Crosslight May 2015

Crosslight No. 254 May 2015

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Ros Marsden discusses ways to put the ‘social’ into social media.

A Uniting AgeWell initiative enables residents to share their stories withfamily and friends.

The sights, sounds and smells of India will stay with a UCAF group who experienced the trip of a lifetime.

The congregation at Devonport shares their experience as they make the difficult decision to sell their church.

Our feature this month looks at the impact federal funding cuts will Christ risen. all around the Nigel worldTapp proclaim have onisthe workChristians of UnitingCare agencies. speaksthese with words, and have done so for centuries, in acknowledgement those working in emergency relief about the effect the cuts will have of the hopevulnerable and graceinof the risen Christ. Happy Easter. on the most society.

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The letters page gives you views and news from the pews and beyond.

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Synod Snaps brings you images from our churches throughout Victoria and Tasmania.

Regulars Reviews - 18 to 19

Placements - 20 to 21 Opinion - 22 Moderator’s column - 23

Editorial Challenge for the Church PENNY MULVEY

MORE than a thousand members of the synod recently participated in a culture survey at the invitation of the Major Strategic Review (MSR) team. In the moderator’s reflection, Dan Wootton wrestles with what it means to be countercultural.

Communications & Media Services

UCA Synod Office, 130 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone: (03) 9251 5200 Email: crosslight@victas.uca.org.au ISSN 1037 826X

The synod’s intercultural development officer asks questions about living in a multicultural world. We talk about the dominant culture, Christian culture, popular culture. But do we have a common understanding of ‘culture’?

Its origins stem from the Latin ‘colere’, ‘to tend or cultivate’. Cultivation of the soil has close similarities, as we think of the cultivation of the mind, the faculties, or even values.

Speaking at a recent conference of Christian broadcasters, communicators and creative artists, World Vision CEO Tim Costello, described a ‘profound hollowness in Australian culture’.

He spoke of a nation longing for meaning and purpose and described Anzac Day as the new civil religion, which when stripped

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bare is based around the concept that there isn’t new birth without the shedding of blood. This is a story familiar to the Church. But the blood was not the blood of soldiers but of Christ, as we are reminded each Sunday as we share in the Lord’s Supper.

Mr Costello told the room of communicators that purpose has to be the Christian voice in the public square.

“We are meaning animals.” His challenge was to present a compelling message about why we live and what we live for.

However, the Church can succumb to the hollow messages of the Australian culture as readily as others. The moderator asks us to be wise as we straddle the two worlds of the sacred and the profane (that which is not sacred). The task of the MSR is to form

a broad vision for the Church into the 21st century, part of which involves a financial review to ensure sustainability for mission.

As we consider what God’s mission for the Church is, we can’t help but reflect on a culture that is very different now to the one which led us to Anzac Cove and the Western Front, or even to the one prior to the advent of the internet just over 20 years ago.

We are part of a culture that has little perceived need of religion. Our ‘brand’ is damaged. The challenge for us is how to respectfully and graciously breathe the love of Christ into that hollowness.

To be counter-cultural. To remember that we are called to love our neighbour as ourselves. God is the cultivator. What kind of culture do you long for?

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ucavictas

ucavictas

News Threat to the Great Barrier Reef THE Synod Commission for Mission wants Australian banks to rule out funding Indian business tycoon Gutram Adani’s Carmichael coal mine and expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal in Queensland.

Mr Adani has extremely close ties to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a dubious environmental record in his homeland. His project to build one of the world’s biggest coal mines in Queensland’s Galilee Basin has the support of the Federal Government, despite threatening parts of the World Heritage listed Great Barrier reef.

Adani was founded in 1988 by Gutram Adani. It has been accused of environmental destruction, illegal activities including bribery, tax evasion and unauthorised construction in India.

Major global banks and investment houses – including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan Chase, Royal

Sharing stories UNITING AGEWELL residents have been sharing stories through a program that puts the spotlight on life experience and personal mementos.

The ‘My Story’ project provides volunteer ‘story catchers’ and ‘storytellers’ the opportunity to share unique personal memories of life experience.

Karl Moon, education project coordinator at Uniting AgeWell, has managed the project since late last year.

“One of our biggest hurdles was encouraging participation in the project – to me this was a great surprise,” Mr Moon said.

“Our first correspondence returned only 40 willing participants. The overwhelming response to the project was ‘my life was not special or extraordinary’.

“This project shows all stories are special.”

Despite initial trepidation, many residents were happy to share and showcase an array of unique stories reflecting broad life experiences.

National role for Dandenong minister

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Bank of Scotland, HSBC and Barclays – have already said they will not fund any development in a World Heritage area.

Director of the Justice and International Mission unit, Dr Mark Zirnsak, wants Uniting Church members to write to the big four Australian banks – Westpac, ANZ, Commonwealth and the National Australia Bank – seeking a similar commitment.

Writing in The Age last year Mosiqi Acharya – a senior SBS journalist who worked for CNN IBN and Headlines Today in India – described Mr Adani’s environmental record in India.

“His business activities have resulted in several mangrove areas being destroyed.

Mangroves are essential to maintain an ecological balance and ensure the integrity of a coastal region,” Mr Acharya said.

“Furthermore, his business activities have resulted in inadequately treated waste water being dumped into the sea and the violation of multiple environmental laws.

“Mr Adani has it in him to turn an arid desert land into a thriving economic junction. In India the change came at the cost of locals and the environment. Is

Participants engage with volunteers, staff and family members to produce keepsake items such as short films, photo and artwork albums or professionally bound books to share with family and friends.

“The recruitment of volunteer story catchers was vital to the success of the project,” Mr Moon said.

“We were overwhelmed by the skill, dedication and diversity of volunteers that have worked on the project in the last six months.”

Volunteers included Year 12 students from an intergenerational project partnership with Aquinas College Ringwood, graphic designers, photographers, counsellors, film students and professional editors.

“All the volunteers have an interest and passion for storytelling and improving the lives of older people,” Mr Moon said.

“It’s not just about the stories. It’s the relationship and the end result of a keepsake that is the essence of the project.”

DANDENONG Uniting Church minister Rev Dr Apwee Ting (pictured) believes there is a desperate need for churches to re-discover the art of cross-cultural ministry in order to fully engage with their missional mandate.

Dr Ting – who was last month announced as the new national director of Assembly’s multicultural and cross-cultural ministry, replacing Rev Dr Tony Floyd – said he was pleased the Uniting Church was at the forefront of such ministry.

Raised a Buddhist in Indonesia before converting to Christianity, Dr Ting said he strongly felt “the hands of God, friends and communities supporting and encouraging me to take this important role”.

“I feel so grateful and humbled by this opportunity and will give myself as a servant to all,” Dr Ting said.

“I look forward to working closely and constructively with my colleagues in

Australia prepared for an Adani kind of change?”

The Federal Government is supporting the project, with the Australian consul general in New York and former-Howard government cabinet minister Nick Minchin lobbying banking institutions to finance the project.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has endorsed the project saying: “It’s one of the minor miracles of our time – that Australian coal could improve the lives of 100 million Indians, and it just goes to show what good that freer trade can do for the whole world.”

Dr Zirnsak believes the negative impact of the project outweighs any predicted benefits.

“While our government is supporting this project, it is believed that India is likely to scale back thermal coal imports in the next two to three years, because of a focus on domestic coal production and renewables,” he said.

“It has become a standard tactic of supporters of the coal industry to make baseless claims about the role coal will play

in reducing global poverty.

“The reality is that it will continue to contribute to climate change that will increase poverty for millions of people.”

The traditional owners of the Wangan and Jagalingou country, on which the mine is to be built, have formally rejected an Indigenous Land Use Agreement with Adani to build the Carmichael coal mine on their land.

A copy of the letter-writing action can be obtained from the Justice and International Mission unit by contacting jim@victas.uca. org.au or 9251 5286

Alan and Faye MacFarlane sharing stories at Uniting AgeWell.

synods, national conferences, presbyteries and congregations.”

Working in one of Australia’s most culturally diverse and multifaith communities, Dr Ting is extremely qualified for the role. He is a former chairperson of the UCA’s Indonesian National Conference, as well as a former chair (2006-2009) and current member of the Assembly’s national reference committee for multicultural and crosscultural ministry, with the specified role of liaison with the Assembly’s relations with other faiths working group.

Dr Ting said Dr Floyd had led the UCA into a very firm understanding of being a multicultural Church and this was something he would build on.

“This ministry particularly has a strong link with the work of UnitingWorld, taking in the dynamic relationship between home church, partner Churches

and UCA, and relationship with other faiths.”

One of Dr Ting’s priorities will be developing more culturally accessible resources for ministry. In his own work, Dr Ting has developed a system using images of seasonal fruit to explain biblical and theological understandings.

UCA President Rev Prof Andrew Dutney welcomed Dr Ting’s appointment, saying that he brought a wealth of experience in working cross-culturally in congregations and a deep understanding of the UCA’s overseas church partnerships.

“In this 30th year since we declared ourselves to be a multicultural church, I’m delighted that a minister from a diverse cultural and religious background will be leading our national efforts to support this dynamic area of ministry.”

Dr Ting’s placement with the Assembly will begin in July.

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News Climate change forum REV ALISTAIR MACRAE “THERE is no guarantee that the world we live in will tolerate us indefinitely if we prove ourselves unable to live within its constraints.”

These warning words of the past Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, are consistent with many theologians today, who identify the human vocation to care for creation as a contemporary missional imperative.

Weather-related catastrophes in the poorest countries on Earth are the clearest indications yet that predictions of accelerated warming of the Earth caused by the uncontrolled burning of fossil fuels are coming true.

A forum on responding to climate change has been designed to assist Christians and others to make proactive choices in relation to sustainability; and help mitigate humaninduced climate change. The forum, at Wesley Church Melbourne on 24 May, 2-4pm, has been organised by the Wesley congregation, Wesley Mission Victoria and

Passage to India HELEN BEEBY THERE is a saying in India when driving.

You need ‘good brakes, a good horn… and good luck!’

If you’ve ever travelled to the sub-continent you’ll identify with this statement completely.

As well as the mayhem that passes for road traffic management – with an astonishing and refreshing lack of road rage – India is simply a whirlwind to the senses. A cultural assault, one might say.

Breathtaking scenery, buildings and people suffuse in a kaleidoscope of iridescent colours and piquant aromas. It was pure drama and wonder for the 13 women who travelled there recently with the Commission for Mission’s Uniting Journeys program.

