Insights June 2013
SYNOD 2013 PART II Building on the foundations of unity
TIME FOR CHANGE: A measured response to a ďŹ nancial challenge A NEW DEVELOPMENT: Property Services for the 21st century Cover.indd 2
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Remarkable people At UnitingCare Ageing our volunteers each have their own special gift or quality that they share to enrich the lives of others. We need more generous volunteers to help us make a difference in the lives of those who entrust us with their care.
Multi-talented All our volunteers are remarkable in their ability to bring just a bit more joy to the lives of the people they meet, such as Manuela’s musical talents and colourful wardrobe. For this we are extremely grateful.
Find out how you can become a remarkable volunteer by contacting (02) 9376 0424 or mcorkin@unitingcarenswact.org.au. www.unitingcareageing.org.au/careers/volunteering
Inspired Care... Enriching Lives... Together
Position Vacant Families Ministries Worker, Belrose Uniting Church - Part-Time Belrose Uniting Church, an evangelical congregation on Sydney’s northern beaches plateau, is seeking a like-minded part-time (10 hours per week with a view to increase) Families Ministries Worker to engage in ministry with families with young children. an evangelical congregation on Sydney’s northern beaches plateau, is seeking a likeminded part-time (10 hours per week with a view to increase) Families Ministries Worker to engage in ministry with families with young children. an evangelical congregation on Sydney’s northern beaches plateau, is seeking a like-minded part-time (10 hours per week with a view to increase) Families Ministries Worker to engage in ministry with families with young children. an evangelical congregation on Sydney’s northern beaches plateau, is seeking a like-minded part-time (10 hours per week with a view to increase) Families Ministries Worker to engage in ministry with families with young children.
The successful applicant will: ● be someone passionate to evangelise and disciple children up to 12 years of age & their families; ● work with the Pastor and volunteer leaders in a number of ministry areas including overseeing Sunday School, assisting in co-ordinating contemporary family oriented worship services, involvement in Playgroups, liaising with the Church’s Pre-School, and developing strategies for the pastoral care of parents and nurturing children; ● be a person demonstrating mature Christian faith with experience in childrens ministry gained in either a paid or voluntary capacity; ● have qualifications in childrens ministry and/or theology, or is willing to undertake appropriate training for such qualifications; ● share the evangelical ethos of a congregation that is a member of the Assembly of Confessing Congregations within the UCA; ● not be a prohibited person under the Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998, and will have completed a working
Closing date for applications is 30th June 2013. A full job description can be obtained from the Church web-site or the Pastor. Applications should be sent to Rev. Ian Weeks 2C Morgan Road Belrose NSW 2085 e mail@belrose.unitingchurch.org.au p Phone 02 9451 3916 w www.belrose.unitingchurch.org.au To Know Christ & to Make Him Known
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Welcome from the General Secretary Fairtrade? I’ll drink to that.
I
know some people who live by the rule, “Life’s too short to drink bad coffee”. Recently at Synod we effectively turned this around and affirmed, “Life is too short for some coffee producers in the world and we need to drink Fairtrade products”!
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o
During Synod, we encouraged congregations to adopt the following ‘Three Goals for a Fairtrade Congregation’:
c 3?
Rev. Dr Andrew Williams General Secretary
(a) Use Fairtrade tea and coffee for all meetings for which you have responsibility, e.g. after church, elders and church council meetings. (b) Ensure other products that are used regularly in church gatherings are Fairtrade or ethically sourced. (c) Promote Fairtrade in the local community through activities that are locally designed. Recently I heard from Leichhardt Uniting Church Council who voted unanimously to adopt the ‘Three Goals for a Fairtrade Congregation’ from the Synod meeting. “We hope to be the first congregation to officially sign on to this Synod initiative (although we have been informal Fairtrade practitioners for some time). We are very excited to be supporting what we at LUC think is an excellent formal initiative within the UCA”, said Dr Robyn Goodwin from LUC. The Synod also resolved to set a
Editor Sarah Sullivan Production/Distribution/ Advertising Adrian Drayton Design Brooke Lyons Editorial & advertising inquiries: Insights, PO Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW, 1235 Phone 02 8267 4304 Fax 02 9261 4359 email insights@nsw.uca.org.au web www.insights.uca.org.au insights.uca.org.au
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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. © 2013. Contents copyright. No material from this publication may be copied, photocopied or transmitted by
goal that Fairtrade tea, coffee and other products, if possible, will be used and/or sold by more than 50% of the congregations in the Synod by the next full meeting of Synod.
“Let’s all work together to be known as a church that is a Fairtrade supporter.” The Synod is also challenging itself to do better and resolved to: (i) support and promote Fairtrade as a concept (ii) encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products across the Synod (iii) serve only Fairtrade products (such as coffee and tea) at meetings it is responsible for. Let’s all work together to be known as a church that is a Fairtrade supporter. I hope you share in our vision for Fairtrade and look forward to seeing the list of congregations signing up to the three goals grow. Let’s keep in mind who life is really too short for. Ready to become a certified Fairtrade workplace? Find out more at www.fairtrade.com. au/page/fairtrade-workplaces For a complete list of Fairtrade suppliers turn to page 26 or head online at www.insights.uca.org.au any means without the permission of the Editor. Circulation: 20,000. ISSN: 1036-7322 © Commonwealth of Australia 2013
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Contents 11
e budgets
d Fund Management s to prepare the locate available s, including t, Uniting Mission ng Resources, ations and
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has been no single h beneficiary has pending priorities stribution from the ources of income s required.
has not been a me years and there ency around Synod with room for s of outcomes. On ompleted the 2013d work continues on pe will improve the he Synod.
23
he budget is the n the Church. Geoff have spent the last opportunities to property.
at is done, the Regulations and ugh and that Synod c approach to ean a deliberate and h to how property is st fulfil our roles as
n interesting and ebate given the n that many have as represented by o due to access to ase, money�, said
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se: Treasury Services.
ment Services, also ancial Services, is ting and managing e Synod of NSW vice and oversee o investments and parts of the Synod.
e to The Uniting Synod of NSW contributing h's mission, as hurch life and insights.uca.org.au
Cover story Welcome to Part II of our special feature on Synod 2013. In this edition our story insights.uca.org.au picks up where it left off– showcasing highlights from the event. Insights May 2013 13 Part I introduced us to the work of Uniting Mission and Education and UnitingCare, and shared some of their success stories. Part II shifts the focus to Uniting Resources and Treasury and Investment Services including a look at the Synod budget and the important role of Property Services a feature on property. Our cover: Malia Puna, elected in April 2013 to SSC as the Synod Presbytery Representative.
