anglican focus

The news site of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland: nourishing and connecting our faith community

People seeking asylum

Justice & Advocacy South Sudanese child turning on a tap outside Justice & Advocacy

Anglican Church Southern Queensland’s SRC opposes “dangerously flawed" and "Trump-like" Bill

“It is gravely concerning that the Labor Government is pursuing policy ‘on the run’ by dropping a dangerously flawed Bill on the opposition and crossbench instead of constructively and collaboratively seeking humane solutions. The Bill has been rightly and widely criticised for its ‘God-like’ powers and ‘Trump-like’ line by banning citizens of entire countries from applying for Australian visas, including study, travel and business visas. For Christians the term ‘God-like’ connotes compassion rather than such unprecedented race-to-the-bottom callousness,” says Social Responsibilities Committee chair The Very Rev’d Dr Peter Catt, while inviting you to help

"Joseph was directed by God in a dream to urgently leave Bethlehem and take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Faithfully, he followed that direction...Then Joseph and his family lived as refugees in Egypt until Herod died," (Bishop Cam Venables)
Justice & Advocacy

Community Refugee Sponsorship

“I have worked collaboratively with others to assist refugees settle in Australia since 2003 and have found it to be a significant way to honour the Gospel call to both ‘love neighbour’ and ‘welcome stranger’…and, I wonder if you have ever considered this?” asks Bishop Cam Venables
Features

Honouring my curacy pledge six years on because everyone has a right to live in peace and freedom

“The enduring memory I have of the sanctuary training is the sense of unity felt by people of all ages who came together, raising their voices for refugees whose voices were being ignored. The people who participated were from different faith and no faith backgrounds. I remember one young person saying to me, as we sat on the steps of the Cathedral, ‘If church was like this, I would be a part of it!’” says The Rev’d Sue Grimmett from St Andrew’s, Indooroopilly

Reflections

How the churches’ sanctuary offer shone a light on the detention centre regime, turning the tide for people seeking safety

“While preparing for the hastily organised sanctuary liturgy all those years ago, I vividly remember looking for vigil candles. As I picked up a box of 100 candles in the storage room, I looked at them hoping that enough people would turn up to light them all. Later that day, as more and more people arrived at the vigil, I had to keep bringing additional candles out from storage for people to light. In the end, 1,500 people turned up. I have never been happier to be 500 short of anything in my life,” says The Very Rev’d Dr Peter Catt

Features

Weddings, parties, Advent, anything

“I’m sure my friends on the Thai-Myanmar border didn’t think much of it when they welcomed me into their workplace, their parties and their homes. But all those cups of instant coffee over conversation made a deep impression on me – a kind of justice communion for my soul each week,” says the Justice Unit’s Peter Branjerdporn

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