I’m having a break from my usual diet of ICT in Education related reading material to spend some time with Tim Costello’s latest book titled Faith: Embracing Life in All its Uncertainty.

‘Faith’ was launched last Thursday evening at the YGAP centre in Richmond, Melbourne. As described by the publishers Hardie Grant, Tim takes his readers on a journey through the notion of faith no matter what religious background (if any) we are from. The essence of the book is about how we all need to believe in something greater than ourselves.

‘Faith’ follows Tim’s last book Hope: Moments of inspiration in a challenging world (published in 2012) a collection of short reflections based on his experiences as a lawyer for the marginalised of Melbourne, Mayor of StKilda, Baptist Minister and currently CEO of World Vision Australia.

Tim Costello has been a significant influence in my life since he married my father’s little sister Merridie Kitchen in 1979 at the Carey Grammar School Chapel where my job, as a Year 5 Carey student, was to hand out the order of service in my winter shorts.

Apparently Tim’s influence on me goes back even further to just before I was born. The story is that my parents were holidaying with Tim’s parents in the summer of 1967/68 and my mother, pregnant with me, was so impressed with the teenage Tim Costello that she thought Tim would be a good name for her first born if he was a boy.

For as long as I can remember, I have been inspired by Tim’s dedication to stand up for justice and equity in an unfair world. He is a religious leader that we can be proud of and a voice that we need to hear in our often far too comfortable western existence.

Tim’s son Elliot (my cousin) opened the doors of his charity YGAP for the book launch where about 100 people were invited who represented the diverse backdrop that has been Tim’s journey so far.

Elliot Costello & me at the launch Tim Costello’s latest book ‘Faith’

‘Faith’ can be purchased from any good book store or online via booktopia

Other books I recommend written by Tim include:

• Ministry in an Urban World: Responding to the City (1991, ISBN 0-908284-10-1)
• Streets of Hope: Finding God in St Kilda (1997, ISBN 978-1-86448-890-6)
  
• Tips from a Travelling Soul Searcher (1999, ISBN 978-1-86508-225-7)
  
• Wanna Bet? Winners and Losers in Gambling’s Luck Myth (2000, ISBN 1-86508-371-2)
  
• Another Way to Love (2009, ISBN 978-0-908284-82-5)
• Hope: Moments of inspiration in a challenging world (2012, ISBN 978-174270375-6)