Insights Winter 2023

Winter

Synod

Growth Fund

insights YES

Connect with your community to promote growth

DO YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY SPACE TO HIRE?

Vennu is an Australian-owned easy-to-use online marketplace to list your space for hire. With Vennu, potential hirers can search, view and request to book, simply and in one place.

• No upfront costs

• No term contracts

• Reduce time spent on calls and admin

• Increase bookings, revenue and connection

• You can accept or reject booking requests

• Money paid directly to your nominated bank account

• You control your availability calendar

• You decide which types of events can be held

• Liability insurance included* *(conditions apply)

Host Success Story

bookings

BERRY UNITING CHURCH

Since listing on Vennu: 117 bookings

$11,400 in new revenue

It’s easy to get started: Call: 1800 549 811

Email: uniting@vennu.net

Web: vennu.com.au

Enhance your community connection

“We have received regular

from.. the wider community for five-year-old birthday parties, baby showers and other family gatherings.”

Elaine Alinta, Administration Assistant, St Andrews Glenbrook Uniting Church

Glenbrook (St Andrews) Uniting Church Hall - Digital 1 Photography

REV. JANE FRY GENERAL SECRETARY

WELCOME FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY

Building Momentum for Growth

Synod 2019 committed the church through its councils to growth. This was to me a surprising decision given my long experience of resistance to the very idea of church growth, invariably and dismissively referred to as ‘bums on seats.’

Helpfully, the Synod resolution provided more definition and specified growth in discipleship, relationship, number and impact. Listening to the ‘growth’ discussion and participating in the Synod’s attempts to orientate its operations to supporting and enabling that decision has been instructive.

The ‘it’s not about bums on seats’ reaction appears to have muted somewhat and momentum now seems to be building in relation to growth in discipleship and relationship. Hopefully, this is an early sign of a long overdue mindset shift that will continue to build momentum for change.

Undoubtedly, the church (the whole church, not just the UCA) is living through an extended period of contraction and its influence and impact is not as extensive as it once might have been. I wonder to what extent that contraction has contributed to the lack of emphasis on discipleship formation and the importance of lively disciple-forming, disciplenurturing communities?

I often hear reference to a congregation being in ‘survival mode’. This often seems to mean a congregation enslaved to keeping the doors open and the roof waterproof; who then have little energy available for generative ministry. The demands of this ‘maintenance ministry’ are enormous and the faithfulness with which people undertake the work is simply an extraordinary expression of personal discipleship. That the doors are open and the roof is waterproof is necessary for a range of reasons but it is nevertheless a secondary purpose. I particularly appreciate the United Methodist Church’s mission statement that says that the purpose of the church is to make disciples for the transformation of the world.

A big question for congregations and faith communities to ask themselves in these times is, how are we a disciple-forming, disciplenurturing community and how can we engage generously and hospitably with the world outside the church?

The answer might means placing more emphasis on relationship and less on doors and roofs. Easier said than done because what is required is actually a mindset shift, the shift from a maintenance mindset to a discipleship / growth mindset and, of course, old habits die hard and change is challenging.

I’ve just read a rather bracing chapter on generativity in a book called Strangers to the City by Michael Casey. Reflecting on the sterility and lack of generativity in monastic communities, Father Casey says, …It is important to insist that pastoral care is more than keeping people calm and apparently happy – drugged to the eyebrows with superficial solace and sympathy. Sometimes genuine concern involves upsetting their peaceful co-existence; urging them to break out of the cast iron frameworks in which their lives are lived, to take risks, to cast their nets in deeper waters…

As the church contemplates the challenge and imperative of growth, particularly in discipleship and relationship, (number might be a consequence of growth in both of those things), are we brave enough to turn our attention away from maintenance, which means away from familiarity and certainty, to explore and experiment with engaging with the world in new ways?

I imagine that the ‘new thing’ might be different in different places and I also imagine that it could be energising and hopeful in surprising ways. Could such a shift contribute to building momentum for growth?

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.

WHAT IS REQUIRED IS ACTUALLY A MINDSET SHIFT

in Australia is one of the country’s largest denominations.

Our vision is that it will be a fellowship of reconciliation, living God’s love, following Jesus Christ and acting for the common good to build a just and compassionate community of faith.

MODERATOR’S REFLECTION

Recalling our Hope and Passion

Ahandful of us in the Synod Office have been meeting each week for prayer and bible study for over five years now, on zoom and face to face. This time together shapes our week and reminds each of us of our first calling; most of us find the time together in prayer and reflection to be indispensable.

As I write this, we have just celebrated the wonder of Pentecost, and the reading for Trinity Sunday is the closing words from Matthew’s Gospel: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [Mt. 28.1620]

It is no surprise to anyone in this generation of society and church that compliance and regulation can dominate the agenda of those in roles chosen with other expectations. Ask teachers, or medical professionals, or ministers, about how their diaries (even their vocations) have been incrementally changed to comply with the demands of administration.

In our church and community, we need to ensure that people are safe, especially those at most risk; we need to take appropriate responsibility for our resources - human, financial and property. No one questions that.

However, we can become forgetful.

The insistent demands of compliance can easily drown out the vital voice of our first call, if we are not careful. We can fall for the illusion of planning carefully, of “managing our risks”, when risk and sacrifice are inherent to our vocation.

In reading the Gospel yesterday, I was reminded that the tension is supposed to exist. Sacrifice and mercy, reconciliation and adherence to an alternate life are inevitable consequences of our discipleship to Christ. We baptise, and remember. We break bread and share wine, and remember. We hold the Word before our gathered communities, and remember.

Our communities of faith have innumerable contacts within our wider communities. We offer meals, and groceries; we have community gardens, we visit hospitals and hospices and people’s homes. We offer breakfast in school and church and the local café; we sit in courthouses and injecting centres and prisons of the body and mind, because sometimes company is all people require. We serve and bless people at the beginning of life, throughout life’s journey and as life draws to its completion.

When we are asked why we are caring and serving and offering hospitality, what shall we say? Some carefully scripted, even formulaic, lines written with no attention to context? Some bland murmurings about “being on the roster”? Awkward silence?

Or might we speak about the sense of hope we find when we consider how loved we are by Jesus Christ? We could talk about how our faith community has made a place for us which gives us purpose.

We might even talk about our Uniting Church which asserts the passionate love of God for each and every person, in a world where many people are told they have no place, or no name worth enunciating.

Perhaps we could invite those new friends into our faith community, or to the pub, or café, and listen to their story. In those mutual conversations we might discover together our shared doubt and hope, and discern what the Spirit might sing into our lives. Could you invite them to share in worship, or a small group, or to your home for a meal?

From the commencement of Jesus’ ministry to the gospel’s completion, Jesus is inviting people to walk with him; might we not offer a similar invitation? To follow Christ is to live a life of hope – in this world – for mercy, for justice and for life itself. Is this not worth inviting others to share?

Remember your first love, which placed you here. Recall the hope, the passion and the blessing. Is that not a story worth offering to others with the care and generosity it was offered to you?

This is Rev. Simon Hansford’s final column as Moderator. Insights thanks him for his words, guidance, and wisdom throughout the years. Rev. Mata Havea Hiliau will be installed as Moderator in September. Her first column will be in our next issue.

REV. SIMON HANSFORD MODERATOR

THE MODERATOR IS ELECTED TO GIVE PROPHETIC AND PASTORAL LEADERSHIP TO THE SYNOD, ASSISTING AND ENCOURAGING EXPRESSION AND FULFILMENT OF FAITH, AND THE WITNESS OF THE CHURCH.

facebook.com/unitingchurchnswact instagram.com/insightsmag twitter.com/Insightsmag

COMMENTS

your sayONLINE

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.

Iftar meal at

Kippax Uniting Church

“This is a historic moment for Canberra,” declared Mohammed Ali, founder of Helping ACT and leader in the Muslim community in Canberra. Historic because to his knowledge this was the first time an Iftar was held in a church.

Kippax in collaboration with Helping ACT (a community service organisation helping Muslim Canberrans) and the Ginninderry developers hosted Iftar for over 160 people on 15 April. It was the second of two Iftars, the other being held in Ginninderry two weeks ago.

IT WAS A JOYOUS

AND RESPECT ACROSS THE FAITHS

The Iftar, or the breaking of the fast, is one of the most significant points in the day during Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. Observing Muslims will abstain from all food and water — yes, even water — from the crack of dawn all the way until sunset, every day of this month. Iftar is the main meal of the fasting day, which occurs at sunset every day of Ramadan.

It was a joyous occasion and a wonderful example of shared hospitality and respect across the faiths. Our Presbytery was well represented by Co-Chair Janet and Presbytery Minister Liz as well as people from a number of congregations in Canberra. Also present were a leader of the Hindu community and the Deputy High Commissioner for Pakistan and ACT Deputy Chief Minister, Yvette Berry.

Of course such an event can only happen with the support of many volunteers, more so because we held our regular Marketplace the same day. Our wonderful congregation managed to run Marketplace, flip the building from Marketplace to dining room for 160 people and a prayer space, serve and clean up the meal, then present for worship.

REV. KARYL DAVISON & REV. AIMEE KENT

OCCASION AND A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF SHARED HOSPITALITY

New book explores how to ethically interpret scripture

Even the Devil Quotes Scripture is a new book about how to interpret the Bible ethically and faithfully in the modern world. Its author, Pilgrim Theological College’s Robyn Whitaker, told Insights that the book explores the link between how we interpret scripture and the impact on human life.

“Even the Devil Quotes Scripture is a book about how to interpret the Bible ethically and faithfully in the modern world,” Dr Whitaker said.

“The ethical part is because how we interpret Scripture has an impact on real human lives, with the potential to either harm or to heal.”

“The faithful part is about being faithful to the Christian tradition, but particularly to the Bible itself. I ask the question – how does the Bible itself model for us ways of reading and interpreting the biblical text? What clues about (good) interpretation can we learn from the Bible?”

“I called this book Even the Devil Quotes Scripture because we live in a world where all sorts of people quote the Bible (including Vladimir Putin!), but it doesn’t automatically make them or their cause good or in keeping with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

According to Dr Whitaker, the book proposes two questions “that can be asked of any biblical text or the interpretation of that text”: “How does this passage help me love God more? And, how does this passage help me love others more?”

Dr Whitaker said she drew on the Augustine’s work to argue that if interpretation does not lead to more love, it needs to be reconsidered.

“These are questions any Christian can ask,” Dr Whitaker said.

“They don’t replace the need for scholarly insights or attention to historical context or translation issues, but I wanted to write a book for people who haven’t had the opportunity to do a theology degree but who take the Bible seriously and want to honour this gift from God.”

One common approach in Christian circles is that love sometimes involves being bluntly honest with people, or is often mistaken in current contexts. Insights asked Dr Whitaker how she dealt with this particular approach to ‘love’.

“Love is complicated and its particular expression changes over time and will look different in certain contexts and cultures,” she said.

“A lot can be said about this topic! But ultimately, I argue that love is measured by the receiver. Someone might think their actions or words are motivated by love (a kind of tough love approach), but if they do violence and cause harm to another person it is not love.”

“God’s love might correct, but it does not harm. A classic example of this is something like gay conversion practices. I’m sure many Christians who sought to change the sexuality of others did so out of a loving concern for them, but we now know the impact of those practices was profoundly harmful, leaving survivors with significant trauma. That is not in keeping with the love of Jesus.”

JONATHAN FOYE

Even the Devil Quotes Scripture is available for purchase now. An audio book version coming soon.

