“St Peters Anglican Church Hornsby” in Sydney, Australia, invited a single Christian to attend an imprecise public meeting for young adult Christians, and as a result, other Anglican church leaders falsely accused the single Christian of ludicrously untrue statements.

(http://hornsbyanglican.org.au)

The Reverend of St Peters Anglican Church Hornsby in Sydney, Australia, generally invited Torsten to attend a public meeting for young adult Christians at his church, but failed to provide the minimum required information for both time and location of the public meeting.

Torsten visited their church’s public meeting, and was there interrogated by the primary leader of the meeting at a table of social setting. Torsten suggested several times to the church interrogator to stop his inquiry and drop the subjects of question, to which the church leader finally listened and ended his questioning.

After the conclusion of the table interrogation, originally intended as a social setting, Torsten quietly expressed to an attendee at the church that “this was a little bit too intense for my liking”, and Torsten then politely waved a goodbye to others at the meeting and departed from the church premises.

Three days later, the Reverend of the Anglican Church wrote an email to Torsten, relaying an entirely untrue accusation by the church leaders; falsely claiming that Torsten would have essentially said that the church members and their rector are not Christians - “you don’t expect to see them or me in heaven”.

The dialogue with St Peters Anglican Church Hornsby in Sydney, Australia, is read chronologically from the bottom upwards beneath, with the most recent email at the top:

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Hi Torsten,

Thanks for your email.

It helps me to balance the verbal reports I received from my young adult leaders after your brief visit on that Wednesday evening.

They did tell me that you spoke very softly, so it is possible that they misunderstood what you said.

I am glad that you have responded the way you have, as it helps clarify to me if they heard you correctly.

I will chat with them again once they have all returned from their mission activities in January.

Yours faithfully,

Rob Denham

Rob Denham,

I asked you to explain yourself, and I asked you two simple questions. You have yet not responded.

Although I am very accustomed to church leaders' prejudices, their false accusations against me, and their lies about me, I nevertheless want to hear an explanation from you in regards to your church leaders' particular lie that I would have said that "I don't expect to see them or you in heaven." Your church leaders' accusation is entirely untrue and ludicrous. For an individual to invent such a lie, one must be malicious. For an individual to misunderstand to such extent, one must be simple-minded. Since you refer to church leaders in plural (several persons agree to the same lie), malice would be an understatement.

I anticipate that you explain your relayed accusations.

Regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Rob Denham,

Thanks for finally replying.

It seems from your reply that you have som explaining to do.

Please explain these statement:

1) "letting your assumptions not guard your tongue"

2) "you don't expect to see them or me in heaven"

Please elaborate on what exactly you are referring to.

Have I made any errant assumption? What errant assumptions did I make, and exactly what errant statements are you assuming that I would have made?

On what grounds would I not expect to see your church members or you in heaven? It sounds that someone has lied about me to you, as it seems that you are assuming that I would have accused them or you of not being Christian. What exactly have your church members accused me of saying?

I have not accused anyone of your church members or you of not being Christian.

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzen

"Bob" or Torsten,

it could be that computer difficulties & busy-ness can mean I do not see this email until after the event.

However I have heard that you did work out from what I did know that you were able to find them.

Assumptions can create problems, as can letting your assumptions not guard your tongue.

I apologise for the delay in responding, but I have only now found your extra emails. What my youth leaders tell me is that you may not be back to that group and you don't expect to see them or me in heaven. How sad that you should be quick to judge.

Yours faithfully,

Rob Denham

Hornsby Anglican Church.

Rob Denham,

I need reliable and accurate information. Who shall I contact to attain information regarding the time and location for the meeting this Wednesday? What is the name and contact email of the person leading the Wednesday group? When and where is the Wednesday meeting?

Since you refuse to provide useful information, I need to begin to question your sincerity as a so-called "Christian" leader. Either you are merely sloppy and mindless, or, you are sly as a devil. I don't know which of these two descriptions fit best at this stage. For coordination of any scheduled meeting to occur successfully is always required the minimum information: time and location. In your first response you established a day of the week but no specific time. In your second response you established a specific time and a day but no certain location. Because I previously have seen this pattern of intentional prevention of attendance to a meeting by other so-called "pastors", the identified pattern in your response leaves me with some suspicion, although it is insufficient for me to jump to conclusions about you through only this. It could simply be that you are benevolent but somewhat mindless.

Please reply. I need to know the location for this Wednesday.

Regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Rob Denham,

I need reliable and accurate information.

Who shall I contact to attain information regarding the time and location for the meeting this Wednesday?

What is the name and contact email of the person leading the Wednesday group?

When and where is the Wednesday meeting?

Regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Rob Denham,

Thanks, but I need more reliable information than that.

Who do I contact to attain information regarding the time and location for the meeting this Wednesday?

What is the contact email to the person leading the Wednesday group?

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Rob Denham,

Thanks, but I need more reliable information than that.

Who do I contact to attain information regarding the time and location for the meeting this Wednesday? What is the contact email to the person leading the Wednesday group?

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Torsten,

This week is their final meeting for the year. I do not know if they have planned a special outing or not. They usually meet at 7.30 in the hall next to the church, but it could be different this week.

Yours faithfully,

Rob Denham

Hi Rob Denham!

I would like attend the fellowship and study on Wednesday evening this week. What time this Wednesday? Is it inside the church building?

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzen

Hi Torsten,

At St Peter's we don't have a specific singles group. There is a group which contains people of university/ post-uni aged people, who meet for Bible Study on Wednesday nights at St Peters.

Yours faithfully,

Rob Denham

Dear St Peters Hornsby Church,

Hi.

I am a Christian single man here in Sydney. I seek a Christian community in Sydney where I also might find opportunities to fellowship, socialise, meet and talk with other Christian singles.

Are there opportunities in your congregation where also single Christians can meet and communicate - and build relationships?

Are there fellowship groups, community groups, cell groups or small groups that I can attend?

Best regards,

Torsten Nenzén

Email: torsten@nenzen.net