Kristian Anderson, an Australian struggling with bowel and liver cancer, died this last week in Perth. Kristian’s journey through treatment was made public through his blog, There’s a Crack in Everything, (howthelightgetsin.net), and an online video made for the birthday of his wife Rachel. Kristian and Rachel met at Oxford Falls C3 (Christian City Church) in Sydney.
I’m working with a great bunch of leaders Uniting College for Leadership and Theology in Adelaide this week, with the final two days of a 6-day intensive on media and communication, at Uniting College of Theology and Leadership. The first two intensives were run by Paul Teusner and Steven Garner. This workshop has been focused on hands-on engagement in advertising and marketing, multimedia/multisensory worship settings, church websites and social networking. This morning we’re looking online engagement, drawing inspiration from Paul’s connection with the Areopagus in Mars Hill, Athens. We looked for inspiration on marshill.com and marshill.org, along with a few local sites. Here’s our reflections on really useful church websites.
It’s coming up to the General Elections in New Zealand, to be held on November 26. One of the features of New Zealand’s political party scene is the number of smaller parties who share the limelight with the two major parties. Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand work with the Electoral Commission to allocate time and funds to each party both broadcasters have provided 72 minutes for opening addresses and 60 minutes for closing addresses. Four of the eleven parties have just put their videos on Youtube. The National Party have gone with their major asset, John Keys. The Labour Party have taken their party and its spokespeople back to their roots to remind us about their commitment to social justice. The Greens have gone with a Vox Pops and outdoor feel.
I’m in Sydney this week for the Messy Ministry in Context, a conference organised by the Uniting Church in Australia, NSW/ACT Synod, designed as an inservice event for pastors, youth, children and family workers. We’re meeting at the Centre for Ministry in North Parramatta, hosted by the ELM Centre (Education for Life and Ministry), Childrens Ministry and Youth Units, each of which are due for closure before the end of the year.
Melbourne performance poet Joel McKerrow has released a series of videos titled “My Confessions”. The poems, performed at the launch of the Centre for Poetics and Justice, explore the shared responsibility for abuse and neglect too often associated with race, wealth and Christian faith. Rants identifying the oversights and destructive behaviours of others are nowhere as powerful as ones in which we reflect on our own blind spots. Thanks Joel!
I’m preparing to lead a retreat for members of a multi-faith University chaplaincy team, using hospitality as an entry point for personal and group reflection. I’ll be drawing on Geoff Boyce’s newly published book, An Improbable Feast – the surprising dynamic of hospitality at the heart of multifaith chaplaincy
The Transit Lounge, the Uniting Church Ezine, has just published an article on human slavery by Jonathan Hirt. Originally from Sydney, Jonathan is currently a fellow at the Not For Sale Campaign in San Francisco. In the article he outlines ten realities Australians need to wake up to in relation to human trafficking.
It’s been over six months now since the September 4 earthquake hit Christchurch, and coming up to a month since the February 22 quake. I recently had a chance to talk with members of my family who were there when it all happened, and was reminded again about the emotional impact of trauma (high levels of adrenaline change the body’s chemistry for a long time), disruption (closed schools and roads) and hardship (lack of water, power, sewage system). I was impressed to see the caring environment being shown in places like Auckland Airport where residents of Christchurch were welcomed and offered support. At another level, I’m hearing about Presbyterian church leaders in Christchurch who are facing deep issues as buildings are assessed for damage, repair or destruction, and people rethink the shape of ministry and mission in an unstable city.
I turned 49 the day of the Christchurch earthquake, a day when over 160 people lost their lives tragically. And this week the world is struggling to come to terms with the loss of thousands of people in the earthquake and tsunami carnage in Japan. We left Queensland just after the horrific floods swept through the Lockyer Valley claiming the lives of people there. It’s not been an easy time all round! In the middle of all this my family has been coming to terms with our aunt’s diagnosis of terminal cancer. I recently spent a week in Invercargill centred around the last three days of my aunt’s life and preparation for her funeral with members of my family. Auntie Engo was a mentor figure for many of us and we will certainly feel her loss. Her passing, after a short struggle with cancer, came at the end of 86 years of life well lived, with creativity, courage and faith.
I’m in Invercargill with my family for the funeral of my aunt Engo Diack. Engo was an art advisor with the New Zealand Education Department for many years, traveling to primary schools across Southland to help with the development of young artists in the classroom. My family had the privilege of Engo’s gentle encouragement as we grew up, fostering in us an appreciation of our environment. Members of my extended family have become painters, photographers and instilled in their children a similar passion for the power of the visual. This painting, by Engo, picks up the colours of the autumn foliage around Lake Wakatipu.
