Creation Care L ThecommSynod’smenttoClimateAction AforewholecreationhopeinJus GamVideoandClimateChange in s i g ht sSPRING 2022
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I don’t believe that the human ‘community’ has ever stood – collectively and knowingly – on this brink before, however there are stories in our tradition (and probably in every tradition) that could stand as guide ropes to help us find a way. These are some of the words and stories that I hold on to when I contemplate my grandchildren: God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good (Genesis 1:31) Choose life (Deuteronomy 30: 15-20 – the whole passage is helpfully provocative) Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:12).
When Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs’…and he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them (Mark 10:14) At the moment, I have a slightly expanded definition of what ‘children’ encompasses –not just my grandchildren (practically perfect in every way!), not just children generally, but all the creatures of the world – simple, wonderful expressions of the goodness of God’s Therefore,creation.choose life!
I contemplate this passage because it seems inescapable to me that all of us are complicit. Collectively, we need to find the courage to face that reality and act accordingly. Thankfully, the Uniting Church has a long history of climate change activism, being the first Church in Australia to seriously advocate on the issue and develop an action plan to respond to the crisis. Some of our initiatives include developing a state-wide Climate Action Strategy with our renewed commitments through Future Directions which include supporting thousands of students marching in climate change rallies and other initiatives in this issue of Insights.
A friend of mine has just returned from a trip home to Switzerland to see her family. On her return, she was very keen to show us photographs of her holiday. We expected the normal happy snaps capturing her experiences and escapades while she was away. What she showed us and what she told us was something quite different and shocking. In all the photos, the mountains are bare. To use her words, “there is no snow, the permafrost is melting, the mountains are crumbling, it’s all just rocks.” The glaciers that she knew as a child are a selves.shadowfast-diminishingoftheirformerAdmittedly,she was in Switzerland in summer and Europe is in the grip of a savage summer, but contemplating the Alps without snow was confronting and shocking for those of us familiar with the snow-clad mountains that have characterized Switzerland in our imaginations and memories. Through her photographs and her words, we experienced the shock and dislocation she felt in barely recognising the land of her birth where she had spent her childhood and young adulthood. Her land, her country, had become strange and unfamiliar and the experience had called all of her familiar certainties into question. Climate change was easily – too easily? – identified as the catch-all culprit for this frightening transformation.
THE GLACIERS THAT SHE KNEW AS A CHILD ARE A FAST SHADOWDIMINISHINGOFTHEIRFORMERSELVES
There’s something going on here. There’s a deep, deep grief that seems to emerge out of this loss of landscape and the wounding of the world in increasingly frequent ‘climate’ catastrophes that should provoke deep and searching reflection.
WELCOME FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY Therefore, choose life!
insights 3 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. REV. JANE FRY SECRETARYGENERAL
In this country, we’ve had repeated climate events to contend with recently. We’ve watched as fires then flood have engulfed huge areas, dislocated thousands of people, destroyed homes, livelihoods and livestock to the extent that local economies will have to be rebuilt from scratch. Not to mention the destruction of habitat and wildlife that is a tragic feature of the devastation - ecological repair and regeneration will take attention, care and time. And again, climate change is the easy culprit.
4 insights MANAGING EDITOR Adrian Drayton EDITOR Jonathan Foye PRODUCTION/DESIGN Rana Moawad EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES PHONE 02 8267 4304 FAX 02 9264 4487 ADDRESS Insights, PO Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW, 1235 EMAIL insights@nswact.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. Contents copyright. No material from this publication may be copied, photocopied or transmitted by any means without the permission of the Managing Editor. CIRCULATION: 12,000. ISSN: 1036-7322 Commonwealth of Australia 2020. REGULARS 3 WELCOME 6 YOUR SAY ONLINE 7 NEWS 34 PULSE 37 BELIEF MATTERS 40 REFLECTIONSLECTIONARY 44 ENTERTAIN ME The Uniting Church in Australia is one of the country’s actingwillOurdenominations.largestvisionisthatitbeafellowshipofreconciliation,livingGod’slove,followingJesusChristandforthecommongoodtobuildajustandcompassionatecommunityoffaith.24 26 34 45 14 From alarming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports to the flooding recently experienced in parts of our Synod, climate change is a threat that is well and truly being felt. In 2019, the Synod of NSW and the ACT adopted a wide-ranging climate strategy to combat this problem. AUBURN (TONGAN) UC CLIMATE ACTION GROUP WITH OTHERS ON PITT ST UC STEPS PRIOR TO SS4C RALLY IN MARCH 2022
People in rural communities have been addressing the changes in the climate for years, even decades; the incoherent and ill-informed utterances from a few invested politicians are a false measure of the significant transformation in farming practices which have been undertaken.
MODERATOR’S REFLECTION REV. HANSFORDSIMON MODERATOR THE
AND FULFILMENT OF FAITH, AND THE WITNESS OF THE CHURCH. Keep up with the Moderator by following these hashtags on Facebook and Instagram. #moderatorinsession#AllOfThisIsUs SCRIPTURE ISWONDERWITHBOOKENDEDTHEOFCREATION
Rescue from drowning islands may well be the necessary functional response to this crisis, but how does it address the deeper issues of justice and honouring those whose voices we have so long ignored, or patronised?
It is when we attempt to hold both of these faithfully together that we comprehend the challenge of what it means to bear witness in a world where the creation is under extraordinary stress. Scripture is bookended with the wonder of creation and the new creation; these images are not decorative, they are proclamation about our God, our world and our place within it.
Amongst other things, I spoke of the Spirit’s presence, stirring and brooding over the creation as it found shape and purpose under the articulation of God. I then asserted the charge of the gospel to care for God’s good earth and, at that point, a couple of my ecumenical colleagues laughed out This,loud.ina rural community shaped by weather and climate, by the availability and scarcity of water, by many farmers’ willing engagement in environmental options and the angry intransigence of a minority.
LEADERSHIP TO THE
Iremember preaching for a Combined Churches’ Pentecost service a few years ago.
A hope in Jesus for all creation MODERATOR ELECTED PASTORAL SYNOD, ASSISTING EXPRESSION
Diminishing our role for this place, this life, dismisses the worth of each person as they work and live and serve and save and worship. We are called here. We are disciples here. Our lives bear witness to the reign of God, proclaimed in Jesus Christ - on this earth. Our Basis of Union affirms that Jesus Christ became flesh; in Christ’s life, death and resurrection, God has reasserted a claim over the whole creation. This is not only about a God who says yes to life for each human being, but a God who acts in hope and love for all
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When we speak of caring for God’s good earth, we are mindful of the land of which we are stewards, and the people whose stewardship is in their blood and bones. We must address the climate crisis before us; we cannot ignore those whose lives are woven within it. It is not only our rural communities, of course. We have heard and seen the immediate destruction facing our neighbours in the Pacific; what does it mean to love God and to love these neighbours, as we love ourselves?
All too easily we apply weight to one aspect and neglect the other. We can (we must!) proclaim a God who desires to restore every human being - and the creation in which all of us are held.
And what of those first voices, whose stories of creation and stewardship are millennia older than the ones we hold in scripture? How shall we honour them, and pay attention as the earth and all its creatures cry out for justice? The escapism of some aspects of Christianity is understandable but leads us up a dry gully. There is no hope there which speaks to discipleship here, but only avoidance of responsibility.
Thecreation.newheaven and new earth celebrated in the penultimate words of scripture are a charge for every disciple of Jesus about the inherent value of each of us – and the creation of which we are an intrinsic, eternal Aspart.we wrestle with the vital transition to justice for our earth and all its creatures, our discipleship reminds us of the promise of life which is held for us in Jesus Christ. This hope is for each of us and for the whole creation, formed under the Word of God, in whom we find our life.
TO GIVE PROPHETIC AND
AND ENCOURAGING
As the drought began to break, there was a call from some in our community that we should no longer be farming cattle because of the impact of methane in the atmosphere. There are graziers who battled to keep their breeding stock alive during five years of drought, and to hear that must have been almost unbearable.
Is it possible we can believe that our discipleship has nothing to do with the care of the world in which we live? Have we made “salvation” so much about the heavenly rescue of an individual that we have missed the biblical imperative that we are part of God’s creation and God’s history – a creation and history which it is God’s intention to restore?
6 insights your sayONLINE COMMENTS WE’VE ROUNDED UP THE BEST COMMENTS THAT YOU’VE LEFT ONLINE. If you would like to leave a comment on an article or have a viewpoint to share - just go online insights.uca.org.au and leave your comments. twitter.com/Insightsmaginstagram.com/insightsmagfacebook.com/unitingchurchnswact IN RESPONSE TO 'NO RELIGION’ PART OF ONGOING TREND, BUT NOT WHOLE STORY IN RESPONSE TO FOSTERING A CONSIDERED DISCUSSION ON VOLUNTARY ASSISTED DYING
From my experience in Australia there is a similar tendency here. I find that our seminaries and clergy need to encourage more consideration of what they mean by “God” and how those loyal to the faith can connect their sense of life with what they read in the Bible or hear preached or taught.
I think discussion is important. I was a member of the Victorian Synod meeting that discussed the Victorian legislation. I facilitated a small group that discussed the issues before we made a decision. It was hard work to make sure that everyone in the group, especially those who spoke English as an additional language, felt able to express their views freely. The leaders were prepared well and the groups were relatively small. It wouldn’t be something you could start as a discussion at a plenary church meeting. We had the additional issue of needing to decide whether we would permit VAD in the Epworth Hospital, an acute care hospital which belongs to the UCA. This was a very different issue to allowing people to make this kind of choice in their own homes which happen to be Uniting Church-owned aged care facilities, because it requires more active support from staff and therefore a very clear way of making sure that conscientious objection is allowed without any negative consequences for staff. I don’t remember the Synod actually supporting the bill so much as agreeing that VAD could happen at the Epworth, with conscientious objection being permitted.
DAVID MORGAN HOW CAN THOSE LOYAL TO THE OFTHEIRCONNECTFAITHSENSELIFEWITHWHATTHEYREADINTHEBIBLE?
IN RESPONSE TO UNITING ENERGY: BRINGING RENEWABLE ENERGY TO CONGREGATIONS
JUDY REDMAN
RICHARD MAGUIRE
According the Pew Research Center recent study, the question “God or a higher power” obscures an important trend. “God” implies the God of the bible, who is depicted as a particular being, and often very unpleasant. There is a growing trend to not believe in that God. There is a growing and very wide spread tendency to believe in a “higher power’ which is not a particular identity and usually seen as benevolent or a positive influence in the personal life and the world.
I think that the benefits of GreenPower are being overstated again. It is simply a scheme where a customer pays a premium on energy, which is passed on, via a complex and expensive market scheme, to renewable generators active on the grid. It is hoped that this will encourage investment in more renewable Thisgeneration.isareasonable hope and a good thing to do, but it does not change the source of the customer’s energy. It does not cut emissions from the customers property. And its impact is certainly much slower than that of solar panels.
“The Presbytery Relations Minister is a brand new role,” Rev. Dr McFarlane said.
Rev. Dr McFarlane was the Presbytery Ministry Leader for Parramatta Nepean Presbytery. Although the placement will not formally commence until 1 November 2022, the Presbytery agreed to allow the Synod to second him into the role on a 50 percent basis commencing in July. Comment
“The role was created out of a recognition that presbyteries are the critical factor for us to have healthy, missional, and sustainable “Andcongregations.asweknow from the Basis of Union, “The Congregation is the embodiment in one place of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, worshipping, witnessing and serving as a fellowship of the Spirit in Christ.” This is what Synods and Presbyteries exist for.”
“For me personally, this role draws together so many threads from my ministry journey so far, including working in presbyteries in NSW and ACT and in Queensland, working for the Synod itself across presbyteries in the twenty-noughts, leading congregations in times of transition, and a bunch of roles involving facilitating processes with concrete outcomes. This is a chance to make a lasting difference.”
“I am super-excited. This role comes at a crucial time in the life of the church where people are not just ready but hungry for change,” he said.
JONATHAN FOYE news PEOPLE ARE NOT HUNGRYREADYJUSTBUTTHEYAREFORCHANGE REV. DR ROB MCFARLANE NAMED NEW PRESBYTERY RELATIONS MINISTER Online Reader
Chris Lockley
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“Coming out of the pandemic, I am looking forward to the opportunity to travel around the length and breadth of the Synod as well as using the tools that we have learned to love (and hate) – especially Zoom – to connect and relate. It’s a new era to have deep relations and to work efficiently.”
"A great decision by the Synod that makes perfect sense. All the best for this new role Rob. It seems to me you’ve been preparing for this for many years. You’re experience and wisdom will be a great blessing for the Presbyteries."
“Why this role now? Because across the whole of NSW and the ACT there is a recognition that presbyteries struggle to fulfil their calling. Demands are higher, resources feel more constrained. My calling in this role is to help individual presbyteries and our whole collective body to be missional, healthy and sustainable now and into the future.”
Rev. Dr Rob McFarlane has been named the new Presbytery Relations Minister, a new Synod role he started on a part-time basis in July 2022.
