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- The Bishop's Mission Action Plan
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- AnglicanTas.org.au Site Map
From the Bishop
Click here to catch up on
Bishop John's blog. Here are some recent posts...
- $1 Bet Limit Tas proposal
- Insider reflects: Holy Switchers
- Peace must be dared
- Aid Budget threatened
From the Bishop's Desk is the bishop's regular email newsletter. Click here to see his recent newsletters or to join the mail list.
Bishop John's recent publications, Addresses, letters, reflections, messages: click here.
Bible Study & Preaching Material
Stressed out with no time to write bible studies? Try our Lectionary-based study outlines for home and church-based study groups and personal study; will also help preachers. To have a look, click here.
Preaching Resources
This resource is provided to help guide, encourage and resource the preachers in our diocese, be they new or experienced. It's new and evolving, so we recommend that you drop in from time to time.
A PRAYER FOR transformingLIFE
Transforming God,
as we meet together
fill us with your wisdom.
Give us the capacity
to work boldly
and with humility,
embracing the challenge of mission.
Use us to bring transforming life
to our Christian communities and
all Tasmanians
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Download the transformingLIFE document
Will the Imagine Project change your life?
CMS: This study is a gift
While Andrew & Pam Lake visited over 24 parishes in the Diocese before heading to the posting in Damascus, Andrew had been busy on another project. He has released this short book called Christian Mission for Tasmanians. This is a very personal approach from Andrew on this important topic of Mission written for the Missionary Diocese of Tasmania. Andrew says of the book,
"My hope and prayer is that this study will help put mission front and centre of the church's agenda. I make no claim to infallibility and will have achieved my aim if this has helped start some fruitful conversations about mission."
We offer our thanks to Andrew, having served in the Diocese as an Archdeacon and Mission Support Officer. But now we offer our thanks for this impressive gift to the church in Tasmania.
Of particular interest to you, dear reader, is the freely available nature of this book. In fact, you can click here to read it right now. So is it free? Andrew explains in his Forward:
"This study is a gift to the Tasmanian church. It is freely available on the diocesan website but I invite you when you use it for personal or group study to make a donation of $10 per person to the Church Missionary Society of Tasmania."
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A healthy church...transforming life
Coffee Beans and preaching...?!
Our latest release on the Diocesan Preaching page is titled:
"Preaching Lessons from the Coffee Bean"
It explores what the coffee bean teaches us about
engaging the whole person in our preaching.
Click here to read the article.
Stewardship
Click here to read the article.
Friday Forum: The Choice To Care
Friday May 24th, 2013
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Support for women and families impacted by abortion
Born in Malta 1959. Came to Australia in 1963 at the age of 3 and settled in Sydney. Anne is married with two adult daughters and has lived in Tasmanian since 2002. Anne started Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats, (Healing After Abortion) Tasmania in 2005 and became New Site Coordinator for Catholic sites within Australia and nearby countries in 2009. She writes:
"Due to a personal experience I attended a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat in Sydney in 2004. This turned into such a powerful experience I felt the need to bring Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats, (Healing after Abortion) to Tasmania. Since 2005 I have continually seen the need for our ministry in aiding those hurt by abortion. Experiencing the blessings that I witness on these weekends motivates me to continue working in this field. My commitment to assisting women and men who are hurting after an abortion experience through Rachel’s Vineyard retreats has become a passion for me that is indescribable."
Click here for more information.
FTBD: From The Bishop's Desk
Click here to read FTBD.
MEDIA RELEASE: BISHOP SUPPORTS $1 BET LIMIT ON POKIES
The Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, the Right Reverend John Harrower, today spoke out in support of $1 bet limits on Poker Machines.
Bishop Harrower said, “I welcome the introduction of legislation that would place $1 bet limits on poker machines.
“The cost of poker machines to Tasmanian families is significant and obvious. During this budget week the Premier should welcome the opportunity to reduce this human cost.
“I am saddened that both Labor and Liberal members are not willing to pursue poker machine reform at this time. I call on both major parties to change their priorities in this area.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars are harvested from Tasmanians each year by poker machines. Poker machine reform would ensure that those dollars are used for the benefit of local families. It would also help stimulate the local
economy.
“The Anglican Church has been consistent in its call for poker machine reform over many years. If poker machine reform is not a matter of immediate action, it should at least be a clear election commitment.
“Proper reform of pokies is the right path for Tasmanian society.”
