ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31121, 26 July 1966, Page 10

ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT

Growth Seen In Aust.

“The ecumenical movement is growing in Australia, and is seeking to get churches of all denominations to meet and work together," said the New South Wales secretary of inter-church aid of the Australian Council of Churches (the Rev. C. R. Sprackett) yesterday. “Although Australia is such a vast country, and the communities are not as closely knit as those in New Zealand, the people are beginning to change their ideas and work together instead of working by themselves,” he said. Mr Sprackett, who for 10 years was minister of St. Martin’s Presbyterian Church, Christchurch, will represent the Australian Council of Churches at the annual meeting of the National Council of Churches on Friday. He said that a significant event in the Australian church life had been the church and life movement.

“This is a lay movement of small meetings in private homes, which seeks to relate toe Christian faith to daily life in Australian communities,” he said. “More than 5000 groups are meeting weekly to study the basic issues. These include the use of scientific power, pressure upon toe individual in the community and the meaning of personal success. Mr Sprackett said the Australian Council of Churches was promoting a world aid and development programme of 70 projects in 50 countries.

He said the main areas of concern were refugee resettlements, community developments, technical assistance, educational and medical projects and emergencies. During the last 15 years about £1) million had been given to the inter-church aid programme.