LAWYERS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
PRESIDENT’S REPORT - MARCH 2007
Introduction and welcome
I welcome you to the 4th Annual General Meeting of the Lawyers Christian
Fellowship.
This past year seems to have gone quickly. On behalf of the Fellowship, I want to
thank you for the tireless efforts of the committee, its members and especially
Geraldine Hawkes, who has made it a joy and a privilege to be involved.
When I look through the list of events and activities that were arranged, it is both
staggering and delightful.
It is even more delightful that wonderful new friendships have been formed and that
the dream and hope that the love of God can be evident in our daily working lives as
lawyers has been partially fulfilled.
Here is a summary of some of the amazing opportunities that took place in the past 12
months for the fulfilment of that dream and hope.
Ann Buwalda visit
In May 2006, with only a few weeks’ notice, we were told that Ann Buwalda, the
International Director of the Jubilee Campaign and Board Member of Advocates
International was coming to Adelaide. Ann is a tireless advocate for religious freedom
and human rights and it was her contact with our own Vanessa Varga in Washington
DC that brought her here to Adelaide. Vanessa drafted a petition to the United
Nations to free three women who are in jail for running a Sunday School. Ann spoke
at the Flinders University, on radio, at a lunch-time group meeting. She also spoke at
“The Office”, Pirie Street, Adelaide, where about 90 people came to hear Ann’s
thoughts on integrating faith and work. Vanessa, Geraldine and Corinna performed
an enormous service in arranging the venue, looking after the guests, including our
wonderful guest musician, a former detainee from the Baxter Detention Centre. This
was an opportunity to acknowledge and thank the champions in the Refugee and
Human Rights arenas, such as Libby Hogarth. To me, the whole night was symbolic
in that the goodness of God was proclaimed in “The Office”.
Thomas More
As I travel throughout Australia and overseas and speak about the Lawyers Christian
Fellowship, one of the things I continually boast about is the incredible unity of
Christian Lawyers, who have worked out a way to have communion together at the
annual Thomas More service. This is a time when Anglicans, Baptists, Pentecostals,
Catholics, Lutherans and brothers and sisters of other denominations join together in
sharing communion and acknowledging a wonderful role model in Sir Thomas.
People are amazed that such unity can exist among lawyers. That unity gives them
hope to live in the kind of unity Jesus appeals for us to live in, four times in John: 17.
Law Week Service
During our ecumenical Law Week church service, our beloved vice-president, Ray
Frost, gave us a stirring exposition of Christian Lawyers as servants.
The Honourable Attorney-General, Mr Michael Atkinson, the President of the Law
Society of South Australia, Ms Deej Eszenyi, several distinguished Judges and
Magistrates, Ms Jan Martin, the Chief Executive Officer of the Law Society of South
Australia, and a number of others braved the cold winter morning to enjoy a wellcrafted message from Ray Frost. His message spoke to the heart and it inspired us all.
It was so good that part that an extract of his message was printed in the monthly Law
Society Bulletin.
Feeding the Homeless
One of the highlights of the year was feeding the homeless by serving a meal at the St
Mary Magdalene Centre. Elizabeth Connolly not only had the vision, but she
followed it through with much personal sacrifice and effort by putting together a team
that wonderfully served some of the hungry in our city. This was so successful that
there is talk of doing this on a regular basis. One of the many wonderful things about
the Lawyers Christian Fellowship is that different kinds of events attract different
kinds of people. This event attracted some lawyers we had not seen much of before.
The night also partly addressed the warning given by our Chief Justice at the launch
of the Fellowship that we must continue to look outwardly, as well as to encourage
one another inwardly, if the fellowship is to survive and to thrive.
The Christmas Service
As another example of a desire to understand and connect to the many wonderful
Christian groups in the city, last year’s Christmas service was held at the Aboriginal
Catholic Ministry Centre in Pirie Street. Father Pearson amazed us with his ability to
preach, play the organ, greet people and mingle, seemingly all at the same time. He
reminded us about the paramount place of love and he acknowledged the work of
many wonderful lawyers who give much of their time working with the marginalised
in our society.
Synagogue Visit
Several of us have had a dream for quite some time to visit our precious Jewish
friends. Finally, in December 2006, this became a reality.
We enjoyed a wonderful service and hospitality. We thank Judge Sulan and Matthew
Goode for inviting us to the Beit Shalom Synagogue. We had a special treat. The
Torah, the book of the Law handwritten on beautiful parchment, was brought out for
us to look at.
