Deep Creek Anglican Church Blog

Phillip Adam, a regular columnist in The Weekend Australian Magazine, has a fine literary talent.  I read his articles with both interest but also sadness at his often professed atheism.  Today’s column, ‘Rich in experiences‘ is an account of his early childhood, brought up in Kew East, Melbourne on a farm with his Mum’s farmer parents.  This was a life, not rich materially, but obviously very rich in rewarding experiences.  How did he end up on the farm?  Phillip writes:

“Faith and farming were the family business.  Both were non-profit.  Dad was a Congregational minister in a country town so my parents scraped by on the proceeds of the collection, a few coins dropped into what the Reverend Adams bitterly called “the begging bowl”.  With the congregation either impecunious or unappreciative, times were tough.  The Adam’s family were as poor as the manse’s church mice.  So Mum used the excuse of WWII to get a job in Melbourne (at “the rationing”) while the Rev. Adams provided Christianity to soldiers in New Guinea.  In their absence, at the age of two, I was placed on permanet loan to Mum’s farmer parents.”

As I read this touching account, my mind went to 1 Timothy 5:17-18:

¹⁷The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”

How tragic, that sometimes in the history of the Church, congregations have not obeyed such a clear instruction from the Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ.

When we don’t live out the Gospel (of which 1 Tim 5:17f is but one of many practical directions) the witness of the Church, to a watching world, is severely tarnished and the Lord simply dishonoured.

Last night we began our new mid-week seminar series, The New Testament Letters: a twelve-week journey from the Book of Romans to Revelation.  A great resource for such an overview is Craig Blomberg’s From Pentecost to Patmos.

In his excellent presentation on Romans, Blomberg quotes CS Lewis in The Great Divorce:

“There only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says…’Thy will be done.’”

We love Rome!  Having just returned from two days in the city, I need to update my computer file structure for photos of Rome.

Have you visited the Vatican Museums?  I find them a bit over the top but that doesn’t stop me taking dozens of shots, like:

The first time I entered the Sistine Chapel I was stunned by its magnificence. All you can do is strain your neck, try and avoid stepping on someone’s toes as you turn around 360 deg gazing at the paintings. You can gaze because no photos are allowed!  Well, now you can check out the Sistine Chapel while enjoying your coffee at the desk!  And other highlights of the Vatican Museums.