JONATHAN FOYE
Mr Ellis said that the announcement of the grant was met with, “Excitement that the dreaming and visioning now has a way to become reality.”
“Tuggeranong Uniting Church is such a vibrant and diverse community.”
“From the moment I walked through the front doors in 2019, I knew this would be my new home. We're a bunch of people that aren't afraid to take risks and give anything a go. We wear our beliefs on our sleeves and show that we mean what we
Tuggeranong Uniting Church is the latest congregation to receive a Synod growth grant. The congregation’s project, ‘Going further – More Spaces’ aims to help Tuggeranong Uniting Church become a regional hub for the Tuggeranong Valley area. Tuggeranong reach regional hub dream
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE SYNOD INVEST IN MISSIONGROWTHANDAT THE COALFACEOFTHECHURCH
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“Recent Inter-generational services have attracted new young families to our services, and an increase in the participation of children,” Rev. Raine said. “We believe that through increased engagement with young families, that we can build on our current growth trends and create experiences of church at different times and places which resonate with a great variety of people.”
JAMES ELLIS IS THE CONVENOR OF TUGGERANONG UNITING CHURCH'S RAINBOW CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE COMMUNITY.
Rev. Elizabeth Raine is the Minister at Tuggeranong. She told Insights the congregation aimed to, “develop ourselves as a people of spiritual, biblical and theological nourishment, of rest, hospitality and discipleship as followers of Jesus in new and different ways.”
“We are multipleseeinggrowth opportunities through the connections we are making with the local community and through the connections the local community is making with Tuggeranongus.”Uniting Church’s application secured funding for a 50 percent minister or deacon to work with the church’s Rainbow community and young families, to nurture and continue to grow these groups, and to enable them over time to participate in full leadership of the Rev.church.Rainesaid that the process of applying for the grant was, “extremely thorough” and that both the EOI and the application process, “required a high level of detail and research.”
As a community deeply committed to being an open and affirming safe space for LGBTIQ+ people and allies, Tuggeranong hopes that their “Rainbow Christian Alliance” will be equipped and resourced to be able to develop and nurture growth experienced over 2020“Canberra21. has a higher proportion of same-sex couples than any other city according to the ABS and TUC offers a safe space for the many Christian LGBTQI people who report poor experiences with churches and Christianity in general,” Rev. Raine said.
Synod Growth Fundhelps
“Our leadership team believes our growing connections with young families is providing them age-appropriate worship that is meaningful and pathways to connect with faith and the gospel. Many have rejected the teaching of the more conservative churches in our area and have sought us out as a church interested in justice issues, climate change, and inclusivity.”
“It'spreach.”great to see the Synod invest in mission and growth at the coalface of the church. Key to success will be strong partnerships between congregation, presbytery, and Synod to reach the goals set. “ The Synod growth fund is the way that local congregations can access the Future Directions resourcing framework.
“That the work we have put into growing the congregation thus far will be able to be sustained and go on some new paths,” Mr Ellis said.
“The NCLS and latest McCrindle Report identified people are much more likely in a COVID era to explore their spirituality and discuss questions around religion. They are quite prepared to converse with their local churches. TUC believes it is already meeting this need and it is important to continue to do so.”
James Ellis is the Convenor of Tuggeranong Uniting Church's Rainbow Christian Alliance community.
“We also had to ensure what we were proposing was sustainable financially and realistic in its objectives,” she said.
According to Dr Tjoelker, St Andrews is a “microcosm” of Uniting Church, facing many of the same challenges as other congregations, and hope that their new projects will help, particularly when it comes to catalysing young people and integrating new people into the life of the church.
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“The Synod Growth Fund empowers congregations to cultivate and implement new projects at the grassroots level that will help address these challenges,” Dr Tjoelker said.
Finalists were invited to prepare a full proposal that included a detailed project design and budget. Glenbrook’s team produced a brief video describing their project and were interviewed by the Synod selection panel.
“St Andrews is committed to the creation of Banksia House, a residential share-house for four young adults, forming an intentional Christian community in Glenbrook and hub for wider community engagement. Banksia House will embed leadership development with mission and discipleship in a linked portfolio of ministry, spanning high-school youth and young adults.”
“St Andrews dreams of establishing a vibrant, intentional Christian community of young adults who will develop their leadership in the church through cultivation of outwardfocussed mission and discovery of a prophetic voice, and thus become agents of renewal in the church and world.”
“We consulted with Synod and our Presbytery in scoping discussions to help develop our project ideas and align our project outcomes with Synod growth goals.”
Dr Tjoelker told Insights that the application process was rigorous and multi-staged, beginning with the development of an expression of interest.
Glenbrook Receives Synod Growth Fund
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“They will create new discipleship pathways for high-school aged youth and young adults and work with families and congregations in the Blue Mountains to embed missionfocused ministry.”
Glenbrook Uniting Church is one of the congregations awarded a grant from the Synod Growth Fund. The grant will go towards supporting a youth minister and an intentional Christian community.
“What a powerful testimony we can now share that the wider Uniting Church and Synod in particular has stepped out in faith to empower and support this new partnership with our Thecongregation.”Synodgrowth fund is the way that local congregations can access the Future Directions resourcing framework.
“We assembled a small sprint team to put together the proposal over a several month period,” Dr Tjoelker said.
JONATHAN FOYE THE SYNOD GROWTH FUND TOCONGREGATIONSEMPOWERS CULTIVATE AND IMPLEMENT NEW PROJECTS AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL
ark Tjoelker led the grant application process. “Over the course of the five year project, growth Funds will help support a full-time gifted youth minister to build relationships within the church and wider community,” Dr Tjoelker said.
T
Tamworth City Uniting Church’s Chairperson, Peter Battle, told Insights that the church had a long history.
“Supply ministry has been greatly appreciated, from a retired minister, Rev. Betty Stroud, as an intentional interim minister in 2020-21 and retired minister, Rev. John Brentnall, who has come from Berry for several stays with us,” Mr Battle Tamworthsaid.City Uniting Church recenetly re-commenced its Op Shop It has been staffed by members of the congregation and community members beyond the church.
“The Congregation is on the increase again after COVID-19’s Theheight.”local Presbytery, New England Northwest, does not have any ordained Ministers of the Word at present. Mr Battle said that the congregation was “blessed” by the services of two Lay Preachers, along with a couple of retired ministers.
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he service will feature guest speakers and historical information on display. The congregation has invited past ministers to attend.
Tamworth City Uniting Church’s 150th anniversary service takes place on Sunday, 25 September.
CITYTAMWORTHUNITINGCHURCHTOCELEBRATE150YEARS
“For 150 years (since 1872) this church building has been a centre of Christian witness in the middle of Tamworth. It is the oldest church in Tamworth still conducting services in the same building.”
“Of course, The last couple of years have been difficult for Church activities, with COVID-19 forcing closure for some time. However, new ways of contacting people were developed, including a new website, zooming for services, delivery of printed order of worship and video messages available on the website, and of course telephone calls.”
“The Shop is a valuable means of mission to people who enjoy fellowship and a chat, along with their purchases,” Mr Battle said. The congregation also has oversight of Uniting’s Rainbow Cottage Occasional Child Care Centre, and a new coordinator is currently in the process of taking office.
“It has a history of establishing and fostering smaller congregations in a wide area beyond the city itself. As Tamworth has grown to be one of the largest rural cities in NSW, the Church also has changed and looks to serve God and people in new and exciting ways.”
Mr Battle said that the 150th anniversary comes after a tough few years for the church.
JONATHAN FOYE ON 25 SPECIALTAMWORTHSEPTEMBER,CITYUNITINGCHURCHWILLHAVEASESQUICENTENARYCHURCHSERVICE.MODERATORREV.SIMONHANSFORDWILLPREACH.
AN OUT OF THE BOX GATHERING OUT OF THE BOX MISSIONAL CONFERENCE
We also heard a lot about “umu spirituality” from the lighting of the Pacific Islander umu to a panel that represented various people from cultures around the Pacific and Korea as well as our indigenous peoples. We celebrated communion with taro and coconut juice. Neighbourhood Matters led a workshop around pioneering which was well received. We had a panel of on the ground pioneer replicators, innovators, adaptors and activists. Our questions were;
Why do institutions like the church, need pioneers?
There was lots to think about there! We loved hearing different people telling us stories about their journey of starting up new and creative ventures in existing contexts.
REV. DR KARINA KREMINSKI NEIGHBOURHOOD MATTERS
What is a pioneer?
Recently Neighbourhood Matters participated in the Out of the Box missional conference run by the Uniting Church. The conference was open to all who were interested in exploring the theme of mission and even deconstructing the term. What does mission look like today?
We heard from Rev. Ellie Elia who has a creative congregation in Glenbrook. COVID-19 forced her congregation to reorient around the community in different ways and also to work with other denominations. The church building was not as important as most things went online and they had to use different spaces for gathering. It also instigated more creation of art and the community had to discern carefully what God was saying to them. She described herself as not really “following the book” when it came to mission and emphasised how important relationships are.
How can we identify, nourish and develop pioneers?
Why do pioneers struggle in institutions?
This piece originally appeared on Neighbourhood Matters’ website: neighbourhoodmatters.com.au
ANDCELEBRATEDWECOMMUNIONWITHTAROCOCONUTJUICE
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12 insights THE SEASON OF CREATION IN Septemberthe
If you are looking for a way to focus your thinking on how to live in harmony with the whole creation, and deepen your discipleship practices of sustainability and environmental responsibility, through a daily reflection on a scripture passage—why not subscribe to With Love to the World?
tinyurl.com/wlwjohnsquires
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The issue begins with a reflection on the creation story of Genesis 1 from a First Peoples perspective. Each week, a different writer invites us to consider how scripture informs our discipleship and can shape our environmental awareness and action.
This extended Season of Creation issue of With Love to the World is intended to assist readers to grapple with how their lifestyle and their persWonal practices cohere with the need to respect the creation and to live a life that lessens their carbon footprint. Scripture encourages and challenges us in this regard. The series of passages through the 13 weeks are intended to build a strong understanding of God’s love for the creation, and God’s expectation that people of faith will live with ecological Theresponsibility.14contributors are theologicallyastute, environmentally-active people from five states across the continent, who have written thoughtful and informed commentaries on the passages for the week.
With Love to the World is a locally-produced resource which provides short commentaries on the biblical passages offered in the Revised Common Lectionary, which is used by mainstream denominations of the Christian church around the world. The four passages offered each week are read in worship and one or more of them usually form the basis for the sermon in that service of worship. The publication seeks to prepare people to think about the passages in the week before they hear them in Sunday worship.
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can be ordered as a printed resource for just $24 for a year’s subscription or it can be accessed on phones and iPads via an App, for a subscription of $24.49 per year (go to the App Store or Google Play). For subscription enquiries, contact Trevor
The next issue of With Love to the World will contain material submitted by a group of contributors who have been working with the usual four lectionary passages, but also with an additional three biblical texts which feed into the overall theme of Creation. These passages have been chosen because this theme is the focus for the month of September each year in churches around the world. This year, the Creation theme has been expanded to include, not only the four Sundays of September, but also the weeks around September, from Pentecost 11 (in mid August) through to Pentecost 23, just before the festival of the Reign of Christ brings the church year to an end in November.
HOW TO ORDER With Love to the World Naylor is a discussion of the biblical passages used in the Creation 2022 issue here:
JOHN
As a complement to the four passages offered each week from the Revised Common Lectionary (Hebrew Scripture, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel), a further three passages are included in each week’s selection of seven passages for reading and reflection. These additional three passages are all drawn from Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). These scriptures have their origins in a culture and society which was closely connected to the land, where people lived in harmony with the annual cycle of agricultural seasons. Their intimate knowledge of land, sea, and sky is reflected in the understanding of animals, fish, and birds, and in the knowledge of “events of nature”.
on 02 9747 1369 or wlwuca@bigpond.com There
FROM ALARMING INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTS TO THE FLOODING RECENTLY EXPERIENCED IN PARTS OF OUR SYNOD, CLIMATE CHANGE IS A THREAT THAT IS WELL AND TRULY BEING FELT.
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Knowing how to respond can be difficult in a context where our lifestyles centre on cycles of consumption and waste. In 2019, the Synod of NSW and the ACT adopted a wide-ranging climate strategy to combat this problem.
Initiatives21 Creation22Care
That strategy addressed everything from how the church can cut its own carbon emissions to how we may best lobby governments for better policy outcomes. Again in 2021, the commitment to climate care was agreed through the Synod’s Future Directions strategy. As we see in this issue’s feature, this is more so much than an organisational strategy. It is a faithful response to God’s call to be stewards of the earth. Our Synod’s Action on Climate Prayer from the Moderator Elect16 Uniting Energy
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Our Synod’s Action onClimate
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I was talking on the phone to Sigrid Hall from Gymea Miranda Uniting Church. It was an interview about why she and other church members had met with candidates in the federal seat of Hughes, to share their hopes for action on climate change. Sigrid told me that public advocacy was not usually her ‘thing’. Intrigued, I asked how she came to be involved. She told me she had participated in the online webinar, Why Does the Uniting Church support the School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C) movement, in 2021. She found the Uniting Church young people speaking had such passion and clarity about the issue of climate change, and why they needed to act on it. “I found that quite inspiring,” Sigrid said. “I thought if they are doing it, what can I do?”.
