Malcolms in Nottingham

Big News!

2010-08-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

In one and a half weeks, Matt submits his dissertation!

In three weeks, we are moving back to Perth!

Thessaloniki and Thessalonians

2010-05-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a video that Matt made about his recent trip to Thessaloniki, showing some of the sights and relating them to 1 and 2 Thessalonians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--aSU7n877o

Conference in Belgium

2010-05-03T13:52:00.001-07:00

Last month, Matt was awarded the Graduate School Travel Prize, enabling him to travel to Belgium for a conference on "The Resurrection of the Dead: Biblical Traditions in Dialogue" at the University Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve. Matt presented a paper on 1 Corinthians 15, met other researchers, and had an immensely fruitful time. On the last day, there was a bit of time to head to Brussells for a look around...

New Job in Australia

2010-02-21T14:47:00.000-08:00

From the snow to the sun...

Above is a picture taken from our kitchen window this morning. But all going well, we'll be heading back to sunny Perth in September of this year!

Matt applied for, and has now been offered, the position of lecturer in New Testament at Trinity Theological College in Perth. We're really enjoying our time here in Nottingham, and there's plenty left to do here, but we're looking forward to coming back to Perth!

Introducing...

2009-12-29T04:25:00.000-08:00

Zoe Isabella Malcolm, born on her mum's birthday - 28th December 2009

2009-12-16T10:45:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Book deal & Puppet show

2009-10-10T01:53:00.000-07:00

Grown up news: Matt has been signed up to do a book on 1 Corinthians, which will be out some time in 2010. The book is tentatively entitled "The World of 1 Corinthians", and will provide photos, ancient texts, diagrams, and reconstructions that illustrate the themes and locations of 1 Corinthians.

Little people news: A recent puppet show...

update

2009-08-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

As you can see, the kids are looking forward to having a new member of the family! Bec is due for a 20 week check-up next week, and is going okay, but has had to visit a physiotherapist due to some pain in her back and legs. She has been given a few suggestions that will hopefully improve things.

We are well into the long summer school holidays here at the moment, and Cara is looking forward to going back to school in early September. Things at uni have been very quiet at this time, and besides working on the PhD, Matt has been preparing to teach two modules in Biblical Greek.

Another side project that has come up is a new book: Together with the scholar Stanley E. Porter, Matt will be editing a book on "Hermeneutics, Paul, and Theology" in honour of Professor Thiselton. It is hoped that the book will be published in 2012, the year of Thiselton's 75th birthday.

A letter from the university

2009-07-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

"Dear Matthew,
I am pleased to confirm that the University of Nottingham would like to offer you a casual appointment as Lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies in the Autumn/Spring semester of the 2009-10 academic year."

In other words, I'll be teaching Greek. Look out Nottingham!... or should I say, "Blepete!!"

Another Malcolm in Nottingham...

2009-07-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

Family Holiday

2009-06-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

Last week, Bec's parents took our family on a holiday to the "Lakes District" in the north of England, where we had a fun and relaxing time...

The Lakes District:

The British Seaside:

Castles:

Ancient Accommodation (staying with Bec's mum & dad in a 1500s house):

Pirates:

Ancient Roman sites (here are the ancient toilets at Housesteads Roman Fort, along Hadrian's Wall):

Trip to the farm and Sherwood Forest

2009-05-23T13:14:00.001-07:00

Things we learnt on our day at the farm and Sherwood Forest:

1) Robin Hood didn't wear tights...

2) In the right surroundings, pigs can be cute...

3) In the right surroundings, Matt can be cute (on the left)...

4) Bec has a future in stocks...

5) Even kids can be cute...

6) Goats appreciate being fed...

7) Roosters don't...

Luke is 2!

2009-04-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

We hope you all have a meaningful and enjoyable Easter.

Here is our "Jesus is Risen" cake, which Bec and Cara made today...

Trip to Greece!

2009-04-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

After a shaky start (pouring with rain, late at night, GPS not working, major car crash, police station, then finally arriving at hotel), we have had a great 8-day trip to Greece. We spent four days based in Corinth and four days based in Athens. We went to numerous archaeological sites, several museums, took about 700 photos, bought lots of informative books, ate Greek food, and squeezed in a few holiday-type things too! It was a really valuable time for Matt's research, as well as a fun and interesting break for us as a family. Here are some photos:

Above you can see the distinctive remains of the Temple of Apollo, a central feature of Ancient Corinth.Real live Greek food!... well not live

The beach at Loutraki, where we were staying (just out of Corinth)

The cliff over which our car was perched in the accident, having been hit at a high speed and spun around!

For many more of our pictures, you can go to http://cryptotheology.wordpress.com where photos are being posted each day in the lead up to Easter, illuminating the themes of 1 Corinthians.

snowmania!!!

2009-02-02T12:38:00.001-08:00

Cara and Luke watching Thomas the Tank Engine

2009-01-17T06:15:00.000-08:00

They love the theme song!

