Insights - November 2014

Insights November 2014

SYNOD MEETING 2014 THE IDEA OF UNITING WOMEN: WOMEN Women gather to hear and share

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Welcome from the Moderator Excitement abounds

W

hat an exciting Church we are! What an amazing experience we’ve had over recent weeks!

We, the Uniting Church in Australia — a Church that is described as a pilgrim people always on the way to a promised goal — gathered for four days of Synod meetings in late September. Freshly installed, I was seated in the driver’s seat of a bullet train commissioned to navigate a journey into the future.

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.

Thanks be to God that our Synod was not a business meeting but a gathering of God’s people, listening to each other’s stories and wisdom, sharing the same bread as we gave each other a blessing; seeking the spirit of God to lead us into the future.

The members of Synod heard how the mission of God is being carried out in spite of financial constraints and declining membership. Good news stories were told day after day; telling of Spirit-filled worship in cities and the bush; sharing news of excellent services for the community from childcare to aged care; reporting courageous acts for justice and peace undeterred by fear and risk, and witnessing to faithful discipleship being carried out in work for a fairer society.

Yes, we have serious concerns.

Many Churches are struggling to keep the checks and balances as they struggle to continue to exist as institutional Churches. But as a mother of two children, I learnt that a family’s wellbeing does not depend on how much money we have or how big and nice our house is. As long as we love each other and care for each other, we can leave the rest in the hands of God. A month before my installation, I joined a Murray Darling Basin (MDB) Tour. This was my response to an initial invitation made at the Synod meeting last year.

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I joined sixteen others who were willing to learn more about the MDB and be connected with the people, fauna and flora of that beautiful part of our Synod. The tour became eight days of amazing grace!

As I stood on the Mungo desert, seeing the remains of a mother and child tens of thousands of years old, I realised what it means when we say ‘time immemorial’.

An Aboriginal teacher taught me how to connect with the land on which I have now made my new home by tapping my feet on the ground to help me feel a connection with the earth.

I watched those most beautiful rivers — the Murray and the Darling — which nourished the earth for the trees, animals and birds, and quenched the thirst of wanderers, both the first people and also the late comers.

I then met people who helped me understand what it means to be a new comer in this vast ancient land of dreams and opportunities.

The World Council of Churches in Busan declared that the mission of God is no longer from the centre to the fringes but from the margin to the centre. We need to take this message to heart; be prepared to look beyond our traditional centres of comfort and predictability and be open to new ways of being Church.

It is my prayer that we continue to be an exciting Church, having an amazing experience as we pay attention to the uncommon voices, stretch ourselves to uncommon boundaries, enter into uncommon locations, and take uncommon responsibilities as a living sign of God!

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Contents 12

24 Cover story Synod 2014 was held on the picturesque grounds of Knox Grammar School in Sydney’s north from 27–30 September. Over the four days members of the Church discussed the strategic direction and future of the Synod, and were treated to engaging and entertaining presentations and performances from a range of inspiring guest speakers. Insights was there to capture the energy, excitement and spirit of the event. We report on some of the highlights and memorable moments from the four days.

Regulars 3 from the Moderator 5 letters 7 news

32 fellowship news 34 updates from the General Secretary

Editor Adrian Drayton SUB-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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36 belief matters 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 2014

26 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.

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Your Say In addition I fear the Uniting Church will lose many faithful members, congregations and churches as a result of imposed financial decisions.

David Johnson

Tears of frustration

Problems and objections

I have significant problems with, and objections to, many of the suggestions put forward in Property for a Pilgrim People: The Next Steps (September).

It appears that almost all decision making about prudent financial management of their resources is to be removed from local congregations.

Surely these congregations are the worshipping church?

It’s all very well to say that “ownership of Uniting Church property vests in the Synod” but at the same time require local congregations to buy, manage, pay for, maintain and look after the property. This is unreasonable. Why restrict property income to maintaining that property?

(P16). Where local congregations have taken prudent financial steps to maintain or improve their financial situation, these proposals are about to destroy their work.

I genuinely wonder why we need a central Church organisation at all.

How many of our members are aware of or interested in Church policies and politics? In times of reducing income how about considering a huge reduction in Synod and Presbytery staff? How much does it cost to write and update the huge collection of manuals and regulations?

The general feeling from reading the recent proposals is one of local people being mistrusted and not valued.

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I can only see lots of tears of frustration if the proposed changes are made. I see the frustration and anger of a congregation, which has carried the hardship of many years of ‘fund raising’ to finance a property, only to have the financial benefits stripped away by big brother, thus not letting said congregation have the ability to have warm fuzzy feeling of supporting their chosen outreach.

The change will drip away a lot of incentive to maintaining property as the benefits will not be as palpable.

Jim Lawther

The Uniting Church is a multi-racial Church

In one whole page, 18 paragraphs, the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, did not mention the name of Jesus Christ once in their response to the Covenant Statement!

I totally disagree with the suggestion that Uniting Churches ‘pay rent’ or give land or property or a percentage of all land sales to the UAICC. If this goes ahead, I will not give one more cent to the Uniting Church.

The Uniting Church property and land belongs to all to spread the name of Jesus Christ. People donated and tithed because of their belief in and love of Jesus Christ.

What about refugees? What about homeless? What about uneducated, poor white people who are battling?

What about battered women? What about people who are facing serious illnesses and financial distress caused by the ill-health? What about widows? What about orphans? The list is endless. What percentage of land or property are the Uniting Church going to give to them?

I have never written in to Insights before. I am really angry about this proposal. It is wrong!

RJ Oatlands

Speaking the gospel, each of us in our own corner

Your reference to Speaker’s Corner in London’s Hyde Park (“Soapbox”, Insights, September) sent my oratorian mind back to the days, well, actually, 20 years, I spent in Rostrum Public Speaking Clubs across three states.

Learning the art of public speaking and chairmanship did not involve heading off to a speakers’ corner, although there is one in Sydney’s Domain! Rather, we had a dais, our own platform, to expound our views in prepared speeches on a given subject.

Not all of us are called to be teachers or preachers, yet each in our own small way can relate our faith and what it means to us in simple everyday acts as we live out our gospel calling. Life won’t always give us a soapbox, however, just like that Rostrum Promise; we should “not be silent when we ought to speak”.

Allan Gibson

Spiritual poverty

The second special issue of Insights on property gives a comprehensive distillation of thoughts and views that have expressed during the various consultations on the temporal issues facing the organisation of the Uniting Church.

It would be of great benefit to the resolution of such issues if the next step was to recognise the spiritual poverty of the leadership and councils of the organisation.

Spiritual poverty is a greater threat to the future of the Uniting Church than all the property and financial issues put together but, like any cancer, requires an integrated solution, which will be very difficult to develop and implement.

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News

Your Say Given goodwill, good humour and dedication, dealing with this cancer could lead to a spiritual renaissance not just in the Uniting Church but in the wider community it seeks to serve.

David Price

Ruthless in disposing property

It appears that the Uniting Church is becoming quite ruthless in disposing of property considered surplus. I am aware of many Uniting Church closures and one instance where a regular Uniting Church congregation dwindled to around 30, the congregation was shut down and the Church property put up for sale. The remaining 30 worshippers were told to move to another Uniting Church nearby.

The practice of so readily disposing of property is unfortunate for at least two reasons. One is that the success of the congregation as a fellowship and a Christian witness does not necessarily depend on large numbers.

Secondly it advertises to the whole community that the Christian church has failed or is no longer relevant to contemporary society and this enhances the anti-religious lobbying, which is so strong at the present time.

While it is indeed expensive to maintain property, it is important not to develop a siege mentality in difficult times and I would urge caution before closing down small congregations believing that this will solve the property problem.

William J. Fraser

Very disappointing

The news of the Bonny Hills Conference Centre closing is a very disappointing and sad decision to me for many reasons. I was personal friends with the late Bill Welsh and family who donated the land to the then Methodist Church. My parents were involved in assisting with the

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original building, and I have enjoyed worshipping there over the years and our children enjoyed youth camps there from distant places. This venue has certainly served as a place for the development of many on their Christian journey and it has served our local community.

I understand that if a business is not viable then tough decisions need to be made. However it has become apparent that the Bonny Hills Uniting Church, which is positioned on a unique corner of that land will have to be abandoned as well. I find it most disturbing to think that land donated to the Church can be wholly sold when a viable Church community exists. Surely a decision can be made to accommodate the permanent presence of the Uniting Church in this area?

Helen Smith

Thank you

I thank you for accepting the position of Moderator. You have a great deal to offer. I like your fresh ideas that will bring new life to The Uniting Church. You have come a long way since you first arrived at UTC in 1988.

I look forward to what you are going to do over the next three years as you lead the Uniting Church to bigger and better things. May the Lord bless you and keep as you serve him in this wonderful way.

Maurine Redenbach

Be rewarded for having Your Say This month every contributor to Your Say receives Pilgrimages on DVD courtesy of SBS Home Entertainment 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.

Church signs grab media spotlight UCA church signs in Sydney expressing friendship and solidarity with Muslim Australians have received local and international media attention.

Parramatta Mission’s sign “The best way to defeat ISIL is to make friends with a Muslim” went viral on social media in late September.

The sign was put up in the wake of community tensions and police raids against a handful of Muslim Australians it’s alleged were looking to link up with Islamic State extremists in Syria and Iraq.

Gordon Uniting Church’s sign “Muslims Welcome Here” was followed up by the North Shore Times with the Minister at Gordon Rev. Michael Barnes fielding inquiries from as far away as the Huffington Post Religion unit in New York.

Uniting Church members are continuing to reach out to Muslim Australians by taking part in Welcome to Australia’s annual Walk Together event on Saturday 25 October, whose theme this year is a National Day of Unity.

The President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev. Prof.

Andrew Dutney is encouraging UCA members and others to get involved.

“The most important call on Christians is to love our neighbour as ourselves. I urge all Australians, whether of faith or of no faith at all, to reach out to our Muslim brothers and sisters in the spirit of friendship and understanding by taking part in this event,” said Rev. Prof. Dutney.