Both the SS4C webinar and climate conversations training were part of the Synod Climate Action Strategy, which was created by Synod resolution in 2019. The resolution grew out of passionate concern by grassroots members of the church, not least from young people in congregations and Uniting Church schools. Their urgent appeal for our church to act found strong support from the rest of Synod, and the resolution was passed nearly unanimously. Our commitment as a Synod was strengthened again in Synod 2021 with climate action an integral part of the strategy.
When she heard about the training that Uniting Advocacy team was offering on having “Climate Conversations” with local Federal MP’s, she decided to get involved.
JON O’BRIEN FROM UNITING REFLECTS ON WHAT HAVE WE DONE AND WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
THE UNITING CHURCH HAS DEMONSTRATED A STRONG COMMITMENT TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT
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REDUCING OUR OWN EMISSIONS Since its inception the Uniting Church has
We have been reminded of some of the really good things about our church.
SUPPORT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S CLIMATE ADVOCACY Since the first rally in 2018, there have been several major School Strike 4 Climate events. Uniting Church members and congregations have actively supported all these events. They have attended rallies face to face and online. They have put up encouraging messages on church notice boards, hung climate action banners on church buildings (65 of them), taken selfies and posted their support on social media. The Youth Climate Actions Task Group was established to build on this existing support and it has actively promoted each SS4C event and provided ideas on how members, congregations and UCA schools, could get involved.
oneenvironment.commitmentdemonstratedastrongtopreservetheInthewordsofAssemblyresolution,itdoesthisinrecognition that “this groaning creation is God’s good creation”. All parts of the church have been active in this vocation. Initiatives by the Synod and its agencies, are covered elsewhere in this edition of Insights. Well before the SCAS, congregations and individual church members were involved in recycling, clean up days, community gardens and other environmental initiatives. A number of congregations have signed up to the Five Leaf Eco Awards, created by Uniting Church member Jessica Morthorpe. These awards encourage the many practical steps congregations can take to tread more lightly on the earth. More recently, consciousness of climate change has spurred others to find ways to reduce energy use and/or switch to renewable energy, like installing solar panels or taking up green energy options with their Theprovider.SCAS has sought to encourage and build on the actions that members and congregations have already been taking. In the last two years we introduced forums as part of the Living the Change initiative. Living the Change promotes ways individuals and households can reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions. We have held three on-line seminars exploring different topics: installing solar panels; making our diets more sustainable and; electric vehicles. We have also conducted Living the Change workshops or talks in congregations both face to face and onJustline. environmentcaremonthlastwetookpartinaservicefocusingonforthe at Adamstown Uniting Church, organised by the members with Rev. Nerida Drake. The service celebrated the steps they were already taking - from worm farms, to reducing energy use in the home, to buying local produce - as well as prompting what the next steps could be.
At morning tea afterwards one person remarked, “It’s a breath of fresh air to hear a church talking about these things.”
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
The Synod Climate Action Strategy (SCAS) resolution expresses three main commitments, which are to: Reduce our own greenhouse gas emissions right across the church Advocate to all levels of government for reduced emissions young people in their advocacy on climate, including the School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C) movement
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RALLY MARCH 2022
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AUBURN (TONGAN) UC CLIMATE ACTION GROUP MARCHING WITH BANNER IN SS4C
Though differentfromgenerationsMsHoyleandMrWestcott
At a SCAS planning conference in early 2021 participants set a goal to highlight the voices of particular groups in our church’s climate action. These were young people, First Nations people, the Pasifika community and rural people. In a service held at Pitt St Uniting Church before the May 2021 event in Sydney, all these voices came together. This service was conceived, planned and led by young people, including First Nations and other students from UCA schools, Pasifika and rural young people, with the wider church attending in support.
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shared a deep concern about climate change and anger at the way climate policy had been turned into a political football. “I am a farmer’s son who has been a conservative voter all my life”, Mr Westcott said, “but the spin doctors need to get out of the room.” Parkes’ first SS4C event was attended by around 80 people and sparked a lot of conversations in church and town. Libby finished her own speech that day by saying, “I have to believe that actions like this can make a difference.”
The SCAS has encouraged and promoted this public advocacy. In addition, in 2020 we started the Climate Conversations initiative. We asked Uniting Church members to form small groups to seek meetings with their local Federal MPs. The aim was to share their concerns about climate as citizens and Christians, and explain what climate actions they wanted the next government to take. We held a briefing attended by about 35 people. We then provided three online training sessions on holding effective meetings. The groups then approached their respective MPs to secure an appointment. In the end, about 30 Uniting Church members were involved in meetings with sitting MPs or candidates in 11 seats, either by themselves or partnering with other organisations. Eleven seats represents 22 percent of all federal electorates in NSW and the ACT. In all these ways our church was an active contributor to the public discussion and shift in attitudes that resulted in the latest federal poll being dubbed the ‘climate election’.
One group has kept appearing at Sydney SS4C climate rallies, often seen wearing traditional garments. They are the Climate Action Group of the Auburn (Tongan) Uniting Church. They come out of passionate concern about the impacts of climate change in Australia and in their home islands. After one SS4C event we asked their Minister, Rev. Mosese Taufa, why they kept coming, when change was sometimes hard to see. He replied that for their group and for Pasifika people, climate change was not a ‘story’ but an experience, bringing hardship and threatening the very existence of their home islands. Asked what action he would like Australian leaders to take he said, “I would like to see that they think about us,” and recognise that what Australia does, affects the Pacific as well.
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RAUL SUGUNANANTHAN WITH OTHER UNITING CHURCH PEOPLE AT A SS4C RALLY - RAUL IS ON THE EXTREME LEFT HOLDING THE SIGN had grown up with her family as part of the local Uniting Church. She had also grown up with droughts and bushfires. In 2020 and in Year 12 at Parkes High School, she decided to organise the first ever SS4C event in the town. It made sense in looking for speakers, to turn to fellow Parkes UC member Westcott.NeilMr Westcott is a fifthgeneration wheat and barley farmer in nearby Alectown.
ADVOCATING TO GOVERNMENT FOR CHANGES IN CLIMATE POLICY
The yearning to make a difference that Libby expressed has motivated other church members to advocacy in the public sphere. Many members have joined with others calling on government to take stronger action on climate. They have worked through organisations like The Australian Conservation Foundation, the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change, Common Grace and more. They have written letters and emails, attended prayer meetings and held vigils outside MPs’ offices.
Raul Sugunananthan took part in one of those MP meetings. Mr Sugunananthan worships at Leichhardt Uniting Church and has been an active member of Christian Students Uniting, including their action on climate. Along with others, he met with his federal MP, Tanya Plibersek, now the Environment Minister. Mr Sugunananthan took part, he said, because he believes Christians are called to care for the environment. He said he found the meeting more daunting than he expected, but that he learned a lot. He was surprised when, at the end of the time, Ms Plibersek thanked them for the advocacy work of the Uniting Church. Ms Plibersek that everyday people in church and community are needed to speak out on issues they care about, if we are to see positive change. That speaking out was evident at a climate election forum on 27 April at Penrith in Western Sydney. It was led by the Uniting Church Pasifika community, including our Moderator Elect, Rev Mata Havea Hiliau. More than 200 people gathered at Penrith Panthers club to hear Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Chris Bowen, speak and answer questions about climate policy. Unfortunately, no then-government representative had responded to our invitation. It was a vibrant, passionate gathering and Mr Bowen could not have been left in any doubt about the importance of climate change to our church and its Pasifika members. At the forum he agreed publicly to a follow-up meeting with the organisers, should his party form government. That meeting is now being sought.
Climate concern crosses geographical boundaries. It is rural communities who are often most aware of the impacts of climate change. In Parkes, Libby Hoyle
CONCERNCLIMATE GEOGRAPHICALCROSSESBOUNDARIES
insights 19 UNITING CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE AT PITT ST UNITING CHURCH (LED BY YOUNG PEOPLE) PRIOR TO THE 2021 SS4C MARCH IN MAY 2021 CHRIS AND DELL WALKER AT PARRAMATTA CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK GATHERING IN SUPPORT OF SS4C PASIFIKA LEADERS SHAKING HANDS WITH CHRIS BOWEN AFTER HE HAS AGREED TO MEET AGAIN
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WHAT QUALITIES HAVE WE BEEN REMINDED OF?
Action on climate is part of our mission to care for creation. But the way the Synod Climate Action Strategy has unfolded reminds us of some of our church’s best features.
We know faith must be put into action:
The National Church Life Survey tells us that 81 percent of Uniting Church members believe that care for creation is part of the mission of the church. Sometimes we know, beliefs don’t show in behaviour. While there is always room for improvement, our church has (CENTRE) AT SS4C RALLY 2021
BEC BEISLER (ASSEMBLY) SELFIE AND MESSAGE NEIL WESTCOTT (SPEAKER AT PARKES SS4C RALLY) WITH SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED NORTHMEAD UC MEMBERS OUTSIDE ALEX HAWKE’S OFFICE IN SEAT OF ORGANISERSMITCHELLAND PANELLISTS AT SS4C WEBINAR FAITH MUST BE PUT INTO ACTION
REV MOSESE TAUFA
MAY
The Uniting Church is a grassroots movement: All parts of the church have been involved in the SCAS, but it is everyday members and congregations that have made it alive and real. Over the last two years around 1200 participants have taken part in SCAS related events (mostly on-line). The vast majority have been Uniting Church members coming from around 170 different congregations.
insights 21 been acting on this conviction, seeking positive change in our church and world. We also know we can’t bring about change just by ourselves, so we cooperate with others with whom we share common values and purpose.
As temperature increases, sea levels rise, pollutions grow, extreme weather spirals out of control, we confess we have done wrong.
As a church, perhaps the most important thing we can do is to tell and live out our story. In our climate action we bear witness that God’s purpose and
At a climate organisation meeting recently, one of the organisers was reflecting on the scale of the challenge before us. She admitted to feeling daunted at the degree of change needed, but then she added emphatically, “I’m not interested in fighting for a survivable future, I’m fighting for a beautiful, thriving future.”
Creator God
Creator God, may we hear the cry of the earth and stir our heart into action. Empower us O God as the young or old, First Nations or recent arrival, from the bush or the city, to be changemakers. Call us out in practical ways in our home, church, local communities, nation, and the world for our sake and for the future generations.
Prayer intention for the world, is not division and destruction, but in the words of the Basis of Union, the “coming reconciliation and renewal which is the end in view for the whole creation”. Fidelity to that mission calls us to keep taking the next step.
Our diversity is a strength: The Uniting Church is diverse. We come from different cultures and backgrounds, we are of different ages, we embrace a range of political views and we live across urban, regional, rural and remote communities. Yet we are bound together in common humanity, faith and mission. In the SCAS we have found that voicing our different perspectives and sharing our deeply held convictions and passionate concerns has been both energising and unifying. COVID has provided an upside as well. Shifting many events on-line has meant more members from rural and regional communities can participate. More than half the participants in SCAS related events in the past two years have been from congregations beyond Sydney. WHAT IS NEXT FOR THE SYNOD CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGY? We will continue to call and work for a transition to a safer climate future. This of necessity involves the shift to renewable energy and away from reliance on fossil fuels. All communities, including those currently dependent on fossil fuels, must be supported in this transition. We will continue to work to reduce our own emissions. Our National Assembly has committed to our being a carbon neutral church by 2040. Our Synod Future Directions statement names climate action as a core commitment.
Creator God may stand together, and we use our voice, our hand, our heart, to respond to the environmental and climate crisis before us.
God strengthen us to continue to hold our world leaders, our government to account for climate justice, for the least amongst us, for the common good. In the Mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen.
JON O’BRIEN UNITING CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK REV. MATA HAVEA HILIAU MODERATOR ELECT
You created the world and you said that “it is good”. We lament however in what we have done since due to our greed and self-centredness. Climate Change confronts us, and we are at crisis point.
EnergyUnitingBRINGINGRENEWABLEENERGYTOCONGREGATIONS
DAVID MOSER
A new announcement appeared on the electronic noticeboard outside of Balgowlah Uniting Church on Sydney’s Northern Beaches – ‘These buildings are powered by 100 pecent GreenPower electricity – reducing carbon emissions into God’s world’.
During the pilot period
While Uniting Energy is and will be not-for-profit, a margin on power sales will be used both to pay internal costs, and to cover and encourage additional services to Congregations that will reduce emissions in line with Synod policies. Such services are likely to include free assistance for Congregations considering installing solar panels and energy saving measures, with cost-benefit modelling (based upon usage figures gathered by Uniting Energy) to help ensure that money is spent most effectively. There are also plans afoot to promote the use of 100 percent GreenPower with members of our Congregations.
If all goes well, the pilot will be followed by a much wider roll-out from October this year targeting most if not all of the 1000+ such properties in NSW and the ACT. If you would like to get involved – read on! Uniting Energy’s mission is to implement Synod policies regarding climate change action and earth stewardship as they relate to the Church’s own power consumption. In the short term, this means to rapidly cut carbon emissions from buildings managed by Church Councils.
