Diocese of Bathurst

Diocesan President

Mrs Christine Hurford

with her husband

Bishop Richard (an MU member)

and

Jake, the labrador

Bathurst Diocese is situated in New South Wales, Australia and covers 215,000 sq kms - 20% of the State of New South Wales - quite a large chunk!

MU in Bathurst Diocese consists of four very active, enthusiastic groups who are very involved in their local parishes in all areas of maintenance and outreach, especially in ways to encourage family life in their parish communities -

We are encouraged by our Diocesan President, Christine Hurford, to think POSITIVELY, not to focus on the negatives. Christine encourages us to be passionate about what we believe, both as Christians and MU members! Not to be wishy washy!

Bishop Richard Hurford challenges us as MU in the Diocese of Bathurst to see 2007 as RENEWAL !
so - this is our Theme for 2007!

Our Diocesan President could be described as a 'mad greenie' but as yet hasn't tied herself to any trees! Thank goodness! BUT she does have a THING about getting rid of plastic bags! No excuses. She is passionately concerned with how we are looking after this wonderful God's creation - our Planet Earth.

Bishop Richard is keen for MU members to look at RENEWAL in all parts of their daily lives - spiritual, physical and emotional.

Each year is different to the previous one - circumstances change around us, with or without our help! We age, we try different ventures, we encourage others to try something different, we are constantly renewing !!

We are in the midst of a devastating drought and it can be difficult to keep on keeping on. We CAN help each other through prayer and company.

So, in Bathurst Diocese, the Diocesan President is encouraging us all to go to it!! In 2007 to reach out and be effective and enthusiastic Christians - we have a lot to share!

"Fruit cakes or mud cakes?" What have cakes got to do with an Annual MU Conference?

On Saturday, 21^st October members and friends of MU Australian gathered in All Saints Cathedral for a day of exploring The Emerging Church led by The Reverend Phil Howes and members of Bathurst's Church @ 6:30.

The young people gave an overview of the style of worship in their services, as an example of a fresh expression of Church. Mel Gee, the musician on the day, showed how beautiful old words from some of our hymns can be set to contemporary music - a wonderful combination!

Whilst talking about new styles of church, Lorraine Clarkson, Promotion and Development Officer for MU in Bathurst Diocese, told us all a story:

" A few years ago, just before my son's marriage, he said to me that they weren't going to have a fruit cake as their wedding cake. Aghast, I exclaimed that it was traditional to have a fruit cake, not only for weddings but for birthdays, Easter, Christmas, Anniversaries - you name it and we ALWAYS had a fruit cake! It was a Clarkson Tradition! Just think of a fruit cake - it's dependable, deliciously fruity with a decided hint (or two) of rum, so dramatic and able to be decorated! What's a mud cake? It's just soft and so simple, it's …

"Sorry Mum, but mud cake it is going to be. None of our friends eat fruit cake! Well everything about the wedding day was beautiful, the bride and groom, the service, the meal AND for dessert … yes! we had the mud cake and it was so scrumptious, so smooth, saucy and so - should it say it - sexy! The success of the wedding didn't depend on the "traditional" fruit cake for the wedding cake."

As Phil Howes said during his talk of the emerging church "It is not the route that the message takes that is important, but the message itself".

"So I ask the question again 'Are you a fruit cake or a mud cake?' Really it doesn't matter. Both are appreciated, loved, enjoyed and welcomed on the Menu of Life in our Churches!

2007 and another year filled with challenges, blessings and sorrows, changes and continued routines! Our lives can be SO busy that we miss the small, important times to be still with God and keep our lives on track! Renewal in daily life can mean pain when having to decide what are the priorities, what God is guiding you to do. For this often the key ingredient is SPACE, time set aside for quietness and reflection and renewal!

"Lord, there is never enough time to do all the things that have to be done, and there is never enough time to do all the things I would like to do. So! Please, let there be just enough time to do all the things YOU want ME to do!" (by Rosa George)

The next step in organic gardening – chooks! ‘The Girls’ came to Bishopscourt on the 13^th October, 2006 and roost in a beautiful chook house built by Christine’s son Nicholas and his friend Angus Edwards!

Rachel, Rowena, Jamie, and Minte are laying three to four eggs a day and I haven’t bought eggs from the shops for ages! Of course, the chooky poo is wonderful around the roses and does wonders for the tomatoes and the silverbeet! Why not join the chook club??

Christine, Diocesan President MU Diocese of Bathurst , introducing ‘Rachel’ the Iza Brown chook, to her grandchildren Rory and Araminta.