The event coincided with National Mosque Open Day, when mosques all over Australia are opened to the public with guided tours, as well as the opportunity to engage with Muslims and their religious leaders and learn more about Islam.

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A to Z of Prayer at Parramatta Peace Service Around 200 UCA members and interfaith guests packed the Fellowship Centre at Parramatta Mission’s Leigh Memorial Church on Sunday 21 September for an Interfaith Prayer Service to mark the United Nations’ International Day of Peace.

Representatives from 14 different faiths or denominations “from A to Z” shared prayers, starting with Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress representative Pearl Wymarra and finishing with Zoroastrian Dr Pheroza Daruwalla, a senior lecturer at the University of Western Sydney. Each prayer was punctuated by the line Mother Teresa’s international peace prayer, “Let peace fill our heart, our world and our universe.”

The interfaith service was presided over by the Rev. Dr Manas Ghosh of Parramatta Mission, who has held similar services at St David’s Lindfield for more than a decade.

Dr Zenaida Edwards of the United Nations Association of Australia also addressed the service, thanking participants for their commitment to peace.

Candles were lit, doves were released, friendships renewed and faith in humanity restored on a delightful afternoon on which too much peace was barely enough.

The Church is a living sign of God The Rev. Myung Hwa Park was installed as Moderator of The Uniting Church in Australia Synod of New South Wales and the ACT at a service at Turramurra Uniting Church on 26 September and will serve the Church as Moderator until September 2017.

The Rev. Dr Brian Brown greeted the gathered people and handed the reins of Moderator over to Rev. Myung Hwa Park.

“I welcome you all to this joyful occasion and greet you in the name of insights.uca.org.au

God,’ said the Rev. Dr Brown.

At her installation as Moderator, Rev. Myung Hwa Park urged people to pray for each other, to let go of old ways and to embrace change. “The Church is a living sign of God,” said Rev. Park. “You and I are here to witness God’s glory for the whole of creation; we are new beings as brothers and sisters in Christ.”

The Rev. Park then went on to explain the challenges that face the Church, her vision for sustainability and of the ever increasing gap between the rich and the poor and the part we all play as God’s people in a just society.

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News

Fresh words and deeds The third and final President’s National Ministers Conference took place in Jerusalem between 22–27 September. The title of the conference series “Fresh Words and Deeds” comes from paragraph 11 of The Basis of Union, “The Uniting Church prays that she may be ready when occasion demands to confess her Lord in fresh words and deeds.”

Sixty Uniting Church Ministers and partners spent the week immersing themselves in the life of the Holy City, meeting with local church and faith leaders and representatives from the Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority.

Uniting Church President the Rev. Prof. Andrew Dutney led the conference sessions with assistance 8 Insights November 2014

from Dr Rosemary Dewerse and Rev. Dr Steve Taylor of Uniting College in Adelaide. Participants were particularly blessed by the skillful onthe-ground arrangements coordinated

by Rev. Gregor Henderson.

Afterwards many people stayed on for a tour of the West Bank that included a visit to Bethlehem.

communities,” said the Rev. Kath Merrifield, Executive Director of Uniting Mission and Education of the appointment of Pastor Minniecon.

“Ray commenced his position on 7 October, working in a half-time role.

Please keep Ray in your prayers and please make him feel welcome.”

UAICC Resource Worker appointed The NSW/ACT Regional Council of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) is excited to welcome Pastor Ray Minniecon as the new Resource Worker.

“Ray comes to us with a wealth of experience in growing and mentoring Aboriginal leaders and developing ministry amongst Aboriginal insights.uca.org.au

Weekend OUT 2014 15-17 August

and provide some equipment for the program.

UCAF Encouragement Tour September 2014

The ‘seed’ for Weekend Out was planted at ‘Yurora’ in January 2014.

The idea was to find a way to hold a weekend for the Uniting Church in the Hunter where children, young people and adults could ‘find their space’ and can be encouraged and stretched in their discipleship.

“Wirribulliko” is awabakal for ‘follow’ and the theme was to reflect the importance of our discipleship task as asking, “What does it mean to follow Jesus?” This was grounded in all age worship, age-based group discussion/ tactile activities and lots of program options drawing on gifted and creative young people and adults from across the Presbytery.

Barbara Bennewith the National Committee Secretary for Uniting Church Adult Fellowship (UCAF) relfects on the recent tour to country towns:

The Presbytery Youth Ministry Development Worker, the Rev. Rob Hanks was asked to ‘explore the possibility’ of the all age weekend.

After getting people on-board who already held Congregational or family camps, we set about talking with young people and children, youth and family ministry volunteers and workers across the Hunter Presbytery.

They were successful in applying for an ‘Innovative Community Grant’ through Uniting Care Ageing in the Hunter, which would subsidise young people and families participation

The 150+ participants of all ages engaged in activities such as Group Building, ‘Communion on the Quiet’, ‘all together’ gatherings, and ‘Godly Play’ stories.

There were age based groups for littlies, children, and youth in a learning group, Jazz Bible Study, theological and discipleship discussions and a Panel of Rev’s exploring confronting issues.

“It was a privilege to be asked to accompany members of the NSW/ ACT UCAF Synod Committee on their third “encouragement tour” to country towns in NSW. “Our first stop was Goulburn where we were warmly greeted and treated to lunch. It was wonderful to see people sharing stories, including activities in which the Congregation were involved. I was able to tell a little of what was happening around Australia by UCAF members.

“From there were travelled through some lovely areas to Queanbeyan for the evening, where we shared a roast meal at a local restaurant run by a Muslim family. We were warmly greeted by the Rev. Alistair Christie (Past Chairperson of UCAF).

“Our journey then continued to Cooma and Tumut. This small Congregation shared with us some of their struggles and it was with excitement that I witnessed members of the UCAF Synod Committee sharing with locals and being able to give some ideas and contacts hopefully enabling and encouraging them in their mission and goals.

“Next up was Cowra for lunch. Once again warm hospitality was given.

Friday saw our little bus travelling to Oberon for the UCAF rally. People came from far and wide to attend.

“I am sure the people we visited were very appreciative of the time and energy given by members of the committee. Their commitment to sharing with others is a witness to their faith. What a wonderful witness in the community these small Churches have.

“Thank you to everyone for a wonderful few days of sharing and witnessing.”

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From the General Secretary’s desk Seeing things with new “Kingdom eyes”

T

hank you to everyone who was involved in the recent Synod meeting. From my perspective the event went really well. But my perspective is coloured by whether the sessions run on time and we get through the agenda! It’s only later as I reflect on the reports we received and the decisions we made that I think about whether it has been a truly good Synod.

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.

This was a Synod with several real highlights. For me they included the Bible studies, the presentation by Palestinian woman Arda Aghazarian, and the many good news stories that punctuated our meeting at various points. As always, the Ministry recognition service was a highpoint for me and I again felt this was a moving moment in our proceedings.

Our venue at Knox serves us incredibly well. It’s a wonderful space in which to meet and provides us with all the facilities we need. This year we experimented with having a small stage in the middle of the hall and this seemed to work really well. Our coffee cart seemed to be a great success and many people appreciated the opportunity for fellowship over the meal on Monday night.

So you can see I’m focusing on all the logistic questions, which make a large meeting run well. But at the same time, we also focused on the Synod mission plan and talked about the budget and Property for a Pilgrim People issues that are designed to move our Synod forward.

A new standing committee was elected and they will have the task of carrying all of these issues forward.

They met briefly at the conclusion of the Synod and are scheduled to meet again in November for orientation and some ongoing business. Our focus for this group will definitely be picking up the positive tone of Synod and taking it from here.

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Straight after Synod I went to a conference in Adelaide for the Australian Association of Mission Studies. It was at this conference that I actually had time to reflect on some of what we had done during the Synod and came away from that time of reflection knowing that we must all take responsibility to “change the narrative” of how we speak about the Church. We must find ways to continue to inject a hopeful vision and story into our conversation about the Church.

This will require us to see things with new “Kingdom eyes”.

It’s time in our Church for some different thinking, which moves us forward in a positive direction Jesus says in his society there is a new way for people to live: • y ou show wisdom, by trusting people; • you handle leadership, by serving • you handle offenders, by forgiving • you handle money, by sharing • you handle enemies, by loving •a nd you handle violence, by suffering.

In fact you have a new attitude toward everything, toward everybody.

Toward nature, toward the state in which you happen to live, toward women, toward slaves, toward all and every single thing. Because this is a Jesus Society and you repent not by feeling bad, but by thinking differently. It seems to me it’s time in our Church for some different thinking, which moves us forward in a positive direction; the direction Jesus would have us take.

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Synod 2014: Uniting for the Common Good Celebrating a sustainable future

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Insights November 2014 13

S

ynod 2014 was held on the picturesque grounds of Knox Grammar School in Sydney’s north from 27 – 30 September. Over the four days members of the Church discussed the strategic direction and future of the Synod, and were treated to engaging and entertaining presentations and performances from a range of inspiring guest speakers. Insights was there to capture the energy, excitement and spirit of the event. Here are just some of the highlights and memorable moments from the four days.

Forever joyful: Rev. Myung Hwa Park’s prayer gathering Members gathered to join the Moderator Rev. Myung Hwa Park in prayer on the first day of the Synod Meeting.

Moderator Rev. Myung Hwa Park prayed for all Congregations, Presbyteries, Churches and agencies across the Synod, for the Lord to be with us as we gather for Synod 2014.

In a short message the Moderator referred to the prayers she has witnessed from many backgrounds including Confucius, Shaman and Buddhist traditions. They all have in common something to celebrate in every month of the year, demonstrating that life is associated with the seasons and celebrations.

“Our Lord Jesus spent time alone in prayer. Jesus’ example gives us clues about a faithful life of prayer not just for friends but also for those who persecute us.”

The Moderator called on people to be “joyful always and to pray continuously.”

Prayers were presented from areas across the life of the Synod. They prayed for safe travelling and good decision making, for the Church to be a place of Justice, and to be open to God for guidance.

Prayers for Synod were given by Rev. Jo-Anne Smaibil from Rural and Remote Ministry, Indigenous Leader Rev. Neville Naden, and Rev. Barnabas Kim from Multicultural Church.

