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2011 was filled with news of political turmoil and social unrest in places like Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria. The effect of this turbulence on minority Christians in these areas has caused increased difficulty. Bishop Mouneer Anis from Egypt will be speaking at our CMS SummerView conference in a few days time.  We are holding a public meeting [...]

Where else but in the Southern Isle do comets light up in dazzling array? Oh! and did I mention the comet’s name? – “Lovejoy”. In Tasmania, Love-joy, what else? See article on the dazzling comet’s sighting (size of 20 moon diameters) and the Video, 2.09 minutes, Tasmania is referenced at 0.52 and 1.34 – Yes. I noticed.   Enjoy [...]

My Christmas Eve sermon this year began with a story about my grandmother’s heritage. Just two weeks ago something happened that helped me to see my grandmother more clearly I found an old book that I did not recall seeing before. It was this book, Come Ye Apart, a daily devotional reading with Bible verse [...]

From A Prayer Book for Australia, p.475 All glory to you, gracious God, for the gift of your Son whom you sent to save us. With the angels, let us praise your name, and tell the earth his story, that all may believe, rejoice, and proclaim your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives [...]

My CHRISTMAS MESSAGE published in Tasmania’s three newspapers: Hope for a desperate world How has 2011 been for you? It has brought its challenges, has it not? I guess it will be remembered for such ‘natural’ phenomena as the tsunami striking Japan, extraordinary floods in Thailand and, closer to home, floods and fires in our country. But [...]

I’ve just been reading my copy of The Bhagavad Gita. It’s strange, really; reading a Hindu sacred text at Christmas. The things you do! Why? Well, it started because I was reading about the Incarnation: God became human in the person of Jesus Christ. This is clearly an extreme statement which has proven offensive to [...]

When legalising death opens death’s door, it’s not just a slippery slope but a mobile one direct to your door AMSTERDAM — The main Dutch euthanasia advocacy group says it supports creating “mobile” euthanasia teams of doctors for terminally ill patients who want to die in their own homes, rather than in a hospital. The [...]

Excellent reflection on the “blunt” [meaning ineffective and damaging] law proposed by euthanasia/ assisted suicide advocates. Informative links are given at the end of the article. The law is always a blunt instrument. It draws lines – creating rights and obligations. Presently our law and the ethical guidelines for doctors and nurses align fairly well with the [...]

Jack leaping up from the ‘baptismal waters’ of the Derwent River; Bethany, Mitch, Anna, Stuart, Jo and many more Tasmanians who said ‘Yes!’ to Jesus in 2011. This has brought me great joy. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Shine as a light in the world to the glory of [...]

Want some Christmas sermon fuel re Australians’ religious beliefs? Look no further! NCLS has published a fact sheet from the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes in 2009: A quarter of Australians have no doubts about the existence of God Almost half the population continues to believe in heaven and in life after death, and more [...]