July - August 2017 Editorial
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BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY WE’RE CELEBRATING THE CHURCH’S HISTORY AND ITS FUTURE IN 2017! ... BOOK ON POST-UNION HISTORY LAUNCHED 500 YEARS SINCE REFORMATION MARKED NATIONAL STUDY AFFIRMS OUR CORE PURPOSE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETS FOR 2017 WE PROFILE NEW MODERATOR DAVID BURKE “GLORIFYING AND ENJOYING GOD AS CHRIST-LIKE COMMUNITIES TRANSFORMING OUR NEIGHBOURHOODS, OUR NATION AND OUR WORLD.“ JULY - AUGUST 2017 EDITORIAL Bi-monthly magazine of The Presbyterian Church in the State of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Editorial WITH JEOF FALLS PUBLISHER: THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (New South Wales) Property Trust A few weeks ago I introduced Mis- and the dress codes certainly have changed sion Month 2017 to our morning over time; as they need to do. EDITOR IN CHIEF: service at Chatswood. JEOFFREY FALLS This is clearly reflected in the story behind [email protected] our Pulse cover photo for this edition. Our church has been celebrating It is a photo of the Governor of NSW, EDITOR/JOURNALIST: “Mission Month” every year for Sir Philip Game (the man with the KAREN FORMAN the past 50 years. I have the joy of walking stick) accompanied by Rev 0437 591 581 having the mother of my wife, my George Cowie (minister of Fuller- [email protected] wife, my daughter, and my grand- ton Memorial Church, now Chinese daughter attend church at Chats- Presbyterian Church in Crown St) PROOF READER (HON): wood with me. visiting the ‘Happy Valley’ unemploy- BETTY THOMPSON ment camp at Little Bay on June 9 1931 I asked for a show of hands of those in the during the Depression. CIRCULATION: congregation who have been attending church SUZANNE JENSEN for those 50 years. Along with my mother-in- The camp was the largest and best known (02) 9690 9371 law, several members of the congregation raised unemployment camp situated in the sand- [email protected] their hands; much to the joy and praise of every- one attending church that morning. hills of La Perouse. It operated from 1930 DESIGN: to 1939 and, at its height, included 130 en- BEN DAVIS I have no doubt that the Church has changed campments and 330 people. www.benrdavis.com over the past 50 years. My mother-in-law remembers well the dress codes of those at- Rev George Cowie was very concerned about PRINTING: tending church in the 1960’s. She remembers the conditions of the poor as so many of those WHITE HORSE DIGITAL well the size of the congregation, and the tra- people lived in his parish. He was a member ditions of worship, and the threefold amen. of the Social Service Committee in 1932 and DISTRIBUTION: he took a “hands on” approach to helping the SMART MAIL She misses some of the traditions, but she still unemployed during the Depression. It is a holds Jesus close to her heart as her Saviour, testimony to our Social Services Committee Registered by Australia Post to see that it continues Rev Cowie’s love and PP2455550/00020 the one in whom she places her faith as her Lord. She is as enthusiastic at the age of 90 care for the most disadvantaged in our soci- The General Office of The Presbyterian years as she was in her 40’s. And she is as ety. While our society has changed, our pas- Church in NSW is located in Sydney’s Sur- sharp as she ever was in opening her mind, sion to serve Christ through caring for those ry Hills and is responsible for supporting heart and soul to the messages expressed in in need has not changed. approximately 300 congregations in 16 the sermons, Sunday by Sunday. presbyteries and 600 properties. It provides I commend this Pulse edition to our readers as many services including investments, fi- nance, trusts, property, payroll, insurance, In that sense, the Church has not changed a reminder of our history and a celebration of communication and other needs. at all over the past 50 years. It is, and will where we are today. always be, Christ’s church, and He will call The Presbyterian Church of Australia in the to Him those whom He has chosen. But, the In His service, State of New South Wales is constitutionally form of church service, the songs of praise Jeof part of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. It is structured around elders (presbyters), congregations, presbyteries, the General As- sembly and its committees. The Church Today: Presbyterian members want to give ATTEN- GENERAL MANAGER, PCNSW; SECRETARY, TION to: (1) Spiritual growth (eg direction) PROPERTY TRUST: Results from the NCLS – 41 per cent; (2) Building a sense of commu- JEOFFREY FALLS nity – 29 per cent; (3) Worship services that are Congregations will soon receive, nurturing – 28 per cent; and (4) Ensuring new STATE MODERATOR: PAUL HARRIS if they have not already done so, people are included – 