Contents
In this edition of Frank's News:
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Dear Readers,
Since the last edition of Frank’s News we have held our inaugural liturgy winter school (25-27 June), participated in the annual diocesan synod (27-29 June), joined in welcoming Dr Beth-Sarah Wright to the Diocese as Professor-in-Residence with the Anglican Schools Commission, hosted one day of the Oceania Chapter of the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion meeting which was held at St John’s College, UQ (10 July), and engaged with the wider community by staffing a stall at the Tertiary Studies and Careers Expo at the Showgrounds (19-20 July). Now semester two for the University of Divinity courses is starting with an intensive for the Aboriginal Cultures and Spirituality Unit being taught by the Right Reverend Chris McLeod, National Aboriginal Bishop for the Anglican Church of Australia.
We have recently received news that our Spiritual Direction Formation Program has been formally recognised for another seven years by the Australian Ecumenical Council of Spiritual Direction. This has been a big piece of work for the Director, Dale Keenan, who has served with the Ministry Education Commission for ten years. Dale initially wrote the curriculum and has continually revised and updated it, working with the project officer, Wendy Dann, a great group of supervisors and a thoughtful advisory committee to make this formation program one that graduates treasure and is well-respected in the Spiritual Direction community. Dale retires at the end of July, and I congratulate her on her achievements and pray for God’s blessing on the next chapter of her life and ministry.
Juliet Briner, the new AYCF (Anglican Youth Children and Families Ministry) Parish Support Worker has visited several parishes, provided resources, and published the AYCF newsletter last week. This newsletter reviews new resources, advises of training events and provides practical tips for children’s and youth ministry. I strongly recommend signing up here if you do not already receive it.
The FormEdFaith team have just released the third theme of the Inner Vivid Spirituality Videos and these focus on questions of meaning and purpose: Theme 3: Purpose? — innerVIVID. The Ask Around Cards have sold so quickly a second print run has been needed. Here are some ideas about how these cards can foster conversations about spirituality and matters of faith ASKaround — FormEdFaith.
I encourage you to save the date for these upcoming events:
- Felix Arnott Lecture with Dr Lorna Hallahan on Friday, 12 September at 4 pm.
- Workship with Dr Lorna Hallahan on Saturday, 13 September, 9:30 am to 3 pm.
- Research Seminar in Pride Week, Thursday, 18 September, at 2 pm
- St Francis Day Alumni Celebration, Friday, 3 October
- Remembering Mr Roscoe, Friday 3, October
- Open Morning and Seekers Afternoon, Saturday, 13 October
Over the next few weeks several of our faculty are presenting papers at conferences overseas.
- Dr Adam Couchman is presenting at the 2025 Congress of the Societas Liturgica in Paris. Adam's paper is entitled "A Round Church in a Square Hole: Indigenous Theologies and the Challenge of Decolonising Liturgical Space". It is considering how liturgical spaces that formed a key part of the colonialist's project, can now be decolonised in the light of Aboriginal theologies. How might our worship spaces be reconfigured to honour the presence of Country and the wisdom of its traditional custodians? Further, what does it mean to gather in ways that reflect relationality rather than hierarchy? In circles of sharing, rather than rows on the "Roman bus"? Societas Liturgica is an international society of liturgical scholars. It holds a Congress every two years in a different location; this year in Paris.
- Associate Professor Peter Kline is going to the University of Birmingham to present his research in the final session of the “Psychology Cross-training Fellowship Programme for Theologians 2023-2025”. The focus of the fellowship is to explore the connections between psychology and theology as both fields generate profound insights about what human beings are, what religion is and does, the nature of the world, and our knowledge of it.
- The Rev’d Samuel Dow is presenting some of the story of Baroona Farm at an international symposium on "Sustainability and Spirituality: Building Ecologies of Hope" being held at Canterbury Christ Church University in the United Kingdom.
