For some of us, death, especially so premature, is a reminder of our own limits on life. We sit in the presence of eternity, and reflected on what we are living for, and whether we are prepared for life with God.  

All too often the media relates horrific stories of our fractured and violent world. Women and children battered, abused and often murdered by partners or family members. Domestic violence un-checked in a society where the weak and vulnerable stand little chance, confronted with anger, addiction, abuse.

At least one woman each week is killed in Australia by their former or current partner. Do you know that women in certain age brackets are more likely to die of violence than obesity and smoking, or drugs and alcohol abuse? For this, tears AND anger are appropriate.

Domestic and family violence is the major cause of homelessness for women and their children. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s report, Specialist Homelessness Services 2011-12, shows that people experiencing domestic or family violence make up one-third of the almost 230,000 Australians that accessed specialist homelessness services in that period. Of such clients, 78 per cent were female.

On Friday 18 October, 500 people gathered at Aberfeldie Baptist Church for a thanksgiving service for Rekiah O’Donnell. Rekiah grew up at Aberfeldie Baptist with her parents Craig and Kerryn, and siblings Jesse and Indiana. This year she turned 22, but in early October she was shot by a violent ex- partner, leaving her family and friends, and the broader community, shocked by the violent injustice.    

But I suspect many of us also sat with anger and rage. We were digging deep for comfort and peace, relying on God and one another for reassurance and grace; but whether with words or tears we struggled with the confusion and fear, and senseless and tragic loss of Rekiah. We sat with that, but I prayed – for God’s sake and for Rekiah’s and for others like her – I prayed that we wouldn't just sit but take a stand for hope. 

We sat at Aberfledie with our memories and grief, with friends and family we love. But as we left the church, Rekiah’s life AND death reminded us to take a stand for a world that is more loving and compassionate, more hope-ful and safe; a world where justice and respect, hope and grace are a reality for all. 

In times of grief and loss we’re confronted with our deep desire to nurture our relationships; we cry out for people to take a stand for safer neighbourhoods, for healthy living, for respect for one another – for communities that are more in line with God’s dream. To say NO this is not the way things should be. We ask “Where is God? Where was God?”  Whether we ask it after Auschwitz or 9/11, after the disaster of hurricanes or accidents, after the murder of Tracy Connelly in St Kilda or Jill Meagher in Brunswick, of after Rekiah O’Donnell’s murder in Sunshine, can we answer anything else other than God is here in the pain. God is suffering too.

Our hope comes not from being rescued from pain, but in experiencing God coming alongside us in our pain, that we would know and experience God’s love and comfort, and grow wiser and stronger though we feel crushed and bereft.

Our hope is outworked in taking action, standing up against injustice. Standing for respect and safety. Our hope is outworked when we notice those at risk and offer support and way out. Our hope is given voice when we break the silence and speak out about violence.

White Ribbon Day (25 November) is one action people are taking to raise the issue of violence against women.

How can you take a stand?

How can your church get involved? http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/

A version of this article was originally published online as Darren Cronshaw, “Domestic Violence – Where Is God in the Grief?”, Witness (20 November 2013).

Source: BUV News

In the process of reducing our foot print on this earth we have been working on a plan to go solar.

We introduced solar panels 3 years ago at a cost of $55,000.00 they are located on the roof of one of the sleeping blocks and the main dining room roof. The panels were fitted by a local company who search good quality panels and parts from overseas. All the literature and the supplier suggested we would be looking to save around $9,000- per year on power bills and would have the panels and installation paid off just over 6 years – with a 15 year warranty so we anticipate a 9 year clear period before the warranty expires.

At the end of 2016, we have just done our 3 year review on the solar panels and we have saved 144,000-00kW saving us around $31,000 in the first 3 years. We are well on the way to repaying the cost within the 6 years. The other surprise was that we received a back payment of $3,500 for power we have fed into the grid.  We look forward to the savings ahead.

Another area of saving for the Camp is the use of rain water to flush toilets this has reduced our water consumption over the last 10 years.

