single moment of it even if it is not the best moment.”

– Natasha Cooper “One of the constant reflections that we all had while on the Iona Pilgrimage was ‘What Next?’ We had a chance to leave home, travel will 10 other students and engage in opportunities to understand our Catholic and Anglican heritage. Hearing the stories of martyrs, heroes and villains of our past made us reflect on where is my life going and what great things can we achieve. All of us have reflected on the notion that we have been living quite simple and sheltered lives; we could be achieving so much more. At times its hard to think what can I as an individual do, but if we look at the examples from our past – Columba, John Fisher, Thomas More and Thomas Beckett, we can see that even the smallest difference, or small act of kindness can be enough to aid others who are oppressed.”

– Chantal Ball & Kiara Pellicone “Upon travelling to the United Kingdom I was told by one of my Mum’s work patients to collect some colourful stones from St Columba bay as they were very special. In the weeks leading up to my departure my Mum and I wrote a list of names for people to collect stones for, and in the bottom of my backpack I packed a special red velvet pouch to collect them in. I was told to keep what I was doing discreet as the stones have great significance and importance. In arriving to the isle of Iona, I didn’t quite know what I was looking for as the beaches we explored had plenty of small pebbles but I did not feel as if they were as special as said to be.

On our last day on Iona we followed the footsteps of St Columba and trekked our way over many hills to St Columba Bay. Once we arrived at St Columba Bay, I knew within an instant exactly the pebbles that my Mum had spoke about. The entire beach was covered in beautiful coloured pebbles that looked magnificent when they were wet. Myself, and many others from the trip collected some of the loveliest pebbles of the beach to take home to our loved ones.

Among the beautiful colours of pebbles you would be lucky to find slithers of marble stones in which are known as “Columba’s Tears”.

The legend states that if you carry a piece of Iona Greenstone with you, you will never drown. When arriving back home I bought some special jewellery bags and put a couple of stones in each one to give to those closest to me, with the idea of bringing home a part of my significant journey home to watch over them.”

– Katie Trezona

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MISSION

Korean Bishop

Calling all

Adelaide

Grandparents

V ISI TS

Anthony Radford asks grandparents to share their Christianity with younger generations in their family.

by ASHLEIGH KNOTT Though you may not know a great deal about the Anglican diocese of Busan, Korea, they certainly know about Adelaide.

In the Easter edition of ‘The Guardian’ we were told that 70 per cent of young people never read the Bible at all, and only four per cent read it daily. Certainly very few are growing up with a knowledge, let alone a love, of Scripture and of the blessings and power of prayer.

Today many parents have given up going to church and, among those who do go, many come without their children who, especially the older ones, just aren’t interested. ‘What’s in it for us?’ they ask. ‘It’s boooorrring’.

We read that Jesus’ custom was to worship with His father, Joseph; Sabbath by Sabbath.

Even with our deteriorating eyesight we can see that there are few children in many of our churches today and even fewer older children and young parents. Indeed many churches no longer have ‘Sunday School’.

For whatever reason, our grandchildren and great grandchildren are not being evangelised. No, I don’t mean in the 1950s perception of that word. I mean they are not growing up with a knowledge of the Gospel which leads to a faith in the Living God and of His Son and with a delight in His Word.

And I am sure that I am not the only one who ponders what can be done about it.

I know many of us are disappointed that some of our sons and daughters have moved away from that faith, as distinct from expressing it in different ways. But do we ask, why that is? Young Jewish boys and girls, as Jesus did, grew up continuously exposed to the Torah and with the words of the prophets around them, both hearing them and asking them questions. Muslim children also grow up steeped in the Koran. With the increase in the militancy of Islam it is important that we are “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Pet. 3:15.)

What can we do about it? What are we going to do about it?

We read at the beginning of St Paul’s second letter to Timothy (2 Tim. 1 verse 5):

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Anthony Radford and his 2 year old grand daughter Carla.

I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your mother (Eunice) and your grandmother (Lois) and am persuaded NOW LIVES IN YOU ALSO…) As grandparents and great grandparents we have a wonderful, even unique, opportunity to show to our descendants and immerse them in the Word of God from an early age.

I believe we have a real role in evangelising them. Not by forcing religion down their throats but by reading them the Bible and Gospel Stories. “Read me a story, please Gran, please...”

We can bring our little ones to a knowledge of the Gospel stories by always having around us some of the many Gospel story books and those of the Old Testament that are now available and read to them. We can also introduce them to prayer by praying at the end of the readings. By learning to give thanks to our heavenly Father and laying our requests before Him, hopefully it will become a habit as natural as seeking the attention of our earthly parents. As one teacher said it is ‘the specificity and intensity’ of praying that is important.

The results of failure to encourage them in the faith are not attractive.

“Be careful or [they] will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down before them.”

[Let us} teach them to your children [and grandchildren], talking about them when you sit at home and when you are walking along the road, (even at the supermarket), when you lie down and when you get up…. “fix these words of mine in [their] hearts and minds… so that your days and the days of your children may be many. (Deuteronomy 11: 16-21).

This cherished piece from Dvorák’s Gypsy Songs cycle is a lyrical homage to the passing of tradition from mother to child.

Songs my mother taught me, In the days long vanished; Seldom from her eyelids Were the teardrops banished.

Now I teach my children, Each melodious measure.

Oft the tears are flowing, Oft they flow from my memory’s treasure Grandparents, we have a wonderful opportunity day to day to express to our grandchildren why we believe what we believe, and what Jesus means to us. How about it?

Several connections tie the two dioceses together – Archbishop Jeffrey Driver and Archbishop Philip Freier’s visited the metropolis last year as part of the World Council of Churches Assembly.

The Royal Australian Air Force was also sent to Busan to help during the Korean War. However the strongest tie comes through The Rev’d David Cobbett, a pivotal missionary priest who was drawn to help locals in the chaos after the Korean War. The Rt Rev’d Bishop Onesimus Park of the diocese of Busan, Korea, visited Australia as part of the Annual Meeting of the Council of Churches of East Asia meeting in mid-September held in Newcastle, New South Wales. He extended his visit for a two day stop over in Adelaide specifically to visit and thank David and his wife Alison for their contribution to his diocese.

In Korea, about 25 per cent of the population is Christian and Anglicanism comprises a small but steadily strengthening portion.

