I’m curating the opening of the new chapel in Barwon Prison next week. It’s an interfaith chapel and service. These are a couple of moments from the service: Gathering: We gather in this place, people of vastly different beliefs holding to the faith we have in common: that there is a story waiting to be…
I wrote this gathering a few years ago but never used it. this seemed to be the year. We are here because we’re people who have heard a rumour that there’s life to be found on the other side of death. We’re here because just the rumour is enough to bring us hope and just…
They call this day Holy Saturday when hope has died when God is dead and buried. They call this day holy because we finally understand what it is to be human and what it is to be divine. They call this day holy because today we can finally believe that God knows intimately and in…
I am so late in getting this all organised… We’re inviting the women to write some responses at each section of the service, which will be used for Holy Saturday with images of Pietas. One of the women, Tomy, is going to sing a song at the end of the service. The rest of the…
a first thought for the prison on easter sunday Today we find ourselves in a world where the inevitable no longer seems sure, and we wonder what else is made possible because of the resurrection: what walls will be broken and what darkness will be destroyed; what death will be shown for what it is:…
Ross and I went into Port Phillip as planned on christmas day… I took the printed orders of service complete with their carols, only to discover that the cd player that was going to accompany the singing was commandeered by the catholics who were leading a service in the mainstream chapel [which was fair, it’s…
The story tells us that it’s those who wait in the world’s shadows who are the first to know of the Christ-child, born into darkness bringing great light. So we gather as those who carry the rumour of peace and the truth of love into a world longing for light. We gather as those who…
I went into the prison last night to do worship with the men. All week i’ve had Ben Bell’s image of Mary sitting by my desk. She’s challenged every word I write. It’s been a nice way to work. Last night I had long conversations with a couple of the men, both of which i’ve…
We’re using this this afternoon in Port Phillip Prison… Perhaps this Christmas you are searching for the peace that Mary found – the peace that let her have the world believe whatever it wanted about her; the peace that came from believing that God’s story of love might be told through her too. Perhaps you…
We’ll use this image by Ben Bell, alongside a version of the poem below on Thursday in the prison… For all we know, before Mary sang her song of joy she wept tears of frustration despair and heartbreak. I like to think she did. For all we know, before Mary welcomed God’s action with delight,…
