Issue 94 Sep Oct 2013 - Anglican Diocese of Bendigo

MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF BENDIGO
www.bendigoanglican.org.au
Issue 94 September-October 2013
The Spirit wins Gold!
T
he Australasian Religious Press Association has given the Gold award for
‘Best Original Photography’ to The Spirit
for ‘Four new servers for Bendigo North
Parish’ (below). It was taken by Judith
Hall and published on the front cover of
the July 2012 issue.
Asylum seekers: what will you do?
“This award will exhibit high impact
photography combining creativity and
technical ability and know-how to capture a subject to support and enhance the
publication’s purpose for using the photo,”
wrote the judges. “This photograph is simply composed and naturally lit, reflecting a
quiet understanding and solemnity of the
moment. It is un-staged photojournalism
at its best, and captures the context of the
story perfectly.”
Congratulations, Judy!
R
ecent policy statements by both major
political parties on proposed treatment
of asylum seekers have shocked many by
their harsh approach to people in desperate
circumstances.
All Saints’ Anglican Church Newstead,
like several other churches in the district,
displays a banner designed by Maiden Gully
missioner, the Revd Roger Rich.
Well positioned opposite the football
ground, the banner challenges policies
which contradict United Nations Conventions on the rights of asylum seekers, as well
as the teachings of the major faiths about the
human dignity of each person.
Christ Church Castlemaine has also put
up the banner, and Holy Trinity Maldon
plans to show a similar message soon. This
is an issue which, sadly, remains current
and contentious despite the change of government. q
Julia Nutting
2013 Benetas HIGH tea
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Join us in the afternoon on
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Thursday 10 October
Bookings are welcome from all interested
seniors and their guests.
$40 per head
To book your place, visit www.benetas.com.au or call 03 8823 7957
2:00pm–4:00pm
10:00am–12:00pm
A
Dear friends,
ed with people and their struggles in life.
Spring has sprung! The other morning
I went by train from Bendigo to Melbourne. The countryside looked the
best that I have seen in the ten years I
have lived in Central Victoria. The grass
is refreshingly green, the apple trees in
Harcourt were all in new leaf, and spring
lambs were to be seen frolicking in the
open countryside. A very idyllic view,
very uplifting for the eyes and the soul.
In his own life, Nouwen moved from
a prestigious academic post at Harvard
University to live in a L’Arche community in Toronto with a group of mentally
handicapped people. He found that all
his academic and theological training,
and the skills that he had acquired over
many years, were pretty useless at L’Arche,
where the daily routine largely consisted
of cleaning and assisting people to eat.
Nouwen’s point is that it is only when you
are placed in a situation of vulnerability
that you truly begin to understand what is
the nature of Christian leadership.
There is also nothing like a train journey
to have a bit of space to read and to reflect.
On this particular journey I read a wonderful little book by the Roman Catholic writer Henri Nouwen entitled, In The
Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian
Leadership. It is not long, only 100 pages
in this edition with fairly large print, but
on every page there is substance of worth.
The book soon had me engrossed and I
become oblivious to the journey. Let me
give you a couple of quotes:
Beneath all the accomplishments of
our time there is a deep current of
despair. While efficiency and control are the great aspirations of our
society, the loneliness, isolation, lack
of friendship and intimacy, broken
relationships, boredom, feelings of
emptiness and depression and a deep
sense of uselessness fill the hearts of
millions of people in our success orientated world. (page 33)
How right he is, I think to myself as
we journey along. But how do we address
this? Nouwen believes that there is a role
for Christian leadership in addressing the
crises of our modern times: He writes:
Christian leaders of the future have
to be theologians, persons who know
the heart of God and are trained –
through prayer, study and careful
analysis – to manifest the divine
event of God’s saving work in the
midst of the many seemingly random
events of their time. (page 88)
Nouwen calls his approach to Christian
leadership one of ‘downward mobility’,
and he seeks to push the understanding of
leadership away from that of success and
accomplishments to one deeply connect2 The Spirit September-October 2013
I found Nouwen’s book personally very
challenging. It is very much directed to
Christian leaders, telling them to turn
away from the models so often held as
leadership exemplars from the political
and corporate worlds, to look to the example of Jesus. Nouwen is very big on
parables of the Prodigal Son and the Good
Samaritan as being at the heart of what Jesus understood as the core of leadership.
These parables convey a generosity about
the love of God, a love that is prepared to
step beyond convention and reach people
who have never been touched or expected
to be touched by it in their lives.
For Nouwen, the love of God must be
transparent in Christian leadership and
be so powerful it has the potential to convert and turn situations around as seen in
the two parables that I mentioned.
The book is challenging, but at the
same time understanding and affirming.
He knows that so much church leadership
in our present context can be like walking
a tightrope. But again, this is where trust
and vulnerability come into play, which
can only be addressed by a deep and profound belief in the love of God.
Amazingly I look up and find we have
just pulled into Southern Cross station!
nother Federal election
has come and gone.
In Australia I think we are
increasingly over all the advertising and electoral spin
that comes with elections.
At the same time we need
to remind ourselves that
having the right to vote is
a privilege, one not to be
taken lightly or for granted.
Australia is one of the most
robust and enduring democracies in modern history, with an ability to express
views freely and openly, in
stark contrast to many other places in the world.
Australia has now voted
for a change of government. This is the fundamental right of the citizenry
of any democracy. We are all entitled to
our own views and beliefs, and these can
agree or disagree with government policy
– again, the privilege of living in an open
and democratic society. It is also the responsibility of governments to act with
understanding, integrity, and in the best
interests of all people in our nation and
particularly for the most disadvantaged.
Do pray regularly for our new Prime
Minister, Tony Abbott, and the government he leads. Pray for transparency in
our political life, for a commitment to justice and fairness and that we will continue
to be a nation where all people are valued.
The Spirit
Monthly newsmagazine (except January) of the
Anglican Diocese of Bendigo.
Address: The Spirit, PO Box 2, Bendigo 3552
Member, Australasian Religious Press Association
Editor: The Revd Dr Charles Sherlock
[email protected]
Committee Chair: The Revd Bryn Jones
The Spirit is published in the first week of the
month (excluding January).
Advertising: rates are available from the
Editor. All advertisements are accepted at the
Editor’s discretion; acceptance does not imply
endorsement of the product or service.