The vision to make this journey had been conceived more than two years ago. It followed from a meaningful connection

the synod Justice and International Mission unit, in conjunction with Wesley College.

That particular Sunday is marked internationally as Aldersgate Day, the day of John Wesley’s heart-warming experience in 1738. In the spirit of John Wesley, these forums seek to connect the gospel to important social issues of the day.

The forum will be resourced by several panellists.

Prof David Karoly is Professor of Atmospheric Science at Melbourne University and an internationally recognised expert in climate change and climate variability. He has been an active advocate for meaningful government, corporate and individual responses to the threat of climate change. Ellen Sandell is Member (MLA) for Melbourne and a past CEO of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Rev Sefarosa Carol is a Uniting Church minister and theologian who works for Church Partnerships, UnitingWorld. Rev Carol will bring the perspective of Pacific Island nations such as Kiribati and Tuvalu, island states which are facing inundation because of rising sea levels. Susie Richards is on Wesley Mission’s homelessness and crisis support team and will talk about impacts of climate

change on the poor. And Wesley College’s environment and sustainability prefect will bring a young person’s perspective.

The forum will be moderated by Cath James, the synod’s social justice and environment officer.

Wesley College will provide some musical entertainment before and during the program. The forum will include displays

and hand-outs of Uniting Church resources relating to sustainability as well as those of other community groups.

with the Church of North India’s Diocese of Amritsar during an education project visit in 2012. Relationships had continued and snowballed into High Street Uniting Church, Frankston, spearheading a Mother & Child Mobile Health Clinics project in the Dalit villages of the Punjab.

This vital project was launched in January 2014 and is now delivering ‘health of the community’ services to disadvantaged families, including contraception, nutrition, family planning, environmental health and ante and post-natal care.

Of course, a desire to see this work in action was forming.

Amazingly, a few months later, Uniting Journeys invited two dozen people to explore the role of conversation partners in their emerging responsible travel program.

The invitation had come at the same time as a request to support a group trip to the maternal health project. It turned out Uniting Journeys had been looking into India as a destination.

The connections were beginning to click together as if by an invisible hand.

Uniting Journeys’ Jim Wakelam said “We

weren’t necessarily looking for new places, it’s more about deepening relationships that exist and developing those connections.

New flavours are starting to come to the fore, arising from what Uniting Journeys has done before, but emerging from people’s own communities.”

So, in late 2014 a call went out to anyone interested in combining an eye-popping sight-seeing trip to North India with a three-day immersion visit to the Mother & Baby Clinics project, all combined with opportunities to talk and share experiences through the Uniting Journeys initiative.

The respondents came from unexpected places – six from South Australia, seven from Victoria – but the diversity was fascinating. Many had a background in women’s healthcare, midwifery and international development – but some were simply looking for adventure or a spiritually meaningful experience on their life journey.

Desleigh Kent, from St Kilda, said of the trip: “I loved being with this group of women... it was a very special experience.

Having not been to India before I expected

to be rather overwhelmed, but instead felt very comfortable.”

The group flew from Melbourne to Delhi on 24 March and the itinerary took in Delhi, Amritsar, Agra and Jaipur. They joined the Palm Sunday Procession through Amritsar – an action which hit the newspapers over there. The group were as much VIPs due to the connection with what Indians jokingly call their true religion – cricket (the World Cup final was on the same day) – as for the support of the projects.

“Exploring this empowerment of women project was also about our discovery,” said Lea Trafford.

“Each one of us made the choice to go to India and give people at home an opportunity to take responsibility.

It was an amazing group of women, looking after each other, talking to each other – all welcoming and responsive.”

During a laughter-filled discussion in India it was decided that the three things needed to be ideal Uniting Journeys travellers are: ‘good company, good exposure... and goodwill.’

For more information contact Wesley Uniting Church on (03) 9663 2935 or office@wesleychurch.org.au

Participants making connections in India on a recent Uniting Journeys trip.

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News Opening day: St Margaret Hall DOUG WILLIAMS IMAGINE bringing together 285 teenagers, a DJ with sound desk and four speaker stacks that would bring down Sydney Opera House. Add passionate staff who work tirelessly to help these orphaned and disadvantaged youths develop skills to create their own future.

Then mix it all together in a building that many of them helped to create through funds provided by the congregations of St John’s, Cowes and St Margaret’s, Mooroolbark (as well as many other individuals) and what would you expect?

A party.

In God’s time, between February 2010 and January 2015, a brand new hall grew to bring a new heart to RYDA Vocational Training Institute and the wider work of Rubaga Youth Development Association.

On Thursday 5 March the joyful celebrations to christen this monument to RYDA’s past work and launching place for God’s future challenges to RYDA and its supporters, continued from 8am to 8pm. Organised by a student committee, who were guided by a small staff team, the day included two hours of cleaning the compound, setting up the hall and lighting the wood fires under giant cooking pots to get the lunch under way. The other 10 hours were filled with singing, dancing, role play, dancing, ribbon cutting, dancing,

speeches, dancing, karaoke, dancing, eating, dancing, a short break for soccer, dancing, drama presentations, dancing, conversations, dancing – and the freeflowing, generous, celebratory Spirit of God. Believe me, St. Margaret Hall has been well and truly blessed.

As a representative of every donor who has ever sent a cent to RYDA through St Margaret’s I was there to cut the ribbon and declare the building open. I was also able to present a Scrapbook of Blessings from St John’s, St Margaret’s and supporters beyond. The silence and absorbed attention as I read messages from sample pages cradled a sense of awe within the room.

How can this place mean so much to so many people from so far away?

St. Margaret of Scotland, who is said to have fed the poor at the castle gate every morning before eating her own breakfast, would surely see RYDA’s work and continuing support of it, as an inspired continuation of her own, indeed as evidence that Jesus continues to live.

As everyone settled after re-entering the hall following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the RYDA Choir made their way in through the side door. They were singing: “I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter his courts with praise.

I will say this is the day that the Lord has made.

I will rejoice for he has made me glad.”

Indeed, it was the day that the Lord had made. And we were glad.

Celebrations at RYDA

Starving for fashion THE Synod Commission for Mission (CFM) is asking Uniting Church members to write letters to clothing giant Pacific Brands, requesting it ensure production workers in Cambodia are paid enough to live on.

Pacific Brands owns well-known brands such as Bonds, Sheridan, Berlei, Tontine, Holeproof, Jockey and Voodoo.

Wages of workers in the garment sector in Cambodia remain woefully inadequate.

The low wages result in poor nutrition for workers. After 300 workers fainted in 24 hours at King Fashion Garment factory in Cambodia, the district police chief Born Sam Ath said: “Workers’ health is not good.

They don’t eat enough and the workplace is stuffy.”

The issue of low wages can force women workers to abandon children, and people become weak and ill due to their inability to afford a decent diet. Factory owners, under pressure from foreign buyers, exploit the low wages to enforce overtime workloads that further affect the health of the work force.

The Cambodian Wage Tribunal concluded: “Women workers are forced to base their nutrition on food with a totally insufficient caloric content, many hours of overtime work become practically mandatory, thus making much worse the chronic exposure to the harmful environment”.

In September 2014, eight global companies (C&A, H&M, Inditex, N Brown Group,

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Tchibo GmbH, Next Retail, Primark, New Look) who source garments from Cambodia wrote a joint letter to the Cambodian Government in support of a living wage for garment workers.

The Cambodian Labour Advisory Committee released a new minimum wage level for garment workers set at $152 per month (around $5 a day). However, this is still far below a level that would allow workers to escape a life of poverty.

The Cambodian garment workers’ unions have advocated for a modest minimum wage of $210 per month.

Australian based companies did not support this action at the time.

The CFM found that Pacific Brands are sourcing from Cambodia. The CFM wrote to them in January and asked if they would publicly support for a living wage for Cambodian garment workers.

“We received no reply, so we are now asking Church members to write to them so they know they cannot ignore the issue,” Mark Zirnsak, director of the Justice and International Mission unit said. “For well over a decade Uniting Church members have wanted to know the workers who make the clothes we wear have decent and fair jobs.”

For more information contact the JIM unit at jim@victas.uca.org.au or 9251 5286

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News Faith to Facebook ROS MARSDEN

THE eulogy delivered by granddaughter Rachel Fraser at the March State Funeral for Malcolm Fraser provided a warm glimpse into the private family life of Australia’s 22nd prime minister.

Ripples of laughter filled Scots Church Melbourne as Rachel revealed the former leader’s fascination and then adoption of social media.

“A few years ago, Grandad was intrigued as to why all his grandchildren were taking photos and constantly checking their phones.

After a few long conversations about both Twitter and Facebook – at the age of 81, Grandad seemed to have his accounts up and running in no time and became more active than all of us put together.

I still remember the cheeky grin on his face when he said “I’ve got 20,000 followers, how many do you have, Rach?”

Malcolm Fraser was brave to tackle social media. You can conceive him brusquely dismissing the notion, but instead his granddaughter talked of his curiosity and desire to conquer the medium.

For many of us raised in an era of manual typewriters and sending letters through the post, the speedy advent of the internet and mobile technology has felt alarming, even frightening. We hear horror stories of cyber bullying and hackers invading our privacy. We see head-bowed public transport commuters glued to their phones and we attend family gatherings where children text under the tablecloth between serves of roast lamb and apple crumble.

In the Pew Research Centre September 2014 report, more than half (56 per cent) of all American adults 65 and older who were online, used Facebook. That represented 31 per cent of all American seniors.

So if we want to be like Malcolm Fraser, and 1.39 billion monthly active users on

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Facebook, for example, how can we get started?

The best teachers may be in your lounge room right now – teenage children or grandchildren – and it could be the nicest way to spend time with younger members of your family. Most young people love the opportunity to share their technical savvy and show enormous patience explaining new concepts.

At 78, Bill Spencer (pictured), who worships at Trinity Uniting Church in Dandenong, is an avid Facebook user.

“I started around five years ago to keep up with activities my grandchildren are involved in.”

“By ‘liking’ what they do and putting encouraging comments on their posts, I feel part of their lives in a positive way that they can relate to.”

He also enjoys the way Facebook helps him stay in touch with extended family.

“Sometimes you’re not able to see great nephews and nieces because of geographical distance, but with Facebook I’ve managed to stay connected even when I don’t see family for a while.

