Prison versus gaol

It was a privilege last night to go to Mobilong "Correctional Facility"/ "Prison"/"Gaol or Jail".

It was another graduation service (the second of the week for me...the first being a University Graduation) but on this occasion for a group of about 20 prisoners in one of the State's prisons.
This is run by Kairos Prison Ministry. An ecumenical endeavour to prisoners, a short course, and weekly contact with those in jails. (we are still having a debate about jail  or gaol) 

The guys who did the course spoke about "what they had learnt" and "how they had changed". In some senses fairly trite questions...and the guys recognise this...but they roll with it.

Some of my observations:
These dot points have grown too long... I hope you read them all

• We had a good conversation in the car on the way home about the way language is used. We had all noted that the,  otherwise, very excellent speaker from the Dept. of Correctional Services used the lingo of her Department.  These were "offenders", and we and they  were told that Kairos was one step towards them getting back on the right track.  This is the language of the Department, I guess, but fairly heavy handed
• My first impression....and this is not the first time I have been in a gaol... as I looked at the security is that:  if this is 'medium and low security'  then what  is high security?  It all looked awful to me
• I was struck by the male membership of the Kairos team and supporters. This is not something that you always experience in the life of the church. It is good to see that  good men think this is valuable ministry
• My friend, Rob, had lured me by the assurance that the guys who would speak would be a  profound experience
• It was indeed,. Groups spoke...and then there was Open Mic ( as a person who does funerals I think this is a big mistake.) But today.......the groups Matthew, Mark, Luke and John....I wonder where those name came from.... and then (sometimes with a little reluctance) from individuals came very interesting reflections
• Most spoke about Forgiveness.  The guys spoke about three things:   How they needed to seek forgiveness.  Well yes!  
• how they needed to forgive...well that's a bit more challenging and complex...they are not only Offenders but are also Victims....some of them were able to even articulate that their families of origin didn't really support and/or love them.    This is bitter stuff. But they needed to forgive... the failures of those who should have done better
• They spoke mainly about the need to forgive themselves .....pretty deep stuff for guys who we may so often think of as hopeless!
• Finally,  and this is not everything I thought,  an APY guy played guitar and  about the Cross. he sang (I am told) in the Pitjantjara language (Were I a producer I would be signing him up today!!)
• I found myself pained, as one who has artistic proclivities, what do you do if you are denied the outlet of your life.   If there is no gyuitar in your room. If you cannot pen the poem that is in your heart (my particular issue)
• I am thankful to shake the hands of those guys...who had to return to lockup

These dot points have grown too long... I hope you read them

Not very pointy

Although other, non-Anglican, Churches often say of us that we are very 'hierarchical'. It's not really true. We have an hierarchy, but it's only got two or three levels. There is the Bishop, the clergy (and maybe one division within that group- the in and the out perhaps!) and the laity.

In a way this is far more frought with danger than a multi-levelled hierarchy like the army. Because it means, in reality, unless you are careful the top level can subsume almost everything it wants. It can take power unto itself, and even create authority lines that don't really exist.

This can work really well, and particularly in the country where resources are often slight, it can operate as a sort of benevolent dictatorship.

When it doesn't work well, like when the Bishop goes mad or begins to drink or starts to weaken under stress (all of which have happened in my living memory in different parts of this country) benevolent dictatorship rather breaks down.

So, it is sad to see the playing out of a fracas in our neighbouring Diocese of The Murray (here), where various people (clergy and lay) have gone to war with the Bishop and are seeking a Tribunal (here).

This process is clumsy, and is in the proces of being changed. It remains to be seen whether it can even be applied in this case. The Bishop in question doesn't think so, and the lay people who want it (I think) will find that it does not deliver what they want... the sacking of the Bishop.

There are and will be lots of lessons to learn from this. One of them will be that in a 'not so pointy' hierarchy, it does actually make a difference that you get the top right. 

In a multi-levelled structure there are always people at the next level who can be drawn up but that is not necessarily the case when the next level is fairly flat, and indeed many are the appointees of the leader concerned so may not achieve what 'removalists' want any way.

Poor old Diocese, poor old Bishop, but mainly I keep thinking poor old people of the Murray both churched and unchurched let down by hubris and infighting!