FOCUS

February/March 2017 No. 416 

FOCUS 

OUR PLAN 

FOR RECONCILIATION 

BISHOP GEOFF 

TO BE ARCHBISHOP 

JEREMY GREAVES 

OUR NEW BISHOP 

YOUNG ANGLICAN 

FELLOWSHIP RE-UNITES 

FASHION BRANDS 

USING SLAVE LABOUR 

Magazine for the Anglican Church Southern Queensland 

anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Message from the Archbishop 

The eyes of faith 

Happy New Year. 

2016 was a year that rocked many people. 

Terrorist attacks in Brussels and Nice, the Brexit vote, and the 

polarising and divisive Presidential election in the USA led many to feel 

that things were unravelling. Then in the week before Christmas another 

atrocity in Berlin killed many innocent people and maimed even more. We 

watched aghast as the Russian ambassador to Turkey was assassinated 

during a live media conference beamed into our homes. 

No wonder people were feeling fearful and anxious. If these events 

around the globe were not enough, incidents in our own State and city 

added to our sense of insecurity. Members of families simply out for a day 

of fun in one of our theme parks were devastated by a tragedy that saw 

lives lost. And we were left open-mouthed at the murder of a bus driver 

going about his job on Brisbane streets. More people were attacked in 

deadly one-punch assaults. 

The upshot of these and other events is that many are left fearful, anxious, 

insecure wondering whether we can feel safe. There’s a sense that the 

world is falling apart around us, fragmenting, disintegrating. 

Without denying the reality of these terrifying incidents, the eyes of faith 

see something else. 

The letter to the Colossians (1.17) firmly asserts that in Jesus Christ ‘all 

things hold together’ because ‘in him all things in heaven and on earth were 

created, things visible and invisible’. 

So, far from the world falling apart and disintegrating, faith sees that 

everything holds together. And Christmas celebrates the fact that this 

hidden centre from which all things come and which holds all things together 

became visible and known to us. The poet Malcolm Guite writes – 

He comes, a little child, to bless my sight, 

That I might come to him for life and light. 

Last year did leave us feeling a sense of gloom. But God does not 

abandon us to the fears and insecurities that the world throws up. God 

comes to us in the dark reality of the real world, is with us and for us and 

offers us light and life. 

At Christmas that light shines brightly and that life comes among us in 

human flesh. 

The best New Year’s resolution any of us could make is to walk in that 

light and live that life in 2017. 

In 2017 may you know the peace and joy and hope that Christ brings. 

Contents 

Growth at North Pine 

4 Around the Diocese 

14 Cover Feature: Our plan for 

Reconcilliation 

16 Feature: Young Anglican 

Fellowship reunion 

18 How the North was won: 

Growth at North Pine 

20 What religious leaders said 

at Christmas 

22 Beyond the Diocese 

26 Arts and Entertainment 

28 Religion and Ethics 

30 Spotlight on Prayer Space 

31 Reflection 

Young Anglican 

Fellowship 

16 

18 

Religious leaders 

Christmas messages 

20 

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E: kshapley@anglicanchurchsq.org.au 

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April/May 2017 issue: 

Friday 24 February 2017 

EDITORIAL DEADLINE: 

April/May 2017 issue: 

Friday 24 February 2017 

2 | FOCUS | February/March 2017

Your View 

Your 

view 

Have your say via email, 

snail mail or Facebook 

It is no secret that a good welcoming ministry is a fundamental element 

in church growth. It can be daunting for people to step into a new 

church environment, particularly when they are not connected to 

anyone, or haven’t been to many, or even any, services in the past. 

Romans 15:7 states, “Therefore welcome one another as Christ 

has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”, serving as a clear reminder 

about the welcoming nature of Christ. 

There are many ways in which we can foster a warmth that makes 

others feel at home in our churches as soon as they walk through the 

door. However, it can be easy to forget that the welcoming ministry 

should extend long after the first hymn. In fact, in my experience, I have 

found that the most important part of making people feel welcomed 

doesn’t occur until much later. 

Over the past few years, I have been to many churches supporting 

Fr Tom and Wendy Hall promoting the Bush Ministry Fund. Through 

this I have observed numerous different welcoming ministries, and 

experienced first-hand the different ways in which churches approach 

new people. Whilst I have often felt warmth in the large majority of 

churches from the moment that I walk through the doors, unfortunately 

I have watched wonderful initial intentions fall flat by the end of services, 

as the continuation of that initial greeting is forgotten, or simply ignored. 

In psychology, there is a theory developed by Nobel prize winning 

psychologist, Daniel Kahneman, called the Peak-End rule. This rule 

implies that people judge an experience based on how they feel at 

the peak (or the most intense point) and at the end. There are even 

studies that show that people prefer to expose themselves to a 

longer period of discomfort if the end result is them feeling less pain. 

For example, would you sit through a concert you are not enjoying 

for longer if you knew it was going to end with your favourite piece, 

rather than walk out half way through? Even though you are essentially 

exposing yourself to a longer period of displeasure, you would find 

the experience less frustrating if it ended exceptionally. 

We can apply this same principle to church growth. 

Making people feel as though they are welcome and cared about 

consists of more than a friendly smile and polite small talk at the 

entrance. Applying this peak end rule highlights the importance of how 

people feel at the end of the service. How many times have you seen 

new people walk out of a service without anyone talking to them, or 

without being supported in making connections with anyone? Sure, 

there is often an general invitation to a morning tea, but I think many 

would agree that taking a more personal approach to the situation is 

far more powerful. Ask many non-regular church goers about their 

most memorable experience at church, and you will find that it is what 

happens at the end of the service that often stays with them – that 

time they received simnel cake at the door, or were introduced to a 

person with similar interests while having a cup of tea. In essence, 

it is not just about how we make others feel at the beginning of a 

service, but rather their experience at the end. 

Being rostered on to welcome should not finish when the service 

begins. And not being rostered on at all should not be a reason to 

forgo the responsibility of each and every one of us who follow by 

Jesus’ to stand back and let others open their arms to every person 

who walks through the doors. We all have a responsibility to be 

witnesses of Christ’s incredible love, which means showing genuine 

care. After all, Jesus died for us so that we may be welcomed into 

the presence of God. 

Mother Teresa once said, “Spread love everywhere you go: First of 

all in your own house… let no one ever come to you without leaving 

better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; 

kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, 

kindness in your warm greeting.” 

Let us be mindful of allowing the warmth from the spark during 

the initial greeting to grow into a fire that every single person feels 

by the time they leave, spreading the glorious heat of Christs’ love 

in this world. 

Elizabeth Eldridge 

Brisbane 

FOCUS welcomes feedback and the views of its readers. Please email to focus@anglicanchurchsq.org.au or post to The Editorial Team, FOCUS, GPO 

Box 421, Brisbane Qld 4001. To be considered for publication, letters must not be defamatory. Preference will be given to letters and emails that are fair 

and respectful of other views, concise and to the point – 200 words or less. The editorial team reserves the right to edit letters to clarify meaning and 

comply with the stated requirements. We look forward to receiving your views. You can also connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/focus.brisbane. 

FOCUS Editorial Policy is available at anglicanchurchsq.org.au 

FOCUS is a publication of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland 

DISCLAIMER: The editorial team of FOCUS is not responsible for opinions expressed by contributors, 

nor do their views reflect the policy of this magazine of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland. 

Publication of advertisements does not necessarily mean endorsement of the advertised products or services. 

FOCUS | February/March 2017 | 3

Around the Diocese 

Bishop Geoff to lead 

Adelaide’s Diocese 

Bishop Geoff Smith will become the 

Archbishop of Adelaide this year, 

following the retirement of Archbishop 

Jeffrey Driver. 

The former National Director of the Anglican 

Board of Mission, and former Bishop of the 

Southern Region in the Diocese of Brisbane, 

was elected to the role last year by a special 

meeting of the Adelaide Synod. 

He will move to the South Australian capital 

in April with wife Lynn. 

“For Lynn and I, the election was a clear 

calling of God to Adelaide and so we will go 

full of expectation of what the Lord has in 

store,” he said. 

Bishop Geoff became an assistant bishop in 

Brisbane in 2007 and has spent the past three 

years as the general manager and registrar of 

the Anglican Church in Southern Queensland. 

He has a variety of experiences in parishes 

across Australia and overseas, including three 

years in Papua New Guinea and five years as 

the national director of the Anglican Board of 

Mission-Australia. 

Brisbane Archbishop Dr Phillip Aspinall said 

that he had no doubt in his mind that Bishop 

Geoff was a wonderful choice for Archbishop 

and would be a great blessing to the Diocese 

of Adelaide. 

“Bishop Geoff’s many gifts will greatly 

benefit Christ’s mission in Adelaide and 

beyond,” Dr Aspinall said. 

“I am in no doubt whatsoever that Bishop 

Geoff’s leadership and wisdom will be sorely 

missed in Brisbane.” 

Bishop Geoff, who has been focussed on 

the implementation of the Diocesan Vision, 

Going for Growth in Christ, is keen to work 

Bishop Geoff Smith 

with Adelaide’s parishes, Anglican Schools 

and Anglicare to see those communities grow 

in health and their own sense of sharing in 

the mission of God. . 

Bishop Geoff and Lynn will be farewelled at 

a service at St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane at 

6pm on April 7 and Bishop Geoff installed as 

Archbishop of Adelaide at St Peter’s Cathedral 

in Adelaide at 7pm on April 28. 

New Assistant Bishop announced 

Brisbane Anglican Archbishop Dr Phillip region and meet new people. 

Aspinall has announced that Archdeacon “For me, the church used to be a part of 

Jeremy Greaves will succeed Bishop these conversations about refugees, sexuality, 

Jonathan Holland as Assistant Bishop for the and so on,” he said. 

Northern Region. 

“I think we have an important contribution 

Fr Jeremy is the Rector at St Mark’s Parish at to make to those conversations, not an 

Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, while Bishop arrogant contribution that says, ‘I have all 

Jonathan was recently appointed the Executive the answers’, but a dialogue. We’d really love 

Director of the Ministry Education Commission. to be part of that conversation.” 

Fr Jeremy said he was keen to explore the Although Fr Jeremy said there was 

“something wonderful” about being 

part of something larger, he would 

miss the close knit community in 

Buderim. 

“What I think I will miss most is 

having a single community to relate 

to week after week,” he said. 

“I am excited about getting to 

know so many more people and 

parishes but think it will be a big 

adjustment after 20 years of parishbased 

ministry.” 

Fr Jeremy became Rector at St 

Mark’s in 2013. Prior to that, he was 

Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in 

Darwin as well as working in parishes 

across Adelaide, remote South Australia 

and Katherine in the Northern Territory. 

His consecration as Bishop will be 

held at 7pm on Friday 24 th February, 2017 at St 

John’s Cathedral. 

Look for a profile on our new bishop in the 

next edition of Focus Magazine. 



Archbishop confident of 

Church’s continued growth 

Anglican Archbishop Dr Phillip 

Aspinall has addressed a 280-strong 

congregation at the dedication of the 

new St Anne’s Anglican Church in Highfields 

in November. 

The Rev’d Stephanie Patching said 

congregations were beginning to thrive in 

Toowoomba. 

“The Archbishop is always encouraging 

us to go for growth and opening a new 

church is a sign of that growth,” she told 

the Toowoomba Chronicle. 

Stephanie said she was delighted with 

the turn out for the dedication on Saturday 

with Mayor Paul Antonio attending the 

dedication. 

“We had Highfields church leaders, 

priests from the western region and people 

from our diocese as well as people from 

the St James’ and St Luke’s congregations 

in Toowoomba and also Crows Nest and 

Pittsworth,” she said. 

“It really was a lovely service. We’re very 

thankful for the hard work of our people to 

get the church ready. We had 300 plants 

planted in the last week alone.” 

The service marked the completion of 

$1.5 million expansion that was almost 

a decade in the making. The church was 

originally a multi-purpose building with 

Archbishop Aspinall leads the service to celebrate the 

dedication of St Anne’s Anglican Church 

space for a church service on Sundays and 

space for community groups to use. 

After the renovations, Rev’d Patching 

said the size of the building had doubled, 

important considering the growing Highfields 

population. 

“The community is very happy; people 

are very surprised by the beauty of the 

building,” she said. 

Archbishop 

welcomes the 

next wave 

Four Priests and seven Deacons were 

ordained in a service held at St John’s 

Cathedral in December. 

The Rev’d Daniel Hobbs, who was ordained 

a priest, has commenced work as an Assistant 

Priest in the Cleveland Parish. 

“Notwithstanding the heat, the service was 

just so life-giving and uplifting,” he said. 

“Personally, my ordination as priest reached 

its completeness the next day when I presided 

at Eucharist for the first time. “The whole 

weekend was such a grace-filled time.” 

The Rev’d Sue Wilton joined Daniel in the 

ordination ceremony and has commenced 

work as an Assistant Priest at St John’s 

Cathedral. 

