WORLDWIDE PHOTOS Ltd

The Religious Media Agency

WEEKLY NEWS REVIEW

February 20, 2003

INDEX

AUSTRALIA: 1. HUMANITARIAN ACTION MOST EFFECTIVE STRIKE (Wesley Mission-Syd) 2. QLD PROJECT FOR “YEAR OF OUTBACK YOUTH” (Wesley Mission-Brsbn) 3. SAFE MINISTRY – A MATTER FOR ALL PARISHES (Tasmanian Anglican) 4. AWAKENING EXPO DAY IN BRISBANE (Awakening Qld News) 5. SARC FELLOWS LAUNCHED (Anglicare Tasmania) 6. NEW MINISTRY CO-ORDINATOR FOR NSW (The Aust Christian)

OVERSEAS: 7. DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ (Assyrian Alliance ) 8. MOZAMBIQUE’S FLOODS & FOOD SHORTAGE (Disaster News Ntwrk) 9. THE NAME OF GOD IN MONGOLIAN (Bible Society Mongolia) 10. CHURCHES TO EMPHASISE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES (IBS) 11. CHURCH’S 10-YEAR COMMITMENT TO HABITAT (UMNS) 12. MOZAMBIQUE’S FLOODS & FOOD SHORTAGE (Disaster News Ntwrk) 13. ‘SMALL GROUPS GROWING CHURCHES’ TOUR (Scripture Union UK) 14. LIVE IN PEACE (Christian Herald) 15. EVANGELICALS READY TO RE-ELECT BUSH (Barna Research Group)

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1. HUMANITARIAN ACTION MOST EFFECTIVE STRIKE (Wesley Mission-Syd) The Superintendent of Wesley Mission, Sydney, the Hon Rev Dr Gordon Moyes AC MLC claims western nations, including the US and Australia, should pursue a third course of action if they wish to successfully address the crisis over Iraq. Dr Moyes said nations should not be motivated by revenge but engage in a “pre-emptive humanitarian strike” where major international aid organisations flooded Iraq with food and medical supplies – a third way amidst the current posturing. He said: “It is easy to chant ‘No more war’, but it is another thing to know what to do with an international terrorist threat. Can we have a pre-emptive humanitarian strike? That is, bomb them with bread and butter, medical supplies and international aid from welfare organisations?”

2. QLD PROJECT FOR “YEAR OF OUTBACK YOUTH” (Wesley Mission-Brsbn) A youth and community project in Cunnamulla opening next week, on Wednesday February 26, will be the first project endorsed by the Outback Triennium: “Year of Outback Youth”. The Cunnamulla Rock Caf © will provide vocational training for young people, a desperately needed social centre for the town, an outlet for local artists, an internet & IT centre and a place for young people. Cunnamulla is located 794km West of Brisbane, in south-west Queensland, near the New South Wales and South Australian borders. The Caf © is an initiative of the local Uniting Church in Cunnamulla in partnership with Wesley Mission Brisbane. For further information, phone Mark Jeffery on 0419 732 583 or Wendy Ferguson on 0413 909 008.

3. SAFE MINISTRY – A MATTER FOR ALL PARISHES (Tasmanian Anglican) The “Diocesan Code of Practice for the Protection of Children Within our Churches”, and the Safe Ministry accreditation processes developed from it, has put ministry to children and young people into the spotlight in the Diocese of Tasmania. In response to Bishop John Harrower’s call that all active clergy and enablers were to be accredited according to the Safe Ministry protocols, a diocesan programme of Safe Ministry accreditation was implemented. The number of parishes which have undertaken the task of screening and accrediting their own people has increased, and the general feeling in those parishes is that it has been a worthwhile and positive experience to do so.

4. AWAKENING EXPO DAY IN BRISBANE (Awakening Qld News) With the worsening Global situation, the words “hope, peace and reconciliation” are likely to be in short supply in the coming months, but the Awakening group in Brisbane says: “Let’s ask ourselves, will the Easter Message go missing right at the time when it’s most needed?” An Awakening Expo Day will provide workshops on: The Easter March on Easter Sunday – to publicly witness the resurrection as the source of hope and reconciliation; Bringing the churches together to transform their region; Running Festivals, Prayer Vigils, drama, clowning, puppetry, balloon sculpture, face-painting and more. Awakening Expo Day, will be held on Saturday, 8th March, at The Gateway Centre, Mackenzie, in Brisbane. For further information, phone (07)

3287 7960.

5. SARC FELLOWS LAUNCHED (Anglicare Tasmania) Last year the Social Action Research Centre of Anglicare, Tasmania, approached a number of eminent Tasmanians to ask them if they would donate their time and energies to helping in their work for social justice. Out of this grew the Social Action and Research Centre Honorary Fellows. On Sunday 16 February CEO Rev. Chris Jones announced the launch of the SARC Fellows and introduced the inaugural fellows. The Fellows are Tasmanian writers, sculptors, historians, essayists, activists, poets, businessmen, world champion debaters and living national treasures. They are Dr Alison Alexander, Michael Field, Dr Pete Hay, Patrick Hall, Professor Margaret Reynolds, Tony Richardson, Margaret Scott, Justice Pierre Slicer and Rev. Dr Jim Young. “It is our hope that the establishment of the Fellows will provide opportunities to open up public debate and raise awareness about social justice issues,” said Rev. Jones. “Like so many Tasmanians, we wish to live in a State which is committed to citizen’s rights to respect, justice, dignity and value.”