Bible Studies
Our dear David Williams put together a wonderful bible study program at the Bean
Bar, which was well attended and was always a great encouragement. We adopted a
rotating model where students, lawyers and even a Judge, I believe, took turns in
leading the bible study.
This is the model of leadership that I enjoy very much and one that will ultimately
birth and develop many leaders.
The Home Fellowship
We have continued with the home fellowship. It amazes me how many students and
“newish” practitioners have made contact, wanting to connect on a more personal
basis. Several of our regular attendees have moved interstate or overseas. We send
our greetings to Noel and Elim, who have gone to Canberra after Noel finally
proposed marriage. We also say farewell to Amy Ward who is taking up an exciting
new role in Dubai. We have considered alternating the home fellowship between
north and south of the city. It may be that we open it up to the wider profession. We
are also considering moving it to the city. We will discuss these issues at the
management committee level.
The young lawyers and students also have linked in the city through Pastor Mike
Pietch, Chaplain of the University of Adelaide. Danielle Forrester had the vision for
this type of meeting and brought it to fruition.
Lifting the Veil
In November 2006, an unusual invitation came to host some precious women from
Operation Outcry, of the United States. These women have gone through abortion and
have found hope and healing. They approach this extremely difficult issue from a
position of grace, love and understanding. Whilst this is a highly controversial
subject, their approach to me was so novel and wonderful that it seemed worthwhile
to support at some level. We then found out that the senior counsel for Roe, of Roe v
Wade, who is working on the reformation of abortion laws in America, was also
coming with them.
We held an unofficial function of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship at the Adelaide
Christian Centre in Sturt Street. We had the privilege of hearing two Christian
professors of law speak to us on how abortion hurts women. It was a holistic, gracious
and well-thought out approach to this enormous issue in society. The group also made
an outstanding presentation at our State Parliament and ministered deeply to hurting
women and men in the churches.
Management Committee Meetings
The Management Committee had a planning meeting in February 2006 and bimonthly meetings during the year.
To me, these meetings are generally the most fun and the easiest of all of the different
boards and councils that I have been part of over the years. We begin with prayer and
devotion and there is usually much laughter and lightness about the meetings. I love
the fact that I can say that this is probably the only legal committee that begins and
ends in prayer.
A sub-committee met with St Paul’s to review how our relationship is working and to
consider the need for any adjustments. I reiterate some of the comments of Justice
Bleby in last year’s report concerning the fact that our level of financial support for St
Paul’s is very much dependent on our subscription income. That does not affect the
enormous support we derive from Geraldine and St Paul’s in providing our secretarial
services and the LCF reflections. One of the ways we can increase our contribution is
for all those who value the Fellowship to renew their contributions and, if appropriate,
encourage others to do so.
We are greatly indebted to the enormous help that we have received from many
people who have served on the management committee. It is with great sadness that
we farewell David Williams, John Strachan, John Harley, Amy Ward and Joanne
Priest from the management committee. John Harley was one of the early vision
carriers for the Lawyers Christian Fellowship. He got the idea many years ago after a
trip to England. It is partly through his persistence that the Fellowship was
established. John will continue to assist us with projects, especially the upcoming
visit of the UK, Chairman of the Christian Lawyers Fellowship; but for the time being
he will not be holding office.
David Williams has been a pillar in the Fellowship from day one. He has had to
moderate his involvement as he has taken on the role of General secretary SA/NT of
the Church Missionary Society. But, he couldn’t help himself, and he came to the
Historian Hotel for the first official function of the LCF in 2007. I hope he continues
to exercise such lack of self-control in this area in the future.
John Strachan has been a fatherly and wise voice in many of our discussions. He has
had to reduce his enormous workload, but I am hoping we will also see him from time
to time - not to serve but to be served.
Joanne Priest has blessed us in many ways. I thank her for her smile, her work with
the students, hosting the website and many other activities behind the scenes. Your
work has been greatly appreciated.
Finally, thanks to Amy Ward for all of her hard work. As I have mentioned, Amy is
off to Dubai.
Membership
Membership has been fairly steady at 52 financial members. There are 160 on the
weekly reflections email.
The most pleasing thing is the overall number of people who attend different kinds of
events. It was always understood that Practitioners are extremely busy people, not
only with their own practices but also with their families and the many church and
community duties in which they are involved. For this reason, my hope is for people
never to feel that any LCF function is yet another duty for them to fulfil; but to come
to only those things that they are drawn to and would benefit from, by fuelling them,
refreshing them and supporting them in the many challenges they face.
The Lawyers Christian Fellowship is to be a servant to the legal profession and not
another demand on practitioners’ limited time, emotion and spiritual resources.
