Moderator’s Call to Prayer
14 May 2021
Dear PCQ Church Family,
The news that it became necessary to ask the Supreme Court of Qld to place our denomination’s legal entity, the PCQ Letters Patent, into Receivership was issued earlier this week. Psalm 46 reminds us that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble, and so we don’t need to fear. This week has been a time of trouble for our denomination as our denomination has entered receivership. But we have the privilege of turning to God, with the assurance that he is ever-present, as we turn to him, our help, our refuge and our strength.
In writing to you at this time, I apologise that we have not been able to communicate over the last 15 months as completely as we would have liked. In all our communications we were careful to follow the guidance of the PCQ’s professional advisors as we navigated very challenging circumstances, conscious that we were to act not in our own interests as leaders, but in the interests of others – the people of our congregations, and the various nursing homes’ residents, students, staff, and families (Philippians 2).
I’m writing to ask you to turn to God in prayer at this time, both individually and as congregations, and to pray for the residents, students, staff, children, and families of the many ministries the PCQ conducts throughout Queensland. Each of us will have important questions that will be answered through this process, but some of those answers may take some time, as the Receivers’ investigation needs to be conducted and the Supreme Court will need to determine the answers to some of those important questions. This calls for patience from us all. I encourage you to note the communication from the Receiver, Michael Owen of PwC, including where he says, “Whilst we conduct our assessment of the operations of PCQ, we plan to continue to operate the services that PCQ provides across the community on a “business as usual” basis, including the congregations and we will update stakeholders further once this initial assessment has been completed.”
As we prepare ourselves to pray, I ask that we consider what God says to us through the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:1-8:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Yes, pray for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in all our congregations across Queensland. And let us pray not only for ourselves, but let us pray for the Receivers, Michael Owen and Phil Carter of PwC, that their assessment of the operations of PCQ would fully reveal the truth to the Supreme Court. Let us pray for the Supreme Court that it, in time, will be enabled to hand down decisions in the PresCare/PCQ matter that are good for the wider community of Queensland and Australia. Let us pray that we as individuals and churches would display the love of God in Christ and not live in the fear that comes from putting our hope in possessions or any other substitute for God in Christ.
As you come to prayer, please ask that out of this present crisis we would be more and more a people whose security and significance is found in God, in Christ. What did our Lord Jesus say in Matthew 10:29-31?
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Let us thank God that his purposes are at work in all this, even if the exact outcomes are presently unknown to us.
