ABM News - Visit from National Executive Director
The Revd John Deane with Rhonnie Farrar Mission Rep for Kingston, and Louise Grant Mission Rep for All Saints, South Hobart. (Photo Tim Swifte)
Busy few days for ABM Director
The Revd John Deane, National Executive Director of ABM visited Tasmania in July and met parish and school groups over several busy days.
He talked in Cygnet about the work of ABM with its partner churches. In the evening at St Clement's, Kingston, Mrs Rhonwen Farrar outlined her family connections with mission and the Revd John showed the ABM Partners DVD Messages of Hope.
In answer to a question about the difference between CMS and ABM he said that CMS focused on sending people as missionaries while ABM formed partnerships with churches overseas and with indigenous communities in Northern Queensland.
Collegiate students watched the DVD From Comfort Stops to Cows, and Stories of Hope – the Sisters of Melanesia. There is a link with this group and Collegiate as it was women of that order who established St Michael’s Collegiate School.
After a lively question and answer session they saw Rubbish Dump Kids which depicts young people in Manila who go to the 'smoking mountain' (the rubbish dump) to hold meetings with impoverished children whose families eke out an existence sorting rubbish and selling recyclable materials, especially plastics.
This was an eye-opener for the girls of Collegiate.
The Revd John Deane attended the fund raising luncheon organised by the State ABM Auxiliary at St James', New Town.
Here the feature movie was Literacy in Vanuatu – A Second Chance. This is the particular project of the National ABM Auxiliary. At the end of the week the AGM and luncheon was held at Cressy. (Although bright and sunny, there was still frost on the grass at 2.30pm!) Discussion, questions and answers followed another ABM DVD.
While Colin and Leslie Hingston did not seek re-election, they were thanked for their work, especially Leslie who had been Secretary/Treasurer for at least six years.
It is proposed to publish an ABM (Tasmanian Diocese) Newsletter. Please look out for it!
Tim Swifte, Chair, Tasmanian Committee, ABM