Autumn Encounter 2019

Encounter Autumn 2019 | issue no. 481

a

season

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A year of prayer

Outspoken

Bishop Peter shares his hopes for 2019 - a year to focus on Bible reading, prayer and parishes leading the prayers of their community.

Encounter sits down with Father Rod Bower to find out more about the man behind those signs!

hope

Aged Care royal Commission What do you need to know and how is Anglican Care ensuring the future of aged care in the Diocese of Newcastle?

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Reflections

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By BISHOP PETER STUART

Just before Epiphany (January 6) I learnt of a bible reading program from the Episcopal Church for the Epiphany Season. The invitation is to read a portion of Paul's Letter to the Romans every day. I decided that I would accept the invitation and each day I would try to write a small reflection on Facebook.

I've been quickly reminded that the Sunday Bible Reading sequence only is a taster of the books of the Bible. There is so much that is never read in Church on a Sunday.

I've found it easy on some days to write my reflection.

Romans 8 is bursting with wonderful insights. I get the message of Romans 11 but it is not as engaging, at least for me. I've taken a discipline of focussing on the reading for each day without skipping ahead! I wanted my thoughts to be fresh each day.

One of my hopes for 2019 is that we will read our bibles more!

I get really moved by the idea that I am reading material that was drafted, edited and circulated in the first 100 years of the Christian movement. While my medium has been the computer screen, it is not hard to imagine parchment being opened. They are old words finding meaning in a new world.

The Bible is the central text for us as Anglican Christians.

The National Constitution of our Church reminds us that this Church receives all the canonical scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as being the ultimate rule and standard of faith given by inspiration of God and containing all things necessary for salvation. We look to the Bible to help us understand ultimate questions and to find the boundaries of our believing. For us, the Bible is reliable.

My experience of reading Romans in Epiphany has been that the structured reading has meant that I have committed myself to read it all, not just jump around to my favourite parts. Central for Anglicans is a rhythm of reading the Bible. A lectionary has been designed to make sure that over a two year period people have read most of the Bible.

I know that every parish has some different ideas for Lenten Studies. I celebrate this diversity and rejoice that Anglican Christians will be gathering to study and pray together.

The bishops are going to carve out some time to read and reflect together and we are going to be using a Church of Ireland Study called – Transforming Repentance: Coming Home to God (https://bibliahibernica.wordpress.com/) It's free and simple to use as well as having some terrific reflections.

It would be terrific to see more people create study groups during Lent this year.

I've written before about the blessing that I find in Centring Prayer. This is a form of prayer where there are intentional periods of long silence in which the person at prayer opens themselves up more fully to God. Late last year and early this year I've been involved in a few educational processes where participants have been encouraged to be more attentive to their breathing, to notice it, to feel it, to sense it. In each process, the hope, and my experience, was that by attending to our breathing we slow ourselves down and become more attentive.

Bishop Kallistos Ware, in his teaching on prayer within the Orthodox tradition, offers a way of praying associated with breathing. He suggests that as we breath in we can focus our attention on God by praying "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God", and while breathing out we can pray, "have mercy on me a sinner". Being attentive to our breathing and our praying we move out of the chaotic rhythm of the everyday and become attuned to the rhythm of God. There are many different approaches to prayer. I write and speak about this approach more often because, for me, it has a life-giving character about it.

My hope is that in 2019 people will be praying more.

Another expression of prayer is through the Sunday intercessions. There is something wonderful about a lay person, who has had a bit of training about writing prayers, coming forward and leading us in prayer using words they have put together. It takes a bit of time to read through the Sunday readings and then to put together a list of occasions of joy and thanksgiving, as well as developing the list of specific requests to God. Yet to hear a person bring the prayers of the community to life because they have offered prayers in the way they would speak is deeply moving.

My hope is that in 2019 we will experience more people in our parishes leading the prayers of their community in their own words.

For me, 2019 is a year to focus on bible reading and prayer! Let's do this together. +Peter

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Reflections

A Glimmer of Hope this Easter Words by Bishop Charlie Murry

As this Easter arrives, there are signs of new life right across the Diocese. This is even as in many places previous arrangements for sharing faith have proved unsustainable.

When I was a child we sang an ear worm song by Carey Landry. It listed signs of new life as "a butterfly, an Easter egg, a fountain flowing in the park." I wasn't talking about this sort of symbol of resurrection life, although as the song continues, "a cup of wine, a loaf of bread, blessed and broken for us" do have something to do with the case.

Until the breaking of the bread at supper in Emmaus, the despondent disciples did not recognise the risen Jesus in their midst. What two of them had recognised, and invited to stay for dinner, was a glimmer of hope stirred by their conversation with the stranger on the road.

Changing gospels, early in the morning, when in the garden Jesus called Mary by name, she recognised he was not the gardener after all, but impossibly her living, crucified Lord.

Mary wanted to cling to Jesus, to know him the way she had before he died. This is where we meet face-to-face the character of the signs of new life I am talking about.

Mary's perception expanded to receive the unimaginable new life with Jesus she had been given. She stopped wanting to save the life with Jesus she had previously known. Her life, which she may have thought was over, was transformed yes, but saved.

At the same time, she was still herself but also a person made new, made different, oriented differently. She had been freed previously from a haunted life to follow Jesus.

Now, still following, she was also to go, sent out faithfully with the good news, "Christ the Lord is risen today."

The gospels according to Matthew, Mark and Luke all report Jesus saying, "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." Mark adds, "and for the sake of the gospel."

At a recent intensive formation day, I had the privilege to explore vocational identity with our postulants and ordinands. Like Mary and the other apostles, one way or another they have come to know who they are more nearly in being called by name to give their old lives away. Their desire is to come to give the rest of their lives away for the sake of Jesus and his gospel of the reign of God, that many may have life in his name.

I doubt there is any way a person or community who can stop wanting to save their life until they are called to give their life away to a greater love. After all, for many, many years, sharing faith with particular people in a particular

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congregation has been the assurance of life in Christ.

