Anglican e-news December 2018 VOL. 5 No.5. Reporting on the Anglican Church in Central & Western NSW. From ministry to movement

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1 Page 1 Anglican e-news Reporting on the Anglican Church in Central & Western NSW Anglican e-news December 2018 VOL. 5 No.5 December 2018 From ministry to movement Power to Change presents a model for discipleship A one-day taster event held at Orange Anglican Grammar School on Saturday November 10 brought about 80 people together from across the diocese for an introduction to some key ideas behind the discipleship movement, Shift m2m (ministry to Mission). Shift m2m is an initiative of Power to Change, a non-denominational notfor-profit organisation which has been operating in Australia for over 50 years, initially as Camous Crusade for Christ. Power to Change works with university and high school students, churches and families to connect people to Jesus and each other. Their stated process is to connect, build and send multiplying disciples. The one-day program, presented by Bill Hodgson and Geoff Folland from Power to Change, was based on several key concepts: Jesus is fully God and fully man Jesus did not dip into his divinity to live out his humanity Jesus is our model for life and ministry We underestimate what Jesus wants to do through us You can turn your ministry into a spiritual movement by creating a pathway for people in your sphere of influence SHARING IDEAS: Geoff Folland from Power to Change used the morning tea break to share ideas on discipleship with John Gaff (Bourke) and Bob Cameron (Orange East). PASSION: Bill Hodgson showed his passion for building disciples as he showed how Jesus had carefully trained his followers before sending them out to train others to be disciples who make more disciples. to move from being a non-christian to being a disciple-maker. Diocesan Archdeacon Brett Watterson, who was largely responsible for convening the event, said it had been very encouraging to see so many people present from across the diocese engaging in the teaching, Ministry to Mission. It is hoped that participants will put the principles taught into use in their ministry context, he added. Brett Watterson encountered the Power to Change movement early in his ministry, before his ordination as a priest. He has applied the principles of disciple-making in youth and parish ministry ever since, and found them to be very effective in the various contexts he has worked in over that time. Through a combination of teaching presentations and table group discussions, Bill Hodgson and Geoff Folland used the life and ministry of Jesus as a model for today s Christians to follow. They showed that Jesus moved through five phases: Preparation phase his first 30 years or so; Ministry foundations approximately 18 to 21 months Ministry training and Expanded outreach - these two covered six to nine months; Leadership multiplication about 15 months.. By this stage, Jesus ministry had become a Movement which then continued to connect with people, win them to Christ, build them in their relationship with God and others, train them in disciple-making and send them out to make more disciples. The presenters explained that while this first day was just an introduction to the concepts, the full training course involved forming a cohort for ongoing teaching and support. Brett Watterson said that plans are currently being made for a cohort to meet four times over the next twelve months to further explore the material and its implementation in the life of the church. He said more information on this opportunity will be available soon.

2 Anglican e-news December 2018 Page 2 We need the gift of rain... and another gift It s the time of year! We set out to buy presents thinking, What would soand-so want for Christmas? Or loved ones ask us, What can I get you? Many people have ingenious and gracious ways of dealing with this problem of finding gifts for people who already have more than they need. I m grateful for their ideas! When I was in primary school my Dad went through a very rough patch. He said that all he wanted for Christmas was some peace and time. So (perhaps inspired by my Mum s humour even in the darkest situations), we children gave him some peas and thyme. He laughed and we all enjoyed the fun! Today, in our part of the world, when you ask farmers what they want, the reply is unanimous, We need rain. A couple of months ago when talking about how our Diocese could help those in drought, one member of our team simply said, It s out of our control. Rain is a gift of God and we must pray. And so, we do pray. And so also, we have some resources to help those affected by drought and if you know of people who need assistance please contact your priest, me, or the Registrar. We are not up to the task, but God has come down to it; that s the message of Christmas. But the gift of rain is what we desperately need good soaking rain. This leads me to contemplate another gift we need. Sometimes the gift of the God-child Jesus, comes across as a nice addition to the many things we already have. But it s not like that. God did not take humanity in Jesus to improve our lives, but to save us. God doesn t want us to become better people, but new people. Through pride, greed and violence our lives and world are broken and we cannot repair it or ourselves. We are not in control, but God is. God came to our rescue. We are not up to the task, but God has come down to it; that s the message of Christmas. God only knows the damage others have done to us and the damage we have done to ourselves and others. Evil and sin fatally damaged the world and people God made and loves. But God has come to put things right. Jesus came to fix it. Three important things to know: God is almighty but not distant. Humility is a gift and God humbled himself to be a man to live among damaged people in a broken world. It can only be fixed from inside. BY BISHOP IAN PALMER In Jesus we see clearly that God loves. Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God is near that means, God s rule of love as a Heavenly Father is here for you to experience. By dying on the cross, Jesus (God himself) bore the pain of the world our pain so that God s love can heal our hurts. So what is a Christmas response? Like our response to drought is to pray, so in seeking the gift of forgiveness and healing through Jesus we pray. Through praying we trust that God loves us and wants to forgive and heal us. That gives us courage to pray about our hurts, how we are wounded, how we have damaged others Including God who made us and simply to say how sorry we are. We look at the manger and see Almighty God come as a baby and we give thanks for the humility of God: wonder, worship and weep. May each of us be thrilled by the gift of God s love at Christmas. CLERGY MOVES & APPOINTMENTS The Reverend Anastasia Webster-Hawes has retired as Rector of the Parish of Blayney, with effect from 30 September. She will be assisting with ministry in the Bathurst area. The Reverend John Gaff has been licensed as Companion Priest in Residence in the parish of Bourke. The Reverend Natalie Quince has been licenced as Deacon to Anglicare and in the Parish of Parkes and Peak Hill. The Reverend Dr Ben Edwards has resigned from the Parish of Molong to take up an appointment as Rectyor of the Parish of Manuka in the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn. He was commissioned in his new ministry on Sunday 16 December. Anglican e-news A newsletter for the Anglican Church in Central & Western NSW Editor: Lew Hitchick anglican.news@bathurstanglican.org.au Web: Disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst.

3 Page 3 Anglican e-news December 2018 Ordination in Dubbo John Gaff to continue ministry in Bourke with CGS After a year as Deacon in Residence with the Company of the Good Shepherd (CGS) in Bourke, John Gaff was ordained Priest last Saturday (December 15) by Bishop Ian, who also presented him with his new licence as Priest in Residence in Bourke. For John, ordination as a priest was just another step on a journey of ministry that began many years earlier. Born in Gilgandra, John moved to Alice Springs at an early age when his parents took up a posting as CMS Missionaries in Central Australia. The family subsequently transferred to a similar role in Groote Eyland. In the early 1990s John spent some time with the Cornerstone community in Bourke, before returning to Alice Springs where he met (and subsequently married) a young nurse named Denise, who had gone to Alice for a three-month appointment. John and Denise moved to Dubbo several years ago, where John worked for Centrelink. They moved to Bourke a few years later when Denise was appointed to a position that derew on her nursing and administrative experience. There they were both admitted to the Company of the Good Shepherd, and John was licensed as a Lay Minister before his ordination as a Deacon 12 months ago. John s current position is honorary, and he has become part of the whole COMPANIONS: Graham McLeod CGS, Linda Boss CGS, Denise and John Gaff CGS, Graham Yager (Principal of the CGS) and Bishop Ian after the Ordination service. BISHOP S Chaplain Natalie Quince watches as Bishop Ian hands John Gaff a Bible, saying: community in Bourke through his practical abilities of painting, doing minor repairs, gardening, and though this work, getting alongside the people of the town. They are living in the Bourke Rectory, and local people have commented on their generous hospitality and warm friendship that is building bridges with many people in the community. In his sermon at the ordination, Bishop Ian picked up this theme of building bridges - but this time, across dioceses! He reminded the congregation that the future of our diocese had been secured by the generous grant of $250,000 per year for the next six years, from the Diocese of Sydney. This will not take away from the identity, independence and integrity of the Diocese of CONGRATULATIONS: John Gaff turns to face the congregation, who welcomed him with applause. Bathurst, Bishop Ian said. He went on to talk about the very close relationship with deep respect for each other, enjoyed by Bishop Kenneth Leslie and Archbishop Sir Marcus Loane in the 1970s. He offered this as a model from the past and a hope for the future, that might well be linking our dioceses with mutual respect. Arising from this, Bishop Ian sees a major task for the next Bishop for our diocese, and the Bishops of NSW, to re-imagine and reframe Anglican ministry from the coast to Broken Hill.