One of the many challenges the Fellowship faces is when does the good of the one
outweigh the good of the many? In my view, sometimes the good of the one
outweighs the good of the many. An example of this was our decision to postpone the
planning meeting so that several of the practitioners could attend the wonderful
wedding of Angela Kent, who was one of the founding members and who injected
much life in the early days of the Fellowship. We honour Angela and wish her and
her husband Dave well in their new life in Darwin.
We also welcome Maria Ho, Kevin Jolly and David Crocker to the management
committee.
The Way Forward
In mid September we will have the privilege of hosting the UK chairman of the
Lawyers Christian Fellowship, Mark Mullins. A tentative dinner date, subject to
management committee approval, has been set for Monday 17th September. There
may also be an informal meeting to strengthen our ties with the UK.
Meeting at The Historian February 2007
It was a delight to see that the first formal function of the LCF for 2007 at The
Historian Hotel, city, in March, kept growing so that we had to keep adding tables to
accommodate people arriving. We will continue with these lunches, probably on a bimonthly basis.
BOP Initiative
I am hopeful that we can gather enough mature practitioners who would be willing to
take part in what we have coined the “BOP” initiative. BOP does not stand for burden
of proof, or balance of probabilities, but “Breakthrough Office Prayer”. It is designed
as an opportunity for a practitioner in any kind of difficulty to reach out, on a
confidential basis, to another practitioner who can talk and pray on the phone, or, if
appropriate, to visit the practitioner in his own office or another venue to give
encouragement and support during a difficult time. I attach a flyer of the BOP
initiative. I am open to any refinements that can be suggested to my amateur artwork.
Peacemakers
In late October 2007, an international trainer and educator from Peacemakers will
come to Adelaide to conduct educative talks and training. Her visit is coinciding with
an establishment of a National Christian Conciliation and Mediation Service. I know
of no finer organisation than Peacemakers in the field of reconciliation and conflict
resolution from biblical principles. This is part of the dream of Christians being
equipped to deal with conflict using biblical principles and to live in the kind of Love
and unity to which our Lord and Saviour calls us.
Advocates International
We continue to strengthen our bonds with international Christian legal societies. I am
hopeful of attending the world council meeting of Advocates International in Kuala
Lumpur in late April. One of the immediate practical implications of these
relationships is that we can connect you to Christian Lawyers almost anywhere in the
world, especially as you travel. Our Vanessa Varga already has had this experience
and it is open to others. The Advocates International Alliance has about 30,000
Christians involved in the law in about 150 countries.
Judicial Officers Bible Study
I am delighted that Justice Bleby has pursued the idea of a bible study for Judges and
Magistrates. The title of the first series is “a prophet for our time”. Please pray for this
amazing development as the precious Word of God is overtly honoured amongst our
leaders in the judiciary.
Prayer
Our prayer meetings have been moved. It is now at lunchtime on the first Wednesday
of each month. The meetings are held at my offices, Mark Mudri & Associates, Level
9, 117 King William Street, Adelaide SA 5000. Please feel free to bring your lunch
and join together for some informal prayer and encouragement.
Planning Meeting
It is critical that we set aside a half-day planning meeting. We will consider some
dates at the first management committee meeting, which is to be held on Wednesday
28 March at 5.15pm at the Law Society, Waymouth Street.
The Website
This has been a terrific success. We thank Shirley Frost and Joanne Priest for
maintaining it in the past year. We are looking for someone for pick up the
responsibility for maintaining the accuracy of the website.
CONCLUSION
I want to thank Justice Bleby, whose shoes I cannot begin in to fill, in the spiritual or
the natural. He had the courage to campaign the birth of the Fellowship and he has
remained caring and watchful as he released its leadership last year. I want to
especially thank Geraldine Hawkes for her tireless efforts, personal encouragement
and vision for the Kingdom and this fellowship.
Thanks to all of you who have prayed, laboured and sacrificed to see the unfolding of
a dream that faith and work are meant to kiss, not fight and that being a Lawyer is a
noble calling. It can be just as much as a ministry as serving the Lord in the wonderful
local church setting.
To me, the Lawyers Christian Fellowship is a wonderful example of brothers and
sisters dwelling and working together in unity in the context of Lord-raising
ambassadors of reconciliation in the midst of the adversarial system.
Whilst I continue to face my own personal challenges, I am happy to continue to serve
and build this Fellowship in any capacity that the management committee and the
membership see fit.
Mark Mudri
President Christian Lawyers Fellowship (SA) Inc.
21 March 2007