Practical and Pastoral – Ted Curnow
The Unfinished Business Prayer
Rev Ted Curnow encourages us to take time to pray for those occasions when family relationships break down or where upon a persons death no obvious restoration or healing has taken place. The prayers provided aim to help people honestly face up to their frailty, the fact of a broken relationship, to seek forgiveness and to bring finality and healing to those who’s lives have been marked by unfinished business.
Ordinary People - Extraordinary Prayers
Peter Adams, Vicar Emeritus at St Judes Carlton provides this reflection on persistent prayer .
Reprinted by permission: ‘Boundless,’ CMS Victoria. Winter 2019.
Bag of All Sorts No. 12
Rev Ted Curnow provides a new listing of helpful resources and comments for ministers and leaders.
A Cluster of Prayers
Rev Ted Curnow provides a 'cluster' of prayers for worship.
What then shall we eat?
Rev Ted Curnow explores the increasingly public question of food today.
Bag of All Sorts No.11
Another helpful bag of tasty bits and pieces worth exploring and following up. It contains a range of resources, quotations and suggestions meant for you and the local church that are Practical and Pastoral.
from Rev Ted Curnow
Faith, Fractures and Politics
Rev Ted Curnow provides a timely comment and asks a question:
Today it appears that there is a crisis in Western Democracy and that it is combined with a crisis in Western Christianity as it faces increasing pressure from a growing secularism. There are those who claim that democracy itself is broken and that to be Christian is no longer a virtue. We are surrounded by so many ideologies that to claim public freedom of speech or to propagate Christianity is now offensive. It appears that we now live not only in a fractured world but also a church with different beliefs, customs and cultures. If we cannot agree on common faith values or principles to govern our life together then the majority will rule. In other words pragmatism now triumphs over faith principles and in this climate it is easy to feel disoriented and confused:
What then is a Christian response to this sort of crisis environment?
Revisiting Mass Evangelism
Rev Ted Curnow asks: There are many styles of evangelism and many ways of engaging people. If our traditional churches have thrown out mass evangelism for more socio-political or natural, relational programmes then we need to ask, ‘Where is the evidence of fruit and growth?’ If the aging institutional church believes that being contemporary simply means advocating social change then we need to relearn that rather than being an end in itself, it is essential to understand that culture can be a bridge that leads to people having an opportunity to choose Christ. Social transformation still begins with personal transformation rooted and found in Jesus Christ. Full article
Bag of All Sorts No. 10
A helpful range of tasty bits and pieces worth exploring and following up.
A range of resources and suggestions meant for you and the local church that are Practical and Pastoral.
from Rev Ted Curnow
The Crossroad Summary
Over a period of time the familiar slogan, ‘unity in diversity’ has blurred the existence of two very distinct and different gospels in the church today. In touching on the themes of theology and culture this short summary concludes with practical hints for members and Congregations concerned about the future.
This summary document (4 pages PDF) from Rev E.A. Curnow provides a reflection in the post 5 January 2019 context.
Rev Ted Curnow's has also compiled an extensive series of reflections on this momentous period in the life of the church: UCA Where are you?
Tracing the personal journey and reflections of Rev Ted Curnow they bring together a wide range of statements and insights related to the position of the church and Christian marriage. Cultural context, lead up stages, Assembly 2018, the aftermath and sorting out substance and myth.
Note: The reflections and views expressed in this series do not represent the official position of the Assembly of Confessing Congregations.