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White Australia Has A Black History
Wednesday 29 July 2015
Friday 24 July 2015
Father Rod has his two bits worth on what looks like Bill Shorten's resolve to turn back the boats
Nobody wants people drowning at sea. However Bill Shorten's resolve to turn back the boats can only result in three...
Posted by Anglican Parish of Gosford on Wednesday, 22 July 2015
For more on this topic,
Thursday 23 July 2015
AbC and RVM : Archbishop of Canterbury urges dialogue to tackle religiously motivated violence
“In common with other Christian denominations, with other faith traditions, and with those of no faith, the Anglican Communion has bitter experience of RMV,” Archbishop Welby said.
“In the last 18 months Anglican dead have been certainly in the hundreds, even into the low thousands. “Around the world we face the reality and deal with it. Our bishops are in dialogue with those who attack, risking their own lives in the dialogue. This is not academic.”
“In the last 18 months Anglican dead have been certainly in the hundreds, even into the low thousands. “Around the world we face the reality and deal with it. Our bishops are in dialogue with those who attack, risking their own lives in the dialogue. This is not academic.”
Wednesday 22 July 2015
Sunday 19 July 2015
Harmony & Diversity is the basis of the beauty of Australia. Please support these values - not those undergirding violent public meetings and protest
THESE ARE THE HEADLINES REGARDING
WHAT HAPPENED IN MELBOURNE
ON SATURDAY 18 JULY 2015
AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE.
Who was the centre of attention in front of and near Victoria's Parliament House yesterday? Reclaim Australia and their associates wanted to provide a double focus of attention: themselves and Muslims living in Australia.
No Room for Racism and its sympathisers were equally determined on a dual focus: to counter the racism of Reclaim Australia and its cohort and to make the public aware of their organisation.
Did the events of the day go as planned for both sides? Possibly. Possibly not. However, it seems that there were elements on both sides who were prepared for trouble one way or another.
A group with a similar title to Reclaim Australia hit Ballarat early in 2014. Restore Australia arrived in Ballarat trying to incite antagonism to the building of a mosque in the city - a city which was the site of Australia's first document demanding democratic rights. As can be seen from this Facebook presence, drumming up opposition to the mosque being built by Ballarat's small Islamic community was not too successful.
What Restore Australia did not take into account in the Ballarat situation is that community friendships had already been forged within the broader community by the time they blew into town. The local Islamic community had friends - a broad spectrum of friends. And the then Mayor was an early responder.
Meanwhile, amid all this swirling of clashing tensions and violent police intervention, what were Muslims doing? Yesterday was the beginning of Eid celebrations. Muslims were enjoying themselves. Behind them was a month of fasting. Now can come the feasting. Perhaps Reclaim Australia chose the day and date deliberately with an intent to insult Muslims - or perhaps they knew there would not be a Muslim in sight or hearing of their rampage!
The Faith Communities Council of Victoria has issued the following statement.
Statement on Nationwide Rallies:Faith Communities Council of Victoria
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Saturday 18 July 2015
Eid Mubarak - Happy Eid - to all our Muslim friends
May your plate of life be always full of juicy kebabs & tikkas
topped with the chutney of happiness.
With best wishes
Eid Mubarak.
Sunday 12 July 2015
The welcome sign for all creatures great and small
May just put this sign out front of the church.
That'd be okay, right?
— Tim Schenck (@FatherTim) July 9, 2015
Saturday 11 July 2015
Help protect children from exploitation.
More than 10% of children over 5 are labourers. Help protect children from exploitation: http://t.co/CEpYyeqo3v pic.twitter.com/sEAdtQmYXG
— World Vision AUS (@WorldVisionAus) July 9, 2015
Friday 10 July 2015
WA Government using sprinklers to force the homeless to move away from the Arts Centre
From Common Grace:
“How can we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore those homeless on Monday.”
Dear Friend,
I (Tim) have had the confronting blessing of working with people who are sleeping rough on our streets. That’s why this news broke my heart: The WA Department of Culture and Arts (DCA) installed a water sprinkling system at Perth's King Street Arts Centre — for the explicit purpose of wetting people sleeping rough, and forcing them to seek shelter elsewhere.1
I know firsthand that those affected often carry all their world's possessions with them, will have nowhere to go to dry off, and no prospect of a hot shower in winter. Those who end up on the streets are some of society’s most vulnerable; people fleeing domestic violence, those suffering from mental illness or sexual abuse, and war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, are just some of the people sleeping rough in our nation tonight.
We welcome news that Mr Ord has agreed to turn off the
taps. However we believe that the decent and dignified treatment of
people means that they must be removed. We call on the WA government
to remove the sprinkler to show their commitment to resolving the core
problems that lead to homelessness.