As I write this article I hear ringing in the ear of my heart this articulation: "We know we must make this momentous change. The thing we fear most is the dissolution of this community we are."

Many are beginning to discover a glimmer of hope in the struggle to find new ways of sharing with others the life they have shared together. The others will mean it won't look the same.

In rediscovering the desire to share more widely the great love of God revealed in the Son, our congregations and parishes are having moments of insight. Some new ideas and arrangements have emerged if not always immediate

"In the very giving away, in stopping wanting to cling on, comes the assurance that the promise of resurrection life is not hollow, even if it does require some real kind of death to the life we shared before." confidence. There are new places, new partnerships, new practices. Is it just possible, that obediently not clinging to what was cherished in the old life may be the way of transformation and restoration?

In the very giving away, in stopping wanting to cling on, comes the assurance that the promise of resurrection life is not hollow, even if it does require some real kind of death to the life we shared before.

Much of my life lately has been coming to know many of the congregations and parishes of the coastal episcopate a little more closely living through this struggle. I find I have my own cherished ways of being too that by grace I might stop wanting!

Our diocese reminds me of being a baby. Crawling has been a great way to get around and this standing up with the aid of the furniture has been great. Then one day, where did the furniture go? Suddenly here I find a previously unimagined life as a toddler. That's an inadequate image, a symbol of the signs I see of new life in the midst of the life in Christ we share.

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This Edition

Contents

Encounter

2 Bishop Peter: A Year of Prayer

and Reading the Bible 4 Bishop Charlie Reflections 7 Topics 8 Outspoken: The Man Behind Those Signs 12 Aged Care Royal Commission 17 Climate Change Report 18 Diocesan Environment Committee 20 Samaritans 22 Around the Diocese 26 Recipe 27 What's On

The Anglican Encounter, the magazine of the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle, is published quarterly from February to December. The Anglican Encounter is a member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

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Bringing Aged Care to Gloucester

Anglican Care hosted a historic ground-breaking ceremony on the site of their Gloucester Aged Care project in the presence of the Federal Member for Lyne, David Gillespie, the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart, Bishop of Newcastle, Anglican Care Chair Malcolm McDonald and CEO Colin Osborne, local dignitaries, staff and the community.

The ground-breaking, which took place on the Clement Street site on February 27, is a significant step for the $20 million state-of-the-art purpose-built aged care facility to match the needs of the ageing community in Gloucester.

In August 2015 Anglican Care was named the successful proponent of a robust and transparent tender process to accept the transfer of aged care licences from Gloucester Hospital. Since this time, the official process of land selection, funding applications and other regulatory issues have been finalised.

More recently Anglican Care was the recipient of an $8million Australian Government Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) grant – an initiative to drive economic growth and build stronger regional communities.

The project will ultimately see the construction of a community village providing a range of living environments, care, support and choice for seniors in Gloucester and surrounding areas as far as Walcha and the southern New England and western Mid Coast regions.

Stage one of the development includes a residential aged care home with single rooms with ensuites, a large multi-purpose area to facilitate resident and community activities, events and lifestyle programs. It will also include lounge and dining rooms, a reception area, hairdresser, allied health and therapy room and administration.

It is expected the project will take approximately 15 months to construct and we will then see residents moving in.

Beachside holiday units at Caloundra on Queensland's popular Sunshine Coast from $400/week accommodating up to 6 people. For more details contact Ray on 0427990161 or email rayandjean@hotmail.com

In Brief Appointments

Movements

The Rev'd Michelle Hazel-Jawhary was installed as the Patteson Canon in succession to Bishop Sonia Roulston on February 3.

The Rev'd Andrew Eaton was installed as the Sawyer Canon in succession to Canon Julia Perry on February 3.

The Rev'd Stephen Powter was commissioned Part-time Priest in Charge of Toukley-Budgewoi on February 4.

The Rev'd Canon Dr Fergus King was appointed as Director of Ministry Formation at Trinity College at the end of 2018.

Ordination The Rev'd James Brooks was ordained as a priest to serve as the Associate Priest in the Parish of Forster-Tuncurry.

Resignation The Rev'd Canon Julia Perry has tendered her resignation as the Director of Formation. She concluded that ministry and her ministry as a Canon of the Cathedral at the end 2018.

Memoriam The Rev'd Wilma Bond died on December 20, 2018.

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outspoken

Photos by Kathleen Mackay

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The man behind Those signs Words by Louise Mackay

Most people are familiar with Fr Rod Bower; they either love him, hate him, support him, back him, debate him, criticise him and sadly, at times, threaten him. Whether or not you agree with his messages or approach, no one can deny that Fr Rod Bower is outspoken in his fight for social justice.

Fr Rod makes headlines nationally and internationally for his confrontational and thought-provoking church signs. He is the man behind that sign - Dear Christians, some people are gay, get over it. Love God. He has challenged Peter Dutton, invited Pauline Hanson to lunch, and has upset the Jews. He is a passionate crusader in the fight for all things social justice – climate change, same-sex marriage, pill testing, refugees, asylum seekers – there is no stone left unturned. And it all started with one sign.

On 23 July 2013, I received a phone call from a woman whose brother was dying. She asked me if I would administer the last rites at his home. At the agreed time, I duly presented myself at the door in order to administer the sacrament. The man was unconscious, lying in a hospital-type bed in the living room of his well-appointed apartment.

His sister was there with another family member. After introducing myself, I invited them to tell me something of his story and prompted them with some questions. When I asked whether he lived alone, the answer was slightly awkward, "No." I asked if he had a partner, and the answer was slightly awkward, "Yes," accompanied by a glance towards the bedroom door. It was then that it dawned on me what was happening.

I said, "Well, get him out here so that he can be a part of this".

The assumption that the Church – and therefore, the family had figured, me as the Church's representative – was unable to accept a same-sex union as valid. I was deeply disturbed by this and incredibly troubled as I drove back to the church. The adrenaline was surging through me for a long time afterwards.

