Leadership = Participation = Community

"Good leadership is encouraging full participation by everyone in our community" Brian Wyatt #ntc14

— AIATSIS (@AIATSIS1964) June 3, 2014

Brian Wyatt 

United Nations : women, peace and security.

In a unanimously adopted Presidential Statement this morning ahead of a day-long debate on “women, peace and security,” the Security Council reaffirmed the need to dismantle the “persistent barriers” facing gender equality, calling on Member States to embrace a “dedicated commitment to women's empowerment, participation, and human rights” and ensure their full and equal participation in peace and security issues.

Held annually, the Council's open debate provides an opportunity for the wider UN membership to reflect on the progress made, and accelerate action on implementation of the Security Council resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, which requires parties in a conflict to respect women's rights and support their participation in peace negotiations and in post-conflict reconstruction.

In a message to the 15-member body delivered by Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon thanked the Council for its “consistent focus” on women and peace and security issues, noting that such debate has enabled the international community “to move beyond viewing women as only victims of conflict to seeing them as agents of peace and progress.”

However, he expressed concern that “unprecedented levels of displacement” and the “immense human and financial cost of conflict” is testing global commitments to addressing the needs of women and girls around the world while also hindering their participation in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding initiatives.

To read more please go here

Is Facebook an anti-social network?

Post by Patricia Olive Corowa.

Find out moe about Prince Ea here.

The World Economic Forum - Global Gender Gap Report 2014

http://www.weforum.org/issues/global-gender-gap

AUSTRALIA RANKS 24TH

AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHO COMES AHEAD OF US!

Heading the list are the Scandinavian countries!

What a surprise (not)!

How some of us long to be like them in all sorts of social policy areas!

But - shame Australia shame -

those ahead of us include

Nicaragua - Rwanda - Burundi - Ecuador - Bulgaria

If I had my way,

I'd scrap the Sex Discrimination Act 1984.

I'd abolish or radically reform the

Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

Some women have benefitted over the past three decades.

Predominantly, these have been university educated and/or

middle-class women who have worked in the public sector.

Working class women working on the factory floor or in the unskilled and semi-skilled areas of the service economy have not made great advances. The old "industrial relations club" had a handle on the tradeable goods sector - but had/have nary a clue about the service industries where women and young people are employed.

Discrimination is difficult to prove.  Penalties are of the feather duster variety.  The act has been around for thirty years and yet there are employers who act as though they have never heard of it.  A jail sentence or three could sort that out very quickly!

Introducing Fighting Father Dave from Dulwich Hill ...

It was great to see Father Dave on Compass this week.  I've known of Father Dave on and off for many years - but the Compass program presented a lot of stuff I didn't know. It helped me to have a more rounded picture of him.  

And I like his honesty.  Father Dave has been working in Dulwich Hill for a long time and seen it change from a poor and troubled working class inner Sydney suburb to inner city trendiness.  He has worked to bring about change with families and young people - but he says the real change is due to rising real estate prices! 

Please Keep Sophie in your thoughts and prayers as she does battle for #Asylum Seekers and #Refugees in #Geneva

Please keep Sophie in your thoughts and prayers as she embarks on this important task.

Off 2 UN Committee agnst Torture in Geneva nxt wk re Australias rcrd on asylum seekers &indig justice @amnestyoz sub> http://t.co/AJMJxyYPB4
— Sophie Nicolle (@SophieAmnestyOz) October 28, 2014

AIATSIS and the University of Sydney working together

Post by AIATSIS.

Great to see Professor Mick Dodson

Mick is not so much in the news these days

as once he was but he's looking good.