“The Anglican Church is popular among the intellectuals and professionals but it is not popular to the general public,” explained Bishop Park. “We’re still emerging.”

The 51-year-old bishop is the fifth bishop of the diocese and has been involved in the church since his youth and became an Anglican in 1989 when he was studying at theological college.

“Through the Anglican Church I can meet people on a wider and more diverse road,” Bishop Park said.

Bishop Park believes the church should be wary of straying from its origins and instead operating as an institution. He emphasizes the importance of human happiness, justice and thinking globally.

The Rev’d Bishop Onesimus Park

“Through the Primate of Korea we have a dialogue between North Korea and South Korea, but as a bishop I try to communicate the church to the neighbour, to the world.

I try to form connections – with the Anglican Church of Kenya, for example, to support poor students. Even though our diocese is not big or rich we want to share what we have and what we should.”

parish of Busan, which has now expanded to become the diocese of Busan.

It’s this view of helping the wider community that led The Rev’d David Cobbett from his diocese in Newcastle, NSW, to Korea in 1957.

David is pleased to have been involved with the diocese since the beginning and to see the growth of the Anglican Church in Korea.

At 85, the now retired priest reflected on how he was drawn to help those in need after the Korean War. “An appeal went out from the church in Korea for more priest missionaries in Korea at the end of the Korean War and I volunteered,” David explained.

He spent two years in Seoul learning Korean before being appointed to the

“The number of churches has increased, the number of Anglicans has increased and they now support themselves and they do not need missionaries anymore, they have their own clergy and Korean priests. There are no missionaries there anymore – they are the missionaries themselves,” David said.

“It’s a very good feeling indeed.”

Though he has had a big impact on the community, he politely downplays his importance.

“Well, that’s not for me to say.”

Judging by Bishop Park’s enthusiasm for the visit, it’s safe to say the ties between the two dioceses are strong and will extend far into the future as both continue to grow and flourish.

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Archbishop of Canterbury attends the inauguration of new Primate of Australia intentions of the Church and the complex pressures placed upon those within it.

Archbishop Welby installs Dr Freier as Australia’s 15th Anglican Primate.

“Christians have always lived in a time of bad and good news for the Church,” the Archbishop said. “[W]e (the Church, especially the traditional churches) are swimming against the cultural tide, as ever, but in new ways.

“There is no greater adventure than to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and no greater means to that adventure than to be part of His church as it finds afresh His call, to be a church freed for purity and good deeds, abounding in the luxuriant and gracious wisdom from above.

“There is no greater hope for this wartorn, bitter and dark world than a church abounding in holiness and wisdom.”

Archbishop Welby spoke of the clash between the perception of church at a local level versus at the institutional level.

That is to say “associations with what is often seen as nasty, bad, judgmental, condemning” versus churches who “visit the sick, comfort the bereaved, bury the dead, love the hungry, the poor, the outcast and the lost, seek and find forgiveness, pray and learn to love just a little better, educate, heal, challenge and serve.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, visited Australia in August to celebrate the inauguration of Melbourne’s Archbishop Philip Freier as Australia’s 15th Anglican Primate.

position. Dr Freier has been Archbishop of the Melbourne diocese since 2006.

As Primate, The Most Rev’d Dr Philip Freier will hold a significant position of leadership in the Australian Anglican Church, as opposed to having complete authoritative power over other bishops within the church.

The Primate’s inauguration service began with a welcome in nine languages – Arabic, Chinese, Dinka, English, Farsi, Hindi, Sinhalese, Spanish and Tamil – as well as the Welcome to Country

by Wurundjeri elder Aunty Di Kerr.

Dr Freier was elected to step into the position when Archbishop Philip Aspinall stepped down after nine years in the

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Dr Freier is the third Archbishop of Melbourne to be Primate, the others being Sir Frank Woods in the 1970s and Dr Keith Rayner -- who attended the ceremony -- in the 1990s.

More than 1,500 people attended his inauguration, which was also streamed live and projected onto Federation Square.

Archbishop Welby commenced his address by pointing out the simple

“Whenever local churches do those things, they find that they are loved and they grow spiritually – and usually numerically,” the Archbishop said.

“A pure church is deeply engaged with everything and everyone around it and freed by its relationship with Christ to transform its society and make disciples.”

This trip was part of the Archbishop’s promise to visit the Anglican Church’s 37 primates around the world while in his first 18 months of office.

His 10 day trip also included visits to the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

It was the first visit to our shores by a serving Archbishop of Canterbury since 1997.

ARCHBISHOP DRIVER

presents BARRY MARSHALL the

LECTURE

Archbishop Driver believes the restructure of the Anglican Communion is inevitable but needs to be approached with caution.

Speaking at this year’s annual Barry Marshall Lecture, held on the 20th of August at Trinity College in Melbourne, the Archbishop spoke of the current unpreparedness in the Church to move to a structure of increased central power and leadership.

In his lecture entitled “The Gift and Grief of Anglicanism” Dr Driver said that although the debate about an Anglican Covenant would continue, it was clear that the Anglican Communion was “far from ready” to move to a more centralised authority structure.

If the Communion’s current model of dispersed authority is to continue, he believes the main challenge is to make the Anglican Church’s “voluntarist ‘polity of persuasion’ work more effectively”.

For this polity to work, he suggested four “navigation markers” conciliarity, conversation, conflict and community – were necessary.

Conciliarity, a “strong working principle within Anglicanism”, means that “what touches all should be influenced by all, at least representatively”, he explained.

Archbishop Freier Brisbane-born Dr Freier holds a PhD, a Master of Educational Studies, a Bachelor of Divinity, a Diploma of Education and a Bachelor of Applied Science.

Before he was ordained he worked as a science teacher for six years.

Once ordained he accepted a position in Far North Queensland and became strongly involved in Aboriginal Christian communities.

Although discussions have begun to promote a conciliarity model for the Anglican Church, he referred to the efforts as being more of a side note than the focus of any meaningful thought or action.

“Without dismissing the initiatives that have been taken at a national level here in Australia… we have a way to go in developing our conciliar gatherings as places of consensus growing and community building,” the Archbishop said.

Archbishop Driver made the point that to date, the Communion’s response to its recent crises over the ordination of women and human sexuality had been focused through the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates’ Meeting.

