Press On: the why and the how

Serving in ministry, Paul and Margie Sheely saw the benefit the Press On course could be to their wider church community. Now 40 people are being encouraged to ‘Press On’, as they do the course at Albury Presbyterian Churches! In these videos, the Sheely’s share why they decided to do the course themselves, the benefits they experienced and how they went on to share the course with others in their church.

How we can all prepare to care – MH+PC Trauma Seminar

In recent years, the study of trauma response and its ongoing effects such as post-traumatic stress disorder has escalated, with mental health professionals developing better insights into the physical and psychological suffering that results. Dr Gladys Mwiti, an international expert on trauma, was recently invited to speak at our professional development day on the subject.

Understanding Bipolar Part 3 – Caring for someone with bipolar

Lily Strachan serves as a chaplain to Robert Menzies College at Macquarie University. She was a fellow with Anglican Deaconess Ministries (ADM) in 2021 and is completing a book on living with bipolar and loving those who do. In this third article, Lily provides insights on how to care for someone with bipolar.

Pastoral Care and Sacrifice

a shepherd cares for his sheep, grazing on green grass on a hillside, with a misty valley in the background.

The question for us as pastoral carers is whether Jesus saw any other significance in laying down his life for the sheep. And consequently, is there a type of sacrifice which Jesus calls his followers in pastoral care to make?

Eight ways to care for survivors of natural disasters

Flooded road near Windsor, Western Sydney, NSW, Australia. July 5, 2022

Natural disasters traumatic events. The threat to (or loss of) life, property, livestock and livelihoods that often accompany these events can be extremely distressing, made all the more difficult during the Christmas season. With years of bushfires, drought and floods experienced in all parts of Australia, many people have been affected physically and emotionally, leaving […]

Pastoral Care and the Knowledge of God

Jesus casts a compelling vision of care in John chapter 10. In a world filled with strangers, thieves and robbers, where wolves abound, there is one that cares – and Jesus is unapologetic about claiming to be that one! Jesus is the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11). Jesus’ claim to be the Good Shepherd draws deeply […]

To be a friend in the dust

The news anchor warned me that the story would be disturbing. It opened on a three-year-old Ukrainian boy lying in a hospital bed, connected by tubes to various apparatus. He stared into the distance, docile, while the reporter explained his story. Home bombed. Lost family members. The same atrocities we’ve been hearing about since Russia […]

The Origins of Care

It might seem strange to dedicate a blog to this topic, but indulge me for a few moments. We live in a culture that assumes, or at least aspires to, an abundance of care. We care for our children, we long for a partner who cares about us, we pay people to care when we […]