4 Anglican e-news December 2018 Page 4 Electing our next Bishop As we prepare to give thanks and farewell Bishop Ian and Liz Palmer in April 2019 the process of electing a new Bishop has already begun. The Bishop s Election Board (BEB) comprises: Clergy: Archdeacons-Brett Watterson (chair), Grahame Yager, Jono Williams, the Reverend s (Canon) Tim Fogo, Daryl McCullogh and Phil Howes. Laity: Mrs (Canon) Karen Trafford, Mrs Michelle Lyons, Mrs Jennie Palmer, Mr Jay Quince, Dr John Dearin and Mr Ray Haigh. The BEB held a preliminary meeting on Wednesday 21 November to discuss and review the work that has been happening to update paperwork required for the future Nominees-the Diocesan Profile and Schedules attached to the Bishop s Election Ordinance. A second meeting of the BEB on Saturday 15 December finalised the Consultation Resources. A time line of action was proposed: Consultation Meetings Across the Diocese: February 2019 Forbes Friday 1 February, 6.30pm All Saint s Church, 1 Belmore St, Canowindra. Mudgee Saturday 2 February, 2pm St John s Church, Corner of Church and Market St, Mudgee. Dubbo Tuesday 5 February, 6.30pm Holy Trinity Hall, 160 Brisbane St, Dubbo. Kelso-Bathurst Wednesday 6 February 6.30pm Holy Trinity Hall, 75 Gilmour St, Kelso. Synod Members to be invited to propose names of prospective nominees: late February Nominations Open: 1 March Nominations Close: 31 March Interviews, Due-Dilligence and Discernment: April Election and Announcement: May It is hoped that the Consultation Meetings will be well attended by all parishes of the Diocese as the feedback received will be used in the process of election. As people prepare to attend these meetings, the board encourages reflection upon the following questions: Who is Jesus, in the Anglican Church in Central & Western NSW? Where and Who is Jesus wanting us to be? What do we want to be in five years time? Please be praying for your Bishop s Election Board, Synod rep s (who propose the nominees) and for God s Spirit to stir in the heart of the right person to be our next Bishop. As we undertake this important process in the life of the Diocese, I encourage you to make use of the following prayers: A prayer for the time of choosing a Bishop (APBA p. 212, used with permission) Eternal God, shepherd and guide, in your mercy give your Church in this diocese a shepherd after your own heart CHAIR: Archdeacon Brett Watterson is chair of the Bishop Election Board, which has already begun preliminary work in preparation for a series of consultation meetings across the diocese in February. who will walk in your ways, and with loving care watch over your people. Give us a leader of vision and a teacher of your truth. So may your Church be built up and your name glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A prayer for the future of the Diocese: Let your gentle spirit lead me in the right path. (Psalm 143:10) Good Shepherd of your people, lead us, we pray, in ways of wonder and delight. Teach us by your Spirit to discern your way, trust your directions and give us courage to walk humbly with you. When the way is tough grant us a fresh vision of Jesus; When we are tempted by ease deepen our love for you. May the Gospel of forgiveness, healing and hope give us purpose for our journey and keep us faithful to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. On behalf of the Bishop s Election Board, Your brother in Christ, The Venerable Brett Watterson Chair, Bishop Election Board

5 Page 5 Chinese congregation established in East Orange From the parish On Sunday 23rd September a small group of Chinese Christians joined St Barnabas Anglican Church, Orange East, to commence a Chinese ministry within the Anglican Church in Orange. They were well supported by friends and ministry partners from out of town, including representatives of the board of Chinese Christian Mission Australia, and several Chinese churches in Sydney. Christian mission and ministry among the Chinese is not new to Orange, but till now it has mostly been independent of any established congregations. This new development has grown out of a desire for this ministry to be fully integrated with an established English language ministry, a goal which was fully supported by the minister of St Barnabas, the Rev d Bob Cameron, and the parish council. Pastors Chung-Ming and Serene Tang, missionary pastors with Chinese Christian Mission, have been working amongst the Chinese in this region for the past two and a half years. Based in Orange, they travel to 16 other towns in the Central West, meeting with Chinese people wherever they can find them, sharing the good news of Jesus with them, and encouraging those who are already following him. Speaking both Cantonese and Mandarin, Chung-Ming and Serene have had a particular focus on engaging Mandarin speakers, as this is the language spoken by most recent Chinese immigrants. They have also sought to minister to Chinese students at CSU, especially at the Orange campus. Discussions between Pastor Chung- Ming and Bob Cameron began in April of this year, shortly after Easter. We share a vision for a truly international ministry, which is open and accessible to people from all nations, not just Anglos or Chinese, said Bob Cameron. This ministry is one step in that direction, and we are very excited about it, and thankful to God that he has brought our congregations together. As well as supporting and strengthening the