Things are good at the moment at Bedford in terms of conflict, but as we are dealing with new beginnings in January, we are touching on this passage from Philippians….

2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner,[b] to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.

95% of church conflict is not over issues, but personalities. This is no excuse, but is the reason. Paul here calls these two women to get their act together.
The cause of Jesus Christ is too important to let conflict get in its way.

We have just, after much prayer, planning and paperwork, got out church 2 new Sanyo PLC-XU78 Data projectors. XGA 3,000 Lumens.

Our seniors in particular had noted the deteriating brightness of our present projector, and we need two for when we have bigger crowds in.

The crowd I bought them off are Christians, which is not always good, but they seem to do good deals for churches, for ministry sake. Delivery was good, but of course over Christmas no one seems to be working.

I have just tested them out, and they look good.
My sense is that a church service should be telling a story. Someone said to me once, rather briskly, that Jesus would not have a data projector. I disagree. Jesus was the ultimate story teller. He would have grabbed one to use to tell stories with I reckon.

This is what I want our church to be moving toward. A place where people come and experience truth through story.

Reading the West today I note the Dockers are off to Africa today.
They will do some community development and play a exhibition game against Carlton.

Wonder if Chris Judd will play? Probably wont see him in Africa…not enough nightlife for him and Twigs…..

Here is a loop I have made up for the Angus Buchan Event.
Really looking forward to hearing Angus speak.

What has happened….?

Has their truly been more child abuse than ever before in history?
I don’t remember there ever being as many stories as their are now. Australians acting wickedly in Asian countries, local stories, national stories.

Is their truly more, or is it that we are hearing about it more, or has my role as a father made me more sensitive to it?

Either way, sometimes it is too hard to take…..

I was talking to a good friend last night and she was telling me about a metropolitan high school in Perth where allegedly a teenage girl with learning difficulties was sexually assaulted, and the schools response was to hush it up. NO….these sort of things can’t be hushed up. By all means, and with all vigour, protect the identity of the victim…..but don’t try and sweep the offence, and the offender under the carpet.

The truth must be faced.
Our society has far deeper issues than climate change, oil useage etc…not to downplay those issues, but to say that if we can’t get the basics of treating our children with respect and love, then where are we headed as a world anyway?
How does a society which is facing an epedemic of abused children going to live with itself?

One church in America, which incidentally has staff member Dan Sutherland (author – Transitioning a Church), is giving out shot glasses to let people know about their church.

More…

If the story of Corey is not the clearest indication yet of the mixed up values of our society…then what is?

He is worth a laugh though, here is a previously unpublished photo of the real Corey Story…

(Source Warning foul language)