Refugee Sunday – Advocates Speak of Persecution and Peril Sue Fordham
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Meeting people Clergy David and Caroline From the Bishop Keith Chenhall where they are conference Beischer page 2 page 4 page 7 page 9 page 12 The Gippsland Volume 112, NumberAnglican 6, July 2015 Published in Gippsland Diocese since 1904 Photos: June Treadwell Refugee Sunday – advocates speak of persecution and peril Sue Fordham reject them on that The readings for the third and drew on the readings account. I think that Sunday after Pentecost to suggest that Christians is where it began seemed specifically designed needed to show leadership for me.” for the day. The Old and generosity of heart in But the most Testament reading sees order to be ‘new creation’; telling were Michael the young David, a simple that ‘new creation’ Christians, Michael Fox and Eleanor Patterson both spoke at the Refugee Sunday service at Paynesville Fox’s stories of shepherd boy, sought out in welcoming the threatened flesh and blood and chosen for the role of and persecuted, are realising persecution, of kingship. The extract from the Kingdom of God in people in extreme 2 Corinthians 5 reminds us community in Australia. peril who had that those who live in Christ The intercessions at the sought refuge in are ‘new creation’ and live Eucharist focussed on the needs Australia. For some, for Christ rather than self. of the millions of displaced the outcome was And the Gospel of Mark uses people needing resettlement happy, for others a the mustard seed analogy and the governments, disaster. to show that from small including our own, who can One of the saddest beginnings the Kingdom of extend a welcoming hand in cases was Xuan (not God can be realised. offering them a place of safety his real name), a Archdeacon Edie Ashley and refuge. Chinese translator looked at what the Bible had Sue Fordham is a Lay on permanent visa in to say about the Christian Reader in the parish of Australia, working response to those seeking Paynesville. for Melbourne’s asylum. She distinguished the China News. Xuan refugee from those seeking See also Refugee Week had sought asylum migration for lifestyle reasons report from Cowes, page 9 ichael Fox and European migration began. because his criticism Eleanor Patterson, She saw the language and of China’s treatment of the Year 9 students from Gippsland Grammar School learning out about parishioners and cultural difficulty for new Falun Gong made him a target M homelessness during a two week stay in Melbourne (story page 8) refugee advocates, spoke out migrant children and the of the Chinese government. about refugees at a service insensitivity of both adults His visa was suddenly to celebrate Refugee Sunday, and children in adjusting to rescinded by the Australian held on 14 June at St Peter by their presence. government and he the Lake at Paynesville. She told of a boy from was incarcerated in the The service focussed the Ukraine with a particular Maribyrnong Detention on a Christian response to difficulty in reading who was Centre and later sent back those seeking refuge from ridiculed by the teacher in under duress to China. He intolerable threat in their front of the class. has not responded to any homelands. “This ridicule by the letters and may well be dead. Michael gave four heart teacher gave legitimacy to Archdeacon Edie Ashley wrenching refugee profiles the bullying of the boy that spoke of the way labels like of people known to him occurred in the playground. ‘illegals’ are wrongly used and Eleanor explained why It was terrible and so unjust. to create the impression that she is so strongly drawn to the He was rejected because refugees lack legitimacy, refugee cause. he was different. We are despite the fact that Eleanor attended primary doing the same thing today Australia is a signatory to the school at the end of World with our refugees. They are United Nations Convention War 2 when the new wave of different. We are afraid so we on Refugees. Teaching and nurturing new believers in 21st century churches Page 3 From the Bishop TGA Index ate last month the for 2015 is, “We all Stand on Aurora Australis Sacred Ground: Learn, Respect From the Bishop 2 Lsouthern lights could and Celebrate.” be seen from various parts of In churches around Teaching and nurturing 3 Tasmania, Southern New South Gippsland people can join new believers Wales and Victoria, including in this week of celebration parts of Gippsland. The lights alongside Australia’s First Around the Parishes 4-5 are caused by a burst of Peoples. Thanks to the Rev’d magnetic energy from the sun Kathy Dalton we have both a Keith Chenhall OAM 4 entering earth’s magnetic field greeting and the Lord’s Prayer through the Poles. The result translated into the language What I like about church 5 is a breathtakingly beautiful of the Gunai Kurnai peoples display of pink, green and red by Dr Doris Paton. Some may Celebrating the ministry 6 lights across the skies. decide to use this NAIDOC of Charles Spencer These wonderful displays week to learn how to pray it in are a reminder of the Psalmist's Language. Others might learn Meeting people 7 words, “The heavens declare traditional names and stories in where they are the glory of God: and the their area of mountains, rivers firmament proclaims his and regions. From the schools 8 handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). A NAIDOC service will Or, as a friend of mine says, be held at Lake Tyers and the Philip Muston: 9 “Designer of the year award to Reverends Phyllis Andy and Clergy Conference Report the God of heaven and earth, Kathy Dalton will take their once again!” place in leading that service. Thoolo bunjil Refugee Week at Cowes 9 The opportunity to see Others may invite local elders and celebrate this night sky to talk about the sacred spaces David Head: 10 spectacular is rare, but beauty is and places in your local area, or Praying with icons all around us in God’s Creation. boonot njinde-a simply to yarn with you about Places like those where the sea the meaning of the word sacred Editorial: 10 meets land, announced in the Heaven elder be with you in relation to land and place. Asylum seekers need hope rhythm of waves lapping at the The NAIDOC invitation is fringes of the earth. On a gentle he stood was sacred. Moses say has sent me?” Moses asks one of walking together in the day its beauty is a melody that turned his face aside and took the Lord. And the answer echoes journey of learning, growing Faith at work: 12 can calm the hardest edges of respect and celebration – a David and Caroline Beischer off his sandals as he dared stand to humanity across millennia hurt and fear. Or those inland in the presence of God. The and comes to us in the mystery journey which is itself sacred places with incredible depth of ground upon which to walk. Diocesan Calendar 12 setting of God’s revelation and of grace: “I am who I am”. ferns, bushland and trees along call to Moses comes in a place NAIDOC week falls this the mountain ranges. Or those beyond the wilderness at the year in the week 5–12 July. generous wide valleys and the mountain of God. “Who shall I The National NAIDOC theme rivers that skirt them. The Gippsland From mountain peak to sea, from brightly coloured birds to Anglican bounding wallabies, from the Member of Australasian Religious smallest flower to the greatest Press Association tree, the grace and beauty of Member of Community Newspapers God’s world is all and always a Association of Victoria Registered by Australia Post rare and wonderful gift. Print Post Number 34352/00018 In the Exodus story of Moses and the burning bush we hear The Gippsland Anglican is the official one of the greatest figures of the newspaper of and is published by The Anglican Diocese of Gippsland, Old Testament acknowledging Swans near Raymond Island 453 Raymond Street, that the very ground on which Sale, Victoria, 3850. www.gippsanglican.org.au SAVE AND SERVE Editor: Jan Down 1. Deposit funds with the Anglican Development Fund (A.D.F.) Tel: 0407 614 661 for the Diocese of Gippsland. Email: [email protected] 2. Enjoy competitive rates of interest on your deposit. 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