In the wake of the October bombings in Bali, Sue Scarcella says Christians have a unique chance to help the shattered Balinese rebuild their lives

Brian Tung will be one of 31 people ordained as deacon in the Diocese of Sydney this month, with the ordination service to be held on February 8th at St Andrew's Cathedral. But he is already part of a new ministry aimed at reaching some of Sydney's ‘lost people groups'.

When the firestorm hit Canberra on Saturday, January 18, over 400 buildings were destroyed, including the New Creative Ministries church centre in Dixon Drive, Holder.

As planning for mission takes place, prayer and obedience to God’s word must continue to be our top priorities.

It's an opportunity he's been waiting for his whole life, but Rick Lewers admits to being ‘very nervous' as he prepares to leave parish ministry and take up a new role with Evangelism Ministries (EM) in Sydney.

Dubbed a ‘pyramid scheme of grace', the concept of ‘pay it on', where you give money away with the request the recipient uses it for the good of others has received much publicity in the United States. Now the idea has received a new twist at Penrith Anglican College, in Sydney's west.

Many Christians will be disappointed with the stance taken by both the State ALP and Coalition on one of the most crippling issues facing many families. Problem gambling continues to be a focus for many welfare agencies across the State with 2.1 per cent of the population suffering from moderate to severe gambling problems. Yet both parties have signalled there will be no change to State Government's reliance on gaming as a source of revenue, nor the current approach to addressing problem gambling in the community.

Oprah Winfrey – chat show host, actor, writer, guru – has many noble goals, quite a few of which she has achieved through grim fortitude and the strength of her charismatic personality. Through her daytime television show, her magazine, her book clubs, her altruistic institutions and her own writing, she has instigated charities that have changed thousands of lives, educated hordes of (mainly) women about literature and the value of books and has spread a message of self-determination and self-respect.