“On some issues, (the Primate) Phillip Aspinall seemed to be saying, we could not afford our current levels of dispersed authority,” Dr Driver said.

“This has lead to significant issues being handled ineffectively. There has also been an imbalance of power in the conversation between various levels and areas of the church. To ensure each is involved in the dialogue and is listened to equally, a different approach to discussion is needed.”

The Archbishop said that opportunities for conversation, together with encounter and debate, needed to be added in between the current “episodic” conferences, councils and synods.

In Australia, provincial synods and councils could be used more intentionally, he said, “to ensure a continuity of conversation over difficult and conflicted matters between the triennial meetings of the national General Synod”.

In the Anglican Communion, more regional gatherings also needed to be held because long-term relational engagement would provide the chance to move beyond conflict containment to the “possibility of its safe and creative expression”.

Rather than avoid conflict, the Archbishop said the focus for Christians should be “not whether conflict occurs, but how it is provided for within community”.

Although theoretical debate relating to authority and structure of the Anglican Church can be ‘tedious’, Archbishop Driver said such discussions are significant because they have “something to say about being human and living in community, about sharing power and coexisting, about living interdependently on a tiny and increasingly stressed planet”.

There was a “Gospel gift” at stake in Anglican agonies, he suggested. Jesus called his disciples to demonstrate that “a new way of being human, over against corrupt and dehumanising patterns of life, had been launched upon the world”.

The people of God “are to show a likeness of the God whose oneness is community without coercion to a world where oneness is often forced by dominance”.

He has become a strong supporter of indigenous Australian communities and an advocate for humanitarian issues such as asylum seekers and victims of child abuse.

Dr Freir believes it is important to increase the Anglican Church’s involvement in regional communities along with strengthening it’s national visibility.

Since 2001, Dr Freier has been the Royal Australia Air Force’s chaplain. The 59 year old father of two and grandfather of three was the second Archbishop to promote a woman to bishop.

Archbishop Philip Freier.

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F OCUS

COMMUNITY is not just about

SUNDAYS

After stumbling across a vague description of Adelaide on an Anglican website, something intangible drew The Rev’d Martyn Woodsford to take a chance on our city and apply for a parish position.

Rev’d Martyn Woodsford on his Harley Davidson.

Frustrated by unsuccessful parish priest applications in the UK, Martyn was spurred by intuition to move across the globe and settle on our shore with his wife, Tracy, and daughter, Lydia.

St Luke’s on Whitmore Square has been his home for the past five years, but as of September and his appointment as Parish Priest at St Oswald’s Parkside, Martyn now calls a very different part of our city, home.

Community and faith have been Martyn’s constant companions since arriving in our diocese and on the eve of his move to St Oswald’s, The Guardian sat down and chatted to him about embracing space, encouraging others’ selfdirection, and fostering community.

What led you to Adelaide?

“I’d had a horrible day – I don’t even know what made it horrible – and I logged on to Anglicans Online and there was an advert that said Adelaide is a very nice place and we’ve got some jobs. They didn’t even specify any churches and I said ‘yes, I’d like a job please’ and sent my CV off.”

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What did Tracy think?

“It’s one of those things, when your husband walks from one end of the house to come and see you and says ‘I’ve just applied for a job in Australia’ – it’s a bit of a rude shock. Especially because everything else was in England.”

Moving away from an established life must have been difficult.

“All the stuff that supports you – your friends, relationships, networks, guys that you drink beers with on a Monday night – all that stuff vanishes so you start everything all over again.”

How did you find the move to Australia?

Did if affect your approach to your job?

“Yes. Language is different, culture is different, values are different. One of the major differences between the UK and Australia is around Christmas and Easter.

In the UK those are winter festivals, in Australia those are nice weather festivals and they’re long weekends and people usually go away, whereas in England it’s the other way around… it’s not that the festival means less but how and where they celebrate it is different.”

You came straight into the position at St Luke’s. Tell us about the space you’ve helped create there.

What about the Chinese opera you had at St Luke’s?

“I inherited a brilliant space – I inherited an intention to engage with the community that’s around it. Through past history some of that stuff fell apart. What that then did was generate a community whose intention was to survive and it is now at a point as a community where it’s looking to a future and looking to grow. And it’s not just looking to grow in numbers – it’s looking to grow the character of the people who are inside that community and it’s looking to deepen that relationship with God.”

How did it come about?

Creating a cohesive community is a difficult task, especially when everyone is so diverse in their backgrounds and outlooks. What has been your biggest challenge in encouraging that at St Luke’s?

“Get people to turn up. It’s massive. You can’t have a community if you don’t have people who are there. You can have social media that is a mechanism for communicating but not a mechanism for community. People have got to be there.”

“Oh yeah, that was just a blast.”

“We’ll take anybody in. The Chinese community were made homeless by another organisation, don’t remember who, they didn’t have anywhere they could meet so they came to us and asked to use our space and we said that was fine. They’re now in there two mornings a week and out of that they came to us and said ‘can we put this on’ and we just said ‘yeah, go on then’.

And it was brilliant. I didn’t understand a word of it, not got a clue. It was probably three, four hours but it wasn’t just one opera – Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Chinese – it was snippets, like a compilation CD of the good bits. And these guys were dressed up and it was just phenomenal.”

What other events have you hosted?

“We have a bunch of people who kick and hit each other – tai chi or karate – and we’ve just had a SALA event.”

Is the collision of personal and professional life something you see as an issue?

“No because I’m mean with my time and I have a brilliantly bad memory which means I’m quite happy and quite able to finish, go home and be a husband and father rather than have all that stuff about so-and-so having fallen out with so-andso, or I’ve got this meeting to prepare for.

I figure work is always going to be there but the opportunities to spend time with my wife and daughter are limited.”

Have you found it difficult to change people’s perception of the experience at church?

“One of the things that has always been big for St Luke’s and I would want to see it continue on into the future is they eat food after every single service. So the morning service we have home baked cookies and coffee. At the evening service we have a chef who cooks Monday to Friday and then does Sunday meals for us as well.

And that’s always been there. It’s one of those moments that people actually come and when we close the singing, preaching portion of the service what is said is ‘the relationship, the worship continues over tables and over food’. It’s not a different thing, it’s a continuation of that community.”

