FEBRUARY 2015 Good News – God’S Radical Remembering the Magazine of the ANGLICAN DIOCESE of PERTH Editor’S Note the Most Revd Roger Herft AM, Archbishop of Perth
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A MAGAZINE FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIANS | FEBRUARY 2015 Good News – God’s radical remembering The Magazine of the ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF PERTH Editor’s note The Most Revd Roger Herft AM, Archbishop of Perth Table of Contents and Editor’s Note 2 Archbishop – Good News – God’s radical remembering 3 A quick Google search of ‘good news’ turns up 1.1 billion ONE of the great refrains of hope in the NASA has just announced that ‘Opportunity’ is suffering The Revd Alison Gilchrist – A leaf from the angels’ book 4 results. Just the thought of sifting through that number history of Israel is the phrase, “And God from amnesia. Describing the two key types of memory Good News Project is food for thought 5 of results is overwhelming. Even the most devoted remembered for good”. NASA explains that there is; Ben Myers – New Camaldoli Hermitage Notebook 6–7 browser would surely need a lifetime to go through from The Revd David Atkinson – Holy Trinity fifty Years On 8 In the Biblical narrative the opposite of remembrance is • non-volatile memory which "remembers" its beginning to end, especially considering that new stories not forgetting but dismembering – the calculated act of Ian Carter AM – Stories of Christmas Generosity 9 information even if it is powered down, and are added daily. Even allowing for those stories which will obliterating the memory, the potential future, the history The Revd Dr David Wood – Lenten longings 10 be strange, it’s a feast! and destiny of an individual, a people, a nation, and a • volatile memory is quicker to access but requires The Revd Dr Elizabeth Smith – community of faith. power, so when the machine turns off, any data Excellent practices of hospitality 11 The February edition of the Messenger has a focus on stored within the volatile memory is lost. The Revd Peter Laurence – ‘Good News’, as the first of the Good News Cafés begin. One way of dismembering was to destroy sacred sites, The Good News of Anglican Schools 12 They have the potential to be a significant feast for all. burn holy texts and place alternative icons and writings in The problem with ‘Opportunity’ is that when the rover Lead with humility 13 Ryan Green’s article Caesarea Philippi: Where is Good place of the former. The most obvious way to dismember tries to use the flash memory it fails. Instead it stores Lifelong school for Christian wisdom 14 News to be found offers a biblical and theological was to occupy the land and place upon the populace telemetry data in its volatile memory, but when the rover The Revd Ryan Green – perspective on Good News, while theologian Ben Myers another language – an alphabet that removed the words goes to sleep and wakes up again, all the data is gone. ‘Caesarea Philippi’: Where is Good News to be found? 15 has given us a deeply personal reflection on the practice and symbols that had given meaning and hope. Another Cathedral 16–17 Some interesting similarities arise; ‘Spirit’ bogged down of retreating and the mysterious presence of Good News method was to force the populace into exile, to make Book review – Born Bad – James Boyce 17 – given observer status; ‘Opportunity’ losing memory; and grace. them slaves in the land of the occupier. How could Bishop Allan Ewing – Ashes embraced, life restored 18 captives sing of their God in a strange land? A more ‘Curiosity’ still working but minus ‘Spirit’. Purple Patch 18 As regular writers and others have written stories subtle and highly effective form was to transform the Are these metaphors a sign of the dismembering that News 19 and news from parishes, along with the celebration of symbols and words of faith to represent the values of the has taken place in respect of the Christian story? Can the The Revd William Thomas – To hell and back 20 generosity reported by Ian Carter, CEO of Anglicare, David occupying ideology. memory of faith be recovered? Lyn Wheeler – Wood and Bishop Allan Ewing write of Ash Wednesday Sharing between parishes in Byford and Kwinana 20 and Lent and for those who have not yet decided on Over a few generations the sacred story was In the Passion narrative one of the thieves on the cross St Mark’s Anglican Community School – Lent reading, this month’s book reviews provide some dismembered. appeals to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into Thirty years of blessing 21 possibilities. Have the festivals of Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday your kingdom”. Dismembered and his life in tatters with Bishop Peter Brain – Our Rich Liturgical Heritage 26 22 death whispering its final disintegration he calls out