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John Harrower smiles, looks at camera, blue shirt

From Bishop John

15 June 2007

Address - Some questions from Tasmanian Synod 2007

Some questions from Tasmanian Synod 2007

Address on 15 June 2007

 

QUESTION 1 - ANGLICAN CHAPLAINCY

Bishop, I understand that there has been approximately a 20% reduction in the number of paid Anglican Chaplains in hospitals and nursing homes as a result of reduced funding from an Anglican agency. What measures are planned to ensure not only the continuation but if possible the expansion of Anglican chaplaincy services in hospitals and nursing homes in the future?

Bishop's Answer:Anglican Chaplaincy services in the diocese are at present delivered by stipended clergy and laypersons serving with Anglican Chaplaincy Tasmania, and by volunteers, both clergy and lay, from certain parishes.

Most major hospitals, some nursing homes and the prison are served by the stipended chaplains under the auspices of Anglican Chaplaincy Tasmania. Other institutions, including one major hospital, are served by parish volunteers.

Three of the seven stipended chaplains are expected from 1 July to work reduced hours as a consequence of reduced funding from Anglican Health and Welfare, representing an approximately 20% reduction in hours worked.

The Board of Anglican Chaplaincy Tasmania is considering ways of attracting further funding from outside sources as has happened, for example, with the very substantial government funding for the prison chaplaincy. The Board is also looking at ways of attracting, retaining, training and resourcing members of Anglican parishes across the State to serve in chaplaincy roles.

As and when this approach gains traction, there is considerable potential for Anglican chaplaincy services to be extended to an increasing number of institutions across the State. I commend the work of our present chaplains, both stipended and voluntary, and of the Board of Anglican Chaplaincy Tasmania for this ministry to people in our society. I seek the prayers of Synod members and the wider church are in support of the extension of this vital work.

QUESTION 2 - VACANT PARISHES

Bishop, there are at present at least eight openings for clergy to serve in parishes across the State from Devonport to Buckland, with some 15% of our parishes without an Incumbent. Some, such as Devonport and Glenorchy, have been vacant for a considerable period of time. Why are these positions still unfilled, what is being done to fill them and what is the long-term strategy to address this problem? Further, why have we lost several young clergy to dioceses interstate in recent years?

Bishop's Answer:First I wish to express my thanks to the parish leaders, mission support officers and all who have served as locum tenens, for your faithfulness to God and his church. It is true that a large number of clergy vacancies have emerged in recent times. At this time, ten parishes are being served by parish teams, locum tenens and casual ministry provision. (Devonport, Latrobe, Deloraine, Longford, Launceston North, Launceston South, Glenorchy, Buckland, Break O' Day and Channel Cygnet) I praise God for the successful placement of clergy to serve another ten parishes in recent months (West Coast, Circular Head, Sheffield, Penguin, Sandford, Franklin Esperance, Scottsdale, Riverlinks and Furneaux Islands and Ulverstone).

The recruitment and placement of clergy in Tasmania is no easy task. The role that we ask clergy to fill is both complex and demanding. Part-time ministries dominate current vacancies; only four can offer a full stipend and three of those are complex mutli-centered parishes. In an environment of a nation-wide shortage of clergy, the supply of competent clergy does not meet demand. We are being interviewed, not the reverse. In our recent experience, clergy are being attracted, not by our stipends or the state of parish life in Tasmania but by our commitment to being a missional church. Some clergy have struggled in their ministries where this expectation is not matched by local realities. Recruitment is therefore multi-focussed to include a commitment to being a place to which clergy will want to come. Enquiries are made locally, nationally and internationally seeking suitable candidates. The bar is set high and I think that is absolutely right for Tasmania.

We trust God's guiding hand in these matters and in particular when he calls some of our own clergy to minister in other places. The reasons for leaving are often personal and not easily expressed. They may include dissatisfaction with diocesan direction, family matters including educational opportunities, professional advancement, lack of a suitable move locally and any number of other issues. In the long term we must aim to raise up local ordinands. Over several decades we have not been able to recruit and train adequate numbers of Tasmanian ordinands for professional ministry. We must also face the reality that our clergy team will need to serve a mixed-economy in the future.

We need to highly esteem the vocations of our honorary clergy and those ministering in a local context. The days of a rector in each of parishes are gone. If this is not to become a diocese of the ‘haves and have nots' then the challenge is for us to be creative in the placement of men and women capable of giving leadership and guidance beyond their own parish boundaries. Their parishes will need to have a vision beyond traditional boundaries. I believe that God in his grace is helping us come to terms with these challenges confronting Tasmanian ministry into the future.

QUESTION 3 - PASTORAL SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE SCHEME

Bishop, this Synod in 2003 approved the establishment of the Pastoral Support and Assistance Scheme to provide assistance and support to individuals whose lives had been impacted adversely by the behaviour of church workers. Since then, more than $1.1m has been paid in assistance to survivors. Noting that the State Government has closed its similar scheme which extended compensation to people who suffered injuries whilst in State care, I ask whether our Scheme will also be drawn to a close?