What is Tracy and Lydia’s involvement in the church?

“Some of the time they just come to church, sometimes they’re involved in praying for people, Tracy cooks, we run a reasonably open home. We feed and eat with people.”

What are your plans for break between jobs?

“I plan to lie around the house as much as I can, do nothing, do a bit of fishing. We choose to, as a family, watch DVDs together, currently we’re watching NCIS LA season five.”

Living the cat’s life then?

“Absolutely. And we all write and we’re all creative. I’ve just written a trailer for a friend of mine in the UK who is entering a competition. So I’ve written a script for it and he’s going to film it. It’s supposed to be an ‘80s slasher death thing, a tongue in cheek. It’s for a gore film festival and before each of the main films they’re running they show fiction trailers.”

Any parting words?

“St Luke’s has been a blast – it’s been really good fun to be amongst that community and I’m looking forward to seeing them grow.”

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F OCUS

A MUSICAL EQUATION: St Peter’s Cathedral Bell Ringers

by ASHLEIGH KNOTT Pigeons aren’t the only creatures rustling around above the pews in St Peter’s Cathedral.

Hidden from view, but certainly not out of earshot, are The Adelaide Bell Ringers – a group of around 30 local ringers who ring in Adelaide’s five churches equipped with bell towers.

Matthew Sorell

Christian missionaries in Campania, Italy first used handheld bells to call locals to church. From there, the practice spread to France and Italy and then the United Kingdom and bells became widely used.

In the late 10th Century, bells were hung in churches under the care of the Archbishop of Canterbury and rules for ringing were put in place.

Stories emerged of the bells of Canterbury Cathedral ringing themselves when Thomas-a-Becket was murdered in 1170.

The Company of Ringers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England claims to be the oldest surviving association with the ordinances having been sealed in 1612.

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Aristocrats of the 1600s thought it fashionable to ring bells for physical and mental stimulation while the lower classes had fierce competitions to win a nice hat or pair of gloves.

Bells were sounded in the 1700s when people died to keep their souls safe from devil.

They were also rung on days of execution after a service for the condemned.

In literature, we of course have the bell-crazy Quasimodo who’s deaf from his bell ringing in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. The novel was Hugo’s effort to save Paris’ Gothic buildings from destruction and modernization buildings by reminding people of their beauty.

During World War II Britain’s church and chapel bells hung silent under the Control of Noise Defense Order and were only to be rung in the event of an air raid. Meanwhile, almost 200,000 European bells were melted down for scrap metal by the Nazis. When

“Ringing for me is the perfect combination of music, public performance, collaborative team work, mathematics and mental exercise,” Matthew Sorell says.

“And there’s something [great] about making a loud public noise.”

Though now perhaps simply an interesting hobby, bell ringing was once a hazardous task. Throughout the Middle Ages it was believed that bells could repel thunder and as a result hundreds of people were electrocuted while ringing. Not to mention the hazard of spindly stairs and bells weighing hundreds of kilos hanging on decomposing wooden frames.

Thankfully, this is no longer the case.

Surprisingly, being deafened by the noise of such impressive bells ringing two floors above them isn’t an issue in the slightest for the ringers.

“Part of the design of the bell tower and spire is to project the sound outwards.

Having lived across the road from the Cathedral for several years I can testify that its quieter inside the tower than outside,” Matthew Ball says.

It’s those ear-catching tones that radiate from the tower that intrigues locals to try their hand at the practice.

“It usually takes over a year, and a lot of excellent technique, before you are ready to ring the bells at the Cathedral.”

The Ringing Centre is also focused on the education and expansion of the global ringing community.

“In October, we are hosting a national bellringing teacher training program, with instructors coming out from England.

Ringing teachers from all over the country are coming to Adelaide to make use of our Ringing Centre,” Matthew Sorell says.

Adelaide is certainly pulling its weight internationally with St Peter’s Cathedral having ‘the second-heaviest octave of English bells in the world’ along with locally designed dumbbells being manufactured by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, a company which has been making bells in the same factory since 1570.

“We are pretty chuffed by that recognition of our technology,” Matthew Sorell says.

The group has attracted some unexpected attention when one training session coincided with an AC/DC concert.

Evidently the band liked what they heard as the the bell ringers were later asked to take part in their concert.

“The band and organisers asked us to ring three bells to match the chord in the song during their rendition of Thunderstruck,” Matthew Ball says.

And the St Peter’s Cathedral bell ringers are being kept under the attentive ears of the English who like to ensure the tradition remains of the highest calibre on our continent.

“During cricket season, it has been known for us to receive ringing advice (e.g. ‘the number 4 bell is a little slow!’) via Facebook from ringers in the UK watching the test match whilst we ring,” Matthew Ball says.

Though bell ringing takes inspiration from mathematics to create music, ringing is an art form in itself.

“Whilst the patterns of bells that we ring have a mathematical derivation, the aim is to make a pleasing noise. The rhythm and music involved in achieving good ringing pushes it into the realms of an art form,” Matthew Ball says.

And there’s nothing formulaic about the emotions that ringing bells evokes in us.

With the current Adelaide community of ringers aged between seven and 80 it’s certainly a collaboration of all ages and backgrounds.

“Ringing involves a range of challenges and engages several disciplines – physical, intellectual and musical. When one rings well or improves ones ringing there is the satisfaction of mastering a challenging task, the camaraderie of having performed well as a team and the knowledge that the whole neighbourhood has just heard the melodic tones of your ringing,” Matthew Ball says.

BELL RINGING Historically, bells have played a significant role in communities the world over. They have sounded out days to celebrate, to mourn, to contemplate and to gather.

President of the group Matthew Ball and Vice-president Matthew Sorell are devotees of the tradition that harks back to as early as the 14th century.

the War was over, Winston Churchill ordered that every bell in Britain was to be rung to celebrate the end of the war.

Post World War I saw a decline in bell ringing but by the 1950s there was a resurgence of young enthusiasts and an increase in the complexity of bell ringing.

There’s much to study in the field of bells – from the casting and tuning, to the history and purpose, not to mention the methods of bell ringing itself.

With 43 active bells to tend to across Adelaide’s five bell towers, the hunt is always on for new recruits. And our city is at the forefront of training with the St Peter’s Cathedral Adelaide Ringing Centre – a state-of-the-art facility allowing for practice with dumbbells (soundless training weights that replicate the feeling of ringing a sounded bell).

