Bishop John

The good news of the support of members of Egypt’s Muslim community at the reopening of a burnt church building.

The bad news of lack of action by the Government in addressing Muslim resentment towards the Christian community.

Pray that the interim Prime Minister Essam Sharaf who has signalled renewed efforts to calm religious tensions will in fact implement practical policies to address laws against the building of new churches and to provide avenues of proper legal redress which are effectively closed to Copts.

Read the article, Revolution brings new fears for Copts.

Tomorrow is Pentecost Sunday when we celebrate, 50 days (including Easter Sunday) after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, Mary the mother of Jesus and other disciples of Christ in Jerusalem (Acts 2).

For this reason, Pentecost Sunday is often referred to as “The Birthday of the Church”.

On Pentecost Sunday we wear lots of red symbolising the tongues of fire that appeared over the disciples.

We remember that it is by work of the Holy Spirit that people come to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:8) and hence into his Body, the Church.

Recently in Southern Tasmania we had a marvellous celebration of all Christians being one in Christ and in his Body, the Church universal. It was called ‘Church Together 2011 – For the Cause‘ and was held at the Derwent Entertainment Centre in Hobart.

Below, you will find a letter of thanks from  Pastor Dave Morse, the Convenor of ‘Church Together 2011 – For the Cause (of Christ)’. It is very encouraging.

At a supper following our celebration we took the opportunity to thank Dave and the Executive Committee for their ministry.

Pentecost Sunday reminds us of the Holy Spirit: the 3rd Person of the Holy Trinity, the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the eternal reality of the unity of all Christian people in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Join in the Pentecost spirit of the Holy Spirit, this Pentecost Sunday as Christians enjoy a marvellous celebration wearing their red gear and giving thanks to God for his grace and generosity in sending the Holy Spirit.

Letter of Thanks from the Convenor of ‘Church Together 2011 – For the Cause’:

Subject: Thank you

Dear John,

Church Together 2011 – For the Cause.

What an incredible night we had last Sunday night. We saw over 1,500 people from across Southern Tasmania gather together on Sunday 29^th May for the cause of Jesus Christ.

Thank you so much for your partnership and for being a part of this inspiring night and encouraging your people to join together as the Church of Southern Tasmania.

The combined Church’s Worship Team inspired us as they lead us beautifully in worship of our great God.

Our special guest Allan Meyer gave us a truly amazing presentation of the gospel with God isn’t the ‘big judge’ but that He is and wants even more to be our Father .

God is doing something significant in the Church of Tasmania, as I’ve talked to Church leaders this week, the’ve shared how encouraged they are as a result of Church Together and by the expectation they feel about the future.

Many people responded to the message, and others expressed a desire to re-connect with God and the church in a fresh way.

If you or your church would like to order CD’s and DVD’s of the message please call the Church Together office on 6244 6336 or click this link to down load the form.

We were able to announce that through the generosity of our Partner Churches and Sponsors, we were able to reach budget before the event allowing us to take up an offering of over $7,000. This was given directly toward a fantastic community project at Rokeby High School.

Yours for the cause,

Dave Morse

On behalf of the Church Together Executive, Church Together 2011

*Last Year on Pentecost Sunday I launched my 9 week Prayer Pilgrimage 2010 ‘people @ prayer’ around Tasmania. What a fantastic privilege it was to spend time in prayer with Christians of all denominations from all around Tasmania! See Pilgrimage launch and the Pilgrimage Prayer, A Prayer for Pentecost.

1. affirms that all human life is made in the image of God and precious in his sight
2. affirms that a just society will seek to protect the weak and vulnerable.
3. affirms its opposition to voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide
4. calls on the Premier and Prime Minister to oppose any initiative to legislate for voluntary euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide
5. calls on State and Federal Governments to provide adequate funding for palliative care services across Tasmania.
6. calls on all Tasmanian Anglicans to raise these issues with their local members of Parliament.
7. requests the Bishop to make the substance of this resolution known to the relevant parties.