NEWTOWN MISSION

9.30 AM12.30PM

WALKING TOGETHER 2023 A VOICE TO PARLIAMENT

The Synod of NSW and the ACT, in collaboration with Newtown Mission, is hosting a Forum about the proposed Voice to Parliament, the Synod's second annual Walking Together conference.

KEYNOTE: Thomas Mayo Q&A PANELLISTS: Rev. Bill Crews, Nathan Tyson and Thomas Mayo

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! GO TO:

tinyurl.com/RegisterWalkingTogether2023

$25 In Person | $10 Online Acces

The Synod of NSW & ACT have a number of exciting open roles across the Synod Office, Uniting Financial Services and in our congregations and entities.

If you want to explore a career change and work where you can also celebrate your faith, scan this QR code to take a look at the Careers section of the Synod website. You can also reach out to the People & Culture team: people@nswact.uca.org.au

Visit our website: www.nswact.uca.org.au/about-us/careers

Scan me!

THOMAS MAYO National Indigenous Officer of the Maritime Union of Australia

REV. BILL CREWS Radio Broadcaster and Founder The Rev. Bill Crews Foundation

NATHAN TYSON Director, First Peoples Strategy and Engagement, Synod of NSW & ACT

Sharinglovethewith mothers

On Sunday 14 May, Leura Uniting Church marked Mother’s Day by giving out Chrysanthemums to women passing by in Leura Mall. Rev. Myung Hwa Park is Minister at Leura Uniting Church.

“Leura Uniting Church had a tradition of giving Chrysanthemums to church members,” Rev. Park said.

“Last year, one church member suggested that we extend this lovely tradition to the people in our community.”

“So we prepared extra Chrysanthemums and took them out into Leura Mall.”

"Leura is a popular touristic destination, so there are so many people from almost everywhere, including tourists from overseas.”

“Many women loved receiving flowers and were happy to be photographed. We gave a little note with our Facebook QR Code so they can see themselves on our Facebook."

“It is a joyous occasion when we witness “happiness shared is doubled, and sadness shared is halved.””

JONATHAN FOYE

IT IS A JOYOUS OCCASION WHEN WE WITNESS "HAPPINESS SHARED IS DOUBLED"

New campaign highlights the human cost of our global plastic waste crisis

Launched by Tearfund, ‘The Rubbish Campaign’ is a new effort calling on Australian Christians to address ‘the urgent waste crisis’ that the non-profit says is making poverty worse for vulnerable communities around the world.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Water, and Environment, Australia now produces 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. While the global conversation around waste and plastic pollution has accelerated, so has the impact of plastic pollution, and the human cost to this issue has largely been ignored and unreported.

According to Tearfund, mismanaged waste is responsible for up to a million deaths each year.

In the slum communities of Mumbai where Tearfund’s partner Saahasee works, rubbish is a problem.

Poonam Nair is from Tearfund’s partner Saahasee in India.

“People literally don’t have a place to put their garbage…it’s become normal practice to put plastic waste in the drains. The ramification is that most of the time these drains are blocked,” she said.

Because people are moving from rural areas towards the city in search of work, the population is increasing every month, so plastic pollution is also increasing. The waste that collects all over the community is impacting health.” During 2023 and 2024, nearly 200 governments are meeting to develop the firstever international agreement on plastic pollution.

Australia committed to address plastic pollution by joining the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution. Tearfund’s petition calls on the Australian Government to do all it can to influence global negotiations and ensure that this plastics treaty helps end the world’s rubbish problem.

Tearfund CEO Matthew Maury said Australian households could re-frame this issue from an environmental emergency to a social emergency that is costing human lives.

“God has blessed us with a beautiful world to look after and treasure. But right now, our world has a rubbish problem – and it’s severely affecting the health and wellbeing of people living in poverty,” he said.

“A concerted global effort is needed to address this problem and deal with the scourge of plastic pollution and its impacts on poverty. The plastics treaty is a unique opportunity to do this.”

JONATHAN FOYE

You can sign up to Tearfund Australia’s petition at: tearfund.org.au/rubbish/sign

AUSTRALIAN HOUSEHOLDS COULD REFRAME THIS ISSUE FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY TO A SOCIAL EMERGENCY

Prosper to depict Australian megachurch with shameful secrets

Australian Christian Lobby announces new CEO

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has replaced longstanding CEO Martyn Iles with Michelle Pearse, the group announced on Monday 3 April.

Ms Peace is currently in London and will start in the role in July.

“I am excited to be stepping into the leadership of the Australian Christian Lobby,” she said.

“Christian influence in politics has been a long-held passion of mine.”

Jim Wallace is the ACL’s Chair. He welcomed the appointment.

A new streaming series will depict an Australian megachurch led by a powerful family that is protecting secrets.

Richard Roxburgh and Rebecca Gibney have been cast on the drama series Prosper, which will stream on Stan. Roxburgh and Gibney will lead the cast show, which currently being promoted as a family drama and a “provocative peek behind the curtain of power and privilege.”

The series is currently being produced in New South Wales, and the first episode will be called ‘Man of God.’

Mr Roxburgh will play Cal Quinn, the founder and global pastor of fictional Sydney megachurch U Star. Ms Gibney will play Abi Quinn, Cal’s wife and the church’s worship leader. The series’ megachurch will be depicted as a fast growing Australian denomination expanding overseas.

“Prosper is a powerful family drama that is cleverly written, and arrives with impeccable timing,” Mr Roxburgh said.

“Cal Quinn is an irresistible character. He’s a luminous and powerful figure, yet plagued with doubt and secrets. And the excellent writing team have surrounded him with equally complex characters. I can’t wait to jump into this with the cast and bring it all to life.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the cast of Prosper and can’t wait to start working with the incredibly talented team behind this very special and timely drama series,” Ms Gibney said. “The producers have assembled an astonishing cast and crew, the scripts are fabulous and Abi Quinn is unlike anyone I have played before.”

Prosper will stream on Stan.

JONATHAN FOYE

“After what I am sure is godly intervention, I am thrilled to announce the appointment of Michelle Pearse as the new CEO of ACL,” he said.

“Michelle comes with an impressive track record in strategically working in and lobbying into parliaments, and most recently, together with her husband and three children, they have built an influential church in the heart of London for the past five years - showing their great commitment to the Gospel,” Mr Wallace said.

The ACL is a lobby group. It does not claim peak status. According to the organisation’s website, “We want to see Christian principles and ethics accepted and influencing the way we are governed, do business and relate as a society. We want Australia to become a more just and compassionate nation.”

In October 2022, the ACL was listed as a hate group by The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) is an international think tank created by members of the civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center.

JONATHAN FOYE

PHOTO: STAN

PROSPER IS A POWERFUL FAMILY DRAMA THAT IS CLEVERLY WRITTEN

Making an impact on our community

Nioka Lowe-Brennan is the first person to take up a new traineeship for young Indigenous people to work with the Synod of NSW and the ACT.

Over the course of a year, she will work with the Synod and receive mentoring and training. She told Insights about the opportunity and what she hopes to gain from it.

I’m Nioka, a proud Dhungutti, Gomeroi, and Biripi artist.

When I saw this traineeship advertised, I was excited by the opportunity to explore a new medium, as a painter, sculptor and occasional ceramic artist, graphic design is something completely new to me. When I met the team during the interview I was pleasantly surprised by their warmth and excitement to have me on board, they’re such a supportive team.

I’m grateful to have this opportunity and have learnt so much just within the first month of being here.

The first task I received from the team was to design this year’s shirt for the Synod meeting. I aimed to create something that would represent the five transformation goals.

Each ring starting from the inner circle represents: Reimagining ministry in and with rural and regional areas, reaching

and empowering people in the first third of their lives, walking together with First Nation Peoples, acting and advocating for climate justice, and renewal of discipleship across the Synod to stimulate growth in and through congregations.

I chose symbols and images that correlate with the message for each goal and hope it encourages coming together for positive change to make impact within our community.

Out of all the amazing things this traineeship has to offer I’m most looking forward to representing my people in a space I didn’t think we were being recognised.

The church doesn’t have a good reputation with my people and at first, I felt hesitant to be a part of it, but I believe the Uniting Church lives up to their name and I’m proud to work here.

NIOKA LOWE-BRENNAN

NIOKA'S DESIGN FOR THE SYNOD MEETING SHIRT BASED ON FUTURE DIRECTIONS GOALS

NEWS FROM UNITING CHURCH ADULT FELLOWSHIP (UCAF)

Fellowship news

As this edition goes out two Presbytery Gatherings will have taken place, Hunter Presbytery at Morisset Uniting Church, and Illawarra Presbytery at Gerringong Uniting Church. We will have a full report in our next edition.

UCAD SYNOD COMMITTEE MEETING

Our last UCAF Synod Committee meeting was a face to face gathering at Wyoming Uniting Church. We held our belated AGM with all positions remaining the same till our next face to face meeting in October. As well as a committee meeting, we remained to hold a special “Think Tank” seeking to update our mandate and procedures. We will have a second session following our October meeting. Chairperson Rev Noreen Towers also presented two members of the Committee their 80-year Appreciation Certificates, Laraine Jones and Nancy Axe.

MARGARET PEDLER VISITING NSW

Our UCAF National Committee Chairperson, Margaret Pedler from Victoria will be visiting NSW from May 30 to 2 June. She will visit Newcastle briefly before attending the Illawarra Presbytery Gathering at Gerringong to bring greetings. She will then stay in Sydney and visit the St Stephens Macquarie Street “Early Bird Café” which serves a hot breakfast Monday to Saturday. Before her return to Melbourne Margaret will attend the Friday Weekly music recital at St Stephens. We thank Eldrene and Judith who will host Margaret during her stay.

UCAF NATIONAL COMMITTEE

The UCAF National Committee have advised dates for their National Gathering in Adelaide at Nunyara Conference Centre from Monday 22 January to Thursday 25 January. It is always a great time of fellowship celebrating with people from all over Australia and is well worth attending. More details to follow. The National Committee Consultation will follow from 26 to 27 January.

The NSW and ACT UCAF Synod Committee will continue to hold their meetings this year by Zoom (except for October). This enables our Contact people from around our states the opportunity to join us.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER UPDATE

Our committee member Judith Barton representing Sydney Presbytery and World Day of Prayer Committee reported that $70,000 had been received so far in offerings from the day and will support the work by the Bible Society in Taiwan. Next year has been prepared by the women of Palestine.

THANKS TO GAIL KALAITZIS

We sadly accepted the resignation of Committee member Gail Kalaitzis from Parramatta-Nepean Presbytery and thank her for her service.

STAMP COMMITTEE

The stamp Committee report that income so far this year is down but stamp auctions will resume in July 2023. Please continue to save your stamps.

CONNEXION

Our newsletter Connexion has been sent to contact people. This is produced four times a year. Please ask your Church reps or secretaries for a copy.

APPRECIATION CERTIFICATES

Appreciation Certificates are still available for 80, 90, and 100 year old members of your Congregations. Contact Laraine Jones laraine.jones@bigpond.com

TRIBUTE TO BILLY GRAHAM

Macquarie Darling Presbytery will hold a Zoom event-“Tribute to Billy Graham “ Sunday 29 October. Details will go out to those on our email lists.

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

Growing the Church

The Synod Growth Fund is the way that local congregations can access the Future

Directions resourcing framework. Through the fund, the Synod has supported a number of congregations. This issue, Insights is exploring the fund, how it works, and some of the projects it is growing in number, impact, and discipleship.