1 in 200 Australians are homeless, and a quarter of these are under the age of 18. Those sleeping rough are statistically at far higher risk of physical assault, sexual abuse and deprivation. Funding for homeless shelters is inadequate, and thousands are turned away every night. These people often have nowhere else to go.
That’s why I’m thankful for Common Grace. In 24 hours we’ve got
over 1,000 signatures. Imagine what could happen if we all got behind
this?
Thanks for putting love in action,
Tim on behalf of the Common Grace Team
References
[1] "WA's Department of Culture and Arts under fire for 'turning hoses' on homeless", Brisbane Times, 8 July 2015
[2] "Sprinkler used by WA government department to drive homeless away turned off", 9 News, 8 July, 2015
Common Grace
http://www.commongrace.org.au/ -=-=- Common Grace · Australia
“How can we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore those homeless on Monday.”
–Common Grace supporter, ShaneClaiborne
It’s not just Jesus who had nowhere to lay his head.
This
week in Perth,
people sleeping rough were “hosed down like
animals”.
I (Tim) have had the confronting blessing of working with people who are sleeping rough on our streets. That’s why this news broke my heart: The WA Department of Culture and Arts (DCA) installed a water sprinkling system at Perth's King Street Arts Centre — for the explicit purpose of wetting people sleeping rough, and forcing them to seek shelter elsewhere.1
I know firsthand that those affected often carry all their world's possessions with them, will have nowhere to go to dry off, and no prospect of a hot shower in winter. Those who end up on the streets are some of society’s most vulnerable; people fleeing domestic violence, those suffering from mental illness or sexual abuse, and war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, are just some of the people sleeping rough in our nation tonight.
1 in 200 Australians are homeless, and a quarter of these are under the age of 18. Those sleeping rough are statistically at far higher risk of physical assault, sexual abuse and deprivation. Funding for homeless shelters is inadequate, and thousands are turned away every night. These people often have nowhere else to go.
Jesus is found amongst those society
considers the "least of these" and asks us to stand with them.
Let's
send this message of dignity and value around
Australia.
to be removed and new compassionate approach to be
taken.
Tim on behalf of the Common Grace Team
References
[1] "WA's Department of Culture and Arts under fire for 'turning hoses' on homeless", Brisbane Times, 8 July 2015
[2] "Sprinkler used by WA government department to drive homeless away turned off", 9 News, 8 July, 2015
Common Grace
http://www.commongrace.org.au/ -=-=- Common Grace · Australia
Getting it right at Sydney's Wayside Chapel
From here
Dear Inner Circle,
Dear Inner Circle,
Dame
Marie Bashir was in our lift yesterday and I saw her put her arms
around an aboriginal woman. She said, “Every time I see an aboriginal
sister, I just want to say, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Dame
Marie was here for our celebrations to mark NAIDOC Week. There were few
happier places on earth than Wayside yesterday. We were able to peer
into a future Australia that will enter into it’s own maturity because
it knows that to love the land means to love the people of the land.
A
homeless woman rushed through our front door the other day to say that
someone had set fire to another homeless person’s mattress. There is a
mattress set up near the theatre right behind us. We were about to rush
to the fire and the lady said, “Don’t rush, I put the fire out.” She
went on to explain that she’d poured all of her wine over the fire. I’m
not sure if she was expecting we’d replace her supply of plonk or
perhaps nominate her for an Order of Australia.
A
man with quite a sad face approached me this morning. I don’t think
we’ve spoken before although I recognised him as someone who appears
here from time to time. “I miss Gary” he said. “Gosh, so do I” I
replied. It’s been over a year since Gary, one of our much-loved
visitors had a massive stroke on the footpath and died. He spoke for a
while about how Gary taught him what friendship was. When he was first
homeless and sleeping in a park, if Gary had a sandwich, he’d share half
with his mate. Gary would choose to sleep in the more exposed spot,
offering his mate some sense of protection from danger. He gave me half a
dozen examples of the wisdom of Gary. Many of you would have heard me
tell a story of a shabby bloke who confronted me one day when I was in a
hurry to leave. It was some months after my son had died and I was
coping even if I was flying on auto pilot. Gary blocked my way in the
front door and I couldn’t get past this shabby man with the goofy look
on his face. Eventually he put his arms around me and kissed my cheek
and whispered, “That was from your son”. That was Gary and we became
close friends and I miss him too.