Contributions are welcome, and will be edited:
email submission is preferred. Anonymous
articles will not be considered for publication.
Photographs should be in digital form (4.1
megapixels: 300dpi). Physical photographs are
normally not returned.
The Anglican Diocese of Bendigo and the Editor
are not responsible for opinions expressed by
contributors, nor do these necessarily reflect the
policy of the diocese.
Next contributions deadline: October 23
Life goes on at
St Paul’s
T
he cathedral might still be temporarily closed, but life goes on for the congregation. Worship is held in the hall and
a range of activities keeps us on our toes.
The August Promenade Series was held
for the fifth year. The ‘Proms’ is a series of
short performances designed to be accessible, entertaining and stimulating, giving
performers the opportunity to be part of
a larger event, retain artistic control and
promote themselves, and show audiences
the huge range of talent that exists locally.
Next item on our outreach calendar is
the St Paul’s Art Prize, our 20th annual Art
Show. It caters for artists from the Bendigo region, giving them a venue to display and sell their work - and it gives us a
chance to see and buy. The Show opens
on Friday 25 October 7.30pm and continues on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27. q
Ian Smith
‘Our Place’ closing
O
ur Place Community Assistance Centre at Eaglehawk will sadly close
at the end of September. Our Place was
established in the wake of the February
2009 bushfires.
The Revd Tracey Wolsley’s insight, vision and energy for Our Place soon saw
it grow to a place which has assisted so
many people. Initially commenced following the bushfires, it expanded to assist all who came through the doors.
“Our Place has provided a place of fellowship and belonging to many people,”
said Bishop Andrew.
“I thank all those volunteers and
groups who generously contributed to
its ministry, to make it a wonderful place
of hope and support throughout its four
years of operation.” q
Above: Christopher Wilson on piano at
the August Proms.
Below: the Bendigo Guitar Trio in action.
Diocesan Property Manager Greg
McKerlie discusses the internal work on
the cathedral with Bishop Andrew.
Sarah Crutch
PS: see page 5, Saltworks and Our Place
In brief: some more issues raised
by your synod representatives
T
of the 1988 Lambeth Conference (on
issues concerning human sexuality)
when considering ordination, licensing and appointing to ministry, while
supporting ongoing discussion on
sexuality issues.
he August issue of The Spirit was
full of synod news, but there was
not room for everything! Below are some
issues raised in discussion at synod.
Over three Sundays we had seven 45
minute performances by singers, guitarists, pianists, a flautist and a harpist.
Each performance (for the soul) was followed by something for the body (nibbles and mulled wine).
At the end of August, 60 people sat
down to a catered three course ‘Lantern
Lunch’. The theme was ‘spicy’, giving our
cooks opportunity to display their curry
making skills. The room was decorated
with saris and the tables with paper lanterns made by young people of the parish.
The proceeds went to the Cathedral Restoration Appeal.
Early in September 50 people attended
the annual Parish Mission Dinner at the
BRIT restaurant. Partly a social event,
partly a fund-raiser, it helps us meet our
commitment of $500 each for our three
ABM mission projects – all now in hand.
But first a big ‘thank you’ to Rachel
Cho, Sarah Crutch, The Spirit committee
and Julia Nutting for their hard work in
producing the issue while editor Charles
Sherlock was away.
• Fossil fuels: Ms Susan Basset, Castlemaine, asked for an assurance that
diocesan investments did not support
the development of fossil fuels, but
rather might promote renewable energy. The Registrar explained that an
ethical policy is pursued, with no direct investment in fossil fuels, though
these might feature in a trust fund.
• Advice on grants: A motion that
synod recommend appointment of
a diocesan project officer for parish
grants and funding was welcomed.
• Ministry of gay clergy: the Revd
Fiona Goy, Maldon, enquired about
a protocol issued by the 2011 Australian Bishops’ Conference, which undertook to observe Resolution 10.1
Bp Andrew said he does not support
the protocol, considering it poorly expressed and unworkable. He believes
that support for the position then
stated is now diminishing, and he was
instrumental in crafting a statement
at the 2013 bishops’ meeting. Reaching a common mind is still in process.
Bishop Andrew is happy to discuss the
issues with any parish or person.
•
Diocesan Missionary Agencies Committee (DMAC): Archdeacon Michael Hopkins (chair) reported that
the committee is reflecting on the
2005 Act of Synod governing its composition and work, doing a stocktake
of its activities and effectiveness and
surveying parishes about their mission involvement (see page 7 story,
‘Mission on the move’). q
September-October 2013 The Spirit 3
Vision Talbot 87.6 FM
starts broadcasting
Elmore
Feasting and fellowship
here has been lots of fellowship,
fun, and as always – food – in the
Elmore parish over the last few weeks.
The Op Shop celebrated its 21st Birthday with a Service of Thanksgiving at St
Peter’s followed by a luncheon.
A week later it was the annual ‘Port
and Poetry’ evening with artists coming
from near and far to perform in front of
a capacity crowd in the parish centre. We
then tucked into a sumptuous supper
and lots of chatter.
Goornong BBQ bonfire
n Saturday 7 September the congregation of St George’s Goornong
welcomed about 40 people from the parish and local community to a bonfire and
BBQ tea in the church grounds.
Mark and Tracey Taig with their band
of helpers, after setting up for the meal
and preparing the bonfire earlier in the
day, cooked at the BBQ. Beautiful food
and very enjoyable company along with
a Christian outreach into the community
was provided. Congratulations to all involved for a wonderful evening.
New service times
n the fourth Sunday of the month
the service time at St Peter’s has
been changed to 5pm and is followed by
a ‘soup and roll’ tea.
The later time enables the Revd Ross
Craven to stay on after the morning services at other centres in the parish and
catch up with parishioners, rather than
having to rush off to the St Peter’s service.
The parish’s centres are very grateful to
the congregation at St Peter’s for so willingly trialling this idea. q
Sandra Clayton
T
O
O
Do you paper recycle The Spirit?
Why not share it first with a friend,
or place in a local waiting room ?
4 The Spirit September-October 2013
T
albot has a new radio relay station,
reports Eve Lamb in The Maryborough Advertiser. Lonely people, and those
who may appreciate a word or two of
practical advice for getting through some
of life’s rigours, are particularly expected
to benefit, Junita Hayes believes.