AIATSIS 

University of Sydney

The Seniors Supplement for the very wealthy needs to go

Seniors Supplement is poorly targeted to people who don’t need extra support   Tuesday October 28, 2014 The Australian Council of Social Service today urged the Federal Parliament to support the budget proposal to abolish the Seniors Supplement, which is poorly targeted to people who do not need additional support from the Government. “At a time when we need to be restoring revenue and better targeting expenditure, in part to fund the needs of an ageing population, this supplement represents an unjustified excess,” said ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie. “The Seniors Supplement is available to those who are not eligible for the Aged Pension because they are in a much better financial position than most.” It extends to older people with assets in excess of $1 million apart from the family home. By excluding superannuation income from the income test for existing recipients, it also extends to people with significant superannuation incomes. “A couple could have a million dollars in a superannuation fund paying them an income of $100k a year in addition to significant assets and still receive the supplement.” “ACOSS strongly supports the need for an adequate safety net system to ensure that everyone is supported when they fall into hard times. However, this supplement cannot be justified on those grounds. The supplement entitles people to $858 each year for singles and $1,295 for couples. “Abolishing the Senior’s Supplement would not affect people entitled to the Age Pension, who are the vast majority of retirees, since they are not eligible. They would still qualify for the Pension Supplement. “We think the fairest approach is to restrict supplements to those entitled to receive an Age or Veterans Pension. These are the people who need a supplement the most,” Dr Goldie said. Media Contact: Fernando de Freitas 0419 626 155 ~~~~~~~~~~  Further information supplied by Advocacy @ St Paul's Wealthy pensioners get a good deal from Hockey - Australian Financial Review “Middle-class” welfare goes to seniors, too. - Adele Horin Spare the poor, hit rich retirees - MacroBusiness

Stand up for a compassionate of Australia

Dale Hess Calendar - 14-10-27

Dale Hess has produced a calendar every Monday morning for many years. Dale does give university holidays a miss. Dale is a Quaker - in fact something of an expert on Quaker history - and a member, as well, of the Anabaptist Association of Australia and New Zealand.  Dale's calendar has an interesting flavour of peace, ethics, and environmental activism/spirituality.  The calendar will appear here each Monday except for the university holidays and the occasional day when Dale's calendar doesn't arrive in the mail box.

Tuesday 28 October, 6 pm – 8 pm: Australia Adrift: Navigating New Pathways.  Prof. Joe Camilleri at St Michael’s Church at 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. ‘I am greatly looking forward to a thoughtful conversation on the many challenges we face and possible responses in Australia and internationally.’ Cost: $15 or $50 for whole series of four lectures. Bookings can be made at:

http://www.stmichaels.org.au/programs/upcoming-events/display/3129/rethinking-the-future-lecture-series.

Tuesday 28 October, 7 pm:  Forum and Round Table: Beat the Budget and the Rest of Abbott’s Anti-Worker Program. There will be brief updates on the unacceptable budget measurers and just what is still being proposed by the Doctors Reform Society, Fair Go for Pensioners, Victorian Council of Social Services, Australian Education Union. Venue: Meeting Room 1, Trades Hall, corner of Lygon and Victoria Streets, Carlton South.

Wednesday 29 October, 6 pm: The Forgotten Palestinians of Lebanon. Olfat Mahmoud, Director of Palestinian Women’s Humanitarian Organisation of Lebanon, and university lecturer, will talk about the forgotten Palestinians of Lebanon. Victorian Trades Hall, 54 Victoria Street, Carlton. RSVP: office@apheda.org.au. All welcome.

Thursday 30 October, 6.30 pm – 8 pm: Melbourne Free University: Iran. Amin Ansari, Flinders University and curator of Greens’ Art website, Linda Briskman, Swinburne University, will be interviewed for 45 minutes, then there will be 45 minutes of open discussion. The Alderman (upstairs), 134 Lygon Street, East Brunswick.

Saturday 1 November,  9.30 am till 6 pm: Borderlands Mega Book Sale.  We will be having a fund-raising mega book sale at Borderlands cooperative. There is a wide variety of genres to choose at very cheap prices: something for everyone. At The Habitat Centre, 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn.

Sunday 2 November 10 am till 5 pm: Borderlands Mega Book Sale.  We will be having a fund-raising mega book sale at Borderlands cooperative. There is a wide variety of genres to choose at very cheap prices: something for everyone. At The Habitat Centre, 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn.

