NEWSPAPER OF THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF GRAFTON, NEW SOUTH WALES NORTH COAST AnGLICAN Transforming lives through Jesus Christ December 2019 | Issue No 6 SPECIAL SCHOOLS SUSTAINABILITY EDITION Tell someonePAGE 6 who cares To be the trusted financial services provider of the Anglican Diocese of Grafton, enabling ministry growth MORE DETAILS PAGE 12 December 2019 The North Coast Anglican Page 1 FROM THE BISHOP celebrated this at Epiphany. calling upon this knowledge new, unchartered territory. the months to come? Are The Feast of Christmas was of the night sky and a For the Magi, the star you prepared to offer up not introduced until the decision to follow the star. represented the will of God to others the things you Fourth Century. The Scriptures tell us that for their lives. Following it treasure? One of the things I appreciate the Magi were overjoyed by involved significant sacrifice. Like the Magi, we too have about living in Grafton is the the sight of the star (Matthew In what ways are we as set out on a quest, not darkness of the night sky. 2:10). The King James version individuals and communities knowing the details of where Set against a jet black sky, states that they “rejoiced with open to seeking out and the journey will lead us, only the stars are breathtakingly exceeding great joy”. The following his will with all the knowing that we are seeking beautiful. Having lived most journey of following the star, sacrifices this will imply? Does God’s will, guided by faith and of my life in a big city, this of seeking out what God is seeking out and following his hope. is something new to me. doing, is one we’re all called will give us great joy, despite Lord God, you guided the Magi In the time of King Herod… wise For the ancients, to look at to make. the cost involved? to your beloved Son, Jesus men from the East came to the stars was to peer into This year our spiritual journey In order to follow the star, Christ. May your blessing come Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the the dark future. Yet for through Advent to Christmas, the Magi needed to keep upon us, your light guide us, child who has been born king those who could interpret it New Year, Epiphany and their eyes fixed on it. Every your strength uphold us, and of the Jews? For we observed properly the dark night sky beyond is happening single day God wants to lead your love protect us, so that his star at its rising, and have held endless possibilities. alongside another journey us to Jesus. Are our eyes fixed we too may grow in wonder at come to pay him homage”. Navigation was largely by - our journey as a Diocese on him? the glory of God. We ask this stars and constellations. It (Matthew 2:1-2). through the Consultation On their journey, the Magi through Christ our Lord. held the possibility of travel These words from Matthew’s Process for the proposed bore gifts for the Christchild. Amen. by sea or land to distant Gospel remind us that we restructure of parishes and What are your gifts and the regions well beyond the are preparing for the annual worship centres. Like the gifts of your parish, school safety and familiarity of the +Murray celebration of the Birth of Magi, we need to walk by the or other ministry unit? How local. Yet the Christian story @MurrayAHarvey our Lord. The early Christians light of faith as we traverse might you offer these up in begins, in part, with the Magi Reading the Scriptures By The Venerable Matthew that I agreed with and in a way firmly believe that, when we Jones, Archdeacon of the that I myself have preached are reading Scripture and we North about in the past. However, allow ourselves to be led by they then went on to propose the Spirit, we can discover new I read with great interest the a completely different view for insights every time we delve articles by Bishop Murray us, the listeners, to consider. into these sacred stories. and Archdeacon Stuart about I had never thought of that reading the Scriptures in the When I was a theological passage in that way before and last edition of North Coast student, one of the subjects I found myself being drawn Anglican. I found myself we studied was Homiletics, i.e. into the story in a completely engaging deeply with their learning how to preach. In the new, and I must admit, rather words and it got me thinking textbook Prate, Prattle or Preach exciting way. about my own response to the the author, Ivor Bailey, told a Bible. John Donne was an English story about a Bible study group priest and poet and Dean that was divided into four As someone who regularly of St Paul’s, London in 1621. smaller groups. Each group preaches, I often come upon He is quoted as saying, “One was given a different imaginary the end that, to their surprise, living with this reality right different interpretations of opinion makes not catholic setting in which to look at the they had approached the text now. From the security and Bible passages when I am doctrine,” (Love’s Redeeming text, “Looking to Jesus the from four totally different comfort of my armchair, can researching for my sermons. Work. Oxford University Press, pioneer and perfecter of our points of view. The point was I really understand the plight Some of these stimulate my 2001). In the context of the faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) NRSV. clearly made that “where you’re of the Israelites escaping from thinking and some challenge sermon I heard recently, I coming from determines what the Egyptians, or the refugee some of my long-held views. He writes: “The first group agree wholeheartedly with you see.” (Prate, Prattle or status of the Holy Family However, I must confess were to consider the text from Donne and can see the value in Preach, JBCE, 1987). fleeing from King Herod and that there are times when the viewpoint of a Christian listening to the views of others I am very mindful of my his soldiers? However, I am I find that anything really politician in Uganda at the which can both encourage upbringing and cultural context sure there would be millions radically different to my time of Idi Amin. The second and challenge me. Different when I read Bible stories about who can relate to these Biblical views gets dismissed and I group were to see themselves opinions can be stimulating people from other parts of the passages from their own lived keep looking for articles and as a small group of Christian and educational. world and from other times in experience today. Maybe the commentaries that I can agree students, meeting secretly in history. I cannot really resonate above quote is true in relation with that support the points Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Moscow University. The third with the idea of slavery, which to reading the sacred texts, I am making in my sermon. writing of the Bible says, group looked at the text from is mentioned a lot in the Bible, that, “Where you’re coming Recently however, I have been “In the Bible there is more the position of a small group of but I am sure there would be from determines what you challenged to explore more of that finds me than I have elderly ladies in a poor inner- many today who can, especially see.” the views which may be very experienced in all other books city area, one having been in places where human I pray that I will continue to different to mine. put together; that the words recently widowed. The fourth of the Bible find me at greater group was set in an affluent trafficking and kidnapping is be challenged to read and This came about when I was depths of my being; and that American church, discussing prevalent. I cannot really relate understand the Scriptures listening to a sermon that whatever finds me brings with the text over a Prayer to war and hostile invasions, in new ways. I pray that I will one of my colleagues was it an irresistible evidence of Breakfast. such as we find in parts of the not block my ears or shut my preaching. In the sermon, its having proceeded from the Old Testament and Psalms, eyes to things I disagree with, which was referring to a The four groups believed each Holy Spirit”. (S.T. Coleridge, but I am sure there are many just because they make me passage of Scripture that I was had been given the same Confessions of an enquiring today in other parts of the uncomfortable. I pray that I very familiar with, the preacher background briefing; it was Spirit, Letter 11, A&C Black, world who can see this as may have “ears to listen” as explained the passage in a way not until they came together at 1956, pp 42-3). I have come to their story, those who are Jesus says. 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