Trip to Germany

2009-01-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, Matt had the opportunity to visit Wittenberg in Germany, where Martin Luther worked as a monk, nailed the 95 theses to the Cathedral door, and kicked off the Protestant Reformation. The trip was partially paid for by a fund from one of the university professors, and included a conference that focused on the Greek text of the "Sibylline Oracles", a Jewish work dating from about 40-80BC. Here are a few pictures of the trip...

A statue of Luther in the main town square...

A painting of Luther by Cranach, who played a very influential role as the propaganda illustrator for the Protestant Reformation:

Tetzel's Coffer: A moneybox which was used for the payment of indulgences (i.e. reduced time in purgatory). This practice was abominable in Luther's eyes...

The "cloaca"/latrine at Luther's residence, where he claimed to defeat the devil!

The (rebuilt) door of the 95 theses:

Ein Feste Burg: A strong fortress is our God...

Tabletalk: Luther's living room...

The study of Philipp Melanchthon:

A Reformation document in Luther's own handwriting, dating from 1544:

Luther's burial place:

Happy Christmas!

2008-12-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

We wish all of you a truly blessed Christmas!

funding update

2008-11-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

Last week we received news that the Gospel Partners Trust, a UK organisation, has agreed to give us £4,000 for 2008-9, having already given us £4,000 for 2007-8. This is great news, and we are very pleased that GPT find our vision worth supporting.

However, our most recent calculations envisage that we will be $20,000 AUD short for the year 2008-9. This is, of course, a concern. We are pursuing a number of things to try to fill that gap: We have booked ourselves in for a funding seminar in January; we are beginning the process of applying for funding from another UK Christian organisation; we have enlisted the help of a friend at church who has some useful ideas; we have information about applying for at least one new scholarship for the 2009-10 period; and we are actively looking into other possibilities that might help.

We are very grateful to those who are making this venture possible, and ask that if you can think of any other ways in which we might be able to make sure the money doesn't run out, you let us know. We also continue to value your prayers.

Back from Australia

2008-10-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

Well, we're back in Nottingham. Back to uni, pre-school, playgroup and all the other events that were in recess when we left. Back to increasingly cold temperatures and central heating. And back to colds and various other sicknesses. But it's been good to be back and settled into normal life again (and good to know that we don't have to do those loooong plane trips again for quite a while).

But it was also good being in Perth. Here are a few pictures to tell the story of our time in Perth:

The Wedding...

The Happy Couple, Andrew and Breony, Bec's parents (Richard and Rosemary) and ourselves. It was a lovely day and great to be able to celebrate with Andrew and Bre. The kids loved blowing bubbles at the reception and playing with Bre's nephews. Cara keeps saying "Like Aunty Bre!" whenever we see a bride or a photo of a wedding. Thanks for giving us an excuse to come back guys ;-).

Matt's Lecture...
Matt (he's the one behind the lecturn!) gave a lecture as a part of Trinity Theological College's "Works in Progress" series. The talk was about the 'textual history' of 1 Corinthians, exploring the way that this letter was first published and used as Christian Scripture.

Catching up...
We really enjoyed catching up with friends from church, uni days, Trinity Theol and other areas. We feel like we spent a lot of time catching up with people and, in the process, eating...it is a good thing that airlines weigh your baggage when you check in rather than you because we ate so much it's almost certain we were heavier when we left Perth than we were upon arrival.

It was good to be able to spend time letting supporters know a bit about the last year in person and catching up with other people's news.

Of course, we spent most of our catch-up time with family. The kids enjoyed spending time with Granny and Grandpa and Nanna and Pa, being spoilt. We enjoyed the opportunity to go out on a couple of 'dates' too. The other highlight for them was playing with their cousins - Ethan (below, with Luke), Doyle and Holly (below, with Cara).
For those who are interested and on Facebook, Bec will post some more photos from our trip on her profile (eventually).

Planes, Trains and Automobiles... (Or Perth, Here We Come!)

2008-08-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

Twenty-eight hours. That's about how long it will take us to get from our house in Beeston, to Perth. Six separate transport steps: taxi, then train, then another taxi, then another train, then the first plane (Heathrow-Singapore), and then a second plane (Singapore-Perth). Seven steps if you count the car trip to our lodgings in Perth. But the torture of the travel will be worth it!

We're coming to Perth mainly for Andrew (Bec's brother) and Breony's (his fiancee) wedding. We'll be there for a couple of weeks. Some other good things on our agenda:

Catching up with family and friends (of course!).
Cara is VERY excited to be seeing Kasey, our cat
Meeting our neice, Holly, for the first time
Matt will be giving a paper at Trinity Theological College
He will also be preaching at our old church (Bedford Community Church)
We'll be having an afternoon tea on Sunday 14th Sept at 2:30 at Bedford Community Church (come along if you're free!)
Going out for a meal without the kids while there are grandparents to babysit (hint, hint!)

We leave on Thursday. If you're one of our praying readers, please pray for us as we travel.

