X-Symantec-TimeoutProtection: 0 Return-Path: X-Original-To: info@ausheart.com.au Delivered-To: info@ausheart.com.au Received: from localhost (marlin.fishinternet.com.au [127.0.0.1]) by marlin.fishinternet.com.au (Postfix) with ESMTP id EB9163FA1A for ; Sun, 25 Dec 2005 08:55:20 +1100 (EST) Received: from marlin.fishinternet.com.au ([127.0.0.1]) by localhost (marlin.fishinternet.com.au [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id 08008-09 for ; Sun, 25 Dec 2005 08:55:08 +1100 (EST) Received-SPF: none (marlin.fishinternet.com.au: 59.167.250.138 is neither permitted nor denied by domain of fathersonline.org) client-ip=59.167.250.138; envelope-from=info@fathersonline.org; helo=polyglot.com.au; Received: from polyglot.com.au (ppp167-250-138.lns2.syd6.internode.on.net [59.167.250.138]) by marlin.fishinternet.com.au (Postfix) with ESMTP id 599D13FA07 for ; Sun, 25 Dec 2005 08:54:50 +1100 (EST) Received: from server ([192.168.100.14]) by polyglot.com.au with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.211); Sun, 25 Dec 2005 08:59:10 +1100 Thread-Topic: Fathers Celebrating Christmas & New Year Reply-To: Message-ID: thread-index: AcYI1UUpNJ38IYdkTpeRxaKUHrqFxw== From: To: Subject: Fathers Celebrating Christmas & New Year Date: Sun, 25 Dec 2005 08:59:10 +1100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_A921_01C60931.789C3B30" X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Exchange 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.3790.326 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 24 Dec 2005 21:59:10.0835 (UTC) FILETIME=[452E3430:01C608D5] X-Virus-Scanned: amavisd-new at fishinternet.com.au This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_A921_01C60931.789C3B30 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Unable to read this email? Please click here Issue 171 - 5th November 2005 Go to our website Here * Welcome * Grandads * Laughter * Single Dads * Special Feature * Thought of the Week * Christmas Greeting * News & Info * Dad's Prayer * About Us Welcome I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. I guess it all started when I was about six years old and I found out that Santa Claus wasn't real. I loved the idea of Father Christmas, a kindly old man, coming around at midnight to give me toys. The word had gotten around among my circle of friends that our parents were the real benefactors. They say truth is stranger than fiction. Finally the truth sank in, and I can remember feeling distinctly disappointed. Then again, such is life. Mind you, it didn't get any better when at about eight years of age my dad explained to me that Jesus wasn't even born at Christmas time, but that it was more likely to have been around the northern hemisphere spring or summer. Shepherds weren't usually outside in the field in the middle of winter. Another reality is that Jesus was most likely born somewhere around 4 BC. Of course the real story behind St Nicholas (Santa Claus) is wonderfully profound and worth reliving and retelling. These are the stories our children need to hear and not the commercial make-believe of our market-driven Christmas/New Year season. So how did Christmas come into being? The early Christians began to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the 25th December as early as 354 AD. They did this as a takeover of the Saturnalia Festival, a celebration to honour the Roman god Saturn, which fell around the December solstice. This solstice is the shortest day of the year, 21st/22nd December, while in Australia it is our longest day, reminding us that summer has begun its decline. In 525 AD, a monk named Dionysius Exiguous confirmed Jesus birth as the 25th December (Year 1) for the purposes of his own calendar and as a result established Anno Domini, which translates as 'the year of our Lord' AD. Dionysius' calendar became, within two centuries, the calendar for the whole world thanks to the work of another monk/historian, the Venerable Bede from England. It is interesting to note that the French Revolution (1700s) and the Italian Fascists (1922) each seriously attempted to displace the Anno Domini system by dating from their own founding. North Korea did the same sort of thing through the birth of their founder Kim II Sung, dating their calendar from 1911. Even in recent times the politically correct brigade have tried to remove BC and AD because of their hate for the Christ of Christmas, but even more recently that seems to be changing. Mr Howard, our Prime Minister has suggested that Australia should celebrate the Christian tradition of nativity scenes, something he noted have been diminishing in numbers. In early December, even Mr Bracks, Premier of Victoria; the home of political correctness, encouraged certain government departments to sing Christmas carols and have nativity scenes. It would seem that the Christ of Christmas is suddenly becoming fashionable. Not that Jesus has to prove a point. After all, what greater gift can be given than your own life. Love work Yes, the Christmas/New Year period is wracked by obnoxious commercialism with some very shaky beginnings, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. Christmas and New Year are not all bad. The glass is half full not half empty. Let's celebrate the birth of our Lord. Let's sing Christmas carols. Let's go to church. Let's give gifts. Let's put a renewed priority on our family. Let's stop working, have fun with our families and play with our children. Let's celebrate this Christmas and New Year as holy-days and use this time to rebuild our relationships both on earth and in heaven. Yours for celebrating Warwick Marsh PS. If you are fortunate enough to have your children over Christmas, give them an extra hug from those dads who don't. ________________________________________________________ Warwick Marsh has been married to Alison for 30 years. He is the father of five children, four boys and one girl, ranging in age from 24 years to 13 years. Warwick is a musician, songwriter, producer and public speaker who likes to think he can still laugh at himself. back to top Grandads The measure of a man is not what he does on Sunday, But rather who he is Monday through Saturday Unknown Image by Arthur Durkee back to top Laughter An american decided to write a book about famous churches around the world. So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to Orlando, Thinking that he would start by working his way across the USA from south to north. On his first day he was inside a church taking photographs when he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read "$10,000 per call". The american, being intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by What the telephone was used for. The priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 you could talk to God. The American thanked the priest and went along his way. Next stop was in Atlanta. There, at a very large cathedral, he saw The same golden telephone with the same sign under it. He wondered if this was the same kind of telephone he saw in Orlando and he asked a nearby nun what its purpose was. She told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for$10,000 he could talk to God. "O.K., thank you," said the american. He then traveled to Indianapolis, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston and New York. In every church he saw the same golden telephone With the same "$10,000 per call" sign under it. The american, upon leaving Vermont decided to travel to Australia to see if Australians had the same phone. He arrived in