a magazine for western australians | april 2015
Transcription
a magazine for western australians | april 2015
A M AG A Z I N E F O R W E S T E R N AU S T R A L I A N S | A P R I L 2 0 1 5 !"#$%#$& Archbishop 5 Easter 7 Articles 18 Cathedral 31 Schools 32 Good News Project 34 Crossword 37 Reviews 38 Where to Worship 46 Life is a j ou r n e y. . . E S C U D L C F O B R O R G I V E W A R N S B A G C A N O N H T T U B R N E I S A C E S C E T I C M U N R O D A I W O M A N T I E M A U P U L O U S A U R A N C T L C H I T T Y 5 MARKS OF MISSION ! 1 Witness to Christ’s saving, forgiving, reconciling love for all people (Tell) 2 Build welcoming, transforming communities of faith (Teach) 3 Stand in solidarity with the poor and needy (Tend) 4 Challenge injustice and oppression (Transform) 5 Protect, care for and renew life on our planet (Treasure) " EDITOR’S NOTE BISHOP Kay Goldsworthy has left to be Bishop of Gippsland, The Reverend Dr Elizabeth Smith leaves for Kalgoorlie on 1 May as Mission Priest, and the Reverend Dr David Wood is now Rector of Fremantle. The result of all these changes is that I have returned to the new position of Co-ordinating Editor. Cheryl Herft Co-ordinating Editor [email protected] EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP The Reverend Dr David Wood; The Reverend Dr Elizabeth Smith; The Reverend Gillian Rookyard ADVERTISING: Mrs Chris Davies E: [email protected] M: 0448 209 070 T: (08) 9425 7222 COPY DEADLINE: 10th of every month prior to publication. WORD COUNT: Articles must be under 400 words and are subject to being edited for content and length without notice. PHOTOGRAPHS: Permission needs to be sought from parents/ guardians/ carers for photographs with children. When sending photos, please make sure they are 300dpi or above. The opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, or the Anglican Diocese of Perth. Acceptance of advertisements does not mean endorsement. Dr Wood and Dr Smith will have much on their plates for the next little while but have kindly agreed to be part of the Editorial Advisory Group and for this I thank them. The Reverend Gillian Rookyard, Rector, Kingsley North-Woodvale, has agreed to come on board as the new face on the team and I welcome her input. Ms Nina Biggs is the Communications Administrative Officer and will receive and collate the articles for the Messenger. Nina’s e-mail is messenger@ perth.anglican.org. Thank you to Bishop Kay for her work with the Messenger over the last year. The Messenger has a new format – I hope you approve of the contemporary look. If you do please also visit the online magazine on the Archbishop’s website Opinions – www.archbishopofperth.org that has in-depth articles on current issues facing the church and the nation. The Messenger will also appear on the Archbishop’s website as a PDF and flipbook as does the Prayer Diary. I am hoping that with the design of the new diocesan website that it would be possible to subscribe to the Messenger online. The abstract image on the cover is of the women in the garden on Holy Saturday signalling the season of Easter. God of glory, by the raising of your Son you have broken the chains of death and hell: fill your Church with faith and hope; for a new day has dawned and the way to life stands open in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Wishing you a blessed and holy Easter. This publication is printed using vegetable based inks onto paper stock which is totally chlorine free and manufactured from pulp sourced from plantation grown timber. The Messenger is a part of ARPA (the Australasian Religious Press Association) Designed by Insight Communication & Design Printed by Vanguard Press. A BROKEN BODY HOLDING LIFE IN THE midst of all the events commemorating the ANZACs was the reporting of a special Holy Communion service held in St Andrew’s Uniting Church in Brisbane. The chalice and paten was the Communion set used by Service Chaplain, Padre Ernest Merrington, in Gallipoli. Merrington was the minister of the parish from 1910-1923. One of the diggers who attended the service was a 92 year old Gallipoli veteran. He observed that receiving the bread and wine from this set brought those who had died close to him. The Most Reverend Roger Herft, AM Archbishop of Perth Communion sets linked to the history of war and peace are found across the world. Some were made out of the wedding rings of war widows who wanted the memory of loved ones killed in battle held in these vessels of remembrance. Other such as the Gold Book of Memory exhibited in Cathedrals can truly be called icons – they call us into a holy presence. Many of the young men who fought in the trenches were unchurched. The service of Morning Prayer with its strong emphasis on the Scriptures was not accessible to those caught up in the mud and death. The Psalms certainly spoke to that messy world. More than anything else what did speak to these young men surrounded by suffering, by bloodied bodies and by despair was the Holy Communion: The men didn’t need to be familiar with the liturgy for they soon came to recognise God in a body broken for them – and blood poured out for them. Communion brought them the comfort of God’s real presence and hope for light, even there where death seemed to rule. Jane Williams, Lost for Words The bread and wine, ordinary elements, filled the theatre of war with a presence of love wounded, yet healed. A hope, a promise, that this bloody battle was not the last word for humanity in the yearning for peace. The wars, terrible as they were and are, bring perspective. They expand the horizons of those who take the comfort of democracy for granted. War calls us to seek other ways to bring about peace. We are told that there are occasions in the history of the world or nation when members of our family, friends, neighbours, strangers and people in the community become taller, they expand in stature. We become caught up in an atmosphere that calls forth, summons us, to a place to be more than who we are. In the wounds of life Jesus comes. In moments when beauty breaks through God comes. In the simplicity of bread broken and wine outpoured he comes. A cross; a body broken in forgiveness on a hill outside Jerusalem; a tomb that holds the mystery of resurrection life are historic events that demand our attention. In the wounds of life Jesus comes. In moments when beauty breaks through God comes. In the simplicity of bread broken and wine outpoured he comes: Come Jesus conqueror of death, giver of life – make us a resurrection people and let Easter hope fill the battlefields of death with life Eternal. # $ %'()*+ % What was Jesus doing when he was dead? 8 At The Tomb With Mary Magdalene (John 20:1-18) 10 A New Creation 12 Stop The Traffik 14 Beach Rescue 15 Our Rich Liturgical Heritage 16 & WHAT WAS JESUS DOING WHEN HE WAS DEAD? The Reverend Dr Andrew McGowan Dean and President of the Berkley Divinity School at Yale and McFaddin Professor of Anglican Studies at Yale Divinity School IN THE First Letter of Peter (3:9, 4:6) there are references to Christ preaching to the dead. This is sometimes linked with the confession in the Creeds that he ‘descended to the dead’ (or to hell). Some traditional interpretations suggest that this retrospective proclamation was his work on Holy Saturday. Hence Jesus was not so much dead as busy elsewhere, triumphantly striding across a different, infernal, landscape of ministry, rather than genuinely silent or absent. While 1 Peter has something important to say about the universal scope of Jesus’ saving work – it is for all times and places, not just for those who met him or have lived since – we would be mistaken to use this story as a way to interpret the silence of Jesus’ grave. The liturgical year integral to the Anglican way of following Jesus involves both suffering and joy, in the characteristic ways a path is laid for prayer and praise through the triduum (three days) that culminates with Easter. Yet while there are ritual signposts on the Thursday evening, Good Friday, and on the dawn of Sunday, the Saturday itself involves an awkward silence. While his death on the Cross may seem to be the sufficient demonstration of the reality of Jesus’ solidarity with humankind in death, Holy Saturday is the confirmation of what the Cross really means. If the divine Jesus merely departed for a day, abandoning his human body like a shell, faith and hope in the Cross would be compromised. Or if the Cross led immediately to Easter, a transition point without the need for waiting or watching, we would likewise be avoiding a major part of what this central mystery of Christian faith means. Jesus suffered and died in reality, not merely appearance. He did not merely take time out from bodily existence, but entered into the whole of our condition, accepting death and depending on the power of God to raise the dead. When we face our own mortality, the Gospel does not offer the false hope that we avoid death or just drift on incorporeally – despite the prevalence of such beliefs inside and outside the Church. The Gospel is that the God who raised Jesus from death can also raise us from death. ' This is good news for the world we really inhabit, a Holy Saturday world. Although we affirm what both the Friday and the Sunday tell us, and indeed receive it as something already true for us in a sense, life has a more obvious unfulfilled or ambiguous character. Jesus suffered and died Although we view it differently as a result of that Friday and Sunday, the Holy Saturday world goes on as though little has changed for most times, most people and most places. We still experience the ambiguity of a life filled with what often seems like an incoherent mixture of joy and suffering, of the profound and the meaningless. Although we and our contemporaries try to hold death at bay with our false attempts at obtaining security or avoiding reality, from time to time something happens that reveals how our own lives are vulnerable. merely take time out in reality, not merely appearance. He did not from bodily existence, but entered into the whole of our condition, accepting death and depending on the power of God to raise the dead. Even some religious figures offer the false ‘hope’ that tragedy reflects judgement, and good fortune blessing. The Cross of Jesus makes such talk not merely insensitive but blasphemous; but experience of the Holy Saturday world suggests it is simply demonstrably wrong. Faith is no more proof against tragedy than any other false hope; rather it is the willingness to believe that we wait, as Jesus waited, for God. This world needs hope to interpret it, to see the possibility of God’s reality as the key to discerning meaning. Ultimately every joy will be revealed as blessing and every tragedy have its truth revealed, and every tear wiped away. Today, however, is not that time. Today is Saturday, and we must wait. ( AT THE TOMB WITH MARY MAGDALENE (JOHN 20:1-18) I. IT IS DARK when Mary Magdalene reaches the tomb on Easter The Reverend Canon Professor Dorothy Lee Dean of Trinity College Theological School and Frank Woods Professor morning, the darkness before the dawn on the day following the Sabbath rest. To her dismay, Mary finds the stone rolled away and assumes that the tomb has been raided and the body, wrapped in its thick blanket of spices, stolen. She runs back to tell the other disciples the news that the tomb is ransacked, but neither of the two who then race to the tomb can assist her or explain. They leave in some confusion and return home. She is left alone at the tomb, weeping. of New Testament ‘Why are you weeping?’ Why do you weep when life has taken the place of death, when the radiance of Light has burst through the stifling pall of darkness? )* Like the lover in the Song of Songs, Mary begins to search for her Beloved as the dawn breaks and the sun steals over the horizon. Again she peers into the tomb. Now in place of a dark and gloomy interior, she sees by the light of morning two angels seated at the head and foot of the stone slab on which the body lay. They sit in silence, like the cherubim whose wings meet over the ark of the covenant to protect the empty space, the mercy seat, beneath. The two angels reveal nothing but a still, meditative presence. After a time they speak, asking a simple yet puzzled question. ‘Why are you weeping?’ Why do you weep when life has taken the place of death, when the radiance of Light has burst through the stifling pall of darkness? Why do you weep, when the air throbs with the joy of resurrection in this place of death? Why weep when you are standing in the restored primeval garden of delight? Mary does not see the light or feel the joy or grasp the significance of the garden; she does not realise she is in the presence of celestial beings. Her grief stubbornly persists and she turns away in despair, coming face-to-face with the living Body himself, but she does not recognise him. For her it is not the divine Gardener who once created Eden and has now restored Paradise, but the ordinary, everyday gardener who labours dayby-day to weed and tend and water the plants. Through her tears, Mary blunders from one misunderstanding to another, her heart too overwhelmed with pain and loss, with the pungent awareness of death, to identify the vibrant signs of life all around her. Jesus repeats the angels’ question, adding another: ‘Whom are you seeking?’ For a moment hope surges up: If you are the gardener, perhaps you know who took the body; perhaps you can help me find it. She is seeking a dead Messiah not a living Lord. Jesus releases her from the false hope, the misapprehension, the overmastering grief and speaks only her name: ‘Mary!’ It is enough. Hearing and recognising the voice of the Good Shepherd who knows all his sheep by name, she grasps at once that it is the Lord of life who stands before her. Mary responds with enthusiasm. From tears and mourning, her mood turns abruptly to joy. She embraces him, throwing herself at his feet. ‘My Teacher’, she says devoutly, incredulously. He is restored to me, she tells herself exultingly, and everything has gone back to normal again, after all the needless pain and sorrow. But she is wrong and it seems at first that he repels her: ‘Do not touch me!’ he says, although he will say the very opposite to Thomas and invite him to touch the wounds. Yet it is not the touching which is the problem. It is her holding of Jesus, as if this is the way he is to return to her, as if the cross has been unsaid, reversed. Though she sees and knows, she does not fully understand that he is now to be with her, not in the flesh (not yet) but in and through the Spirit, in the sacramental life of the church, in the love of disciples one for another. He is still to ascend, to depart, to the One who is her Father and his Father, her God and his God. It is a vital distinction for her to grasp: not ‘our Father’ here, he tells her, but yours and mine. His status as the Son, the true Child of God, is pre-eminent and unique. Mary is God’s child, a true daughter, but only because she has entered into Christ’s filiation, his sonship. Her oneness with God is made possible through his. She is drawn into that sublime love that flows between Father, Son and Holy Spirit. By sharing in Christ’s status, she enters into the divine love and shows herself to be a true daughter of God, the living emblem of the church: a new Eve, a new life, a new apostolic calling. Now, as the ‘apostle of the apostles’ she has a message to proclaim, a new vocation: first among the disciples to see and grasp and speak. Now she is to proclaim the gospel to the apostles and together they are to proclaim to the world the divine victory over sin, evil, violence, hatred and death. So she returns in haste and joy to the gathered disciples. ‘I have seen the Lord!’ she cries out in triumph and joy. ‘The rule of death is ended: alleluia!’ II. As we enter John’s story, we place ourselves imaginatively alongside Mary Magdalene at the tomb in the garden on Easter morning. We bring with us our fears and dread, our sorrows and suffering. We too misunderstand; we too blunder around; we too fail to see the signs of Christ’s living presence within and among us. We seek desperately for a seemingly silent God to speak, only to find that God standing right before us or close behind us. We need to be drawn tenderly into recognition and understanding, moving from despair to hope, from grief and sadness to joy. At this Eastertide, we are invited to enter more deeply into Christ’s sonship, into his relationship with the Father, into the love of the triune God: the God of love and light and joy beyond all our imaginings who is revealed uniquely in Jesus Christ. We are invited into the Garden which God has planted for us, through Christ’s death and resurrection, bringing others with us who need the same life and joy. Here we will be at last one with the triune God, one with Mary Magdalene and all the saints, one with each other, and one with a renewed creation. )) Exult all creation around God’s throne! Jesus Christ, our King, is risen! Sound the trumpet of salvation! Rejoice O earth in shining splendour, radiant in the brightness of your King! Christ has conquered! Glory fills you! A NEW CREATION FOR MANY Christians, the Great Easter Vigil is, rightly, the liturgical highlight of the year. At that service, in the light of the newly lit Paschal Candle, words like these are sung or said: The Reverend Dr Gregory Seach Warden at Wollaston Theological College Exult all creation around God’s throne! Jesus Christ, our King, is risen! Sound the trumpet of salvation! Rejoice O earth in shining splendour, radiant in the brightness of your King! Christ has conquered! Glory fills you! This ancient hymn, the Exsultet, the Great Easter proclamation, concludes with words that summarise our great joy: Easter is a time ‘truly blest, when heaven is wedded to earth and all creation is reconciled with God!’ In these words, the hymn echoes Colossians 1:20: ‘through [Christ] God was pleased to reconcile to himself )! all things, whether in earth or in heaven making peace through the blood of his cross.’ We very properly rejoice at Easter because ‘Christ has conquered’. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we fallen human beings have been rescued from the power of death. But perhaps we risk losing sight of the fact that ‘it isn’t all about us’! Have you ever wondered why in John’s gospel, in the account of the Passion set for Good Friday, and the account of the Resurrection set for Easter morning, so much of the action takes place in a garden? John stresses this constantly. Jesus and his disciples gather in a garden, Jesus is arrested in a garden, his body is laid in ‘a new tomb’ in a garden, and Mary Magdalene encounters him in a garden. Just as John’s gospel begins with the remarkable reworking of Genesis chapter 1 – ‘In the beginning God created’ echoed with ‘In the beginning was the Word’ – so here, near the gospel’s end, we have another reference to the beginning of Creation, to the first dealings God has with humanity and all the created order, in a garden. From this new tomb, in a garden, comes the beginning of a new creation, restored and reconciled with God. That gives us some rather hard thinking to do about how we relate to this creation that God has reconciled, renewed and transformed in and through Jesus and by the power of the Spirit. It makes us explore what the role of humanity was initially. Given that we were created in the image and likeness of God, as those with whom God chose to converse as God walked in the garden, some theologians have argued that humanity was called to a special role. We were to be the summit of all creation because our task was to unite all creation in worship and praise of God. Of course, human beings chose not to do that, choosing instead to use and exploit all elements of creation, including other human beings, for our own ends. Christians believe, however, that in Jesus, God becomes human, to show humans what we are to be and do. And not only to show us, but to make that possible: Jesus is, so Paul tells us, the ‘new Adam’, the new way of being human, a way of being human into which we are initiated by our baptism. (Now we can see why the early Church insisted on baptism taking place at the Easter Vigil!) So, as part of creation in his humanity, Jesus brings all creation to worship God, not through exploiting creation, but by nurturing and transforming it. That’s why, too, gathering around the Lord’s Table is such a crucial part of Easter, and every Sunday, our weekly Easter. At that Table, we take created things, fruit of the earth and work of human hands, bread and wine. Through the work of the Spirit, the same Spirit who hovered over the waters at the first creation, and with the prayers of human voices, those elements of creation are transformed, in a mysterious way we can never fully understand, into the body and blood of Christ. They are a true and real sign and instance of the communion God desires with all creation. And, in a similarly mysterious way, we too are transformed into the Body of Christ. We become his presence in, to and for the world. As Christ’s body, can we continue to treat the rest of creation – a creation with which we are now reconciled through him – in the old, fallen way of exploitation and misuse any longer? As we rejoice at Easter, then, let’s remember that it isn’t all about us! We live in and bear witness to the new and transformed creation God desires for the whole cosmos. We are in communion with God and all things through Jesus’ saving work in the garden. No wonder we ‘exult with all creation around God’s throne’! )" BEACH RESCUE STOP THE TRAFFIK The Right Reverend Allan Ewing Bishop of Bunbury Fuzz Kitto and Carolyn Kitto Directors of STOP THE TRAFFIK Australian Coalition MOST people are not aware of the extent of human trafficking in our world today, let alone in the chocolate industry. But yes, in Cote d’Ivoire children and young people have been trafficked from Burkina Faso and other surrounding countries to work on the cocoa farms. It is not acceptable at Easter to eat chocolate Easter eggs that may be the direct cause the suffering that Jesus came to overcome. Cote d’Ivoire is the French name for what used to be called Ivory Coast. It is the biggest producer of cocoa in the world. It was one of the first countries to have its debt forgiven but then the consequential demand was to remove tariffs and operate in the open world market. To meet this they resorted to taking young trafficked boys (mainly) to help plant and harvest the cocoa. Until 2011 officials in Cote d’Ivoire denied any human trafficking. In early 2012 Madame Dominique Ouattara, the First Lady of Cote d’Ivoire, personally took on the issue and is working to bring an end to human trafficking in Cote d’Ivoire. She needs our support and prayers. It has taken a long time for the chocolate industry to admit and then do something about human trafficking in its products. Most have Cocoa Plans and they are starting to develop some very good models that include education, water and sanitation – all which help in prevention. )# These are steps in the right direction but there is a long way to go. Big chocolate companies and supermarkets still need our encouragement and to know that we will exercise our consumer power to support them in bringing change. To support activists like Madam Ouattara and to support farmers we can choose to do the right thing. The Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance or UTZ Certification tells us that an audit has been done to check labour conditions. This is part of making chocolate traffik-free. Australia may seem like a long way from West Africa. However, we are linked through our stomachs because of the amount of chocolate we consume. We have buying power! We consume double the world average of chocolate per person. We can choose to buy chocolate that is certified. In the Easter Story Jesus has become the victor and Lord even over our buying choices. You are invited to respond to Human Trafficking as followers of this God of generous love and grace who brings to the world a reality of freedom, love and life lived to the full. What can you do this Easter? Visit www.stopthetraffik.org/ au/traffikfree_easter for all your resources Make Easter Traffik Free • Ask Coles and Woolworths to double the certified Easter products for 2016 and thank Aldi and Haighs for being 100% certified in their Easter chocolate products. Cards can be ordered at: www.stopthetraffik.com.au or you can print your own • Download the Good Egg Guide and choose to buy only certified Easter chocolate products. • Use the Easter prayer to pray that human trafficking will STOP http://bit.ly/1M42wfM As Easter People how will we respond? THERE is a modern parable which tells the story of one person facing the tragedy of thousands of starfish cast up onto a beach. Gasping in the deathly air, the starfish are dying, they need the water to live. So a few people begin to slowly walk along that beach, picking one fish after another and throwing them back into the sea. A passerby, looking down onto the thousands of fish on the beach calls out, ‘You’re wasting your time; look back, you are not making any difference.’ ‘Perhaps not,’ comes the reply, ‘but it will make a difference to this one.’ And with that another starfish is returned to living water. The parable is intended to encourage us to focus on what we can do, rather than be daunted by the task ahead of us; to see a global challenge and to respond by acting locally. It is a good and rich reminder that even the smallest of actions can be life saving to another in distress. I returned to this image as I thought about the significance of Easter Day. In Easter services across the world phrases such as ‘new life’, ‘atonement for our sins’, and ‘a new creation’ are used to convey the significance of the action of God in the death and resurrection of Jesus. These phrases can speak volumes to those who understand the language, but for many they can be bewildering if not incomprehensible. The great Easter Anthems which many Christians will sing on Easter Day start with an affirmation that is not easy to explain: ‘Christ our passover has been sacrificed for us, so let us celebrate the feast.’ They conclude with the equally puzzling ‘as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.’ These passages, gathered from I Corinthians 5, Romans 6 and I Corinthians 15, offer a profound celebration of theological truth in a manner that is hard to explain to fellow Christians, let alone those who are searching to understand spiritual realities in their life. watch the rain drenching but not drowning the fish and themselves. And as the rain continues to fall the waters lift the fish, first one or two, and then squadrons of fish; restored to life the starfish flow back to the sea. It is perhaps not surprising that the Greek words used to describe God’s action in the re-establishing of relationship between God and all God’s creation has found no effective English word. So we talk of atonement, or more accurately we talk of God’s action of AtOne-Ment; God’s making of one all which is separate or divided. Where once the beach had been carpeted with dying fish soon it is empty, deserted. The sea is filled with the living fish and the sands have been swept clean. Still the rain falls, filling the sea, and soon the beach begins to recede as the full sea reclaims the dying land. The rain will not stop until there is no way that any fish can be beached again. To return to the opening story; the beach is covered as far as the eye can see, and beyond, with dying starfish. Nothing can be done, in human terms, to save the lives of these stranded fish. Then comes Easter. It begins to rain. Hard steady rain falls and water begins to flow from the top of the beach, forming streams and rivers through the sand and gravel. Those who were labouring on the beach to bring hope to a small number stop and In John’s gospel Jesus invites a woman rejected and despised by her neighbours to come to living water. In her response she is restored into community and life is renewed. In the simple story the starfish represent all of us and each of us, and the rain is the living water of God’s gift to us. It is only by the living water of Jesus Christ that creation becomes ‘At-One’ with God. This is the promise and hope of Easter day. New life indeed. )$ Christ has been raised from the dead: the firstfruits of those who sleep. For as by one man came death: by another has come also resurrection of the dead; For as in Adam all die: even so in Christ shall all be made alive. OUR RICH LITURGICAL HERITAGE 28 I CAN still remember as a teenager being enriched by the words of the Easter Anthems from BCP, which spelled out some of the glorious yet challenging implications of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Found in APBA on pages 6-7, it is a combination of verses from the apostle Paul. The Right Reverend Dr Peter Brain Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us: so let us celebrate the feast, not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Christ once raised from the dead dies no more: death has no more dominion over him. In dying he died to sin once and for all: in living he lives to God. See yourselves therefore as dead to sin: and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ has been raised from the dead: the firstfruits of those who sleep. For as by one man came death: by another has come also resurrection of the dead; For as in Adam all die: even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Great riches are found in these verses. They stand as timely reminders not only of the unique Easter events but of the response required of all believers. Typically our liturgies affirm two truths. They both select verses that remind us of core theological truths, and also tell us what we are to make of these great events. )% Put another way, God saves us from misunderstanding or speculation about the meaning of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Rightly we ponder, meditate on and marvel at the events, but this will only prove helpful as we accept what the biblical writers tell us about their meaning. We refuse to devalue these treasures with human speculation and reap the rich dividends that God would have us enjoy. Any sin, be it sexual, greed, party spirit or pride, like leaven, risks corrupting the church and its witness. Our Lord’s grace and sacrifice shown so lovingly and deliberately on Calvary bring us the unearned and undeserved riches of redemption and the presence of the Holy Spirit. But sadly this gift can so easily lead to presumption and pride. The invitation to see our whole Christian life as a feast to be celebrated with sincerity of motive and truthful actions is a timely reminder of the cost of the investment the Lord of glory made for us personally and of the immense value he places upon our corporate witness. St Paul, once rich in his own self-righteousness, came to recognise the real richness of Christ’s righteousness when he turned to him. The three passages from Paul’s pen that form our Easter Anthems enrich us in a number of overlapping ways. By quoting Romans 6:9-10 we are reminded that Christ’s once for all death on the cross and unique bodily resurrection were clearly historical events which are not only to be remembered but also a pattern to be emulated. Just as there is no room for reincarnation in Christian thinking, there is no room for either fear of judgement, complacency or self-interest for those who own Jesus as Saviour and Lord. The first, from 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, forms part of Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthian Christians who proudly tolerated sin within their church. As a result of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, which fulfils the Jewish Passover, the believer not only stands in a new relationship with God but has an obligation to live distinctively. The way we think about Christ and ourselves is vital. When we ‘see ourselves as dead to sin and alive to God’ we are taking seriously Jesus’ death and resurrection. Sin matters, and as his death deals with sin’s penalty, Jesus lives to help us to conquer sin’s power. We look back to what our Lord has done for us, we look up to him for what he will do in us as mediator and through his indwelling Spirit, and we look forward to the day when sin’s presence will be removed completely and forever. Finally, in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, Paul helps us capture the richness of God’s grace and the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection that accrue to us by faith. Christ’s resurrection is the guarantee of a great harvest for all who trust him. It has been said that in God’s eyes there are just two men, Adam and Christ, and ‘they have all others hanging on their girdlestrings’. Quaint language, but this is the truth that lies behind Jesus words ‘you must be born again’. We are all ‘in Adam,’ sinners who deserve judgement, simply by being born; whereas we must be born again by God’s Spirit to be ‘in Christ.’ We will die physically but not eternally if we turn to Christ. As a consequence, for the believer death holds no more fear than going to sleep at night. And all because Christ ‘died once and for all’ and ‘has been raised from the dead.’ Here are riches that money cannot buy and surely worth investing our whole selves in. )& ARTICLES OFFERING SOME SCAFFOLDING 3. Make, or have made some, BIG BOLD signs that can displayed wherever possible inviting people to join you. Make them short, clear and with images that people will recognise. ‘Billboarding’ is still a viable advertising medium. The Reverend Alison Gilchrist Parish Priest Bassendean Diocesan Evangelism Enabler ONCE I heard of Dr Robi Sonderegger, his story was hard to get out of my mind. Of Swiss heritage, Robi grew up on the edge of the Australian ski fields, and was the man who taught both Prince Charles and Prince Harry to snowboard. Which is quite impressive! Robi, however, is best known for taking psychology ‘from the frontline to the home front.’ Author of Free to Be You, which helps readers discover identity, purpose and self-worth, he is at the forefront of a number of major campaigns and initiatives that address the issues of flourishing in children, in both Australia and other parts of the globe. It’s not his amazing resume that has kept Robi in my mind, but a statement he made in an interview. ‘While travelling in rural Zambia, I began to read The Message, and the Bible came alive for the first time. One day, while sitting in the front seat of a bus on a bumpy road in the middle of nowhere, it all of a sudden made sense. By Romans 8 I had discovered both the incredible excitement of this gift and the anger no one had ever told me before now.’ Robi’s comment hit a ‘hot spot’ created for me over the years, as I have heard such stories again and again. I ask myself why we find it so difficult to hear this evidence, and believe it. Why, in our current society, which we hear is populated by those who readily admit to ‘seeking for something more spiritual in my life,’ are so many people ready to hear the Good )' News of the Gospel, but so few are offering to tell them? This statistic are clear: 82 percent of the unchurched are at least ‘somewhat likely’ to attend church if they are invited. Perhaps we need to restate it differently: More than eight out of ten of the unchurched said they would come to church if they were invited. What the research goes on to tell us is that only two percent of church members ever invite an unchurched person to church. As Easter arrives with Pentecost not far ahead, we are in one of those times of year when inviting others is easier. We know more people attend church at Easter and Christmas than at any other time. The openness is there. So, being an out and out pragmatist, I am going to use the rest of this article to make a few simple suggestions as to how we 4. Make up an electronic ‘billboard’ which is easily accessed and copied by church members so they can post to social media or send by email. 5. Make a text message with a picture or some attractive words. Send to all church members so they can send the invitation on to those in their phone books. All these ideas ‘scaffold’ our attempt to give it go. All are fairly easy, replicable, low cost and within the reach and skill set of most of us. ‘Scaffolding success’ is well-used adage in educational circles, and it works with exceptional results, especially where confidence is low. Let’s ‘scaffold’ each other, build some confidence and encourage each other as we share the GOOD NEWS with folk like Robi Sonderegger, this Easter and Pentecost and beyond. Why... are so many people ready to hear the Good News of the Gospel, but so few are offering to tell them? might help each other become those who invite. And, for the rest of 2015, I will use this page to offer some more practical ideas, some easy to adapt and adopt ‘how to’s’, to embolden us so that folks like Robi Sonderegger aren’t left being mad because they hadn’t heard. 1. Make some cards or flyers with all the details of your events over the Easter period on. Maybe put them in plastic eggs with a seasonal lolly. Give a couple to each church member so inviting is an easier task. 2. Make up some cards inviting people to return them to church, via the giver or to the church directly, so that they can be prayed for in your Easter services. Include a phrase such as ‘You are welcome to join us as we pray for your/your family.’ We have caring and understanding professionals available every day to help in your time of need AT CHRISTIAN FUNERALS we are dedicated to providing the Christian community in Perth with the highest quality of service with practical and affordable solutions Pre-paid and pre-arranged funerals always available 302 Whatley Cres. Maylands 9370 5315 (24 hours/ 7days) www.christianfunerals.com.au )( THE ORPHANS’ HONOUR BOARD AMANA LIVING SHINES SPOTLIGHT Lara Lynch | Diocesan Archivist Amana Living has grown its team of highly skilled clinicians and experts in dementia, restorative care, clinical services and lifestyle. In February, they were brought together under the direction of Tim Nayton. THE SWANLEIGH site is currently run as a Camps and Conferences Facility, but it still has strong memories and ties to its former life as both a Hostel for Country Children (1960 – 2010) and as an Orphanage (1876 – 1959). With the anniversary of WW1 approaching, Lotterywest sent out a call for grants relating to the Anzac Centenary in the hopes of giving the community an ‘opportunity to remember the contribution of the original Anzacs, and all Australian service personnel, in war and peace keeping efforts.’ Swanleigh has an honour board, which was created as a memorial to orphanage residents that enlisted and went to the First World War. The staff at Swanleigh immediately saw the opportunity to have this honour board conserved for the future. The Memorial Board was carved in the 1920s by Mr Malraisen, who was a member of staff at the Swan Boys Orphanage. He was assisted by boys who were learning woodwork under his tutelage. !* There are 127 names on the board with 12 boys marked as having died in service. During research it has been discovered that 20 boys actually died overseas in service, six boys enlisted but were discharged before active service, one boy was found to have gone but has not been listed and two boys went to both WW1 and WW2. The conservation process the board underwent was extensive. All the nest and surface areas were cleaned and brush vacuumed. The paint was removed by either a scalpel or chemical remover, and loose items were reattached. Tinted wax was placed in areas that were faded, and microcrystalline wax was used to help prevent corrosion. Vanessa Wiggin from Artworks Conservation came to Swanleigh to complete the process rather than removing the board to her workshop. The board is so large and heavy that we needed three men to move it! The honour board holds pride of place in the foyer of Waylen House, which is now the administrative section of Swanleigh. It is the first thing you notice upon entering the main building. The conservation has process has improved its visual appeal immensely and has ensured that, for now at least, the degradation of the board by time and environmental factors has been reduced considerably. We are very grateful to both Ms Wiggin and Lotterywest for their assistance in helping us preserve the honour board as a memorial for the orphans who went to the First World War. TIM NAYTON, new General Manager Health Care, believes that aged care services must rapidly evolve and adapt in the face of a ‘perfect storm’: an ageing population, a rapid increase in the prevalence of dementia, a shift away from long-term family care, higher expectations of support from the community, and increased pressure on the health care dollar. ‘The new position of General Manager Health Care demonstrates that Amana Living is committed to continually improving the care and services it delivers – and even to investigate whole new paradigms in health care,’ he said. In recent years, Amana Living has grown its team of highly skilled clinicians and experts in dementia, restorative care, clinical services and lifestyle. In February, they were brought together under the direction of Tim Nayton. ‘There are currently 32,000 people living with dementia in Western Australia and this is set to increase by 14 per cent over the next five years and double by 2050,’ said Amana Living Chief Operating Officer Suzi Cowcher; ‘At the same time, the oldest of the large baby boomer population is now approaching their 70s. The result is an increasing pressure on clinical services. Amana Living has anticipated this trend by growing our clinical team and investing heavily in vital, innovative programs that better support older people and help to prevent deterioration of their physical and mental health.’ This growth has included the introduction of: • transition care, creating a platform to develop restorative care across the organisation and to be more proactive in the space between hospital and home; • ‘dementia hubs’, with more services for those living with dementia and their carers; and • a new ‘lifestyle program’ in residential care facilities, which looks more closely at the activities that will help each individual to be more fulfilled. ‘With clear synergies across these areas, we saw great benefit in bringing them together under a single health care portfolio,’ said Ms Cowcher. ‘Amana Living anticipates this portfolio growing further as it develops new service approaches and build a strong research base.’ !) PADRE WHITE AND ANZAC DAWN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY Dennis Connelly THE FIRST ANZAC Commemoration Committee was established in Brisbane, Queensland on 10 January 1916. It was designed to help people remember before God the men who had fallen in the Dardanelles campaign. The man unanimously elected Secretary of the Committee was Canon David John Garland (18611939). He had served as an Anglican priest in Western Australia before moving to Queensland. He became known for his work as a military chaplain in the army camps set up around Brisbane. Canon Garland’s difficulty lay in bringing members of every mainstream Christian denomination to agree to a service in which all could share. He succeeded in this, and the observance he presented was eventually adopted with only minor alteration. Each Christian denomination continued to commemorate in their own ways those who had died. In early 1918, an Anglican priest and former AIF chaplain in Albany celebrated a requiem mass for those who had died in battle. He was Padre Arthur Ernest White. After the service he and some members of the congregation climbed to the summit of Mt Clarence. As he looked over Princess Royal Harbour he is reported to have said, ‘Albany was the last sight of land our troops saw of Australia. Perhaps we should commemorate them this way every ANZAC Day.’ When Padre White Teresa 2015: A Woman for our Times A conference to celebrate the 500th birthday of Teresa of Avila and to seek her spiritual wisdom for today. Keynote Speakers: Bishop David Walker and Fr Greg Burke, OCD 1 -3 May 2015. st rd Infant Jesus Parish, Morley $50 per person To register, contact Maranatha Centre for Adult Faith Formation – www.maranathacentre.org.au, (08) 9241 5221 OR Infant Jesus Parish – www.infantjesusparish.org.au, (08) 9276 8500 The conference is a collaboration between Infant Jesus Parish, Morley and the Maranatha Centre for Adult Faith Formation !! was appointed Rector of Albany in September, 1929, he decided to mark the following ANZAC Day by celebrating a Dawn Eucharist. On April 25, 1930, some of his parishioners attended this 6am service then accompanied their rector to the nearby war memorial where he placed a wreath on behalf of the parish. They then followed him up Mt Clarence to wait for a boatman to lay a wreath on the water at the entrance of the harbour where it would drift out to King George Sound. When he entered details of the service on the church register he wrote, ‘First Dawn Service held in Australia.’ The record is preserved. Most authorities agree that the Dawn Service, as we know it, began to gain popularity in the early 1930s. Padre White continued his practice of celebrating a Dawn Eucharist, followed by wreath laying and a pilgrimage throughout his incumbency. After his death, a marker which was placed next to his simple grave affirmed the same belief, and at Werribee, NSW, a small Anglican Church boasts stained glass windows, known as the Dawn Service Windows, dedicated to his memory. !"#$%&'$%(")$ *+,-".%/0)%1".%23/4%")%5633%768 9:;;"0):<%&'$:;:=,>";%?:;;$=$ !"#$%&'()*+"+,"%-.-/('+-"+&-"01+&"!22)3-(*'(4",5" +&-"6,2*-%('+),2",5"+&-"6&'7-. 8(-*)9-2+:"";&-"!(%&/)*&,7" 8(-'%&-(:"";&-"<+"<-3-(-29";,=">).=,+"?'.$=2$*@ ;,"/-"5,..,A-9"/4"'"(-%-7+),2 6,2+'%+"B)%+,()'"CDEF"1DG1H"" A-%'9=)2I7-(+&J'2K.)%'2J,(K"" +,"(-*-(3-"'"7.'%- Ian Carter AM CEO Anglicare WA THE LENT and Easter periods are times rich in culture, tradition and ritual. One of the important dates through this time for Anglicare WA was Sunday 8 March. Why – you ask? Because it is the global celebration of International Women’s Day. Eugene Yakub, a United Nations worker from Kenya, has eloquently described the day as being a celebration honouring all the women who daily have given, do give, and will always give of themselves to their families, communities, and countries; by the roadside, in the fields and factories, in private homes and public institutions; to commerce, Government, the media, universities and international organisations; informing, healing and comforting, leading and following, participating and contributing, enlightening and creating and encouraging, multitasking and loving and guiding, laughing and crying, being tough, gentle, stoical.’ Locally, here at Anglicare WA, it was a day to recognise the contributions of our female staff, volunteers and supporters as they pursue, with compassion and respect, our vision of a just and fair Western Australia where all people thrive. I acknowledge and thank you all. Eighty-five per cent of our staff are women, including two of our three executives, and four of our five senior consultants. These women make up a huge proportion of the fierce advocates and change makers at Anglicare WA who work tirelessly for a stronger, safer Western Australia. International Women’s Day was also a time to recognise that many of our female clients struggle with gender equality issues on a daily basis. At Anglicare WA we work together for a community where all women are free of gender based violence and discrimination, where they are free to exercise their choices about education, work and participation in community life. International Women’s Day was an opportunity to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in their communities. This year, on a global scale, International Women’s Day commemorated Beijing +20, a global campaign celebrating progress towards gender equality since the landmark Beijing Platform for Action was signed in 1995 by 189 countries. While we have come a long way, many serious gaps remain. As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commented this week, ‘When we unleash the power of women, we can secure the future for all.’ !" NOT ALL NEIGHBOURHOODS ARE THE SAME The Right Reverend Tom Wilmot Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks Assistant Bishop THE ‘ECO BISHOPS’ discovered that not all neighbourhoods are the same, at the recent Conference of the Anglican Communion Environment Network gathering in Capetown, under the chairmanship of Archbishop Thabo Makgoba. The 16 invited Anglican ‘Eco Bishops’ brought climate impact reports from their Provinces. They produced a global Anglican perspective on climate change, with recommendations for future action. These local narratives demonstrated the clear and accelerating impacts of climate change in each represented Province of the global Communion, but interestingly also demonstrated that climate change is having an uneven impact in different places. This is not surprising, given that increases in average air temperature are not evenly distributed over the planet. A global average increase of 0.9°C translates into a increase of almost 4.0°C in the Arctic Circle, with serious consequences for the northern hemisphere. The Bishop of New York, Andrew Dietsche, a Californian originally, spoke of the debilitating impacts of uncharacteristically cold weather, and storm surge flooding by Cyclone Sandy for New York. Paradoxically, this !# is matched by the negative impacts of uncharacteristically hot weather on the Californian ‘food bowl’ of the USA. Flood and fire do harm to commerce and food security respectively. Bishop Robert from the Philippines reported that 3,000 people are still unaccounted for following the world’s biggest hurricane, when 350kph winds struck the Central Philippines in September 2013. He said that when Pope Francis visited the Philippines, a five year old girl who had lost her entire extended family came up on the stage with a question for the Pope. She asked: ‘Why does God let these terrible things happen to children?’ Pope Francis replied, “I don’t know!” However, in that same month the Pope convened a gathering of mining industry representatives for a Day of Reflection at the Vatican to consider the ethical implications of their activities. This is not to lay the blame on extraction industries. We all enjoy the benefits of their products, at least in the developed world. RIGHTEOUSNESS KNOWS NO RACIAL OR RELIGIOUS BOUNDARIES However, this initiative by the Pope reminds us all of the serious consequences of our human actions. The way we have organised our economic activities and our addiction to consumption is having serious ecological and social impacts. The consequences go well beyond our national borders and pass into the next generation. Our species is currently using the non-renewable, finite resources of 1.5 planets each year! ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge’ (Jeremiah 31:29), or as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks would interpret this ancient proverb, ‘We are not passing on a better world to our children; we are borrowing from their future.’ I would add that more is being borrowed from from some than from others, because not all neighbourhoods are the same. This poses an ethical dilemma for all of us if we are to honour the first commandment God gave: to care for creation. I THINK about her from time to time — regal, dignified, every inch the princess she was. Yet there was something more about her. Humanity? Courage? Compassion? She knew that she lived under a brutal regime that turned men into slaves and worshipped power as an idol hungry for human sacrifice. Worse, she knew that her own father was the author of this tyranny. He had condemned an entire race to extinction by ordering their children killed at birth. I doubt whether the reality of that fact had ever really struck her before. It wasn’t the kind of thing they spoke about in the palace. It was all happening a long way away and she preferred not to think about it. Until . . . One day, about to go for a swim in the Nile, she saw a basket floating downriver. She told one of her attendants to swim out and bring it to her. Even before she opened it, she knew what it contained. She heard the cry of a child and knew, without having to be told, that it belonged to one of the Hebrews. In her mind she reconstructed the story: a Hebrew slave had given birth, taken the child, wrapped it in a blanket, placed it in a basket and set it loose on the river in the hope that somehow it would circumnavigate the decree of death. And now she, the Egyptian princess, Pharaoh’s daughter, held it in her hands. She had no doubt as to what to do. She would shelter it, adopt it, bring it up as her own. This was Hitler’s daughter, or Eichmann’s or Mussolini’s, saving a Jewish child. She knew the risks. An ancient Jewish legend of the kind we call midrash, says that her own servants told her not to go ahead with what she had in mind. She ignored them. She even gave the child its name: Moses (Mses was an Egyptian name, probably meaning ‘child’, as in Ramses, ‘child of the sun god’). In the Bible, names are significant. They are given by the parents and in rare cases by God himself (who changes Abram into Abraham and Jacob into Israel). Yet Moses always bears the name given to him by the Egyptian princess. Says the midrash: ‘This is the reward for kindness, that even God himself called Moses by the name Pharaoh’s daughter gave him.’ And her own name? On that, the Bible is silent, intimating perhaps that sometimes the greatest deeds are done by people who remain anonymous. Jewish tradition, however, supplied the gap. Elsewhere, in the Book of Chronicles, there is a reference to a ‘Bityah, daughter of Pharaoh’ and they identified it with her. Bityah means ‘daughter of God.’ Once again the midrash has an explanation, which is that God said: ‘Moses was not your son, but you called him your son. You are not My daughter, but henceforth I shall call you My daughter.’ I love this story, not only because it tells us what, more recently, we discovered in the Holocaust, that there are those who in an age of evil can stand out against it and defy it — but also because it tells us to look beyond stereotypes. Pharaoh may have been a tyrant but his own daughter was a heroine, her courage eternalised in the book held holy by his victims. Righteousness knows no racial or religious boundaries. It exists where we least expect it, redeeming our hope in humanity, and our faith that God’s image lives in those who, unblinded by prejudice, see and respond to it in others. (First published in The Times) !$ LIVING, BREATHING LEADERSHIP Christ Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! NOR’WEST POSTCARD The Reverend Dr Elizabeth Smith Mission Development Coordinator CHRISTIANITY’S great example of ‘inspirational leadership’ is Jesus Christ. He died and was buried and rose again and, when we are baptised, so do we. Jesus lived and loved and forgave generously and, as his disciples, so do we. He inspires us. He literally breathes his Holy Spirit into us. Jocelyn Ross OAM THE PILBARA Archdeaconry gathering was hosted by Wickham Community Church early in March, with clergy and seafarers’ chaplains from Port Hedland, Exmouth, Karratha, Newman and Paraburdoo/Tom Price attending. Despite obstacles to the members travelling there, the meeting was appreciated, with MP Peter Abetz providing a helpful presentation on human trafficking and prostitution. The road from Paraburdoo opened just in time for David Morgan to get there, but was closed again by flood water on the return trip. It took him 24 hours to reach home. Amanda and Derek McArtney got there from Newman, despite Derek having been rained-in at Roy Hill Mine the day before. At the end, locums Wayne and Gladys Sutton had an unscheduled 4-day wait in Paraburdoo before heading home to Geraldton. The clergy were in good heart, though most of their communities are struggling with job cuts by BHP and Rio. It is causing a great deal of uncertainty in Newman, Paraburdoo, Karratha and Port Hedland. An added cause of stress is the consequent drop in house values and rental income. Many small businesses are struggling to survive, some already having closed. Despite that, Port Hedland Seafarers Centre has continued its high level of turnover of seafarers and income. The housing downturn has enabled the Committee to provide off-site accommodation for staff, and land has become available for the building of a new Centre. Wickham Community Chaplain, Richard Goscombe, reports that !