Insights - February/March 2015

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Welcome from the Moderator Respected by others

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nstinctively, we wish and hope for a safer and less troubled 2015. Last year had far too many shocking events, tragedies and disasters - in our own backyards, and worldwide.

As individual Christians and as a community of faith - a national Church in Australia - I wonder how we would sum up our hopes for this year?

Rev. Myung Hwa Park Moderator

The Moderator is elected to give general and pastoral leadership to the Synod, assisting and encouraging expression and fulfilment of faith, and the witness of the Church.

At our Synod meeting last year, we were overwhelmed by the dire situation of our Church. Issues with properties, finance, structure, membership, leadership, and even with our future as an institutional Church. We were obliged to respond to these challenges by saying “If not me, who? If not now, when?” We have undertaken a serious response.

The Synod Mission Plan is our way to respond to the mission of God. I urge you to pray for it.

Four months into the Moderator’s role, I have had incredible opportunities for meeting people in various contexts and circumstances. I’ve seen and heard people’s witness to God’s presence in their lives - ordinarily and extraordinarily.

for justice and peace, and so on.

But I have not enjoyed any of those ecumenical gatherings as much as I did that Men’s Breakfast in that small country town! The country way of practicing ecumenism reminds us of the importance of respecting others who are different from us – even amid feelings of insecurity about the future.

At the Exodus Foundation Christmas Dinner, I met a Catholic man from Malta, as well as a young Muslim fellow, an atheist, a Buddhist Asian grandma and a young Nepalese Hindu woman.

The dinner for almost 3,000 was extraordinary but what I found most amazing was the goodwill of hundreds of donors, volunteers and guests.

This made Christmas a community of genuine spirit and respect.

As I write this article, I affirm the nature of our Church – open, courageous, and willing to work with others (ecumenically, or through interfaith dialogues), to witness the ministry of Christ in the 21st Century.

Chinese tradition says that “The sheep is respected by others”. This is the “Year of the Sheep”, and I think we In late December, I joined a Men’s should endeavour to make respect our Breakfast at Temora, in the Riverina. aim. Respect for all humanity, across The blokes gathered there have been meeting, every month, to foster Christian all generations, and respect for God’s fellowship across many denominations. creation - including the earth, the environment and all creatures.

They are volunteers in various In the long journey as an institutional community affairs; mates in times Church - a journey which currently of need; and neighbourhood friends, feels like a race against time - we can closer to each other than their sisters and brothers separated by distance. For become weary and lose our vision. But let these words from Hebrews 12:1 this special meeting (that I was guest speaker at), they invited family members be an encouragement to us all: “We are surrounded by so great a cloud of to share their Christmas celebration. witnesses, let us also lay aside every Despite all the differences in traditions and theology, there was every indication weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the that they respected each other. In their race that is set before us.” respect, they were united in Christ!

Throughout my ministry, I have been involved in various ecumenical affairs.

I have participated in prayer services for Christian unity, or gatherings insights.uca.org.au

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Let us race with a gentle respect for each other. Pray that, in doing so, we will be able to successfully navigate the mission of God for our time!

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Contents

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24 Cover story Peel back the layers and what we discover at our heart is a firm commitment to social justice. It’s ingrained in our DNA and represents an important part of our self-identity. Since our union, we have forged a proud history of advocating for social justice: protecting human rights and the dignity of people; defending the integrity of creation; seeking peaceful outcomes to terrorism and conflict; and supporting the vulnerable, impoverished and disadvantaged - both at home, and abroad.

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Regulars 3 from the Moderator 5 letters 7 news

30 lectionary reflections 35 fellowship news 36 belief matters

Editor Adrian Drayton SUB-EDITING Ben McEachen EDITING/PRoduction/ DESIGN Belle&Co Editorial/advertising/ DISTRIBUTION inquiries Phone 02 8267 4304 Fax 02 9264 4487 ADDRESS Insights, PO Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW, 1235 email insights@nsw.uca.org.au web www.insights.uca.org.au

Insights is published by the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of New South Wales and the ACT. Articles and advertising content do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or of the Uniting Church.

Subscriptions: Australia $38.50 (incl. GST); overseas $50. © 2014. Contents copyright.

No material from this publication

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37 culture watch 38 entertain me

may be copied, photocopied or transmitted by any means without the permission of the Editor.

Circulation: 18,000.

ISSN: 1036-7322 Commonwealth of Australia 2015

30 The Uniting Church in Australia is one of the country’s largest denominations. Our vision is that it will be a fellowship of reconciliation, living God's love, following Jesus Christ and acting for the common good to build a just and compassionate community of faith.

insights.uca.org.au

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Your Say Jesus is still the Son. The message for us is still the same as it was, 2,000 years later: God has created the 'vineyard' and we are called upon, by Him, to be its stewards.

Bob Ross, Merimbula Uniting Church * William Barclay. The Daily Study Bible — The Gospel of Matthew: Volume 2 (1975, reprinted 1986)

Now is the time to act

Wonderful complexity

I don't want to criticise Elizabeth Raine's comments on the gospel lectionary for October 5 (Matthew 21:33-46), because I agree with Timothy Beal that the Bible has 'wonderful complexity' and is 'a wonder to behold'. Beal points out there is no single way to interpret Bible text, and perhaps that is another reason why the Bible is so wonderful.

However, it might be useful to those reading the October 5 gospel lectionary, to know about the description by William Barclay* of Matthew 21:33-46. Barclay suggests that when Jesus told this parable, he intended the vineyard to represent the nation of Israel. The owner of the vineyard, to represent God. The tenant farmers, representing the religious leaders of Israel. The servants, sent by the owner, represent the prophets sent by God. And, of course, the son who came last, is Jesus himself.

I personally found Barclay's interpretation of this gospel lectionary reading very rewarding. When I thought more about it, I could see that Jesus' words were even more applicable today, 2,000 years later.

For me, the parable has expanded and now the vineyard is the whole world. God is the creator and owner of the vineyard. The tenant farmers are us. The servants sent by the owner are now the Bible and the Word, and insights.uca.org.au

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At last! Someone has had the courage to say what is on many people's minds. I refer, of course, to Gwyn Austen's letter 'Stop fiddling around' (Your Say, Insights, December).

It's not about not having the 'good ideas' or seeing the path ahead with some clarity. It is about getting things actually done. There is little doubt that if we were a commercial corporation, we would have gone backwards, years ago, because of inaction.

We are just so bogged down in being nice to each other. Don't push too hard, don't upset people, have a conversation, etc ...

Gwyn spells out some of the issues clearly. But will these comments spur any action? Somehow, I have grave doubts about that happening, although Andrew Williams and Niall Reid have clearly been trying to 'stir the pot'!

Let's take a current example of our inaction. Well over three years ago, Synod (through its Standing Committee) finally woke up to the fact that there were too many expensiveto-run Presbyteries in NSW/ACT. It set the ball rolling, to redress the situation. It was all to be done in a 'Christian, don't upset anyone' manner, by asking the Presbyteries to review their positions — with the view to some of them merging with neighbours and, thus, putting themselves out of business.

All that resulted was a few pious papers setting out how good these Presbyteries were. Nothing concrete, as to how the objective of reducing numbers may be reached. Time passes and one could have been excused for thinking that background work was in process — and a progress report would be forthcoming at the 2014 Synod meetings. Just how wrong can you be! As a subject, it was not even on the 2014 agenda! But, Presbytery funding was cut again, this time to zero. Still, there are 'conversations' going on.

Either this matter was a throw-away subject not to be taken seriously, or there has been a massive failure by "management" to follow through. It is time that someone grabbed the issue and made some pragmatic decisions to resolve this matter.

Gwyn is correct: 'Stop fiddling around'. I am sure we can all find issues that have been drifting along for ages. The time is now to drag the NSW and ACT churches into the 21st Century. There will undoubtedly be much kicking and screaming, as well as some badly bruised egos. But it has to be done. The alternative is a continued slide to oblivion, brought about by 'fiddling about'! The future, truly, is in 'management's' hands.

Bruce H. Pyke, Long Jetty Congregation

Gave us comfort

Thank you to the writers David Johnson, Jim Lawther and RJ Oatlands (Your Say, Insights, November). They gave us some comfort that they understood the distress felt by our small, ageing Congregation at St John's Uniting Church Coraki.

Who will have the intestinal fortitude to do that?

From 1983, we saved for, built, financed, furnished and maintained our NEW Coraki property. But change was thrust upon us a few years ago.

Further use of the property - rentfree - caused inflated expenses and maintenance to be paid for by us.

Synod cut funding by 50 per cent, and it was a major topic for discussion at the 2013 Synod.

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Your Say their own buildings that were built for them, over the years. I now realise Coraki is not alone in our despair.

This was not helped by 'Property for a Pilgrim People: The Next Steps' (Insights, September). This broke our hearts, spirits and faith in Uniting Church management.

Thankfully, we will receive a small bequest [in early 2015] from the estate of a 98-year-old late member who knew our plight. If it is managed as she meant, it will help us – [along] with our own fundraising - to maintain and faithfully carry on our presence, in a reasonable manner.

Margaret Williams, Coraki Presbyterian/Uniting Church

Overpopulating humans are cheating system

We read in the first chapter of Genesis about the creation of the world. This, we understand, took perhaps many millions of years.

It states the earth was without form and void, so after the separation of water and earth - with the sun and moon in place - along came the herbage, trees, grasses and vegetation of all kinds. Then came the animals, birds, fish, reptiles, insects, etc.

The point I am making is, these animals have been here for millions of years, keeping the balance successfully. The herbage-eating animals [have been] living on the grasses and the meat-eaters living on the grass-eaters, and each other. This system of eating each other, as cruel as it sounds, works perfectly.