We are always looking to see what we can do for the environment and in that process trying to save money for the camp.

Geoff Caldwell is Director of Camping for Baptist Camping Victoria

Source: BUV News

Move to Change is an a-political group, whose vision is to see a greater value placed on the intrinsic value of human life. The group emerged around the recently submitted “Infant Viability Bill” that was introduced by Dr Rachel Carling-Jenkins, into the Victorian Legislative Council (upper house) earlier this year.

The IVB sought to limit abortion to no later than 24 weeks and give greater support to pregnant women so that they had genuine options and support apart from abortion. The bill was defeated 27 to 11. It did though, see support from Labor, Liberal and DLP MP’s as well as the largest petition ever submitted in the history of the Victorian parliament.

It also saw many people who had no idea about our current laws informed regarding this legislation. This is a story of one person impacted:
Our group meets in Western Melbourne and afterwards we often go to a local cafe for lunch. Lotus, a waitress there, is a young women I’ve got to know and say hello to over the last couple of months. Two weeks ago as I went to pay for my coffee she said, “I’ve seen you guys come in here several times, what are you meeting about?”

So here I am a middle aged pastor talking to a very hip, blonde 20 something. My head is thinking “Don’t say anything, she’ll only ‘box’ you as another

regressive nutter,” but in my spirit I have the sense of the Spirit saying “Tell her the truth.” So I told her the truth.

Lotus’ response was amazing. “That can’t be right…”, “How long has this been happening for?”; “Why hasn’t the media told us about this?”

After I shared with her some quick answers, came Lotus’ amazing response. “Young people are looking for causes that are right and good, can you get me some information? I want to tell my friends at Uni. We would support this cause and march to see this changed…”

As a Christian and a Pastor I’ve wrested in the past with getting involved in political causes. My get of jail card has been Jesus’ words, “beware of the yeast of Herod and the Pharisees”. But over time I have reflected on why I’ve used these words to stay quiet when Jesus call’s me to be a “city on a hill.”

In time I think I’ve read Jesus’ words through the lens of the enlightenment that tells me my beliefs need to be private, but that’s certainly not what Jesus lived. So how do I reconcile this? When “Warned” by the Pharisees to keep quiet and move on because Herod wanted to kill him Jesus said, “Go and tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons. I will keep on healing people today and tomorrow. And on the third day I will reach my goal.’”

In the face of intimidation to keep quiet, Jesus said that he would continue to keep his Fathers Kingdom agenda first. While I don’t see politics as the solution to our issues as a society, the Gospel is the only solution, I do believe as Disciples of Jesus our “goal” is to bring the yeast of the Kingdom into every sphere of life, including politics.

On Tuesday November 29^th at Warnambool Baptist 1pm, and Wednesday 30^th November at Barrabool Hill’s Baptist 10am, Dr Rachel Carling-Jenkins MP, will be consulting Pastors and church leaders about where things are at now with our late term abortion laws and how we can see a movement emerge to see our parliament place a Kingdom value on life.

I’d encourage you to come and bring other Christian Pastors and leaders who you believe would benefit by gaining greater information and understanding about this important issue.

People will criticise when we share about this issue, yes they’ll draw assumptions about us and how we see people, but Jesus promised us this would happen when we stand for, his glory, his name, the Kingdom. People are looking for the real Kingdom and this is another opportunity for us to point people to it.

I’m looking forward to my next coffee in Lotus’ coffee shop, hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to point her to the loving King behind the Kingdom.

If you plan to come to the session at 1pm on Tues 29^th (Warnambool), RSVP to David Hodgens: wdbcdeh@tpg.com.au
 or
10am Wed 30^th (Barrabool Hills) November, RSVP by November 28th to David Rock: office@churchbythebay.com

If your church would like to host a meeting like this for church leaders please contact David Rock  office@churchbythebay.com

David Rock is Lead Pastor of Church by the Bay, Portarlington

Source: BUV News

In June this year, Maku and 122 other men and women, mainly young, were baptised. This was the second large-scale baptism in the region, with more scheduled among the Enga people in the Baiyer area of Papua New Guinea in the days ahead.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5wi_fyzuuk]

60 years ago in a similarly dammed creek in the same valley Maku’s ancestors first testified to faith in Jesus in baptism. Seven years earlier, Australian Baptists had entered the Baiyer Valley to share the love of Christ with the Enga people, then a least-reached people group.

