Shalom! Rowland Croucher

JOHN MARK MINISTRIES - serving pastors, leaders and their spouses WEBSITE - http://jmm.aaa.net.au PHONE - 61 3 9729 2517 F.W. BOREHAM TRADING POST - http://skyfamily.com/rcroucher/index2.html

In case this info is of interest and otherwise unknown to you Rowland - Ron

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I am sending this message to both Stephen Webb & to the Insights list.

I have been mentioning to Stephen along the way of my interest in Christian wholeness and healing and have suggested a theme like this would be good in Insights one day. This has arisen out of having a number of people in my congregation with chronic and terminal illnesses and their turning to the church for wholeness, support, and meaning.

In attempting to respond to these people I have learnt about the Order of St Luke, and also of a new task force under the sponsorship of the Board of Mission who are endeavouring to develop "Centres of Healing" around the synod and who are offering a service of teleconferencing to promote this ministry. The contact person for that is Bill Rosier ().

Another circumstance has arisen where within this synod there is a minister who is a friend of mine and has (and I am not going into specific details) because of life circumstances had his ministry severely curtailed with future prospects of ministry in doubt. It has been recongised that this fellow would benefit from physical and psychological rehabilitation. I learnt from an Anglican Minister about a Uniting Church organisation that provides just such a service. In my attempts to locate the organisation I have not found one Uniting Church person who knows of it. I finally located it in the Internet White Pages.

This organisation is a part of the WESLEY PRIVATE HOSPITAL (WADDELL)

91 Milton St Ashfield 2131. The organisation is called: Encompass Australasia (02) 9716 5602

Specifically the organisation offers two main services. Firstly it offers a 3 Day vocational program for people at a crossroads in their ministry and are wondering what their direction is in the future. This program includes psychological and vocational assessment.

The other is a 5 day program which includes full physical and psychological assessment, blood tests, physical checks, the lot. The is the one my Anglican Clergy friend was involved in and about which he has not stop shouting the praises of.

There may be others who will find this information useful. Stephen may add this to his list of possible articles that would go into an edition on Christian Healing and Wholeness.

Cheers

Tom Stuart

Gloucester, NSW, Australia

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"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little."

Mother Teresa was challenged, "How do you stand it? There you are in Calcutta. You probably don't touch more than one percent of the suffering and dying in that city." Mother Terasa answered, "I was not called to be successful; I was called to be faithful."

Dr John Walmsley, the South Australian conservationist famous for wearing a hat made from feral cat skins once said "I have learnt in life that if you hit your head against a brick wall long enough the brick wall will eventually collapse."