mission to the Chinese, this new partnership has also strengthened the ministry at St Barnabas, especially amongst families with children. The fledgling kidz@barneys on Sunday mornings (part of the 9:30am service) has Anglican e-news December 2018 Barney s goes international LICENCE: In September, Bishop Ian Palmer licensed Pastor Chung- Ming and Serene as lay chaplains to the Anglican Chinese Ministry in Orange, as Bob Cameron and a member of the congregation watched with approval. seen a significant increase in the number of children participating. Our hope is that this will make this service more attractive to families as there is an established children s ministry with a critical mass now in place, Bob Cameron explained. There is much to thank God for in this new ministry, much more work to be done, and much for which to depend on God which means much prayer is needed. With God s guidance and blessing, our hope is that this will be a significant step in reaching many more with the gospel of Jesus, so that people from many nations will trust in his Son and be found in him on that day when he returns. MOONLIGHTING: Fr Graham McLeod moonlighting in his other job - an annual occasion in Nyngan.

6 Anglican e-news December 2018 Page 6 Laity in mission in North-West From Grahame Yager* Somewhere around 1998, James and Petria Cameron answered God s call to go completely outside their comfort zone and Sydney for the western bush. Sent out by the Church of Christ congregation at Epping as intentional missioners of the Gospel, they have faced and overcome many challenges for the Lord, but they are perhaps stories for another time. During my time as rector of Gilgandra Parish they have become integral members of the ministry team at the Church of St Ambrose as well as faithfully caring for the community of St Mary Magdalene Tooraweenah, about half an hour s drive north of Gilgandra. About three years ago they answered a call for people to help in ministry at Brewarrina and Weilmoringle, 3 ½ and 4 ½ hours drive from Gilgandra respectively, if you don t stop. Each month they take a leap of faith outside their comfort zone almost as great as the one which brought them to the Gilgandra district all those years ago. James and Petria are lay members of God s Church. In recent years they have been granted the Bishop s licence for particular forms of ministry which has enabled them to minister in particular ways. One of these involves spending three days a month in the north and west of the diocese. What follows are their words. Brewarrina and Weilmoringle It s the Saturday before the third Sunday of the month: we finish packing, fill up with petrol, and hit the road. Gilgandra Gulargambone Coonamble cafe or picnic lunch Walgett Brewarrina. We settle into our accommodation overlooking the Barwon river for a short rest, then a couple of visits to congregation members, before dinner. Choices are bring your own or Chinese at the RSL. Sunday, we lead worship in Bre at 9am. It is great to see new faces, and recently new returning faces, as well as those who have come regularly since our first service three years ago. Hymns on an old ipod plugged into a speaker, a short message, children s craft if children present, prayer points - always for rain. We enjoy the stained glass windows, now covered with protective screens rather than boards, and morning tea and chat. We then travel 100km further north: watch out for cattle, sheep, kangaroos, emus and eagles. Don t run over old road kill lesson learned back in August - our car still stinks! At Weilmoringle tennis shed, we wait for a local to unlock the kitchen to get the table and chairs. Pick a spot maybe EMUS: Among the many hazards when driving in the outback. WEILMORINGLE: The tennis club shed provides good shade, but very little shelter from the wind. under cover, maybe in the sun, always in the wind despite our best efforts. Hence our innovation - pin the tablecloth down with a sheet of metal and magnets. At 12 noon, lead worship, minus the hymns sound evaporates outdoors. Then it s time to listen, see how everyone is going, learn about life on the land out west, hear some great stories. Catch up with the Presbyterian Inland Mission couple who plan their trip to coincide with ours. Greet newcomers to the community, and visiting friends and relatives. Numbers swell as lunch time approaches. Enjoy a BBQ lunch, lots of salads, muffins and fruit cake. Decline the beers. Leave around 3pm. In summer, drive home in the sunlight. In winter, stay over in Bre and head home on Monday. Let Grahame know any pastoral care needs. Praise God for another opportunity to serve his children out west. Grahame Yager and Graham McLeod have been caring for the Bre and Weil communities for years. They continue providing pastoral care, and leading the pastoral services. Grahame leads worship when we have other commitments. We are looking forward to Bishop Ian leading our Christmas services. James and Petria Cameron All who respond God s call to follow Jesus are called into the ministry of God s Church. We may not all experience the glamour of 40 degree Celsius days and a hot wind off the airstrip at Weilmoringle (tongue firmly in cheek) but we each have a part in God s mission to God s people. May your Christmas be blessed and a blessing. *Grahame Yager serves as Principal of the Company of the Good Shepherd, which provides ministry in the North-Western region of the Diocese.