P16

The Synod Growth Investment Fund: A Catalyst for Change

P18

Adamstown Uniting Church prepares for the future

P19

Quakers Hill Uniting Church supports youth and young adults

P20

Ballina Uniting Church helps people explore faith for the first time

Illustrated by Nioka Lowe-Brennan, Synod Junior Graphic Design Trainee

FEATURE: GROWING THE CHURCH

REV. DR CAMERON ECCLESTON

and young adults movement (Georges River Presbytery), University chaplaincy and young adult ministry (Port Macquarie), Intercultural and nextGen ministry (Auburn Parish and Tonga Parish), Establishing fresh expressions of church in a new residential area (Kippax), Growing the Rainbow Christian Alliance and ministry to families (Tuggeranong), and investing in digital ministry (Adamstown).

WORSHIP, WITNESS, AND SERVICE

While the Growth Investment Fund won’t magically change the difficult missional context we as a church currently face, for those congregations genuinely seeking to wrestle with the question of what it means to be church in 21st century Australia, it can be a catalyst for significant change.

talk to their Presbytery Growth Fund Representative.

REV. DR CAMERON ECCLESTON MISSION FACILITATION CONSULTANT

Synod Growth Fund Helps Adamstown

Adamstown Uniting Church have made use of the Synod’s Growth Fund in order to buy new equipment for

Growth Fund Grant was already helping the congregation.

“The equipment purchases that have been enabled by the Growth Fund Grant, are already making strong contributions to the life of Adamstown Uniting Church,” Ms Barnes said.

“Two specific pieces, a studio camera and a switcher, were crucial to our 29 January service to dedicate a new ‘Come Together’ mural and the ’Sorry Space’ at the front of our church.”

“We streamed high quality video of the outdoor smoking and dedication ceremonies to the inside of the church, to Zoom and to Vimeo for our online church members and visitors. People unable to be outside for the ceremony watched from inside the church.”

Ms Barnes said the church’s group The Creatives are now using the equipment to develop their skills in conducting a church service, “with opportunity being given to speak on chosen subjects, to support with audio and projector, to create video for use in the service and to share with the whole congregation.”

Adamstown Uniting Church’s grant is also linked to the growth of partnerships with community groups. Non-alcohol All Ages Gigs began in January and Brunker Community Theatre are coming on board in the near future.

“The first stage of the application process allows you to state your idea and your dream for its future. The second stage brings home the planning that is needed to make that dream happen in reality. Working on the staging of your project and the time-based goals is challenging but it also brings a structure, that is now underpinning the way forward.”

“The project group at Adamstown has found the Reference Group to be a great benefit. The Reference Group is called together by the Presbytery two to four times per year during the grant. One Synod representative, two Presbytery representatives and three Adamstown representatives meet to celebrate milestones while keeping the grant on track and accountable.”

JONATHAN FOYE

OUR CONGREGATION NOW HAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF THE HUNTER PRESBYTERY

Synod Growth Fund

Helps Quakers Hill Support Their Youth and Young Adults

Quakers Hill Uniting Church is located in the North Western part of Sydney in the Blacktown City Council. It has a significant multicultural ministry. The church recently received a Synod Growth Fund grant to support a Youth and young adults ministry worker and to expand their services for people in the first third of life.

Quakers Hill Uniting Church’s Heather McIntosh told Insights the church, “has always had a significant call to minister to the wider community, particularly to those within the first third of life.”

“Four years ago, the congregation with support from Uniting employed a Families and Communities Coordinator to coordinate activities for young children and their families,” Ms McIntosh said.

“From this vital work we have seen an increase in young families connecting with our church community and as these children get older there has been a core group of Youth and young adults that regularly attend worship and activities during the week.”

After COVID lockdowns ended in 2022, Quakers Hill Uniting Church started ‘Revival’ a monthly worship service on a Sunday afternoon, run by and for young people. By hiring a Youth and Young Adults Ministry worker, the congregation aims to

“We see this worker as a significant investment in our young people and the wider Uniting Church in North Western Sydney,” Ms McIntosh said.

At the time of writing, Quakers Hill Uniting Church has finalised the job description and the position is available to view on the Synod website: www. nswact.uca.org.au/about-us/careers/

“We are looking for someone passionate about spreading God’s love and good news to youth and young adults,” Ms McIntosh said.

“We would love for them to come and be a strong part of our Ministry Team here at Quakers Hill.”

“The Growth fund put together several helpful templates to guide the process of applying for funding. The initial stage of expressions of interest was relatively straight forward. The second stage is much more detailed and requires some time and planning to complete.”

“I would encourage other congregations who have dreams and

WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN YOUNG FAMILIES CONNECTING WITH OUR CHURCH COMMUNITY

FEATURE: GROWING THE CHURCH

Ballina: helping people explore faith for the first time

Ballina Uniting Church have made use of the Synod’s Growth Fund to help start a new informal faith group. The funds will allow for a ministry agent to continue to serve the existing congregation while continuing to grow the new faith community.

Ballina Uniting Church minister Rev. Pablo Nunez told Insights the grant helped directly reach new people.

“When we were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as many other congregations, Ballina Uniting started to produce online services,” Rev. Nunez recalled.

“Those services, quite simple in format, were shared around our community and our region, and we started to receive messages from people that were exploring faith for the first time in their lives, people exploring other Christian traditions and many burnt out Christians that were searching for a reconnection.”

GROWTH IS NOT EASY TO MEASURE OR TO ACHIEVE BUT IT

Rev. Nunez said the group has since grown to around 30 adults and 10 children, meeting twice a month. Many of them, he said, have joined the Ballina Uniting Church congregation, and three members of Lunch With Punch have joined the Church Council. Rev. Nunez said he found the application process to be, “very practical and helpful.”

“The process made us think deeper, process further, and plan with a long term vision,” he said.

“As soon as it was possible, we started to host them for meals and conversations, focusing on listening to their questions, their frustrations and their hopes. Slowly, the group started to interact, and by September 2020 we were receiving constant questions about why we couldn’t meet regularly, so we started Lunch With Punch with around 10 adults and eight teenagers.”

“The preparation in three different time frames was very helpful to help us refine and define our goals, and the details needed for the project assisted us in checking blind spots, enlarging our vision and developing a better network of support for our team. The communication with the Committee was very fluid, they were always available for a chat, and presented questions that were incredibly helpful in the process, helping us to ground our project in reality, which was hard but ended up being the change that we needed to move ahead.”

“One of the things that we realised in the process was that there is a vast difference in projects based on continuing an existing ministry, and a project focused on growth.”

NEEDS TO BE IN OUR FOCUS

MORE ABOUT THE Synod

Growth Fund

The Synod Growth Investment Fund has been established to invest in strategic initiatives that support the Future Directions strategy to see the Uniting Church become a contemporary, courageous and growing church through providing Growth Investment Grants.

The Synod seeks to support a small number of projects each year through the Synod Growth Investment Fund that will help the Uniting Church grow in discipleship, relationship, number and impact. It gives congregations the opportunity to apply for funding to support growth and to inspire genuine renewal.

The Synod Growth Fund is supported through the Seeds of Growth contribution made by Congregations and Presbyteries. God is calling us to become a contemporary, courageous, growing Church proclaiming Jesus Christ in worship, witness and service. This is the vision statement from the Future Directions which will guide the Synod into the future.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE SYNOD WEBSITE:

www.nswact.uca.org.au/resources/synod-growthinvestment-fund

“We needed to refine our perspective to think about, pray about, plan about growth, which demanded a change in our vision, in our goals, and in our prayers. Growth is not easy to measure or to achieve, but it needs to be in our focus, otherwise we won’t achieve it.”

“We can’t continue to waste time in unrealistic conversations while waiting for an ideal scenario that won’t arrive- we need to get our hands dirty in the reality of reaching out, sharing God’s love, and creating places of true exploration of Biblical

“I hope people can see how easy this model is to be reproduced in different contexts.”

JONATHAN FOYE

LUNCH WITH PUNCH GATHERINGS HAVE BEEN A GREAT WAY FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR FAITH

The Influence and Impact of Walter Wink’s Engaging Powersthe

Walter Wink was an American theologian, pastor and activist of the late twentieth and early twentyfirst centuries. Ordained in the Methodist Church in 1961, he later became a Professor focussing on the New Testament and Biblical Interpretation. He taught at Union Theological Seminary and later Auburn Theological Seminary in New York. He died in 2012, leaving a profound legacy.

Wink was especially known for his work on power structures, culminating in a trilogy of works – Naming the Powers: The Language of Power in the New Testament, Unmasking the Powers: The Invisible Forces That Determine Human Existence, and Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination. In these three books, Wink challenged the notion of conceptualising the Powers of the New Testament as an order of angelic and demonic beings in heaven. Rather he proposed that Paul’s framework of Powers as presented in Ephesians 6:12 was concerned with structural, social, political, and state Powers. In Engaging the Powers, Wink writes:

"In the biblical view they are both visible and invisible, earthly and heavenly, spiritual and institutional. The Powers possess an outer, physical manifestation (buildings, portfolios, personnel, trucks, fax machines) and an inner spirituality, or corporate culture, or collective personality. The Powers are the simultaneity of an outer, visible structure and an inner, spiritual reality. The Powers, properly speaking, are not just the spirituality of institutions, but their outer manifestations as well…what people in the world of the Bible experienced and called “Principalities and Powers” was in fact real. They were discerning the actual spirituality at the center of the political, economic, and cultural institutions of their day. The spiritual aspect of the Powers is not simply a “personification” of institutional qualities that would exist whether they were personified or not. On the contrary, the spirituality of an institution exists as a real aspect of the institution even when it is not perceived as such. Institutions have an actual spiritual ethos…"

Engaging the Powers celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2022. This work explored the question “How can we oppose evil without creating new evils and being made evil ourselves?”

One of the evils that Wink explores in depth is what he has called the myth of redemptive violence. Violence, he contends, is “the ethos of our times. It is the spirituality of the modern world.” It is so much a part of contemporary life that it does not appear mythic at all. Rather, it is understood as the nature of things, as inevitable, and it appears to work. Wink sees its history from the creation myths of the ancient world, the history of war around the world, through to its use in children’s cartoons.

Wink does not, however, see this as the last word. He posits that the Powers are good, but they are fallen and, as such, must be redeemed. To this end, Engaging the Powers explores a number of ways of Biblically and Christianly honouring, criticising, resisting, and redeeming the Powers. This includes exploring how God’s domination-free reign works, non-violent engagement, pacifism, loving enemies, prayer, and celebrating God’s ultimate victory.

The impact and influence of Wink’s works, and especially Engaging the Powers, where he is exploring the practical aspects of resisting and redeeming the Powers in the world, cannot be underestimated.

Scottish activist and Quaker, Alistair McIntosh, writes in Engaging Walter Wink’s Powers – An Activist’s Testimony that one of the most important things that transformed him from teenage agnostic activist was encountering Wink’s works while at a Quaker and Iona Community event at Peace House led by Helen Steven. Wink’s work, she believed, “was of profound importance to activism, and especially nonviolent activism, because it took the understanding

of power into realms deeper than she had ever previously encountered in theological writing.”

Teacher and advocate Ken Butigan sees Wink’s greatest contribution to activism as his work on reinterpreting Biblical texts used for teaching submission and complicity. By investigating passages about turning the other cheek, giving up one’s cloak, and going the extra mile, Wink offered an active, courageous, and creative third way exists between passivity on the one hand and counter-violence on the other. This alternative seizes the moral initiative, explores a creative alternative to violence, asserts the dignity and humanity of all parties, seeks to break the cycle of dehumanisation and faces the consequences of one’s action.

