| Assembly Update May 2009 |
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| Friday, 08 May 2009 15:43 |
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The May edition of Update is now available online and in PDF format. It includes the latest news from our Agencies and Working Groups as well as Uniting Church resources.
Several times I have sat at the keyboard with a view to writing my 350 words for this edition of Assembly Update and each time my mind has filled with a different set of ideas and images — administrative hassles around accommodation changes at the Assembly, managing the proposals and preparations for the second Assembly mailing, planning trips interstate, meeting staff around a variety of needs and issues, making sure we have a plan to deal with swine flu if it is declared a pandemic. As my mind fills up with these issues and the images that come to me I think, “That won’t do for Just a Thought”! Where, I wonder, am I going to get the head space to think about something appropriate? Sometimes our lives are so full of the crowded stuff of life that there seems little space for theological reflection or spiritual nurturing. Personally I prefer to find space physically and away from noise to foster these tasks. The consistent reason behind the various practices of spiritual life is to make space for us to attend to the God who is present always, but at times is crowded out. In a busy life such spiritual disciplines are quite critical lest we lose our identity and way. There is a saying that “you are what you eat”. The Wesley brothers were convinced that our faith is what we sing or, more contemporarily, “you only get out of a computer what data you put into it”. If we are only bureaucrats or administrators or whatever then that easily shapes our lives. The Christian life depends upon us making the spaces and finding the ways to put something into us so that it enhances the prospects of our lives becoming more Christ like, and our practices more coherent with the character of the Holy Spirit. For all that I know these things to be true and helpful and worthy of practice, I am also pleased that we believe in a God who comes to us in the incarnation — the lived life of Jesus of Nazareth — because that means that even with all those ‘worldly thoughts’ swirling around in my head God has been present and accessible.
Visitor registrations are now open for the 12th Assembly. Information about the visitors’ program plus the registration are online as the 12th Assembly website. At the low price of $5 for half a day or $10 for a full day, visitors are provided with morning and afternoon tea as well as the business papers for that day. Or you may choose to attend for the whole Assembly and participate in an evening meal as well… there are a range of options to cater for our visitors. The 12th Assembly website also provides access to the Visitors Program as well as information about the excursions around Sydney which visitors may wish to attend. To view both the Visitors’ Program and the Excursion Brochure visit the 12th Assembly website. Prayer points available online These monthly prayer points are found online at the 12th Assembly website. Prayer points in May include members of the Assembly, community working groups, our partner churches, the Assembly Administrator and the General Secretary, Assembly Legal Reference Committee, and for the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Conference.
I recently participated in the National Theological Educators Conference and a Contextual Theology Conference which had people from overseas such as the United Church of Canada as well as Australians. Apart from resources, you'll also find links to the Doctrine and Worship working group sites, where you can find Doc.Bytes discussion starters. Upcoming Doc.Bytes will address Ordination, Baptism, Evangelism and Peacemaking. The Worship website also recommends websites for music.
UAICC National Conference The Uniting Aborigingal and Islander Christian Congress will hold its National Conference on 30 June-8 July 2009. The theme for the conference is ‘Transformation - Determining Tomorrows Communities’, which builds on the last conference theme of ‘Tomorrow’s Leaders Today’. This year’s conference looks to build upon its previous success by exploring transformation in all its forms and its powerful role in shaping the healthy, prosperous and vibrant Indigenous communities of tomorrow. The UAICC National Conference is being held at Trinity College, University of Western Australia, 230 Hampden Rd. Crawley Western Australia 6009. All are welcome. For further information contact Ramon Peachey.