7 Page 7 Anglican e-news December 2018 Inaugural Western Plains Men s Camp Christian Convention for men off to good start Building on the experience of Anglican Men s Camps in recent years, the inaugural Western Plains Men s Camp showed that an ecumenical approach was also a viable option. Planned by a small team from Anglican congregations in Parkes and Narromine, the camp ran from Friday evening, October 19, to Saturday afternoon, October 20. Guest speaker James McLeary (Baptist pastor in Forbes) backed up American evangelist Paul Tripp, whose presentation had been recorded at this year s Katoomba Men s Convention and was replayed with permission. The camp was held at Vison Ministries capsite, Mamre Farm, about 20km north of Parkes. A small team of supporters from Parkes, coordinated by Bruce and Gail Lindbeck, handled the catering, and with Jay Quince on the keyboard the praise was quite uplifting. GUEST SPEAKER: James McLeary (foreground), Baptist pastor from Forbes, had an instant rapport with his audience as he had grown up in Parkes and knows the area well. He shares the table with Keith Woodlands (Parkes) and Barry Croker (Narromine). Pilgrimage to Italy & the Oberammergau Passion Play 2nd 21st May 2020 We invite you to join us on our 20-day pilgrimage based around the life and writings of St Francis of Assisi. We will begin in Rome among the ancient Christian sites, and then journey through Tuscany in the footsteps of St Francis. We continue our pilgrimage via Florence, Venice and Salzburg before being captivated by the drama of the Passion Play. We will have excellent guides in all the places we visit, but this is more than a tour, for on a pilgrimage the people we meet and the places we visit become life-giving. We look forward to welcoming you on this journey. Price per person: AUD $8,390 (based on pilgrims) For the full brochure and booking form, please contact: Bishop Ian & Elizabeth Palmer palmerea@fastmail.fm bishop@bathurstanglican.org.au or: Olive Tree Travel Suite 1, Level Balaclava Road, North Caulfield VIC or info@olivetreetravel.com.au

8 Anglican e-news December 2018 Page 8 ABM Advent and Christmas Appeal This year, the theme for the Anglican Board of Mission s Advent and Christmas Appeal is Shaping the Future, focusing on projects which support education in Kenya, Myanmar and Australia. According to the United Nations, today there are 1.8 billion people between the ages of Close to 90 per cent of them live in developing countries, where they make up a large proportion of the population. With this statistic in mind, it is vital that youth are given opportunities for education so that they can contribute positively to their own lives and become agents of change for their communities and beyond. Kenya In semi-arid Eastern Kenya where climate change has affected food security and consequently, the health and livelihoods of many people, thousands of school children are helping to shape the future. ABM supports the Sustainable Livelihoods Project which has enabled children to plant trees in their school yards, and to irrigate them with rainwater from water tanks supplied through project funding. The children also learn about hygiene, and are encouraged to care for the environment. Myanmar Funds raised through the Christmas Gift will allow St Peter s Bible School in the Diocese of Toungoo, Myanmar, to establish an English Language Centre where children and youth from low income families can access courses for SUPPORT: ABM s has supported the Sustainable Livelihoods Project in Kenya, which has enabled school children to plant trees in their school yards and irrigate them with rainwater collected in water tanks supplied through project funding. English language, computing, and music. With life changing rapidly in Myanmar, this can assist them with gaining further opportunities in education and employment. Training leaders ABM s Advent Appeal also supports Nungalinya College in Darwin and Wontulp-Bi-Buya College in Cairns. Both colleges are committed to providing culturally appropriate studies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people so that they may be empowered and equipped to be leaders in their own communities, and to make a difference. Please consider giving a gift to help shape the future of many others during this Holy Season. To donate, visit www. abmission.org/christmas2018. Bathurst Anglican churches picnic in the park The three Bathurst Anglican parishes (Cathedral, Kelso and South Bathurst) combined to hold a Christmas picnic in Bathurst s Machattie Park after the morning worship services on Sunday December 16. With ideal weather conditions, the occasion was a great opportunity to spend some relaxed time with long-term friends and build relationships with new ones. The children also enjoyed the time, especially when they were given some bubble-blowers!