God then saw that a caretaker was needed for the planet. So, man was created, it says, in His own image.

We then were given intelligence to look after all this and we have done well. In the last 200 years, we have invented engines, aeroplanes, radio, computers, etc. We wonder what will be next.

However, we don't have a predator like the spider and the fly, so we were given intelligence to keep our

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numbers stable. In my opinion, we are now one billion people overpopulated.

We have, in the last 80-odd years or so, developed some very satisfactory birth control. The result [has been] that most Australian families have two or three children. But the earth’s population still grows.

With us humans overpopulating, we are cheating the system. Encroaching on animal habitats [and] upsetting the balance for all species on the planet.

As I see it, if nothing is done in the next 50 or 100 years, the big increase in population will mean starvation.

We need to influence these countries where they have very large families with many of [their members] starving - to educate them in reducing the size of their families.

In fact, we need to take responsibility for reducing the population of the planet. This may take hundreds of years. The sooner we start, the sooner we succeed.

In the 83 years of my lifetime, the world’s population has gone from two billion to 7.5 billion.

Alan Drury, Taree

Volunteering – Is it I, Lord?

The Uniting Church, like most of the other churches, relies heavily on the collective voluntary efforts of its members. Each day, thousands of people across the length and breadth of this Great Southern Land give of their time and talents, to enable the worship and service of the Church to be made known.

Whether it is helping out at a garage sale, fete, working bee, committee or formal unpaid volunteer role, it is all part of the fellowship that is central to our gospel calling.

Yet it is not only our members’ service within the Uniting Church fellowship that enables our people to contribute to the social fabric of the nation. Meals on Wheels, Surf Life Saving, non-church community organisations and service clubs, to name just a few.

However, in a country impacted by the forces of nature through drought, flooding rains and the ravages of fire, there are other ways of community volunteer service.

The pre-Christmas siege in Sydney's CBD brought to the fore the work of the Uniting Church-led Disaster Recovery Chaplains, standing sideby-side with the thousands [who] felt deeply moved by the tragic event.

[Also] as the floral tributes were thoughtfully removed, it was a task performed by volunteers.

And, as I write, the danger with the Adelaide Hills fire disaster has still not passed. Again, the Uniting Church is visibly present, through the provision of pastoral counsellors. Among the army of volunteer firefighters from SA's Country Fire Service (CFS), Victoria's Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS), there are, no doubt, Uniting Church members.

Not every Australian is able nor, perhaps, willing, yet millions [do] volunteer. Volunteering can be a rewarding experience. Not simply to seek recognition; rather, [it's] the response to the summons: 'Whom shall I send?' Perhaps the answer is another question: 'Is it I, Lord?'

Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook

Be rewarded for having Your Say Every contributor to Your Say gets a DVD or Blu-Ray, selected from the Insights prize cupboard this month!

Your Say letters should be sent to insights@nsw.uca.org.au or posted to Insights, PO Box A2178 Sydney South NSW 1235.

Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

insights.uca.org.au

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News Wesleyan chapel in Bulli turns 150 A 19th Century sandstone church, illuminated by lasers, set a new standard in Bulli's annual Christmas lights display. The Northern Illawarra Uniting Church's location on Bulli’s main road makes it a logical choice as a focus for Christmas celebrations. The church will be doing more celebrating this year, as it marks 150 years of witnessing to the community.

Uniting Church ministry to fire-affected communities The Uniting Church community in South Australia has banded together to support those experiencing hardship and loss from the Adelaide Hills bushfires. With more than 30 homes destroyed, the physical impact is clear.

The emotional hardship is not as visible, and the recovery process for those affected will be long and difficult.

Relief and outreach centres were opened around the fire zone, to provide practical help through chaplaincy and pastoral support. Wendy Perkins is leader of the team of chaplains from the ecumenical Disaster and Recovery Ministries. She was amazed by the amount of volunteers willing to be a listening ear for those who need it most.

“Our chaplains are out on the ground ready to meet people and offer their support,” said Ms Perkins, South Australia's Post-Disaster Ministries Coordinator. “We’ve had a positive response to the ministry of the chaplains and it has been greatly appreciated so far.”

National Disaster Recovery Officer of the Uniting Church, Rev. Dr Stephen Robinson ,emphasised the need for support, long after the bushfires have been stopped.

“The recovery is just starting for insights.uca.org.au

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people who lost their homes in the bushfires,” said Rev. Dr Robinson. “We need to think beyond the days and weeks, and look to the months and years ahead.”

Rev. Dr Robinson encouraged people to make a donation to the National Disaster Relief Fund, which assists in providing services such as counselling and pastoral care. This process involves ministers and communities discussing the recovery and forming a long-term plan to rebuild.

Previous initiatives resourced by the National Disaster Relief Fund have enabled local Congregations to host school-holiday programs, offer counselling, as well as provide practical relief from hardship.

Photo courtesy Rev. Sandy Webb SA

The Uniting Church in Australia encourages members to extend thoughts and prayers to all affected.

To donate to the National Disaster Relief Fund call 1800 772 851 or visit http://assembly.uca.org.au/ national-disaster-relief-fund/. The South Australian Synod is also calling for donations to the Bushfire Relief SA 2015 appeal at http://sa.uca. org.au/pastoral-relations/unitingchurch-sa-relief-fund. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.

The Bulli Wesleyan Chapel (as it was originally known) was opened on May 7, 1865. Need for the chapel was due to Bulli's increasing population of dairy farmers, timber-getters and coal miners. Reported in the Illawarra Mercury, on August 28, 1863, was the public meeting held to plan the church’s construction. Rev. William Kelynack described how people packed in “as closely as herrings in a barrel”.

The hallmarks of a well-planned “ambush” are evident, as Rev. Kelynack had earlier secured - from local landowner and parishioner, John Sommerville - a donation of land.

Rev. Kelynack also had on-hand “tracings of a new church”, by Sydney architect Mr Thomas Rowe (who designed Sydney's William Street Methodist church).

Stained-glass windows in the church visually record the contributions made by local families. Also depicted are John Wesley and Samuel Leigh, the first Methodist missionary to the New South Wales colony.

The major 150th anniversary celebration will be held at 7.30pm on Thursday, 7 May. All are welcome to attend, but strongly encouraged are couples who have been married in the Bulli Wesleyan Chapel, any former members, Sunday School kids, or people baptised there. On Saturday, 9 May, a hymn-fest will be held. Starting at 2pm, a soup-and-damper supper will follow. Memorabilia will be on display.

Anyone wishing to supply photos, stories or memorabilia are kindly asked to make contact: phone: 02 4268 2111; email: BulliWesleyanChapel@ gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ BulliWesleyanChapel

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News UnitingCare’s Riverina Community Partnerships Coordinator Neil Barber helped the ministry team write the grant application. Part of Neil’s role involves coordinating UnitingCare’s support for congregational foodassistance programs across the NSW and ACT Synod.

Cold storage is a critical issue for many of these programs, as it can limit their ability to accept donations, or reach more vulnerable people.

“We have more than 40 food programs in NSW and the ACT, run by congregations,” Neil said.

“Many can only operate one morning a week and often can only offer limited fresh produce. The availability of fresh food for people facing hardship is a critical factor in reducing the impact of poorer health outcomes — especially for the young, the elderly and those who have a disabling health problem.

Wesley Castle Hill's 'Walk through Bethlehem' In a break from the traditional Family Christmas Festival on the Sunday before Christmas, Wesley Castle Hill's Congregation embarked on an ambitious event, thanks to Rev. Karen MitchellLambert as Deacon at Wesley. Karen’s stated aim was “to provide an interactive experience of the times of Jesus, to provide a context for the Christmas story, to reach a broader audience, and to share the message of Jesus, of hope, and of God’s love for the world in a way that was relevant and engaging.”

All this eventually became the “Family Christmas Festival — Walk through Bethlehem” (pictured above). Two Magi welcomed the Bethlehem visitors, before a guide led groups of ten around the Bethlehem scene. A Roman Guard accosted these groups, demanding to know their business, before they visited the census taker and tax collector.

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hustle and bustle of Bethlehem, in the time of Jesus, added authenticity.

Harassment by another Roman Guard and a visit to the Scribe occurred, before moving to Herod’s Palace. Finally, the shepherds related their encounter with the angels, before the tour ended in the stable (that is, the pre-school sand pit).

The “Walk through Bethlehem” event was an opportunity to present the Christmas story in a very different and meaningful way.

Wagga Wagga food ministry expands A grant from the Norman and Florence Price Memorial Trust will help the Wagga Wagga Uniting Church to significantly improve the facilities it uses to run its Bread and Hamper Ministry.

The $7,000 grant, awarded in September, will go towards the cost of a cold-store. This new cold-store will increase overall storage capacity and help make the ministry more costeffective and sustainable.

"Unfortunately, fresh food is often comparatively expensive and more of a luxury item than packaged food.

People with limited budgets often juggle other essential expenses, like rent and electricity, by reducing their food budgets.

“This year, UnitingCare will be talking with congregations about how we can more effectively support them to respond to these challenges, and the increasing demand they are facing.

We are mindful that these are purely voluntary services and that there is often very little funding for food-relief services.

"The Price Trust is an important resource for not only congregations but, also, the communities they serve.”

Applications for 2015 Price Trust grants close in August. More information is available at: http://www.unitingcarenswact.org. au/resources/grant_programs/ price_trust The next issue of Insights will feature an article on the Wagga Wagga Bread and Hamper Ministry. Another story will focus upon some of the challenges facing food ministries, operated by Uniting Church members throughout NSW and the ACT. insights.uca.org.au

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General Secretary. The number of subscribers is increasing every week.

