SUNDAY 5 th Sunday After Pentecost (Year B) Mission Focus Anglicare WA Young Hearts DATE 24 th June 2018 PREACHER Mark McCracken.

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SUNDAY 5 th Sunday After Pentecost (Year B) Mission Focus Anglicare WA Young Hearts DATE 24 th June 2018 PREACHER Mark McCracken Readings 1 Samuel 17:32-49 David said to Saul, Let no one s heart fail

1 SUNDAY 5 th Sunday After Pentecost (Year B) Mission Focus Anglicare WA Young Hearts DATE 24 th June 2018 PREACHER Mark McCracken Readings 1 Samuel 17:32-49 David said to Saul, Let no one s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth. But David said to Saul, Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God. David said, The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine. So Saul said to David, Go, and may the Lord be with you! Saul clothed David with his armour; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. David strapped Saul s sword over the armour, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them. So David removed them. Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd s bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. The Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field. But David said to the Philistine, You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord s and he will give you into our hand. When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.

2 Psalm 9: The Lord is a strong tower to those that are oppressed: he is a tower of strength in time of need. 10 All who heed your name will trust in you: for you have never forsaken those that seek you. 11 O sing praises to the Lord who dwells in Zion: tell among the peoples what great things he has done. 12 For he that avenges blood has remembered the poor: he has not forgotten their cry. 13 The Lord has been merciful toward me, he saw what I suffered from my foes: he raised me up again from the gates of death, 14 That I might tell all your praises in the gates of Zion: that I might rejoice in your deliverance. 15 The nations have sunk into the pit they dug for others: in the very snare they laid is their foot taken; 16 The Lord has declared himself and upheld the right: the wicked are trapped in the work of their own hands. 17 The wicked shall be given over to death: and all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten: nor shall the hope of the poor perish for ever. 19 Arise, Lord, let no human power prevail: let the nations be judged before you. 20 Put them in fear, O Lord: and let the nations know they are but human. Mark 4: On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, Let us go across to the other side. And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace! Be still! Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? DISCLAIMER We know from research and experience that family and domestic violence is rife in our community. That Christians are not exempt from that reality. So that means that, in all likelihood, at least one quarter of you have encountered this terrible reality in one form or another. First hand as victim or perpetrator; With your children or grandchildren and their families; In your neighbourhood, clubs, connections; Sadly, in faith communities. 2

3 1 in four children in Australia are exposed to family and domestic violence of some kind and we will be considering FDV today. If you find that difficult please seek support from one our clergy or pastoral care team. Feel free to withdraw to a quiet place if you need to. We will also be screening the Young Hearts information video before our last hymn. Many of you have seen it and know that it is confronting. In the name of the God of justice and peace. Amen *************** Some of you will know that Anglican preachers have quite a challenge as they prepare for their Sunday sermon. Unlike many Churches we have to follow a scheduled set of readings which stretch out over a three year cycle, leading us to address the greater part of the Bible over that time. You ll be pleased to know that we leave out the turgid bits about whether or not you can eat cephalopods and the legal arguments about whether it s OK to rescue your ox if it falls down the well on the Sabbath day. But we are grounded in Scripture and face a new set of Bible texts each Sunday as we look to make sense of our faith and offer fresh meaning to you, our people. We don t have the lazy luxury of choosing what we are most comfortable with, or the text that agrees with a particular stance we hold. We can t pick and choose to make it easier to address an issue we would like to explore. It s all part of the LECTIONARY. Each Sunday (actually each day of the year) has a clearly defined set of Biblical texts for us. Sometimes that s great and very easy to unpack. Other days You might be able to imagine, then, how I felt when I began to prepare for this morning. Celebrating and reflecting on the important work of Anglicare WA in general and on the Young Hearts service in particular. Addressing the important and difficult topic of family and domestic violence in our community. And then checking the lectionary to see that I have these two readings to explore as I seek to use a Christian lens on all of this. David and Goliath. Jesus calming the storm. Gulp. Thanks lectionary! 3

4 I am glad to report that patient and prayerful reflection revealed a most obvious and useful connection here after all. The lectionary came through again. There is a profound and important question here for us to consider. And these readings, along with the wisdom and powerful work displayed by Young Hearts, help us to shape some understanding. The question is this. What do we need in our lives to help us make a stand against fear? For David - skinny youth that he was what was it that empowered him to face the hairy giant? For Jesus in the storm how was it that he could remain composed when everyone else around him lost theirs? For the children and young people supported and encouraged by Young Hearts what is it they need to empower them to confront years of controlling abuse and intimidation? Often very real danger from someone who is closest to them? What do we need in our lives to help us make a stand against fear? David and Jesus For David and Jesus? They rely on faith in a God who makes all things possible. This is the golden thread that runs throughout the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. The truth that status, power, prestige, brute strength mean nothing when it comes to the Divine agenda in the world. David, the runt of the litter in his family, becomes the prototype for kingship in Israel. For all his flaws, he creates beautiful religious poetry and sentiment. He provides us with much food for thought as he encounters the Living God throughout a tumultuous life. Jesus a nobody from a backwater region in Palestine turns the world upside down with his teaching about love and sacrifice. With his acts of healing and kindness. He shows us who this God really is embodied in his life and teaching. It all points to a reality which is hard to accept at times. When we have so much evidence to the contrary. That God is on the side of the vulnerable and those who are at risk. (In Hebrew the word for this group of people is ANAWIM. They are the ones closest to God s heart.) And that this is a God who makes all things possible for those who place their trust in him. For David, that faith meant it was possible to confront the brutal, terrifying Goliath with whatever slim resources he had at hand. 4