Rugs and More Rugs Rugs have been distributed to orphanages in Russia; horse flu people in Warwick; Watoto Project, Uganda; Papua New Guinea Cyclone Appeal; Nan Province, Thailand; Mongolia, orphanages on rail lines; Nepal; Shi-Loh Church Ministries Orphanages Moolapeta South India; Luwi International Orphanage Scheme Chingola Zambia; Highland Papua New Guinea; Cambodia; World Vision; Solomon Islands; Kinglake Fire Victims; and more than 300 others distributed by synods and local groups to areas of need throughout Australia. We are not receiving rugs any more as our three year term will finish on 24 May 2009. However, if you enjoy making rugs we encourage you to get in touch with local organisations (such as Red Cross, Lifeline, BlueCare, Salvation Army, nursing and aged care facilities, and hospitals) if you are seeking a home for rugs. A great big thank you to all who contributed to this project which has brought warmth and love to many around our world.
Experience programs
If you think you may have the skills and passion to explore these possibilities, please contact: Kathy Pereira Relief and Development On Tuesday 28 April Queensland supporters of the overseas work of the Uniting Church gathered at Indooroopilly Uniting Church in Brisbane to celebrate the launch of UnitingWorld. Rev. David McGregor and a wonderful multicultural band of musicians from the Indooroopilly Church led the gathering in a unique blend of worship from around the world. Bruce Mullan, Associate Director Church Solidarity (Pacific), outlined the range of partnership opportunities with our church partners in the Pacific. Joy Balazo, Associate Director Peacemaking, shared about lives changed as a result of the peacemaking work of Young Ambassadors for Peace in Papua New Guinea and Ambon, Indonesia. A Leadership Roundtable for Ministers and Leaders in the Uniting Church was also held. Kerry Enright and Bruce Mullan engaged the 18 leaders who gathered on why the church should be both local and global in its focus and how to do it. Pack and Go Appeal Funds raised will assist Uniting Church volunteers to serve in one of our partner churches overseas, including contributing to the costs of airfares, accommodation and other expenses. For more information please visit the UnitingWorld website. Give the Gift of Life Appeal The program aims to equip communities in East Timor with the tools they need to transform their lives. This includes health care, micro-credit programs and training in agriculture and animal husbandry. To learn more please visit the UnitingWorld website. Church Solidarity West Timor West Papau Sri Lanka
Contextual Theology Conference The content, conversations, discussions and encounters were all world-class and highly relevant for this multicultural and multi-faith land and this racially, culturally and linguistically diverse Uniting Church in Australia. A full report of the gathering, organised by Katalina Tahaafa-Williams, Director of “Communitas” (a joint agency of the Council for World Mission) and UTC, including papers from the conference, will be forthcoming from Communitas. The gathering was especially important and useful for the UCA multicultural and cross-cultural ministry. Together in one space over several days were the National Directors of cross-cultural ministry from three nations: Australia, Canada, and the USA — the Uniting Church in Australia, the United Church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church USA and the United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ USA. In addition the Secretary of the Council for World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) of the World Council of Churches (Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum) led a session and shared in a number of conversations and vision sharing about the future of international networking concerning cross-cultural ministry. Existing relationships were nourished and new friendships and relationships begun. The ongoing cooperation and sharing of journeys and visions will provide insights and challenges to our own work and reflections for a long time. The recent journey of the United Church of Canada from a multicultural church focusing on ‘ethnic-ministries’ to one committed in all its parts, its life and witness, education and placement of ministers to being ‘inter-cultural’ has special significance for the UCA and our journey towards obedient, just and effective discipleship of and for all God’s people. It is very relevant for our own time and place. Longer reflections on the effects of this conference will appear on the MCM website soon and a profile on the Uniting Church in Canada representatives that attended the conference will be published in an upcoming edition of The Transit Lounge.