Contact: Media Officer - Rev. Stephen Carnaby 0417 343 710
Click here to see the Media Release in PDF format.
The Economics of a Meaningful Life
At the moment they have some excellent interviews with Ross Gittins. From the CPX website: "Ross Gittins is economics editor for The Sydney Morning Herald. He came into CPX to discuss the work of Michael Schluter and the importance of relationships for economic policy."
There are two videos. The topics are:
1. The Economics of a Meaningful Life
2. The Pursuit of Happiness
They are both about 8 minutes in length.
Click here to watch the videos and visit the CPX website. I commend them to you.
Insider Reflects: Holy Switchers
"My wife and I watched last Sunday’s ABC1 TV Compass program, ‘Holy Switch’ with great anticipation. We were sorely let down! After our animated post-program conversation we pondered: How to respond to an unfair and biased program? What should and could be said to people struggling with this unfairness?
Well, I have the answer thanks to Andy Goodacre who has responded in his article, Is there life after Holy Switch?!!"
Click here to read Any Goodacre's response in his article, "Is there life after Holy Switch?"
Click here to read Bishop John's blog in full.
Review: Mary Meets Mohammad
Walking to the Tasmanian Premiere of the documentary feature film ‘Mary Meets Mohammad’, I wondered about which of the many themes surrounding the Tasmanian asylum-seeker detention centre at Pontville would be highlighted.
Click here to continue reading
Click here to read Bishop John's blog post, 'Mary Meets Mohammad'.
Perseverance & Victory
[mon 06.may.2013 rob] As many of us work through the book of Revelation in our churches at the moment, a reflection from J.C. Ryle which captures both the notion of the book and the essence of Revelation 21 and 22:
if they fall, they shall be raised. The enemies of their soul may be strong and mighty, but their Saviour is mightier;
and none shall pluck them out of their Saviour’s hand.
(J. C. Ryle)
Praise be to God!
From The Bishop's Desk
- An ORDINATION OF DEACONS at Holy Trinity, Launceston on May 4, 2013. See the previous post (27/4) for further details.
- An encouragement to sign the SALAMANCA DECLARATION.
- Bishop John's visits to Ridley College in Melbourne, the Bridge of Hope Parish, and St Mark's Bellerive upon the opening of their church extension.
- Bishop John authorising the use of new resources for Parishes, but not as a 'canonical prayer book'.
- The appointment of Rev Jo Pycroft as Priest-in-Charge of Quamby Parish.
Please read FTBD 11.13 yourself for all the details and even more news.
Click here for From The Bishop's Desk 11.13.
Ordination: 4 May 2013
[sat 27.apr.2013 rob] From the Bishop's office:
The ceremony will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Launceston and will commence at 2pm. Please come along and join in the celebration."
The Archbishop of Canterbury
The Inauguration of the Ministry of the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby, occurred on the 21st March 2013. The Archbishop preached at his inauguration, "We will see a world transformed". You can see the video of his sermon here. You can see the video of the entire service here.
Click on this video to hear the sermon at the Inauguration of the Ministry of the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Portal Welby. The bible readings were: Ruth 2:10-16; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Matthew 14:22-33; "Take heart, it is I, do not be afraid", Matthew 14:27. The text of the sermon can be found here.
- Click here for the Church of England website.
- Click here for the Archbishop of Canterbury's website.
- From the Archbishop's website: Click here for the article titled, 'Justin Welby confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul's Cathedral'
- Click here to read the Archbishop's website explains his enthroning with his article titled, 'What happens when an Archbishop is enthroned?'
- From the Archbishop's website: Click here for the article titled, '"We will see a world transformed": the Archbishop of Canterbury's inaugural sermon'
- Click here for the video of the service of the Archbishop's inauguration.
Sitting Down Together
My vision for Tasmania was that of strong community: A “Future Perfect Tasmania will have a culture that enables relationships to flourish... that cross differences of race, gender, age, religion and economic and social status. The stranger sits and eats at table, in this culture of invitation and hospitality. God's way of love makes provision for the outsider, the battler, the poor bugger. Therefore we will jettison our blindness and deafness to each other.”
Gay Hawkes expressed this through a paint on calico table cloth, “Dinner for strangers.” Sadly, ten years later, it is gone.
But the vision has not gone. In fact, it has been strengthened...
Click here to continue reading
Click here to read the Bishop's article in full.
Click here to read more of Bishop John's articles on his blog.