Kerry (Rod's wife) happened to be interstate visiting John, Cas and Izzy and, because I had been a bit slack about it, had given me strict instructions to continue changing the street sign and updating the Facebook page while she was away. In the office, I opened the software program I had acquired – a formatting system. You could key in a line and it would present the text to look like a roadside sign outside a church.

Still exercised about the exclusion I had just witnessed being visited on people even in the pressure-cooker of the end-of-life experience, I decided to make a public

statement. I needed the community to know that I was personally supportive of LGBTI people. I needed my parish also to be welcoming of people from every colour of the rainbow spectrum of human sexuality expressed by consenting adults.

My post to the parish Facebook read: Dear Christians.

Some ppl are gay. Get over it. Love God. At that time, we had about 150 followers on our parish Facebook page. Almost straight-away, I noticed it starting to attract some attention – likes and shares – so I went down to the actual roadside sign – at the bottom of the driveway to the church – and put it up there, too.

By the end of that day the Facebook page had nearly 1000 likes. A week later that number had gone to 3000, and the number continued to grow steadily over the coming months. The post is estimated to have been viewed over 70 million times and shared many thousands of times. The sentiment behind the 'Some people are gay' post was deeply felt for my part and in turn struck a nerve. [Excerpt from Fr Rod Bower's book Outspoken].

And the rest is history. Louise from Encounter sat down with Fr Rod to find out more about the man behind those signs.

E: You have been outspoken on the same-sex marriage campaign – can you weigh in on the current debate in our churches?

R: I think in terms of civil marriage this was simply a human rights issue, that in a country like Australia, every human being should live in the same civic universe. And that wasn't the case.

In terms of civil marriage for same-sex people it's a simple matter of human rights, which in a modern secular democracy was a no brainer. The issue of Christian marriage is a totally different question – and so this is one we will be debating for some years. For me, I think the deliberation needs to begin with the question, "What is the essence of Christian marriage?" And when we've answered that question we then might be able to go on and think through the issues for the Christian church and the Anglican church, and in particular about the potential marriage or blessing of same-sex couples. So at this stage I'm interested in listening to what scholars have to say about the essence of Christian marriage.

Civil marriage is a human right; Christian marriage isn't a human right. Christian marriage is a sacrament that comes out of the Christian faith that two people are pledging themselves one to the other, so that's an entirely different conversation. 

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So while I've been an outspoken advocate for civil marriage, I'm much more interested in entering into a deep and ongoing conversation about the essence of Christian marriage before I am to wholeheartedly come out in favour of Christian marriage for same-sex couples because I don't think we've thought through that one enough yet.

E: What has been your favourite sign so far?

R: The biggest one ever on social media was a response to another school shooting in the US - When will they love their kids more than their guns. It's hard to pick a favourite.

But I think that really is the big question, not just about guns, but also about everything. When will we love our kids more than our fossil fuels? It's the same question. When will we love our kids more than our economic paradigm?

Because many of those choices we make in our economic paradigm, in our denial of climate issues, pill testing, all of that, is what we are saying is more important than our children's future.

E: Some people would argue that the sign is church property and being used to be political and controversial, what would be your response to that?

R: The Gospel is political. We've just entered the year of Luke; when we read the first chapters of Luke its all political. Jesus goes into the synagogue of Nazareth and says; "I've come to bring good news to the poor or to set the captives free or let the oppressed go free." All of that, that's incredibly political. If you're not living the Gospel in the real world, in a way that affects the real world, then I don't believe your living the Gospel. Politics is simply the way we organise ourselves, and the way we organise ourselves can either be just or unjust. The Gospel is about the just organisation of human life. So I believe that everything that goes up on that sign is an expression of the Christian Gospel.

E: Is it all talk?

R: It's not all talk – over the years I have spent time with refugees, sometimes in hospital in really difficult circumstances. We as individuals and as parishes are actually engaging in the climate issue in terms of our use of fossil fuels, whether we've got solar panels on the church, all those things are really important.

Over the years I have also spent time with Holocaust survivors. One, in particular, I was in New Zealand in 2018 with the Human Rights Commission. I was invited through the Human Rights Commission to come to the opening of the Anne Frank exhibition in Auckland where I met Inge Wolf. She asked me what I did and I told her I advocate for the refugees and the marginalised people. She just patted me on the arm and said to me, "That's so important". Then

she pointed to the photos of her Holocaust and said, "This can happen so easily." That was a profound moment - here is this actual human being who had been in Auschwitz telling me how easily that can happen.

That was a kind of affirmation for me that the degradation of human beings begins with otherisation and labelling, that's where it starts. It doesn't always end up with the Holocaust but that's where it starts. So I did do a post on that and it received a very high profile negative response Manus is where the Holocaust started. What I didn't realise at the time is that the negative response was coming from a small group of Zionistic extremists who had collaborated with some other right-wing extremists like Reclaim Australia. They were posing in a sense as representing the Jewish community when they attacked me. I certainly didn't want to offend the Jewish community. So I apologised.

E: What happened next?

R: A whole heap of Jewish organisations and people came out of the woodwork and said, "We support you".

The Holocaust didn't start with gas ovens, it started with otherisation and labelling of a certain group of people.

There were a number of people in the Jewish community that came to me and said, "Yes, you're right. And we of all people don't want to see people being otherised or labelled as illegals, because that was done to us." The term Holocaust was a trip wire and I was very clumsy in the way I tripped over it, so I'll be much more careful. But I still maintain that what happened in Germany in the 1930s is a lesson that we must never forget. And when we see any element of that you've got to call it out. Never again.

Because we know what that can do to human society.

E: On reflection, is there anything you would do differently?

R: I would've taken more time to understand who was responding. It's a very sensitive subject, and yes, I was clumsy in the way I stumbled into it. I think that the danger for any memorialised event is that when that generation dies it becomes something else, we see this with ANZAC Day. If you want to honour the sacrifice of those men and women, you stand against the tyranny that they were standing against. If you truly want to honour them, then you don't allow your own government to do what they were fighting against.

The church is full of good people and we need good people; good people feed the hungry and do all sorts of wonderful, caring things. But we also need just people.