WE NEED AN INTEGRATED, INNER-OUTER AWARENESS IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD

Academic Ted Grimsrud writes that Wink’s continuing legacy is in his articulation of the inner and outer aspects of institutions, belief systems and traditions. Only by understanding both the spiritual and visible aspects can there be transformation:

"In Wink’s view, we need such an integrated, inner-outer awareness in order to understand the world we live in and act effectively as agents for healing and transformation. “Any attempt to transform a social system without addressing both its spirituality and its outer forms is doomed to failure,” as he puts it in Engaging the Powers. What's more, in Wink's understanding all systems of power have the potential to be just or unjust, violent, or nonviolent."

Psychotherapist Dr John Campbell writes that Wink continues to have relevancy even years after his death. The reason for this is that his biblically based theology addresses the systemic disease in the United States. When so much of the population there are wanting a better political structure, environmental reforms, a fair health care system, and many other reforms, the United States seems stuck. Campbell believes that Wink’s insights into how Power structures work, offers the only way of understanding and countering the resistance to positive change.

Wink is not without his detractors. David Smith critiques Wink’s “Integral Worldview” as having been “granted normative status and allowed to determine what may count as truth and reality” while the Ancient, Spiritualistic, Materialistic, and Theological worldviews are dismissed as no longer being relevant.

Walter Wink’s Engaging the Powers continues to be one of the most influential and widely read books on a Christian understanding of nonviolence and Powers. As such, it deserves close reading and thoughtful critique.

DR KATHERINE GROCOTT

Could your minister be replaced by AI?

To scan recent news, you would be forgiven for thinking you were reading a synopsis of Black Mirror episodes.

An upcoming United Nations conference will explore the potential role of AI in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Meanwhile, Victoria has become the latest Australian state to ban the use of AI chatbots in schools.

With chat AI Chat GPT proving to be popular, and Google eyeing their own product to compete with it, there

is some discussion over what the future holds for AI, including whether or not it might replace certain jobs.

In a report published by CBS News, Jason Boehmig, cofounder and CEO of Ironclad, suggested that AI might replace certain legal drafting jobs.

“The dynamic that happens to lawyers now is there is way too much work to possibly get done, so they make an artificial distinction between what they will work on and what will be left to the wayside,” he said.

Columbia Business School

Professor Oded Netzer added, “There are parts of a legal document that humans need to adapt to a particular situation, but 90 percent of the document is copy pasted.”

“There is no reason why we would not have the machine write these kinds of legal documents. You may need to explain first in English the parameters, then the machine should be able to write it very well,” he said.

“The less creative you need to be, the more it should be replaced.”

However, Professor Netzer told CBS MoneyWatch that the technology may not lead to mass retrenchments.

“In terms of jobs, I think it's primarily an enhancer than full replacement of jobs,” he said.

“Coding and programming is a good example of that. It actually can write code quite well.”

As the University of Sydey’s Uri Gal points out, there are a number of potentially concerning issues regarding AI when it comes to privacy and data retention.

AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) CONTINUES TO BE USED IN MORE COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS, QUESTIONS ARE EMERGING SURROUNDING ITS POTENTIAL USES AND WHETHER THESE ARE ETHICAL

Writing in particular about Chat GPT in a piece for The Conversation, he argues: The data collection used to train ChatGPT is problematic for several reasons.

First, none of us were asked whether OpenAI could use our data. This is a clear violation of privacy, especially when data are sensitive and can be used to identify us, our family members, or our location.

Even when data are publicly available their use can breach what we call textual integrity. This is a fundamental principle in legal discussions of privacy. It requires that individuals’ information is not revealed outside of the context in which it was originally produced.

Also, OpenAI offers no procedures for individuals to check whether the company stores their personal information, or to request it be deleted. This is a guaranteed right in accordance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – although it’s still under debate whether ChatGPT is compliant with GDPR requirements.

This “right to be forgotten” is particularly important in cases where the information is inaccurate or misleading, which seems to be a regular occurrence with ChatGPT

So with the above considerations in mind, could AI be something that one day stands in place of ministers?

Well, hold off on calling that meeting just yet.

Along with the potential ethical issues regarding potential plagiarism, there are some indications that AI may not be able to replace human writers (including ministers), at least in terms of where the technology currently is at this stage of its development.

One of the key indicators here is that the technology, while good at reproducing information already available, struggles with navigating more complex terrain.

While much has been made about AI’s potential plagiarism, and TurnitIn are set to make big money from new tools that can detect chatbots in university assignments, students may not get away with its use for long. As a Vice article explores, University Professors are starting to pick

know the material better, it would have looked good. And that, that's a weird combination of flags which I’d never seen before.”

Rev. Dr Niall McKay is an Educator for Lifelong Learning for the NSW and ACT Synod. He told Insights he had seen some anxiety regarding AI’s potential for disruption.

“I’ve seen a bit of anxiety, especially in people who work for universities and academic institutions,” he said.

business letters, or even our newspaper articles?”

When asked whether or not AI might be able to replace ministers, Rev. Dr McKay was more sceptical.

“Depends if they train it drink too many cups of tea and some bad Sunday morning coffee,” he said.

“But seriously, not anytime soon, especially if Chat GPT is the example.”

“It is simply not able to interact with the whole person and the whole community, picking up on culture, history and human interactions in all their varied forms.”

“Choosing appropriate music for worship and then praying with a dying person? I don’t even know how to think about (how) AI (might) be this adaptable. But, if the question is, can AI do some tasks that ministers currently do – then sure. I would hope so. And I would hope that we use the technology at our disposal as best we can in ministry.”

Rev. Dr McKay said the major ethical question AI prompted was to do with whether or not it might be used in just ways.

up on students’ use of the technology.

Darren Hicks is assistant professor of philosophy at Furman University. In a recent Facebook post, he said he saw a ChatGPT-generated essay on ‘Hume and the paradox of horror’.

“The first indicator that I was dealing with AI was that, despite the syntactic coherence of the essay, it made no sense,” Dr Hicks said.

In an interview with Motherboard, Hicks said the essay gave itself away.

“It was wrong, but it was confident and it was clearly written,” he said. “If I didn't

“Some of this is simple fear of the unknown, but others are seriously concerned about how they will deal with the “brave new world” of Chat GPT and what that will mean for shaping teaching and evaluating student work.”

“More sophisticated reflections acknowledge that more aspects of “white collar” professions will be affected by technology now – whereas the brunt of technological innovations in the 20th century has upended jobs requiring more manual labour – just look at video of a Tesla Gigafactory to see how few people it takes to build a car these days. What will it mean when a computer can write our legal briefs, or

“Without getting into questions of AI consciousness and autonomy and Skynet etc, which Chat GPT is not a harbinger of, perhaps the biggest philosophical and ethical question for us at this stage of AI development is that of the “just transition.””

“For it’s not whether or not AI is a good thing, but rather how can it be adopted and adapted in ways which are most empowering and life giving. In the west, at least, we haven’t been terribly good at our embrace of technology, but maybe we can have another go now that a new segment of the workforce may be disrupted.”

JONATHAN FOYE

NONE OF US WERE ASKED WHETHER OPENAI COULD USE OUR DATA. THIS IS A CLEAR VIOLATION OF PRIVACY

SUPPORTING THE VOICE TO PARLIAMENT

Acknowledging the difficult history of this nation, and our part in the colonisation of First Nations people, the Uniting Church formally entered a Covenant relationship with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress in 1994.

In 2009, we adopted the Revised Preamble to the Constitution declaring God had been in this land long before the colonisers arrived, sustaining First Nations people. In 2018, the Uniting Church affirmed First Nations people as sovereign in this land.

What is the Uluru Statement from the Heart?

The Uluru Statement is an invitation from First Nations Peoples issued to all Australians on 26 May 2017.

It is an act of self-determination. Twelve large meetings, or Dialogues, took place across Australia and culminated in a National Convention at Yulara near Uluru, with over 250 delegates. These delegates wrote and signed the Uluru Statement, agreeing to its components and reforms.

From its creation in 2017, the Uniting Church and UAICC have supported the Uluru Statement and its calls for Voice, Truth and Treaty.” The Synod of NSW and ACT also agreed to support the Statement in a 2019 resolution.

The Federal Government has announced that in 2023, Australia will go to a referendum to vote on a constitutional amendment that will enshrine an Indigenous Voice to

The Statement “calls for legal and structural reforms to reshape the relationship between First Nations Peoples and the Australian population” through two substantive changes: “Voice and Makarrata."

• Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution.

• A Makarrata Commission to supervise:

• Agreement making.

• Truth telling about our history.

The Statement calls for real and lasting structural change to our current systems of authority and decision making... It is a path forward for justice and self-determination for First Nations Peoples in this country.

A First Nations Voice to Parliament is the first reform called for in the Uluru Statement. It “will be a permanent body to make representations to the Australian Parliament and the Executive Government on legislation and policy of significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. A series of design principles of the Voice to Parliament included:

1. The Voice will give independent advice to the Parliament and Government

2. The Voice will be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people based on the wishes of local communities

3. The Voice will be representative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, gender balanced and include youth

4. The Voice would have specific remote representatives as well as representation for the mainland Torres Strait Islander population.

5. The Voice will be empowering, communityled, inclusive, respectful and culturally informed

6. The Voice will be accountable and transparent

7. The Voice will work alongside existing organisations and traditional structures

8. The Voice will not have a program delivery function

9. The Voice will not have a veto power”

WHY DO WE NEED TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION?

The Voice needs to be enshrined in the Constitution of Australia to ensure it remains a permanent part of our democracy. Constitutional enshrinement can only be achieved through a referendum. A referendum is the mechanism by which Australians can change the Constitution. A legislated Voice - made by passing a bill through Parliament - would have the authority of the Australian people. This would make it difficult for a future parliament to abolish the Voice without consulting First Nations or being subject to scrutiny.

How you can help

WHAT IS THE REFERENDUM QUESTION?

A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?

What would the constitutional amendment be?

If the referendum passes the Constitution will include a new chapter. The details would be: In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers, and procedures.

To pass a referendum, you must have a majority of voters across the nation and a majority of voters in most states vote yes. This means you need a majority in at least four states as well as a national majority.

RAUL SUGUNANANTHAN UNITING ADVOCACY

The Uniting Church Assembly has created a fantastic digital hub where you can find more details: uniting.church/voice

Talk to your friends and family about the Voice

Host an event at your Church:

• Host a kitchen table conversation

• Invite Nathan Tyson or another Indigenous leader to speak at your congregation

Visuals: Update your Church sign to support the ‘Yes’ campaign

• Display a ‘Yes’ banner at church.

Write

Have questions?

Nathan

Tyson

The Overcomers Place

RECOVERY FREELY AVAILABLE THANKS TO INNOVATIVE ADDICTIONS TREATMENT SERVICE

Days before Sydney’s first lockdown, a Christian woman with lived experience opened a free outpatient centre for addictions. She emerged from its second lockdown with an additional centre. The new location at Uniting Church Lugar Brae in Bronte means there is now support for up to 100 people – with over 15 hours of free group therapy each week.

The Overcomers Place (TOP) groups are designed to support the vulnerable integration back into society for those suffering from any addiction; from alcohol to gambling, drugs, sex, and food – as well their family.

The trauma-informed sessions run during business hours as part of an innovative day model. The Living Room, north of London, hosts a similar program that inspired founder Penny Wilkinson’s quest to recreate a service in Sydney to fill a critical gap in the addictions treatment market.

