AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Kevin Rudd opened his strong speech at the UN climate change conference at Bali with a Christmas phrase in his greeting – “and all people of goodwill committed to the future of our planet”.
Every Christmas and Easter I try to share the positive parts of the Christian faith through the letters section of papers all over Australia.
This year I was challenged at two levels – from the 114 people in 10 countries who receive what we call “Emails of Encouragement” as part of our Internet “Church of Saint Bill” (Bill Gates), one from the USA suggested this letter be sent to papers of his and other countries. This is the goodwill of Christmas!
Another threw me an “impossible dream” – build a place simply called the “Make friends centre”, which would include a small Ted Noffs memorial chapel – that again showed the spirit of goodwill at Christmas.
We are often troubled at how this goodwill most of us have, is threatened by the mystery of evil in our world, but if you read the Bible where “peace on earth and goodwill” is mentioned (Gospel of Luke 2.14), it also says “Glory to God in the highest” – indicating a higher power that we must connect to, otherwise evil does appear to win.
GEOFF HINDS
Merrylands, NSW