Uniting Energy adds to this scheme by buying its power through a process of competitive tender in order to buy 100 percent GreenPower at a relatively low price. This value will mount as re-tendering occurs every 12-24 months, a regular search for value that few Church Councils have the time to do for themselves. The 2022 tender process resulted in Powershop being selected as energy retailer to Uniting Energy. The GreenPower scheme is not perfect and could be improved, undermined or even abandoned by future governments. Better, smarter, or cheaper government or commercial schemes could be introduced. Uniting Energy will be monitoring developments and will shift its supplier and scheme depending upon what is available, and as best fits the direction that the Synod wishes to take.
Balgowlah Uniting Church (actually a church, hall, and office) is one of nine Church properties that are participating in a pilot scheme managed out of the Sydney & Central Coast Presbytery, trading as Uniting Energy.
The pilot is an important first step in a Synod-wide initiative to swiftly and economically cut carbon emissions from properties managed by congregations.
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Uniting Energy is starting to gather information in relation to the rollout. We are keen to hear from either congregations that can see potential benefits in transferring their properties to Uniting Energy once the rollout commences, or individuals who might be interested in helping to make the rollout a success by promoting green energy in their regions, particularly those in metropolitan areas.
UNITINGMISSIONENERGY’SISTOIMPLEMENT SYNOD CLIMATEREGARDINGPOLICIESCHANGE ACTION AND STEWARDSHIPEARTH
In considering this, much time was devoted to the economics and practicality of solar panel installation, and to a lesser extent to energy saving measures. Both can be great forms of climate action – as well as cost reduction –but in the end 100 percent GreenPower was selected as the fastest way to make a real Underimpact.the pilot – and, if all goes well, the much wider rollout starting in October –Uniting Energy buys 100 percent GreenPower electricity from an Energy Retailer and resells it to participating congregations. GreenPower is a government scheme that ensures that for every 1 KWh (Kilowatt Hour) of electricity a customer uses, up to 1 KWh of renewable energy is generated (with 100 percent GreenPower, it is the full 1 KWh), with the extra few cents per KWh that the customer pays for GreenPower flowing to the renewable generator. As such it is an easy way for consumers to switch to renewable electricity.
AFTER CLIMATE CHANGE
JONATHAN
“In terms of direct action and pressure for the games industry, it’s difficult to say where to act because many of the key determinants of emissions are decided by huge corporate interests, with only very weak legislative requirements. If you are so inclined, you can write to the EU’s energy efficiency selfregulatory initiative (www.efficientgaming.info) and ask them what they are doing on these issues. This is the closest thing the industry has to an energy policy that might have an impact on enduser gaming emissions.”
told Insights that the idea for Digital Games After Climate Change was in the works for some time.
Over the course of the book’s writing, he spoke to developers, collected data about their energy consumption, about the number and method of games that get sold around the world, and the energy used to play games all around the world. There was also the “thorny issue” of how gaming hardware is made, and where these materials come from.
–endofferredundancyaacceptedvoluntaryfrommyUniversityattheof2020otherwiseIwouldprobablystillbetryingtowriteitinthetinyamountoftimeIhadaroundteachingresponsibilities.”AccordingtoDrAbraham,
“Thetogether.main thing is that we need a rapidly decarbonised energy system,” he said.
“Individual actions aren’t going to be enough to save us – we need collective solutions that leverage the power of a mass movement of people. There are so many gamers in the world that only one or two people changing their behaviour or purchasing habits is a drop in the ocean.”
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Dr Abraham said that there are a few things people can do, but these will require people to actively work
“They all come from somewhere, and the precious materials inside them have to be dug out of the ground somewhere,” Dr Abraham “Sosaid.the book project came from that, and I finally got the time to actually sit down and bring it all together after I
the biggest players have started to wake up to the challenge, and are responding in the same sorts of ways that other large organisation are. They are setting carbon neutral targets now, and increasing the work they are doing to get the industry to inch closer to carbon neutral.”
“The bulk to the immediately addressable solutions to gaming emissions come through using renewable power. Support renewable projects (especially publicly or community owned ones!) and let anyone who will listen know we need a fast transition to fossil fuel free
Dr Ben Abraham is perhaps the foremost Australian academic on videogames. In his latest book, he suggests that the industry has a problem with its carbon emissions. In his latest book, he explores the games industry’s legacy when it comes to climate change and whether it is doing enough. The book paints a stark picture of an industry that is energy intensive and whose contributions are under Drresearched.Abraham
“This started the journey to figuring out the most basic question of all, which turned out to be an incredibly complicated task, namely what is the actual impact of the games industry on the planet?” he said.
“I am a big fan of the group 'Australian Religious Response to Climate Change' who really get the urgency of this issue and the need to organise and be heard. I'd encourage anyone of faith who cares about the future of the earth to get in touch with them and start to follow their example – it can be incredibly encouraging to find other people willing to fight, and see just how many others there are already taking action.’
part of the problem is putting a figure on what the industry’s emissions are, even as a number of the biggest players declare the need to “Thedecarbonise.gameindustry is not faring great at cutting its emissions – but even more basic than that, I don't think the industry itself really has a clear sense of what its own emissions are,” he said.
FOYE WE COLLECTIVENEED MOVEMENTTHESOLUTIONSTHATLEVERAGEPOWEROFAMASS PEOPLEOF
Some of this will be enabled by (notgenerationbeataspowerwidersystemtransformation,renewablesincreasinglyoutfossilfuelforthecheapesttomentioncleanest)formofelectricity,butwecan'trelyonthis process to automatically do all the work for us. There is so much the industry can, and must, do now and there’s absolutely no time to lose.”
“At the end of my PhD project, around the end of 2015, I started thinking about what I wanted to work on next. I have been a gamer for almost as long as I can remember, and it has always been a part of who I am and what I do, the research I was always most interested in doing, so I knew it would be something in that area,” he said. “The other thing that I was really beginning to be convinced of was that if the climate crisis is as serious as the science says it is, then I had to do something about it.” With these factors in mind, Dr Abraham began to wonder what climate change meant for games, and what the industry could do about it.
“Even after all the years of work I put it, I haven't been able to completely put a single overarching figure on the total emissions of the industry! It's just such a huge, complex and sprawling “Encouragingly,industry.”
“The other big thing readers can do is support ‘right to repair’ legislation in Australia (and elsewhere) which can have a huge impact on the repairability and lifespan of digital devices like games consoles. Not only does this reduce the number of replacement devices we need to buy which brings down emissions, but it saves consumers money too. It's sort of a no-brainer, but there’s huge resistance to this sort of legislation precisely because it might hurt the bottom line of companies that sell these devices.”
“But we are probably a decade or more away from that point, and unfortunately we simply don’t have the time to spare. Things need to happen faster and faster if we are to prevent the nightmare scenarios the IPCC has been laying out for the past few decades.
“Ifpower.”youhave the ability to put solar panels on your roof, or on the roof of an organisation you are involved in, go for it.”
While controversial due to some breaches of trust and questions over access, this priceless collection enables elders to continue their living cultural practice in ways that might be impossible if it did not exist.Uniting Church Minister Rev. Dr Mel Macarthur organised our walk. Rev. Macarthur is now completing a PhD dissertation on Strehlow’s journey, seeing our partial repeat of it as a type of Australian pilgrimage that can help to bring together white and black histories to promote a message of reconciliation. Unfortunately, Rev. Macarthur fell ill just before our departure and was unable to do the walk.
PILGRIMAGEdignity. IS A JOURNEY OF REVERENCE WHERE WE CAN CULTIVATE A SENSE OF AWE AND WONDER FOR THE HOLY 26 insights
Mr Auricht has lived in Central Australia for fifty years and speaks Arrernte. He was our guide, sharing some remarkable stories along the walk about the spirit of place and cultural context, especially at the permanent waterholes that used to be home to large indigenous communities. Locals David Hewitt and David Moore also joined us for part of the way. Invitations were extended to the local indigenous community, but none took Wepart.started at Hermannsburg/ Ntaria and walked a total of 70km along the Larapinta/ Finke in the path of Strehlow.
Buffel is now throughout the more fertile soils of the Larapinta/Finke valley. It has outcompeted the fragile native grasses and killed trees by burning too hot. The Larapinta/Finke had a ten-metre flood in the big rains in February this year, so there was a lot of debris high in the trees, and enormous amounts of firewood, which gave us some crackling
From 24-31 July, a desert pilgrimage group walked along the oldest river on earth, the Finke in Central
Australia, known in the Arrernte language as Larapinta, or Salty River. We were there to mark the centenary of the death of Lutheran missionary Carl Strehlow and to celebrate his achievements in supporting and documenting the living culture and language of the Arrernte people. As well as his ground- breaking anthropology research, Strehlow directly protected Aboriginal people from threats of massacre, building up the Hermannsburg mission as a sanctuary of respect for Aboriginal
The walkers were Uniting membersChurchRev. Dr William Emilsen, Bill Tulip and Robbie Tulip, Lutheran Church member Martin Reusch, and Professor Hart Cohen of Western Sydney University, who is making a film about it. Two support vehicles were driven by cameraman Rob Nugent and long-time Central residentAustraliaGlenAuricht.
Unlike his rough journey of pain and sickness and fear of death, we were supported by four-wheel-drive vehicles carrying our bags and camera gear. For the first few days there was not a cloud in the sky, and at night the desert stars were stunning, providing great opportunity to tell stories of the constellations. The clouds came in on our fourth day. No animals were to be seen apart from birds in the sky and fish in the waterholes. At night we heard the neighing of horses and howling of dingoes. One point of sadness for threatened species is how the invasive buffel grass, the cane toad of arid regions, has killed off native animals by removing food and shelter.
The TjoritjaheadwatersLarapinta/Finkeareinthemountainrange (the West MacDonnells) in the Northern Territory. The river runs past Hermannsburg/ Ntaria, and ends in the dry sandy lands of the Wangkangurru people in the Simpson Desert (language map). The ancient geology and ecology of this spectacular region provide windows into deep time, in a watercourse that has flowed through the same valley for about half a billion years. So too, the indigenous names of the mountains and waterholes are very old in human terms, shaping sacred songlines that have provided meaning and memory in this place for many thousands of years. On top of these layers of complexity, recent history since white settlement in the late nineteenth century has brought this isolated country into connection with the modern world, creating much sadness for its indigenous Revpeople.Carl Strehlow was pastor at Hermannsburg Mission for 27 years between his arrival with his young wife Frieda in 1894 and his death on 20 October 1922, apart from one year taking his children back to Germany in 1910. The poignant drama of his final days was told by his son Ted in the renowned book Journey to Horseshoe Bend, describing the family’s desperate but unsuccessful effort to go by horse and buggy down the Larapinta/ Finke toward medical help in Adelaide. The journey ended in tragedy, at a time when faster travel in this remote region was almost impossible.
The legacy of Strehlow’s achievement is seen in the Strehlow Research Centre in the Museum of Central Australia, which houses sacred secret tjurunga objects given by Arrernte elders to Ted Strehlow for safeguarding.
campfires. The floods usually run out in the Simpson Desert, but we heard some of the water this year reached Lake Eyre. The pebbles in the riverbed are a rainbow array of different colours, reflecting the many geological sources that have contributed to the river over hundreds of millions of years, washed down from the mountains from before plant life emerged on land. We heard these large rocks symbolise a story of the key importance of sharing food in traditional culture. Our walk ended at Irbmangkara (Running Waters), just part of the distance of Strehlow’s journey. We then returned by bus to Alice Springs/ Mparntwe and the next day drove six hours to Strehlow’s riverside grave at Horseshoe Bend on the edge of the Simpson Desert, where we completed our pilgrimage at a commemoration service with the local community. The presence of God in guiding and blessing our pilgrimage in the heart of Australia emerged in conversations along the way and around the campfire, in the spirit of place of the beautiful ancient river gorges, and in the warm feelings of the local community toward remembering the work of Carl Strehlow. Our pilgrimage honoured achievementStrehlow’sasamartyr for indigenous reconciliation. He remained in Hermannsburg after he fell ill due to his passionate commitment to the people, staying true to his calling to mission. His legacy shows the important ongoing role of Christian faith in both supporting and challenging indigenous identity and culture, through a ministry of reconciliation, seeking a completely honest and open understanding of the difficult situations facing indigenous people Pilgrimagetoday.isa journey of reverence where we can cultivate a sense of awe and wonder for the holy. Finding the sacred requires a contemplative ability to listen and hear, to look and see, to enter dialogue and put thoughts into a coherent story. Ancient ideas of pilgrimage have lost meaning for many people due to the confusion that surrounds religion. A new meaning for pilgrimage can bring together all the different sources we encounter along the way, in the effort to understand and explain the spiritual meaning we find on the path. Pilgrimage can integrate the heritage of wisdom with new experience in a spirit of respect for sanctity in nature and culture. Our pilgrim journey to Horseshoe Bend considered four themes raised by Ted Strehlow’s book: awareness of Carl Strehlow’s pietistic calling from God with his strict Christian theology; the rich cultural depths of indigenous people with their difficult modern realities informed by the ancient dreaming songline heritage; the flawed but honourable outback settler culture; and the beautiful and rugged natural environment of the Larapinta/Finke River. In different ways, each of these themes invites us to explore how time connects to the eternal, how our world connects to God, and how Christianity can evolve to integrate and recognise local Thecultures.preamble to the Constitution of the Uniting Church in Australia states “The First Peoples had already encountered the Creator God before the arrival of the colonisers; the Spirit was already in the land revealing God to the people through law, custom and ceremony. The same love and grace that was finally and fully revealed in Jesus Christ sustained the First Peoples and gave them particular insights into God’s Walkingways.” the Larapinta/Finke River in a spirit of pilgrimage helped us to reflect on the indigenous encounter with the same divine presence we see in Christ, within their own distinct cultural traditions. In this context, the complex spiritual order of God at the ground of Christian faith can acquire a new and deeper light, bringing together contrasting approaches as we work toward an integrated Aunderstanding.transformative theme in our discussions was around the essential role and beauty of indigenous language. The philosopher Martin Heidegger said language is the house of being. In the context of the Larapinta/Finke river, the ancient indigenous language of the Arrernte people speaks to the identity of place and culture and their unique sense of being in ways that simply cannot be understood or translated in other languages. Our story of being, with the ethical values that emerge from that story, is embedded in our own language, and can be deepened and enhanced by respect for the wealth of difference in other cultural traditions, approached in a spirit of pilgrimage.