“I am so grateful for the love and support 

that has been shown by the Cathedral 

community during my time preparing for 

ordination to the priesthood and at the 

Ordination Service,” she said. 

“The gift of the beautiful chasuble will 

be cherished by me always and a constant 

reminder of the strength of relationships of our 

community and the sacred ties I will always 

have to this place. 

“I look forward with gratitude, excitement 

and no small amount of wonder, to all that this 

next stage of ministry will bring.” 

The Rev’d Trevor Sketcher 

has been appointed an Assistant 

Priest at Surfers Paradise Parish. 

“The gathering of the Christian 

community to pray for all of us 

being ordained was such a 

blessing,” he said. 

“It reminds me of the beauty 

we share in fellowship in Jesus. 

“Personally, I was greatly 

encouraged to be blessed by 

many people who gathered.” 

Archbishop Phillip Aspinall (centre) with (from left) The Rev’d 

Chris Tyack, The Rev’d Trevor Sketcher, The Rev’d Daniel Hobbs, 

and The Rev’d Sue Wilton 



Students participating in one of the station activities 

organised as part of the Transition Prayer Service 

In 2014, St John’s Anglican College Forest 

Lake held its first Prayer Space for year 6 

students transitioning into year 7. Four Year 10 

students assisted in creating the Prayer Space 

in conjunction with College Chaplain, The Rev’d 

Susan Crothers-Robertson. 

Based on the success of the initial exercise, a 

number of additional Prayer Spaces have been 

organised at both the Primary and Secondary 

campuses, with two being held at each in 2016. 

The concept of Prayer Spaces in Schools 

comes from England, where Phil Togwell leads a 

team presenting all over the country and beyond. 

Students transition 

with Prayer Space 

Rev’d Crothers-Robertson 

was supported and 

encouraged to create the 

first known Prayer Spaces in 

Australia. 

One of the major events for 

Prayer Spaces is holding an 

event in the local Cathedrals 

with a celebration of Year 6 

students transitioning into Year 7. An example of 

a Transition Prayer Space occurred at Durham 

Cathedral earlier this year and was attended by 

2,600. 

In 2016, a selection of Anglican Schools 

from across the diocese were invited to attend a 

Transition Prayer Space event held at St John’s 

Cathedral on 23 November. 

The event was attended by almost 350 students 

and provided an opportunity for opportunity of 

coming together, to gain a larger picture of the 

Anglican Church, visit the Cathedral and meet 

students from other Anglican Schools. 

There were five prayer stations which 

encouraged students to reflect upon their year 

including ‘Sorry’, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Together’. 

Students reflected on the stations, saying the 

‘Thank you’ station was an opportunity to think 

about those you sometimes don’t realise what 

they do for you. 

Feedback from staff was equally positive. 

“The children really enjoyed all the stations, 

especially the Sorry and Togetherness activities. 

Many students’ wrote the same thing for their Wow 

moment which was their Year 6 camp (a physically 

challenging camp) It was lovely for their teachers 

to have some discussion and feedback about 

their students’ Wow moment as they were quite 

overwhelmed when they realised how impactful 

it was with their students’.” 

The Transition Prayer Space event concluded 

with a service, attended by Archbishop Dr Phillip 

Aspinall, Bishop of the Southern Region Alison 

Taylor and Dean of St John’s Cathedral Dr Peter 

Catt. 

St John’s future thinkers win big 

The problems of the modern world are in 

good hands with four St John’s Anglican 

College students winning the major award 

at the recent Future Problem Solving National 

Finals in Melbourne. 

This is the second year in a row that the 

students, members of the College’s Future 

Thinkers extension program, have made it to 

the finals of the prestigious competition. 

St John’s won the challenging Senior Division 

of the Global Issues Problem Solving Competition 

against 12 other finalist schools from Australia. 

The Year 10 team of William Smith, Gayathri 

Menon, Thomas Cameron and Richa Patel, 

coached by Future Thinkers teacher Mr Stavros 

Ikonomakis, will now contest the world finals in 

America in June 2017. 

“To make it into the finals was a spectacular 

achievement as the ‘Global Issues Problem 

Solving Competition’ is a gruelling and extremely 

difficult competition to enter in itself,” Mr 

Ikonomakis said. 

The Future Thinkers program was established 

at St John’s in 2012 as a two-year elective course 

for Years 9 and 10. The out-of-the-box subject 

is being recognised as the future direction for 

education and St John’s is the first school to offer 

it as a timetabled subject within the curriculum. 

During the Future Problem Solving National 

Finals, the four students put all their newlylearned 

problem-solving skills to the task. 

They were given just two hours to solve a 

series of complex issues facing a fictional global 

company. 

Issues included gender equality, workplace 

harassment, fraudulent worker credentials, 

reckless firing or workers, international law 

disparities, different cultures and language 

Members of the Future Thinkers team with teacher Stavros Ikonomakis 

problems. 

Mr Ikonomakis said the team’s Action Plan 

Presentation, which was a visual summary of the 

last of six tasks in the two-hour problem-solving 

competition, was “original, humorous and witty”. 

It also earned them a bronze award in the 

Senior Division. 

The team has a very good chance of excelling 

in the International Finals. 



Fraser Coast students 

depart after 13 years 

The conclusion of the 2016 school year 

was especially poignant for a group of 

Fraser Coast Anglican College Students 

as they farewelled the only school they have 

ever attended. 

Fraser Coast Anglican College Principal 

Leisa Harper said nine students from the most 

recent Year 12 cohort had been at the college 

since Prep. 

“It’s quite unique to have been in the one 

place for your entire schooling from Prep 

to Year 12. If offers our students stability, 

particularly when they are transitioning from 

one phase of their schooling to another,” she 

said. 

“We offer wonderful transition programs 

that helps students move seamlessly from 

Junior School, to Middle and then onto Senior 

School. 

“It is something that we pride ourselves on 

offering here at the College.” 

Being in the one place also 

helped the students develop a 

special rapport with teaching 

staff. 

“Our emphasis on providing 

pastoral care to our students, 

results in a wonderful connection 

developing between students 

and our staff that is based on 

nurturing and respect,” she said. 

College Captain Samantha 

Goodluck said she was looking 

forward to her future with a 

mixture of excitement and 

sadness. 

“It will be difficult to leave an environment 

which I have known and loved for so long,” 

she said. 

“I love the environment and my teachers 

have always encouraged and helped me. 

“I am excited about my future though, as 

Fraser Coast Anglican College students including College 

Captain Samantha Goodluck (standing, far right) 

my school has prepared and supported me to 

achieve my dreams.” 

Mrs Harper said the Year 12 cohort left the 

College well prepared for the future. 

“We are looking forward to hearing of their 

achievements,” she said. 

Anglican ethos strong in Junior School 

Students at St Hilda’s School on the 

Gold Coast ended 2016 positively, 

raising money for a number of 

charitable organisations including Anglicare 

Southern Queensland. 

The school also presented two $4000 

cheques to local organisations, Abri Aged 

Care Facility and Arundel Riding for the 

Disabled. 

These donations were made as a result 

of fundraising efforts made by members of 

Students at St Hilda’s School participate in the Fancy Fascinator Day event 

Acacia House. 

Year 6 student Ava Cowley said that after 

visiting Abri Aged Care many times over the 

years she has seen the impact fundraising 

has on elderly residents. 

“I am so proud that we have been able 

to help. Not only do we donate money, but 

we also regularly visit and entertain the 

residents,” she said. 

“They even seem to be entertained when 

we all showcase our musical talents! 

Sofia Dakin, also 

in Year 6, said Acacia 

House supports Abri 

Aged Care and Arundel 

Park Riding for the 

Disabled each year with 

fundraising week when 

they sell raffle tickets 

and hold a disco. 

A Fancy Fascinator 

Day organised by the 

Student Council, where 

students embraced the 

opportunity to create 

and parade beautiful 

fascinators, raised $429. 

This event was coupled with a Bulk Source 

Foods Fundraiser which raised $320 for 

Anglicare. 

2017 Lay Retreat 

James Byrne Centre, Toowoomba 

Day of Reflection 

Friday 31 March 

Guest speakers: Julie Humphreys and Nev Hunt 

Silent Retreat 

Friday Evening – Sunday Lunch 

31 March – 2 April 

Embracing Our True Identity 

I have summoned you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1 

with Kathryn Robbie 

Enquiries: Jo Anderson 0431 373 978, 

joa4350@gmail.com 

Closing date for registrations 13 March 

ADB4275 



St Andrew’s students 

embrace community spirit 

During a recent Community Problem Solving 

project, Year 7 students at St Andrew’s 

Anglican College were encouraged to get 

into the Christmas spirit. 

As part of the Future Problem Solving Program, 

students were asked to identify a prominent issue 

or cause in the community and determine how, as 

individuals, they can improve or make a difference 

to a situation. 

“One group identified helping the sick children 

at Nambour Hospital as the focus of their project 

and visited the Paediatrics Ward at Nambour 

Hospital to deliver gifts directly,” said Jill Green, 

who is the Head of Thinking Skills at the school. . 

Student Jacqueline Elley and project partner 

Jace Ryan collected donations and bought toys 

with funds received as part of Slater and 

Gordon’s $5000 School Cash Day competition. 

“Hospitals are normally a dull and boring 

environment for a young kid and we wanted 

to bring happiness and laughter to their day 

with a toy that they can play with many times,” 

Jacqueline said. 

“Seeing their smiles on the day made us 

realise that making someone else’s day is just 

as important as making our own. 

“We walked out of the Hospital with the 

feeling we had made a small difference.” 

Mrs Green said another group donated toys 

and books to children in Foster Care. 

“This involved contacting the Integrated 

Family and Youth Service (IFYS), who support 

St Andrew’s students visit Nambour Hospital as part of the Future 

Problem Solving Program 

195 children on the Sunshine Coast who need Foster 

Care,” she said. 

The group then collected donations of unwanted toys 

and also used part of the competition funds to purchase 

toys and gifts they thought the children would like. 

“We are incredibly inspired and proud of what the 

students have achieved,” she said. 

St Margaret’s ‘Old Girl’ makes a difference through art 

Renowned visual artist and St 

Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Old 

Girl CJ Hendry recently donated a 

piece of her work to the school, which was 

unveiled at the school’s biannual MAYO Arts 

Festival held earlier this year. 

Ms Hendry says the work – a 

characteristically oversized pen and ink 

drawing depicting the iconic school panama 

gift-wrapped in brown paper – illustrated her 

gratitude to her parents for giving her the gift 

of education at St Margaret’s. 

Principal at St Margaret’s Ros Curtis 

says the school is so proud not only of Ms 

Hendry’s success, but the fact she was using 

that success to help others. 

“Given Ms Hendry’s prominence not just 

in Australia but globally, the drawing was an 

incredibly generous gift and a wonderful 

addition to the school’s art collection. Just 

a few years ago, she began sharing her 

extraordinary hyper-realistic drawings with 

the world through a savvy social-media 

marketing strategy. These astonishingly 

meticulous artworks quickly became a hot 

ticket item in the global market, some fetching upwards of $50,000.” 

Making the most of her status as a celebrity of the art world, Ms Hendry is 

creating work that lends voice to critical issues. Earlier this year, she created 

and auctioned a drawing of Nike AirMags dipped in black paint, which raised 

$130,000 USD for a charity to purchase sneakers for underprivileged children 

in New York. 

More recently, another Hendry piece – a simple t-shirt stained the colour 

of blood and wrapped in the shape of a gun – was upscaled up to 3,000 

square feet and flown over Orlando, Chicago and New York with the hashtag 

#EndGunViolence. 

“CJ is living the school’s mission to prepare confident and compassionate 

women capable of contributing to a global community,” Ms Curtis said. 

Ms Hendry’s gift to the school is now on permanent display in St Margaret’s 

senior library in the Eunice Science and Resource Centre. 



Riding wave of success 

The Glennie School’s Grace Griffiths continues to impress the 

waterskiing community. 

When she is not boarding at the school, Grace can be found 

honing her skills on her family’s cotton farm outside of Goondiwindi 

where the irrigation dam is large enough to accommodate a ski boat 

with a purpose built course. 

Grace has been competing since she was eight years old, initially 

in the ‘Slalom’ discipline before expanding into the ‘Jump’ and 

‘Trick’ disciplines. 

Since 2012, Grace has tasted success with an outright win at the 

Queensland tournament water-ski titles, solid scores at the national 

water-ski titles and medals in the Australian Junior Masters. 

At the 2016 Aussie Junior Masters Tournament, Grace was placed 

third and is currently ranked 6th for her age in the country in the 

‘Slalom’ discipline. Capping off her comeback, she was selected 

to participate in the 2016 Asia & Oceania Waterski and Wakeboard 

Youths share their views 

Senior students at West Moreton Anglican College (WestMAC) 

have partnered with the Anglican Church Southern 

Queensland’s Social Responsibilities Committee in a 

collaborative and inclusive workshop to discuss issues applicable 

to the youth of the 21st Century. 