See you soon!!

Long time no blog!

2008-08-08T12:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since we've blogged! A lot has happened, including...

Summer's here!... apparently... Above you can see our summer holiday destination: We spent a week in Wales with Bec's mum and dad. While we were there we visited Castles, got rained on, went to a petting zoo (where Cara fell in love with the lambs), took a trip on a little steam engine (the inspiration for Thomas the Tank Engine), and sang lots of songs to keep the kids happy in the hire car. Below you can see some holiday snaps...

While Bec's parents were here, we also enjoyed the opportunity to have live-in babysitters, and went out a couple of times to experience dinner for two! We've also had a visit from Bec's brother Andrew and his fiancee Bre. It was great to get to know Bre, and we look forward to their wedding in September.

Matt's study has been going well: He recently spent two weeks in London with another Nottingham theology student, doing an intensive German course, which should help with his reading of academic texts. Last month, the university decided to upgrade Matt's research from M.Phil (Masters) to Ph.D (Doctorate). His supervisor, Anthony Thiselton, continues to be pleased with Matt's progress, and has been warm and constructive in his supervision.

We are now officially members of Beeston Free Church, and have continued to enjoy our involvement there. Lately this has included Matt leading a service, Bec helping run an evangelistic Bible study, and the kids taking part in Sunday School and the Summer children's outreach programme. Over the holidays, some of the church activities have wound down, but Bec and the kids have enjoyed regularly catching up with other mums and kids.

Luke is now walking, and is saying about ten words. He had his first haircut a few weeks ago, and he is now looking like a little boy, rather than a baby.

Cara has really enjoyed going to Nursery (pre-school) and settled in well. She can now write her name, somewhat legibly. She had a trip to the emergency department of the local hospital recently, with a "bent arm" (her words). It wasn't broken, and she spent the next few weeks at prayer time wanting to say "Thank you, God!" that her arm was better!

In amongst all this, our computer completely died, and so we are writing this blog post on a new computer. We lost a number of photos, documents, and - unfortunately - the diaries that Bec has been keeping about the children growing up. All of Matt's university work is well backed up, so there was no problem there - but other things have unfortunately gone for good.

But God has been blessing us... and yes, there has actually been some sun! We've been enjoying BBQs, picnics, and time playing in the back yard.

Luke is 1 year old!

2008-05-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

On the 15th April, Luke turned one year old! For his birthday celebrations, we enjoyed chocolate cake, plenty of playing on his birthday-present-slide, making a mess with party food, playing with friends, opening presents from far-away family, and general birthday-related frivolities. Now that Luke is one, he has developed a more mature personality, and has a particular interest in philosophy: Just yesterday he pondered, "Hey mum and dad - what do you think Hegel means by insisting that 'being' is actually 'nothing' and 'nothing' is actually 'being'?" We scolded him for being precocious, but all is now forgiven. Feel free to wish Luke a happy birthday in the comments!!!

Israel: Some Pictures

2008-04-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

"Not one stone will be left upon another." The pile of stones above is still a reminder of the Roman destruction of the Temple in 70CE.
This is a cave at Qumran, where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.
The Sea of Galilee, at Capurnaum, where Jesus lived.... and where I had a swim!
The Wailing Wall is in the foreground, with the Dome of the Rock on top of the Temple Mount.

This is the "hot" part of a Roman bath in Bet' She'an. A furnace outside provided the heat, which was passed through these pillars, on top of which was the floor of the bath.
This is what is left of a huge man-made harbour, constructed by King Herod in Caesarea. It is this construction that enabled Caesarea to become an important port... The ruins in Caesarea are possibly the most impressive in Israel - alongside Bet' She'an and Jerusalem.
This is one of the "high places" made famous in the Old Testament - you can see the altar in between the two pillars.
"Holy holy holy" - An ancient symbol of the trinity, here appearing as a mosaic on the floor of a church at the traditional location of the Last Supper.
Palestinian territory is poorer than Israeli territory, and is blocked off by a massive Berlin-style wall. This was a taxi we took in Palestinian Bethlehem, complete with home-made license plate!

This very happy looking mound is Armageddon - that is the "mount" overlooking the plains of Megiddo.
This is the view from the top of Masada, looking out to the Dead Sea. Masada was the final stronghold of the Jews before the Romans finally achieved victory... Josephus reports that the Jews there committed mass suicide rather than fall into the hands of their oppressors. I walked all the way up and all the way down.... never again.
The springs of En Gedi - where David spared Saul's life.
In the distance is Jerusalem, viewed from the Garden of Gethsemane.
This piece of rock is directly underneath the traditional (and fairly reliably so) site of Golgotha... you may see that there is a crack that extends down the rock: According to tradition, the blood of Jesus dripped down the cross, seeped through the crack, and made its way to the buried bones of Adam in the ground below... Thus the blood of the Second Adam flowed down to cover the First Adam.