While a good person feeds the hungry, a just person asks why are they hungry? I’m more interested in a just society than a so-called peaceful society.

Outspoken: Because justice is always social You can read more about the life and the work of the man behind those signs in Fr Rod Bower's new book, Outspoken: Because Justice Is Always Social.

"How did a shy adopted kid from the country become this steadfast conscience of our nation, preaching both peace and disruption? Part life story, part love story, part manifesto, Outspoken describes an evolution as surprising as are Fr Rod's views about Christianity. Utterly frank, both philosophical and funny, this is a singular book by a singular person. It illuminates the life and work of the man behind those signs."

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Roy al Commission

Ensuring the future of aged care services

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A report by Anglican Care

"Ageing and the provision of aged care services is something that will touch all of us at some time in our lives, be it someone that we care for, a parent, relative or friend, or considerations for our own care," says Anglican Care CEO, Colin Osborne.

"We all have a vested interest in ensuring that older Australians have access to a safe, high quality aged care system."

With the announcement of a Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in Australia in September 2018, and with a substantial focus from the media in recent months on aged care, it is certainly a hot topic on the minds of many people.

"Whilst I strongly believe that Anglican Care, and the vast majority of Australia's aged care services and their dedicated staff deliver good quality care, there have been examples of unacceptable failures that must be prevented from happening in the future", says Colin.

The Royal Commission is required and authorised to inquire into the following matters: a. the quality of aged care services provided to Australians, the extent to which those services meet the needs of the people accessing them, the extent of substandard care being provided, including mistreatment and all forms of abuse, the causes of any systemic failures, and any actions that should be taken in response; b. how best to deliver aged care services to: i. people with disabilities residing in aged care facilities, including younger people; and ii. the increasing number of Australians living with dementia, having regard to the importance of dementia care for the future of aged care services; c. the future challenges and opportunities for delivering accessible, affordable and high quality aged care services in Australia, including: i. in the context of changing demographics and preferences, in particular people's desire to remain living at home as they age; and ii. in remote, rural and regional Australia; d. what the Australian Government, aged care industry, Australian families and the wider community can do to strengthen the system of aged care services to ensure that the services provided are of high quality and safe;

e. how to ensure that aged care services are person centred, including through allowing people to exercise greater choice, control and independence in relation to their care, and improving engagement with families and carers on care related matters; f. how best to deliver aged care services in a sustainable way, including through innovative models of care, increased use of technology, and investment in the aged care workforce and capital infrastructure; g. any matter reasonably incidental to a matter referred to in paragraphs (a) to (f) or that [the Commissioners] believe is reasonably relevant to the inquiry.

"We all have a vested interest in ensuring that older Australians have access to a safe, high quality aged care system."

Along with all aged care providers across the country, Anglican Care recently responded to a request from the Royal Commission for information, including: • Incidents or complaints in the past five years where care has been sub-standard • Information about why these incidents occurred (e.g. were these one-off examples or caused by a problem in the design of the system) and what providers did in response • Details of what providers do now to provide high quality and safe services • Information about issues that providers experience supporting older people to move around the aged and health care system, e.g. between facilities and hospitals • Suggestions about how the aged care system can be improved to ensure that services to older people are high quality and safe, particularly for those older people with disabilities or dementia • Examples of innovation and good practice. 

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The first Hearing of the Royal Commission was held on January 18 2019.

The first public hearing was held on February 11 in Adelaide, continuing into the week of February 18. These hearings will include evidence involving key features of the aged care quality, safety and complaints system, and how that system works in practice on a general level. Information about the challenges faced by the aged care system, including accounts from consumer advocacy bodies, health care provider peak bodies, national aged care provider peak bodies and regulators will also be included and importantly, the Commission also expects to be able to call evidence from people receiving care and their families.

The Commission is aiming to deliver an interim report in October 2019 and a final report in April 2020. However, in reality, the timing is up to the Commissioners to determine.

"Caring for older Australians is an issue of national importance and is too important not to get right.

While this Royal Commission process may be challenging in many ways in the shorter term, we trust it will be in everyone's interests moving forward.

In closing, Anglican Care is fully supportive of the Royal Commission. It is my hope that we will get some recommendations from the Royal Commission that will further enhance the system we have.

"Anglican Care is fully supportive of the Royal Commission. It is my hope that we will get some recommendations from the Royal Commission that will further enhance the system we have."

Most importantly, as a result of this process, the community and consumers of aged care services will have a greater level of confidence in the sector, and that can only be a good thing", says Colin. 

Q+A Regarding the Royal Commission Q. How can interested members of the public make a submission to the Royal Commission?

Q. Where can people keep up to date on progress with the Royal Commission?

A. There are a number of ways people can make a submission to the Royal Commission, including:

A. People can visit the website www.agedcare. royalcommission.gov.au. The website provides information about the work of the royal Commission, and how people can engage with the Commission, including when and where hearings will be held.

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Via the website www.agedcare. royalcommission.gov.au By mail: Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, GPO Box 1151, Adelaide SA 5001 By talking to someone on the information helpline: 1800 960 711.

Q. Is the Royal Commission looking into care provided in the community as well as care provided in residential aged care homes?

A. Yes, the Royal Commission will be looking at home care, together with care for young people with disabilities who live in aged care homes.

Q. Will Anglican Care be called upon to provide any further information?

A. At this stage it is possible that Anglican Care and other aged care providers may be required to provide further information and we may even be required to attend Commission Hearings.

Q. What are the key aims of the Royal Commission?

A. To examine issues and examples of what is not working - where the aged care system has failed, and to explore what needs to change in order to meet the changing needs and expectations of the growing numbers of older Australians.

Visit www.agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au for more information

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"Caring for older Australians is an

issue of national importance and is too important not to get right."

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How does Anglican Care ensure a quality workforce?

Our population is ageing and people are living longer. That equates to a rise in the complex health needs of our elderly community, and an industry that needs to prioritise a strong foundation of training and knowledge for its care givers.

