theadvocate.tv MARCH 2017 IN CONVERSATION Paquita and Shane Stringer talk about their chaplaincy work in the Gascoyne and Pilbara “Something about saying sorry.” regions with YouthCARE. PAGE 12 >> SIMON ELLIOTT PAGE 13 >> 3 Action on alcohol Calls to remove advertising from public transport >> 5 Stumbling success Musician Colin Buchanan reflects on his success >> Photo: Ben Waterson The Shalom Works crew provide a large range of services as they individually change the direction of their lives. 8 Voices for justice Baptist World Aid Australia Breaking ice addiction call for advocacy >> Steve Blizard can repair or build limestone walls, their skill sets, building their retaining walls and feature walls. confidence in the workplace. This team can also lay paving, Renowned as the ‘strictest Crystal methamphetamine (meth or ice) is driveways and crossovers. rehab in Australia’, the work of destroying families at a rate like no other drug has “All of our teams are respectful Shalom House has caught the ever done before – in the midst of this, Shalom and hardworking, with most of our attention of national media. fellas trade qualified,” Peter said. In January, the ABC TV Works is helping men break free from its grip and “One hundred percent of the Australian Story crew spent other life controlling addictions. income earned by Shalom Works a week filming Peter and the Building is used to fund the operation of Shalom House operation, with the Shalom Works was established in turnaround, the men are required the Shalom House program.” program set to be aired in April. healthy mid-2016 by Peter Lyndon-James, to work in one of the Shalom “We teach our fellas from The Shalom House program churches. CEO of the holistic rehabilitation Works teams. the day they arrive at Shalom also requires its residents to attend and discipleship program, Shalom The Softscapes Crew carries to work for every dollar and not services of different churches House, based in the Swan Valley. out gardening and landscaping to rely on any government or across Perth. Recently the Shalom BAPTIST CHURCHES During their minimum services including tree lopping, private handouts.” House men were warmly welcomed WESTERN AUSTRALIA 12 month residential stay at tree pruning, lawn mowing, yard In addition, Shalom Works has by the Maida Vale Baptist Church Shalom House, men caught in a clean-ups and garden makeovers. a free Community Services team and Morley Baptist Church. spiral of life controlling addictions The Hardscapes Crew is equipped established to help families in As they come into faith, are provided a safe environment in for construction tasks including need, as well as organisations that the men are encouraged to which they can change their lives. pergolas, patios, lean-to areas, may need assistance, including find a church home following Prior to entering Shalom, timber decking, gyprocking, Christian schools and charities. graduation. many of the participants had been bricklaying, rendering, tiling, By sending the teams of men denied the opportunity to work plastering, painting and decorating. out to different jobs they are For more information, email and learn life skills. As part of their The Paving and Construction Crew given the opportunity to develop [email protected] 2 my view MARCH 2017 An anxiety antidote The continuing uncertainty in our contemporary world with the unprecedented fallen humanity allowed mankind happenings in recent times emanating from Washington, London as well as to have renewed relationship with Canberra has increased the level of anxiety and depression in our communities. God. When He conquered death in the resurrection He gave amazing hope to those who witnessed and As I was reflecting on this, I was vulnerability and fear. Most of us hope we need to keep on? heard about it. There was hope for reminded of an article written by experience negative emotional Hope is central to the message a new meaningful way of living, David Malouf on ‘contentment’. responses to the plethora of of Easter. We approach another hope for a connection with a He brings a helpful perspective human and environmental abuse Easter season when we will be loving God and an amazing life on the world’s current pandemic that floods our media, and whether celebrating the life of Jesus who beyond the grave. of anxiety and depression. it gears us into angry social action understood the human need for Are human beings being David maintains that with space or immobilises us with powerless hope. Every time He healed a infected by anxiety, fear and exploration in the 1970s, human depression, we are impacted. Many person, He restored hope. His life depression? Yes! But there is a Keith Jobberns beings who previously felt people are just plain sad about the of wisdom and goodness gave a source of hope and it is based on Keith Jobberns is the National connected to a small village or demise of a sense of future. The glimpse to the watching crowds, knowing and believing that Jesus Ministries Director for suburban community, now had family, cultural, religious, financial that life could be different if there stepped into this small planet to Australian Baptist Ministries. an image from space of living on and military bulwarks we once was an alignment with Him and transform our lives because of a small and fragile planet. counted on to keep us safe and His values. His profound love for all of us. It The awareness of ‘smallness’ content are under threat of change Jesus Christ’s life and self- is a hope that is certainly worth in people tends to extrapolate into and extinction. Where then is the sacrificing death as a ransom for sharing with others. The best or worst of times … What do you think? Is this the best or worst summer ever? As I write, Perth is it, I would have finished it. Such experiencing one of its coolest and wettest summers on record, and that while reckless waste! our cousins over east are having perhaps their hottest. Is it all just a matter of taste? Depends on the issue. If it’s temperature, music or Mars My response is that this makes my daughter was annoyed and There is simply no accounting bars – take your pick. But if it the best summer yet! I usually my daughter-in-law, seriously for taste. What for one is the it is a matter of justice, truth dread January and February. annoyed. As sun lovers, they best of times, is for another, the and mercy … think again. Not Forty degree plus days make me had nothing but nasty words to worst. Some enjoy eating brussel everything is negotiable, even decidedly grumpy, and if the say about that wonderful day. sprouts – the very idea makes my though we live in a world that mercury climbs any higher, I’m True, they like to sit by a heater stomach queasy. Say the word thinks it is … ready to answer a missionary on the hottest of afternoons, and ‘opera’ to one, and their eyes call to Iceland. So imagine my consider any temperature lower light up, while for others that Dr Brian Harris delight at our recent 17.4 degree than 32 an excuse to buy a new same word leads to a haunted, Dr Brian Harris is the Principal maximum on 9 February – our jumper, but what wasn’t to like on desperate look (“Tell me we don’t of Vose Seminary and Pastor at lowest high ever recorded in that cold, wet February day? have to go …”). I once saw a half- Large for the Carey Group. February. Sheer bliss it was. They would quickly reply – eaten Mars bar left on a table. Or was it? According to me “That it was cold, wet and February Who would do that? If it weren’t – yes, yes and yes again. But – a summer day wasted.” that their teeth marks were still on You feed them! The distinctive dulcet tones of our then Associate Pastor still sound in my ears work among nine least reached as I clearly remember the day and place the Spirit stirred my heart toward cross- people groups [about 264 million cultural ministry. people], being a living witness to Jesus’ presence and calling people to faith in places where there is not The message that day was widely known and used even in exist where less than two percent only no church to be found, but on Jesus’ feeding of the five secular contexts. It was a miracle of the population are considered often no comprehension of Jesus thousand. I have sat through and was performed by Jesus to Christian. Least reached people and the transformation He offers. many messages but this time was teach those around Him. On groups have no indigenous God wants His children to different. The preacher seemed to this occasion, Jesus performed church or community of believing participate in the impossible, to look and direct these words only a miracle that met a need using Christians with adequate resources stretch their faith and know that to me. I then realised that this was resources that were made available to evangelise their people. The He can be trusted. There are too the specific call on my life. through someone who was willing challenge can seem overwhelming. many people who have never Heather Coleman The feeding of five thousand to present what they had which There are an overwhelming heard of Jesus both locally and Heather Coleman is the is the only miracle of Jesus Christ was then multiplied by God. number of people who are hungry globally. Go and give what you General Director of Global recorded in each of the four The need for miracles and have a need that seems beyond have to God – skills, finances, Interaction.