She saw parents and carers still receiving treatment and being able to go home and look after their families without as much disruption to their daily lives as most rehabilitation stays.

Getting and staying sober can be tricky because residential rehabs involve families being separated with limited visiting hours.

“It’s all in or out which can be brutal on those trying to readjust to a new abstinent way of life without safe support,” Penny tells Insights.

“It’s a delicate balance in those fragile early days when the world keeps pushing addictive behaviours onto those brave enough to go against the culture”.

Penny wanted to pave the way so that others, especially caregivers, could access the joys of recovery without the barriers she faced.

“In the 90s addiction was still seen as a moral issue. I was scared by the progression of my own alcohol addiction

and it became harder to ask for help especially within my church community.” “There was so much ignorance and misunderstanding about the complex neurobiology that is behind the root cause of addiction. The general line I was told was ‘just stop’ but sadly despite my adoring family I couldn’t. I had two roads. Keep going in silence or search for answers with God’s help.”

The options for Penny were either rehab stays or 12-step rooms – nothing in between.

Penny couldn’t leave her children and her symptoms were not severe enough to risk introducing new, potentially addictive medications. So, she sat in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

“I was a long way from being a street drunk and it was hard to identify with the mostly older men in AA who’d gone to rock bottom drinking metho when I was still sipping chardonnay in beautiful glasses in nice homes. But eventually I did come to understand that my addiction was just as progressive as theirs.”

These experiences spurred Penny and her husband Andrew on and sparked an international search from answers. Initially, the pair launched the Overcomers Outreach (OO) model, a monthly support group combining Christian scripture and the 12 steps. They started at St Andrew’s Cathedral in 2005, and have grown to more than 10 groups across regional NSW, Sydney and other cities.

Fast forward to early 2020, and The Overcomers Place was born, with the doors opening to its first daily service just as COVID-19 was making life difficult. Despite the challenges the pandemic put in place, in just under three years The Overcomers Place has managed to help over 200 people take steps towards long-term recovery.

“Nothing is impossible for God and The Overcomers Place’s growth is testimony to that One that has all power,” Penny said.

“We have seen more than a dozen parents achieve over one year’s

THE OVERCOMERS PLACE FOUNDER PENNY WILKINSON AND ADMINISTRATOR ANDREW WILKINSON

abstinence. This has allowed families to repair relationships and given sober parents back to their children. Christmas 2022 saw more than 40 parents sober on the day."

“No child deserves an addicted parent. My children say it’s such a gift to witness a meal or holiday and sports game without alcohol. It’s all been modelled to them through my sober life over the past 20 years.”

“I’m a Christian but my faith in God alone couldn’t cut it when it came to addiction recovery because addiction is a brain disease.”

“Just like faith alone does not cure a broken leg. God knew this back in the 1930s when he enabled the creation of the 12-step movement – what Scott Peck called the greatest miracle of the 21st Century in his book The Road Less Travelled,” Penny said.

Penny stresses that the window of opportunity to seize recovery can snap shut very quickly if sufferers don’t have savings or support to get sober. It’s because of this that The Overcomers Place offers a free service to ensure a lack of resources doesn’t stop anyone from getting the help they need.

The generosity of donors enables The Overcomers Place to pay its specialist counsellors while offering a free service.

ASHLEY DONNELLY

To find out more, visit the website: www.theovercomersplace.com.au

I’M A CHRISTIAN BUT MY FAITH IN GOD ALONE COULDN'T CUT IT WHEN IT CAME TO ADDICTION RECOVERY BECAUSE ADDICTION IS A BRAIN DISEASE

WE DON'T WANT LACK OF RESOURCES TO STOP ANYONE FROM GETTING SOBER

THE FIRST OVERCOMERS PLACE OPENED AT GLADESVILLE IN 2020

Can we really in our world? end poverty

In the first two decades of the millennium, global poverty rates had been cut by more than half and there was good reason to be optimistic about the future.

The optimism spurred world nations to come together in 2015 and agree to work towards an ambitious set of Sustainable Development Goals. Number one on the list: eradicating extreme poverty everywhere by 2030.

The pandemic plus rising inflation, extreme weather and the impacts of the invasion of Ukraine have set progress back as much as nine years in many lowincome countries.

Today approximately 9.2 percent of the world, or 719 million people, live in extreme poverty (living on less than $2.15 a day). The number rises to 1.2 billion people when you consider acute deprivations in health, education, and living standards.

Despite the United Nations declaring a ‘Decade of Action’ to accelerate progress and get back on track, efforts to end poverty are not yet advancing at the speed or scale required to meet the goal.

Where do we Christians fit in to this and what can we do?

At the turn of the millennium, Christians were at the forefront of anti-poverty movements such as Make Poverty History, Jubilee 2000 and Micah Challenge (now Micah Australia).

In Australia, activism has continued through the years, with Christian groups lobbying successive Australian governments to increase funding commitments to sustainable development overseas.

The position of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) has been that Australia should commit to the internationally-agreed target of contributing 0.7 per cent of our Gross National Income (GNI) to sustainable development initiatives by 2030.

After a long period of the deepest cuts to the aid budget taking it to its lowest level in Australia’s history (0.21% of GNI), the Albanese government has restored a modest increase, as well as partially indexing it to keep up with inflation over coming years. There’s hope again!

But of course, it isn’t just about governments. It’s about all of us.

We in the UCA, through UnitingWorld, are blessed to be a part of a powerful network of people and organisations working together to make sustainable progress to end poverty in our world.

The lives and work of our overseas partners constantly show us what is possible, even while faced with huge challenges.

Take our partners in Bali.

A tiny group of Christians among a community of staunch Hindus. They live on the cultural margins, with little power or influence. But led by the Gospel to bring good news to the poor, they set themselves to weaving a web of relationships.

BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY

WE ARE BLESSED TO BE A PART OF A POWERFUL NETWORK OF PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS TO END POVERTY IN OUR WORLD

They won the trust of the poorest in their community by listening to them. They brought together village elders and government agents. They reached out to their international church partners for support. Then slowly but surely became the catalytic center of a movement of social transformation.

Because of their hard work, people blindsided by COVID-19 had the chance to start again with new livelihoods. The women, the young, and people with disabilities were able to have their say in how their village used government grants. Families got access to health services and children got to school. And, best of all, the communities became more resilient and more able to deal with setbacks and disasters.

This is the story of our partner, the Protestant Christian Church in Bali. Through them, we have the great privilege to be a part of their incredible community development work to end poverty in rural villages.

Every day, our international partners are impacting the lives of people and helping communities overcome poverty in real and lasting ways. It’s a joy to be able to support them in it.

The movement to end poverty is formidable, but smaller than the need requires.

So everyone is needed, and everyone has a role to play. Together we can end poverty.

MARCUS CAMPBELL UNITINGWORLD

RIGHT: AFTER HE HAD TO LEAVE HIS JOB TO LOOK AFTER HIS ELDERLY MOTHER, KOMANG WAS STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND WAS LOSING HOPE FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR HIS FAMILY.

SUPPORTED BY UNITINGWORLD, THE PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN BALI HELPED HIM START A SMALL BUSINESS CHICKEN-BREEDING THAT HAS GIVEN HIM AN ENTIRE NEW FUTURE.

READ HIS FULL STORY AT WWW.UNITINGWORLD.ORG.AU/ENDPOVERTY

You can help us make a powerful impact this tax time

We’re fundraising to resource the critical work of our church partners in the Pacific, Asia and Africa; giving people the tools and opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty.

Right now, your donation will be combined with funding with the Australian Government to make up to six times the impact ending poverty!

Find out more and donate at www.unitingworld.org.au/endpoverty

Son Preacher man of a

Growing up as a “preacher’s kid” within the Uniting Church, Paddy Macrae remembers a childhood of fun and adventure with his siblings and friends and a long line of quirky characters who used to drop into the various churches where dad Alistair was the Minister.

Fast forward to 2023 and Paddy is a screenwriter and executive producer, with latest offering Irreverent, screening on Netflix.

Some of those characters from his childhood have informed his writing on Irreverent

The Netflix series tells the story of former Chicago criminal mediator Mack, who is forced to flee the US after he accidentally kills the heir to the criminal underworld.

Mack heads to Clump, a remote beachside town in Australia where he takes on the position of its new minister in a bid to stay hidden.

In the process, he meets and connects with some of the town’s weird and wonderful residents, and discovers a lot about himself along the way.

“My childhood has informed that work in a big way,” Paddy says when asked about the inspiration behind Irreverent

“I mean, certainly the childhood parallels with Irreverent are fairly obvious, as it’s set around a rural church.

“But my childhood was sort of chaotic in the best possible way.

“Ours was a very loving household, and a very secure household, but it was sort of a rotating door of people and everyone from the town knew mum and dad in some way, so ours was a very open house.

Those early years also left a lasting impact on Paddy in many other ways, thanks to parents in Alistair and Clare who lived out the very best of the Uniting Church ethos.

“Mum and dad had four young kids but also took in foster kids,” he recalls.

“It’s almost crazy when you think about it, so we had this rotating roster of kids with some pretty difficult challenges staying with us, and other people would come to the door for vouchers so they could get food.”

“It certainly gave me a lot of material when I was writing Irreverent, but I think it also gave me and my siblings a good understanding of a cross-section of life in a small country town in Australia.

In Alistair and Clare, Paddy was blessed with parents who were never afraid to stand up and tackle any form of injustice. In Alistair’s case, it came at a great personal cost.

“Mum and dad were very progressive people within the church and that had a huge impact on me in the most positive of ways,” Paddy says.

“I’ve seen my father get arrested and he went to prison before I was born after protesting about the proposal to dam the Franklin River in Tasmania.

“So, certainly the actions and beliefs of my parents have been massively influential on me.”

For someone now so immersed in the world of film and television, Paddy laughs when he consider a childhood spent without a TV.

“We didn’t have a TV when I was growing up and I don’t remember ever going to the movies, so I think the first film I ever saw at the cinema was Titanic, in 1997,” Paddy recalls.

“I can remember walking out of the cinema absolutely changed by the sound and the scale and beauty of the story.”

As a teenager Paddy was bitten by the acting bug and thought that might be a potential career, before fate, and recognition for a project involving the other side of the camera, intervened. At the heart of what he loved was storytelling.

“I have always told stories, mainly because of camping trips involving stories by dad around the campfire and mum also writing stories, so that’s been a huge part of my life,” Paddy says.

While Paddy can bask in the knowledge that Irreverent is now available to watch via a major streaming network, he admits it was quite a journey to get it to the screen.

“I started writing it in 2009 and, in 2010, I filmed it with my university film school peers as a 30-minute pilot episode and it was absolutely terrible,” he says.

“It was an incredibly long and arduous journey and, yes, there were fears that it might never see the light of day.”

“I can remember a particular occasion a few years ago when we had reached the day that it was about to be commissioned, but on that day it fell over,” he recalls.

“It’s hard to describe the impact of the project falling over when you have worked seven days a week around the clock for months on end.”

The talented cast has ensured a strong following for Irreverent on Netflix.

That level of commitment continued during the shooting of Irreverent, with long days and little sleep part and parcel of getting a major production on to our screens.

“It’s a very stressful job, you know it’s 18 hours a day, you’re on set for 12 hours and then go home and continue working on it, so you’re only sleeping three or four hours a night and that’s seven days a week for seven or eight months,” Paddy says.

“I do feel incredibly grateful, mainly because of the incredible amount of talent we had involved with the project,” he says.