In recent media reports, the industry has been under scrutiny for employing staff who have completed short courses of six weeks, such as the Certificate III in Aged Care. Many are stating these courses lack practical training and that some newly hired aged care staff don't have the basic skills that are required to do the job.

At Anglican Care, we work in partnership with reputable and competent Registered Training Organisations to provide work placement for students to ensure Personal Care Assistants (Care Assistants) students are qualified and competent to provide quality care.

Janet Sykes, Anglican Care Nurse Educator states, "We recognise there is a great need for our aged care staff to have specialised skills that meet the complex health needs of our elderly, beyond those learnt during their initial Certificate III and IV training courses.

"Our Care Assistants are not placed into a role and forgotten about. We make it our priority to support their new role by providing ongoing clinical training in topics such as clinical indicators and infection control, amongst others."

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The new starters are also paired with a "buddy". "Our buddy system is there to provide our new Care Assistants with a peer they can turn to for any questions related to their work and provide an orientation of their facility. We provide this level of support to our newcomers until they feel they can work autonomously as part of the team. We want our staff to be set up to succeed in their roles", says Sykes.

Each year Anglican Care staff attend ongoing education in personal and clinical care, as well as compulsory workshop training sessions and industry forums on topics such as Palliative Care and Dementia. Further educational support is also provided to staff via online training and online education materials. Those wishing to further their areas of expertise are encouraged to do so, and as a result many of our Care Assistants continue their studies and become Enrolled Nurses, Registered Nurses and in some cases, Facility Managers.

Sykes confirms, "It's important our families, residents and consumers feel confident that we are providing the very best of care. To do this we remain committed to our ongoing staff training and support which we believe underpins the excellent quality of care given to our seniors."

We're all in this environment together – a call to action Words by Robyn Fry The latest United Nations Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report is out. For over a hundred years humans have heard of the greenhouse effect from carbon emissions but are we paying attention? Much of humanity prefers consumerism and denies that their actions have adverse consequences for others. Many of our island neighbours are already losing the land they live on.

Each of us has power to make choices and changes. This is the point Moses was making when he addressed the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 29-30. The whole group had to choose blessing or curse, not just individuals, as the consequence of their subsequent behaviour, for themselves and their descendants.

Fast forward to today. Many religious leaders including Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Orthodox Christians, believe we are all in this together.

Walter Brueggemann in The Liturgy of Abundance, the myth of Scarcity writes, "The great question now facing the church is whether our faith allows us to live in new way."

Will we trust in God's abundance or leave the world in the hands of those who believe in scarcity and monopolise Earth's resources.

How can we express our gratitude for a God of Goodness and Love? Psalm 104, for example, gives voice to our adoration. Practising the spiritual discipline of gratitude can be very positive. Do I wake every morning thankful that I have another day to enjoy the beauty of living things,

another day to love others, another day to witness to the truth of the reign of my God of grace and compassion?

I do not rob or tip rubbish in my friend's home so why would I do it to this planet our home? As we let ourselves be filled with wonder and thanks for beauty and mystery of the universe we can also find ourselves heartbroken as we learn of pollution and exploitation for benefit of the few at the cost of the many. Land degradation exacerbates war and strife sending refugees fleeing the resulting terror and violence. How must God's heart break too! God calls our generation to hear Creation crying. God so loved the world‌ Will we defend Earth against those who would exploit it?

We know what Jesus said about how to live in the Roman Empire. What does it mean to follow Jesus in a climate crisis world of rising sea levels, extreme storms, droughts, fires and desertification? We say the Reign of God is among us so will we lead the world in replacing our consumption with sacrifice, greed with generosity, wastefulness with a spirit of sharing? May parishes lead the way in acknowledging that all life is intimately connected and that we are made for love! With God at our side we experience expanded capacity to absorb the pain and suffering of our world and also to take action for the sake of our neighbours. As the saying goes, "Think globally, act locally." Ask yourself, "What can I, we, do to bring blessing rather than curse on future generations?"

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Why the church needs a theology of climate change in the 21st century Words by Katrina Baldacchino and Matthew Couch Diocesan Environment Committee

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork" (Ps 19:1).

At God's Word, the universe exploded into being and all that exists was lovingly formed and illumined. Life was drawn forth to fill every patch of land, every breath of air, every drop of ocean. Earth is intrinsically valuable to God. "God saw everything he had made, and indeed it was very good" (Gen 1:31). Take a moment to look heavenward, and stand in awe at the vast and intricate ways in which the natural universe works. God is constantly creating, finetuning Earth's ecosystems, and endowing each living thing with dignity and purpose; drawing all into communion with himself.

God has entrusted the sacred work of caring for his garden to us. We in the 21st century are struggling to fulfil our inherited responsibility. We have become starkly aware of our unintended power to change the Earth's climate. We could easily push our world off-track. Perhaps we already have. So we might ask ourselves how we intend to respond to this power, in light of our ever-present responsibility to God. It is often said that the future of the church, of our society, and of our world, rests on the shoulders of children. It is true that children will inherit the world we leave them, yet they also participate in that responsibility here and now. If a child asked you today what it means to follow Jesus, what might you say? What could we say, knowing that we are called in this era to follow Jesus through potential climatic upheaval, brought about by the hands of humankind? What example might we set our children to guide them in an ecologically uncertain future while honouring the great work of God? To honour God is to ensure the ongoing flourishing of the Earth and all that live on it. In his renowned encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis reminds us that "The earth was here before us and it has been given to us. ‌ Each community can take from the bounty of the earth whatever it needs for subsistence, but it also has the duty to protect the earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations." Our ability to carry out our duty requires that

we experience our interdependence with and reliance on nature. We cannot separate ourselves from the world created for us. Indeed, God becoming incarnate as a biological and sensate being emphasises the significance of the natural. God, as a man, was reliant on the very world whose existence is simultaneously sustained by God! The fruits of following Christ extend outwards from the continual renewing of the individual soul, to participation in the cultural, political and environmental context in which we live. As Mick Pope, an Australian ecotheologian, has written; "personal righteousness and public justice are on the same continuum‌" The fulfilment of justice requires a spirit of ecological conversion; a turning away from the technologically saturated, consumer driven, chaotic and traumatised world, and towards a renewed experience of the simplicity of God, seen through Creation.