ANZAC Day 2013
[thu 25.apr.2013 rob]Click here for photos of the Bishop of Tasmania, ANZAC Day 2013 in Hobart (on Facebook).
Men and Women in Marriage
Earlier this week, New Zealand legalised same-sex marriage. Click here to read the report in The Age.
To have a document like 'Men & Women in Marriage' is a great help as people come closer to understanding how the Anglican Church understands Marriage, and therefore what concerns us in this ongoing debate.
Click here to read Bishop John's blog on this report from the Church of England.
If you would like to share your opinion, click here to go to our Facebook page and leave a comment.
Abortion: Abortion Bill through House of Assembly
Today my thoughts are with those women who have told me, ‘Michelle O’Byrne has not listened to us or my children.’ Today they have a sense of betrayal and an overwhelming sadness. I have spoken up for those women, and also for the rights of unborn children.
The passage of Michelle O’Byrne’s Bill through the House of Assembly marks a new low in Tasmanian politics.
It is not unreasonable for abortion to be decriminalised. However, Ms. O’Byrne also proposed things that were unnecessary and extreme.
The removal of any sense of humanity of the unborn child is unnecessary. The inclusion of social and economic reasons for abortion up until birth is unnecessary. Requiring civil liberties to be restricted or conscience ignored is unnecessary.
Michelle O’Byrne failed to adequately consult on an issue that speaks to the very heart of our human identity, and sought to rush this through. The Minister has needlessly generated division in Tasmania.
I call on the Legislative Council to reconsider this legislation.
This article is from the blog of Bishop John. Click here to see more on Bishop John's blog.
Abortion: I spoke out
PETER D. Jones (Letters, April 13) states that he would be more impressed with the views of church leaders on the issue of abortion if he also saw them protesting in support of asylum seekers or against war.
Since I have been Anglican Bishop of Tasmania (13 years) I have spoken out publicly on dozens of occasions in support of asylum seekers (including this year) and against the policies of both major political parties.
The Anglican Church has been active in practical measures of support for asylum seekers in Australia.
I spoke at a Peace rally regarding the Iraq War in 2002, and made public statements regretting the decision to undertake war at that time.
I will continue to speak out publicly against Government policies that are unreasonable – whether that be on asylum seekers or abortion.
See Letters to the Editor that appears in The Mercury today on page 14.
Bishop John Harrower,
Hobart
From the blog of Bishop John. Click here to see more on Bishop John's blog.
MEDIA RELEASE: BISHOP’S SADNESS AT PASSAGE OF ABORTION BILL
BISHOP’S SADNESS AT PASSAGE OF ABORTION BILL
The Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, the Right Reverend John Harrower, has spoken of his sadness at the passage of abortion legislation through the House of Assembly.
“Today my thoughts are with those many women who have told me, 'Michelle O'Byrne has not listened to us or my children.' Today they have a sense of betrayal and an overwhelming sadness. I have spoken up for those women, and also for the rights of unborn children.
“The passage of Michelle O'Byrne's Bill through the House of Assembly marks a new low in Tasmanian politics.
“It is not unreasonable for abortion to be decriminalised. However, Ms. O'Byrne also proposed things that were unnecessary and extreme.
“The removal of any sense of humanity of the unborn child is unnecessary. The inclusion of social and economic reasons for abortion up until birth is
unnecessary. Requiring civil liberties to be restricted or conscience ignored is unnecessary.
“Michelle O'Byrne failed to adequately consult on an issue that speaks to the very heart of our human identity, and sought to rush this through. The Minister has needlessly generated division in Tasmania.
“I call on the Legislative Council to reconsider this legislation.”
Contact: Media Officer - Rev. Stephen Carnaby 0417 343 710
Click here for a PDF formatted media release.
Youth & Young Families Pastor: Kingston
[thu 11.apr.2013 rob] St Clements Anglican is a growing evangelical and charismatic Church ten minutes drive from Hobart. We aim to empower, train and send people locally, nationally and globally.
We are seeking someone who has a desire to oversee our large and growing youth ministry and expand our young families ministry. We would encourage both ordained and non-ordained people to apply. Ideally this position would commence in June 2013. Applications accepted up until 15 May 2013. For a position description and more information about our church please contact Senior Pastor, Pete Adlem
Click here for a PDF with further details.