“In 2012 we took over the eastern spire at the Cathedral, which has been empty for over a century. The Adelaide Ringing Centre is an ecumenical training facility supporting ringers from the Anglican and Catholic diocese as well as the Town Hall.

It features a classroom, extensive library, and eight dumbbells,” Matthew Sorell says.

Matt and Dave from ABC 891.

HIDE AND SEEK! 891 ABC Adelaide breakfast team Matthew Abraham and David Bevan are known for their intrepid adventures.

So in a recent competition, they were giving away a Gold COCO Mug to an educated listener who could determine its whereabouts in six locations over six weeks.

One location was our own St Peter’s Cathedral bell tower.

Our own adventurous photographer Brenton Edwards followed the duo and their Golden Mug on a perilous journey into a section of the Cathedral few have seen.

This was one of the visual clues they gave.

Would you have guessed?

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C OMMU NIT Y

GOD WOR DS

JOY: seeking more than passing happiness

by THE REV’D SAM BELBY

Many pursue it, but increasingly it seems harder to attain. Joy is something in short supply in our city. There are plenty of light pleasures and a great deal of passing happiness. In a city renowned for its food and wine, for its festivals of the arts and its celebration of sport, there are many opportunities for us to taste the good life.

But joy is harder to find. Its roots are deeper. It delights not just the mind and senses, but the soul. It sustains the spirit. It can flicker and flame even when everything else in life is dark.

Where can it be found? For many the last place they might look for joy is in a church and the last place they might expect it is from the hand of God. Surely God is more interested in robbing us of all the things that we enjoy, filling our lives with rules that keep us from our pleasures?!

Such is not the Christian God. Indeed, the God we serve both invented joy and wants it for us.

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The joyful God Indeed, God Himself is joyful! And He is joyful in Himself. In 1 Timothy 1:11 He is described as the ‘blessed God’. The word could equally be translated ‘happy’. He takes delight in the expression of His own character – in mercy (Micah 7:18), in wisdom (Proverbs 8:30) and in justice (Proverbs 11:1).

In the unfettered glory of who He is, God is perfect in his joy.

Joy in his presence The Rev’d Sam Bleby.

It is little surprise, then, that there is joy in the presence of the joyful God: ‘You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.’ (Psalm 16:11) The God of joy delights to give a Joy that is both complete (fullness of joy) and eternal (forevermore).

If this is true, then He offers a joy that is well beyond anything we can find here.

Even our fullest experiences of joy – the birth of a child, the glory of a magnificent view, the attainment of a long sought goal – fade in their intensity over time. I wonder if that is why there can be a certain degree of melancholy in our experience of joy in the here and now. There is a kinship in joy and lament that is perhaps best expressed in music rather than word – there is some

music that plucks at the heart that is sad yet does not make sad, indeed that speaks of depth and meaning in life. I feel it in Bach’s cello suites, but there is much more music which sounds the same notes.

The joy we find here is partial and passing. The joy that God offers is full and forever and is found in His presence and from His hand.

The joy of salvation If there is joy in God’s presence, then it can be found where He is.

Yet how can we come to God? One of the many glories of the Gospel is that God has come to us. When Jesus Christ was born, the angels could not

contain their joy as they announced to the shepherds and to a world desperately in need of joy: ‘I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’ (Luke 2:10-11).

Though we could not come into His presence, God came to us in Jesus Christ to enable us to come to Him. In the Bible one of the most common expressions of joy can be found in both God’s joy and our joy in salvation.

In Luke 15, Jesus likens the joy of God to that of shepherd who seeks out and finds his lost sheep, or a woman who diligently searches for and finds a lost coin.

God takes joy in bringing us, who are lost and far from Him, back to Himself.

This is the very reason why Jesus ‘for the joy that was set before him endured the cross’ (Hebrews 12:2), dealing on the cross with our sin and lost-ness so that we might be found with Him again.

But as He brings us into His presence, His joy also becomes ours as we say with the Psalmist ‘… my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt bountifully with me!’ (Psalm 13:5-6).

Joy that lasts And here we find a joy that is as eternal as the one who gives it. Our joys in this world are as shaky as the things upon which we set them. A Global Financial Crisis can wipe out the wealth with which we hoped to buy our happiness. A career can suddenly come to a halt. People can pass away and pour grief into that place in which joy lived. But joy in God lasts, even in the face of all these things. It will not keep you from feeling the pain, but is stronger than it and can carry you through it.

Do you know this joy? Do you long for it? We have a joyful God who delights in giving it to those who would come to Him! May God bless you with His joy.

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C OMMU NIT Y

LOC A L , NAT IONA L & I N T E R NAT IONA L N E WS

ISIL POSES ‘ONCE IN A MILLENNIUM THREAT’ SAYS ABP WELBY From ACNS (originally from the Daily Telegraph)

Isil poses a “once in a millennium” threat to the survival of Christians in the Middle East, the Archbishop of Canterbury said on Thursday.

The Most Rev Justin Welby compared the Isil terrorists who have seized large areas of Iraq and Syria to the Mongol hordes who invaded the Middle East in the thirteenth century, massacring whole populations.

In an interview with ITV, Archbishop Welby recalled a meeting in London of Christian leaders from the Middle East.

“They had flown here for this meeting from situations of the utmost horror – indescribable horror,” he said. “We spent two hours listening to their stories. The memorable comment was ‘this is the worst threat we’ve faced since the Mongol invasion of 1259’. This is an extraordinary once in a millennium threat.”

have been destroyed. Many thousands of Christians and other refugees have fled Isil-held areas for the safety of the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, which has resisted Isil’s advance with the help of US and British air strikes.

The Mongol leader, Hulagu Khan, invaded present-day Iraq and destroyed Baghdad in 1258. The terrorist movement styling itself Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), meanwhile, has advanced down the Tigris and Euphrates valleys, capturing the city of Mosul, which possesses one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.

Large numbers of Christians have since been killed by Isil, along with Shia Muslims and members of other minorities, notably the Yazidis. Churches and Shia mosques

The Adelaide Diocesan Ordination Service, celebrating St Andrew’s Day, will be held on Saturday December 6, commencing at 10am at St Peter’s Cathedral.