Monday 3 November, 6 pm dinner, 6.30 program: Skillshare #3: Writing letters to the editor, media releases and opinion pieces with Jim Green. Friends of the Earth, 312 Smith street, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia 3070. Upstairs (entry via side-door on Perry Street). RSVP to ace@foe.org.au. Contact: 0421 955 066 (Gem).

Wednesday 5 November, 6 pm – 7 pm: Melbourne Activist Legal Support Information Night. Interested in becoming more involved in the work of Melbourne Activist Legal Support? These are many ways to contribute to our work, knowing you are helping to provide an essential support to those standing up for social and environmental justice. Come along and find out more! Venue: Trades Hall, Room TBA, 54 Lygon Street, Carlton. Registration: http://malsinfo051114.eventbrite.com.au

Thursday 6 November 7:30 pm -9 pm: Conflict over the Islamic State in Iraq & Syria: Insights from Muslim experience & social traditions. With Susan Day Dirgham, who has lived for several years in Syria, and Fr Bruce Duncan, who examines changes in Islamic just war thinking in the light of international human rights today. The Study Centre Yarra Theological Union. Best entry via 34 Bedford Street, Box Hill. Refreshments available afterwards. An entry donation is welcome. Further info: 9899 4777  |  admin@socialpolicyconnections.com.au.

Wednesday 12 November – Sunday 23 November: Tales of a City by the Sea: A Palestinian Story of love, separation and beautiful resistance. Wednesday performance at 6.30 pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7.30 pm, Sunday 4 pm. $25 full; $15 concession. La MaMa, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton. Tel: 9347 6142.

Tuesday 18 November, 5.30 pm – 8 pm: Victorian Election Environmental Expert Policy Review. In preparation for the 2014 Victorian Election, the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) and RMIT University are hosting a panel of renowned environmental practitioners to review the environment policies offered by the major political parties. Our Panel of experts will offer a fact-based analysis of each party’s policy based on decades of experience: Peter Nadebaum,Senior Principal - Environment, GHD Consultants; Zena Helman, Principal, Helman Consultants; Stephen Jenkins, Director, EnviroRisk; Professor Graham Currie, Chair - Public Transport, Monash University. Attendance is free but bookings are essential. Places are limited and expected to book out fast. Register by Monday, 10 November. Venue: The ground floor lecture theatre (room 007) of RMIT’s new Building 80, 80/445 Swanston St, Melbourne. Any queries, email vic-events@eianz.org.

Monday 1 December, 6 pm dinner, 6.30 program: Skillshare #4:: Non-Violent Direct Action with Nicola Paris, CounterAct. Friends of the Earth, 312 Smith street, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia 3070. Upstairs (entry via side-door on Perry Street). RSVP to ace@foe.org.au. Contact: 0421 955 066 (Gem).

Wednesday 3 December – Friday 5 December: Melbourne Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Workshop. The purpose of the DRM workshop is both to develop practical skills for risk management practitioners who are involved in initiatives across the Disaster Risk Management Cycle (DRMC) spectrum in both Australia, and the Asian-Pacific region. Venue: 277 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Further details: http://www.torqaid.com/images/stories/melbdrmdec2014...pdf

Wednesday 10 December – Friday 12 December: Melbourne Participatory Project Management (PPM) Workshop.The purpose of the PPM workshop is to develop practical project management skills for community development (CD) practitioners or project managers, working in either Australia or overseas, who are involved in initiatives throughout the Project Management Cycle (PMC). Venue: 277 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Further details:http://www.torqaid.com/images/stories/melbppmdec2014...pdf

Of interest to #Ballarat people: Catherine King, the Member for Ballarat, is on the ABC's Q&A to-night

To-night's Q&A program on ABCTV includes Ballarat's Federal Member of Parliament, Catherine King who is the Shadow Minister for Health in the Labor Opposition. Ballarat is fortunate to have such a highly qualified woman to represent its interests in the Federal Parliament in Canberra.