The Salamanca Declaration
Yesterday I signed the The Salamanca Declaration and joined with other Christian leaders in presenting the Declaration to Michael Polley the Speaker of the House who then gave it to Rene Hidding MP to table in the Legislative Assembly. From the Media Release:
A document representing Tasmania’s Christian community will be tabled in parliament as a unified response to the social issues currently dividing public opinion. Every major head of church in Tasmania has come on board to sign The Salamanca Declaration, meaning more than 170,000 people are represented in its signatories (according to latest census data on faith affiliation).
The Salamanca Declaration is an affirmation of classical Christian values and the need to uphold them despite unprecedented attack. Seeking the common good of all Tasmanians, it puts forward three points of agreement summed up in the words life, liberty and legacy.
A shorter explanation of these 3 key words is given in the Salamanca Declaration. The shorter explanation follows:
Life
All human life is precious and the sanctity of life should be upheld regardless of race, gender, age, religion or stage of development because every human being is endowed by our Creator with equal and inherent dignity.
Liberty
Every person has the right to worship God individually and in a faith community. The worshipper has this liberty as a God-given freedom. It entails freedom of conscience, and freedom to speak, gather, worship and generally act in accordance with the beliefs of their faith community. Those with religious convictions share the common democratic liberties which guarantee the freedom to publish, express or proclaim their views in order to help shape our democracy.
Legacy
A family is a God-given privilege which establishes an invaluable legacy for those involved and for the benefit of society generally. It is best embodied in the birth and development of children within a stable, loving home built around the marriage of a mother and father, and supported by the wider community.
The Salamanca Declaration was conceived when five church leaders representing the state’s major denominations met in Salamanca in October 2012 to discuss the social issues eroding our Tasmanian community.
See the whole Declaration, The Salamanca Declaration (Believe in Tasmania)
To read more, click here to go to Bishop John's blog.
Tragedy of a life cut short
Tasmanians need to take a stand against late-term terminations, writes Amanda-Sue Markham.
AS a trainee nurse, I spent some time in theatre. What enthralled me most was obstetrics, where on my first day I witnessed the caesarean deliveries of three babies, and all before lunch!
I buzzed with excitement seeing these tiny people enter the world. They were nuzzled and cuddled by their parents with tears of joy, and I (very professionally) blubbered with them.
To continue reading, click here to go the The Mercury article.
In the media: The United Voice of Tasmanian Churches
Click here to see yesterday's news article on ABC.net.au, presenting this move by Tasmanian churches - with video.
In the Mercury this week, 'Churches blast reform tsunami'. Click here to read the article in The Mercury.
Anglican Church of Tasmania's Submission to the Abortion bill
Indeed, this moment may be remembered for a long time to come, as these changes are significant and fundamental to the way our society sees and values human life. As our Bishop has previously stated,
the lives of unborn infants are no less important."
Click here to read the Anglican Church of Tasmania's submission. Bishop John has placed it on his blog for all to see.
Recent articles reflecting on the difficult topic of Abortion
* 'We care for the mother and the unborn child'
Reflecting on the United Nations Bill of Human Rights, Bishop John says,
"Yet, the Tasmanian Government’s draft legislation and Information Paper appear ignorant of non-religious secular philosophical frameworks which recognise the value and humanity of the unborn child. The UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child, for instance, states in its preamble:
'Whereas the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth…'"
Click here to read, "We care for the mother and the unborn child"
* 'Joy in Anxiety'
Bishop John offers a sermon preached by the Revd Peter Adlem regarding anxiety. Bishop John says, "Revd Peter Adlem spoke to his congregation at St Clements, Kingston on Sunday 17 March 2013 about anxiety and his anxiety over draft Tasmanian Abortion legislation."
Click here to read the article, 'Joy in Anxiety'
* "Could you bury our baby"
Bishop John reflects on Bp Lewers of Armidale personal account,
It’s another day in the life of the church minister. Like a surgeon life can so quickly transplant another’s grief into your own life. From the day of conception for this couple they rejoiced in the child forming in the womb. This would be their child. But this child didn’t make it into the world. So was it a child at all?
Should I comfort them with the views of this age: ‘Well, it really wasn’t a viable human being anyway…’?
What depths of depravity could one sink to in even suggesting such a thing? A child has been lost. Their child has been lost..."
Click here to read the full story, "Could you bury our baby"
From The Bishop's Desk
Click here for From The Bishop's Desk 10.13 dated 5/4/2013.
To view archives of front page news, click here.
AnglicanTas frontpage editor: Rob Stanley