Family visit, Research, Travel

2008-03-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

Family Visit

We've recently had a visit from Matt's cousin Bree and her husband Kenan, along with their two chill'un Abigail and Hannah. The kids (and adults!) all got along really well...

Cara and Abigail...

...and Hannah and Luke...

We all visited a large park in which deer roam free...

Research

Matt has recently finished a 37-page essay on the "unity of 1 Corinthians". A number of commentators claim that 1 Corinthians, among other Pauline letters, is best understood as actually being a crudely edited collection of previously-existing letters by Paul. This sort of approach is called "Redaction Criticism" (redaction meaning "editing"). In the paper, I argue that the way in which Redaction Criticism has been applied to 1 Corinthians is highly problematic, and ultimately unpersuasive. Professor Thiselton has given me some very encouraging feedback about the paper. I will speak on related issues at the University of Beer-Sheva (Israel - see below) in April, and at Trinity Theological College (Australia, Perth!) in September.

**This just in: Matthew now has a more "theological" blog that will deal more specifically with these sorts of issues: www.cryptotheology.blogspot.com **

Travel

From April 1, Matthew will be spending two weeks in Israel, with a group of theology students from the University. Besides delivering a discussion paper at Ben Gurion University in Beer-Sheva, there will be archaeological sites to visit, biblical locations to see, and Dead Seas to float in! The Department of Theology at the University of Nottingham has awarded me the "Rickards Travelling Scholarship" to go toward the cost of the trip. Please pray that this trip would go well, and that Bec, Cara and Luke would survive with health and sanity during Matt's absence!

Theology and Bible Talks

2008-02-04T14:47:00.000-08:00

The other day I (Matthew) presented a paper at a little conference at Oxford University. It was hosted by the Society for Liturgical Studies, and held at Merton College, Oxford, part of which is pictured above. My paper was entitled: "Liturgy of Grace, Practice of Autonomy: Confusion in Corinth". I outlined my conception of Paul's message in 1 Corinthians, and used this as a basis to suggest that a liturgy of grace is honoured by a spirituality of dependent reception. Feel free to ask if you're interested in more detail. The talk seemed to be received well enough - and I was pleased that a number of people wanted to talk to me afterwards about my paper. Oxford is a beautiful place, although as an outsider, the university leaves you with a certain impression of its overall ethos... Perhaps it can best be encapsulated in the following picture:

Next week I will be giving a talk at Nottingham University, organised by the Christian Union as an evangelistic event for theology students. (Many people in the UK study theology for philosophical reasons or in order to have a well-rounded education, rather than because they have Christian convictions or ministry aspirations.) Again, as you might expect, I'll be working from 1 Corinthians, this time with the title "Theology With Your Eyes Shut." I'll be looking at the theme of Christ's present hiddenness - and the implications of this for living as a Christian.

Another talk I've been asked to give is at a Saturday men's breakfast at our church, in a couple of months. The theme will be "In Christ alone my hope is found"... I'm thinking of using 1 Corinthians!

Celebrations!

2008-01-11T08:06:00.001-08:00

Late December and Early January are a time of great celebrating in the Malcolm houshold. Below are some photos from the various celebrations.

Firstly, Christmas...

Cara and her 'little piano'

Luke looking cheeky in his Christmas outfit. He hated the hat falling into his eyes, but would pull at it until it did!

All four of us after church.

Secondly, we celebrated our Tenth Wedding Anniversary on 27th December.

Cara and Luke played with Josiah and Grace while Mummy and Daddy had a nice afternoon tea together sans children.

Thirdly, Bec's Birthday. What a flattering pic as she blows out the candles! Can you guess how old she turned?

And finally, on 4th Janury, we celebrated Cara's third birthday.

Cara trying out her new laptop...thinking she's very clever having one just like Daddy and Mummy's.

After playing at a local play centre, we had birthday lunch. Here's Cara at her new table and chairs with friends, Kezia and Josiah.

The following day, Cara had a "Tweenies" birthday party which we held at the church.

Cara's birthday cake - Milo, from TV show "The Tweenies".

Tweenies party decorations, including our very own Tweenie clock

All the kids waiting for party food

Do you think Cara had fun at her party?

Bethany Group

2007-11-30T14:57:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday mornings, Bec, Cara and Luke walk to church for the Ladies' Bible study at Beeston Free Church. It's called Bethany group. Here are a few snippets from our involvement so far.

Firstly, a word of thanks...A few weeks back, I (Bec) was asked to give my testimony along with a couple of other ladies. It was a great opportunity to look back at the way God has worked in my life. It was also great to reflect back upon how he's used others to grow and change me and also how he's well provided for us. There have been so many times we've had the privilege of experiencing the generosity of his people in lots of ways. So thank you again to the people who have been generous to us with your time, prayers and finances. I thank God for you.

