WORLDWIDE PHOTOS Ltd The Religious Media Agency

WEEKLY NEWS REVIEW

January 23, 2003

INDEX

AUSTRALIA: 1. ACC RALLIES TO HELP CANBERRA FAMILIES (Chrstn Life Centre-Cnb) 2. ANGLICANS IN CANBERRA (Anglcn Media Sydney) 3. YWAM OUTREACH IN MELBOURNE (Transforming Mlbrn) 4. MISSIONBEAT SERVICE UPGRADES FOR FUTURE (Mission Australia) 5. ST STEPHEN’S CELEBRATES AUSTRALIA DAY (St Stephen’s UC) 6. SALVOS APPEAL FOR DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS (Slvtn Army News)

OVERSEAS: 7. SCOTTISH CHURCHES SET PACE FOR UNITY (Methodist Recorder) 8. CRICKETERS URGED TO TAKE A STAND (Methodist Recorder) 9. BISHOPS WANT EVIDENCE: WAR IS NECESSARY (Church Times) 10. WESLEY RANKS AMONG TOP BRITONS (UMNS) 11. CALL FOR KIRK’S FIRST FEMALE MODERATOR (CWM) 12. DIOCESES SUPPORT AGREEMENT (ACC) 13. HELP WOMEN ESCAPE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (Taiwan Church News) 14. ORGANISED RELIGION AT ALL TIME LOW (EP News) 15. “CLIFF THE MUSICAL” DATES ANNOUNCED (Sir Cliff Richard News)

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1. ACC RALLIES TO HELP CANBERRA FAMILIES (Chrstn Life Centre-Cnb) The National President of the Australian Christian Churches, the Rev. Brian Houston, has appealed to the association of Assemblies of God, for financial and prayer support “for those who have lost their and belongings, as well as churches that have suffered severe damage”. Following the Bali bombings in October, AOG churches across Australia donated 10 percent of their offerings over one weekend to the victims of the Bali bombs. Collectively they were able to give over $123,000 to help those affected by the tragedy, offerings which were over and above the normal amount. Mr Houston said he was asking them to do the same again by giving 10 percent of the offerings taken up this weekend, as he believed “together we can make a difference in the lives of those who are in need at this time.”

2. ANGLICANS IN CANBERRA (Anglcn Media Sydney) Although there has been no damage to Anglican Church property so far, 12-13 Anglican parishioners are known to have lost their homes in the Canberra fires. Diocesan officials expect the number to increase markedly. Mr Brian Norris, personal assistant to Bishop George Browning, Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn, says that plans are underway to conduct an open air ecumenical service next month, so that victims, their friends and the Canberra community as a whole may be able to share in prayer for those who have suffered loss and show them their compassion and support. Anglicare Disaster Emergency officials from the Diocese of Sydney have contacted the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn with offers of help where it is appropriate.

3. YWAM OUTREACH IN MELBOURNE (Transforming Mlbrn) Breaking with the normal pattern, students on the current Discipleship Training School (DTS) at the Youth With A mission Melbourne base will not be going to any exotic location for their 3 month outreach. Instead they are focusing on urban outreach in Melbourne! The team of about 15 will be working with local church networks in the cities of Frankston, Darebin and Port Phillip to reach out to local communities. This will include acts of kindness to residents, visiting pubs, community places and homes, using music and drama, pointing people to Jesus and the local churches – as well as involvement in Sunday services and a lot of praying. YWAM expect this commitment to the local Church in Melbourne to be an on-going focus of their base.

4. MISSIONBEAT SERVICE UPGRADES FOR FUTURE (Mission Australia) Missionbeat drivers using ‘palm pilots’ to record homeless data while on their rounds, is one of several improvements planned for the Sydney homeless service in the coming months, according to the community organisation, Mission Australia. The improvements are designed to upgrade the level of care offered to clients, and to promote greater efficiencies between the various homeless agencies active in the inner city. Mission Australia’s State Manager, ACT & NSW, Mr Nick Hortle, said the changes would make one of Sydney’s best known and important homeless services, even better.

5. ST STEPHEN’S CELEBRATES AUSTRALIA DAY (St Stephen’s UC) St Stephen’s Church in Macquarie Street, Sydney, has arranged a special program to celebrate Australia Day, on January 26, from 9.00 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the heart of the city. The Rev. Bill Ives invited everyone in the City to join in the celebration of the national spirit in words and music. A Morning Celebration will be held from 10.00 a.m. to 11.15 a.m. featuring “Australia – the Land and its People”; “The Aussie Disposition”; the “Church in Australian Life” and “Our Commitment to Australia”. In the afternoon from 4.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m., presentations will include “Songs of Australia”, “Australian Characters”, :Towns of Australia” and “Australian Entertainment”. Light Refreshments will be available, including “Pikelets with Jam and Cream” and even “Vegemite Sandwiches!”

6. SALVOS APPEAL FOR DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS (Slvtn Army News) The Salvation Army is providing relief to fire fighters and those fleeing the fires in Northern Victoria with specialised food, drink and emergency assistance. They have provided more than 500 air beds for fire fighters in the area. Lt. Hank Mechielsen said they have support vehicles, staff and volunteers working in all the Victorian fire fighting areas and have provided bedding and other essential items for 250 fire fighters based at Omeo and 500 people facing evacuation. Their funds have already been depleted this summer and they are very concerned at the demands the coming weeks will bring to their resources. Donations can be sent to ‘The Salvation Army Disaster Relief Fund’ through their Credit Card Line – phone 13 32 30; Via the internet or by posting a cheque to The Salvation Army, Box 9888, in any capital city

7. SCOTTISH CHURCHES SET PACE FOR UNITY (Methodist Recorder) Scotland is setting the pace towards Church unity in the United Kingdom. Presbyterians and Episcopalians are reported to have come to an agreement about bishops which is described as “quite outstanding” through proposals emerging from seven years of ecumenical work by the Scottish Church Initiative for Union (SCIFU). This group is regarded as leaving English Church unity plans trailing well behind. The Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), the Episcopal Church of Scotland (Anglican), the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church are being asked at their assemblies, synods and Conference this summer to endorse the SCIFU proposals leading to the goal of full visible unity, although such union could take at least 10 years to achieve.