Junita is secretary of Talbot’s St Michael
and All Angels’ Anglican Church, and has
just taken on special new responsibility as
local co-ordinator for Vision Talbot 87.6
FM, which began transmitting in June.
Broadcasts are relayed via satellite from
Vision Radio Network, based in Brisbane,
to the newly installed dish on the roof of
St Michael’s office building.
“And from there our antenna sends
it around Talbot,” Junita said. “It’s supposed to cover a seven kilometre radius
but we’re finding it’s reaching as far as the
Goldfields Reservoir.’’
The new station, established due to an
anonymous donor, is being hosted by
Talbot Anglican church with the support
of Maryborough Anglican parish.
“We’re excited to extend our regional
coverage,” Vision’s CEO Ian Worby said.
“We offer the best Christian music as well
as practical chat on real life issues. Vision
is about connecting faith to life.”
Junita has already contributed live to
a breakfast broadcast out of Brisbane as
she was interviewed via phone to mark
the start of the new relay station.
“I’m the contact for Talbot so I’m
happy to spread any good news to Brisbane when we’re doing special things and
they’re happy to let the world know.
“There’s a lot of lonely people out in
the bush, so we’re hoping to let them
know we’re available 24 hours a day.
There are very helpful programs, particularly for marriages and families — some
very practical things for helping you
cope with family difficulties and very
good with health issues also.”
Junita said the new Talbot relay station
is one of about 570 the network has across
Australia. Talbot is the 50th in Victoria.
The Christian broadcaster hopes to establish similar relay stations at Avoca, Maryborough and Dunolly into the future.
“We really appreciate our benefactor,
that he’s given us the opportunity to
share the good news,” Junita said. q
M
U
chaplain,
the Revd Linda
Osmond, recently presented
a 25-year scroll
at Swan Hill
branch to Ada
Wood (on
Linda’s right).
Linda also admitted Margaret Finnemore
as a member of
Nyah West MU branch. Margaret is pictured in the centre below, with Branch
President Sylvia Ball on the left. q
‘
Change a life.
Donate now.
Working together,
we can make hopeful change;
working to our strengths,
we bring about a welcoming,
inclusive and just society.
– Bishop Andrew Curnow AM
St Luke’s Board President
Donate to the St Luke’s Appeal
Direct deposit via Bendigo Bank:
BSB 633 000 ACC 130329535
We take donations over the phone:
Call: 03 5440 1100
Or choose to give online at:
www.stlukes.org.au
Albury • Bendigo • Castlemaine
Deniliquin • Echuca • Kyneton
Maryborough • Swan Hill
Eaglehawk sites plans
C
elebrating what was, what is, and
what will be is the path that the parish is walking at present. We are preparing to consolidate our activities onto the
Eaglehawk site, and close the California
Gully building, St Jude’s.
St Luke’s Bendigo North Ladies Guild held their Spring Afternoon Tea in September.
It was a great success, with visiting singers from Our Place, pictured above in action.
Bendigo North
Confirmations and more
O
n Sunday 15 September Bishop
Ron Stone confirmed three young
members of the congregation of St
Luke’s: Abbey and Jordan Beecham and
Sophie Downing-Mooney (pictured below with Bishop Ron). Some 80 people
joined in the joyful celebrations and
shared a lunch afterwards in the Parish
Centre. Abbey, Jordan and Sophie are active as servers in the church.
Eaglehawk
Reflections on Homosexuality and
the Church: discovering a biblical
and pastoral perspective.
T
his was the somewhat lengthy
name given to a four week group
that met in Eaglehawk Anglican parish
over September. But it clearly expressed
the purpose of the meetings. It was not
our intention only to review familiar
biblical passages, but to create an opportunity for interplay between these
and other scriptures, social opinion, scientific thought, and our own personal
opinions.
Some 17 people attended and a handful of others received the notes of each
meeting by email. I must commend those
who attended for their openness to new
information, their candour in discussion,
and their acceptance of the struggle that
creating a personal biblical and pastoral
response brings.
The parish hosted two days of training for new VCC Emergency Chaplains.
Some two dozen people came from all
parts of the diocese and other churches
to train for future emergencies such
as bushfires, floods or traffic accidents
where a Relief Centre is established.
150 years of worship
O
n the weekend of 23-24 November St Luke’s will celebrate the
150th anniversary of the first service
held in St Luke’s church.
For more details contact the Revd
Christine Kimpton, Locum rector, 5447
2959 or the parish office 5444 1875.
The meetings sought to avoid being
overly directive, and we recognised that
we may not all come to the same conclusions. During the discussions there were
probably some ‘ouch’ moments for all
of us, as we discovered something about
ourselves, our sexuality, or of God’s word
that challenged us.
There were also a fair amount of encouragements, as the Holy Spirit confirmed some of our existing viewpoints
and compassions. In four meetings we
realised we were limited in how much
we could cover, but each of us agreed it
was a faith stretching and fruitful time
in which God did certainly expand both
our biblical and pastoral perspectives.
Replacing buildings, and relocating to
other buildings is part of the parish heritage – neither St Jude’s nor St Peter’s are
is in its original building. Their buildings
have had chapels, sanctuaries, bell towers, halls, Sunday school rooms, organs,
heating, artwork, stages, lighting, furniture, screens, rectories etc. added and
subtracted as believed necessary.
As the patching up and painting of walls
continues each weekend, as the upgrades
to electricals and plumbing are completed,
as new fences are erected outside and new
spaces are created inside, St Peter’s buildings and grounds, and Eaglehawk parishioners are being made ready by the Holy
Spirit for the future work of the Gospel
in the 3556 community. Please join us in
prayer that this relocation will bring renewal to each member and each ministry.
Saltworks and Our Place
altworks is the parish’s community
action ministry, and will continue
to provide care in the name of Christ to
many in the 3556 community, even after the closure of Our Place. Saltworks
has for a number of years provided a free
weekly two course community meal on
Friday evenings; weekly access to some allied health therapies for the cost of a gold
coin on Wednesday afternoons through
‘Hands on Health’; and regular supplies
of groceries through Foodbank.
In the near future it is hoped that Saltworks will be able to open a youth drop-in
centre. It will work hard to provide a community space for all people, not only to
receive practical and prayerful assistance,
but also friendship and conversation.
