June 2007
Are religion and faith a help or a hinderance in global relationships? This has been the question posed in a variety of ways in programmes on television and a lecture I attended this week.
The Compass programme on Sunday the 20th May queried whether religion or science has more to offer racial understanding and peace. “Chasing God” was on SBS shortly after exploring how different faiths relate to God.
Andrew Denton’s “God on my Side” followed close on its heels on Monday night highlighting the dangers of the “I am right” approach to religion. And finally Stephanie Dowrick’s address as an interfaith minister ordained at St John the Divine N.Y. giving the McLeod Lecture at the Centre for Ministry on Thursday of the same week; obviously a hot topic in many people’s minds.
Religion being such a powerful influence in global affairs, leads us to question anew in this Pentecost season: “What is the Spirit saying to the churches?”
Hannie
April 2007
In our rapidly changing world what will 2008, 2009 look like for us? What are the eternal truths that carry us across the seasons of our lives?
What is it about the journey of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday that keeps our imaginations entranced in events that occurred more than 2000 years ago?
At this 2007 Easter who are the people embarking on a path from normal life through unimaginable injustice and suffering into the unexpected dawning of a new life?
Is that the eternal truth that Christ’s life, death and resurrection speaks into our everyday life experiences?
Is that the hope that our faith dares to commit to?
March 2007
Our Father in heaven, you want us your children to build a new earth of sisterhood and brotherhood, not a hell of violence and death.
Holy be your name, that in your name Lord, let there be no abuse, no oppression and no manipulation of the conscience and liberty of your children.
Your kingdom come, not the kingdom of fear force or money, of seeking peace through war.
Your will be done, on earth as in heaven, in this land and in sister lands which echo with gunfire and cries of fear.
Give us today our daily bread, the bread of peace, so that we can sow our maize and beans, watch them grow and share them together as a family.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not let our relationships be based on self-interest. Let us change laments for songs of life, clenched fists for
outstretched hands and the weeping of widows and orphans for smiles.
Lead us not into temptation, the temptation to conform, to do nothing; the temptation not to collaborate with you in the search for justice and peace.
but deliver us from evil, from behaving like Cain to our brothers and sisters, from believing ourselves rulers over life and death
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. You are our hope of salvation; in you we place our trust.
El Salvador group of refugees.
February 2007
“I am the vine, you are the branches." Jesus Christ
Since my arrival in Mosman I have often mentioned to various groups and individuals how important I think the Interchurch Councils existence is in this area. I am not aware of many similar bodies across Sydney.
Much of its work goes on quietly in the background. For example a long while ago I attended a joint picnic between refugees and ICC members at one of our beautiful harbour sites. It was a deeply moving experience. I met a Muslim mother and daughter there that still now express their love for us and ask for our prayers. I know that they feel blessed by the many gifts they have recieved and given over the time and so do we.
In this world where often Christians and Muslims are pitted against each other, I believe that it will be people of good will on all sides, recognising each other as such, who will be the ones to bring about the peace we all long for.
Like the vine and the branches, the ICC as a body deserves to be nurtured and nourished, so it can stay connected to its Essence, Jesus Christ, and bring forth much fruit. Love and Blessings,
Hannie
December 2006
Message from Hannie
It’s hard to believe that it’s Advent and Christmas 2006. What a year it has been in so many ways.
The ancient Hebrews 2000 years ago were in the midst of their lives, caught up in all their concerns at living in an occupied country. They didn’t even know that a new child had been conceived and that its birth was imminent let alone that this child was destined to change their world and ours. There was no effect on most of their lives for many years to come, not till the culmination of that life 33 years down the track would some of them have had more of an inkling that something of importance had occurred.
Yet it’s huge pivotal effect: changing direction of world history, politics and religion are felt even to this day and beyond; defining the temporal even now and reaching into the eternal.
With every new child a new world is born.
Love and blessings Hannie
November 2006
Over the last few weeks our readings set for Sundays have focused on “Lady Wisdom” and the notion of wisdom in general (WLTW). As I contemplated the thoughts below I wondered whether the ancient writer mused in similar ways.
Then and there I invented this rule for myself to be applied to every decision I might have to make in the future. I would sort out all the arguments and see which belonged to fear and which to creativeness, and other things being equal I would make the decision which had the larger number of creative reasons on its side. I think it must be a rule something like this that makes jonquils and crocuses come pushing through the cold mud.