Committee researcher, Leanne Wood, said the workshop forms 

part of a research and advocacy project that enables students to 

share their thoughts and values. 

“This invaluable information will be directly provided to government 

on areas pertaining to youth and youth justice in today’s society,” 

she said. 

Student advocate Bryant Strong opened the workshop with a magic 

trick which broke the ice for the students and allowed everyone to 

feel at ease with sharing their experiences. 

“We have the opportunity to represent our peers and explore 

social justice issues,” he said. 

Paul Alcorn, the Head of Senior School at West Moreton Anglican 

College endorsed the workshops by saying they provided the youth 

with a practical opportunity to speak up. 

“It encourages students to look to the future with optimism, 

West Moreton Anglican College students with Social Responsibilities 

Committee Researcher Leanne Wood (third from right) 

Championships, held in Auckland in January 2017. 

Recently, Grace’s plans were curtailed with two serious knee 

ligament injuries however she is determined to compete at international 

level in ‘Slalom’ and ‘Trick’ skiing. 

Grace said water-skiing was an unpredictable sport. 

“Weather conditions, skiing venues, and water conditions play 

a huge part in your overall performance at any event,” she said. 

“I’ve made some great friends on the ski circuit and they are all 

just as competitive as me.” 

especially with the end of Year 12 just around the corner,” he said. 

WestMAC students will have the opportunity to attend another 

session to provide further input and assist to design a survey to 

contribute to the success of this project. 

WE 

NEED 

TO 

TALK 

Good care takes good people. So that Anglican Pastoral Care 

Ministry can continue to flourish and provide good care of 

those in need, we require great people, people like you. If 

you can spare time to be a volunteer pastoral care visitor, 

we’d love to hear from you. 

Hospitals – The Rev'd Cheryl Selvage 

Phone: 0407 585 270 

Prisons – The Venerable David Lunniss 

Phone: 0417 196 284 

Anglicare – The Rev'd Linda McWilliam 

Phone: 3838 7551 

PMC3745/A 



Ready, aim, maths at St Luke’s 

The bright minds of St Luke’s Anglican 

School’s Math Extension class are 

experiencing maths with a difference. 

Through the schools partnership with the 

Adopt-a-Cop Scheme, the years 4 and 5 

students are exploring the speed equals 

distance over time formula using a radar gun 

and an assortment of foam-dart launching 

Nerf Guns. 

Sergeant Meg Owens clocked speeds of 

up to 60 kilometers per hour from Nerf darts 

fired at range, while Senior Constable Matt 

Findlow assisted students with their aim. 

Observing the speed equals distance over 

time formulae in action was the exercise, just 

one example of how St Luke’s is changing 

the way young people think about maths and 

science and exposing them to the existence of 

niche careers now available 

in today’s society. 

Math Extension and 

senior math and science 

teacher Mr Cook said the 

Math Extension program is 

not designed to be about 

writing or examinations. 

“Instead, students 

are encouraged through 

various mathematical 

activities to explore, 

discover, and to think 

outside of the rhombus,” 

he said. 

This year, St Luke’s year 4 and 5 Math 

Extension class have explored how stretchy 

is a jelly snake, how does corrugation and 

Senior Constable Matt Findlow assisting 

students at St Luke’s Anglican School 

similar shapes affect the strength of a bridge, 

and researched the challenges of women’s 

marathon records through graphs and maths. 

Students hike for 

returned veterans 

Each year, all students in Year 8 at West Moreton Anglican College 

(WestMAC) participate in a Leadership Challenge; taking just 

$10 to fund a venture to benefit the greater community. 

As part of this challenge, student Josiah Jensen thought carefully 

about who he wanted to support and selected Mates4Mates. 

Mates4Mates supports current and ex-serving Australian Defence 

Force members and their families who are wounded, injured or ill 

as a result of their service. 

Josiah chose this charity as his family have a strong affiliation 

with the military. 

“I have always admired this charity and the difference they make 

in the Defence community”, Josiah said. 

Josiah set up a Go Fund Me account and leveraged off social 

media to raise funds for the charity. He committed himself to hike 

10 kilometres up Mount Mitchelton. 

“The hike was a lot harder than anticipated, but it was for a very 

good cause so it was worth the heat, and the blisters,” he said. 

“The challenge was an invaluable experience and I am ecstatic 

to have raised $1060.” 

Mark Thomas, Physical Activity Coordinator at Mates4Mates, 

said that Josiah’s fundraising was a great example of the difference 

that one person can make. 

“This money will provide over 10 sessions with a psychologist, 

which will alleviate the financial burden of treatment for a family,” 

Mark said. 

Jenny Sheehan, the College’s Defence Transition Mentor said 

the College is very proud of Josiah for supporting a cause which 

is close to his heart. 

Dignitaries at the recent ceremony to mark the installation of the memorial 

cross at St Luke’s Toowoomba. (left to right: David Janetzki MP(Member 

for Toowoomba South), Aboriginal artist Kim Walmsley, Cllr Bill Cahill 

(Toowoomba Regional Councillor), Uncle Darby McCarthy, Dr Mark Copland, 

The Rev’d Dr Jonathan Inkpin (Rector of St Luke’s Anglican Church, 

Toowoomba) and Bishop Cameron Venables (Bishop of the Western Region) 

WestMAC student Josiah Jensen with Mates4Mates representative Mark Thomas 



Stafford Parish’s support for 

those diagnosed with cancer 

In the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Stafford parish has established a 

community support group that provides a sanctuary for those suffering 

or affected by cancer. 

Operating for the past 17 years, the group provides a warm and welcoming 

meeting place where men and women who have been diagnosed with cancer, 

as well as their families and friends, can join with others to build social and 

emotional support, identified as an essential supplement to medical care. 

The Rev’d Leisha Rule who is a member of the Clergy at St Clement’son-the-Hill 

Anglican Church convenes the support group. 

“We have quite a number of people coming from outside of the parish 

with cancer patients and their family referred to us by the Cancer Council,” 

she said. 

“We get between 15 and 30 people attending the meetings that are 

held once a month. 

“Some people have been coming for 14 to 15 years. 

“As with most community groups, volunteers play an important role 

and ours is no different, with many working tirelessly to provide morning 

tea and support.” 

Leisha says the theme of honouring those who have suffered from cancer 

is evident within the parish, with services to commemorate Daffodil Day and 

a “Field of Women” in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

“Every October, we re-enact the memorable” Field of Women” scene with 

pink figurines planted around the church, and a silent walk incorporated 

into the service to honour both men and women who are diagnosed with 

breast cancer.” she said. 

One of those attending the group described the Stafford Cancer Support 

Group as a very welcoming, informative group that she is pleased to be 

Pretty in pink, The Rev’d Kevin Bourke and The Rev’d Leisha Rule at St Clement’son-the-Hill 

decorated as part of a breast cancer awareness campaign 

a part of. 

“The speakers each month cover a wide variety of subjects and also 

there is a delicious morning tea hosted by a group of loving and generous 

people,” she said. 

As well as convening the group, Leisha is often involved with visiting, 

counselling and palliative care of those in the final stages of their lives. She 

sometimes conducts their funerals either at St Clement’s or elsewhere. 

For those interested in volunteering or learning more about the Stafford 

Cancer Group, please contact Stafford Parish on 3356 4300. 

Kirami extension 

provides quality aged 

care at Point Vernon 

Anglicare Southern Queensland (SQ) 

continues to address the chronic 

shortage of residential aged care beds in 

Queensland after the completion of upgrades to 

the Kirami Home for the Aged in Point Vernon, 

Hervey Bay. 

The $11 million extension was officially 

opened on 13 th January with a dedication and 

blessing by Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, 

The Most Rev’d Dr Phillip Aspinall and attended 

by Anglicare SQ Chair Cathy Grant and Hervey 

Bay MP Ted Sorenson. 

As part of the project, an additional 47 rooms 

were built and the facility was fully refurbished 

enabling the delivery of quality, contemporary 

residential aged care 

to the Hervey Bay 

region. 

Anglicare SQ’s 

Director of Service 

Delivery Sue Cooke said the Australia’s ageing 

population is growing at a remarkable rate. 

“There are 455,000 Australians aged over 

85 with this figure predicted to exceed 1.6 

million by 2044,” she said. 

“There is already a shortage of residential 

beds nationally and this extension enables 

Anglicare to support older persons living in 

the Wide Bay region, providing access to the 

support and services they need. 

Anglican Archbishop Dr Phillip Aspinall centre joins dignitaries at the opening of 

the new Kirami Home for the Aged 

“Kirami Home for the Aged is able to support 

residents living with complex health conditions 

or a diagnosis of dementia who need palliative 

care. 

“Residents, their families and friends, and 

our staff, have commented favourably about 

their fresh new surroundings and that the 

homely feel Kirami has been known for has 

been preserved.” 



Bishop breaks ground at St Bart’s 

St Bart’s Toowoomba has broken 

ground on the start of its much-anticipated 

expansion to provide space for more than 

400 worshippers. 

Bishop Cameron Venables (Bishop of the 

Western Region) joined Rector of St Bart’s 

Toowoomba, The Rev’d Adam Lowe and 

members of the parish for a ‘turning-of-thesod’ 

ceremony to mark the beginning of the 

second of the redevelopment. 

In addition to more space to worship, the 

project includes room for children’s ministry 

in age-appropriate spaces, a mixture of office 

space to accommodate a growing ministry 

and administration team, and flexible rooms 

that can be used for training and large events. 

The ceremony included prayers for the 

team leading the project, for the safety of 

all involved and that this project would help 

progress the mission of God. 

Fr Adam said demanded on the parish 

had increased as the community grew in its 

appreciation of God. 

“Our building is being used on an everincreasing 

basis,” he said. 

“Our Sunday services have grown from an 

average weekly attendance of 218 to 360 in 

just five years. 

“In the past two years alone, our average 

attendance has grown by over 100 and it is 

clear that in order to keep on enabling our 

mission, now is the time to complete our 

building to provide much needed space for 

growth.” 

Bishop Cameron Venables (Bishop of the Western 

Region) turns the sod for Phase 2 of the St Bart’s 

redevelopment. 

St Luke’s Toowoomba 

installs memorial cross 

History was both made and recognised 

at the end of 2016 with the installation 

of a memorial cross, together with 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags in 

the Warriors Chapel of St Luke’s Anglican 

Church in Toowoomba. 

The cross, created by renowned Aboriginal 

artist Uncle Colin Isaacs, commemorates the 

Battle of One Tree Hill (now best known as 

Table Top Mountain), the best known of a 

series of conflicts between European settlers 

and Aboriginal inhabitants of the Darling 

Downs, led by the great warrior Multuggerah, 

in the 1840s. 

The installation is a highly symbolic step 

The congregation during a farewell mass for Rector at St Stephen’s 

Coorparoo, The Rev’d Josh Dinale 

in recovering our shared national story 

and walking forward towards a just 

Reconciliation, following closely on the 

launch of the diocesan Reconciliation 

Action Plan. 

The recent gathering at St Luke’s 

involved a wide variety of people, 

including local Aboriginal elders, QLD 

State member for Toowoomba South 

David Janetztki MP, Bishop of the Western 

Region, Bishop Cameron Venables, Rector at 

St Luke’s Toowoomba, The Rev’d Dr Jonathan 

Inkpin, local councillors and members of local 

churches. 

An enlivening educational presentation 

Dignitaries at the recent ceremony to mark the installation of the memorial cross at St Luke’s 

Toowoomba. (left to right: David Janetzki MP(Member for Toowoomba South), Aboriginal 

artist Kim Walmsley, Cllr Bill Cahill (Toowoomba Regional Councillor), Uncle Darby McCarthy, 

Dr Mark Copland, The Rev’d Dr Jonathan Inkpin (Rector of St Luke’s Anglican Church, 

Toowoomba) and Bishop Cameron Venables (Bishop of the Western Region) 

about the Battle of One Tree Hill, and the 

case for naming the new Toowoomba by-pass 

after Multuggerah, was also made by Dr Mark 

Copland (Toowoomba Catholic Social Justice) 

and Mel Waters from the Multuggerah Way 

campaign team. 

St Stephen’s Coorparoo farewells Rector 

St Stephen’s Coorparoo have farewelled their Rector, 

The Rev’d Josh Dinale, after six years. 

Fr Josh will be doing further graduate studies in education 

and philosophy whilst continuing his ministry and speaking 

engagements with “The 4th Musketeer Australia”. 

His wife Kristy recently accepted a teaching position 

at a Christian School on the south side of Brisbane. The 

couple said they would continue to wait on God’s guidance 

in their next steps. 

Members of the congregation said they would pray for 

Josh to have every success in his new endeavours, and 

sent their love and prayers to his wife and children Maddi 

and Lexi as they transition. 



Surfers Paradise’s mission to Tara 

For residents of the coast and the urban 

south-east, the journey to the breathtaking 

Great Dividing Range might be considered 

a significant expedition. 

Yet it is only a short four hour trip from the 

sand of the Gold Coast to the Western Downs 

where skyscrapers are replaced by road trains, 

flies and conversations of wanted rain and last 

rain. 

