In response to the backlash over the Federal Labor Party’s education policy (where about $3billion in federal funding is taken from very rich independent and private schools and reallocated to poorer private schools) I saw this thought provoking article.
It suggests that what is lost in the debate is the fact that many of the private […]

And thank you to one of our readers - Michael, who is also from nccc but spending a year in the US for sending me this interesting newspaper article.
Girls’ fashion bible gets religion
BY RACHEL ZOLL
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sep 7, 2004
NEW YORK Faiza worships five times a day, while Rhianna is as likely to believe in God […]

nigel from nccc sent me this via email:
Inspired by someone else suggestion have written a new hymn for us to sing (apologies to J van de Venter):

Some to Jesus I surrender,
some to him I freely give.
I will sometimes love and trust him,
in his presence sometimes live.
Some to Jesus I surrender
for-now at his feet I […]

And in case you were struggling to determine how the parties lined up with christian values in their policies and voting, the australian christian lobby has helpfully compiled this table which identifies “christian values” against which the relevant parties should be judged. The entire list of relevant “values” is:

prayers to open parliament each day
affirmation […]

The Family First has received a bit of coverage recently, particularly as the Coalition has entered into preference deals directing preferences to Family First ahead of Meg Lees in South Australia, despite Howard’s endorsement of the way that she operates as an independent. One of the things that has been raised by commentators […]

Gil Rendle, an Alban Institute senior consultant, has written:

“The driving assumption about congregations today is that they each have a unique call to ministry, a call very much determined by the congregation’s location and ministry with a specific and unique group of individuals, who have specific and unique needs and interests within the greater […]

We started a new missional team today. It is a english conversation hour. The idea is that those in our community who would like to can come and practice their english over muffins and coffee. It will be interesting to see how it goes.
One of the things we are discovering as we attempt to […]

I had one of those moments when I knew that I am getting older.
Phil says - “I had an email today from schoolfriends.com.au that told me that my HSC (higher school certificate) graduating class are having their 20 year reunion.”
New member of our Jeebus genx congregation says - “In 1984 I wasn’t even born”
Off to […]

I learnt a lesson again today.
People that are older in age become worried and uptight about things that can be very small. But, the worry and stress is very real. Love and grace in big quantities needed.
If only I had unlimited supplies of those!

You are a disgrace Mr Ruddock.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the Jakarta embassy bombing reinforced the point he was making earlier this month when he cited the attack on school children on Beslan to illustrate that Australia’s interests would be best served under the Howard Government.
Mr Ruddock drew intense criticism in the early stages of the […]