Recently, I was at a priests’ golf tournament in the Sale Diocese. It reminded me, that at a similar event a few years back, while walking on one of the fairways, I was invited to be a part of the NCP executive.
Over the past five years it has been my pleasure to work with the executive. Together with Sally and Chris at our National Office in Belmont, being part of this executive has broadened my understanding of the Church of Australia and the joys and sufferings of the Australian clergy.
How often do we think we are powerless or have nowhere to bounce off our ideas? The NCP is a wonderful forum that enables us to connect with brother priests and deacons throughout Australia. Ian McGinnity has become more than my co-worker. I value his friendship and admire his endeavours. Ian has the skill and the insight to comprehend and challenge our church and its practices.
This morning I attended a grandparents’ day at St Thomas’s Primary School where I even filled the role of a grandfather for one of the children whose grandparents were not able to be present. The small questionnaire on what it was like when we were young prompted the child to say, “Things have changed.”
We live amidst change, and yet sometimes, I feel our Church resists change and if anything wants to regress. Language is the way we communicate. At the moment, in the liturgy, we are trying to use a language that doesn’t seem to speak to Australians of the 21st century. In my own parish, and while on holidays, the new translation of the liturgy was observed and greeted with struggle and bewilderment.
I look forward to my 12 months as chairman of the NCP. It is an honour and a privilege as well as a challenge to represent the Australian clergy. I realise that the NCP does not speak for all the Australian clergy, but we do represent a vast number. I believe that it is vital that we continue to be a forum of support and challenge as the Church continues to face the future.
I thank Ian for his leadership and energy, and I know that he will continue to be supportive of our initiatives.
EUGENE McKINNON