Health services are a major part of Australian society.  We have had a universal health care system since 1975.  There have been many changes across significant portfolio areas under the first budget of the Abbott Government. The Federal Budget has not been passed in its entirety.  It has been marooned in a backwash of the government's own making.  Part of the controversial changes in the budget, is the introduction of a co-payment for visits to the doctor and other heal professionals.  This is seen as an erosion of universal health care and re-introducing inequities which Medicare had long since abolished.

So Ballarat, please consider tuning in to-night to hear what your local member of the Federal Parliament has to say.

In the photo above:
Sharon Knight - State MLA running for election in the seat of Wendouree
Catherine King and Marianna Hubbard of #Pinarc
The program being supported and campaigned for is the
#National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The price of fame is a postcard

Father Rod Bower from the Anglican Parish of Gosford is mentioned regularly on this blog.  He has a substantial amount of Facebook fame for his pithy parish comments on the parish noticeboard.  And now, Father Rod has gone up in the world - ahem, we mean in the church.  He is now Archdeacon Rod Bower .... and he is selling postcards

Post by Anglican Parish of Gosford.

Violence against women : Porn : Gender inequality : Gambling and addiction of Australian govts : G20

Domestic violence attitudes worsening, Anglican synod told

 17/10/2014 

by Barney Zwartz 

Reprinted from here

 Social attitudes in Australian society justifying domestic violence are becoming stronger, fuelled by the pornography and advertising industries, the Melbourne Anglican Synod was told on 16 October. “Social attitudes that give legitimacy to domestic violence are deeply entrenched in our society and in some ways are getting even worse,” the Revd. Scott Holmes told the 800 clergy and lay people meeting at St Paul’s Cathedral. “The porn industry is increasingly showing violence against women and portraying women as enjoying it, and is the greatest teacher about sex education to our children. Our advertising industry is also having a huge impact.” Mr Holmes said last year Victoria Police responded to 66,000 incidents of domestic violence, 95 per cent of them by men against women. 

Researcher Dr Ree Bodde said gender inequality was encouraged in many churches, with many women advised they should stay in abusive relationships and “try to be better wives”. “Violence in our homes reaches even into our vicarages,” she said. 

The Melbourne diocese has a preventing violence against women program that the synod was told is a model and incentive to other faith communities. 

Dr Gordon Preece, chairman of the Social Responsibilities Commission, said 4000 Victorians experienced homelessness every night, many of them victims of domestic violence. 

On gambling, Dr Preece said the greatest addicts were Australian governments. The synod voted to call all levels of government to reduce their reliance on revenue from gambling. Dr Preece said gambling was a key cause of family breakdown, crime – second only to drugs – and suicide. He said every time the churches looked like achieving reform, such as limiting the size of bets on poker machines, “we find enormous donations to both political parties (by gambling interests) have stifled the reform”. 

The synod urged G20 leaders meeting in Brisbane next month to look beyond short-term national interests to overcome unparalleled threats to global security and justice such as global warming and income inequality.

Seeking a 'politics that transforms' and spiritual values that give inner strengths

If Australians are truly seeking a 'politics that transforms', is it too much to hope that people might seek spiritual values that transform as well.

Equity, access and inclusion in the body politic can be transformative for individuals and society.  But we are learning in the saddest of circumstances that these three categories alone are not sufficent for human wholeness and beneficence in our society.  We need inner strengths of resilience and meaning to fortify us, to allow us to rise up against and above the slings, ambitions and substances that would tear us down. 

Education Maintenance Allowance disappears from the budgets of struggling families

Education Maintenance Allowance: 

Concerns over end to assistance for disadvantaged students in Victoria

Is Facebook Australia being greedy and giving to no-one but #FacebookAustralia?

Is it the case that in Australia the bigger you are 

the more you can avoid tax 

and the easier it is to get away with it?

Check out what Facebook Australia gets away with.

Funny that this makes headlines this week ... when one considers the Gospel reading from last Sunday.  The reading was from the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 22: verses 15-22.  It is the story of the religious know-it-all-legalists trying to outsmart Jesus with a tricky question.  It is set out below in a modern version from The Message.  Advocacy could have given you a wonderfully spiritual sermon on this passage but the bible message is succinct, to the point and, linked to Facebook Australia's possible tax dodging, this seems to be the better way.