“We had the most extraordinary cast, fantastic department heads and great practitioners all the way through, and I got to put my story out there for everyone to work on.

As a congregation member at Wesley Church in Melbourne’s CBD, Paddy says his faith continues to have a major impact on how he lives his life.

So what does Paddy hope viewers will glean from watching Irreverent ?

“I hope what people take away from the show, which I kind of distilled down when I was pitching it, is that happiness doesn’t come from taking or receiving, it comes from giving,” he says.

ANDREW HUMPHRIES

Irreverent is streaming on Netflix. This piece originally appeared in Crosslight.

EVERYONE FROM THE TOWN KNEW MUM AND DAD IN SOME WAY, SO OURS WAS A VERY OPEN HOUSE

THAT LEVEL OF COMMITMENT CONTINUED DURING THE SHOOTING OF IRREVERENT OF GETTING A MAJOR PRODUCTION ON TO OUR SCREENS

COLIN DONNELL PLAYS THE LEAD CHARACTER MACK IN IRREVERENT

PADDY MACRAE

Joanna Drayton begins as new Pulse Team Leader

Joanna Drayton is the new Pulse leader, a role she started in early April. Ms Drayton told Insights she was excited to take on the role.

“I am excited about the possibilities available to Pulse to gather young people through camps and gatherings but also to work together with our innovative leaders in congregations who are endeavouring to find new ways to be the church in community engaging new generations of young people who think and see life differently.”

“I get to work with Joyce, Ofa, and Molk as we as the School Chaplains, leaders and workers in Congregations and Presbyteries and hang out with young peeps who inspire me with their curiosity and creative ways they see God at work all around them.”

Ms Drayton comes to the role with decades of experience.

“I have been a youth group leader since my early 20s, when I first started going to church, during those years I lived in a ‘Youth House’ community with other youth leaders from that church which embedded this deep passion for young people and the importance of living with integrity and transparency, good boundaries and that God moves in wonderful and mysterious ways at all times of the day and night,” she said.

“After several years in Congregational pastoral ministry I then worked for six years in what is now Sydney Central Coast Presbytery (was then Sydney North & KuRingGai – ‘SNAK’) as the Leadership Development Consultant focusing on Youth ministry which expanded into Children and Family ministry.”

“The collaboration of many great Youth, Children and Family leaders, Pastors, Ministers and School Chaplains, several

employed in roles in Congregations or Schools and many very committed volunteers, meant the ‘SNAK’ Ministry was able to bring Messy Church and Godly Play to this Synod, host youth outreach nights (U-Nite) for up to 350 kids across youth groups, start several Playgroups with different emphasis (eg ‘Play and Pray), run HSC study camps, Challenge Camps for up to 200 high schoolers, curate a training resource for leadership development (‘Transformation’) and a bunch of other fun initiatives, camps and many challenges along the way. I am really proud that there are still so many of those youth and children’s workers still in ministry in the church, several of them are now UCA Ministers, Candidates and Pastors in this Synod.”

“Since the SNAK days I have led the way to establishing a playgroup at my church, which is still going thanks to some fantastic volunteer leaders, am now a facilitator for Youth Mental First Aid and we host a young adult bible study in our home every fortnight, we regularly have 18 for dinner and a study or deep conversation together and have 25 on our list with more wanting to come! All of this I count as a privilege and have a deep sense that God is calling and equipping us for this ministry for this time.”

Ms Drayton asked for Insights readers to pray for the PULSE ministry.

“The team needs as much prayer (and practical) support as we can get,” she said.

“The church’s place in society has changed and we need to keep ‘Growing Young’ in how we take the good news of Christ into this world. I have much to learn, and much to offer, but can’t do that without the team, your prayers, and innovative thinkers all around us.”

Ms Drayton succeeds Rev. Karen Mitchell-Lambert as Pulse leader. Rev. Mitchell-Lambert is now Minister at Gordon-Pymble Uniting Church.

I AM EXCITED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR INNOVATIVE LEADERS IN CONGREGATIONS WHO ARE ENDEAVOURING TO FIND NEW WAYS TO BE THE CHURCH IN COMMUNITY ENGAGING NEW GENERATIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO THINK AND SEE LIFE DIFFERENTLY

JONATHAN FOYE

A good cause for celebration

UNITING BOWDEN BRAE WELCOMES ITS NEWEST AND YOUNGEST VOLUNTEERS DURING NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

As the nation celebrates its millions of volunteers this week, Uniting Bowden Brae Residential Aged Care home in Normanhurst was excited to welcome 10 new helpers from nearby Uniting Church school, Pymble Ladies College Junior School.

The enthusiastic group of Year 6 girls were introduced to the residents for the first time on Friday 12 May and will continue to visit them every fortnight for an hour throughout the year.

Deputy Head of PLC Junior School, Nerissa Davey, said the girls had put their hands up to give up their own free time to volunteer at Bowden Brae.

“We’re very proud of them and we’re hoping they’ll get as much out of this experience as the residents here and it’s really great for the girls to learn how much the aged have to offer and how much they can learn from them.”

Uniting Volunteer Lead, Gail Yap, said the brand-new partnership with PLC Junior School is an exciting opportunity to invest in the next generation of volunteers.

“Volunteering is so important to our communities. Volunteers help to bridge generations and cultures, and in many ways compliment and extend formal service provided by organisations such as Uniting.”

“In aged care, volunteers play a critical role in helping residents continue to live their chosen lives, by facilitating their favourite activities and providing often much needed companionship. When it becomes harder to visit the community, volunteers bring the community to them,” Ms Yap said.

For the residents at Bowden Brae, meeting the young volunteers from PLC Junior School for the first time proved to be a cause for celebration, one resident even getting her hair done at the onsite salon for the occasion – one-time former Head Mistress at PLC Junior School herself – Rosalie Ramsay.

“It’s so wonderful to see the girls here. They’re so friendly and I think they’ll get a lot out of it, and they’ll make a lot of

people here very happy just by being here,” Ms Ramsay said.

Resident Victor Poon was also very happy to meet the girls and spend time with them. “It cheers the people up here. We don’t often have visitors, so this is a very good for the place to have these young people make the time to come and visit us.”

Year Six student and volunteer Emma Fogale said other than giving to those who need it, volunteering also provides more opportunities for future career development.

“I think volunteering will help you choose a better job because you’ve had that opportunity to meet people and have a

better knowledge of relationships with different people.”

Uniting NSW ACT has more than 1,100 volunteers who give their valuable time across 120 different teams – many of which are in seniors services such as aged care homes.

JONATHAN FOYE

For more information, contact the Uniting Volunteering Team at volunteering@uniting.org

THE YEAR 6 STUDENTS ENJOYED MEETING THE RESIDENTS AT UNITING BOWDEN BRAE

VOLUNTEERS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN HELPING RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO LIVE THEIR CHOSEN LIVES

Making Church Safe for the LGBTQIA+ Community

SYDNEY WORLD PRIDE DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2023 WAS A CELEBRATION OF AUSTRALIA’S LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY. IT PRESENTED MANY WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUEER VISIBILITY AND COMMUNITY, AND THE VOICES OF LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE OF FAITH WERE AMPLIFIED TO A NEW VOLUME. AND YET, IN ITS AFTERMATH, WE HAVE WITNESSED SIGNIFICANT BACKLASH, OFTEN FROM CHRISTIAN GROUPS. NOW MORE THAN EVER, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT QUEER PEOPLE ARE SAFE IN OUR CHURCHES.

Many Uniting Churches describe themselves as “inclusive” communities who welcome LGBTQIA+ people into their pews, while others are “affirming.” But what is the difference between the two, and are they enough to ensure that queer people of faith can bring their whole selves to church? Insights reached out to some LGBTQIA+ members of Uniting Church congregations, as well as queer and ally clergy, for their thoughts on what it means to create safe spaces.

Georgia* attends Newtown Mission in Sydney, which officially voted to become an affirming congregation in August 2022, the fruit of many years of work. She told Insights, “I think if we start with the premise that all people are made in the image of God, that we are all image bearers, to exclude any group of people is counter to this.”

“The difference between ‘affirming’ and ‘inclusive’ is full of hurt for many. There is a vast difference between saying [to] someone that ‘you can be here’ and ‘you are celebrated here’.” For Georgia, an affirming stance says, “All of you is welcome, celebrated, and belongs here. All of you is an image bearer, all of you reflects the glory and creativity and wonder of God.”

“It is also important to not only approach [being] affirming as ‘making more space,’ but that together we become more,” Georgia said. “The queer community have so much to offer: resilience, joy, radical acceptance, and a reflection of the expansiveness of God. We are better together. We are more together.”

River Wilson, a member of Leichhardt Uniting Church, told Insights that “Affirming is actionbased. I have been in ‘inclusive’ churches before [that have] actively campaigned against queer rights and preached against the community but always said they were welcome. Affirming would be a [church] that goes beyond inclusion and actively works towards a better future for the LGBTQIA+ community, not just in secular spaces but ministry spaces also.”

“I'm preaching at [Leichhardt Uniting Church] soon and that concept rattles my brain, as even in an inclusive church that would be absolutely unheard of,” they said. “Affirm the queer community by having zero roadblocks to their participation and sense of place and belonging within the community.”

Kim Langford is the Uniting Church chaplain at the University of Newcastle, where she is one of two chaplains on campus who have completed ALLY training to support LGBTQIA+ students. For Kim, “the difference between inclusivity and affirmation is something of a passive [versus] active stance.”

“[Affirming queer people] is not only about a protocol of acceptance but meeting the person in all their human complexity and showing a deep interest in their aspirations and what life means to them in whatever dimension they seek meaning. I embrace the person’s sexuality and gender without reducing them to just that.”

Rev. Dr Elizabeth Raine serves at Tuggeranong Uniting Church, who have nourished a strong LGBTQIA+ ministry for the past seven years through the Rainbow Christian Alliance, which meets monthly in the church space as is supported by members of the congregation. Elizabeth has provided theological input at a number of these sessions, “to explain how we see an affirming perspective to be thoroughly grounded in scripture and completely faithful to the Gospel.”

After the 2018 decision of the Assembly regarding marriage, Tuggeranong held a seminar to directly address and discuss sexuality in community. “This process helped to generate

honest conversations, in which some who were ‘wondering’ or ‘not really supportive’ were able to explore issues and talk things through,” she told Insights. The congregation then voted to allow same-gender marriages on site, with “overwhelming support”.

Rev. Dr Josephine Inkpin, who serves at Pitt St Uniting Church in Sydney, has spoken often on the topic of LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the church. In a 2021 address to the Diversity and Inclusion Council of Uniting NSW and ACT, she outlined a framework of three different levels of inclusion, ranging from “weak” to “strong.”

“Strong inclusion… is not about even genuine welcome, but about revealing the gifts of all,” Rev. Dr Inkpin described. “It includes affirmation but is really about celebration, led by everyone in our diversity when we are all truly empowered.” This form of inclusion is a “verb,” actively practiced “day by day,” which in turn leads churches toward “expansiveness.”

Rev. Dr Inkpin told Insights that she hopes the church will set aside the language of “inclusivity” and even shift beyond “affirming” queer people. “A key problem with ‘affirming’ is that it still treats LGBTQIA+ people as somewhat ‘other’ and doesn’t really recognise both our gifts and agency, presuming we just need support rather than being the ones who are gifts of God to help everyone ‘liberate’ and ‘transform’,” she said.

