Whenever I drive past the Explorer’s Tree on the Great Western Highway just past Katoomba in NSW, I am reminded of my Australian history lessons taught to me back in Primary school.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Betty Butterworth honoured with OAM
“I like me best when I’m with you” (The Blessing of Family and Friends)
Post Christmas - What now?
This week Bruce Wooderson shares a challenge in response to the stories in the December/ January Australia Herald.
Puzzles
Over my Christmas break I wanted an activity that could be both mindful as well as satisfy my need to accomplish something. So, I found myself at the dining room table to conquer a 1000-piece puzzle. I chose one with many blurred colours of lights and some distinct lines of a freeway from the bird’s eye view. I wanted a puzzle that was a challenge; not too easy, but not too hard either.
It has been about 4 years since I last did a puzzle, which also means previously I didn’t have children. The little helping hands of a 2yr old and almost 4yr old put the concept of a ‘not too hard’ puzzle into the ‘almost impossible’ category. From driving their toy cars through the neatly colour sorted pieces mixing them again, to putting pieces ‘in place’ and exclaiming “you’re welcome, Mum!” when it was nowhere near the right position. I knew I this activity was going to be harder than first anticipated.
The border had been complete, first stage and easiest stage was done. I filled in some distinct clusters of colours and was now nearing towards the mid-way point. I was in struggle town, ready to walk away from it. Needing to leave it for a few days before even thinking about looking at it again when my husband reminded me, he wanted the dining table back sooner rather than later. I had to keep pushing through. I’m now at the two-thirds complete stage, the home stretch where you can make out the picture as a whole and have a real sense of which general area most pieces you pick up will go to after having studied it for so many days. I started thinking about finishing it and having to pack it up. A friend asked if I would frame it, to which my response was “no, I’m not that attached to it”. But would I leave it on the table to walk past and see my accomplishment for a week? Or would I pack it up after a day? An hour? Or even pack it up as soon as the last piece was placed?
This sent me down a rabbit hole of what is my accomplishment worth. Wondering, did I do this just to show off my completed work? Why would I even bother beginning something that would end up right back in its box as if it had never been touched. It had me thinking I should slow down, continue enjoying the process again, because that would inevitably delay the packing up dilemma.
Some days I have similar dilemmas with my church work. Since the pandemic began, I have questioned the worth and importance of what I do. How can what I am doing each day really make an impact if we can’t physically be together? There are youth now in year 9 who have never been able to attend a youth camp due to repeated cancelations caused by lockdowns. This event is so important in the life of our youth for helping them to develop relationships, find acceptance, feel supported and encouraged to question and explore. These are such important, formative years, for understanding who they are, where they fit in the world and where God fits in their lives. As Community of Christ Youth Minister, I haven’t been able to meet them yet, let alone developed rapport to provide any support. Each time I have thought we were nearing the end of Covid-19 another strain has knocked us back causing us to cancel camps, events and prevent travelling to people’s homes.
Sharing all of this with my husband – yes, all spurred by eventually having to return the puzzle to its box– he reminded me of the monks who spend weeks creating giant mandalas out of sand, using multiple tools to create textures and shapes. At the end of creating their masterpiece they pray over it and begin sweeping it all up. As a symbol that everything is temporary, to bring awareness and meditation to something that is larger than their own small world. The monks give each person there a small handful of the sand which represents sublime possibility, then the rest is swept up and released into the nearest body of water to be carried away by the nearest stream.
Was it all for nothing? Most certainly not. The puzzle was everything I set for my holiday activity –mindfulness and a challenge all in one. My church work established good foundations and levels of trust with the youth and young adults before the pandemic that I know that every txt, snapchat, time I was asked to be a reference on their resume and every prayer I have said for these youth that I may not have been able to meet was making a difference in their lives. A mandala being wiped clean also means there is space for a new creation. Its been a week since I packed up my puzzle (the day after completing it) and already in that space we have created playdough, played hungry hippos, had family join us for meals, and played board games with friends.
As we have just wiped 2021 away, I hope that 2022 can bring you a renewed sense of invigoration and zest in whatever you set out to achieve and may you take the time to see what new possibilities can happen where the old took place.
Alicia Turner
Youth and Young Adult Minister, Australia Wide
New Beginnings
A New Year has arrived! I wonder what is in store for us as we enter this year of 2022? I sense the communities where we live becoming alive as we experience freedom from lockdowns that have been persisting over nearly two years. This change is happening even though we are still experiencing new strains of the COVID virus. I see particularly an improvement in the social and economic areas of our country occurring.
Here in NSW we have been experiencing the effects of coming out of lockdown from the COVID virus for several months. As I go out in the community, eat at restaurants, do the shopping and attend church I have noticed everywhere a bright, more energetic and positive spirit. People have become more friendly and willing to say hello and have a chat. There is more traffic on the roads and sporting events are being held on playing fields.
At our Open Door congregation it has been uplifting to gather and sing, listen, worship and bask in the physical friendships we have missed for so long. And on top of all these great achievements, we are able to travel widely and enjoy God’s beautiful creation.
As I take all of these things into my mind I feel as though I have arrived at a new beginning. Do you get the same feeling no matter where you are as your community begins to free up from lockdown? So what’s ahead of us? I guess it’s mainly up to each of us how we will shape the future in our own personal lives, and how we might be able to influence, our communities and Christian mission. In fact for all of us we are entering into a period of transformation.