Followers of Christ are called to give thanks to God and to one another and to be encouragers. A most significant “Thank you ” took place in this week’s Synod. Herein a fine illustration of giving thanks:

A speech at the 101^st Synod of the Diocese of Tasmania by Anne Brown to second a motion proposed by the Bishop of Tasmania that, This Synod give thanks to Almighty God for all that Mr Russell Morton has contributed as Registrar of the Diocese of Tasmania in building a healthy church … transforming life:

When I was asked to second a motion to thank God for you, Russell, for all you have done in our Diocese in your professional capacity, my immediate response was yes.  As I thought of what I might say, I also thought of my interactions with you:

ü As a Trustee of the Diocese and more recently as Chair of Trustees

ü On a number of Diocesan committees and Boards of Anglican Agencies

ü Being asked to go on other committees and being given permission to say no

ü As a churchwarden in a parish

And I thought we should consider what Russell’s experience as Registrar, which later morphed into the role of Director of Business Services, and as Secretary to the Trustees of the Diocese and to several other committees has given him that might be useful in life after being Registrar of the Missionary Diocese of Tasmania.

Knowing that Russell has recently taken up the reins as National Chair of CMS Australia, I thought that was a tangible enough role to test the skills and attributes he has demonstrated.

One thing I have learned about CMS during Russell’s tenure as Registrar is their statement “Pray Care Give Go”.  But the interesting thing for me is that, unlike our parish treasurer who fondly remembers Russell in a former life as his teacher and Head of Middle School at Hutchins, my introduction to Russell and Sue was as CMS missionaries who came back to Hobart from Thailand after an experience which mercifully defies the imagination, let alone experience, of most of us of bringing the students and teachers safely through an attack on their school where Russell was Principal, and out of Pakistan under circumstances that could have been horrendous without a firm trust in, and love of, and by God.  Whatever else can be said of Russell’s tenure as Registrar, and there is much that could be said, he has consistently demonstrated a great support for Bishop John’s vision of A Healthy Church, Transforming Lives for our Diocese and he has encouraged us all as parishes and Anglican agencies to capture the vision.  He is capable of seeing the big picture and has demonstrated CMS’s vision which is “to see God’s Church growing in all the world as lives and communities are transformed by Christ.”

A chairman needs to be able to chair meetings and Russell has demonstrated this competency in holding pre-Synod meetings in the north, northwest and south of the Diocese which I for one have found extremely helpful in growing my understanding of the Synod business papers.  Russell’s chairing of these meetings has also helped the Synod run more smoothly than it once did which is always an advantage.

Russell also chaired meetings in parishes before they started the process of seeking out a new rector.  These meetings were often the beginning of the help that was afforded parishes as they embarked on this process.  I remember that Russell’s overheads were appreciated in our parish and we asked him to come back with the overhead equipment to help us when we were farewelling our associate priest a few months later.  I know this thoughtfulness and giving of Russell’s and Sue’s time to worship with us on a Sunday morning and to join in our low tech farewell presentation was much appreciated by Kevin and his family.  This is just one of the many times where Russell has demonstrated that he is prepared not only to make time for any role to which he commits but also to go above and beyond what might be expected of that commitment.

As many in this room will know, the role of leader or chairman can be an extremely lonely position at times when one has to demonstrate moral courage or to accept and use authority.  Russell has demonstrated that he can accept and fulfil that criterion because how many of us know the challenge and anguish that Russell has endured as the initial face of the Anglican church and at times protector at Church House in relation to victims of abuse.  While Synod is to be commended for the courageous but necessary decisions it has made, we can all thank Russell for what it has cost him to carry out our decisions.

Many of us have also appreciated Russell’s wisdom, advice and listening ear when we have brought our problems and anxieties to him and left him to deal with them, whether they have been ministry or asset related, or a personal concern.

A chairman of a Board today must be concerned with governance and with policy making.  Russell has become a fellow of the AICD and has successfully undertaken courses with them.  On a practical view, he has helped with implementing better processes for Diocesan Council and its committees.  In his role as Secretary to the Trustees, he has worked with us in better documenting our policies and procedures.

CMS requires faithful stewardship in ministries to which God calls us and Russell has learnt much in his role as Secretary to the Trustees including grappling with mortgages, leases, maintenance of buildings, cash investments, stock and shares, trusts, variations of trusts, government grants, budgets, financial statements, agendas and very timely minutes and a whole range of people in various places and professions to achieve the best stewardship of our resources and our people.  As well as his own life experiences in mission, Russell demonstrates his support and understanding of CMS’s goal to send and support long term missionaries in the way he has supported the various parishes and Anglican agencies, all of whom could be described as being in long term mission.