Apart from its Saltworks activities, Eaglehawk parish is offering hospitality to
any of the community groups that used
Our Place, so that their meetings may
continue relatively undisturbed. q
Andrew Plant
S
September-October 2013 The Spirit 5
Baptism celebated at
St John’s Bears Lagoon
M
any readers of
The Spirit will
have passed our small
church of St John
on the Loddon Valley Highway. It’s the
one with the thought
provoking sign on
the front wall. We
change signs regularly and people passing
by always notice it.
Jeff Wild, Papuana
Motte and Bryn
Jones at the Refugee
Sunday service
Refugee Sunday – St Mary’s Kangaroo Flat
I
magine being a sixteen year old girl lost at sea in a rickety
canoe somewhere between Papua New Guinea and Cape York
with no drinking water ...
That was the story of Papuana
Motte, who addressed an ecumenical gathering at our recent
Refugee Sunday service. Papuana captivated her listeners with
a daring story of escape and
survival. She now lives in Melbourne and is a strong advocate
for the people of West Papua.
The church was full to capacity with many people travelling
up from Castlemaine as well as people from St Monica’s Catholic
Church in Kangaroo Flat. We were pleased that Bishop Andrew
could join us and lead the closing prayers and give the blessing.
We were also encouraged to have Labor member for Bendigo
Lisa Chesters in attendance.
In addition to Papuana’s challenging address, the gathering
enjoyed music by
Caring at a time of need James Rigby and
Jane Thompson,
known as ‘The
Music Makers’ –
a popular Castlemaine folk duo.
We look forward
151 McCrae Street Bendigo
to seeing some
12 Victoria Street Eaglehawk
of you there in
P. 5441 5577
2014. q
www.williamfarmer.com.au
6 The Spirit September-October 2013
Recently we had balloons along the highway to mark two
baptisms taking place. Our deacon-in-training, Pam Lawry,
baptised the youngest candidate, Hazel – Pam’s first baptism!
Bishop Ron, our rector, baptised the older candidate, Tara.
Everyone was invited to celebrate their own baptism and to
bring memorabilia from their service. We had a baptismal robe,
christening cups and gifts, baptismal certificates and photographs … and more balloons!
Papuana travelled to Bendigo with Jeff Wild from ‘Act For Peace’
and the Victorian Council of Churches. This is the second time the
parish of Kangaroo Flat has worked with Jeff and his organization
to run Refugee Sunday. This year the event was held at the Kangaroo Flat Uniting Church due to the rebuilding at St Mary’s.
A tradition that continues...
Part of the parish of
Pyramid Hill / Boort,
we meet on second
Tara Siroky, Hazel Armstrong in Pam
and fourth Sundays Lawry’s arms, and Bishop Ron after Tara
at 10am. If you are and Hazel’s baptisms at Bears Lagoon.
passing by just before
11am you will see our church family of all ages gathered around a
camp fire having a cup of soup or coffee and freshly cooked toast.
Just look for the smoke!
Bryn Jones
Do drop in next time you are passing by when we have our
service of worship. You will find a friendly welcome. q
Pam Lawry
T
Walkabout Ministry in focus
he Revd Robyn Davis, who heads up the Diocesan Koori
Ministry, will be the guest speaker at the ABM-A Auxiliary AGM. It is to be held at St John’s Kerang from 1.30pm on
Thursday 17 October. She will have plenty to ‘show and tell’!
As well as hearing Robyn’s story, those present will have the opportunity to enjoy fellowship over a cuppa, bring and buy something from the trading table, and make nominations and vote
for the positions of Auxiliary President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice
President (2), Assistant Secretary, National Delegate, ABM-A representative on the Diocesan Missionary Agencies Committee. And
all this for just $5 – which will go towards the work of ABM-A.
Claudia Douthat or Myrtle Shay look forward to hearing by
9 October from anyone interested in attending: 5452 1835 or
5441 8354 or [email protected].
ABM-A’s Brad Chapman displayed his usual great enthusiasm
for mission at each of the Deanery Rallies held in May across
the diocese. Review sheets gave participants the opportunity to
come up with interesting suggestions, which will be discussed by
the Auxiliary Committee and could see some innovative ideas
being introduced. So watch this space! q
Jenny Rainsford
Messy Church – AFL style!
A
s churches we are always looking
for ways of connecting to our community. September and footy is a major part of our culture. So on SUnday
15 September the Anglican Parish of
Sunraysia South based its Sunday service around a footy theme, as part of its
Messy Church programme.
watched over the internet, and raising
support to help rescue persecuted Christians in the Sudan. The parish is also
looking forward to its annual ‘Bible in
the Bush ‘weekend, with planning well
underway.
Dale Barclay
Brenda Hornsby, the
co-ordinator, gave a talk
based on the Bible while
using some great illustrations and links between
footy and the Christian
walk. Activities included
a handball competition,
making a run-through
banner, balloon football
and a computer football
game.
Lunch was provided
after the service and Above: sing these words to the tune of the Carlton Blues’
theme song ...
included hot dogs and
Below: the footy theme cake, complete with goal posts!
party pies, followed by
a football oval cake –
though unlike the footy
venues, the food was
free.
One highlight was
singing some AFL club
songs with changed
words thanks to the creativity of Brenda.
November 1 - 3 2013
“Jesus Christ,
Priest and
Sacrifice”
Hebrews
Rev. Dr Peter Adam
DMAC surveys parishes
D
MAC, the Diocesan Missionary
Agencies Committee, is on the
move: not literally, but in the sense of
bringing it to new life. This move has
been instigated by our new chair, Archdeacon Michael Hopkins, who took
over this position at the beginning of
the year.
Archdeacon Michael updated the
2013 synod about what DMAC had
been doing, and asked repesentatives to
report back to their parishes. As part of
the reflection process, each parish is now
participating in a mission survey, and the
usefulness of the current diocesan Act
governing the committee.
Each parish council has been asked to
complete the survey during September
and October. Once collated, the information will provide valuable insight into
how we collectively feel about mission
generally and through the mission agencies supported in the diocese.
“I encourage each parish council to seriously look at the survey,” Archdeacon
Michael said. “It will challenge and encourage your understanding of mission
in the parish context, and open new opportunities for you to explore.