Australia, and again, in the first church he entered, there was the same golden telephone, but this time the sign under it read "40 cents per call." The american was surprised so he asked the priest about the sign. "Father, I've traveled all over America and I've seen this same golden telephone in many churches. I'm told that it is a direct line to heaven, but in the US the price was $10,000 per call. Why is it so cheap here?" The priest smiled and answered, "You're in Australia now, son - it's a local call" . back to top Single Dads A Christmas to Remember By Tony Miller As Christmas is once again upon us I would like to share a story that I guess explains what dads in distress is all about. It happened a few years ago in the very early days of forming ?dids? and certainly inspired me to continue the work. I was sitting in a ?dids? meeting sharing my story. It was early days into separation, then divorce. It was coming up to Christmas and we were all sharing what we were going to do, if we were going to get our kids, what we had bought them, what we hadn't bought them, how tough things were for some of us etc. I shared that things were going to be tight this year. I said I just didn't have the dollars to spend. I was feeling fortunate that I was going to see my kids over the break although not on Christmas Day. I shared that I had promised my little bloke, who was four at the time, a Christmas tree but unfortunately I would have to break that promise. I just didn't have the money. Nor did I have the money to put much under one anyway. We all left the meeting carrying everyone's story in our hearts and had made the arrangement to have a BBQ the following week at my place to celebrate amongst us dads Christmas at least, with or without our kids. The deal was everyone would bring some sausages or whatever they could afford and we would make do with whatever we had. The following week as my guests arrived one of the dads had an old plastic Christmas tree on his shoulders which he gently placed in the corner of my one room flat. It had no legs so we just lent it against the wall. Then to my amazement, one by one, these dads in distress walked in and placed a present all wrapped in Christmas paper with a card written in my kid?s names.......... with love from dad. Nothing was said, nothing needed to be said, I think the water pouring from my eyes was enough. My kids didn't know it that year, but they had many dads and I came to understand I had mates, real mates. And I understood the power of what we had begun. I understood what dads in distress had become. You know that was 6 years ago now and I am about to spend Christmas Day with my little boy for the first time in 6 years. I still have that Christmas tree, a little worse for wear, but you know, I just cannot bring myself to changing it. We dressed it up last weekend him and I. We used a brick wrapped in Christmas paper to stand it up and put cotton wool for snow all over it. It looks pretty good and I will never forget those awesome dads who I am so privileged to know. This Christmas it will be just him and I, but you know in my heart I will be carrying all those dads who made one special Christmas for me and my kids. If you would like to see that same tree go to: TV advertisement - Christmas If you are fortunate enough to have your children over Christmas, give them an extra hug from those of us who don't. View windows media video file 8.3MB Download windows media zip file 5.6MB Download AVI zip file 15.4MB http://www.dadsindistress.asn.au/downloads.html DIDS Christmas Message by Tony Miller It's getting close to Christmas, our call rates go through the roof, many dads will not get to see their children over Christmas. For some this will be the first Christmas without their children. For some, someone else will be handing out the presents from under the tree. For many others it will be just another reminder of the loss of fatherhood. If you are a custodial parent please, please give the children the opportunity to spend some time with the other parent on the day. For the kid?s sake, make Christmas this year a time for mending. Kids need both mum and dad in their day-to-day lives and let?s not forget the grandparents, they love them too. This could be the year that you break the mould! Please spare a thought over this festive season for those who may not be as fortunate as you. If you have children in your house, when you tuck them into bed tonight, give them an extra kiss and a cuddle from those of us who haven't. We tuck our kids into bed and give them a kiss every night even though they are not there. Tony Miller dids dids@nor.com.au www.dadsindistress.asn.au back to top Special Feature It's Cool to be Christian God and his teachings are on a roll, enjoying a surge in public support, writes Jill Rowbotham December 16, 2005 The Australian Before Peter Garrett was a rock star, before he was an environmental campaigner, before he was the federal member for Kingsford Smith in Sydney, he was a Christian. "I would not describe myself as devout, although certainly a Christian belief has, I think, informed my value system," the former lead singer of Midnight Oil says. "It explains who I am and what I believe in." With Christmas upon us, Garrett, Labor's parliamentary secretary for reconciliation and the arts, is reflecting on the trend that it's now OK to declare yourself Christian. "I think there is no doubt Christianity is more talked about and there are more expressions of Christianity in the marketplace," he says. In an increasingly volatile world, with terrorist attacks occurring abroad and outbreaks of racial and religious violence erupting at home on Sydney's Cronulla beach and surrounding suburbs this week, Christian and Muslim leaders and followers are standing up and calling for peace and tolerance. Garrett says the attacks, and the fact that the terror is emanating from an extreme form of Islam, forces "people to start to focus back on the role of Christianity in our society, and religion, and what they personally do and do not believe". Politicians are also becoming more vocal about where they stand. They lined up to attend the July conference of Sydney's ever-growing Pentecostal Hillsong church. Federal Treasurer Peter Costello and then NSW premier Bob Carr spoke, and federal ministers Alexander Downer, Kevin Andrews and Helen Coonan were in the audience. Hillsong boasts a congregation of 19,000 every week across its two campuses, in the Hills district of Sydney and the other in the inner city. A sideshow was staged in September when it emerged that David Clarke, the right-wing Liberal powerbroker who delivered the NSW party leadership to Peter Debnam, had strong connections to Catholic conservative group Opus Dei, feeding concerns about the ascendancy of the Christian "Right". In October, federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley addressed the Australian Christian Lobby's convention and restated his Christianity. Prominent Melbourne Anglican professor Ian Harper, who will chair the new Fair Pay Commission, which is part of the industrial relations package, also spoke. Afterwards Harper said: "For me as an individual, I will be resting on my faith and my belief in God in helping me reach balanced decisions." Christian church leaders have become insistently vocal: over the defects of John Howard's industrial relations legislation; Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen gave the Boyer lectures; and Cardinal George Pell appeared on a Vatican balcony, among members of the enclave that