Katherine Butler Hathaway
October 2006
Over the last few weeks our readings set for Sundays have focused on “Lady Wisdom” and the notion of wisdom in general (WLTW). As I contemplated the thoughts below I wondered whether the ancient writer mused in similar ways.
Then and there I invented this rule for myself to be applied to every decision I might have to make in the future. I would sort out all the arguments and see which belonged to fear and which to creativeness, and other things being equal I would make the decision which had the larger mumber of creative reasons on its side. I think it must be a rule something like this that makes jonquils and crocuses come pushing through the cold mud.
Katherine Butler Hathaway
September 2006
Message from Hannie for Father’s Day
Remember,
Spend some time with your loved ones
Because they are not going to be around forever
Remember,
Say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe,
Because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side
Remember,
To give a warm hug to the one next to you
Because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart, and it doesn’t cost a cent
Remember,
To say “I love you” to your partner and loved ones
But – most of all – mean it!
A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside you
Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
August 2006
'There is a place beyond the borders where love grows and where peace is not the frozen silence drifting across no man's land From two heavily defended entrenchments, but the stumbling, stammering attempts of long-closed throats to find words to bridge the distance; neither is it a simple formula that reduces everything to labels, but an intricate and complex web of feeling and relationship which spans a wider range than You had ever thought possible.
It is not an easy place to be,
this place beyond borders.
It is where you learn that there is more pain in love than in hate,
More courage in forbearance than in vengeance, ...and always new borders to cross.
But it is a good place to be"
Kathy Galloway,Iona Community
July 2006
It’s the season of Pentecost. Have you seen signs of the Spirit in your friends neighbours? In world events?
God’s Spirit moves in unexpected ways. When have you anticipated a certain outcome and then were surprised and lifted up in a different way?
For the Socceroos the surprise went the other way. In this World Cup for the first time since 1974, when last they qualified, they were playing surprisingly well; looking like having a real chance against a much higher ranking team – Italy, when in injury time a shocking referee decision dashed their hopes and tumbled them into anger and despair.
In the midst of this how and where would we discern the Spirit’s working?
It is always difficult to make sense just as the disciples in Jesus’ time had trouble understanding how He could sleep through a storm that put all their lives at risk. But He did! And inexplicably He stilled the storm as well.
What are the signs in our times of Jesus’ presence?
June 2006
In our world of violence, terrorism and ongoing trouble spots - how do we
bring the message of comfort and love proclaimed by the coming of the Holy
Spirit at Pentecost? Acts 2: 1-21
Holy Spirit you who comes
On our journey as it runs.
You our joys us bring to bear
In our struggles you are there.
Sacred essence deep within
Co-creator peace you bring
In the midst of grief and tears
In our sorrows and our fears.
Mountains soaring laid down low
Valleys deep traversed below
Deserts stark burst into bloom
Weaving all of life’s rich loom.
Loving Presence as of old
Who all life in you enfolds
At our core around beyond
Celebrate with us our bond.
Ground of Being, and of Life
Celebrations rich and rife
You Beloved of our Soul
Mystery, delight of all.
May 2006
John 2: 13-22
In this passage John tells us of Jesus’ response to the desecration of God’s holy temple and of the link he made to his body as a temple.
For me, a distinct angle which emerges from this passage is the interplay between sacredness – indwelling of the holy, and what desecrates that.
According to John a temple can be bricks and mortar or stone; and it can be a human body.
What about relationships? Is there such a thing as a holy indwelling in relationships that reminds us of the holy indwelling in the temple? And what happens when that gets desecrated? What happens when you thought you were in an honouring, respectful, sacred place with another person and that person desecrates the temple of your relationship by mistreating you; walking all over you; offering you deals not worthy of you. Don’t you feel like Jesus, where you want to bind up some whips and bring that person to their senses; where you want to say: “your actions deeply offend the sacred ground on which we meet; the special thing we had, you have turned into a mockery of its former self.”
Many people shy away from Jesus’ anger. I’m glad it’s there. It’s completely right for him to fight to restore the sacred to its rightful place; to stop the desecration of the dwelling of the Holy One.
Zeal to restore the sacred in our communal lives would do well to consume us all.
Love & Blessings, Hannie
April 2006
We believe in a light that smothers darkness;
It tears through every shadow in our world,
And leaves a clarity brighter than the sun,
And we name that light: God!
