Letters to the Editor

Natasha Percy | 27 August 2007

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Rethink needed on seniors ministry

As a retiree, Sydney Anglican and researcher in educational gerontology for more than a decade, I found Canon Alan Langdon’s article (SC, August) accurate in every detail.

When I address the same issue, my opening question is, “Where are they now?”. In the 1950s one parish hired an eight-car electric train for Sunday school picnic transport.

It saddens me that today so many retired Anglicans feel alienated in the church they have attended for 60-plus years. And yes, many of us make it to 8am – and earlier – services but cannot invite our age peers to accompany us because of the ridiculous timing.

Reg Lobb
Stanwell Park, NSW

I thank you for the article about older worshippers. The writer has insight. At 80 years of age I find we aged are often ignored and at other times treated as if we know nothing. What do they think we have been doing all these years? My local church does have activities for the aged but the young still need educating.

Pat McKeown
Killarney Heights, NSW

Thanks for the review by David McKay of John Chapman’s book aimed at retirees, Making the most of the rest of your life.David comments that, “It would make a terrific talking book...” We at Matthias Media hope to produce a DVD version of the material by the end of the year.

Ian Carmichael
Matthias Media

Featured Letter

I have launched on a new degree in order to be accepted as a helper for the looming age-wave missionfield. At the end of this year, Lord willing, I will add a Bachelor of Christian Studies to two other degrees, which include expertise in aged activity as a diversional therapist.

Yet, it seems Sydney will miss this mission opp-ortunity and I have wasted my time. The comments in Alan Langdon’s article seem all too true.

The worst aspect is that there is a wonderful source of missionaries waiting to be used. I am referring to the baby boomer Christians, a potentially enormous workforce of volunteers just needing guidance. With proper planning we could see the most wonderful returning wave to the church, just as we witnessed their wandering away. We let them go without a decent fight and the adversary won a great victory. He will maintain his gain unless we wake up.

Joseph Hearne
via email

Come now, Joe Smith – remove that plank (‘Joe’s War on The Chaser’, SC, Aug). Your opening statement indicates you are losing your edge. You attack these very amusing Generation Xers with the statements, ‘We need another Vietnam… to thin out their ranks a little… it’s funny ‘cause it’s true’. Yes, indeed…

Rather than declaring war on The Chaser, you should applaud them for helping illuminate the farcical philosophy of ‘The Secret’. I am involved in a direct sales organisation which encourages its members to hold fast to the ideas in Rhonda Byrne’s money-spinner, and I was overjoyed when the boys deconstructed this utterly imbecilic world view. It claims you can have everything you desire if you think hard enough about those things; furthermore that you ‘attract’ whatever comes into your life.

That episode, for those of us evangelising in the real world, was a valuable inroad that opened up gospel conversations.

Like you said, “Satire remains a good way of exposing the inconsistencies in our society”. We can learn as we watch it to not be like the current affairs programs: vilifying single mothers; hating migrants, Muslim enclaves and Asian invasions; and playing whatever card stirs up fear in our communities. The Chaser’s satire can shock us into the reality that our daily concerns are quite petty in the face of God’s sovereignty.

Joseph Smith, please put down your weapons. Rather than declaring war on The Chaser, thank God for them.

Jeannine Baird
Woronora, NSW

I found the under-20s liftout interesting and helpful (SC, July). My concern is the picture on page four, entitled ‘Cutting: Emo’s dark side’.

Cutting is a disturbing part of Emo, yet having a history of self-harm during the darkest days of my depression, I found the image of the bloody razor blade quite confrontational.
Cutting holds a lot of stigma (even more than having a mental illness in the first place). Although people know about my depression very few know about my cutting. It is a contagious behaviour and so needs to be treated with caution.

It was great to read Christians actually talking about cutting and I appreciate you were willing to run such an article. However, when it comes to sensitive issues like this, it is important to consider the impact images can have on the reader.

Name withheld by request

Multicultural oversight

‘Two men on a multicultural mission’ (SC, July) set out perceptions of the Anglican Church in the Marrickville area. Generalisations left the impression there is not already work being carried out, discounting Holy Trinity Dulwich Hill’s Youth and Fitness Centre. The centre is open every schoolday. It is closely focussed on the changing demographic of the area which includes an increasing number of people of Aboriginal and Pacific Islander backgrounds. Perhaps it was the search for an eye-catching headline which appeared to overlook the work and effort already taking place.
Marilyn Stuart-Wright
Dulwich Hill, NSW

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