Contents
In this edition of Frank's News:
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Letter from the Principal
Dear Readers of Frank’s News,
This edition comes out as we begin a new church year with the season of Advent. On Sunday, 17 November, we celebrated the end of the academic year with a service of thanksgiving, at which Bishop John commissioned Adam Couchman as Academic Dean and Linda Burridge as Registrar. This was the first community gathering since they started in their roles some months ago.
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Commissioning of Adam Couchman and Linda Burridge at the End of Year Service.
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Results will come out in mid-December and enrolments are open for 2025. Please see Upcoming units — Saint Francis College for more information and contact the Academic Dean, Dr Adam Couchman, for course advice (Adam.Couchman@anglicanchurchsq.org.au) and the Registrar, Linda Burridge, for enrolment enquiries on (07) 3514 7403 or at registrar@ministryeducation.org.au. It is also possible to audit a unit, which involves attending classes, having access to the pre-reading and class materials but not needing to do any assessment tasks.
If you are interested in doing a piece of research for its own sake or as a pathway to doctoral studies, the Graduate Certificate of Research Methods involves writing a Minor Thesis. Please contact Associate Professor Peter Kline (PKline@ministryeducation.org.au) to discuss enrolment, research questions, and possible supervisors for all higher degree by research awards.
Please note that applications for Ivor Church Bursaries to support higher degree research students close on 30 November. For more information see Ivor Frederick Church Bursary — Saint Francis College.
Enrolments are also open for our St Francis College Spiritual Direction Formation Programme and the University of Divinity (University of Divinity) courses that may be of interest:
- Graduate Certificate in Professional Supervision
- Graduate Certificate in Leadership
- Bachelor of Counselling
During the summer, you may like to take the opportunity to set aside time to watch the SFC short courses and begin or encourage someone else to start the Anglican Theology and Practice (ATP) Certificate offered by the Faith Education Formation team.
Anglican Youth, Children and Family Ministry will look different in 2025, with a greater focus on resourcing parishes. The Ichthus Camps are suspended for a year while there is discernment about priorities for the future. There was good attendance and engagement on the Ichthus Visioning Day facilitated by Tim Booth a couple of weeks ago.
The Old Franciscan Association has chosen to close, as explained in the article by the former President, the Rev’d Robert Paget. The College will take on responsibility for inviting alumni to events such as an annual St Francis Day Patronal Festival and Felix Arnott Lecture. Also, there will be opportunities to contribute to the Scholarship Fund to ensure the continuation of the awarding of the Jessie Worthy Prize.
We look forward to the Diocesan Ordination Service on 7 December, and invite your prayers for Richard Butler, Lydia Fairhall, Sara Hansen, Kate Littman-Kelly, Matt Siggins, and Nia Viviani to be made deacon, and Lynette Kareta and Courtney Smith to be ordained priest. The ordination retreat will be led by Bishop Denise Ferguson, whom we welcome to St Francis College as part-time Director of Formation in this Diocese.
I pray that this Advent season may be filled with hope, peace, joy, and love.
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Message from the Old Franciscans’
Ecclesiastes tells us that for everything there is a season. Seasons begin and seasons end. Only recently I heard that the local Lions club had decided to call it a day. It seems strange that a service club like the Lions would call it a day. It just seemed like they would always be there, but no.
The time has come to set aside the Old Franciscans. My earliest memory of the Old Franciscans was the annual general meeting that took place during a break in Synod. Back it the 1980s there were breaks in Synod to allow for various gatherings. The Old Franciscans' AGM took place in a classroom at Churchie across the quadrangle from the Great Hall. The classroom was packed, people were standing outside peering in through the windows as reports were delivered and elections carried out.
By 2017 when I stepped into the role of President it was a very different story. AGMs were attended by the committee and only a handful of others. The writing was on the wall. By the 2024 AGM there were only two remaining financial members. The decision was made to wind up the Association. Permission was obtained from the Archbishop; we met on 15 November and drew the association to a close. Any ending brings sadness but this was inevitable.
The association is now history but the alumni goes on. All past students of St Francis College are alumni and are free to take an interest in the college and its current students. The Jessie Worthy Prize, given to the student who contributes most to community life of the college, will continue. Hopefully we will all be able to contribute a little from time to time to keep funds available to keep the Jessie Worthy Prize alive.