Jesus, who is God, and is a revelation of God's love for the world, asked us to love one another. "By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn 13:35). In the 21st century, to love our neighbour means that we love the planet that sustains us, taking only what we need for life and worship. Followers of Jesus ought to be recognised for their love of the natural world, while they joyfully await the perfection of the world through Christ.

Our desires have had unintended consequences for the climate and the world's ecosystems. What might we say to our children as they ask about climate change and Christian faith? Changing the course of human desire is difficult, but only if we rely on ourselves. Jesus continually offers us the means. As we share in communion regularly, we develop humility and experience God with us. We are reminded that God is present in the living world and in us.

We need reminding. We need a theology that can heal the world. As Pope Francis says, "Everything is interconnected, and this invites us to develop a spirituality of that global solidarity which flows from the mystery of the Trinity." We need then to stop, close the books, and allow our children to lead us in looking heavenward, with all of their hope, enthusiasm, and life.

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Support without judgement for people paying off debt Have you ever received a parking fine when you didn't read the sign properly? Or have you ever forgotten to vote? These are just a couple of ways you can accrue state debt. When everything else in life is running smoothly, such situations are frustrating. But what happens when you are already struggling to make ends meet and a fine arrives? What if it's a choice to pay the fine or feed your children? For some, the fines accrue interest and the debt adds up.

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A report by Samaritans

Samaritans staff member, Judy, is Samaritans' Caseworker for Work and Development Orders (WDOs).

WDOs are a way that people can work off state debts by doing activities like volunteering, attending training or completing a drug and alcohol program, rather than paying money. The NSW Government was the first state to introduce such a scheme, realising there were some people who could not pay their debts. These people might be experiencing homelessness, have been in prison, have a serious addiction to drugs and or alcohol, a disability or be in economic hardship.

Samaritans has been supporting people to pay off their debt since 2012. Six years on Samaritans has collectively supported over 670 people to work off a debt of more than $1.7 million dollars.

Judy has a passion for her job and certainly has some stories to share.

"I've seen how debt can affect people. It can happen to anyone but it often puts extra burden on already difficult lives.

People bring in their timesheets each month and I then enter it in the State Debt Database and immediately I can see the debt dropping and I know how much this means to the people we work with. I get joy from the changes they make in their lives.

I have my hand shaken so often and get so many hugs.

People are frightened. They think they have no options. It's not me that's changing anything but I am a link to options.

I supported one young man who had been homeless.

Samaritans got him accommodation and he was looking for a job. He had state debt so was sent my way. His debt was from fines he acquired while homeless and riding trains without a ticket. He wanted to work in a café so was doing a barista course and I encouraged him to volunteer at Wesley Café as part of his state debt hours. The staff at the café said he was amazing and when I reported this back to him he said, "The lady doesn't know how many hours I've watched YouTube to teach myself". He went on to clear his debt and get a traineeship at a big hotel.

Work is not the only benefit some people gain from the connection that volunteering or attending course can bring. People often come to this program quite broken by their circumstances. A woman who counselled people for a living had lost her job due to illness. She came to me with debt but also with a longing for connection. I referred her to the Alternatives to Violence project, a conflict transformation group run by volunteers and she started volunteering. She found her place in the course and connected in with the community. She came back to me and said, "thank you so much, I've found my place in the world."

A man who I met had a debt of only $350. He was married and they were struggling with their toddler since their new baby was born. He shared his current challenges with me at the appointment and I told him about the parenting courses at the Family Support Newcastle and he agreed they should book in. He phoned me back two weeks later.

His wife then connected with a local playgroup where she met other Mums and found ways to cope. This reduced the

amount the man needed to do to support his wife, so he was able to get work and pay his debt.

One guy who was an alcoholic was going to SMART Recovery but wasn't really connecting in and improving.

He came to see me about his debt and I also gave him the details of the local AA. A few weeks later he came back and saw me – he was clean shaven, washed and had bought new clothes from an op-shop. He actually twirled with pride in front of me. Another month later he came back to thank me as after years of not wearing his glasses, he'd been to the optometrist to get new glasses prescription that he could now afford. I looked at him and thought, this is why I do what I do – his life is back on track now.

Sometimes the results are surprising even for us. When I first met this particular young woman she had $5000 debt, her children were removed due to extreme domestic violence, she had little formal education and no employment. She had no idea what she wanted to do to pay off her debt but she was thinking about parenting classes to help her have her children restored. It was suggested that she might look at a TAFE course and with a little encouragement she embarked on her first course. 24 months down the track she is now free of her state debt, has TAFE qualifications, a job and has had her children restored. It's such a powerful story.

When people come to see me, they are often carrying a heavy burden of debt and have little hope that they can move forward with their lives. When they leave I see a glimmer of hope and as the debt rolls away and they start to participate in the world around them, hope does return."

Case Study: Dean* "The reason I started a work development order (WDO)is because in my previous life I was addicted to Ice. I was in a lot of trouble with the law over an eight year period; four of those I spent in prison.

I had been rebellious from a young age – I just didn't care.

That was my life, and I didn't see a way out.

If you caught me on a good day back then I would have said I knew God; I went to a Christian School and I had an auntie who introduced me to God and I would read the bible in prison. But I was lost. I was in and out of prison and I lost everything.

One day I realised – Jesus was real. I cried out to him to save me, and he did. I've been saved for three years. At that time I knew I needed to sort my life out, and that's when I met Judy. I was volunteering at a food bank to reduce my state debt and then Judy said I could use my volunteering with the Bible Institute to count to my WDO. It's been a blessing. I've been studying at the bible college, I'm an apprentice carpenter and in August I spent three weeks in PNG building showers and toilets at a missionary station. I hope to go back to PNG next year on a prison ministry.

