“I nearly choked on my Weetbix when I saw the pictures of black balloons in Bendigo. We have to do something!”

That was the gist of a phone call from a Uniting Church social justice worker in Melbourne who rang me to raise interest in a local response to the fear-driven campaign of the anti-mosque group.

Thanks to the magic of Facebook we saw over 100 people gather in the Bendigo Mall the next

morning. Our Melbourne friends hired a helium bottle and came with coloured balloons. Before long the mall was a sea of rainbow colour in support of cultural diversity and the freedom to worship.

Heri Febrianto, president of the Bendigo Islamic Society, spoke movingly of how encouraged he and other local Muslims felt by the show of support.

Since the rally, Bendigo City

Bendigo rallies to support freedom to worshipSupport: Heri Febrianto, president of the Bendigo Islamic Society, with the Revd Canon Bryn Jones at the rally

Council have agreed to facilitate an Interfaith Council with representatives from the main Christian denominations, the Buddhist, Muslim and hopefully Sikh communities.

Please pray for this new group and for continued dialogue and deepening friendship between the varied faith traditions in Bendigo.

- Revd Canon Bryn Jones

The

monthly

Anglican Diocese of Bendigo

Bishop receives tenure extension page 3

Sunraysia South ready to ‘Renew’ page 6

St Luke’s signs deed with Anglicare Victoria page 8

Reflections on General Synod pages 8-9

Inside:

Hargreaves Mall in Bendigo was a sea of coloured balloons on Saturday 19 July as the community gathered to support freedom to worship in the wake of opposition to a mosque for Bendigo.

august 2014 issue 102

A matter of faith or fear? Bishop Andrew comments on Bendigo’s mosque proposal - page 6

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www.bendigoanglican.org.auaugust 2014

Dear Friends, In July the Anglican Church of Australia met in General Synod in Adelaide. It meets every three to four years and it is the Synod of our national Church. The main focus of the Synod was a report entitled ‘Viability and Structures of the Anglican Church of Australia’. It was the outcome of a Taskforce that, over the past three years, looked at the viability and structure of our national Church. The

report was just on 80 pages in length and was written by me, not to bring about immediate or dramatic change, but to be a mirror for the Church to be able to look at itself. It is intended to be a landmark, a foundation for the national Church to be able to look forward and be re-energised. We are an aging and declining church, but we should not despair. The ten criteria of viability are designed to give dioceses plenty of scope for addressing their situation. Let me list these criteria for viability, and comment on them in the light of our own diocese.

1. Capacity for mission: This relates to a diocese having a clear theology of mission and putting it into practice. The main vehicle for this in this diocese has been Mission Action Plans. They have waned somewhat in the last two years, but are about to be reactivated.

2. Demographic factors: One needs to know the population trends in a diocese. While certain rural areas in north-west Victoria are losing

population, towns are all growing, spearheaded by the growth of Bendigo.

3. Geography: Overall in Victoria, compared with the rest of Australia, we have very reasonable distances to travel and connect with people. The Anglican Church has adopted the traditional English pattern across Victoria, with everywhere served by the parish system. In many rural areas this system is under strain. Our diocese has put in place the Ordained Local Ministry (OLM) model to sustain the parish system.

4. Diocesan resources: A diocese needs people and funds to build for the future. Our diocese is in a much better financial state than it was a decade ago, but recurrent expenditure is under great pressure. Many parishes are feeling the strain of limited finances, but there is enthusiasm and hope wherever I go.

5. Distribution, number and age of clergy: There is good news here. The average age of clergy in this diocese has halved over the past decade and we now have more clergy on the ground than ever before. If fully staffed, and that is the challenge, we would have 52 clergy including stipendiary, OLMs and Pioneer clergy.

6. Governance: This refers to the way decisions are made in a diocese at the leadership and management level. Some years ago this diocese introduced a Diocesan Executive which operates akin to a company board: this has strengthened governance across the diocese.

7. Leadership: This is at the heart of giving the Church a future. As bishop, I have put considerable effort and resources into both clerical and lay leadership of our diocese.

8. Goals and strategy of a diocese: We are truly blessed in our diocese to have a Strategic Plan for 2013-2017. Already half the strategies and recommendations are being implemented.

The Bishop

It [the report] is intended to be a landmark, a foundation for the national Church

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9. Capacity to resolve persistent problems: This is a big challenge - to address negativity, defeatism, and parishes constantly complaining about their situation and the future. Things are tough, but we need to understand that we are the people of God, blessed and called!

10. New models of being church: As bishop I have endeavoured to be a permission-giver and encourager. Churches have to explore new ways of being the body of Christ. If we just continue to meet for one hour on a Sunday we will not survive, let alone grow.