The Roscoe Library has many great resources and anyone who is a member of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland is welcome to join. One of the newer books is Theology Matters by Peter Sherlock and Daniel Nellor, which features eleven prominent Australians reflecting on how theological ideas and religious practices inform their contribution to public life. When speaking at the launch in Canberra a few weeks ago, Associate Professor Robyn Whittaker spoke about how theology matters. After providing some examples of “bad theology” which “harms or fails to recognise the humanity of the other”, she stressed that “despite these abuses, the answer to bad theology is not no theology, any more than the answer to junk food is to eat no food at all.” My hope and prayer is that we foster “good theology” at St Francis College, in which the love of God is made present in the lives of all those around us by the words (logoi) and in the silences we speak of the divine (theos).
The grace of God the creator, peace of Christ and stirring of the Holy Spirit be with you,
Ruth
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Alumni Spotlight: Pauline Harley
Pauline Harley, a 2016 graduate of St Francis College and now Priest and Rector at Toowoomba West, shares her experience with the Winter Shelter Toowoomba program. This is a compassionate initiative that opens church doors to those experiencing homelessness. During the coldest months, these sacred spaces become warm, safe havens for people in need of shelter and care.
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Pride Research Seminar – Celebrating Brisbane Pride Month
Join us on Thursday, 18 September from 2–4pm at St Francis College (LR1) for a special Pride Research Seminar.
Hear from local scholars and students exploring LGBTQIA+ themes in theology and spirituality, including:
- Emma Leitch on the ex-gay movement
- AJ Gouws on queer readings of female mystics
- Chris Phillips on cyborg theological anthropology
For questions, contact Peter Kline at pkline@ministryeducation.org.au.
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Got Spare Council Waste Vouchers?
If you have any unused council waste vouchers and don’t need them, we’d love to take them off your hands! Please get in touch if you’re happy to share. Thanks so much!
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First Winter School Inspires and Equips
On 25 June, around 40 people gathered at St Francis College for the first-ever Liturgy Winter School. This event focused on equipping and empowering people to do liturgy well.
The program featured a variety of sessions exploring themes such as liturgical imagination, creative renewal, and music. Each session included breakout discussions, facilitated by presenters, allowing participants to reflect, share, and deepen their understanding.
A highlight of the event was the free public lecture, Scattered and Gathered: How liturgy can serve the missional purpose of the church, held on Wednesday evening, which is now available to watch on YouTube. This session opened the doors to a wider audience and offered a taste of the thoughtful and creative engagement that marked the entire gathering.
Looking ahead, plans are underway for a liturgy school in 2026, promising even more opportunities for formation and growth. Reflecting on the event, Adam shared, “It was exciting to see so many people attending and engaging in the topics. There was a real sense of energy and curiosity in the room.”
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Free lecture by Adam Couchman
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St Francis College at Synod
On 28 June, St Francis College had a stand at Synod, held at Churchie, providing an opportunity to connect with attendees and share more about the college’s work and offerings. Our stand sparked many conversations and helped raise awareness of the available resources and programs.
Visitors had the opportunity to purchase ASKaround cards, and parishes in need of support for children’s ministry were offered free giveaways. This initiative was especially timely, as the Archbishop said in his address that many parishes currently lack resources to support their children's ministry.
A highlight of the day was the hamper giveaway and congratulations to Alexandra, the lucky winner!
The presence at Synod also contributed to increased interest in college programs. Linda, the College Registrar, shared, “It was a great opportunity to connect and share what we do.”
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Some of the team assisting at Synod. Thanks to everyone that helped out during the day.
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St Francis College at TSXPO: Engaging the Next Generation
On 19-20 July, St Francis College took part in the Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO) at the Brisbane Showgrounds. This is one of Queensland’s largest events for future students, where universities, colleges, and training organisations come together to showcase their programs and connect with prospective learners.
Our team had plenty of great conversations with attendees, from curious Year 10 students to mature-age learners exploring new directions. The stand was popular, thanks to a colourful spread of lollies and some fun giveaways like magnets and pens.
TSXPO gave us a fantastic opportunity to share the story of St Francis College and inspire people to consider theological study and ministry training. We’re excited to see where some of these new connections might lead.
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Some (not everyone!) of the team members who helped out on the weekend. Thank you to everyone who came up and gave their time to chat with the community.