My favourite verse is 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things become new." *Name has been changed to protect identity

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Around the D iocese

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Two New Canons Installed at Christ Church Cathedral "Installing Canons" at first glance might sound more like something that involves power tools and armaments than assisting and enabling the work of the Cathedral, but on the evening of Sunday February 3, the Rev'd Michelle Hazel-Jawhary and the Rev'd Andrew Eaton were installed as Canons of Christ Church Cathedral Newcastle, to join with the Dean and Chapter in enabling the ministry of the Cathedral.

Cathedral Canons contribute to the life of the Cathedral through a special focus on praying for, promoting and participating in the work of the Cathedral. As members of the Cathedral Chapter they also share in some areas of Cathedral governance.

Dean Katherine Bowyer said, "I am delighted to welcome Canon Michelle Hazel-Jawhary and Canon Andrew Eaton.

"They both bring a passion for social justice, a strong

commitment to community engagement, and a deep love for the Cathedral and the ministry of the Cathedral as a parish and to the wider Diocesan family.

"I look forward to their further involvement in the life of the Cathedral."

And, as for "installing Canons" – the seats that the Cathedral Canons sit in are called stalls, so when Canons begin their ministry, they are literally taken to their stall and placed in it as a sign of their place within the life of the Cathedral.

Each stall is named after an early bishop of the Australasian Anglican Church. Canon Michelle is the Patterson Canon (previously Bishop Sonia Roulston) , and Canon Andrew is the Sawyer Canon (previously The Rev'd Julia Perry).

Professional • Experienced • Competitive

• Conveyancing & Commercial • Wills, Probate & Estates • Family Law & Criminal Law • Driving Offences etc Phone: 4954 7288 25 Marianne St, Cardiff email: admin@warlandsolicitors.com.au

The Anglican Church of Newcastle takes allegations of misconduct and abuse seriously We welcome and encourage people with concerns to come forward For a confidential discussion please call 1800 774 945

If you need immediate support call Lifeline on 13 11 14

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Social Justice Conference 2019 The inaugural Social Justice Conference took place at St Luke's Church Wallsend on Saturday March 2. The conference was led by Fr Rod Bower to address social justice issues such as refugees, indigenous issues, climate change, human sexuality, modern slavery and domestic

violence. Guest heard great talks from Bishop Peter Stuart, Fr Rod Bower, Justin Whelan, Rev'd Michelle Hazel-Jawhary, Rev'd Robyn Fry, Rev'd Di Langham, Fr Andrew Eaton and more. A special thanks to the Anglican Women for backing up and catering up a storm.

Leave a gift in your will to the Church Once you have made provision for your loved ones, you have the opportunity to make a lasting gift to God, by leaving a bequest to his church.

A gift in your will is one of the most valuable and lasting ways you can continue to support its mission and ministry within your community.

Contact Linda Wilson at the Diocesan Office for more information on 4926 3733.

Leaving a gift in your will can make a real difference By leaving a gift to Samaritans in your will you can help change the lives of future generations of children, women and men living in your Diocese.

Samaritans has been working in communities to build love, peace, justice and reconciliation for 35 years. Your lasting legacy will help make sure this continues.

Contact Samaritans on 4960 7100 for more information.

Samaritans Foundation The social welfare arm of the Anglican Church in the Hunter, Manning and Central Coast.

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A Tribute - Speaking Personally of the Unstoppable Rev'd Wilma Bond Wilma Grace Mary Bond - 1 August 1934 - 20 December 2018 Words By Pamela Tant Wilma - The Cyclist "Brown Owl" - a cyclist with a purpose. The bicycle was not just a means to get from A to B, but rather a pilgrimage of purpose, I note. One comment was that Wilma Bond could pedal from The Entrance to the top of Killarney Vale (and from school to school) with her books and teaching aids on board with wind in her sails - in other words, not needing to catch her breath. A little closer to home, heading for Sunday School, the bicycle might carry just the articles and not the rider - or sometimes a wheelbarrow laden with supplies, especially at Christmass Pageant time.

Wilma - The Singer As well as partaking in theatrical events, it seems that music-making and singing were Wilma's favourite tools.

Until Wilma became enveloped in the sanctuary at Sunday morning worship, she was part of our song-leaders group. At our MU Advent Carols celebration, we sang her favourite chorus, Come and join the Celebration.

With her wealth of scripture knowledge Wilma gave what we know now was her final "hurrah". She spoke of the value of preparing for the "real" Christmass, and as we collaborated on the music, mentioned another favourite seasonal song (of which there were many lively ones for dancing and tambourine-shaking, or singing and clapping as she celebrated her faith). "I wish we could sing: "Christmas is coming, the church is glad to sing, and let the Advent candles brightly burn in a ring,"" Wilma said. So we did!

Wilma - The Student of Scripture and Teacher During Keith Clark's time as rector at All Saints we were offered a study course to attain a Certificate of Theology.

Wilma and I were two of the keen students, but were saddened that we never did complete the core units. Later we travelled to Wyoming to study again from scratch with Gaye Mercier, and went on to achieve the certificate.

How we celebrated! Wilma went on to do the Bishop's Certificate and then became ordained as a deacon in our church. Her humility and delight at having been discerned and chosen for this office have stayed with me still.

And so we see in our first chosen hymn the words, "Who will bear my light to them?" and the response, "Here I am, Lord!" appropriately fixed. Again, during those earlier years, there was this threesome who go together to put together a songbook (which ended up as two songbooks) of words for scripture for schools. What a great time of singing, recording, printing and indexing to produce these books of "little lessons" for use at school scripture. Wilma celebrated this success, and just recently shared with us how excited she was about the response she got from students as they took on the exercise of creating their own prayers using her simple yet effective formula of "thanks, sorry, please".

Two Marys and a Martha Like Wilma, these are women in scripture who knew their God personally, Wilma was, especially over these last

weeks, a great fan of Mary, mother of our Lord.

"Let it be to me according to your word," Mary says when informed that through her our Lord would be born into the world. These words could be Wilma's response to her calling to study and become deacon in our church. To me Wilma seemed to be in character, the epitome of Mary of Bethany, sitting at the feet of our Lord, and her sister Martha, working with zeal for his kingdom.