had just elected Joseph Ratzinger to succeed pope John Paul II, as Benedict XVI. Interfaith dialogues have gathered pace via organisations such as the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews, whose participants are the National Council of Churches, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. In a laidback country unused to people wearing their religious hearts on their sleeves, it has been a remarkable show of force. And there are no signs it will diminish with Sydney's Catholic diocese swinging into the planning for the Vatican-backed World Youth Day in 2008, expected to attract as many overseas visitors as the 2000 Olympics, and heightened awareness of belief. Australia boasts a range of well-known Christians, including Prime Minister Howard, Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd and Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian. Those with a lower-profile faith include Garrett, singers Marina Prior and Nick Cave, and best-selling writer Tim Winton. Prior re-embraced her childhood faith about eight years ago. "I was at the height of my success: I was in a hit show, earning lots of money, I had a happy marriage, everything was essentially good in my life, but I just felt a yearning," she says of the days when she starred in The Phantom of the Opera. She and her husband Peter already had the first of their three children. "I think you definitely start to face your mortality when you have children and there is a sense of generational things. You look at what you are going to give your children, the foundations to base their lives on. I thought it was a bit nebulous to say 'just be nice'. "The greatest thing we can give our children is a spiritual focus for their lives rather than living on a default setting that is nothing in particular." Asked whether Christianity is becoming cool, Prior observes: "I imagine it's slightly cooler to be Buddhist than it is to be a Christian." To test the popularity of Christianity look no further than that harbinger of trends, Hollywood. Mel Gibson woke up the studios with a fright when he funded the wildly successful The Passion of the Christ. That was in February 2004, a year after Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code, about the supposed fate of Jesus' descendants, went hurtling up the best-seller lists. The astounding success of that film and that book convinced worshippers of mammon there was a substantial appetite and therefore serious money to be made from selling Christianity. The most recent evidence for this is the marketing campaign behind a range of editions of C.S. Lewis's Christ-based allegory, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in the bookshops. It is timed to coincide with the release of the film of the same name on Boxing Day. Next year The Da Vinci Code will rake in more sales when the film of the book, starring the highly bankable Tom Hanks, opens in May. Yet while Australia's dominant religion is exhibiting a surge in public confidence and profile, overall numbers attending traditional churches are still falling. In the 1950s, 44 per cent of Australians went to church at least once a month; a 2003 national church life survey showed the figure was 19 per cent. According to 2001 figures, about 1.5 million attended every week, down from 1.76 million in 1996. This despite almost 70 per cent of Australians identifying themselves as Christian on the most recent 2001 census. It is widely accepted that baby boomers, like previous generations, drifted away from the church as young adults. But while those earlier prodigals returned once they had children of their own that they wanted to raise as church-goers, the boomers were largely lost for good. But there are signs of new growth. Research by advertising company Clemenger Communications released in September shows there has been a rekindling of interest. During a 1978 survey of twentysomethings, 26 per cent agreed religion was important in their lives, but a 2005 survey of people who had been twentysomethings in 1978 revealed that now 36 per cent agreed. Clemenger argues today's young people are more religious than their parents' generation, with 40 per cent of the twentysomethings surveyed in 2005 agreeing with the proposition. And 56 per cent of today's young people say they consider themselves spiritual even though they don't go to church. An exception to the denominational decline are the evangelical and Pentecostal congregations, which are experiencing massive growth. Among rank and file Christians, there is a diversity of practice. Garrett, who grew up in the Anglican tradition and has attended a Uniting Church, would not call himself "a denominational Christian". "I go wherever the door is open and sometimes I don't go anywhere at all." Prior and her family are members of a Christian City Church in Melbourne and will be singing in the Christmas Day service. New ways of "doing" church are also emerging. Sydney psychiatrist Sonia Luscombe, 34, fits into the category of "small c" Christian. "I suggest it's become a bit more fashionable to speak out about your faith and not to be regarded as odd," she says. "Christians had a certain image when I was growing up as being daggy and skivvy-wearing people. But now there is more diversity in all religions. It has loosened up generally." Luscombe has a Hindu father and a nominally Methodist mother, both academics who didn't practice their faiths. Her interest in psychology led her to spiritual topics and at about the age of 30, she began to look for a religious tradition to follow. "I approached it as a bit of a shopping expedition and I compared different faiths and what I could get out of them." Luscombe went through a "passionate" stage for about a year and these days attends the Cafe Church in Glebe. Her concept of faith is that it is "an evolving thing as opposed to a fixed thing". Her husband, Huw Luscombe, 39, a high school science teacher and co-ordinator of the Cafe Church, was raised by nominally Christian parents and was 12 when he became a Christian. He points to an explosion of interest in Christian schools and says it flows through to a relationship with the churches. "The Catholic Church has been doing schools for a long time and it has a huge impact on their attendances," Huw Luscombe says. Another reason attitudes to Christianity have become more tolerant, he says, is that: "People are supportive and respect churches because of their involvement in social welfare." Garrett agrees. "One thing I have noticed is that with the great concentration that many people have had regarding issues to do with poverty or environmental justice, peace, disarmament, quite often you find there is a Christian input, represented through churches and organisations, or through the people themselves," he says. Prior says a faith that is engaged with the world and its problems is more attractive. An ambassador for the non-denominational Christian aid organisation, Samaritan's Purse, she will travel to Cambodia in April to visit projects and distribute donations to orphans and street children. Prior says non-believers are attracted to Christians who incorporate faith into their daily lives. "If they see people authentically living it out they respond to it," she says. Jill Rowbotham is The Australian's religious affairs writer. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17580939%2 55E28737,00 . back to top Thought of the Week man holding globe For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Jesus Christ back to top Christmas Greeting Christmas Greetings from the Marshes and the fathersonline production team We wish all our readers a blessed and peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year. We would like to leave this message with you about Jesus Christ our Saviour as a hope and encouragement for this season, and for eternity. Love Warwick & Alison Marsh and family and the fathersonline production team For a child has been born for us! The gift of a Son for us! Hell take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counsellor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness Isaiah 9:6 The Message back to top News & Info Warwick and Alison Marsh & family will be doing a Christmas special broadcast on 94.1 FM between 9am -2 pm Christmas Day playing their favorite music, christmas carols and generally having fun on air. The station can be heard right along the south coast of NSW from Helensburgh to Ulladulla and on www.941.com.au ___________________________________ Catch the Fire Marriage & Family Seminar 17 - 18th February 2006 This nation rides or falls on families. How we respond to relationship issues is crucial. Whatever your status we all need God given instruction. This unique seminar will help you communicate within families, workplaces, the wider Body of Christ. For singles, couples and families. Speakers: Michael & Alison Goode - Families For Life Australia Warwick Marsh - Fatherhood Foundation Bill Muehlenberg - Family Council of Victoria Danny Nalliah - Catch the Fire Ministries To register your interest in attendance please phone: 9am - 5pm Catch The Fire Ministries Inc. PO Box 7427, Dandenong Vic 3175 Email: inquiries@catchthefire.com.au Phone (03) 9794 8211 Fax (03) 9794 9311 www.catchthefire.com.au ________________________________________________________ What more reading..haven't got the time! What price do you put on family? Another great resource of information is the Family Edge newsletter produced by Family & Society. Have a look at http://www.familyandsociety.org/index.html and try out the newsletter. It has up to date material for Australians. Letters Dear Fatherhood Foundation I have finally decided to write to you. Even though I have never married, or fathered any children, although this has been a deep unfulfilled longing, I still feel empathy for the plight of the fathers and the fatherless that you represent in your magazine. Andrew Bolt's comments, though written from a typical right wing conservative perspective, was quite thought provoking, and he raised many valid points. However we need also to view things from "a left wing" perspective if we are to have a balanced dialogue, one that looks at all angles. We must also be willing to question our own culture and western values, not condemn out of hand as being looney left wing radicals those who criticise us. Yes we must look deeply at the issue of fatherlessness, and youth gang culture and peer pressure, and also consider other contributing factors, peculiar to western societies, of materialism, alienation, "the cult of individualism" that Mark Latham and others have referred to, and the increasing lack of a sense of community, and collective responsibility to those who are vulnerable and or on the fringes of our society. What part played in this has the increasing secularisation of our society, the deregulation of capitalism, the ideological drive to privatise the public sector and reduce human beings to mere commodities with no God given innate value apart from what they can contribute to the economy in purely material terms. I am concerned that the debate has been highjacked by those with a nationalistic right wing agenda. I think we should applaud the peace makers, even if they have flaws, as Jesus said, blessed are they for God will call them his children. Bolt's reference to the background of Koby Abberton and Lebanese "leader" Keysar Trad could not be helpful. In Christianity we believe that we are all flawed, but through forgiveness and reconciliation we can change for the better. The efforts of these "leaders" to reconcile the waring fractions is a spiritual act, and must be highly commended, that should not have seeds of doubt about their motives sown, this can only undermine these positive moves and help fuel the fires, as years ago Credence Clearwater Revival prophetically sang, "of rage and ruin". This was one of the few rays of light amid the dark storm clouds of racist based violence of these past few weeks. So, as Andrew says, we must act now "to prevent. There will be more riots before we spruce up this home of ours and only quiet thinking, not screaming, will help us." Bill Robertson Editors Reply: Dear Bill Thank you for your valuable input on this important issue. The fatherhood foundation does not agree with everything that goes into fathersonline. You have certainly picked the weak points in Andrew Bolts article. Since the weekend a friend sent me an even better article on this critical subject which unpacks the true story even further. http://www.quadrant.org.au/php/article_view.php?article_id=581 Pretty scary stuff. The results of living in a fallen world I guess. These problems are very deep for many and varied reasons Truth is often stranger than fiction. In regards to your assumption we are some right wing crazies I find this quite humorous. The fatherhood is Bi partisan in its approach. We have worked closely with both sides of politics and will continue to do so. We have been extensively criticized for working with the many different players in the public arena and will continue to be so. Talk to anyone who's followed our work over the last 3 or 4 yrs and you will find the truth speaks for itself. Kind Regards Warwick Marsh The Rise of Middle Eastern Crime in Australia Tim Priest Quadrant Magazine Society January 2004 - Volume XLVIII Number 1-2 I believe that the rise of Middle Eastern organized crime in Sydney will have an impact on society unlike anything we have ever seen. http://www.quadrant.org.au/php/article_view.php?article_id=581 back to top Dad's Prayer Dear God Thank you for sending Jesus. Thank you for Christmas. Thank you for time off. Thank you for holy-days. Thank you for my family. Thank you, most of all, for you. back to top About Us Mission Statement & Help Us! Mission Statement The Fatherhood Foundation is a charitable, non profit incorporated association with a goal to inspire men to a greater level of excellence as fathers, by encouraging and educating them, thereby renewing and empowering families. Click here for more information about us Help Us! The Fatherhood Foundation believes that the key to life is giving. That's why this newsletter is given freely without expectation. Life is also about relationships. That's what being a good father is all about, developing relationships with your loved ones. If you would like to give financially to the Fatherhood Foundation, please mail your cheque or money order to: Fatherhood Foundation PO Box 440 WOLLONGONG NSW 2520 AUSTRALIA You have received the fathersonline.org newsletter because you have subscribed, or you have been subscribed by a friend. If you do not wish to receive future emails, please click the UNSUBSCRIBE button below or send an email to info@fathersonline.org with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject heading. back to top Click Here to Unsubscribe ------=_NextPart_000_A921_01C60931.789C3B30 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fatherhood Foundation
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Issue 171 - 5th November 2005 Go to our website Here


