By Rev David Pargeter
Executive Director
Commission for Mission

A few weeks ago, Pastor Danny Nahlia, self-appointed spokesman for God made a prophetic declaration. He announced that God had told him that the Coalition would be appointed for a 5th term; that John Howard would be elected as Prime minister. He also described a vision in which he saw Jesus ‘anointing’ Peter Costello and placing governmental leadership upon his shoulders.

Hmmmmm - power, and the need to be aligned with it, can have a strange effect on people.

The votes are in and the people of Australia have had their say on the matter. (more…)

Rated M

By Clare Boyd-Macrae
Writer

If quirky heart-warming romantic comedy is what you’re after, go no further than Waitress.

Set in the deep south of the US, it tells the story of three unpretentious waitresses at a ‘pie diner’ as they support each other through the various heartaches that life dishes up.

Jenna has an abusive husband, Earl, who she plans to leave until she discovers she is pregnant. Dawn can’t find a man. Becky’s husband is a ‘senile fruitcake’. Their boss at the pie diner treats them with contempt and the owner of the establishment is a grumpy old tartar. (Not much good press for men in this movie.) (more…)

Rated M 15+

By Clare Boyd-Macrae
Writer

Winner of several César awards, Tell no one (Ne le dis a personne) is a classy, beautifully acted and subtle thriller. It’s reassuring to know, in a world of special effects and gratuitous violence, that such a thing exists.

Based on a novel by American Harlan Coben, the film is set in Paris with a French script and English subtitles.

Francios Cluzet acts as Alex Beck, a pediatrician still deep in grief eight years after his young wife was murdered. New evidence causes the police to reopen the case and Alex is once again under suspicion. (more…)

By Caro Field
Candidate for Ministry at Centre for Theology and Ministry

As a Candidate for ordination in the Uniting Church, I am being trained to exercise a specific ministry in the church, which involves leadership and caring for others. In the church, we often talk about the need to pray for others, serve others, or do things for others as part of our Christian ministry; but very little is said about the need to let others pray for us, or minister to us in our own vulnerability.

Earlier this year, my Formation Advisor asked me an interesting question (presumably based on his observations of my interactions with others). He asked, “Do you feel like you always have to be the strong one for other people? Are you able to let others be strong for you?” This question certainly made me think. More recently the words came back to me strongly when my father died, and I was put in exactly the position of needing others to be strong for me. (more…)