POINTERS September 2024: Downloadable PDF

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE OF POINTERS:

How People Matter: Why It Affects Health, Happiness, Love, Work and Society

Over the millennia, religion has provided people with a sense of meaning. It has provided a way of looking at the world and has created community. It has provided people with a set of values to direct behaviour. It has provided ways of marking the important moments in life such as births, marriages and deaths. It has offered ways of dealing with the difficult times in life: the problem of suffering. Today, about 15 per cent of Australians have frequent (monthly or more) contact with a religious organisation. How does the other 85 per cent of Australians find a sense of meaning?

How Community Connections Enhance Retirees’ Wellbeing:
Reducing Loneliness and Contributing to Meaning
A Proposed Research Project

Between October 2023 and February 2024, the CRA sponsored a pilot research project on ‘Communities of Meaning’. The major issue was to identify what characteristics of communities contribute most to giving retirees a sense of meaning. Sixteen interviews were conducted and an initial report was published in Pointers in March 2024. We did also submit the idea for a major grant from the Discovery Grant program of the Australian Research Council, but were not successful.

RESEARCH COORDINATOR’S ANNUAL REPORT

The past 12 months have been a quiet period of in the September 2023 edition of Pointers. contract research for CRA, although the Over the past few years CRA has built up a organisation has continued to operate smoothly pool of Accredited Researchers who have and work towards various milestones.

CHAIR’S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2023/2024

This will be my last annual report as Chair of the CRA. Over the last few years I have been blessed to work with an outstanding Board, dedicated staff, and volunteers who generously give their time to further the work of the CRA. I have also been privileged to see God’s providence in how the CRA has transitioned to become, once more, an energised organisation in the service of the Australian churches. Therefore my time coordinating the activities of the CRA Board is marked with both profound thankfulness and hope in what the future will hold.

Journal of Contemporary Ministry

Over recent years the Christian Research Association has noted the ongoing interest in ministry in higher degrees being conducted around Australia, in Doctorates of Ministry and Doctorates of Philosophy, alongside numerous denominational and other bodies doing research related to faith and the churches.

NEW ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER APPOINTED TO THE CRA

Jessica Parsons has been appointed as the new CRA Administrative Officer. She replaces Ashley Manly who has served CRA faithfully for the past five or six years, but who indicated his desire to resign from the position in April due to other work commitments.

TREASURER’S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2023/2024

The 2023­24 financial year has been a positive period for the finances of the Christian Research Association. We budgeted for a small surplus and achieved that.