Copies of the report are available from the Registry office, or you can email my PA Sarah at bishoppa@bendigoanglican.org.au to obtain a copy.

With every blessing,

Address: The Spirit, PO Box 2, Bendigo 3552

Member, Australian Religious Press Association

Telephone: 03 5443 4711

General: thespirit@bendigoanglican.org.au

Editor: The Revd Dr Charles Sherlock

charlesherlock@gmail.com

Committee Chair: The Revd Canon Bryn Jones

The Spirit is published in the first week of the month (excluding January).

Advertising rates are available from the Editor. All advertisements are accepted at the Editor’s discretion; acceptance does not imply endorsement of the product or service.

Contributions are welcome, and will be edited. Email contributions are preferred. Anonymous articles will not be considered for publication.

Photographs should be sent in digital form to the general email address above. Full size, ‘raw’ files are necessary. Physical photos are normally not returned.

The Anglican Diocese of Bendigo and the Editor are not responsible for opinions expressed by contributors, nor do these necessarily reflect the policy of the diocese.

Contributions for the next issue must be submitted by Wednesday 27 August.

Monthly newsmagazine of the Anglican Diocese of Bendigo

writes

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‘The Spirit’ comes with a new look

Kyren confirmed at Swan Hill

This is no mean feat for the young father of a lively toddler. Bishop Andrew Curnow spoke about the service of confirmation being like a seed of hope that is planted and that the resulting growth is not usually instant. It takes time, yet slowly but surely good growth is seen in the years ahead.

We pray that this will be so for Kyren - that the step he has taken, and the work he has put into the preparation, will bear a fruitful harvest.

Confirmed: Bishop Andrew confirming Kyren with the Revds Jan Harper and Denis Gell

For the occasion Bishop Andrew wore a chasuble he has rarely worn since he received it as a gift from his parish when he was ordained priest.

It was particularly fitting for the occasion since it showed the farmer sowing the seed. The Gospel reading of the day included Jesus’ parable of the wheat seeds falling on the path, stony and good soils.

At the end of the service Kayden helped his dad to cut the celebration cake ready for morning tea.

- Jan Harper

On a mid July Sunday morning when the grass was white with frost, and the grey nomads had already headed to warmer parts for winter, we had reason to celebrate at Christ Church Swan Hill - Kyren Myers was being confirmed.

‘The Spirit’ reached 100 issues in May and its format has remained largely unchanged, though adjusted in 2010. The Diocesan Strategic Plan asked for a full review of ‘The Spirit’ which has now been completed.

With assistance from staff at St Luke’s Anglicare, the Committee has developed a new design for the publication. It involves a brand new masthead, fresh look and improved layout but maintains the features which have long made our monthly diocesan news magazine popular.

What do you think? We’d love to hear your feedback. Send your comments to thespirit@bendigoanglican.org.au.

- Charles Sherlock, Editor

‘The Spirit’ brings fresh new look

Bishop’s Tenure ExtendedBishop Andrew has received a three year extension to his tenure as Bishop of Bendigo until 26 February 2018.The Tenure Review Committee, a newly formed committee responsible for conducting a performance review of the bishop, presented a final report and recommendation to the Council of the Diocese at the July meeting. The Council unanimously supported the recommendation to extend Bishop Andrew’s tenure as Bishop of Bendigo for a further three years.

Bishop Andrew applied for an extension to his tenure in February of this year in accordance with the newly adopted Bishopric Act 2013, with his time in office due to expire in February 2015.

Following this application, the Tenure Review Committee was appointed by the Council of the Diocese to conduct a performance review of the Bishop and provide a recommendation to the Council.

The Tenure Review Committee, comprising of one clerical member, one lay member and one member appointed by the bishop, established and distributed an in-depth survey assessing the performance of the bishop in areas of spirituality, governance, financial management, leadership and self-management.

The Committee also held several meetings with the bishop and other key diocesan leaders as part of the review process.

The Council expressed to Bishop Andrew their sincere thanks for his strong and valued leadership of the diocese over the past 11 years and congratulated him on his achievements through that time.

Bishop Andrew said “it is an honour to receive this extension and I look forward to leading the diocese in the coming years”.

- Sarah Crutch

It is an honour to receive this extension

- Bishop Andrew

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gratitude of the heart

Don’t think I can remember any cyclist that has not shared how they can be in a foul mood or having a terrible day, and after 10 to 15 minutes into the ride are feeling the freedom and ease of cycling. This impacts on the heart, mind and soul, to let go of what was holding them and stopping them from enjoying relationships with others and being happy about themselves.