8. CRICKETERS URGED TO TAKE A STAND (Methodist Recorder) Zimbabwean Church leaders have urged their country’s cricket players not to take part in the controversial World Cup fixture in Harare on February 13. Christians Together for Justice and Peace, an umbrella group for Zimbabwean Christian groups, called for the Zimbabwean Cricket Union to “stand in solidarity with our suffering, oppressed and neglected people and to play the World Cup matches outside this country”. Refusing to play in Harare would be to take a stand for honour and principle, the group said. It was a stance which the group believed would win the cricketers “greater acclaim and respect in the eyes of all fair-minded people throughout the world than the shame and condemnation which would otherwise be their due”.

9. BISHOPS WANT EVIDENCE: WAR IS NECESSARY (Church Times) The House of Bishops in Britain, in its strongest statement yet on Iraq, has told the Government that the case for war has yet to be made. It describes as “premature and ill-judged” any move to begin military action before the UN weapons inspectors have done their work. “We do not believe the evidence presented to date suggests a clear link between Iraq and al-Qaeda, or that Iraq poses an immediate threat to international security,” says the statement. “Without compelling evidence to the contrary, we contend that military action could not be morally justified.” The bishops urged the British Government to work within the UN framework, and all nations to co-operate fully with the weapons inspectors; and they call on Iraq to present credible evidence showing that it does not have weapons of mass destruction.

10. WESLEY RANKS AMONG TOP BRITONS (UMNS) Plans to mark the 300th anniversary of the birth of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, have received a boost in England. Late last year, a major BBC poll to find the “Greatest Britons” of all time saw Wesley come in at No. 50 in the top 100 names. In the run-up to the start of a significant year for Methodism, this indicated that Wesley’s reputation as a great religious leader might actually enjoy much wider recognition than many of us had assumed. And, hopefully, by the end of 2003 – in Britain, America and all countries with a Methodist presence – Wesley’s name will enjoy even greater significance.

11. CALL FOR KIRK’S FIRST FEMALE MODERATOR (CWM) The Council for World Mission has reported that a group of the most prominent women in the Church of Scotland has issued a letter calling for the Kirk’s general assembly to appoint a female moderator, the Herald newspaper reported. Among the 140 signatories were at least 20 ministers and a number of deacons who expressed their surprise and regret that even though women have been eligible for the post since 1969, a man has always been elected. Kathy Galloway, the first female head of Scotland’s Iona community said: “In a church that is two-thirds women and where women have distinguished themselves considerably in civic society, it seems anomalous, to say the least, that we are in this situation.” There is usually a handful of candidates nominated for the post, and women have been nominated in the past, but never voted in. Last October Margaret Forrester was passed over for the job in favour of Iain Torrance, sparking criticism.

12. DIOCESES SUPPORT AGREEMENT (ACC) Half of the Anglican Church of Canada’s 30 dioceses have now ratified an agreement on residential schools reached last November between the church and the federal government. The agreement, which must be ratified by all the dioceses sets up a $25-million fund from which compensation for proven claims of sexual and physical abuse at the church-operated native residential schools will be paid. General Synod and all the dioceses are expected to contribute to the fund. To date no Anglican diocese has rejected ratification of the agreement.

13. HELP WOMEN ESCAPE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (Taiwan Church News) Prominent Christians in Taiwan have called for the church to take action against the growing culture of violence towards women, Taiwan Church News reported. Reported incidents of domestic violence have increased from 18,000 in 1999 to nearly 30,000 in 2001. The women’s ministries committee of the Lutheran Church in Taiwan convened a seminar at Chin Li Hall in Taipei and invited Prof Chen Ruo-jang from Tsing-hwa University and several social service workers to make presentations. About 50 women attended. Prof. Chen challenged churches to establish halfway houses, emergency shelters, and temporary childcare centres for victims of violence. At the same time, the church could give training and long-term support for abuse victims, she said.

14. ORGANISED RELIGION AT ALL TIME LOW (EP News) A survey that tests views on religion in America, has found that the public’ s perception of organised religion is at an all-time low. The most recent reading of the Gallup Index of Leading Religious Indicators is the most negative since the index began in 1940. To compile the index, researchers surveyed American adults throughout the year. Last year only 52 percent of Americans gave clergy either very high or high marks on their ethical standards, compared to 64 percent the previous year. The index also showed a sharp decline in the confidence Americans have in organised religion. While in 2001 60 percent of Americans said they had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in organised religion, in 2002, that number had declined to only 45 percent.

15. “CLIFF THE MUSICAL” DATES ANNOUNCED (Sir Cliff Richard News) The full dates for “Cliff The Musical”, based on Sir Cliff Richard’s life and featuring four different Cliff’s, have been announced! “Cliff The Musical” began rehearsals in early January. It has been created and devised by Trevor Payne, Colin Rozee and Mike Read. Directed by Trevor, the musical has been written by Mike. The Musical will take place in Liverpool (5th-8th February); Sunderland (12th-15th February); Manchester (19th-22nd February); Derby (24th-26th February); Doncaster (27th-28th February); Chemlsford (4th-8th March) and in the Prince of Wales Theatre, London, from the 12th of March for a limited season. Sir Cliff Richard commented: “I wish I was in it!”

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