From the Rector

Farewell to Rev Lorraine

The Rector Writes...

As I began to write this letter, the sounds of children happily playing in the Church grounds were echoing around me. What a great sound – the Kids Plus GFS Group running their Holiday Fun day, which was a resounding success. We are eagerly awaiting the Mainly Music programme at Good Shepherd Brookfield, as there will then be the welcome sounds of children laughing and singing around that little church. Recently, our youth group, Special KAY (Kenmore Anglican Youth) had a great campout and sleepover at the Brookfield Spirituality Centre to mark the beginning of the school holidays.

These events are bringing much joy to my heart, and I am so thankful for the wonderful leaders of all the children’s and youth ministries in the parish who are continuing on with enthusiasm and commitment despite the departure of our dear Reverend Lorraine. Lorraine is now in charge of her own Parish, St. Hughes at Inala, and we wish her every blessing in her new journey in ministry. Her last day with us was Sunday 8th June, and we will miss her so very much. We are now actively seeking a new coordinator for children’s, youth and families ministry in the parish.

August will be Stewardship month, and with this copy of Logos most people will receive a letter and response form, inviting us to make a financial commitment to the parish for the forthcoming twelve months. Committing ourselves and our offerings of finances, time and talents to God prayerfully, in a regular way, keeps those things in the forefront of our hearts and minds in a Godly way. To make that commitment in a fresh way each year is an important part of our lives of faith. For those of our readers who are not regular parishioners, but are part of our wider connected family who like to receive Logos, this stewardship letter may not have been included. However we would like to encourage you, if this parish has a special place in your heart and lives, to make a donation towards the ministry and mission of the parish.

We continue to be a busy and active parish. Property-wise at Brookfield the hall has been painted and looks great, and we are working out how to provide some handrails for assistance to people with moving to and from the altar rails. At Holy Spirit, we have purchased lovely new tables and chairs for the upper hall, thanks to a successful grant submission. The fascia boards around the church and office will be restored in the next couple of months, a long-awaited project, and other items being considered are improvements to the roadway leading around behind the church to the rectory and hall, the painting of the church ceiling, building some storage cabinets for the sound system and other miscellaneous items in the church, and installing a folding screen across the end of the hall, to cover where the chairs and tables are stored.

The Archbishop and Assistant Bishops are currently meeting at Lambeth. The Bishops of the Anglican Communion have been meeting at Lambeth Palace in the U.K. every ten years since 1867. The Anglican Communion is facing some significant issues at this time. We are called to pray for the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit for those at the meeting as they discuss issues such as gender and sexuality, the interpretation of the authority of scripture, and how the autonomous member churches may make decisions on their own with the remainder of the communion not in agreement, and yet remain as part of the Anglican Communion. We pray that ways forward can be achieved by listening and talking together. A visiting theologian and author of high repute from the USA, Dr. William Countryman, giving the Felix Arnott Memorial Lecture at St Francis College in July, reminded us that the issues under discussion today may be different, but similar divisive situations have happened many times over the centuries since the beginning of the Christian Church. The question could be seen as how to uphold a fervent seeking of righteousness balanced with the lavish love, mercy and grace of God. We must continue to listen to one another in love and continue to speak together.

World Youth Day is under way at this current time as well. I have found it very heartwarming to see the immense number of young Christian people gathering in friendship and fun and sharing faith, and I was very moved by the carrying of the Cross through the city streets. What a wonderful witness this has been.

To finish, I would like to share with you how, in working through busy and complicated days, I have been convinced again in a renewed way, of the importance of a dedicated prayer time in the morning and evening to uphold and enable me through the day. I find the discipline of Morning and Evening Prayer, which we can all do, highly valuable. Praying in the morning for blessing and guidance for the events of the day that lie ahead, and holding all that has happened before God at the end of the day, giving thanks and saying sorry. The readings set for the day so many times manage to speak to what is happening in our lives. I commend these times of prayer to you. I have listed in the box on this page a couple of resources for use in morning and evening prayer that you may find helpful.

I thank God for this wonderful Parish of Kenmore-Brookfield and all who are part of it. May God bless you in every part of your lives, and all whom you love.

With love, Rev Bev.