We all know cycling brings freedom and clears the head, giving a wonderful time to ponder and plan, a time to be thankful for air in the lungs and the wind on our faces. Add to this act of getting out on the bike a heart

of gratitude towards other shared road users, in particular a genuine response to seeing other cyclists, and there will be an impact on you being a happier and healthier person.

“There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed. If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude.” - Robert Brault

Choosing to stay happier and grateful will see our lives bear more fruitful relationships on and off the bike. Start with being bold, and share a wave to another cyclist - hopefully you will get a wave back. It is the small things that can grow into bigger things in changing the culture of a community across Bendigo.

“Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings.” - Marianne Williamson

An attitude of gratitude requires a choice of the heart. Add to this faith in Christ Jesus and it hard to remain discontented in the Church, where we can have many people feeling disengaged over often some trifle reason or relationship break down.

When we stand together, teaching and admonishing one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in our hearts, we become engrossed with Christ’s majesty and awe.

The scriptures tell us that “the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!” (2 Corinthians 3:17). We all long for freedom in our lives: it can only be truly found in the good news of Lord Jesus, the son of our God our father, who saw us, chose us and has loved us since the beginning of time.

“The struggle ends when the gratitude begins.” - Neale Donald Walsch

Looking forward to seeing you on the road soon God willing.

- Eddie Barkla Pioneer minister

Bendigo cycling community

Choosing to stay happier and grateful will see our lives bear more fruitful relationships on and off the bike.

Change a life. Donate now.

Donate to St Luke’s AnglicareDonate by phone 03 5440 8140 or email donate@stlukes.org.auDirect deposit via Bendigo Bank:

BSB 633 000 ACC 130329535

Albury • Bendigo • CastlemaineDeniliquin • Echuca • Kyneton

Maryborough • Swan Hill

St Luke’s is there to work with people and give them a renewed sense of dignity and worth.– Bishop Andrew Curnow AM

St Luke’s Board President

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts (Colossians 3:16).

Cycling by Faith

The Spirit online!Like an email? If you’d like a full colour pdf of ‘The Spirit’ emailed to you each month, let us know!

Just email thespirit@bendigoanglican.org.au and we’ll add you to our e-mailing list!

Read online You can also read ‘The Spirit’ and other diocesan publications on issuu.com.

Just search for ‘Anglican Diocese of Bendigo’.

We had five minutes to list what MU in our diocese had achieved in the past few years ...we ran out of time

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Seeds of hope: The Revd Canon Bryn Jones leads the service

Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed was the focus for the MU/Caritas Winter Gathering at St Mary’s Kangaroo Flat on 25 June.

It followed through on the year’s theme, ‘Seeds of Hope’. Not a glamorous or stately tree, not tall and majestic but reachable, useful, sheltering and sustaining – “the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:32).

Canon Bryn Jones led a reflection on the parable of the mustard seed. He started by offering those gathered a ‘taste’ of mustard posing the question: ‘What does your faith taste like?’

He also reflected on the shelter offered by a mustard tree and the nourishment provided by its leaves suggesting that the kingdom of God also was a wide, welcoming place of shelter and nurture for people from many backgrounds.

The Church also has a calling to shelter, protect and nurture but also to offer the distinctly pungent and for some challenging flavour of the mustard seed.

John Gault led the afternoon session. He shared a report of an event in Baghdad, Iraq, where a bus which had collected children for school was the target of an explosive device.

There was much damage and all the windows blew out - but no child was injured. When asked about this, the children insisted that ‘Jesus was on the bus’ at the time of the explosion!

John challenged us to consider whether Jesus was on our bus - the bus of Caritas and MU in this diocese. What is our frontline? ‘To share Christ’s Love in supporting Marriage and Family Life’.

John identified many of the changes and challenges we need to consider which affect our communities now. He gave many comparative facts and figures - the then and now of approaches and attitudes to marriage and relationships.

For example, across Australia:

• the proportion of marriages preceded by cohabitation in 1975 was 18%. By 2012 this figure had increased to 79%.

• the proportion of marriages celebrated by civil celebrants in 1970 was 11%, and by ministers of religion, 89%; by 2010, the proportions were 76 and 24% respectively.

After an exercise where we had five minutes to list what MU in our diocese had achieved in the past few years - when we ran out of time - and then another five minutes to list what we would aim to achieve in the years ahead.

“The things we do together as a team unite us as a whole,” John concluded. “But we need to make sure that ‘Jesus is on our bus!’. Nothing, but nothing changes Jesus’ love for us - we are on the frontline sharing Jesus’ love, encouraging, strengthening and supporting marriage and family life”.

We shared another cuppa, supplied by June Prior and her team of Jenny and Jenny, who had looked after us so beautifully all day. Thank you MU/Caritas team, John and Canon Bryn.

