Author Archives: wonderingpilgrim

What a way to end the dry spell!

Athletically ducking for cover into the backseat (after pulling over) as hailstones the size of golf-balls shatter your windscreen! Big panel beat ahead for someone but I suspect insurance will write the old Ford wagon off. I crawled home, peering through cracked glass, to find my beloved mopping up a flooded kitchen. Home and office phonesContinue reading “What a way to end the dry spell!”

Compulsory Income Management

This morning’s article in Eureka Street scratches an irritating itch. On behalf of my local church, I receive occasional calls to help out families on hard times. My training has me quickly assessing the level of need, its genuineness and the appropriate response. Often it’s the choice between organising a food parcel or accompanying theContinue reading “Compulsory Income Management”

Port Power – on and upwards!

This is how all the Eagles fans in my congregation will be greeted this morning. They were merciless last week, anticipating a huge knockdown in last night’s NAB cup. It was a knockdown all right – but the other way – 78 points! As much as  I rant against tribalism, I can’t expunge Port AdelaideContinue reading “Port Power – on and upwards!”

That’s worth taking on!

Lent is not a customary observance within the tradition of Christian formation that nurtured me. But I have come to it much in latter years. There is something very powerful about being caught up in the re-enactment of the Christian festivals and fasts that tell our story year after year. Contrary to the popularised ideaContinue reading “That’s worth taking on!”

Dancing the Enneagram

Jenny and I took in the Festival of Perth production of “Happy as Larry”, a contemporary dance devised by Shaun Parker and inspired by the themes of the enneagram, an ancient system used today in personality profiling and spiritual direction. As someone who has worked with the enneagram over many years, I was particularly interestedContinue reading “Dancing the Enneagram”

Taxing against Climate Change

Neither Prime Minister Rudd nor Opposition Leader Abbot sponsor policies that deal adequately with climate change challenges. Inevitably, the politics of funding gets in the way. A Eureka Street article by Peter Hodge points to a possible solution called the “Tobin Tax” – a tax on foreign currency transactions. “Set at a tiny 0.005 perContinue reading “Taxing against Climate Change”

This morning it worked…

My flock and I have been experimenting a little lately with “mutual mentoring” – something that Paul’s theology of the church says we ought to be good at. Reprising Eugene Peterson’s “Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work” as a framework, we use the Revised Common Lectionary, our source for Sunday’s readings, as a guide to reflectContinue reading “This morning it worked…”

For Dorothy Day fans

Reposting from a comment on Reckless Generosity Hello I’ve just uploaded two rare interviews with the Catholic activist Dorothy Day. One was made for the Christophers [1971]–i.e., Christopher Closeup– and the other for WCVB-TV Boston [1974]. Day had begun her service to the poor in New York City during the Depression with Peter Maurin, andContinue reading “For Dorothy Day fans”

Climate Change – skeptics vs believers

Here’s a helpful chart setting out recent debating points between climate change skeptics and their opposites. Found it while taking a break from Christmas service preparations. Will there be peace and goodwill on the climate change front? Will Copenhagen chaos lead to something more than a whimper?