Other recent church
activities have included
a hymn singing morning, an election panel
BIBLE IN
THE BUSH
‘Mission on the move’
Great Bible teaching over a
weekend in rural Victoria.
www.bibleinthebush.org.au
Phone: 03 5024 2521
[email protected]
‘Today, if you hear
his voice, do not
harden your hearts.’
St Mark’s Anglican Church
25 Heath St, Red Cliffs Vic
“When the completed surveys are in
and assessed, the committee will be better informed to develop a strategy for the
future,” the archdeacon added. “I hope
that we will be able to report our findings back to all parishes and to synod
next year.”
Financial target in reach
M
eanwhile, DMAC was delighted
to observe that although our overall financial target for 2013 was reduced
by 12% from 2012 to only $90,000, parishes are well on the way to reaching this
figure. However, part of the reason for
this good achievement has been making
up for a tardiness in forwarding contributions with monthly returns. q
September-October 2013 The Spirit 7
Beating around the bush
Memory and names
Mooroopna
Family Fun Group thriving
T
he new Family Fun Group has been
running for several months now
and is being enjoyed by many children
and their families.
With 15 babies and toddlers and parents / grandparents on the list the sessions are full of life and activity. Play
dough, craft activities, blocks , dress ups,
shop play, climbing, balancing, story telling and the popular singing session all
make for a fun morning.
The morning tea time is enjoyed by all
and the children are learning to sit up at
the table at this time and to sing a song
of thanks to God before they eat.
The children are learning to relate well
and play together.
It has been exciting to see the wonderful response from the parish with 5-6
volunteers helping each week and financial generosity enabling us to purchase
toys and equipment. The local Australian
Christian Churches Op shop also gave us
a generous donation, as did a Shepparton
fund raising organization.
We pray that the group will provide a
safe place for relationships to grow and
we trust the love of Christ is felt by all as
we serve in this ministry. q
Marian Darby
H
ow do you fare at remembering
names? I have always enjoyed the
challenge of learning a person’s name, being able to memorise a person’s name, and
being able to recall a person’s name. These
are the three stages of memory. For me,
being able to call a person by name is a
very important part of ministry, an aspect
of ministry that has to be worked at.
I recall something Jesus said on this
subject when he spoke about his ministry: “I know my own and my own know
me” (John 10:14). I know how challenging those words are. It is moving to read
those accounts in the gospels of Jesus calling people by their name. The most moving account for me is the Easter day story
when the risen Christ says to the woman
weeping in the cemetery, “Mary!” To use
a person’s personal name is our recognition of a specific, unique and identifiable
individual person.
T
he challenge was on when I went to
be the Bishop of the vast Diocese of
Rockhampton. The diocese, in terms of
geographic size, is two and a half times
the size of Victoria. It had then over 30
parishes and around 80 worship centres.
Lisbeth used to keep a notebook in the
car, so that immediately after we left a
parish we would recall and record the
names of the people we had just met.
When we later made a return to the parish, before we arrived there, we would go
through the notebook, say the name, and
recall the person and perhaps, something
about the person. When we met the person we would more often than not be
able to surprise them by greeting them
by name. It was important to never lose
that notebook. It contained the names of
hundreds of very special people.
I always encourage the wearing of
name tags in congregations. Some people
have said over the years, “But everyone
knows my name – I don’t need to wear a
name tag.” That is not the point! When
we wear a name tag we are often giving
permission of the name people can use
when addressing us. Wearing a name tag
helps to ‘personalise’ the congregation. It
is a welcoming sign. In a small rural or
outback congregation it is a sign of hope
that we are expecting to welcome a visitor into our midst.
8 The Spirit September-October 2013
Can you imagine
not being able to recall
someone’s name … especially someone you love dearly, or had
known well? Can you imagine the frustration of not being able to recall the name
of items such as keys, a watch or book?
Sadly, such can be the result of a stroke,
when what has earlier been learned and
memorised cannot be recalled. Thankfully, specialised rehabilitation, and hard
work on the part of the sufferer, can make
a difference – thoughtful, helpful and understanding friends can play an important
part in the recovery process too.
When I left Rockhampton, one gift
presented to Lisbeth and me was a leatherbound book, ‘Memories for Bishop Ron’.
The many pages were gathered together
without our knowledge from across the
diocese, and contain photographs of people and places, poems, humour, recollections, etc. and etc., and from the ‘wags’ in
the Parish of Barcoo, a ‘reference’ for a retiring bishop addressed to “The Manager,
Retired Bishop’s Employment Agency”.
Now that makes for interesting reading!
However, what matters most about this
treasure are the names - and the people
behind them … people we still pray for.
Earlier this column referred to Christ
“knowing his own”. Our names, yours
and mine, are known, remembered by
Christ. Each of us is known as a specific,
unique and identifiable individual person
of value in the sight of God. Sometimes
there are occasions in life when knowing
that is of the greatest importance! q
Bishop Ron
The Diocese of Bendigo expects the
highest standards of professional service
from its Clergy and Lay Ministers.
IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT
Please call (free)
1800 135 246
A phone call to the above number will mean
that your complaint will be handled by the
Director of Professional Standards.
The Diocese is a full participant in the
Victorian Anglican Provincial Abuse
and Harassment Protocol.
This is an independent, objective procedure
adopted by the Diocese of Bendigo.
Maldon: fabulous
dinner, celebrating
God’s mission
Celebration: ‘the divine capacity to
enjoy God, life and others’
– Robert Warren
T
he parish of Maldon and many
friends had a fabulous dinner in
August as a fundraiser for missions – any
excuse will do!
There was plenty of laughter, and such
good food! People from other churches
and from none kept coming. It was a
cold evening, but the hall’s new insulation and the warmth of the relationships
meant we had to turn off the heater!
Dean John Roundhill was our guest.
He spoke about the time he went with
some from his previous parish to Papua
New Guinea to deepen their awareness
of what mission meant.
Dean John began by showing a picture
of a life-sized idolised model / sculpture of
an aeroplane made by the people of one
of the villages. The people had first come
across western white people when they
arrived by plane and proceeded to offer
all sorts of gifts to them. Over time the
villagers developed an understanding of
white people as like gods who came from
the sky and brought things for them, anything they needed. They just had to ask.