Welcome

 

 

 

I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. I guess it all started when I was about six years old and I found out that Santa Claus wasn't real. I loved the idea of Father Christmas, a kindly old man, coming around at midnight to give me toys. The word had gotten around among my circle of friends that our parents were the real benefactors. They say truth is stranger than fiction. Finally the truth sank in, and I can remember feeling distinctly disappointed. Then again, such is life. Mind you, it didn't get any better when at about eight years of age my dad explained to me that Jesus wasn't even born at Christmas time, but that it was more likely to have been around the northern hemisphere spring or summer. Shepherds weren't usually outside in the field in the middle of winter. Another reality is that Jesus was most likely born somewhere around 4 BC.

 

Of course the real story behind St Nicholas (Santa Claus) is wonderfully profound and worth reliving and retelling. These are the stories our children need to hear and not the commercial make-believe of our market-driven Christmas/New Year season.

 

So how did Christmas come into being? The early Christians began to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the 25th December as early as 354 AD. They did this as a takeover of the Saturnalia Festival, a celebration to honour the Roman god Saturn, which fell around the December solstice. This solstice is the shortest day of the year, 21st/22nd December, while in Australia it is our longest day, reminding us that summer has begun its decline.

 

In 525 AD, a monk named Dionysius Exiguous confirmed Jesus birth as the 25th December (Year 1) for the purposes of his own calendar and as a result established Anno Domini, which translates as 'the year of our Lord' AD. Dionysius' calendar became, within two centuries, the calendar for the whole world thanks to the work of another monk/historian, the Venerable Bede from England.

 

It is interesting to note that the French Revolution (1700s) and the Italian Fascists (1922) each seriously attempted to displace the Anno Domini system by dating from their own founding. North Korea did the same sort of thing through the birth of their founder Kim II Sung, dating their calendar from 1911. Even in recent times the politically correct brigade have tried to remove BC and AD because of their hate for the Christ of Christmas, but even more recently that seems to be changing. Mr Howard, our Prime Minister has suggested that Australia should celebrate the Christian tradition of nativity scenes, something he noted have been diminishing in numbers. In early December, even Mr Bracks, Premier of Victoria; the home of political correctness, encouraged certain government departments to sing Christmas carols and have nativity scenes. It would seem that the Christ of Christmas is suddenly becoming fashionable. Not that Jesus has to prove a point. After all, what greater gift can be given than your own life.

 

Love work

 

Yes, the Christmas/New Year period is wracked by obnoxious commercialism with some very shaky beginnings, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. Christmas and New Year are not all bad. The glass is half full not half empty.

 

Let's celebrate the birth of our Lord.

Let's sing Christmas carols.

Let's go to church.

Let's give gifts.

Let's put a renewed priority on our family.

Let's stop working, have fun with our families and play with our children.

Let's celebrate this Christmas and New Year as holy-days and use this time to rebuild our relationships both on earth and in heaven.

 

Yours for celebrating

Warwick Marsh

 

PS. If you are fortunate enough to have your children over Christmas, give them an extra hug from those dads who don't.

________________________________________________________

Warwick Marsh  has been married to Alison for 30 years. He is
the father of five children, four boys and one girl, ranging in
age from 24 years to 13 years.  Warwick is a musician,
songwriter, producer and public speaker who likes to think he
can still laugh at himself.

back to top

Grandads

The measure of a man is not what he does on Sunday,

But rather who he is Monday through Saturday

 

Unknown

 

Image by Arthur Durkee

back to top

Laughter

   

An american decided to write a book about famous churches around the world. So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to Orlando, Thinking that he would start by working his way across the USA from south to north.

On his first day he was inside a church taking photographs when he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read "$10,000 per call".

The american, being intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by What the telephone was used for.

The priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 you could talk to God.

The American thanked the priest and went along his way.

Next stop was in Atlanta. There, at a very large cathedral, he saw The same golden telephone with the same sign under it.

He wondered if this was the same kind of telephone he saw in Orlando and he asked a nearby nun what its purpose was.

She told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for$10,000 he could talk to God.

"O.K., thank you," said the american.

He then traveled to Indianapolis, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston and New York. In every church he saw the same golden telephone With the same "$10,000 per call" sign under it.

The american, upon leaving Vermont decided to travel to Australia to see if Australians had the same phone.

He arrived in Australia, and again, in the first church he entered, there was the same golden telephone, but this time the sign under it read "40 cents per call."

The american was surprised so he asked the priest about the sign.

"Father, I've traveled all over America and I've seen this same golden telephone in many churches. I'm told that it is a direct line to heaven, but in the US the price was $10,000 per call. Why is it so cheap here?"

The priest smiled and answered, "You're in Australia now, son - it's a local call"

.

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Single Dads

 


A Christmas to Remember

By Tony Miller

 

As Christmas is once again upon us I would like to share a story that I guess explains what dads in distress is all about.