Paying Taxes

^15-17 That’s when the Pharisees plotted a way to trap him into saying something damaging. They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod’s followers mixed in, to ask, “Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don’t pander to your students. So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

^18-19 Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said, “Why are you playing these games with me? Why are you trying to trap me? Do you have a coin? Let me see it.” They handed him a silver piece.

²⁰ “This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?”

²¹ They said, “Caesar.”

“Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his.”

²² The Pharisees were speechless. They went off shaking their heads.

Cornel West on leadership, injustice and indifference

Post by Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC).

A vengeful Australian Government and Immigration Minister conspire to keep a father and son apart and imprisoned.

Anglican Parish of Gosford

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ AND SHARE……

There is no greater example of the cruelty of our immigration system gone crazy than Hadi and his son Amirali.

Hadi and Amirali are the sole survivors of a family of five. Two years ago this family, seeking safety and refuge, attempted to travel to Australia by boat. Tragically their boat broke up at sea and Hadi's wife, eight year old daughter, ten month old baby boy and brother all drowned.

After managing to get his son to Australia, Hadi was incorrectly accused of people smuggling, had his son removed from him, and endured the torture of waiting for a trial; a trial which proved to be a benchmark case in that it exposed flawed police procedure.

Hadi was exonerated.

That was four months ago. Hadi is still detained at Villawood, separated from his son, who grieves the loss of both his parents every day.

When will we take responsibility for the human rights abuses our government tries to persuade us are proper government procedure? When will we regain our national heart that once beat so loudly for compassion and justice?

When will Amirali get his dad back?

Please email Tony Najdov, director of Immigration Case Managers and voice your concerns about the welfare of this little boy and his dad. toni.najdov@immi.gov.au

Thank you,
Fr Rod

World Council of Churches: training Christian leaders on environment, climate change & food security.

WCC launches online survey on theology schools to probe climate justice

16 October 2014
A new online survey supported by the World Council of Churches (WCC) aims to promote the study of issues such as the environment, climate change and food security as part of the training of future pastors, priests and other Christian leaders.

"Activities organized by the WCC in various parts of the world in regard to climate change, environment and ecological justice have highlighted the need to have an assessment of what is being done, share good practices and provide theological insights on climate, environment and the wider creation," said Guillermo Kerber, WCC programme executive for climate justice.

The "Global Survey on Ecotheology, Climate Justice and Food Security in Theological Education and Christian Leadership Development" aims to map the current situation of training, teaching and research on these matters, as well as the resources and examples of good practice that are available.
The survey is open until the end of February 2015 and may be accessed online at: http://bit.ly/ecotheology.

The survey is aimed at teachers, lecturers and students in theological education institutions of all kinds, such as university theology faculties, church-linked theological colleges and seminaries, Bible schools, lay academies and distance-learning courses.

It is also aimed at people in faith-based organizations, specialized ministries and NGOs that have resources that could be used in programmes of theological education, formation and leadership development.

Following earlier discussions this year at the meeting of the WCC Working Group on Climate Change, the survey also will be presented during the Lima Climate Change Conference to be held in December. In June 2015, at a WCC-sponsored conference at the Orthodox Academy of Crete, findings of the survey will help to prepare a handbook on green churches, based on a proposal coming from the Ecumenical Institute seminar held in Bossey this year.

Issues such as ecology and climate justice are among the key elements of the emphasis on “pilgrimage of justice and peace” coming from the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea, 2013.

The results of the survey will contribute to an online collection of resources within the Global Digital Library on Theology and Ecumenism (GlobeTheoLib) which is hosting the survey.

GlobeTheoLib is a joint project of the WCC and Globethics.net, a Geneva-based global ethics network. In September, under the title Religions for Climate Justice, Globethics.net published a collection of international interfaith statements on climate change, in cooperation with the WCC.
Stephen Brown, programme executive for GlobeTheoLib at Globethics.net, said: "We look to the results of this survey to promote the genuine sharing of resources between North and South on one of the most crucial issues for the future of humanity, and of creation itself."

