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Poverty and the Soul

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Poverty and the Soul October 2009 UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA QUEENSLAND SYNOD MORE DEPTH, MORE STORIES AT jjourneyonline.com.auourneyonline.com.au WHO IS JESUS? PAGE 11 SURVEY PAGE 7 - 8 TThehe searchsearch continuescontinues Journey Readership Survey ““WeWe nneedeed ttoo kkeepeep qquestioninguestioning oourur ggrasprasp ofof JesusJesus Complete for your chance to win a $250 voucher - aandnd hhisis ggrasprasp ofof us.”us.” RRevev DDrr PPaulaul WWaltonalton for Biome, an environmentally friendly store. PRESIDENT CALLS FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT - P3 FATHER OF THE YEAR FINALIST - P5 GIRLS’ BRIGADE CELEBRATES 60 YEARS - P14 POVERTY AND THE SOUL By Mardi Lumsden OFTEN WHEN we think of people “Having spent the last four years living in poverty we don’t think of in Thailand, and seeing both the family or pensioner next door. excessive wealth and incredible poverty existing side-by-side in United Nations statistics that half relative harmony, I have seen the world lives on less than $2 fi nancial poverty in a new light,” a day and that 30 000 children Mr MacGregor said. die every day due to poverty are terrifying and can overwhelm us, He believes Jesus’ statement particularly those of us who have “Blessed are the poor” speaks of safe housing and three meals a a far more serious poverty than day. lack of money. But poverty is also on our “It is speaking of a spiritual doorstep. poverty of the soul, the importance of which far exceeds Director of UnitingCare’s Centre any fi nancial poverty,” he said. for Social Justice Greg Mackay said many Australians are closer “It is the poverty that comes to homelessness than some may from realising our utter spiritual think. bankruptcy outside of Christ. “For people living on the margins “Our response as Christians, to just one episode of illness is the physical and fi nancial poverty all it takes to push them into a that faces so many people in our downward spiral of debt and society, is then a response to poverty,” said Mr Mackay. God’s grace in our own lives. “If even marginally better off “It is not an act of pity or empathy people were to experience a but an act of spiritual obedience. second or third fi nancial stressor “My evangelical responsibility is they too would struggle.” to not only share the good news Mr Mackay said typical stressors about Jesus but to put my money included health related shocks where my mouth is, that others and family break-ups. may not just hear, but also see the God who loves them.” “Recent research by the Australia Institute shows women as one Deception Bay Uniting Church of the groups hardest hit by the minister Rev Mark Cornford urged fi nancial crisis in the workplace. Christians to take on a personal More men have lost full-time responsibility to help ease jobs but women face worsening poverty in their local community. underemployment in the form of “Why is it when we think about limited hours and poor pay.” doing something about poverty Mt Isa Uniting Church minister we tend to think of what the Rev Paul MacGregor and his wife church can do, rather than Margaret lived and worked in the thinking about how I can live slums of Bangkok helping young my life so that I am part of the women learn new skills after good news for people who are leaving the sex industry. struggling?” he said. Continued P.11 THOSE WHO OPPRESSES THE POOR SHOW CONTEMPT FOR THEIR MAKER, BUT WHOEVER IS KIND TO THE NEEDY HONOURS GOD. (Proverbs 14:31) 2 OPINION JOURNEYONLINE.COM.AU Following Message from the the homeless Moderator Rev Bruce Johnson shepherd As I listen to those who fi nd to the ‘bag lady’ who pleaded with themselves with no place to call her for help. I HAVE just listened to an early that it made the rest of us feel attitude to those who live that home they talk of their loneliness However, she felt for this morning talkback program on uncomfortable. sort of existence in my world? and isolation. woman with nothing so she Radio National. I came into the Th is caller suggested that many How do we live out the Th ey lose their sense of identity invited her to have breakfast with conversation during a discussion of us feel embarrassed, guilty, commitments we made at our and worth in the community. her. with a City Councillor from Alice helpless or frightened when last Synod (see page 7)? Why do We may not have a simple Together they ate bacon and Springs who was defending the approached by a beggar. we want to help those who sleep answer to the lack of aff ordable eggs in the local café. I am sure Council’s decision to introduce a It is our discomfort that we are rough on our streets? housing but we do have the that both women were blessed by-law to prohibit begging on the trying to address, rather than the Is it just to appease our capacity to off er inclusion in our that morning; a blessing far streets of Alice Springs. consciences or do community. richer than if that young nurse It opened up a we have a genuine We could move beyond our had simply handed over a few fascinating conversation I follow one who was concern for those who own feelings of discomfort and shillings. about the apparent homeless and who was try to live without embarrassment to acknowledge I wonder what stories lay increase of begging in dependent upon others for a place to lay their them, to learn a person’s name, behind the words in Matthew’s Australia. heads at night? and to listen to their story. Gospel about the women who Why do people beg? his daily sustenance. I am impressed One of the talkback callers stood at the foot of the cross. Are they really poor? that in the midst of recalled the day she received her I am glad there were some peo- Why don’t they, or can’t they, plight of the beggar. our struggle with the diffi cult fi rst pay packet. ple who saw more than just the access welfare services? I found myself admitting that fi nancial situation we face as a Her parents had prepared her homeless wanderer of Galilee. What has happened in their this is true for me. Synod, we were prepared to look for this event giving her advice Why was that homeless man lives and within the Australian However somewhere in the beyond ourselves and commit about how to use it wisely and more deserving of our care and community that the only option background of my thoughts were ourselves to playing our part in not to allow herself to be cheated love than those who roam the seems to be to beg for help? the words of Jesus: “Foxes have addressing the needs of those out of her hard-earned money by streets of most cities and towns Various people rang in with holes and birds have nests; but the who have nothing. street people. today? their experiences and explained Son of Man has nowhere to lay his We could dismiss those So when she emerged from the “Truly I tell you, just as you did their decisions to help, or refuse head”. (Matt 8:20; Luke 9:58) commitments with the excuse hospital after night shift with her it to one of the least of these who to help, beggars. I follow one who was homeless that we don’t have the fi nancial pay in her pocket she knew that are members of my family, you One person said that the and who was dependent upon resources to do anything; or we she should not hand over money did it to me.” (Matt 25:40) problem with begging was not others for his daily sustenance. can see this as the perfect time to that it did any harm rather How does this shape my reach out. Sign of the times Navigating Monopoly HOW DO children learn about the game ends – when one player the world of property and wins and the rest are left with fi nance? nothing. Th ey play games that simulate All of this happens by the roll adult experiences. of the dice. Much like poverty And one of the world’s most and homelessness in our society famous games is Monopoly. today, it is a game of chance. ate person can turn into a Th e history of Monopoly dates What does that teach young tyrant when Monopoly victory back to 1904 when a Quaker people (and not so young people) is on the line! named Elizabeth Magie invented about how to treat others? So next time you sit down Th e Landlord’s Game in an If people land on our property to a game of Monopoly I attempt to teach people about we charge them exorbitant fees challenge you to play with a Henry George’s single tax theory and force them to mortgage their diff erent mindset. and the dangers of monopolised own property to stay in the game, I challenge you to play with property ownership. we sometimes force them into compassion and a willingness Fellow American Charles homelessness or jail, leaving them to help those who are down on ONE OF the great things about being located in North Darrow later sold his similar reliant on those who possess their luck. Queensland is that you can have church outside in August. game, Monopoly, to Parker wealth and property.
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