Bishop John

C S Lewis, insightful as ever:

Where men are forbidden to honour a king they honor millionaires, athletes or film-stars instead: even famous prostitutes or gangsters. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature, will be served; deny it food and it will gobble poison.

Mark Joseph goes on to conclude his article, The Universal Desire to Worship Someone,

The next time I see people with their eyes closed and hands raised to God, and begin to think it strange, I will remind myself that the desire to worship and praise is a universal one, that there’s nothing strange about it at all, and that one way or another, whether it’s in church, at an Obama rally, a Nascar race or a Motley Crue reunion concert, most of us do it, and all things being equal, I’d say the God of the universe is more deserving of that praise than Nikki Sixx or Jeff Gordon.

Full article,  The Universal Desire to Worship Someone -‘Culture’ Huff Post April 12 2012.

There’s no controlling the Dean of Hobart.

THE reverend Richard Humphrey will play just about anything at a funeral service but he draws the line at Black Sabbath’s Paranoid. …

Dean of Hobart’s St David’s Anglican Cathedral, Mr Humphrey said the Anglican Church was open to requests as long as they did not go against the teachings of the church.

Highway to Hell was not appropriate, but Unforgettable perfectly acceptable, Rev Humphrey said. …

And more, including the Dean at his piano, Church music on the hop.   Also, The Dean on doughnuts.

Scary descent of end of life ‘treatment’ – not Meals on Wheels but Death on Wheels.

Even the Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG) which supports euthanasia is not comfortable with the mobile death teams. the Courier Mail (Australia) reported that:

But the (KNMG), which represents 53,000 doctors and medical students in the Netherlands, said it was sceptical whether Life-end clinic doctors could form a close-enough relationship with a patient to decide whether an assisted suicide should be done.

“We are not against euthanasia if there is no other alternative,” KNMG policy advisor Eric van Wijlick said.

“But euthanasia is a complicated process. It comes from the long-time treatment of a patient based on a relationship of trust.

“A holistic view of the patient’s treatment needs to be taken, including whether another alternative to euthanasia exists.

“We have serious doubts whether this can be done by a doctor who is only focused on performing euthanasia.”

We agree, we have serious doubts that a doctor who is only focused on performing euthanasia will actually follow the loose, but often referred to as strict, criteria. We are particularly concerned with the ability to protect someone from elder abuse, which is difficult to identify and a growing problem in society.

Article, Mobile euthanasia units started in the Netherlands today.  Also, Euthanasia a mistake: Dutch Minister  and  Euthanasia – Ending a life “Ahead of Time” (Bishop’s Sermon notes)

Great article by Michelle Paine and great photograph by the very patient Leigh Winburn in today’s Mercury.

THE church, at its best, is among the people, says Anglican Bishop of Tasmania John Harrower.

With that principle in mind, St Mark’s at Bellerive decided to get involved by holding an Easter Sunday AFL Fun Day.

The church is just around the corner from Bellerive Oval, so tomorrow thousands of footy-goers will have the chance to practise some handball, enjoy hot-cross buns or chocolate eggs or even let their children ride a donkey decked out in North Melbourne or Greater Western Sydney colours.

“When we heard there was going to be an AFL match on Easter Sunday, we thought that’s a great opportunity, 15,000 people walking past the church. We wanted to join in the spirit of the day,” said Rector Stephen Carnaby.

“Children and families will be walking past, they can do donkey rides, we’ll have hot-cross buns.

“For us, Easter is a great celebration so we’re wanting other people to join with us at our celebration.”

Bishop Harrower said that while some people had concerns about football being played on Easter Sunday, there was still the opportunity to attend church in the morning.

“The church, at its best, is always a church among the people,” Bishop Harrower said. “The challenge for the churches is to engage proactively with the community.”

The Easter Sunday AFL Fun Day is from 11am to 1pm at St Mark’s Church, on the corner of Clarence and Scott streets in Bellerive.

On offer will be donkey rides, handball games, a jumping castle, face painting, Easter eggs, hot-cross buns and coffee.

Bishop Harrower and donkeys will be at the head of the combined churches’ Awakening Easter march and rally from 2pm at Parliament House lawns.

Article, ‘Church flies its footy colours’  and in yesterday’s Mercury, Easter story needs retelling.

From Bellerive James Veltmeyer speaks of the football outreach, Easter Sunday AFL Fun Day.

My Easter message was also in yesterday’s Mercury(print edition), Our hope, everywhere, always.

My Easter 2012 message appears in Tasmania’s three major newspapers today:

Our hope, everywhere, always

One of the things that surprised me during our years living in Argentina was the hope that some slum dwellers had in Jesus Christ.

I was struck by the faith of the dispossessed and hungry.

So often they affirmed, “God is with us.” And in response to my query, “What do you mean?” The reply was, “God knows us. God knows insults, injustice, suffering at the hands of the powerful. Look at him on the cross!”

Early this year a dear friend, a university professor, died. We had been praying for him that in his dying he would experience Jesus’ promise, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). My friend, from his bed one evening, commented, “I am very thankful for the prayers. Jesus was truly with me last night. I knew the comfort of his presence in my pain.”

Jesus is with us in the pain, sorrow and suffering of life. In the deepest pit of despair, he is there. Wherever we are, whether in a slum or a death bed, Jesus is with us.

Our hope is in the God who cares for us, is with us, everywhere and always.

At Christmas we remember the promise of the angel, “Emmanuel, God with us” and at Easter we see that God is with us on the cross.

God is with us even in the pain, sorrow, suffering and deepest pits of despair.

Where is God? God is with us everywhere, in every condition and every time and always.

And, hope? Yes, hope is found not just in Jesus’ presence with us but in his resurrection and his rising from the grave. God defeated death for us. Do you accept this gift of life he offers?

This is our hope, our faith, our reason to be.

John Harrower

Anglican Bishop of Tasmania

NOTE:  My Easter 2011 newspaper message:  Of crackpots and Easter.