In addition to the WCC, the survey is supported by Globethics.net, the German development agency, Bread for the World and the United Evangelical Mission in association with the Orthodox Academy of Crete and Volos Academy for Theological Studies.

More information about the Global Survey

Full project description: Global Survey on Eco-Theology, Climate Justice and Food Security

WCC’s work on climate justice and care for creation

Religions for Climate Justice: International Interfaith Statements 2008-2014
United Nations Framework Conventon on Climate Change

Freely ... culture, education, books, movies ..... #Ballarat

Want an education?

Want to know stuff?

Want to read more, see more, learn more?

Here's a place to explore >>> OPEN CULTURE

Keeping an eye on our politicians - and how they vote in Parliament.

Picture below from here.

The media has been telling Australians for some time of declining trust in politicians and political parties.  There is much evidence concerning our government - particularly about things promised and not delivered and things being done yet not mentioned at the 2013 election.  Now The Guardian tells of something that might allow the mushroomed voters to keep a weather eye on their local representatives...........

When politicians vote in parliament, you won’t see the breakdown of votes reported in the media unless it’s a prominent policy.

To find out how your representative voted on an issue it’s currently pretty tricky. You have to track down the proceedings on the parliament house website and then work out how the question has been phrased so you can determine what an aye or no means in that context.

A new website, launched on Tuesday, aims to demystify the voting process.  Please continue to read here.

BEING KEPT ON ICE? What is happening in #Ballarat, #StArnaud, #Castlemaine, #Central Highlands #Western Victoria

Picture from here

Many Australians will have watched 4 Corners last night. Australians will have seen #Ballarat get an ingnominious mention in despatches.

Victoria is heading for a state election on 29 November. It will be of interest to see if, as a result of national media attention, all political parties will make promises - futile or otherwise - to address the almost complete lack of attention to what is happening in central and western Victoria. 

There are people living outside the metropolis of Melbourne. 

There are causes other than the Victorian Premier's racing interests.

Many people in the seat of Wendouree in Ballarat will have received a letter from sitting MP Sharon Knight. In that letter she says "we need to do much better to provide the services, facilities and opportunities local people need." 

She also says that "My highest priority has always been jobs". Jobs are a very high priority - because without a job and without a decent income enabling human beings to lead a decent life we lose so much. Massive unemployment - which is hitting certain areas of Australia - is probably the most corrosive component on human communities. Social isolation - whether it is because of drugs, illness, sexuality, race, ethnicity, language or religion - is probably second on the list. Massive unemployment and large scale social isolation can mean that a community is, quite literally, "stuffed".

In the Federal sphere, Ballarat's local MP is Catherine King, the Shadow Minister for Health.

Those who watched 4 Corners last night will be shocked by the overwhelming lack of funding for care for those seeking to forego drug addiction. It appears that the only place in the Ballarat area is Tabor House with its very limited capacity. To read more about Tabor House, please go to this site. 

Given the lack of knowledge by government and police which undergirds the inability of both to act constructively in this dire situation, and given the frequent bad press of religious organisations, it is interesting to note that the only provision for constructive help in battling the ice epidemic in central and western Victoria is in a house with limited bed capacity run by a Christian organisation.

Four Corners has done a great service in portraying a great problem and a great need in Australian society. But to give credit where credit is due, the Four Corners story may have begun in Ballarat itself with this article in The Courier.

Wants, needs and responsibility in the light of the #ACOSS report and what is required of us

I have discovered to-day a blog called The Thin Bread Line whose author is David Mansfield.  He has written here ...

We had family around for lunch the other day.
My three year old grandson went straight to the freezer and helped himself to an ice-cream. Helen intercepted him in time and told him to wait until after lunch, only to have him plead, ‘But Grandma, I NEED it now!’
Whoever invented the refrigerator with the freezer section at the bottom has a lot to answer for.
Of course, we can easily mistake our needs for our wants and justify our wants as our needs and in the process accumulate piles of unnecessary baggage, both around the girth and in the garage(s)!