In 2016, Surfers Paradise parish sent a 

team, which included a priest, a deacon and 

ten lay members, on a five-day mission of 

fellowship and ministry through the Tara district, 

Toowoomba and Dalby. 

“From the Surfers Paradise perspective there 

was the desire to support our Christian family who 

are isolated and lacking in regular sacramental 

ministry,” said The Rev’d Trevor Sketcher, 

Assistant Priest at Surfers Paradise parish 

“For the locals it meant sharing Holy 

Communion together with like-minded folk 

from another parish. ”The Mission was over 

five days, with times of fellowship and tourist 

visits in Toowoomba and Dalby, but ministry 

was over three days in the Tara District. 

Fr Trevor said the community had not 

had a serving Anglican priest for over 10 

years and relied on the blessed service 

of Liturgical Assistants, Barbara Langes 

(up to 2015) and Michelle Heuston, to 

keep the local ministry functional. 

“Holy Communion was shared in a 

house service for 25 at Moonie, Tarcoola 

Aged Care Home in Tara, at St Martin’s 

of Turs in Tara and at St Augustine’s in 

Meanadarra,” he said. 

“In each of the places there was also 

fellowship around a cuppa and cake, 

and a shared Parish Dinner in Tara. 

The parishioners from Surfers Paradise 

received great joy from participating in 

the mission, we were all encouraged 

by the commitment to worship which struck a 

chord with us all. There is a solid and consistent 

patience in belief that we admire.” 

“Don’t think it was just the city helping the 

Bush, the encouragement from the Bush in 

faithful commitment to worship and meeting 

together struck a chord with us all. There is 

a solid and consistent patience in belief we 

The Rev’d Trevor Sketcher, Assistant Priest at 

Surfers Paradise parish 

admire. “I would encourage other city parishes 

to link with Rural parishes in the West. Look to 

commit yourself long-term to a district and be 

willing to be joint ministers on your visit. Pray 

for the faithful members, meet up at Synod and 

plan jointly with them. Contact Bishop Cam of 

the West if your parish would like to make such 

a commitment.” 

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A 

client took the time to thank staff in a 

special way, making a plaque as a token 

of appreciation. 

Anglicare employees based in Roma provided 

support to the Sabine family, looking after Mr 

Sabine who received daily support as part of his 

Consumer Directed Care package. 

Staff went the extra mile when Mrs Sabine 

made an emergency trip from Roma to Mackay 

to support her daughter who was unwell and 

admitted to an Intensive Care Unit. 

Mrs Sabine’s trip was made possible thanks 

to the support of Anglicare staff, who provided 

24-hour in home support for her husband over 

the course of four days. 

Mr Sabine receives services six days a week 

according to Tracey O’Brien, Client Liaison Officer 

with Anglicare Rural and Remote in Roma. 

“This allowed Mrs Sabine to return to work 

and Mr Sabine to attend his grandchildren’s 

Saturday sport fixtures as well as participate in 

regular family activities,” she said. 

“Mrs Sabine was so grateful for our ongoing 

support it prompted her to make a heartfelt 

plaque. 

”It has been such a pleasure to provide care 

to this lovely family and I consider Anglicare the 

lucky ones in this scenario.” 

Anglicare employees with client Mrs 

Sabine (second from left) 


Cover Feature 

Our plan for 

Reconciliation 

After the launch of the Reconciliation Action Plan in late 2016, James O’Callaghan 

explores the development of the plan and its importance for the church. 

Some of us may be too young to remember 

the famous 1967 Federal referendum in 

which Australians overwhelmingly voted 

to remove clauses in the Australian constitution 

that discriminated against Indigenous 

Australians. 

That referendum altered the Australian 

Constitution to enable Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander peoples to be counted in the 

census and allowed the Australian Government 

the power to make uniform national laws 

affecting them. 

Prior to 1967, Aboriginal and Torres Strait 

Islander peoples had many aspects of their 

lives were controlled by the state governments, 

including the rights to: 

• vote in state elections 

• marry whomever they chose 

• move to wherever they chose 

• own property wherever they chose 

• be the legal guardian of their own children 

• receive the same pay for the same work 

• drink alcohol. 

Apart from the obvious discrimination, 

the problem was that state laws differed. 

An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander living 

in NSW had some of the above rights, while 

those living in Queensland had none of those 

rights. Indigenous Australians won the right to 

vote in national elections in 1962 but not state 

elections. Queensland was the last state to 

enable voting rights in 1965. 

It is a littleknown fact that the 1967 referendum 

saw the highest YES vote ever recorded in a 

Federal referendum. The National Archives of 

Australia (NAA) surmised that maybe because 

the majority of parliamentarians supported the 

proposed amendment. 

Since then many consider the nation’s 

progress on reconciliation to be too slow. The 

most recent major milestone was the formal 

apology tabled on February 13, 2008 by then 

Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. 

Reconciliation is about justice, unity and 

respect between Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous 

Australians. – Reconciliation Australia 

The Anglican Church in Southern Queensland 

has been addressing the issue since 2012 

when its Synod passed a motion to explore 

consideration of a Reconciliation Action Plan 

(RAP) as a significant tool to enhance the 

commitment of the Church to reconciliation. 

The motion was moved by The Rev’d 

Jonathan Inkpin, Rector at St Luke’s Parish 

Toowoomba who was inspired by the success 

of a similar plan implemented by the Catholic 

Diocese of Toowoomba. 

With the guidance of the diocesan Social 

Responsibilities Committee (SRC), consultation 

took place in 2013-14 on the possibility of 

entering into a RAP process. This included 

dialogue with the Diocesan Leadership 

Team, information forums for senior diocesan 

stakeholders with Reconciliation Australia 

representatives, and further research into 

precedents and other RAP’s that have been 

undertaken elsewhere. 

In February 2015, Diocesan Council approved 

both the establishment of a diocesan RAP 

Reference Group, and a Charter that outlined 

the scope, membership, governance and 

timelines for activities. 


Performers during the Reconcilliation Action Plan service 

The nominated co-chairs of the Reference 

Group were The Rev’d Bruce Boase (an 

Aboriginal Priest-In-Charge at Green Hills 

Parish in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, 

and The Rev’d Jonathan Inkpin. An inaugural 

RAP Reference Group met for the first time in 

March 2015 and formal meetings ensued, along 

with frequent informal conversations among 

RAP members and community and stakeholder 

consultations. 

In November the ACSQ unveiled its 

Reconciliation Action Plan which is available on 

the church website at www.anglicanchurchsq. 

org.au 

Fr Jonathan described the development of 

the RAP as an important milestone in the history 

of the diocese. 

“Relationship building is at the core of 

reconciliation,” he said. 

“Given the church is embedded in our 

communities, the church has a huge opportunity 

to assist the reconciliation process.” 

Fr Bruce said the church, as a Christian 

organisation, is called upon to reconcile. 

“There has certainly been a breakdown 

of relationships that will take healing, but 

the development of a plan that goes beyond 

parishes but applies to the entire diocese is a 

sign of intention.” 

Our journey is underpinned by theological 

impulses that place the call and practice 

of reconciliation firmly at the heart of 

contemporary Anglican Communion 

understandings of mission. 

The first step to reconciliation is reaching 

out to those affected by historic wrongs. 

Relationship building is a key part of the 

implementation of the RAP, with a number 

of milestones and key initiatives scheduled 

throughout 2017. 

All parishes are encouraged to hold an 

event to celebrate National Reconciliation 

Week (27 May – 3 June). This year is 

particularly significant as it marks the 50 th 

anniversary of the 1967 referendum and 

the 25 th anniversary of Mabo. Churches 

are encouraged to engage with Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait Islander groups at local 

levels. 

The commitment to reconciliation 

extends to Anglican schools, which will 

be engaged along with parishes and 

Anglicare to increase an awareness 

of the significance and meaning of 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural 

protocols, including the Welcome to Country 

and Acknowledgement of Country. 

A third element of the plan is around 

opportunity, particularly improving and 

increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

employment outcomes within the diocese, 

Anglicare, schools and early learning centres. 

Fr Jonathan says there is something in the 

plan that all parishes can implement. 

“We recognise that each individual parish 

is different, so we have created a strategy 

that has tools that apply to all parishes, 

whether they are small or large, metropolitan 

or regional,” he said. 

“We would like to foster stronger relationships 

with indigenous stakeholders,” he said. 

“This will build attendance at Sunday 

service, more Indigenous candidates enrolled 

for ordination, more Indigenous employees 

working within the diocese and more Indigenous 

attendance at our schools.” 

He also paid tribute to the many different 

stakeholders across the diocese. 

“There were a number of other stakeholders 

who were instrumental in the development of 

the Reconciliation Action Plan, particularly the 

bishops who supported the project from the 

An Indigenous student attending one of the Anglican schools 

in Brisbane at the Reconcilliation Action Plan service 

beginning.” 

Fr Bruce said that the plan was modest while 

establishing measurable objectives. 

“We are not calling on people to do anything 

they can’t do,” he said. 

“With some lessons learned from the initial 

stages of implementation, our hope is that our 

initial work will be improved.” 

Late last year, the General Synod Standing 

Committee of the Anglican Church of Australia 

agreed to support recognition at the Federal 

Parliamentary level, including removing powers 

to make laws on the basis of race while 

allowing the country to make laws to overcome 

disadvantage, ameliorate past discrimination 

and protect culture, language and heritage. 

In November the Primate of the Anglican 

Church of Australia, Archbishop Philip Freier 

expressed concern that the “vital” issue of 

constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and 

Torres Strait Islander people had “dropped 

increasingly below the Federal Government’s 

radar. 

Dr Freier said the political debate about 

the introduction of same-sex marriage, and 

Parliament’s rejection of a plebiscite on the issue, 

should not be used to prevent a referendum on 

indigenous recognition. 


Feature 

Young Anglican Fellowship reunites 

They came from far and near, the former members of the popular youth movement of the 

1960s, the Young Anglican Fellowship. It was the best-ever reunion reports Vivienne Binns. 

Despite a 35-degree day, well over 160 

people, a small portion of the thousands 

of past members in the Brisbane Diocese 

gathered at the Old Friary at Kenmore Hills 

in November in the spirit of Young Anglican 

Fellowship (YAF) and relived the journey. 

There were emotional scenes as people reconnected 

after some fifty years. 

In many instances it was a case of delayed 

recognition when trying to match the name tag 

with the face while others experienced shock and 

dismay when meeting up with acquaintances from 

long ago whom they thought had passed away. 

Messages had been received from many who 

could not attend, including from far flung regions. 

The memorabilia collected was extensive and 

people were very excited to share stories and 

memories of those wonderful days spent as part 

of a YAF group. Various speakers entertained 

and told their stories. 

Guest speakers included Bishop Jonathan 

Holland who spoke on the history of the youth 

movement in the Diocese; The Rev’d Tom 

Treherne – Chair of YAF Divisional Council 

(1960s); The Rev’d Tedd Dunglison – First 

Diocesan Youth Chaplain (1960s) who began 

The 64 Club; John Ower, Richard Boyce, 

Beryl Gowty, Robin Thiesfield, Alan McNaught. 

Peter Villaume entertained with a little music. 

Vivienne Binns conducted a short Q&A; the panel 

included Natalie Savin, Bev Rillatt-Richardson 

and others. Bev Perel (Diocesan Youth Officer 

1960s) was a very effective MC of the day. One 

most hilarious presentation was Ward Saylor’s 

comedy sermon adapted from a sketch by Alan 

Bennett in “Beyond the Fringe”. Even though 

the temperature inside the chapel was in the 

mid 30s, Ward had his audience reduced to 

tears of laughter. A convivial atmosphere was 

all pervasive throughout the day. 

Everyone is talking about the highlight of the 

day, the amazing and very moving Folk Mass 

setting composed by Geoffrey Beaumont and 

widely used in the 1960s, led by The Rev’d 

Michael Faragher (Rector of St Lucia Parish) on 

keyboard and Bishop Ron Williams on double 

A Young Anglican 

Fellowship legacy 

was established. 

bass and the beautiful voices of the cantors. 

The Rev’d Graham Dorman celebrated the 

Eucharist with assistance from a team of past 

YAF members: lay people, deacon, priests, and 

bishops. It was indeed a stirring experience! 

The re-kindling of past memories had reactivated 

a desire to recapture the spirit of 

oneness in Christ we had all shared so long ago. 

There was a tangible expression of gratefulness 

for the YAF experience. 

Looking back on those critical years showed 

that the structure of YAF provided a strong 

foundation, a safe environment in which to 

develop and was tantamount to our spiritual 

development. 

The realisation that the four-step program of 

spiritual, physical, mental and social development 

had shaped our future vocations as well as 

our lives. This was very obvious in the many 

significant stories told, and our own reflections 

on how we had been influenced by the Young 

Anglican Fellowship. 