 

It happened a few years ago in the very early days of forming ?dids? and certainly inspired me to continue the work.  I was sitting in a ?dids? meeting sharing my story. It was early days into separation, then divorce. It was coming up to Christmas and we were all sharing what we were going to do, if we were going to get our kids, what we had bought them, what we hadn't bought them, how tough things were for some of us etc. I shared that things were going to be tight this year. I said I just didn't have the dollars to spend. I was feeling fortunate that I was going to see my kids over the break although not on Christmas Day. I shared that I had promised my little bloke, who was four at the time, a Christmas tree but unfortunately I would have to break that promise. I just didn't have the money. Nor did I have the mon ey to put much under one anyway.

 

We all left the meeting carrying everyone's story in our hearts and had made the arrangement to have a BBQ the following week at my place to celebrate amongst us dads Christmas at least, with or without our kids. The deal was everyone would bring some sausages or whatever they could afford and we would make do with whatever we had.

 

The following week as my guests arrived one of the dads had an old plastic Christmas tree on his shoulders which he gently placed in the corner of my one room flat. It had no legs so we just lent it against the wall. Then to my amazement, one by one, these dads in distress walked in and placed a present all wrapped in Christmas paper with a card written in my kid?s names.......... with love from dad.

 

Nothing was said, nothing needed to be said, I think the water pouring from my eyes was enough.

 

My kids didn't know it that year, but they had many dads and I came to understand I had mates, real mates. And I understood the power of what we had begun. I understood what dads in distress had become.

 

You know that was 6 years ago now and I am about to spend Christmas Day with my little boy for the first time in 6 years. I still have that Christmas tree, a little worse for wear, but you know, I just cannot bring myself to changing it. We dressed it up last weekend him and I. We used a brick wrapped in Christmas paper to stand it up and put cotton wool for snow all over it. It looks pretty good and I will never forget those awesome dads who I am so privileged to know. This Christmas it will be just him and I, but you know in my heart I will be carrying all those dads who made one special Christmas for me and my kids.

 

If you would like to see that same tree go to:

 

TV advertisement - Christmas

 

If you are fortunate enough to have your children over Christmas, give them an extra hug from those of us who don't.

View windows media video file 8.3MB

Download windows media zip file 5.6MB

Download AVI zip file 15.4MB

http://www.dadsindistress.asn.au/downloads.html  

 

DIDS Christmas Message

by Tony Miller

 

It's getting close to Christmas, our call rates go through the roof, many dads will not get to see their children over Christmas. For some this will be the first Christmas without their children. For some, someone else will be handing out the presents from under the tree. For many others it will be just another reminder of the loss of fatherhood.

 

If you are a custodial parent please, please give the children the opportunity to spend some time with the other parent on the day. For the kid?s sake, make Christmas this year a time for mending. Kids need both mum and dad in their day-to-day lives and let?s not forget the grandparents, they love them too. This could be the year that you break the mould!

              

Please spare a thought over this festive season for those who may not be as fortunate as you. If you have children in your house, when you tuck them into bed tonight, give them an extra kiss and a cuddle from those of us who haven't. We tuck our kids into bed and give them a kiss every night even though they are not there. 

 

Tony Miller dids

dids@nor.com.au 

www.dadsindistress.asn.au

 

 

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Special Feature

 

It's Cool to be Christian

God and his teachings are on a roll, enjoying a surge in public support, writes Jill Rowbotham

 

December 16, 2005   The Australian

 

Before Peter Garrett was a rock star, before he was an environmental campaigner, before he was the federal member for Kingsford Smith in Sydney, he was a Christian.

 

"I would not describe myself as devout, although certainly a Christian belief has, I think, informed my value system," the former lead singer of Midnight Oil says. "It explains who I am and what I believe in."

With Christmas upon us, Garrett, Labor's parliamentary secretary for reconciliation and the arts, is reflecting on the trend that it's now OK to declare yourself Christian. "I think there is no doubt Christianity is more talked about and there are more expressions of Christianity in the marketplace," he says.

In an increasingly volatile world, with terrorist attacks occurring abroad and outbreaks of racial and religious violence erupting at home on Sydney's Cronulla beach and surrounding suburbs this week, Christian and Muslim leaders and followers are standing up and calling for peace and tolerance.

Garrett says the attacks, and the fact that the terror is emanating from an extreme form of Islam, forces "people to start to focus back on the role of Christianity in our society, and religion, and what they personally do and do not believe".

Politicians are also becoming more vocal about where they stand. They lined up to attend the July conference of Sydney's ever-growing Pentecostal Hillsong church. Federal Treasurer Peter Costello and then NSW premier Bob Carr spoke, and federal ministers Alexander Downer, Kevin Andrews and Helen Coonan were in the audience. Hillsong boasts a congregation of 19,000 every week across its two campuses, in the Hills district of Sydney and the other in the inner city.

A sideshow was staged in September when it emerged that David Clarke, the right-wing Liberal powerbroker who delivered the NSW party leadership to Peter Debnam, had strong connections to Catholic conservative group Opus Dei, feeding concerns about the ascendancy of the Christian "Right".

In October, federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley addressed the Australian Christian Lobby's convention and restated his Christianity.

Prominent Melbourne Anglican professor Ian Harper, who will chair the new Fair Pay Commission, which is part of the industrial relations package, also spoke. Afterwards Harper said: "For me as an individual, I will be resting on my faith and my belief in God in helping me reach balanced decisions."

Christian church leaders have become insistently vocal: over the defects of John Howard's industrial relations legislation; Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen gave the Boyer lectures; and Cardinal George Pell appeared on a Vatican balcony, among members of the enclave that had just elected Joseph Ratzinger to succeed pope John Paul II, as Benedict XVI.

Interfaith dialogues have gathered pace via organisations such as the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews, whose participants are the National Council of Churches, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

In a laidback country unused to people wearing their religious hearts on their sleeves, it has been a remarkable show of force. And there are no signs it will diminish with Sydney's Catholic diocese swinging into the planning for the Vatican-backed World Youth Day in 2008, expected to attract as many overseas visitors as the 2000 Olympics, and heightened awareness of belief.