This update is another important way to stay connected, easily allowing you to catch up on Church events and news. You can sign up to this weekly communication at http://nswact.uca. org.au/about-us/connect/.

Connecting and engaging

The Moderator attends Exodus Christmas Lunch The Moderator, Rev. Myung Hwa Park spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day volunteering with the Exodus Foundation. She also shared in its annual Christmas Day Lunch in Ashfield. Exodus is famous for its large-scale, hearty Christmas lunch, which it has been providing for almost 30 years. The annual event ensures those with very little, don’t miss the joy of Christmas lunch.

“It really was a joyful occasion and I was surprised by the quality and amount of food,” said Rev. Park.

Guests received useful gifts such as toiletries packs, and children were given a donated Christmas present.

More than 3,000 guests attended.

The day provides an opportunity for many Sydney-siders to volunteer their services to, and demonstrate support and commitment for, the Foundation and those it seeks to help. More than 100 volunteers assisted with cooking, serving tables and entertaining.

Connecting members, building communities For more than 20 years, Insights magazine has connected members of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT — and the wider Church. Helping us to live as a united Christian community, sharing God’s love, and acting for the common good. insights.uca.org.au

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This issue of Insights is the first of our new, bi-monthly format. We hope our readers enjoy it. The new format means Insights will have more articles and in-depth news on contemporary issues facing the Church.

We hope to improve the way we communicate. Not just in print but, also, electronically. It will be a time for learning, as we want to engage wider audiences more innovatively — including our next generation of younger Church Members.

Insights magazine will still contain regular columns and features. These resources also will be available to access, via your smart phone and tablet (www.insights.uca.org.au).

In making Insights available on mobile devices, we can powerfully reach a percentage of the 12 million Australians who own a mobile device.

The new bi-monthly format means you will receive your magazine every two months. Insights will be delivered on the second Sunday of every second month. The April/May edition is an exception. To be ready for Easter Sunday, it will arrive during Easter week. Alongside the bi-monthly print issue of the magazine, we will be offering more digital resources including videos and podcasts. These can be downloaded for use in Church services and small groups.

Weekly ENews Each week, more than 3,000 members receive the Synod Newsletter electronically, from the

Social media helps us to keep up with our families and friends. On Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, we share information, images and videos with our communities. Help us to engage with each other — expressing our faith and Christian witness — by sharing your stories with us, on the UCelebrate and Insights Facebook pages.

Going green We are committed to being an even greener Church, to tread lightly on our planet. Reducing Insights magazine to six issues per year, will help us spend our limited resources wisely. Also, it will help us to protect God’s creation.

What’s new for Lent!

UnitingWorld invites you to join us for Lent Event, a practical expression of solidarity with the Church’s overseas partners. It also is an opportunity to partner with them, as they work to fight injustice and help break the poverty cycle in their communities.

New this year is the Lent Event App, available for free from your App store. It provides daily prayers and reflections, as well as information about the projects that Lent Event supports.

To see the full range of Lenten resources for Ministers and Lay Leaders, Bible Study groups and Children’s groups, check out the Lent Event website. Resources include an inspirational '40 Days of Hope' Bible study. Also at at www.lentevent.com, you will find a fun clip to promote Lent Event in your Congregation.

Contact Fiona (fionaj@unitingworld. org.au) at UnitingWorld to receive a Coordinator’s Pack on how to run Lent Event at your church, or to order any other Lent Event resource. Act now — Lent starts February 18!

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From the General Secretary’s desk Where are they now?

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sometimes find myself reflecting upon ‘where are they now?’ By which I mean people who used to be at church and no longer are.

People from youth-group days, or from local churches I have been part of.

As a minister, I have been given the membership lists of a congregation, and told about some names on it: ‘But we don’t see them much anymore…’

We are experiencing what someone has called ‘The Rise of the Dones.’

That is not a misprint. ‘Dones’ is meant to refer to the rise of the ‘Nones’, the increasingly large number of people — especially under 30 — who choose as their religious affiliation ‘None’.

Rev. Dr Andrew Williams General Secretary The General Secretary is appointed by the Synod to provide leadership to the Church by actively engaging in strategic thinking about the life, direction, vision and mission of the Church.

‘Dones’ are those who typically were, at one time, the most active and loyal of church members. Now, they have left.

They did not go to other churches. They stopped going to church completely.

Sometimes these people are referred to as the ‘de-churched’.

There are obvious dangers for churches. The very people on whom a church relies for lay leadership, service and financial support, are going away.

And the problem is compounded by the fact that younger people in the next generation, the Millennials, are not lining up to re-fill the emptying pews.

It seems people are fatigued with being talked at, through countless sermons and Bible studies. They really want to be more engaged and to participate, instead of a Sunday routine of ‘plop, pray, and pay.’

Will they return? The research suggests not likely. They’re done. It would be more fruitful if churches would focus on not losing these people in the first place! Preventing an exodus before it ocurs, is far easier than attempting to convince refugees to return.

So perhaps I should ask now whether you can think of a few people in the congregation who, if they left in the next year, would cause the church to be

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most vulnerable. Once you come up with that list, my follow-up question is: ‘What personal engagement have you had with them in the last two weeks?’ I expect the answer is ‘none’, precisely because these are the people who are most loyal and dependable. They do not ‘require’ or insist upon attention. But not giving attention to them is dangerous.

Ministers and congregational leaders need to spend time with the most active people, to stay in touch with their thinking and feelings. Such ongoing connection can pick up clues about concerns or opportunities that would be missed otherwise.

Decisions to leave are not made suddenly. They have been brewing for some time. Once people leave, often the clues that something was not right become all too obvious, in retrospect.

Find ways to talk with long-time, active members about their spiritual journeys, and the connection of those journeys with your congregation. This can go a long way toward understanding the heart of the congregation, as well as issues that can guide congregational leadership. Try these questions:  Why are you a part of this church?  What keeps you here?  Have you ever contemplated stepping away from Church?

Why, or why not?  How would you describe your relationship with God right now?  How has your relationship with God changed over the past few years?  What effect, if any, has our Church had on your relationship with God?  What would need to change here to help you grow more toward Jesus’ call to love God and love others?

Remember that good leaders will listen to the most faithful expressing their upset and displeasure, well before they become ‘Dones’. insights.uca.org.au

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cAlL fOR eXpResSiOns oF iNtEreST

UnitingWorld National Committees Are you passionate about Christians standing in solidarity and growing in active partnership internationally?

Why not consider volunteering as a member of one of the National Committees of UnitingWorld?

UnitingWorld is the overseas partnerships agency of the Uniting Church in Australia, connecting people and church communities in Australia, the Pacific, Asia and Africa. We help Australians see the world through our partners’ eyes, and support partner Churches in their life and witness.

UnitingWorld includes a Church Connections Unit and a Relief and Development Unit, both supported by separate National Committees.

The National Committees draw on expertise in a range of areas.

We are currently interested in expressions of interest from people with strengths in the following areas: • missiology, foreign affairs, advocacy, law, fundraising and public relations (for Church Connections National Committee).

• finance, corporate governance, strategy, organisational development and risk management (for Relief and Development National Committee).

The Committees meet quarterly with a mixture of face-to-face meetings in Sydney and teleconferences. A significant fraction of the work of the Committees is carried out via electronic communications between meetings.

To express interest please email your CV and letter of intention to the National Director, Rob Floyd robf@unitingworld.org.au or phone 02 8267 4267 by Friday February 13th, 2015. www.unitingworld.org.au

Seeking Expressions of Interest – UnitingCare NSW.ACT Board UnitingCare NSW.ACT is seeking suitably qualified people to express their interest in joining the Board, which provides oversight and governance of the organisation.

UnitingCare has responsibility for the community services, social justice and advocacy of the Uniting Church in NSW and ACT. It has an operating budget of $700 million per year, 7,500 staff and 3,000 volunteers. Its services include foster care, family counselling, aged care and disability as well as a hospital and the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre. UnitingCare NSW.ACT is one of the largest providers of aged care services in Australia.

The UnitingCare Board is implementing a challenging and ambitious growth and social justice agenda to better serve marginalised and disadvantaged people in our community, consistent with our calling.

All Board members are required to demonstrate: • An affinity with the Uniting Church • A commitment to fiduciary requirements • Experience and literacy in finances, accounting, risk management and Board governance responsibilities • Analytical thinking capacity • A commitment to work as a team player, to devote necessary time to the work of the Board, and assist in the ongoing improvement of the Board.

Particular expertise, capability and experience in one or more of the following areas are specifically being sought: • Legal • Marketing • Government • Corporate Board membership The Board membership is for a three year term. The expression of interest process is the commencement of an extensive recruitment search. Please submit expressions of interest, addressing suitability for appointment, via email to chair@untingcarenswact.org.au.

Expressions of Interest close by 31 March 2015.

If you have any further questions, please contact Rev. Gordon Ramsay (Board Chair) at chair@unitingcarenswact.org.au or Peter Worland (Executive Director, UnitingCare) at pmodica@unitingcarenswact.org.au

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Advocating for s Protecting what

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eel back the layers and what we discover at the heart of our Church is a firm commitment to social justice. It is ingrained in our DNA and represents an important part of our self-identity. Powerful words of social justice are inscribed in the 1977 Statement to the Nation at the first Assembly: 'A Christian responsibility to society has always been regarded as fundamental to the mission of the Church. In the Uniting Church, our response to the Christian gospel will continue to involve us in social and national affairs.'