“I also like having a voice on issues, especially the plight of refugees so I share and comment on posts focusing on social justice that I see on my timeline. When my son stood as a Labor candidate at the last election I enjoyed supporting his messages through social media too.”

As Bill discovered, Facebook is an excellent place to share photos and to connect with family. Many older users discover school or childhood friends they have lost touch with or they find community and hobby groups with shared interests. By ‘liking’ a page your Facebook timeline can stream information about your favourite topics.

Users trying social media for the first

time express concerns about the medium’s public nature, but if you select the correct privacy settings you can restrict who sees or shares your posts. Bill suggests only accepting friends that you know as a good starting point.

What is Bill’s advice for someone who’s unsure about diving into Facebook?

“I would really encourage people to try it.

I’ve been able to get in touch with people we haven’t seen for years, I love seeing family photos and I have a voice in issues that matter to me.”

Here’s the link for the Uniting Church synod of Victoria and Tasmania Facebook if you would like to follow the synod’s activities: bit.ly/ucavictas The Uniting Church is active on social media with a large number of congregations sharing activities at their local church. Some examples of Facebook accounts include churches at: North Balwyn; Ringwood; Trinity Dandenong; Western Heights Geelong; St John’s Essendon; Mountview, Mitcham; Banyule Network of Uniting Churches; Koornang; Echuca Moama; Northcote; Weerona Bendigo; St Leonard’s Brighton; Mount Martha; High Street Frankston; Williamstown; Glen Waverley; Altona Meadows Laverton; Carlton Church of All Nations; St Andrew’s Sunbury; Western Port; St Michael’s Melbourne; St Kilda Parish Mission; St Luke’s Highton and Messy Church Ivanhoe and Heidelberg.

The Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania and the Uniting Church Assembly have Facebook pages and others you maylike to explore include pages featuring UnitingCare agencies, the Justice and International Mission unit, Uniting AgeWell, Centre for Theology and Ministry and UCA Youth.

If your church’s Facebook isn’t listed above please send the link for your page to tim.lam@victas.uca.org.au.

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News Continuing a conversation ANDREW JUMA THE final session in the Understanding Islam series at North Ringwood Uniting Church featured a panel discussion with invited Muslim guests.

Sheik Ali Dirani from the Shia Al Sadiq Foundation and Imam Wadood Janud from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Victoria spoke alongside Vickie Janson and Elizabeth Kendal, with Dr Bernie Power facilitating.

Master of ceremonies Robert Latimer articulated the ultimate purpose of the panel was to promote harmony and understanding.

The spirit of togetherness was reiterated

by Dr Power: “One way to break these barriers down is to speak face-to-face with each other, and another is to address these issues in a very respectful manner,” he said.

The evening’s plan was to start with a comparative study of Jesus, Muhammad, the Bible and the Qur’an and finish with a conversation on the social aspects of Islam – terrorism, gender issues, Sharia law and inter-religious relationships.

The panel presented a range of viewpoints, starting with Vickie Jensen, state director of Australian Christians party and author of Ideological Jihad, who posited that religious beliefs have political consequences and Islam is a way of life.

“Without freedom of speech, all other freedoms are indefensible. So it is about being able to have a conversation and I certainly advocate decency in that freedom.”

Seated next to Ms Janson, the widelytravelled Sheik Ali Dirani, a Shia Muslim who has lived in Australia for 43 years, said he believes that religious intolerance stems from a lack of understanding and personal prejudice.

“Religion is represented by individuals and sometimes it is in conflict because each individual based upon their knowledge and based upon their ignorance compounding, represents what they believe.”

Elizabeth Kendal’s ministry life and desire to monitor Christian persecution was sparked by the murder and detention of Egyptian Coptic Christians in 1998 and the subsequent protests in Sydney.

“Aware that a lot of persecution was perpetrated by Muslims, who claimed to be acting in the name of Islam, I started reading up on Islam, its history, its politics and its theology,” Ms Kendal said.

“It is because I love Muslims that I desire that they come to know Jesus because he has changed my life and made it wonderful”.

Lastly, Imam Wadood Janud who was raised in Adelaide, studied theology in Canada and worked in humanitarian aid in Liberia and the Middle East, also argued misunderstanding stoked fanaticism.

“I am extremely honoured and humbled to be seated before you to represent and

perhaps enlighten my fellow Australians about a religion which I believe has been broadly misunderstood by Muslims and others alike.”

The panel began by discussing Jesus in Islam. While on the surface many Christians would think Muslims do not know Jesus, there is in fact a whole chapter dedicated to Mary in the Qur’an.

All believers are also told to aspire to be either like Pharaoh’s wife who took Moses in, or Mary.

The panel agreed the understanding of who Jesus was differs between different Christian denominations as it does between the different Islamic groups. This is a theologically dense subject requiring many hours of discourse, but the panel’s explanation was sufficient.

There was also great debate about Muhammad and the perfection of prophets. Imam Janud said that the Qur’an teaches prophets are perfect, hence their selection by God. Ms Kendal noted the contradiction with the Bible “Christians admit readily that the prophets in the Bible were flawed human beings - King David - was close to God’s own heart but he was still flawed - he committed murder,” she said.

This segued to the exposition of the contentious story of Muhammad ordering the beheading of 600 men of a Jewish tribe.

While ostensibly a wanton act of cruelty, Imam Janud gave a detailed account, showing the execution was a judgement made by an independent arbiter, chosen

by the tribe who hoped he would favour them.

He chose to follow the laws of the Old Testament, condemning the men of the tribe to death for their betrayal.

Another compelling exchange focused on the Islamic code of dress and the burqa in particular.

Rising to prominence during the recent Afghanistan war, to some the burqa illustrates the oppressive, patriarchal, nature of Islam.

However, the audience was reminded that the Qur’an actually does not say anything about the burqa, but instead speaks broadly about modesty, much like the Bible.

In fact, the Qur’an commands men “not to look at women with regards to bad intentions. So the first form of modesty that is taught is to men”.

There was agreement with the notion of women removing religious garments on national security grounds.

This, Imam Janud stressed, should not circumvent freedom of expression: “I do believe that if a Muslim lady wants to express her faith by wearing a burqa, then it is her life.”

Ms Janson chose a different tack, arguing “… what about goodwill … in Australia you cannot run around naked, that is indecent exposure, and I would argue that being completely covered is countercultural for us and it is a form of indecent under-exposure … you cannot see the person.”

Opinion The other story ANDREW JUMA

“Closest to the believers in love and affection are the Christians”* As an Australian citizen of African heritage, I wanted to attend the Understanding Islam series as I am acutely aware of how conversations regarding the ‘other’ are framed. Africans, like Muslim men and women, Asians and southern Europeans are readily identifiable as being different.

This makes conversations about their place in Australian society pertinent as we seek to create a harmonious culture.

White Australia, as a government policy, was abolished and replaced by multiculturalism. But what does multiculturalism mean in this day and age? Is it the Cronulla Riots, the Reclaim Australia rallies or the #iWillRideWithYou campaign?

While some may disagree with holding the Understanding Islam series in a Uniting Church, I believe it is important for these topics to be discussed openly and freely.

They are happening in the community and we as a Church owe it to ourselves to facilitate them. The alternative is the melee that was the Reclaim Australia rallies.

It is important for people in the middle to hear different viewpoints and then begin the individual journey of understanding.

Therefore, my main criticism of the series was it did not afford Muslim scholars equal opportunity to speak about Islam.

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The first night did not have any Muslim representatives.

This stilted the conversation and built a framework under which counterarguments, for example that Islam is not a religion of violence and Australia is not about to be overrun, could not be properly made. It seemed the Q and A session was primed for a ‘gotcha’ moment, instead of facilitating an honest discussion about a serious issue.

“So that is how to create a single story, show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become.”

This quote, by renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie, highlights how hearing a single story about a culture, person or place is pernicious to our understanding of others. In the same way Africa’s story is often told as one of catastrophe and suffering, the current narrative of Islam is being simplified to terrorism and burqas.

We are all guilty of this, being part of a voyeuristic mob, spurred on by stories of beheadings, child-brides and ‘Islamisation’.

We are guilty for not seeking an alternative narrative; mainstream media only serves us what we rabidly consume. They reflect us.

It is in this atmosphere that phantasmagoric theories abound, patently false myths are propagated: Halal certification (like Kosher, and the Heart Foundation tick) is not a creeping tax and there is no evidence linking the sale of approved products to terrorism; Sharia Law is not being surreptitiously introduced across the world; there is no clash of

civilisations occurring in Australia or the Western world; Muslims make up 2.2 per cent of the Australian population according to the 2011 census.

What we have are extremists of all stripes who band together and use selective or narrow interpretations of religious texts as evidence of their warped hypotheses.

While some commentators and politicians deride Muslim leaders for not actively

promoting Islam’s peaceful virtues, when they do speak out the mainstream media ignores them. They are there after every terrorist incident reminding us the perpetrators do not represent them.

Yet another reminder that we, the public, only hear what we want to hear. *from the Qur’an, Chapter 5 verse 82

The Reclaim Australia rally at Federation Square in Melbourne

According to a Pew Research study, there are approximately 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, compared to 2.1 billion Christians.

However, while we remain fixated on the spectre of the Muslim Terrorist, actual figures paint a different picture: • According to Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, less than 2 per cent of all terrorist attacks in the EU between 2010 and 2015 have been religiously motivated. This is all religions, not just Islam.

• In Europe, 2013, there were 152 violent acts, two religiously motivated compared to 84 ethno-nationalistic or separatist motivated.

• In 1995 Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, killed 168 people, including 19 children and injured over 600 • In America since September 11 2001 of 190,000 murders in total, only 37 were committed by Muslim terrorists.

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Did You Know?

The dove and the Uniting Church logo REV DR RANDALL PRIOR (WITH REV DR D’ARCY WOOD)

THE dove has a significant place on the logo of the Uniting Church in Australia as a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

The image of the dove is frequently linked with the story of Noah’s ark in the Old Testament. According to Genesis (8:11), Noah sent a dove from the ark to determine whether the flood had abated and land had re-appeared. When the dove returned with an olive leaf, it signified to Noah not only that land had once again appeared, but that the order of creation had been restored and the chaos created by the flood had come to an end.

In that sense, the dove with the olive leaf in its beak represents order, calm and peace in the midst of chaos and disorder.

While this sets something of the background to the significance of the dove, the use of the dove in the Uniting Church logo is directly connected with the gospel story of Jesus’ baptism.

