The Gippsland Anglican June 2012

Volume 109, Number 5 June 2012
Published in Gippsland Diocese since 1904

The Gippsland Anglican is your award winning newspaper: Best Regional Publication Silver Award (ARPA) 2011; Item or Feature that
shows the most originality Highly Commended (ARPA) 2011; Best Social Justice Story Highly Commended (ARPA) 2004; Best Regional
Publication (ARPA) 2003; Most Improved Newspaper (ARPA) 2001.
Stop Go fun for pre-
school children
page 11
Presidents Charge
to Synod
Pages 3 to 8
The Church and the
environment
page 19
THIS years Synod, the
annual business meeting of
the Gippsland Anglican
Diocese, was a low-key
gathering of clergy and
laity from across the
region, from May 18 to 20.
Hosted at St Annes cam-
pus of Gippsland Grammar,
in Sale, the hall and
grounds were an ideal
venue, providing space for
the meeting, for conversa-
tion during breaks and for
physical activity (right).
In fact, the rough and
tumble of some previous
Synods was more appar-
ent on the grounds outside
(far right). See inside
pages for reports, photo-
graphs and the Presidents
Charge delivered by Bishop
John McIntyre on Friday
evening, May 18.
Photos: Jeanette Severs
A low-
key
Synod
Renowned theologian to discuss scripture
CHRISTIAN opinions vary
about how to read scripture
and how to apply it in the
face of the issues of the day.
Name whatever issue you
like and you will find differ-
ing, heartfelt beliefs and
attitudes that arise from our
reading of the bible.
The Theology Working
Group in Gippsland Diocese
is holding two teaching
seminars, on Saturday, July
7, at Christ Church Drouin
and Sunday, July 8, at St
Pauls Cathedral Sale.
Reverend Dr Dorothy Lee,
Dean of Trinity College
Theological School in
Melbourne, is a world class
and well-known biblical
teacher and writer and will
lead the afternoon semi-
nars, addressing How do we
read scripture today?.
I will be discussing the
principles of how we inter-
pret scripture and the theo-
logical basis for interpreting
scripture today, Dr Lee
(left) said.
How do we interpret scrip-
ture today? We might have
various responses to this
question, said Dr Don
Saines, Dean of St Pauls
Cathedral Sale and con-
venor of the seminars.
Do we take scripture at
face value, as prescriptive
at every level with only one
possible reading? Or do we
need to know something
about its historical and
social context to make it
applicable today? Does our
reading depend on the
social perspectives we bring
as interpreters? Can we
simply read it as a devotion-
al sacred text?
Dorothy is a distinguished
lecturer in biblical studies
and has written several
books, including a prize win-
ning book on Johns Gospel.
Dorothy is a vibrant and
interesting teacher of the
bible, with vast experience
as a scholar and teacher of
scripture. She unlocks the
life of scripture in a way that
makes it accessible to ordi-
nary Christians. This will be
an important day of teach-
ing for everyone in our dio-
cese who seeks the mind of
Christ, Dr Saines said.
The seminars are from
2pm to 4pm at each venue.
Enquiries to the Registry
office, 03 5144 2044.
Photo: Mark Chew
2 Our Diocese - Gippslands 36th Synod June 2012
The Gippsland Anglican
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Index
Discussing scripture 1
Presidents charge 3 to 8
People at Synod 9
Serving children 10
Kidsplus+ stop go 11
Carbon and health 12,13
Family violence 14
Aboriginal ministry 15
Celebrate women 15
Human sexuality 16
Protocol 15 17
Discipleship 18
Diocesan calendar 18
Q & A at Abbey 19
Celebrate Ena 19
Parish pictorial 20
Pictures from Synod

The Church, over the years, has been blessed with the generosity of Anglicans and others in support
of its mission. One way you can support this ideal in a relatively easy way, is to make a gift through
your will. In the first instance, of course, you will consider carefully the needs of your immediate
family and friends before proceeding with a bequest to the church.
We offer a way of helping you to carry out your wishes. Your gift, through your bequest, will be very
much appreciated. You may wish to support the Diocese of Gippsland as a whole, or your own parish,
or for a particular purpose.
Making your bequest in your Will is a simple procedure, although in preparing or amending your Will
you should always consult a solicitor. The Registrar of the Diocese of Gippsland has information to
assist you in making a bequest, including the form of words you and your solicitor might want to use.
Telephone Brian Norris on 03 5144 2044, or go to www.gippsanglican.org.au
A LASTING GIFT: A bequest to the
Anglican Diocese of Gippsland or your parish
ABOVE: Juliet Bond, Reverend Caroline Nancarrow and
Sue Fordham.
ABOVE right: John and Beth Delzoppo.
RIGHT: Margaret Beckett, Joan Hall and David Chambers.
BELOW right: Bishop John and Jan McIntyre.
BELOW: Kath Grandy, Kate Campbell, Rev. Sue Jacka,
Thelma Hicks and Miriam Stackhouse.
June 2012 Our Diocese - Gippslands 36th Synod 3
THE most significant issue con-
fronting us in the coming year
within the life of our diocese is the
development of our new five-year
strategic plan for 2013-2017.
I am aware that parishes across
the diocese have made headway in
the priorities of our current plan
Jesus Christ: Here and Now for
Gippsland. However, I want to
focus for a moment only on those
developments demonstrating the
commitment of the diocese as a
whole to new initiatives in ministry
and mission.
This is not to diminish the signifi-
cance of initiatives taken by indi-
vidual parishes but to reflect on
how well the diocese as a whole,
under the leadership and encour-
agement of Bishop-in-Council, has
modelled new initiatives in ministry
and mission. If we want parishes to
be bold, the diocese as a whole
must be bold.
In relation to the first priority of
The Journey Inward, there has
been significant growth in the pro-
vision of contexts for people of the
diocese to engage in prayer and
contemplation. I note new offerings
made through the program at The
Abbey of St Barnabas at ABeckett
Park and the growth of cell groups
across the regions of the diocese
under the auspices of Anam Cara.
In relation to the fourth priority of
The Journey Outward, the focus on
caring for Gods creation, The
Abbey has begun to develop its
ministry through programs de-
signed to help people reflect on a
Christian response to our steward-
ship of Gods creation.
On its fifth priority, the focus on
children, young people and their
families has, perhaps, had the
biggest take-up by parishes, with
a number now employing children
and family workers. A whole-dioce-
san perspective has supported
these parishes in various ways and
most particularly by the Cathedral
parish engaging a youth worker
with a diocesan as well as a parish
brief.
Another highlight under this prior-
ity is the growing number of mainly
music programs now flourishing
across the diocese, sponsored
through the Anglicare Partnerships
Program.
Some experiments in new models
of ministry are slowly emerging in
the diocese as we look to finding
new ways of being church. I would
like to think the encouragement of
the Diocesan Strategic Plan to be
more intentional in ministry and
mission has created the climate in
which these experiments have
been nurtured.
The Parish of Bunyip has now
been divided into two Episcopal
Districts, each with a part-time
stipendiary priest exploring with
their people new ways of being
church. At Bunyip, the people are
exploring what it means to be a
ministering community as the
whole people of God. At Nar Nar
Goon, a church plant is proposed in
the new housing areas east of Pak-
enham, a rapidly growing part of
our diocese.
Another fresh expression of
church is in the Parish of Pay-
nesville, which has been reconsti-
tuted by Bishop-in-Council for an
experimental period of three years
as The Abbey Parish, to develop
further the Abbey vision. Under this
fresh expression of church, the gift
of this parish is to offer the dioce-
san ministry of The Abbey, along-
side and in harmony with its
ministry as a local parish. Its priest
is now known as the Abbey Priest
and lives at the Abbey.
For the three year period, Bishop-
in-Council has committed some of
the funding needed to enable the
parish to employ a part-time
stipendiary ministry assistant, who
will live in the house at St Peters
by the Lake in Paynesville itself.
While these new developments
under the Diocesan Strategic Plan
are cause for celebration, it would
be true to say there are priorities
that could have been better ad-
dressed over the years of the plan.
In relation to the second priority
of The Journey Inward, plans to
promote the development of our
understanding of the Bible on a
diocesan-wide basis have not come
to full fruition. While I have no
doubt there has been significant
growth through programs like Edu-
cation for Ministry and the occa-
sional diocesan forums, I acknowl-
edge there is still a way to go on
this priority.
In relation to The Journey Out-
ward, there is more we can do on a
diocesan-wide basis to explore a
range of ways to develop our ca-
pacity to engage in the community,
with a view to finding appropriate
ways of introducing Jesus Christ to
others. I am aware parishes con-
tinue to explore this through pro-
grams like Alpha and, on a
diocesan-wide basis, that Cursillo
and Anam Cara are active on this
priority, but it strikes me we could
increase our efforts to address it
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continued next page
from previous page
more intentionally as a whole dio-
cese.
On the proposed matter of inten-
tionally setting outcomes to
achieve for each year of the five-
year plan, we have admittedly
dropped the ball at a diocesan level
on publishing proposed outcomes
each year. I believe we in the lead-
ership of the diocese need better to
model measurable accountability
as a critical aspect of good strategic
thinking.
I have already circulated to the
clergy a reflection to begin the dis-
cussion on ideas for the central
theological focus of the new strate-
gic plan. Bishop-in-Council had a
planning day to review progress on
the current plan and to discern
what we learnt from our experience
of it. We also reflected on and en-
dorsed the key theological focus for
the coming strategic plan.
My initial theological reflection
was triggered by an insight gained
from my recent reading. A theolo-
gian was asked: What should be
done about the problems of the
world? His answer was at one and
the same time both profound and
simple; he said: Do as God has
done, become human.
I think this insight points us quite
neatly and in a profoundly Christian
way to both the source of the prob-
lems of the world and their resolu-
tion. Our problems come because
we human beings constantly fall
short of the fullness of our human-
ity. The resolution of our problems
comes as we human beings are re-
stored to the fullness of our hu-
manity, which restoration takes
place in Christ, to use St Pauls
terminology.
I encourage you as synod mem-
bers to lead the way in your
parishes as we work towards the
launch of the new strategic plan
from July 1, 2013. As part of that
process, I will again be producing
discussion materials for Lent 2013
to direct our thinking toward the
new strategic plan during that sig-
nificant time of reflection in the
church year.
Homosexuality and
the church
IN the life of our diocese, we
rather belatedly committed to a lis-
tening process to hear the stories
of gay and lesbian people and to
reflect on how seriously we take
the commendation of the 1998
Lambeth Conference motion 1.10,
which asks us to offer hospitality to
these Christian brothers and sis-
ters, who the motion reminds us
are full members of the Body of
Christ.
Recent circumstances have now
made this a far more urgent prior-
ity than perhaps we had previously
failed to recognise.
In my presidents address last
year, I indicated my commitment to
be inclusive and welcoming of
same-sex attracted people in our
diocese, confident that God is at
work in and through all those who
are open to the call of God in their
lives and wanting to offer ministry
in the life of our churches.
I reiterate that com-
mitment to you now.
It comes from a long
personal journey of life
experience; reflection
on Scripture in the
context of that experi-
ence and reflection on
that experience in the
light of Scripture.
It is a simple Biblical truth that
has caused me to move to a new
place in my understanding of the
place of same-sex attracted people
in the life of the church. That truth
is revealed in the words of Jesus,
who says in the Sermon on the
Mount, a bad tree cannot bear
good fruit and by their fruit you
will know them (Matthew
7.18,20).
I have come to know and ac-
knowledge that the fruit of their
works makes clear that God has
been and is at work in and through
gay and lesbian people, who for
years have been a part of our
church, in both lay and ordained
ministries.
You might well ask why it took me
so long to acknowledge this simple
truth. I think it was the correctness
of religious law that blinded me to
this truth, a truth that is known
only in the experience of grace.
In the first place, I needed to be
entirely honest with myself and re-
alise God works in and through me
only by grace and not because I act
correctly according to some estab-
lished religious code. This insight
only became apparent when I was
ready to recognise my own broken-
ness and that it is not only despite
that brokenness, but sometimes
because of it, that God works in
and through me.
This brought me to acknowledge
the fruit of my works is the only
true measure of my worthiness for
ministry in the name of Jesus. The
key question then becomes: Do
my works reveal a heart trans-
formed by the love of God into a
loving heart, and a mind renewed
in Christ into his mind of humble,
self-emptying service?
That is the Biblical measure of
who is worthy to be called by God
to minister in the name of Jesus.
As I wrote recently to the clergy, it
is a salutary experience to be re-
minded that at one and the same
time no-one is worthy and all are
worthy for ministry. Of ourselves
we can claim nothing that would
cause God to engage us in ministry,
yet at the same time, in Christ we
are all made worthy.
Furthermore, as it was in broken-
ness that the Christ on the cross
wrought the salvation of the whole
world, so it is in our brokenness
that we become the means of heal-
ing to others. This is worth con-
templating before we too quickly
suggest another be deemed not
worthy to minister in Jesus name.
Only in light of reflection on Gods
Word did I finally come to under-
stand. Despite what I or others
may believe is their worthiness, the
fruit of the works of many gay and
lesbian people has brought Gods
blessing to me and to many other
people, both in and beyond the
church. That is the measure of their
worthiness to minister in the name
of Jesus Christ in the life of the
church and in the community in the
name of the church. That indicates
their place in the life of Gods peo-
ple.
Put simply, I think God has been
saying to me for many years now,
If it is good enough for me, John,
why is it not good enough for you?
This experience took me back to
the Bible and its ethical teaching.
Here, again, a very simple solution
was revealed to me, once I was
prepared to walk this journey of
discovery with God. I recently read,
though I cannot now remember
where, an illustration from church
history that makes clear the point I
have come to understand when
seeking guidance from scripture on
the place of gay and lesbian people
in the life of the church. It is this.
We all acknowledge that the
church can never read the Bible in
the same way once it acknowl-
edged that Galileo was right. The
world is round, not flat, despite
what those who first penned the
words of the Bible thought and as-
sumed. It took the church a long
time to acknowledge this and in the
name of orthodoxy, it treated
Galileo rather shabbily along the
way.
(Editors note: The Roman
Catholic Inquisition sentenced
Galileo to house detention from
1633 until his death in 1642; how-
ever, he was able to continue to
work and publish his writing and in-
ventions.)
Here lies an exegetical parallel for
our present purpose. Because of
recent new understanding, we now
all know same-sex at-
tracted people are not
heterosexual people
who have made a per-
verse choice about how
they express their sexu-
ality. They simply are
what they are. We might
like to argue about
whether this is how life
should or should not be, but that
will not change the way it is. We
have to respond to what is.
The Biblical writers had no con-
cept of the possibility of a faithful,
committed relationship of love be-
tween people who found them-
selves attracted to others of the
same gender. They assumed any-
one who engaged in sexual activity
with a person of the same gender
was a heterosexual person acting
outside their God-given nature. By
definition, this was for them per-
verse activity.