Importantly, in response to a suggestion 

by Bishop Jonathan Holland, a YAF legacy 

was established – an exciting partnership with 

the Anglican Board of Mission Australia. This 

partnership aims to bring together young nonindigenous 

Australians with our indigenous peoples 

through a YAF Pilgrimage Project thereby providing 

an opportunity to have a spiritually transformative 

experience and thus a consciousness of one of 

the continuing social justice issues of our time. 

These kinds of values were very central to our 

YAF experience. Donations to assist this very 

worthwhile initiative can be made direct to ABM 

via their donations page: www.abmission.org/ 

yaf – please use code AU022 – or through the 

general donations page of the ABM website select 

“Young Anglican Fellowship (YAF) Legacy”. Your 

financial support for this YAF/ABM initiative would 

be greatly appreciated. 

Organising Committee of the Young Anglican 

Fellowship Reunion 2016: 

Bev Perel (Chair), Robin Thiesfield, Alison 

Dorman, Pat Strong, Beryl Gowty, Vivienne Binns. 


165 people attended the Young Anglican Fellowship reunion 

Representatives of St Paul’s Ipswich at the Young Anglican 

Fellowship reunion 

The Rev’d Tom Treherne speaks during the 

Young Anglican Fellowship reunion 

Beryl Gowty addressing attendees during the 


Representatives of the Young Anglican Fellowship Ashgrove 

Graham Dormon officiates a folk mass during the reunion 

Event MC Bev Perel introduces 

The Rev’d Tedd Dunglison 

Three colourful characters: Greg Thompson, 

Michael Stevenson and Malcolm Bell at the 


Members enjoying the Young Anglican Fellowship reunion 


Feature 

How the north was one 

How do you grow a church? Over many editions Focus Magazine has been asking the 

question of our most successful parishes. In this edition, we travel to the North Pine Parish, 

north of Brisbane, where The Venerable Chris Johnson is Rector. 

Focus Magazine: The number of worshipers 

in your parish has grown over the last 

three years. What is going on? 

Chris: The growth at North Pine has been all of 

grace. There is a mystery about how this works. It 

requires hard work but hard work doesn’t oblige 

God to act. He pours out his grace in building his 

church when and how he chooses not according 

to our plans and timetable. There have been times 

when lots of hard work produced little apparent 

fruit. There have been times when God worked in 

spite of us rather than because of us. There have 

been times when God worked through the natural 

rhythm of planting the seed, watering it, tending it 

and seeing it grow into a strong plant that produced 

much fruit. It is all of grace and to God be the glory. 

The key turning point for us was setting up of 

lay Leadership Team separate from Parish Council. 

Ministry gifts were discerned in particular individuals 

and they were invited to lead in their area of gifting. 

I meet with the Leadership Team four times a year 

and regularly keep in touch with them and the 

ministries they lead. 

Focus Magazine: What are three factors 

that have contributed to the growth to date? 

1. The GOSPEL 

People get excited about belonging to the 

church and offering for ministry when they grasp the 

magnitude of how much Christ has done for them. 

This involves a realisation that they are undeserving 

sinners saved by grace. Jesus’ enormous sacrifice 

on the cross and victory over the grave produces 

grateful servants. Gospel hearted people are people 

who have a heart to serve. 

2. VISION 

At North Pine our vision is to Love Jesus, Grow 

Disciples, Serve and Change the World. The vast 

majority of people who attend North Pine Anglican 

Church are committed to this vision in their personal 

lives as well as wanting to make it happen for their 

church. It is all about getting a group of people 

excited about a vision together. 

3. LAY MINISTRY 

Every member having a ministry and working 

together in teams are principles highly valued at 

North Pine. 

Focus Magazine: Have you run an 

introduction to Christianity/Disciple program? 

Have you found them successful? 

One program that has been particularly fruitful 

for us is the Alpha course. Once we got over the 

hump of just parishioners doing the course after 

about seven Alphas, we started reaching out and 

inviting non-church goers to do the course. The 

most important thing is to build an invitational 

culture in the Church. 

Focus Magazine: What advice would you 

give your brothers and sisters in other parishes? 

Pray and trust God, lift up the vision, try new 

things, bring people with you, preach the gospel, 

love and serve the Lord. 

Thoughts of a new parishioner 

Liz Hobman has been worshipping at North 

Pine Anglican Parish for six months. 

Focus Magazine: What drew you to the 

parish and what has helped you stay? 

I have known about North Pine Anglican Church 

for a long time through various Christian friends 

and I knew it had a reputation for lively worship an 

Biblical teaching so when I moved into the area 

I tried it out. It was such a warm and welcoming 

church I felt at home straight away. 

Focus Magazine: What is the growing edge 

of your life? How does belonging to the church 

give you life? 

The Church inspires me to give more and to 

be more open to ways to serve and help others. 

I love that NPAC is a place that encourages each 

of us to use our gifts to serve. 

Focus Magazine: What prompted you to start 

attending? Were there any teachings that you 

found particularly helpful? 

I have found the clarity of the vision and goals 

at NPAC to be very helpful in guiding my personal 

growth. It’s nice to know we are all on the same 

page. 

Focus Magazine: What three things could 

be improved? 

I’m enjoying it all too much to think of anything! 

A word with a long-term parishioner 

Peter Rawlinson has been worshipping at North 

Pine Parish for six years. 


The Church inspires me 

to give more and to be 

more open to ways to 

serve and help others. 

Focus Magazine: What keeps you 

worshiping at North Pine Parish? 

I believe it is important for a Christian to be 

part of and actively involved in a local church. 

I have a sense of connection, of belonging, I 

enjoy the worship, I enjoy the fellowship, I look 

forward to each Sunday, I get a strong sense 

of community just participating in and watching 

people go forward to communion. I care about 

the people I have come to know at North Pine and 

I have had opportunity to be actively involved in 

ministry through Alpha, through a growth group, 

and through opportunities to provide practical 

help in many other ways. 

Focus Magazine: Have you noticed any 

positive turning points in the life of the parish? 

When I started attending NPAC six years 

ago it already seemed to be a healthy place for 

me to be. I met a lot of friendly people, active 

in the church and very welcoming. The gospel 

was preached, great importance was placed on 

prayer and God’s praises were sung and I love 

the evangelical outlook of the church. Not long 

after I started attending NPAC began preparation 

of a new Parish Plan – Vision 2015, under that 

plan the church has appointed a Youth Minister 

(the culmination of many years of prayer and 

preparation), commenced a Men’s Ministry, a 

furniture ministry, it regularly participates in NCD 

surveys followed by a process of self-reflection, 

it has a regular and ongoing Alpha ministry which 

builds community and encourages an invitational 

outlook towards friends and family. 

The Rector has long been supported by good 

Wardens, Parish Council and a Leadership team 

all of which meet regularly to pray over, discuss 

and plan for the life and ministries of NPAC. 

In 2015 NPAC prepared a new plan - Vision 

2020, which has emphasised the importance 

of personal growth, active involvement of lay 

people in the life and leadership of the church, 

pastoral care and outreach. The Men’s Ministry 

and Furniture Ministry in particular have grown 

from strength to strength. 

Parish Plans; 

• Emphasis on prayer before taking decisions 

and actions; 

• Ongoing encouragement and equipping of lay 

members to ministry leadership roles; 

• Emphasis on, and modelling of the importance 

of each member taking responsibility for 

personal growth; 

• Infectious passion for people to come to know 

Christ and to build Christian community. 

Focus Magazine: What are the turning 

points that can be attributed to the lay people? 

• the establishment and growth of the Men’s 

Ministry; 

• the Furniture Ministry; 

• the willingness of lay people to take on 

leadership roles; 

• pastoral care of members for one another. 

Focus Magazine: What has helped you 

grow in the faith? 

• becoming actively involved in church ministries; 

• being invited to take on a ministry role and 

being willing to say yes to that invitation; 

• taking on a leadership role in a growth group; 

• gaining a better understanding of the history of 

the church and of God’s progressive revelation 

and intervention through the ages as told in 

the scriptures; 

• being part of a group of committed and active 

Christian people. 

Focus Magazine: What three things could 

be improved? 

• That would have to begin with myself, if I 

could be more diligent in my prayer time, 

in my private Bible study, and in my being 

attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit 

in my daily dealings with people within and 

outside the Church; 

• if many more people in the church who are 

not actively involved in ministry could become 

more involved, particularly people in a younger 

demographic to build greater depth into the 

lay ministries and leadership in the church; 

• if we could better share the load so that 

ongoing ministries were not just dependant 

on a small group of committed people but 

there was a broader shared ownership of and 

capability to lead so people had opportunity to 

rotate and rest sometimes and try new things. 

North Pine Parish 

• Location: Metropolitan 

• Church Size: Medium (100-200 people) 

• Key point: The key turning point for us was the 

setting up of a lay Leadership Team separate 

from Parish Council. 

• Key Point: The vast majority of people who attend 

North Pine Anglican Church are committed 

to this vision in their personal lives as well as 

wanting to make it happen for their church. 

Focus Magazine: What were the turning 

points that can be attributed to the Parish 

Priest? 

• Leadership in the preparation of subsequent 


Feature 

Our Christmas 

Christmas is arguably the most important date in the Christian calendar (but of course there are others). 

Archbishop Welby 

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin 

Welby reflected upon attacks on Christians 

in Pakistan which were “not only designed to 

inflict appalling suffering but also to sow fear 

in the heart of Christian, and other minority 

communities.” 

“I spoke with some of the survivors of 

these attacks, and I was deeply moved and 

humbled by their extraordinary courage in 

continuing to be faithful witnesses of Jesus,” 

he said of his visit to the country. 

“They spoke of knowing now more than 

ever that Jesus is the Good Shepherd.” 

Archbishop Welby asked for prayers for 

those who live in safety that we may not be 

bystanders afar off, beating our breasts as 

we retire to the scrutiny of our homes, but 

that we may draw nearer to the cross of 

Jesus, stand there alongside our brothers 

and sisters and be ready to take our part in 

practical action for change. 

“I pray that Christ will strengthen all his 

people in our inner being with power through 

the Holy Spirit to be faithful, to have courage 

and to live in hope,” he said. 

“In our common celebration of the light of 

Jesus coming into the world, may we then 

encourage and build up one other, and so 

may the Church in every place, united in 

suffering and in hope, shine with his light 

and act with his strength, today. 

Archbishop Freier 

The Anglican Primate of Australia and 

Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier 

referenced the much-loved hymn, Joy to 

the World. 

It is, as the angel tells the shepherds, news 

that should bring great joy to all. 

That Christmas message of God’s love 

and generosity stood in stark contrast to 

one of the great problems of human nature, 

our tendency to tribalism. 

“As humans, we easily identify with our 

in-group, whether defined by nation, race, 

religion or some other source of identity,” 

he said. 

“This is a problem because it excludes 

others; all those who do not belong to our 

in-group. 

“We see this in the so-called identity 

politics that seem to have swept up so many 

people in recent years.” 

Archbishop Freier continued by saying that 

today in Australia, as in much of the world, 

people are looking to simplify the factors 

that make up who they are. 

“Sadly, all too often, this is done by defining 

themselves in contrast to other people who 

may then be rejected as outsiders,” he said. 

“The gospel call that Jesus ushers in at 

Christmas is to reject that small, stunted 

identity, and to expand it to something larger, 

something more generous, something more 

loving. 

“We love because we have received love. 

We love because God first loved us.” 

Archbishop Aspinall 

The Archbishop of Brisbane, Dr Phillip 

Aspinall, said the message of Christmas 

was more important than ever because it 

was about hope. 

Dr Aspinall said the birth of a baby 

provided a sense of a new beginning, of 

life being refreshed and renewed, a sense 

of new hope. 

“… and this particular baby whose birth we 

celebrate at Christmas does that in spades, 

that life really became the turning point in 

human history and people look back to that 

birth and to the story of that life to give them 

the sense of peace when they feel anxious 

and to give them the sense of joy when life 

seems to be disintegrating and a sense of 

new possibility, that is what Christmas is 

really about. 

“The risk people face is to isolate 

themselves, to shut themselves away and 

to shut others out and to stop engaging 

out of fear but Christmas talks about a new 

possibility for human community where there 

is a sense of compassion and a sense of 

grace and mercy and forgiveness and people 

can actually reach out to one another and 

connect and be good and decent to one 

another.” 

“Yes there is doom and gloom in the world 

and terrible things do happen and yet there 

is light shining through that, there is a sense 

of hope and a sense of joy.” 


lessings 

Focus Magazine revisits Christmas messages from Anglican leaders from around the world. 

Archbishop Davies 

The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Dr 

Glenn Davies, made reference to God as 

‘God of Truth’, as he is referred in the Bible. 

Citing the Oxford Dictionary’s choice of 

‘post truth’ as the international word of the 

year, Dr Davies said the controversy over the 

truth in politics and public life was seen in 

world developments this year including the 

US election. 

“Let’s face it-there is so much ‘post truth’ 

around,” Dr Davies said. 

“The rise of social media has been fuelled 

by people who claim to write the truth – yet 

there are as many lies and untruths in social 

media. 

