Bishop's Blog
8.5.08 > I heard what I was assured was a true story last week. It was about a parish council meeting in this Diocese. The Council began with prayer and worked its way through the agenda in its normal fashion until it reached one of the main items for discussion. Things began reasonably but quickly developed into what was described as all out war... more info >
Faith without works is no faith...
Faith without works is no faith. That is clear from the New Testament and it is our achilles heel as a Church. We are often accused of being hypocrites and I think this is what they mean. We talk a great deal about love, service of the poor and sacrificial lives. But when we look at the priorities of our church communities these are not always what people experience.
When we read stories of the first three hundred years of the Church we find a church living on the edge of survival, persecuted and struggling, martyred and at one with the poor and the marginalized. It was a Church that hungered with the hungry, suffered with the sick and grieved with those who were dying. To lay claim to being a Christian meant to have Christ at the heart of all they did. It was observable. It could be experienced and there was little difference between what was preached and what was lived. And the Church grew rapidly and enormously.
Today the Western Church is in decline. Can we perhaps learn something from the story of our past?
Three New Deacons
Bishop's Sermon and photo from Saturday 3 May Ordinations. Audio sermon available NOW. more info >
and more Deacons...
... I (the Bishop) write with a message that gives me a great deal of joy. I have invited Kevin Harper and Ryan Bennett to take up God's invitation to them to proceed with ordination as deacons. Both of these men feel that God is calling them to priestly ministry within the Body of Christ and their time as deacons is a challenging step along that path. more info >
This is Our Faith
This is Our Faith - A Popular Presentation of Church Teaching. It has always been a major difficulty finding good and useful material which can be used to help people understand the faith; often not just those who are new to the church but also those who are long-time members in need of refreshing! One of the best that has come out in recent years is 'This is our Faith'... more info >
Media Resources
A list of resources available to be borrowed from the Ministry Development Officer, Fr Peter Yeats. more info >
Sermon Notes
The Bishop has begun to prepare Sermon notes for Lay Leaders and Discussion Groups. CURRENT: Pentecost Sunday and Trinity Sunday. more info >
Bible Studies
June Bible Studies are available. more info >
Cyclone Appeal
Tens of Thousands are feared dead in Myanmar (Burma) after a powerful cyclone knocked out power and destroyed thousands of homes in Yangon last weekend. Anglican Board of Mission Australia (ABM) is conducting an appeal ... more info >
Lambeth Conference
Links to newsletters produced by the Anglican Communion that relate to Lambeth Conference 2008. more info >
Parish Vacancies
The Diocese is at present looking to fill vacancies for Priest-in-Charge in the following parishes: Hamilton, Horsham and the Mission District of St Francis of Assisi. These are vibrant rural communities that have faithful and well-established congregations as well as great potential for mission and fresh expressions of church. more info >