- Ronda Gault

The Diocese of Bendigo expects the highest standards of professional service from its

Clergy and Lay Ministers.

IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT

Please call (free) 1800 135 246A phone call to the above number will mean that your complaint will be handled by the

Director of Professional Standards.The Diocese is a full participant in the Victorian Anglican Provincial Abuse

and Harassment Protocol.This is an independent, objective procedure

adopted by the Diocese of Bendigo.

Small beginnings are beautiful - and lead to big things!

Would you like to experience a Cursillo weekend in beautiful Maldon? Cursillo is a movement in the Anglican Church which aims to inspire people to live out the fundamentals of being a Christian, by seeking to deepen their spiritual awareness and commitment to God.

A women’s weekend is planned for 25/28 September 2014, and a men’s weekend for 2/5 October 2014. Each will provide an experience of living in a Christian community, supported by prayer, with talks and discussions, worship and times of reflection. Small groups will work, pray, sing, laugh and grow together.

A small charge is made for the four days’ day accommodation, with all meals provided.

For more information and to obtain an application form please contact John Hewlett on jfahewlett@bigpond.com or 5486 5278.

Cursillo weekends coming up

The things we do together as a team unite us as a whole

- John Gault

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Sunraysia South ready to ‘Renew’ in Red Cliffs

Around the Diocese Bishop urges Bendigo to value freedom to worshipAs you may have heard or read in the media, a mosque has been proposed for Bendigo and its location and initial design have been approved by the City of Greater Bendigo. The approval has brought a storm of vitriol and a tirade of threats and reaction as to what having a mosque in the city will generate, even terrorism. The anxieties of those who oppose the mosque has translated into fear and allegation.

Sadly, much of opposition amounts to sheer prejudice and a lack of goodwill and understanding. Across the diocese there are mosques already in Mildura and Mooroopna and none of the consequences that have been alleged by having one have come to fruition in those communities.

I have urged the Christian community of Bendigo to value the right of the freedom to worship and that includes other religious traditions. When the Buddhist Great Stupa was proposed for Bendigo there were similar concerns and now it is regarded as making a significant contribution to the religious and cultural life of the city.

My experience of meeting Islamic people in Bendigo is that they very much want to be part of the cultural and religious life of the city. They have not come to divide, but to bring peace and understanding!

- Bishop Andrew

United: Bendigo rallies to show support for freedom to worship

Colbinabbin goes red for PentecostPentecost was celebrated with enthusiasm in the four churches in our parish – Elmore, Goorong, Colbinabbin and Raywood. Of course it was red everything – flowers, balloons, sashes, cocktail frankfurts, tomato sauce, cordial, even the plates and serviettes at morning tea.

At St John’s Colbinabbin, Michelle made us a special Pentecost cake with red icing, which the children decorated with red lollies and candles during their Sunday School time with Mrs West. They also made tongues of fire and windmills. What a joyful celebration it was!

- Sandra Clayton

Red all over: Colbinabbin celebrates Pentecost

The Parish of Sunraysia South has had a long term goal of having a physical presence in the business area of Red Cliffs and, with assistance from a grant from the Leith Trust, ‘Renew’ was officially opened by Bishop Andrew on 1 August.

‘Renew’ aims to make a positive contribution towards the physical, social and spiritual needs of the people of Red Cliffs and the wider Sunraysia South area by offering a range of services. These include an opportunity shop, ‘Foodbank’ and a lounge space for developing relationships, pastoral care, holding small meetings or just catching up. As part of opening day celebrations Fay Groves was commissioned as a Pastoral Worker for ‘Renew’ and will work in the store part time.

‘Renew’ will also offer occasional training and community programs, along with opportunities to explore spirituality within a Christian framework. We are looking forward to developing stronger links with our community and having a more visible presence.

Many parish members have worked very hard over the last couple of months with outstanding results in the setup of the shop front. We are very thankful to God for his provision and enabling us to go ahead with the project.

- Revd Canon Dale BarclayLicensed: Fay Groves is commissioned as a Pastoral Worker

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Around the Parishes

Birchip honours parishioner of 103 yearsOn St Paul’s Day, 29 June, a parish service was held at St. Paul’s in Birchip with parishioners travelling from Wedderburn, Charlton, Donald and Birchip.

During the service a plaque was dedicated to the memory of Mrs Ena Smith who had been a loyal and faithful member of St Pauls’ Birchip for all of her 103 years from 1910 until 2013. Many of Mrs Smith’s extended family were in the congregation and were warmly welcomed by Canon Peter Bertram.

Mrs Val Hogan spoke of Mrs Smith always being beautifully dressed and always wearing high heels, even when walking to church, right up until 100 years of age.