When I consider that we at St George’s Battery Point have been able to throw at Russell

• Ø Two farewells
• Ø 1 interregnum and appointment of a new rector
• Ø 7 ordinations
• Ø 5 grant applications, six if you include the first unsuccessful attempt with the Tasmanian Community Fund – which we should because Russell walked the application across the road to State Treasury himself so it was submitted in time
• Ø 3 treasurers  –  we went from an octogenarian who kept meticulous double bookkeeping accounts to a young woman with a Bachelor of Commerce studying to become a CPA who was wooed by a young man in Roslyn’s choral group, they got married and moved to France for nine months and she handed the books over to Tom who was one of Russell’s students at Hutchins
• Ø A partnership with the Southern Midlands which has become very important to us and to them, so as far as we are concerned the Imagine Project is alive and kicking and we are delighted to see amendments to the Parish Administration Ordinance take this into account after Russell took our concerns to Paul Cavanough
• Ø A tricky situation about our Diocesan assessment which has resulted in further amendment to the Assessment Authorisation Ordinance
• Ø A large inheritance held in shares outside the pool with the Trustees of the Diocese

And St George’s Battery Point is not only believed to be the smallest parish geographically in the whole of Australia but is also a one centre parish so my mind bogles to think as to what the rest of you have lobbed into Russell’s court.

Abraham Lincoln understood that you cannot please all of the people all of the time.  Russell has certainly demonstrated an ability to work in fellowship with most of us most of the time.  Where that may not have always occurred may require each of us to concentrate on CMS’s first goal which is – God’s Word, the foundation of all we are and do.

Russell, as you look back over your years as Registrar, you should be encouraged by all that has been achieved in and beyond our Diocese in that time, as your being and your work have contributed to this and has often encouraged us.  Before I ask everyone to join with me in thanking you and in thanking God for providing you and your talents to us, I thought I could do no better than to finish with the Bible verse and prayer found at the end of each of your emails: Romans 15:13 –

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

See also,  Synod: required reading! and   Prayer for Synod.

Our Tasmanian Synods are largely harmonious affairs where we can share views, agree, disagree and modify with due respect for difference.

I came across an article The Loss of Civility (& its Consequences) in CASE by Trevor Cairney. While the article refers more generally to Australian public affairs and in particular our political discourse, or rather lack of it at this time, it did occur to me from my time in other places that the article could be required reading for all synod representatives, including me!

The incisive article has to do with the lack of respect and resultant lack of courtesy and civility in Australian society.

In countries like Australia, France, Canada, Britain and the USA, political parties seem to be at war with each other rather than setting debating and agreeing on policies that will help to shape nations for the common good. Political parties spend millions of dollars to tear policies and each other apart. Issues are rarely debated with transparency and civility, lies are told, tricks played and voters deceived. What such behaviour can unwittingly encourage is extreme responses by minority groups in any society that is fuelled by the behaviour of our leaders as they provide simplistic messages designed to raise fear and incite anger, rather than opening up reasoned civil discussion.

The article refers to Os Guiness who is one of my favourite Christian thinkers. In his new book, ‘The  Case for Civility: And Why Our Future Depends On It‘,  Os Guiness refers to the need for civility in the USA and western socieities,

“Civility must truly be restored. It is not to be confused with  niceness and mere etiquette or dismissed as squeamishness about differences. It  is a tough, robust, substantive concept… and a manner of conduct that will be  decisive for the future of the American republic” (p. 3).

The CASE article argues, using Guiness’s idea of civility and “a civil public square”, that,

a civil society, that is able to demonstrate a “civil public square”, may well avoid the type of false tolerance that we have witnessed in Australia in recent times as diverse political parties have attempted to maintain a government where no party has a clear majority. A mature civil society will need to enable minority groups to have a voice, but they must not be allowed to seek to establish their position by yelling the loudest or the longest. Guinness reminds us that in a democracy all have a right to believe anything, but this does not mean, “anything anyone believes is right”. We need to expect differences of opinion in a civil society and also to work out ways to discuss them and reach consensus for the common good. Christians have a part to play in such public discourse, participating openly as people of faith with godliness, humility and respect for the rights of others to participate as well.

Wise words. May God give us the grace to live them. See you at Synod!  🙂

CASE Article,  The Loss of Civility (& its Consequences)