The SauFaupula Choir sang gloriously with the youngest to the oldest beaming their faith.

The prayer gathering closed with the Synod prayer and then blessings for Rev. Myung Hwa, past Moderator Rev. Dr Bryan Brown and ex-Moderator Rev. Niall Reid.

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Stronger together: the opening ceremony The Synod Meeting 2014 was officially opened by the Moderator, Rev. Myung Hwa Park: “We are called to be a living sign of God’s presence. Members of the Church, the dwelling place of God, connecting people with the divine spirit, a community offering a whole alternative experience of life.”

Members of Ravenswood School for Girls then declared “we are all parts of the one body,” from Corinthians 12: 12-27. In the spirit of “one body”, Pastor Hannah Dungan from Kippax Uniting Church asked table groups to interact as one and they were encouraged to get to know each other and think about the parts of the body each person in their table group represented.

Chaplain Jon Humphries from Ravenswood School for Girls then encouraged table groups to take two minutes to put two line prayers together for Synod and present them. Collected prayers were bought to the floor as groups blessed the meeting with collaboration, reconciliation, seeking God’s will for the Synod and prayer for the work of the Synod and the decisions that would be made over the four days of the meeting.

The Moderator then lit the candle that symbolises that the meeting space is a safe space. Rev. Park proclaimed that we will have a “spirit-filled day.” So began the first day of the Synod Meeting for 2014.

Capturing the moment: Highlights from Day 1 Shaping the agenda at Synod The Rev. Chris Budden, representative of the Business Committee for the Synod Meeting, suggested that for the first time members of Synod could shape the agenda and set priorities for sessions that they felt had higher priorities for conversation and deliberation.

Uncommon Voices: 1 Kings 19:9-18 The first of the Bible Studies were presented by Rev. Jione Havea with Hanuatauna Onzem, Mariana Waqa, Leitū Letitia Havea, Tau’alofa Anga’aelangi and Hee Won Chang. This moving study highlighted the need for finding a voice for the voiceless in our community of faith.

It asked many confronting questions, such as: “Can we make room for the still small voice? Is there space for the diversity of gifts in our community, because one size doesn’t fit all? Does our definition of Common Good include LGBT

people? Is our Common Good tokenistic?

Which voices do we ignore and which voices do we listen to?” Hanuatauna Onzem also presented a moving and powerful piece called the Illusion of Inclusion, and the artwork “Come Out” as part of the first Bible study Uncommon Voices.

Ex-Moderator’s reflection: Rev. Dr Brian Brown The Rev. Dr Brian Brown spoke of the incredible privilege to serve the Church for three years. “My experience over this time has strengthened my faith and encouragement that has been tangible. I believe all Christian mission and witness begins when Christ says, “Follow me.”

I am full of hope for the future of The Uniting Church in Australia. God can use us to make a difference. Many people ask me what the Moderator does. I’ve finally found a description; to moderate the powerful and argue for the weak.”

The Rev. Nicole Fleming spoke about Rev. Dr Brown’s contribution as Moderator for the last three years. “You have turned up as your genuine self in all you do. You have exercised a public and inspiring ministry. You have been an agent of hope and change, modelling hospitality and inclusive love. We pray for you and Helen.”

Education, formation and discipleship Duncan MacLeod spoke of a shift in the way education and discipleship will be done. “Adaptive solutions that take us to the heart of who we are as the people of God. The work of Theological education is done at the grass roots,” he explained.

“Theological education is at the heart of congregational ministry. We are calling it the Uniting Learning Network – across the Synod there are hubs of education and discipleship. We are reframing the way we understand the role of every member as a theological trainer and educator.

Resourcing these nodes of learning is key.

We want to recapture the original vision of the Centre for Ministry.”

The true treasure of the Church In a day filled with talk about property and setting the agenda, the meeting for day one concluded with Ben Myers encouraging us to think about the true treasure of the Church. “The display cabinet is not the treasure of the Church.

What is the missional use of property?” he said. “In everything we do we are pressing towards a clear expression of the good insights.uca.org.au

Moderator's Prayer Gathering.

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Consensus chickens Were they free range or organic fed?

During the voting over the four days of the Synod Meeting the Communications team noticed that the Next Gen table held up what became known as ‘consensus chickens’. When we jokingly ran a Facebook post on the official page UCelebrate we instantly received comments from the floor: “Go the orange consensus chook”, “Are they free range, organic-fed chickens?”, “Can we have a rubber straw poll?”, “Definitely helpful, and nothing but the best free range chooks for Synod!” There was even a suggestion we replace the voting cards with consensus chickens! Watch this space…

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pressing towards an articulation of the Gospel. The Gospel is our treasure after all.”

Good news of the day

Sustainable care for our disability community: This was a moving UnitingCare segment about client services and lives transformed through their disability services.

UnitingCare Ageing is making positive change in people’s lives.

Community Development: Highlights of this segment included Gulargambone Women’s Group and the community development work done at Manning Uniting Church.

Uniting Women conference: This celebratory highlight of the recently successful conference designed for and by women of the Uniting Church.

Speakers shared their moving stories and this was a conference of inclusive voices.

Capturing the moment: Highlights from Day 2 You can’t change the borders that God has given: Opening Worship Day two began with Opening Worship and tables shared Holy Communion.

Each table gave an interpretation of the elements and then served each other in communion.

The first session was the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress. The Rev. Neville Naden led the session with some reflections on the story of Joseph and the colonisation of Australia.

“Land was owned by God and no-one has the right to sell it to someone else,” Rev. Naden said. “We are not at liberty to sit back and do nothing after what happened 225 years ago. You can’t change the borders of land that God has given.”

The Rev. Dorothy Harris-Gordon, “Aunty Dorrie” shared part of her life story including the years married to Congress founder, the Rev. Charles Harris.

Social Justice Forum The Social Justice Forum is focussed on three areas: The ‘Give Hope’ campaign, housing and homelessness, and expanding the capacity of our Church to insights.uca.org.au

engage with social justice issues.

The Forum has been an effective way of bringing together the Common Good across the Synod. It acts as a hub for the social justice activities across the Church. It was reported that one in three Congregations are displaying the banners produced by the Forum, “Refugees welcome here.”

Gabe Kavanagh from UnitingCare presented the many activities of the Forum. A video was shown about UnitingCare’s diverse social justice work including advocacy for asylum seekers, which inspired the Rev. Dr Brian Brown.

“I am just so proud of the people and the way they are getting involved in the work of the social justice forum,” Rev. Dr Brown explained.

Jon O’Brien provided an update on the growth of social justice committees within Prebyteries and provided examples of the work being done. He spoke of the success of the recent Faith and Justice Expo before Chair of the Social Justice Forum, Claerwen Little, offered her thanks to Rev. Dr Brian Brown and all those involved with and committed to social justice.

This year specially designed Christmas Cards will be sent to the Prime Minister, which feature the artwork produced by Uniting Churches from the Give Hope quilt campaign.

Uncommon boundaries – Numbers 20:14-21 Team Uncommon Tokens (as they became known) once again encouraged Synod to consider what is ‘Uncommon’ and how we may reshape our thinking about the Common Good in the Bible Study segment.

Numbers highlights a group of people seeking entry, seeking a pathway, asking permission and ultimately being refused.

In the context of Australian society today, our government is refusing entry to those who seek refuge.

In groups people looked at the story of Israel and were asked to consider how this relates to uncommon voices: • What in this story draws your attention? Why? • How might you read this story if you were seeking refuge?

• How might you read this story as Indigenous Australian?

What on earth are we doing to this earth?

Along with the UAICC lunch and other associated events, the Coal and Coal Seam Gas session was both informative and confronting. The presenters — Jason John, John Brentnall, Pablo Brait and Dr Miriam Pepper — outlined the many issues that both suburban and outlying agricultural areas face with the mining for coal and drilling for coal seam gas in their areas.

An extract from the DVD Captured Country: An Unconventional Invasion was played before John Bretnall provided his eye-opening presentation on Maules Creek in NSW, home to the last remaining box gum woodland in Australia. “The Maules Creek Mine will emit between 12,000 and 18,000 tonnes of toxic coal dust...and involves the destruction of scores of Indigenous sacred sites”, John explained.

Pablo Brait astounded people with his map of mining licenses in New South Wales. “Seventy-eight per cent of New South Wales is covered with some sort of license or application for a licence for exploration or extraction of mining or gas”, stated Pablo.

Dr Miriam Pepper from Uniting Earth Web encouraged attendees to sign petitions and become more educated about the effects this activity will have in their communities. They urged Congregations to get involved, whether in support, mediation or lobbying for cessation of the activities. Major concern was expressed as the future environmental impact caused by coal seam gas will not be fully known for some time.

UnitingCare Board report Peter Worland, UnitingCare Executive Director, introduced the members of the Board and directors of UnitingCare to the Moderator and the chair of UAICC. He spoke of the work achieved since the last Synod 18 months ago.

“18 months ago I stood before you when you were the Moderator Elect.

We promised a more collaborative way forward to reverse the disrespectful relations that had occurred between shrinking Congregations and with UnitingCare with ‘more sites than MacDonald’s’,” said Mr Worland. “Good governance was difficult. Relations were often adversarial between Synod and members. There was angst and grieving that had not been acknowledged.”

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He spoke of the work being done assisting communities to revalue a devalued community and to provide hope for those older people particularly those on the Age Pension.

“Implicit in our call is to assist as many as we can as well as we can. Growth doesn’t daunt us,” said Mr Worland. “We have been working on our Brand identity with a focus to inspire people, to enliven communities, confronting justice, working to create an inclusive and a just world.

The issue of asylum seekers has brought us together around that forum table to tackle this issue head on. We seek your wisdom on what to do next with this.”

Soccer for asylum seekers After the UnitingCare report, table-talk discussion focused on asylum seekers and what steps need to be taken. A story of hope and courage was shared on video about a group of young men from Afghanistan who were in detention and experienced degradation, humiliation and exploitation. They are now part of a UnitingCare program.

Soccer is an important part of the healing process for families and individuals who are presently in detention.