We have so very much to celebrate
in this part of God’s world! We wish to
share the bounty. But how? Dean John’s
riveting presentation ensured that we all
thought more deeply about mission, and
the cult of giving, giving, giving.
What are we trying to do with missions? Is it so that we assuage our guilt for
having so much? Do we ‘save’ people by
sending gifts and money? Or do we ‘save’
them by waiting for an invitation from
them, and being led in the direction they
wish to go, walking side by side?
Another definition of celebration, by
Sara Wenger Shenk is, “honouring that
which we hold most dear, delighting in
that which tells us who we are, taking the
time to cherish each other, and returning
with open arms and thankful hearts to
our Maker.”
Amen to that! q
Fiona Goy
$5K for Nyah West
Community Centre
N
yah West Community Centre and
Men’s Shed has received a grant of
$5,000 from the Freemasons Public Charitable Foundation to assist with the costs of
the works being carried out on the buildings. These include the installation of a
new toilet and an upgrade to the kitchen.
The Community Centre, which
opened in August 2012, provides a
range of support and assistance to Nyah
West and surrounding communities.
The improvements to the facilities will
provide a more comfortable environment for volunteers and Centre users,
and allow it to continue to be a vital
part of the community, so important in
such small, rural areas.
Bob Layton presents Bishop Andrew with
the cheque for $5,000.
The Nyah West community is deeply
grateful to the Freemasons for their support and contribution. q
Sarah Crutch
Cycling by faith:
gain through Christ’s pain
All I want is to know Christ and the power
that raised him to life. I want to suffer
and die as he did, so that somehow I also
may be raised to life. (Philippians 3:10-11)
C
ycling in a peleton creates an amazing euphoria when you find yourself in the draught of other cyclists, being
drawn along with minimal effort. The
benefits are exponential as the group’s
size grows: the more shelter you can gain
from the bodies and bikes of other cyclists and from the prevailing wind allows
the conservation of energy and effort.
If you happen to get out of the draught,
the effort required to remain in contact
with the bike wheel in front of you can
deplete reserves of energy very quickly,
and you will suffer. The greater the gap the
more suffering required to regain contact
with the peleton. A bike length can seem
like eternity to regain when battling cross
winds, and I have often seen where this
small gap was never bridged.
Our faith in Christ has allowed us
to come into the promised eternal rest
of God and to be reconciled into God’s
kingdom. It was made possible through
Christ suffering on the cross, being separated from the intimacy of God his Father
by taking on our sin and suffering that we
lived under from the fall of humanity.
We were adopted and given new life in
Christ, resurrected to new life, rescued
from sin and death by his ministry and
work on the cross, and known through
the Holy Spirit. We stand to continue
to suffer if we allow sin to remain in our
lives, separating us from the love of God.
Christ has overcome the power of sin,
nailing its demands to the cross and revealing its shame and guilt. But, through
Spirit-inspired repentance and faith in
Christ’s rescuing power, we must deal
with the inherent nature of our old self by
dealing with our choices not to sin.
As Jesus told his disciples, we too must
die to self and pick up our cross daily
in order to be his followers. We cannot
work or earn our way into salvation, but
place our hope and trust in the love and
grace of God, and God’s calling us to be
found as one in his Son Jesus.
Like in the cycling peleton, as we draw
near to God, God draws near to us. As we
are carried in the Lord’s mighty arms we
enter the eternal draught of God’s Spirit,
bringing us into the divine rest of heaven. Entering into the suffering of Christ,
knowing that it is our sin that separated us
from God, and that it was the completed
suffering of Christ that has brought us to
be reconciled to the Father and live by the
Spirit – this is our calling as we ride and
breathe in the peleton of God’s people.
Looking forward to seeing you on the
road soon, God willing. q
Eddie Barkla, Pioneer Minister,
Bendigo cycling community
September-October 2013 The Spirit 9
From stigma to
compassion
M
ental Health Week 2013 is coming up: 8-15 October. Sadly, there
is still stigma associated with people who
have a mental illness.
In particular, over 100 million people
worldwide suffer from depression. It can
even be traced back to Bible times. King
David wrote about his “downcast soul”
and how his “tears were his food”:
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me? My
soul is downcast within me. (Ps 42)
In Psalm 40 he writes that “troubles
without number surround me” and that
he was stuck in “the mud and mire”. Elijah fell into deep depression when hunted by Jezebel (1 Kings 19), despite his
earlier fearless ministry.
Depression has afflicted people throughout the ages, from Hippocrates, Galen and
Homer to George Washington, Napoleon
Bonaparte and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Monet suffered from it. Marilyn Monroe
treated herself with a mixture of prescription and other drugs which resulted in
her tragic death. Princess Diana suffered
from it and spoke about it after the birth
of Prince William.
Yet the shame and stigma still exists in
society today. This needs to change. Jesus, the greatest teacher and rabbi, healed
people not only with physical problems
but mental illnesses as well. People turned
to him and spoke about all types of afflictions and were never judged. He told people not to worry about their lives and to
not be afraid (Luke 12:22-32). Jesus was a
friend to all, not only the healthy but also
the sick (Matthew 9:10-13).
As Christians it is important for us to
remember God’s command to love our
neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:31) and
to have compassion – and those with a
mental illness certainly need it. q
Angela Morrison
10 The Spirit September-October 2013
There’s a word for it: ‘clergy’
W
e know who the clergy are. They’re
the ones with the funny dog collars, right? Yes, but where did the word
come from?
Clergy, cleric, clerk all derive from the
the Acts of the Apostles. After Judas Iscariot went and hanged himself, the original
twelve apostles of Jesus were down to eleven. What was to be done? The remaining
disciples resorted to the time-honoured
way of settling such manners. They cast
lots. “And the lot fell on Matthias and he
was added to the eleven apostles.”
In ancient societies, indeed in many
still today, there were a variety of ways
of discerning what was to be done or
what was going to happen. Animals were
sometimes slain and their organs examined or bones strewn on the ground to
see what the gods foretold. Even today
we have fortune tellers, people who will
read your palm and the lines on it, or
try to discover what the future holds by
looking at the tea leaves in a cup.
At the time of Jesus, democratic elections were not the way things were done.
All the business of calling a committee
together, ensuring a quorum and formally voting someone in or out was to
come later. At that time lots were drawn
for major decision making. Lots were
customarily stones or pebbles but could
also be little sticks or arrows.
