Clergy Conference - Controversy and dispute
Helen Chick and Peter North look on despairingly as David Rietveld searches for a lost ball, during the infamous mini-golf competition at Clergy Conference. (Photo Neil Vearing)
Last month’s Clergy Conference at Grindelwald was characterised by controversy and heated disputes, with accusations of cheating and malpractice.
Well, at least, that was true for the Putt Putt Mini Golf competition on the first afternoon. After that, emotions settled down somewhat, for four stimulating and informative days.
A key speaker was Brian Roberts, National Director of the Bush Church Aid Society. He presented demographic material from the census on what was really happening in regional Australia.
BCA has been looking beyond the back of beyond to see the changes in regional areas and in country towns where, despite urban myths to the contrary, there are signs of growth. Seachangers and Treechangers included, Brian sees fertile ground for the Gospel among those who are new to the communities of regional Australia. BCA and the church at large need to get more intentional about reaching out to those who are ‘new in town’. Brian had lots of great stories about his first foray into ministry, in Zeehan.
Bishop John spoke about ‘The church I imagine’, looking forward to a servant church, bringing the Jesus Life to life, a prophetic church, declaring the Jesus Life for our day, and a generous church, releasing Jesus’ resources for life.
Also tied in to the Jesus: All about Life campaign were the daily animated and challenging Bible studies on John’s Gospel, led by Mikey Lynch, focusing on Jesus, Life in himself, Jesus, Life to the full, and Jesus, the Way, the truth and the life. A memorable quote: ‘We have the words of God in a dying world.’
There was more and varied input from Bob McKay on intentional interim ministry, James Collins on enabler supported ministry, Lindsay Stoddart on what was happening at the Cathedral. Paul Cavanough introduced lots of new resources and gave us a useful tool in assessing the way we work as team members. Malcolm Kinter from Australian Superannuation touched the hip pocket nerve, and there was a school excursion to hear Phillip Yancey at the Door of Hope Centre.
Newest face at the Conference was Ross Ellwood, commissioned just a month earlier in the Parish of Buckland. A former race horse trainer and saddler from northern NSW (not Tenterfield), he is surprised to find himself in Tasmania. ‘God’s got to have a sense of humour’, he said. ‘He brought a fella who hates the cold as far south as possible. I guess I’ll acclimatise!’
However, Ross found the welcome warmer than the weather: ‘I’ve been very impressed by the welcome I’ve received. My conference highlight has not been in the sessions but talking to individuals outside.’
At the other end of the scale, David Lewis has been attending Clergy Conferences since 1973, longer than anyone else there. His highlight was Brian Robert’s presentations, ‘because he’s shown the worth of a very practical tool to look at what’s happening within the parish boundary. And the networking among those here is essential, because it doesn’t happen at any other time or place in the Diocese.’