According to the accounts given by each of Matthew (3:16) and Luke (3:22), at the time of his baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus ‘as a dove’.

This appearance of the dove set the seal on the significance of this human person, Jesus of Nazareth as the one in whom God

Safe Church training THE Safe Church training year is well underway. In February, more than 100 participants from 27 congregations attended workshops in Ararat, Horsham and Hamilton.

is uniquely and fully present.

Even if this symbolism of the dove as the presence of the Holy Spirit is not prominent in other writings of the New Testament, this connection became strong in the tradition of the Church.

Thus, in the Uniting Church logo, the Holy Spirit is represented as a dove. Notably, the colour of its wings is red, a colour normally linked with the Holy Spirit; the shape of the wings is representative of the flames of fire (as in Acts 2:1-11 where the Holy Spirit descends as flames of fire upon the apostles).

It is also notable that the wings of the dove overlap the shape of the cross which suggests that the work of the Holy Spirit is directly connected with the message of the cross. The beak of the dove is white (the colour used to represent the Easter resurrection) and touches the outer half-circle at the base of the logo which itself represents the ongoing ministry of reconciliation and peace which is the work of the Holy Spirit in the world.

Information provided by the Rev Dr D’Arcy Wood indicates that the decision to have a Uniting Church logo was made by a group called together by the Joint Constitution Commission (JCC).

The JCC was established with the task of creating a constitution for the Uniting Church, following the content of the Basis of Union which had been put together by the Joint Commission on Church Union.

After preparing a draft of the Constitution, the JCC called together a larger body of 75 people representing equally the three denominations which came into the

Uniting Church. One of the early agenda items that the 75 considered was a ‘logo’.

Rev Prof Ian Gillman was a Presbyterian teacher in Theology and Church History at Emmanual Theological Hall in Queensland and one of the founding fathers of Church Union. He offered to have a firm in Brisbane, with which he had contact, work on a logo and several versions came back to the group. All of the versions were similar and the decision was made pretty easily.

The interpretation of the logo was prepared by Professor Gillman in consultation with the logo designer. It is available on the UCA Assembly website, assembly.uca.org.au

Safe Church training is an awareness raising program that has been running throughout the synod since 2012. An initiative of the National Council of Churches Australia, the training aims to raise awareness of protection for children and vulnerable adults.

Safe Church training presenter Valma Edwards was impressed by the contributions and suggestions of the participants. She said recent media reports had highlighted the need for the program.

“The large numbers attending and the distances travelled indicates the intense interest and concern to make churches safer,” Ms Edwards said.

“Not everybody who attended the Safe Church program came with the full understanding and recognition it would provide. After participating in the workshops, most seemed to accept the importance and significance of their congregation becoming a recognised and registered ‘Safe Church’.”

THE PWMU

COOKBOOK COMMITTEE

The synod has declared that participation in these workshops is compulsory for all those in leadership positions in congregations and other UCA institutions.

For more information go to the Culture of Safety link on the home page of the synod website or contact Safe Church educator Josh Woollett on 9340 8810 or email josh.woollett@victas.uca.org.au

is seeking Expressions of Interest from UCA members who have a passion for home cooking, a keen interest in food and knowledge of book editing.

The committee, which has representatives from the Uniting Church and Presbyterian Church, is responsible for regularly reviewing the PWMU Cookbook to keep it relevant and up-to-date, so ensuring that it continues to maintain its place in Australian homes.

If you would like to be part of this committee, please contact Pam Grant, Committee Secretary P: 9876 1575 E: pam.grant@otpusnet.com.au by 20 May 2015.

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

9

Obituaries A life of faith in action

JEAN MCKENDRY-PATERSON 19/1/1928 – 9/3/2015

REV KENNETH ALBAN ALLEN, BA, BED, DIPED, DIPRE 12/11/1932 – 19/12/2014

Building faith KEN, an ordained Uniting Church minister, spent the majority of his working life in chaplaincy positions in Uniting Church schools. His legacy will be those students whom he inspired to love God, and show care and compassion for others.

Ken was the third of four children born to

10

NORTH MELBOURNE has lost a much loved and respected senior citizen in Jean McKendry-Paterson. The March service of thanksgiving for Jean’s life at St Mary’s Anglican Church was conducted by Rev Dr Craig Thompson of the Uniting Church (Curzon Street) where Jean had been a member for more than 70 years.

Jean was born into a humble working-class family in1928. The family lived in turn in Richmond, Carlton and North Melbourne.

Jean learned early in her life what it was to struggle. The would-be dressmaker knew from an early age just what sort of a suit she could cut from her cloth.

Jean attended Sunday school as a young girl. By the time Jean was in her mid-teens her attendance at church had become a genuine Christian commitment. Jean was inspired by her minister, Rev Stephen Yarnold, who strongly encouraged his congregation to be outward looking and responsive to the needs of the local community.

In the 1940s and 50s, the inner suburbs of Melbourne were predominantly workingclass, industrial slums that harboured deep-rooted social problems. Someone saw the need for a North Melbourne Progress Society, and a youthful Jean McKendry saw the need to belong to it. Later she founded the North Melbourne Elderly Citizens’ Club (1956) and was a founding member of the North Melbourne Senior Citizens’

Club.

In providing space for social gatherings – first in the Town Hall and then in the early ’70s, in the present accommodation in Melrose Street – elderly people were able to form friendships and engage in meaningful activity.

Jean encouraged the University of the Third Age to offer classes at the Centre in Melrose Street, and she also established art classes there. The annual art exhibition was not just a notable cultural feature of life in North Melbourne but also a significant fundraiser for the Centre.

Jean served on numerous Melbourne City Council committees and acted as a consultant to the council on the special needs of the elderly. She worked closely with the Salvation Army and the Society of St Vincent de Paul in providing services to homeless people. She also coordinated a fortnightly lunch for disadvantaged people.

She was also active in the local Abbeyfield Society, serving on its committee.

She developed programs to help people from non-English-speaking backgrounds, and more recently she was instrumental in welcoming people from African countries into the broader community and to the Elderly Citizens’ Centre in particular.

In 1992 she married Jim Paterson. At the age of 64, Jean’s own personal happiness came to the fore. But it was not to last, for sadly Jim contracted motor neuron disease and died some 18 months later. This must have been a profound loss for Jean, and yet – testimony to her courage and devotion – the years after her tragic loss were as energetic and productive as ever before.

She was truly deserving of the honours bestowed on her. The centre in Melrose Street was aptly renamed the Jean McKendry Neighbourhood Centre.

Jean was also honoured by the Victorian Government in being named Senior Citizen of the Year in 2008.

Jean was not a person who just talked about her faith: she lived it. When she received her Senior Citizen of the Year award the first words of her acceptance speech were: “This all started with the church and I never thought I would end up here.”

Her altruism did not die with her, for Jean willed her body to help further the cause of medical education, advancing others even after her death.

Despite her many achievements, Jean retained a humility and commitment to all people. While politically astute and feisty in advocacy, Jean was also diplomatic in her approach to people and the numerous organisations with which she worked.

The Uniting Church congregation of Mark the Evangelist has lost by far its longest serving member. North Melbourne has lost a loved and respected citizen. Farewell, Jean – you will be fondly remembered in the local community that you loved and served for more than 60 years.

Elsie and Jack Allen. The family moved to Hampton where Ken attended Brighton Tech, leaving school at 15 to be an apprentice carpenter. He was also involved in all facets of life at Hampton Methodist Church including the tennis, football and cricket teams. His attendance at Mr Roy Quirk’s Bible class on a Sunday morning and the ministry of Rev Harold Freeman were important influences in his Christian growth and commitment.

He made a decision to candidate for the ministry after attending an Easter church camp in Anglesea. He went to night school to gain his matriculation for university entrance. After a year at Otira, the Home Mission College in Kew, he went on to Melbourne University to obtain his Arts degree. During this time he married Helen Donnell whom he’d met at the Hampton Methodist Church. Ken’s trade skills enabled him to support his family while studying.

Ken’s first parish appointment was Mathoura, just north of Echuca in 1966.

He preached at four churches each Sunday, starting at Bunnaloo, and then onto Womboota. He would then have lunch with one of the parishioner families.

The afternoon continued with worship at Thyra, then an evening service at Mathoura. The round trip was 100 miles, and he’d frequently take the whole family on these Sunday excursions.

Ken and family spent a very happy three years in Mathoura and strong friendships were forged. Ken’s mission since his calling, however, was to foster young people with a belief in Christianity that was relevant to everyday life.

While serving at Mathoura, he undertook teacher training at the University of New England in Armidale.

Ken’s first school appointment was as Assistant Chaplain at Haileybury College, Keysborough, to Rev Frank Elmore.

To give credibility to his teaching of Religious Education, he taught matriculation politics and biblical studies.

He took morning assemblies, evening services at the boarding house, coached sporting teams and became a scout leader for the Haileybury Scout Troop. Ken also introduced Sunday worship services at the school for local families in the Keysborough region. Ken continued his studies, gaining a Bachelor of Education at Monash University.

In 1976, Ken was appointed chaplain at Prince Alfred College, a Methodist boys’ school in Adelaide. Ken was very busy with pastoral care, morning assemblies, teaching Religious Studies, taking Sunday services for the school boarders, and officiating at many weddings for school families at the beautiful school chapel. He continued with sports supervision, becoming an accredited hockey coach. Ken and family were also members of the Tusmore Memorial Uniting Church.

In 1983, Ken moved to St Leonard’s College in Brighton, Victoria, where he served as chaplain until retirement in 1994. He was affectionately referred to as ‘Rev’ by both staff and students, and on one Muck Up Day, the students decorated his office with scores of Rev Milk cartons!

He had a long and happy association with staff and students, which continued into retirement. He was often wondering about

the impact he made in equipping students with Christian faith values.

He was delighted to receive many letters on his retirement from former students, one of which stated: “I wanted to write this letter to show my deepest thanks for the leadership you have shown. Your leadership through prayers and talks has helped me realize the important things in life. I understand the importance of giving to others willingly and the amazing difference and comfort you feel in your life when you have God….

I know you were a big part in that and I wouldn’t let you leave without letting you know.”

Ken retired to McCrae where he was able to indulge his love of gardening. Ken and Helen joined in with the Dromana Uniting Church and he was a foundation member of the Red Hill Probus club. In retirement Ken and Helen enjoyed travelling. Having three children and 10 grandchildren scattered throughout various states and countries ensured they were busy keeping track of their family.

