anglican focus

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

People seeking safety

Features Daniel Abot and Nicholas Whereat Features

International Day of Peace: End Racism. Build Peace

“What I want to say is that any person who risks their life to seek safety is the same. Whether people come here via a United Nations refugee camp or arrive by either boat or plane to apply for asylum, we all have one thing in common – that is the need to find a safe place to live in freedom,” says Bishop Daniel Abot, as the International Day of Peace approaches

Features Helen Zahos at an anti-tank barrier Features

Nurse’s nerves of steel: to Ukraine and back again

“When I explained that I had volunteered in Ukraine as a nurse-paramedic, after a thoughtful pause the reporter asked…’Are you a believer?’ When I replied, ‘Yes’, his response was, ‘I figured. Nobody would go into a dangerous warzone as a volunteer unless they had faith,’” says Gold Coast nurse-paramedic Helen Zahos

"In early 2016 during my Cathedral curacy, I joined hundreds of Christians from different denominations at a vigil where I pledged to support refugees who were being threatened with deportation by the Federal Government back to detention centres on Manus and Nauru" (The Rev'd Sue Grimmett, pictured with clergy and lay people at a Carols for Compassion event in December 2016)
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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

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An open letter, a hand-written card and thousands of prayers

“When I returned home to Bilo from Perth in June, which was an emotional trip leaving me feeling exhausted and deflated, my spirits were buoyed upon seeing a hand-written card from Bishop Jeremy Greaves which he had mailed to me while I was away,” says 33-year-old Anglican Angela Fredericks, who is leading the national fight to bring Nades, Priya and their girls back home to Bilo

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Dozens of Anglican Bishops nationally send open letter to Government calling for the return of young family back to Biloela

“As Christian leaders, we echo the call for a compassionate, fair, safe, common sense and permanent solution. We stand in solidarity with this young family seeking peace, safety and stability, and with the Biloela community who are waiting to welcome them back home,” write dozens of Anglican Bishops in an open letter to the PM and the Minister for Immigration

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Refugee Week 2021

Refugee Week is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions refugees make to our communities, while raising awareness, remembering and honouring the perilous journey that refugees have taken to find safety and freedom – mark Refugee Week and World Refugee Day with these event, promotional, advocacy and ministry resources