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Regulars 5 letters 5 news 8 from the moderator 4 Insights June 2013
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26 updates from the General Secretary 27 fellowship news
28 belief matters 29 culture watch 30 reviews
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Your say News Well done! I have just read the new edition of Insights. Well done! It is a quite wonderful new publication. I appreciated the content and the new layout, and the way you have shared the life of the Synod. Rev. Dr Chris Budden, North Lake Macquarie Uniting Church
A breath of fresh air What a breath of fresh air! It was fantastic to read the new-look Insights at our local church. A pleasant surprise given we thought it wasn’t continuing. Lovely stories and photos. Well done all involved! Congregation attendee, via voice mail
Fossil Fuel Divestment While I was very pleased to see the continued circulation of Insights, I became rather perplexed at the various articles and reports from Synod regarding ‘Counting the real cost of mining’. While I support the Rev. Simon Hansford in trying to protect our valuable farming land, forests and water aquifers from Coal Seam Gas exploration and mining, for Synod to divest from “corporations that extract fossil fuels” is an abhorrent decision. Having spent over three decades in the hydrocarbon industry I can testify there are companies that go to great lengths to operate with ecological responsibility. I suspect all those responsible for making this ludicrous decision left Synod, got in their cars and drove home, boarded a train, or worse still boarded an aeroplane. Messrs Williams and Hansford - is this really caring for Creation as a strong part of our Christian tradition – or hypocritically, only when it suits you? Graham Lancaster, Parkes NSW
Have your say! Insights@nsw.uca.org.au insights.uca.org.au
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Stepping up to the best of causes Macarthur University of the Third Age (U3A) line dancing class (pictured above) raised almost $250 via auction, sale table and raffle for palliative care nurses and cancer-related needs.
Canberra, September 19 – 22, 2013. The 2013 conference will feature Marcus Borg, Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon, USA, and Bruce Sanguin, minister of the United Church of Canada.
“Members of U3A have sadly lost friends to cancer and others have had a member of their family touched by it.
For more information and to register visit www.commondreams.org.au
“We meet every Thursday in school term 9.30 – 11.30 a.m. and we would love more people to join in the fun”, coordinator Ms Margaret Mellor of Campbelltown Uniting Church said.
The Shack to be made into a film
Courtesy of The Macarthur Chronicle.
Property Services supporting our mission Session two of the 2013 Uniting Church Property Workshop, which examines how property supports our mission, will be held on 28 and 29 June at Uniting Venue’s Naamaroo Conference Centre. For more information, please contact Laila Hougaard at lailah@nsw.uca.org. au
Midwives of Change conference The third Common Dreams Conference, “Midwives of Change: Progressives Shaping Religious Communities”, will be held at the Manning Clark Centre at Australian National University,
Summit Entertainment, most popular for the Twilight series of films, has acquired screen rights to the William Paul Young novel The Shack. The book is about a man who receives a mysterious note inviting him to The Shack. The letter is signed Papa, his wife’s nickname for God, and so the protagonist embarks on a life-changing journey of truth, forgiveness and acceptance.
Beneficiary Fund Annual Report now available The Beneficiary Fund of the Uniting Church in Australia’s Annual Report for the year ending 31 December 2012 is available for viewing on the Fund’s website www.beneficiaryfund.uca.org. au. If you would like a hard copy of the report contact Helen Christie on 03 8615 7777 or helen.christie@ bf.uca.org.au
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News The Uniting Church… Uniting For Change
Assembly and UnitingCare staff attended Treasury’s stakeholder budget lock-up. From left: Matt Pulford, Lin Hatfield Dodds, and Judith Tokley
Uniting Church community will have a stronger voice on the things that matter following the launch of a new website that encourages citizens to get active on important social issues. Uniting for Change is UnitingCare Australia’s new online social advocacy and discipleship platform that aims to build an Australia where all people have access to the means for a decent life. You can find out more at www. unitingforchange.org.au, and get involved on social media or by signing up for the e-bulletin.
New Hymn Competition Announced As part of the ongoing Together in Song project run by The Australian Hymn Book Pty Ltd, an international hymn competition is now open for entries. Entries close 5pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on 31 July 2013. For more information and submission guidelines contact Elizabeth Murray at Elizabeth@ togetherinsong.org President of the Uniting Church National Assembly Rev. Dr Andrew Dutney at the Synod Meeting in April.
Budget 2013: Disability landmark tarnished by deficit of justice Assembly President, Rev. Professor Andrew Dutney, has hailed landmark funding for Australians living with disability in the May Federal Budget. “The full funding of Disability Care Australia is an important spiritual landmark in the history of the nation and will ensure individuals, carers and their families receive the best assistance they can regardless of their circumstances”, said Rev. Prof Dutney. Rev. Prof Dutney also welcomed funding for Indigenous communities, who are receiving extra funding for National Partnerships Agreements, as well as support for dance, languages and visual arts through the Creative Australia policy released in March of this year. However, he believes the treatment of asylum seekers still remains a concern, citing the fact that asylum seekers are forced to live below the poverty line and are unable to make extra income to support themselves and their families. “Offshore processing of asylum seekers receives more than 10 times
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the funding of onshore processing. This is another punitive measure unworthy of such a wealthy nation. As we hear how Australia’s wealth among nations continues to grow, we should be ashamed of our commitment to immigration detention centres on Nauru and Manus Islands”, said Rev. Prof Dutney. International aid was also viewed as a loser in the budget. The Budget confirmed that the Government will not be increasing overseas aid funding to 0.5% of Gross National Income (GNI). The diversion of millions of dollars from the international aid budget this past financial year to assist asylum seekers has meant that Australia is now the third largest recipient of its own aid. “We are disappointed that the Government has again broken its promise to the world’s poorest people. Every year of delay in funding impoverishes the people who need it most”, said Dr Sureka Goringe, Chair of UnitingWorld’s Relief and Development National Committee. insights.uca.org.au
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Mercy Ships Australia $1 Million Urgent Needs Appeal. We urgently need $1 million funding to support our Australian medical volunteers in the Republic of the Congo, Central Africa to provide desperately needed surgeries and medical assistance for more than 10,000 children and adults. Mercy Ships is the world’s leading independent hospital ship and has transformed the lives of more than 2.35 million people over 35 years. We provide FREE surgeries and medical assistance without regard to race, gender or religion. Our surgeons, nurses and other staff volunteer their services and pay for their own expenses so we can treat more people. Our urgent need is to provide surgeries for children and adults in the Congo to correct life threatening tumours and orthopaedic deformities as well as cleft palates, obstetric fistula, dental and cataract surgeries.
s 6 operating Africa Mercy ha 78 bed ward. theatres and a
Your donations will help children such as Sakoba. Sakoba developed severely bowed legs by the time he was three years old, like his mother had before him. Surgery has made it possible for him to walk and play sport like other boys his age. Sakoba’s mother recalls, “For the first time, I felt that Sakoba and I were accepted and included. We did not feel like cripples and outcasts.”
Sakoba afte r having received su rgery.
Please donate generously before this tax year end and provide hope to those who have none.
en with e Deb Loud lunteer nurs a. Australian vo cleft lip patient Amanat old four month
Yours sincerely, Gary Regazzoli Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Ships Australia
I will help Mercy Ships Australia provide urgently needed Yes, surgeries and medical assistance. Donate now before 30 June 2013. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. Please accept my kind gift of: $50 $100 $200 $500
My choice of $ .....................................................
Cheque
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Please find enclosed a: Please debit this card:
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Name on Card: ..................................................................................................... Signature: ........................................................... Title: .................................... First Name: ............................................................ Surname: .......................................................... Address: ................................................................................................................. State: ...................... Postcode: ...................... Phone: ....................................................................... Email: ............................................................................................................ I would like to make this my regular gift:
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Complete and return this form to: Mercy Ships Australia, PO Box 1080, Caloundra QLD 4551 or Mercy Ships Australia, Reply Paid 1080, Caloundra QLD 4551 Phone: 07 5437 2992 Email: msaust@mercyships.org.au Web: www.mercyships.org.au | Fax: 07 5437 2488 | Australian Charity Number: 097037922 I613
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From the Moderator’s desk Engaging in deep ref lection
H
aving just spent four productive days engaging with a group of ministry agents on retreat in one of our rural and regional presbyteries, I am reflecting on the deep value of spending time in this way.