Now we know it is simply a reality
of some peoples lives to be same-
sex attracted and not a perverse
choice made by them, how can the
church ever read the Bible in the
same way? It has taken the church,
and me, a long time to acknowl-
edge this. In the name of ortho-
doxy, we have treated gay and
lesbian people rather shabbily
along the way.
Further to this, I have become
convinced we will never come to a
place of understanding on this mat-
ter unless we walk the path to un-
derstanding together. For too long
we have asked same-sex attracted
people to wait outside the church
or, at most, in its wings, while we
decide the basis on which they can
be a part of the churchs life. The
thought seems to have been that
when we have decided (and we
certainly do not seem to be in too
much of a hurry to do this), we will
invite gay and lesbian people into
the church on our terms; that is, if
as it was in brokenness that the Christ on
the cross wrought the salvation of the
whole world, so it is in our brokenness we
become the means of healing to others
Presidents charge continued ...
The Biblical writers had no concept
of the possibility of a faithful, com-
mitted relationship of love between
people ... of the same gender.

The Anglican Diocese of Gippsland does not
tolerate abuse, misconduct and harm in its
Christian community.

The Diocese is committed to ensuring all people in contact
with the Church can participate in a safe and responsible
environment. If you may have been harmed by a church
worker, or know someone who has, please come forward.

The Director of Professional Standards, Cheryl Russell, is
available, and will maintain confidentiality, on telephone
03 5633 1573, on mobile 0407 563313, or email
cherylrussell1@bigpond.com
OFFICE OF THE Director of
Professional Standards
continued next page
from previous page
they still want to be a part of us. I
do not believe this is a particularly
godly way in which to go.
In saying what I have said here, I
want to assure you I am not de-
manding that you agree with me.
One of the beauties of Anglicanism
is our capacity to stay together in
Christ with strongly held differ-
ences. Another is that our idea of
authority includes the fact you do
not have to agree with me just be-
cause I am a bishop. We can stay
together in the unity of Christ with
our differences and, in grace, we
can continue to learn from each
other.
I make this commitment to all of
you, whether or not you agree with
me on this one issue. All I do and
all I will seek to continue to do, in
everything I do, is to seek the will
of God. Accordingly, I will appoint
to office in our diocese those whom
I believe God is calling to minister
among us and I will continue to do
so with a grateful heart to God for
the gifts and skills they bring to us.
Furthermore, I will do this within
the context of the greater call of
God on the whole church, which is
to live by grace; to seek justice and
to show compassion, in all we do
and say. This is my commitment to
God and to you and I am willing to
live with any consequences that
may arise from remaining true to
that commitment.
Aboriginal ministry
ANOTHER commitment I made in
coming to this diocese was to en-
courage and develop a sustainable
long-term ministry to, with and by
Aboriginal people in Gippsland. Sig-
nificant progress has been made in
this ministry objective, but the key
matter still to be addressed is its
long-term financial sustainability.
The Aboriginal Ministry Fund was
established to address this matter,
but it has not been particularly suc-
cessful in establishing a solid finan-
cial base to provide resources for
Aboriginal ministry in the diocese
on a long-term basis. Funding has
been sought on a short-term basis
from various sources outside the
diocese, but the key to sustainabil-
ity is a healthy fund maintained
from within the diocese.
To date, I have appealed in vari-
ous ways to parishes and individu-
als to contribute to the financial
support of Aboriginal ministry, but
with little ongoing response.
As I stated last year in The Gipp-
sland Anglican, I believe it is a mat-
ter of justice that one of the ways
by which we redress the wrongs
done to the people of the first na-
tions of this land is to use the
wealth we have gained from their
land to ensure their future in it. I
do not see this to be a voluntary
issue for Christians but a faith im-
perative.
I will seek in this coming year to
build up the financial base of the
Aboriginal Ministry Fund through an
ongoing appeal to both parishes
and individuals to support Aborigi-
nal ministry by regular contribu-
tions to the fund. But I put this
synod and the whole diocese on
notice that if the measures I am
seeking to introduce this year to
redress this situation are not suc-
cessful, I will move to ensure an
appropriate sum for Aboriginal
ministry is added as a line item to
the diocesan budget. Furthermore,
I will advocate for legislation to en-
shrine this measure as a require-
ment under an Act of this synod.
You will no doubt understand that
one implication of this move will al-
most inevitably be a rise in the
parish contributions sought from
each parish, those contributions
being a significant source of income
in the diocesan budget. I under-
stand this may be seen as heavy-
handed and I am all too aware the
bishop does not always get what he
wants. Furthermore, I recognise
there is a voluntary aspect to
parish contributions. Nevertheless,
I want to make the point that I am
very serious about ensuring the
long-term financial sustainability of
Aboriginal ministry in Gippsland
and I will do all in my power to en-
sure it happens.
Other ministries
I AM pleased to acknowledge the
vital contribution a number of our
parishes have made in meeting the
needs of Southern Sudanese peo-
ple in our diocese. The parishes of
Moe, Morwell, Newborough and
Sale all have Sudanese people in
their congregations and Traralgon
parish has offered significant sup-
port and ministry to Sudanese peo-
ple living and worshipping in the
Latrobe Valley. I acknowledge, par-
ticularly, the large commitment
Reverend Bruce Charles and Moe
parish have made to this ministry,
in their support of Rev. Abraham
Maluk in his ministry.
With the people of the Republic of
South Sudan, we celebrate the in-
auguration of their new nation in
the last year and we assure them
of our ongoing prayers and support
as they minister with, among and
to their people and to us. We thank
God for their ministry and the min-
istry of those who continue to sup-
port them.
I note the changed nature of our
ongoing relationship with the Dio-
cese of Gahini in Rwanda. On his
visit to us last year, Bishop Alexis
and I discussed a new way forward
in our partnership. We committed
to sharing in ministry together, not
just to the benefit of each other,
but to the benefit of others to
whom we minister together.
Later this year, a team of people
from Leongatha parish will visit
Gahini and a team of young people
from Gahini will visit us. There is a
growing relationship between our
schools and Rwanda. Last year, a
team from the two schools [St
Pauls Anglican Grammar and Gipp-
sland Grammar] went to Gahini in
schoolies week. Students and staff
who went were richly blessed.
Thank you to Sarah Gover for her
work in arranging this visit and the
repeat visit later this year.
On the 50
th
Anniversary of the
ministry of Anglican Women of Aus-
tralia (AWA) Gippsland earlier this
year, that ministry was completed
within the life of the diocese. I ac-
knowledge the significance of AWA
in those fifty years, in encouraging
ministry, mission and fellowship
among the women of the diocese.
At the final AWA Thanksgiving
Service, I committed the diocese to
finding ways to continue the focus
of the ministry of AWA, despite it
no longer continuing as a ministry
of the diocese.
Anglican authority
LAST year, synod heard from the
Primate about the place of the
covenant in the life of the Anglican
Communion and we offered our
support to the covenant as a
means of maintaining unity in the
life of the communion. However,
support for the covenant has cer-
tainly not been universal and it
would seem it has a doubtful future
as an instrument of communion.
We may never arrive at an agreed
covenant. Nevertheless, I do not
believe this means the process has
completely failed. This is because it
has generated a great deal of de-
bate about and a better under-
standing of the nature of authority
and the basis of unity in the Angli-
can Communion.
Anglican authority is dispersed
and our teaching is centred on
Scripture and the historical creeds,
with no-one able to claim sole au-
thority on how the Bible and the
creeds must be interpreted. Our
fellowship is maintained by rela-
tionship and common commit-
ments; it is not imposed by a
centralised power. The covenant
has been an attempt to articulate
our common commitment.
It seems, however, that it has sat-
isfied no-one. In the minds of
some, it goes too far in the direc-
tion of imposing a particular inter-
pretation of our common
commitment; in the minds of oth-
ers, it does not do enough to en-
able meaningful unity in the
communion.
Our inability to come to a common
mind on the covenant should come
as no surprise. That is a direct re-
sult of being Anglican. From the be-
ginning of our life together, we
have sought to maintain unity in di-
versity and not just any diversity;
it is a diversity of those who have
always had strongly held and often
opposing views on a range of mat-
ters, but who have been committed
to maintaining unity in Christ. I
pray the legacy of the covenant
process in the communion will be
an ongoing commitment to strug-
gle across our differences to stay
together in Christ, as a sign of hope
to a divided world that peace is
made possible alone through faith
in Jesus Christ.
In the community
MOVING now to matters in the
wider community, imagine you
could be imprisoned for six months
if you were found with just one bot-
tle of beer. That is just one meas-
ure of new legislation being
proposed as part of the so-called
Stronger Futures Bill for remote
Aboriginal communities. This dra-
conian piece of legislation now be-
fore the Senate, even if amended
to deal with those particular meas-
ures, will mean the powers held by
the Federal Minister for Aboriginal
Affairs will be the greatest powers
held by a government figure over
Aboriginal lives since the days of
the so-called Protectors.
Those protectors were made infa-
mous by people like Mr McMillan MP
here in Gippsland and by Mr Neville
in Western Australia, whose ap-
proach to protection was so accu-
rately depicted in the film
Rabbit-Proof Fence.
Former Prime Minister, Malcolm
Fraser, recently asked: Should we
call Jenny Protector Macklin? I
think, perhaps, she fits that role at
continued next page
I am very serious about ensuring the long-
term financial sustainability of Aboriginal
ministry in Gippsland and I will do all in my
power to ensure it happens.
from previous page
the moment all too well and its a
tragedy.
Many Aboriginal people in remote
communities agree.
Make no mistake. This legislation
is largely racist legislation. That is
certainly the opinion of the former
Chief Justice of the Family Court,
Alistair Nicholson. Even if its pro-
ponents say their intent is not
racist and they do, it remains racist
because its detrimental impact is
alone on Aboriginal people. Note,
also, when passed, this legislation
will be in place for 10 years beyond
the five years of the first interven-
tion.
Rev. Dr Djiniyini Gondarra, a Yol-
ngu Elder, is calling on black and
white Australians to oppose the
legislation, which he sees not just
as a black struggle, but as a fight
for justice and democracy for all
Australians. As a spokesperson for
the Assembly of the eight Yolngu
Nations, he recently wrote a letter
to both the leaders of the Aus-
tralian and Northern Territory Gov-
ernments, in which he calls on the
Senate to discard the Stronger Fu-
tures Bill in full. He notes it has no
support from any Yolngu Elder,
whose communities are directly af-
fected by the legislation.
The past five years of the inter-
vention have shown that, despite
claims to the contrary by the Fed-
eral Government, the situation in
the 73 targeted communities in the
Northern Territory has grown
worse. Journalist and human rights
activist, Jeff McMullen, points to the
overwhelming evidence that five
years of intervention have done
terrible social damage. Over this
period, the rising rate of suicide,
especially among young Aboriginal
girls, is the most devastating result
of what he calls this government
folly.
The tragedy in this bipartisan po-
litical approach by successive Fed-
eral Governments is that no-one is
listening to the local elders in the
communities most affected. Deci-
sions are being made for the peo-
ple by centralised government
authorities, rather than with and by
the people. While significant finan-
cial resources are being offered,
they are not having the effect they
otherwise could because local eld-
ers, who know their situation inti-
mately, are not being engaged in
the process of implementing both
policy and practice. In fact they are
being ignored.
In criticising the Stronger Fu-
tures legislation, the late Dr Jimmy
Little said, in one of the last com-
ments he made before he died re-
cently: It is time for Australia to
listen to the wisdom of the Aborig-
inal elders who have given the
country the best advice on the way
forward for a brighter future, for it
is the leaders who best understand
the needs of their community,
know what the solutions must be
and have to live with the conse-
quences. Certainly a good way to
acknowledge Jimmy Littles won-
derful legacy to our nation would
be to listen to his advice on this
matter.
I was intrigued recently to read an
article by Tim Colebatch warning us
about the mining-based economic
boom. Like the Irish property
boom, which fell with spectacular
speed and devastating results, he
wrote: Our boom, too, is likely to
bust: most booms do. The bigger
the boom, the bigger the bust.
While others point out this boom
is different because of what they
claim will be the long-term growth
of China and India, Colebatch re-
mains sceptical and he has good
evidence to back up his scepticism.
That evidence notes not just the
reliance on mining as the driver of
the economic boom, but the even
greater reliance on mining invest-
ment. Servicing the mining indus-
try is where the money is to be
made and other industries across
Australia are shrinking. This leads
to a loss of skills, equipment and
markets in those other areas.
Victoria knows this only too well,
with huge losses of jobs recently in
manufacturing.
While China and India grow at the
current rate, there seems to be no
problem with demand for our re-
sources. But the problem will in-
evitably arise. The question is,
when?. BIS Shrapnel, which con-
sistently wins awards as the best
economic tipster in the business,
estimates a 66 per cent probability
the boom will end within 10 years
and a 90 per cent probability it will
end within 15 years. Colebatch
maintains that if current trends in
Australian industry continue, the
economy will be ill-equipped to
deal with the bust.
Why do I raise these matters? I
am clearly not an economist, and
when I raise these issues with
some who are economists, I notice
there is complacency about the is-
sues Colebatch and others like him
are raising. But I raise them be-
cause I would like to encourage us
to listen to alternative voices in
every area of our lives and I would
like those of you better equipped
than me in economic understand-
ing to take up these matters.
As Christians we need to be con-
cerned for the truth in every aspect
of our lives. Furthermore, if these
alternative voices are right, the so-
cial implications will be horrendous.
People will suffer and it is certainly
our duty as Christians to speak out
to avoid human suffering.
I note with some measure of re-
lief that the Federal Government in
its recent budget has made an at-
tempt to redistribute wealth to-
wards those most in need in our
communities. At the same time, I
note with alarm our commitment to
foreign aid has been diminished as
part of the stringency measures
claimed to be necessary to ensure
a budget surplus. How we in such a
wealthy country can rationalise a
reduced commitment to those in
poorer parts of the world is beyond
my understanding and I think it is a
challenge for the churches to ad-
dress.
Debating marriage
I TURN, now, to the debate aris-
ing from the call from some in our
community for the Federal Parlia-
ment to change the legal definition
of marriage to allow gay and les-
bian people to marry.
On the whole, the response from
the churches has been an under-
standable recourse to the so-called
traditional view of marriage. To be
honest, I am not sure how well this
works, because I am not sure there
is much agreement in the churches
about the traditional view of mar-
riage and I am not sure there is a
lot of acknowledgement that even
the Christian view of marriage has
changed over recent years.
The Judaeo-Christian view of mar-
riage is in the first place funda-
mentally a realists view. Our
forebears knew people were going
to have sex, no matter what, and
so they knew children were going
to be born, no matter what. Under
God, therefore, marriage was insti-
tuted to give legal protection to the
children who are inevitably born,
legal protection to the good order
of the society in which sexual rela-
tionships are inevitable and legal
protection to people in committed
life-long sexual relationships.
Properly understood, marriage is
an institution to protect children, to
ensure the good order of society
and to guarantee the rights of mar-
ried people.
Secondly, the Judaeo-Christian
view of marriage, based as it is in
our Scriptures, has from the begin-
ning been in a state of change and
flux. Like any other human institu-
tion, even those established under
God, marriage is an organic reality
and it grows and changes over
time. To name just one obvious
fact, it is clear that in the early
days of the institution of marriage
in Hebrew life, marriage was not
monogamous. The Old Testament
stories of the patriarchs and the
kings make that very clear.
More recent changes are reflected
in the various introductions to the
marriage service in our own prayer
books, from the 1662 Book of
Common Prayer through to the
current A Prayer Book for Australia.
The three reasons for marriage set
out above remain but, with succes-
sive changes to our liturgies for
marriage, their order has been
changed.
These changes reflect societal
changes in priorities and percep-
tions about marriage, both in the
church and in the wider commu-
nity. The primary emphasis in our
most recent marriage service is on
the rights of the couple. This, no
doubt, reflects the growing individ-
ualism of our society.
Furthermore, in recent times we
have become entirely more tolerant
of the re-marriage of divorced per-
sons and rarely, if ever, question
the right of people to marry if they
do not intend to have children,
which most certainly was not al-
ways the case.
However, what is interesting is
that the right of certain classes of
people to marry never seems to
have been much under discussion
in the church, except in relation to
so-called prohibited relationships,
such as brothers and sisters, or in
relation to a persons age. Certainly
it was assumed it would always be
a man and a woman who married,
but was that not simply because
that is how children are born? Or
was it, perhaps, because up until
As Christians, we need to be concerned
for the truth in every aspect of our lives.
continued next page
Books galore

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midyear book sale
Thursday, June 14
to
Saturday, June 16
9am to 4pm
from previous page
recently there was no perception
that people could be anything other
than heterosexual?
It is interesting to note, however,
that on grounds other than their
view of marriage, the early Chris-
tians did assume the rights of all
people to marry. For example, con-
trary to Roman law, Christians al-
lowed people from different social
classes in the Roman Empire to be
married. This was not because of
their view of marriage but because
they believed that across all social
differences, All are one in Christ
Jesus, as St Paul says in his letter
to the Galatians (Galatians 3.28).
So where does that leave us in an
age where people are known to be
same-sex attracted and where we
have the IVF (in vitro fertilisation)
program? Is there not an argument
that all people should have access
to the institution of marriage, pre-
cisely in order to guarantee under
law the ongoing protection of chil-
dren, the good order of society and
the rights of those who are in com-
mitted life-long relationships? Is it
not, perhaps, unjust to deny the
rights of any group of people to
that access?
Just as importantly, why would we
not want all people to commit to
the responsibilities enshrined in
The Marriage Act? I have to admit
the responsibilities of marriage
have not been a highlight of the
public debate. However, if one out-
come of gay and lesbian people
being able to marry was that, like
any other people in committed sex-
ual relationships, they, too, were
held accountable under law for the
protection of children in their care,
for the good ordering of their sex-
ual relationships within society and
for the rights of those in committed
sexual relationships, would that not
be a good thing?
I acknowledge that in what I have
said here I have not addressed
much of the theological debate in
regard to marriage and that that is
an important task to which we
must continue to commit. But as I
said in my address to synod last
year, whatever the churches views
on marriage, we cannot expect
those views to prevail in law just
because that is what we believe.
Nor should we try to enforce our
views on others.
I have no doubt we should partic-
ipate in the public debate and we
should do that on the basis of our
faith and the values that arise from
our faith. I do not believe it is a
value consistent with our faith to
seek to impose on others what we
believe, no matter how strongly we
believe it.
The way of the Gospel, in the end,
is the way of persuasion by a godly
life and by godly words and ac-
tions. A godly life and godly words
and actions are marked by grace
and the truth on any matter will
emerge as we live by the same
grace with which we are met by
God in Jesus Christ.
People
I TURN, now, to people matters in
our diocese. We welcomed two
members of the clergy into the dio-
cese last year. Graham Knott has
returned to us, having served be-
fore in Croajingolong parish. I am
delighted he and June have come
back to us from England, where
Graham was serving in Watford
parish. He is serving now as the
rector of Maffra. David Head has
come to us from Hampton parish in
Melbourne diocese and is serving in
an interim ministry part-time, as
priest-in-charge of Heyfield parish.
Heyfield is engaged with other
parishes in the immediate area to
look at developing a ministry team
and David is assisting them in that
process while offering ongoing pas-
toral ministry to the parish.
Barb Logan was installed as a
canon of the Cathedral in the past
year as well. Congratulations,
Barb. We know you will carry out
your duties with aplomb and dedi-
cation.
Those ordained priest in the past
12 months were Roger Jackman, to
ongoing honorary assistant min-
istry in Croajingolong parish; Tom
Killingbeck as priest-in-charge in
Bruthen parish, where he had pre-
viously been serving as a deacon-
in-charge; and Jo White, to
continue ministry in Traralgon
parish as associate priest and at
the Traralgon campus of St Pauls
Anglican Grammar School as chap-
lain. I thank God for them all and
their willingness to serve God and
our diocese in this way, as well as
for the gifts and skills in ministry
they bring to us.
A number of our clergy have re-
tired since last synod. Dr Bob
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The AMF exists to resource employment of
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For more information, contact the
Diocesan Registry Office at
453 Raymond Street, Sale, Victoria
PO Box 928, Sale, 3853
Telephone 03 5144 2044
Fax 03 5144 7183
Email registrar@gippsanglican.org.au
continued next page
ABOVE: At Gippslands 36th Synod, held at Sale, were Sue Lester and
Reverend Jo White who is in ministry in Traralgon parish as associate
priest and at the Traralgon campus of St Pauls Anglican Grammar School
as chaplain.
Photo: Jeanette Severs
from previous page
Brown, a Uniting Church minister of
the Word, retired from the Churchill
and Boolarra Yinnar Cooperating
parishes. I thank Bob for his gra-
cious ministry among us. Lloyd
George retired from honorary min-
istry at the Cathedral and is cur-
rently serving a locum ministry in
Sydney diocese at the Golden
Grove House of Healing. He served
faithfully as a deacon and priest at
the Cathedral since 2006 and for
many years prior to that in lay min-
istry.
Neil Thompson retired in January
from Newborough parish, where he
has served since 2002. Neil was or-
dained for Gippsland in 1990 as
deacon and in 1991 as priest and
has served faithfully in a number of
parishes during those years. I
thank him for his committed en-
thusiasm in ministry and for his
keen desire especially to engage in
schools and through tennis coach-
ing with many children and young
people. In this way, he has sought
to bring many who no longer have
any contact with the church to faith
in Jesus Christ. Neil will remain
among us as a retired priest and,
with Sue, will be living near Foster.
Sadly, Ken McDermid was unable
to continue in ministry in Yarram
parish due to ill health. The indica-
tions are that Ken will not be able
to return to stipendiary ministry.
There have also been some resig-
nations from parishes. Rowena
Harris, a Uniting Church minister of
the Word, resigned from Croajingo-
long cooperating parish to take up
ministry with the Uniting Church
Frontier Services. She will continue
to serve in East Gippsland, being
based at the Orbost Uniting
Church. Stuart Lawson resigned
from honorary ministry at the
Cathedral and he and June have
left the Anglican Church.
Our retired clergy continue to
serve us well in locum ministries, in
parishes awaiting a new rector and
when clergy are on leave. I have
noted before our dependence on
their generosity and graciousness
in serving us in these ministries. I
note, especially, the ministries of
Laurie Baker, Gordon Cooper, Ted
Gibson, Fred Morrey, Marilyn
Obersby, Ken Peters, Elwyn Sparks
and Brian and Ann Turner, all of
whom have taken on long term
locum ministries in parishes look-
ing for new rectors over the past
year. This, of course, is not to for-
get all those other clergy who hold
my Permission to Officiate, who as-
sist our current rectors on a regular
basis.
We have also welcomed into the
diocese some new stipendiary lay
workers in this last 12 months.
They are Von Dubbeld, recently ap-
pointed as a stipendiary pastoral
assistant in the Abbey Parish of
Paynesville. She and Mick and their
family have moved there from
Croajingolong parish. Richard Lan-
ham comes to us from Gilgandra in
Bathurst diocese, to be youth and
families worker at the Cathedral
and with a diocesan-wide brief to
help develop youth ministry. I am
delighted Rich and Julie and the
boys are now among us. Together
they bring to us a wealth of experi-
ence in ministry with young people
and I believe we will benefit greatly
from their ministry. Jan and I are
particularly pleased to be re-united
with Rich and Julie and the boys,
who were with us at Redfern parish
for some years. Both Von and Rich
have joined the diocesan group for
those looking to discern a call to or-
dained ministry.
Dr Pene Brook resigned from her
position as lay chaplain at Gipps-
land Grammar School and is now
the ecumenical lay chaplain at the
Churchill campus of Monash Uni-
versity. Pene has recently been ac-
cepted as an ordination candidate
and is looking to ministry as a dea-
con in her role at the university. It
is good to have an Anglican again
in that position. I am confident
Pene will serve us and the other
churches very well in that role,
which also involves the pastoral
care of those of other faiths.
Veronica Bradley resigned as chil-
drens and family worker in Leon-
gatha parish last year. We wish her
well in her future ministry. I also
acknowledge the ministry of Chris-
tine Morris at the Cathedral. In
what is currently an honorary ca-
pacity, Christine has offered herself
in ministry in a range of ways over
many years, not least in her min-
istry with children and young peo-
ple. She has graciously stepped
aside from receiving a small
stipend for her work with young
people to allow the Cathedral
parish to be able to afford its con-
tribution to the full-time position in
youth ministry there.
While on the note of committed
lay people, I acknowledge the min-
istries of Philip Davis and Neale
Taylor, who generously offered
their gifts and skills in various ways
to the life of our diocese. Philip re-
signed recently from Bishop-in-
Council and the Finance
Committee. Neale resigned from
Bishop-in-Council and the Aged
Care Board and has moved to the
United States for business reasons.
I thank them both for their com-
mitment to the diocese and their
work for us.
Others recently accepted as ordi-
nation candidates, following a pe-
riod of discernment with us, are
Fran Grimes, looking to honorary
ministry in Corner Inlet parish and
Katie Peken, currently a stipendiary
lay worker in Warragul parish.
Please keep them and Pene in your
prayers as they continue the jour-
ney towards ordination.
I acknowledge the extra workload
Heather Marten took on as Dioce-
san Administrator while I was away
for three months on long service
leave. It was a huge demand to
step up to the plate while continu-
ing in parish ministry. I acknowl-
edge also the ministry of Lyn
Williams in Morwell parish, who
took on extra duties there while
Heather was Administrator.
In the past year, a number of peo-
ple in the diocese have received
honours of various kinds for their
work in the community. Geoff Bell
from Morwell parish was awarded a
local Citizen Award for community
service through Lions. During
NAIDOC week, Kathy Dalton re-
ceived a leadership award. Jack
Huxtable from Morwell parish was
awarded the OAM for community
service and his contribution to foot-
ball. Bill Rodda from the Korum-
burra parish received an Australian
Fire Service Medal in the Queens
Birthday Honors list. Reuben
Stevens from Heyfield parish was
awarded Junior Citizen of the Year
for Heyfield. Peter Vranek from
Avon parish was Citizen of the Year
for Stratford and the Wellington
Shire Citizen of the Year.
In an oversight that should never
have happened, I failed to note in
2008 that Eric Kent was awarded
the OAM for service to the commu-
nity of the Gippsland District
through a range of church, histori-
cal and sporting groups and to the
Parliament of Victoria. I apologise,
Eric, for that oversight. I should
have known better, given that I
contributed to the process with a
reference.
Each year sees the passing of
family and friends from among us.
From among the clergy, Neville
Chynoweth, a much loved former
bishop of this diocese, died on Au-
gust 11, 2011 following a fall. He
had remained very active in min-
istry throughout his retirement in
Canberra and Goulburn diocese.
High tribute was paid to him at the
funeral for a ministry of great sig-
nificance in the life of the Australian
Church, not least by our own Jim
Connelly, who also spoke at the
memorial service for Neville held in
the Cathedral here in Sale.
Mark Boughey, former rector of
Bairnsdale parish, died in January
2012 in Adelaide, after a battle
with cancer. Andrew Schreuder
died in April. Originally ordained for
Gippsland, where he served at the
Cathedral and as chaplain at St
Annes Gippsland Grammar School,
he was a much loved and faithful
priest. He died at Eildon, having
survived the Black Saturday bush-
fires as a resident of Marysville.
From among lay people, Colin
Harvey from Yallourn North in New-
borough parish died in March 2012.
He had been a long term Synod
Representative for the parish. Mol-
lie Maddicks from Trafalgar parish
died on September 17, 2011, aged
98. She was for many years church
organist at Yarragon and Trafalgar,
a Sunday school teacher and a
member of the Ladies Guild.
Gwen Perkins from Trafalgar
parish died on November 27, 2011,
aged 93, after a long and very ac-
tive involvement in parish life in
Garfield, Moe and Yarragon. At
Yarragon, Gwen was a warden, a
Sunday school teacher and a mem-
ber of Mothers Union, AWA and
Ladies Guild, where she served in
executive positions as well. Bruce
Shenfield, husband to Jaan Enden,
churchwarden in the Bunyip parish,
died very suddenly and unexpect-
edly on December 27, 2011, hav-
ing never regained consciousness
from surgery only 12 hours earlier.
Margaret Smallbone, wife of the
late Archdeacon Denys Smallbone
of this diocese, also died in August
2011. English to the hilt, they were
both real characters and I am told
by Jim Connelly that Margaret was
a considerable woman in her own
right. She was living in Port Albert
in retirement and was a member of
Yarram parish, where Denys had
served in ministry.
Conclusion
IN conclusion, I return now to
where I began in focusing on the
new strategic plan. Under God, we
look forward in faith and hope and
love to a future of fruitful ministry
and mission in the life of our
parishes and in the life of the dio-
cese as a whole. I am confident be-
cause of our past experiences
together in ministry that God will
continue to bless us.
As we have sought to be faithful
to Jesus Christ in ministry and mis-
sion, God has blessed us greatly
and blessed many others through
us. I hear stories on a regular basis
of the great things God is doing in
and through us.
Be encouraged. Serve Jesus Christ
in serving each other and all oth-
ers. See the fruit of the Spirit grow
in our lives and in the lives of those
whom we serve. Pray. Without God,
we have nothing to offer, but with
God, we have everything to give.
ABOVE: At Gippslands 36th Synod, held at Sale, were Reverend Sue
Jacka and Katie Peken. Katie has recently been accepted as an ordination
candidates, following a period of discernment; she is currently a stipen-
diary lay worker in Warragul parish.
Right Reverend John McIntyre
Bishop of Gippsland
President of Gippsland Synod
People at Synod
TOP left: Robert Fulton and
Mario Saulle.
TOP right: Raelene Carroll with
Barbara and Reverend Bevil
Lunson.
MIDDLE above: Brett Lee, Nick
Solohub and Patricia Chapman.
ABOVE right: Archdeacon Philip
Muston, Rev. Graham Knott and
Rev. Tom Killingbeck.
ABOVE: Graeme Nicholls, Beryl
Brien and Canon Amy Turner.
RIGHT: Viv Braham and Rev.
Sue Jacka.
THE GFS Kidsplus+ Net-
work in Gippsland report to
Synod was presented by
Lauren Kitwood, current
chairman. Lauren spoke
passionately about how
GFS has helped her.
GFS has helped me to de-
velop as a person, to learn
the skills of public speaking,
what committees do and
how they operate, she
said.
I think theres a lot more
talent out there for us to
utilise.
GFS has helped me to be-
come the person I am, in-
cluding the confidence to
become president of GFS
Kidsplus+ Network Gipps-
land.
Lauren then presented the
annual report to Synod,
written by her and Mary
Nicholls, immediate past
chairman, as follows.
The GFS Kidsplus+ Net-
work in Gippsland exists to
serve individuals and
parishes. It has been the
only continuing diocesan
network offered in Gipps-
land for many years and
continues to minister in the
following ways: providing
an annual camp for children
and youth; support parish-
based GFS, Kidsplus+ and
other affiliated childrens
and youth groups, through
leader fellowship, resourc-
ing, newsletters and train-
ing; sponsoring special
activity days and picnics for
diocesan participation; link
to wider diocesan, state,
national and the world min-
istry groups for support,
programs, education, train-
ing and to keep informed of
current ministry trends.
It has been a more per-
sonal conduit of information
regarding changing recom-
mendations and require-
ments for those
considering leadership; and
provides fellowship, nurtur-
ing and forums for discus-
sion through the Adult
Friends Fellowship.
Valued and respected as
the efforts are among those
currently involved, we could
be more effective.
Currently, the GFS Kid-
splus+ Network Gippsland
has about 40 people on the
mailing list of the adult fel-
lowship, 20 to 25 actively
involved in childrens youth
ministry through Kidsplus+,
GFS and Boys Ministry lead-
ership support and, as of
2011, nine parishes have
either registered or affili-
ated.
Our network, meeting four
times annually, needs wider
representation from parish
personnel if we are to more
fully understand the dioce-
san needs and make best
provision for that support.
Many good things in chil-
drens youth ministry hap-
pen in parishes. How much
better for all of us, if these
ideas and resources are
shared.
During the 2011 to 2012
year, our resources, in par-
ticular, the Activity Trailer
and games equipment, has
been well utilised by the
parishes of Traralgon,
Trafalgar, Rosedale, Drouin,
Moe and Leongatha and the
making music program in
Maffra.
It was used in Carols by
Candlelight, Australia Day,
Battle of Trafalgar, holiday
club programs at Yarragon,
Thorpdale, Trafalgar and
Newborough; all commu-
nity events initiated by
Gippsland parishes. Parish
childrens ministry groups,
fetes, playgroups and
camps have all benefited.
The recent Kidsplus+
camp was a highlight, at-
tracting 43 children and
nine full time leaders to
Phillip Island CYC campsite
The Island. Children from
Moe, Traralgon, Bairnsdale,
Nyora and Melton attended.
A delight this year was to
have many representatives,
including one adult helper,
from our Sudanese commu-
nities of the Latrobe Valley.
Many of these were sub-
sidised through a National
GFS Outreach Project Grant
and specialist activities at
Camp were funded through
a CEBS Melbourne Ministry
Grant. Such are some of
the practical networking
benefits.
The annual diocesan Fam-
ily Picnic Day at Cowwarr
Weir again provided sum-
mer fun for families.
The most recent activity
organised by GFS Kid-
splus+ Gippsland was at
the Morwell Traffic School,
aimed at pre-school and
junior primary school aged
children (photographs
above right and next page).
This activity has the po-
tential of attracting partici-
pants from church Sunday
schools, playgroups and
mainly music groups. Such
events demonstrate the
wider Anglican communion
to the community, at the
same time providing valu-
able experiences for our
children.
Of course, all such activi-
ties do rely on enthusiastic
invitation and support from
local parishes. The network
can only offer the potential
support for parishes.
Six Gippsland representa-
tives of the network were
fortunate to attend the Na-
tional GFS Conference held
in Western Australia during
January. It was a wonderful
opportunity to glimpse the
broad and diverse national
ministry through GFS and
receive reports of mission
projects throughout the
world.
Our representatives were
affirmed and sustained in
their ministry through par-
ticipation in workshops and
presentations aimed at de-
veloping personal, and
team leadership. Such ex-
periences and opportunities
to broaden our faith per-
spectives are valued.
Current Gippsland GFS
Chairman, Lauren Kitwood
represented Gippsland and
Australian GFS as the na-
tional delegate to the World
Council of GFS, held in Ire-
land in July, 2011; and she
is currently on the National
GFS Executive. Her shared
experiences will enrich our
ministry here.
Support
A STRENGTH for our min-
istry has been the active
participation and communi-
cation with the adult friends
of the Kidsplus+ Network.
Worship, fellowship and so-
cial functions provide op-
portunity to affirm, nurture
and support those involved
in grassroots outreach min-
istry and with the aid of
regular prayer diaries such
members are encouraged
and thanked for their ongo-
ing prayer ministry.
The Friends group obvi-
ously has a ministry to its
own peer group and has
been pleased to welcome
new adult participants to
activities such as the
Thanksgiving Service and
Dinner, last year held at
Moe, with more than 50
people attending; The Cer-
emony of Light Service held
at St Aidans Newborough;
and outings to Stratford,
Lillico Glass Studio and
Bulga National Park.
Our Diocesan AWA has
played a most supportive
role in our ministry for
many years. Members have
received, with interest, re-
ports of our ministry among
children and in the leader
development programs and
have been extremely gen-
erous financially in sponsor-
ing our activities.
Pleasingly, most of the
money forwarded by AWA
was used to provide leader-
ship training for our
younger leaders aged be-
tween 18 and 25 years.
Happily we can report that
of those young people,
nearly all are still actively
involved in childrens or
youth ministry.
MU Gippsland has also
been a valued resource for
our network, sometimes of-
fering personnel to pro-
vided hospitality at
activities and indeed assist-
ing generously with finan-
cial support for
disadvantaged children at-
tending camp or for families
needing that well deserved
time out at the Abbey and
ABeckett Park. Thankyou,
particularly, Jenny Mac-
Robb, Jan Misiurka and
Marion Jones for your valu-
able liaisons.
Sarah Gover, in her role as
Anglicare Community De-
velopment officer, has also

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Serving children and youth in Gippsland
continued next page
from previous page
been a valuable liaison for
us as we serve the children
and families of the diocese.
With the retirement of
Reverend Neil Thompson
this year, it also culminated
his 20 year ministry with
us, through his role as
Diocesan GFS Kidsplus+
Chaplain. Thankyou, Neil,
for your interest and love of
children and your sustained
support of individuals in our
team as together we sought
to disciple and nurture
young people.
The diocesan strategic
plan calls for special atten-
tion to be given to this
area. Childrens Youth and
Family workers are key fa-
cilitators. They cannot and
do not work in isolation to
the volunteer teams. Sus-
tained ministry demands
support and well informed
direction.
Relational support and fel-
lowship, as our Gippsland
Kidsplus+ network has en-
joyed, has come through
the sustainability test but
could do better if affirmed
or supported more actively
by others with a calling and
visions to this ministry. All
are welcome.
Please do not hesitate to
share your gifts and vision
as we seek to serve the
young people of our dio-
cese.
Contributors: Mary Nicholls
and Lauren Kitwood
INCLEMENT weather did not
dampen the enthusiasm of the
young families who participated in
the Kidsplus+ family day at Morwell
Traffic School in May. In actual fact,
tdonning rainproof jackets was the
trick to maintaining the fine weather
for the duration of the session.
The Traffic School in Morwell is a
wonderful community resource en-
joyed by our group, who also de-
voured the snacks and sausage
sizzle hosted by the Diocesan Kid-
splus+ GFS Network.
We are not convinced that this age
group, majority under six years,
were abiding by the road rules;
however, they all showed great
community spirit in their enjoyment
of each others company and co-op-
eration with one another.
Showbags, compiled from emer-
gency services groups, were dis-
persed at the end of the activity.
Contributor: Mary Nicholls
LEFT: Sometimes one needs help to
stay on the road.
PREVIOUS page: Role playing
among the children; Emily, Noah
and Helen in the foreground and
Matilda and Christy in the back-
ground.
ABOVE right: Parents and children
who participated in the Traffic
School activity recently.
Homework at Moe
MOEs childrens and youth min-
istry continues to play a large part
in parish ministry. Our special min-
istry to the children of Sudanese
refugees continues to grow.
Our weekly boys group BAMM Boys
Anglican Ministry Moe and GFS reg-
ularly attracts more than 30 young
people. Our Sunday schools operate
at both the English and the Dinka
spoken services.
Recently, the parish has been par-
ticularly supportive of a newhome-
work program, held at a local
primary school for all interested stu-
dents of the area. A number of our
parishioners are involved in tutoring
and reading help for nearly 30 chil-
dren.
This is another support ministry for
all children, however is greatly ap-
preciated by our children of Su-
danese background.
Contributor: Mary Nicholls
ABOVE: Participants in the home-
work program held at a local pri-
mary school and including volun-
teers from Moe parish as tutors and
reading helpers. Included in the
participants are a number of Moe
youth, including Sudanese
teenagers, from the parish.
Photos: Mary Nicholls
Kidsplus+ stop go traffic school
ABOVE: At the San Remo family service, the children were
given a talk in church about Phillip meeting the Ethiopian
eunuch and being baptised in the stream Then they were
told how in those days writing and drawing was done on
scrolls. Denise Garrett, our helper, taught the children
how to make scrolls; pictured are Jamie, Zac, Laura, Skye
and Ruby. Photo: Roma Caulfield
IN his maiden speech to
Synod, youth representa-
tive Jordan Breed, of Traral-
gon parish, spoke about the
progress of Synod resolu-
tion 137 from last year,
being the impact of carbon,
carbon dioxide and other
emissions on people and
communities in Gippsland.
I move that this synod re-
ceives the report of the
Committee appointed by
bishop in council to take ac-
tion on Synod resolution
137/11 (impact of carbon,
carbon dioxide and other
emissions), Jordan said.
The seconder was Rev-
erend Sue Jacka. The re-
port was distributed a
Synod by the committee,
chaired by John Mitchell.
The committee consulted
to gather data about the
impact of carbon, carbon
dioxide and other emissions
on people and the environ-
ment, health impacts and
ramifications of and need
for further health research.
However, the committee
deemed it unnecessary to
investigate possible green-
house, global warming and
climate change effects from
industry in Gippsland.
Quality of air was subjec-
tively assessed against Mel-
bournes levels. Other
issues were clouded by per-
ceived social responsibility
issues, such as fuel reduc-
tion burns.
The health impacts of
smoking and sedentary
lifestyles were highlighted
by the report as significant
indicators of unhealthy pop-
ulations and needed inves-
tigation and focus by the
diocese.
This committee under-
took extensive consultation
with senior representatives
from both the Environment
Protection Authority and
the Department of Health,
Jordan told Synod.
[Representatives gave]
immense support and infor-
mation, forming the bulk of
our required information.
We also consulted with
Aurecon, the company con-
tracted for air quality mon-
itoring in the region.
As a result of our find-
ings, it is good to know our
situation is not as grim as
we may have imagined; in
fact, in many respects the
air quality is better than
Melbourne.
While it is clear there is
an impact of air quality on
the health of our commu-
nity, this impact is ex-
tremely small in
comparison to many other
sources of burden of dis-
ease. I draw your attention
now to the table on page
three of the report to illus-
trate this.
What the report did high-
light are some of the real
and significant problems
facing the health of our
community; including the
higher than average rate of
physical inactivity and the
extremely high rate of
smoking, among many oth-
ers.
This process has identi-
fied a key opportunity for
the diocese to mount a col-
laberative response by in-
volving itself in working to
improve the overall health
of the community which it
serves.
As a body of Christian
people, it is our duty to
work to reduce the suffer-
ing of our people and as
such it is the strong recom-
mendation of this commit-
tee that the diocese actively
investigates ways in which
it can aid in improving the
overall health of the popu-
lation, Jordan concluded.
The report, as accepted by
Synod, follows.
137/11 Synod Resolution
on the Impact of Carbon,
Carbon Dioxide and Other
Emissions: seek advice
from experts as to what the
impact of carbon, carbon
dioxide and other emission
is on the people living in
Gippsland.
On Wednesday, April 18,
2012, the available mem-
bers of the appointed com-
mittee met with Elizabeth
Radcliffe (Group Manager
Field Operations, EPA Victo-
ria) to discuss the level of
emissions in the Gippsland
region and with Tim Owen
(Manager Public Health, Pri-
mary Health and Planning,
Gippsland) to review the
current evidence for the im-
pact these emissions have
on the population. Both
Elizabeth and Tim are ex-
perts currently employed in
senior positions within their
respective fields.
The result of this process
provided the committee
with a summary of the cur-
rent best available evidence
and additional resources in
order to satisfy the require-
ments of this resolution.
Additionally, contact was
made with Michael Kitwood,
Senior Technical Officer and
Air Monitoring Specialist for
Aurecon, the company
under contract through
PowerWorks and the EPA
for air quality monitoring in
the Gippsland Region.
Michael was able to clarify
some specific questions re-
garding the techniques
used to monitor air quality
in the region.
Emissions from industry
within Gippsland, particu-
larly the power industry,
contribute significantly to
the overall human emis-
sions that the growing body
of evidence deems to be re-
sponsible for the green-
house effect, global
warming and climate
change. This is an ex-
tremely broad and con-
tentious issue and it is the
belief of this committee
that further discussion of
this topic is not warranted
in order to satisfy this reso-
lution.
However, there are two
specific types of emission
that have an important im-
pact on the natural environ-
ment of Gippsland.
The first of these is sul-
phur dioxide (SO2), which
in high levels contributes to
acid rain as seen in parts of
Europe where it has effects
on agriculture. The major
source in the Gippsland re-
gion is the combustion of
brown coal for electricity
generation.
Fortunately, the coal in the
region has low sulphur con-
tent and, subsequently, sul-
phur dioxide emissions are
relatively low, well below
the level deemed to be en-
vironmentally acceptable
by the EPA. The highest
recorded one hour average
is 0.16ppm, only 80 per
cent of the EPAs acceptable
standard of 0.20ppm. It is,
therefore, reasonable to
conclude the impact of sul-
phur dioxide emissions in
this region is relatively
small.
The second of the impor-
tant emissions with regard
to the environment is visi-
bility, measured as local vi-
sual distance (LVD). The
effect of this is predomi-
nately aesthetic but it also
acts as a proxy for particu-
late concentrations which
will be discussed in the fol-
lowing section.
The EPA State Environ-
ment Protection Policy
(SEPP) standard is 20 kilo-
metres visibility measured
as a one hour average with
three allowable ex-
ceedances per year. This
goal is breached consis-
tently and is clearly not met
as a region.
However, it is important to
recognise that this is simi-
lar to the visibility in Mel-
bourne and other regions
and there are many con-
tributing sources in addition
to industry.
The major contributor is
controlled fuel reduction
burns. The priorities of reg-
ular fuel reduction burning
take precedence over this
measure of air quality.
Other significant sources
include major dust storms,
which were the conse-
quence of prolonged
drought and local sources
such as trucking and pri-
vate motor vehicle use.
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ABOVE: Youth delegates at Synod were Jordan Breed, Lydia Jacka and Stanley Rad-
ford.
continued next page
from previous page
Standards for air quality
are outlined by the State
Environment Protection
Policies (SEPP), supported
by the Environment Protec-
tion Act. These standards
are based upon the best
current international scien-
tific research and, although
they are administered at a
state level, they represent a
national standard deter-
mined by the National Envi-
ronmental Protection
Measures (NEPM).
These standards are cur-
rently under review in light
of changes to the European
standards. This process is
extensive and will take
some time to reach a con-
clusion that can be trans-
lated into policy change.
In order to manage the
SEPP standards, the EPA in
conjunction with the power
industry operates several
air monitoring sites around
Gippsland. These sites in-
clude at risk sentinel areas
such as Jeeralang, which is
in the direct path of Loy
Yang power stations smoke
stacks under prevailing
winds, especially in stable
conditions.
Currently, these sites
measure sulphur dioxide,
nitrogen dioxide, ozone and
particulate matter.
Nitrogen dioxide is always
maintained at a level well
below both the SEPP stan-
dard and the average qual-
ity of Melbournes air and
thus does not contribute to
poor air quality in a major
way.
Similarly, sulphur dioxide
is mostly maintained at a
level well below the SEPP
standard and these are
comparable to Melbournes
levels over 24 hour aver-
ages. As the power industry
is the main source of SO2
and Jeeralang is in such a
vulnerable position, as dis-
cussed above, it is not sur-
prising that eight breaches
of the SEPP standard have
occurred at this site.
These were predominately
in the early 2000s with lev-
els up to three times the al-
lowable level. It is
important to note no
breaches have occurred in
towns in the region.
Ozone is generally consis-
tent across Gippsland with
no breaches of the SEPP
standard. Melbourne is the
main source and not local
industry.
Particulate matter is an
important factor in con-
tributing to the air quality
of the region and the health
of the population. This is
measured as Local Visual
Distance (LVD) and PM10.
As previously mentioned,
SEPP standards for LVD are
consistently breached.
Similarly, PM10 standards
are also breached. PM10 is
a measure of particulate
matter less than 10 microns
in size and this is an impor-
tant factor in determining
the health of a population.
The levels of PM10 are only
slightly higher than Mel-
bourne.
Until recently, the EPA and
industry has failed to collect
regular data regarding
PM2.5, a measure of
smaller particulate matter;
a separate and again im-
portant predictor of health
outcomes.
Industry has self-regu-
lated levels through corre-
lation data from visibility
with limited continuous
monitoring. The new site at
Morwell now measures
PM2.5 directly and data will
become available in the en-
suing months.
It is important to note that
while industry does con-
tribute to all particulate lev-
els, controlled fuel
reduction burns and bush-
fires significantly outweigh
these as a source.
According to the Victorian
Burden of Disease study,
the health of the Gippsland
regions population is very
similar to that of the state
averages. No specific peer
reviewed research has been
published regarding the
health of the Latrobe Valley
population since 1998, but
given the population simi-
larities, conclusions can be
made from state data with
notable exceptions such as
incidence of mesothelioma
resulting from industrial as-
bestos exposure.
Recent EPA research indi-
cates asthma rates in the
region are in concordance
with state averages.
Chronic respiratory dis-
eases account for seven per
cent of the overall burden
of disease in both men and
women. This is dominated
by chronic obstructive pul-
monary disease (COPD)
and asthma and these are
not necessarily related to
air quality.
Of all the risk factors for
overall burden of disease,
air pollution ranks ex-
tremely low, accounting for
0.1 per cent of the burden
of disease, which is less
than two per cent of what
tobacco smoke accounts for
(see Figure 1 above). While
this is urban data, as previ-
ously mentioned, this is
likely to correlate well to
this region.
In addition to tobacco
smoke, other much more
significant risk factors are
lifestyle related such as
physical inactivity, diet and
alcohol and drug intake.
The burden of disease that
is attributed to air pollution
includes lower respiratory
infections, heart disease,
stroke, COPD and lung can-
cer.
As mentioned many of the
most significant risk factors
for burden of disease are
lifestyle choices; 8.2 per
cent of the total burden of
disease in Victoria can be
attributed to tobacco. It is
important to note that 0.2
per cent is due to passive
smoking, double that of air
population.
The Latrobe Valley has the
second highest rate of
smoking in all regions of
Victoria and thus its impact
on disease in this region will
be necessarily higher.
Smoking is strongly linked
to socioeconomic status
and education, levels of
which are lower in this re-
gion in comparison to Mel-
bourne.
The power industry, along
with other major polluters,
is a major source of em-
ployment and income in the
region. If employment rates
were to be affected by
stronger emission restric-
tions placed on industry, it
is highly likely that over a
period of time the health of
the local population would
be more strongly affected
than by the current rela-
tively low levels of air pollu-
tion.
The future of Gippslands
employment opportunities
is unclear, especially as the
carbon tax approaches.
New industry should be en-
couraged in the region as
the resulting improvement
in overall socioeconomic
status would have a signifi-
cant effect on the popula-
tions health.
All new potential polluters
are subjected to best prac-
tice guidelines for low emis-
sions and these guidelines
are likely to result in low
emissions.
Conclusions and
recommendations
AFTER careful consultation
it is evident air quality in
Gippsland is equal to or
better than that of Mel-
bourne in many respects.
Particulate matter levels
are undeniably worse in this
region; however these are
increasingly carefully moni-
tored and they predomi-
nately result from not
industrial sources.
It is unlikely that emis-
sions have a significant en-
vironmental impact outside
the realm of the green-
house effect, global warm-
ing or climate change.
The contribution of air pol-
lution to the burden of dis-
ease is very low in
comparison to other
causes. Subsequently, com-
batting these causes is
more likely to result in a
positive change to the
health of the region.
It is therefore the recom-
mendation of this commit-
tee that the Anglican
Diocese of Gippsland ac-
tively investigates ways in
which it can aid in improv-
ing the overall health of the
population including:
Engaging with relevant
State and Federal Govern-
ment Departments (that is,
Department of Community
Development and FaHC-
SIA); and
Investigating other means
of local involvement (that
is, promoting Quit pro-
grams and promoting and
facilitating healthy eating
and lifestyle programs).
Major health risk factors
Mrs Marion Dewar and Mrs
Beth Delzoppo OAM
brought a motion to Synod
to recognise the efforts of
other organisations to re-
duce family violence and its
social effects.
The motion, NM2 read
That this Synod commends
all levels of government
(federal, state, local) and
Anglicare Victoria for their
stance on family violence
and the implementation of
programs to reduce family
violence and urge them to
continue their public high-
lighting of the importance
of this issue.
Following opening com-
ments I will speak about
the input of federal, state
and local governments
while the seconder will
speak about the work of
Anglicare in the prevention
of family violence, said
Marion Dewar.
I begin by acknowledging
this may be a difficult sub-
ject for some people pres-
ent.
In moving this motion of
commendation, it was my
intention to bring to the no-
tice of members of Synod
the deep social problem of
family violence, to draw at-
tention to some measures
being taken to combat it
and to hope community in-
terest will be maintained so
violence is no longer toler-
ated or perpetuated.
The motion is couched in
positive terms as Christians
should affirm what is good
in society.
The motion suggests that
members of Australian gov-
ernments at all levels and
of every political persuasion
stand together against fam-
ily violence believing, as do
Christians, that no person
should suffer violence, par-
ticularly from within the
family.
Mrs Delzoppo, in second-
ing the motion, said family
violence is recognised as a
significant social problem
within Australian society.
A majority of those expe-
riencing family violence in
Australia are women be-
tween the ages of 15 to 44
years in Victoria, she said.
Nearly two thirds of those
women end up with mental
health issues.
Around half of households
in which there is violence
contain children. Children
growing up with violence
are at increased risk of
mental health, behavioural
and learning difficulties in
the short term and of de-
veloping mental health
problems in later life, Mrs
Delzoppo said.
Residents of Latrobe suf-
fer from family violence at
twice the rate of the rest of
Victoria. Anglicare Victorias
Gippsland Legal Needs
Analysis shows unemploy-
ment, family violence and
child protection reports are
all significantly higher in
Gippsland than the rest of
Victoria.
Both women outlined the
extent of services provided
in Gippsland but cautioned
the reality of the needs ex-
ceeds the programs avail-
able. Other speakers at
Synod, supporting the mo-
tion, also advocated the
services available were
oversubscribed.
At Federal level
THE Family Law Legisla-
tion Amendment (Family
Violence and Other Meas-
ures) Bill 2011 introduced
two amendments to the
Family Law Act responding
to the Family Violence Re-
port. One sets out a new
and significantly broader
definition of family vio-
lence for the Family Law
Act. The other provides that
courts must, in determining
parenting matters, consider
evidence provided and find-
ings made in relevant fam-
ily violence order
proceedings.
Mrs Dewar spoke about
two measures to reduce the
effects of family violence.
The Proceeds of Crime Act
2002 provides a scheme
that allows confiscated
funds to be given back to
the Australian community
in an endeavour to prevent
and reduce the harmful ef-
fects of crime in Australia.
Applications for the 2011
Funding Round for special-
ist services to provide crisis
accommodation for women
and children escaping do-
mestic violence closed on
November 25. The Minister
for Home Affairs and Jus-
tice, the Hon. Jason Clare
MP, announced 31 success-
ful projects under this fund-
ing round on March 8,
2012.
In the last funding round,
20 projects related to fam-
ily violence, with four in
Victoria, totaling $500,000.
These are St Lukes Angli-
care Putting the Pieces To-
gether, in the Central
Goldfields area; The Royal
Childrens Hospital Founda-
tion Limited Mind the
Baby; CASA House (Centre
Against Sexual Assault),
Royal Womens Hospital
The 16 Songs for 16 Days
of Activism to End Violence
Against Women; and Kildo-
nan Uniting Care Parenting
After Violence.
The National Plan to Re-
duce Violence against
Women and their Children
2010 to 2022 brings to-
gether the efforts of gov-
ernments across the nation
to make a real and sus-
tained reduction in the lev-
els of violence against
women.
The Australian Govern-
ment has committed more
than $86 million to support
the implementation of the
plan.
The Commonwealth Gov-
ernments Office for the
Status of Women has infor-
mation on womens issues
and domestic violence.
At State level
THE Family Violence Pro-
tection Act 2008 makes
perpetrators more account-
able for their actions and
offers increased protection
for women and children
who are victims of family
violence.
Addressing violence
against women and their
children is a key priority in
Victoria. During 2011 and
2012, it is investing more
than $75 million in a range
of services and programs
specifically tackling family
violence and sexual assault,
including addressing the
underlying causes of this vi-
olence and to stop it from
occurring.
The next stage involves
the development of an Ac-
tion Plan, consistent with
the United Nations Declara-
tion on the Elimination of
Violence Against Women,
that will affirm violence
against women constitutes
a violation of the funda-
mental rights and freedoms
of women. Work on the Ac-
tion Plan Consultation
Framework began in Janu-
ary 2012.
In Victoria, the Depart-
ment of Human Services
and the Department of Jus-
tice are the responsible en-
tities.
The DHS provides support
services for people who
have experienced violence
and offers violence preven-
tion programs through the
following services: Family
Violence Prevention and
Support Services; Indige-
nous Family Violence Strat-
egy; Sexual Assault
Support Services; Victims
of Crime Services; and the
Integrated Family Violence
Strategy.
Services include individual
counselling, specialised
support groups and referral
services. These services
aim firstly to promote early
intervention to prevent the
occurrence or escalation of
family violence and, sec-
ondly, to prevent future oc-
currences of family violence
by offering post crisis sup-
port.
Further assistance is avail-
able for women seeking in-
tervention orders through
court support advocacy and
referral. These services also
provide support to children
to improve their coping
skills, self esteem and fos-
ter the development of non-
violent problem-solving
strategies.
The Victorian Equal Op-
portunity and Human
Rights Commission has in-
formation on legal issues,
womens rights and family
violence.
At local level
THERE are seven local
government areas within
Gippsland diocese: Baw
Baw, Bass Coast, Cardinia,
East Gippsland, Latrobe
City, South Gippsland and
Wellington.
Most local government
bodies rely on other service
providers to deal with fam-
ily violence issues and di-
rect the community to
these aid agencies.
DHS Family and Commu-
nity Support in the Gipps-
land region has primary
responsibility for 16 pro-
grams including: Best Start
including Aboriginal Best
Start; Family Services, in-
cluding Family Support In-
novation projects; Family
Violence Prevention; In-
digenous Family Violence
Strategy; Parenting Serv-
ices; Sexual Assault Serv-
ices; Telephone
Counselling; and Victims of
Crime.
Baw Baw service providers
include outreach and refer-
ral for women experiencing
violence and sexual assault.
Bass Coast programs offer
counselling and crisis sup-
port for people experienc-
ing family violence and
integrated social support
and advocacy services.
Bursting the Bubble is a
website for young people
who know or think that
maybe everything at home
isnt right, providing infor-
mation about options and
pathways if someone in
your family is hurting or
abusing you or another
member of your family,
said Mrs Dewar.
Cardinia offers a preg-
nancy to parenthood proj-
ect that aims to engage and
support the health and
wellbeing of pregnant
women and families with
infants who are at risk of
domestic violence, mental
illness, drug and alcohol
abuse.
East Gippsland offers legal
counselling information re-
ferral and support services
for Aboriginal victims and
survivors of family violence
and sexual assault along
with refuge and counselling
services for women and
children.
Latrobe City has had a
Community Safety Program
since the 1990s and is re-
sponsible for a range of ac-
tivities, in partnership with
the community and agen-
cies, including violence pre-
vention.
Assistance for those in
need is undertaken by local
government as it must be
by Christians as part of our
response to God, said Mrs
Dewar.
Anglicare Victoria also
runs programs to help
users of violence under-
stand the impact of their
actions and change their
behavior, said Mrs Del-
zoppo.
Anglicare also offers serv-
ices addressing both male
adult family violence and
adolescent family violence.
The primary concern of
these services is the safety
of women and children.
Anglicare recognises vio-
lence can be perpetrated by
adults and adolescents.
From 1999 to 2004, about
13 per cent of family vio-
lence incidents recorded by
Victoria Police involved a
child or step-child commit-
ting abusive acts against a
parent or step-parent.
In relation to this, Angli-
cares Meridian service is
committed to a reconcilia-
tory role between young
people and their families
who are experiencing diffi-
culty, aiming to strengthen
family functioning, prevent
family breakdown and pre-
vent youth homelessness
and youth suicide, Mrs Del-
zoppo concluded.
Conclusion
THIS motion aims to raise
awareness of family vio-
lence issues; affirm re-
sponses made by the
various levels of govern-
ment, either directly or
through nongovernment
service agencies, such as
Anglicare; and appeal for
continuing emphasis on the
gravity of the problem so as
to prevent family violence.
Synod passed the motion
as it was presented.
Synod supports programs reducing family violence
ABOVE: Marion Dewar (left) and Beth Delzoppo (right) ad-
vocate reducing family violence.
THE report on Aboriginal
Ministry was given to Synod
by Reverend Kathy Dalton
and Rev. Phyllis Andy
(right). What stood out
from the report was the ex-
tent to which the costs of
ministry were born by
Kathy and Phyllis.
In his presidents charge
on the Friday evening,
Bishop John McIntyre said
his priority for the following
year was raising money to
support Aboriginal ministry.
Rev. Kathy and Rev. Phyl-
lis, who were ordained
priest early last year, each
work a two day per week
stipendiary appointment.
Together they are respon-
sible for ministry to and
with Aboriginal people
throughout the Gippsland
diocese. They have devel-
oped a significant pastoral
ministry as part of their
priestly role within the com-
munity, with many in the
community seeking their
assistance, wise counsel,
prayer and support.
Rev. Kathy and Rev. Phyllis
spend much of their time
talking and listening with
individuals and families,
being with them in times of
need or special times, pray-
ing with them, bringing
words of scripture to them
in their homes and with
their children.
They are called on for any-
thing from travel assistance
and food needs, to assis-
tance with family matters,
prayer for the house and
surrounds, assistance in ac-
cessing government bodies
and dealing with Centrelink
and other government and
community instrumentali-
ties; and often just to help
sort out problems as they
arise.
Funeral ministry
BEING with families in
times of grief and loss is a
large part of their ministry,
assisting people with their
personal and family griev-
ing matters, with funeral
preparation, booking and
planning the service in
honor of the deceased per-
son.
It is significant that, since
2010, most Aboriginal peo-
ple across Gippsland and
beyond now look to Rev.
Kathy Dalton and Rev. Phyl-
lis Andy to conduct funerals
and memorial services for
their people.
Apart from the ministry of
now Bishop Arthur Malcolm
in the 1970s, Aboriginal
people have primarily
looked to white people to
provide ministry in times of
grief.
Leading worship
ST JOHNs Church at Lake
Tyers became part of the
Trust at its establishment in
1971. It remained a conse-
crated Anglican church and
the place for worship and
funerals for many families
at Lake Tyers Trust and
throughout Gippsland.
Rev. Phyllis takes a pri-
mary role in leading wor-
ship and funeral services at
Lake Tyers Trust. She is well
supported by Rev. Kathy
who works with her and of-
fers leadership at times
when she is not available.
Theology studies
REVEREND Kathy and Rev.
Phyllis have now com-
menced Certificate III in
Theology and Ministry,
studying through Wontulp-
Bi-Bunya College in Cairns.
They meet monthly for tu-
torials; usually at St Pauls
Cathedral in Sale. Both Joy
Sandefur and Graham
Vines are involved in tutor-
ing them.
are planning to attend the
residential study program
at Wontulp-Bi-Buya in June
and October this year.
Both spoke at Synod
about the study program
they are participating in.
Aboriginal
Ministry Act
LAST year, Synod voted to
establish an Act governing
Aboriginal Ministry, titled
The Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Peoples Min-
istry Act. Archdeacon Edie
Ashley said it was antici-
pated a full complement of
people would be appointed
to the Ministry Committee
prior to Synod 2012. She
reported that as an indica-
tion of the stresses within
the Aboriginal community,
one person who was keen
to be part of the committee
suffered a stroke, one per-
sons husband become crit-
ically ill, another key person
willing to be part of the
committee died suddenly.
This is not an uncommon
situation for Kathy and
Phyllis to be working within.
Please pray for them and
their communities,
Archdeacon Edie Ashley
said.
Looking forward
REVEREND Phyllis Andy
and Rev. Kathy Dalton will
continue to offer ministry to
and with Aboriginal people.
This will include taking fu-
nerals and ministry in times
of grief, celebrating bap-
tisms, marriages, Eucharist
and prayer; and pastoral
care to many people.
The diocese seeks to in-
crease the number of Abo-
riginal people involved in
ministry throughout Gipps-
land; to grow teams of peo-
ple in West, South, Central
and East Gippsland. This is
a key point for prayer.
They will work with Abo-
riginal community groups
and individuals. At all
times, they, with the sup-
port of the diocese, are
open to explore and initiate
effective and culturally ap-
propriate pathways for min-
istry, mission and pastoral
care with Aboriginal people
and communities.
Rev. Phyllis and Rev. Kathy
will continue their studies
through Wontulp-Bi-Buya.
The diocese will work with
to implement the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander
Peoples Ministry Act, as per
2011 Synod.
The diocese will explore
avenues to ensure ministry
by and with Aboriginal peo-
ple is on a financially sus-
tainable basis.
The diocese will continue
to find ways to respect Abo-
riginal people, their elders
and traditions as an integral
part of the mission of Jesus
Christ.
Aboriginal ministry
needs your support
Celebrate women
WOMENs roles in ministry in the Anglican church and, in
particular, in Gippsland diocese, were highlighted at Synod
by a motion presented from the floor on Sunday by Mr
Robert Fordham and the Dean, Dr Don Saines.
Motion NM/8 First Ordination of Women stated, That this
Synod, noting that 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of
the first ordination of women to the priesthood in the An-
glican Church of Australia: (1) gives thanks for the out-
standing service of women clergy in the diocese; and (2)
commends to parishes the diocesan celebration of this
milestone and this service, to be held at the Cathedral in
Advent this year.
Since the motion, Sunday, December 2, has been chosen
for a service at St Pauls Cathedral in Sale. The celebration
will begin at 2pm.
In speaking to the motion, Mr Robert Fordham said: We
are well aware of the importance and role of womens
ministry in this church; the significant role played by dea-
connesses, deacons and priests.
This motion supports the significant role played by
women clergy in this diocese and recognises the impor-
tance of holding a significant celebration later this year in
this diocese, to recognise womens ordination, he said.
The place of women in our church today is much richer
and more insightful, said Dr Saines, Dean of the Cathe-
dral and seconder for the motion.
I would like to see further changes in our church, in-
cluding using the skills of women to better communicate
and minister in our church.
John Delzoppo was one who remembered well the argu-
ments in Synod for and against the ordination of women.
It has been fascinating to see the progress made by
women in the Anglican church. Gippsland played a signif-
icant part in the history of the ordination of women, he
said.
Gippsland deaconesses were afforded a role in the
House of Clergy and voted with the House of Clergy.
Bishop Sheumack was shattered when many years ago
the House of Laity agreed to and the House of Clergy de-
nied women being ordained.
It was a measure of his grace that he was able to hold
his emotions in control and ask everyone for a period of
silence after that vote, Mr Delzoppo said.
Archdeacon Heather Marten, one of the first women to
be ordained in Victoria, praised Gippsland for its vision
and support of Bishop Cranswick who ordained dea-
conesses as deacons even in opposition from the rest of
the church.
Ordaining women has been a blessing for the church;
that every woman and man who felt a call to serve in the
church could be tested for that call, she said, calling to
mind (now) Archdeacon Sally Boothey, Reverend Caroline
Nancarrow and Deaconess Nancy Drew.
Reverend Canon Jeff Richardson recalled studying at Ri-
dley College 30 years ago with women who were studying
for an unknown future.
When I first moved to Gippsland, it was with trepidation
but I was overwhelmed and continue to be with the sup-
port from women deacons and priests living and working
here, he said.
ABOVE: Peggie Arthur (Mothers Union member) and Karin
McKenzie (MU Gippsland president) at Synod.
By Jeanette Severs
THREE resolutions ad-
dressing human sexuality
were tabled at Gippslands
36th Synod. Two of these
motions were on the
agenda and one (NM/6)
was tabled from the floor.
All the motions addressed
human sexuality and gen-
der relationships from the
resolutions raised, ad-
dressed and passed at
Lambeth and at General
Synod in Australia.
However, there were vari-
ations, in that the first two
resolutions, NM/4 and NM/5
addressed the resolutions
and the Australian Bishops
Protocol in part and called
for policy to be adopted at
Synod in Gippsland. The
third motion, NM/6, ad-
dressed the Australian Bish-
ops Protocol 15 in full but
did not call for policy to be
adopted.
It is obvious that NM/6 is
meant to enable further
discussion and conversation
about this issue, as con-
firmed by the seconder, the
Dean, Reverend Dr Don
Saines. He is also responsi-
ble for convening a listening
process in this diocese.
It appears from the argu-
ments raised that the issue
of passing policy on this
issue, as overtly sought in
NM/4 and NM/5, was of
concern to some at Synod.
The three motions were ad-
dressed concurrently and
speakers called on the Sat-
urday before Synod broke
up for evening prayer. On
the Sunday, when discus-
sion renewed, Synod was
depleted by some esti-
mated 40 per cent.
As a statement of think-
ing of the Anglican church
at the moment, it is the
best we have and I encour-
age you to support the mo-
tion, said Brian Norris,
Registrar of Gippsland dio-
cese and mover of NM/6.
I think what the bishops
are saying is this is what we
think at the moment. I
think the matter is a very
sensitive one and we need
to be understanding, sym-
pathetic and sensitive.
I think this motion brings
the view of the wider
church into our discussion
in this diocese. I think it is
an important [discussion]
we need to have with each
other, said the Dean, Dr
Don Saines.
This motion, over the
others, enables us to con-
tinue to have discussion
and read and interpret
scripture on this matter.
In terms of social ethics,
we Anglicans have also had
our views tempered by the
love of each other and the
love of God, he said.
Peter Anderson, mover of
NM/5 said in his right of
reply: I tried in my first
speech to say to you, my
parish council wants this
situation debated and I ask
you to vote to enable this to
happen.
Rev. David Head, of Hey-
field parish, spoke against
NM/4 and to some extent
NM/5 and NM/6, particu-
larly addressing the inter-
pretation of homosexuality
within these motions and
opposition to same sex
marriage.
I do not have the choice
and I find the interpretation
of homosexuality an offen-
sive statement, he said.
I do not experience my-
self; I am. I do not have a
homosexual orientation, I
am a homosexual.
I find that most people do
not want to listen to me.
The word homosexual is not
used in scripture; it is a
word derived not more than
100 years ago, Rev. Head
said.
I have been a minister for
30 years and I ask why
anyone could say God has
not blessed my ministry.
Mrs Val Jones of Lakes En-
trance and Metung parish
said this was an incredibly
difficult issue for anyone.
The church has always
faced social issues. Do we
bend to social mores? I
dont know, she said.
In my religion, I believe
God did not establish a
church organisation, he
came to establish a King-
dom. I speak in favor of
keeping our hearts and our
minds open.
Rev. Greg Magee, of Bass
Phillip Island parish, re-
minded those present that
Lambeth 1998 was an in-
ternational conference of
bishops that came to un-
easy decisions.
I speak against NM/4 and
NM/5, he said.
Lambeth 1998 was per-
haps the most belligerent
and fractious gathering of
bishops. The resolution that
so many people put so
much store by [Lambeth
1998 Resolution 1:10] was
a result of that gathering.
Mrs Sue Fordham, of Pay-
nesville parish, spoke about
the relevance of scripture
and bible teachings of cen-
turies ago, to todays soci-
ety.
I oppose NM/4 and
NM/5, she said.
Accepting a statement
that homosexual practice
as incompatible with scrip-
ture comes from a people
centuries ago, where socio-
logical and scientific knowl-
edge was far different. In
accepting one inconsistent
interpretation of scripture,
we should accept inconsis-
tencies such as slavery,
polygamy and concubity;
collective punishment and
capital punishment; kid-
nap; curse; offering ones
virgin daughters to visitors
as a form of hospitality.
I note that Jesus was
silent on the issue of
sodomites, she said.
We need God and we
need one another. It would
be highly irregular for
members of this Synod to
vote on this issue if they
have broken the literal
scripture interpretation of
no divorce.
Rev. Jenny Ramage spoke
with passion and asked
what gives those present
the right to point a finger.
We fall back on scripture,
on tradition that is not rele-
vant, she said.
Are we going to continue
to throw rocks at each
other or are we going to
love one another? Are we
going to care and love one
another?
I stand before you as a
woman who stands here for
the Grace of God; but the
God who walked beside me,
who is loving and warm. In
Romans: Why do you de-
spise your brother or sis-
ter? I will not point the
finger at anybody. I need
the Grace of God and I
know that everyone else
has too.
Rev. Tom Killingeck, of
Bruthen parish, spoke in
favor of being informed and
enabled to speak.
In the past few months I
have been involved in a lot
of reading and conversa-
tions about this subject, he
said.
I have not changed my
mind, but I am definitely
better informed.
However, I believe there
are standards to which we
are held and by which we
live. I hold the Bible is writ-
ten by men, yes, but they
wrote with the influence of
God.
I find myself in a conflict-
ing position when I look at
these motions, because I
think there has to be a time
for debate and reflection
and discussion.
Rev. Janet Wallis, of Leon-
gatha parish, spoke in favor
of all three motions.
I stand before you as a
woman who has been bro-
ken by the practices of this
church, she said.
I have spent my entire
adult life reading and re-
flecting on the issue of ho-
mosexuality but I still
believe it is wrong. I still
walk alongside homosexual
people and offer them the
love of God.
I support all three of
these motions. I support
adopting policy and I sup-
port further discussion.
I urge you not to get
upset with one another and
we agree to differ, said
Malcolm Wilson to Synod.
God stands outside scrip-
ture. We are all broken but
Jesus was broken for me so
I dont have to remain bro-
ken. We need to look to
Jesus.
It seems to me all three
motions seek the same two
objectives, said Archdea-
con Philip Muston, of War-
ragul.
But I believe NM/6 is the
one that enables ongoing
discussion. I would support
NM/6.
Lawrie Argus, of Yarram
parish, remembered the
many years of debate in
Synod, when scripture was
used as a means of argu-
ing women were unfit to be
clergy and cautioned using
scripture in a similar way.
Synod then went into re-
cess and resumed the fol-
lowing day.
Rev. Tony Wicking, of
Bairnsdale parish, spoke in
favor of the motions but
said he felt fearful about
these issues.
I support all the motions.
Yesterday, I heard the pain
of David Head, the passion
of Jenny Ramage and the
heartache of Janet Wallis,
he said.
My fear is that we are
here to proclaim the Gospel
of God and I would like to
have had more debate on
the scripture. We have here
more of a feel good debate.
I think we need to go
deeper than what we have.
Certainly, society does
change and we must keep
in mind the Word of God is
relevant yesterday, today
and tomorrow.
My second fear is the role
fo the bishop [Bishop John
McIntyre]. I support his
right to appoint but he
seems to have acted unilat-
erally without knowing the
mind of Synod, Rev. Wick-
ing said.
Until we as a Synod, as a
Church, are able to make a
decision on this, it disturbs
me the bishop will act uni-
laterally.
The thing these motions
are saying to the bishop is
hold off until we have
made a decision and to
avoid the bishop acting uni-
laterally.
[Editors note: Rev. Wick-
ing is referring to Bishop
John McIntyre appointing a
priest to a parish in Gipps-
land earlier this year, a
priest who is living in a
same sex relationship.]
Canon Barb Logan, of
Lakes Entrance parish,
spoke of the need to live in
communion with each
other.
When we discuss issues
that have such wide views,
I am concerned we will not
be in communion with each
other, she said.
I remind you NM/4 and
NM/5 seeks us to support
and adopt policy. NM/6 re-
minds us the bishops of
Australia have agreed to
not step outside this agree-
ment but to continue dis-
cussion without being
adverse to each other.
God is love so the only
words we can speak must
be love, she said.
In his right of reply, mover
of NM/4, Mr Kim Eason, of
Bairnsdale parish, spoke
about the importance of
Synod.
I suspect most members
here believe that Jesus calls
us to witness to his teach-
ing and one of the most
powerful tools available to
us is our vote in Synod, he
said.
Synod voted against NM/4
and NM/5 and in favor of
NM/6.
NM/6 Australian Bishops
Protocol 15: That this
Synod receives Protocol 15
of the Australian Bishops
Conference dated 13 March
2012 and notes the agree-
ment of the bishops in the
Australian Church that they
accept the weight of 1998
Lambeth Resolution 1.10
and the 2004 General
Synod resolutions 33, 59
and 61-64 as expressing
the mind of the Anglican
Church of Australia on is-
sues of human sexuality.
The Bishops Protocol 15 is
on the next page of The
Gippsland Anglican.
Human sexuality discussed
THE annual meeting of
Australian bishops earlier
this year agreed to a set of
protocols on human sexual-
ity, conforming to the 1998
Lambeth resolutions. Proto-
col 15 is included here, in
full, to enable readers of
The Gippsland Anglican to
understand its import and
intent. It is included as
written.
Protocol 15 2012
Ministerial
appointments
AS bishops in the Aus-
tralian Church we accept
the weight of 1998 Lam-
beth Resolution 1.10 and
the 2004 General Synod
resolutions 33, 59 and 61-
64 (attached to this proto-
col) as expressing the mind
of this Church on issues of
human sexuality.
We undertake to uphold
the position of our Church
in regard to human sexual-
ity as we ordain, license,
authorise or appoint to min-
istries within our dioceses.
We understand that issues
of sexuality are subject to
ongoing conversation within
our Church and we under-
take to support these con-
versations, while seeking to
maintain the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace.
Agreed 13 March 2012
Resolution I.10 of the
1998 Lambeth Confer-
ence
This Conference:
a. commends to the
Church the subsection re-
port on human sexuality
[1];
b. in view of the teaching
of Scripture, upholds faith-
fulness in marriage be-
tween a man and a woman
in lifelong union, and be-
lieves that abstinence is
right for those who are not
called to marriage;
c. recognises that there
are among us persons who
experience themselves as
having a homosexual orien-
tation. Many of these are
members of the Church and
are seeking the pastoral
care, moral direction of the
Church, and Gods trans-
forming power for the living
of their lives and the order-
ing of relationships. We
commit ourselves to listen
to the experience of homo-
sexual persons and we wish
to assure them that they
are loved by God and that
all baptised, believing and
faithful persons, regardless
of sexual orientation, are
full members of the Body of
Christ;
d. while rejecting homo-
sexual practice as incom-
patible with Scripture, calls
on all our people to minis-
ter pastorally and sensi-
tively to all irrespective of
sexual orientation and to
condemn irrational fear of
homosexuals, violence
within marriage and any
trivialisation and commer-
cialisation of sex;
e. cannot advise the legit-
imising or blessing of same
sex unions nor ordaining
those involved in same
gender unions;
f. requests the Primates
and the ACC to establish a
means of monitoring the
work done on the subject of
human sexuality in the
Communion and to share
statements and resources
among us;
g. notes the significance of
the Kuala Lumpur State-
ment on Human Sexuality
and the concerns expressed
in resolutions IV.26, V.1,
V.10, V.23 and V.35 on the
authority of Scripture in
matters of marriage and
sexuality and asks the Pri-
mates and the ACC to in-
clude them in their
monitoring process.
1. Called to Full Human-
ity - Section 1 Report
Subsection 3 - Human
Sexuality
Human sexuality is the gift
of a loving God. It is to be
honoured and cherished by
all people. As a means for
the expression of the deep-
est human love and inti-
macy, sexuality has great
power.
The Holy Scriptures and
Christian tradition teach
that human sexuality is in-
tended by God to find its
rightful and full expression
between a man and a
woman in the covenant of
marriage, established by
God in creation, and af-
firmed by our Lord Jesus
Christ. Holy Matrimony is,
by intention and divine pur-
pose, to be a life-long,
monogamous and uncondi-
tional commitment between
a woman and a man. The
Lambeth Conference 1978
and 1998 both affirmed
marriage to be sacred, in-
stituted by God and blessed
by our Lord Jesus Christ.
The New Testament and
Christian history identify
singleness and dedicated
celibacy as Christ-like ways
of living. The Church needs
to recognise the demands
and pressures upon both
single and married people.
Human beings define them-
selves by relationships with
God and other persons.
Churches need to find ef-
fective ways of encouraging
Christ-like living, as well as
providing opportunities for
the flourishing of friendship,
and the building of support-
ive community life.
We also recognise that
there are among us persons
who experience themselves
as having a homosexual
orientation. Many of these
are members of the Church
and are seeking the pas-
toral care, moral direction
of the Church, and Gods
transforming power for the
living of their lives and the
ordering of relationships.
We wish to assure them
that they are loved by God,
and that all baptised, be-
lieving and faithful persons,
regardless of sexual orien-
tation, are full members of
the Body of Christ. We call
upon the Church and all its
members to work to end
any discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation,
and to oppose homophobia.
Clearly some expressions
of sexuality are inherently
contrary to the Christian
way and are sinful. Such
unacceptable expression of
sexuality include promiscu-
ity, prostitution, incest,
pornography, paedophilia,
predatory sexual behaviour,
and sadomasochism (all of
which may be heterosexual
and homosexual), adultery,
violence against wives, and
female circumcision. From
a Christian perspective
these forms of sexual ex-
pression remain sinful in
any context. We are partic-
ularly concerned about the
pressures on young people
to engage in sexual activity
at an early age, and we
urge our Churches to teach
the virtue of abstinence.
All human relationships
need the transforming
power of Christ which is
available to all, and particu-
larly when we fall short of
biblical norms.
We must confess that we
are not of one mind about
homosexuality. Our variety
of understanding encom-
passes:
those who believe that ho-
mosexuality is a disorder,
but that through the grace
of Christ people can be
changed, although not
without pain and struggle.
those who believe that re-
lationships between people
of the same gender should
not include genital expres-
sion, that this is the clear
teaching of the Bible and of
the Church universal, and
that such activity (if unre-
pented of) is a barrier to
the Kingdom of God.
those who believe that
committed homosexual re-
lationships fall short of the
biblical norm, but are to be
preferred to relationships
that are anonymous and
transient.
those who believe that the
Church should accept and
support or bless monoga-
mous covenant relation-
ships between homosexual
people and that they may
be ordained.
It appears that the opinion
of the majority of bishops is
not prepared to bless same
sex unions or to ordain ac-
tive homosexuals. Further-
more many believe that
there should be a morato-
rium on such practices.
We have prayed, studied
and discussed these issues,
and we are unable to reach
a common mind on the
scriptural, theological, his-
torical, and scientific ques-
tions which are raised.
There is much that we do
not yet understand. We re-
quest the Primates and the
Anglican Consultative
Council to establish a
means of monitoring work
done in the Communion on
these issues and to share
statements and resources
among us.
The challenge to our
Church is to maintain its
unity while we seek, under
the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, to discern the way of
Christ for the world today
with respect to human sex-
uality. To do so will require
sacrifice, trust and charity
towards one another, re-
membering that ultimately
the identity of each person
is defined by Christ.
There can be no descrip-
tion of human reality, in
general or in particular, out-
side the reality of Christ.
We must be on guard,
therefore, against con-
structing any other ground
for our identities than the
redeemed humanity given
to use in him. Those who
understand themselves as
homosexuals, no more and
no less than those who do
not, are liable to false un-
derstandings based on per-
sonal or family histories,
emotional dispositions, so-
cial settings and solidarities
formed by common experi-
ences or ambitions. Our
sexual affections can no
more define who we are
than our class race or na-
tionality. At the deepest on-
tological level, therefore,
there is no such thing as a
homosexual or a hetro-
sexual; therefore there are
human beings, male and
female, called to redeemed
humainty in Christ, en-
dowed with a complex vari-
ety of emotional
potentialities and threat-
ened by a complex variety
of forms of alienation.[12]
12. An examination of the
theological Principles Af-
fecting the Homosexual De-
bate, St Andrews Day
Statement 1995.
Anglican Church of Aus-
traliaGeneral Synod
Resolutions
Resolution 33/04 Child
Protection 1
The General Synod:
(a) receives the report of
the Child Protection Com-
mittee;
(b) adopts as the Churchs
Safe Ministry Policy State-
ment:
The Anglican Church of
Australia is committed to
the physical, emotional and
spiritual welfare and safety
of all people, particularly
within its own community.
The Church will:
carefully recruit and train
its clergy and church work-
ers;
adopt and encourage safe
ministry practices by its
clergy and lay church work-
ers;
respond promptly to each
concern raised about the
behaviour of its clergy and
lay church workers;
offer pastoral support to
any person who has suf-
fered abuse; and
provide pastoral support
to and supervision of any
person known to have
abused a child or another
vulnerable person.
(c) adopts the Safe Min-
istry Check in the Report of
the Child Protection Com-
mittee as the national ap-
plicant and referee
questionnaires for the se-
lection of ordination candi-
dates and for the screening
of clergy and church work-
ers who have contact with
children in their ministry;
(d) authorises the revision
of the Safe Ministry Check
by the Standing Commit-
tee;
(e) adopts Faithfulness in
Service in the Report of the
Child Protection Committee
as the national code for
personal behaviour and the
practice of pastoral ministry
by clergy and lay church
workers; and
(f) authorises the revision
of Faithfulness in Service by
the Standing Committee.
59/04 Faithfulness in
Service
That the General Synod
hereby approves Faithful-
ness in Service as the code
of conduct for observance
by Bishops.
61/04 Sexuality & Gen-
der Relationships 1
That this General Synod
1. notes the Lambeth Con-
ference resolution 1.10 of
1998 on human sexuality
and subsequent develop-
ments in various parts of
the Anglican Communion;
2. welcomes the publica-
tion of the study guide to
Faithfulness in Fellowship;
3. urges Dioceses to pro-
mote the use of the study
guide and also commends
to the Dioceses the Doc-
trine Commissions recently
published essays Lost in
Translation as they explore
the importance of Scripture
in our understanding of this
issue; and
4. requests Dioceses to
commit themselves to lis-
ten as the Church develops
a Christian response to the
contemporary experience of
human sexuality.
62/04 Sexuality and
Gender Relationships 2
Recognising that this is a
matter of ongoing debate
and conversation in this
church and that we all have
an obligation to listen to
each other with respect,
this General Synod does
not condone the liturgical
blessing of same sex rela-
tionships.
63/04 Sexuality and
Recognising that this is a
matter of ongoing debate
and conversation in this
church and that we all have
an obligation to listen to
each other with respect,
this General Synod does
not condone the ordination
of people in open commit-
ted same sex relationships.
64/04 Sexuality and
This General Synod wel-
comes the initiative of the
Federal Parliament in clari-
fying that marriage, at law
in this country, is the union
of a man and a woman to
the exclusion of all others,
voluntarily entered into for
life.