After the service everyone adjourned to the Senior Citizens rooms for a shared lunch and a chat concluding another enjoyable Parish Sunday.

- Beth CrutchIn memory: Five of Ena Smith’s daughters with the plaque commemorating their mother

Former rector returns to CharltonThe Revd George Lucas, a priest at St. Martin’s Charlton from 1960 to 1964, visited Charlton on the weekend of 5 - 6 of July. The church and rectory were built in 1963 during his time at Charlton and he was involved in much of the planning.

Revd and Mrs Lucas were delighted to be able to look through the rectory they used to live in to see the renovations after the January 2011 floods.

Revd Lucas was saddened when he visited Charlton after the floods to see the church in such a state. He and his church, Holy Trinity Surrey Hills, decided they wanted to help St. Martin’s and sent a very generous donation for which we are very grateful.

The Lucas’ took home a folder of photos of the floods in 2011, the rededication of the church in 2012 and memorabilia from the 1960’s.

We all enjoyed the weekend and our guests went home with happy memories of their time in Charlton, both now and in the past.

- Beth Crutch Return visit: Revd George Lucas beside the foundation stone of St Martin’s which bears his name

Celebrations: Mrs Estelle Wilson and Mrs Morrie Wright cut the anniversary cake

Inglewood celebrates 150 yearsOn June 8 St. Augustine’s Church in Inglewood celebrated the 150th anniversary of its dedication in 1864. The celebrations spread over the weekend of 7 - 8 July and were attended by many current and former parishioners and families of former Incumbents.

The weekend started on Saturday with a display in the church of photos and memorabilia including the silver trowel used by Bishop Thornton to lay the foundation stone of the chancel addition in 1884. Visitors from as far away as Western Australia shared a cup of tea while looking through these memories from the past.

On Saturday evening about 50 people attended a dinner in the Royal Hotel where they met many old friends. On Sunday the anniversary service at St. Augustine’s was led by Bishop Andrew who preached before a full church. This was followed by a lunch in the Parish Hall catered by the ladies of the parish.

A booklet about the history of the past 150 years of the life of St. Augustine’s was produced for the occasion and proved popular. Copies can still be obtained by contacting St. Augustine’s on 0415 508 138.

- Carolyn Lawrence

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Bishop Andrew, President of St Luke’s Anglicare, has signed the Implementation Deed to effect the transfer of business from St Luke’s Anglicare to Anglicare Victoria as of 1 August 2014.It was a significant milestone for the Board of St Luke’s Anglicare, which have been in negotiations with Anglicare Victoria for the past 10 months as to how the agencies could come together to strengthen the delivery of welfare services across the region.

“This is a significant milestone for St Luke’s and I thank all those who have contributed to achieving this outcome” Bishop Andrew said.

The decision for St Luke’s to pursue a partnership with a larger agency comes as community service providers are facing challenges including shifting government priorities and welfare sector reform.

“Positioning St Luke’s with Anglicare Victoria will not only provide ongoing financial stability, but allow St Luke’s to strengthen and build on the quality services it currently delivers” Bishop Andrew said.

“The diocese hopes to grow its relationship with Anglicare Victoria as we continue to work towards better responding to the needs of the disadvantaged members of our community”.

From 1 August 2014, St Luke’s will be known as St Luke’s Anglicare, a division of Anglicare Victoria.

- Sarah Crutch

Reflections on General Synod

This is the 16th session of the Australian Anglican General Synod and was held in beautiful, but very cold and wet Adelaide.

Synods are a distinctively Anglican thing. In fact it was Bishop Charles Perry who held the first modern Anglican Synod in 1856 in Melbourne.

Our General Synod sees Anglicans from all over the Australian Church spend five days together thrashing out motions and bills. The number of people from each diocese is related to the number of clergy in that diocese. Sydney with the most clergy sends the most people. Bendigo sent five: Bishop Andrew, two clergy (Greg Harris and myself) and two laypeople (Ian Dallas, the Chancellor, and Deborah Coulthard of Castlemaine).

So why is General Synod so perplexing? The standard reason given here is that the Anglican Church is so diverse, so stretched out that it is like two churches. Archbishop Carnley provided the metaphor of the Australian church as being like two great tectonic plates which at times rub up against each other. Surely there is much truth in this.

But also what we are doing here is just difficult. Much of our church life gives the illusion of being easy - and as Jesus said my yoke is easy, our faith is not meant to be burdensome. But at times is it not easy. It cannot all be scones and tea in the afternoon. At times we need to wrestle (another biblical metaphor) with subtle and complex issues.

This year we have talked about marriage, the Anglican Covenant, and

there was plenty of discussion about the viability of Australia’s 23 dioceses.