Rev. Dr Brian Brown Moderator
It takes time to engage in deep reflection on the complex journey from endings to new beginnings. Space without everyday responsibilities is a gift that allows for not only the recalling of our experiences of endings, transitions and new beginnings but also for disciplined reflection on this experience. The retreat provides fertile psycho-spiritual space within which transformation can occur. Time spent in deepening our awareness is also enhanced by the presence of a supportive community on a similar journey. As we share of ourselves and hear one another’s experience and insights, we grow in the safe space of true Christian fellowship. We all, I am sure, instinctively affirm the wisdom of Jesus taking his disciples away to a quiet place; up the mountain or across the lake. We also know, as he did, how difficult it is to find this space amidst the busyness. At one retreat, I heard a minister greet another with the words, “How did you manage to get the time off?” In fact, attending a retreat is not “time off” but serious work, for which it is as important to make the time as any other part of the job — perhaps more so. Some presbyteries are in the habit of holding such retreats every year, or at least since Ross Kingham gave us his concept of ‘Kaltara Retreats’. In at least one presbytery in NSW/ACT, attendance at the annual retreat is written into the terms of settlement of every person entering a placement. It should not be optional! We know from the example of Jesus and many
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other great spiritual leaders that this time of reflection and refreshment is crucial as part of our close and ongoing walk with God, as well as for healthy relationships with our communities. This is especially important given that we can all get caught up in the individualistic culture of our modern society. This was brought home to me with renewed force recently at an induction service in a large urban presbytery. When the time came for members of presbytery to stand and greet the newly inducted minister, the five who were present did so! I felt sad that this person was not able to experience the strong affirmation and support of his colleagues in ministry at this important starting point of his settlement.
“We know from the example of Jesus and many other great spiritual leaders that this time of reflection and refreshment is crucial as part of our close and ongoing walk with God” I perceive that leadership is among the most critical issues facing our church at this time. Being in retreat together is a vital part of the support, nurture and growth of those who are called to guide and resource the church in these challenging times. And yes, it is true not only for ministry agents, but for all who seek to follow Jesus in service of the common good. We need the time. We need the space. We need the disciplined reflection. It is not an optional extra as we seek to embrace Christ’s offer of life in all its fullness. insights.uca.org.au
6/13/2013 2:25:47 PM
UnitingCare’s remarkable volunteers bring joy to the community Meet Lynette Inman and Ricky Kiat. Passionate volunteers at UnitingCare Ageing Bridgeview Cottage. They dedicate their time to enriching the lives of others and helping older people remain active members of their local community.
Ricky Kiat and Lynette Inman play a very special role in helping older people remain active members of the community through their volunteer work at UnitingCare Ageing Bridgeview Cottage.
For more than 14 years, Lynette has been a volunteer with UnitingCare Ageing, first at Oatley Caring Centre, and now at Bridgeview Cottage at Beverly Hills. She sees volunteering as an opportunity to meet some very interesting people and listen to their stories. “My volunteer role is Bus Assistant, which involves assisting our regular clients to hop on and off the bus to travel to and from Bridgeview Cottage. It is a very worthwhile service, and as I quite like helping people, being able to assist them in this way is quite rewarding”, says Lynette.
For Ricky, who is a chef by trade, his two-year anniversary as a volunteer has just passed. He prepares morning tea and lunch for the clients, sings with them and helps with exercises. “I like to help wherever I can and make the older people who come to our service feel part of the community. If we see the people happy, we are happy”, says Ricky. Lynette and Ricky are just two of thousands of remarkable people who give their time and energy to bring joy to others.
Would you like to make a difference? If you have the time or a special skill to share, and would like to help make the lives of others more joyful, please contact UnitingCare Ageing on 02 9376 0424 or visit www.unitingcareageing.org.au/ careers/volunteering
Advisory Council Opportunities Shaping the future of aged care
Do you want to help make a difference in your local community? Are you willing to volunteer your time at a senior level and use your expertise to help others? UnitingCare Ageing is looking for enthusiastic and passionate volunteer community members to enhance and enrich our connections with the community, advocate on behalf of the vulnerable and disadvantaged, and support the delivery of services and community activities.
To ensure its services remain connected and embedded in their local communities, UnitingCare Ageing is establishing six UnitingCare Ageing Councils with four key roles: p An advisory role to ensure organisational strategy and planning responds to local needs p An advocacy role to ensure the voice of the community is heard and to promote UnitingCare Ageing’s services p A connection role to engage and communicate with local communities, including Uniting Church entities p A support role to assist staff and management who deliver services and community activities.
Applications are sought for vacant positions on the six councils in Hunter, Central Coast and New England; North Coast; Northern Sydney; South Eastern; Sydney and Western regions. Appointment will be subject to assessment of relevant skills and expertise. To request an application pack please email council@unitingcarenswact.org.au. To discuss the opportunities further please contact Ivan Armstrong on (02) 9468 5900. www.unitingcareageing.org.au
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Saving Lives Without Fear or Favour Choosing a career as a Health Education Officer was not always going to be easy. Cat knew that would be the case, but as a person with compassion for others and a deep desire to make a difference, she knew it was the right thing to do.
Alex’s story is just one of many that inspire Cat in her work every day. She describes her role as changing attitudes to drug taking and ultimately working to prevent death and brain damage through overdose.
Cat admits, though, she never imagined she would one day be working in the only Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) in the Southern Hemisphere.
MSIC work is a practical and compassionate response to the unfortunate reality of drug addiction. This harm minimisation approach is not necessarily “curing” people who take drugs. As Cat explains, a success story is saving someone’s life when they have an overdose, which happens more than people realise. In fact, there have been no deaths in MSIC since it opened in 2001. “Lining the walls of our office are shelves full of folders with names of people, real people, who have overdosed on the premises, whose lives have been saved. This is a reminder for us all about the impact we can make on a life and what the alternative could mean. Each name in that folder is a near miss, a close call for someone’s friend, neighbour or child. To make that difference is truly life changing.”
“It is hard and challenging work but to know I play a part in saving people’s lives, helping them find some sense of hope and change is what really matters. It’s frightening to think that if MSIC wasn’t here, people like Alex* would be dead today.”
Alex’s story A regular visitor to MSIC since its doors opened in 2001, Alex struggled for more than 20 years with homelessness, drugs and poverty. Occasionally, Alex participated in some of the regular health education promotions run by MSIC, but one day Alex’s visits just stopped and Cat feared the worst. Many months later, an unexpected visitor arrived at the centre. It was Alex. No longer grey, but smiling from ear to ear; no longer the struggling drug user, instead before her was a new man in control of his life. He’d finally taken the steps needed to stop taking drugs, had applied for housing and was due to move in within the week. Alex could be seen for his true self; a friend, a neighbour, a child.