“In the Bible, God is called the God of 

truth. 

“The apostle John describes Jesus as ‘the 

Word become flesh’ who came to earth and 

lived among us. ‘We have seen his glory, the 

glory of the One and Only, who came from 

the Father, full of grace and truth.’ 

From politics to personal life, what more 

do we want for Christmas than people who 

will tell us the truth? 

“There is much in our world which is posttruth 

– but remember at Christmas time we 

celebrate the truth of Jesus – the God of 

truth, who declares ‘I am the way, the truth 

and the life’.” 

Archbishop Richardson 

Across the Tasman, the co-Primate of the 

Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand & 

Polynesia, the Archbishop of New Zealand, 

Philip Richardson, reflected that love was the 

most powerful force in the world. 

“Christmas shouts this great truth out: It’s 

hard to stifle Good News like that!” he said. 

“When Christians pause to celebrate the 

birth of Jesus, they celebrate the love of 

God breaking into our world in a new and 

unique way – and the power of that love to 

transform our world.” 

Archbishop Richardson described the 

story of Jesus’ birth as a true love story. 

“And billions of people around the world 

today and down the ages have been captured 

by this love story, and by the reality of God 

that lies within it,” he said. 

“The birth of the Christ-child tells us that 

the love of God is available for all people. 

In every place, at any time. “It tells us that 

every person is beloved of God. Sacred – and 

worthy of our love and respect. 

“In the face of so much negativity over 

these past months ... we might recall the 

words Martin Luther King spoke just before 

he was assassinated: 

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only 

light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; 

only love can do that.” 

Archbishop Ntagali 

In Africa, Primate of Uganda, Archbishop 

Stanley Ntagali said that while Christmas can 

mean many different things to people, the 

heart of the message is found in the words 

of the Bible. 

“When the fullness of time had come, God 

sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born 

under the law, to redeem those who were 

under the law, that we might receive the 

adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4.4-5) 

Archbishop Ntagali encouraged all to think 

about Jesus and his family. 

“The family is the fabric of society and the 

base for a stable community and nation,” 

he said. 

“It is lamentable that the families in our 

country are facing deliberate attack by 

different evil forces both from within and 

outside. This makes our children very 

vulnerable. 

“They are growing in a very violent 

environment and many have become victims 

of circumstances. In the process they are 

denied their rights.” 

Archbishop Ntagali said the family was 

the place where new life begins. 

“Children are born within families,” he said. 

“The God and Father of our Lord Jesus 

Christ is a God who values LIFE.” 


Beyond the Diocese 

US Anglicans on 

the presidential 

election result 

Members of the US-based 

Episcopal Church responded to 

the presidential election victory 

by Donald Trump with leaders urging the 

“healing of America”. 

Bishop Mariann Budde from the 

Diocese of Washington said it was time 

for the nation to come back together after 

listening to Trump’s victory speech. 

“In faithfulness to God, we will seek 

the welfare of the cities, towns and 

communities in which we live,” she said. 

“As Americans, we give thanks for the 

peaceful transfer of political power and we 

respect it.” 

The Provisional Bishop of South 

Carolina, Skip Adams, said that responses 

to the election result ranged from joy and 

delight to surprise, confusion, lamentation 

and grief. 

Bishop Skip urged people in Christian 

charity to be kind to yourself and one 

another, especially with those whom you 

disagree. 

First study in 30 years on the growth 

and decline of Anglican Communion 

A 

new academic study into growth 

and decline in the Anglican 

Communion will be marked with 

the publication of a new book edited by 

The Rev’d David Goodhew, director of 

ministerial practice at Cranmer Hall, part 

of St John’s College at Durham University, 

England. 

The book, titled Growth and Decline in 

the Anglican Communion – 1980 to the 

Present, is described by publishers as the 

first study of the [Anglican Communion’s] 

dramatic growth and decline in the years 

since 1980. 

Prepared by an international team of 

researchers based across five continents, 

the academic study provides a global 

overview of Anglicanism alongside 

twelve detailed case studies of Anglican 

Churches in Australia, the United States, 

Singapore, England and a number of 

New President of the United States of America, Donald Trump 

“Our baptismal promise is to respect 

the dignity every human being holds in all 

circumstances,” he said. 

Bishop Skip pointed to the prayers for 

our country and president in the province’s 

Book of Common Prayer, where we ask 

of God that we be saved from violence, 

discord and confusion, from pride and 

arrogance, and from every evil way. 

“Pray for Donald, our President-elect 

that he be granted God’s wisdom and 

strength and do God’s will … filled with love 

of truth and righteousness,” he said. 

“As for me, I will continue to work 

tirelessly for the marginalised of our world. 

“I hope that the election results make us 

more resolute in response to this call, for 

it is in our actions of love and compassion 

where we will find resurrection hope and 

bring the love of Jesus to bear.” 

The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal 

African nations. 

Routledge, which 

published the book 

described it as a critical 

resource for students 

and scholars seeking 

an understanding of 

the past, present and 

future of the Anglican 

Church. 

“More broadly, the 

study offers insight into 

debates, surrounding 

secularisation in the contemporary world,” 

the publishers said. 

The book will be launched during a day 

conference in London during February with 

speakers including Fr David and Professor 

Jesse Mugambi from the University of 

Nairobi in Kenya. 

“The essays in this book invite readers 

Church, Michael Curry, has not 

commented directly on the election result. 

In a video message released the day after 

the election, but recorded as votes were 

still being cast, Bishop Michael said that it 

was part of “the democratic process” that 

the office holders elected that day would 

be a mix of Republicans, Democrats and 

independents. 

“That’s how we govern ourselves in our 

country and we will all live with the results of 

those elections, but we will all live together 

as fellow Americans, as citizens,” he said. 

“And so the time will come, to bind up 

our wounds, to overcome our differences, 

to reconcile with each other, to reach 

out to those who differ with us, and to 

be Americans: One nation, under God, 

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 

“And an America like that will truly be a 

shining city upon a hill.” 

The Anglican Church of Congo is one of 12 case-studies in a new academic 

publication on the growth and decline in the Anglican Communion 

to further discourse on growth and 

decline within the respective provinces 

of Anglicanism in particular, and within 

Christianity in general,” Professor 

Mugambi said. 

“This book is worth reading as a whole, 

and informative in its wide range of 

contributions.” 


Coventry Cathedral 

The Archbishop of Canterbury 

Justin Welby’s 2017 message 

In his New Year message, The Archbishop 

of Canterbury reflected on the power 

of forgiveness after a recent visit to the 

Coventry Cathedral which was bombed on 

November 14 1940. 

On the remains of the wall behind the altar, 

are written the words “Father forgive”, echoing 

the words that Jesus prayed as his enemies 

crucified him. 

The day after the bombing, the Provost of the 

Cathedral – an extraordinary man called Dick 

Howard – made a commitment not to revenge, 

but to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. 

On Christmas Day that year, Provost Howard 

preached a sermon that was broadcast across 

the Empire on the BBC. In it, he called for a new 

and more Christ-like world after the war. 

I started life as a clergyman here in Coventry. 

I was ordained in the new Cathedral, which 

was built alongside the ruins. I never imagined 

I would work here. But for five years I helped 

lead Coventry’s global ministry of reconciliation – 

which grew out of Dick Howard’s vision and now 

has 200 partners for peace around the world. 

Coventry has always been a place that 

caught my imagination and my passion. The 

story of this city says so much that is true about 

Britain at its best – about our courage; our 

standing up to tyranny; how we stand alongside 

the suffering and defeated; how we stand for 

human dignity and hope. 

It says something vitally important about 

our generosity – how we’ve embraced the idea 

of reconciliation so that our wartime enemies 

are now friends. Thanks to our creative and 

innovative spirit, this vibrant and diverse city is 

also a hugely welcoming place. 

I met Sabir Zazai many years ago and I was 

delighted to have an opportunity to visit the 

centre for refugees that he now runs. He came 

as a refugee from Afghanistan in 1999 and his 

sheer courage and ability are extraordinary. He is 

now a key figure in the future of this city. 

There are people like Sabir all over the 

country – and they are a blessing to our way of 

life. They are embracing all that’s good – and 

that doesn’t just enrich their lives: it enriches and 

deepens ours too. 

Last year we made a decision that will 

profoundly affect the 

future of our country 

– a decision made 

democratically by 

the people. The EU 

Referendum was 

a tough campaign 

– and it has left 

divisions. 

But I know that if 

we look at our roots, 

our history and our 

culture in the Christian 

tradition; if we reach 

back into what is best 

in this country, we will 

find a path towards 

reconciling the 

differences that have 

divided us. If we are 

welcoming to those 

in need; if we are 

generous in giving; 

if we take hold of 

*Includes 

Private air-conditioned coach touring 

Small group travel, full escorted throughout 

3/4* hotel accommodation with private facilities 

Local English speaking tour managers 

All sightseeing, including entrances 

Most meals and local specialties 

Canterbury tourS 

Ph: (07) 3345 9423 

info@canterburytours.net 

our new future with determination and courage 

– then we will flourish. Living well together 

despite our differences, offering hospitality to 

the stranger and those in exile, with unshakable 

hope for the future – these are the gifts, the 

commands and the promises of Jesus Christ. 

They are also the foundations of our best 

shared values, traditions and practices in Britain. 

They make us the country we can be – a gift 

and source of confidence to this troubled world, 

in which we live not only for ourselves, but as a 

beacon of hope, a city set on a hill. 

I wish you a happy and hope-filled New Year. 

T w o Islands 

a n d a shoe 

Malta, Sicily 

and Southern Italy 

15 September 2017 

22 days from $7850 (land only*) 

Visiting Valetta and Gozo (Malta), 

Ragusa, Palermo, Catania, Taormina, 

Siracusa (Sicily), Tropea, Taranto, Lecce, 

Brindisi, Alberobello, Monopoli, Bari, 

Benevento, Naples, Capri, Herculaneum and 

Rome (Southern Italy) 

a few places 

remaining! 

Hosted by Canon Richard Martin SSC 

All Saints Wickham Terrace 

Anglican Parish, Brisbane 


Beyond the Diocese 

Freier: Government must 

do more on refugees 

The Archbishop of Melbourne and 

Primate of Australia Philip Freier recently 

welcomed the announcement by the 

Australian Government where hundreds of 

refugees held in detention centres on the 

islands of Nauru and Manus could be resettled 

to the United States. 

But Archbishop Freier called on the 

government to go further. 

In a statement, Archbishop Freier 

commended the Australian government for 

its stringent efforts to find a solution that does 

not leave people rotting in off-shore detention. 

“Large numbers of Australians have been 

distributed by the calculatedly callous treatment 

of asylum seekers in which both Labor and 

Coalition governments have sought to use 

human misery to send a message to people 

smugglers,” he said. 

“I recognise that border sovereignty has 

been an intractable 

problem and that 

the government has 

successfully stopped the 

boats. This achievement 

has also removed the 

need to use offshore 

detention as a deterrent. 

“I urge the government to 

drop its legislation banning any 

refugee resettled overseas from ever 

returning to Australia. 

“The government has already acknowledged 

it is not a necessary part of the resettlement 

proposals.” 

The director of legal advocacy for Australia’s 

Human Rights Law Centre, Daniel Webb 

described the announcement as full of holes. 

“No timeframe, no numbers, no detail on 

what the government will do with the hundreds 

of innocent people who look like 

they might be left behind,” he said. 

“It’s not a plan. 

“This ugly chapter in our history only closes 

when every single man, woman and child 

suffering at our government’s hands on Nauru 

and Manus is finally rebuilding their lives in 

safety. 

“No one can be left behind.” 

Future Chaplain, Amazing Ministry 

web: www.airforce.gov.au/chaplains email: raaf.chaplains@defence.gov.au 

DPS:MAY049-16 


Oxfam releases ‘Naughty & 

Nice’ list of fashion retailers 

International brands like Zara, Topshop and 

Asos have been embraced by Australians, 

but there is a call for increased transparency, 

particularly with regards to where and how their 

fashion is made. 

That was the underlying message as 

advocacy group Oxfam released its annual 

‘Naughty & Nice’ list, detailing which big 

retailers operating in Australia are disclosing 

the location of their factories. 

The renewed call from transparency comes 

after the collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh 

that killed 1130 slave workers, placing the 

fashion industry under never before seen 

scrutiny. 

In a letter to donors, Oxfam asked, wouldn’t 

it be nice to know that the brands you buy from 

this Christmas are treating the women in their 

factories fairly? 

“Since the Rana Plaza factory collapse that 

shocked the world in 2013, many companies 

have promised to improve their practices, 

updated their code of conduct and sign onto 

pledges designed to protect workers,” the 

letter said. 

“Which is great. 

“But unless a company publishes the 

location of its factories there is still no way of 

checking if their clothing is being made under 

safe and fair conditions. 

“And workers can’t easily raise problems 

and get them fixed.” 

Retailers on Oxfam’s Naughty list include 

Best and Lest, Just Jeans and Dotti. 