There have been bills about episcopal standards (how bishops are expected to behave), and as the week moved on there were motions about climate change and the environment, discussions about the Royal Commission, and legislation about limited confidentiality in the context of the rite of confession.

What possible new thing could there be to say about any of these issues? It is possible to be deeply cynical about whole process, and certainly there is a danger of that. But it is also possible to see some of what goes here as part of the vital life of being a church. All these tortuous debates that we are sitting through are in fact the church being the church.

You might think that the slowness of the Synod, and it can feel aching slow at times, is because we get bogged down in the details. ‘The devil is in the details’ you might hear whispered across the tables. But even older than the idea that the devil is in the details is the idea that God is in the details.

Details matter, and it is at the level of detail that real differences can become apparent. It is at this level where patient and detailed work help builds the body of Christ.

At the end of week much had been talked about, important legislation had been passed, groups had met and friendships renewed and made, and to top it all Adelaide was bathed in warm winter sunshine.

- John Roundhill

But even older than the idea that the devil is in the details is the idea that God is in the details

Thrilling, exciting, dazzling; tedious, boring and deeply frustrating. All these emotions came flooding over me in just the first day of General Synod.

St Luke’s signs deed with Anglicare Victoria

Signed: Bishop Andrew signs the Implementation Deed

9

a means of helpful discussion, with the evangelicals also declaring they could better understand the catholic perspective. It may very well be that such ‘eureka moments’ promote the boldness and courage needed to make the necessary changes.

Which brings me to my second, and very much related, pertinent part of the Synod - the debate on the Viability and Structures Report. It occurred on the last day and our bishop was both gracious and persuasive, along with Archdeacon Richard Condie from Melbourne, as they led the debate on the report. There were a number of amendments to the motion but each amendment was in the spirit of wanting to see this Synod face the somewhat brutal facts that we need to act. The tenor of the debate was positive and the most quoted word in the speeches was ‘opportunity’.

In the end the motion and report were adopted unanimously and accompanied with great applause. The real work begins now, with Standing Committee and each Province, but it may just be that the ‘ground of opportunity’ has been tilled and ready for the planting!

- Greg Harris

Two highlights from General Synod

On a positive note the Synod did provide me an opportunity to renew and make acquaintances from several dioceses including Armidale, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Bathurst and Canberra-Goulburn, to name just a few.

Surprisingly one (I want to say ‘young’) gentleman came up to me and asked if I was the ‘Greg Harris’ who went to a Sunday School and Youth Group in Regents Park Sydney back in the 1970’s and 1980’s. It

turned out he and I knew each other from all those years ago. There was also the discovery on my part that the Dean of the Bathurst Cathedral was my English teacher at school.

There were two parts of the Synod that were particularly pertinent for me. The first was the small groups that we were allocated to and met with each day for Bible study, prayer and discussion. The group I was assigned to had representatives from Brisbane, Northern Territory, Melbourne,

Sydney, Gippsland and Bunbury. The Bible studies were encouraging and insightful. Of particular note were the discussions each day that centred on the Viability and Structures Report authored primarily by our bishop.

To a person there was a deep passion in my group to see every square inch of this nation under the pastoral care of an Anglican Diocese – providing opportunity for all to hear and be nurtured in the good news of Jesus. There was agreement that if every

square inch was to be under Anglican pastoral care it would require boldness and courage to make the necessary changes to address the viability of dioceses.

One ‘eureka moment’ occurred in our group when, during a discussion, a member from the catholic end of the church exclaimed that they finally understood where the evangelicals in our group were coming from. You may think this would be a point of contention but rather it provided

There was agreement that if every square inch was to be under Anglican pastoral care it would require boldness and courage to make the necessary changes to address the viability of dioceses

Representing: Bishop Andrew, Ian Dallas, John Roundhill, Deborah Coulthard and Greg Harris at General Synod

The General Synod in Adelaide was my first General Synod and in many ways I was not surprised by how it functioned. My lack of surprise may be due to the many people over my 17 years in ordained ministry who have been to General Synod and warned me (maybe ‘prepared’ is a more diplomatic term).

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Film Review:‘Healing’The Australian film ‘Healing’, starring Don Hany and Hugo Weaving, tells the story of Viktor Khadem, a prison inmate who is coming to the end of a 16-year sentence.

Viktor is sent to a low-security, pre-release prison farm in regional Victoria, where Senior Case Worker Matt Perry has established a unique program to rehabilitate broken men. He gives them the responsibility for the rehabilitation of injured raptors – beautiful, fearsome, proud eagles, falcons and owls. Viktor is paired with Yasmine, the majestic wedge-tailed eagle.