For over ten years now, MSIC, managed by UnitingCare NSW.ACT, has provided between 150 and 200 people a day with a safe place to inject drugs. No drugs are supplied on the premises and rules restrict who is eligible to enter and under what circumstances. Clients are provided with clean syringes, are taught safe injecting practices and offered support, advice and referrals for health and welfare services. In ten years, the Kings Cross area in Sydney, where MSIC is based, has seen no increase in crime, a 50 per cent reduction in injecting
equipment left in the streets and an 80 per cent decrease in ambulance call outs. MSIC is still the only service of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. It saves lives and reflects how UnitingCare as a mission of the Uniting Church works without fear or favour to save lives. Please help us change lives by donating to UnitingCare NSW.ACT.
*Name changed to protect the identity of the individual
“...helping them find some sense of hope and change is what really matters.”
Yes, I would like to support the work of UnitingCare NSW.ACT with a donation. First Name ............................................................... Surname ....................................................................................... Address .............................................................................................................................................................................. ....................................................................................................................... Postcode ................................................... Email Address................................................................................................. DOB........................................................... Telephone .................................... Congregation ............................................................................................................. Please enclose your cheque/money order payable to UnitingCare NSW.ACT or complete the credit card details:
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Address all donations to UnitingCare NSW.ACT GPO Box 9961 Sydney NSW 2000 Donations can also be made online at www.unitingcarenswact.org.au
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TGRMSIC/0613
Help UnitingCare save lives
Synod 2013 Part II
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W
elcome to Part II of our special feature on Synod 2013. In this edition our story picks up where it left off– showcasing highlights from the event. Part I introduced us to the work of Uniting Mission and Education and UnitingCare, and shared some of their success stories. Part II shifts the focus to Uniting Resources and Treasury and Investment Services including a look at the Synod budget and the important role of Property Services a feature on property.
A measured response to a financial challenge Uniting Resources’ mission is to provide professional services and advice on how the Church can best use its assets and resources to achieve its mission. We work directly for, and on behalf of, the Synod, and collaboratively with congregations, presbyteries, schools, UnitingCare and other church bodies. Finance, funding and stewardship have been dominant themes and concerns for the Synod Standing Committee over the past 12 months as we move to address the financial challenges faced by the Synod. By way of background, a key financial challenge for the Synod is its dependence on Uniting Financial Services’ (UFS) distributions to support the mission and activities of the Church. The risk of this dependency was highlighted last July when UFS had to suspend distributions. Revenue has been declining over time. After adjusting for inflation, our expected income in 2014 is only 35% of that available in 2008. Funds available for Synod activities are now significantly lower and are not likely to return to the levels of the past for the foreseeable future. Synod will have a $9 million deficit in the current financial year (compared to the planned $400,000 deficit). So the Synod will need to make choices on how and what it spends its funds and these won't be easy decisions. The immediate choice for Synod is to recognise the change and adapt accordingly. It means making some tough but necessary calls, acknowledging the distress and disruption that will ensue, and looking for a truly sustainable approach. Executive Director John Kitchener, said working to increase transparency and 12 Insights June 2013
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ensure people are well informed about Synod’s financial position.
to improve the financial position of the Synod.
“I believe it’s important to be transparent about what is happening and to focus on building trust. Better information will assist in better decision making", he said.
Closely aligned to the budget is the role of property within the Church. Geoff Dalley and his team have spent the last six months exploring opportunities to improve how we use property.
“The current financial challenge must be seen as an opportunity because it allows us to reassess what we are doing, to take a long hard look at our processes and to work together on delivering the best outcomes for the Church.
Executive Director, John Kitchener said, “The more work that is done, the clearer it is that the Regulations and By-Laws are not enough and that Synod must take a strategic approach to property. By this I mean a deliberate and considered approach to how property is used and how we best fulfil our roles as stewards.
"It's important to note that money is not the pre-requisite to be missional. Our call to discipleship and to serve others shouldn’t depend on money. It’s true reduced resources challenge the activities we might choose to undertake but the strong desire for members to engage in missional activities should ensure those activities continue”, stated John.
“Property will be an interesting and potentially difficult debate given the emotional connection that many have to their local church as represented by its buildings, but also due to access to resources – in this case, money", he said.
As Executive Director UME Kath Merrifield said, "God has given us all we need to be the people He has called us to be and the challenge is how we make use of those resources whether skills, money or property. "We are about to enter a tremendously interesting though rather difficult period. The work we all do over the next six months is important in addressing the financial challenges of the Church. The only thing certain is that the Church cannot continue as it currently does. It is unsustainable”, states John.
Balancing the books – Property and the budgets The role of the Synod Fund Management Committee (SFMC) is to prepare the Synod budget however in the recent past there has been no single budget. Instead the SFMC has allocated available funds to beneficiaries, including Assembly, Secretariat, Uniting Mission and Education, Uniting Resources, UnitingCare, congregations and presbyteries. Each beneficiary has then determined its own spending priorities making use of the distribution from the Synod Fund, other sources of income and cash reserves as required. The fact that there has not been a Synod budget for some years and a lack of transparency around Synod finances provides us with room for improvement in terms of outcomes. On this note, we have completed the 2013-14 Synod budget and work continues on initiatives
“We are entering a new era of challenge across the Church. Attendances are declining and buildings are deteriorating. Properties are often an emotional and financial burden rather than resources for mission. Building maintenance is now the third largest budget item for local congregations across the Church. Decisions about property are often restricted by what we can afford. And we must comply with complex state and federal laws.” Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, 2008
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John Kitchener Executive Director Uniting Resources
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Synod 2013 celebrations
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Dollars and sense: Treasury and Investment Services
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reasury and Investment Services, encompassing Uniting Financial Services (UFS), is responsible for investing and managing funds on behalf of the Synod of NSW and the ACT. We offer advice and oversee all matters relating to investments and borrowing across all parts of the Synod. We provide income to The Uniting Church in Australia's Synod of NSW and the ACT, directly contributing to the Uniting Church's mission, as well as supporting church life and congregations. There are a number of government changes that could impact our operations, including potential increases in regulation by The Australian Prudential Regulation Association (APRA) over religious charitable development funds and the ongoing regulation by the Australian Charity and Non-for-profit Commission (ACNC). There is no doubt the fallout from these changes will impact the Church and Synod in a number of ways, some of which we know and others we can only speculate on. Regardless of the outcomes, we will continue to work together. It’s going to be a busy year.
Giving beyond our means
Treasury and Investment Services Executive Director, Neil King said, "As you may be aware, Synod distributions were suspended for the 2012-13 financial year. The good news is that they are expected to resume in 2013-14. "On an average over the last six years we’ve been profitable but we’ve been giving away more than we have and that’s not sustainable", said Neil King. “During the Global Financial Crisis the Board could have considered cutting back and causing a lot of angst. At that time there was so much need for services and so much need for counsel...the world was in chaos and so UFS gave more than it made. “I liken it to someone in a congregation that has burnout – they’re trying to play the organ, welcome people at the door, make the coffee, clean up afterwards, and all the rest. UFS has been giving beyond its means", said Neil. Today we are pleased to report that insights.uca.org.au
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strategic change has being brought about in many areas of the organisation so we can continue to be profitable and return to making distributions. “You are all Church people and you pray for people. So I ask you to pray for us. Within the Synod office, we are doing our very best in difficult times. We are always trying to balance what we do with faith, love, hope and charity, and we would like to ask you to put us on your prayer list", said Neil.