On the flip side, there are retailers who are 

doing the right thing with Oxfam declaring its 

‘Nice’ list bigger than ever with a handful of 

companies making the switch in time for the 

restive season. 

Retail giants like Westfarmers, H&M, Gap 

and Woolworths were among the major retailers 

who received kudos for increased transparency. 

On the plus side, Oxfam said the “Nice” list 

was “bigger than it’s ever been with a handful 

of companies making the switch just in time 

for the festive season”. 

“When buying a t-shirt or dress from these 

companies, you can be assured they are not 

hiding the factories their clothes are made,” 

the Oxfam letter said. 

Other retailers on the ‘Nice’ list include 

Cotton On Group, Jeans West and Pacific 

Brands. 

Oxfam credited tens of thousands of 

supporters for the increased disclosure. 

“They have stood with these women over the 

past 20 years and joined Oxfam’s campaign for 

fashion brands in Australia to take meaningful 

action to protect their workers.” 

Churches damaged by New Zealand earthquake 

A 

number of church buildings were affected by the 

7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the New 

Zealand town of Kaikoura during November 2016. 

According to the Anglican Taonga, the church bell 

tower at Waiau in the diocese of Christchurch has sheared 

off from the church body. St Paul’s Cathedral in the 

country’s capital of Wellington was evacuated due to 

fears that nearby buildings may collapse. While the 

cathedral itself remained intact; the pipe organ was 

severely damaged with pipework scattered around the 

choir area. 

The Cathedral Dean, the Very Rev’d Digby Wilkinson 

said the cathedral suffered no structural damage but that 

he expects it could take up to two years for the organ 

to be restored to working order, or replaced. 

The New Zealand Navy and Air Force evacuated 

hundreds of people from the town using helicopters and 

the warship HMNZS Canterbury. Naval warships from 

Australia, the US and Canada, heading to New Zealand 

to take part in celebrations for the 75th anniversary of 

the New Zealand Navy, diverted to Kaikoura to deliver 

aid and assistance to the remaining population. 

The chief executive of Anglican Missions in New 

Zealand, Canon Robert Kereopa told the Anglican 

Alliance that it was wonderful to hear that our friends 

are with us. 

“Thankfully reports thus far from Christchurch, 

Nelson, and Wellington dioceses all say everyone 

is OK,” he said. 

“We are in good heart, and poised to give support 

where it is needed, but it will take some time to assess 

the damage, which is substantial.” 

The congregation returned to St Paul’s for 

Christmas services after a safety cordon around 

the area was lifted. 

Despite extensive damage to parts of the organ, 

there was no structural damage to the cathedral. 

“We will endeavour to make our Christmas worship 

a time of celebration and thanksgiving after all the 

city has been through,” said Dean Digby. 

St Paul’ s Cathedral prior to the 

November 2016 earthquake (Credit, 

Anglican Diocese of Wellington) 


Arts & Entertainment 

FILMS 

Six films you might have missed in 2016 

In this edition of Focus Magazine, Jonathan Sargeant looks at 

the movies that may have fallen under the radar in 2016. 

2017 has well and truly started and 

we’ve seen some great films released 

already (LaLa Land anyone?) But you 

might have missed these in the heady rush of 

2016. Look out for them on DVD or through 

your streaming service of choice. 

Almost a Musical 

Sing Street (director John Carney) 

With a potent nostalgia for 80s musical 

stylings, Sing Street tells the story of a teen 

who aims to impress a girl by inviting her to 

be in his band’s new video. The problem? 

There is no band. Oh, and no songs either. 

But with gentle humour the band comes to 

be. With dynamite 

casting and the 

best soundtrack 

of the year, Sing 

Street is an 

underdog story 

told in the context 

of an oppressive 

Irish school 

system with an 

eye on the power 

of dreams, love 

and faith. 

Events & Classifieds 

This Issue’s Events 

Saturday April 1 

Mission Prayer and Praise Breakfast in 

support of ABM-a 

Event Time: 8.00am – 10.00am 

Venue: St Andrew’s Lutwyche in Parish Hall. 

673 Lutwyche Road, Lutwyche. 

Details: $15.00 entry includes three course 

breakfast and free gift for each person. No 

charge for children. Parking on site. 

Contact: RSVP to Parish Office on (07) 3857 

5734 by 23 March 2017 or email: rector@ 

lutwycheanglican.org.au 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Caloundra, Sunshine Coast. Beachside units 

at Kings and Bulcock Beaches for holiday 

letting for up to 7 people from $400/wk. 

For details contact Ray on 0427 990 161 or 

rayandjean@hotmail.com 

Aussie Outback Neo-Noir 

Goldstone (director Ivan Sen) 

Not too much competition in this category for 

2016, but Goldstone was one of the best films of 

the year overall. Indigenous detective Jay Swan 

(Aaron Pedersen) appeared in 2013’s Mystery 

Road to great effect. Sen returns the downbeat 

policeman to a new story involving people 

smuggling and mining politics and the year’s 

best cameo by Jacki Weaver as the town mayor. 

A sensitive eye for the landscape produces great 

cinematography but it’s the moral underpinning 

that grips and leaves questions in your mind. 

All that glitters is not gold 

Café Society (director Woody Allen) 

Allen’s strong work ethic in the last decade 

(a film a year, prolific by Hollywood standards) 

means each new film comes and goes without a 

lot of fanfare these days. You may not have time 

for him as a person but Café Society showcases 

the director at the peak of his powers in the genre 

he has perfected: wry humour focussed on the 

foibles of a hangdog 

humanity. In this 

case he excoriates 

the glitz of celebrity 

with a tale of the 

30s film industry. It’s 

a compact sermon 

on Mark 8:36 (“What 

profits a person who 

gains the world but 

loses their soul?”) 

with great music. 

“I can’t believe it’s not Spielberg” 

Midnight Special (director Jeff Nichols) 

While 2016’s other Spielberg homage, Netflix’s 

Stranger Things, got all the kudos, Midnight 

Special is definitely 

worth the journey 

as well. The everwonderful 

Michael 

Shannon plays the 

father of an unusual 

boy on the run 

from Government 

agents. Why? In this 

case, unusual might 

just mean special 

powers. But this is no 

superhero film. Rather it examines the nature of 

parenthood using a stellar cast including Adam 

Driver, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Shepherd. Just 

enough mystery remains as the credits roll to 

leave Nichols’ film rolling around in your mind 

for days afterwards. 

Sam Neill’s best beard ever 

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (director Taika Waititi) 

The NZ film industry uncovered a star in Julian 

Dennison in this film which follows the national 

manhunt for a rebellious teen and his foster uncle 

who take to the bush to avoid being separated. 

It’s laugh-out-loud stuff and Sam Neill has never 

been better. But look under the hood and you’ll 

find the engine is Julian’s Ricky and a script 

that skilfully balances laughs with poignancy 

and action as well, something new for Waititi. 

Helming, the new Thor film, will be his biggest 

challenge but Wilderpeople is the peak of a 

quirky career so far. 

Is it a sports film? 

Eddie the Eagle (director Dexter Fletcher) 

2015’s Creed (a Rocky 

sequel of sorts) set the 

bar high for the sports 

film that’s not really about 

sports. Fletcher’s Eddie 

attempts the same trick 

with more heart than 

Phar Lap in a story that 

is the Merriam Webster 

definition of feel-good. 

With humour to burn, this 

is one for the whole family. 

Eddie the Eagle’s path to 

the 1988 Winter Olympics 

is embroidered to allow for Hugh Jackman to 

appear as coach in need of redemption. Even 

though the ending is history, you’ll be on the 

edge of your seat hoping for Eddie’s success. 

And succeed he does, in a way. 

Jonathan Sargeant is the Director of Lay 

Education at St Francis Theological College 

Seen any noteworthy films you think others 

might have missed last year? Drop Jonathan 

a note at jonathans@ministryeducation.org.au 

and let him know. 

26 | FOCUS | February/March 2017 


Beyond Belief 

Author: Hugh Mackay 

Reviewed by: Pam Green 

Hugh Mackay’s book Beyond Belief 

published early in 2016 is not, he says, 

for committed Christians who have no 

doubts whatever. Nor is it for committed 

atheists who have likewise no doubts. It is 

for doubters, sceptics, heretics, agnostics and 

religious fringe dwellers, including some who 

may attend church, but feel uncomfortable 

doing so. 

His Introduction contains some startling 

facts, e.g. Putin maintains a private chapel and 

sometimes wears a baptismal cross; there are 

more Christians in China than members of the 

communist party; there are predictions that 

by 2050 China could be the biggest Christian 

nation, as well as the biggest Muslim one. Also 

that the Buddhist lovingkindness meditation 

has been found by university research to 

significantly reduce lower back pain. 

One would think the above unlikely, what 

with only 8% of weekly church attendance in 

Australia. But Hugh Mackay has been awarded 

honorary doctorates by four universities, so 

cannot afford not to check the facts. 

There are interesting sections on why people 

do not go to church as well as on why they 

do. (Very varied.) There is a chapter on SBNR 

(Spiritual but not Religious) as many like to call 

themselves. 

Another interesting chapter is on what 

people mean when they say ‘God.” I like his 

quotation of Robert Rollie, English mystic and 

hermit’ he truly knows God perfectly who finds 

him incomprehensible and unable to be known. 

I found interesting too Karen Armstrong’s point 

that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity was devised 

by Greek theologians of the fourth century 

as a deliberate piece of myth making. It 

reminds me of one of C. S. Lewis’ Narnia 

books where a wise centaur instructs the 

children on the nine names of Aslan and 

what they mean. 

Of Richard Dawkins he writes it was a 

bit rich of Dawkins to have weighed in with 

such force against religion in any form, 

when most of his attacks were aimed at 

a rather extreme form of fundamentalism. 

Parts of this book are easy reading, 

being anecdotal. Other parts require 

concentration. You may not agree with 

everything he says, I know that some, but 

not all, of my fellow Christians will certainly 

disagree with at least a couple of his ideas. 

He assumes that most people 

in Australia no longer believe in the 

resurrection, whether physical or spiritual. 

I personally have no trouble believing that 

Jesus is still around for two reasons. One 

is that the non-Christian historian Josephus 

recorded that Jesus’ own brother James 

was stoned to death for his Christian faith 

in A. D. 62 i.e. approximately 30 years after 

Jesus’ death. The other is that three of my 

friends, very obviously sane people, have had 

visions of him, in one case more than once and 

involving conversation. Other people of course 

may believe that James, my three friends and 

I are all deluded. 

BOOKS 

The 2016 Young Australian Christian 

Writer Award was presented to Miriam 

Dale for The Weight of Hope. This 

collection of poetry and prose is profound 

and insightful. Miriam Dale’s enviable 

honesty and warmth make her a welcome 

companion. Her writing is candid and raw 

but above all hopeful. 

An extract from The Weight of Hope 

Bearding down the length of history 

Like a freaking freight train 

This feet-first dive of God towards 

humanity 

The Divine barrelling through time and 

space 

Headed straight for us. 

But He is pounding towards a curtain 

Building speed, He sprints towards 

a wall 

More impenetrable than the Iron Curtain 

More-heart breaking than the Berlin Wall 

More separating than death itself. 

And the angels are beginning to cringe now 

And the demons are starting to laugh 

As the inevitable collision approaches 

Of the Divine with the Unbreakable dark. 

The angels curl their wings over their eyes 

As the moment of truth arrives 

But just before catastrophic impact happens 

There is the shocking glimpse of a spark 

Two hands have reached through from the 

human side 

Two hands with massive nail scars 

Gripping the two sides of the impenetrable 

curtain 

And ripping it apart 

The Divine bursts through the barrier 

Flings through the broken wall 

An open door where once there was darkness 

A walkway once and for all…. 

But now, 

With good, even the best of intentions 

(And all that the old maxim implies) 

Our shaking hands are busily trying to stich 

the curtain 

Shut again. 

FOCUS | February/March 2017 | 27 


Religion and Ethics 

POWER, 

FEATHERS, 

AND ROBES 

Ahead of the release of his book entitled, The Church, Authority, and Foucault: Imagining the Church 

as An Open Space Of Freedom, Dr Steven Ogden examines the misuse of power in the Church 

From the Gospels, we learn that Jesus is 

authentic, open, and compassionate (e.g. 

Matt 9:18-26). As such, his personal authority 

emerges from the gospel stories. Significantly, 

this is the authority of charisma, conviction, 

and compassion. It rings true. Moreover, he 

empowers others. That is, his ministry is a 

ministry of empowerment. In fact, the root of the 

word authority is related to both authoring and 

inaugurating. Jesus is then the author of a new 

movement. He inaugurates new practices. This 

is the basis of our ministry in Christ for others. 

In contrast, the modern institutional Church 

is constantly tempted to revert to practices of 

power over others, and not power to or for others. 

So, instead of cultivating a passion for life, this 

church propagates seeds of fear. Of course, the 

misuse of power is also a secular problem. For 

example, look at the bullying and harassment 

experiences of women in a range of professions. 