A number of years ago Rich Brown wrote an article in the Saint’s Herald entitled The Trouble with Transformation. Rich pointed out that “transformation is not the same as any change word employing the prefix ‘re’: reorganize, restructure, rejuvenate, restore…The trouble with transformation is another matter, it’s about sensing which way the Spirit is blowing.”
There is a need for each of us to be sensitive to the Spirit providing enlightenment for us to envision the new settings and the new directions for us to take in order to become a transformed person and a transformed church. The phrase, “Let the Spirit breathe” is being used as a guide for us as we face a new future. May we be sensitive to the Spirit enlightening us and directing us into this New Beginning of transformation?
The phrase, “Let the Spirit breathe” is being used as a guide for us as we face a new future. May we be sensitive to the Spirit enlightening us and directing us into this New Beginning of transformation?
This challenge of transformation comes to us in the words of President Veazey in D&C 165:1b: “As a spiritual venture, boldly follow the initiatives into the heart of God’s vision for the church and creation. Then, in response to growing insight about God’s nature and will, continue to shape communities that live Christ’s love and mission.”
Bill Gillard
Evangelist Bill Gillard lives with his wife Betty at the foothills of the Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney, NSW.
Advent Prayer by Peter Lonsdale
From the AWOL Christmas Worship, 12th December 2021
Eternal God, we gather together again from far distant places, celebrating the connection we have with one another as a faith community. We acknowledge the presence of your Spirit within each one blessing all of us as we meet in the name Christ, the Prince of Peace.
God, this has been another year of contradictions. We have witnessed so many acts of kindness, compassion and sacrifice as people across the world responded to the challenges of the pandemic, isolation, lock downs and closed borders. We give thanks for the freedoms now returning and the ability to reconnect in person with friends and loved ones. At the same time we have felt the pain of loss and the communities where we live continue to struggle with inequity, poverty, war making and selfish pursuits that seek to deny the light you offer to all humankind.
In the mist of these forces this Christmas season reminds us again of your generosity and love. Long ago you spoke through the Christ child. In Him we see your heart and mind revealed in love and sacrificial service. In the witness of Christ you show us the Way the world is saved through acts of love, compassion and justice.
The Christ child is your gift of love to all. Christ is the Heart of Christmas, your promise to be with us and amongst us; your covenant to build your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Remind us God to prepare for your coming and to be ready for the good news you bring into the world and our lives. Help us to clear our minds and hearts and be ready to see you through the love of parents, family, friends and neighbours, and acts of compassion and love. Guide us into an unknown future as we seek to discern what matters most for the journey ahead.
God of Grace, may we celebrate your coming again in the birth of a child who heralded a new way of living, a new beginning, a new kingdom. I pray the blessing of His love and peace on each one as we gather in worship today.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Are you the one?
We have now entered the season of Advent celebrated in Christian communities throughout the world. The word “advent” comes from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming”. It is a season observed as a time of expectant waiting, reflection and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
For Christians, the season of Advent, serves as a reminder both of the expectant waiting by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah, as well as the waiting of Christians for Christ’s return to the earth.
As I reflected on this period of Advent I was interested in discovering how the Hebrew prophets described the Messiah and Deliverer they were predicting was coming to earth. These prophets give us a direct insight into God’s viewpoint of what mission He was planning to carry out in our world.
David, one of the writers of the Psalms described the Messiah as defender of the poor, deliverer to the needy and that he would set prisoners free. David foretold that He would open the eyes of the blind, lift up those bound down, watch over strangers and uphold the orphans and widows.
Isaiah was very descriptive in describing the Messiah. He foretold this Saviour as one who would bring strength, wisdom, understanding, counsel and knowledge. He also described Him as the suffering servant who would decide with equity for the meek and would be known as the Prince of Peace.
Micah the visionary came much later. He described the coming Saviour as a ruler who would feed his flock and would be a person of peace.
As we reflect on these descriptions we can see these qualities and ministries were actually evident in the life and ministry of Jesus the Christ. And taking our thoughts even further, each of these descriptions is a challenge for us to follow in giving ministry to others in the steps of Jesus.
Following Jesus’ baptism and temptations in the wilderness, he chose his disciples, preached and performed miracles of healing. While Jesus was giving this ministry, there was at least one person who seemed to question the predictions of these prophets.
John the Baptist had been imprisoned for speaking out against evil deeds carried out by Herod Antipas. When John got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?”
Jesus told these disciples, “Go back and tell John what’s going on: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side. Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed.”
In our own personal reflections, do we still ask ourselves the question John wanted an answer to concerning Jesus: “Are You the One?” The proof of Jesus as Messiah is in his loving actions for others.
As disciples of Jesus, we take up a mission, his call, in the world. With our faith pointing to God as our source of life and purpose, we join with God in creating invitational, Christ-centred communities of justice and peace. God asks us daily: “Are you the one who will respond to my invitation to service? Are you the one through whom my peace will flow?
Are you the one?
Bill Gillard
Evangelist Bill Gillard lives with his wife Betty at the foothills of the Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney, NSW.
Standing in the Gap
The phrase “stand in the gap” interested me as I related it to our call to offer assistance to those who are in need, particularly at this time when we are struggling to cope with this pandemic. There is a gap between those of us who are lucky enough to be avoiding tragedy and illness in our lives against those who are suffering. However, this space can be closed. We can step into the gaps we see and offer whatever aid is needed to bring healing or other assistance to people in unfortunate circumstances.