Celebration of unity and diversity The occasion brought everyone from this diverse community together. “Bininj and Balanda; Pilgrim Presbytery and the Northern Regional Council of Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress; Frontier Services and the Northern Synod; the Jabiru Congregation and the people of the West Arnhem Ministry Council — were all united in worship, in ceremony and in song, and united in prayers for Lindsay and Louise in this extraordinary and challenging ministry,” said Rosemary Young, National Director. City meets outback in SA “Among the interesting things we were asked to do were to move a bar (the whole structure) onto a 1950's Toyota Truck, cleaning toilet blocks, erecting a flagpole. We also moved the donkey successfully - “I'll leave that to you to figure out!,” said David Clarke, managing director of Hartmann. “It was great to contribute to the community, to work physically to produce a result and to work positively together as a team.” This year’s Bronco branding attracted its largest crowd in four years and was a huge success. It is one of the only events to have survived the hardships faced by Marla including drought. New addition to Patrol Ministry
Stop political point-scoring on lives at stake Uniting Church President, Rev. Gregor Henderson, said that it was entirely unacceptable to suggest to anyone seeking protection on Australia’s shores that we don’t want them. “Almost all asylum seekers who have come to Australia by boat in recent years have been granted refugee status. It should not be a surprise to anyone that someone who chooses to take such desperate measures has a good reason for doing so.” National Director of UnitingJustice Australia, Rev. Elenie Poulos, expressed outrage over comments made by both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader. “We must remember that in remote war-torn places, such as Afghanistan, it is not possible to book flights much less obtain a visa; people are fleeing persecution in harsh and desperate circumstances and from the very forces to which Australia has sent troops to overcome.” The full media release is available on the UnitingJustice website. Australian tax and transfer system review This submission expanded in more detail on the first submission made by the Uniting Church in October 2008, which laid out the principles which we believe should underpin the role and structure of the Australian tax and transfer system. This latest submission responded to specific questions and issues raised in the Consultation Paper released by the Review after the first round of submissions. The Uniting Church believes that taxation is a profoundly moral matter, the primary means for ensuring the equitable distribution of wealth and the raising of public money in order that we may ensure that the basic needs of people in society are met. This submission, together with the many others UJA has made, can be found on the UnitingJustice website. Other recent submissions These submissions outlined our belief that the primary objectives of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme must be to contribute effectively and appropriately to avoiding dangerous climate change, begin Australia’s transformation to a low-carbon economy and allow Australia to act with credibility in the international climate change negotiations. The Uniting Church does not believe that the CPRS legislation meets these objectives in its current form. We believe the scheme should be changed to prioritise the development and expansion of the renewable energy sector over maintaining the profits and current carbon-intensive activities of coal-fired electricity generators. It should also support international efforts to avoid dangerous climate change by encompassing emissions reduction targets which are comparable to Australia’s global responsibility and by increasing Australia’s funding to climate change assistance for developing countries. We believe that it is vitally important that the CPRS be improved and passed through parliament. Australia needs to immediately begin putting in place policies and frameworks to start reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and transforming our economy away from carbon-intensive production and towards low-carbon and renewable energy industries. Both submissions are available on the UnitingJustice website.
Multicultural and Cross-cultural Ministry 5-8 June 2009 Spirit Journeys 13-20 June 25-30 June
EXPERIENCING ECOLOGICAL CHRISTIANITY Based on the bestselling book Darwin, Divinity and the Dance of the Cosmos by Bruce Sanguin, Experiencing Ecological Christianity invites participants to focus on the ecological crisis. Participants are invited into a nine-week, experiential learning process that focuses on the ecological crisis and practical responses we can make to it. Wood Lake Books
Earth Gospel presents four weeks of daily reflections designed to remind Christians of God’s presence in all created things and to lead them to prayer and action on behalf of God’s “beloved but groaning creation”. Upper Room Books
Personal discernment is hard enough, but corporate discernment can be truly bewildering. This book offers a powerful ten-step process that will move you toward understanding God’s call for your church. Upper Room Books
The authors provide experiential anecdotes and reflect on ways in which congregations can minister with homeless persons. Discipleship Resources
Order books from MediaCom: Books for Unitings SEVEN PILLARS OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP Paulist THE NEW ATHEISTS DLT APPROACHES TO PAUL Fortress WHEN FAITH MEETS REASON Polebridge MYSTICISM FOR MODERN TIMES Liguori Books selected by Hugh McGinlay, available from UCA bookshops and resource centres:
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