Category: Church Health
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Collaboration as solidarity
Collaboration as solidarity By The Ven. Tiffany Sparks. When I think about collaboration as solidarity, I often think back to the moment when I found out that I was pregnant with my wonderful son, Tom. I was 15 and what I thought my life would be, changed in an instant. I was left somewhat reeling…
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Creating a grace zone
Creating a grace zone By The Rev’d Michael Stalley Intergenerational ministry recognises the worth of the multi-sided encounter between people of different generations in God’s presence, which leads all those involved to be more truly human, more like Christ. But why focus only on generational differences at the expense of ethnic, political, social or economic…
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The art of deep listening
The art of deep listening By The Rev’d Ann Shepperson I grew up in a family of six children with two older brothers, two younger brothers and a sister who was six years younger than me. I was born and raised at a time when females were often seen as less valuable and useful than…
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Facilitating a COVID-19 activity review
Facilitating a COVID-19 activity review By The Rev’d Adam Lowe COVID-19 has created substantial change and disruption to ministry activities over the past 12+ months. In response to the pandemic, individuals and communities have added, changed, and paused a vast array of activities. In fact, there’s been no shortage of pivoting! The way in which…
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Resourcing churches in advocacy and justice communications
Resourcing churches in advocacy and justice communications By The Very Rev’d Dr Peter Catt While Cathedral Resource Church project plans were inevitably disrupted or necessarily shifted online due to COVID-19 last year, the St John’s Cathedral team was working somewhat quietly behind the scenes in the resourcing space. The fruits of these efforts have started…
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Faith Actually
By Jonathan Sargeant: What is faith, actually? In a way it’s the business of our congregations. It’s the thing that binds us together because we share fairly similar versions of…whatever it is. But faith is something we might not actually think a lot about. In common parlance, the word ‘faith’ is used in several ways…
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Hallelujah anyway!
By Bishop Jeremy Greaves: Best-selling author Anne Lamott’s 2017 book subtitled ‘Rediscovering Mercy’ struck me, most of all, because of its title. Referencing Candi Staton’s great gospel song, ‘Hallelujah anyway’ (which can be listened to on YouTube) Lamott writes, “Hallelujah that in spite of it all, there is love, there is singing, nature, laughing, mercy.”…
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Flourish: one way we care for our people
By Stephen Harrison: The Anglican Church Southern Queensland (ACSQ) offers clergy, staff, chaplains and pastoral carers and formation students, along with eligible members of their households*, free access to Flourish, a wellbeing programme provided by external consultant, LifeWorks. Flourish offers a range of services, including up to six one-hour confidential counselling services per year, with…
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Softening the ground for peace to break through
By The Rev’d Deb Bird: While searching for Advent material, I came across Keep Watch With Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers, a devotional highlighting the work of dedicated peacemakers around the world. The daily stories reflect the human need to find a place of peace wherever we are – in our homes, communities, and…
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Chewing the cud of scripture: lectio divina
By The Rev’d Penny Jones: Don’t let the Latin put you off! Lectio divina just means ‘divine reading’ – it means above all a slow, reflective reading of scripture and can be compared to allowing the words of scripture to gently dissolve in our hearts and minds. It is the spiritual version of ‘slow food’.…