UnitingCare is donating 400 balls on behalf of Congregations to people living in detention at Villawood, Christmas Island and centres in WA where there are programs using intergenerational support to help rebuild their trust.

Pledges were made by writing messages of hope on soccer balls to act as a stimulus for discussion by Congregations to raise concern about children in detention.

The session ended with everyone holding the soccer balls high to pledge to do more for children, families and people in detention.

We have to remember, this is God's land and we are only just looking after it. That's why it is also for the white people, to come in agreement, so we all can be one.

Lena Logan, Lismore

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A mental health toolkit for Rural Congregations The Rev. Julie Grieg, Rural Chaplain, presented a Mental Health Awareness document that has been produced in consultation with UnitingCare. A mental health toolkit for Rural Congregations has been launched, which provides valuable information about mental health issues.

Uniting Resources Report Chairperson of the Board of Uniting Resources – Geoff Naylor – delivered the Uniting Resources report on all the services across the Synod. Mr Naylor led with the achievements of the Communications and Marketing team and the recent awards won at Australasian Religious Press Awards by Insights magazine: - Gold Award for Best Feature, Seeking Asylum, September 2013 edition

and property.

Good news of the day

Katalina Tahaafe-Williams reported on the success of the Multicultural Festival in June, which will now be an annual event in the life of the Church.

Steve Teulan from UnitingCare Ageing presented a video about a program keeping centenarians healthy at home.

Dubbo Uniting Church: Kerry and Don Needham, in partnership with UnitingCare, are offering 120 Countdown to disadvantaged young people in their community. It is an amazing project that sees Church members helping learner drivers get their hours up. Cheeky Chewsday’s is another community involvement program offered at Dubbo, which is a group for single parents to access support.

- Gold Award for Best Theological Article, Christmas for the fun of it, December 2013 edition - Bronze Award for Best Cover Design for our November 2013 Escape to the country rural issue cover.

The trouble with debts and deficits John Kitchener, Executive Director of Uniting Resources, presented the Synod budget for 2014–15.

“We’ve been living beyond our means for many, many years. Fundamentally, we have a revenue problem. We also have a reduction in income from Living is Giving. This revenue is very valuable but is declining”, said Mr Kitchener.

He discussed the levels of debt and that at the current trajectory, the Synod has two and half years of operational budget.

“We don’t have a vast amount of time to resolve our issues. There are certain things we need to do, but if they don’t protect the Church or grow the Church, we should question why we are doing them,” explains Mr Kitchener.

The level of debt sustained by the Synod as the responsibility of us all to make decisions about how to move forward.

“The first step is about sharing resources.

We must be looking at this on a Synodwide basis, in a geographical sense.”

A number of specialist task groups will be established to deliver specific outcomes in a specified time. These task groups will explore governance, Synod priorities, debt and revenue, Presbyteries and property.

Capturing the moment: Highlights from Day 3 I don’t believe the Church is dying The Rev. Kath Merrifield began the Uniting Mission and Education (UME) report by explaining that there is a wide range of engagement and opportunities for collaboration across the Synod.

“The margins have been constrained,” Rev. Merrifield explained. “UME has been working to benchmark operations. I believe we are in the middle of a culture change and we are still trying to find out what that means. It is part of an ongoing conversation that I would love to continue to have,” Rev. Merrifield responded.

She congratulated the Yurora volunteers for a fantastically run event and thanked them for creating a memorable experience for everyone who attended.

“Our plan on leadership development is with a whole team. We have a range of education opportunities for young people and people of all ages,” said Rev. Merrifield. “What we lack are good mentors and I want to encourage everyone in this room to consider the way we are mentoring. I encourage you to get alongside our young people and use your gifts to assist our young people to get into leadership positions.”

“The biggest driver to offer broader, further and deeper theological knowledge is to have more people enrolling in academic exploration. insights.uca.org.au

Holding soccer balls high for asylum seekers.

Ministry Recognition Service.

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We need more people to enrol in Biblical and theology courses. I wonder where that thirst for knowledge has gone. I encourage that thirst within Congregations,” said Rev. Merrifield.

“I don’t believe the Church is dying and I think we have believed our own press for far too long. Yes the numbers are going in the wrong direction. We have some great challenges. God has not finished with us yet and there is space for everyone who comes,” concluded Rev. Merrifield.

An informed faith – William Emilsen The Rev. Geoff Smith spoke of the wisdom, writing and profound contribution of William Emilsen in the areas of education and Church history. Mr Emilsen also spoke about his recent book An Informed Faith: “We need to develop another narrative for the Uniting Church.

An Informed Faith offers that narrative of a resilient Church.”

Creating a safe place: the work of the Royal Commission “Assembly has been supporting the work of The National Task force for the Royal Commission for Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse,” noted Rev. Terence Corkin who delivered the Assembly Report. “We have appointed a full time policy officer to work with the issues that the Royal Commission have identified.

He went on to mention that the whole framework is about continuous improvement, challenging people to recognise where the work needs to be done and to confront the groups where you could be doing this better.

The Royal Commission will be ‘knocking on the doors’ of Churches to establish what you are doing to make it safe for children and what have you learned from the Royal Commission.

“I urge you to think about where you are and what you are doing in the space of a safe place and a culture of continuous improvement,” said Corkin. “I commend the work of the Royal Commission to you all making working with children about a safer place.”

Songs that unite A new initiative from Assembly is ‘Songs that Unite’ where Congregations can buy a subscription to songs for worship and contemporary Christian music.

Congregations can upload music to stream from the Assembly website. insights.uca.org.au

Rev. Corkin encouraged members to use this resource as a way to drive traffic to their website and noted it was a helpful ministry tool.

If there are any members who are artists who would like to publish on the site, we would love to hear from them!

Please go to www.songsthatunite.org.au For more information email annettel@nat.uca.org.au or visit facebook.com/songsthatunite Where do we stand on international violence?

The Rev. Terence Corkin responded to questions, which included: Are we making a public statement in response to international violence?

“Assembly is going to make a public statement about what is happening overseas,” replied Rev. Corkin. “At this time we are actively engaging through our relationships with other faiths and with the Muslim Community.”

Bible Study – Uncommon Locations Psalm 137 Uncommon Locations: The Rev. Jione Havea and Hanuatauna Onzem presented a reflection on the Psalm 137, looking at the song “By the Rivers of Babylon”.

• how do we encourage people to sing their troubling songs around us?

• how do we enter (sing along with, sit in) the troubling songs of others?

Paying tribute to dedicated service The Ministry Recognition Lunch was followed by a service to acknowledge the many years of service and dedication of Ministers to their communities.

As part of the Service of Recognition Ruth Dicker, the wife of Rev. Gordon Dicker said, “Gordon was open to whatever people had to share whatever their beliefs. We have been truly blessed by meeting such a wonderful variety of people. The Church has recognised that just as Ministers have different gifts and talents, so do their wives. I want to pay tribute to those who would have been with us but have passed on. Their lives have been a God-given blessing.”

Speaking for a peaceful future Arda Aghazarian began her informative session by saying: “Everything we do or don’t do ends up being political one way or another. Today the word Palestinian means different things. “

Ms Aghazarian presented Synod with the current state of Palestine and Israel.

Arda talked passionately about her life story and the conflict in Israel and Palestine, all the while admitting that politics really wasn’t her strong suit.

“There is a lot of responsibility for me to speak about this. The truth is it goes back to the narrative. A lot of us think if we were to question our narrative we would become disloyal. But we must tell our own narrative,” she continued.

Arda was born and raised in East Jerusalem but lives in Israel. Her message of hope and love in the heart of occupation was inspiring.

Moderater, Rev. Myung Hwa Park noted after Arda’s keynote that, “We are not here on our own…you are helping us to hear the call of God. We need to make some steps to end this kind of experience.

To pray for those persecuted and for their pain.”

“We pray to continue not just with word but actions,” Rev. Park concluded.

The power of communities Community Organising is a positive way for Congregations to engage their communities. Members heard from Rev. Robert McFarlane from St Ives Uniting Church who has completed Sydney Alliance training and has engaged his Congregation actively. Rev. Garry Derkenne, Chaplain with UnitingCare Young People and Families, and Rev. Kath Merrifield also spoke about their experience with Community Organising.

Our Congregation “challenging the narrative” about how we engage in the local community, said Rev. McFarlane.

“We listened deeply to members about what we are called to be and what we are called to do. Community Organising keeps me engaged. We build leadership.

We listen and we act.”

“There is no one way to become involved in Community Organising. The Congregations become stronger. Sharing stories builds deep trust that encourages action. Each member finds expression for their gifts and skills in Community Organising,” said Garry Derkenne.

“We need to build on foundations that we have laid. We’ve seen the Uniting Church acclaimed for their involvement in Sydney Alliance”, concluded Rev. Merrifield.

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Pilgrim Property – next steps Synod instructed Standing Committee to enter into a conversation around the suggestions of the UAICC regional committee outlining the following proposals: 1. As a symbolic acknowledgement that our Churches are built on stolen land, and as a ‘jubilee-like’ action, the suggestion is that all Congregations and agencies of the church (including schools) be required to pay rent.

Congress members believe that the fairest way for this to happen is not with a set amount but a set percentage – 1% – of the annual income of all bodies in the Church.

This money would go into a special trust account or capital fund for ministry and not for administration costs (i.e. Synod could not simply stop its support because other funds had become available for ministry expansion. It was suggested that consideration be given to alternative language to ‘pay rent’.

2. That the Synod suggest to all Presbyteries that they implement a policy similar to that of MacquarieDarling Presbytery, viz: that if there is a property which is surplus to the needs of the Congregations in the Presbytery that the property be first offered to Congress for ministry (not simply to have and sell). If Congress does not want the property for its ministry the property can be sold, and the proceeds subject to the tithe mentioned below.

3. That Synod explore the most appropriate way in which a tithe can be made to Congress from property sales, maybe something like 5% of all sales.

4. That there be an exploration of the possibility of Congress having its own property trust.

There was a resolution to bring proposals to the 2016 Synod Meeting.