Another
homeless fellow told me that he’d like to buy a farm and help people
get off drugs. “I’ve got a couple of million in the bank but it wouldn’t
be enough for a farm,” he said. My first reaction was to point out that
if he had a million dollars, he could probably afford some warm clothes
and a roof over his head. I was quickly reminded of a job I had in
ancient times in a boys reformatory. Every little kid had a story of
rich parents or a rich uncle whose wealth was beyond calculation. Every
little boy had a story about how their rich relative would appear one
day soon and all would be revealed. Likewise it’s not uncommon for
homeless people to tell me that they’ve got a winning lottery ticket or
that they are due to inherit riches. I suspect there is a longing in all
of us that intuits worth for which there is no evidence. I suspect it
is not an unhealthy response but rather a crude and clumsy attempt to
reach for the worth that is given by virtue of being alive and part of
society.
Dame
Marie said while we were lining up for food yesterday, “I reckon Jesus
must peer down from heaven, look at Wayside and say, ‘Thank goodness
someone is getting it right.’” It is any wonder that we love that woman
so much? Full honour to Monique, Will, Ma’Ata and Annelise in our Aboriginal Project, our volunteers and everyone else who made our NAIDOC Week such a fabulous success.
Thanks for being part of our inner circle,
Graham
Rev Graham Long AM
Pastor and CEO
The Wayside Chapel
Kings Cross
Thursday 9 July 2015
You can't eat coal for breakfast
If u want to help, Liverpool Plains farmers
are asking u to email/ring PM
re Shenhua coal mine
(details in the link below)
https://t.co/sn9g4a7fQB pic.twitter.com/JjLwr2Lc2r
— HRH Terry Australis (@AustralisTerry) July 8, 2015
Briggs - The Children Came Back - with Gurrumul and Dewayne Everettsmith
Archie Roach's song Took The Children Away
is well remembered - for good reason.
Now there is a follow up (with Archie's blessing) from Briggs
Briggs is a Yorta Yorta man.
Wednesday 8 July 2015
Accepting the grace and challenge of being builders of unity --- rather than austerity.
The quote from Pope Francis's speech belowcan be read with Australia in mind.
The picture at left describes part of the problem.
Below is the solution.
Our
government preaches austerity and
cuts funding to needy organisations
helping people with real needs.
Yet the
wealthy seem to be touched very lightly.
“We must
not respond with nonchalance, or complain we do not have the resources to do
the job, or that the problems are too big,” Francis said on Wednesday while
celebrating an open-air Mass in Quito, the Ecuadoran capital.
“Instead,
we must respond by taking up the cry of Jesus and accepting the grace and
challenge of being builders of unity,” the Argentinean-born pontiff said.
The above quote is taken from a speech made by Pope Francis in
Ecuador during his visit to Latin America.
Kerry-anne Mendoza is a former management consultant in banking,
local government and the NHS, who left her job to join the Occupy
protest. She blogs at Scriptonite Daily. Here is an excellent article by her outlining why running a public service like a business will never work.
Tuesday 7 July 2015
Monday 6 July 2015
Ted Lovett at St Paul's : a footy great tells us stories of Lake Condah, harsh treatment, life achievements and eels
Ted Lovett at the pulpit at Saint Paul's, Bakery Hill, Ballarat
with The Chair of Advocacy @ St Paul's,
Yesterday at St Paul's, we celebrated NAIDOC Week by having as our guest Aboriginal Elder Ted Lovett. (For further NAIDOC week events in #Ballarat, please see the program embedded below.)Ted, now in his seventies, is a Gundjit-Mara man from south-west Victoria - down closer to the Victorian-South Australia border. Ted said he hadn't been in an Anglican church in a very long time. He was raised on Lake Condah mission - a mission run by the Anglican church. He grew up in the very harsh conditions that modern Anglicans remember in shame. This land was regained and taken back by the Gundjit-Mara under native title. The story of The Gunditjmara Land Justice story is embedded below.
The Budj Bim landscape in southwest Victoria is a traditional homeland of the Gunditjmara people, and is on Australia’s National Heritage List as well as in the process of being nominated for the World Heritage List. The area in and around Mount Eccles National Park has great cultural and historical significance to the Gunditjmara people, with evidence existing that their people once had a settled aquaculture society and engineered the stony wetlands around Lake Condah and Darlots Creek. To read of the restoration of the wetlands around Lake Condah please go here.
This partnership is designed as a way of continuing the traditional land ownership strategies practiced by that society, as well as their contemporary techniques, as part of a broader view that Indigenous communities have the potential to provide new and unique viewpoints on land management. Read more here.
Uncle Ted spoke of the regeneration of the water and the lake. I think that Uncle Ted had us in the palms of his hands as he spoke of these things. At Cuppa Time after the service, he was warmly greeted ... and a few of us are thinking that we would like to see this country too. And stories of the eels got our attention as well.
If readers would like to join us, should we finish up with a plan to go to Lake Condah, please be in touch with Advocacy at our email address in the side bar.
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