“We’ve been profitable but we’ve been giving away more than we have and that’s not sustainable.”
Good things happen in threes
In November 2012, teams at UFS were restructured into three groups, each distinct in activity yet unified in mission. This allows the previously separate areas to improve in their areas of service by more effective partnering and synergistic combining of skills. Portfolio team: manages all the higher risk asset portfolios like treasury investments and property investments. Prudential team: is responsible for the prudential management of finance, risk compliance and credit.
say, ‘maybe you could build a building or go into partnership with the Synod and earn an income’. “We’re still working through this offering, and refining elements of it. It’s really us trying to be relevant and to demonstrate uniting for the common good. "If as a church we desire to continually grow in integrity then our goal must be to serve one another. For me, I believe that is what the love in the Bible is — wanting the very best for other people, rather than the idea of 'I'll love you as long as it suits me'. I want the presbyteries, congregations, retirement villages, etc. to succeed and I will use my skills to the very best of my ability to help them do that. “In the past we’ve seen ‘walls’ around different areas and a lack of transparency. But a lack of transparency created mistrust. And it’s exactly the opposite of what we need to be as a church especially with our name ‘Uniting’! "We need to show it, demonstrate it, and unite together to work and make it work for the common good. I believe it has to be done through servant leadership and I think this is where we are heading as a church. I see it among the executive leadership team. And it's exciting. Everyone is saying 'we are here to serve' and that's wonderful", said Neil.
Partnership team: is our customerfacing team that interacts with all our partners, such as schools, mission and congregations.
United in action
“While UFS is not distributing at the moment, we are constantly looking for other ways we can support congregations by offering other services. Historically we’ve always given distributions but we perhaps haven’t always interacted as much as we could or should have. So I’ve increased the interaction and the partnership. One example is trying to help the congregations develop properties and to utilise their properties more efficiently. “On this front we have two UFS experts in property management and development, and as part of Treasury and Investment Services they’re visiting congregations and offering a service to look at congregational properties and
A service motto to live by
“A fundamental principle to how we do things is taken from 1 Corinthians 12: 15 - 23. It’s about working together. There are some parts pf the body at some stages that will be weak but they are all necessary. We recognise there are excellent parts to the Synod. If we come alongside the weaker partners and make sure they’re supported and can contribute then as a whole we can be stronger.” Neil King Insights June 2013 15
6/13/2013 2:26:48 PM
A new development: Property Services for the 21st century
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niting Resources’ Property Services Division supervises the implementation of the Synod’s property policies and consults and advises presbyteries, Church councils, institutions and other agencies of the church on property matters. The environment is changing and that impacts the way we manage our property for future mission. We believe we must refocus and develop a new strategic direction about the role of property in the mission of the Church. Geoff Dalley and the Property Services Division are joined by Treasury and Investment Services in supporting congregations. We sat down with Scott Armstrong, Portfolio Manager – Direct Property, and Rob Ramsbottom – Asset Manager – Direct Property from Treasury and Investment Services, to discover the challenges the Church is facing and to share some success stories. “There is a lot of property for the congregations and presbyteries to be managed properly across the Synod millions of dollars can be spent maintaining assets that may no longer have a functional use or be of strategic missional value for the church”, said Scott. “Rob and I were brought into manage the commercial property portfolio. These days we’re seeing our role change from just managing the investment fund to being an advisory service for congregations. “We’re now spending half of our time working with congregations. What’s driving the change is the fact that some congregations are diminishing, while others are growing. “We are working towards developing a mission-based property strategy for the Uniting Church. That would see us working with presbyteries and congregations to put together individual plans that meet their missional needs. “The main thing for us is to get everyone in the Synod – all the congregations and presbyteries– working together for the common good", states Rob. In the three years since Rob and Scott started in their roles, they have
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been on the road visiting people and talking with them about the challenges the congregations face and what they can do to help. But understanding the challenges faced by congregations is only half the puzzle solved. The rules and by-laws, and the current systems that govern property, were written in a different time and phase in the life of the Church.
“Our first job is to work with congregations and presbyteries and provide them with professional advice on what their options are with the ultimate goal of helping them reach the ideal outcome.” “When the rules were written, the Church was undergoing an expansion phase – increasing the number of buildings and acquiring more land. But we are in a different environment now and a lot has changed. We are not building churches in the same numbers as we used to and the rules don’t cover what to do with a building or car park that’s worth 10 times more as a commercial development. There are just so many considerations and sensitivities that aren’t addressed in the rules and by-laws”, said Scott. “So our first job is to work with congregations and presbyteries and provide them with professional advice on what their options are with the ultimate goal of helping them reach the ideal outcome", said Rob. “A key part of property is stewardship and being part of one church. The concept of stewardship would say, ‘if I am a good steward of the land then I will recognise when my stewardship needs to change and accept it’s for the best outcome for the church’. “We also talk to a lot of people who were physically involved with building the church they worship in and so there is a special attachment to the building.
“The challenge is recognising that the Church is currently asset rich and cash poor and so we all have to turn around some of that thinking and make it work for everyone. To have a church with only a handful of worshippers who turn up in a building that’s worth millions of dollars is becoming harder to justify when we consider revenue and the number of worshippers are in decline”, said Rob. “Our idea isn’t new. It’s been building for around 10 – 15 years. The difference today is that the Church is undergoing enormous change and the landscape around us has changed so much. Everything just seems to be coming together and now more than ever it feels like the right time to make it happen”, said Scott.
Faith & Mission Telling our story
Our history is built on unity, but we have struggled to speak with a unified voice; one that encompasses both Faith and Mission. It is accepted throughout the Church and Synod that this needs to change. On this note, we are making changes to Synod communications to address these challenges we face. The communications function has been renamed Synod Communications, and in conjunction with the Synod Standing Committee, UnitingCare and Assembly communications, we’re developing plans for the communications priorities, which cover Insights, website services, and toolkits for congregations and presbyteries. It’s all about collaboration and sharing skills to achieve better outcomes for all. The new look Insights is just the start of the journey, with more focus on church life, and new size and paper stock. We invite churches and presbyteries to contribute their stories, send in ideas for articles, and give us feedback, because sharing stories is what helps us connect as a community. Share your stories! Insights@nsw.uca.org.au
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Neil King
Executive Director Treasury and Investment Services
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United in action It's about working together
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t) rs
An update from the UME Resourcing team Living our values
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n early May, 28 Resource Ministers from around the Synod of NSW and the ACT came together for the first Resource Network Gathering, where they talked about how they might work across the geographical boundaries of presbyteries, to support and resource each other. One of the key discussions was the reshaping of theological education across our Synod, which is currently being undertaken by Uniting Mission and Education (UME). The central concept driving UME’s reshaping work is the creation of an educational and resourcing network, which will draw on the gifts and skills not only of all those employed by the Synod but also of the resource ministers and gifted educators across the Synod in presbyteries and congregational or cluster placements (see Insights May 2013 for more information). The very clear mandate of the network is to “equip and develop fully engaged disciples amongst the people, congregations, presbyteries and agencies of the Synod.” As the report to the Synod meeting put it, this idea is about leveraging ALL our resources for ALL our people. UME’s vision for the network is about making education and training accessible – geographically and in other ways – and enabling opportunities for people to connect with the network in a variety of regional locations. Some of these locations may become permanent ‘collaborative learning communities’ where people will regularly come to learn and grow through courses, educational events, mentoring, or observation and reflection on particular focussed projects or faith communities. Ongoing resourcing will most likely take place around a particular need or topic – for example, at the resource gathering, we spent time brainstorming
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about what resources should be our immediate priority. The group decided we need fresh resources around: ● What it means to embody faith 24/7 ● Confirmation ● Developing the Lay Preacher course into a ‘Living Our Faith’ series ● Crafting a training package for those new to Resource Ministry ● Spiritual Formation and Mentoring ● Better equipping presbyteries for their processes of conducting Vitality of Call and Life and Witness Review. Resource agents matched their personal gifts, skills and passions to a particular topic and pledged to work together in small resourcing groups to develop the projects. The Resource Network also discussed how the Lay Preachers course needed to move beyond training prospective Lay Preachers to offering a learning experience to anyone wishing to grow their own discipleship and their knowledge and understanding of the bible and of the faith. Rev. Dr John Squires and Rev. Elizabeth Raine (Mid North Coast Presbytery) are currently assisting with the redevelopment of the course.