Casting lots, either onto the ground
or into one’s lap, was a way of calling on
God to render a decision when human
impartiality was required – see Joshua
18:6-10, 1 Chronicles 26:12-16, Nehemiah 11:1 for example. As Proverbs
16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap
but the decision is the Lord’s alone.”
Over time doubtless many methods
were used to discern what the lots meant.
One was to cut straws into equal lengths
and add a shorter one, held in the hand
so you couldn’t tell which one was the
shortest. We still have the expression,
“He drew the short straw.”
Maybe the use of thrown dice came
from the practice too, which sounds a bit
too much like gambling for some Christians to stomach. But the fact remains
that in the earliest days of the Church
this vital decision as to who should replace Judas Iscariot was made by the customary drawing or casting of lots.
Even though this custom seems a little
random to us, it was done with serious
and reverent intent, in the context of
prayer. There were two contenders, Joseph
called Barsabbas and Matthias. The apostles’ prayer was, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these
two you have chosen to take the place in
this ministry and apostleship from which
Judas turned aside.” (Acts 1:24-26) Only
after that did they cast the lots.
So where does the word ‘clergy’ come
from? Well, the Greek word for lot is kleros, and that is the root word for ‘clergy’
and ‘cleric’ and even ‘clerk’. On legal
documents it is still correct for a priest to
be described as a ‘Clerk in Holy Orders’.
But that event described in Acts is the
last time that such decisions about the
ministry were made by casting lots. After
Pentecost, God’s Holy Spirit was called
upon, and reliance was made on the spiritual gifts mentioned in I Corinthians
12. Some of these may be called upon
for the relevant situation: a special word
[or message or utterance] of knowledge,
divinely given, or the light [or a word] of
divine wisdom in the choice.
During the service of ordination there
is one key question: “Do you believe you
are truly called of God to this ministry?”
When it comes to important decisions
about recognising the insistent call of
God into a particular ministry we don’t
rely on the toss of a coin but on the deep
leading of the Holy Spirit of God. q
Richard Stamp
Can you remember the
Diocese in your will?
Our Diocese has been blessed by the
generosity of past benefactors.
As we seek to expand Christ’s mission in the
21st century, how might you contribute?
You should get legal advice before making
your will. You may wish to consider the
activities of the Anglican Diocese of
Bendigo as the recipient of a specific gift,
or of the residue of your estate.
This wording may be useful for you and
your legal advisor when making your will:
I bequeath The Corporate Trustees of
the Diocese of Bendigo in the State of
Victoria the sum of ... to be used for
the general purposes of the Diocese
of Bendigo in such manner as the said
Trustees may approve.
Grylls Family
Cross unveiled at
Laanecoorie
A
small crowd gathered at the Laanecoorie Hall on the afternoon of
Sunday 8 September to unveil the Grylls
Family Cross that has been placed in the
hall following the deconsecration of St
Paul’s, Laanecoorie.
The cross was unveiled by Jenette Dawson (née Grylls) and Lorraine Cornwall,
who each shared an interesting history of
St Paul’s and the Grylls family.
The brass cross was placed on the altar of St Paul’s in 1941, engraved with
the name of Catherine Scott Grylls, in
her memory. Her husband James Henry
Grylls was added following his death in
1950, and the names of each of their
seven children were also engraved on the
steps of the cross upon their deaths.
When St Paul’s Laanecoorie was deconsecrated in December 2012, many
of the Grylls descendants thought it was
important that this special family item be
kept within the Laanecoorie community.
Thanks to the dedication of Jenette
Dawson (née Grylls) and cooperation
from Registrar Anne Baker, the community was able to have the cross suitably housed in a wooden cabinet in the
Laanecoorie Hall, along with the memorial tablet marking the re-dedication of
St Paul’s church in 1953.
The afternoon was attended by a range
of community members and Grylls family descendants, including two great-great
grandchildren.
The descendants of James and Catherine Grylls, along with the people of
Laanecoorie, are very pleased to be able
to retain this special piece of family and
community history in Laanecoorie. q
Sarah Crutch
media matters
Stay on that couch …
L
et me confess my sins. I have recently
tuned in to one of the shopping networks on TV and allowed myself to be
seduced to put something into my ‘shopping cart’. It was very very easy. I was helpfully told what else someone who wanted
this item would also buy. I am glad to report that I did not take my shopping cart
to the checkout and have since resisted all
attempts to make me buy anything. But I
have enjoyed watching their efforts.
Almost as much as I enjoyed the poor
young phone salesman working for an
insurance agency who tried to sell me a
funeral plan. “Do you really want to have
this conversation?” I asked kindly (it could
be my son or grand-daughter trying to
make a living). We finished with his question, “So you are saying that it is cheaper
to pre-pay a funeral than buy a funeral
plan?” “Much cheaper,” I replied, and he
hung up. But I confess that when those
funereal ads pour across my TV screen, I
too begin to feel the need to care better for
my family, to leave them in financial peace
when I die, to really love them. Which, of
course, can only be done with my weekly
donation to an insurance company.
But back to the TV shopping network.
It is better than the boring shows where
older men shout at me to buy a vacuum
cleaner that sucks up billiard balls. It is
better than the women with astonishing
abdomens telling me that I will be happy
if I buy a piece of machinery to twist my
spine out of alignment. They just sell the
same thing over and over and over. I could
recite the ad for the non-stick frypan.
On the real shopping network, they
sell lots of stuff. Little blue squares tell
me to buy NOW because my size is
LIMITED and then ... GONE! But it
is one thing to buy the little black dress
for $89.95, “every woman should have
one”. It is quite another to sign up for 8
monthly payments on a $4,999 piece of
jewellery, just like that. Oh No, my size
in that ring is gone! But wait, another
similar ring is coming up!
The presenters tell me that the buyers are
mostly women. It’s what women do, shop.
Really? The shoppers send emails, and develop a relationship with the presenters.
“They are like my family,” said one woman. Really?
And who are these women, I wonder,
who buy all this jewellery? Do they give
it to their husbands and say, “Here’s my
birthday present”? Or are they confused
into thinking that adding a few hundred dollars a month to the household
budget is sane?