The service is a week later than usual, so that Adelaide can be represented at the consecration of a new bishop for the Northern Territory.

The Archbishop announced that among the candidates for ordination are a married couple, two women and nine men.

“Whereas people often question whether we have many interested in ordination, the reality is, in fact, that there is constant enquiry,” the Archbishop said.

“This is very encouraging not only for the quantity of people entering clergy positions in the Adelaide Diocese but also for the diversity of people serving our community.”

Anglican Synods in NSW and Victoria are tackling head-on some of the biggest social issues facing the country in a bid to provide some stewardship in a time of need.

In a significant move, the Diocese of Sydney has voted to divest in companies that receive significant profits from gambling revenue.

The decision to divest was part of a motion by the Synod calling for more concrete action to reduce the impact of problem gambling across New South Wales.

and lay representatives of the more than 220 parishes – gathered together under the St Paul’s Cathedral banner “let’s fully welcome refugees”.

In a striking symbol of solidarity, every member of the Anglican Church’s Melbourne synod – some 800 clergy

They also discussed increasing homelessness and domestic violence in Victoria.

The Synod deplored the current treatment of asylum seekers as contrary to Christian morality and teaching, and urged Anglican parishes to express their dismay.

the Synod was told the state’s gambling expenditure totals $7.15 billion per annum The Synod welcomed a key Parliamentary report on gambling and ‘grieved’ that people in NSW have aboveaverage expenditure on gambling.

Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby.

The ordination candidates are: To the Priesthood: Lynn Arnold, Coria Chan, Samuel Chan, Simon Hill, Simon Jackson, Matthew Lehmann and Grant Moore.

To the transitional Diaconate: David Broxholme (for CMS missionary service), Mary Cranston, Andrew Forder and Simon Marshman.

The motion was amended to include a call for Sydney Anglican affiliated organisations to divest of any investments in any company whose revenue from gambling exceeds either 10% of revenue or $50 million per annum by the end of the year.

INTERNATIONAL BISHOPS AND GUESTS VISIT AUSTRALIA The Anglican Board of Mission has hosted a number of international visitors in recent months. Many visited the office of ABM in Sydney as they travelled to the Diocese of Newcastle to be a part of the Council of Churches of East Asia (CCEA) meeting.

ABM’s Executive Director, the Rev’d John Deane said, “When clergy or staff from our Partner churches visit, it is always a great opportunity to connect with each other and further strengthen the friendship and fellowship.”

“In recent months we’ve been pleased to host a number of visitors and enjoy conversations about the projects ABM supports and our future opportunities,” he said.

In late September, the Anglican Board

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In Victoria, The Synod debated whether to divest any shares in companies whose main business involves fossil fuels and urged leaders at the forthcoming G20 meeting to “adopt dramatically new ways of think about and working for international economic security and justice”.

It also supported a number of measures to reduce the impact of problem gambling including introducing a $1 maximum bet limit for poker machines and stopping the disproportionate concentration of poker machines in lower socio-economic areas.

ARCHBISHOP ANNOUNCES ELEVEN ORDINANDS FOR DECEMBER ORDINATION SERVICE Announcing the names of eleven members of the Adelaide Diocese who will be ordained in December, Archbishop Driver said the constant significant number of people choosing to be ordained continued to be encouraging.

SYNODS TACKLE GAMBLING AND G20

of Mission and the Episcopal Church in the Philippines (ECP) renewed their commitment to work together through the signing of a Partnership Accord at a special Eucharist held at Christ Church St Laurence in Sydney.

The Rt Revd David Nyi Nyi Naing, Bishop of Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma) and his wife and 7 year old son visited ABM supporters in Sydney and Adelaide during his Australian visit.

The Sydney ABM office also hosted visitors from Korea and the UK. Project staff from ABM’s partner in China, Amity visited to attend an AIDS conference in Melbourne and said they were enjoying visiting Australia and learning from others.

The Rt Rev’d David Nyi Nyi Naing, Bishop of Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma) and his family as they visited Sydney.

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C OMMU NIT Y

BOOK S

PREACHING THE GOSPEL

by Rev’d Peter Rudge Review by Rev’d Dean Rowney In his latest publication, “Preaching the Gospel”, the Rev’d Peter Rudge shows how writing sermons can be a distinctive art form. There is a technique in writing for preaching or talking – as used by Shakespeare and Alistair Cooke in his American radio broadcasts – which approximates a blank verse more so than normal prose.

I was immediately reminded of Peter Marshall’s style in preaching back in the 1950s. Marshall was Chaplain to the US Senate and the pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington DC which eight of American presidents attended, including Abraham Lincoln.

After his sudden death a selection of his sermons was published in “Mr Jones, Meet the Master” that became (unusual for sermons) a best seller. Peter’s wife Catherine Marshall said “material intended for oral presentation is often as dry as dust on the printed page… the book proved the exception. Partially because of the book’s unusual format – the sermons printed in Peter’s own style, a readable style that looks like blank verse – and partially because of the vividness of the material itself, the book became a best seller”.

As CEO of Bible Society of Australia, Clarke is well equipped to piece together an introductory and well-rounded book about the world’s most influential religious text.

The term ‘swindle’ is used to refer to the increasing

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ICONS EXHIBITION COMES TO BALLARAT

Marshall always preached with a complete manuscript. The unusual format of blank verse originally intended for ease in reading, eventually became an integral part of his writing.

The splendor and tradition of icon paintings will be on display at the Art Gallery of Balarat, Victoria, when the EIKON: Icons of the Orthodox Christian World exhibition opens.

I did not realise the style’s effectiveness was for far more than readability until I read Peter Rudge’s book. He shows us how to write and speak a form of blank verse in a selection of his own sermons composed using the formula and how Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address of prose is very easy to transpose into this new form.

Likewise, the former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Aboriginal people written in high quality prose could have used blank verse at the end most effectively.

The artwork will be accompanied by explanations of each piece – origin of the piece, meaning behind it and impact on culture from which they were created.

Interspersed with interesting personal anecdotes, this book is not only invaluable for a preacher in the preparation of sermons but it is also a useful tool for lay people enabling them to critically appraise sermons. This could help them in the choice of a new rector!

A preacher’s task is, “to show the Incarnate Word from the Written Word, by the spoken word” when preaching the Gospel.