“During the Resource Network gathering, John and Elizabeth opened their lovely home to us. This was a time of great learning for me – not only about selfsustainability, but about the importance of creating space for relationships to flourish. Some of our barren church halls and dry-biscuit morning teas fail to create a space in which people feel welcomed, relaxed and valued. Without these emotions, personal sharing simply isn’t going to happen.” Rev. Bronwyn Murphy
There was also discussion of the ways in which UME can support presbyteries in offering the course, and the importance of UME’s involvement in maintaining standards, training educators and regularly updating teaching material was emphasised by all those present. The group decided to meet in a similar way on a yearly basis to intentionally work on and share resources as well as to encourage and sustain one another in resource ministry. If you would like to know more about this event or about Resource Ministry please contact Rev. Bronwyn Murphy at UME on 02 82674291 or
Uniting Mission and Education is moving. From June 27 the team is relocating to the Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta. insights.uca.org.au
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UME’s Consultant for Lay Ministry, Education, Discipleship, and Rural Ministry
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LIVING IS GIVING On God’s mission
“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8 (NIV)
Answering the tough questions
In New South Wales and the ACT, Living is Giving is how we join in mission. Through Living is Giving we help the Synod offer prayerful, professional and financial support to congregations and presbyteries and to carry out the Uniting Church’s mission and service in local communities, in remote areas and with partners overseas. Ask yourself these questions: ● How do we work together? ● How do we treat each other? ● How do we take care of one another? According to our Moderator, Rev. Dr Brian Brown, the answer to all is “only by practical commitment to the Common Good — the ultimate in generous hospitality and inclusive love.” 22 Insights June 2013
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A planning form, which sets out the Mission Focus Areas you can contribute to as an individual or congregation is included with this issue of Insights. Call Adrian Drayton on (02) 8267 4304 or email adriand@nsw.uca.org.au if you need further information.
Planning forms should be completed and returned to Uniting Resources by June 30. Extra planning forms are available online at www.livingisgiving. nsw. uca.org.au or you can email or call us: livingisgiving@nsw.uca.org.au or (02) 8267 4304.
Stay in touch wit h the Church at mission Many ways to help Your congregation’s contribution to Living is Giving is vital for the life of the Uniting Church in New South Wales and the ACT. But your involvement with the Synod at mission doesn’t have to stop there. Find out how the Uniting Church is carrying out ministry and service in your name by requesting reports of mission focus areas that accord with your congregation’s own mission interests and priorities.
Keeping it simple
Your support is always appreciated. Why not consider making an individual donation, a bequest, or organising a fundraising event with your congregation? We’re happy to help if you’re a little stuck for ideas or need more information.
Don’t be a stranger – get in touch with us today www.livingisgiving.nsw.uca.org.au www.facebook.com/livingisgiving.uca Phone: 02 8267 4304 Email: livingisgiving@nsw.uca.org.au
Please make Living is Giving your mission priority and make time to inform your Synod about your contribution for the new financial year. insights.uca.org.au
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small group of dedicated staff running a range of specialised support services is making a significant difference to the lives of many individuals and families in parts of western New South Wales. The work being done through these services, which operate through the UnitingCare Children, Young People and Families service in Dubbo, and often in partnership with other organisations, is helping the Uniting Church fulfil its social justice charter in these communities. The following two examples highlight the work of some of these services and the positive impacts they are having on local residents and communities.
UnitingCare Burnside Child and Family Team This team of 22 staff runs seven programs (three of which are Aboriginal identified) covering case management, counselling, parent education and therapeutic groups, child and young people groups, and community activities. The team was recently invited to join a partnership of Dubbo organisations and government services to discuss and implement a strategy in response to an escalation of violent and antisocial behaviour occurring in a public housing area. The ‘Dubbo Activity Partnership Group’ organised to deliver a range of activities to appeal to all ages in one location. The aim is for services to form relationships with residents in this community and to provide age and socially appropriate activities to promote a sense of the community being unified in supporting their children. More than 260 people attended on the first day and participated in activities such as craft, face painting and touch football. Ambulance and fire brigade vehicles were on show and a barbecue lunch was provided.
The DOORWAYS Program DOORWAYS is a service for people aged 16 – 23 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It has been operating for 13 years. While it’s based in Dubbo, the service is available to young people throughout the wider region. insights.uca.org.au
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UnitingCare making a big difference in regional communities Recently, a young expectant couple (both aged 17) came to DOORWAYS following a breakdown in relationships with their immediate families.
with the young man being jailed for a criminal offence, the assistance offered by DOORWAYS has made a significant difference.
DOORWAYS staff helped them find short-term accommodation in a caravan park and register for Centrelink payments, and also helped them apply for rental accommodation.
The young woman is now in safe and secure accommodation and is ready for the birth of her child.