The Rev’d Robert Paget
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Subjects in 2025
Are you:
- interested in studying theology including Biblical Studies, Church History or Mission & Ministry?
- looking to upskill and advance your professional development?
- wanting to explore, understand and strengthen your faith?
We have an exciting and diverse range of units on offer for you to study at SFC in Semester 1 2025! All units are available to be audited or can form part of a degree, diploma or certificate through the University of Divinity. Flexible Study Modes are available. Here are the units we've got on the way:
Biblical Studies
Church History
Mission & Ministry
Systematic Theology
For more information or to have a chat about what course would suit you, please contact our Registrar, Linda Burridge on (07) 3514 7403 or registrar@ministryeducation.org.au
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Subjects in 2025: Humanity: Theology and Vocation
In this unit students will consider theological understandings of the human person including those from both historical and contemporary sources. They will be introduced to key issues in the area of theological anthropology including those of gender and sexuality, personhood, race, and technology. Students will consider understanding of the human vocation and how this impacts upon their own life and the lives of those with whom they interact.
More information at https://www.stfran.qld.edu.au/ct3025zct9025-humanity-theology-and-vocation
To enrol as an auditing student or in a tertiary program please contact our Registrar, Linda Burridge at registrar@ministryeducation.org.au or 35147403.
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What it means to be human from a theological perspective...
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Roscoe Library Matters
Roscoe Library new items … November
Use this link to take you to items added to the Roscoe Library during November. Click on the title to reveal more information. Move to the next 20 items by using the arrow in the centre top. Sort results by publication date or title etc. Note that some of these items might be electronic resources; please remember to log in to borrow these.
If you’d like to borrow for an extended period over the Christmas / New Year break, let us see what we can arrange. Just a reminder: any member of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland (ACSQ), whether that be as a parishioner or employed in some capacity, may become a member of the Roscoe Library at St Francis College at no charge. Click on register in the top right-hand corner.
Scanning/printing/copying within the Roscoe Library
As promised, the Roscoe Library has performed an upgrade on its scanning, printing and copying. The new system took effect on Thursday 14 November. This upgrade allows self-service adding of credit to your printing/copying account and allows us to be more flexible in the services that we offer.
If you have not yet signed up for a uniflow account, please remember that this account is necessary for scanning and for printing or photocopying.
For those who already had printing/copying accounts, once you have signed up to uniflow, we will transfer your credits to the new service. This has already occurred for those who have created their uniflow accounts.
So that you are ready to scan, print or copy when you are needing to do so, sign up now for the new service: click here and follow the prompts (this will take just a couple of minutes). To manage your account, for example to place more money for printing or copying, you will need to know which email address you used when registering, so please record this!
Reading with Spiritual Eyes Book Club
We’re trying something a little different over the summer. We’re planning a gathering (date still to be decided, but toward the end of January or early February). On this occasion, instead of us all reading the same book, we will each talk about a book that we’ve been reading recently that we would recommend to the group. We can talk about why we chose to read the book, why we are recommending it, what we thought of the author’s writing style, what were the main themes etc. There will be opportunities for others to ask questions. Refreshments will be provided.
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Gathering to Pray for Gaza and all Palestinians: Brisbane inter-faith vigil #5
Gather with more than 40 inter-faith and multi-cultural leaders on Saturday 30 November between 6.45pm and 7.45pm in Brisbane Square to pray for Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, as we commemorate the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. As well as readings from holy texts and prayers, there will be prayer spaces and reflection stations, a bagpiper, a young Palestinian pianist, a song by a Torres Strait Islander elder and traditional Palestinian food. This is a vigil for those more comfortable with prayer or reflection rather than rallying/marching — please leave signage/banners at home. Please bring along friends and family members and something soft to sit on (Council has asked that the vigil be chair-free). Please see the Facebook event page for more information.
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Film and TV: Review of "Lee"
“Winslet’s Oscar-deserving performance anchors the film, making Lee a poignant exploration of a heroic woman whose contributions to both art and history deserve greater recognition,” says Jonathan Sargeant from St Francis College
Full Review is available here - Lee
If you are interested in learning more about film, the Arts, and the many intersections with life and faith, Jonathan Sargeant is teaching DA2013Z/DA9013Z God and Contemporary Culture: Theology and the Arts in 2025. Please contact Jonathan Sargeant for more information via jonathan.sargeant@anglicanchurchsq.org.au.