As I was driving home from preaching at a Sydney church last Sunday I heard on the news about a report just released by ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Services). There are now one in seven Australians living below the poverty line of $400 per week. The statistics are grimmer for children and grimmer still for people from non English speaking backgrounds.
My work brings me into daily contact (mainly via email) with Christian leaders who serve communities in Africa and Asia where people live on less than a dollar a day, where children, in frighteningly large numbers, suffer from water-borne diseases, malnutrition and starvation. Some of these children don’t reach their next birthday.
While the famine in South Sudan deepens, the predictions of another Horn of Africa catastrophe are gathering pace and frequency.

PLEASE READ FURTHER AT THE THIN BREAD LINE

Divestment and the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne #Green

Anglican Diocese of Melbourne begins divestment journey By divesting in fossil fuels "this Synod would be... http://t.co/LKWjhk7Umh

— Green Anglicans (@Greenanglicans) October 19, 2014

Forgiveness #GeorgeHerbert

“He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.” --George Herbert (1593-1633) Welsh poet & Anglican priest
— Jim Thomas (@pastorjimtvc) October 19, 2014

Freely you have received, freely give ... Matthew 10:8 #Ballarat

This is a wonderful story! 

Do you ever notice the stories you are never told

on television, radio, or in newspapers.

A suggestion:

Let each of us begin to spread the good alternative news stories. 

There are other ways of relating to our world and our communities

than being stirred up by what governments, politics, and business

want us to focus on.

.... how often do we focus on how we were created to live?

.... are the ways our society runs and is managed the only way?

.... is there a universal life message we are missing?

A SABBATH THINKING PIECE #2 ---- I want #justice—oceans of it. I want #fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.

Amos 5:24The Message (MSG)

21-24 “I can’t stand your religious meetings.
    I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
    your pretentious slogans and goals.
I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
    your public relations and image making.
I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
    When was the last time you sang to me?
Do you know what I want?
    I want justice—oceans of it.
I want fairness—rivers of it.
    That’s what I want. That’s all I want.

PLEASE PRACTISE PRAYER CARE! - Negotiations are expected to bring the Nigerian girls home.

Picture from here

Saint Paul's at Bakery Hill has a special interest in Nigeria. Father Constantine, our parish priest, is from Nigeria - and the people of our parish think he is rather special.  Probably because of Father Constantine - who is a chaplain at Federation University and who walks the streets at night speaking to some of Ballarat's poor and homeless - the parish feels a special connection to this particular issue of the missing girls in Nigeria.

A few months ago we held a Sunday afternoon of silence and reflection at St Paul's - with quite a bit of candle-lighting accompanying the prayers!

The article in The Guardian speaks of a possible breakthrough and that the girls may be returned.

Advocacy will be meeting this week and the item will be on the agenda - so please stay tuned to hear details of further silence and reflection times at St Paul's.  If you are on Facebook, please check out our site and 'Like' us.  This will help you to stay in touch with our news and our thoughts.

And please remember, 

Prayer is everywhere - and goes everywhere!  

Please practise PRAYER CARE!

Sanitation - not just a health issue but an 'inequality for women' issue ... in India and in Australia. #Blogaction14, #Inequality, #Oct16, #Ballarat

We, in supposedly comfortable Australia,

often forget that what we regard as "the basics" 

are not always available everywhere.

Sanitation is not only a matter of health and hygiene,

it is also a women's issue of great importance.

Some women on this planet, because of culture and poverty,

 can only "go"under cover of darkness to a communal dump.

Sanitation is an issue in Australia too -

for many Aboriginal communities in remote Australia.

Please update your knowledge at the links below.

Please consider.

Water and sanitation are human rights for women and girls

Women, safe water and sanitation

...and the situation in Australia?

Sanitation in Australian Aboriginal communities

 Indigenous Plumbing & Sanitation Foundation

This post is being cross posted at The Network for Blog Action Day 2014