In 2005, they downsized to a unit in Mornington and became active members of St Marks Uniting Church.

In his last illness, Ken found great support in the prayers and friendship of the St Marks congregation, and the sustaining pastoral care of its minister, Rev John Haig.

Ken Allen will be remembered as a builder, not only of houses and objects, but a builder of communities and organisations, a builder of individuals and families. He was greatly loved.

* This tribute by members of The Congregation of Mark the Evangelist, North Melbourne, is based on the eulogy delivered by Dr John Hood at the service celebrating Jean’s life on 16 March this year.

Compiled by Dr David Allen

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Profile Devonport looks to a new future NIGEL TAPP PERCHED on a natural street incline, the Devonport Uniting Church has stood watch over the development of the NorthWest Tasmanian city’s central business district for almost 130 years.

While it is a strong physical presence, the cost and work associated with maintaining the buildings are now beyond the means of its dedicated, but ageing, 50-strong congregation.

So they have decided to sell and move on.

While it is a story not unfamiliar in the synod, the Devonport congregation has reached its decision after more than two years of discussion, conscious of the need to ensure all members understood the reasons for considering a move and had a say in reaching the final decision.

Many members have a long association with the church’s site, which was first used for worship in 1889 after a Methodist church was built on donated land.

Church council chairperson Betty Keep said it was clear to everyone early last year that a decision had to be made.

Occupational health and safety issues and the costs associated with maintenance and insurance exceeded the congregation’s physical and financial ability.

The main church building is only used intermittently now for the occasional wedding or funeral. Regular Sunday worship is held in an adjacent hall which comfortably seats the congregation.

Some even prefer the hall, suggesting that it is easier to keep in touch with one another than the church, where people could come

and go on a Sunday without being seen.

Members did not want the church to wither and die and moving on was going to be a necessary outcome, even though the congregation went into the decisionmaking process open to all options.

“We did not set out to say we had to sell the church. That became obvious as we progressed,” deputy council chairperson David Harris explained.

“It just got to the point where we had to deal with the present and by doing that we are allowing God to give us a future,’’ Mrs Keep said.

By keeping the congregation fully informed along the way the church has been able to reach the decision free of the rancour which sometimes accompanies such moves.

No one has expressed a desire to leave the congregation because of the decision.

“They know we have gone through this process as much as possible. The congregation appreciates the work that has gone into it,” Mr Harris said.

The Mission Motivated Development handbook, produced by the synod, was seen as a valuable resource in guiding the congregation’s discussions.

The endorsement of the move does not imply congregants are moving willingly, but they know it is in the church’s best interests.

“We all agree with the decision but we still

feel sad,” Cheryl Cooper said.

Elder Marie Beluch put it another way: “We love our church but we love our God more.”

The congregation is extremely active with two UCAF groups, a men’s fellowship, ladies DVD night, the Crossroads fellowship group with people with disabilities, Connect bible study group, regular outings and dinners, book discussion group and a badminton group.

The congregation ensures these groups are not exclusive to church members with several people involved who are not regular church attendees.

It also operates a Cabbage Basket each Sunday where members bring and buy home-grown and homemade produce.

The profits go toward projects being supported by Act for Peace.

There is also an active online presence to keep members and the wider community informed of activities.

A majority of members is also involved with a wide range of local charitable and volunteer groups such as the local hospital auxiliary, Red Cross Op Shop and its community visiting scheme, Tasmanian Fire Service, Senior Citizens, Devonport Choral and Repertory Societies, Lions, Amnesty International, the Tasmanian Arboretum, Gideons, Meals on Wheels and the local women’s shelter.

“The spiritual life in our congregation feeds those who then reach out to share the good news to those with whom they come in contact in the wider community in a non-threatening manner,” Mrs Keep said.

The church hall is also a hive of activity most weeks with a local dance group and singing groups using it as a practice and performance venue.

Mrs Keep said the congregation had not finalised its future plans, having agreed that cannot be discerned while the burden of the property hangs over it.

“It has become increasingly obvious to all concerned that we need closure on the property before moving ahead. We feel that the lack of opposition by the congregation indicates a high degree of acceptance that we need to be freed to move ahead into the future with faith,” she said “We will address the question of renting or buying when it is known that the property is sold.”

Until that time it will be business as usual for the congregation.

Members of the congregation are being trained and encouraged in ministry and mission. One of the ways this is being achieved is by involving members in the preparation and conducting of services.

It is also seeking to engage members and non-members in a variety of special interest outreach groups.

“Through this process we have discovered some wonderfully gifted people who are helping us explore new ways of being church, for example through the use of drama and other interactions, and these initiatives are being well received by the congregation,” Mrs Keep said.

Congregation members are looking to the future after deciding to sell the Devonport church

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

11

Making do with much less

By NIGEL TAPP UnitingCare agencies and churches involved with emergency relief funding are being expected to do more with much less following a cut of about 30 per cent in Federal Government emergency relief funding.

Some agencies have been defunded completely and most are not certain if the money they have lost has been redistributed or just taken out of the pool.

12

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Feature UNITINGCARE agencies and churches synod-wide will have their emergency relief funding from the Federal Government slashed by almost 30 per cent – or a third – over the next three years.

This means less employment, tighter opening hours and, crucially, less assistance for vulnerable people in Victoria and Tasmania unless the agencies can find avenues to increase their contributions, a difficult ask in strained financial times.

Between 2011 and 2014 churches and agencies received $4.17 million in emergency relief funding from the Federal Government but that will be reduced to $2.91 million over the next three years, even though demand is expected to increase.

Not only has funding been slashed but four agencies – East Burwood, Harrison, Wodonga and Prahran Mission – have been defunded, although it is not clear if that funding has been picked up by other agencies operating in the same geographic area. UnitingCare Geelong did not apply for funding.

UnitingCare Tasmania was also defunded for the work it had been doing in the Southern Midlands.

Uniting Churches at Scoresby, North Ringwood, Plenty Valley and Croydon were also defunded but do not know if other agencies were successful in picking up the funding.

On top of that, agency funding for financial counselling has also been dramatically reduced, with UnitingCare figures suggesting a decrease of about $2 million a year to key agencies.

Lentara UnitingCare – which provides emergency relief services in the highly depressed areas of Broadmeadows and Sunshine – expected, on the basis of clients seen and increased demand, to see a funding increase from the latest round.

What it got instead was a 25 per cent cut over the next three years, with funding down from $420,000 to $316,000 per year.

Forcing the agency to reduce accordingly can only lead to inevitable outcomes of cutting back support, according to its general manager of community services Greg Wilkinson.

“It means we will struggle to employ

Relief cuts endanger Tasmania’s most vulnerable UNITINGCARE Tasmania’s emergency relief operations in southern Tasmania will be reduced from four half days a week to about 10 hours a week in the wake of a 30 per cent funding cut by the Federal Government.

And when people do arrive seeking support they will be offered less.

UnitingCare Tasmania Chief Executive Lindy O’Neill said the organisation’s services at Bridgewater-Gagebrook and the Hobart Benevolent Society, in the city, had previously been able to offer food vouchers worth $80 a visit but they will now only be able to offer vouchers worth $50.

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

qualified staff in our programs, we will not be able to be as holistic in the provision of material aid, our capacity to provide financial support will be diminished and we will not be able to provide support to families as often,” Mr Wilkinson said.

This is against the backdrop of a region where financial disadvantage is on the rise. Employment opportunities are disappearing – particularly for young people and groups such as asylum seekers – as people move into the area in increasing numbers.

Mr Wilkinson said not being able to provide support at the level required has taken a toll on staff working at the coalface.

“It becomes demoralising,” he said.

“People generally access emergency relief at a time of crisis and having to tell them that we cannot provide support at the level we once did, or not at all, is very hard,” he said.

Mr Wilkinson said the Federal Government’s mantra for a year now had been that times are tough and their revenue streams don’t flow as freely as they have in the past.

“I think some of that is evident when you look at organisations which are being funded and those which are not.”

Mr Wilkinson said it was unfortunate that the government reduced spending in an area such as emergency relief without seeking to address the economic fundamentals which lead people to require such support.

Mr Wilkinson said that what would happen in communities throughout the synod if more money did not flow to emergency relief was clear.

“It is disappointing that the funding has dropped so dramatically. People will go without.

“People in financial disadvantage already go without and they will continue to make choices between putting food on the table or a school excursion, choosing what is more important to pay – car registration or rent?

“These people are not making any headway; they are going from crisis to crisis.”

Mr Wilkinson said it generally meant the activities which enrich people’s lives – such as going to the movies, a meal with friends or playing sport on the weekend – were pushed aside.

He said Lentara would need to find avenues to supplement its emergency reserves.

“We could find some funding through support from local communities, local businesses and the Church, but it would be difficult to make up this shortfall,” he said.

“All of that takes time and energy and when you do not have the staff, those sort of strategic activities become much harder.”

While Mr Wilkinson sees a role for the Church in providing support for marginalised people, he also considers that this level of support must be kept in

proportion to the responsibility of the government to provide financial support at a level which allows everyone to live to an acceptable standard.

Share director of operations and development, Angela Goodwin, is acutely aware of the impact the Federal Government’s cuts have had on agencies and congregations.

This year the Uniting Church fundraising arm has received 27 grant applications totalling $887,000 relating to emergency relief programs. Last year Share had 17 applications and distributed about $505,000 to Uniting Church providers.

The $887,000 being sought this year is actually in line with the total amount of grant funding for all other programs provided by Share in recent years.

On current projections Ms Goodwin concedes meeting that demand will be a very tall order.

“It can only be achieved if we see a significant increase in the response to our Winter Appeal,” she said.

“What we are hoping to see this year is congregations who have not donated to Share in the past be encouraged to do so, and for people to encourage their networks outside of the church to support Share.”

Prahran Mission delivers emergency relief services to about 3500 clients a year and has to do that with about $50,000, or a quarter, less than in other years.

Chief executive officer Quinn Pawson said while it was “damned annoying” the agency would need to source alternative funds to fill its pot, he could not argue against a redistribution of monies if it was nuanced to meet the greatest need.

Mr Pawson said that did not always occur, particularly when a federal agency was involved because it was quite removed.

He said he was confident the agency would meet its community needs as it had always done.