9 Page 9 Anglican e-news December 2018 Anglicare in Orange: a partnership in mission Rector of Holy Trinity Orange, Mal Dunnett, has said that the recently-established partnership between the parish and Anglicare is already producing ministry benefits for the church. With Anglicare, we re working and networking in places we ve never actually been before, which is a really helpful thing, he said. We ve seen a cross-over in terms of cultural and sociological areas which has just been fantastic! He said the parish Alpha team had been moving very strongly on getting the Anglicare people involved in Alpha, and recently a large parish dinner had celebrated the partnership with Anglicare and looked at the likely future directions it would follow. Some of the young people who have recently come out of the Anglicare foster care system are also interested in joining the parish mission and ministry trip to the Solomon Islands next year, which Mal Dunnett sees as a positive way to develop their confidence and purpose. We re going to be building a sanitary block for one of the high schools sanitation is actually quite important in the Solomons, he said. He pointed out that one of the big challenges was to integrate worship, prayer and discipleship in the two groups. When a group of the young people did some work on the columbarium at the church, their actions made quite an impression on some of the older parishioners: They not only helped create a quiet space in the columbarium, they also connected with some of the parishioners who were working alongside them on the project. Mal Dunnett said the link with Anglicare will also expand the opportunities RE-PURPOSED: The former Rectory at Holy Trinity, which, along with the former parish centre nearby, has been re-purposed to provide space for Anglicare operations in Orange as well as housing its regional offi ce. for Melanesian Brothers and Sisters from the Church community in the Solomon Islands who will be coming to spend time in Orange in the future. They will be able to undertake Anglicare s Certificate Three course in Social Welfare, he pointed out. In the end, everything we re doing with Anglicare has a mission and ministry focus we re providing opportunities for mission and ministry to occur. He said he had been meeting with Anglicare staff to explore possible youth activities, and he was hoping to develop a Youth Alpha course next year. May your Christmas be filled with the joy, peace and good will promised by the angels at the birth of the Messiah Celebrate a stable Christmas Another significant benefit of the partnership for the parish has been the redevelopment of some of the parish buildings. Mal said the parish centre and rectory had needed refurbishment to meet required standards for office use, and Anglicare had helped make this possible. The parish is developing a five-year plan which will be introduced over the next two months, with a strong focus on worship, prayer and discipleship. Everything we do will have to have a focus on those three things, and with Anglicare we re actually seeing that happen, Mal said.. It s actually about having a holistic perspective about what ministry is you can t just have one part of it, discipleship has obviously got to be the key performance indicator for us. That s actually seeing people come to be disciples of Christ. Bishop Ian has added his support to the Parish Partnership with Anglicare, saying that he welcomed their shared vision for mission and ministry, to make disciples of Christ. He has congratulated Holy Trinity on the venture, and said he is also encouraged to see other parishes in the diocese exploring similar partnerships.