The two have a lot in common – both are broken. The bird needs someone to care for her and Viktor needs to care for something. The idea is that their pairing will enable a successful walk through the journey to rehabilitation. 70 to 80 per cent of prisoners are abused as children. Giving prisoners a purpose like caring for injured birds gives hope for redemption and healing of the spirit.

As I watched I was reminded of Hebrews 13:3: “Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering”.

Many prisoners don’t have anyone who cares for them. Many have few or no visitors. Jesus told us, “I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:36). How sad it must be for those without loved ones!

Healing deals with Viktor’s relationship with his estranged son. Viktor’s crime brought shame to his Muslim family. No one wants anything to do with him. It is only through hard work from prison staff that a happy family reunion can ensue.

And it is all with the help of Yasmine whose broken wings help Viktor learn to fly again and hopefully relearn to be free.

- Angela Morrisey

Feeding FaithThere’s a word for it

Normally we see the rainbow as a semicircular arc. I remember once flying at 10,000 feet with the sun behind us and a huge bank of cloud ahead. There was a rainbow which appeared as a complete circle through the centre of which we appeared to be going to fly. Of course we never did. The rainbow disappeared as we got nearer and the angle of the light changed.

Rainbows are like that. All those stories about ‘somewhere over the rainbow’ and pots of gold at the rainbow’s end speak of hope for something better but which can never really be achieved. There are no sudden earthly riches to be so easily grasped. But those stories arise

from the miracle and beauty of the rainbow.

It is obvious that the rainbow has been an object of wonder to folk of every age. Today the rainbow is a symbol of unity - South Africa for example is known as the Rainbow Nation. It has also become a sign also of concern for the environment - Greepeace’s flagship is called ‘The Rainbow Warrior.’ It has also become the banner under which the homosexual community fights for recognition and equality.

The bands of colour occur when light is refracted through water droplets in the clouds and we see white light broken into its constituent colours. It was Isaac Newton who first passed a ray of light, from a hole in a window blind, through a glass prism and showed that it could be broken into a whole spectrum of visible colours.

Amazingly, white light is made up of all the colours...well, of the rainbow. I remember in school physics having to paint a white cardboard disc with a full range of colours, so that no

“Rainbow”

white showed. Then spinning the disc until, amazingly, it turned white, thus showing that all the colours are constituent parts of light.

It was natural that early folk should liken the rainbow’s shape to what they knew - to a war bow. In Hebrew the same word means both a war-bow and a rainbow so one has to read the Bible references carefully to get the implied meaning. The war-bow had become a metaphor of the Lord God’s avenging power (Psalm 7:12 ). In Revelation 6:2 the war-bow is mentioned but a different Greek word, toxon, is used to signify conquest. This gives rise to our modern word toxophily, a fancy word for archery.

The rainbow meant other things. In Ezekiel 1:28 the rainbow is mentioned in a vision of the heavenly throne room as a symbol of the radiant majesty of God. Some say that it also implies God’s mercy. Similarly, in Revelation 4:3 a rainbow encircles the throne of God.

Perhaps the best remembered appearance of the coloured bow is after Noah’s flood, where God is seen as giving the rainbow as a sign of his covenant with humankind, and as a symbol of his promise never again to destroy the earth with a flood - Genesis 9:13-17.

God’s mercy and promise, God’s glory and majesty! These are the things that the scriptures see in this most magnificent of nature’s aerial display. The rainbow causes us to look up and to marvel at its majestic beauty. It’s a symbol for our attitude towards God. Earthly rainbows are transient - they soon disappear - but the mercy and promise of God is there for us forever.

- Richard Stamp

The rainbow causes us to look up and to marvel at its majestic beauty. It’s a symbol for our attitude towards God

Everyone loves a rainbow. This natural multi-coloured happening speaks in dry areas of the promise of rain. In rainy areas it speaks of a sunny interval.

11

Have you been to a variety of events and the same music is being used? What is God telling you? How do you respond?I was not aware of the hymn ‘Community of Christ’ (473 in Together in Song) until 2014. The words were written by Shirley Erena Murray. She was born in New Zealand in 1931 and originally an evangelical Methodist, married to a Presbyterian. They have three sons and six grandies.

Her hymns have been translated into several languages, and her themes are mainly about church seasons, care of creation, women’s concerns, peace and human rights. She is editor for the New Zealand Hymnbook Trust. She has received awards from the UK, USA, Canada as well as from her homeland.

The Hebrew synagogue melody used is a yigdal - a Jewish tune used in the place of honour to open a morning service and close of an evening service. These tunes have been around since early 1400s. This yigdal was transcribed by Meyer Lyon (1751-1797). Lyon was an opera singer and attended the Great Synagogue in London. The music was arranged by Thomas Olivers (1725-1799), a British Methodist.