“As an agency of the Church, meeting unmet need is within our brief, the Church has been doing that for more than 150 years in Victoria and as an agency we have been doing that for close on 70 years.

“There will be movements in funds at times and our responsibility is to plug those holes as they occur.”

Instead of being able to offer families assistance once every six weeks it is now more likely to be once every nine weeks.

Clients will be more likely to receive food parcels rather than food vouchers as UnitingCare Tasmania seeks to stretch its funds as far as possible.

While that may sound reasonable, Ms O’Neill said it must be remembered that parcels may not take into account an individual family’s cultural or dietary requirements and it was far more humiliating than a voucher where people could choose for themselves.

Ms O’Neill said the cuts made an already difficult situation even harder for many of the agency’s clients.

“Many of our clients are forced to often choose between buying food or paying essential bills such as utilities,” Ms O’Neill said.

“Parents often choose to feed their children and go without themselves and engage in

paying the most urgent bill just before the service is disconnected or a debt collection service is involved.

“Some people have even been unable to pay for essential prescription medicines.”

The impact of offering clients less support is not only felt by the affected families.

Ms O‘Neill said it also impacted negatively on the health and wellbeing of the agency’s staff, many of whom volunteer their time to support society’s most marginalised.

“They are aware of people who are failing to keep up with cost of living pressures and daily work with families who have already stretched their income to breaking point,” she said.

“These are not families who can’t budget.

These are people for whom the simple maths of income and expenditure do not and cannot balance.

“Staff are becoming distressed and increasingly anxious for their clients as the full extent of these cuts becomes obvious

and they have seen what happens when families are under enormous financial pressure.

“Incidents of domestic violence increase, some people turn to drugs, alcohol and gambling to escape and mental health issues can be exacerbated.”

Ms O’Neill said the agency was yet to see demand for support peak in 2015 and yet already UnitingCare was behind the eight ball in terms of federal funding.

“Most worrying is the fact that winter is not yet upon us and higher demands for energy, firewood, blankets and shelter are yet to be factored into the new reality of what the state’s emergency relief services will have the capacity to provide.”

Ms O’Neill said in past years the State Government has provided some funding for emergency relief. While UnitingCare Tasmania has tried to find out what will happen in 2015-2016 there has been a deafening silence from the government to date.

13

Feature Church of all Welfare reform Nations to continue should involve relief support greater investment FOR decades, Carlton’s Church of All Nations (CAN) has delivered emergency relief to those in need.

While the Federal Government has abandoned funding to CAN’s operations, the church will continue to support the marginalised in its community.

Church minister Rev Dr John Evans admitted he was surprised when CAN’s grant (normally between $8000-15,000 a year) was not renewed in the latest round of funding.

Dr Evans said the church was seeking other avenues of funding as well as looking at how its support was structured.

“It has often been said that if we did not have emergency relief assistance we would have had to invent it,” Dr Evans said.

“People in need come to the church and seek assistance and we have to look at how we do that now.”

Dr Evans estimated that in the last 12 months the church had provided assistance to approximately 1000 people.

He is unsure how those people will be supported in the future, but providing food for those in need will remain a core function of CAN. Dr Evans said the church had applied for a grant from the Share Appeal to tide it over while investigations continued into how the church will meet the existing local need.

LIN HATFIELD DODDS NATIONAL DIRECTOR UNITINGCARE AUSTRALIA PEOPLE in politics like to quote an old German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, who famously said that laws are like sausages. If you want to respect them you should avoid seeing how they are made.

The welfare system is like von Bismarck’s sausage. A range of good intentions have been ground together with economic imperatives, political trades and other agendas over many years, leaving us with a system that is not fit for purpose. The good news is that momentum is growing for thorough reform.

Last year, the Federal Government announced a welfare reform review, the conclusions of which were announced earlier this year.

A range of recommendations were made to create a simpler, fairer and more adequate welfare system. The 20 payments and 55 supplements in the current system should be consolidated into five primary payments, jobs plans should be created, and people should be able to understand and know there will be financial rewards for work.

These ideas are timely and needed.

But perhaps most encouraging among the recommendations was an unexpected one that welfare agencies have been suggesting for a long time – a mechanism for ensuring welfare payments are adequate.

Currently payment levels for different types of welfare vary greatly and for some people – particularly those on Newstart – they are simply too low. In 2013 a UnitingCare Australia report found that the majority

of people seeking emergency relief and financial counselling from UnitingCare agencies throughout Australia were recipients of Newstart Allowance, and were unable to afford food and energy bills.

People accessing welfare are, by definition, in the midst of challenging times.

The entire premise of welfare is that it is a supportive, reliable safety net.

Payments should allow people to cover their basic expenses and to participate in the community. If these things are not possible, disadvantage will deepen.

The welfare reform review has recommended that payments should be set according to cost of living and community standards and should be adjusted to keep in step with changes to these two things.

This recommendation is key to a better system. Beyond that, as the welfare review

homeless youth spent time in the out-ofhome care system. Trauma and rejection will be part of these people’s stories. There is no government fiat that will address the deeper issues that lie beside and beneath the welfare system. For decades, the Uniting Church has been responding to these challenges and our UnitingCare agencies are part of the legacy of that response. The challenge ahead belongs to us as much as to the government.

In the past year, two pathways for welfare reform have been articulated from Canberra. Both pathways aim for the same goal – more people flourishing, participating in the workforce and supporting themselves.

The first pathway was outlined by the government last year in the May federal budget, where they announced longer wait periods for some welfare payments and tougher conditions on people needing to access welfare.

The other pathway was articulated by the welfare reform review which said that the road to change involves investing in people and building their capacity.

Our nation will be significantly shaped by whichever road is chosen.

Cutting payment periods and making welfare less secure will not provide people with the support they need to move forward.

In contrast, the ideas contained by the welfare reform review have the potential to make a significant, positive difference.

Ultimately, welfare is about more than just payment structures, tax rates and incentives.

It is about replacing fear with hope. The Church knows how to do that work.

When the Uniting Church first formed, we pledged ourselves to “hope and work for a nation whose goals are not guided by selfinterest alone, but by concern for the welfare of all persons everywhere.” Whatever welfare track is taken by the Government, this continues to be our task – to extend hope and build a new future in contexts that badly need it.

Ultimately, welfare is about more than just payment structures, tax rates and incentives. It is about replacing fear with hope. acknowledged, significant additional support is needed for the most vulnerable people who will not achieve independence easily. While welfare can be a short term safety net for many people, there are many others who must not be overlooked.

Social exclusion emerges from multiple interlinked problems. A lack of money and material wellbeing is one part of the picture but alongside it often lies unstable housing, broken relationships, crippling addictions and little education. For the most vulnerable people, fear of failure and loss of hope are the heaviest of burdens that first need to be lifted.

Throughout Australia, 44,000 young people under 25 are homeless and 13 per cent of children live in a household with at least one parent who misuses alcohol. Two thirds of

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14

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

People Leading church figure remembered

Lifetime of service

NIGEL TAPP

REV JOHN GARDINER’S recent 90th birthday celebration also served as a retirement celebration of sorts.

Although officially retired decades ago, Mr Gardiner has remained very active in the Springvale community.

“John said quite a few years back he would preach his last sermon when he was 90,” Mr Gardiner’s wife Mary said of the occasion.

“Our minister Paul Creasey made it a very memorable day.

“Paul presented John with a candle saying he had shined a light for many years and that the light is still shining.”

Joined by extended family, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, the service was a celebration of Mr Gardiner’s lifelong commitment to active ministry.

Mr Gardiner began training for the ministry in 1954 and was accepted as a candidate in 1959 aged 34 having only recently qualified as a Master Plumber.

“His friends said he was changing from a

ONE of Australia’s most respected religious leaders and Christian media pioneers, Rev Dr Gordon Moyes AC, passed away peacefully last month surrounded by his family.

Ordained in 1959 as a minister of the Churches of Christ, Dr Moyes was later ordained in the Uniting Church and served for 27 years as the Superintendent of Wesley Mission Sydney.

Under Dr Moyes leadership, the Mission became one of Australia’s largest nongovernment welfare providers and a uniquely shaped multi-cultural, city-based church, passionate about sharing God’s love in both word and deed.

It is seen as an extraordinary ministry extensive in its breadth, significant in its range and innovative in its outlook.

The scope of its services extend to financial counselling, refugee support, property redevelopment in the central business district, financial sustainability, employment services, child and family support, disability and mental health services, a media presence and retail and conference centres.

Dr Moyes was also a true pioneer in getting the Christian message into the mainstream media.

Turn ’Round Australia, a weekly 30-minute program first aired on the Ten Network.

At the invitation of the management of

CyclePower keeps Paul powering on RETIREE Paul Lambe (pictured), has had a rich and varied career. At the age of 63 he still wants to push the boundaries and take on fresh challenges. All his life he has thrived on helping people and the positive feeling it gives him.

“I get a great feeling knowing I’m helping people. I get a huge buzz from it,” he said.

To keep the ‘buzz’ going, Mr Lambe is participating in CyclePower 2015, made possible by a grant from the Commission for Mission’s responsible travel program, Uniting Journeys. He will be travelling to Laos in June to fight the stigma faced by people with disability and to raise money for the Laos Disabled People’s Association.

Uniting Journeys project worker Jim Wakelam said the decision to support the Hand Cycle tour with Uniting Journeys was a unique opportunity.

“When we were going through the grant process we were really inspired by this idea.

“To see Australians working cooperatively with communities overseas is what our programs are all about really,” Mr Wakelam said.

In Laos, a country where disability is often the source of family shame, Australian wheelchair athletes and Cambodian members of the Laos Wheelchair Basketball project will hand cycle 500 kilometres from Vientiane to Luang

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Channel Nine the Christian show became a Sunday morning staple on the network for almost 25 years.

He also produced several ground-breaking documentaries including The Discovering series, which garnered a worldwide audience.

Dr Moyes was appointed by the Christian Democratic Party to the New South Wales Legislative Council in 2002. He represented the party and Family First for the next nine years and was a passionate advocate for disadvantaged indigenous populations, the homeless, the disabled and the unemployed.

Dr Moyes is survived by his wife of 55 years, Beverley, his four children and 14 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Prabang, in a positive demonstration of the strength and spirit of people with disability.

Paul will be cycling 500km over eight days with 12 other riders, six who have a disability, and will be riding with hand cycles. He knows it will be hard work, but he can hardly wait to tackle the hills.