Secondly, a good idea...One week at Bethany, we had a book sharing session. People brought along a couple of books and briefly reviewed them. Two tables were set up in the middle of the room - one for books which people were happy to give away; another for books which others could borrow (often the ones reviewed). We all got a list of the books and a bit of info about them emailed to us. I thought it was really useful because it introduced us to new books we might not otherwise read and encouraged us to be reading and talking about what we were reading. I borrowed "Finding Joy: A radical rediscovery of grace" by Marcus Honeysett. So far, it's a good read and I'd recommend it. A great reminder of what a privilege being a Christian is and an encouragement to remember what a privilege it is. Really biblical and practical.

Thirdly, some fun we had during half-term (a weeks break during the school term)...Bethany only runs during the school term, so during the break a few of us took the kids to Wollaton Park. Wollaton Park (pronounced Wool-a-ton by the locals, it seems) is a lovely 500+ acre estate , where deer roam free.

In the middle of it is Wollaton Hall, a magnificent 16th century building. It houses Nottingham's Natural History Museum, with all manner of stuffed animals including a seriously tall giraffe and a gorilla which is definitely male.
More info at: http://www.wollatonhall.org.uk/

Finally, in case you're wondering, yes, Bethany Group does have Bible studies too! We're going through Colossians at the moment. I've really been noticing how much Paul talks about hidden/revealed. Just lately, I've found Paul's words in Colossians 3:12-14 useful as I try to be a good mum amidst sickness, sleeplessness, tantrums and all the other realities of small children. He says:

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with
each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Exactly the things I need to remember when furniture has been drawn on, food is rejected again and dirty washing piles up.

Cara and Luke

2007-11-10T01:28:00.000-08:00

One of Cara's latest passions is "helping" to cook. She tries to drag a chair over to the bench, gets frustrated because they're so heavy, squeals and demands help. Once she's on the chair, she stirs, pushes microwave buttons, pours in ingredients, tastes everything and tries valiantly to get burned. When Daddy comes home Cara proclaims proudly "Look what I cooked!", even when she's simply pushed some jam around on a slice of bread.

Another thing Cara's been up to is drawing. Sometimes on paper. All too often on herself, occasionally on her shoes, her brother (especially his face) and the wall. However, her real graphic achievement has been learning to draw faces...eyes, noses and mouths. They're still all in funny places, but it's a start. Her first picture was of Milo, a character from one of her favourite TV shows here - The Tweenies.

Meanwhile Luke is now almost 7 months. He's finally decided to choke down the occasional mouthful of solids. He's hardly a voracious eater, but he's at least beginning to tolerate being fed baby-mush. Especially if it's fruit. He already despises vegetables.

He's also started grasping things, so he's now able to play with toys more. This morning he even grabbed his dummy and managed to put it in his own mouth twice.

However, the trick Luke is really pleased to have learned is sitting up. He's been able to sit for a number of weeks now, but he didn't stay up for long. Cara would always get so excited about him sitting up that she'd hug him and he'd fall. Alternatively she'd push him over or he'd lean away from her and fall. Now he's stable enough to sit better by himself, Cara finds him sitting more boring and a friend has loaned us a curved pillow to put behind him.

Family Visit and funding update

2007-10-31T00:40:00.000-07:00

The day before yesterday we answered the doorbell to find Jeremy, Dom, and Doyle on our doorstep, looking all forlorn and in need of a place to stay. So we took pity on them and told them they could stay in our ramshackle shed out the back. They were not amused, and are currently staying in our guest bedroom. At first, Cara was very timid, but she now seems to be enjoying having them stay here. Doyle and Luke are getting on well.... Luke is the one on the left.

Yesterday we all went to see Nottingham Castle. At the base of the castle, built into the cliff face is the oldest pub in the (known) UNIVERSE, called "Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inne." It is called this because the medieval crusaders stopped off there on their way to Jerusalem. I think it would only have fitted about 4 crusaders at a time, because it also vies for the title of tiniest pub in the universe. We had some "crisps" there and moved on...

We have also just received news that we have been awarded 4,000 pounds toward our study costs from the Gospel Partners Trust, a UK-based group that seeks to fund projects like ours. This is a great blessing, and means that we are now, I think, only about $10,000AUD short of our needs for our first year... great news!!!

Bec, Cara, and Luke

2007-10-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

So what have Bec, Cara and Luke been up to?

On Monday and Thursday mornings, we have been going along to Under Fives. This is a playgroup run at the church. The Monday group is quite busy and noisy with lots of kids running around. Thursdays are quieter and more relaxed. The Monday group in particular has a number of non-church families who come along, including grandparents and dads who bring the kids.

On Wednesdays, we've been a part of the Bethany Group at church. This is a Ladies' Bible study. At the moment we're looking at Colossians, but there are also weeks where we spend time praying for missionaries, talking about the books we're reading and other things. During the Bible study, there's a creche which the kids have been involved in. Both Cara and Luke have settled into this really well (and likewise on Sundays at church). Morning tea is served afterwards and has been a great chance to get to know some of the ladies who aren't at Under Fives.

