AMPJP Executive Director’s report on June 2023

30 June 2023 by

June is always a busy month. There are the preparations for the usual commitments plus the financial audit, annual report and planning for the AGM-Forum. This year was just a bit busier with advertising of the position of AMPJP Executive Director position.

The astute among you will have picked up the recent change in position title from ‘Executive Officer’ to ‘Executive Director’. The AMPJP Council decided that the new title better reflected the complexity of the position and the professionalism required of the occupant. I’m pleased to say that they believe that I am suitable for the position. However, it has long been my intention that I leave after six years and that time has now arrived.

The AMPJP Council’s recruitment panel plans to interview some applicants in July 2023. All going well, I hope we can introduce my successor in the August 2023 newsletter.

 


A Blessing for the New Financial Year

Let us give thanks for the real bottom line,

the place where we think less of profit and loss,

and more of gratitude and compassion.

The world is full of columns and numbers and spreadsheets and God knows we need to attend to such matters

because injustice thrives in confusion,

and power does not like to be made accountable.

But none of us works for a line in a ledger.

We work to make the world more whole.

Jesus knew a lot about money.

Thirty pieces of silver, one hundred denarii, the head of Caesar on a coin, the widow’s mite, the workers who came late, the parable of the talents, the gold at his birth, the traders in the temple, the tax collector, the treasure in a field, the pearl of great price, the lots cast for his underwear, the rich young man who went away sad, the eye of a needle.

He built deep questions around such stories and images. What are we making of the world? Why? How will we grow? The question ‘Who am I?’ is answered in another: ‘Who is your neighbour?’

May we be hungry this year rather than greedy.

Hungry for kindness and encounter.

Spendthrift of grace.

Reckoned by love.

Amen.

by Michael McGirr, 2023

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