Some basic household items such as a kettle, toaster and cookware were also provided by DOORWAYS, who put the couple in touch with other services that provided help with food packages. The couple obtained a rental property and although they suffered a setback Insights June 2013 23
6/13/2013 3:20:34 PM
World Mission returns home
Rev. Professor Andrew Dutney
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write from Edinburgh, where I’ve just attended the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. It was a fascinating experience and will take a little time to think through all that I've seen and heard. At this Assembly two great missionary anniversaries were celebrated - the 200th anniversary of the birth of David Livingstone and the 1450th anniversary of the arrival on the Island of Iona of St Columba, the apostle to Scotland. So one of the things I've been thinking about is "mission", particularly what "world mission" might mean today. I was part of a large group of international delegates, hosted by the World Mission Council of the Church of Scotland. We came from just about every part of the world — from Australia to Zambia. Talking with these sisters and brothers has driven home how the concept of "world mission" has changed. It used to mean taking the Gospel from here (wherever "here" was) into the un-evangelised world to win people
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“World mission is going on where we live” and nations for Christ through worship, witness and service. But that understanding of "world mission" assumed a distinction between the spiritual haves and havenots — between sending and receiving nations, and between older and younger churches. Such distinctions really have no place in the world church today, even though they linger unconsciously in the imagination of many Western Christians. These days the former “sending churches” recognise tremendous missional challenges "here" at home, where decades of decline have seen us shift from the centre to the margins of our communities. Meanwhile the former receiving churches have become dynamic, confident agents of God's mission in their own places and, as
diaspora churches within the homelands of the missionaries of old like Scotland or Australia. But they are not generally turning into new sending churches. Rather, they are more like partners who, seeing us face a great missional challenge in our own countries, gently share what they have learned with us. That the whole world is God's. There are no God-less corners or peoples. And that mission is also God's, not the church. So "world mission" essentially means recognising that God is engaged in a mission of reconciliation and renewal throughout the whole world, discerning that activity of the Spirit in the bit of the world to which we have access, and joining in. "World mission" is going on where we live, just as it is in the communities of those from all the continents of the earth who were represented here in Edinburgh. Rev. Prof. Andrew Dutney is the President of the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly insights.uca.org.au
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Uniting locally for the common good O n Monday the 20th of May, the Sydney Alliance held an Assembly with 320 people in Glebe. The gathering was an opportunity to share the story of the work done by the Alliance in that district, which includes members of Glebe CafĂŠ Church, Mustard Seed, Marrickville and Leichhardt Uniting Churches as well as the staff of Sydney Presbytery. The idea to build a local coalition to act for the common good came to Amanda Tattersall, Coalition Director of the Sydney Alliance and resident of Glebe, last year when she was strolling past the former Harold Park harness racing track, now a very large residential development site. Amanda wondered if local Glebe residents were benefitting from the employment opportunity in their backyard and asked the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union to assist in opening a line of communication with the developer of the site, Mirvac, to explore the possibility of all parties working together. The way the Alliance operates is to start
Mirvac agreed and since February this year two local young people whose stories were shared at the first house meeting have begun apprenticeships at the Harold Park site. We celebrated these wins for the local community at the May Assembly. Mirvac CEO, John Carfi, promised a further two to four positions in 2013 and offered to help the Alliance negotiate with the very many sub-contractors who also work on the site for similar opportunities.
with ‘deliberate listening’. So two local Anglican and Uniting Church leaders had relational meetings with the Police Citizens Youth Club, the Glebe Youth Service, Hope St Urban Compassion of the Baptist Church and Sydney University Community Development workers.
One young man who hopes to take up one of the positions told the Assembly: “The Alliance says ‘don’t do for others what they can do for themselves’. I was nervous to be a part of the meeting with Mr Carfi of Mirvac, but I prepared something to say and I told him that we need jobs and that we’d love to work for his company. It wasn’t as bad as I thought. It actually felt good.�
Then came a house meeting at the Glebe Youth Service, where local young people and members of our Sydney Alliance organisations, including Uniting Church members, explored the impact employment has on shaping our lives. Alliance members heard from the young people who live on the public housing estate in Glebe – stories of challenges, hardships, racism and indifference. They met young Aboriginal men and women with a desire to work but who were limited by too few opportunities.
When it comes to assisting the Church to participate in the mission of God amongst the communities in which we live and work, much can be learned from the Sydney Alliance’s model of relational and community organising.
By building a strong local coalition we were able to provide a space for those stories to be told to senior executives of Mirvac and we sought a partnership to ensure pathways to apprenticeships and employment for local young people.
For more information on how this may assist your local congregation, contact Rev. Graham Anson at Uniting Mission and Education on 0417 267 095 or grahama@nsw.uca.org.au
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Updates from the general secretary A Church’s guide to Fairtrade suppliers
Bercat Pty Ltd 3/23-25 Fitzpatrick Street , Revesby NSW 2212 Ph: (02) 9792 1094, info@bercat.com. au, www.bercat.com.au This retail/wholesale supplier roasts and packs coffees from all over the world.
complete office supplies 23 Pike Street , Rydalmere NSW 2116 Ph: 1300 88 22 44, sales@cos.net.au, www.cos.net.au Australia’s largest privately owned office products supplier is the first to receive accreditation for environmental standard and offers an extensive range of Fairtrade certified products.
corporate express 163 O’Riordan Street , Mascot NSW 2020 Ph: 13 26 44, www.netxpress.biz, www.ce.com.au One of Australia’s leading single-source suppliers of business essentials. Its
Fairtrade products include coffee, tea, sugar, drinking chocolate and sporting equipment from a variety of brands.
ethical choice Glen Iris VIC 3146 Ph: 0422 083 678, info@ethicalchoice. com.au, www.ethicalchoice.com.au A company that’s passionate about its product range of Fairtrade Certified Organic coffee and Fairtrade instant coffee. It services a wide range of businesses.
oxfam Australia Trading PO Box 184, Kilkenny SA 5009 Ph: (08) 8240 7600 or 1800 088 455 www.oxfamshop.org.au When you buy from Oxfam shops you are helping marginalised people around the world, with long-term employment and increasing independence. Over 50 Fairtrade products are available from shops, online, in leading supermarkets and through mail order.
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This company is the largest manufacturer of Australian grown tea and the largest supplier of imported Fairtrade and Organic certified teas and herbs to the retail trade. Products include loose leaf and teabag products.
For over thirty years Tradewinds has been connecting consumers to the land and the people who grow, pick, process and pack our tea and coffee. The company imports quality tea and coffee that is: Organic, Fair trade, and Processed and packed where it is grown.
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insights.uca.org.au
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Fellowship news A fellowship gathering on the grounds of Goulburn Uniting Church T
he 36th Canberra Region Presbytery Fellowship Gathering was held recently at Goulburn Uniting Church. More than 70 people representing eleven congregations attended the event. The warmth of friendship and sharing together made up for the dismal weather. Following morning tea, Rev. Dr Jonathan Barker (On I.T.M placement) led the Morning Worship Service and Communion, accompanied by Moderator, Rev. Dr Brian Brown, and Rev. Ivan Roberts, Presbytery Chairperson. Mrs Jean Thompson presented a Tapa Cloth to Goulburn, who will remain custodians until the next gathering in 2014. A $500 offering was also forwarded to the Moderator’s disaster fund. During the event, the Moderator spoke passionately on the Theme “Uniting for the Common Good” and reflected on the recent Synod meetings.
Community singing was a highlight of the afternoon session led by Rev. Alistair Christie and accompanied by Bruce Guy. Mrs Janice Willis, Chairperson of NSW/ACT UCAF Synod Committee brought greetings and spoke of the Sales Table. Rev. Alistair Christie brought greetings from the Presbytery and spoke of the Moderator Elect, Rev. Myung Hwa Park. Fellowship Reports and Meeting, led by Mrs Bronwyn Guy, followed.
Lunch wit h friends The Moderator’s Lunch was held at Turramurra Uniting Church on 28 May with a smaller crowd of retired ministers and their spouses. The highlight of the day was the reunions between old friends, and those present shared great fellowship and worship service together. They also enjoyed a wonderful morning tea and lunch prepared by members of the NSW/ACT Synod Fellowship Committee.
