‘Each theme a window’

Our readings present major themes: faith and trust, universal blessing, creative community, desire and promise of healing. Each theme, a window on a world in crisis, reveals figures of frailty and fidelity, religious observance (participation in public worship, a prayer shawl/stole with fringes/tassels), prophetic hope. 

We see the elderly Abram and Sarai, an ever-renewed Apostle to the Gentiles, the prophets Elijah and Elisha, distraught parents and deceased children of various times, Jesus and friends (including despised tax collector Matthew), the Messiah as embodiment of Israel, the church as embodiment of compassion. And we see, through the eyes of Jesus, a daughter of Abraham and Sarah, a child of God/Sophia, a person in need, a person of faith …

Select (key) verses express so much: Our God says to Abram and Sarai: “I will bless you … all the people on the face of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3); “God cares for those who suffer/ God calls on us to save” (Psalm 33:14-15); “Our faith will be credited to us if we believe in the One who raised Jesus our Saviour from the dead” (Romans 4:24); “Courage, daughter,” Jesus said, “your faith has healed you” (Matthew 9:22).

Our artwork is by Marc Chagall, whose “Peace Window” contains many symbols of blessed peace (children, mothers, angels, flowers, musical symbols …). 

The work of a 20th-century Jewish artist traumatised by racism, persecution and war, the big blue window is a memorial to Dag Hammarskjöld, a Swedish economist and diplomat who served as the second Secretary-General of the United Nations from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. Chagall’s own handwritten dedication (May 15, 1963) reads: “To all who served the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, for which Dag Hammarskjöld gave his life.”

Faith and trust, universal blessing, creative community, desire and promise of healing. Each theme, a window on a world in crisis, reveals figures of frailty and fidelity, religious observance, prophetic hope …

We see growing support of treatment services for people with drug dependency. On June 19, the Fair Treatment Campaign is hosting its annual interfaith prayer service at which Moderator the Rev. Simon Hansford and Moderator-Elect the Rev. Mata Havea Hiliau will be joined by Islamic, Jewish and Christian leaders to speak on love, justice, compassion and support for people in our communities as fundamental values shared across faiths. All are welcome to attend this service at the Gallery Room of the State Library from 10.30am.

We see provision of resources and skills for re-organising congregations toward climate action in their local communities. MissionFest, at Adamstown Uniting Church on July 21 and 22, will include workshops addressing climate change and the church’s mission. Uniting’s Jon O’Brien says: “Climate change can be overwhelming so we will highlight that this is a problem that can be fixed (which is what the scientists are still telling us).”

On this 35th anniversary of the Barunga statement, we see individuals and groups (congregations, football clubs and codes, community newspapers including the South Sydney Herald …) standing up for First Nations justice – Voice. Treaty. Truth. “Yes” to constitutional recognition and parliamentary consultation. Our Synod, in collaboration with Newtown Mission, is hosting a forum about the Voice to Parliament referendum with keynote speaker Thomas Mayo and panellists the Rev. Bill Crews and Nathan Tyson. Walking Together – A Voice to Parliament will be held on August 12, from 9.30am.

Today we see Red Cross teams (partner and media organisations) helping thousands affected by disaster and war. The breaching of a major dam in southern Ukraine is having a catastrophic effect on locating landmines. Thousands of people have been evacuated from parts of the Kherson region as water continues to surge down the Dnipro river which divides Russian and Ukraine-controlled territory. Rescue teams and volunteers head out on boats to salvage anyone, or anything they can. Their efforts are punctuated by artillery fire …

Faith and trust, universal blessing, creative community, desire and promise of healing. Each theme, a window on a world in crisis, reveals figures of frailty and fidelity, religious observance, prophetic hope …

One day soon (pending a safe church discussion in July) we will celebrate again a sacramental ministry of anointing with oil. In pre-pandemic times the ritual was offered by our elders during holy communion to anyone in need of prayer for healing.

This ancient Christian ministry requires sensitivity and wisdom. 

Dr Paul Meyendorff of St Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary in Yonkers, New York, writes: “What does the rite of anointing of the sick do? It reintegrates the person into the community of the Church, with the people and with Christ. At a moment of crisis, the Church comes to the person who is undergoing this traumatic experience and stands with them. It breaks the isolation, precisely because the Church now stands with them at this moment. It re-establishes a future, because in Christ there is no death, and our physical death is not the end of our existence …” 

Faith and trust, universal blessing, creative community, desire and promise of healing. Each theme, a window on a world in crisis, reveals figures of frailty and fidelity, religious observance, prophetic hope …

Here we are. Amen.