Over the weekend of Friday 28 to Sunday 30 May, the members of the 51st Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania are meeting at Launceston Church Grammar School.
The theme of my Presidential Address to the Synod was Christ’s Pilgrim People. The full Address is available here. The Address outline follows:
CHRIST’S PILGRIM PEOPLE
A PILGRIM PEOPLE
A pilgrimage of faith
A Christian pilgrim
Pilgrims together
A pilgrim where you are
Pilgrims translating the message of Christ
THE CONTEXT OF PILGRIMAGE
Understanding our community or external context
Atheism
Consumerism
Denial of truth: a world of spin
Secularism
Understanding our internal or church context
The outworking of sin
Conflict in the Church
How are Christ’s Pilgrim People to be one body?
Addressing our contexts
Prayer Pilgrimage: a pilgrim people @ prayer
THE CONFIDENCE OF CHRIST’S PILGRIM PEOPLE
The lessons from history
Stories of hope in Tasmania
The purposes of Christ’s Pilgrim People
Our pilgrimage has a purpose, for as Christ’s Pilgrim People our purpose is to build God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. We are also Christ’s Pilgrim People on our way to our eternal home with God: the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21:1-5)
With this vision and purpose in our head and heart,
Let us dedicate ourselves anew to God.
Let us in our parishes face challenges with confidence knowing that Christ goes before us and is with us.
Let us in our communities celebrate the Holy Spirit’s transforming life.
Let us in our ministries run the race before us.
Let us love one another and spur one another on that together we might see all Tasmanians committed to Jesus Christ!
Let us be Christ’s Pilgrim People!
See also Prayer Pilgrimage is underway – PTL!, Prayer Pilgrimage Purposes & Prayer – final text.
Explanation of Pentecost brochure from the Bishop and Pentecost Sunday brochure from the Bishop.
