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Church Service Opens Parliamentary Year

by | Mon, Feb 6 2023

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The nation’s leaders have prayed for a successful year at a church service in Canberra.

The Australian Christian Lobby’s National Director of Politics Wendy Francis was also there.

She told Vision Radio: “The Governor-General, Sir David Hurley, read from Proverbs 8 and it was all about wisdom. Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? It was a great way to start.”

“Prime Minister Anthony Albanese read from Psalm 24 that says the Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and all those who live in it. So that was great for the Prime Minister to say the Earth is the Lord’s. It goes on to say those who have clean hands and a pure heart will ascend the hill of the Lord.”

“The opposition leader, Mr. Dutton read from The Beatitudes in Matthew 5. Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek. And if people in those pews were listening, many of them were people who have a fair bit of power. And we know that God raises up leaders, but he still calls them to be meek and merciful and pure in heart. Those three readings — that was he best part of the service for me.”

After that talk about the indigenous Voice to Parliament dominated the service.

At a brief press conference outside the service at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wouldn’t specifically say if the Voice would advise national cabinet, but said its guidance would be widely circulated through government.

Reverend Sarah Bachelard used her sermon to urge politicians to consider the Voice.

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton continued his calls for the government to release more detail on the Voice before the Liberal party will decide on its official party room position.

He claimed there was still “confusion” about how it would operate.