Since our union, we have forged a proud history of advocating for social justice: protecting human rights and the dignity of people; defending the integrity of creation; seeking peaceful outcomes to terrorism and conflict; and supporting the vulnerable, impoverished and disadvantaged — both at home, and abroad.

The Social Justice Forum is one way our commitment to social justice continues, within the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT.

It all starts with a great idea Established in 2009, the Forum was the brainchild of Harry Herbert, the former Executive Director of UnitingCare NSW/ACT. Its founding objective was to strengthen the focus upon, and relationship with, social-justice work, by the Church (and its service divisions).

The Forum is the platform and voice through which the Church expresses its concerns for justice and community issues. It has representatives from across the Synod, including UnitingCare, the Synod Standing Committee, and Uniting Mission and Education. Being an open forum means all aspects of the Church — mission, ministry, education and services — are reflected in the voicing and showing of our concerns for social justice.

The Forum has 3 main purposes.

1. Recommend priorities for social justice action and advocacy across UnitingCare, as well as the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT. 2. E nhance the capacity of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod 14 Insights February/March 2015

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of NSW and the ACT, to promote and act for social justice, as an integral part of its life and mission.

3. Facilitate the sharing of information about social-justice work being undertaken by the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT, as well as the promoting the celebrating of that work throughout the Church and wider community.

These are brought to life though campaigns, capacity-building, and communications.

The Church is praying for all children to be released from immigration detention Campaigning for a brighter future Gabe Kavanagh is the Social Justice Campaign Coordinator for the Social Justice Forum. Together with Social Justice Advocacy Coordinator Jon O’Brien, she helps resource and support the Forum's work.

“One of the roles of the Forum is to hear all the voices from across the Church and then develop and deliver initiatives that meet the needs of all of those people,” says Gabe.

“We then create campaigns to facilitate meaningful action for people in Congregations.

“The main challenge is identifying where you’re going to have most impact — there are so many issues we could be focusing on. So, in 2013, we ran some consultations with the Synod Standing Committee and the two key issues that spoke to us, as the Forum, were asylum seekers and affordable housing.”

Give Hope: Uniting for Asylum Seekers Give Hope is a campaign of the Social Justice Forum that calls for an end to holding children in immigration detention.

Since August 2013, the Forum has undertaken several initiatives to support the campaign.

In 2013, more than 280 Congregations hand-painted a square

of quilt, calling for an end to child detention. “That was a beautiful expression of the depth of concern in the Church, around the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers in Australia,” reflects Gabe.

On 23 December, armed with more than 2,000 Christmas cards, the Moderator paid a visit to the office of Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The Christmas card campaign was the Forum’s way of making Mr Abbott aware that the Church is praying for all children to be released from immigration detention. Inside each card was a personalised message.

Here are two examples:

At this time of giving, please use your influence and power to give the gift of freedom to the children suffering in detention.

A member from Tamworth Southside Uniting Church

As a follower of the teachings and life of Jesus it grieves me that there is so much suffering in this world and our government’s policies are adding to this suffering. Please find a solution to this tragedy.

A member from Manning Uniting Church, Taree

“We know there is an incredible breadth of compassion for refugees and asylum seekers across the Church,” states Gabe.

“What we're trying to do is provide opportunities for all of those people to come together and speak with one voice to the government, [letting it] know how deeply the Church cares about these issues.”

This issue is close to the heart of Moderator Rev. Myung Hwa Park: “Delivering these cards to the Prime Minister is our way of expressing our concerns for children in detention centres, which is something I feel very strongly about."

“This message reflects the Christmas message of how Jesus Christ came in the form of a human baby, to care for people,” says Rev. Park. insights.uca.org.au

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Affordable housing The Church and its service arms have a long history of working with housing and homelessness. Advocating for people experiencing homelessness and housing stress, and providing services for people in those situations. The role of the Social Justice Forum is to find ways to advocate, in a broader setting, for an increase in affordable housing.

“We’ve embarked on an initiative with Sydney Alliance to host 130 Table Talks across the breadth of the Synod, which kicks off in 2015,” says Jon O’Brien. "The Table Talks provide an opportunity for people to come together and have a focused conversation around housing and homelessness.

“We want to understand the issues around housing affordability and then work out how we, as a Church, best respond to the issues. To work out what we can do, at a local level, to increase the availability of housing; to come up with creative ways to approach the issue; and to explore innovative funding models to stimulate the provision of affordable housing.”

As well as "ideation", the team hopes participants will take time to reflect upon the theological underpinnings of the Church’s concern about housing and homelessness.

This concern is reflected by Rev. Park being actively involved in the work of the Forum: “ Working with affordable housing and homelessness is for me a direct mission-shaped Church response. In the Uniting Church we believe that God cares about people deeply, especially for those experiencing poverty and homelessness. As we read in the prophet Isaiah (32:18 ESV) 'My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.' Our response with 'affordable housing' is thus an inevitable practical response to God’s concern for the people here and now.”

As her comments demonstrate, Rev. Park is “very committed” to the provision of meaningful assistance to homeless people.

“We have to consider whatever we have to share with the people around us. We need to understand how we can utilise our property for sharing with those in need.” insights.uca.org.au

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Gabe agrees, adding that the Forum wants to engage all members of the Church "in their contexts, because we think there are a large number of actions the Church can take. [They don't] all have to be at a state or national level. There are things people can do in their local communities to help people who are experiencing homelessness and housing stress.

"We absolutely want them to identify what those are, and then feel equipped to go out and take that action in their community.”

We need to understand how we can utilise our property for sharing with those in need Building capacity for greater The global Church, including the Uniting Church in Australia, is called to serve God in the world. Justice, advocacy and compassion -— especially for the disadvantaged and vulnerable — are part of God's plan.

Accordingly, these are important parts of our Church's mission.

The Social Justice Forum encourages and builds capacity of individual Church members, groups and Congregations, to speak out and act for justice in their own spheres of influence. On the issues they are most concerned about.

To help get these wheels turning, the Forum is developing an advocacy training package. The goal is to trial the training in early 2015, before making it as widely available as possible.

“The training is designed for people who are looking for more direction, a framework, or just ideas on what they can do to get involved in issues they’re passionate or concerned about,” says Jon. “We value people’s commitment to take action and we hope the training will encourage them to do so.

“It’s a case of how do we connect people to action they can take? Some may not be able to protest or want to attend a demonstration, but they’re capable of writing a letter. The training focuses on what we can do and how we

can incrementally improve the situation through relevant actions.”

As with everything associated with the Church, the Forum is taking a collaborative approach to developing the training. To create the program, members of the Social Justice Unit are working with the Community Development team in UnitingCare NSW/ACT, Uniting Mission and Education, UnitingCare Australia and the Institute of Family Practice.

“We have been resourcing Congregations this year to act in their own communities, to raise the profile of issues facing refugees and asylum seekers,” explains Gabe. “We've been providing Congregations with information and toolkits that will help them take their own action.

“We've had Congregations take a stand in their communities, from going to see their MPs to holding fundraisers in their Congregation for local refugee services, [or] hosting letter-writing nights and getting people from [their] Congregation to sign and send letters to the Prime Minister and Minister for Immigration.”

Romola Hollywood is the Social Policy and Advocacy Manager with UnitingCare. She recognises "it can be overwhelming" for Church members, when they are decideing where to place their energy and efforts. How the Forum aims to resource and equip Congregations can make the difference, when it comes to staying committed. "I believe the capacity-building work will be the thing that sustains the energy over time, and help build relationships and connections,” Romola says.

Spreading the good news Part of the Forum's vision is to be the conduit for information on social-justice issues and concerns around the Synod.

To bring this vision to life, members of our Church need to celebrate the work they do, as well as connecting people with the work of the Forum, and other groups within the Church. In this way, our Church's resources and efforts are put to best use.

“One of the challenges for 2015 is how we engage and connect with people,” says Jon. “We’re doing a lot of activities that many aren’t aware of, and there are parts of Church that are involved with Insights February/March 2015 17

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social-justice initiatives that aren’t being shared as well as they could be. This means that we miss out on the encouragement of knowing what’s happening.”

Claerwen Little is chair of the Forum, which she believes is “just one way the Uniting Church in the NSW and ACT Synod speaks out on issues. But we hope to provide leadership and encouragement for Congregations, Presbyteries and other Uniting Church groups, to speak and act about the issues that concern them."

"Communication plays a vital role in making this happen. In this way we can address a wide range of concerns that call for attention,” says Claerwen, who also is Director of UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families.

In response to the growing need to become more effective communicators, the Forum intends to share what it is doing via a Social Justice Forum Facebook page, and the Synod website. It’s also looking at ways to better promote its activities through Insights and other communication channels.

People in the Church are just so ready and willing to support social justice in whatever way they can “We need to do a better job of informing each other about the many good initiatives in social justice and social concern that are happening in other places across the Synod,” says Claerwen. “I believe that together we can make change happen.”

Where to from here?

We are a Church that is not afraid to be bold, courageous, and speak out on issues of injustice. Driven by our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, our commitment to justice is strong and woven right through the heart of who we are. It is demonstrated every day through our active engagement on so many issues.

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“Telling stories is extremely important,” explains Claerwen. “We need to tell stories that emphasise what we have in common. We also have to demonstrate we are willing to be part of the solution ourselves.

"Gone are the days when we can just call on government to fix things.

Issues are complex and we all need to make a contribution. When we put our money, time, passion and energy where our mouth is [and] when we work with other people of goodwill, that creates a positive momentum for change that is hard to ignore.”

Rev. Park states: “We will continue to work for a more compassionate response to asylum seekers and refugees. Thankfully, we are now seeing more children released from detention but there are other aspects of asylum-seeker policy that remain very troubling. Because of our DNA, which is very open and cooperative and willing to take risks, I think we need to do more in social justice.”