Living together in both easy and hard unity Ben Myers concluded a very full day with a reflection of the priestly anointing of Aaron’s head (Leviticus 8:12). Ben said it’s a promise that God gives – “Our worship is like oil poured out on the priest.

In our worship we have such a strong sense of unity when we are together, and there are moments when it is almost tangible. In our oneness God is near.”

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“When I look in the faces around my table, I think the Church is a miracle, gathered with one heart, longing to do God’s Will together,” Mr Myers continued.

“There is another kind of unity – the hard unity — when we don’t see eye-to-eye. This is the unity where the way we see things comes into conflict. It can be difficult and hard, but when we decide we will be with one another in God’s presence He does not give up on our unity. Consensus decision making doesn’t depend on our cards, but it depends on debate, courage, patience to locate the source of our difficulties so we can struggle together to find some common vision.

“In the first couple of days we were eager to skirt around the hard parts of unity,” said Mr Myers. “We all like the easy unity. We can be too hasty to find the easy spots. When Zac Hatfield-Dodds stood up and said we should discuss the harder things. Zac said ‘Why are we bypassing the harder unity and why don’t we take the good stuff as read’.

The unity of the body of the Christ is seen in hard unity. Founders refused to call the Church United, rather it is Uniting.

As a Uniting Church the oil is poured out — for there where brothers and sisters live together in unity, the Lord blesses us.

Capturing the moment: Highlights from Day 4 We give you thanks and praise!

Morning worship on Day 4 was enlivened

by Hip Hop Church leaders Matthew “Mistery” Peet and Jacob “Izzy” Ballard from KrossWerdz. Members got to their feet and gave thanks and praise.

I'm interested in the meetings regarding property for pilgrim people. That's quite interesting for me – how we use our resource for our future Synod.

Shin Goo Lee, Minister of Grantham Heights Uniting Church

Good news of the day

Murray Darling Basin Tour: ExModerator Rev. Dr Brian Brown spoke of the trip to the Murray Darling Basin, and Moderator Rev. Myung Hwa Park reflected on the experience.

School BBQs: Hayden talked about his school — Endeavour High — and a special BBQ breakfast program conducted by the Church. The BBQ creates trust and dialogue leading to Bible studies.

Members of Uniting Church St Margaret’s in Hackett work closely with UnitingCare. Parents spoke of their concern for their daughter Joanne’s care. She has a disability and has been living with her family for 40 years. The time came to think about her care after they get older and once they have gone. Ross Walker Lodge is a place for independent and supported living for people with disabilities particularly intellectual disability.

Aboriginal Child and Family Centre – Yenu Allowah Elders and Children: The childcare centre helps with early intervention for families. The centre is led by Aboriginal women who want something “good for their kids”, to close the gap in health and education, and offer parenting skills.

Griffith CareVan: UnitingCare NSW. ACT’s Neil Barber is a Community Development Worker working with Griffith Uniting Church. Griffith Uniting Church assisted in keeping CareVan going and saw it as a way of reaching out to the poor and marginalised in the community. The van meets people at their moment of need.

A focus on future growth: A report from Treasury and Investment Services Neil King, Executive Director, Uniting Financial Services and Michael Anderson Chairperson UFS Board, delivered the Treasury and Investment Services Board Report. It was reported that Uniting Financial Services has moved forward on the plan presented at last Synod.

“It is about setting the way for future growth and we believe that is ahead of us,” said Mr King. “Think about us in our place of the body of Christ and how we are contributing to the mission of Christ. It is our role to build stewardship and capital growth and endowment for the future. insights.uca.org.au

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Vox pops

After today's striking presentation about Palestine/Israel, we needed to be reminded about the set of resources on the Assembly website, helping us to pray and act in ways that will foster peace and justice in the Middle East.

Can I commend it to members of Synod?

— Squire John Rev. Harry Walker led the communion at our table and stated that "this will be the closest we will be with our Jesus Christ whilst we are on earth"

Next Gen gathered with leadership.

— Hazel Joy Many thanks to Jione Havea and the team he drew together. They presented studies that were concise, thoughtful, insightful, confronting, profound. A magnificent series, a disturbing final session, giving us much to think on.

Team Uncommon Tokens led Bible studies over the four days.

— Squire John My highlights were the brilliantly vulnerable and inviting Bible Studies from the 'Uncommon Tokens' who showed what happens when young people are given a mentored space to explore and express themselves.

— Rob Hanks …Synod this year for me was a mixture of frustration, challenge, community and moments of awe.

— Patty Lawrence Thank you for making Synod so cyber-accessible. This week I have felt very connected in a way not possible the last 9 years since I left Australia.

It's been a great experience. Well done Ucelebrate!

— Sarah Mitchell My highlight has been hearing from the social justice forum and the social justice committees about all of the events that they've been holding, and the awareness that they've been raising. It's an absolute inspiration to all of us who are just doing what we want to do, serving God, serving the Church and trying to love others.

— Katelyn Stevenson, North Rocks Community Church in Parramatta Nepean Presbytery 24 Insights November 2014

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It is the role of the leadership group to protect the Church interests with Treasury and Investment advice of the high standard.”

In 2014, Treasury and Investment Services now has a lower portfolio risk and will restructure to ensure strong capital and liquidity benchmarks for greater efficiencies. It was reiterated that the $100m loan money is ‘not lost ‘, it is there to help build a strong endowment.

Concern was expressed that in terms of ethical investment, the loan comes from the ANZ bank, whose investments aren’t ethical.

to weep. She was then comforted and guided off the stage by Aboriginal Elders Aunty Dorrie and Aunty Di. This was a moving piece, which made us aware of how we treat those in our midst and on the margins.

The Moderator prayed following the Bible study: “Repent the sins that we have caused, the harms that we have made on this earth, Your precious creation. Help us to make the uncommon response to be common, as we live as a living sign of God. We offer this prayer in the sign of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.”

“We need to prod the banks towards sustainable investments,” said Mr King.

“We take our responsibility seriously in that regard and are not scared to make the tough decisions.”

Lunch under the tree with Next Gen

“It is hard to exclude all banks given we have only a few. We are trying to get the balance right,” commented Mr King. “Help us to help you please give us feedback and we will work to make sure ethical investment is a priority in the Synod.”

There was lively discussion about how youth fitted into the Church today. The question was asked what boards and committees could be joined.

Bible Study Uncommon Responsibilities – Genesis 2: 4a-15 The Rev. Jione Havea led the last Bible Study for the gathering with the Uncommon Bible study team. He thanked the Moderator, members of the Synod and worship team for allowing uncommon language.

“When we go to Church we don’t always agree with preachers. In the same way we don’t expect you to agree with us. Yesterday we talked about sitting in or sitting out. Why do you prefer to sit outside some songs or have trouble with songs? Or why do you prefer to sit inside the songs?

“Our invitation today is not to take one or the other. How do we hold together the need to rule and the need to care. We are reminded that we don’t live in the garden we live outside the garden and things happen outside the garden; tsunamis, cyclones, people are displaced. If a neighbour such as West Papua is on our doorsteps, both nations are on this land as neighbours of this nation.

“The man who tends and cares is created out of dust. The one that rules is created out of the master, ‘Let there be and there was’,” said Havea.

What followed was a confronting piece as one of the team members of the Uncommon Tokens was stripped of her Tongan identity and left on the stage insights.uca.org.au

Executive directors Kath Merrifield, John Kitchener, and Neil King engaged the Next Gen team in discussion over lunch.

Neil King said we want young people to be skilled and mentored. That is number one. He said the mission plan is set. It took nine months to develop and approve.

The big thing is when there are interest groups in Standing Committee to make sure no one is left out such as youth.

Neil King encouraged everyone to bring forward what they want to do and not wait for it to be “budgeted”.

“There seems to be a whole systematic focus on operations but leadership by young people absent from the Church,” said a member of Next Gen. “The issues important to youth are many: environment, asylum seekers, peace. The Give Hope campaign was something we could be involved in. We need more of this to engage youth.”

God’s Will for them in this world.”

“We often get into discussions about what the Church needs. We are all guilty of this. We want to fix it somehow. What do we really need? Let me have a go. I’d like to suggest three things the Church needs for today and in our future – faith hope and love!

“Faith – that the Church lives, not by its own resources, but by an empty tomb and an empty cross. Faith that the Church’s life is rooted in Jesus Christ.

Hope that we know where we are because we know where we are heading. In all of our struggles our future is fundamentally secure in the empty tomb. Love – the secret of the Church’s present is the mystery that is between us when we gather. We relate to one another out of the depth of love for one another.”

Closing Ceremony: The Word is the Light that shines in the darkness” The Moderator, Rev. Myung Hwa Park sent members out with a blessing, which included: “The Word is the light that shines in the darkness. You are upheld by the prayers of Synod. Sisters and brothers in Christ we have worshipped together; we have worked, prayed and listened together, and shared our lives for these four days. Together we have sought vision, values and wisdom from one another and together.

“We ask for God’s blessings for those decisions made. We pray that our time together here will have been for the building up of the whole Church as a living sign of God. We pray to remain open, to take up the responsibilities given to us.”

The Moderator sent members out to be light and a living sign of God as we go from the meeting. The song was shared – “You make beautiful things out of the dust. You make beautiful things out of us.”

Faith, Hope and Love “Our Basis of Union says that The Uniting Church preaches Christ, the risen crucified one and confesses Him as Lord to the Glory of God the Father. What do I see when I look around at the Uniting Church today? I see a Church that is remembering how to confess Jesus Christ as Lord in the midst of our society. I see a Church that is deliberately seeking to prioritise growth, discipleship, evangelism and the active proclamation of Christ,” said Ben Myers as he closed Day 4 of Synod with reflection on our time together.

“I see young people passionately committed to the Church and its polity.

Passionately committed to discerning

See, read, and experience Synod 2014 For more photos and a day-by-day rundown of Synod 2014, including stories and quotes, head to insights.uca.org.au or our Facebook page UCelebrate at facebook.com/ ucelebrate Insights November 2014 25

The idea of Uniting Women I

n early September, 500 women gathered for the Uniting Women conference, the genesis of which began last year after a group of women went to the Hillsong Colour conference.