Australian Christian Book Awards 2014 In the book that is in fact aimed at non Christians, Clarke has written a text for Christians to pass on to those who are curious but hesitant to investigate the Bible.

PEOPL E & PL AC E S

Gordon Morrison, Gallery Director and curator of the exhibition says the event will be of interest and significance to all Christians.

Peter Rudge has shown how effective the blank verse form is in the spoken word, in sermons and in funeral services.

Book available from: Zeus publications, PO Box 255, BURLEIGH MDC, Queensland 4220

www.zeus-publications.com RRP $23.95

The Great Bible Swindle by Greg Clarke was named the winner of the 2014 Australian Christian Book of the Year.

detachment towards the Bible by younger generations which can mean they lack a full understanding of our culture as a result.

“I am delighted and extremely honoured to receive this award,” Clarke says.

“For absolutely everyone living in a culture touched by Judaism and Christianity, it means being properly educated about the numerous ways in which the Bible has shape our world.”

Clarke said the prize money he received for the award will go directly back to promoting Bible literacy in Australia. The runner up was Roy William’s In God They Trust? which deals with the religious views of various Australian Prime Ministers.

Third prize was a detective story entitled C. S. Lewis and the Body in the Basement written by Kel Richards.

“Icons are far more than two-dimensional images of Christ, the angels and saints.

They are a powerful form of visual prayer that has been integral to the devotional practice of Eastern Christianity for 1,500 years,” Gordon says.

The works have been carefully selected from the private collection of former Australian diplomat John McCarthy, as

Our celebrations will include worship, music, social events, displays and activities for children. More information will be available closer to the time when a program will be published.

The parish welcomes past parishioners and all people with past links to the City of Mount Gambier and to Christ Church to attend. Please send your contact details the address below.

www.artgalleryofballarat.com.au

It’s a rare opportunity to see pieces of such high quality and significance in person “Visitors will see some really sumptuous examples of Orthodox art. Work of this quality has hardly ever been shown in Australian art galleries,” Gordon says.

Paintings from Greece, Russia, Syria and Cypress dating from the 1500s to the 1800s will be displayed.

The exhibition is expected to draw a multitude of local, national and international visitors.

The exhibition opens the 18th of October and runs until the 15th of January 2015.

Mother of God Petrovskaya by an unknown 16th century artist.

Entry fee: adults $15, concession $10, children free.

SESQUICENTENARY OF CHRIST CHURCH MOUNT GAMBIER The Anglican Parish of Mount Gambier will celebrate its Sesquicentenary during the weekend of November 21 to 23, 2015.

The Great Bible Swindle

by Greg Clarke ISBN # 9780647518656, $19.95

well as the National Gallery of Victoria, the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in Queensland and from Sir Richard Temple Bt of Temple Gallery in London.

We also welcome information about people of whom we might be unaware, and information about articles, publications and artefacts which might contribute to the weekend.

DEFENCE SUNDAY Sunday 9 November has been designated as “Defence Sunday”.

It is an opportunity to acknowledge the work of the Anglican Church among Defence personnel and their families, to pray for this ministry and the men and women serving our country overseas.

Go to www.defenceanglicans.org.au for more details, liturgical resources and prayer points.

Please direct all communication to:

Julienne Feast (Priest’s Warden) (08)8726 8019 churchan@bigpond.net.au

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C OMMU NIT Y

PEOPL E & PL AC E S

PENTECOST 2014 at ST MARK’S

UNDER THE BLOOD MOON A total lunar eclipse made for a spectacular sight around the world on October 8 and Guardian photographer Brenton Edwards was inspired to capture the heavenly event as it transversed the sky over St Peter’s Cathedral.

Did you know total lunar eclipses happen when the full moon is completely in the Earth’s shadow. Instead of reflecting sunlight, the shadowed moon is bathed in a red light that filters through our atmosphere, hence the term ‘blood moon’.

Lunar eclipses are common, usually happening once or twice a year. But this lunar eclipse was special, being part of what astronomers call a lunar eclipse tetrad - a series of four consecutive total eclipses occurring about six months apart. The first in the series happened on April 15 this year, and the final two are forecast for April 4, 2015, and September 28, 2015.

By Audrey Dewel To celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit it was a perfect time to gather at St Mark’s Anglican Church, Wynn Vale, with an Ecumenical Service. The service of worship, praise and thanksgiving was led by Rev’d Mark Hawkes.

The offertory supports Schools Ministry, Tea Tree Gully and members of this team enthusiastically embraced participation in the service. Two of our readers were Margot Mertin and Tracy Cooper – Christian Pastoral Support Workers at Banksia Park and Ardtornish Primary Schools. Rosemary Mack, a member of the Christian Option team, offered prayers for the Unity of the Churches while Andrew Jenkins, Schools Ministry Group, provided an update on the situation with Christian Pastoral Support Workers and prayed for their work in this council area. Graeme Denholm, a member of the Tea Tree Gully Council, offered prayers for the City of Tea Tree Gully and Kathy Park, a member of St Mark’s congregation was our third reader.

Parishioners at the service.

Guest speaker Frank Seeley AM – Executive Chairman of Seeley International and an elder at Seaton Christian Fellowship – presented a powerful message. He based his address on Acts 2:21; ‘But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved’ with illustrations from his own life and left us with confidence in God’s saving grace. In his words ‘Grace upon grace upon grace...’.

MUSIC DIRECTOR REQUIRED

A time of fellowship followed after the service which reinforced the sharing of worship and joyous celebration together as God’s people acknowledging the gift of the Holy Spirit and the continuing presence of the Holy Spirit among us.

Quire St Nicolas, a unique Anglican service choir, seeks the services of a Musical Director/Conductor from early 2015.

The offertory for Schools Ministry, Tea Tree Gully raised $706.80. Praise the Lord!

An honorarium will be paid by negotiation.

Guest speaker - Frank Seeley AM – with Rev Mark Hawkes

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Please contact the Secretary on 8391 5291, 0402 647 023 or susanna.bragg@gmail.com

Foster Carers can be from all kinds of family types: singles, couples, people at home, working full-time, part-time or studying. Free training and ongoing professional support (inc 24hr assistance) is provided.