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1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed
by Ruth Mathieson
This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, when 318 bishops met to find words to agree on how Jesus is God and to develop some organisational rules, known as “canons.” This year the theme of the annual ANZATS Conference was Remembering Nicaea: A contested legacy and it was held in Melbourne (July 1-3). The keynote addresses were primarily presented by Dr Martin Shedd. He, with Sean Tandy and Jeremy Schott, co-authored Remembering Nicaea: The Ecclesiastical History of Anonymous Cyzicenus, the first English-language translation of this text with scholarly introduction and notes. It was interesting considering who was present at this very significant council in the history of church. I presented on Matthew 19:12 “Being eunuchs for the kingdom” comparing this to Canon 1 of the Nicene Council about which kind of eunuchs may be clergy. I was in a section where the other presenters were also from Queensland. Caitlin Olsen presented on Laying Down Our Weapons: How LGBTQIA+ Christian Experiences Inform Shalomic Ecclesiological Praxes for Queensland Evangelical Churches. Emma Leitch presented on Faith and Diversity in Sexuality and/or Gender are Not Mutually Exclusive.
At the Nicene Council in 325 a creed was formulated and then it was expanded at the Council of Constantinople in 381 into the words we still say together as the Nicene Creed in worship today. At ANZATS there were a number of papers about the Nicene Creed. Bart Bruehler highlighted how the creed gives priority to the Johannine writings of the New Testament for its language and understanding of the trinity. Sally Douglas spoke about despite the struggle that some have with the dated construction of faith in the Nicene Creed, if we reengage with this early church proclamation of faith what is of core concern is underscored. Furthermore, she suggests, in the spaces between the words there is room for diverse proclamations of salvation for our own time.
The Roscoe Library has two books to invite more personal and prayerful reflection on the Nicene Creed. Beth-Sarah Wright’s slim Becoming who I am: reflections on wholeness and embracing our divine stories, published by Morehouse in 2015 (248.843 WRI), and the small We Believe: Exploring the Nicene Creed includes 24 daily bible readings published by Church House Publishing this year, 2015 (238.142 WEB). Some resources and ideas on how to mark this anniversary can be found here: Resources
With fellow Anglicans at ANZATS, and my co-presenters after our session:
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Roscoe Library Matters
by Eve James
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New Books!
Click here to look through resources that we have added to the Roscoe Library catalogue during July. Highlighting a few of these…
Don’t Forget We’re Here Forever by Lamorna Ash. The author joined Dom Fay, Peter Catt and Sue Grimmett in an On the Way podcast to discuss this recently published book. If you listen to that podcast, “Lamorna Ash: A New Generation’s Search for Religion”, it is likely that you’ll wish to read her book: “Ash embarks on a journey across Britain to meet those wrestling with Christianity today. Through interviews and her own deeply personal journey with religion, and from Evangelical youth festivals to Quaker meetings, a silent Jesuit retreat along the Welsh coastline to a monastic community in the Inner Hebrides, she investigates what is driving Gen Z today to embrace Christianity. Written with lyrical beauty and sensitivity, this is a reminder of our universal need for nourishment of the soul.”
Murriyang: Song of Time by Stan Grant. “This book is a psalter – a Wiradjuri Book of Prayer. It is a contemplation of the sacred: of time, God and my father. Each meditation on time and the creator is followed by a memory of my father. Dad taught me about Yindyamarra – a way of being Wiradjuri. It means to be quiet, respectful, kind and forgiving. Yindyamarra is not a philosophy but a theology – a way of contemplating God. Dad never speaks about Yindyamarra without talking about Baiyaame – God.” Bundyi, 2024, front matter.
From Reason to Hope: Modern Science, Ancient Wisdom and the Ecological Crisis by David Osborne: “Hope is not just an idea; neither is it a feeling. It is an attitude or an orientation. It is a way of living. The basis of hope is God, and living with hope is a matter of trusting God. Not a god that is going to break in and make everything OK, or unmake the bad that has happened, but God beyond and within time and matter, continually calling it into existence and working within it to create new life and new possibilities. We are concerned about the life of this planet Earth. We are concerned about our society and where it is heading. We are concerned for people we know, and for the many we do not know who are caught up in wars, impoverished, enslaved, abused, or suffering from earthquakes, mudslides, floods and droughts. So is God and when we do what we can to ease the suffering, to make peace where there is violence and justice where there is oppression, to speak truth amidst lies, and to bring healing where there is disease, we are in tune with the creative love of God. The energy or Spirit of God flows through us.” Wild Goose Publications, 2025, page 158.
Let the Children Lead: Models for Worship with All Generations by Nelson Cowan. ‘Discover a new approach to ministry with children and families, one that goes beyond simply increasing attendance numbers. Dive into five innovative congregational models that faithfully and intentionally engage children in worship. Gain insight from real-life success stories and learn how to contextualize and scale the models, implementing them with the laity and leaders in your congregation. The models include pray-grounds, sensory sensitive worship practices, outreach-oriented experiences, school partnerships in the arts, and leadership in band-led worship settings. The book offers theological perspectives on the importance of worship in children’s faith formation. And it provides practical help as your congregation learns to support and serve children not as a means for church growth but as an act of faithfulness. See the Holy Spirit at work as you follow Christ’s example of embracing young hearts into the worship community.
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Reading with Spiritual Eyes book club
Our Term 3 book has been chosen, namely, The Bell of the World by Gregory Day. This novel embodies a cultural reckoning in a breathtakingly beautiful and lyrical way. The Bell of the World is both a song to the natural wonders that are not yet gone and a luminous prehistory of contemporary climate change and its connection to colonialism. It is a book immersed in the early to mid-twentieth century but written very much for the hearts of the future. Copies of the book are already available at the Roscoe Library. For more information, and to register, use this link.
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Membership
Not yet a member of the Roscoe Library? Click on register on the top right.
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Vale
Rev'd Dr Barry Shield.
Right Rev'd John Parkes AM.
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ASKaround Cards
We have ASKaround cards that can be purchased from the Administration building for $25 per pack or buy online here: https://www.formedfaith.org/askaround
Looking for a fun and engaging way to spark conversations and build deeper connections? Look no further! ASKaround Cards are here to transform your social gatherings, family dinners, and even virtual hangouts into unforgettable experiences.
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Host Your Next Event at Old Bishopsbourne
Looking for a venue that blends elegance, history, and charm? Old Bishopsbourne offers a unique setting for corporate meetings, private functions, and special celebrations. It’s also the perfect spot for your office Christmas party.
📞 Book Your Event Today
Call (07) 3514 7400 or email enquiries@ministryeducation.org.au to learn more or arrange a tour.
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Escape to Tranquility: Pointro Campsite at Boonah
Escape to Pointro, a peaceful campsite on the banks of Maroon Dam in Queensland. Enjoy spacious sites, firepits, hot showers, and toilets—perfect for fishing, hiking, and water sports.
Ideal for families, friends, and group retreats. Our bunkhouse sleeps up to 36 and is great for youth camps.
Book now on Hipcamp or email pointro@anglicanchurchsq.org.au for bunkhouse bookings.
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Contact
Please use the email addresses below to contact SFC Staff:
Ruth Mathieson - Executive Director/Principal
✉️ ruth.mathieson@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Rod Mengel - Property & Finance Manager
✉️ rod.mengel@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Linda Burridge - Registrar
✉️ registrar@ministryeducation.org.au
Adam Couchman - Academic Dean
✉️ adam.couchman@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Peter Kline - Research Co-ordinator
✉️ pkline@ministryeducation.org.au
Eve James - Library Manager
✉️ ejames@ministryeducation.org.au
Jonathan Sargeant - FormEdFaith
✉️ jonathans@ministryeducation.org.au
Juliet Briner - Anglican Youth Children and Family
✉️ juliet.briner@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Tim Coates - Administration/Reception
✉️ enquiries@ministryeducation.org.au
Wendy Dann - Spiritual Direction Program Officer
✉️ wdann@ministryeducation.org.au
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