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Aligning our theology of ministry and of self-care
I’ve thought about having a ‘theology of self-care’ but actually it is more having a theology of ministry and then part of that is how self-care might have a part. There is no one-size-fits-all when we talk about ministry let alone self-care. So while on one hand that is a comfort (especially for those of […]
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The troublesome language of self-care
We have been talking about self-care for a number of weeks. But there are problems with the language of self-care. Three main reasons are the ways that it buys into the current self-focus of the age, multi-cultural factors, and ministry as a call to service. Self-care: you’re worth it! We live in an age when […]
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Taking ourselves seriously when it comes to self-care
A ministry colleague (and previous student) has just posted his second day of ‘25 Push-ups for 25 days to raise awareness on Anxiety, PTSD, Depression and Suicide’. When I commended him (not volunteering to do the same) his response was ‘self-care is a must!’ I’m pleased that that message has got through to someone. But […]
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Supervision at a distance
We are all grappling with life and ministry having changed dramatically with the advent of coronavirus and consequent social distancing. It is in times of change and stress that the place of supervision comes into its own; at the same time one of the impacts on many of us is that we can no longer […]
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Reflection: Contagion and Anxiety
We have been learning medical – epidemiological language lately that we never knew existed or we would need. Growth rate, doubling time, flattening the curve, and reproduction number (R0), or the number of people who will become infected from one contagious person. The other pandemic we have seen coursing through the world at the moment […]
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Good-Enough: A reflection on the millstone of aspirational perfection
Today I read a Facebook post where a woman was talking about having been a child in Bosnia, where from the age of 8 she missed four years of schooling during the war. She left Bosnia for NZ (I think) at 13 with no English and little schooling. She now has a degree and is […]
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COVID-19 Prayer from the Moderator
Gracious and loving God, the Psalmist reminds us that “You are our refuge and strength , an ever present help in trouble”. Lord God, we feel deeply that our world is in trouble with the spread of the coronavirus. There is a heightened sense of fear and anxiety about the future. We ask that we […]
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What did I learn? Forgiveness is not easy
I have always enjoyed ferry boat rides; across the river Mersey as a child, over to Rottnest Island as an adult and over to Manly as a tourist when visiting Sydney. However my most significant ferry trip was a few years ago in South Africa to Robben Island. The island is infamous because it was […]
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Practicing Patience
If you travel on the freeway you will know how congested it is, and how frustrating! As I travel to work I frequently see drivers weave in and out of the traffic, constantly switching lanes. However, I note they rarely reach their exit before drivers who are more patient. We name patience as a great […]
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Uniting Church WA calls on WA RSL to reconsider its stance
The Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, Rev Steve Francis, has today called on the RSL of WA to reconsider its position to ban the flying of the Aboriginal flag and the performance of Welcome to Country ceremonies during ANZAC and Rememberence Day services. “This is an extremely disappointing decision by the RSL WA that […]