Bishop's Answer:

Gospel Driven not Litigation Driven
Although the Tasmanian State Government appeared to model its scheme on our Pastoral Support and Assistance Scheme our Anglican response was motivated by different reasons and did not attempt to be a compensation scheme. The Government was responding to public pressure and was politically motivated for legal reasons of avoiding litigation.

Our response has been Gospel driven not litigation driven. We are motivated by the Gospel. We asked ourselves, how would Jesus have responded? The Pastoral Support and Assistance Scheme does not attempt to compensate victims in the legal sense. It provides a payment to assist them with their healing journey, within limits and according to a transparent, independent and sensitive process.

As a church, as difficult as it is, this is our responsibility. We may not have been personally responsible and would never have condoned the abuse, but we are called to assist those who suffer because they were in our care or visited our churches or were ministered to by our Church workers.

Continuing to be Vigilant
Unfortunately, abuse is not a phenomenon of the past. It is not something we can say finished in 1997 with our Pastoral Inquiry. Around Australia today there continues to be abuse occurring in the Church as in the wider community. We now have better screening and training processes to try to avoid abuse occurring again. But because we are dealing with human beings we will never eliminate abuse within our society nor within our church.

It is very important that we continue to be vigilant. We now know so much more about how to prevent abuse occurring. This will help us to create a Healthy Church for the future. Screening and training processes will need to be ongoing as part of our normal processes.

Nature of Abuse
Unfortunately the nature of the damage, which occurs to children when they are abused, often means that a child cannot process that abuse for up to 20 or 30 years later, when they are an adult. They may have led a seemingly normal and successful life and then it will all fall apart or they will find the courage to admit the abuse occurred.

This can result from the shame that perpetrators inflict on the victim and which victims do not understand until much later in life. It is only when they have the courage to say this is what happened to me, that they report the matter or seek assistance. This means we are still dealing with victims who were abused 20/30 years ago. We cannot say to them I'm sorry, you didn't have the courage to come forward before now, so we cannot assist you, because we have now closed our Scheme.

Living the Gospel
It is likely that payments from the Scheme will be less in the future. But we do not know. It must always be available as part of our pastoral response to children or persons who were abused in our Church. This is what the Gospel impels us to do.

It is a difficult journey, but one that we cannot fail to walk. It is not sufficient to punish the wrongdoer we also have a responsibility to the victim. This is what Christ taught us in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Creating a Safe & Healthy Church
We cannot stand and preach or do mission in our community bringing the good news of Jesus, without continuing to address those who were abused in our churches or by our church workers. The community will judge whether we live by the Gospel of Christ by our response to those victims.

Creating and maintaining a healthy church requires us to respond to victims of abuse. This is the first step in our mission. If we do not do this we cannot undertake mission in our community. Creating a safe and healthy church for all is essential for the Church's mission in Tasmania.

QUESTION 4 - MONTGOMERY PARK

Bishop, the Diocesan property Montgomery Park at Conningham, south of Hobart, has for roughly half a century been used for youth activities in the Diocese, notably camps, conferences and leadership training. I believe that the property was a gift to the Diocese for this purpose, but is encountering problems with neighbours as the area has become a residential one for Hobart commuters. Given the reported discussions about the future of this asset and its current uses by two agencies of the Church, Anglican Camping and Mission Afloat, are there any plans to use this site or the capital invested in the site for purposes other than youth work in the Diocese?

Bishop's Answer:There is a plan for us to discuss the future role, function and uses of Montgomery Park. This discussion must include obligations that may exist in regard to any trust or undertakings with benefactors. I would expect free and open contributions from all interested agencies or councils of the church in considering the future of this diocesan resource. I have been mindful to limit the operational impact on both Anglican Camping Tasmania and Mission Afloat by agreeing to a time-line enabling them to take bookings through to the end of the 2008/09 camping season. I would expect that Diocesan Council will in due course consider proposals allowing the agencies significant notice should any changes be proposed..

QUESTION 5 - JESUS: ALL ABOUT LIFE (JAAL)

Bishop, how many parishes in the Diocese are registered for 'Jesus: All About Life'?

Bishop's Answer:According to registrations on the JAAL website as of Friday 1 June the records show that 18 Anglican Churches have registered and 10 have expressed interest. I will be following up with the Anglican Parishes in the coming weeks to encourage them to become involved in this worthwhile venture.

QUESTION 6 - CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST DAVID

Bishop, given the flagship status of St David's Cathedral, and in view of past and future developments, what is the current financial and membership condition of the Cathedral?

Bishop's Answer:There is a wonderful buzz at the Cathedral. Numbers at all services have improved by 200% and this has improved finances. They have achieved a balanced budget for this last year. Baptisms of both children and adults has increased. So far they have had 20 baptisms this year with two more next Sunday. Eight people have been confirmed this year. Many people who are coming to the Cathedral are coming to church either as a new person to church or after a long time away and are returning.