The third verse, “crying out for justice and for peace” for the whole world seems most appropriate given recent events. “Disarm the powers”, we ask of God, that the Lord may turn “bombs into bread and tears of anguish into joy”.

The last time I heard this hymn there was discussion about the words and tune over the cuppa after the service. How often does that happen after a service?

Think about what you are singing every time you sing - and spend a minute or more praying for world peace.

- Coral Crook

Community of Christ

mediamattersThorpedo-ing media scrutiny

Ian Thorpe has finally said he is gay. Well at first he said, “I am not straight”. Is this a big deal or not?

Olympian: Ian Thorpe

Talkback radio the next morning seemed to despise the whole matter. “What’s so big about a gay man coming out?” they asked in cosmopolitan Melbourne. I listened more to Matt Mitcham, the diver, who said he was glad Thorpe had finally felt comfortable enough to speak. I’m glad too.

I am sure Michael Parkinson got a large audience. I had already been told a hundred times by my TV what Thorpe was going to say, but I still had to watch. As an Australian who has been thrilled by this young man’s beautiful swimming, I wanted to know that he was all right, as much as I had wanted to know that Julia Gillard was all right after her awful time in politics. I think there were probably mums like me all over the country who wanted to check whether he was completely stuffed up by the media scrutiny, by his attempts at a comeback, by his crippling shoulder injury, by his self-medication and professional medication.

Parkinson is not my favourite interviewer. I still grimace remembering his clumsy attempts to engage with movie star Meg Ryan. But Thorpe is a very intelligent young man and knew what he wanted to say. Why did he take so long to come out? Because some fool journalist asked a 15 year old kid whether he was gay or not.

Of course the boy said ‘No’, and after that he could not say anything else. Parkinson spent longer than I thought

necessary in going over and over the matter. But Thorpe, intelligent and patient, kept replying and getting clearer and clearer. He said he valued his integrity and the truth. And last night he showed it. Good on you, Ian, you will be all right.

How does any young person come out about their sexuality? To parents? To friends? To the world? I heard someone helpfully explaining on

talkback radio that you have to come out many times. As parents, we still do. Even in the simple act of buying a birthday present for our son-in-law we have to explain to the chatty shop assistant that we have no daughter. Embarrassing pause. With family and friends you have to hope, after the embarrassing pause, that they remain family and friends. Do it at church and you have a really long and potentially deadly pause. Doing it on Parkie on peak Sunday night TV is not such a bad idea.

The most touching moment was when it was revealed that his father had said of Ian, aged 15, “He does not belong to us anymore. He belongs to the world.” And so the whole country thrilled at this beautiful young man winning races. I still love to see photos of the Thorpedo in his body suit, and watch him win the Olympics, race after race.

The saddest moment was to hear how that beautiful body is now letting him down with pain and infection. And yet he explained better than I had ever

heard how unbearable pain and lactic acid is a standard part of world-class sport. There’s a media column waiting to be tackled!

But what now? I hope and trust that Australia will give Ian Thorpe back to himself as he continues to discover who he is and what the future holds.

- Peta Sherlock

How does any young person come out about their sexuality? To parents? To friends? To the world?

in the mix

12 SpiritThe

www.bendigoanglican.org.auaugust 2014

what’s on

Cursillo Women’s Weekend25 - 28 September

Cursillo Men’s Weekend2 - 5 October

Clergy Retreat - Rutherford Park6 - 9 October

events calendar

St John’s Newbridge 150th ServiceSunday 12 October, 2.00 pm

Where in the world... is this church?

Call our Customer Centre for free confidential aged care advice today.

1300 23 63 82www.benetas.com.au

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Final Service at St Stephen’s Emu CreekSunday 19 October, 2.00pm

If you can name the church and the city it is located in, you could be our monthly winner!

Send your entries into the thespirit@bendigoanglican.org.au or post to The Spirit at PO Box 2, Bendigo, VIC , 3552.

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151 McCrae Street Bendigo12 Victoria Street Eaglehawk

P. 5441 5577www.williamfarmer.com.au

A tradition that continues...

Caring at a time of need

Mavis Hampson has been a member of St. Martin’s Charlton for nearly 60 years. During that time she has been a member of the Ladies Guild (and was secretary for 27 years), on the catering committee, a Parish Council representative, a synod representative, mission secretary and a eucharistic assistant.

The congregation of St. Martin’s congratulates Mavis on her milestone birthday and gives thanks for her years of service.

Photo courtesy of Jenny Pollard

Mavis marks 90th birthday

Emergency Services Annual ServiceSunday 12 October

Synod - Extra SessionSaturday 25 October