Gabe smiles as she adds: “People in the Church are just so ready and willing to support social justice in whatever way they can. It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly generous members of the Uniting Church are.”

There’s no place like home The issue In NSW, 62 per cent of low-income households are experiencing rental stress. The waiting list for public housing (for eligible households) contains 55,000 names. In some areas of NSW, there is a 10-year waiting list for housing.

Vulnerable people of all ages are affected by the severe shortage of affordable housing in NSW. Without stable housing, it is hard to care for family, gain employment, or remain engaged with education or training.

Our response The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT, along with UnitingCare, support increasing the supply of social and affordable housing in NSW. As such, we will: • Work with Sydney Alliance — in the lead-up to the March 2015 State election — on its proposals to improve housing affordability.

• Engage with NSW Government on further options for social investment in affordable housing and support.

• Support the longer-term work within UnitingCare NSW/ACT and the Uniting Church, to develop economically sustainable financial models. These will enable us to contribute to increasing the supply of affordable housing.

How you can get involved The Social Justice Forum will create opportunities for Congregations and individuals to participate in the Table Talks held by Sydney Alliance and other advocacy organisations. The Forum aims to host 130 Table Talks about affordable housing across NSW and the ACT. To help find solutions to the housing crisis, you should join other members of the Uniting Church as these events. For more information about Table Talks, or if you and your church would be interested in hosting a Table Talk, please email socialjustice@unitingcarenswact. org.au. You can keep in touch with all the Social Justice Forum's work and programs, by contacting the above email address. Alternatively you can call Social Justice Advocacy Coordinator, Jon O’Brien, on 02 9407 3225.

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Reflections on the Sydney Siege M

any of us who live in bigger cities are used to our Monday-morning coffee rituals. But customers at the Lindt Café, on December 15, could not have foreseen this everyday ritual turning into a hostage situation the world would watch. Efforts by police to negotiate a peaceful end to the siege, continued well into the night. After 16 hours, the siege ended tragically, with the death of Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson. Many claimed that Sydney’s innocence had been lost.

During the days that followed the Sydney Siege, many were left with a sense of loss, grief — and healing.

core and found a depth of humanity, cohesion and community I have never witnessed before.

Many spoke of God, of death, of loss and hope, during conversations with the chaplains.

Yesterday and today, I was alongside chaplains of the Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network (DRCN). They supported thousands of people, around the makeshift memorial of a growing sea of flowers. These chaplains — all volunteers from a wide range of faith backgrounds — faithfully stood beside people visiting what has become a sacred site in the heart of Sydney, close to the Lindt Café (the scene of so much fear and uncertainty).

One thing that struck me (and the other chaplains) was the number of people — many whom we hadn't even spoken to — who would touch our arm as they walked past, and say, "Thank you for what you are doing."

The Rev. Dr Stephen Robinson is the National Disaster Recovery Officer of the Uniting Church in Australia. In the immediate aftermath of the siege, he was among those who offered comfort to mourners at the Martin Place memorial site. Below, he shares his personal reflections about this traumatic yet hopeful time. He wrote these intimate observations, as he was continuing to offer support at the site.

People have returned or visited for a variety of reasons: to process the insanity of such a place being the scene of terror; to honour those who served to protect; and to mourn those who died. Many came to reclaim the space… “This doesn’t happen in Australia — we don’t want to lose what we have,” or “I just needed to be here.”

There has been a powerful sense of togetherness. People of all faiths — and none — sharing this moment, and this space, in their own way.

Over the page, Director of Sydney Alliance, Amanda Tattersall, provides her own reflections upon the siege.

First published on her blog, Amanda shares what she felt and thought in the hours and days after the event.

The loss of innocence and life was a loss to all. This coming together is a blessing to all. There is an overwhelming sense of shared life, which is bringing the beginnings of a new healing.

United, by tragedy

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For many people, there were very strong associations. Quite a few had been to the Lindt Café for special occasions, or they were planning to.

One lady talked of having been held up by half an hour on that Monday. But for that delay, she would have been there, when the siege started. She saw God's hand in her avoiding it.

For many people, it stirred up other tragic events. Some spoke of being in New York City during the World Trade Centre attack, or Boston when its marathon was bombed. Others recounted personal losses, such as the recent death of a loved one.

In the literature about disaster recovery, there is a theoretical stage documented as “the Honeymoon” phase. During this, people who have survived something awful, and see their commonality, celebrate the passing of the dreadful common experience. This tends to be followed by a phase of disillusionment.

The loss of innocence and life was a loss to all My deep hope is that this current sense of shared life will not easily pass, but mark a new beginning in our understanding of each other and our maturity as a people.

Please pray for all who brought assistance during the siege, and its aftermath: The police who stood by to keep people safe; the council officers who brought order and the odd bottle of water to people in the crowd; Red Cross volunteers and Mental Health workers who aided individuals; shopkeepers who gave food and drink to many in need; those who brought flowers and words of blessing and hope; and chaplains who came alongside fellow citizens, to pray.

Rev. Dr. Stephen Robinson is the National Disaster Recovery Officer of the Uniting Church in Australia.

You can follow Rev. Dr Robinson's blog at https://stephenrobbo. wordpress.com/ insights.uca.org.au

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My hope lies in Sydney’s civil society

On Monday morning at 10:34 am [December 15], I got an SMS from my sister saying, “Stay away from Martin Place!” My heart skipped a beat. I had just left the Queen Victoria Building, where my mum had picked up my fouryear-old son, so they could go to look at the Christmas decorations in the city.

Then another SMS seconds later — “Just spoke to Mum. She said you were going to a meeting. Hostage situation in Lindt Chocolate.” I tried calling my Mum, but couldn’t get through. I assumed they were okay (even though, despite a lot of calls, I didn’t get to speak to my Mum till about midday).

I then called and sent a message to my husband, saying “Don’t go to Martin Place.” I got a message back: “I’m down at Wynyard. Might not head past there.”

This kind of shocking panic was repeated all across Sydney. We didn’t know what was happening and, in the first moments of finding out about the siege, we were terrified.

I got a message 15 minutes later from my husband, saying that “our building is in lockdown.” Minutes after that, I find out that the Polding Centre — the home of the Catholic Archdiocese — is in lockdown. A few minutes later, my colleague at the Sydney Alliance sends me a message: “Don’t come into the office — we are in lockdown.”

society. To build a massive alliance that aims to strengthen our civil society and community voice.

I have known Maha Abdo, the Executive Officer of the Muslim Women’s Association, for a long time. So, on Monday, December 15, after I found out that my family was okay, I sent texts to Maha Abdo and Joumana Harris, the President of the Muslim Women’s Association. We stayed in contact all day. We exchanged messages like this, from Joumana: “Thank you so much for your support. I have spoken to Maha … you are a great source of strength for us.

These have been very difficult months and I know they will only get more difficult. The support of our non-Muslim friends has been amazing. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

And … “Lets pray and work for a peaceful society we want our children to live in. Thanks Amanda, [but] our hearts are heavy.”

Lets pray and work for a peaceful society we want our children to live in So this week, as the founder and executive director of the Sydney Alliance, I knew that I had to step up and lead. I had to help connect with the trauma of the siege, the fear in the city, and the risk that people might blame a religion for the horrible actions of an individual.

I went into Martin Place several times. It is a citizens’ shrine, created by the people of Sydney, to embody our collective grief.

It is a remarkable place. I feel so proud to live in a city where we can express ourselves so tenderly, so quietly and with such deep emotion.

I was struggling to interpret what was going on. I was anxious and finding it hard to think straight. But, unlike many Sydney-siders, I have some very deep and close relationships with leaders in Sydney’s Muslim community.

Very early on Thursday morning, I ran into the city. I watched the sun rise over the buildings as I edged closer to Martin Place. This time, the square was almost empty. It was 6 am. I was able to walk right up to the memorial and read the messages. The thing that surprised and overwhelmed me was the smell. The flowers reminded me of when I was in hospital after the birth of my first son — the rich smell of pollen. Martin Place, for me, was both a symbol of death and birth.

I am a community organiser and, for the past seven years, have been working with people from all across Sydney’s civil

We experienced a devastating tragedy on Tuesday, 16 December. When I woke early that morning and read the news, I

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let out an involuntary cry — “Oh, no.” Like everyone I had hoped that the siege could end without death. The sorrow and grief is immense. Like many people, good friends of mine went to university with the victims.

There is so much pain and sorrow for two lives ended too soon.

But out of the ashes of this tragedy, there is a seed of hope. There is the possibility of new life. New life for our city.

All across Sydney, we are reaching out to each other. We are seeking comfort in our communities, as we try to understand and interpret what happened.

The spontaneous online message #illRideWithYou and the physical “Olive Ribbon” emblem (#OliveRibbon), are symbols that we are using. To help us express both our sorrow, as well as our hope, for a better world.

I am hopeful. In 2005 when the Cronulla Riots occurred, I felt a deep sense of sadness and shame. I was devastated that such rage could be expressed in my city. Today, in 2014, we are in a different place. Things have changed. We have seen our city come together in an extraordinary and remarkable way.

Our challenge now is to sustain the goodwill we see in Martin Place, and across the city, into deeper relationships of trust and understanding. We need to strengthen the relationships we already have between our churches, community organisations, synagogues, schools, unions and mosques.

It will be these relationships of understanding and trust — between, and across, civil society — that allow us to anchor our democracy, create an empathetic citizenry, and to build a city that works for the common good.