% Brendan Corner and his family have joined the Chaplaincy team. They have come to establish a Wood Shop to provide an avenue to help men out of dysfunctional lifestyles. It is a pilot for a number of micro-industries, creating interest in the town, to give local people an opportunity to engage in something of value and move away from their sedentary use of alcohol. Pray for them as they settle in to a new environment, for God’s financial provision, and that Brendan is able to assist men and boys develop a love of learning, gain trade skills, and discover their worth and value to their families and community. The church at Carnarvon has been encouraged since the start of the school year by some new people in the congregation, including a number of children to form a Sunday School. Sue van Dongen, a lady in her nineties and a long-time member of Carnarvon MU, had just returned from a trip to England, and sadly landed in hospital in Perth with a broken hip. We pray for her good recovery. The Geraldton Brigade Company, which includes both boys and girls, were on parade at a recent Service at Holy Cross Cathedral. With their parents they helped fill the church, as they publicly affirmed their promise to uphold the objectives of the Brigade. The morning was made even more enjoyable for all with a free sausage sizzle after the Service. He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today! Inspiring leaders in our churches, schools, chaplaincies and agencies have Jesus’ colour and flavour about them. When we are with those leaders, we get a bit of the perfume of the Spirit breathing life into them and into us. We look for them to be creative, to be kind, to be a bit ‘out there’ when necessary, to make our world a bit more lively and productive. Our inspirational leaders are not always the big names with the important roles in the system. They are often the glue in a workplace and the fresh air in a system of relationships. Leadership is not only about policy and planning. It is also about storytelling and social skills. Leaders make us want to belong, they make us keen to contribute, and they make us proud of what we achieve together. We can give them a break. If everything always depends on one leader for direction and energy, it’s a lot of eggs in one basket. If that one person gets tired, or ill, or simply wants a holiday, the whole project may grind to a halt. Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, is the only one who is perpetually on call. Our Christ-like leaders need regular, uninterrupted rest and recreation, and sometimes we need to let them step down permanently from their leadership. The Spirit will find them another role, all in good time, and God may be making room for someone else to step up to lead our particular project. Could it be you or me? What can we do to keep our best leaders in good shape for more of their best work? We can thank them for leading us. We can tell them that we trust them, that we enjoy working with them, that we feel as if we’re doing God’s work when we’re on their team. Don’t just thank them for their work; thank them for the leadership they give us for our own work. We can write them a card, send them an email of appreciation, or post a photo of them on social media, doing what they do best. Christ-like leaders don’t expect thanks, and they will often want to give the credit to others, but they are human, and our ‘thank you’ is food for their hard-working hearts. We can recruit more helpers to join the team that they lead. Whether the group’s mission is distributing emergency food relief, running a Mainly Music programme, stitching altar linen or visiting the sick, more hands are always needed on deck. When a team member says to a friend or neighbour: ‘We have a great programme, and our leader is terrific – please come!’ it is very encouraging for the leader. !& FILLING THE VOID CRADLE PLACES The Reverend Ray Simpson Co-founder of the international Community of Aidan and Hilda I TELL pigeon-holing pilgrims to UK’s Holy Island of Lindisfarne that I was ordained into ‘the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church in Lichfield Cathedral which was founded by Saint Cedd of Lindisfarne in the seventh century’. During fruitful ministry in an Ecumenical Partnership at Bowthorpe, Norwich, which commissioned me to ‘establish one family of Christians in one neighbourhood’ I realised that evangelical and catholic, justice, charismatic, creation and contemplative streams which we honoured had flowed as one river in pioneer churches in Celtic lands, and that it’s no good painting a cabin in the Titanic if the ship – Christendom - is beginning to go under. On pilgrimage at Lindisfarne I watched the Archbishop of Canterbury’s midnight TV message on how Cradle Places had brought faith to nations. I stumbled into a prayer cell that had been a stable. I experienced one of those shattering, oncein-a-life- time experiences. God seemed to be saying ‘I want places that this “Cradle of Christianity to English speaking people” symbolises more than top-down places like Rome or Canterbury. I want Bethlehems more than Jerusalems. I want my world-wide people to reconnect with my presence in creation, in the people of all races and backgrounds outside the churches, and in the unseen world of the saints and the angels. I want them to cast off excess baggage, travel simply and make space in their hearts for hospitality towards others…’I worked with one of my bishops to seek discernment over two years. I joined six others in founding the international Community of Aidan and Hilda which seeks to restore Christianity as a Way !' of Life and to equip church members with disciplines that have the depth of the monasteries and the flexibility of the modern age. This took off world-wide. I became founding guardian and moved to Lindisfarne when its Vicar, David Adam, said he would welcome a presence there. Anglicans, Orthodox, Pentecostals and Roman Catholics follow our Way of Life, based on three Beatitude Values and Ten Waymarks, such as a daily Rhythm of Prayer, Work and Re-creation. We journey with a soul friend who helps us apply this to our own temperament and circumstances in a way that is life-giving. Although we are trans-denominational we are an Acknowledged Anglican Community and the Bishop of Coventry is our Episcopal Visitor. My reflections are contained in over thirty books, a daily prayer tweet and a weekly blog, see www.raysimpson.org. My thirty-sixth book, Celtic Spirituality in the Australian Landscape, is co-authored by Melbourne’s The Reverend Brent Lyons-Lee. We explore the idea of lands such as Australia ‘facing their Shadow’, seeking God in the desert, embracing a Way of Life, and discovering a new model of mission that is as old as Jesus and Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne. We quote Australians who believe that Celtic spirituality could provide an ‘aboriginal’ dimension that has been overlooked in western Christianity. The book can be ordered online at www.aidanandhilda.org.au. Ray Simpson dates for Western Australia Thursday 14 May to Saturday 16 May – Dayspring Celtic Retreat for details contact info@ dayspring.org.au Monday 18 May to Friday 22 May - Desert retreat at Koora for details contact www.kooraretreat.com The Reverend William Thomas St Bartholomew’s Chaplain EASTER for Christians is a time of death of our old self and coming into new life. Easter is a time of celebration and renewing our baptismal vows. Well, that’s what we Christians believe, but for many in today’s society Easter is a long weekend where they have hot cross buns and Easter eggs. When we start to talk about Easter being a time of remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus, some people’s eyes just seem to glaze over. I had a recent discussion with a member of St Bart’s community who was brought up in a post-Christian family. His grandparents were the last of his family members who regularly attended church. His parents were forced to go to church when they were children but left the church when they were teenagers, never to return. The closest this person came to going to church was attending wedding and funerals. With this type of background it wasn’t surprising that he really had no understanding of Lent, Easter and Pentecost. It wasn’t a surprise that when I spoke of death and resurrection he thought I meant reincarnation. He had heard of Palm Sunday but thought that this was a day of protest against government refugee policies. He knows nothing of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before the Passover. So it was with great interest that I listened as he spoke of his resurrection story. He grew up in a beautiful part of the South West, had hot cross buns on Good Friday, Easter eggs on Easter Sunday and basically enjoyed the long weekend. As he went into his teens he studied hard, went to university and got a degree. In his mid twenties he married, had children and bought a house. He was living the Australian dream. He saw no need to seek anything spiritual, and he was happy to quote German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who said God is dead. He had grown up believing that life is what you make of it and belief in a god was like having an imaginary friend. Now this member of our community is in his 50’s. His children have left home, he has a comfortable life but he feels something is missing. He has tried filling the void with more education, eastern philosophical practices and becoming more involved in his local community. None of it has filled the void. Where he finds contentment is when he concentrates on those who are in need. Where he finds fulfilment is when he is looking beyond his own needs and helping those who have no voice in our society. While he may think he is going through a time of reincarnation, I believe he is going through a time of death to his old self and resurrection into a new life. This year my hope is that when he has his hot cross buns on Good Friday he will think of the symbolism behind the cross. I pray that when he chomps into his Easter egg on Easter Day he will remember Jesus and the opening of the tomb. !( AN AUTUMNING OF THE SOUL CATHEDRAL PRAYER AND SUPPORT From the Anglican Alliance | Syrian refugee children in Shabrieh Lebanon Photo Credit: Joan Barkman/CFGB AS THE terrible torment of the Syrian people continues into its fifth year, the #withSyria coalition of international agencies calls on world leaders to fulfil their commitments to bring an end to the conflict and suffering. The Syrian crisis is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world today. Over 200,000 people have been killed and over half of all Syrians have been forced to abandon their homes. Over 7.5 million people are displaced within Syria and four million have fled to neighbouring lands in Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Jordan. families ever more at risk, particular children, the elderly and people with disabilities. In total, 12 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. The United Nations calls it “the worst humanitarian crisis of our time”. Recent freezing winter conditions have made vulnerable • • • • Anglican Church Professional Standards Committee Providing a Healing Process for Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Misconduct The Church acknowledges with regret that sexual abuse and misconduct has occurred in our Worshipping Communities. The Church also recognises the impact it has had on children and adults and accepts responsibility for the past occurrences. The Professional Standards Committee operates independently and investigates all complaints of sexual abuse and misconduct that have taken place within the Church or its associated organisations. The Committee offers professional support that aims to bring healing, peace and closure for victims of sexual abuse and misconduct. Your enquiry will be treated with confidentiality, sensitivity and respect. Address your enquiry to the Professional Standards Director GPO Box W2067, Perth WA 6846 Phone: (08) 9425 7203 (Direct) or 0419 935 889 Email: [email protected] "* The #withSyria coalition has launched a global petition calling on world leaders to do more to end the suffering of the Syrian people. #withSyria calls for: a significant increase to the humanitarian response asylum safety for refugees an end to attacks on civilians a political solution respecting human rights. Dr Hassan, who is a surgeon in Aleppo, Syria, said: “Marwan was on the operating table when the lights blinked and fizzed out. The nurse pulled her mobile phone from her pocket – generating the only light in the pitch-black basement. Others followed suit, producing just enough light to allow me to finish repairing his broken little body.” Raya, a mother of four who fled from Dara’a to a refugee camp in Jordan, said: “One should never give up hope. I hold on to any bits of hope because I do not want to fall. Even if I do fall, I must stand up on my feet again in order to support and protect my children.” Amongst others in the international community, many Anglican and ecumenical agencies are involved in the humanitarian response, through their ACT Alliance sister agency, the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), to reach people with food, bedding, water clothes, shelter, healthcare and education. Anglican and ecumenical agencies involved in the response include The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund – PWRDF (Canada), Anglican Board of Mission (Australia), Anglican Overseas Aid (Australia), and Christian Aid (UK). To date they have reached over two million vulnerable people working often in the most volatile areas. The Very Reverend Richard Pengelley Dean of St George’s Cathedral I’VE OFTEN wondered about the northern hemisphere ‘Anglo’ origins of Lent and how well they translate to our experiences here in Australia. For example the word itself comes from the AngloSaxon word ‘lencten’ meaning spring or the lengthening of days. This culminates of course in the blending of pre-Christian celebrations of the fertility goddess Eostre and the return of the warmth of the sun and the new life it will bring, with the Christian stories of the resurrection of Jesus and the return of the blazing glory of the Son and the eternal life he offers. Here in Australia, our days have shortened during Lent. It grows cooler and the darkness closes in, which lends a completely different meaning to the experience. For example, I wonder how this quote from Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, translates to our experience: ‘It’s important to remember that the word ‘Lent’ itself comes from the old English word for ‘spring’. It’s not about feeling gloomy for forty days; it’s not about making yourself miserable for forty days; it’s not even about giving things up for forty days. Lent is springtime. It’s preparing for that great climax of springtime which is Easter – new life bursting through death. And as we prepare ourselves for Easter during these days, by prayer and by self-denial, what motivates us and what fills the horizon is not self-denial as an end in itself but trying to sweep and clean the room of our own minds and hearts so that the new life really may have room to come in and take over and transform us at Easter.’ Clearly there is a universal invitation to ‘sweep and clean the room of our own minds and hearts…’ during Lent but I wonder whether we take the time to contextualise some of the traditions we have inherited. Personally, I have connected in a new way this year through the pattern of the daily office and eucharist at the Cathedral, with the rhythms of nature and the city as part of a Lenten practice. From the pulsing and pounding of the building site next door, to the relief from the intense heat and humidity, to the changing colours of the leaves and changing fashions of the busy city population, I have sensed in a new way a ‘lenctening’ of the meaning of the season of Lent. This is not spring; it is an ‘autumning’ of the soul. By going ‘inside’ and becoming aware of the cooling, shortening and shedding of the season, I am invited to do the same. Where has my faith ‘cooled off’? What short cuts have I been taking with my prayer life, my stewardship and my commitment to walk the Way of Christ? And what might I need to shed to lighten the load, to embrace life in the ‘abundance’ that Jesus promised, and to free myself to be open in new ways to the full meaning of the cross, tomb and resurrection promises to come? These and many more reflective questions ‘spring’ to mind and invite me to some ‘autumn’ pondering. I hope your own Lenten journeys and disciplines have been fruitful, preparing you well for the shock, shame, devastation and delight of Holy Week and Easter. ") SCHOOLS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE BEING CHURCH AT SCHOOL 30 Y EA RS 19 Jason Bartell The Reverend Peter Laurence Principal Swan Valley Anglican Community School CEO Anglican Schools Commission WA THE SWAN Valley Anglican Community School (SVACS) was established and built on the premise that it would provide low-fee educational opportunities, founded on Christian principles, to all children within the communities of Ellenbrook, Aveley and its surrounds. This is the founding purpose of all Anglican Schools Commission schools, as outlined in the ASC’s Mission and Values statements and supported by the eight Christian Purposes of the ASC. The challenge for all ASC Principals is to maintain the founding principles of the ASC within our local contexts and by doing so, enhancing the opportunities for children in the communities within which we are located. In sharing this mission and purpose to my staff I have described the purpose of ASC Schools by using an airline carrier analogy: ‘we should aim to offer an Emirates experience at a Jetstar price.’ Being located in the North Eastern corridor of Perth and within the constraints of a satellite city, the attraction and retention of local children to our school has, over the course of our short history, been a challenge. We therefore strive to maintain the ‘Jetstar’ price with the ‘Emirates standard and experience’ so that those local children who would benefit most from attending our school may have this opportunity. With the school’s mission and purpose in mind, the SVACS Council has introduced 5 Community (Year 7) and 5 Endeavour (Year 11) Bursary Scholarships. These entitle each recipient family to a 50% fee reduction for their child for the duration of their engagement with our School. These Bursary Scholarships have been offered to children based partly on their efforts (please note, not on "! 85 - 2015 their achievements!) at school and partly through an income test on their parents’ income. Successful applicants must also show a willingness of both parent and child to avail themselves of the opportunities that may be afforded to them at SVACS. These scholarships were very successful in attracting 10 new students to our school who would, in normal circumstances, not be able to attend due to their family financial constraints. SVACS Council has also launched itself into further developing the school’s facilities to ensure a higher level of engagement and focus for the vocationally inspired and motivated children of our local community. The new Technology and Enterprise Training Centre was commenced in April 2014 and is progressing very well. It is scheduled to be available to staff and students from the beginning of Term 2, 2015. The Technology and Enterprise Training Centre will include a new canteen, two new Food Technology classrooms, one of which will be developed to a commercial kitchen standard, a new woodwork room, a new metalwork room with the relevant associated machinery, a student IT service help desk, new IT offices and server room and a specialist classroom with technology that will cater for Computer Aided Design software specifications. This facility will ensure that SVACS can offer higher level Certificate Courses to children who wish to specialise in the areas of Manufacturing and Hospitality. You can imagine that, within our local area, hospitality and manufacturing skills are seen as being premium skills to possess. Our school is motivated to ensure that all children within our local Swan Valley community, be they academic or vocational, with or without physical, intellectual or social impairment, whether they are from affluent or poor families are all respected, celebrated and supported to develop to their true potential and aspire to personal excellence. IN JOURNEYING through Lent, my mind has repeatedly turned to the question of the how our schools can ‘be Church’. As Anglicans, our main time of ‘coming together’ is Sunday. Sure, we may be involved in weekday or evening church activities, but our corporate time is Sunday. In contrast, what we do in schools is largely a Monday to Friday affair. Academic classes, cultural activities, sports and camps are all fitted into a weekday or night. Of course there are weekend sporting and cultural activities in some schools for some students, but the majority of our ‘being’ is Monday to Friday. Schools work well on this five day timetable. Shift work and FIFO practices, whilst common across the WA workforce, have not translated to schools! Chapel works this way too. Schools model and live out the Christian life then and there, at school during the week. Regularly throughout a year I am privileged to be invited to lead or join in worship with students and staff in Anglican schools across WA, be they Eucharists or other liturgies. How thrilling it is in some places when confirmations and baptisms occur in the school chapel or assembly hall, during the week, with the congregation of the candidates’ peers surrounding them. I have pondered whether it is right and proper for our schools to do on a weekday what the parochial church does on a Sunday? My answer is a resounding YES. Rather than seeking for our schools to be something they are not, I celebrate when they embrace ‘being Church’ to and with their diverse communities, amid the hustle and bustle of a school term. A friend and colleague in the USA, The Reverend Dr Daniel Heischman, is Executive Director of the National Association of Episcopal Schools. Dan talks of the ministry of ‘being Church’ with students in our schools this way: ‘We work with them in the midst of their lives, right at the heart of what is at the centre of their activities, priorities, and their values. Rather than leave the matter to a place set apart, we bring the question of God—whether it be in chapel, the classroom, or the conversations we have with students—into the very midst of the busy, complicated, and often pressured lives that our students lead. The sacred intersects with the rough and tumble of life in school, and in so doing it helps us find a bridge to link what sometimes seems to be a very big divide between faith and everyday life.’ In a recent video, The Right Reverend Michael Curry, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, speaks of this important work that our schools do in ‘being church’ as faith being done ‘right smack dab in the middle of their lives.’ Now that nails it! This is exactly what Anglican school chaplains, teachers, principals and governors are seeking to do. We are blessed to be part of a church whose bishops are actively promoting new ways of ‘being Church.’ Most of those who worship amidst ‘the rough and tumble of life in school’ do not sit in one of our churches on Sunday. That is a statistical fact. The question to ask is, if we are truly seeking to ‘be Church at school’, does it matter? Cardinal Hume of Westminster wrote late last century: ‘The great gift of Easter is hope Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in God’s ultimate triumph, and in God’s goodness and love, which nothing can shake.’ May all in our schools and wider Anglican family know the hope found in the crucified and risen Christ this Easter. "" GOOD NEWS PROJECT REFLECT RECOGNISE CELEBRATE the church and highlights/ re-invents the traditional act of religious garment-making. Parish unknown. • My Good News Story is that I have been introduced to the ‘Fresh Expressions’ concept at Willeton with a book, Being Church, Doing Life by Michael Moynagh. Noëlle Udall | Creating Communities THE FIRST series of three Good News Project Cafés based around the themes of Reflect, Recognise, Celebrate, took place in February in the three diocesan areas, with 90+ people attending. They contributed to and expanded upon the ways in which their parishes, agencies and schools can celebrate and liberate the Good News. Over a simple, shared meal, participants became engrossed in conversation that encouraged broad thinking about context, opportunities for partnerships, alliances and ways of making a difference. Attendees appreciated having a forum where quiet achievers and unsung heroes in parish communities could come together to share and be acknowledged for what’s taking place. At the same time, it became clear that these cafés/ workshops provide the chance for lay people to recognise the possibilities for their own churches and suburbs. At the end of the workshop, participants made a commitment to do something small or big to further the Good News and we will be sharing their progress on this when we next meet. Observations and achievements included: "# • Good Friday Stations of the Cross art exhibition involving college religion classes and parish, creating opportunity for community engagement. Parish unknown. • Alek, a single refugee mother of four has been coming to church. Alek has been in an incredibly vulnerable position but she’s been embraced and supported by our community – particularly by a number of women who have been helping her shop, teaching her to cook, helping her with financial management. One family even sold their motorbike to buy an eightseater car to bring Alek and her children to church, shops, etc. Parish unknown. • At St Mark’s Bassendean Church on the Rise, we have a great men’s ministry. Once a month, the guys meet for breakfast, usually with a Christian speaker. They are encouraged to bring a friend. The breakfasts attract 25 men – sometimes more. A weekly men’s Bible Study attracts 12-14 men and men are being encouraged in their faith and discipled. There are times of significant sharing and prayer. It is Good News to see an effective men’s outreach happening at Church on the Rise. • Our church has had many years of contact (baptisms, first communions) with several Aboriginal families in Wongan Hills. The mother of one of the families was at risk of four months imprisonment. Our church agreed to supervise community service for 12 months. We asked her to become a regular worshipper on Tuesdays and Sundays, and to help with dishes after morning tea, etc. It has led to her regularly attending with her children, providing food for kids club, being a parent helper for ‘Drumbeat’ workshops. Becoming ‘a regular’ at church has made a big difference in her life, and asking her to contribute has given her self-respect. • Being able to confidently share the Good News, the Gospel, via social media. Apps like ‘Instapray’ allow sharing prayer across the world. • A local (non-Christian) fabric and textile artist was commissioned to produce a contemporary chasuble. This connected local artists with • Fellowship Group enjoys time together and works on projects for the parish but also for people who they hear are in need of support. There is a growing depth of connection between them yet they are not a closed group. Rather they encourage those who are new or on the fringe to come along. Mainly Music group connecting to unchurched in our community. Parish unknown. Following his attendance at one of the cafés, the Archbishop commented, ‘The opportunity to listen, to share and to seek opportunities to discover God’s Good News in Christ at work in and around us is a blessing indeed. May we be graced to continue to engage in creative and positive partnerships.’ Good News Project Café #3 – Partner | Liberate North – Thursday, 16 April South – Friday 17 April East – Thursday, 23 April The March series of cafés is taking place as we go to press. Why not come along to the final Good News Cafés after Easter and share your experiences? For more information on specific venues or to reserve your place, please email: goodnews@perth. anglican.org or visit the website http://goodnewsproject.org.au/ • Our Children & Family Service at 5.30pm on the first Saturday of the month started in 2010 and still thriving. The children read the Bible, do the prayers, light the candles, take the collection, and do an activity-based on the reading – craft, drama. Has brought new families into the church. Supper and fellowship after the service. Parish unknown. • A few weeks ago, St Peter’s at Jennapullin celebrated its centenary. It is 16 kilometres from Northam, built of local stone brought in by farmers. The land was donated. The same hymns were sung as at the consecration. A parishioner who has a farm next door has offered to buy the church and maintain it as a place of worship. Parish Council has agreed and it will come before Diocesan Council. "$ SPICE FOR SEASON EASTER’ 1 2 LAURENCE Foster is one of many people who come to Kalgoorlie-Boulder for a short-term job. Originally from North Queensland, Laurence is a faithful Anglican who found his way to St John’s Kalgoorlie for worship recently and got to know visiting priest, Elizabeth Smith. M I S S C H U A D P Through his work at a local earthmoving company, Laurence became aware of a ministry opportunity. Some of his employers are keen competitors at the Kalgoorlie International Speedway, and the national championships were coming up. The speedway’s former chaplain had left town, and who could be found at short notice for a blessing? A few emails later, Elizabeth’s attendance at the two nights of the national Street Stock Championships was secured. Now, while Elizabeth is wellknown for her ability to write prayers for any occasion, she had never actually been to a speedway before. So she asked a non-churchgoing neighbour for his tips on the sights, sounds, smells, equipment, people and activities of the cars, drivers, spectators and crews. Then she wrote a blessing based on his vivid suggestions, as well as a short preamble about WWJD – What Would Jesus Drive? – based on Jesus’ one and only recorded ride on a donkey. "% Once at the speedway, while Laurence drove his grader round the track to prepare it for the cars, Elizabeth was able to chat with many people, from spectators to security gards, from crash crew and ambulance volunteers to scrutineers and the official who waves the allimportant flags. The blessing was received with smiles and ‘amens’. This is a Good News story because it highlights the way lay people make connections for mission in the wider community. Every Christian belongs to something beyond their church: a workplace, a social club, a sporting association, an interest group. Laurence made the connection between his church belonging and his other ways of belonging, even as a shortterm local resident. His priest was willing to go outside her usual cultural comfort zone. As a result, doors were opened for ministry and mission. B U S E L C F 12 16 O B R A U R A T U O R G I V E W A R N S B A G C A N O N H T T U B R N E I S A C E S C E T I C M U N R O D A I W O M A N I E M A P U L O U S 5 6 7 8 9 11 13 17 22 L U 4 10 March solution EARTHMOVERS AND REVHEADS 3 N T E 18 C T L C H I T T Y B E 19 23 15 20 24 26 27 29 A V O C E T 14 30 21 25 28 31 32 33 34 35 39 36 40 41 37 42 38 43 44 45 CLUES DOWN ACROSS 1, & 8 across. Gaga laity across at a festivity. (4) 26. Broken tree as time of resurrection. (6) 2. Lash cap crookedly for Easter. (7) 8. See 1 across. 28. I grab a twisted inflationary protection system! (6) 10. 11. 13. 16. 18. 19. 21. 22. 24. 29. Scripture scholars Made laypersons cross initiated. (2) at a later time. (5) 30. Take nothing from the Backed off late right bent supercop to put away in the Hebrew a hole in the wooden dew. (3) boat! (7) Can the transcendental 32. Myself in Middle extravaganza do kingly English. (2) anointings? 33. The rod is turned for Began on the Revised the character in the English. (2) The Seventh Tower. (5) A farewell purchase, I 34. Deakin, ACT, Australia hear? (3) for short. (3) Start by studying your 36. Crossing the river Bible. (3) steady in gratitude. (5) Chop American 39, 41, 42 & 44 across. Express! (2) Tramped pedal duo raised on high. (8) A number not kinder turned to irritation. (5) 45. The scrupulous – it turns out – uses icon A reddish colour to the tonic! (13). former Prime Minister, why? (5) 1, & 3 down. Rejoicing among the gladiators? (4) 4. Tease out caterpillar hairs. (5) 5. Clothed one hundred short, young man! (4) 21. First man across Canada mountains? (4) 23. The King’s School first. (2) 25. Deutsch Bibel initially. (2) 27. Dry D.U. turned a roseate hue. (5) Crowns of light discovered when shoal 28. A pain! Tortured like a disturbed. (5) bee! (5) 7, & 8 down. Asian nanny 31. Turn and aspire to may play ahead. (4) glorify God. (6) 12. Broken stride in the 35. From the city’s most arid way. (6) foundation 753 BC. (3) 13. New Orleans crossover 36. Disciples of Christ. (3) music: French folk with jazzy decorations. (6) 37. Obtained old-fashioned in the congregation. (3) 14. What key, sir, is played when repeating ‘Lord, 38. Sid turned up with Have Mercy?’ (6) some fresh-water fish. (3) 15. Orthodoxy generally crosses to an 40. Palestina Ozias. (2) inflammable gas. (6) 41. Left side first side. (2) 17. Ears bent for ages! (4) 43. Divine intervention! (2) 18. Place your wagers in 44. Evangelical Union sorbets. (4) started in Europe? (2) 20. Prickle lodged in kookaburra. (4) 6. "& REVIEWS THEATRE Anthony Howes T S Eliot said that ‘God created Man to be, in his turn, a creator.’ I have been reminded of this very much in the last month. It is this that has allowed me to encounter God while being an on-looker to the horrors of terrorism, feeling revulsion in learning of arsonist-inspired bush fires, and despair as the starkness of capital punishment became so vivid. The Theatre, or rather, those who create theatre, pointed me back to the joy (in the C S Lewis sense) that is God. What became clear was, that here, in Jenny and her Company, were people who regarded our seniors not only as the repository of our history, our community’s story, but custodians of the messages of relationships that shaped us, and continue to resonate today. From these memories, "' Jenny is able to create theatre which is for both today and tomorrow. For as Ghandi said of nations, the same is true of our community, that ‘a nation that forgets its past, has no future.’ For the past several months, Jenny has been meeting with senior folk in a city community centre. They relate to her their stories against the events of (say) the fifties. These will be creatively developed into a theatre experience to be seen in Heritage Week in October. Confirmed by her work on another project, one to commemorate the Gallipoli centenary, Jenny reported that one of the most humbling aspects of the Agelink process is how the custodians of the stories feel so more vital as human beings of some worth, by the value given to their memories. Contact Agelink Theatre – 0411 318 974 – for performance details and involvement. For the young (of any age), there is always the same creative energy with Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. Moominpappa at Sea is adapted from the book by Tove Jannson. Playing from 4 – 18 April in their Fremantle theatre, director and performer, Michael Barlow and puppets take audiences on a journey of self-discovery, with the hope that they will develop a great deal more curiosity about the world around them. This Company brings joy to the creative process - and passes it on! Incidentally, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre is offering a limited number of places for a full time puppetry training intensive from 3-14 August, led by the company’s Artistic Director Philip Mitchell, Associate Director Michael Barlow and master-puppeteer Noriko Nishimoto. Applications are now open and close 17 April. For more information visit www. sppt.asn.au or call 9335 5044. Finally, I bring to your attention two productions you may care to investigate. As detailed in last month’s Messenger, The Importance of Being Miriam, with the inimitable Miriam Margolyes plays at the State s ice Pr st a rt f rom a low Theatre Centre from 7 – 11 April. Miriam will talk about her own life and her great love of literature, and perform some of the unforgettable figures she vividly portrays. Also at the State Theatre Centre, from 23 May – 14 June, Black Swan State Theatre Company presents the American modern ‘classic’, David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross. I shall give you more detail next month. $1 3,9 ‘a nation that forgets its past, has no future.’ 9 9 Let me explain. Jenny Davis is the artistic director of Agelink Theatre. Wearing my hat as Cathedral Drama Consultant, I discussed with Jenny how St George’s Drama might assist in her Company’s work, which is dedicated to discovering and keeping alive the rich history of our seniors and their insights into our heritage, then creating plays which proclaim this to the wider community. I discovered much more than just a professional playwright and director, talking with some ‘old folk’, picking up a few ideas from them and writing them up as dramatic sketches. So it was with these encounters that depression was lifted, by looking to God the Creator – and the joy in creativity that is mirrored in so many theatre people and their work. "( BOOKS Rowan Williams, in his latest book, The Edge of Words, describes Michael Leunig as the brilliant Australian cartoonist for whom ‘the word God cannot be grasped scientifically, rationally or even theologically without it exploding. It can only be held lightly and poetically.’ ! Shirley Claughton # Convictions, says the author, ‘is a bit of a memoir’ combining the triad of memories, conversions and convictions, birthed in his experience of turning 70. Marcus Borg’s wife, Marianne, had been a priest and canon for 18 years, and he himself had been bestowed with the title Canon Theologian. He was not a priest. ‘Ordination,’ he says, ‘is not a requirement for becoming a canon.’ Rather, Marianne tells me, canon means ‘big shot.’ The occasion of his 70th birthday led him to think ‘What are the convictions that my life has led me to that I want most so speak as I turn 70?’ WHEN I TALK TO YOU: by Michael Leunig, $19.95 – hard cover gift book Walter Wink said ‘In every generation there is a handful of writers of whom it can be said ‘read everything they write’ – Marcus Borg is one of these today.’ CONVICTIONS: By Marcus Borg, $32.95 Marcus Borg has had a vast appeal to many and varied types of Christian thinkers. He was a progressive before the term became popular. His loyal fans have eagerly awaited the arrival of each new book, and sadly this is the last of the 21 books from his hand. Marcus Borg died in January 2015. On his website a condolence page has been opened and the wideranging responses testify to his amazing influence on Christian thinking. Taking us through the journey and the pain of growing up poor, we are privileged to have insight into how circumstances helped shape Borg’s own beliefs and lead to a non-literal approach to the bible. With wit and humour he humbly takes us through his student years when he became President of the Young Republican Club and conservative political columnist for the student newspaper. Then, he says, ‘I read Amos. It was a revelation. Stunning… Amos was about God’s passion, God’s desire... for the transformation of this world to a world of greater economic justice.’ In his early 30s he became convinced that what is meant by the word ‘God’ is real and sometimes known or at least glimpsed. ‘This conviction remains with me and more than anything else has shaped my understanding of God, the Bible and the enduring religions of the world’ and ‘is the foundation of everything I have ever written in the past 30 years, including this book.’ The mystical experience he shares is that of knowing or at least glimpsing God. He recounts what he calls the richest moments, when several religious experiences transformed him. His description of these experiences (most visual, a few triggered by music) will inspire all who read them. This is a book to dip into, to discuss, to study. It is a quality production, including notes and scripture index and in case the reader was unaware, it is sub-titled A Manifesto for Progressive Christians. #* For us in Australia, Leunig is part of our folk art because he has taught us how the word God enters the everyday. His two best-selling books are Common Prayer and the Prayer Tree and many of us have grown up with these as gifts for celebrations including rites of passage such as Confirmation and ordination. This new book is an enhanced edition of those much-loved editions (which are still available), so includes much of the poetry from those, together with new material. Written for this edition is ‘A Note on God,’ an outstanding essay accompanying the classic Preface and Introduction of earlier editions, explaining the purpose of the book, the nature of prayer and the symbolism of his delightful illustrations. It is a book which can be confidently presented to young and old. The final prayer, captures the sincerity of the collection: Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and difficult as that. There is no other way. Amen. We live in a world where we are trying to raise peaceful children despite being surrounded by much that is not gentle and peaceful. This new Bible Story Book ticks all the boxes for being bright and cheerful, yet, caring and gentle, drawing a positive and hopeful message from each of the stories. " ‘In the beginning there was nothing, then God made the world…take care of my world- it is a good world and it will give you all you need.’ MY FIRST BIBLE STORIES: A LION GIFT BOOK, $13.95 Through vibrant illustrations, the youngest child can meet the main characters in bible stories. A delightful rendition of Baby Moses is seen through Miriam’s eyes, the story of Jonah is told with humour, Daniel and the Lions gently, and trauma-free. The story of the Lost Sheep concludes with Jesus saying ‘When someone who has lost their way comes back to God, all the angels sing.’ Padded cover, large double spread pages, animals and children with smiles on their faces and an inclusive message of love and acceptance make this a perfect book for a class or one-to-one story telling. There is nothing scary about this book, and it is modern, educationally sound, with delightful brightly coloured pictures and minimal text. All books available from St Johns Books Highgate Court, Fremantle (08) 9335 1982 #) MOVIE: TESTAMENT OF YOUTH Review: Mark A Hadley RATING: M DISTRIBUTOR: Transmission Films RELEASE DATE: 23 April, 2015 Testament of Youth carries the burden of being the descendant of a muchadmired biography about the horrors of war in a year already choked with World War One offerings. But its call to peace is as clear as ever and possibly even more moving. Based on the life of leading 20th century feminist Vera Brittain Testament of Youth chronicles her struggles to become a writer even as the shadows of international conflict fall across England. Alicia Vikander stars as the young woman who manages to fight her way to Oxford University only to see her brother’s closest friends enlist for action. As the fatalities begin to mount she signs up to serve as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse in London, Malta and France, giving her first-hand experience of a generation lost to conflict. The tragedy that unfolds for Vera is both visceral and emotional. What emerges is a slow-burning tale that details the burdens borne by women held at a #! distance by war but required to suffer all the same. Testament of Youth could never be as erudite or challenging as the biography. The written word informs in a way images never can. But moving pictures do in fact ‘move’ viewers with an economy and intensity that surpasses words. If you go to the movies to feel then in that regard Testament of Youth is a success. If you want to think more about Vera Brittain’s approach to war, then I’d direct you to her original work. You’ll see the trenches in the cinemas and sense the growing despair, but it will be hard to comprehend the betrayal World War One represented for a generation: “Between 1914 and 1919 young men and women, disastrously pure in heart and unsuspicious of elderly self-interest and cynical exploitation, were continually re-dedicating themselves to an end that they believed, and went on trying to believe, lofty and ideal.” Brittain held that if a society so dedicated to the value of the individual were to see similar wholesale slaughter in the animal kingdom it would react with outrage and action. Her personal response was to dedicate herself to a lifetime of pacifism. Yet Testament of Youth captures the irony of the age and her anger when she appears at a debate urging crushing reparations for Germany. A single line captures her sense of futility and sadness: “Our generation will never be new again. Our youth has been stolen from us.” How could any such post-war punishment bring back her fiancé and her brother, or breed anything but bitterness? The result is a moving, occasionally despairing production that challenges us to turn our faces away from war in any form. Yet I couldn’t help wondering whether Testament of Youth overreached itself – is there a place for war? I think we forget at our peril that war is also mercy’s last hope. There are some conflicts we enter into because the cause is so needy and doing nothing would be the real crime. World War One was, as Brittain observed, brought about by ‘self-interest’ and ‘cynicism’, not to mention ego and empire building. Yet World War Two, by contrast, was a challenge to the sort of fascism that eventually resulted in the construction of concentration camps and gas chambers. Many of Brittain’s own generation who had witnessed first hand the horrors of war, re-enlisted because the world’s need out-weighed their personal suffering. How could any such postwar punishment bring back her fiancé and her brother, or breed anything but bitterness? The same phrase might answer why God felt the need to send his son to an ignominious death on a Roman gibbet. Testament of Youth declares the futility of human attempts to forcibly create lasting peace. Yet Jesus’ empty tomb shows that God, through a single death, can bring about eternal life. VANUATU CYCLONE EMERGENCY APPEAL ABM has launched an emergency appeal to help those affected by Cyclone Pam, which struck Vanuatu over the weekend causing death, widespread devastation and leaving thousands of people homeless. One of the most powerful and fiercest in living memory, the Category 5 cyclone has caused major damage to infrastructure and levelled trees and houses across the nation. Communication with Vanuatu has been cut off due to the severe winds and rains. The United Nations has now confirmed 24 deaths with the number expected to rise sharply as communication is re-established with areas outside Port Villa, the capital city. ABM is anxiously waiting to hear news from our Vanuatu partner, the Anglican Church of Melanesia, and also our Vanuatu Program Officer who is stranded there. We aim to raise $100,000 through this appeal to provide emergency relief to the many displaced people who are in urgent need of food, shelter and clean water. Please donate now. For more details on the appeal visit http://www.abmission.org/vanuatu-emergency or tel: 1300 302 663 #" APRIL 2015 PURPLE PATCH 02 Maundy Thursday Archbishop Bishop Tom Cathedral (7.30pm) Greenwood (6.00pm) Good Friday Archbishop Bishop Tom Cathedral (10.00am and 12.00noon) Greenwood (9.00am) Holy Saturday Bishop Tom Darlington-Bellevue (7.30pm) Easter Day Archbishop Bishop Tom Bishop Jeremy Cathedral (6.00am, 10.00am and 5.00pm) Greenwood (9.00am) Northam (10.00am) Archbishop Bishop Tom Bishop Jeremy Balga-Mirrabooka Floreat Park Lockridge-Eden Hill 19 Archbishop Bishop Tom Bishop Jeremy Lesmurdie Joondalup Murdoch-Winthrop Swan 12 Archbishop Bishop Tom Bishop Jeremy Bassendean Toodyay-Goomalling – Farewell for Archdeacon Peter Bourne Toodyay-Goomalling – Farewell for Archdeacon Peter Bourne 03 04 05 12 ## CLERGY NEWS CHANGE OF STATUS The Reverend Gail Falconer Rector, Scarborough APPOINTMENTS The Reverend Dr Elizabeth Smith The Reverend William Thomas The Reverend Peter Boyland The Reverend Bruce Hyde The Reverend Rae Reinersten The Reverend Sebastiana Pienaar Senior Mission Priest, The Goldfields Associate Mission Priest, The Goldfields Area Dean, Claremont Deanery Chaplain, GFS – An Anglican Ministry Cathedral Pastor Deacon Parish of Riverton 01.05.15 01.05.15 LOCUM TENENS The Reverend Steve Conway Mt Lawley 01.03.15 – 30.04.15 RETIREMENT The Reverend Rodger Bull Priest-in-Charge, Belmont 26.07.15 RESIGNATIONS The Reverend Mark Walker Priest-in-Charge, Lesmurdie 07.07.15 11.03.15 15.03.15 #$ WHERE TO WORSHIP ACCOMMODATION JOHN SEPTIMUS ROE ANGLICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL ALBANY ST GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL 38 St George’s Terrace, Perth Daily: 7.30am Morning Prayer and 8am Eucharist. For details of all other daily Eucharists and Evening Prayer, see our website: www.perthcathedral.org | 9325 5766 SUNDAY SERVICES 8am: Holy Eucharist (BCP) with hymns 10am: Choral Eucharist and Sunday School 5pm: Choral Evensong SPECIAL SERVICES IN APRIL 2015 THURSDAY 2 APRIL (Maundy Thursday) 7.30pm: Eucharist of the Lord’s Supper with the Washing of the Feet and the Watch of the Passion. Western Wind Mass (Sheppard), Ubi caritas (Duruflé), A new commandment (Tallis). FRIDAY 3 APRIL (Good Friday) 10am: The Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday with the Singing of the Passion. Mass for Three Voices (Byrd), Timor et Tremor (Poulenc), Crucifixus (Lotti), Passion according to St John (Victoria). 12 noon: The Three Hour Devotion. SUNDAY 5 APRIL (Easter Day) 6am: The Easter Vigil and First Eucharist of Easter with Baptism and Confirmation. 8am: Holy Eucharist with hymns. 10am: Procession and Choral Eucharist with hymns. Coronation Mass (Mozart), Worthy is the Lamb from Messiah (Handel). 5pm: Festal Evensong ‘Spiritual Songs and Sparkling Wine’. Five Mystical Songs (Vaughan Williams), Service in C (Stanford). SUNDAY 12 APRIL 5pm: Evensong with Blessing of the Barrels (‘the kirking o’ the whisky’) with ticketed whisky-tasting and dinner. SUNDAY 19 APRIL 5pm: Choral Evensong. WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 6pm: “Pimms, England, and St George” - celebrating all things English with Patronal Eucharist, Pimms & Cucumber Sandwiches, followed by Celebrate St George ‘music-hall’ entertainment (ticketed). SUNDAY 26 APRIL 5pm: Choral Evensong commemorating the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. #% St John’s, York Street Sundays 8.00am Eucharist (with hymns) 10.00am Sung Eucharist and Sunday School. Visitors welcome www.anglicanchurchalbany.org.au BUSSELTON St Mary’s Anglican Church Cnr of Queen St & Peel Tce Busselton Fri: 9.30 am Sat: 6.15 -7pm Sun: 7.30am, 8am, 9.30am & 5pm 0897543775 CANNINGTON St Michael and All Angels’ Church 46 George Way, Cannington Sunday Eucharist 8.00am and 9.30am Midweek Eucharist Weds 10.00am Sacrament of Reconciliation and Spiritual Direction by appointment. The Reverend Ron Ross Locum mob 0424 745 795 email [email protected] www.canningtonanglicans.org.au St Paul’s Chapel Choir Director: Jamil Osman Organist: Jonathan Bradley CHORAL EVENSONG TUESDAYS at 5.00 pm during school term St Paul’s Chapel John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School Corner Mirrabooka and Boyare Avenues, Mirrabooka (Parking is available on the School grounds) DIOCESE OF PERTH – PARISH VISITS 2015 St Patrick’s Basilica, Fremantle 11.00 am Sunday 24 May St Nicolas Anglican Church, Carine/Duncraig 9.30 am Sunday 28 June Church of Resurrection, Swanbourne/Mt Claremont 5.00 pm Sunday 26 July St George’s Cathedral, Perth, (Evensong) 5.00 pm Sunday 23 August St Boniface Cathedral, Bunbury 9.45 am Sunday 25 October Grace Church, Joondalup 9.00 am Sunday 22 November MANDURAH Christ Church, Sholl Street Sunday 7, 8.15, 10 am (The bells are rung 9.25 - 9.55 am) FREMANTLE OTHER 9 Lessons & Carols 6.00 pm Sunday 29 November 2015 St Paul’s Chapel, Mirrabooka For information regarding the Chapel Choir please refer to the School website www.jsracs.wa.edu.au St John’s in the Square EUCHARIST Sundays 8.00am & 10.30am Ash Wednesday 12.30pm & 6.00pm Tuesday & Thursday 8.00am Wednesday 12.30pm Friday 9.30am DUNSBOROUGH Fully furnished house, close to shops and beach. Sleeps 6-8. $100 per night. Sorry no pets. T: 0419 654 258 ADVERTISING ALCOHOLISM AL-ANON FAMILY GROUP Hope for families and friends of alcoholics. If you are troubled by someone else’s drinking you will find help in Al-Anon. T: 9325 7528 (24hrs) Perth Home Fix KINLAR VESTMENTS Quality handmade and decorated vestments, albs, chasubles, stoles, altar cloths, banners. Contact: Vickii Smith Veness T: 9402 1318 M: 0409 114 093 12 Favenc Way, Padbury 6025. By appointment only. [email protected] www.kinlarvestments.com.au RICH HARVEST CHRISTIAN SHOP Bibles, CDs, cards, apparel, gifts statues, religious vestments 39 Hulme Ct Myaree, 9329 9889 After 10am Mon - Sat ABN: 69603667161 Specializing in WANTED WANTED Pre-loved black priest’s cassock and surplice to fit 44 inch waist. Call John 08-9246 5898 Renovation - Handyman • Carpets • Tile and grout • Upholstery • Flood damage • Carpet repairs Personalized Service Domestic and Commercial Painting, Carpentry Bathroom, Kitchen Call Bijan on: 0405 144 128 Email: [email protected] Call Stephen 0413 561 751 SPIRITUAL DIRECTION or PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION Silent Retreats for Women conducted by Josephine Griffiths 24-26 July 20-22 November “Challenging, energising,nurturing, restful. How can one retreat hold so much, yet somehow Josephine’s do” Ring Josephine on 9207 2696 for information and enrolment email [email protected] PALMYRA Office 9335 2213 www.anglicanparishoffremantle.com Experience the peace, quiet and prayer of the Benedictine monastic community of New Norcia. 132km north of Perth. Twin rooms with en-suites and single rooms. Join the monks for daily prayer. Directed retreats by arrangement. Recommended donation of $80/person/ day full board. Inquiries: Bernadette at [email protected] T: 9654 8002 www.newnorcia.com ST JOHNS BOOKS FREMANTLE 2015 Lectionary available now, together with resources, spirituality and bibles. CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUALITY Office 9335 2213 www.anglicanparishoffremantle.com EUCHARIST Sundays 9.15am Wednesday 10.00am Ash Wednesday 10.00am NEW NORCIA MONASTERY GUESTHOUSE for clergy or lay people. Call Rev'd John Clapton at Eulogeo Resources 0408 957 997. Competitive fees. Sunday Evening Prayer 5.00pm St Peter’s in Hammad Street CLASSIFIEDS !"#$%$&'(")*#'+,-'("%-%. 'ƌŽƵƉŝĂůŽŐƵĞ&ĂĐŝůŝƚĂƟŽŶ! >ĞĂĚĞƌƐŚŝƉŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ! ZĞƚƌĞĂƚƐĂŶĚYƵŝĞƚĂLJƐ "#$%&'(!)**+! ǁǁǁ͘ŵŝĐŚĂĞůũŽŚŶǁŽŽĚ͘ĐŽŵ! ,%-!./01!.21032 Normal Shop hours 10am-1pm Mon-Fri 10am-12noon Sat's Wonderful selection of good books Large range of new Year B resources. Check out our website * on-line sales welcome via our website Highgate Court, Fremantle (across the road from St Johns Church and next door to 26 Queen St) email us [email protected] check out website www.stjohnsbooks.com.au Rod Evans Community Centre is offering Senior Fitness Classes, Nordic Walking and Tiny Tots Playgroup. Three Course Lunch for $12.00 Service starts 12.00pm sharp Bookings are essential Phone: 9325 1507 160 Hay Street EAST PERTH WA 6005 email: [email protected] phone (08) 9335 1982 during shop hours #& #'