Other activities here and within the community include GFS, Mothers' Union, taking office as secretary and as president for several terms, and for many years in CWA. Although known as a whiz in the kitchen, we always knew that Wilma could sing and present almost any item we could through her way. My last recollection is a swinging rendition of the The Bell-Bottom Blues, and there were those catchy tunes to sing grace before a meal.

At this time of the year, many may remember how Wilma's crafted donkey and other props for Christmass pageants were offered. There were tea towels for our Sunday School shepherds, angels with halos and wings, and Joseph and Mary's wardrobe. All aided with a great celebration for our youngsters and the Christmas story. So, I wondered, why has this time of the year marked the end of her time with us?

Well, what is this but the most exciting time of the year to celebrate the New Birth, like the song she taught, The Butterfly Song. What is this but a timely message to all of us, and generations in which Wilma's life has been an influence?!

Wilma never stopped praying and listening to our Lord; never stopped sewing and crafting; never stopped singing and celebrating our faith; and never stopped sharing and bringing God's message of love to all. May we continue in the same way.

So in this commemorative last hymn, The Day You Gave Us Lord is Ending, we sing about "the church unsleeping" and "the voice of prayer is never silent." We know that Wilma will live on in those she influenced - her family, her students, her church family and friends.

And we sing, "Go in peace, go in joy, go in love". As Wilma prompts, "And all the people said: Amen."

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Strawberry, rhubarb and ginger crumble Prep: 20mins | Cook 35mins | Serves: 4 | Easy

Serve this strawberry, rhubarb and ginger crumble with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream for a yummy winter treat everyone will enjoy!

INGREDIENTS 10g butter 4 rhubarb stalks, trimmed, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar 1/2 cup (125ml) orange juice 500g strawberries, hulled, halved 1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour 1/4 cup (35g) plain flour 1 teaspoon ground ginger 80g butter, extra, chilled, chopped 1/2 cup (110g) brown sugar Vanilla ice-cream, to serve

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METHOD Step 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease four 1-cup (250ml) ovenproof dishes.

Step 2 Heat the butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook the rhubarb, tossing, for 2 mins. Add the caster sugar and orange juice. Cook, tossing occasionally, for 5 mins or until rhubarb is tender. Remove from heat. Add the strawberry and gently toss to combine. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the juice from the pan in a bowl. Spoon the rhubarb mixture evenly into the prepared dishes.

Step 3 Place the combined flour and ginger in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Use your fingertips to rub the extra butter into the flour mixture until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the brown sugar. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the rhubarb mixture in the dishes. Bake for 20-25 mins or until crumble is golden. Top with ice-cream and drizzle with reserved pan juice, if desired.

Vessels: Theology and the Arts Symposium Dates: 12 - 14 July 2019 Hosted by the Parish of Woy Woy Tickets: $180.44 In July 2019, St Luke's Woy Woy will host a three-day symposium gathering theologians, artists, clerics, and philosophers to explore the relationships between the arts and theology. There will be an art exhibition, poetry, creative workshops, short papers and music.

The last 50 years has seen some astonishingly inventive solutions to creatively engage with theology, ecclesiology, liturgy, and the public sphere of spirituality and faith.

This three-day symposium seeks to explore the shifts in method, style, and theory found in the liminal space created when the creative arts, scripture, theology, faith and community coalesce.

The aim of this symposium is to draw people from within the Australian context to reflect, discuss and analyse the integral place of the arts in Christian expression.

Key Note Speaker: John McDowell Since January 20105 John has been Professor of Theology and Director of Research at the University of Divinity, Melbourne. Prior to that He spent 6 years as Morpeth professor of Theology and Religious Studies at The University of Newcastle NSW (2009-14), and before that Director of Undergraduate Studies and Meldrum Senior Lecturer in Systematic Theology at New College in the University of Edinburgh (2000-8).

John is also the Associate Editor and Books Review Editor of the Theological journal Coloquium, and an Executive Board member of Pacifica: Journal of Theological Studies.

Currently, John is writing a book exploring the links between theology and film. It will be from within this space that John will present at the symposium. We are very much looking forward to welcoming John back to the diocese in this capacity.

If you have any questions, please contact Alexandra Banks via the email vesselstheologyandthearts@gmail. com or check out our Facebook page Vessels: Theology and the Arts Symposium. You can also register your interest and purchase tickets at https://aebanks.wixsite.com/vessels

2019 Quiet Mornings at Murrurundi The Anglican Parish of Murrurundi is pleased to announce that the very successful Quiet Morning ministry of 2018 will be continued in 2019. The Quiet Mornings are held in the grounds of St Paul's Church, which provide a beautiful environment and space for contemplation.

In 2018, four mornings were held, gathering people from across the Upper Hunter and as far away as Tamworth.

Participants gathered under the guidance of Fr Glen Hughes, together with the Rev'd Barbara Morgan and the Rev'd Wendy Jackson. Over four mornings the community considered the work of the Holy Spirit, the Common Prayers in our Anglican liturgy, the Lord's Prayer and the work of Women of God. Those present gathered for the Eucharist at the end of the Quiet Morning and brought lunch to share.

In 2019, four more Quiet Mornings are planned: • Saturday 2nd March considering "Questions Jesus Asks"

• • •

Saturday 1st June considering "Why the Eucharist Matters" Saturday 21st September considering the Gospel of Matthew Saturday 23rd November considering "Living Forgiveness"

The community gathers from 9.30am and lunch concludes at approximately 2pm.

The Quiet Mornings are open to anyone who values a time of reflection and spiritual discussion. For those who are far away, why not make a whole weekend visit? Visiting rural communities is a great way to support them during the current drought, and there are many hidden gems in the community and environment of the Upper Hunter to explore in addition to coming to the Quiet Morning.

More more information, please follow the Facebook Page Murrurundi Quiet Mornings or contact Fr Glen on 0412 003 898.

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He

is

Risen matthew 28:6

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