The aim of Uniting Women was to “hear and share stories about following Jesus in our own contexts” and the stories shared were powerful, moving and confronting.

“A group of women from St John’s Uniting Church went to the Colour Conference in 2013 and it was a fascinating experience,” says Sureka Goringe one of the organisers of the conference. “I guess as Uniting Church people we found the culture and the theology quite different. We really enjoyed the idea of women gathering, though, and we started talking about why the Uniting Church doesn’t have something similar.”

One evening after a Colour session the women got talking about doing something themselves. And so the idea was born. In the early months Sureka, Diane McLeod, Ellie Elia and Amanda Thompson were involved in organising the conference. But by the time the conference began there were nearly 100 volunteers.

“The more we talked about the idea it took hold and I remember that I was so excited by the idea that I could barely sleep,” recalls Sureka. “I was up very early the next morning and immediately texted Ellie Elia (one of the organisers) and she texted back in five minutes with a positive answer without having any other context other than my one line text.”

The idea was to provide women of the Uniting Church with a uniquely tailored conference that was to gather wisdom, celebrate the diversity of the Church, refresh spirits, share about faith in unique contexts, seek justice and create connections.

“I come from a technology background where if you get an idea for something the first thing you do is test the market,” notes Sureka. “That way you discover if the great idea is really just in your head or if people are interested in it.”

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The women decided to set up a Facebook group (The Idea of Uniting Women) and invited people to comment on the idea. The vision for the conference was defined in those early days by the things they wanted to see that the group felt was missing in Colour.

“We wanted it to be truly inclusive and welcoming of women from very different ways of practicing Christianity rather than a monolithic, evangelical culture,” recalls Sureka. “We wanted a conference that gave women space to connect with each other and share their stories, rather than coming and sitting as passive recipients of material delivered from a stage. A genuine opportunity for hearing extraordinary stories from ordinary people.”

The idea took off and in about three or four days 400 people had signed up to the Facebook page, all saying what a great idea the conference was and that they would come.

Talking about a conference and actually setting one up are entirely different things as Sureka remembers in those early days.

Dates, venues and speakers had to be negotiated and they arrived, says Sureka, with “God’s providence” to secure Uniting Church school, MLC, Burwood, Sydney.

“Inititially when we thought of speakers we knew we had a wealth of Australian speakers to draw from,” says Sureka.

“We wanted one speaker that would have a bit of sizzle. We wanted to give people someone to listen to that they couldn’t access anywhere else. We didn’t want to pander to this idea of women in leadership, which is the perfect mother, wife, daughter image that you get with a lot of high profile women in leadership. We wanted to embrace the gritty realities of being a woman.“ Key speakers included Moderator of the South Australian Synod, Dr Deidre Palmer, Rev. Elenie Poulos, Director of UnitingJustice, and Moderator the Rev. Myung Hwa Park. But throughout the weekend of the conference many women from various backgrounds spoke and shared their extraordinary and moving stories.

“It was risky because when we asked these women to come and share we didn’t know them,” says Sureka. “They were people who were suggested to us and at no point could we have scripted what they said or how willing they’d be to being vulnerable and brace. We did a lot of organising in terms of logistics, but we couldn’t have made someone stand up and share deeply about their own life and their experience of God. And that was our dream, but it was the one thing we couldn’t have had control over.”

God delivered in this regard, as Sureka explained. The feedback from the conference about the eight women who shared their stories over the two days has been phenomenal. Many were moved to tears by the stories shared and told.

In a coup, the team were able to secure keynote speaker Lutheran Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber — liturgical acrobat, and a selfconfessed writer and outspoken sinnersaint. Bolz-Weber is the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints, an ELCA mission church in Denver, Colorado.

“Nadia [Boltz-Webber] is the antithesis of the ‘Barbie Pastor’,” says Sureka. “We definitely wanted someone who broke stereotypes. We were very lucky because we got her to agree to come before her book was published. Now she is far more in-demand and we wouldn’t be able to afford her now!

Now the inaugural conference is over, the organising team would love to see it happen again and a call was sent out at the end of the conference to pick up the idea and run with it. With 500 women in the room, anything is possible.

“It really, genuinely works well when it is a grassroots thing,” says Sureka. “That the people who carry it on can own the dream and it’s theirs. So we are very happy to help those who would carry it forward.

It would be great for it to not only be a Sydney event but a national one.”

“People wanted a way that they could gather and connect. From the beginning of this all of us couldn’t help thinking that God was driving the bus. It felt like it was an idea whose time had come.” insights.uca.org.au

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Insights November 2014 27

Community and sense of purpose 28 Insights November 2014

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If you’re located in a rural area and are looking for training in pastoral care, stay 2015 in SYDNEY AND GLEN INNES - NSW where you are. The Pastoral Counselling • Turn your compassion into competent practice Institute will bring their team of training • Nationally accredited part-time full year course by experts to you. weekend intensives The Institute offers training in a • Basic counselling skills related to spirituality, bible number of areas for Churches and and theology ministry teams. These include programs • Learn the biblical ‘Story Whispering’ © model of on: providing care • Learning How I Listen • Learn skills to provide a caring link between church • I’m Going Visiting and community • Qualities of Leadership Each of these programs is designed • Find wisdom within the stories you encounter to encourage members of your • Topics include counselling, communication skills, Congregation to increase their skills grief and loss in pastoral care.

And to ensure you’re • Designed to meet continuing education getting the most from your training, requirements each course can be be tailored to suit • Compile a referral kit and develop liturgies for the needs of your Congregation. specific pastoral situations • Learn to provide practical visitation in both parish and community settings If you would like more information The course is offered by distance learning and on any of the Pastoral Counselling intensives so, if you have 10 or more people Institute activities, please call on committed to studying the course, we will come to 9683 3664 or email to pciuca@ihug.com.au you - call us to discuss possibilities.

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EXPLORE LIFE AND HOPE IN THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST United Theological College (UTC) is part of the Charles Sturt University School of Theology. UTC seeks to provide theological education and ministerial formation for: • those preparing for specified ministries in the Uniting Church • anyone seeking an intelligent and deepening understanding of the Christian faith

• undergraduate university students studying theology as part of their degree in some other subject • postgraduate and research students in theology and ministry studies.

UTC is located in North Parramatta and is an inclusive community of women and men from a vibrant diversity of cultural backgrounds who are committed to theological enquiry and the practice of the Christian faith.

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ENROL NOW FOR SESSION 1, 2015 For more information: Charles Sturt University 1800 334 733 www.csu.edu.au/contacts/enquiry UTC, Student Admin 02 8838 8914 studentadmin@nsw.uca.org.au www.utc.edu.au/courses

Options for study in many cases include part-time, full-time, on campus or by distance education. Single Subject Study options are also available.

UTC is constituted within the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW & the ACT, and Charles Sturt University’s School of Theology.

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Insights November 2014 29

Soapbox

What’s authority got to do with it?

O

ur President recently outlined some key issues that hinder our ability to be a more effective Uniting Church for the future: • the Regulations’ perpetuation of the 1.0 ministerial placement as the implied norm, when a majority of Congregations and ministers are needing to develop other options; • the continuing postponement of a conversation about polity while our Synod/Presbytery system is in disarray; • the maintenance of a system of theological education that is beyond the means and in excess of the needs of the Church.

Dr Katalina Tahaafe-Wiliams 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.

In more graphic terms the Church portrays an ecclesial system that no longer has the capacity to respond adequately and participate fully in God’s mission, burdened as it is by pervasive mistrust; dysfunctional decisionmaking processes, and lack of clear vision, priorities, or strategies. In short, the Synod’s work is seen by many as ‘unfocused, disconnected, unfruitful, perfunctory and redundant.’ And apparently the response of the people of God to this reality is to shout: ‘We need real leadership here!’

Implicit in such cries is the view that a void exists in our Church where leadership and authority should be. So I wonder if we are having a leadership crisis. Put another way, are we having a crisis of authority? Should we be having more honest and open conversations about power and hierarchy in the Church?

Many have expressed weariness in a system that takes so long to make real and difficult decisions, often characterised by settling for the lowest common denominator. Many are wearied by so much energy, time, and money spent on endless debates over issues that really do not progress the mission of God we are called to serve. So where does this nonsense stop and who has the authority to say enough is enough?

It seems that we have made an art form of employing theological tools at our disposal to convince ourselves of the elusive nature of power and authority, and to confidently appropriate the political doctrine of egalitarianism.

Within an Australian socio-political

30 Insights November 2014

understanding of ‘mateship’, such egalitarianism is a natural cultural fit.

Indeed, an understandable response to subjective and collective experiences of ecclesial abuses of authority in the past, and the ongoing threat of authority as a mask for domination. But have we overestimated the value of autonomy, individual or otherwise, as compatible with freedom?

Predictably our default response to perversions of authority is to reject it, treat it like it is a necessary evil, or pretend it does not exist. Having made authority the enemy of freedom, we deny ourselves an opportunity to engage more honestly with the basis and purpose of true authority. Certainly, an exploration of the distinctions between good and bad authority is in order. Perhaps our suspicion of authority reflects a postmodern misconception of autonomy and freedom as little more than unbridled pursuit of self-interests?

Have we created for ourselves an ecclesial system of conflicting and competing autonomous wills and call it ‘inter-conciliar councils’? American theologian Scott Bader-Saye emphasises the positive function of authority to ‘educate, form, and reform’ situations of deficient knowledge or character; whilst co-ordinating the gifts ‘poured out by the Holy Spirit.’(2006: 164) In his terms a healthy and mature Church/community understands authority’s central role in making community possible and in helping members practice ‘self-giving as part of imitating Christ’ for the common good. (165) Instead, we are a church of independent councils operating under the misguided notion that we’re egalitarian because we prioritise individual preferences. Espousing the values of uniting for the common good is one thing but practicing it is quite another. It is safe to say that we have yet to learn how to dispossess individual interests in the service of the common good.

What are you passionate about?

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

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Lectionary Reflections

The signs of change and transformation are everywhere around us November 2 Matthew 23:1-12

November 16 Matthew 25:14-30

Hypocrisy is a human phenomenon.