to Messenger. and Lent gone through this metamorphosis? The Very Revd Richard Pengelley – Prayer, dialogue, faith 23 This is my final Editor’s Note for the I hope be remembered. The response he receives, “Today you John Proud – Circles of Faith 23 that the articles, stories and news we have brought you The exploration of Mars offers us some striking will be with me in paradise”, is a radical remembering, a Books Reviews 24–25 have been strengthening and sustaining, and that even if metaphors. In 2003 NASA sent two Rovers to Mars refashioning of his life and the life of the whole creation Jocelyn Ross OAM – Nor’West Postcard 26 you have disagreed with the views, ideas and theological named ‘Spirit’ and ‘Opportunity’. In 2009 ‘Spirit’ became in God’s future. Movie Review – The Theory of Everything 27 perspectives within, that each month there has been food stuck in soft soil on Mars and was redeployed as a for thought – and perhaps even for feasting. Anthony Howes – Theatre 28 stationary platform to detect and locate wobbles on the May we enter the Holy Season of Lent transformed by God’s radical remembrance. Crossword – Lenten Raj 29 As I finish this role, my thanks to Chris Davies, Elizabeth planet. Contact with ‘Spirit’ was lost. It was deemed to Where to Worship 30 Smith, David Wood and Melanie Hare for their caring and have ‘died’ and an asteroid No 37452 was named in its And that remembrance is Good News indeed. Notices 31 careful work month by month. Thanks too to Therese and honour. Angie from Insight Communication & Design and Chad at In November 2011 another Rover named ‘Curiosity’ was Messenger Vanguard Press who ensure that the gets to launched, landing on Mars on 6 August 2012. COMMITTEE you on time and in good shape. Acting Editor Bishop Kay Goldsworthy E: [email protected] Blessings The Most Revd Roger Herft, AM Archbishop of Perth The Revd Dr David Wood E: [email protected] The Revd Dr Elizabeth Smith E: [email protected] Advertising Mrs Chris Davies T: (08) 9425 7222 M: 0448 209 070 E: [email protected] Copy deadline: 10th of every month prior to publication. Articles must be under 300 words and are subject to being edited + Kay for content and length without notice. When sending photos, Acting Editor please make sure they are 300dpi or above. The opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, or the Anglican Diocese of Perth. Five Marks of Mission Acceptance of advertisements does not mean endorsement. • Witness to Christ’s saving, forgiving, reconciling love for all This publication is printed using vegetable based inks onto paper stock which is totally chlorine free and manufactured from pulp people (Tell) sourced from plantation grown timber. • Build welcoming, transforming communities of faith (Teach) Designed by Insight Communication & Design, Subiaco. • Stand in solidarity with the poor and needy (Tend) Printed by Vanguard Press. • Challenge injustice and oppression (Transform) Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) • Protect, care for and renew life on our planet (Treasure) Cover picture: Shutterstock FEB 2015 3 A leaf from the angels’ book Good News Project is food for thought The Revd Alison Gilchrist | Parish Priest Bassendean | Diocesan Evangelism Enabler IN MANY ways 2014 was a tough nothing but free good news and views from around the THE Good News Project is about seeing things in a Project with the hope of drawing in new readers so they year. Looking back we could list world in health, science, arts, environment & technology, new light, refocusing on the Good News happening may engage with the project and build upon its aims. and describes its output as "A positive alternative to innumerable horrific stories that have throughout the diocese. What’s coming up? swept across people’s lives across today's news all in one place." I was thrilled to see that Since starting the project, we are astonished and Next month, our diocese the globe, but it was also a year at number 5 on its list of good news stories for 2014 touched by the number of beneficial stories emerging. will gather at the first was the report of commuters in Perth freeing a fellow All those at Synod saw the long wall brimming with when hope continued to shine through myriad acts of of three Good News passenger whose leg had become trapped between Good News stories and we are hearing more such tales kindness, where there were breakthroughs in human Project Cafés in the the train and platform. People gathered around and by every day of people re-engaging with the church. Large flourishing and prospects of cures for life-threatening three diocesan areas to pushing tipped the train enough to release his trapped numbers are coming for the first time as a result of disease, and positive perspectives and subsequent contribute to and expand limb. community activities and evangelism in many forms.