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Administration Hours Christmas- New Years
As we get closer to the joyous season of Christmas, we wanted to inform you about our administration hours during this period. Please note the following schedule:
- Tuesday, 24 December 2024: 9:00am - 1:00pm
- Christmas Day, 25 December 2024: Closed
- Boxing Day, 26 December 2024: Closed
- Friday, 27 December 2024: Closed
- Monday, 30 December 2024: Closed
- Tuesday, 31 December 2024: 10:00am - 2:00pm
- New Year’s Day, 1 January 2025: Closed
- Thursday, 2 January 2025: 10:00am - 2:00pm
- Friday, 3 January 2025: 10:00am- 2:00pm
The Roscoe Library
The library will close for the year at 4:30pm Friday 20 December 2024 and will re-open for business 9:30am Monday 13 January 2025.
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You can make their Christmas Brighter
Christmas is a time for giving and sharing joy with loved ones. It’s a time for giving, a time for reflection and a time for hope.
Anglicare have many clients who won’t have friends or family to spend the festive season with. Clients who will struggle to provide their children with a Christmas meal, let alone presents or activities these holidays.
You can help make this Christmas bright for someone in need by donating a gift. There are many places you can drop off your donation or gift including St Francis College. For more information please visit In Kind Donation - Anglicare Southern Queensland.
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Clergy Summer School
Date: 13-15 January 2025
Where: The Southport School
This summer, while many clergy are on holiday, take the opportunity for lifelong learning and worship in a relaxed setting with fellow clergy. The 2025 School will focus on understanding and addressing trauma within our congregations and ourselves. Discover effective ways to minimize trauma and promote healing.
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Getaways and Event Spaces
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Escape to Tranquility: Pointro Campsite at Boonah
Need a break from the daily grind of city life? Try out our Diocese’s Pointro Campsite at Boonah.
Pointro Campsite offers affordable accommodation, spectacular views, lots of water activity options, hot showers, a friendly onsite manager and a tranquil place to relax.
- There is a roomy bunkhouse, which has been fitted with a new gas stove and has free satellite TV, a huge kitchen, plenty of hot water, a games room and more.
- There are also eight well-spaced-out campsites with stunning outlooks.
- You can enjoy the open-air chapel where you can see the water from different directions from the pews. It is a peaceful spot to sit and contemplate, to pray or to worship with others.
- Experience the beautiful waterhole, complete with waterfall, which is large enough for swimming.
Because of the peacefulness, the campsite is the perfect place for parishes and ministries to enjoy fellowship time or go on retreat or pilgrimage.
Want to know more? Read the anglican focus article 'How's the serenity?'
For bunkhouse bookings, please email pointro@anglicanchurchsq.org.au.
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Old Bishopsbourne
Are you planning a corporate or private function such as a family reunion, workshop, wedding or community event in 2024/2025? Have you considered using the gracious Old Bishopsbourne? This heritage-listed building is equipped with WiFi and lecture facilities, has a fully functional kitchen and is surrounded by beautiful spacious grounds. It has flexible seating for 60; and features a number of breakout configurations. For more information, please contact Rod.
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Contact
Please use the email addresses below to contact SFC Staff:
Ruth Mathieson - Executive Director/Principal
✉️ ruth.mathieson@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Rod Mengel - Property & Finance Manager
✉️ rod.mengel@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Linda Burridge - Registrar
✉️ registrar@ministryeducation.org.au
Adam Couchman - Academic Dean
✉️ adam.couchman@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Peter Kline - Research Co-ordinator
✉️ pkline@ministryeducation.org.au
Eve James - Library Manager
✉️ ejames@ministryeducation.org.au
Jonathan Sargeant - FormEdFaith
✉️ jonathans@ministryeducation.org.au
Dale Keenan - Spiritual Direction
✉️ dkeenan@ministryeducation.org.au
Elissa Cotroneo - AYCF (Anglican Youth, Children and Families)
✉️ elissa.cotroneo@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Tim Coates - Administration/Reception
✉️ enquiries@ministryeducation.org.au
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