And to that end, the Sydney Alliance will work during the forthcoming weeks, months and years, to help us deepen our connections and trust. We need to meet each other. We need to know each other, in order to trust and love each other. That is the hope I have for Sydney.

Amanda Tattersall, Executive Director, Sydney Alliance, Twitter: @amandatatts @sydneyalliance, www.facebook.com/sydneyalliance This is an edited version of a blog post which can be read in full at http://www.sydneyalliance.org.au/ my_hope_lies_in_sydney_s_civil_ society Insights February/March 2015 23

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Fostering collaboration through hubs A

core and recurring theme of our last Synod Meeting was collaboration — what that means and what that may look like, in different contexts across the Synod. A new approach has been taking shape: collaboration within “hubs”, and the formation of a Capacity Building Team.

The Capacity Building Team is a new initiative of the Synod of the NSW and the ACT that takes representatives from Boards of the Church to identify areas where the mission is happening and thriving. The CBT will seek to resource these initiatives effectively.

Since Synod 2014, the CBT has received many requests for more information about this approach. This article will provide insight into the work being achieved through hubs. It will outline how these are currently defined, as well as detail the role of the CBT. Also outlined will be the theological underpinning for this work, the processes taken and outcomes sought so far, as well as the next steps.

What is a hub?

A term familiar within the communityservices sector, hubs are, in practice, an attempt to express in a local context, a fuller understanding of what it means to say that God’s mission has a church.

A hub embodies a set of particular features, including:  A “bottom-up” approach, with local people driving the project. Working alongside them are the Capacity Building Team (and others)  A whole-of-Church commitment that models collaboration. In practice, this sees a Congregation and Presbytery working together with Uniting Resources, Uniting Mission and Education, and UnitingCare agencies - as well as local community participants - to meet local needs and aspirations 24 Insights February/March 2015

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 I dentify the support needed for volunteer community services and activities and work together to be more responsive to local needs and increase opportunities for people to volunteer S upport financial viability and sustainable growth of our Church's mission and ministry

How do we work together, to create hubs?

Often, it is said that our Church prevents aspirational work being achieved because it is too difficult to navigate, full of "log jams", or slow to respond.

Recognising this, the Executive Directors of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT, Andrew Williams, John Kitchener, Neil King, Peter Worland and Kath Merrifield, created the Capacity Building Team.

The CBT will work with six priority sites around NSW and the ACT. The sites include Coffs Harbour, East Maitland, Leichhardt and Hope (Maroubra) Congregations — which the CBT has already worked with.

Discussions have started with Wagga Wagga and Dubbo.

The CBT consists of a member of staff from UME, Uniting Resources and UnitingCare. R ev. Niall Reid, ex-Moderator and Minister of the Word, represents Uniting Resources A lison Bleyerveen, a Mission Resourcing Consultant with a background in leading for mission in an educational context, represents Uniting Mission and Education.  T he CBT will soon appoint a new Community Development Coordinator, who has wide experience in local government and community development. They will represent UnitingCare

The purpose and role of the Capacity Building Team The purpose of the CBT is to identify challenges, pressure points, and opportunities within the designed priority projects. An inter-Church Project Team will be established, for the CBT to work alongside.

The CBT's role involves initiating discussion with Congregations, and then between Congregations and the wider Church agencies. By bringing together all invested parties, from the outset, the CBT ensures that vision, objectives and a work-plan — with clear expectations of each partner — are created and shared.

Hubs seek to embody, in one place, all five of the Marks of Mission A theological underpinning We are working towards ensuring the processes we use are theologically robust, devoting time to building a shared understanding of what it means to be the Church (both locally, and universally). In thinking about and designing for mission, we have been drawing on the “Five Marks of Mission”.

Originally developed by the Anglican Consultative Council in 1984, these have been adopted and adapted by Christians — of varying cultures — all over the world.

The Five Marks of Mission have a broadly ecumenical function of uniting Christians around the world, as well as enabling a shared understanding of what it means to be the Church. insights.uca.org.au

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The "Five Marks of Mission" are:  Tell: To proclaim the good news of the Kingdom  Teach: To teach, baptise and nurture new believers  Tend: To respond to human need by loving service  Transform: To seek to transform unjust structures of society; to challenge violence of every kind; and to pursue peace and reconciliation  Treasure: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

Our foundational documents, and a multitude of Synod resolutions, demonstrate that The Five Marks do reflect the aspirations and hopes of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT. Hubs are an experiment in what it means to be the church. An expression not only of the idea that God’s church has a mission but also that God’s mission has a church. Hubs seek a fuller vision of how and where and when the life of God can be told, taught, tended, and treasured … with the goal of transformed lives and, thus, a transformed world.

Hubs seek to embody, in one place, all five of the Marks of Mission. This recognises that the different gifts and services of the Holy Spirit belong together (1 Cor 12). Hubs are a way that the different councils and agencies of the Church can learn together how each part can honour and build up the other — with Christ as head (Eph 4:15).

For the sake of the world.

What is our approach?

Hubs gather in a local place – often, a church hall - with representatives of the Congregation, the Presbytery, Uniting Resources, the appropriate UnitingCare services, and the CBT. Relational processes are used to discover common goals and aspirations, and to unite all parties with a common vision. We then collaborate to determine whether the vision and objectives are achievable; what steps are needed to achieve them; and the responsibilities of those involved.

available services. We also seek partnerships with those who are already locally embedded.

The process seeks to use rigorous project-management principles and tools. These include establishing a Project Team with delegated authority, as well as a specific Joint Project Plan, a risk identification and management plan, feasibility studies, business plans, transition plans, site studies, and human-resources management.

It should be emphasised that this process is not an easy fix, or a means of finding easy money. It is hard work which, especially given the rigorous process, may end up demonstrating a particular proposal is unviable (for any number of reasons).

The process being implemented seeks to discover these issues sooner rather than later, so that projects that go ahead will really flourish.

The Five Marks of Mission have a broadly ecumenical function of uniting Christians around the world Next steps There will be Congregations, Presbyteries and UnitingCare services that may be able to identify places where they see strategic possibilities.

While the CBT is focused on the six pilot sites, it is excited by new possibilities and is keen to discuss them. We are working on guidelines that will help us all discern and choose where other hubs may be, and will publish these across the Synod once formally ratified.

Tell Teach Tend Transform Treasure Tell To proclaim the good news of the Kingdom Teach To teach, baptise and nurture new believers Tend To respond to human need by loving service Transform To seek to transform unjust structures of society; to challenge violence of every kind; and to pursue peace and reconciliation Treasure To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth

What could transpire is exciting and represents new ways of thinking for many of us. New ways of being Church.

New ways of working together for the common good.

For more information, call Alison Bleyerveen on 8838 8952, or email alisonb@nswact.uca.org.au

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Soapbox Letter to a dying Congregation

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ou’re not dying, you’re dead.

The life support is still on so, technically, you’re still going.

But only because nobody wants to be the one to pull the plug.

You and your surrounding Congregations could hardly pull together a handful of people, within a decade of my age.

Yet I’ve heard you describe your worship as ‘wonderful’, and your fellowship as ‘perfect’. Yes, perfect.

And nobody present, myself included, dared confront you with your frailty.

They barely acknowledge their own.

Rev. Jason John The soapbox is conventionally attributed to street preaching on a given subject, to engage those who would stop and listen in passionate discourse.

Hyde Park, London is known for its Sunday soapbox orators, who have assembled at Speakers' Corner since 1872 to discuss religion, politics and other topics.

Our last Presbytery report to Synod — like every other Presbytery’s report — assured everyone that we are ‘in the pink’, even if the Synod is in the red. So much good news, but where was the actual news?

The vision of Church I had as a teenager is coming true around me.

As an agnostic kid, I thought Church was the kind of thing I might get into when I was old (say, 40), and had a few kids.

When I had done everything interesting in life, and was ready to give up on fun, and settle down.

It’s the ‘settling down’ that’s killing you, pilgrim Congregation.

My first Church decade was, admittedly, glorious. Terrifying and beautiful. In my ‘20s, God opened my eyes to the Spiritual realm, to faith and grace and the cost of discipleship: not as giving up fun, but as giving up everything.

I lost my life, and started another one. I had scores of cross-bearing peers and old people around me. All losing their lives and finding new ones as disciples.

I wonder where they are now? I’m pretty sure they won’t be coming to visit you. Witnessing the death throes of a Congregation, and it’s resurrection as a ‘perfect’ Sunday club for like-minded senior citizens, is hard to take.

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I’m still here, watching your lifeless corpse, and taking solace in the glimmers of life in others around you.

It was a close thing; I barely hung in there, through my 30s. The fixation on homosexuality, in a world where one per cent of people control half our wealth, nearly did me in.

I gritted my teeth through Creationist after Creationist sermon and song, 150 years after On the Origin of Species. I hung in there as the Church led the resistance to the acceptance of human-mediated climate change. At least I joined after the Church stopped shunning any kind of care for the rest of the Earth, for fear of ‘nature worship’. I’ve met many expats who weren’t so lucky.

I screamed inside when your neighbouring Congregation wouldn’t let the community use ‘their’ empty building. Endured meetings where risk was all about insurance and the cost of discipleship was the SundayClub balance sheet. Where ‘safe Church’ became ‘risk-averse Church’.

Then my ‘40s, where I learned to act like a 70-year-old. An uppermiddle-class 70-year-old. If I’d been better at it, things may have been easier for everyone.

Perhaps I can persuade myself, in my ‘60s, that taking a luxury cruise or overseas holiday, qualifies as being a ‘Pilgrim Person’.

You’re dead. But I’m not going to flick the switch, even though there are so many newborns and future generations who so badly need the resources. Perhaps someone will, at least, fight over the will — on their behalf.