Once you are past the clothes and
shoes (sorry, fashion) and the jewellery (sorry, investment) out comes the
skin care. Best recommendation I heard
from a satisfied customer: “It made all
my laugh lines vanish.” What the ...? I
actually watched a close up of an older
woman whose eyelid swelled up as the
potion was applied. See what a great job
this is doing, and stocks are now limited!
Then there is the young man selling
his great invention, showerheads which
dispense Vitamin C. “Serious science is
behind this one,” says the sales assistant
who talks to me just like a sister, “those
negative ions that we all crave”. What the
...? I did take time to notice that the water saving rating for this device was just
halfway on the scale of one to six.
But this is not the time to think about
caring for our environment. It is about
the person who matters most in the
whole wide world, ME! Me wearing
the latest fashion, covered in jewellery,
carrying a fully leather-lined handbag,
skin like a baby’s bottom, sleeping on
the perfect mattress, showered with the
perfect ingredients, and then lighting an
expensive candle while I get on the internet and beat the telephone crowds to
the next great bargain. We women love
a bargain even if we don’t need it and a
$2,000 saving has got to be better than a
$50 saving. And, remember, you always
have a 30-day money back guarantee, so
it’s just harmless fun ... Isn’t it?
My readers may well ask what on earth
I am doing wasting my time on TV
shopping? It is an education to watch
them try to sell me a need I do not actually have. 
Peta Sherlock
September-October 2013 The Spirit 11
Where’s Andy?
Give a gold coin for The Spirit!
D
iocesan funds heavily subsidise The
Spirit and we readers need to do
more. Currently each parish pays a
small contribution. I reckon it’s a great paper,
one we can be proud of - do you agree?
It is suggested that on July 8 in every
parish there might be a gold coin collection
for The Spirit. If each parishioner gave a dollar
or two it would be a considerable boost to
our paper. Some parishes may want to give
a significant donation, even offer to sponsor
the paper for an issue or two. Give it some
thought and prayer, but please take some
action and help the ministry of The Spirit. 
Ken Parker, chair of the editorial board
Bishop Andrew is having a break - but Jeremy Ashton, Alf Austin and
Fiona Goy still find The Spirit fascinating reading!
Farewell to St Mark’s Calivil
DMAC,
Diocesan
Missionary
In May, Bishop Andrew was at
the the
Burke
& Wills
tree,Agencies Committee, is on the
not literally, but in the sense of bringing it to new life. To
Curlewis Street, Swan Hill - move:
a
huge
Morton
Bay
fig
.
symbolise this move, members moved out of the Registry after
Bishop Ron
the 3/4 came
mark of
TheStone
first reached
correct answer
from
his century on September 10. Registry staff
helped him celebrate the milestone with a
special morning tea and birthday cake.
September Kerang
meeting - to
have their photo taken in front of the
Anjulitheir
McConnell,
congratulations!
earth-mover renovating the cathedral surrounds.
Left to right: Barry Rainsford, Jenny Rainsford, Myrtle Shay,
Archdeacon Michael Hopkins, Margaret Fyffe, Julia Nutting,
Ian Smith, and Joan Blackman (seated).
Maldon laughter club - it’s no joke!
STOP PRESS: news just in
B
ill & Gwen Twigg of Bears Lagoon have
been given the North Central Landcare
Award for sustainable farming, in recognition of their 40 years of working the land.
The couple turned “a windswept, stressed
property in the 1950s into a highly productive and profitable enterprise,” wrote Dorothy Cook in The Bendigo Advertiser.
Congregational members outside St Mark’s after the
service of deconsecration on 6 May (L to R): Bev
Richards, Bishop Andrew, Edie and Bill Duff, Dale
and Don Gilmore, the Revd Heather Vander Reest.
Bill’s hard-working grandfather arrived in
1906, so the Twigg farm – Nil Desperandum –
is a three-generation one. The couple has long
been committed to following the patterns of
Australia’s natural environment, preferring
perennials to annuals, for example.
Bill planted his first trees the day he left
school in he
1956,
andpark
more
skate
at recently
the backheofand
the
Gwen established
three
hectares
of wetlands
parish hall rings out each
Saturday
in the earlywith
2000s
– “aofbrazen
display
of Parker,
hope
peals
laughter.
Jenny
in ‘laughterologist’,
the teeth of southern
Australia’s
severe
leads the group, who
drought,“
guffaw, Dorothy
chortle, wrote.
titter, giggle and discover
more ways of laughing
for half
an hour.
Congratulations,
Bill and
Gwen
– and
may many follow in your footsteps! q
T
S
unday 29 April saw celebrations at
St Mark’s, Calivil, for 70 years of
public worship. The following Sunday
afternoon, however, saw its deconsecration
as a place of worship, in a service of closure.
The group above are laughing for ‘World
Laughter Day’, 6 May, created by Dr Madan
Kataria, founder of Laughter Yoga. The
laughter club is part of Maldon’s Mission
August
Paul’sthisKyneton
Actionn 31
Plan:
JennyStsees
activitywas
as
transformed
into
a
display
venue for
further linking church and community.

some 40 wedding gowns, rangingJan
from
the
Harper
Wedding gowns through the ages
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12 The Spirit September-October 2013
This final service was one of “solemnity
and tears,” said the rector, Heather Vander
Reest, “mixed with some levity”. Stories were
shared over afternoon tea with the many
visitors who had come to join the regular
late 1890s to of
thefive.
present day. These gowns
congregation
were supplied by parishioners from Kyneton
the service,
thethe
congregation
formally
andIn
Malmsbury
and
general public.
asked Bishop Andrew to deconsecrate
church
was decorated
a tradi-a
theThe
church
building,
and hewith
presented
tional bridal
arch, andInflower
arrangements
statement
of closure.
accordance
with his
were
supplied
by
church
and
instruction, the items used for community
worship are
members.
Local businesses
to wedto
made available
for use byrelating
other churches:
ding
preparations
–
florists,
printers,
bakeriit is enviasged that they will be placed
with
ers church
etc. – displayed
their wares in the hall,
the
at Bears Lagoon.
and the meeting room became the morning
Andrew
preached
on the reading
andBishop
afternoon
tea venue.
Organisers
were
for the day, Revelation 21, with its promise
very pleased with the results and many fathat the risen Lord Jesus is always with us,
vourable comments were made. q
wherever we are. 
Betty Jenner