6. NEW MINISTRY CO-ORDINATOR FOR NSW (The Aust Christian) Andrew Ball, the senior minister of the Albury Church of Christ, has been named as the new Ministry Co-ordinator for New South Wales, replacing Bruce Armstrong when he retires and returns to Queensland after five years in the position. Mr Ball describes himself as: “A strategic empowering visionary”. His heart aches “for a genuine Australian spirituality deeply grounded in the word of God and inspired by the Holy Spirit.” He is keen to plant new churches, revitalise others and foster leadership.

7. DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ (Assyrian Alliance ) The Assyrian Universal Alliance is sponsoring a Worldwide Day of Prayer for the Christians of Iraq, on March 9. The Churches representing the two million Christians in Iraq have issued an urgent appeal for a Day of Prayer for those Christians “currently beleaguered in Iraq”. Urgent prayer is also being asked for opportunities through the media of Newspapers, TV, Radio, Magazines, etc., to get the word out to the world that this Christian Community in Iraq is on the verge of another survival situation. Between 1914 and 1918 and again in 1933 these Christians went through massacres in which over 2/3 of the nation was slaughtered.

8. MOZAMBIQUE’S FLOODS & FOOD SHORTAGE (Disaster News Ntwrk) Susan Kim of the Disaster News Network reports that repeat heavy flooding hit Mozambique in the past week, according to relief groups struggling to meet people’s needs. Approximately 50 people have perished in floods during the last month when floodwaters destroyed homes. Hardest hit is the northern province of Nampula, where thousands of residents fled their homes. More than 200,000 people have been affected by torrential rain and floods. Some 6,000 homes have been destroyed, and more than 13,000 acres of crops are ruined. Relief leaders are warning that this year’s harvest will be extremely poor, further heightening the risk of famine in a region already burdened with long-term, widespread food shortages.

9. THE NAME OF GOD IN MONGOLIAN (Bible Society Mongolia) Christians worldwide are being asked to pray that Buddhist terminology would not be used in Mongolian churches as the Principal of a Buddhist College has said it is dangerous and will lead to the formation of a new religion. Most churches in Mongolia use Buddhist terminology when referring to the God of the Bible. The Bible Society of Mongolia and translation consultants from the United Bible Societies and Wycliffe Bible Translators continue to work on translating the whole Bible into Mongolian using a term for God which was used during the Communist era. The term, which refers to God as the Lord of the Universe, is clearly understood by all Mongolians to be a god who is not the same as the Buddhist or Shamanist deities they have traditionally worshipped.

10. CHURCHES TO EMPHASISE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES (IBS) The International Bible Society (IBS) launched a new ministry initiative, The Ezra Network, at the Promise Keepers Pastor’s Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, this week. The principles behind the project come from Ezra 7:10: “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel”. Stan Kellner, Director of Church Relations for IBS, says, “Our Church Relations staff, who developed The Ezra Network, have more than 72 years of combined pastoral ministry experience. We intimately understand the challenges of the pastorate and keeping the Word fresh in our lives. Just as Ezra did, we want pastors to infuse the Scriptures into every aspect of their own lives as well as into their churches.”

11. CHURCH’S 10-YEAR COMMITMENT TO HABITAT (UMNS) Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas has made a $5 million, 10-year commitment to sponsor 100 Habitat for Humanity homes. The church is also sponsoring the first completed Habitat house in war-torn Afghanistan. Habitat for Humanity International began exploring emergency shelter needs and opportunities for Habitat home-building in Afghanistan in February 2002. Highland Park financed construction of a home there and contributed partial funding for four more. Habitat’s international arm has been working since July with villagers to build 33 homes, renovate four houses and repair 162 more, bringing all the village’s housing to local standards.

12. PARAMILITARIES URGED TO HOLD THEIR FIRE (Methodist Recorder) Feuding Loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland have been urged to keep the peace by the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland. The Rev Winston Graham’s comments came a day after the funeral of a leading figure in the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), John Gregg. He deplored the loss of life and appealed for both Loyalist and Republican paramilitaries to observe law and order. Nevertheless, amid all the violence, efforts to bolster the peace process continued and the Church was very much involved, said Mr Graham. Besides himself, the leaders of the Church of Ireland, the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland were “actively involved in what we hope will be a significant consultation”.

13. ‘SMALL GROUPS GROWING CHURCHES’ TOUR (Scripture Union UK) Five major cities will play host to a bold new tour for leaders of church small groups led by Scripture Union in the United Kingdom, on the five Saturdays in March. The tour, which takes in Southampton, Birmingham, London, Manchester and Cardiff, aims to train and resource existing or potential leaders of all church small groups, such as house groups and cell groups. Scripture Union’s Director of Bible Ministries John Grayston comments: “It is estimated that there are around 200,000 small groups running in UK churches, and they play a vital role in healthy churches. Small groups perform a key role in building mutual support and an important sense of belonging.”

14. LIVE IN PEACE (Christian Herald) As thousands of anti-war protesters marched in 60 cities around the world, a major Christian leader alleged that military action against Iraq could set back mission work by 1,000 years. Tony Campolo, a former spiritual adviser at the White House, went on to say that nothing would destroy the authority of Saddam Hussein more than Christians providing a massive relief programme to the Iraqi people.

15. EVANGELICALS READY TO RE-ELECT BUSH (Barna Research Group) The 2004 presidential season is off and running. With terrorist attacks, a pending war, threats in North Korea, a deflated economy and a host of other challenges on the table, President Bush has his hands full. Meanwhile, a horde of Democrats has already lined up to take him on in November 2004. Where does Mr. Bush stand today? A majority of adults believe the President is doing an excellent or good job of leading the country. The President’s strongest support comes from committed Christians, Republicans and conservatives By a 5-to-2 margin, adults are more likely to have a positive impression of the President than a negative impression of him. If the election were held today, the President would have a difficult time winning re-election – despite people’s positive feelings and job ratings.

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