Australia boasts a range of well-known Christians, including Prime Minister Howard, Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd and Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian. Those with a lower-profile faith include Garrett, singers Marina Prior and Nick Cave, and best-selling writer Tim Winton.

Prior re-embraced her childhood faith about eight years ago.

 

"I was at the height of my success: I was in a hit show, earning lots of money, I had a happy marriage, everything was essentially good in my life, but I just felt a yearning," she says of the days when she starred in The Phantom of the Opera.

She and her husband Peter already had the first of their three children. "I think you definitely start to face your mortality when you have children and there is a sense of generational things. You look at what you are going to give your children, the foundations to base their lives on. I thought it was a bit nebulous to say 'just be nice'.

"The greatest thing we can give our children is a spiritual focus for their lives rather than living on a default setting that is nothing in particular." Asked whether Christianity is becoming cool, Prior observes: "I imagine it's slightly cooler to be Buddhist than it is to be a Christian."

To test the popularity of Christianity look no further than that harbinger of trends, Hollywood. Mel Gibson woke up the studios with a fright when he funded the wildly successful The Passion of the Christ.

That was in February 2004, a year after Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code, about the supposed fate of Jesus' descendants, went hurtling up the best-seller lists.

The astounding success of that film and that book convinced worshippers of mammon there was a substantial appetite and therefore serious money to be made from selling Christianity.

The most recent evidence for this is the marketing campaign behind a range of editions of C.S. Lewis's Christ-based allegory, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in the bookshops. It is timed to coincide with the release of the film of the same name on Boxing Day. Next year The Da Vinci Code will rake in more sales when the film of the book, starring the highly bankable Tom Hanks, opens in May.

Yet while Australia's dominant religion is exhibiting a surge in public confidence and profile, overall numbers attending traditional churches are still falling. In the 1950s, 44 per cent of Australians went to church at least once a month; a 2003 national church life survey showed the figure was 19 per cent. According to 2001 figures, about 1.5 million attended every week, down from 1.76 million in 1996. This despite almost 70 per cent of Australians identifying themselves as Christian on the most recent 2001 census.

It is widely accepted that baby boomers, like previous generations, drifted away from the church as young adults. But while those earlier prodigals returned once they had children of their own that they wanted to raise as church-goers, the boomers were largely lost for good.

But there are signs of new growth. Research by advertising company Clemenger Communications released in September shows there has been a rekindling of interest. During a 1978 survey of twentysomethings, 26 per cent agreed religion was important in their lives, but a 2005 survey of people who had been twentysomethings in 1978 revealed that now 36 per cent agreed.

Clemenger argues today's young people are more religious than their parents' generation, with 40 per cent of the twentysomethings surveyed in 2005 agreeing with the proposition. And 56 per cent of today's young people say they consider themselves spiritual even though they don't go to church.

An exception to the denominational decline are the evangelical and Pentecostal congregations, which are experiencing massive growth.

Among rank and file Christians, there is a diversity of practice. Garrett, who grew up in the Anglican tradition and has attended a Uniting Church, would not call himself "a denominational Christian". "I go wherever the door is open and sometimes I don't go anywhere at all."

Prior and her family are members of a Christian City Church in Melbourne and will be singing in the Christmas Day service.

New ways of "doing" church are also emerging. Sydney psychiatrist Sonia Luscombe, 34, fits into the category of "small c" Christian. "I suggest it's become a bit more fashionable to speak out about your faith and not to be regarded as odd," she says. "Christians had a certain image when I was growing up as being daggy and skivvy-wearing people. But now there is more diversity in all religions. It has loosened up generally."

Luscombe has a Hindu father and a nominally Methodist mother, both academics who didn't practice their faiths. Her interest in psychology led her to spiritual topics and at about the age of 30, she began to look for a religious tradition to follow. "I approached it as a bit of a shopping expedition and I compared different faiths and what I could get out of them."

Luscombe went through a "passionate" stage for about a year and these days attends the Cafe Church in Glebe. Her concept of faith is that it is "an evolving thing as opposed to a fixed thing". Her husband, Huw Luscombe, 39, a high school science teacher and co-ordinator of the Cafe Church, was raised by nominally Christian parents and was 12 when he became a Christian.

He points to an explosion of interest in Christian schools and says it flows through to a relationship with the churches. "The Catholic Church has been doing schools for a long time and it has a huge impact on their attendances," Huw Luscombe says.

Another reason attitudes to Christianity have become more tolerant, he says, is that: "People are supportive and respect churches because of their involvement in social welfare."

Garrett agrees. "One thing I have noticed is that with the great concentration that many people have had regarding issues to do with poverty or environmental justice, peace, disarmament, quite often you find there is a Christian input, represented through churches and organisations, or through the people themselves," he says.

Prior says a faith that is engaged with the world and its problems is more attractive. An ambassador for the non-denominational Christian aid organisation, Samaritan's Purse, she will travel to Cambodia in April to visit projects and distribute donations to orphans and street children.

Prior says non-believers are attracted to Christians who incorporate faith into their daily lives. "If they see people authentically living it out they respond to it," she says.

Jill Rowbotham is The Australian's religious affairs writer.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,17580939%255E28737,00.         

 

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Thought of the Week

man holding globe

     

For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

 

Jesus Christ

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Christmas Greeting

                

Christmas Greetings from the Marshes and the fathersonline production team

 

We wish all our readers a blessed and peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We would like to leave this message with you about Jesus Christ our Saviour

as a hope and encouragement for this season, and for eternity.

Love Warwick & Alison Marsh and family

and the fathersonline production team

  

 

For a child has been born for us!

The gift of a Son for us!