UNITING CHURCH FINDING THE SACRED REQUIRES A CONTEMPLATIVE ABILITY TO LISTEN AND HEAR, TO LOOK AND SEE
ROBBIE TULIP SECRETARY CANBERRA REGION PRESBYTERY OF THE
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Something like prosperity theology will not go into Ecclesiastes, because it does not affirm (this) theology. But there is also covert reuse (in other books), where the text does not tell us that it is being Hereused.”cited instances, “Where Matthew uses Mark.”
“Contextual bible study makes use of reused bible texts.
“A strange section of scripture,” he said the text had different voices in it. King David, the Gibeonites, and Rizpah. He said that he gave people in Bible studies one voice each to consider from these different groups.
“I was asked to leave my church because the church did not like me getting involved in ‘politics,’” he
He indicated that Matthew, “makes it clear that violence has been done to Jesus” by repeating four times that Jesus was “Oftenstripped.theuse and reuse of marginalised voices is subtle,” he said.
Professor West said that, during the struggle against apartheid, the church and theology were sites of struggle.
The Bible, he noted, had brought death as well as life, such as for First People.
For example, according to Professor West, the book of Ecclesiastes likely has an additional ending that was probably added so as to contest the book’s theology.
“My own view would be that the narrator of this text retains (all the disparate voices) and asks the reader to consider who it was (who led to God blessing the land with rain).”
DELIVERED THE 2022 MAY
“Can we hear voices that bring life rather than death?”
“Scripture itself has contending voices, already there,” he said.
State theology, church theology, and prophetic theology are three different strands of theology that the Kairos document said were contesting with one another. The latter was a theology that stood up for the rights of the downtrodden and the marginalised.
Hearing Scriptures'Diverse Voices
“We can then track how Matthew reuses Mark. Matthew takes Mark and reuses Mark in an interesting way.”
He cited the example of the rape of Tamar in 2 Samuel by her brother, and how the story is often used to focus on patriarchal concerns (such as who would next be king) rather than hearing Tamar’s own voice.
HOW TO APPROPRIATE THE DIFFERENT, DISPARATE VOICES WITHIN SCRIPTURE WAS THE SUBJECT MATTER WHEN PROFESSOR GERALD WEST MACLEOD LECTURE THEOLOGICAL
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“You will find state theology in the bible. You will find church theology in the bible, and you will find prophetic theology in the bible” Professor West said. He argued that the Bible itself was a site of struggle between these theologies, rather than a single, uniform document, where all contributors agreed.
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“This overt contestation gives us choices (as to how we can read Ecclesiastes).
differentemergeddocumentcontextualdocument,Herecalled.recalledthattheKairosatheologythatfromthetime,wasaseminaltextindescribingvoiceswithintheology.
Contextual bible study is a method that Professor West commended, that “does not gatekeep scripture.”
PROFESSOR WEST SAID THAT HE OFTEN HOLDS THE BIBLE TO HIS EAR DURING HIS FIRST CLASSES . “CAN YOU HEAR IT SPEAK? NO. IT REQUIRES A READER"
CONTEXTUAL BIBLE STUDY
Professor West is Professor at the School of Religion, Philosophy, and Classic & Ujamaa Centre for Community Development and Research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Some of Professor West’s work includes developing Bible studies for marginalised people, including people living with HIV. His wide ranging lecture often returned to the theme of hearing the marginal voices in scripture, the church, and society. The theme, he said, was to look at how the Bible is used and how it might be “re-used” in ways that give life rather than cause death.Professor West said that he often holds the Bible to his ear during his first “Canclasses.you hear it speak? No. It requires a reader,” he said. Professor West pointed to 2 Samuel 21:14 as a passage not included in the lectionary.
“Matthew (in the crucifixion story) emphasises the body of Christ.”
AT UNITED
He said that Matthew also used the hypothetical Q document and his own sources, as well as Mark.
JONATHAN FOYE
The address was streamed on Zoom. The recording can be viewed here: vimeo.com/737728631
“He speaks of two major trajectories running through scripture, but he also speaks of the faith of Israel living in between these two voices.”
The May MacLeod Lecture is an annual address. It especially aims to honour “Those who come not to be served but to serve” and is intended to be presented “In terms that ordinary people may hear “Igladly.”picked up immediately (the May Macleod lecture’s) emphasis on the ordinary person” (in the lecture’s theme) he Professorsaid. West said he resonated with May Macleod’s intent to help inform “ordinary readers of the Bible.”
“An endowment was made to the centre for ministry in 1986 after [May Macleod’s] passing,” he recalled.
The church, he said, needed different voices within it. “Leadership has got to be nurturing different voices,” he said. “Don’t chase away your prophets. Nurture them because they will remind you of the voice of God in scripture.”
AN ANNUAL TRADITION
Past speakers include Rev. Dr Tim Costello, Rev. Dr Val Webb, and Dr Meredith Lake, among others.
United Theological College Principal Rev. Dr Peter Walker said that the lecture served an important role in the life of the Uniting Church.
He said that this involved collaborating with marginalised groups in our own contexts to hear the voices of marginalised people in the texts.
Professor West cited the early work of Walter Brueggermann as helpful in understanding how his theory could apply to the life of the church.
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“It’s that gift that allows us to gather each year, to hear from a remarkable list of… scholars and community leaders.” “[May Macleod] was a much loved member of the Carlingford Uniting Church.”
DON’T CHASE AWAY YOUR PROPHETS. NURTURE THEM BECAUSE THEY WILL REMIND YOU OF THE VOICE OF GOD SCRIPTUREIN
gospel is distinctive in having Jesus make “I am” statements. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” and “I am the living bread” in John 6. He says, “I am the good shepherd” and “I am the gate for the sheep” in John 10. In John 15 we have, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.” The emphasis in the passage is on Jesus as the true or real vine. Only as people abide or remain in Jesus will they be fruitful. Those who do not bear fruit are removed and even those that do are pruned to bear more fruit. He says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” It is not that we cannot do anything, but if we are to bear fruit for God’s purposes then we need to be connected to Jesus, God’s Son. God will be glorified as we bear fruit and live as Jesus’ disciples. We do this by keeping Jesus’ commandments, namely to love one another as he loved us.
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FuturePresentPast.REV.DRCHRISWALKERGAVETHEFOLLOWINGSERMONONTHEOCCASIONOFTHE45THANNIVERSARYOFTHEUNITINGCHURCHATGOSFORDUNITINGCHURCHON19JUNE.
The theme today is “The Uniting Church: past, present and future.” I will relate this to our Bible reading John 15:1-8 which speaks about Jesus as the true or real John’svine.
insights 31 Today we commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Uniting Church in Australia. A great deal of change has happened over the years since 22 June, 1977 when the Uniting Church was inaugurated. The Uniting Church was formed as a result of the ecumenical movement which was strong in the middle part of the 20th century. The ecumenical movement emphasised what John wrote in John 17 where Jesus speaks of “being one” that the world may believe. From 1901, the Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational churches in Australia had sporadic discussions about a possible united church.Possible union really got going in 1957 when the three churches appointed people to a Joint Commission on Church Union. This body produced three key documents each of which has had a major impact on the theology and ethos of the Uniting Church in Australia as it came to be. The first was The Faith of the Church (1959), then The Church: Its Nature, Function and Ordering (1963) leading to The Basis of Union (1971). It was not a matter of simply cobbling together a united church based on compromise, but rather trying to discern what was the true and full life and faith of the church. The desire was for an Australian church serving God’s mission of reconciliation and renewal. The Basis of Union in its inclusive language version of 1992, which also included headings, continues to inform the faith and ordering of the Uniting Church. Rev. Davis McCaughey played a key role in drafting the Basis of Union. It is a significant document that former President Rev. Dr Andrew Dutney in particular has focused on in his writing and Implementingspeaking.thevision for a new church was more difficult than anticipated. A significant percentage of Presbyterian churches did not come into the union and even some Congregational churches stayed out. The Methodists voted on block and all joined. While there was excitement about the new Uniting Church not “of” but “in” Australia, there was also some apprehension. The polity of the new church was closer to Presbyterianism and many Methodists felt the loss of their tradition. Congregationalists emphasized the local nature of the church.Amajor issue was that there were many church buildings yet agreeing to sell and merge was not easy. This took a great deal of time and effort detracting from the mission of the church. Getting used to the new terms and arrangements also took time. Culturally the mainstream churches were entering a time of decline, first of the Sunday schools then youth groups. Meanwhile the Pentecostal churches were rapidly growing, often attracting active former members of the Uniting Church.
Past THE DESIRE WAS FOR AN SERVINGAUSTRALIANCHURCHGOD’SMISSION RECONCILIATIONOFANDRENEWAL CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
The National Church Life Survey over a number of surveys provided a picture of the churches with recommendations for becoming stronger, but congregations found it hard to implement the ideas. Similarly church experts from overseas gave various advice about church growth, healthy churches and missional churches but carrying the ideas into effective practice was another matter. I was personally involved in this, especially with the visits of Kennon Callahan from the United Methodist Church in the USA, whose speaking and writing about effective churches and leadership was very helpful. But decline continued for the most Yetpart.it is important to say that some Uniting churches did grow and many were faithful in what they did in serving their people and community. They sought to be missional but found it difficult to draw others into the life of the congregation. Many Uniting Church people are involved in voluntary organisations, as well as the church, serving the common good. We have not been so good at sharing faith and evangelism.
The structure of the Uniting Church is distinctive. Decisions and oversight are via councils rather than individuals. A consensus model of discernment and decision making is now used. This is not simply a matter of involving people in the decisions but seeks to discern the will of God by being sensitive to the Spirit of God who may speak through minority voices. Let me suggest that each congregation to a large degree shares these qualities while having its own unique qualities given its people and location.
The Uniting Church is deliberately called the Uniting Church ‘in Australia’, not ‘of Australia’, to indicate that it is located in Australia but its primary allegiance is to God revealed in Jesus Christ by the Spirit. It is seeks to be a church for Australians serving God’s mission. It is a church which affirms the gifts and talents of all people. This includes the full equality of women in ministry and leadership. The last two Presidents have been women and the next one will be a woman also. It is known as a church that is concerned about social justice and advocates for those who are disadvantaged. It is in a strong position to do so with its extensive network of congregations and caring agencies across Australia. The Uniting Church is the largest non-government provider of welfare in Australia. It also has contacts overseas with a number of partner churches in the Pacific, Asia and Africa.
Present
IT INVOLVES A WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS CONTEMPORARY ISSUES EVEN WHEN THEY CONTROVERSIALARE
The Uniting Church has developed a covenant partnership with indigenous people in the church who since 1985 are organised as the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress. A new preamble to the Constitution of the Uniting Church that was affirmed at the 2009 Assembly recognises the experience of the first peoples.
As the Uniting Church has developed a number of qualities emerged. Let me outline the main distinctive qualities of the Uniting Church at present.
The Uniting Church has identified itself as a multicultural church since 1985 and inclusion is a primary value. It has many ethnic and language groups within it and is learning how to ensure that all voices are heard and not only the formerly dominant British heritage ones. Many people in the Uniting Church come from other church backgrounds. On any Sunday some 26 different languages are used in worship. It readily accepts people whoever they are. The national President-elect and Moderator-elect in NSW are both Tongan women. This also means commitment to dialogue with other Christian denominations and other faith traditions. I belong to a multifaith network concerned about climate change for example. This does not result in a “believe in anything” approach for it does have a particular tradition going back to the beginning of the church. The Uniting Church identifies itself as part of the Catholic, Reformed and Methodist traditions. This means continuity with the church universal, a recognition of the need to engage in continual reform, and a desire to share the good news of Jesus Christ and serve in practical ways. This also involves a willingness to discuss contemporary issues even when they are controversial. It does so with an emphasis on the freedom of members to form their own views on these issues rather than tell them what to think.