As a result of these activities (as well as the church services on Sundays, of course!) we're getting to know people really quickly. We've felt very welcomed into the life of the church, and also into people's homes. Cara is loving being with the other kids and is quickly making friends. A few days ago we went shopping with another family and she and their little boy, Josiah, played in the toy section together, held hands while we walked and carried one of my new shoes each to the checkout. Today, we met one of the church families at Highlands Park, a part of the university, to feed ducks, play in the playground and have morning tea in the cafe there. Cara and their little girl (Kezia - pictured here with mum, Jude, Matt and Cara) fed ducks, ran, played, ran, got dirty and ran some more. They're fast becoming good friends. Kezia's dad, Andy, is a CU staffworker here and a PhD Theology student at uni. It's been great getting to know them and Jude (mum) and Elisheva (4 months).

On top of these things, we have a shopping mall around the corner which includes most shops you can think of including a fruit and veg market on Fridays and Saturdays. Not having a car means we do more frequent smaller shops here. These are usually completed with the obligatory visit to "Cara's Park" - Broadgate Park, which is opposite the end of our street.

Research

2007-10-11T16:02:00.000-07:00

This week has been great for the research. For one thing, we have finally had the opportunity to meet Anthony Thiselton! Anthony and Rosemary Thiselton came to our home for morning tea the other day. They are a lovely couple. They very kindly gave us a much-needed high chair, some apples from their tree, some other things for the children, and directions to a nearby nature reserve. Of course, Anthony also gave me some continued valuable feedback and guidance with my research. He has a huge amount of knowledge in my field of interest, but comes across as interested and helpful, rather than intimidating.

Here's where it all takes place: This is the central and most recognisable building of the university: The Trent Building. Research students in theology seem to have pride of place, sharing a quiet study room on the top floor, just to the right of the clocktower.

Beginning at University

2007-09-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

This week I've been through the postgraduate welcome programme for theology students at the University of Nottingham, which has been very interesting. The staff and faculty all seem very friendly and knowledgable - I think it will be a stimulating environment. One thing that has surprised me is that there are hardly any postgraduate students doing Biblical studies - I've encountered just one other person - out of new and existing research students - whose main research sourcebook is the Bible. Overwhelmingly, students come to Nottingham to do philosophical theology. This is largely because of the fact that John Millbank is here - a big name in philosophy of religion. So this makes for a strange feeling - when many of the other research students are talking about people and concepts that I've never heard of...

The theology department here is at the centre of a movement within philosophy/theology known as "radical orthodoxy." John Millbank has a book by that name, and other lecturers such as Connor Cunningham have books in the same vein. The driving force of this movement seems to be opposition to "secularism" - and a determination to see theology unashamedly speaking into all facets of life and disciplines of study. Of course there is more to it than this - but so far I've been focusing on getting back into my own research - and am finding it to be incredibly fun - those philosophy of religion people don't know what they're missing!!

Just to prove it, here's a fun quiz question for you to ponder: What bit of the New Testament contains all these elements....
- Christians who are disappointed/dissatisfied with a low-key Kingdom of God
- A metaphor of sowing/planting (meaning the delivery of the gospel)
- A reminder that God gives the growth
- A quote from Isaiah about (the world) failing to see and failing to hear
- The promise of a future harvest that will vindicate present labour

Interesting isn't it? Told you this was fun...

We've Arrived!

2007-09-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well after a 5 hour delay in Perth, we have made it to England! The weather so far has been great, and the people have all been very friendly. Here is a little photo tour of our first few days...

Here is a view of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Bridge from the giant Ferris Wheel known as the "London Eye."

This is the first Londoner we met, in a small clump of bushes near our hotel - alongside a major London road!

Our first lunch in the glorious motherland was fish n chips at a British pub.

Here is a street sign that made us feel strangely at home!!

This was our first meal in our new home in Nottingham - again, a very British meal of fish n chips!

A picnic in the park that is around the corner from our home.... We have been amazed at just how handy the house is to everything we need - shops, church, uni, park, playground, library, bank... it really is a blessing.

The Body

2007-08-20T02:07:00.000-07:00

This is a painting, just completed by Matt, inspired by 1 Corinthians. It is entitled "The Body"...

UK here we come!

2007-08-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we held a farewell event, attended by lots and lots of friends and supporters - the church hall was very packed. Thanks to all who came and enjoyed a British style high tea. Our whole family was appropriately dressed, in home-decorated T-shirts. Please quietly hum "Land of Hope and Glory" as you peruse the photo to the left...

Sadly, we also learned on this day that Matt's intended supervisor in the UK, Anthony Thiselton, is very unwell. If you are a pray-er, please pray for him and his family at this time. We are unsure what this will mean for the supervision of Matt's research, but trust that God has things under control.

We are now in close-to-leaving mode, selling off items, collecting visas, getting the house ready for our departure, finishing things up at work, buying webcams and stuff so we can stay in touch... it's all go go go! We're looking forward to having a bit of a holiday when we finally reach the glorious motherland, before Matt begins his commitments at the University in late September.