Clearly, the Church is not the only institution with 

power problems, but it is called to embody a 

viable alternative (Gal 3:28). The aim of this article 

is two-fold: it is to present a thumbnail sketch 

of the problems associated with power and, as 

a contrast, affirm an Anglican understanding of 

authority. As such, the sketch raises questions, 

and invites wider reflection. 

As an institution, the Church has a problem 

with power. As such, the problem of power is the 

elephant in the sitting room. Ironically, we rarely 

use the word power in relation to our beloved 

institution. Moreover, Anglicans have said little 

about power and its relationship to authority. Of 

course, Stephen Platten’s Augustine’s Legacy 

(1997) signalled some of the problems, Stephen 

The problem of 

power is the elephant 

in the sitting room. 

Syke’s Power and Christian Theology (2006) 

provided a useful survey, and Carter Heyward’s 

approach to authority in Saving Jesus (1999) is 

refreshing. Overall, however, there is little critical 

reflection on the concept and practice of power 

in Anglicanism. But the problem will not go away. 

In politics, for example, the abuse of power 

relies on secrecy. It surfaces in the unrestricted 

use of veto powers and privileges, that is, the 

unqualified right to have the final say (even if 

you are wrong). This is power over not power 

for others. As a systemic problem, then, powerrelations 

are complex and multilayered. To this 

end, I have been investigating both the problem 

of power and the call to create churches of 

mutual empowerment. I have a book coming 

out shortly entitled The Church, Authority, and 

Foucault: Imagining the Church as an Open Space 

of Freedom (Routledge, 2017), which looks at 

these problems in detail. But let me raise some 

of the challenges. 

The misuse of power is often unwitting and 

implemented with the best of intentions. It 

also relies on the complicity of others. In other 

words, dubious, even exploitive actions are 

not always challenged. Complicity then stems, 

in part, from what Judith Butler describes as, 

“sovereign fantasies”. In other words, kings need 

kingmakers. As political scientist Wendy Brown 

argues, democracy is suffering because we are 

frightened of freedom, that is, almost universally, 

we want someone else to fix things for us. So 

how do we change the system? 

We need to step back and analyse what we say 

and do. Even liturgy, for example, has implications 

for human relations. From thrones to enthronement 

ceremonies and the order of procession, power 


The root of the word 

authority is related to both 

authoring and inaugurating. 

Jesus is then the author of 

a new movement. 

and its trappings are seductive, especially when 

the trappings are sanctified. As philosopher Michel 

Foucault observes, “The distribution according 

to ranks or grade has a double role: it marks the 

gaps, hierarchizes qualities, skills and aptitudes; 

but it also punishes and rewards”. In other words, 

liturgical gestures have implications for powerrelations. 

All this is what theologian Rosemary 

Radford Ruether refers to as, “The feathers and 

robes of males display their power and authority 

in ceremonial situations”. So, why is it important 

to conduct this kind of analysis? 

By naming problems of power, we find 

creative ways of renewing the Church for our 

life and our mission in the twenty-first century. 

So, let’s return to the figure of Jesus. In the 

words of Carter Heyward, 

“As a more liberating and 

compassionate response to 

the serious, complex moral 

quandaries and questions of 

our life together, I interpret 

the Passion of Jesus as the 

basis of how he lived in the 

context of similar quandaries 

and questions. He lived 

passionately. By that, I mean 

that he lived a fully human life 

– really present, deeply rooted 

in God, able to be there with 

and for others, friend and stranger alike. He was 

able to be in the questions, share the quandaries, 

not put himself outside or above others”. 

Inspired by the example of Jesus, early 

churches evolved as open spaces of freedom. 

In fact, this idea of church is linked to the meaning 

of the word ekklesia, which is an open inclusive 

space. In this space, we are all called by our 

baptism in Christ to work for the sake of others. 

In the process, we are equipped for the building 

up of the Church. In such a Church, however, 

authority is not the same as power. Moreover, 

Anglicanism has an important contribution to 

make on the question of authority. 

In our tradition, authority entails a mutual 

relation between leaders and followers. In other 

words, the authority of leaders is grounded in 

the life of the people. Theologically, our bishop’s 

authority has a vertical (diachronic) dimension, 

which is embodied in and expressed by the 

concept of apostolic succession. Authority also 

has a horizontal (synchronic) dimension, which 

is embodied in and expressed by the consent 

of the people of God. What’s more, our practice 

of Bishop-in-Synod is an attempt to model and 

express the dual nature of ecclesial authority. As 

such, this is shared or dispersed authority. In this 

light, we have something to offer, but it begins with 

a transparent assessment of our power-relations. 

Dr Steven Ogden 

Rector, Parish of Fortitude Valley 

Former Principal, St Francis Theological College 

Dr Steven Ogden 


Spotlight 

Spotlight on Prayer Spaces 

A Prayer Space activity at St John’s Cathedral in late 2016 

The prayer space at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School 

Prayer Spaces have been described as an amazing phenomenon with the capacity to engage 

students in a way that few other mission practices can. In this edition of Focus Magazine, we look 

at Prayer Spaces and examples of activities that can be applied within your school or parish. 

Across the Diocese, many schools run 

Prayer Spaces that enable children and 

young people, of all faith and none, 

to explore life questions regarding spirituality 

and faith in a safe, creative and interactive 

environment. 

Taking a broadly Christian perspective as a 

starting point, prayer spaces give children and 

young people an opportunity to develop skills of 

personal reflection and to explore prayer in an 

open, inclusive and safe environment. 

Originating in England, the approach purposely 

allows students to make their own meaning and 

to draw their own conclusions. 

Examples of Prayer Space activites 

Prayer Space activities come in a variety of 

different forms that enable students to explore 

spirituality and faith. Some of the more popular 

activities include: 

Please: In Jerusalem there is a wall, called 

the Wailing Wall, where thousands of people 

push their paper prayers into tiny cracks every 

day. There are lots of alternative ways to set up a 

‘Prayer Wall’-style prayer activity. Students could 

write or draw their prayers onto sheets of lining 

paper that have been pinned onto walls, making 

it more of a graffiti-style prayer wall. Or, instead 

of a wall, students could attach their prayers to 

some kind of prayer tree. With post-it notes, you 

can use almost any object or location and turn 

it into a ‘Prayer Wall’. 

The World: Most students are aware of 

world events through the news and other media 

sources, even if they don’t know exactly wherein-the-world 

these events are taking place, nor 

what they mean. Furthermore many students 

have relatives and friends living in nations around 

the world. This activity encourages students to 

pray for those situations, and for those relatives 

and friends. 

This activity works best if you have a very 

large world map or globes that students can 

stick post-it note prayers onto. The larger the 

map the better, so that nations and cities don’t 

get covered too quickly. 

Big Questions: We all have big questions 

about life, about God and faith, etc. This activity 

encourages students to ask their big questions 

as prayers. Some of them are ‘head’ questions, 

things we find difficult to grasp and understand. 

But most of them are ‘heart’ questions, to do 

with our experience of pain and suffering, doubt 

and disappointment, etc. This prayer activity 

works best when a team member is nearby 

to encourage the students to ask honest 

questions. Sometimes, students might ask the 

team member what they think about a particular 

question. When this happens, it’s really important 

for the team member to answer honestly, even if 

their answer is “I really don’t know”. The purpose 

of this prayer activity is to reinforce the idea that 

questions are OK. 

A Success Story 

The Rev’d Canon Susan Crothers-Robertson, 

Chaplain at St John’s Anglican College developed 

a Prayer Space in the last week of the school 

year as year six students attended an orientation 

to prepare them for a smooth transition into 

secondary school. As part of that process, there 

was a time of reflection and prayer allocated 

which some students found ‘off putting’. A 

Prayer Space was used to reveal to students 

that prayer can be done in many different ways, 

rather than the usual closing eyes, kneeling and 

holding hands. 

“The first prayer space was fantastic. From 

the moment we opened the doors of the Chapel, 

the look on the students’ faces and the ‘wow’ 

on their lips said it all. There was this amazing 

peace that seemed to descend upon the whole 

space. Students appeared to collectively sigh 

as they let go of the past few busy days of the 

school year.” 

For more information on Prayer Spaces, 

visit the Prayer Spaces website - http://www. 

prayerspacesinschools.com/ 


Reflection 

The voice of the prophet? 

In this edition of Focus Magazine, The Rev’d Canon Sarah 

Leisemann, College Chaplain and Director of Mission at Cannon 

Hill Anglican College reflects on the role of school chaplains. 

School chaplaincy is arguably the most 

varied and diverse ministry which a 

person can undertake. When a typical day 

entails singing with the Preps, leading worship, 

teaching classes, meeting with Senior Staff, and 

then sport practice or playground duty, it’s no 

wonder chaplains get home each day exhausted 

emotionally and physically! Though it may seem 

tough, chaplains generally thrive on the variety and 

busyness of their work, and enjoy the challenges 

it presents. 

Sometimes, however, a school chaplain is 

required to be the “God-person” in a completely 

different way, a way that is not always easy or 

straightforward. Sometimes a chaplain has to 

be a prophet. In the Bible, prophets are people 

who bring a message of warning or hope (often 

both!) from God to their community. At times, 

the message is received and accepted, but 

sometimes the prophet is ignored at best, and 

at worst … well, we hope that is not the fate of 

our school chaplains! 

As in any Christian community, the underlying 

values and principles which shape our Anglican 

schools need to be continually reinforced and 

nurtured on many levels, beginning with the 

Principal, right down to everyday interactions 

with students. If there are circumstances which 

diverge from these values, the Christian ethos 

can be eroded over time. Whose voice will speak 

for the Lord on these occasions? It has to be the 

chaplain – as a prophet. With the support of the 

Head of the school, a chaplain’s prophetic voice 

can be a powerful reminder of God’s values. 

There are particular qualities which the chaplain 

is required to possess to enable him or her to be 

an authentic prophet in a school community. Here 

is my short list of qualities and practices which 

chaplains should nurture within themselves and 

their lives in order to be well prepared to take on 

the role of the school prophet. 

Most importantly, a prophet needs to be in 

a close relationship with God, in order to listen 

attentively for God’s message and to be obedient 

to it. A prophet is empowered by God’s Spirit 

to discern and communicate clearly and with 

great integrity. In a school, it is the chaplain who 

maintains the discipline of regular prayer, and 

closeness with God should be a significant part 

of the chaplain’s character. It is only through this 

intentional, committed relationship with God that 

the chaplain can discern God’s voice. Others in 

the school will be drawn into this life of prayer, 

and the Principal and staff should know that they 

are held daily in prayer by the chaplain and may 

often pray with him or her. 

Secondly, a prophet needs to have the courage 

to be obedient to God, whatever the message 

may be. In a school environment, there are often 

many compelling motivating factors. It is the 

chaplain who is the chief proclaimer of the Gospel 

and therefore, no matter what other competing 

priorities may influence the direction of a school, 

it is the chaplain who will obediently proclaim the 

Good News in the decision making process. The 

chaplain’s voice is not always a lone one, but a 

prophet should be obedient with or without a 

crowd of support. 

The Rev’d Canon Sarah Leisemann, college chaplain and 

Director of Mission at Cannon Hill Anglican College 

Finally, a prophet’s message is one of hope and 

redemption, in which God invites a community to 

renewed life and love through repentance and 

obedience. The chaplain is the voice of hope and 

the one who intentionally invites the community 

to participate in the Kingdom of God. It is easy 

for a chaplain to fall into the trap of just lamenting 

the challenge before her or him, but this is not 

the way a prophet works. The message must 

be one of hope and redemption, in which God’s 

loving action is not only possible, but will be a 

great blessing to the school, its staff, students 

and families. 

A close relationship with God, courage, 

obedience and hope are the hallmarks of a 

prophet’s ministry, and with these a school 

chaplain is well placed to influence the direction 

of their school and its leaders. While this particular 

ministry is just one among those of pastor, preacher 

and pray-er, the ‘chaplain as prophet’ helps to 

maintain our Anglican schools as authentically 

Christian communities in the midst of a world that 

challenges them on every side. 


St Francis College, Milton 

Study at St Francis College – a great place to 

learn about the Christian faith. 

Do you want to know God and your faith more deeply? Are you 

interested in understanding Christianity better? 

We can help - speak to us. 

Our courses provide a door to deeper understanding. With 

small classes and a friendly approach we offer an excellent 

learning experience in theological education and spiritual 

formation. 

• Graduate and postgraduate courses, which you can audit or 

enrol in for a BTh or Certificate or Diploma; MA or PhD. 

• Adult education courses, including the 360 Project, the 

Pilgrim course and Education for Ministry. 

• The Spiritual Direction Formation Program. 

• Camps for children, programs for young adults and support 

for parish youth workers. 

• The Roscoe Library – books – print and electronic. 

• Various on-line courses under way. 

Contact: 

The Registrar, Suzie Anthonisz, St Francis College 

3514 7411 or visit our website 

ministryeducation.org.au 

MEC5279

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