There are still two places open to join CyclePower 2015. For information on how to sign up to CyclePower, email Karla Wignall at Disability Sport & Recreation, Karla@dsr.org.au or to donate go to Paul’s fundraising page at https://dsrcyclepower. everydayhero.com/au/paul-lambe

plumber to a preacher to save souls from going down the drain,” Mrs Gardiner said.

“He was a Home Missionary at Edithvale Presbyterian Church and later at Clarinda Presbyterian Church where he began very successful youth services.”

Mr Gardiner was ordained and inducted into Norlane Methodist/Presbyterian Church in 1965 and then Scots Dandenong Presbyterian Church in 1969.

From there he went to Nightcliff Uniting Church in Darwin and later finished active ministry placement at Southern Peninsula Parish and retired in 1990.

In recent years Mr Gardiner has taken services in many parishes including Emerald, Tecoma, Blairgowrie and most recently at Springvale.

Rev Paul Creasy commended Mr Gardiner for his faithful service and ongoing commitment to active life in the Church and broader community noting his role in the congregation’s ministry outreach programs.

“His enthusiasm and his energy are just amazing and he’s still going strong,” he said.

“He’s never deterred and has just been a fantastic support in helping to drive the vision of the congregation’s ministry.”

Rev Gardiner with family celebrating

Partnership of faith A SPECIAL SERVICE was held in March at the Camperdown Uniting Church, where a packed congregation witnessed a unique double induction. The service was led by the chairperson of the Presbytery of Western Victoria, Mrs Joy Robinson.

Rev Dr Mele Fakahua-Ratcliffe and her husband Rev Stephen Ratcliffe were inducted into the Corangamite/Otway region. This is a newly constituted cluster consisting of 12 congregations in the south-eastern corner of the Presbytery of Western Victoria, reaching from Skipton in the north to Apollo Bay. The couple’s skills are to be shared throughout the region, but Rev Mele will have special responsibilities for Cobden, Terang and Timboon, while Rev Stephen is centred in Colac but has the care of several congregations to the north, and Birregurra/ Forrest to the south.

A third appointment still to be made will cover Camperdown, Derrinallum and Apollo Bay. Following the impressive service, the congregation enjoyed fellowship and celebration with afternoon tea.

Rev Stephen Ratcliffe and Rev Dr Mele Fakahua-Ratcliffe with their staffs of office, greeting the congregation after their induction.

15

Reflection It’s a conspiracy IT’S a conspiracy! Every Sunday, and at many other times in the week, the people of God conspire. The word conspire derives from ‘con’ meaning together and ‘inspire’ meaning to breathe in. Whether it is in our prayers, litanies of praise, our singing or our communal ‘Amen’ – we act together – we physically draw in breath in order to breathe out the words of the liturgy, to offer litanies of praise, our singing and our communal ‘Amen’.

Having breathed in the Word of life, the love of God, strength and nourishment from one another and the pain of the world and our neighbours; we then together breathe out love and hope. We breathe out healing and compassion, mission and ministry.

This conspiracy which is the Church is much under the microscope in our synod in these challenging years. Currently, we are being invited to reflect on what we think of ourselves and to reflect on how we can most effectively be church. In these discussions the focus quickly moves to how can we be sustainable as a community of God’s people into the decades ahead.

The starting point often seems to be what will we do to change and shape the Church?

A chronic lack of awe HAVE you ever wondered why days seemed to last forever when you were a child… and now it feels like we blink and another week’s over?

The pace of life is faster than ever and we can trip over just trying to keep up. We have all this technology to make life easier, yet no invention that can slow down time.

A 2012 study published in Psychology Today has revealed the real problem…

We’re all suffering from a chronic lack of awe.

During the study, some volunteers watched imagery that was funny, while others watched ‘awe inspiring’ imagery.

Surprisingly, those who watched the ‘awe inspiring’ imagery felt like they had more time, as if time had slowed down.

And it makes sense.

In this current climate, I have been nourished and reminded of some words I read in an article written by Craig B Anderson entitled ‘Community Reconsidered’ [http://bishopcraiganderson. com/publications-bishop-craig-anderson/ community-reconsidered/]. Anderson notes: “…too much talk about community is not only symptomatic of its absence but reveals a misunderstanding of its nature. … the Church too often insinuates that a faithful community can be created out of nothing.

Such hubris overlooks a central tenant of human being and Christian identity.

Human beings don’t create community as much as they are created by it.”

From this perspective our Church community is a gift. It is the context or container in which we discover our humanity. Thus, states Anderson: “… it is not an entity to be produced, but a gift that bestows understanding, humility and worth and brings with it recognition of one’s place in the sacred circle.”

This perspective highlights a common misunderstanding of community as an “aggregate of individuals to be shaped or structured to our needs.”

When I acknowledge the community as a gift, I notice a different energy is released in me. Instead of enquiring as to what might we do to create or be the sustainable community of faith, the invitation becomes – given this gift of community how might we respond?

The consequence for me is a heart-shift and a reminder of the right order for our reflections. Too easily our efforts, relationships and activities within the Church are seen as the initiating factor in a healthy discipleship and faith. However, in this conspiracy there are two movements, the gift of community and then our response. In this conspiracy of grace – the first movement belongs to God – the second movement belongs to us.

Our stewardship, our ministry, our committee life, our shared laughter and tears do not create community; rather they are the (sometimes inadequate) response to the gift of this community – this gift of grace.

We know that the primary framework for relating to the world is found in the first movement of grace – initiated by God, that each and all are loved by God – then continues with the second movement initiated by us – our response to this love.

The gospel reminds us of this foundational principle – God’s love for the world propels us to love one another as gift. Grace defined the character of Jesus. The gospel writer named John called him “grace upon grace,” more grace than anyone could imagine. Those who followed Jesus and knew best the nature of his fellowship described the church as a steward of grace and referred to its members as facilitators of grace, ministers of grace.

The Church then is the conspiracy of grace,

where our breathing and acting in concert is our response to the first movement which is God’s gift to us.

When we contemplate our future in this synod, I need to constantly remind myself that it is not my responsibility to create community. Rather, my first act of faithfulness is to receive the Community as gift.

How might this change my perspective when I participate in our discussions about the sustainability of our mission and ministry in this synod?

At the very least it leads me to be a generous participant aware that those with whom I work and serve with are gifts; this calls me to a posture of thanksgiving.

Only then, when I have breathed in concert with the community of which I am a part and in which I find my identity and humanity, THEN I can contemplate the second movement of the conspiracy of grace – as beautiful and compelling as the first – and ponder how as a community we might faithfully respond in breathing out that love and gratitude and being faithful stewards of God’s abundant grace.

A conspiracy of grace – that’s the Church I want to be.

I’m sure that like me, during childhood you spent countless hours outdoors looking up at the clouds, or the magnificent night sky.

But as we get older, we can tend to stop looking up and spend more time looking down at computer screens and smart devices.

My basic philosophy is best summed up by these words: “For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

(Romans 1:20) I consider myself an average photographer, with a great God – I’m merely an interpreter of God’s creation.

My ‘office’ is the lush rainforests of the Daintree, desert wonders like Uluru and our magnificent, endless beaches.

I’ve travelled the world, interpreting God’s creation and I’ve come to realise that the only appropriate response is an overwhelming sense of ‘gratitude.’

Gazing into crystal clear water at the foot of a glorious, roaring waterfall is like staring into the face of God - truly comprehending His creative nature and His rich blessings.

‘Walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen colour and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.’ Matthew 6:29 Take a moment to really stop and smell the roses; lie on your back and stare up at the stars, like you used to when you were a child.

Perhaps over the years, it’s not just your childlike sense of awe that’s left you but also your childlike faith.

Maybe it’s time to recapture that, too.

‘Enter with the password: ‘Thank you!’ Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him’. Psalm 100:4 When we truly immerse ourselves in God’s creation, we can’t help but feel thankful.

It creates a certain sense of perspective – the same God who created the universe is taking care of each one of us.

I believe God has an incredible destiny for Australia and for us as Australians. As we start to say ‘Thank you,’ He’ll start to open up those doors even more.

At a time when there’s so much fear and anxiety around the world, what is the answer? I believe the answer is faith and thankfulness for what God is going to do.

Our help and our hope is in Him. The National Day of Thanksgiving is on Saturday 30th May, 2015. It’s an opportunity for us to stop, as a nation, and say ‘thanks’ to God and to each other for the blessings we all enjoy.

Ken Duncan For more information, visit www.thanksgiving.org.au Ken Duncan is an award winning Australian photographer and an Ambassador of the National Day of Thanksgiving.

Rev Dr Jennifer Byrnes, Head of Pilgrim Theological College

Image courtesy of Ken Duncan

16

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Letters More thanks

Not just women

THE Mission Liaison Group (MLG) has been flooded with goods to send to cycloneravaged Vanuatu. The first container left Port Melbourne on April 12 and is due to arrive in Port Vila on April 24. Since many of the goods arrived without any indication of who the donor may have been, MLG wants this acknowledgment to be thanks from MLG on behalf of the people of Vanuatu.

So much has come in – as well as sufficient funds that a second container has been bought and is being filled.

Since Swire Shipping has offered a cyclonerelief discount on the first and second shipment, there may be sufficient money for a third container.

The first concentrated on household goods: crockery, pots and pans; food; water; clothes; tarpaulins and tents.

While the second will include the same goods, it will be oriented more towards school needs: exercise books and filled backpacks.

Whether a third happens will depend not so much on what goods are received but more on whether sufficient funds are received.

WHY has domestic violence towards men fallen off the radar in the society and in the church? Or do you actually think that women are not capable of dishing it out? I deplore domestic violence in both sexes when found.

A friend of mine (male) was on the receiving end of a barrage of swearing and verbal abuse from his wife when she hit him. He called 000. The police came and interviewed and took him away in the divvy van because they stereotyped him (male) as the perpetrator, despite his protests. When asked why he didn’t hit back, he said she would have loved that because she could go to the judge and say he hit me. And who would believe the husband? No one. The press has portrayed men as bastards in domestic violence whilst promoting women virtually as sin less. Sorry, did I miss something? I thought Eve was the first one to sin, or did I miss that too?

John Connan Via email

I SEE that the discussion is continuing about John Bodycomb’s question: What we do when we are worshipping God and who we relate to?