5 For Jesus it enabled him to face the both the fury of the storm and later to endure betrayal and injustice with strength and love. This sort of faith can enable us to become the people we created to be. To be individuals and households where dignity, justice and love are the normal characteristics. Faith in this God helps us to stand against the at times terrifying realities of life. Empowers us to live with courage and change what is necessary. What do we need in our lives to help us make a stand against fear? Faith in the God who stands with the ANAWIM and with whom all things are possible. Young Hearts When it comes to those who endure FDV faith needs to be of a different variety, although it reflects those greater realities. Alongside any other resources they may have, people can find remarkable healing and strength when they can have faith and trust in skilled counsellors who stand beside them on this difficult journey. Young Hearts counsellors embody this. They offer wise counsel and they stick with these vulnerable people through the ups and downs of escape from FDV. This is such important work. FDV is a complex and challenging social ill. Please be aware that Family and Domestic Violence (F&DV) can be a misleading term. We know that physical violence is only one of a number of ways abuse occurs. It shows up in emotional cruelty. Demanding the only say in every decision and managing all of the finances. Isolating the family from broader networks of support. Inflicting control and threat at every turn This visits a violence upon women and children and harms them. As it does the perpetrators who live in this way. This is what the Young Hearts team confronts each time they support families living in this fearful place. They stand beside children and young people, along with other members of their family, who are in danger. Research shows that children who grow up in violent and controlling households suffer from severe social, intellectual, emotional and behavioural problems some of which last for life. They can be at risk of immediate physical harm. 5

6 As they experience abuse some can victimise others in the same way. Later in life these patterns are established and lived out all over again in their new family. The impact of family violence on the children and families involved is bad enough, but the knock-on effects are damaging to society as a whole. This can be seen in self-medication via drugs and alcohol, struggles with mental illness, suicidal thoughts, delayed learning, behavioural problems, or the knockon effect an individual s behavioural problems can have on the education system at large, distracting teachers and the classroom. Young Hearts aims to break that cycle. Over 6 to 8 weeks counselling and group experiences are offered to women, children and their nonoffending family members. Young Hearts are very careful to make sure everything takes place in a neutral, secure and supportive environment to enable children to explore their feelings surrounding violence and abuse. Their rooms are equipped with toys, art and craft materials, storybooks and other essentials to enable us to use different styles of therapy including play, narrative, art and behavioral therapy. We know from follow up conversations with families connected to Young Hearts that they find the counselling and group experiences safe, positive, supportive and helpful. They put their faith in those who serve through YH and this helps them to face the fear they live with on a daily basis. It supports them as they make the changes they need to be the people they were destined to be. To live in households where they are safe and nurtured. What do children living with FDV need to help them make a stand against fear? In the context of Young Hearts - faith in Anglicare WA staff who prove themselves as trustworthy and wise counsellors. Time and time again. Who can stand beside some of the most at risk in our community and guide them as they make the changes necessary to find safety and wholeness of life. Conclusion ***************************** At the end of the day what is it we need to help us make a stand against fear? Faith. Faith. Faith. In the Christian narrative A faith in the God who created all things and keeps the planets spinning in their orbits. Whom Jesus assures us is also totally devoted and infatuated with the whole of creation. Especially you. 6

7 A faith in the God that our holy scriptures tell us has a special place in the divine heart for the most vulnerable. For at risk women and children living in fear. The ANAWIM. Faith in Jesus Christ whose life, death and resurrection confirmed, that with God, all things are possible. Even the defeat of scary old Death himself. When we consider the work of Anglican community service? We place our faith in people of skill and compassion who serve others at risk. Who work within the servant ethos of Anglicare WA and other similar agencies. That s what over 9,000 Western Australian children do each year as they meet our remarkable Anglicare WA staff. They are given every support as they struggle to move out of FDV and into the life they deserve. It s a trust that AWA staff work very hard to earn. Often over a very long period. With lots of starts and stops and reversals. As they stand beside children and young people who have learned from bitter experience to distrust adults. Even those closest to them. What do we need in our lives to help us make a stand against fear? Faith in those worthy of our trust. And the hope that comes from knowing that they will stand firm beside us. That s what makes Young Hearts unique in this space. Ultimately that s also what makes our God so remarkable. As we seek to navigate the complexities of our lives as Christians we Have faith in the one who stands beside us. Who loves the ANAWIM. Who makes all things possible for those who believe. May we have faith in abundance. Amen. Mark McCracken June

8 A YOUNG HEARTS LITANY God of wisdom and care, we pray to you for all whom you call to share in the work of transforming the world so that girls and boys, women and men, may live, work and learn together with respect and dignity. For those who work alongside families experiencing family and domestic violence, For law-makers policy-makers and lobby groups, shaping structures that protect and promote the well-being of women and children at risk, For marriage counsellors and relationship educators, developing healthy partnerships and good parenting skills, For religious leaders and communities of faith, shaping beliefs about the worth of all people, especially the most vulnerable, For police and community workers sifting through the damage done by domestic violence. Living God, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For prison chaplains and restorative justice programmes, giving hope where violence has shattered many lives, For women s refuges and men s support groups creating safe spaces for problems to be named and tackled, For specialised care for traumatised children bringing healing and hope for a life beyond suffering, Living God, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For Young Hearts who offer a new start for survivors of domestic violence. Hear our prayers, Holy God, for you will take no rest from your work until you have brought wholeness and healing into our world, through our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 8

Proper 7 (Sunday closest to 06/22) The Collect Year B RCL

Proper 7 (Sunday closest to 06/22) The Collect Year B RCL O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure