International Micah Sunday

Sunday October 15 is International Micah Sunday. It is a day that Christian around the world unite to stand up and be a voice against poverty, injustice and oppression. It is a day for us to stand under the call in Micah 6:8...

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what
does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to
walk humbly with your God.

and meditate on what it means live this. It is a day to remember the heart of God that is breaking as he sees a world where men, women and children are mistreated in the name of greed, and the earth is exploited in the name of self-benefit. It is a day to remember he has put his people in charge of doing something(s) about it.

If you have not explored what the Micah Challenge is about, or have not signed the Micah Call, please take time out today to do so. Why not find out what events are happening near you in your country for Micah Sunday and join in?

At Pendle Hill Baptist Church we are having a Micah service. And being the last weekend of the holidays the kids will be in the whole service. I am really looking forward to it. All the songs, the sermon, prayer, info packs, kids talk, and audio-visual will be focused on the Micah Challenge. There will also be the MAKE POVERTY HISTORY white arm bands for sale, and tables set up at morning tea for families and individuals to write letters to their local Member of Parliment asking them to keep the federal government accountable in keeping their promise to meet the MDGs. I can't wait! If you're local to Sydney, why not join us for this 9:30am service?

Lunch

It was lovely today to meet up with Philip Johnson and his darling wife Ruth, Matt Stone and Paul and talk shop... I mean blogging. I see Matt regularly at the moment, and I bumped into Philip last semester at college, but the last time I saw Ruth must have been at the Katoomba Winter Magick Festival 2 years ago! It was great to meet Paul. Best of luck with your studies.

And can I just say... the food was great! I had the roasted pumkin, caramelised onions and guyriure (forgive my spelling) cheese tart with a sparkling white, followed by a vanilla bean creme brulee served with strawberry coulios and a latte. Yummmm.

A different sort of Christmas

As the over-eating and creditcard-spending season... I mean Christmas season begins (Yes, the shops say its Christmas, so I am not too early!), its time to start thinking what gifts are going to be given this year. Instead of the extra shirts, jewellery and CDs, how about buying or requesting these sorts of pressies:

• Adopting an endangered animal for a year, water saving shower heads, etc. - WWF
• Fairtrade tea, coffee, hot chocolate, spices, toys, etc. - Oxfam
• goats, toilets, school supplies, etc. for poor communities - TEAR
• crop pack, cataract operation, etc. for poor communities - Baptist World Aid Australia

If people have other organisations that do unreal & different gifts, let me know!

Weddings

Weddings a such a big job to organise! I can see why people employ wedding planners for their big day. This week alone I, mum, and 1/2 dozen friends have been sewing bridesmaid dresses, lining flowergirl dresses, making all the flower arrangements, and making the invitations... When am I going to get to the assignments I need to do for college?

I love it though! Wouldn't have it any other way. If you have a chance, feel free to pray for me getting everything, especially college work, done. Thanks :)

Angels

A couple of years ago I wrote an article on angels for church leaders and pastors seeking to connect with the general angel-believing population of Australia.

To view this article, click here and click on the article in the 'downloads' box.

miniture earth

Rodd Jefferson kindly shared his findings of this great site. It is great for showing what wealth, poverty, and resources, etc. are actually like on this planet, but percentaging it's population to 100 people.

Check it out! http://www.miniature-earth.com/

Petition for peace-keepers

A Dev-Zone Development Issues Update [29 Sept, 2006]:

Demand UN peacekeepers be sent to Darfur NOW! Thousands of people in Darfur (West Sudan) are still being raped, killed and displaced from their homes, despite the signing of a peace agreementon 5 May 2006. The UN says around 23,000 peacekeepers are needed to protect civilians and implement the peace agreement. Sign this petition to demand the peacekeeping force be sent NOW. Add your blue helmet to the peacekeeping map. http://amnesty.textdriven.com/home/index_darfur.php?lang=en

Thanks for your action!

For more info on the latest in Sudan, check out these articles from Amnesty.

Why still Temple theology??

Where did the church develop its Temple theology from? In the Old Testament worship was centred around the Temple, as that is where all the sacrifices and such happened, and where the glory of God dwelt. But as revealed in the New Testament, Jesus taught that the Temple was ready to be destroyed and he is the new Temple, as sacrifices are no longer needed, he being the final atoning sacrifice. Thus making it possible for us the commune directly with God and worship him without the necessity of priests and such. Jesus also taught that people no longer needed to go to a specific place to worship, as what was important was the heart of our worship, not the location or rituals.

Now I am not saying that traditions and places of worship are bad. I believe that the Scriptures also exhorts believers to meet together for prayer, worship, support and encouragement.

What I am saying is that we have fallen back into pre-Christ worship patterns, making the going to church the crux of worship, rather than the crux being the spirit and truth of worship, as displayed in generosity, love, compassion, charity, mercy, justice, brotherly kindness, etc. We have made the Sunday morning/night attendance at a building the mark of our Christianity, rather than making our everyday actions and attitudes the mark of our Christianity.

DC Talk once said:

The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians - who honour Jesus with their lips, walk out of the door, and dishonour him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

More info on the Sudan crisis

For those interested in reading a little more on Sudan, I contacted my friends at Baptist World Aid Australia (Les Fussell and Scott Higgins), who knew more than me, and sent this info:

For what the Australian government is doing (thank God they're doing something):
1. http://www.smh.com.au/news/NATIONAL/Downer-to-visit-Canada-US/2006/09/17/1158431582972.html
2. http://www.ausaid.gov.au/media/release.cfm?BC=Media&ID=2849_1718_1540_7164_3403

For more info on the Sudan crisis itself:
1. http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=3060
2. http://www.acfid.asn.au/about/policies/s_sudan.htm

At the third link there is more info on how to get more involved in advocacy as well.

The life and legacy of Steve Irwin

As I awaited the furniture removalist van to arrive today I became glued to the TV set watching Steve Irwin's memorial service live from Australia Zoo. Looking past the impressiveness of the PM's speech and the celebrity condolences, I was moved to tears by the life and legacy of Steve.

The overarching impacts on me were inspiring. Steve was known throughout the world for being real. So many of the tributes shared by those in the service or played in the service expressed his real bravery. As Kevin Costner so well shared, his bravery was not in his skillful handling of mighty creatures, but his honesty in a world so fearful and critical of honesty. He was genuine, real.

Secondly, he knew his purpose in life. In one interview of Steve replayed, he shared passionately that he knew he was put on this earth for the purpose and message of conservation of wildlife. In another clip, with broken rib and busted fingers, he ecstatically announced he had achieved his mission. No doubt as he stood before his Lord and Saviour this last week (he became of follower of Jesus just one month before his passing), God would have be saying to him, "Well done good and faithful servant. You have accomplished what I asked of you." He knew his purpose, and he was passionate about achieving it.

Thirdly, he was loud and far-reaching in his message. Steve purposed to educate the world on conservation and bring it to the agenda. Russell Crowe shared in his tribute that Steve's passing had been on the news in America for a full week. He said of this, "This shows, mate, that you got your message across." What a powerful statement about Steve life. He got his message across, to all corners of the globe. He got his message across, and he got it wide-spread.

FInally, Steve was known to be a profoundly faithful and loving husband, father, son and friend. He was labelled a great family man and mate by so many, that they even declared that Steve had been an example for them in their own relationships. I can't think of anything more powerful. He was loving and faithful to his family and friends.

Steve's life impacted incredibly on thousands of people and animals around the world. And his legacy, I admit, has imbeded into my own life. As David Wenham recited in a poem at the end of the service, it is now our turn, it is up to us to honour all he did and was about, by continuing in his work.

I don't know about you, but I want to continue in his work. I want to be real, to be passionate about my purpose in life, to get my message across, and to be loving and faithful in my relationships. May God bless all those who are grieving Steve at this time.

History does not need to repeat itself!

I can't believe the devastation we allow to happen in our world!?! Only twelve or so years after the horrendous genocide in Rwanda, history is repeating.

Genocide is now happening in Sudan and the Congo, and on a small scale in Zimbabwe and the international community is silent again.

This has been going on for months, if not years, and I am embarrased that I have only found out about it this week. Embarrased because our national media hasn't taken it up as an issue. Emabarrased because our churches are not "speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves". Embarrased that our governments are keeping their attentions focused on our own national interests.

Please join me in writing to or visiting our local federal politicians: fervently petitioning them to move our governments to put pressure on these countries that are allowing genocide within their borders.

When we are silent, out hands are also stained with the blood of the innocent.

On the move

I have been undergoing the huge task of moving house this week. It is always such a draining and daunting experience. Though, the opportunity to set up a new home is always a joy for me! With getting married at the end of the year, David and I have bought a house in outer Melbourne, and are now setting it up. It is amazing the bargains you can find on eBay and smaller furniture stores when you're strapped for cash! Just awaiting the backing-loading truck to arrive...

When will ecological action enter the gospel debate?

In my Aid & Development class last night we were looking at the church's involvement and beliefs over the past 2000 years in Christian mission, with particular discussion on the relationship between evangelism and social action. It seems that both have been seen as important and revelant expressions of Christian faith, as expressed by Augustine, Basil the Great, John Crysostom, the Wesleys, Wilberforce, the Booths, Martin Luther King Jr, etc.

But for some reason, that understanding changed early 20th century. Since then with WCC and Lausanne conferences and the like discussing this relationship between evangelism and social action, the debate has raged for close to a century. Surely 1900 years theology and practice, let alone the teachings and examples of Christ himself (eg. Matthew 5-7; Matthew 28:16-20; Matt 21:33-46; Matthew 25; John 4) are enough evidence to prove that both one's verbal and nonverbal message express their convictions and faith!?

As we were discussing these in class, I began to ponder the third role of the churches mission: ecological action. When I was once asked why I considered the activities of the church to include environmental welfare, I replied, "God gave people three commands at the beginning of time: worship God; love people; steward the earth."

When we consider the kingdom of God, surely the earth has its place. After all, Scripture does talk about giving the earth sabbatical years of rest (Torah) for the sake of nutrients and allowing the poor and animals to eat of its produce freely; and it talks about the earth groaning because of the corporate sins of the people, such as land and resource exploitation, which in turn makes the rich more greedy and the poor more oppressed. Even the concept of Jubilee as discussed in Leviticus of the Torah gives the earth a sabbath of sabbaths (50 years), and the poor get their family land back after losing it through debt, sickness or whatever.

God's heart goes out the earth and poor, oppressed people, and he promises to reverse injustices at the end of time. But he also promises to judge us for our conduct. Are we, am I, living a life that reflects my faith in God? Am I, are we, showing his concern through the ethical, just, and life-giving lives we live? When will ecological action enter the debate?

Create to Advocate

On Saturday I went on a journey with a few friends across to Manly. Its time again for the Manly Arts Festival, and there are many exhibitions, etc. all happening over there this month.

Our destination (other than an ice-cream shop) was the William Street Studios, Fairlight. We came to experience the Create to Advocate exhibition. You check out all the details at: http://www.smallboatbigsea.org/arts/ :

"30,000 children die each day from extreme poverty. We have the resources, knowledge and opportunity to end this shameful situation. The Make Poverty History Campaign calls world leaders to honour their commitments to the Millennium Development Goals, an eight-point plan for tackling poverty. Now it's our turn to speak up through art to Make Poverty History. Small Boat's Annual Spring Art Exhibition this year will be in partnership with Micah Challenge and Make Poverty History as part of the Manly Arts Festival. Exhibition Opening times can be found below. Selected art works will be chosen to be exhibited in Parliament House in Canberra for International White Band Day."

I was very impressed by most of the art I saw. There were genuine expressions of the plight of many impoverished people around our world. No doubt the Canberra exhibition will be bigger and better. I hope our politicians view the exhibition and respond in time for the election in 2007, increasing the aid budget towards the target they agreed to (0.7% GNP rather than the 0.3% they give now).

The exhibition continues next weekend, click the link above to find out where and when.

Getting Married

David and I are getting married in December, which gives me great joy (as well as a lot of organising to do)! We have bought a modest house and look forward to setting up home there before flying off to live in Africa. Fortunately for us, the house is so modest that the rent that will come in will pay the mortgage!

God is always good in the ways He blesses us. But He likes us to surrender all our dreams and aspirations to Him first. I can tell you, it is much more rewarding when after letting go to God your dreams and aspirations, He brings greater and more fulfilled dreams and passions into your life!! He brings more than we could ever possibly hope for, achieve or imagine. And He does it after we have been humbled before Him and loving to towards others (less focused on ourselves).

Here is the photo of David proposing to me, after he flew to Sydney as a "surprise". He stayed at my parents (surprising them aswell) and had to hide behind the couch when I popped in for a few minutes unannounced. Too funny!

"The poor will always with be with you."

... and so will our opportunity and responsiblilty to respond to them!

I was just reading the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY site and read the about the difference the $4billion Howard promised to overseas aid over the next five years, a promise he made at the UN Summit in September, will actually make. Read the pdf by clicking on the purple words "boost in aid" on the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY site.

I am somewhat baffled by Christians who use the phrase "the poor will always be with you" as a cop-out to not doing anything about poverty (spiritual, physical, emotional, etc)!

From my understanding, Jesus said that as a response to an ignorant group of people that judged a woman's worship. The Jesus I read about in the Bible was revolutionary in the fact that He modelled actually doing something about poverty: HEALING people so that they could work and earn, EXCORSING people to release them from spiritual torment, FEEDING people spiritually and physically, RAISING people from the dead physically and emotionally.

Jesus talks about the kingdom of God being like a man holding a lavish banquet and sending his servant to gather people from the streets, the waysides, the lonely and outcast places, and bringing them in to eat, be accepted and valued, to be without want.

Yes, the poor (collective) will always be here. But what about the child the dies this moment, and the one that dies in three seconds time, and the one that dies in three seconds time, from poverty, that we can do something about???

The dying art of letter writing...

This week Stephen and Steph in jest commented on the formality of a thank you letter I sent them: it "sounded like a had a chicken up my bum." I was somewhat taken aback, though amused, by the comment.

Recently I decided to uptake again, what I percieve to be, the dying art of letter writing. In a world of business and technological communication, we have lost the sense and sensibility of handwritten cards, notes and letters. We have forgotten the etiquette of writing a thank you note for a meal shared or a kind deed rendered. We have lost the significance of prioritising the time to write a letter, or make a call to a friend or family member as a sign of love, care, responsibility and friendliness.

I was brought up writing thank you letters for gifts, and writing letters to friends and relatives, most significantly for the purpose of respect: of the person and of the social "to do". Language was also very important. When I was quite young, my letters were to be written first as a draft, so I could be checked for and rehearsed in the conventions of correct grammer and language. I still take particular note of the conventions and elegant language when writing. I have set aside Monday nights to write, looking forward to writing letters of friendship and love, cards or notes of thanks, and expressing my heart to those separated from me by distance. In this I am unapologetic.

How lovely it is when we open the mail box to find a personal letter, with a handwritten address, from a relative or friend! Let me leave you with some other's thoughts on the matter...

"What cannot letters inspire? They have souls; they
can speak; they have in them all that force which expresses the transports of
the heart; they have all the fire of our passions. They can raise them as
much as if the persons themselves were present. They have all the
tenderness and delicacy of speech, and sometimes even a boldness of expresion
beyond it." Heloise To Abelard

"It is the immemorial priviledge of letter-writers to
commit to paper things they would not say: to write in a more grandiose manner
than that in which they speak: and to enlarge upon feelings which would be
passed by unnoticed in conversation." C.S. Lewis

"Something happens to our thoughts and emotions when we
put them into a letter; they are then not the same as spoken words. They
are placed in a different, special context, and they speak at a different level,
serving the soul's organ of rumination rather than the mind's capacity for
understanding." Thomas Moore

And now, I will bid you good health, and continue to take up my pen (a beautiful Venetian Murano glass ink-dipping pen my father recently brought me back from Venice) and continue on my merry writing way... adieu

This time Matt inspired me...

Matt posted a blog on Religious Barbies. This reminded me of one of my fav sites, and a chick I really want to buy.

Introducing... Feral Cheryl

"Here she is, the anti-Barbie, fresh from the rainforests of Northern New South Wales, Australia.
This 34 cm vinyl doll runs barefoot, dreadlocks her hair with coloured braids and beads, wears simple rainbow clothes, has piercings and a range of tattoos, and even a bit of natural body hair.
Feral Cheryl is modelled on the green extremists, known as ‘ferals’ from Australia.
In contrast to the ‘fashion doll’ mentality, Feral Cheryl does not have an extensive wardrobe, or high heels, or swimsuit, or gym gear, or wedding dress or cheerleader outfit. She needs no sports car or hairdressing salon, no disco stage or shopping mall.
Her motto is "Live Simply, Run Wild". Her only accessories: a bag of home grown herbs*, a sense of humour and a social conscience.Each Feral Cheryl doll is individually crafted with a variety of coloured beads, bindis and a range of tattoos, so there are no two exactly the same.

* the doll comes with a small stash of dried basil."

Isn't she fabulous!!

Semianniversary

David and I will be celebrating our semianniversary this Saturday (6 months anniversary, but anni means year, so have adopted semi make up my own word). Yeah! Should be a good day & weekend.

(All smiles)

The scariness of "inspiring" Matt

Matt Stone is such a funny man, especially when he is "inspired"... you never quite know what to expect!

Matt said my last post, When the joke is no longer funny..., "inspired" him. Check out the crazy stuff he found: Thank God these guys weren't gospel writers!

Oh Matt, you make me laugh.