Good news from Bagdad [without the ‘h’]

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At BAGDAD in the Southern Midlands of Tasmania both the lunchtime and after school SUPA Clubs are off to a wonderful start with between 10 – 16 children attending each one. We have recently sponsored a little girl from Kenya, Vaati, through Compassion. The children will be writing to her and raising money to send to her.

EASTER ACTIVITES were greatly enjoyed by the children and some of them now know the real reason we celebrate Easter. The Easter story was read out at a Bagdad Primary School Assembly with a few grade 6’s holding up a Cross, Nails and a blackberry crown.

The CHAPLAIN of Bagdad Primary School has been extremely busy, with a variety of changing duties, as needed. Some of these include assisting SRC with Breakfast Club, Networking with parents and singing with children at “Little Lambs” Play & Learn and First Air support. The Southern Midlands is still in terrible drought conditions and the chaplain is referring people to the Guidance Officer, Social Worker and Rural Alive & Well Support person for further assistance. Praying with and for the Southern Midlands Council before their meetings at Kempton, and whilst praying for Rain we also have the Gospel Reading and the Lord’s Prayer.

More stories of encouragement from around the diocese at the Barnabas Column.

The human right is to live, not to demand death

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In a recent opinion piece arguing pro euthanasia in Tasmania, two human rights, dignity and privacy, were joined to argue for the human right to demand death; ‘dignified death is a right’.

This conclusion is not just contrary to the right to life but it runs counter to the whole flow of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is about life, about living. The human right is to live, not to demand death.

The opinion piece raises a more general issue which concerns the effectiveness of a charter or bill of human rights to protect and promote human rights in Australia. The use of the Declaration of Human Rights to demand a right which was neither included nor I suggest intended, moves me from my fence sitting on the need for a charter or bill of human rights in Australia to deep concerns about having such a charter. If the Universal Declaration on Human Rights can be used to join two rights which have nothing to do with demanding death to argue for the right to demand death, then I for one am deeply disturbed at our having such a charter or bill.

I do not want to see the legal captivity of ‘unintended human rights’.

Human rights consultation update

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Monday 15th June is the closing date for written submissions to the Federal Government Committee, chaired by Father Frank Brennan to undertake an Australia-wide community consultation on the protection of human rights.  You might be interested in participating in the online consultation. The closing date for this is 26th June, 2009. Information can be found at the National Human Rights Consultation Website at www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au

Standing Committee of Sydney Diocese is making a submission. Background reading material on the issue is their report to the 2008 Synod “Human Rights, legal frameworks and Christian Responses” .

Also a submission to the Freedom of Religion and Belief Project.

(Courtesy of Lisa Watts, Researcher, Social Issues Executive, Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney)

Sermon notes on the Holy Trinity

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On Trinity Sunday at Holy Trinity, Launceston, I chose Nicodemus and his meeting with Jesus along with other texts in the Gospel according to John, to enter into the theme of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Preaching on the Trinity is always daunting. It is like trying to explain the unexplainable. One approach is to use the biblical texts that demonstrate what happened in the lives of the first disciples as they encountered the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The Nicodemus reading leads to other texts in John. Romans could have also been developed. I left aside the brilliant Isaiah, ‘Here am I Lord. Send me!’ Far too challenging!   You will find my sermon notes here. I did not preach all of them 🙂

Congratulations to Cyril Dann OAM

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Good news for us all in celebrating with Cyril who has been rightly recognized with an Order of Australia Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The citation reads, ‘For service to the community of Hobart through the provision of chaplaincy and pastoral care services.’ Well deserved good and faithful servant with sincerest thanks from the Anglican family.

Cross of handmade nails from St Matthias’ Windermere

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An unexpected benefit of renovations to the roof of St Matthias, Windermere was the finding of handmade nails which held the battens and rafters. The congregation have rescued the nails and by affixing two nails to a piece of wood from the original battens made them into crosses. I have been gifted one, see photo. They are a fund raiser and I can assure you make a much appreciated gift 🙂

cross

Obama speaks peace to the Muslim world

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This is a fine speech: eloquent, engaging, addressing key issues with clarity. Clearly a political address. Compulsory reading for those concerned with communicating. For example,

‘I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles — principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.’

President Obama’s speech to the Muslim world, Cairo 2 June 2009 is available as the full text of the speech and as an interactive video and transcript. A helpful summary report.

While I disagree with some of the comparisons made and not made, and the lack of strong reference in the speech to curtailed human rights in so many Islamic States, I realise this is an initial effort at diplomacy and so I shall keep my peace at this time. Let me refer you to some political reports.

A very good analysis including Osama bin Laden’s reaction is in Forceful Words and Fateful Realities, by Rod Nordland who concludes,

‘His (President Obama’s) Cairo speech may not succeed in changing the Middle East, but it will at least have persuaded many skeptical Muslims that he cared.’

To what extent the speech succeeded may be gauged from the varied reactions from Iraqis in Baghdad, Karbala, Falluja, Najaf, Kurdistan, and other cities. Further Mideast, Islamic world reactions to Cairo speech from Radio Free Europe

Time will tell of the effectiveness of the speech but at the very least President Obama is having a go at peace making, and for that I am grateful and prayerful. As Jesus of Nazareth said, ‘Blessed are the peace makers.’

‘Filth’

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Pentecost Sunday evening we watched ‘Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story’, the courageous effort of this Christian to clean up TV on the BBC. Her outrage at the degradation of society was fueled by a greater vision of what life and love can truly be, a vision of the values given by Christ. The motivation stemming from her Christian faith was clear, as was the intensity and viciousness of the opposition she faced. A key challenge from this resolute and dedicated sister, ‘This country needs a moral compass.’ And so does our country. I pray for increasing numbers of committed disciples of Jesus Christ who will bring the way of Christ before our society.