They were convinced that God was calling them to go this people who had not had the opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus. They learned the language, developed friendships and shared the love of Jesus as they responded to local needs, daring to believe that God would work in the hearts and lives of the people that they had come to love. 

Sixty-seven years on from that first encounter with Australian Baptists, Maku and his generation are receiving the gift of life in Jesus passed on by their own people. Communities too are being transformed as local followers of Jesus are active in settling old feuds between highland clans.
It began with God blessing the seed sown by those Australian Baptists who went and those who supported them with finance and prayer.

Today teams of Australian Baptists are living and working among nine least-reached people-groups in Africa and Asia, daring to believe that God will do it again!

Find out more about the work of Global Interaction and give to support this mission here

Source: BUV News

Countries in South-East Asia are seen as colourful tourist destinations, but beneath the postcard image lies a grim reality for many. The PingPongathon is an event dedicated to raising awareness and funds toward alleviating human trafficking and exploitation in South-East Asia. In multiple venues across Australia, including churches, sporting clubs, community spaces, universities and local pubs, groups of people play table tennis for 24 hours straight. 

Adrian Rowse preached at Kew Baptist night church about the Pingpongathon in September. He spoke about his experience in South-East Asia and how confronted he was coming from a Western background seeing the problem of child trafficking. His experiences inspired him to create the Pong to make a difference and to engage with Australians about the issue. By combining a fun experience with a serious issue, it “helps us feel we can make a difference with the simple way of playing table tennis.” 

It began in 2011, with fifteen guys playing table tennis for 24 hours. The event has increased exponentially since then with 60 participants and $25,000 raised in 2012, $56,000 raised by 260 participants in 2013, 800 people raising $110,000 in 2014 and $203,000 raised by 1500 participants in 2015. The event was originally designed for men only, men being the main perpetrators of the demand, but opened up to women as well in 2015. While the Pong is open to everyone regardless of table tennis skill, some people have managed to record some great achievements. Two participants beat the singles rally record this year with an impressive 10,571 hits in Loxton, South Australia. 

I went along to Kew Baptist in the early evening on the 14th October. There was a really good atmosphere with some people playing singles or doubles matches, and others watching or relaxing on the couches. There was plenty of watermelon, pizza, cookies and cordial to keep our energy up! Some people on the overnight shift ended fatigued and exhausted, but for them it is worth being part of the community aiming for justice and positive change. Aaron said, “I haven't slept in 35 hours” but “it made me proud that I could be part of the solution.” Stu said it was “good fun” and a “really good way to get people involved in such a valuable movement.” The team at Kew Baptist managed to raise some $6,500 while the Pingpongathon has so far raised $236,000 in total. The grand finale events will be held on the 4th/5th of November. 

Slavery is not a new phenomenon and the issue arises multiple times across the Biblical narrative. The Israelites were allowed to have slaves, but were reminded continually that they were once slaves in Egypt themselves (Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6). Likewise, some of the converts in the early Church were slaveowners, such as Philemon, but the barriers between slave and free were broken down in favour of an inclusive and equal community (Colossians 3:11). At the heart of the Biblical story is a God’s heart for the creation of a just society. Everyone is equal and is afforded the same dignity from being made in the image of God. Sexual exploitation and slavery is a harrowing example of how this ideal can be breached. As Stefan says, sexual exploitation is “so degrading” and it makes "people a thing to be used and disposed of, with no regard for their future or wellbeing.” We have a calling to “serve up some justice” as the Pong motto says, and the Pingpongathon is a great example of how this is being done. 

For more information see: http://pingpongathon.com

To see Pingpongathon records see: http://pingpongathon.com/pong-hall-of-fame-records/

Source: BUV News