Secret Women's Business

I'm very excited to be involved in organising a dessert and coffee night for women in leadership with Sally Morgenathaler from the United States. For anyone within cooee of Melbourne... this will be on the 9th of April at 7.30 pm at New Hope Baptist Church... corner Springfield and Middleborough Roads Blackburn North. Sometimes when I read articles from innovative thinkers I have the strange experience of knowing that... although I have read these words and seen these ideas expressed for the very first time... they are expressing something I already know. That someone has managed to write what I know to be true somewhere deep in my gut, in my intuition, if you like. That someone has finally given words... the capacity to name and explore... that which I already feel. I have been reading a few of Sally Morgenthaler's articles lately, and have had this kind of experience. (Admittedly I am practically "off the scale" in intuition, according to my latest Myer-Briggs test)...

There was a minor outcry in the office this afternoon as I looked at the Hillsong Colour Conference for women website . I let out one of my characteristically over-loud exclamations as I saw last year's gathering described as a large collection of "chicky babes". Of all the diverse age groups surrrounding me in the office, none were interesting in being described as "chicky babes". I have trouble imagining anyone out of their teens proudly describing themselves as a "chicky babe". It set off a bit of cognitive dissonance in me, frankly. I see Jesus as a liberator of women, rejecting narrow social roles and stereotypes, heading a church in which there is neither "male nor female, Jew nor Greek, slave nor free", where spiritual gifts are poured out freely on all who call on Christ's name. I see that women of all ages, races, ethnic groups, shapes, sizes, and appearances are equal in God's sight... where all different kinds of unique per...

Like many Australians, I listened to the opening of Parliament on Wednesday, and Kevin Rudd's "Sorry" speech to the stolen generations of Aboriginal children. I was moved even before Kevin began his speech with the opening prayer to Parliament. Normally this prayer seems a meaningless ritual prior to the government and the opposition hurling abuse at one another. Wednesday was different. "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven... forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us". I was moved because I knew in my heart of hearts that this was going to be one of those rare days when a sound like heavenly grace was going to be heard on earth... in no lesser place than the highest office in our land. When the Kingdom of God would be at hand... when God's will would be done... when "Sorry" (and the implicit request for forgiveness) would be heard... when confession would be made and reconciliation sought. A d...