REV. DR CHRIS WALKER
My encouragement to you is to focus on abiding in Jesus, bearing fruit and living self-consciously as Jesus’ disciples. Be open to the leading of the Spirit for God is a God of newness and is not bound by the past or present. Do not be anxious about the survival of the Christian faith or the closure of church buildings. Be confident in your faith and be ready to share it with others. Peter tells us, “Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3: 15-16). Jesus is still the living Lord. The church buildings we do have should be places of worship but also be used to reach out to the community. Similarly, we can be engaged not only in church activities but in those that touch those beyond the regular attenders. We can consciously seek to connect with people in the wider community in service in the name of Jesus. As I said we are called to be Jesus’ disciples and bear the fruit that comes from loving like Jesus. Let me finish with this example. There were two churches on the Gold Coast that had acceptable buildings with small congregations. They could have continued as they were for some time but the prospects for significant ministry were limited. The decision was made to sell the properties which were in valuable areas and buy a larger piece of land at Robina which was going to be a major centre just back from the coast. An excellent property was bought and a larger regional church was Anotherbuilt.change of leadership brought Rev. Stu Cameron who carried the vision much further. He was there for almost 15 years as Lead Minister and the name of the church changed to New Life to signify what it was about. It became the largest congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia. He is now the superintendent of Wesley Mission Sydney. He was ably served by a very capable administrator Melissa Lipsett who is now the CEO of Baptist World Aid Australia. Before he concluded his ministry at Robina, they had begun to plant two new congregations: one in Brisbane at Wesley Mission Brisbane and another at Coolangatta Uniting Church. A team of people were involved in each case under a lead pastor and they have been able to grow two new younger vibrant congregations.This was all carefully negotiated and has worked really Thatwell. is a particularly notable story. It did not happen overnight. But growth not decline can happen, even in the Uniting Church. A negative mindset does not help. Rather we need to be looking to God and seeking God’s guidance for the future. Our faith needs to be joined by hope and love in order that we faithfully remain in Jesus and bear the fruit that God wants us to bear. There may be times of pruning along the way, but God wants us to persevere and promises to be with us and enable us to live as Jesus’ disciples and part of his ongoing church at mission in the world. Amen.
insights 33 Future
seem that the following is likely to take place. The Uniting Church will continue to have an important role in Australian society through its many caring agencies. This includes advocacy for social justice and inclusion. These need to be seen to be connected to the Uniting Church and not just be another caring Congregationsagency. will probably continue to merge or collaborate and this needs to be done strategically so that we will go on having a presence across Australia. Some congregations are necessarily lay led. Providing resource Ministers will be important. Other congregations need to see themselves as regional churches consciously serving the area not just their own people. This might be through close cooperation rather than merger. This is taking place in Parramatta for example where I am. The Uniting Church will become increasingly multicultural with leaders emerging who are not the traditional white male. This is already Ourhappening.reading from John’s gospel emphasised the need to abide or remain in Jesus. We need to be connected to him and draw inspiration from him and his Spirit at work in us. We are to bear fruit, the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives, and the fruit of making a positive difference to the lives of others. Often, we do not see the result of our efforts but if we remain true to Jesus, we can be confident that there will be fruit. Loving like Jesus is not wasted. Jesus himself had to go to the cross hoping that God would use his death. At first the disciples thought the crucifixion was the end of Jesus and his mission. The resurrection proved otherwise. The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost set in motion the movement which was the early church which came to change the known world.
GOD IS A GOD
ANDNEWNESSOFIS THEBOUNDNOTBYPASTORPRESENT
The future of the Uniting Church Is hard to predict. The danger with looking at trends and statistics and projecting from them is that they do not take into account the unexpected, the surprising and what God might do. Sociological analysis is all very well but the church is not just a sociological organisation but a theological one. It is based on God and God’s desire to work through the church to carry out God’s will. We need to acknowledge that God works through other churches and even outside the church, but it is those who consciously know God through Jesus Christ who are called to point to him and continue his Nevertheless,mission.itdoes
I’m fortunate that in my role this passion is channelled into part of PULSE’s approach to resourcing and supporting ministry with young people. Our rite of passage approach offers gathering opportunities for young people in upper primary to attend our annual KID’S CAMP OUT overnight experience, while offering high schoolers who are taking their first steps into youth leadership a safe place to stretch into this ministry. In the upcoming September holidays our first ever camp for high schoolers in grades 7-11 Uniting Youth Camp (UYC) will run at Vision Valley with a bunch of young adult (and older) leaders as we together look at issues of developing our
Change livesChurch Camps THESE KIND OF CHANGEDEXPERIENCESCAMPINGANDSAVED MY LIFE
I remember attending my first youth camp as a young Christian, and the overwhelming feeling of security and community it gave me.
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PULSE
There were lots of other people my age who liked the same music I did and had similar hassles with their parents (and church) that I did, and also who expressed a whole range of joys and challenges about being someone who followed Jesus as a teenager. The knowledge that I was a part of the bigger family of God that extended beyond my family or the congregation I attended was enveloping. It gave me so much life and distinctly helped shape my understanding of ministry with young people. These kind of camping experiences changed (and saved) my life. This love of gathering and learning saw me attend two NCYCs as a young person (Toowoomba ’91 and Canberra ’93), a plethora of Presbytery camps, a couple of State Youth Congress meetings in Queensland, and as I got older it led me to getting involved in helping run a number of youth camps at a Presbytery and State level. I knew the benefits of coming together with other young Christians and building relationships with them – and the leaders who loved us to bits – and I wanted to be a part of creating some of those ‘mountain top’ experiences for other young people that so radically developed and formed me.
The late nights talking with others and learning from them. Gaining a fresh and new understanding of who Jesus was. Engaging in activities with these new friends that stretched and challenged me. Being confronted with new theological takes that I hadn’t come across before and discussing the implications in small groups. Even having to navigate loving someone who held a different position on Jesus to you. Identifying significant moments where God called me on to greater things…all these things take place at youth camps, and they transform lives. If you spent any time close to the church in your youth, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
• Feeling a part of a something bigger.
• Singing songs louder than ever.
• Talking about everything and nothing all at once.
SEND SOMEONE TO CAMP!
If you’d like to make a donation to PULSE’s SEND A KID TO CAMP program, use the details below to deposit your gift: BSB: 634 634 Account: 100 046 230
Got some Year 12s in your life? Encourage them to sign up for HSC Study camp at: pulse.uca.org.au/hsc
These camps represent a fabulous opportunity for those that fondly remember their youth camping experiences or those who know the difference it makes to stand on the mountain top and see a new glimpse of the Kingdom and how that charges you up to make a difference for Jesus in your PULSEworld. have recently established the Send a Kid to Camp fund which allows donations to come from individuals or congregations to directly support young people to attend these camps. This is a critical partnership opportunity for everyone to participate in ministry with young people—your donation can make a difference in one young person’s life (or many!) by subsidising or even covering their registration fees so they can attend, lifting their eyes and helping them see they are a part of the bigger family of God.
PULSE are committed to working with leaders of young people to develop these events to challenge, grow, and develop them and their faith.
If you know high schoolers who would benefit from attending UYC, get them to register today at: pulse.uca.org.au/uyc
• Sharing your struggles with people who understand you.
PASTOR STEVE MOLKENTIN YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY LEAD & SENIOR PULSE FIELD OFFICER
insights 35 identity in Christ. Off the back of that we’ll run our first HSC Study Camp at The Collaroy Centre for Year 12s to help them prepare for their HSC/International Baccalaureate exams, again supporting them holistically through community, tutorial groups, practice exams, conversations, and plenty of great coffee. Our Young Adults are welcomed into our annual Retreat Yourself gathering in early February where they can further develop community and engage in the reality of growing as disciples of Jesus Christ:
MAKE A DONATION
• Being together.
We’d love to have them participate and you know they’ll have a great time.
PROF. ANNE PATTEL-GRAY
Prof. Pattel-Grey is deeply committed to the advancement of Aboriginal people and to reconciliation between Aboriginal and nonAboriginal Australians. She has over thirty years in senior management experience and has pioneered a number of first throughout her Prof.career.Pattel-Grey previously told Crosslight:
REV. DR GARRY DEVERELL REV. MARK KICKETT NAOMI WOLFE
FIRST PEOPLES' THEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER WESLEY CONFERENCE CENTRE
Rev. Dr Mark Kickett is the National Interim Chair of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC). A Noongar man from south west WA, Rev. Mark Kickett was ordained a minister in the Baptist Church in the 1990s. His ministry has taken him from Brisbane to Perth, Broken Hill and Kalparrin near Murray Bridge in South Australia. Rev. Kickett has long had a passion for empowering young Aboriginal people to grow their faith and leadership. From 2016, he served as the State Development Officer for UAICC in SA, and in April 2020 was appointed UAICC National Interim Chair.
“One of the urgent reasons for this conference is to listen to our first nations, heeding voices both ancient and immediate. It will help our community offer justice, and find healing; We will pay attention to the stories of our oldest voices, as we have been invited by the Uluru Statement from the Heart.”
Professor Anne Pattel-Grey, Rev. Mark Kickett, Rev. Dr Garry Deverell and Naomi Wolfe are the keynote speakers.
Rev. Dr Deverell is the author of two theological books, The Bonds of Freedom (Wipf & Stock, 2008) and Gondwana Theology (Morning Star, 2018). He has contributed prolifically to publications, radio programs, documentaries, and podcasts on the interface between Indigenous and colonial religious cultures.
Rev. Dr Garry Deverell is a trawloolway man from northern lutruwita/Tasmania who currently lives in Naarm/Melbourne, where he is a founding Lecturer and Research Fellow in the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Divinity.
“One of the challenges both for our church, and our community is how we pay attention, how we listen,” Rev. Hansford said. “Our faith is founded on a God who speaks, who calls to each of us – in love, and creativity and hope. Once we hear God’s voice, we are called to heed the voices of others; those who are pushed to the edges, relegated to injustice or poverty, whose voices have been silenced or diminished.”
Prof. Anne Pattel-Grey is the Head of World Vision Australia First Nations Programs. She holds a PhD from Sydney University.
Walking Together
The conference is a joint initiative of the Uniting Church Synod of NSW and the ACT, United Theological College, Uniting Mission and Education, and Newtown Mission. > Registration and Information: WalkingTogether.uca.org.au
“My own people say to me, how can you remain in the church after everything it has done to you and I say, ‘I don’t go to church to worship people, I go to worship to be with my creator’, and that is what makes the difference. It’s about my faith and my relationship with God and that love of God has never wavered.”
The theme Walking Together: How can the Church embrace First Peoples’ Theology in a post-colonial Australia comes at an important time as Prime Minister Antony Albanese has outlined plans to enshrine a First Nations Voice into the constitution. The First Peoples’ Theological Conference takes place on Saturday 22 October at the Wesley Conference Centre.
JONATHAN FOYE
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Naomi Wolfe is a trawloolway woman, and Lecturer of Indigenous Studies NAIITS, an Indigenous learning community. Naomi encourages a collaborative learning between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff and students at the University to break down barriers destroy stereotypes and to cultivate new relationships based on respect. She has a professional and personal interest in Indigenous cross cultural Moderatortraining.ofthe Uniting Church Synod of NSW and ACT, Rev. Simon Hansford said that the conference is another step for the Uniting Church in demonstrating how it is walking together with First Nations people.
“We will seek forgiveness, because that lies at the heart of every relationship of hope. We are here as the Church because our faith in Jesus, God’s spoken Word, calls us here.”
“In this conference we will take another step on this vital journey of finding our shared way together.”
A recent approach to navigating this space that I have found helpful in some of my ministry development coaching is to; deliberately name this critical discontentment, to bring it into dialogue with the vision, giving priority to the discerned vision, to navigate the next steps well. The next steps cannot be overwhelmed by the original discontent nor paralysed by it. To commit to such next steps and engaging in this reflective action process can assist in the “becoming” nature of discerned vision growing into practice.
Building consensus around vision requires vision casting and narrative sharing of how this vision is born from prayerful discernment (with Scripture in dialogue with reason, tradition, and experience) and how this can and shape our common life. The UME “our story” videos are an example of this.
I am aware that for some, including myself at times, letting unhealthy discontentment be the vision can be not only counterproductive but can cause damage and harm to the flourishing of God’s people and work. Now the Synod’s vision, like a Presbytery’s vision and a Congregation’s vision needs to be grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because it is Christ who we are disciples of participating in God’s Ministry and Mission.