10 Anglican e-news December 2018 Page 10 Hong Kong Cursillo 1: Bathurst Diocese well represented in Australian team taking Cursillo into Asia By Lew Hitchick About 18 months ago, the Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong contacted the Australian National Cursillo Secretariat, to ask whether Australia might be able to gift the Cursillo movement to Hong Kong. Bishop Ian is the Episcopal Advisor to the National Secretariat, and both he and the National Lay Director at the time, Rodger O Hara (Bendigo Diocese) were keen to explore the possibility. Rodger asked other members of the National Secretariat, and was pleased with the immediate enthusiasm for the idea. Fast forward to October this year, when 13 team members from five different dioceses across Australia arrived in Hong Kong to link with two priests from St John s Cathedral (who had both made their Cursillo in England) and form the team for Hong Kong Cursillo Number One. The Bathurst contingent (Bishop Ian, Liz Palmer, Sylvia and Lew Hitchick) arrived in Hong Kong a week before the start of the Cursillo weekend, as we had been invited to join in the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Anglican Province of Hong Kong (Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui). Bishop Ian had been asked to represent the Primate of the Australian Church, Archbishop Philip Freier. On Saturday afternoon we, along with 3500 others, attended a Thanksgiving Eucharist to celebrate the anniversary. It was held in a huge function centre called Runway 11, near the airport. The preacher was Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council, who preached a challenging sermon on Abiding in Christ. On the invitation of Matthias Der, Dean of St John s Cathedral, Bishop Ian preached at the 11am Cathedral service which, being St Francis Day, also involved a Blessing of the Animals ceremony. It was amazing to see the variety of pets some of the locals kept in their tiny apartments! The rest of our team trickled into Hong Kong throughout the day on Monday, and we had our first meeting of the whole team on Tuesday when we worked through our plans and ironed out a few wrinkles. The Australian contingent were all experienced team members, as was Fr Robert Martin from the Hong Kong Cathedral staff he had been actively involved in the Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of London, when THANKSGIVING: Archbishop of Hong Kong, Paul Kwong, presides at the Thanksgiving Eucharist celebrating the 20th anniversary. BIRTHDAY PARTY: A congregation of almost 4,000 gathered at the Runway 11 Convention Centre near Hong Kong Airport for a huge celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Province of Hong Kong. he served as Vicar of an inner-city parish some years ago. The other local member of the team was Fr Will Newman, who had only made his Cursillo in the Diocese of Ely (UK) while he was back in England on leave 18 months ago. Will was really the driving force responsible for inviting us to gift Cursillo to the Diocese of Hong Kong, because he could see the potential of the movement to bring a new depth and commitment among lay people. However, he was fully supported by Fr Rob, and also the Dean (although not a Cursillista, the Dean certainly has a sound understanding of Cursillo, which he demonstrated when he commissioned the new Cursillistas at the end of the weekend). The energy and enthusiasm of the team was quite tangible as we worked through the planning and attended to last-minute details. Sadly, when we did meet together on the Tuesday, Will Neman informed us that four candidates had pulled out, mainly for work-related reasons, and we were down to 15 starters seven women and eight men. Of these, two were expat Brits, one was American, and one was a Chinese doctor with Australian citizenship. The remaining Chinese were very westernised, with excellent command of English language, culture and humour. Our theme for the Cursillo was, Fan into Flame the Gift that God has given you from 2 Timothy 1:6-7: I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (continued next page)

11 Page 11 Anglican e-news December 2018 a gift from the Australian Cursillo Movement Sylvia had made a beautiful banner based on the theme, and our theme song was Light up the fire. On the first morning of the Cursillo Bishop Ian introduced the theme and then invited the team members to present each of the candidates on their table with a Chinese fan, as a symbol of fanning into flame the gift God has given. We had four table communities, two for women and two for men, with two team members on each table. Each morning began with a 15-minute Tai Chi exercise which was based on a Christian meditation (St Patrick s Breastplate). This was led by Liz Palmer, who has used it on retreat weekends she has led, and while I had initial reservations I soon saw the value of it in the Chinese context. TAI CHI: Tapping into the local culture, Liz Palmer led early morning body prayer which blended the Prayer of St Patrick s Breastplate with gentle Tai Chi exercises. Although we listed it as a voluntary activity before the morning chapel service, all did actually take part and seemed to appreciate the cross-cultural connections. In a tropical location, we were able to conduct the Tai Chi exercises in an outdoor patio area overlooking the sea, in the cool early morning, with birds singing in the trees and very little intrusive noise. We then sat in a circle to do the morning prayers and meditations outdoors, before going to breakfast. Our venue was a Catholic retreat centre on Cheung Chau Island, a half-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong wharf. Cheung Chow does not have cars, just walking paths and some small three-wheeled vehicles for moving heavier loads. We had to walk about two kilometres, mostly uphill, from the wharf to the retreat centre, but fortunately were able to get one of these motorised rickshaws to take our luggage. From the outset, we were blown away by the support of the Australian Cursillo community - we had a huge volume of letters and small gifts from all over Australia, assuring us of prayer support for HK1! So, a big thank you to all who helped so generously by sending these assurances of your prayers. The candidates had been very carefully chosen, and each one seemed to be very ready for Cursillo. I was impressed that all four on my table community seemed to be at a stage of their journey where they were looking for some new or deeper way of serving God s church. They engaged readily with the talks, and dived into the table discussions at a surprisingly deep level right from the outset. The Holy Spirit had certainly laid the groundwork for us! The enthusiasm flowed through to the singing, too. Our songs were fairly traditional, as that is the music the Cathedral church uses, but the combination of 30 men s and women s voices in the conference room was very uplifting. And Liz Palmer did a great job on the keyboard, even though she had to play standing up which she is not comfortable doing! Dean Mathias from the Cathedral joined us for the final Eucharist, and preached a strong sermon of encouragement in which he urged the new Cursillistas to persevere with the Cursillo method of Piety, Study and Action. The newcomers were invited to give a brief reflection on their weekend, and all who spoke gave very positive responses. However, we were on a very tight schedule by that stage, as most had to leave by 3.15 to catch the ferry at ARRIVAL: The team landed on Cheung Chau Island after a 30-minute ferry trip from Hong Kong harbour. 3.45pm, so this meant we had to call a halt to the feedback time before everyone had a chance to respond. After the Cursillo weekend, the team met with the two Hong Kong priests at the Cathedral the following morning, for a comprehensive de-brief, as well as giving them some guidance for their next steps in establishing Cursillo in their diocese. Since we left, they have held their first Ultreya (with almost all the new Cursillistas attending) and have established three Group Reunions. They have also set the date for HK2 as being October 4-7, 2019, as the Monday will be a public holiday in Hong Kong. Unfortunately this clashes with our plans for W49, but I know quite a few members of this year s team will want to be there, even if only for the closing service. CULTURAL BLEND: The Hong Kong group included several western ex-pats, but most of the locals had also spent time in Western countries.

12 Anglican e-news December 2018 Page 12 Cursillo Notes As 2018 rushes towards its conclusion, I look back on an amazing year for Cursillo. Men s 45 in June was a very successful weekend with ten candidates, all reporting encouraging experiences in their feedback at the Clausura. God continues to work through the three-day Cursillo weekends to grow individual Christians in their personal faith, and to grow the Christian community as we develop deeper relationships with one another. And on the same weekend as M45, we had Regener8! More than 40 Cursillistas gathered at the Lodge, Ridgecrest, for about 24 hours of refreshment, encouragement and fellowship along with some teaching to keep us focussed on the mission of God s church. The Secretariat is exploring the possibility of running another Regener8-type event in June next year. The Ultreya in Gilgandra two months later provided a great opportunity for a reunion for the men of M45, as well as a couple of very encouraging testimonies and a memorable day of praise, sharing and fellowship as well as the generous hospitality of the local Cursillo community! With over 60 people turning up for the day, it was a good opportunity to catch up on some old friendships and get to know some of the new Cursillistas a bit better. Hong Kong For Bishop Ian, Liz Palmer, Sylvia and myself, the Hong Kong Cursillo in October was another highlight of 2018 (see the report elsewhere in this issue). As well as the immense privilege of being part of a new movement of God s Spirit, we were deeply moved by the palanca/prayer support from the Cursillo community across this diocese, and also across Australia. Some of you obviously put quite a lot of time and effort into putting together some very encouraging gifts and letters of encouragement as symbols of your prayer support, and both the symbols and the prayers were deeply appreciated. Please continue to pray for the ongoing ministry of Cursillo in this diocese, and particularly for Julie McRae as she assembles the team for W49 which is scheduled for the October long weekend. At this stage we are planning to hold the weekend at the Vision Ministries campsite at Mamre Farm, about 20 kilometres north of Parkes, but the venue is on the market and at this stage its future is uncertain. Other prayer points I encourage you to keep bringing to God are: our Diocesan Secretariat, as we plan for next year s Cursillo activities, and try to integrate them into the diocesan calendar; our ongoing search for new members of the Secretariat to replace those whose terms of service are drawing to a close; and the Bishop Election Board, as it meets regularly over the coming months to determine the person God has chosen to be our next Diocesan Shepherd after Bishop Ian retires at the end of April. Ultreya! Lew Hitchick, Diocesan Lay Director.