We believe in a love that crushes hatred,
And leaves a space for forgiveness,
To rebuild, redesign, and re-create our world,
And we name that love: God!
We believe in a truth that rips through injustice
Revealing a different vision for our world:
Of freedom, fairness, and future,
And we name that truth: God!
We believe in a hope that rattles oppressors,
Shaping the intent of the Creator
For a people destined for love,
And we name that hope: God!
We believe in a time towards which all history travels,
Where all our lives will be held,
And bound into eternity,
And we name that time: God!
This Statement of Faith encapsulates well our message for Lent, Good Friday and Easter. In the midst of hardship and struggle it speaks to us of infinite hope and elevates us to the possibilities of life.
Love & Blessings, Hannie
January 2006
- "In Silence I wait for you, my God ." Psalm 62"
- We have arrived in 2006 and we hope it is a very good year for us all right across the world. Many people have entered this year with much concern about the future. The readings set for this week reflect the concerns of people of their times. Particularily the story of 'Jonah' (pg.838 New revised standard version) found in the Old Testament famous for it's whale story. What I think is more remarkable than what the story is remembered for is, that, when Jonah finally follows his calling the people listen, turn their lives around and God has a mind change about their destruction.
- There is more to this than meets the eye. What do you think and what do you suspect is your calling for this world in our times ?
- Love & Blessings, Hannie
December 2005
It's not a new book but an important one in my view. It is set in the Kimberley's and manages an interface between many different views in life. I had just been reading the passage where the Aboriginal Elder challenges a woman politician by asking what stories does she tell her children that they can live by. Then I opened the Bible to read the set Psalm in preparation for Sunday worship. Bingo!!! There it was.
3000 years earlier and the Psalm 78:1-7 asks exactly the same Question. Completely different setting, ages, views in life but the same deep searching for Wisdom as to what will constitute Life to our children and their childrens children. What Wisdom have we found that's worth writing about with a relevance still resonating 3000 years later; or in the aboriginal world 50000 +/- later?
What guiding light have we found that has lighted their and our ancestors life in the past and will light up our children’s path into their future? Someone said to me "the News is all bad and much of entertaining gives you sleepless nights." that’s bad enough but what if we are looking for something to sustain us, something to nourish our souls, something that’s worthy of our children’s attention? In our society we are literally starving for soul food, for shared stories to live our lives by, to reach back to and find ourselves sustained as they had for generations before us. The Ancients recognised this deep felt human need. We also need to search for and write the sacred stories of our times, the ones that give us life, so we, the Earth and all it’s creatures may live. Love and Blessings, Hannie
November 2005
SAFETY AND WORK
Two important pieces of legislation are being debated in Parliament right now.
One to make us as safe as possible in this world were we have to make decisions
about the threat of terrorism,real and feared.The other concerning our work
place relations.Major changes to our current way of seing and operating in our
world are anticipated. What is to be the most life affirming way forward? If God
was sitting on our parliamentary seats taking part in the debate, what sorts of
Questions would be raised, what kind of ways forward could be imagined?
What kind of Answers would God's law-giving ask of us?
All ten commandments set before us the requirements of good relationships as
their top agenda, summerised by Jesus as "Love God and Your Neighbour as Yourself"
How would this, God's legislation, tally with the current ones under review.
Certainly there are no easy answers and I don't envy the task of those having to
undertake it; their responsibility is very great and we pray they will find their
way to laws that will underpin our common life in way's that all our "neighbours"
feel honored and acknowledged by. Wether those "neighbours" are our 'enemies' or
our employees God requires of us that we maximise the potential existing between
us whilst taking the greatest care to be safe and fair to all. Is such a position
possible?
Jesus assures us that it is not only possible but the only way forward. That
requires an act of faith.
Love & Blessings, Hannie
July 2005
THE HEALING TOUCH
What makes you laugh when you are sad,
Or cheers you when your mood is bad,
And calms you when you’re feeling mad?
A Hug !
What lifts the spirits when you’re blue,
Wheat heartens and refreshes you,
And brings a smile when smiles are few?
A Hug !
What is it that can dry your tears,
And soothe away your silent fears,
Or light the way when darkness nears?
A Hug !
What turns away the angry word,
Can make the heart soar like a bird,
Forgive you when you know you’ve erred?
A Hug !
What brightens the dullest day,
And chases all the clouds away,
To send you singing on your way?
A Hug !
Love & Blessings, Hannie
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