Date: 2009-04-20 18:09:14
As I write this (on Friday 17 April), 250 million Christians are celebrating Easter.
That’s more than ten times the population of Australia.
On Holy Saturday before midnight they will gather in their churches in darkness and await the proclamation: He is risen! They will spread the light borne by the priest from one to another until the whole church is ablaze with candlelight. What a wonderful way to celebrate the resurrection.
I’d love to see our member churches find ways of learning more about each other. If you think that QCT could help its members in this learning, ideas are welcome.
My colleague Tanya Richards (Project Officer for Christian World Service – act for peace in QCT) went out of her way recently to learn about a small congregation that has been faithfully giving to Christmas Bowl for a number of years but is a little “off the beaten track” in terms of visibility: it is the Dutch-speaking Uniting Church congregation based in Birkdale. Tanya has written about her visit – see below.
This week we are again delighted to publish feedback from local ecumenical gatherings, this time a short report on the Palm Sunday Peace March and ecumenical service in Mount Isa.
If you are in north-west Brisbane, you may be interested in viewing a unique documentary this coming Sunday, 26th April (sorry folks if that is not where you reside).
We also cast our eye over some global developments that need prayer and attentiveness.
May the light of God, in whom there is no darkness at all, seep into the cracks and crannies of your life this week, lighting up every shadowy place.
Glenine Hamlyn
By Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Friday, 17 April 2009
A white candle in the darkness begins the joyful celebration of the Resurrection at the highpoint of the Orthodox Pascha (Easter). This article from the US gives a good overview of the celebrations.
Residents of north-west Brisbane are invited to a documentary on life on the old Yarrabah Anglican Mission in North Queensland.
The tiny congregation of Dutch immigrants that still meets in their first language has a big heart and a broad ecumenical vision. Tanya Richards tells of her visit.
Christians in Mount Isa again planted seeds of peace this year on Palm Sunday through their peace march and ecumenical service. Sharing resources with groups in other states made the event even more special.
The disparity between rich and poor in Thailand lies at the heart of recent violence, warns the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA).
In South Africa religious leaders campaign for votes and political candidates preach in churches as an explosive mix of religion and politics colours the election campaign.
A South African Methodist Bishop will not let death threats stop him from opening his large Johannesburg church to refugees from Zimbabwe.
With aid agencies expelled from Darfur, the situation for the most vulnerable people is intolerable, warns the Roman Catholic bishop in Sudan.
Churches across Africa, united in the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), have called on the Sudanese government to allow aid through to people in Darfur.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is again looking for someone to coordinate its EAPPI programme (Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel in Jerusalem).
In Germany the leader of the major Protestant Church has condemned the skyrocketing of arms exports from that country in recent years.
