MAY 24, 2018
YOUR INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
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PH: 4325 7369
‘Christianist’ terrorists invade Gosford Anglican Church
St Hilliers’ development reaches major milestone
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osford Anglican Church was invaded by a group of alleged ultranationalist neo-Nazis. On May 19, The Church’s Saturday night mass was interrupted by five Melbourne men, belonging to Nationalist far right group, the Cooks Convicts. One of the men entered the congregation wielding a whip, whilst another was brandishing a fake sword, according to Fr Rod Bower. “This was an extremely traumatising event,” said Fr Bower. “Fortunately, many regular parishioners were absent, so the devastation was somewhat minimised. “This was in my view a terrorist attack. “One cannot imagine that had these men been Muslims, they would have been allowed to walk away from this act of violence and intimidation,” Fr Bower said. “These people are to Christianity what Isis is to Islam. “This attack shows how far we have gone down the road of right wing extremism. “Such an attack on a church could not have been imagined only a few years ago,” he added. The Cooks Convicts filmed the incident and posted the video to their Facebook page. The footage begins by condemning Fr Bower’s left wing and at times controversial approach to teaching the Christian faith. This commences with a monologue, believed to have been recorded by Cooks Convict leader and the instigator of the May 19 Church incident, Mr Neil Erikson.
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riday, May 25, will mark a milestone for property development and construction company St Hilliers, with its 32 Mann St development in Gosford reaching the highest point in the building of the structure.
The letter board at the front of Gosford Anglican Church
Mr Erikson said Fr Bower had been “Pissing a lot of people off, especially Christians. “He claims to be a Christian, but as Jesus always said, many will come in my name and Rod Bower’s one of them. “He supports gay marriage, he supports Sharia Law, he blesses the Burqa and he disrespects our ANZACS. “Rod Bower gives all of his worship to his ego,” Mr Erikson said. Following these statements, the video shows the Cooks Convicts interrupting Fr Bower’s service. The congregation is shown to be visibly disturbed by the intrusion, with one woman screaming in fear, as Mr Erikson, dressed as Jesus, and the other Cooks Convicts, enter the chapel. In the footage, Fr Bower is shown to ask the men to leave, whilst Mr Erikson, through a megaphone, proclaims: “What have you done to my house? “You have desecrated my father’s house,” Mr Erikson
was seen to say before Fr Bower and his congregation began singing a hymn until the Cooks Convicts left. Mr Erikson was then filmed in front of the Church’s letter board, which frequently features some of Fr Bower’s more controversial messages and teachings, cracking a whip. He then continued his tirade and attack on Fr Bower’s character. Still invoking the image of Jesus Christ, Mr Erikson is seen to say: “What you have done to the Christian church is unforgiveable. “You have desecrated the house of God. “This man is a traitor to his religion. “He’s a traitor to my father’s house. “This man is a media harlot; he doesn’t care for me or my father. The matter is now in the hands of Gosford Police and the church is conducting yet another security review.
This follows a similar confrontation in August, 2016, where members of the now defunct Party for Freedom, disrupted a sermon, dressed in traditional Muslim garb. Mr Erikson was one of the members of the Party for Freedom that took part in the 2016 Church raid as well. Following the incident, Fr Bower wrote on the Parish’s Facebook page: “We will not be silenced. “These ‘Christianist’ terrorists used violence and intimidation to try and silence our message of love and inclusion,” he wrote. On May 21, the Church’s letter board had changed to “We’re into hail Marys, not heil Hitlers.” Fr Bower will appear on the panel on the ABC’s Q&A on Monday, May 28. Source: Media release, video and websites, May 23 Cooks Convicts Facebook page Fr Rod Bower, Anglican Parish of Gosford
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The organisation will celebrate the milestone for the NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation building with a Topping Out ceremony. The celebration of construction meeting this highpoint means that the 1.1 hectare mixed use commercial building is one step closer to providing 300 local job opportunities at the relocated NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation (DFSI) offices, according to St Hilliers. “The 32 Mann St development is more than just about the bricks and mortar,” said Mr Dan Hinton, Group General Manager, St Hilliers. “It is about building opportunities and connecting communities,” Mr Hinton said. “We are proud to be a part of creating local jobs and developing the Gosford CBD as a key business hub, located just one hour from Sydney,” he said. “Progress is tracking well and on schedule with the building expected to be open in late 2018,” he said. “While development and construction is our expertise,
we also pride ourselves on ensuring the community is engaged from the onset of our projects. “We have achieved this with the 32 Mann St development and intend to continue to work with local businesses, residents and Council to ensure they remain part of the progress of the development of the remainder of this site.” Member of the NSW Legislative Council, Mr Taylor Martin, said: “This project supports the future development of the Gosford CBD as a centre for business and employment on the Central Coast. “It will improve value for NSW taxpayers and deliver world class, fit for purpose, office space for DFSI staff,” Mr Martin said. “The Topping Out is a great achievement for the development and for the Central Coast CBD,” he said. “The Government is leading the way in delivering on relocating jobs to the Central Coast and contributing to making Gosford a vibrant city. “This is best demonstrated by 60 per cent of inductees to the 32 Mann St site residing in the Central Coast and Hunter regions. “Six of these inductees are also apprentices, demonstrating both the Government’s and St Hilliers’ commitment to youth and local job participation,” he said. Source: Media release, May 23 Katey Small, Brilliant Logic
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