With peace and goodwill in Christ, REV. BEN GILMOUR
What can we do with
insights 37 BELIEF MATTERS
In Exodus 3, God gives Moses a vision “Go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Moses expresses discontentment “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” God deepens the commitment to Moses with practical next steps and commitments, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” (NIV) There are countless biblical examples of this vision casting of God, naming our discontentment, and discerning the next steps which led to transformation as a gift of God. Many of us may do this intuitively, but next time you are in a tricky spot with discontentment, bring discerned vision back in dialogue and creatively discern the next steps, as individuals, communities, councils, and committees. This is something we all can do with discontentment.
that critique and discontentment are not always about our own biases, asking the question, who does this vision benefit is always essential as part of the discernment and vision casting venture. The critique of colonisation, and the maintenance of domination systems at the expense of minorities, the poor and disenfranchised are Gospel discontentments as well. So naming discontentment is always important.
Discontentment?
OUR SYNOD’S FUTURE DIRECTIONS VISION IS: TO BECOME A CONTEMPORARY, COURAGEOUS, GROWING CHURCH PROCLAIMING JESUS CHRIST IN WORSHIP, AND WITNESS IN SERVICE.
THE SYNOD’S VISION NEEDS TO BE GROUNDED IN THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
This vision, with its focus on becoming and not just being, calls us into action. But like any vision, all the plans and resourcing priorities are meaningless unless we believe that this vision is credible and is part of God’s call. The UCA inter-conciliar council discernment process would affirm that this is part of God’s discernment in my current Synod role, but also for all of us in Ministry, having an open and generous posture to engage this vision as our own is essential.
One challenge that can emerge is that the individualist, as well as cultural and tribal critique, can “other the vision” (“just doesn’t feel like me/us”) too quickly if we are not careful. This is because anything different, that doesn’t align with our own biases, can feel wrong and will often cause a sense of discontent. This impulse is strong in all of us and is reflected in the view, “if only we could go back to what was, then it will be alright, we don’t need to Thechange”.callfor transformation guided by discerned vision is much more challenging and quite frankly, hard work. It is engaging in discovery and possibilities, with skin in the game, making mistakes along the way, that can change us all as part of the ongoing story of God. But what do we do with the Itdiscontentment?needstobesaid
WESLEY MISSION LEADS THE WAY WITH THERAPEUTIC CARE
residents to create and send things to people who are unwell with COVID-19,” explains Lesley. “And what we are hearing from people in the COVID-19 area is that they feel very well thought of, they still feel connected to the people who are not in isolation and it lifts their spirits.”
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It’s not uncommon for an ‘inflated love balloon’ to float down the corridors of Wesley Vickery Sylvania up to a resident’s room who’s in isolation due to COVID-19. The balloon is always sent with a handwritten card from another resident to let that person know they’re missed.
The ‘inflated love balloon’ is just one of many therapeutic activities, Lesley Fox, Wesley Residential Aged Care Lifestyle and Wellness Lead and her team have introduced to support the emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing of residents across Wesley Mission’s three residential aged care centres in Carlingford, Narrabeen and “WeSylvania.getthe
For many residents, they’re now experiencing their fourth or fifth lockdown. Or as Lesley calls it, “a positive safe lockdown”. While normally those words aren’t strung together, from the moment the pandemic began, Lesley’s continually tried to instil “faith over fear” amongst the residents by finding ways to keep joy, connection and community
Elainetogether.”McNaughton, Head of Wesley Home & Residential Care adds, “When you come into residential care, you leave your home and you can never replace that. But here you create a different home with a strong community around you. And that’s what’s really been key during COVID-19, having a community within your own Whenhome.”the pandemic began in 2020, during the first two weeks, Lesley organised
Lifting spirits withgiant cuddly bears
“Rightalive. from the beginning, we decided to take a mindfulness and wellness approach to try and minimise daily anxiety,” Lesley explains. “We’re always looking for ways to build people up in their faith, connect with each other, connect with the outside community and strengthen this community to get through COVID-19
insights 39 400 prayer flags, filled with prayer requests from residents and staff across Wesley Vickery Sylvania to hang in the building’s foyer. And every day since then, Lesley’s worked with her team to create personalised experiences and activities that focus on their residents’ wellbeing.
Wesley Mission staff have helped residents create their own window gardens, provided them with exercise equipment, facilitated Zoom calls between family members and even sent giant cuddly bears to their rooms.
Visit: org.au/seniorswesleymission.
“Giving people something to look forward to each day is important, especially during COVID-19. Because it helps alleviate that fear factor,” Lesley explains. “I think keeping the anxiety minimised has really helped our residents journey through this time. Because from what they've told us, they've felt incredibly safe and Elainecovered.”adds,“Sometimes we can't control what's happening. We can only control our response to it. That's when you focus on your preparedness and response plan with communication key at every Cateringstep.”
Contact our friendly team today to discover more about Wesley Mission’s care ataccommodationandoptions
Wesley Vickery Sylvania, Wesley Rayward Carlingford and Wesley Taylor Narrabeen.
for individuals needs as always been part of the daily routines at Wesley Mission’s residential aged care centres. So, when the pandemic began, Lesley and her team discovered how easy it was to create personalised COVID-19 care plans for every resident.
“We've got people with dementia who we know respond beautifully to puppetry… so the bear gets sent up. And the photos that we get back are with people giving them the most beautiful hugs,” explains WesleyLesley.
“We've always worked really hard at knowing our residents, knowing their heart, their mind, their soul and knowing what makes them tick. When we came into COVID-19, we were able to cater to the individual needs very well,” shares ToLesley.help remove the negativity associated with isolation, the team refer to a resident’s time in isolation as ‘room centred’. And when a resident is ‘room centred’, they receive a beautifully wrapped gift box filled with activities suited to their interests.
WAYS TO BUILD PEOPLE UP IN THEIR FAITH, COMMUNITYWITHCONNECTEACHOTHER,CONNECTWITHTHEOUTSIDE
Mission staff have also facilitated many window therapy sessions between family members and share daily updates with families whose relatives are ‘room “Wecentred’.change up the scenery so when people are ‘room centred’, they can still engage with loved ones by playing games, singing and even playing noughts and crosses through a window. We’ve even had Superman drop by for window therapy.”
WE’REFORLOOKINGALWAYS
“The staff are working really hard at maintaining happiness, joy, reducing anxiety and really looking after the emotional wellbeing of a person while they're in isolation,” Lesley says.
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11 SEPTEMBER Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
While Psalm 139 portrays a God whose presence is inextricable from the ongoing work of creation, this passage in Jeremiah depicts God’s absence through the “desolation” of the land. The tone of this passage is a mixture of judgement and grief. Jeremiah prophesies a destruction he feels is deserved by the Israelites’ unfaithful ways; however, he too is one of them. He, too, will see his land laid waste and be exiled along with the rest of his people. This reminds me of contemporary prophets of our time such as Greta Thunberg, a young adult who will live through the desolation of our planet if we fail to listen to voices like hers.
The Psalmist begins by addressing God’s people; the different ways of naming God in turn become ways of naming God’s people and their relationship to God. The central theme of this Psalm is finding comfort and safety in God’s presence, in the face of hardship. God is portrayed as a protective figure, warding off violence and illness like a parent. In verse 5, the Psalmist promises, “You will not fear.” The tone here is hopeful and future-oriented, but it mirrors the most repeated command throughout the Bible: “Be not afraid.” Time and time again, the people of God encounter an Almighty who is powerful but uses that power to shelter Their people, who might inspire fear but who reassures them again and again that there is no need to be Namingafraid.returns as a theme from verse 14; God’s people are the people who know God’s name, who call on that name and find that their deep connection to God is reciprocated. Naming each other truthfully and communicating openly are important to any life-giving relationship, and God promises to be present with Their people even when “in trouble”.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 42 LECTIONARY REFLECTIONS You will not fear September
In verse 13, the Psalmist affirms what we hear in the first Genesis creation myth: that every human being is created in the image of God. Many interpretations focus on the “wonderful” part of this verse, but I encourage you to ponder how we are also “fearfully” made. There is an element of surrender in the giving of God’s image to a human being; and yet, knowing our capacity for destruction and for love, God chooses to take that chance, again and again, in both fear and wonder.
Unexpectedly, the rich man praises this dishonesty with his wealth, perhaps because the rich man’s debtors might also now look more favourably upon him.
18 SEPTEMBER Luke 16:1-13 Jesus presents us, yet again, not with a neatly packaged doctrine but a many-layered story about how God can be found in the messiness of human interaction. We are introduced to a rich man and his manager, responsible for his master’s property and wealth. The “rich man” is an archetype often challenged by Jesus’ teachings, in which wealth is frequently seen as an obstacle to overcome in the path towards discipleship, and this parable takes a similar stance. This rich man confronts his manager with claims of mishandling and, faced with the end of his employment, the manager decides to further mishandle his master’s wealth. Motivated by selfpreservation, the manager is moved to generosity to secure his own future, rather than serving the whims of wealth.
4 SEPTEMBER Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 This Psalm depicts a Creator God who is intimately involved in the ongoing process of Creation: not a distant being in the sky, but an inescapable presence. There is little separation between God and the Psalmist’s body. God is present in their sitting and their standing, their every word both spoken and unspoken, their growth into personhood – and God knows the writer “completely”. Like a parent watches their child learn more and more about themselves, God is attentive to each stage of our becoming.
In interpreting the parable, Jesus portrays faithfulness and dishonesty as a dichotomy: dishonesty in the handling of wealth can reveal a different kind of faithfulness, one that prioritises relationships over power structures. Instead of shoring up his master’s financial position, the manager demonstrates faithfulness to the debtors.
God’s presence in this passage takes a very different form, approaching the people of Israel as a “hot wind”. Metaphorically breathing down their necks, God’s judgement of Their people does not hold back, verging on destructive. The prophet condemns the people’s capacity for “evil,” conveyed through a series of images of a land made barren.
25 SEPTEMBER Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
Hetty Lalleman, in the paper Jeremiah, Judgement and Creation, suggests that verses 23-26 are a “return to the chaos situation which existed before creation”.
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Zion is personified in the book of Lamentations as a grieving, wounded woman. Likely written while the people of Israel lived in exile in Babylon, this passage portrays a city who openly mourns for her people “like a widow”. Daughter Zion is brought so low as to “become a vassal”, a humiliating reversal of Feministpower.
16 OCTOBER Luke 18:1-8
Zacchaeus is instead humbled by Jesus’ presence. He commits to active repentance and reparations for the harm his corruption has caused and is inspired to generosity. Jesus recognises Zacchaeus’ shared humanity and heritage, naming him a “son of Abraham”, and re-affirming that the true purpose of Jesus’ ministry is “to seek out and to save the lost”.
23 OCTOBER Psalm 65 In this Psalm, God brings order amid chaos in a pattern that echoes the first Genesis creation narrative. When the people of God are overwhelmed by our own faults, God grants respite through forgiveness. When waves roar and people tumult, God silences the storm. In its place, God brings forth abundance, watering the soil as a gardener does until richness overflows, “for so you have prepared it.”
9 OCTOBER Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 This passage also wrestles with the Babylonian exile, though with a very different tone. Rather than being weighed down by lament, God – through the prophet Jeremiah – encourages Their people to make the best of a dire situation. Instead of living in limbo, waiting with bated breath to reclaim their homeland, Jeremiah asks the people of Israel to settle down and makes homes for Jeremiahthemselves.offers images of growth in the context of exile, encouraging God’s people to put down roots both figuratively and literally. This means accepting that they are in Babylon to stay and that the exile will last for generations. Taking it even further, the Israelites are tasked with caring for the place they find themselves in, through both action and prayer.
2 OCTOBER Lamentations 1:1-6
Each time we fail to care for our planet, God forgives our transgressions and new life emerges from charred ground. But our chances of achieving the abundant vision of verses 9-13 are fast disappearing; God has laid the groundwork of creation, and we must bring order to climate chaos in God’s image.
While many of us remember Zacchaeus for his short stature in Sunday school colouring-ins, his reputation in this passage is of wealth and corruption.
The author tries to theologically make sense of the exile as a punishment from God. Like so many women, daughter Zion searches for a narrative in which to contain her suffering and finds it all too easy to blame herself.
If even an unjust judge will grant justice based on persistence alone, how swiftly will God, often portrayed as a judge, grant justice to those who cry out? And yet, despite God’s justice, Jesus observes a lack of faith among the people of God. In the widow’s footsteps, may we engage in prayer as a persistent practice of resistance and approach injustice with posture of hope.
30 OCTOBER Luke 19:1-10
42 insights LECTIONARY REFLECTIONS ischallengeThetoremainpresent October
Onlookers are perplexed that this revered teacher would seemingly endorse the actions of a tax collector, and in so doing they misunderstand the purpose of Jesus’ ministry. We have witnessed in other gospel stories the way that powerful figures in the communities Jesus travelled through often sought to provide him hospitality to solidify their status.
MAY WE ENGAGE IN PRAYER AS A PRACTICEPERSISTENTOFRESISTANCE
The parable opens on a judge without respect for God or people, both important tenets of a life of discipleship, and God’s character is conveyed by contrast to this unjust judge. The active player in this story is a widow who has been accused of an unknown wrongdoing. She does not ask politely that the judge consider her plight but demands justice – again and again. The scales the judge uses to weigh this issue are not those of justice, and yet justice is granted – because the widow does not relent, a persistence characteristic of many justice movements.
theologian Gina Hens-Piazza examines the way that images of a desolate Jerusalem and an abused woman become interchangeable here. This fusing of images offers not only a “glance at the ruinous remains of Jerusalem” through the lens of a violated woman, but “the grim portrait of the punished city encourages the stereotype of woman as violated victim who invites the abuse that comes her way”.
