Mark and Delma are members of their home church, Canberra Baptist.

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Church Bulletin - 22.1.06

Senior Minister Reverend Jim Barr

Dear Friends,

On Thursday I visited Cockington Green near Gunghalin. Over many years Cockington Green has supplied us with thousands of annual plants from their nursery which are then planted by our gardening team to beautify the church environs for us. During the visit it was clear that there is a close and longstanding relationship between the owners of Cockington Green and our gardeners.

In the mid-1990’s I visited a colleague who had become senior minister of a church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The church was set in 23 acres of lush gardens with stone buildings and a lake-front setting (complete with ‘the Pastor’s Boathouse’ alongside the Manse!) There were two or three associate ministers, but around 20 paid gardeners on the staff.

Here at Canberra we are even more fortunate. We may not have 23 acres of grounds, but our gardeners are not paid: their motivation is love of this church and this community of people. Their dedication is seen in the gardens and lawns around the church building. On Friday (when most of them are here) and sometimes on every morning of the week, we will find gardeners and members of the property group at work in the grounds and on the buildings. Few of us actually see this happening, but all of us recognise and appreciate it.

What I had not really been aware of until this week was how much others recognise and respect the commitment of this group of our members. On Thursday I was privileged to be shown over the facilities of Cockington Green by the manager, but it was clear to me that the real respect and connection was with the men who had come with me. As a Pastor of this church (and I am sure Jeanette has the same experience) one is met with respect and kindness by so many people, not because of our intrinsic merits, but because of the respect in which this church community is held. That respect comes in part from the work of our predecessors in ministry, but it also comes from the relationships of respect and mutual care that have been forged with so many in Canberra by the members of the church.

The public ministry of the church sees the preachers and the choir and musicians very much in the public eye. However, the real work of community building, of creating a positive and caring reputation for church in our community and building respect is work done by you, the members of the church, though the way you engage in your professional careers, your relationships with friends and neighbours and your voluntary service in the church and beyond.

I was humbled to be shown around Cockington Green, knowing that this was all because of the qualities of the men from the church who were wandering along behind the manager and I. It reminded me again how often in the Kingdom of God we preachers and supposed leaders are really the ones wandering along in the footsteps of others, those quiet saints in our midst who in the business of everyday are agents of God’s Kingdom. May God’s grace be with all of you and sustain you in this work!

Grace and peace,