It is not unique to Christians but Christians are prone to the accusation on account of the high moral standards often espoused as ‘being Christian’.

Hypocrisy is approximately equal to the gap between the story we tell and the way we live. It is the ‘acting’ bit where we pretend to be something that we are not.

Far from being a theological rationale for unrestrained capitalism, this story draws out the opportunity/responsibility of each person to contribute according to their capacity. The joy of the productive slaves (who incidentally remain slaves) was to enter into the joy of their master and to be given still more responsibility. The joy is in the responsibility.

The really damning part is that as those saved by Grace in Christ we have no reason to pretend. We can own our brokenness and live in our skin with gratitude and generosity.

The sin of the third slave was that he missed the whole point and turned away from his opportunity/responsibility.

Ask someone (who knows you well Ask someone you enough and who(who has knows the guts to well be enough and who has the honest with you) where theyguts see to gaps be honest with they see between what youyou) say where and how you live. gaps between what for youyou saytoand how See if they are willing return you live. See if they are willing for the blessing. you to return the blessing.

November 9 Matthew 25:1-13 The culture upon which this story is based is a long way from today’s approach to weddings. But it is not difficult to get the message that it was important to be alert to the imminent yet unspecified time of arrival of the bridal party. The planning in regard to extra oil alerts us to the reality that waiting is not passive. It requires focus and planning.

The story indicates those who are busy The stuff story they indicates those who are doing belatedly realise to be busy doing stuff they belatedly important exclude themselves by further realisethe to be important missing point — beingexclude present to themselves by further missing the welcome the party’s arrival.

Can you point — being present to welcome identify areas where you suspect you the party’s arrival. youinidentify might be ‘missing theCan point’ the areas where you suspect activities of your faith? Whatyou is essential might the point’ in the and whatbeis‘missing peripheral? activities of your faith? What is essential and what is peripheral?

These reflections on the November Lectionary readings were prepared by the Rev. Dave Gore. insights.uca.org.au

Consider your capacity and what you your capacity andinwhat doConsider with it. Are you engaging the joy of youresponsibilities do with it. Are you engaging in to your or do you prefer the joy of your responsibilities or do avoid them? you prefer to avoid them?

November 23 Matthew 25:31-46 The most frightening aspect of this story is the manifest lack of awareness of both sides of the divide regarding their status and the reasons for it. The actions identified in the judgement are the unselfconscious out-workings of the values of the people involved (on both sides).

The actions of the people are deemed adequately articulate in and of themselves. If one was to discern the values of your life based solely on an exhaustive observation/evaluation of your behaviour, what do you think they would make of you? How different to anyone else are you (is that ok)?

November 30 Mark 13:24-37 These apocalyptic sayings recorded in Mark remind us that the seemingly stable way familiar things are for us is not reality. Even the most trusted/stable of coordinate markers (the stars) will not hold their places. 'The way things are' does not equate with 'the way things will be'.

The signs of change and transformation are everywhere around us and yet the critical moment is not known to us... so be on your toes! Don't act/live as if this transformation is not taking place or you will most certainly be caught out.

Most of us prefer to put our trust in Most someone thing) of us(or prefer to bigger put ourthan trust ourselves.

Wherein doesbigger your trust in someone (or thing) thanlie?

How ready forWherein transformation aretrust you? ourselves. does your lie?

How ready for transformation

are you?

The actions of the people are deemed adequately articulate in and of themselves. If one was to discern the values of your life based solely on an exhaustive observation/evaluation of your behaviour, what do you think they would make of you? How different to anyone else are you (is that ok)?

Insights November 2014 31

Fellowship news News from Uniting Church Adult Fellowship

The Far North Coast Presbytery UCAF Rally The Far North Coast Presbytery UCAF Rally was held at Casino Uniting Church in September and many travelled from all directions across the Far North Coast area. The Rev. Dorothy Harris- Gordon (a local Indigenous Leader) opened the day with a Welcome to Country, and the new Resource Minister to the area, Rev. Peter Overton, welcomed all present. Chairman Rev. John Thornton then bought a greeting from the Presbytery.

The Synod General Secretary, Rev. Dr Andrew Williams, was the morning’s guest speaker and in the afternoon his wife Katalina TahaafeWilliams spoke. The address focused on the importance of thinking multiculturally.

In the spirit of sharing Macquarie Darling Presbytery Adult Fellowship Rally was held at Oberon Uniting Church.

The Rally was a culmination of their four day Encouragement Tour through parts of NSW. Mrs Barbara Bennewith from Western Australia, who is the Secretary of the National UCAF Committee, was the special guest speaker. She bought greetings from the Committee and outlined what the different States are doing in relation to Fellowships.

The Rev. Alistair Christie led the Morning session with Worship and a communion service with the Theme ‘Hope through Interfaith Friendship’The offering was donated to the Exodus Foundation. The afternoon started with a wonderful favourite hymn session and this was followed with Geoff and Judy Hicks sharing their story of the work they’ve been doing in the Western Highlands of PNG with the help of East Maitland and Greenhills Rotary Clubs.

If you would like to share your fellowship news or have any questions, please contact Judy Hicks: judyh_rnh@hotmail.com or phone 02 4933 3703.

An encouraging experience The NSW/ACT UCAF Synod’s third Encouragement Tour was held in September and saw attendees visit Congregations in Goulburn, Canberra, Queanbeyan, Cooma, Tumut, Cowra and Bathurst before concluding at the Oberon Rally.

All the Churches worked in many avenues with their communities to build relationships and strengthen their own numbers. Each had their own programs that worked well and often shared with their other Churches to do the job.

Hospitality was offered everywhere and enjoyed by us all. It was an amazing four days.

Rallies and Connexion come to a close for 2014 Rallies and Gatherings are over for 2014.

The last edition of Connexion magazine for 2014 will be published this month.

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Cross Cultural Ministry in Australia United Theological College (UTC) is part of Charles Sturt University’s School of Theology. Cross Cultural Ministry in Australia (THL230) is being offered as an Intensive subject in Session 1, from 19-23 January 2015.

Explore theological themes and practical skills relating to the practice of cross cultural ministry in the Australian context. This subject will provide the opportunity to discuss issues relating to understanding and appreciating the challenges and opportunities which arise in multicultural and cross cultural ministry settings.

It will also involve a field trip to one or two Uniting Church congregations to explore first-hand what model(s) of cross cultural ministry is at work there.

Learning objectives: • • • •

identify and describe a range of cross cultural issues evaluate a range of cross cultural theology models analyse the role of ministry in building inclusive communities detail the challenges facing Australia as a nation of cultural and ethnic diversity

This subject is open to anyone who has a keen interest or who would like to deepen their knowledge of cross cultural ministries.

ENROL NOW FOR SESSION 1, 2015 This subject may be studied as an individually assessed subject, for interest only or provide credit towards further study.

For more information: Sef Carroll secarroll@csu.edu.au www.utc.edu.au/courses

To register: Student Admin 02 8838 8914 studentadmin@nswact.uca.org.au

www.utc.edu.au/courses

UTC is constituted within the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT, and Charles Sturt University’s School of Theology.

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Insights November 2014 23 33

Updates from the General Secretary Information for individuals and Congregations

community which they have served faithfully, and by their four children, seven grandchildren and two great grandsons. Love is patient, love is kind, love never fails.

Induction/Commissioning •R ev. Alimoni Taumoepeau, 7 September 2014, Strathfield- Homebush Retiring gracefully •R ev. Jeff Borg, effective 9 September 2014 •R ev. Elizabeth Richardson, effective 31 October 2014 In loving memory Gwen Matthews, widow of the late Rev. Rex Matthews died on Friday 10 October 2014 at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital hospital surrounded by her family. Gwen had a major stroke from which she did not recover.

60th Wedding Anniversary The Rev. Barry and Mrs Edith Ridge (nee Dykes) of West Pennant Hills were married by the Rev. C.L Connor on 4 December 1954 at the Five Dock Methodist Church.

They are much loved by the wider Church

Seeking new premises A building that the Ye Eun Church Congregation met in was destroyed by fire on 18 October and they are without a place to worship. The Rev. Heung Gyu (Peter) Lee is seeking emergency Church premises in the Lidcombe/ Bankstown area for his small (40 people) Congregation to share, till a long term solution is found. The Korean Presbytery requests any assistance the wider Uniting Church can offer our Congregation during this difficult time. If you know of premises in that general area that could be used, please contact John Martin, Deputy Convenor, Property Committee (0419 223 932 or john@parse.com.au) or Korean Presbytery Executive Secretary Rev. Shin Goo Lee (0405 484 858).

Courses Understanding the Sacraments Part One: Tuesday 4-5 November, Part Two: Tuesday 11-12 November 9:30am- 5pm each day at the Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta. Cost is $300 (including catered meals and course materials) Registrations umeinfo@nswact.uca.org.au Living Our Values Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November from 9:30am-4pm both days at Pitt Street Uniting Church, 264 Pitt Street, Sydney. Registrations: umeinfo@nswact.uca.org.au

Ministry Matters P lacement Vacancies as at 1 November 2014.

The following placements have submitted profiles to the Placements Committee and are either in, or soon to be in, the process of seeking to fill a ministry vacancy. Placements are available to specified ministers of the UCA. These placements are listed as being suitable for a Pastor under Regulation 2.3.3(a)(ii). A non-ordained minister may offer to serve in an approved placement through a written application to the Synod. Expressions of interest may be made in writing to the Associate Secretary, Jane Fry by email, janef@nsw.uca.org.au or to the Presbytery’s Placement Committee representative.