You are invited to attend one of our information sessions: > Tuesday 14 October, AnglicareSA 4-8 Angas Street, Kent Town SA (Stairs access only) 6:30–8:30pm > Tuesday 11 November, Woodcroft - Morphett Vale Neighbourhood Centre 175 Baines Road, Morphett Vale SA 6:30–8:30pm To register, or for more information, call Linda on 8131 3456 www.anglicaresa.com.au/fostercare

C OMMU NIT Y

PEOPL E & PL AC E S

OUTBACK SOUTH AUSTRALIA TOUR 2014

By Joan Lester – BCA Volunteer We (48 passengers) came from all mainland states, meeting in Adelaide on September 30, to explore the areas to the north of Adelaide. Some came to experience the desert, others to meet Bush Church Association staff. We left with a greater appreciation of God’s work in this wide brown/red country of ours.

The tour was bookended by meeting Vivien Bleby (BCA Regional Officer for SA/NT) and John Stead, Bishop of the Diocese of Willochra. Both gave an overview of their work and in John’s case an overview of the style of ministry happening in the diocese.

Willochra is the third largest, area-wise, diocese in Australia covering 90% of South Australia to the north and west of Adelaide. It covers rural, rural remote and remote South Australia. The population is sparse, communities are small and the few ordained people are shared widely.

There is no cathedral. The Diocesan office is in Gladstone where the local congregation numbers less than ten. The Bishop knows his people well and licences lay people for a particular role in their local community, for example welfare, scripture teaching, visiting the elderly. The church may be small in each community but it is active.

been for two years. Church on Sunday saw us in the underground Catacomb Church.

There we worshipped and prayed, and later listened as Tracey interviewed four of the congregation about their life and times in Coober Pedy. After lunch we toured The Breakaways and the dog fence.

The churches at Roxby Downs and Coober Pedy are active in reaching out to people in India and Nepal. God’s blessings to them through BCA support is passed on and multiplied. Our dinner at Roxby Downs Community Church was used as a fundraiser for work Nepal. The Catacomb Church supports an orphanage in India.

We encourage you to consider joining the next BCA tour to outback NSW next August.

Tracey interviewing 5 residents of Roxby Downs.

Lunch at Orroroo.

The Cathedral Shop of St Peter’s has been a constant in the life of the Cathedral community for the past twenty years having been officially opened by the Rev’d David Richardson in 1991. Since then a committed and hard working team of volunteers have maintained the life of the shop, ensuring a warm welcome for visitors and parishioners alike, as well as a valued source of income for the Cathedral.

crafted jewellery and leadlight products, Cathedral candles, authentic olivewood carvings from Jerusalem and CDs of the outstanding St Peter’s Cathedral choir.

Located at the foot of the Cathedral’s Northern Tower, the shop was refurbished last year with enthusiastic input from a newly appointed Cathedral Shop Management team drawn from the members of the Cathedral Parish and community. With its mission of ‘Serving the Sacred’, the Management Team has taken care to provide a selection of unique and quality gifts and products from the heart of the Cathedral and beyond.

‘Serving the Sacred’ in terms of the St Peter’s Cathedral shop means working hard to ensure that we provide gifts and products with value, significance and meaning for the Cathedral and Diocesan community and for all those visitors from around Australia and beyond. In addition we trust it is about providing a warm and memorable point of human interaction and contact, a moment that brings to life our Cathedral as a caring and thriving Christian community.

Popular cathedral designs now include postcards and magnets of the Cathedral which are produced by the talented professional photographer Tim Sylvester.

Resident Cathedral designer and artist, John Hamilton, has also produced a line of beautiful cathedral bookmarks and note cards. In the tradition of many churches and cathedral over the ages, St Peter’s has its own resident cathedral cat, Viva, who now features in a product line of Cathedral cat cards and postcards with words of wisdom from the gifted Christine Nelson.

All the BCA staff we met are ministering in this Diocese and their ministry is quite varied. Joy Palmer and son Joshua had dinner with us in Adelaide, Joshua deputising for Peter who had been called the previous day to a mine where he is chaplain.

At Moonta we met Grant Hay and learned something of the ministry he has within the Aboriginal community in the Port Pirie area and the gaols, as well as further afield.

In Roxby Downs we met Barry and Avril Luke and Owen Lewis, Mary being at a clergy retreat. While there we were guided around Andamooka by a local, Conrad, who talked about his conversion and his present pastoral work among the people of Andamooka. Bishop John later mentioned Conrad as an example of the people he has licenced.

Dean Frank Nelson and Christine have ensured the shop has a good selection of Bibles, prayer books as well as books for children. These, together with our fine silver crosses provide ideal gifts for a baptism or confirmation.

For those seeking gifts for family and friends there is a selection of Ashdene International products as well as locally

Then onwards for two nights in Coober Pedy where Tracey and Geoff Piggott have

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SERVING the SACRED

By Pauline Brooks OAM – St Peter’s Cathedral Shop Convenor

Each staffer we met was grateful to BCA for its ongoing support of their ministry. They greatly value the prayers of all supporters and we tourists certainly have a greater understanding of their dedication in a variety of ministries.

We all had great experiences: from Adelaide to Lake Eyre South, from very hot in Coober Pedy to freezing cold in Peterborough, from farming land to desert, from sunshine to dust storm and wind, from our devotions each morning to sing-alongs, from interesting CDs to Buspa’s educational units.

ST PETER’S CATHEDRAL SHOP

At the church in Andamooka with Conrad.

As well as contributing to the Cathedral funds, this year the Cathedral Shop has committed to donating funds from its sales to two ABM projects – the Nungalinya College Darwin and the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital Child Nutrition Project.

Pauline Brooks OAM

ANGLICAN CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA GENERAL SECRETARY Sydney based, Melbourne commuting Leadership opportunity to make a difference within the Anglican Church of Australia.

The successful applicant will be an experienced professional and a strategic thinker who provides high level advice to the Primate and Standing Committee of the General Synod.

Reporting to the Primate, the General Secretary role spans policy development, HR, communications, office administration, financial and risk management and the resourcing of the management of the meetings of the General Synod.

Details on www.anglican.org.au or by phone to the Office of the Primate on 03 9653 4213.

Written applications to:

Mr Philip Mayers Dakin Mayers & Associates Level 50, Rialto SouthTower 525 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000

By email to:

cv@dakinmayers.com.au

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