Rev. Jason John

What are you passionate about?

Want to continue this conversation online? Tweet or Facebook using #ucasoapbox and let’s get a conversation going.

insights.uca.org.au

30/01/2015 3:25:34 PM

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Lectionary Reflections February - Epiphany and Transfiguration

1 February Mark 1:21-28, Epiphany 4 What comes to mind when you think of Mark’s Gospel? The shortest? The earliest? The most dramatic? A restless story, always on the move? One of these may be what comes to your mind.

But have you ever thought about the questions in Mark’s Gospel?

According to the NRSV, there are no less than 118 questions in this Gospel.

Since there are 668 verses, in total, in Mark’s Gospel, this means that the reader (or hearer) of this Gospel is confronted with a question every 5.7 verses (on average). This passage has a number of good, meaty questions.

As you read this amazing and instructive passage, imagine that these questions have been expressed within your own life.

'What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?'

'Have you come to destroy us?'

'What is this? A new teaching?'

What issues do these questions raise for your discipleship?

8 February Mark 1:29-39, Epiphany 5 Visiting the house of some family friends ... eating a meal at a table, with good company ... talking with one another in good, enjoyable conversations ... touching with care and concern ... listening, really listening, at a deep level of empathy ... sleeping, resting, taking time out ... entering into a close relationship with God through a dedicated time of prayer ... speaking out in public about what is important in your life, and how your faith shapes the way you live.

These verses are filled with many of the ordinary things of life. Things that we undertake each and every day. Most of what Jesus did was ordinary, everyday stuff. Most of what we do is ordinary, everyday stuff. By and large, most days are quite unspectacular.

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And yet, this passage contains lots of hints about things that are beyond the immediate. Jesus heals people. His loving care engages them. His touch transforms them. He casts aside the forces which hold them in sway. He releases them from whatever keeps them in captivity.

And he publically proclaims his message for all who will listen to him.

A challenge we face in our lives of faith is to ensure that, while we go about the ordinary patterns of daily life, we are open to the possibility of encountering God... even in the midst of the ordinary!

What can I do to ensure that I live each day open, expectant, waiting for God?

15 February Mark 9:2-9, The Transfiguration This scene takes place on a mountaintop — a place where, traditionally, God is encountered. It is a moment when something dramatic and mysterious takes place. This is special; nothing like this has occurred before. Surely, it will be remembered as incredibly special.

But listen to what Peter says! His words show he is much more concerned about things that are mundane and commonplace. 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings.'

What Peter said could well be like words we have spoken ourselves. Are we focused so much on mundane and ordinary things? On the pews, the hymn books, the order of worship? On the state of the building, the sign at the front of the church, the agenda of the meeting?

22 February Mark 1:9-15, Lent 1 Beginnings are opportune moments to engage in self-examination, and personal and communal reflection.

As we begin Lent, we read from the beginning of Mark’s Gospel. This passage might prompt us to reflect on what we most want our discipleship to look like.

Jesus says four short phrases which express what it means to follow Him: 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.' The four short phrases in this statement contain the heart of the message that Jesus preached.

The first two indicate that it is about making hope known, and being sensitive to the presence of God. The next two statements indicate that following Jesus requires us to be active, engaged, passionate, and committed to the way that he walks.

During Lent, we reflect on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Think about the four phrases that Jesus proclaimed. What surprises you? What comforts you? What challenges you?

The story of the Transfiguration challenges us not to be closed, to the moment when the presence from beyond our existence enters into our daily life. As the voice from heaven reminds us: 'This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!'

Can you recall a moment when the divine voice, the divine presence, caught you unawares?

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Lectionary Reflections March - Lent

1 March Mark 8:31-38, Lent 2 The 40-day period of Lent is often talked about in terms of a journey. We walk the pathway that leads to the cross. Jesus sets it out so clearly in these well-known words. Mark reports that Jesus spoke them to His disciples as they walked towards Jerusalem.

The actions which Jesus chooses to describe what it means to follow him, are actions that are confronting and challenging. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and lose our lives. None of these actions appear inviting, attractive, or encouraging. To walk this pathway is to take a deliberate course that is difficult and demanding.

So, this is the challenge we grapple with each day during Lent: How do we deny ourselves, in order to lose our lives? What ought we to be giving up, putting aside or leaving behind, as we strive to walk with Jesus?

8 March John 2:13-22, Lent 3 At a latter stage of Mark's Gospel, Jesus enters the Temple (Mark 11). However, this same incident is reported early on, in John’s Gospel. John wants to signal what it means, from the outset. Jesus’ relationship to the Temple is problematic.

He stands over and against much of what was happening there — although he still calls it 'my Father’s house'.

The account in John presents this as a more violent encounter. Jesus enters with “a whip of cords” (Mark does not mention this). Those He drove out of the temple included sheep and cattle (the only animals Mark mentions are turtledoves).

But as in Mark's account, Jesus also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

This incident depicts Jesus confronting those who failed to grasp what the Temple was for. His eyes are on something He considers to be greater than the rituals and customs practised in the Temple.

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What are “the things that are greater” than worship rituals, for you?

15 March John 3:14-21, Lent 4 The most famous verse in the Bible appears early in this passage (John 3:16).

It often provides a comfort to people of the Christian faith. It is good to be reminded about God’s love, for the world, expressed in Jesus.

However, the following verses are very challenging. Two classes of people are identified: those who love the light, and those who prefer darkness. A simple way to view the world. Clear, and uncomplicated.

It may be tempting for us to identify ourselves with the former, so everyone who does not agree with us is relegated to the latter category.

What if the words about “loving the darkness” apply to us? What if we are the people whose lives indicate we cannot 'walk in the light'? How does this passage then address us?

How can we take steps to ensure that we 'come to the light', and not 'love darkness'?

22 March John 12:20-33, Lent 5 In our Lenten journey, we are getting closer to the cross. This passage is set in Jerusalem itself. It contains a simple request: 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.'

Seems reasonable.

However, the response to this request is more about what we do not see, than what we can see.

Jesus talks about a seed falling into the ground. We cannot see the seed when it is buried. We cannot see the life-forces at work as the seed pushes through the earth and sends a shoot skyward. We cannot see what is required to make the shoot spread leaves and set fruit.

And yet, there is something there. Just as Jesus is there, at work, quietly and persistently, in the lives of those who have placed their trust in Him. Those who dedicate their lives to following His way.

A Lenten challenge is to accept that this process will not work — unless it begins with death.

What are we prepared to let go off — to let die — in order for new growth to take place?

29 March Mark 11:1-11, Lent 6 With this passage, we draw near to the end of our Lenten journey. As Jesus enters the city gates, he makes some very strong statements. Are we equipped and prepared to follow His pathway?

The cloaks which people spread on the road recall the way that the King was greeted when he entered the city (2 Kings 9:1–13). The leafy branches which others spread are a reminder of the cleansing of the Temple, centuries earlier (2 Maccabees 10:1–8). The cry of 'Hosanna!' by the crowd, is actually a cry to 'Save us!' The crowd also cries out, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!' This jubilant line is taken from Psalm 118, a hymn to celebrate the King's arrival.

These are all politically-loaded elements.

This is a story about a challenge to the way the Romans ruled the Jews. Jesus is the one who brings in the Kingdom — his ministry was inherently political.

Are we equipped and prepared to follow the same pathway which Jesus trod?

These reflections for February and March were prepared by Rev. John Squires.

We can see the colour in the garden, but we cannot see the nutriment in the fruit. insights.uca.org.au

30/01/2015 3:26:19 PM

Livingis Giving Get behind my community by helping me become a leader

By supporting Uniting Church Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women in leadership together we can... E quip women with the skills they need to become Aboriginal Ministers and leaders in their communities S trengthen the pastoral ministry of women within disadvantaged communities N urture the next generation

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Help raise $50,000 to reach our goal.

With this money we can develop new education programs for Aboriginal women. These programs can provide women with the skills and motivation they need to become inspirational leaders within their community.

Donating is easy and secure.

Make a donation by completing and returning the donation envelope in Insights.

Go online to make a secure donation at www.livingisgiving.nsw.uca.org.au Donate over the phone by calling LivingisGiving 02 82674303 Donations to LivingisGiving are not tax deductible.

23/10/2014 10:31:52 AM

50 years

Remember Greenhills out at the Cotter?

This is an Open Invitation to join us for the

50th Anniversary Celebrations Saturday 28 March 2015 commencing at 10:30am Visit our Website or phone for more details to assist with arrangements please

RSVP by 6 March 2015

Position Vacant

Presbytery Minister Moreton Rivers Presbytery Moreton Rivers Presbytery is seeking a person with vision, energy and a strong team commitment who will provide strategic leadership, pastoral oversight, missional direction and support across the Presbytery.

The position is open to ordained Ministers.

A position description is available by emailing Rev. Bruce Johnson (b_hjohnson@me.com), Presbytery Chairperson.

Applications should be sent to: Moreton Rivers Presbytery Minister JNC, C/o Secretary of Synod Placements Committee, Uniting Church in Australia, (Qld Synod), GPO Box 674, Brisbane Q 4001 Applications close by 5 pm, 27 February 2015.

(Accommodation at Greenhills is also available, contact the office to make a reservation)

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Belief matters

“The holy catholic church…”

I

n our baptismal confession, we proclaim the Church is ‘catholic’. The word simply means ‘universal’. It means there is only one church because there is only one Lord. Though there have been many Christian communities spread out across different times, places, and cultures, they are all mysteriously united in one Spirit.

Each local gathering of Christian believers is an expression of this mysterious catholicity.