Source:
www.anglican.org.au
Protocol 15 on human sexuality
Diocesan calendar
2012
International Year of People of African Descent, National Year of
the Farmer, National Year of Reading
June
2 Lay Reader training, 9.30am to 4pm; Korumburra; contact
Reverend Jenny Ramage, Rev. Tony Wicking and Rev. Bruce
Charles; register at Registry, 03 5144 2044
13 Mothers Union June Join In; St Marys Morwell; 9.30am to
3pm; Karin McKenzie, 03 5662 2148
14 Safe Ministry Training; 7.30pm to 9.30pm; St Pauls
Cathedral, Sale; The Many Faces of Trauma with Brian
Norris; contact Archdeacon Heather Marten or Registry
office to register, 03 5144 2044
15-17 Exploring our churchs heritage, a retreat led by June
Treadwell, local historian; Abbey of St Barnabas, ABeckett
Park, Raymond Island
16 Safe Ministry Training; 10am to 12pm; St Peters
Leongatha; The Many Faces of Trauma with Reverend Sue
Jacka; contact Archdeacon Heather Marten or register with
Registry, 03 5144 2044
28 Intentional Pastoral Practice seminar; 8.45am;
Bishopscourt, Sale; contact Archdeacon Heather Marten or
Registry office, 03 5144 2044
28July 1 Womens 35 and Mens 34 Cursillos; Blackwood House,
Gippsland Grammar school, Sale; contact http://www.face
book.com/#!/group.php?gid=28438694822
2930 Growth in Ministry Intensive; 8am and overnight, staying
at Bishopscourt, Sale; contact Archdeacon Heather Marten,
03 5144 2044
July
June 28July 1 Womens 35 and Mens 34 Cursillos; Blackwood
House, Gippsland Grammar school, Sale; contact
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=28438694822
7 Diocesan teaching day for clergy and lay readers,
Interpreting Scripture, with keynote speaker Reverend Dr
Dorothy Lee, Dean of Trinity College Theological School,
Melbourne. 2pm to 4pm, Christ Church Drouin. Contact
Dean Don Saines, 03 5144 2020
7 Lay Reader training; 9.30am to 4pm; Moe; contact
8 Diocesan teaching day for clergy and lay readers,
Interpreting Scripture, with keynote speaker Reverend Dr
Dorothy Lee, Dean of Trinity College Theological School,
Melbourne; 2pm to 4pm; St Pauls Cathedral, Sale; contact
Dean Don Saines, 03 5144 2020
8 The Mission to Seafarers Sunday Day Appeal 2012
2426 Remembering ABeckett Park and embracing tomorrow; a
retreat led by Archdeacon Ted Gibson and Annabel Gibson;
Abbey of St Barnabas, ABeckett Park
25 Blessing of Ena Sheumack House; Abbey of St Barnabas at
ABeckett Park, Raymond Island; 12 noon, with lunch to
follow. Bookings for lunch, RSVP 03 5144 2044
August
35 Mens retreat led by Reverend John Stewart, Robert
Fordham and Rev. Brian Turner; Abbey of St Barnabas,
ABeckett Park
4 Lay Reader Training; Bairnsdale; 9.30am to 4pm; contact
1819 Fire and Creative Written Expression; workshops led by
Archdeacon Philip Muston and Sue Fordham; Abbey of St
Barnabas, ABeckett Park, Raymond Island
21 Mothers Union executive meeting; Morwell; 9.30am to
11.30am; contact Karin McKenzie, 03 5662 2148
22 Barry Marshall Memorial Lecture presented by Trinity
College, Melbourne; guest speaker Michael Kirby AC CMG;
topic Religion and Sexuality: Uncomfortable Bed Fellows;
6.30pm; Melbourne Brain Centre, Royal Parade, Parkville;
enquiries 03 9348 7127
31 to Sept. 2 Retreat on the Spirituality of Spring, led by
Reverend Anne Turner; Abbey of St Barnabas, ABeckett
September
Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 Retreat on the Spirituality of Spring, led by
Reverend Anne Turner; Abbey of St Barnabas, ABeckett
9 Back to Church Sunday
11 Mothers Union Gippsland annual general meeting;
Leongatha; 9.30am
1416 Workshops on Wind and Music, led by Fay Magee and Dean
Dr Don Saines; Abbey of St Barnabas, ABeckett Park
2528 Mothers Union invitation week, ABeckett Park
Infromation as provided to The Gippsland Anglican for printing.
By Jeanette Severs
SYNOD decided to make overseas
and Aboriginal mission aid a prior-
ity for Gippsland diocese, passing
motion NM/7: That the Gippsland
Synod includes budget items com-
mitted to both overseas mission
and Aboriginal mission in every
budget.
The motion was brought by Rev-
erend Dr Graham Toohill and Mrs
Sue Lester.
I was very encouraged by the
Presidents charge on Friday
evening, calling us to support Abo-
riginal and overseas aid, said Dr
Toohill.
Regarding Aboriginal ministry, I
think we need to put our pocket
where our mouth is and provide the
funds necessary to support Kathy
[Dalton] and Phyllis [Andy] in their
roles, he said.
Regarding overseas aid, I encour-
age you also to dig deeper.
Last year, when I brought half this
motion to Synod, it was passed but
when it got to Bishop in Council, it
decided not to action the direction
of Synod.
Mr David Gover, of Maffra parish,
was one of many attendees who
spoke in favor of the motion.
I support the motion absolutely
and wholeheartedly, he said.
Mission to me means action and I
dont see much action, or passion,
in Synod. I think we should ask
Bishop in Council for a business
plan to be developed.
Having been a campaigner for so-
cial justice, my concern is this could
be something that makes you feel
good but does not go far enough,
said Reverend Bruce Charles, of
Moe parish.
Vote for it but do not feel good
that it is enough. We need to find
better ways of doing something
thoroughly than at Synod, which, to
me and on its history, is not effec-
tive at actioning social justice.
Reverend Greg Magee opposed the
motion, citing concerns that action
would mean parishes would need to
give twice for mission.
It burdens Bishop in Council in a
way it does not operate and it ex-
pects parishes to give twice, directly
and indirectly, he said.
Reverend Jenny Ramage said peo-
ple needed to be more diverse in
their support.
We are called to give as we feel
we can, she said.
I would like us to support Phyllis
and Kathy not just with a few dol-
lars each week, but by walking be-
side them and by talking with them
about their role.
The Registrar, Brian Norris, re-
minded Synod of the one per cent
budgetary item committed to Abo-
riginal ministry by Bishop in Coun-
cil; and further support from BiC
through supporting the Sudanese
church at Moe and overseas aid to
Gahini diocese in Rwanda.
In his right of reply, Dr Toohill
spoke about discipleship.
Jesus said all authority on heaven
and earth has been given to me. Go
and make disciples of all nations.
Jesus love, truth and grace should
be experienced by all and we should
support this motion to enable that
to happen, Dr Toohill said.
The motion was passed by Synod.
ABOVE: Reverend Tony Wicking, of Bairnsdale parish, with Ms Rowena Ar-
monstrong, QC, Chancellor of Syod.
Discipleship a means
to mission and aid

June 2012 Our Diocese - The Abbey of St Barnabas 19
By Sue Fordham
MORE than 50 people
packed into Illawarra to
take part in a Q and A on
the environment, moder-
ated by ABC Radio Gipps-
lands Gerard Callinan, on
Thursday, May 17, at the
Abbey of St Barnabas at
ABeckett Park.
The rules of engagement
were spelled out up front:
the audience had to keep
shoes on and not throw
them at the speakers; and
questions would be taken in
an orderly fashion.
The speakers, two Bishops
and a Dean, were Gipps-
lands own Bishop, John
McIntyre, Bishop Kay
Goldsworthy, assistant
Bishop in the diocese of
Perth and Dean of St Pauls
Cathedral in Sale, Dr Don
Saines.
The program began with a
statement by each of the
speakers before questions
were taken from the audi-
ence.
Bishop John began with an
admission the church had
been slow to respond to en-
vironmental issues and that
part of the problem was the
way in which church people
read the Genesis story of
creation. In other words, is
our role to have dominion
over creation, to subdue it
or to till and tend it?
Bishop John explained that
fundamental to being
human is the way in which
we engage with the whole
of creation, including the
environment of which we
are an integral part.
Bishop John referred to a
passage in the Book of
Chronicles and so the land
had its Sabbath following
the removal of humankind
from it. This, he said, was
an indication the earth
needed a time of recovery
from the miss-tending of it
by people and that if we
wanted to grow in spirit we
needed to take our proper
place in the creation.
Bishop Kay referred to the
concept of the fallow year
and suggested that not only
did the land need periodic
resting, so, too, did people.
She spoke of the environ-
ment as a force that in one
sense shapes people but
that in another is beyond us
and unknowable.
We cant always subdue
or change the environment,
but in our small ways, con-
serving the use of electric-
ity or setting up worm
farms as examples, we can
care for it. God is in the
small things as in the big
things. Our need is to tend
and respond, Bishop Kay
said.
Gerard Callinan was impa-
tient of the concept of a
fallow year. He wanted the
panel to be more proactive.
Will you chain yourselves
to Hazelwood, for exam-
ple? he asked.
Dean Don introduced the
idea of sustainability to
bring balance to the all or
nothing that has charac-
terised parts of the debate
surrounding energy
sources, timber harvesting,
water provision, agricultural
practices and land use. He
said scripture indicated the
achievement of wholeness
was at the heart of the way
humanity needed to live;
that care for the world also
encompassed care for peo-
ples livelihood and the
need was to find a proper
balance.
This was a relief to two
timber workers who had
come along to present the
case for their employers
who they saw as responsi-
ble in harvesting timber
sustainably, replanting and
maximising use of the prod-
uct to avoid waste. They
also argued for the jobs of
people engaged in timber.
The timber workers and a
dairy farmer attending were
encouraged by Bishop John
who said the balance be-
tween jobs and the envi-
ronment had to be argued
for with governments re-
sponsible for compensation,
alternative job creation and
support for sustainable al-
ternatives where they ex-
isted.
Bishop John told the story
of an old timber man from
Orbost who expressed
anger at the new practices
of clear felling that he saw
as threatening the viability
of the future of the timber
industry. His generation of
timber men had been con-
servers of timber, he be-
lieved, because they
realised that using it sus-
tainably was the only way
to guarantee their future.
Bishop Kay spoke about
the issues surrounding min-
ing that impacted particu-
larly on her state (Western
Australia). On a micro level,
she talked about the eco-
audits being conducted by
parishes, intended to save
the environment as well as
parish costs and create an
awareness of responsible
use of resources among an
ever widening group of
people.
Finally, Bishop John was
asked to frankly and with-
out the gloss explain why
the Abbey had been estab-
lished. He admitted that, as
well as having a genuine
personal interest in the en-
vironment, when he came
as bishop to Gippsland he
was confronted with a dio-
cese riven by the question
of what to do with ABeck-
ett Park.
If I went with those who
advocated selling, I would
have alienated half the dio-
cese; similarly, I would
have alienated the other
half the diocese had I gone
with those who advocated
the status quo. And then, I
had a growing conviction
that the place was ideally
suited to be a place for spir-
ituality and the environ-
ment.
I believe that this grow-
ing awareness was of God.
The Abbey is the expression
of that belief, Bishop John
said.
ABOVE: On the panel for
the Q and A on the envi-
ronment were Dean of St
Pauls Cathedral in Sale,
Reverend Dr Don Saines,
Gerard Callinan as facilita-
tor, Bishop Kay Goldsworthy
of Perth diocese and Bishop
John McIntyre of Gippsland
diocese.
Photo: Edie Ashley
Abbey alive with
questions and answers
ABOVE: Canon Amy Turner and Reverend Greg Magee at-
tended clergy conference at the Abbey of St Barnabas at
ABeckett Park.
Photo: Edie Ashley
Abbey to celebrate
women and men
GIPPSLAND diocese is celebrating womens ministry on
July 25 with the dedication of Ena Sheumack House at 12
noon in a service at the Abbey of St Barnabas at ABeck-
ett Park on Raymond Island.
The Dedication will be followed by a light lunch. All are
welcome and invited to be present for this special dedica-
tion.
Contact the Registry office, 03 5144 2044 to RSVP.
Mens retreat
THE Abbey Development
Group is offering a retreat
for men of the diocese,
from Friday, August 3 to
Sunday, August 5.
Retreat organiser, Mr
Robert Fordham, said the
diocese was fortunate to
host Reverend John Stew-
art (right) as the retreat
leader.
John is a well known An-
glican priest who has a long
interest in spirituality and
the issues men face in their
daily lives. he said.
He completed a research project for his Masters degree
based on working with men and has continued an interest
in this work. He speaks regularly to mens groups and
leads weekends.
He is the Director of the Living Well Centre for Christian
Spirituality and is an Associate Priest at St Georges
Malvern. During the weekend there will be an opportunity
for some input, some group and personal reflection and
sharing, and appropriate worship.
Joint hosts for the weekend are Reverend Brian Turner
(telephone 0408 216965) and Robert Fordham (telephone
0413 807966). For further information, telephone Brian
or Robert.
To book for the retreat, telephone the Abbey, 03 5156
6580.
Contributor: Robert Fordham
For further information about the range of programs on
offer at the Abbey of St Barnabas on Raymond Island, or
to book for one of the workshops or retreats, contact The
Abbey, telephone 03 5156 6580, email
info@theabbey.org.au or search online at www.the-
abbey.org.au
20 Our Diocese - Parish Pictorial June 2012
Ians journey as a Christian
PROFESSOR Ian Harper, one of Australias
best known economists, recently visited
Wonthaggi to speak at a Rotary club din-
ner. Ian, a committed Christian, has
worked closely with governments, banks
and corporate and leading professional
services firms for many years. He also
served as inaugural chairman of the Aus-
tralian Fair Pay Commission.
Ian has written a book, Economics for
Life, which reflects on the meaning of life,
money and what really matters (reviewed
by The Gippsland Anglican in 2011.) This
book won the SPCK award for Australian
Christian Book of the Year. Ian is currently
working as an economics consultant.
At the Rotary Club dinner, Ian gave an in-
teresting speech on the present global and
local economic outlook and the implica-
tions for Victorian growth.
Wonthaggi/Inverloch Anglican Church had
a mens breakfast and Ian was able to
speak to a large audience about his jour-
ney as a Christian with his family and the
ways he is able to bring those Christian
values and influences to the workplace.
Ian and his wife, Roslyn, attended our
combined worship service with a shared
lunch afterwards.
Contributor: Jill Price
ABOVE: Reverend Graeme Peters, Profes-
sor Ian Harper and parishioner Marguerite
Menon at the combined lunch at Inverloch
Church of the Ascension.
Photo: Jill Price
Frocks and glamor at Bairnsdale
ABOVE: The annual Johnnos Fashion Pa-
rade was as successful and enjoyable as
ever, held in Bairnsdale parish recently.
The fashions were outstanding and the
eight models relaxed and having fun as
well. The compere, Joy Brand, was not al-
ways supplied with the right information.
The unusual table decorations were made
by Joyce St John and drew many com-
ments and good food was served, as peo-
ple have come to expect. The Outreach
Centre Johnnos is doing very well and
being constantly admired by customers
since its new premises was opened. Pic-
tured: Dorothy Scott, Mandy Vandenhoff,
Kathy Grabenweger, Collette Thomson, Di
Thomas, Linda Davies, Toni Knowles and
Rachel Vandenhoff were the models at the
fashion parade.
Photo: Ursula Plunkett
Mothers Day in
Orbost parish
ABOVE and below: Orbost parish hosted a Mothers Day
breakfast, cooked by Reverend Bevil Lunson and others
and served by men of the parish. This year, 36 women,
some from St James congregation, other denominations
and others from the community, enjoyed breakfast.
Contributor/Photos: Barbara Lunson
ABOVE: A post World Day of Prayer lunch was hosted by
St Johns on May 3, organised by Marie Stripp. attended
by members of various churches in the Bairnsdale district.
The main speaker at the lunch was Bruce Thomas of An-
glicare, who spoke of his work as program manager of
community services in Gippsland. Bruce introduced
Sascha Karner, a lawyer, who has recently joined the team
in Gippsland. Sacha spoke about how he can help with
legal problems. Pictured: Sascha Karner, Marie Stripp and
Bruce Thorne.
Contributor/Photo: Ursula Plunkett
Lunch with Marie

The Gippsland Anglican June 2012

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Published in Gippsland Diocese since 1904

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