CANBERRA REGION St Margaret’s Hacket & St James Curtin 50/50 Eurobodalla 70% Yarralumla Bega Tathra St Columba’s, Braddon and Canberra City – Toe Talatalanoa Ministry Team (2 ministry positions) Yass, Rye Park and Marrumbateman

34 Insights November 2014

FAR NORTH COAST PRESBYTERY Maclean 70% (ADVERTISED)

MACQUARIE DARLING PRESBYTERY Broken Hill 50%

GEORGES RIVER PRESBYTERY Oatley

PARRAMATTA-NEPEAN PRESBYTERY Quakers Hill Castle Hill Wesley

KOREAN PRESBYTERY Sydney Cheil English Ministry 75% (ADVERTISED) KU-RING-GAI PRESBYTERY Broken Bay

SYDNEY PRESBYTERY Wesley Chinese (ADVERTISED)

SYDNEY NORTH PRESBYTERY Neutral Bay 80% Pittwater UNITING THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE Lectureship in Practical Theology Lectureship in Biblical Studies: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament

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Director of Finance and Property Services

Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod

The Queensland Synod is seeking an active member of the Uniting Church in Australia to fulfill the position of Director of Finance and Property Services. As a member of the church you will have the ability to work within the mission, ethos and policies of the Uniting Church to support the Church in Queensland’s Call and Vision.

To be successful in the role of Director of Finance and Property Services, you will have had significant experience in the management of a commercial entity with missional imperatives.

Applicants must submit a current resume along with a covering letter (of no more than three pages) addressing their suitability against the selection criteria detailed in the position description, available on the Queensland Synod’s Personnel Services webpage: personnelservices.ucaqld.com.au For further information, contact Rev John Cox on 07 3377 9822. Please email your application to careers@ucaqld.com.au Applications close 9 am on 17 November.

FULL TIME YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS PASTOR Westbourne Park Uniting Church is a vibrant Christian community for all ages with a strong emphasis on Youth and Young Adults ministry. Our church community is in the inner suburbs of Adelaide.

We are seeking a person with passion and vitality to oversee and grow this area as an integral member of our ministry team.

Ideally you will have a heart for and interest in young people and their faith issues and journey.

A strategic approach to raising and nurturing leaders is highly desirable.

For information about the position please contact the Westbourne Park Uniting Church office by email wpuc@internode.on.net or phone (08) 8271 7066.

Website: www.wpuc.org.au.

Applications should be addressed to the Rev. Tony Eldridge and close Friday 21 November 2014.

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Insights November 2014 35

Belief matters

“And he will come to judge the living and the dead”

T

o judge is to discriminate, to separate one thing from another.

The Gospel of John portrays Jesus as the light of the world. The same light shines on everyone, but there are different ways of responding to it. Some walk gladly into the light while others screw their eyes shut and remain in darkness. In this way, Jesus is the world’s judgment. It is not that he is gracious to some and full of wrath towards others. Jesus is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), but this grace creates a division among those who encounter it.

Some of the fathers of the early Church taught that heaven and hell are in fact the same place. Origen of Alexandria illustrated this with the example of students in a classroom. The same lecture can be an experience of bliss for one student and torment for another. One is excited while the other is bored. Both students are in the same place. Both are listening to the same teacher. But one is heaven and the other is in hell.

In the same way, Origen suggested, everyone will ultimately be brought into the presence of the love of God. But if some people have habitually hardened their hearts to love, then they will experience it not as bliss but as a tormenting fire. This is not because God

36 Insights November 2014

has rejected them. It is because the dazzling divine light has exposed their hardness of heart, driving them deeper into their own internal darkness. As Isaac of Syria put it in a seventh-century sermon, hell is not the absence of love but “the scourge of love.”

In thinking this way about judgment, the ancient Christians were very careful to avoid the impression that there are two different Gods; a God of grace and a God of wrath. This would lead straight to the theological nightmares of Gnosticism.

Whatever we say about judgment, we cannot end up with a picture of two different Gods or a God with two faces.

The one face of God is revealed in Jesus Christ. “God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

The judgment that Christ brings, moreover, is not just a division between persons. When Christ’s light shines into our lives, it creates a division within ourselves. None of us is entirely good or entirely bad. All of us are a mixture.

The bad grows up in our lives like weeds among the wheat, and the two are so closely entwined that we can hardly tell the difference (Matthew 13:24-30).

Sometimes our worst mistakes turn out to produce good fruit. Sometimes we discover that our virtues have produced unforeseen collateral damage.

Our lives are not transparent to ourselves. We cannot easily tell where the good ends and the bad begins.

So it is a great comfort to know that one day someone else will come and lovingly separate the good from the bad in our lives. The confession that Christ will come as judge is not an expression of terror and doom. It is part of the good news of the gospel. It is a joy to know that there is someone who understands all the complexities and ambiguities of our lives.

It is a joy to know that this one – the only one who is truly competent to judge – is “full of grace and truth.” He comes to restore, not to destroy.

Christ’s judgment will be the best thing that ever happens to us and to our world.

On that day, all the weeds will be removed at last, and for the first time we will be able to see the truth of our lives – and to know that, in spite of everything, we are loved.

Ben Myers is Lecturer in Systematic Theology at United Theological College

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Culture watch Where do we find our happiness?

H

appiness is a state that human beings have been searching for since the day they exited the Garden of Eden. So it’s not surprising that Hollywood is also interested in discovering the route to that much sought after state.

Lending a helping hand, Hector and the Search for Happiness offers to map out the most popular paths for moviegoers, but sadly stops just short of their hoped-for destination.

British funny man Simon Pegg (The World’s End, Paul, Hot Fuzz) stars as Hector, a psychologist who is tired of trying to direct his patients to happiness, especially when he’s not sure he has arrived himself. Before he settles down with his beautiful girlfriend, Clara (Rosamund Pike), he determines to set off on a worldwide trip with a single question in mind: “What makes you happy?” Pursuing the answer will take him to the fleshpots of Shanghai, the dark heart of Africa and the urban cool of California, and the answers he discovers will be point him inescapably to one conclusion. But will he know how to take hold of it?

Hector and the Search for Happiness is pitch-perfect in the way it neatly balances the dry comedy Pegg has insights.uca.org.au

become renowned for with the longing to discover the key to humanity’s most longed for state. Writer/Director Peter Chelsom has created an inventive style of storytelling that revolves around Hector’s travel journal. The audience is drawn in to his quest as the screen becomes the notebook, with Hector’s conclusions scrawling themselves across its top and the margins as Pegg makes his various discoveries.

But happiness continues to rest just outside of Hector’s reach, as Professor Coreman (Christopher Plummer) warns him it will. That’s because happiness is a symptom of something much greater.

Mahatma Ghandi wrote that happiness was what happened when, “…What you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” But the ability to achieve this alignment, let alone enjoy it, remains far beyond the reach of us ordinary people.

Paradoxically, happiness is there for the taking. Happiness is much more a gift than an achievement, a result of someone else’s efforts than our own.

The truth is our happiness is actually an echo of God’s love. “Every good and perfect gift is from above,” the book of James reveals, “coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does

not change like shifting shadows.”

Recognising that is the step over the threshold into lasting happiness. That’s why Charles Spurgeon wrote, “It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.”

We may lose everything on our list, but we can remain happy in the knowledge that in Christ we cannot lose God’s love. Though sad, even painful things might happen to us, the evidence of that love will continue to abound while we keep our eyes open.

Hector almost gets there, learning that the means to his happiness was always with him if he would just recognise it. There’s also a great deal of wisdom in the film’s call for contentment with what we have. As a monk continually assures our hero, “You hold all the cards.” The same holy man even points heavenward at the end, leading Hector to the conclusion that, “We all have an obligation to be happy,” because we have been given much to be happy about.

It’s just a pity that Hector and the Search for Happiness stops short of naming the Giver.

Mark Hadley

Insights November 2014 37

Entertain me read this press play BIG SCREEN

The Drop (MA) “There are some sins that you commit that you can’t come back from no matter how hard you try.”

Bob Saginowski The Drop is set in a seedy Brooklyn bar. The bartender, Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy), seems to live a routine life of taking care of customers, reporting to the owner, Marv (James Gandolfini’s last film), closing down the local pub and walking home each night. But not all is as it seems. The bar is a front for ‘money drops’ for local gangsters and Bob and Marv find themselves at the centre of a robbery gone bad. What seems like typical, dark Brooklyn tale of woe, turns into a masterfully twisted narrative of intrigue.

The film is a slow-burn drama that twists itself to the point of discomfort.

While this film deserves one of the highest quality ratings of the season, it suffers from extreme depictions of violence, language and adult themes.

To diminish or eliminate these elements would cause the realism and artistry of the story to suffer, but it should give caution for anyone with a weak constitution.

This film is suited for those who will relish in the rawness of the storyline for the sake of artistic style and understand that it is tailored for an adult audience.

The Gospel according to John illuminated (In the English Standard Version of the Bible) illustrated and designed by Fiona Pfennigwerth Pfennigwerth begins The Gospel According to John Illuminated with her thoughts on meaning and symbolism in the Gospel. ‘My illustrations emphasise John’s themes of light and life reflected in the impact of water in the semiarid regions of outback Australia. The specimen drawings reflect John’s illusions to the Creation stories. The birds and trees in and beside the water reflect the abundant life that comes from continuing to trust God…’ According to Pfennigwerth, in 2011 and 2012 rain fell in a way not experienced for decades in the semiarid regions of outback New South Wales. “I felt that the landscape could convey all the images of the light and life that water brings and the Gospel celebrates.”

Pfennigwerth has studied Natural History Illustration at the University of Newcastle and is also the illustrator and designer of The Scrolls illuminated: An Illuminating Presentation of The Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther from the Bible.

Katy Gerner

Calvary (MA) Over recent years there has been a number of films exploring narratives surrounding the past crimes and abuses of power by the Catholic Church (last year’s Philomena for example).

Calvary takes a different approach.

The film explores the impact of these revelations on the church’s place in the community.

It does not attempt to defend the perpetrators of those crimes, or the institution that protected them, but rather invites us to consider the plight of those remaining good people whose efforts to do good works in the world are hindered by being forced to bear the burdens of an institution that has failed them.

Calvary features the same dark humour which made The Guard so brilliant, but here it is in service of a more serious story. While at times very funny, Calvary ends up being a poignant and powerful film.

At a time when most movies tend to opt for the simple and straight forward, it is encouraging to see a thoughtful film which has something to say.

Duncan McLean

Russell Matthews

38 Insights November 2014

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