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a healthy church...transformingLIFE

Tasmanian Anglican

December 2002

 

 

 

A great weekend for all ages at the Ministry Conference

 

 


Some of our Diocesan Treasures at their recent luncheon at the Quamby Golf Club

 

Notes from the Diocesan Missionary Enabler

Paul Cavanough

 

 

Mix just right

'It was great! The weekend was excellent for people from our church.'

This comment from one participant at the Ministry Conference was typical of the reaction to the event. It seems that the mix of thought provoking teaching, specialist workshops, a variety of worship experiences and plenty of free time was 'just right' for 110 participants. Our speaker Graeme Buxton had the great skill of balancing deep pastoral concern with the challenging perhaps 'prophetic' edge.

The challenge was to find balance in our ministry, stepping out to follow God while being enriched by the experience of being with God. Graham lead us to understand that the way of Jesus is not without pain but that God calls us to 'Dance with Him'. Elective sessions covered a wide variety of ministry possibilities. The worship experiences modeled the wonderful variety that is possible within the Anglican Church.

The Lay Reader participants where very positive in their response to this new style of training weekend. It seems that we have found a format that will make a very strong contribution to ministry and mission in the diocese.

Please mark your diary for the next conference 26th to 28th September 2003. It'd be great to have every parish represented.

Diocesan Treasures 'retired not out'

It was my great pleasure to be part of the recent luncheon for retired clergy and spouses. Approximately 25 of us gathered with the Bishop at the Quamby Golf Club. As a new member of the Diocesan Team it was a brilliant opportunity to gather some historical perspective and to glean some pearls of wisdom. The other participants obviously seized the opportunity to catch up with ministering colleagues.

That's what impressed me most: these folk are all retired but very definitely 'not out'. Each one is vitally interested in and also participating in the future of the diocese. I brought away more than one great tip to put into practice. The Japanese call their seniors, 'National Treasures'. I've now met a lot of our 'Diocesan Treasures'.