NSW is facing its most severe drought in over a century, with 99 per cent of the state declared drought affected. Yet there is vibrant and caring ministry happening in the state’s western dioceses.
“Our diocese is serious about training people for ministry,” Bishop Richard Hurford, Bishop of Bathurst, told Southern Cross recently. “This applies to both laity and clergy, and we’re thankful that there is no drought on vocations in ministry here.”
Bishop Hurford said his Diocese has no difficulty funding ministry training because Synod regards this as a priority and has set money aside. However with the whole diocese now declared drought affected, it is hard to find placements that can support young families when they first move into full-time ministry.
Distance also becomes a major challenge in vast rural areas. Petrol is a precious commodity, and many can’t afford travel expenses for their minister to visit parishioners.
Both Bishop Hurford and his colleague in the Diocese of Riverina, Bishop Bruce Clarke, say this is affecting their ability to provide pastoral care for members at a time when it is most needed. It is also affecting church attendance. “People only travel if they have to,” Bishop Hurford said. “Long trecks to church at country centres haven’t suffered yet, but I suspect that after Christmas people won’t return with the same intensity until times are better.”
At the request of both the NSW Provincial Synod and Sydney Synod, Archbishop Peter Jensen plans to launch an appeal early in the New Year, aimed specifically at allowing ministry to continue in drought-ravaged parts of NSW. “I’m pleased the Archbishop is leaving his drive until February,” Bishop Hurford said. “Not just because of Christmas and everything else, but I think we’ll actually see what has to be done a little more clearly.”
It seems that few areas of life will escape the effects of the drought. Stock feed prices are expected to substantially rise, and the retail price of some foods could rise by up to 20 per cent.
In the Diocese of Armidale, the Anglican Counseling Service says the drought is having serious psychological effects on farmers, with seven reported cases of suicide being investigated.
As bad as things are, experts agree that the worst of the drought is still to come. The Reserve Bank estimates that the drought will have a $7 billion effect on the Australian economy this financial year.
Bishop Hurford says that members of the rural community, where life has changed so much in recent years, are finding great strength in sharing experiences of how they cope with drought.
“I’ve found old men who have said to me that they could never in their generation stand up and talk to a group of blokes at the pub, but they are finding great confidence, one on one hanging over the post and rails to talk about how they made it through the last drought.”
In this environment of dealing with natural disaster, he feels the church has an opportunity to make an enormous contribution. “I’m encouraging clergy to stay with the basics at a time like this, and that is providing the answers that people need,” he said.