I heard a comment recently that's had me thinking about the relationship between family and ministry. The remark was made by a frustrated mother bemoaning her lack of time for ministry because she was so busy ‘with the children'. But is there necessarily a distinction? Isn't caring for one's children and raising them to know Jesus a type of ministry? Aren't there plenty of opportunities for ministry in family life?

They say that charity begins at home. Well, the same is true for mission. Our first priority in mission is our family.

Great and greatly used by God they know it to be, but even experienced Christians can feel bogged or lost on their way through Romans. If I was about to travel through an area where this might happen, I'd want a sure-footed guide who knew it well. That is just what Paul Barnett proves to be in this, his most recent book. With so many commentaries on Romans, what does this one have to offer?

Peter Corney's practical wisdom and penetrating insight into our contemporary Australian urban culture is clearly on display in his latest book, Developing Congregations into Caring Communities. In particular, his analysis of Generation X (those between 28-38 yrs) and what he calls their ‘contemporary hunger for community' is very thought provoking.

Broughton Knox had a calm confidence in the word of God, and it exudes from this second volume of his writings. We should be deeply thankful to God for giving us such a clear-headed thinker, and to those at Matthias Media who have compiled this collection for us – D. Broughton Knox: Selected Works Volume 2: Church and Ministry. There are six sections in the book which is generally on “Church and Ministry”.

In the current controversy unity has become a concept against which actions and proposals are measured. It has become, in effect, a moral category.

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We have reached this day a moment of decision for us as a Diocese, as a community of Anglican Christians: to help us make the decision, I believe we are going to need above all the perspective of the cross. At the Synod last year (2001) I explained the Mission Statement and goal that had been commended to us by the Diocesan Executive Board and the Standing Committee. I warned members that the call to mission is ‘a call for sacrifice, for change, for unremitting effort, in dependence on God's Spirit… If we are going to take the challenge of this mission statement seriously, we must be ready to commit ourselves to it by this time next year'. I went on to say this: ‘In effect, it gives us the next year to analyse, to consult, to plan, to pray before we come back to Synod and decide not merely on the budget, but on the mission. I am proposing that at the Synod in 2002 we deliberate on both these connected issues. October 2002 is when we decide to enter the race and respond to the starter's gun - or we decide that this is not the race we want to enter.'