Jesus knows that being a “rich man” is often an obstacle to encountering the kingdom and immediately invites himself to partake of Zacchaeus’ hospitality.
6 NOVEMBER Luke 20:27-38
The author of Isaiah speaks to a postexile Israel here, one that has faced God’s judgement and been offered God’s hope. This passage is a promise that all things will be made new; Israel’s mistakes will be forgotten and replaced with delight. Creation is depicted here as an ongoing process that God actively participates in, and the purpose at its heart is joy. The people of Israel will be “offspring blessed by the Lord,” a blessing to be passed down between generations.
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Importantly, this idyllic vision promises that the Israelites “shall not labour in vain” only to have their houses and agriculture stolen from them, as they were during the Babylonian exile. Images of joy and fertility recur throughout this passage, culminating in a command not to “hurt or destroy.” God’s promises hinge on the people of Israel’s willingness to honour their covenant with God instead of turning to their previous destructive ways.
PROCESSANISCREATIONDEPICTEDONGOINGANDTHEPURPOSEATITSHEARTISJOY
The Sadducees deliberately bring a trick question to Jesus, believing they can trap him with this narrative into disproving the resurrection. The story they tell describes the practice of Levirate marriage, where a childless woman marries her deceased husband’s brother so that the men of that line may have offspring. The Sadducees’ question, too, dehumanises the woman in the story and is concerned with her ownership rather than her agency.
13 NOVEMBER Isaiah 65:17-25
Jesus’ response takes an unexpected turn; rather than discerning whose property the woman is, he affirms the notion of resurrection while removing marriage from the equation. He describes people who do not marry as “like angels”, referring to a common myth shared by the Synoptic gospels. Feminist theologian Barbara E. Reid explains, “In some versions of this myth, the two genders assigned to fleshly humans, male and female, also fall away for those who live within the spiritual realm… In this immortal angelic state, there is neither need nor desire for Jesusprocreation.”concludes his argument with a statement that not only is God the God of the living, but because of resurrection God considers even the dead to be alive.
The Christ Hymn, as verses 15–20 are commonly called, is the focal point of the letter to the Colossians. This passage affirms the importance of Christ, over worldly powers such as the Roman Empire and instead of local patron deity Zeus. When describing how “all things” where created in Christ, the author explicitly names “thrones or dominions or rulers or powers” among them. While the writer’s agenda may not have been intentionally anti-imperial, these verses are “at remarkable odds with Roman imperial ideology, even as it mimics facets of that same imperial ideology” in the language it uses for Christ, according to theologian Arthur M. Wright Jr.This hymn also bears striking parallels to the opening of John’s Gospel, in the way it describes Jesus as a spiritual force present long before the incarnation in human form. Jesus in this passage is “the image of the invisible God” and intimately involved in the creation of “things visible and invisible”, affirming Jesus’ mystic divinity. His humanness, however, is also vitally important.
27 NOVEMBER Isaiah 2:1-5 We bring November to a close with a dream of peace. Isaiah offers Israel God’s vision of the role it can play in unifying the nations with God’s teachings. As the Israelites sure up arms and alliances to defend themselves from growing military powers like Assyria and Babylon, Isaiah reminds them that to “walk in the light of the Lord” is to pursue Insteadpeace. of winning wars in God’s name, Isaiah describes a world where “all the nations shall stream” to Israel to learn the wisdom of the God of Jacob. This vision disarms religion as a force for division and destruction, instead framing it as an offering to Israel’s neighbours and the wider world. God takes on the role of judge for all nations in this vision, arbitrating peaceably where difference causes conflict. Weapons of war become tools for gardening, exchanging the ways of violence for growth and unity.
Gabi Cadenhead is a Mission Worker for Christian Students Uniting at the University of Sydney.
LECTIONARY REFLECTIONS The thingsthatpromiseallwillbemadenew November
20 NOVEMBER Colossians 1:11-20
ENVIRONMENTTHEANDTHECHANGINGCLIMATEAREFIRMLYONEVERYONE’SMINDS
A FILM THAT PONDERS WHAT AUSTRALIA MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN 2030
The short is constructed from fictional news reports and press conferences — but real-life highprofile journalists, politicians, business leaders, and citizens such as Kerry O’Brien, Sandra Sully, Gorgi Coghlan, Patrick Abboud, Larissa Behrendt, and David Pocock all feature throughout the film.
The short film premiered around the country earlier this year and now you can book a screening of this film for your community group if you wish.
RegeneratingAustralia
44 insights insights ENTERTAIN ME
The film highlights a number of solutions that would allow us to achieve a cleaner, fairer future for all which you can find out in much more detail on the website.
Regenerators Movement: https://theregenerators.co Facebook: www.facebook.com/startregenerating
With documentary short Regenerating Australia, Gameau ponders how the nation could look in 2030, but only if we start transitioning to a fairer, cleaner, more community-focused economy now — and putting in place changes inspired by the country’s residents. The short 17-minute film is produced in partnership with WWF-Australia, and is presented as a news bulletin on New Year’s Eve 2029, looking back at everything that’s been achieved over the decade prior. And if you’re wondering where Gameau came up with the answers,
2040 explored how the country might change — and how it might adapt to tackle climate change — in the space of just 21 years, and found welcoming audiences at festivals locally and overseas, and in cinemas in general. Now, Gameau is back with a similar project. Given the unprecedented weather conditions of the past year in Queensland and New South Wales with major flooding, his latest film also arrives at a time when the environment and the changing climate are firmly on everyone’s minds. This time around, however, he’s going shorter — in the doco’s length, and in terms of how far ahead he’s looking to the future.
Last time that Australian actor-turned-director Damon Gameau brought a new project to the country’s big screens, drought was blighting the country, the nation had just sweltered through its hottest summer on record, and severe storms were popping up with frequency in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. That was back in 2019, and eco-conscious documentary 2040 couldn’t have felt timelier as a result when we interviewed Gameau about the documentary, he said then that “It’s the most important issue of our time and no-one is covering it. No one is covering the urgency”.
ADRIAN DRAYTON
HOST A SCREENING To host a screening for your business or community group, or just connect with Regenerating Australia, go to their website and Facebook page for more information.
Website: https://theregenerators.co/regenerating-australia
Regenerating Australia is based on a four-month interview process with a diverse range of Australians, who all offered their thoughts, hopes and dreams on what they’d love to see happen.
St George Hospital, founded in 1894, was steadily growing and by necessity needed to acquire properties around it so it could expand. Two properties, acquired in 1986, were the former Methodist Church building in Kensington Street together with the former Congregational Church in Gray “GodStreet.had gone before us,” Mr Foxe “Theyrecalled.needed to sell, we had the money.”
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www.kogarahstorehouse.org.au
Storehouse celebrates 30 years THE KOGARAH STOREHOUSE – THEN THE KOGARAH STOREHOUSE – NOW
At the time that congregation members were looking for a space, the derelict 100 year old factory on the corner of Gray and Kensington street became Kogarahavailable.Uniting Church’s Russell Foxe said that this coincided with the congregation having the funds to purchase the property, having sold two former church buildings.
The storehouse was an old, disused factory that was transformed into a big space for local community services.
According to Mr Foxe, the “Whatservicethanksgivingaimstomark,Godhasdone.”Theservicewillfeatureaslideshow,capturingmemoriesfromoverthepast30years.Rev.KenDay,theministeratthetimethattheStorehouselaunched,willpreachattheservice.TheThanksgivingServiceforKogarahStorehousetakesplaceatKogarahUnitingChurch10amonSunday,11September.Therewillalsobeacelebratorydinneron15September. information on the Storehouse’s services, courses, programs, and community groups go to the website
Kogarah
The old building, now with a new mission, reminded someone of the biblical passage Malachi 3:10: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
JONATHAN FOYE For
On Sunday, 11 September, Kogarah Uniting Church will hold a thanksgiving service to mark 30 years of the Kogarah Storehouse being a force for good in the local community.
The Storehouse has grown over three decades and now offers a wide range of services, including no-interest loans, domestic violence support, and Christmas Hampers. A wide variety of community groups meet regularly in the Accordingspace. to the most recent Annual Report, the Storehouse provided 8640 Food Parcels in 2021.
The Storehouse’s No Interest Loan Scheme also launched in 2021. The service provides Centrelink clients loans of up to $1500 to pay for medical expenses, emergency home repairs, and fixing broken down appliances.
RALLIES AND GATHERINGS Hunter Presbytery: Tuesday 6 September at Hamilton UC Paramatta-Nepean: Saturday 22 October at Grantham Heights. If you would like to share your fellowship news or have any questions, please contact Judy Hicks: judyh_rnh@hotmail.com
46 insights Fellowship News
We have been saddened recently by the death of Rev. Alistair Christie former National UCAF Chairperson and member of the NSW/ACT UCAF Committee for the last 10 years. He was a wonderful inspiration to us all and a big contributor to our “Encouragement Tours” through parts of NSW. He toured Fellowship groups across Australia as National Chairperson inspiring and encouraging as he went. He was a great supporter and volunteer with the Stamp Committee and always had updates for our meetings. His wisdom and knowledge has inspired us all and we have valued his friendship and commitment. We extend our sympathy to his family and know he will be missed by us all. Special memories of our times with him were shared at our August UCAF Synod meeting.
CAROLE BURNARD FINISHES UP Carole Burnard, a NSW and ACT Synod Committee member for over 20 years, has reluctantly called time on her time with us. She has served as Chairperson and Contact Person for the Illawarra Presbytery UCAF Committee. A former Deacon, she, with husband John, has been a wonderful supporter of UCAF hosting and organising Fellowship Days. Honouring her dedication and contribution to the Committee Carole was made a Life Member in 2019 and so continues to be welcome to join us when able.
PROJECT FUNDRAISES FOR FLYING PADRE
PRESBYTERYMACQUARIE-DARLINGEVENTCANCELLED Macquarie-Darling Presbytery Spectacular weekend planned for October has unfortunately been cancelled due to another Presbytery event.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER STATE UNIT
CONGREGATIONS’ GRANTS MONEY
VALE, REV. ALISTAIR CHRISTIE
The first face to face meeting of the new National UCAF Committee was held in Melbourne on 26 to 28 July . Eldrene March and Laraine Jones represented NSW. It was a productive time and further information will follow.
NEW COMMITTEE MEETS
Judith Barton from St Stephen’s Sydney ( Representative of Sydney Presbytery) has recently joined us as the Uniting Church delegate to the World Day of Prayer State Unit. We would love more Uniting Church representation to this group also PPSEWA (Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women’s Association.) Contact secretary Laraine Jones for details.
The Stamp Committee has raised $23,400 to date this year. One kilo bundles of $1 and $1.10 trimmed stamps sold for $300 each. Please continue to save your stamps and maybe visit local businesses and invite them to save stamps for you. Grants to Congregations are the beneficiaries.
NEWS FROM UNITING CHURCH ADULT FELLOWSHIP (UCAF)
The 2022 UCAF Synod Committee project featuring the Flying Padre David Shrimpton continues to gain support, although with fewer Rallies and Gatherings funds are slow to come in. The Committee hopes David can prepare a short YouTube video on his work that can be shared to Congregations. He is willing to visit and talk to groups and Congregations. The NSW/ACT UCAF Committee has continued to meet by Zoom but hopes to have a face to face get together for the December meeting and AGM.
STAMP COMMITTEE RAISES
UNITING MISSION AND EDUCATION UNITEDCOLLEGETHEOLOGICAL PULSE 8 Sep–6 Oct MSM UNIT 3 OF 5 Building a Good Foundation Five Thursday evening sessions via Zoom 10 Sep and 17 Sep Living Our Values Two Saturday morning sessions via Zoom 21 Sep–12 Oct Mentoring for DevelopmentMinistry Four Wednesday morning sessions via Zoom 22-23 Sep Life & TrainingWitnessDays Mission Planning and Property 17–19 Oct Phase 3 of Ministry and Ministry of Pastor Retreat Two night retreat at St Joseph’s Kincumber South NCLS Webinar : How to make the most of your National Church Life Survey Results Thurs 13 Oct – 7pm Tues 25 Oct – 7pm Tues 8 Nov – 2pm 7–9 Nov INTENSIVE COURSE Christian Chaplaincy in Context (MIN403) with Rev. Dirk Van Doorene 14–18 Nov INTENSIVEReconciliationCOURSE (THL328) with Rev. Chris Budden 27–30 Sep Pulse Uniting Youth Camp “WHO R U?” 4–7 Oct Pulse HSC Study Camp 29 Oct Pulse Emerging Gen ResourcingMinistryDay SYNOD EVENTS 22 Oct FIRST PEOPLES CONFERENCE WALKING TOGETHER: How can the Church embrace First Peoples’ Theology in a post-colonial Australia? Events & Coursesutc.edu.au and ume.nswact.uca.org.auFor more information go to: SEP- NOV 2022
