Friends

Chris Brown

Christopher Brown is a faith guide and companion.

As an educator he taught Social Work for over 25 years at the University of Queensland, spiritual companioning for 12 years at Christian Heritage College, and is currently involved in the formation of spiritual directors.
As a spiritual companion and spiritual director, it is his privilege to journey with people around their life and faith issues.
As a writer his desire is to encourage other guides, be they counsellors, pastoral carers, mentors, accompaniers, chaplains, spiritual companions, and spiritual directors in journeying with people in the way of Jesus.
Christopher’s faith tradition is evangelical and along with his wife, Marilyn, he attends the local Baptist Church.

Go to http://www.faithcompanions.com/ to find out more about Chris and his books.

Charles Ringma

Charles Ringma lives in Brisbane with his wife, Rita. He has led a very active life in pioneering Christian missions, in theological education, and in writing about Christian spirituality. Charles and Rita worked among indigenous peoples in Australia. He was the founder and director of the Good News Centre that worked with alcoholics in Brisbane, and was the Australian founder and executive director of Teen Challenge in Brisbane. Charles and Rita pioneered a church, Jubilee Fellowship, in Australia.

He did research work in the Department of Social Work and Social Policy, University of Queensland, in the area of Disability Services. He has taught extensively at the Asian Theological Seminary in Manila, Philippines, where he was Professor of Theology and Mission. In 1997, Charles Ringma was appointed Professor of Missions and Evangelism at Regent College, a post that he held until he became Professor Emeritus in 2005.

Charles is also a Franciscan Tertiary and a Companion of Northumbria Community in Brisbane.

Charles has written many books on Christian spirituality. To view a selection of his books go to his profile on amazon or to http://www.faithcompanions.com/writers-group-charles-ringma-2/.

Northumbria - Brisbane Community

Since 1999 some of us have had  long-distance contact with the Northumbria Community, primarily through Celtic Daily Prayer. Several years ago this connection deepened and a small group in Brisbane went through the Northumbria formation material – some then became companions of Northumbria, and others, friends

The Community publically meets about once a month, and four small local groups meet more often. Other members meet more regularly around various ministry tasks, and a number of people are working through the novitiate process.

The Community sees its role as living the rule of vulnerability and availability, fostering prayer and the spiritual disciplines, living as exiles in a post-Christendom world, contributing to the life of the church and seeking to be God's missional people at a time when our societies need cultural, moral and spiritual renewal.

Members of the Community are presently involved in a range of projects: working with refugee claimants, reconciliation with Australia's indigenous people, artistic work, theological and counselling education, working with people who have mental health challenges, formation in spiritual direction, writing, conducting retreats and teaching in the Philippines and Myanmar. 

Irene Alexander

Northumbria Community Australia

Contact:  Irene Alexander
                irenesophia53@gmail.com

       or      Glenda Bryant
                glendabryant@australiaonline.net.au

Northumbria Community - Worldwide

Celtic Cross Mosaic by Karen Nebauer 

Northumbria Community is a worldwide, dispersed network of people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences of the Christian faith. We are united by a Rule of Life, which we call our Way for Living and which can be summed up in two words: Availability and Vulnerability. Each of us has to learn how to live out this Availability and Vulnerability, to God and to others, within our own unique combination of circumstances, roles, responsibilities and relationships. 

Northumbria Community Australia