Georgia from Newtown Mission described how her congregation’s affirming stance means she can “actually worship and engage knowing that anyone is welcome, I can feel safe to invite people or talk to my queer friends about my faith community, knowing they would be welcomed wholeheartedly.”

“We continue to learn together, make mistakes together, apologise together, and try to model what it means to be the people of God, seeking to live out love in this world. Language continues to be an important aspect of how we worship and do life together. In simple ways, we try to use gender-inclusive and non-gendered terms for God,” she said.

QueerTheology.com, a Christian organisation led by LGBTQIA+ people and devoted to resourcing and community, offers An Inclusive Church Checklist for congregations who are on this journey of inclusion and affirmation, available for free download. These 15 practical steps include providing genderneutral bathrooms, respecting names and pronouns, offering rituals for transition, preaching LGBTQIA+ stories from the pulpit, and involving queer perspectives in decision-making and pastoral care.

*Name has been changed for anonymity.

GABI CADENHEAD MISSION WORKER FOR CHRISTIAN STUDENTS UNITING UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

THE QUEER COMMUNITY HAVE SO MUCH TO OFFER: RESILIENCE, JOY, RADICAL ACCEPTANCE, AND A REFLECTION OF THE EXPANSIVENESS OF GOD

Helping others through a

For Rev. Claire Wright, participating in Channel 10’s The Dog House Australia was a matter of faith.

Airing on Channel 10, The Dog House Australia focuses on the work of the Animal Welfare League at Kemps Creek. The centre cares for abandoned, mistreated, or surrendered animals, and matching them for adoption.

“Back in July 2022, I got an email from Synod, putting out a call to NSW-based ministers who were looking to adopt a rescue dog – and would be open to be filmed going through that process for The Dog House Australia,” Rev. Wright said.

“I had been seriously looking to get a dog, ever since finding myself in a manse in Taree …within 20 minutes’ drive of some of the best dog-friendly beaches in the state – and always being in need of some support for work-life balance.”

“After my umpteenth conversation with dog-owning friends about what breed would work best for me, I said: ‘What I really need is something like The Dog House, where they match the person with the individual dog!’ The Synod email, which had been sitting dormant in my inbox for some time – suddenly came to front

“I already loved The Dog House Australia for its genuineness, its warm heart, its interest in diverse people – and above all, its affirmation of ‘rescue’ dogs and robust encouragement of adoption. If I could support that message – and in the process find the right dog for me (and vice versa) – it was an unmissable opportunity. I made the call.”

Rev. Wright’s decision to participate in the program had its roots in a natural disaster.

In March 2021, NSW’s Mid North Coast was hit by flooding. Rev. Wright was mobilised as a member of the NSW Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network, and served as chaplain in the Recovery Centre in Laurieton. Chaplaincy had an important role to play, not just in the aftermath, but in the community’s longer-term recovery process.

“Since I was already ‘on the ground’ in the region, with a remit to develop new ministry in the area, I was released by the Manning Valley Congregations to work as a Flood Recovery Chaplain for four days per week in the twelve months following the floods,” she explained.

“The main focus of the role was offering pastoral care (and where appropriate, practical help and support) in flood-affected communities, both proactively and by referral from other agencies working in the region.”

This meant offering emotional and spiritual support to people, connecting them with financial and practical assistance, referring them to agencies, acting as chaplain for public gatherings and events, and offering education on community recovery and resilience.

“Chaplaincy was increasingly about simply journeying with people: asking ‘how are you going?’ – and, perhaps uniquely, being able to sit with whatever the answer was, to hold space for people to feel whatever they were feeling – as well as holding faith and hope for the future,” Rev. Wright said.

“This was an extraordinary privilege, resulting in a connection to community which will shape my ministry role in the Manning Valley for years to come.”

“At the same time, it was an emotionally challenging role, which required unusual levels of stress management, emotional support and selfcare.”

Rev. Wright found herself saying, “Perhaps I should get a dog.”

“Like many people, I guess, I had some preconceptions about what a ‘rescue dog’ would be like – and as a first-time dog guardian, I was worried about whether I’d be able to give a ‘troubled’ dog what it needed to heal and thrive,” Rev. Wright said.

“But our faith calls us to have a particular care for the lost, least and left behind – and I didn’t see why that shouldn’t apply to dogs as well as humans.”

“I also learned that people surrender dogs for all sorts of reasons: in the current economic climate, often because of housing access, relocation and affordability. Not all dogs in a shelter have ‘issues’ – and very few have ‘issues’ that a loving, patient, secure home can’t mend, with time…

Rev. Wright said she found the process of matching person to dog to be, “both caring and careful.”

The organisation took lifestyle and personality factors were taken into account, as well as motivation and preparedness.

“I was confident that, in the end, I was going to be offered a dog that, with a bit of flexibility and grace, would ‘work’ for me –and I for him or her,” Rev. Wright said.

Missy is Rev. Wright’s three-year-old Jack Russell/Foxy cross. She has been embraced by the Manning Valley Uniting Church congregations and the local community, sitting through classes Rev. Wright teaches at the University of the Third Age (U3A), and attracting pats and conversation wherever the two go.

“I knew that sharing my personal space – my home and my ‘down time’ – with another creature would take some getting used to,” Rev. Wright said.

“I knew it would be lifestyle-altering. (The shedding! The pooperscooper!) But I didn’t anticipate the extent to which adopting Missy has, in fact, been life changing.”

“Not just for my health and fitness – we walk five to eight kilometres daily by our beautiful rivers and beaches, and stroking a sleeping dog is a wonderful antidote to stress – but for my way of being in the world; my way of being before God.”

“Dogs live in the present moment, and are always completely and authentically themselves. They love unconditionally, forgive unreservedly and play uninhibitedly.”

“My new favourite definition of grace: ‘We don’t deserve dogs.’ Certainly, Missy – and the whole process of our finding each other – and the people who have connected with me (and

the church) as a result of our TV appearance – has been an experience of pure gift.”

Rev. Wright said she found a whole new community of ‘dog people’ who connect with each other while out walking – and talk “deeply and unashamedly” about what their dogs teach them about God and life.

“Missy and I are forming a little ministry together called ‘Fido’ (‘I have faith’ in Latin), to create an affirming space for some of these conversations and relationships,” she said.

“‘Fido’ seems to make sense to people who may be unchurched or de-churched people, but nevertheless find in the gaze of their dog something that draws them into deeper waters.”

“We hope to offer faith-focused ‘walk and talk’ sessions; a Support Grrrrrrrroup for those doing it tough; and a DOGooders group to help homeless and economically challenged people access pet supplies and veterinary care for their beloved companion animals. Just part of my new adventure in Missy-ology.”

Rev. Wright told Insights she recommends people adopt a dog if they are considering this.

“Seriously, if anyone is contemplating getting a companion animal, don’t hesitate: contact your local shelter – or the Animal Welfare League –and start the conversation,” she said.

“We can’t keep bringing more and more designer puppies into the world, when there are already so many amazing creatures languishing in kennels, longing for a home and family.”

“Adopting a ‘rescue’ dog is surprisingly inexpensive – and hugely rewarding. And you never know: the dog may just end up ‘rescuing’ you.”

JONATHAN FOYE

Rev. Claire Wright’s episode of The Dog House Australia is available to stream now on 10Play. You can watch the episode here:

OUR FAITH CALLS US TO HAVE A PARTICULAR CARE FOR THE LOST, LEAST AND LEFT BEHIND

Hosted by the Uniting Church Synods of NSW/ACT and Vic/Tas.

The Church’s Mission to the World

Prepared by Rev. Alimoni Taumoepeau. Find the full versions at www.insights.uca.org.au

SUNDAY 4 JUNE

Trinity Sunday/Reconciliation Week

Matthew 28:16-20

This week we recognise the doctrine of the Trinity: One God in three persons. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We also celebrate Reconciliation this week. In our story, this is the first time Jesus met his disciples after they were scattered before he went to the cross. After rising from the dead, he told them through Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to meet him in Galilee. Our reading is made known as ‘The Great Commission’. This is a complex doctrine to talk about in this reflection. What’s important, is the CrucifiedRisen Christ gathered the people of God to God-self through the authority of God’s communion love. It is out of this, you and I are called to go out to all nations and reconcile all men, women and children to God.

We can do that in a number of ways: Through worship, witness and service. In what ways you could show to others the trinitarian nature of God? How could you as a Christian seek to reconcile others to God this week?

SUNDAY 11 JUNE

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

At Pentecost, it marks the beginning of the Christian church’s mission in and to all the world. This is post-resurrection, therefore our task is to respond to God’s call on our lives to be a transforming agent for the kingdom of God.

The calling of Matthew, the tax collector shows how Jesus calls men and women to use their gifts.

In a dinner party, Matthew invites his tax collector and business friends to meet Jesus and the disciples. This is evangelism at its best: Inviting our family, friends, workmates, and neighbours to meet with Jesus. The story of a leader of a synagogue coming to Jesus claiming it’s only him who can

raise her from the dead is an interesting one. Do we have such faith in God, he can do unimaginable things in life? What can you trust God for today?

SUNDAY 18 JUNE

Matthew 9:35-10:8

When we talk about the mission for God, we often fall short in those who can go out and do the work God is calling the church to do in our community and in the world. Jesus gave us a model of how to get people to involve in God’s mission: Firstly, To pray for them. When we pray, we ought to be open to God calling us to be his answer prayer to be God’s mission agent to the world. Secondly, to teach them the work of mission. Jesus taught his followers by showing them what to do when you are on a mission. He then sent them out with some direction to experience what it likes to be in mission. They will learn from their mistakes and nurture their gifts and strengths. In the church, we must do these tasks in order to build disciples.

SUNDAY 25 JUNE

Matthew 10:24-39

The mission of God is not an easy task. In many way, we will be challenged from every side and for many, that is why they at times are afraid to response to God’s call, let alone being faithful in mission. What Jesus shared here is to encourage us to be faithful to our call with these three words: “Don’t be afraid.”

Jesus knew, as he had experienced himself, that there are many things to be afraid of, and he encourages us not to be afraid.

What are you afraid of in your journey of faith today? God is saying to you and me, ‘Don’t be afraid.’

OUR TASK IS TO RESPOND TO GOD’S CALL ON OUR LIVES TO BE A TRANSFORMING AGENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD

July Following Jesus’ Models of Life

SUNDAY 2 JULY

Matthew 10:40-42

I wonder if we think seriously of the implication of following Jesus models of life. That those who receives us, receives Jesus and ultimately receives God in their life. This is an incredible and life changing formular. That your life and mine, when people meet with us, or if we relate to others around us, all they will find is Jesus in us in word and in deed. We can do that personally, or with others who are willing to receive and give from each other in prayer groups or fellowship groups. It would be transforming if we invite others to receive what we have received and encourage them to do the same to others around them. Jesus model works if we practice with families, and it works when we practice it with our communities around us.

SUNDAY 9 JULY

Matthew 11:1619, 25-30

We are living in a world that more and more people don’t have a faith in the Christian God. When we talk to people about God, they often make excuses or use an analogy of people who claim to know God, but their lifestyle are too difficult to understand or comprehend and they say you are crazy.

Thinking about this week, the National Aborigines and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week. How many people know about this? What excuses do people have for not celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?

The best way to experience and appreciate our Aboriginal and Strait Islander friends is through relationship. Making an intentional decision to listen and learn about their culture and values. This was something Jesus notice in the people of his days, that they make knowing God very hard with too many rules and regulation and no wonder people make excuses. He then shares how getting to know God is as easy as living in God’s presence, listening and learning from him (Jesus). Like a child

learns from a father, so is anyone learn from watching God in Jesus. He is our best picture of who God is and what God is like. He does not put on us a yoke, extra rules, or regulations. How can we continue to live and help the people in our community that does not want to know God? And also get to know our first people and celebrate who they truly are?