What will we do after we finish?

2007-07-19T23:34:00.000-07:00

Our big vision is to see quality, passionate theological education built up in areas that are currently least resourced in this way. In particular, we're interested in seeing theological education continue to develop in our own part of the world - Australa/Asia...

But what's the best way for us to make a contribution? At this point, we're not sure. We want to remain open to what God might do... Perhaps some possibilities for our future might include:
- Returning to Australia to teach in a theological institution here
- Moving to another less-resourced part of the world to teach in a theological institution
- Teaching in a theological institution in the UK or elsewhere that draws and financially supports students from needy parts of the world

So that's what our thinking is at the moment, but who knows what God might have in store... We'll be interested to hear others' ideas and suggestions as that time approaches.

Fee Bursary Awarded

2007-07-10T22:33:00.000-07:00

Good news... At the recommendation of the University department, the School of Humanities has awarded Matt a "Fee Bursary" - which lowers the first year fees from the international student level down to the UK student level. This is worth 2,200 pounds! One important question remains: Do computers in the UK have a "pounds" sign above the number 4 button, instead of the $ sign?

Preparing to Travel

2007-07-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's now about two and a half months until we leave, and a number of things have been happening as we look ahead to our time in Nottingham...

We now have our passports, complete with the obligatory embarassing photos
We have just shipped off 15 boxes of clothes, toys, appliances, linen, kitchen items and even the oil painting that used to have pride of place in our entry hall. These things should arrive about the same time as we do, and will be delivered to our door.
We have been doing the "background" things that will enable us to get visas, such as meeting with the bank manager to discuss financial things, and sorting out our rental contract in Nottingham
We have completed our barista training, and now have two fancy certificates, proudly displayed in the bottom drawer of our desk
We have applied for funding from a Christian organisation that supports projects like ours - and will find out about the results later this year
We have booked our plane tickets, and are in the process of trying to explain to Cara that we will all soon be travelling inside one of those little things that flies through the sky
We have been buying cold-weather clothes!!

Over the next little while we hope to update the blog with some upcoming events...

Luke Elijah Malcolm

2007-04-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Luke Elijah Malcolm was born yesterday at midday (Sunday 15th April). He is happy and healthy, and mum, dad, and big sister are all thrilled. To the left is a picture of Bec, Cara, and Luke...
Bec is doing well, and getting frequent visits from Matt and Cara. Cara is very proud, and so far, very gentle with her little brother.

At birth, Luke weighed 3.13kg, and measured 48cm. His favourite hobbies are feeding, sleeping, and... well that's all so far. He occasionally opens his eyes and looks around, and occasionally cries, but he plans to develop more hobbies in the future.

Luke's favourite fashion items include blue beanies and white cloths...

...And soon after Luke was born, Matt made a celebratory coffee or two...

April Update

2007-04-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

No - Mixolidian Flip (the temporary name of the unborn baby) hasn't arrived yet!

But in the meantime we've got around to sorting out some of the support stuff. We now have:

A nice glossy brochure (thanks, Jen for the design!)
A form you can fill in to let us know if you're interested in supporting us while we're in Nottingham
A bank account for depositing Nottingham support money into.

On a negative note, we have heard that the university will not be forwarding Matt's research project for consideration for an Overseas Research Scholarship, despite an extremely positive reference from Prof Thiselton. We have been told that competition was extremely fierce and have been encouraged to apply for this type of funding next year. So if you're a pray-er, please pray with us that there might be a positive response from other funding avenues.

Expect the next update to include information about Mixolidian's birth and a new name for him/her!

Welcome

2007-03-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Matt and Bec Malcolm's blog! Here you'll find information, updates and personal reflections on why we are going to Nottingham. The big vision, as you can read below, is to be well trained to equip others to communicate the Bible's message effectively. Feel free to leave comments or contact us at: malcolmsintights@hotmail.com

matt and bec

How to Contribute Financially

2007-03-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

If you would like to financially partner with us in seeing this vision realised, this would be greatly appreciated. We are currently setting up bank accounts and financial documentation, and will need to demonstrate that we have a substantial amount of money before we leave, in order to get visas. Please email us if you would like information about how you can contribute financially. This will be overseen by friends and family in Perth, who will provide receipts for all gifts, and regular updates of our financial situation.

Email: malcolmsintights@hotmail.com

A Vision to Equip

2007-03-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

Three Needs
Everyone needs to know and grow: People need to know Jesus; and as they come to know him, to grow in his service, by learning from the Bible.

If people are going to have the opportunity to know and grow…
Pastors, and other Christians, need to tell and feed: They need to tell the message of Jesus, and feed those who have come to know him, with clear, relevant Bible-teaching.

If pastors and other Christians are going to tell and feed…
Someone needs to train them. Our part of the world is especially in need of the continued development of world-class Christ-centred theological education.