Hell take over the running of the world.

His names will be:

Amazing Counsellor, Strong God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness

 

Isaiah 9:6 The Message

 

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News & Info

Warwick and Alison Marsh & family will be doing a Christmas special broadcast on 94.1 FM between 9am -2 pm Christmas Day playing their favorite music, christmas carols and generally having fun on air.

The station can be heard right along the south coast of NSW from Helensburgh to Ulladulla and on www.941.com.au

___________________________________

Catch the Fire

Marriage & Family Seminar

 

17 - 18th February 2006

 

This nation rides or falls on families. How we respond to relationship issues is crucial. Whatever your status we all need God given instruction. This unique seminar will help you communicate within families, workplaces, the wider Body of Christ. For singles, couples and families.

 

Speakers:

Michael & Alison Goode - Families For Life Australia

Warwick Marsh - Fatherhood Foundation

Bill Muehlenberg - Family Council of Victoria

Danny Nalliah - Catch the Fire Ministries

 

To register your interest in attendance please phone: 9am - 5pm

Catch The Fire Ministries Inc.

PO Box 7427, Dandenong Vic 3175

Email: inquiries@catchthefire.com.au

Phone (03) 9794 8211 Fax (03) 9794 9311

www.catchthefire.com.au

 

________________________________________________________

 

What more reading..haven't got the time!

 

What price do you put on family?
Another great resource of information is the Family Edge newsletter produced by Family & Society. Have a look at http://www.familyandsociety.org/index.html and try out the newsletter. It has up to date material for Australians.

Letters                                        

 

Dear Fatherhood Foundation

 

I have finally decided to write to you. Even though I have never married, or fathered any children, although this has been a deep unfulfilled longing, I still feel empathy for the plight of the fathers and the fatherless that you represent in your magazine. Andrew Bolt's comments, though written from a typical right wing conservative perspective, was quite thought provoking, and he raised many valid points. However we need also to view things from "a left wing" perspective if we are to have a balanced dialogue, one that looks at all angles. We must also be willing to question our own culture and western values, not condemn out of hand as being looney left wing radicals those who criticise us. Yes we must look deeply at the issue of fatherlessness, and youth gang culture and peer pressure, and also consider other contributing factors, peculiar to western societies, of materialism, alienation, "the cult of individualism" that Mark Latham and others have referred to, and the increasing lack of a sense of community, and collective responsibility to those who are vulnerable and or on the fringes of our society. What part played in this has the increasing secularisation of our society, the deregulation of capitalism, the ideological drive to privatise the public sector and reduce human beings to mere commodities with no God given innate value apart from what they can contribute to the economy in purely material terms. I am concerned that the debate has been highjacked by those with a nationalistic right wing agenda. I think we should applaud the peace makers, even if they have flaws, as Jesus said, blessed are they for God will call them his children. Bolt's reference to the background of Koby Abberton and Lebanese "leader" Keysar Trad could not be helpful. In Christianity we believe that we are all flawed, but through forgiveness and reconciliation we ca n change for the better. The efforts of these "leaders" to reconcile the waring fractions is a spiritual act, and must be highly commended, that should not have seeds of doubt about their motives sown, this can only undermine these positive moves and help fuel the fires, as years ago Credence Clearwater Revival prophetically sang, "of rage and ruin". This was one of the few rays of light amid the dark storm clouds of racist based violence of these past few weeks. So, as Andrew says, we must act now "to prevent. There will be more riots before we spruce up this home of ours and only quiet thinking, not screaming, will help us."

 

Bill Robertson

 

Editors Reply:

Dear Bill

Thank you for your valuable input on this important issue. The fatherhood foundation does not agree with everything that goes into fathersonline. You have certainly picked the weak points in Andrew Bolts article. Since the weekend a friend sent me an even better article on this critical subject which unpacks the true story even further. http://www.quadrant.org.au/php/article_view.php?article_id=581   Pretty scary stuff. The results of living in a fallen world I guess. These problems are very deep for many and varied reasons Truth is often stranger than fiction.

In regards to your assumption we are some right wing crazies I find this quite humorous. The fatherhood is Bi partisan in its approach. We have worked closely with both sides of politics and will continue to do so. We have been extensively criticized for working with the many different players in the public arena and will continue to be so. Talk to anyone who's followed our work over the last 3 or 4 yrs and you will find the truth speaks for itself.

Kind Regards

Warwick Marsh

 

The Rise of Middle Eastern Crime in Australia

Tim Priest  Quadrant Magazine Society January 2004 - Volume XLVIII Number 1-2

I believe that the rise of Middle Eastern organized crime in Sydney will have an impact on society unlike anything we have ever seen.

http://www.quadrant.org.au/php/article_view.php?article_id=581

 

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Dad's Prayer

 

Dear God

 

Thank you for sending Jesus.

Thank you for Christmas.

Thank you for time off.

Thank you for holy-days.

Thank you for my family.

Thank you, most of all, for you.

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About Us

Mission Statement & Help Us!

Mission Statement

The Fatherhood Foundation is a charitable, non profit incorporated association with a goal to inspire men to a greater level of excellence as fathers, by encouraging and educating them, thereby renewing and empowering families.

Click here for more information about us

Help Us!

The Fatherhood Foundation believes that the key to life is giving.  That's why this newsletter is given freely without expectation.  Life is also about relationships.  That's what being a good father is all about, developing relationships with your loved ones.
 
If you would like to give financially to the Fatherhood Foundation,
please mail your cheque or money order to:
Fatherhood Foundation
PO Box 440
WOLLONGONG  NSW  2520
AUSTRALIA

You have received the fathersonline.org newsletter because you have subscribed, or you have been subscribed by a friend.  If you do not wish to receive future emails, please click the UNSUBSCRIBE button below or send an email to info@fathersonline.org with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject heading.

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