26 per cent. the results of the National Church 168 Chalmers St The significantly higher percentage of mem- Surry Hills NSW 2010 Life Survey that was conducted in bers wanting their congregation, and the PO Box 2196 October/November last year. Almost Church, to provide greater clarity of growth Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 and direction highlights the greatest challenge 7000 members across 128 churches Phone: 1300 773 774 that our church faces at the present time. Fax: (02) 9310 2148 in NSW and the ACT participated in Email: [email protected] the survey, providing a high level of As our heritage is strongly Scottish in tradi- www.pcnsw.org.au tion, developing a unified strategy for spiritual confidence in the results. The views and opinions expressed in The growth and direction as a church is particularly Presbyterian Pulse do not necessarily rep- challenging. There is no centralised leadership The highlights were: resent those of the Presbyterian Church of hierarchy in the Church. Australia in the State of NSW(Church) and the Church is not responsible for the ac- Presbyterian members most VALUE: curacy, currency or reliability of any advice, (1) Sermons, preaching or Bible teaching – 62 Decision making occurs in the General As- opinion, statement or other information per cent; (2) Small prayer, discussion or Bible sembly and through the Assembly’s various contained therein. study groups – 34 per cent; (3) Practical care for committees. The results affirm the need for the General Assembly and its various Committees Cover: As we delve back into our church history one another in times of need – 26 per cent; and in this edition, our cover features the then Gover- (4) Praying for one another – 25 per cent. to work more collaboratively and cohesively in nor of NSW, Sir Philip Game (man with walking developing a unified direction for the Church. stick) accompanied by Rev George Cowie (min- As a strong, reformed, evangelical church, the ister of Fullerton Memorial Church, Crown St) significantly higher percentage of members The results, while very encouraging in affirming visiting the ‘Happy Valley’ unemployment camp our core purpose as Christ’s Church, highlight at Little Bay June 9 1931 during the Depression. valuing biblical preaching and teaching rein- Photo courtesy Ferguson Memorial Library. forces a core purpose of the church; to tell others the need for us to continue to adapt, as Christ’s about Christ through teaching, care and prayer. Church has always done in His changing world. 2 The 2Pulse THE PULSE NEWS Book launch highlight of Assembly month BY KAREN FORMAN In the life of the Presbyterian The book launch was being looked forward is funding and publishing it - we have also Church of Australia in NSW, July to by the editors, the Rev Paul Cooper and just published Robert McKean's book on Rev David Burke. Cargo Cult to Christ - funded by the NSW is “Assembly month’’ – that is, the APWM,’’ he said. “It is our mission to help time when ministers and elders “The book is about the history of the PCA Christian authors self-publish their work. meet for a week to review reports post union,’’ Mr Cooper told the Pulse David and I have two other books of inter- pre-Assembly. est to Presbyterians under consideration.’’ from committees and businesses and make decisions for the future “It’s titled Burning or Bushed – the Presbyte- Mr Cooper involved Mr Burke with the book growth of all aspects of the Church. rian Church of Australia 40 years on. in a “sounding board’’ role. It is at this time of year that delegates from all “The background to the project is that I was “I have done most of the donkey work in- congregations come together at PLC Sydney reading a Sydney University PhD on the fu- volved in organising it and editing and set- to hear about what the denomination as a ture of the Uniting Church in Australia and up but now David is about to come into his whole is doing as Christ's church. This time I came across this statement “Ironically the own promoting it in his moderatorial year. of shared understanding, increased awareness conservative Presbyterians who stalled the Publishing is easy; selling and promoting is and connection with folk from other congre- progress towards unity themselves have not the difficult bit,’’ he said. gations is a key part of being Presbyterian. benefited much from their blocking moves because the “continuing” Presbyterians “David and I go a long way back together to have not been able to flourish since 1977.” Around 300 delegates were expected to our first parishes (me at Finley and David at (Keith D Suter The Future of the Uniting attend and members of the general public Henty) just after Union - he and I used to Church in Australia, PhD, University of always welcomed to attend any sessions travel to Sydney in the train from Henty to Sydney, 2013, page 39.).