Your support is what makes the difference Most UCAF Rallies and gatherings offer items for sale. They include cards, calendars, calico bags, stationery, and UC memorabilia. We thank you for your generous support, which is the only source of income. All items are available at any time by contacting Denise Secomb on 02 4951 6885 or allananddenisesecomb@gmail.com
Mark these dates in your calendar Rallies Parramatta-Nepean: 20 July at Blaxland Uniting Church. Macquarie Darling: 125 Anniversary of Wesley Broken Hill UC from 28 July – 4 August. For more details, please contact Judy: judyh_rnh@hotmail.com or 02 4933 3703
For more information: Joanne Stokes 02 8838 8967 joannes@nsw.uca.org.au
To register: Renee Kelly 02 8838 8914 reneek@nsw.uca.org.au
www.utc.edu.au/courses
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Belief matters
A vital faith: confessing the creed
P
icture the scene. It’s the night before Easter Sunday. The new believers have stayed up all night in a vigil of prayer and instruction. The most important moment of their lives is fast approaching. It will be an intense spiritual experience that will mark them forever. They have been preparing for this day for months, in some cases even years. When the rooster crows at dawn, they are led out to a pool of flowing water. They take off their clothes and are anointed from head to toe with oil. They are led naked into the water. Then they are asked a question: “Do you believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth?” When they reply, “I believe”, they are plunged down in the water and raised up again. They are asked a second question:
“Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and died, and rose on the third day living from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, and will come to judge the living and the dead?” Again they confess, “I believe”, and again they are immersed in the water. Then a third question: “Do you believe in the Holy Spirit and the holy church and the resurrection of the flesh?” A third time they cry, “I believe”, and a third time they are immersed. When they emerge from the pool they are clothed, blessed and led into church where they will share for the first time in Holy Communion. Finally they are sent out into the world to do good works. (This account of baptism comes from an early Christian writer named Hippolytus, in a book called Apostolic Tradition.)* What we now call the Apostles’ Creed was originally this series of three great baptismal promises. This creed wasn’t created by a council or drafted by a committee. It was a grass-roots confession of faith, an indigenous expression of the early church’s response to Christ. In the
period leading up to their baptism, new believers would have to memorise the creed, to write it on their hearts so that it could never be lost or forgotten. The Apostles’ Creed isn’t a list of doctrines. It is a solemn vow, a declaration of allegiance, a promise that we will commit ourselves to living the baptised life. The three articles of the creed form a unified expression of trust in the triune God. Whenever we say the creed, we are committing ourselves to God as the source, centre, and goal of creation.
Dr Ben Myers is Lecturer in Systematic Theology at United Theological College. *All books referred to in this column are available from Camden Theological Library. http://library.nsw.uca.org.au
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Culture watch
Superman’s identity crisis H
e still dresses in tights and leaps tall buildings in a single bound. But with the release of Zach Snyder’s highly anticipated reboot, Man of Steel, it’s increasingly clear from recent trailers, that our favourite Kryptonian bears little resemblance to previous versions of the character. One person who tends to agree is Dr. Roy M. Anker, a professor of literature and film at Calvin College, Grand Rapids Michigan in the United States. Author of several books, including Catching Light and Of Pilgrims and Fire: When God Shows Up at the Movies, Anker has spent a great deal of time reflecting on the theology of film and its relationship to culture. He believes the Superman films, especially the Richard Donner films of the late 70s and 80s, offer one of the clearest depictions of the Christ narrative from Hollywood to date. “I don’t know any kind of film that has the same kind of mood as Superman I and II,” he starts. “From the beginning, [screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz] said ‘make this a Christ story’. Superman is sent [to Earth] as a Saviour figure and his father, gives a speech that’s [filled with] Trinitarian language.”
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Anker acknowledges that the character of Superman has always been unique to the superhero canon. Set apart by his natural abilities, strong sense of ethics (“One of the things that makes him super is his restraint of power,” says Anker) and, of course, his incarnational metaphors, Superman offers a sense of hope that remains distant from many of the more popular heroes. “Director Christopher Nolan has made Batman a marginal superhero. He has so many issues. His films have a very different mood. [I’m] looking for a quasitranscendent Saviour figure that you can hardly find in the Batman films. In Nolan’s work, the most compelling character is the Joker. All those films, including the last one, are very dark. You really don’t get any sense of triumph that you get in the previous Superman movies. Batman is a rearguard action hero. You’re never sure if the darkness might actually win, ” notes Anker. In light of these comments, it begs the question is Superman simply irrelevant in this generation. If Superman needs to reflect a mood of inner conflict and darkness in order to keep his popularity, is it possible that his story simply no longer connects with our post-modern culture?
“If indeed Nolan reflects the culture as a whole with its emphasis on darkness, irony, detachment and inner turmoil maybe culure isn’t moved by the Superman narrative anymore.” Nevertheless, despite the difficulty involved in communicating the greater truths inherent to the Superman narrative in our current social climate, Anker does believe there is always hope, so long as the story is told with ‘freshness’. “Art is essentially mediated light,” he claims. “You need to find the terms of mediation for the culture in which you find yourself. What are the terms that will catch the contemporary audience? That’s a hard question.” In the case of Man of Steel, one can only hope that this is a question that Zach Snyder and his team have sought to answer. After all, over the years, Superman has saved humanity innumerable times. Perhaps, just this once, we need to save him.
Man of Steel (M)
Starring: Henry Cavill, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe In cinemas June 27
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ENTERTAIN ME read this
LISTEN UP
press play
Burning Lights, Chris Tomlin
Silver Linings Playbook (M)
One of the most acclaimed worship leaders of our time, Chris Tomlin, returns with his latest album, Burning Lights. As the songwriter, Chris continues to write songs that connect people to the heart of Jesus and lead them to a greater worship of Him. This is a rousing worship album that continues to build on his Dove award-winning career. The stand out radio- and church-friendly track of the album is “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)”. Just as Tomlin is a worshipper at heart, these songs will continue to transform us from being lovers of this world to be true worshippers of the Almighty God. Despicable Me 2 (PG)
big screen
Gru, his girls and a vast army of minions return in the follow-up to the blockbuster original. Our favourite former super villain gets involved in the AntiVillain League, which is dedicated to fighting crime on a global scale. Family values abound in this comedy.
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Referring to Silver Linings Playbook as a romantic comedy would be pigeon holing and underselling the complexity and excellent performances in this film. We’ve never seen characters like these before on the screen, at least not presented in the way they are here. Silver Linings Playbook removes the “otherness” from mental illness, encouraging us to identify with Pat (Bradley Cooper) and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence, who won an Academy Award for her performance).
Joined at the Fingertips, Dimity Knight As a mother, Dimity Knight writes candidly and with a depth of feeling in a series of poems about autism, family and surviving. From the joy and wonder at the birth of her baby boy to the onset of anxiety, dismay and eventual acceptance of the differences in raising her autistic son. Dimity comes across as an amazing parent. An account mingled with joy, darkness and light.
Wickedly funny, the film’s beating heart is the protagonist’s relationship. But it is also at different moments funny, sad, uplifting, charming and poignant. It is a beautifully crafted film that will stay with you. Monsters University (PG)
big screen
The hilarious prequel to Monsters Inc., which charts the ups, downs and exploits of monsters Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan. Essentially about friendship and the ties that bind, this is screamingly good fun.
big screen Epic (PG) Epic is the CGI-animated tale of the battle deep in the forest between the forces of good and evil. A teenage girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe and an adventure of a lifetime ensues.
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