ABM Supporter and Board Dinner

September 17, 2015

“Reconciliation begins with the gift of God through Christ and continues as we begin to reconcile within ourselves our own and our culture’s past actions. Only then can we reach out our open hands to others.” – The Revd Glenn Loughrey

 

The ABM Supporter and Board Dinner was held at the Union, University and Schools Club in Sydney on Friday 11^th September 2015. The guest speaker was the Reverend Glenn Loughrey, described as a “late blooming indigenous advocate and artist”. He is currently the Vicar at St Oswald’s Anglican Church in Glenn Iris, Melbourne.

Present at the event were members of the ABM Board and staff, supporters and others including the Rev Gloria Shipp with her husband Eddie Shipp, and Pat Redlich, brother of Fr Vivian Redlich.

Fr Glenn Loughrey was introduced by ABM’s Reconciliation Coordinator Mal Maccallum. He gave an interesting talk about reconciliation, of how indigenous and non-indigenous Australians are living in exile, and how there is the need for us to communicate and engage in order for reconciliation to take place.

He spoke about his own experience of growing up and discovering his indigenous heritage, about being treated differently and bullied. His grandmother was Aboriginal which was covered up and never spoken of by the family. It was interesting to hear that she was from a small aboriginal community associated with Jimmy and Joe Governor, whose lives inspired Thomas Keneally’s novel and the film, “The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith.”

Fr Glenn is also an artist and spoke about one of his paintings, ‘Wisdom’. It depicts “the source of wisdom coming up from within the earth and the heart of the individual. The face of wisdom is feminine but the living out is indigenous as seen by the face above the figure”. Much of his culture and his spirituality is reflected through his art work.

At the dinner, ABM board member, Debra Saffrey-Collins, officially launched a new publication from the ABM Partnerships Unit, Suggested Guidelines for Successful Church Partnerships.

The guidelines are a useful resource, designed to help dioceses, parishes and schools think through the issues surrounding partnerships and avoid some of the pitfalls – like rushing in to fund projects when a relationship hasn’t been firmly established. It also highlights the benefits of working through a mission organisation such as ABM. This will soon be available to download from ABM’s website.

Thank you to all who were able to attend, for your generous contributions and making the event a memorable occasion.

 

 

Revd Glenn Loughrey speaking at the Board dinner.	Lee and Mal Maccallum with Stephen Harrison.
Debra Saffrey-Collins launching the new Partnerships resource.	Revd Gloria and Eddie Shipp and Revd Glenn Loughrey.