The church is catholic because it is a microcosm of a universal human society. In the waters of baptism, all the old social divisions are made irrelevant. The church includes every kind of person: rich and poor, male and female, Jew and Gentile, slave and free (Gal 3:26-28). Whatever defined a person before is relativised by the new defining mark of membership in the body of Christ. There is no social barrier that could exclude a person from inclusion in this body. The boundaries of the church are as wide as the human race.

Further, the church is catholic because it preaches a catholic message. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not addressed to one particular social class or ethnic group. It is addressed to every imaginable human being. There is nobody in the world for whom the message of Christ could be irrelevant. Nobody.

One of the most unusual aspects of the Christian faith is its translatability.

The other great monotheistic traditions — Judaism and Islam — place a high value on preserving God’s message in its original language, whether Hebrew or Arabic.

But from the start, the Christian movement was marked by translation.

Jesus himself spoke Aramaic, yet the four Gospels all translated his teaching into vernacular Greek, so the message would be available to as many as possible. Within a remarkably short time the Christian movement had taken root in several different cultures, each one reading and proclaiming the

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gospel message in its own tongue.

The message of Jesus Christ is a catholic message.

The 13th-century teacher Thomas Aquinas noted that the message of the gospel is also ‘catholic’ in how it responds to the human plight. All the deepest human needs are addressed in the gospel. The message of Christ doesn’t just speak to a special part of life — the moral or spiritual part, for example. It speaks to the whole person, body and soul, individual and social. It is a catholic message because it embraces the whole person in a word of grace and truth. The gospel is as broad and deep as human life itself.

It is a catholic word because it speaks to the whole human condition.

The deepest human needs are addressed in the gospel.

a community. God’s plan of salvation all along has been to create a single human society as the bearer of the divine image. The church isn’t just the way we respond to salvation; the church is salvation. The church is what God is doing in the world. It is a microcosmic representation of what God intends for the whole human race.

That is why every division between believers is a denial of the gospel.

Even if the unity of the church is something we never fully experience in this life, we must always be striving towards it. A Christian community is catholic to the extent that it is always uniting. Wherever we identify a line of division within the human family, Christ calls us to step across in the power of the Spirit. For “there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Eph 4:4-6).

Ben Myers is Lecturer in Systematic Theology at United Theological College

But there is an even more radical dimension of Christian catholicity. The greatest barrier that divides human beings from one another is not culture, language or class. The greatest barrier is death. Death is the ultimate division.

It splits humanity into two classes: the living and the dead.

All other social divisions seem petty compared to this. All human beings are left powerless before this fundamental boundary. But the risen crucified one has kicked down this barrier. Through the resurrection, Christ has restored communion between the living and the dead. He has formed one human family that stretches out across space and time. The body of Christ is the most inclusive community imaginable because it includes not only those who are now living, but all believers who have ever lived, from every tribe and tongue. Even death is no barrier for the body of Christ.

The message of the gospel is not directed primarily to individuals but to insights.uca.org.au

30/01/2015 3:27:23 PM

Culture watch

Servants of God can do inspiring things

B

e inspired. So many people, events, t-shirts, bumper stickers, or emails from charities, fill our lives with the worthy call: ‘Be Inspired!’

But when was the last time you actually were? Not just politely or momentarily.

Inspired. In a life-changing way.

‘Based on the inspiring true story’ is a common claim of movies. Although 2015 has barely begun, several ‘Be Inspired!’ biopics already have surfaced. Unbroken and Wild aimed to portray real people doing stuff that, surely, would cause viewers to punch the air and be amply inspired. Released this month, Selma is another ‘based on the inspiring true story’ offering.

Yet, more than Unbroken or Wild, the fictionalised history presented by Selma should shake off any inspiration fatigue.

Go ahead. Try to not be inspired by reenactments of what was done by Martin Luther King, Jr. (played by David Oyelowo) and his fellow Civil Rights activists.

Focused upon key events in 1965, Selma depicts personal and public struggles for racial equality in the USA. This intense period powerfully represents an entire movement, and the man who led it.

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Unlike many movies about real-life Christians, Selma doesn’t evict, or dumb down, the convictions of its central figure.

Service to God’s kingdom is allowed to remain as the reason for what King stands for. Time and again, it is God who receives the glory. Not King, the worldrenowned preacher turned Nobel-Prizewinning campaigner.

spontaneously prays in the face of armed opposition, or soothes a grieving father by reminding him of God’s compassion Knowing King was not a saint, though, helps to keep us being inspired by Selma — for the right reasons. As much as this excellent film centres on King and his abundant achievements, the true source of praise remains in the correct spot.

Part of the inspiring force of Selma only can be felt by those who share King’s faith. Rare it is for a movie to so spur on Christian believers. But this stirring biopic has, by the time it concludes with this triumphant rally-cry: ‘Glory, hallelujah.

His truth is marching on.’ Be inspired.

During moments of doubt and worry, as King wallows in a jail cell, a fellow activist reminds him of what Jesus taught. Recorded in Matthew 6:2534, Jesus explained why becoming consumed by worry is unnecessary.

Because God does provides what is actually required, for those who seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness. Yes, it’s about who God is and what He does.

It’s not about the humans lovingly called to participate in His purpose and plans.

Writer Paul Webb and director Ava DuVernay make a valiant attempt to represent King as a real person, not merely an historical cut-out. The toll upon his marriage receives attention, with several scenes indicating the strain and sacrifice endured by King’s wife, Coretta (played by Carmen Ejogo).

However, allegations of King being a serial adulterer are only subtly addressed in Selma. This hint of sexual immorality instantly taints appreciation for how King

Apart from Jesus, no-one ever has perfectly sought out God. But Selma clearly shows how flawed, yet dedicated, servants of God can do inspiring things.

Especially when they cherish, honour and celebrate the one they serve.

Ben McEachen Insights February/March 2015 37

30/01/2015 3:28:02 PM

Entertain me read this

press play

BIG SCREEN

The Theory of Everything (M)

Found You!, Mardi Davies

Big Hero Six (PG)

“There should be no boundaries to human endeavour ... However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at.” So said physicist, cosmologist and best-selling author Stephen Hawking. Having contracted motor neurone disease at 21, and given two years to live, he has survived for decades. While much could be focused upon from Hawking’s life story, The Theory of Everything is a captivating film about his relationship with his wife, Jane.

Found You! is the story of a little girl, Florence. She is trying to play hide and seek properly with her dog, Trevor. He is having great difficulty with grasping the game’s concepts. Or, perhaps, Florence hasn’t adequately explained the concepts involved. Florence is unsure of what the reason is for Trevor’s inability to play. But whatever the reason, the game is not working very well.

This high-energy animated adventure is full of everything you’d expect from the Disney-Marvel hybrid that it is.

Hiro is a brilliant, bored 14-year-old genius who builds robots to fight for money. His older brother, Tadashi, works at a university and has created Baymax, a healthcare robot. Tadashi challenges his brother to qualify for a robotics program. Hiro creates a possible game-changer, but tragedy strikes. This prompts Tadashi’s colleagues to use technology to become reluctant heroes, and Hiro transforms Baymax from healthcare to heroics. The mystery behind the villain, and how he can be stopped, provides needed depth and builds to an inevitable climactic finish.

Perfectly cast in the lead roles are Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne, who won a Golden Globe for his performance. Along with the deeplyaffecting marital relationship, another intriguing component is the film’s philosophical and theological paths.

Jane is a Christian but Stephen is an outspoken atheist, and firm believer in science. However, as depicted on-screen, the journey of his life continually returns to the necessity of answering the ‘God’ question.

In the Hawkings household, differences in belief stirred study and conversation. As Stephen attempted to define and discuss time, or existence, he had to confront the possibility of one supreme, cosmic force. The Theory of Everything is entertaining and educational, but do not be dismissive of the bigger questions it brings to light.

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The choice of wording in Found You! is very good. Parents who read it aloud, at bed-time, will enjoy the experience.

The humour is dry, and great use is made of comic timing. There are also nice word patterns in the story, as well as repetition of adverbs.

My feelings about the artwork were mixed, though. I liked the plants, particularly the flowers and grass. I was really intrigued by the detail on the tap, at the beginning of the book. In fact, I kept turning back to have a look at it. I also loved the use of splattered colour in the middle of the book. However, Florence is a very odd shape and I found that distracting. She seemed to clash with the detail of the other drawings throughout the book.

Found You! is suitable for children aged three to six. It would also be a good choice for children who are learning to read.

Katy Gerner

Big Hero 6 contains hints of other robot-hero-coming-of-age films, but its characters are unique and the story delivers. Film-making talent drives a well-crafted, fresh animation, overseen by Pixar’s John Lasseter.

Although Big Hero 6 is based upon a lesser-known Marvel comic, it largely remains a Disney creation.

While a family film, darker bits and intense action may disturb the youngest audience members. But such content is no worse than The Lego Movie, for example. Plus, Big Hero 6 offers much to discuss. Expect hours of chatter afterwards, about revenge, heroes, salvation, sacrifice...

Russell Matthews insights.uca.org.au

30/01/2015 3:28:28 PM

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UnitingforGood A sustainable future is in your hands

Leaving a bequest Bequest_Ad.indd 1

Bequests are important to the work of The Uniting Church, educating, transforming unjust social structures, safeguarding our vital community support, looking after the next generation and helping to continue our faith and mission. After providing for your family, a bequest is a special way of ensuring

that the mission of the Church is sustained.

Find out how your bequest will allow God’s work to continue at www.nswact.uca.org. au or please call 02 8267 4303 or email contactus@nswact.uca.org.au

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