February 2010 UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA QUEENSLAND SYNOD MORE DEPTH, MORE STORIES AT jjourneyonline.com.auourneyonline.com.au CHURCH RESPONDS TO HAITI PAGE 3 CRICKET AND RELIGION PAGE 11 “Our prayers are with the people of Haiti following the earthquake that has added huge suffering to a country already burdened by “How many Christians have taken their bat and extreme poverty and political corruption.” Rev Alistair Macrae ball and gone somewhere else?” Phil Smith GET SET FOR EASTER CAMPS - P4 AboutFACE REPORT - P10 END OF AN ERA: AUB BAKER RETIRES - P14 GIVING THE GIFT OF LOVE O perfect Love, all human thought transcending, lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne, that theirs may be the love which knows no ending, whom thou forevermore dost join in one. O perfect Love words by Dorothy Frances Blomfi eld Gurney, 1883 By Mardi Lumsden FEBRUARY IS often known as the month “Without acknowledgement, and with as of love. much honesty as we can fi nd, our quiet, faithful ways refl ect a God that is with us Even from the origins of St Valentine’s in all that we experience, or that others we Day (see page 9) the month has been encounter experience,” she said. associated with romance and love. “Bad things will happen, questions will As we prepare for Easter we are reminded remain unanswered, injustice will require that love fi rst comes from God. constant attention – but in all of this, God Blue Care Director of Mission Rev Colleen is with us.” Geyer said God’s love for the world is Dr Branjerdporn said the openness refl ected in how we treat others. shown to refugees was a wonderful “Every act of kindness, every gentle example of how the Church in Queensland caring way, every bold act of justice, every demonstrates God’s love. honouring of our humanness is created in “I have had the opportunity to welcome a the image of God,” she said. number of refugees from Burma, Sudan, “This shows us that God is present in our Afghanistan and China. world and that we hold within our being “The Church has welcomed them as the responsibility to be God’s love for brothers and sisters in Christ with respect others.” and dignity and we have seen them love Rev Dr Apichart Branjerdporn, Minister us back. at Logan Central Multicultural Uniting “This I believe is the Christian’s spirit of Church, agreed. love.” “God’s love is evidenced in our goodwill Paragraph 15 of the Basis of Union tells for all people,” he said. us that congregations are, “to hear God’s “Within our community there is a sense of Word, to celebrate the sacraments, to awareness of the Almighty. build one another up in love, to share in “Within our Church, I believe there is a the wider responsibilities of the Church, greater awareness of each other no matter and to serve the world”. what culture or colour we come from or To refl ect God’s love in the world it is fi rst what creed we believe.” necessary to refl ect God’s love in our Ms Geyer said refl ecting God’s love is best homes and churches. done humbly. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. (John 3:16) 2 OPINION JOURNEYONLINE.COM.AU Love is a many- Message from the splendoured thing Moderator FOR MANY people, love is a no Key Performance Indicators doesn’t prove that I do. Rev Bruce Johnson crazy mixture of emotions: joy, (KPIs) to help us measure the Once I said to Heather, “If you pain, guilt and deep satisfaction. level of our commitment to love. love me, you’ll clear all that stuff However it is often reduced to How can I be sure that I am out of the car”. a shallow sentimentality that does acting with love rather than Her response was, “You’re little for anyone. self-interest or worse still, wrong because I do and I won’t”. Th is issue of Journey invites us manipulation? It took me somewhat longer to to consider love in many ways. Let me give you a couple of realise that what she said was very matter what we said or did. when we get no thanks or loving Of course Christians believe examples. true. If we hurt one another, this response in return. that one of the greatest descrip- My wife and I have very She did love me, but that didn’t does not alter the conviction that We have to learn to love those tions of love is in Paul’s Letter to diff erent attitudes to expressions mean that she would necessarily we are loved. We may have an with whom we passionately the Corinthians. do what I wanted her issue to deal with, but that does disagree. “Love is patient; to do. not diminish our commitment to As followers of Christ we love is kind; love is not So we can’t love each other. must learn to love deeply, envious or boastful or Love is deeper than measure a person’s Love is deeper than emotion; unconditionally, faithfully and arrogant or rude. It does emotion; it is a decision love on the basis it is a decision to act in ways that honestly. not insist on its own to act in ways of their willingness bring the best for another person. We can’t do it alone, but are way; it is not irritable to comply with our Even if we fail to act lovingly off ered the gift and power of the or resentful; it does not that bring the best wishes. at times, our love may still be real Holy Spirit to make it possible. rejoice in wrongdoing, for another person. My statement and strong. God is love and those who live but rejoices in the was an attempt to If we choose to love in all in love live in God, says the fi rst truth. It bears all things, manipulate, but situations we will have to make letter of John. believes all things, hopes Heather would not let some tough decisions. As we experience the forgiving all things, endures all things.” (1 of love. I fi nd it easy to tell me do that. We have to choose to love unconditional love of God within Cor 13:4-7) Heather that I love her and to do Having discussed the concept when we feel hurt or betrayed. our own lives, we will fi nd the Jesus off ered two clear so regularly. with several other people I do not We have to learn to love power and confi dence to love. commands about love to his Heather however considers believe that we can create KPIs followers: “Love one another as such repeated assurances of love for evaluating love. I have loved you” and “Love your as unnecessary. Love comes from a deep enemies”. Her response is, “I told you personal commitment and can Sign of the times Since it is not possible to when I married you that I loved only be measured by those who command another’s emotions, it you. Don’t you believe me?” receive or experience our attitudes is clear that like Paul, Jesus was Do my repeated verbal and actions. also speaking about attitudes and affi rmations mean I love more One thing Heather and I have actions. than my wife? agreed together is that we would Th e problem is that there are Of course not, just saying I love believe the other loved us no Translating the universal language LOVE IS the theme of so many person has a “primary way of get them gifts for no reason at songs, fi lms, operas and plays. expressing and interpreting love”. all. Simple really. Everyone from Shakespeare to Some people love giving. It is amazing how under- Britney Spears has been inspired Th ey are the people who take standing another language can by the consequences of love. time and think about what to open your eyes. But for all the joy love can get someone. Th ey probably Give it a try. What love bring it can also be the cause of even have a ‘gifts’ drawer in their language do you speak? great pain, even heartbreak. house! What language do your Since its release in 1992, I never understood why people children or parents speak? American author and counsellor wanted to give me things I didn’t I can’t think of a better Dr Gary Chapman’s book Th e need. Valentine’s Day gift than that Five Love Languages has sold over Clearly my language of love is of understanding … after all, fi ve million copies. not “receiving gifts”. “receiving gifts” is not my love PAUL CLARK of Burdekin Uniting Church sent us this sign on behalf After many other versions, But it is the language of two language. of Bruce Cornish and the North Queensland Presbytery. including men’s and women’s members of my family. So despite Find out more at Th is is apparently one of many such signs which will be erected editions and one called God not really speaking that language www.5lovelanguages.com along highways in North Queensland. Speaks Your Love Language, I must remember to post their Mr Clark said that as people drive the long stretches of highway Dr Chapman’s simple theory birthday gifts on time and even to Th e Journey offi ce is between towns the signs will announce a vibrant North Queensland continues to fascinate me.