SUNDAY 16 JULY

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Our gospel text for this week is part of chapter 13 which stands at the middle of the five discourses that make up the Gospel according to Matthew (5-7, 10, 13, 18, 23-25). Preaching and teaching were important part of Jesus ministry. He did it in a way to catch people’s attention. Telling stories in parable was a way of connecting with the inner self of the listener, calling them for specific action.

You and I cannot just hop on a train and preach or walk into a gala dinner and share what you believe. Instead, when we have the chance to share our Christian stories. How can we proclaim them in a way that 21 st century Australians hear and understand?

SUNDAY 30 JULY

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Perhaps the question is as old as Christianity itself: “Why doesn’t God intervene?” It becomes very personal for some of us when one face trauma or life-threatening illness. One of the challenges posed by this parable was that ‘life is about waiting.’.

Life experiences can sometimes shape our faith or it can also shake our faith. But the core remains, we either have to wait or God is in the business of waiting with us. Is this a fair assumption on what God is like or what we are required to be like? When we study Jesus’ public ministry, we learn that he acted in a caring, supportive and compassion manner.

IT WOULD BE TRANSFORMING IF WE INVITE OTHERS TO RECEIVE WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED

August An Opportunity to Serve

SUNDAY 6 AUGUST

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

This is a teaching block of Jesus which involves a series of eight parables. In our reading for this week comprise six of those short parables. But before we look at what it means, it is important to understand the context of why Jesus was teaching this way.

In chapter 11 and 12 of Matthew, they illustrate the growing mishap of people’s attitude about Jesus. Where Jesus made a sharp contrast about the nature of true discipleship which comes down to one’s response to the news about God.

These short stories, have one thing in common. There is intentional character development in the life of the responder.

These short parables create a platter of joyful synergy for the journey. Don’t take all of it at once, read one by one, reflect on it and let it soaked into your sense of worth, you may be surprise of what it does.

SUNDAY 13

AUGUST

Matthew 14:13-21

Everyone of us need time for ourselves. Especially, when things don’t go the way we often hope. Losing a loved one, not getting the job offer you were hoping for, or one of your children had a run in with the police.

You want time to pray, reflect or find energy for the journey ahead, and suddenly people knock at your door for help. What would your reaction be? Would you ask them to leave and come back another day? Jesus did not react in frustration or anger, instead he responds with compassion.

He transforms his need to rest into an opportunity to serve. Jesus was not bound by schedule or plans, he allows space for the unexpected. What about if the unexpected becomes a challenge of, ‘Give them what you have?’ And you know what you have is not enough.

Giving ourselves and what we have to God, sometimes surprises us, when God used whatever we have and turn it to a blessing we have never experienced before.

SUNDAY 20 AUGUST

Matthew 14:22-33

Part of our church life is discernment. We discern what our life and witness could be. We discern what the future might be in relation to ministry and mission.

Our story this week shows the life of the church as a journey. There are times, the church faces its fair share of going through storms of life: financial difficulties, relational tensions, cultural shifts, but as faithful members we remain there for each other praying and wondering how can we get out of the storm we face. Jesus comes to us in ways we never anticipated.

SUNDAY 27 AUGUST

Matthew 15:21-28

How should we erase racial prejudice from our world? Would we ever treat all human as equal? Jesus began to face the weight of his mission was not only for the lost sheep of Israel but to all the world.

It would be easy in our context to find this story shockingly prejudice. But we need to look at Jesus’ purpose clearly acted out here. While he focuses on Israel, the Gentile world emerges with the same need.

For all creation whether male or female, Jews or Greeks, they all have needs only God can satisfy.

In the verses before the readings for this week, we learn of what was to Jesus about cleanliness. Now Jesus is crossing over to the border of the Gentile world, we would expect he is making a deliberate act on giving the space that was meant for the Israelite, wide open to anyone who wishes to make use of it.

REV. ALIMONI TAUMOEPEAU

CONSULTANT

GOD USED WHATEVER WE HAVE AND TURN IT TO A BLESSING WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE

The Gospel According to BLUEY

Bluey is an Australian children’s television series focusing on six-year-old Bluey, a Blue Heeler pup, and her family. Bluey has a little sister, Bingo, and mum and dad, Chilli and Bandit. Then there are aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and a whole community of neighbours, friends and school playmates to make for a realistic setting for a child to grow and learn in.

Bluey has received critical acclaim and has won two Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards and an International Emmy. In 2022, Bluey had her own Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon, demonstrating the world-wide popularity of a show that is only in its third season.

Created by Joe Brumm, Bluey is written for children and adults alike. Much of it is based on his own parenting experiences of being a father to daughters. From the comments on the Bluey Facebook page, not only children tune in regularly for Bluey, but parents watch it without the kids, as do individuals without children. It speaks into the life of contemporary families in a way that few children’s shows achieve. My brother, father of five, appreciates the uncanny accuracy of the episode Takeaway, where Bingo needs to go to the toilet, Bluey wants a shower under a tap, Bingo wants to eat the plants, the food gets spilled, and existential questions are asked all in the time it takes for spring rolls to be cooked. My sister, mother of two, relates completely with Chilli trying to get the girls out the door so they can get to an event on time in Sticky Gecko

Given its Australian context, it is endearing to hear Aussie accents with musician David McCormack voicing Bandit and actress Melanie Zanetti voicing Chilli. It is also “set” in the Sunshine state, so be prepared to see Queenslander style houses, the Brisbane city skyline, and even the water fountains and play area at South Bank. You can also play spot the iconic Aussie toys whenever the girls play around the house. It’s use of music is clever and perfectly suited for each episode. Listen for Gustav Holst’s The Planets in Sleepytime, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy in Bike, and Mozart’s Rondo ‘Alla Turca’ in The Magic Xylophone. For the pop culture buffs, you can look for Easter Eggs like the cardboard box from Metal Gear Solid in Smoochy Kiss, a Total Recall quote in Daddy Robot, or the State of Origin match being commentated by Ray Warren (his fans are claiming it as his 100th Origin match), Johnathan Thurston, and Gordon Bray in The Decider

Whilst the show revolves around the two girls learning creativity, resilience, and life lessons through play, the show does not hide from difficult and complex issues, making Bluey ripe for family conversations and theological discussions.

Smoochy Kiss is one such episode. Chilli introduces the concept of having to take the bad with the good in the opening scene when Bluey doesn’t want to dance to the part of a song she dislikes. Over the course of the episode, the girls try to prevent Chilli and Bandit from sharing a “smoochy kiss”, claiming that dad is now theirs. They soon discover that their dad has flaws – his armpits leak, he licks gravy off his fur, pees on his foot, washes it off in the laundry sink, uses Bluey’s t-shirt to clean it off, has hairs in his nose, and passes “stinky fluffies”. When the girls try to tell their mum all these “disgusting” aspects of Bandit, Chilli calmly says that she is used to all that. Bandit reveals that Chilli has flaws too. Chilli’s closing words of wisdom are “Kids, if you are going to belong to someone, you’d better toughen up”. The girls declare that Chilli and Bandit can keep each other which works for the parents. They finally get to enjoy their kiss…despite Chilli’s sardine flavoured morning breath!

There is a definite case for couples, friends, and family members having to accept certain quirks, idiosyncrasies and flaws in one another. Not a single person is perfect and all will fail others at some point. Offering grace, forgiveness, and compassion to others, with the humble awareness of one’s own shortcomings, is a human virtue.

This is of course, a far cry from abuse, violence, and coercive control. Where crimes are committed, these should not be endured. Injustice and harm need to be called out so that victims and survivors can be safe, perpetrators can repent, and both can forgive, heal, and move on.

God’s gracious treatment of humans, however, goes a long way further than just accepting human frailties. The life and teachings of Jesus describe ways of God interacting with the world and demonstrate how humans can respond. In those, we could be forgiven for only finding moral tales to inspire, emulate and learn from.

The death and resurrection of Jesus, however, is compelling at a far deeper level. The cross has meaning, power, and salvific importance that cannot be limited to a simple morality tale or parable. Rather the cross, especially the resurrection of Jesus, is what the Christian faith hangs on.

According to Daniel L. Migliore in Faith Seeking Understanding, the New Testament has a number of legal, financial, military, sacrificial and other metaphors that seek to explain and give meaning to the death and resurrection of Jesus. These in turn, have been developed into theories of atonement. One is the Christ the Victor theory where a cosmic battle is won by Jesus who defeats demons, the devil, and all powers that hold humans captive. A second is the satisfaction theory where Jesus’ death satisfies the wrath of God, justice is done and sinners forgiven. A third is the moral influence theory in which Christ’s love is demonstrated in such a compelling way that humans are constrained to respond in wonder and gratitude. Each one of these is a human attempt to understand a divine act. As such, they all contain limitations and failings, as well as deep truths. Migliore acknowledges that there are theological, Christological, pneumatological (Holy Spirit), ecclesiological (church), political and cosmic dimensions to the resurrection of Jesus that go beyond these three theories of atonement. He writes:

The cross is God’s free and costly gift of love whose goal is the transformation of the world…God’s raising of the crucified Jesus to new life is God’s concrete confirmation of the promise that evil will finally be defeated and justice will reign throughout God’s creation.

While Bluey gives us an endearing and loving demonstration of taking the good with the bad in close and committed relationships, it shows some of the limitations of human love. The cross, however, shows us a loving, costly, powerful act that affected the entire cosmos and which can only be performed by the Trinitarian God.

DR KATHERINE GROCOTT

THE SHOW DOES NOT HIDE FROM DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX ISSUES, MAKING BLUEY RIPE FOR FAMILY CONVERSATIONS AND THEOLOGICAL DISCUSSIONS

A dramatic caper with heart and comedy

IRREVERENT (SEASON ONE)

Irreverent is a dramatic caper with heart and comedy. It’s a morality play with a hard edge, a juicy premise and a fresh spin on the witness protection sub-genre.

The threats on our guy Mack are real, and the relationships he cultivates become authentic, even if they don’t start out that way.

There’s a sense of fun in the stories and the lengths to which our hero must go to stay hidden, and the characters that go with him are people who will experience victory and loss. Irreverent doesn’t shy away from the messy beauty of contemporary Australian life.

The story will come from both weekly problems Mack must deal with, and his series-long goal of getting enough money together to buy a new identity with which he can get his life back on track.

It will make liberal use of action, suspense, and episodic cliff-hangers as Mack desperately tries to maintain his holy façade. Each week will explore a new problem, but also progress the growing list of problems that Mack has in the town.

In order to stay away from the crooks that are hunting him, Mack must stay hidden. But to do that, this urban criminal is going to have to convince an entire town that he’s a devoted man of God. The stakes couldn’t get any higher; one slip up and he’s dead. But as time goes on and as Mack is forced to help people in order to maintain his cover, he discovers that maybe, just a tiny bit, he likes it.

Irreverent is a story about a crook coming to terms with the transformative power of doing good. It’s a story about family, identity, and community.

Ultimately though, Irreverent is a redemption tale that shows that happiness comes not from taking, but from giving.

Irreverent is streaming now on Netflix

ANDREW HUMPHRIES

This piece originally appeared in Crosslight.

IT’S A STORY ABOUT FAMILY, IDENTITY, AND COMMUNITY

$370

FOR CAMPERS