As high quality theological training is developed here,
more pastors and Christian leaders will be equipped to tell and feed,
in order that people throughout Australia and nearby Asia will have the opportunity to know and grow in the service of the Lord Jesus.

“The household of God urgently needs faithful stewards who will dispense to it systematically the whole Word of God.”

John Stott

The Vision
Matthew and Rebecca Malcolm have a vision to see these needs met, by being included in the “someone” who trains pastors and other Christian leaders. An opportunity has arisen for them to pursue this vision by travelling to Nottingham, England, in September 2007, where Matt will be further equipped to be this sort of trainer.

“What we’ve loved about being involved in local church and university ministries is seeing people grow in the knowledge of Jesus. That love hasn’t changed! What we are really hoping is that going to Nottingham will enable Matt to better serve and train those at the coalface of making Jesus known. In this way, our prayer is that even more people will grow in the
knowledge and love of Jesus in the years to come.”

Bec Malcolm

Why Nottingham?
The opportunity that has arisen at this time is quite unique: Professor Anthony Thiselton, who is a world-renowned scholar in Matt’s field of interest (New Testament, and in particular, 1 Corinthians), invited Matthew to apply to the University of Nottingham, to be one of the few postgraduate students under his supervision. Matthew applied, and has been unconditionally offered a place, after Professor Thiselton carefully considered his undergraduate marks, linguistic skills, and competence in interpreting and commenting on parts of the New Testament. It is hard to express just how exceptional an opportunity this is!

Matthew would be initially studying a two-year Master of Philosophy in Theology. In its offer of a place, The University of Nottingham has said, “Subject to satisfactory progress, your registration will be transferred to Ph.D.”

The University of Nottingham consistently rates among the top universities of the United Kingdom, and was recently awarded UK University of the Year by the judges of the prestigious Times Higher Awards 2006.

“The very best commentary on the Greek text of 1 Corinthians is by Anthony C. Thiselton. The work is very impressive.... Thiselton has outdone himself. Every section is well written, accessible….and penetrating.”

Don Carson

Why the Malcolm Family?
Besides talking this all through with other people, there are academic, ministry, and family reasons that have brought the Malcolms to this point, as they have prayerfully sought God’s guidance.

Academically, Matt did very well in his Bachelor of Theology, gaining first class honours. He was awarded the Felix Arnott Prize, which is given to the B.Th student within the Australian College of Theology who graduates with the highest marks. Since graduating, Matt has been given opportunities to lecture to B.Th students at Trinity Theological College on 1 Corinthians and 1 Peter, using the Greek text. Matt has also taught a number of “Trinity at Night” evening units, including “The Bible Overview” – a training course of which he is a co-author.

In terms of ministry experience, Matthew has been working in a number of Christian ministries since 1998. These have included serving as:
• Staffworker at Curtin and Murdoch universities with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (a position in which Bec later served)
• Youth Ministry Coordinator at Darlington United Church
• Associate Pastor at Curtin Community Church
• Ministries Coordinator at Bedford Community Church
He has also been a guest speaker at a number of churches and Christian conferences.

With regard to family considerations, 2007 is a good time to be undertaking overseas study like this. Given their very young age, the interruptions to the children’s education and social environment will be minimal. Likewise, Matt and Bec don’t currently have significant responsibilities for the care of aging parents. Setting aside this period for full-time study will allow Matthew to focus well and move swiftly towards the goal of “training the trainers.”

“It’s clear that God has gifted Matt as a student, a preacher, and a teacher. It’s also clear
that he is intent upon using those gifts for the glory of the Lord Jesus, not that of himself! His acceptance at Nottingham is a great opportunity for him to enhance his gifts—and to increase the impact that his ministry will have on his return to Perth. I will be supporting this appeal. I hope you will too.”

Allan Chapple, Head of New Testament, Trinity Theological College

Your Partnership
To live and study in Nottingham, it will cost more money per year than the Malcolms have ever had as a combined family income: the budget (based on estimations by the University and local contacts) is 30,000 Pounds ($75,000 AUD) per year, of which a third is tuition fees, a third is discounted accommodation, and a third is living expenses. This does not include set-up costs or airfares. In order to gain a visa for travel to the UK, Matt and Bec will need to demonstrate that they have a substantial amount of this money already in the bank by June.

There are a number of things the Malcolms are doing to work towards covering this cost:
• Matthew is applying for several competitive scholarships, for which Professor Thiselton has agreed to write him references. The results of these scholarships, which would cover part of the cost, will become known around May 2007
• Bec and Matt are both pursuing hospitality training while still in Australia, in the hope that part time work might be feasible in the UK (Matt would need special permission)
• The Malcolms will be selling a number of assets, with the particular aim of covering set-up costs
• They are speaking to their bank and financial advisors to try to arrange personal loans
• They have the keen help and support of their families in this venture

However, the Malcolms cannot do this on their own. They would value your partnership to help bring this vision to fruition. They will need emotional, prayerful, and financial support.
Can you help with this? Will you be a part of this vision?