Thomas Aquinas was one of the leading thinkers who argued for the existence of God. For Thomas the being of all things cosmic and human could be projected into the ether to give a knowledge of the reality of God, the being of God. We can follow his guidance. An important human reality like father can be projected into all of reality to give the Eternal Father. Similarly, the mother is important and one can project from this to the Eternal Feminine.

God is in and beyond the metaphor. There is one God eternally Father and Feminine.

Justice denied JULIAN KNIGHT is pleading to be at least considered for parole and the Uniting Church owes him a hearing.

Soon after Knight was imprisoned for the Hoddle St slayings, the Uniting Church commissioned him to supply some cartoons for the report on prison justice. This report was soon buried under an avalanche of criticism and copies would be hard to find, but the fact is that the UCA thought at the time that Knight was at least a human being.

Knight has served the minimum time ordered by the court, some 28 years, and is now begging for mercy.

Indeed his Petition of Mercy which he forwarded to the Governor of Victoria this year is available for reading online.

There is now a website www.iexpress.org.au which has been established for prisoners to plead their cases.

I felt the impact of Julian Knight’s slayings perhaps as much as anyone for I was the Uniting Church minister in Collingwood on that dreadful night.

I feel nothing but horror concerning his actions and he deserved a very lengthy term in prison. But I am a Christian and I believe in the quality of mercy. I believe Jesus when he said “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach deliverance to the captives.”

I am asking the Uniting Church to at least examine the Julian Knight case and determine whether his is a cause that calls for mercy.

Rev David Bell

Birchip, VIC.

Domestic Violence THANK you for publishing the article ‘Time to listen’ in the March edition of Crosslight. As a society we need to have the discussion about domestic violence, and push toward lasting solutions.

What I write, should in no way be considered as detracting from women who are victims in the overwhelming majority of domestic violence cases.

Men who are being physically abused within a relationship experience a different trajectory to women. Very little support infrastructure is geared toward supporting men and their children. Seeking help from professionals or friends, usually results in ignorance and indifference toward the victim.

Isolated by being caught between male programming of toughing it out and a lack of support, men in this situation might feel they are sitting in their own garden, waiting for the next abuse, alone. If he is lucky, some remarkable people will sit with him. Remarkable because they don’t accept the societal default, only seeing someone in need.

Acknowledging that men can be victims of Domestic Violence in the article, was a remarkable thing to do. Thank you.

Name withheld

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Eugene Curtis Mildura, VIC

Beyond metaphor

Rev Rowan Gill Altona, VIC.

Back to basis PEOPLE who forget their history are likely to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Crosslight correspondence of late seems to reflect anxiety over what Uniting Church members ‘believe’.

One writer even suggests that reading Bishop Spong’s books might be a ‘step in the right direction’. Such, I fear, would be a futile exercise, leading to further confusion.

The UCA must never forget her traditional beliefs which go far back in history, through the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. Our best source of inspiration and direction remains the Basis of Union and faithful exposition of the Hebrew and Christian Scripture.

Congregations would be well advised when calling a Minister of the Word to ensure that he or she will affirm adherence to the Basis of Union. If the Church fails to supply ministers of this conviction then our people will be well advised to worship regularly within congregations of other denominations who do know what and in whom they believe.

Rev George Grimmett Glen Waverley, VIC

Let’s be clear on children in custody ONCE again an organisation I respect has let me down in providing an answer to a very, very challenging question: I refer to the question of whole family migration and the simplistic editorial in March Crosslight ‘Tears for forgotten children’.

Perhaps I should start by suggesting a bit of care in allegations of Forgotten. No, for many of us, not forgotten – but the solution eludes our best efforts. And we care about them in their home countries, that there may be good development and peace. But some still come.

The writer makes the assertion that these children should be removed from custody.

But does this mean leaving their mothers, separating from them? Surely this would bring more trauma than ever? We cannot support such separation. So in fact this means that

if they are moved the mothers must go with them – to ensure good family life, food, school etc.

But, hold on, this means separating wives and husbands. Surely we can’t support that. So the fathers must be let go with the wives and children.

Ah! In effect we are not asking that children be removed from custody, but that entire families should automatically be freed from custody.

This would have huge ramifications in the international scene, in Europe especially, in fact any country where there are resource or living space limits.

It would make us a great target for family migration from the developing world and could lead to very real problems – many of us who are specialists in the field and take our stewardship seriously are concerned that our grandchildren may live in a very troubled society – our population is growing rapidly, we are paving over the good soils, using all of the rainfall, counting on yet unproven bounty from the tropical north, pondering the impact of climate change.

I urge those discussing the matter to think the matter through – and to be careful with allegations.

Dr David F Smith AM East Melbourne

Whose rights?

PENNY Mulvey approvingly quoted the Uniting Church document Dignity in Humanity: a Uniting Church statement on human rights and the Eighth Assembly of the World Council of Churches on the dignity of all people who are made in the image of God. But this editorial rang hollow to me when a human was not defined, therefore leaving the fate of human beings not yet born unclear. Does “… the equal rights of young and old, of women and men, and of all persons irrespective of their origin or condition” include babies in their mother’s womb? Is the unborn baby of equal value and dignity to his or her mother?

Peter Horton Birchip VIC

Thanks THANK you for another excellent edition of Crosslight. My great uncle Padre James Gault, mentioned p.14 Feature article Rev. Andrew Gillison p. 13,14, was known for “Padre Gault’s Stunt Book”, a record of his stunts, often literary and greatly enjoyed by soldiers who had left school early, while they waited in Le Havre, before going to The Front.

This ties in with my appreciation of Penny Mulvey’s article “The experience of ageism” p.2 and “Attitude key to positive ageing” p. 8.

My son David, aged nearly 42 in a wheelchair, is resident in Uniting AgeWell, the name changed from Uniting Age Care during his time there. David is friendly with residents 40 years older than himself, introducing family to his new friends, making jokes in the style of his great grandfather’s brother, Padre James Gault.

Uniting AgeWell is to be commended on the excellent atmosphere created by executive officer, Valerie Lyons, and staff in providing a home for residents of all ages without discrimination.

Louise Joy (by name of Gault until 1961) Via email

Unfair report I WAS very disappointed with Andrew Juma’s report about the ‘Understanding Islam’ seminar held at North Ringwood Uniting Church on 18 March. He totally misrepresented or misunderstood what I said in my talk. I did not make any comparison with Jesus and Muhammad nor did I quote from Exodus 20, as the report implies. Mr Juma outlined some superficial similarities between Jesus and the early ministry of Muhammad, while he was a powerless preacher in Mecca from 610 to 622 AD. However it should have been very clear from my talk that ultimately the lives of these two men moved in quite opposite directions.

According to the gospels, Jesus eschewed violence, healed the sick, raised the dead, respected and cared for women and children, and went to the cross praying forgiveness for his enemies. According to Islamic sources (Qur’an, Sira and Hadith), Muhammad, during his Medinan ministry, 622-632 AD, took up the sword, attacked surrounding towns, beheaded prisoners of war, had enemies assassinated, enslaved whole tribes, and married ten or so women, including a six year old girl, consummating the marriage when she turned nine. It is unfair to the earliest historical records to pretend that Jesus and Muhammad are in any way equivalent.

Nor did I mention “both Christians and Muslims committing atrocities in the name of their religion throughout history.” I was asked only to speak about Islam and its history. I pointed out that some Muslims throughout history and up to the present day draw on the violent (Medinan) verses in the Qur’an and Muhammad’s warlike example in Medina to justify their bloodthirsty acts. It is hard for us, if not impossible, to justify any historical or present day atrocities if we follow the teaching of the New Testament and the example of Jesus.

As we seek to understand Islam and to love Muslims in the name of Christ, it is important that historical truth, as presented by both traditions, does not become a casualty.

Dr Bernie Power Via email I WAS encouraged to hear that a journalist from Crosslight came with about 250 others to listen to the ‘Understanding Islam’ seminars held at the North Ringwood Uniting Church.

However, I was mystified by his report.

Mohammad’s years in mecca involving the removal of idols and a peaceful message were reported, and compared to Jesus (which was not done in the seminar). However, the second half of Mohammad’s life and teaching in Medina was not reported. It is his example in Medina of unprovoked attacks and slaughter, beheading prisoners of war and slavery (sexual or otherwise) that bothers people, especially when we see this imaged on our TV screens weekly. The opposing demonstrations about Islam on Easter Saturday with some claiming it is a ‘racist’ issue illustrates this confusion.

The second of the seminars was interesting in another way with the respectful Muslim speakers getting most of the airtime. We heard two different explanations of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We heard that Muslims are to follow the example of Mohammad as he lived a perfect life. These speakers did admit that parts of his life appeared imperfect, but this does not detract from the fact that he lived a perfect life.

It seems we need to grasp a different logic as well as a different perspective of history if we want to understand Islam.

It is good to hear that Crosslight is committed to this journey and I look forward to reading a complete and balanced article next issue.

Doug Utley Park Orchards, VIC.

Quiet reflection THANK you Rev Dr Geoff Thompson for your article on the Resurrection, it made me sit quietly to reflect on your words.

Your interesting proposition that ‘the resurrection was a fairly modest act’ and something that was less comprehensive than Christ appeared to promise, was indeed profound. But... perhaps might I suggest it is our limited view that is the problem.

Throughout the ages humankind and Christians in particular have called on God to be a ‘fixer’. “Come o mighty one and bring peace …come o mighty one and change our world”.

This is the cry and the expectation that has often led to despair and loss of faith.

“I come to bring you eternal life” – the words we overlook and, in expectation of earthly comfort and freedom from pain and suffering, ignore.

We as humans are free to behave as our conscience moves us. Those of us with a Christian background try to adhere to our historical doctrines of faith, hope, love and charity, but teeming millions are not of such a persuasion.

Christ’s life, death and resurrection, revealed Continued over page

17

Letters to us a completely new and stunning example for our life’s journey on this ‘disturbed’ planet.

Jesus’ promise of eternal life is so overwhelming that we seldom stop to consider its true impact on the human existence.

Imagine death as a martyr, or on a battlefield, or however you will, and then imagine resurrection. We, ordinary, fallible humans, can claim resurrection – eternal life – an everlasting life with our creator, in His Kingdom, where order and justice prevail and we may fulfil all that we were created to be.

I believe that resurrection is the most overwhelming essence of Christianity. Our own resurrection, the almost incomprehensible promise our faith ensures. Not resurrection in an earthly sense, but a spiritual resurrection into the presence of God. Christ came into a world of cruelty and disharmony, where God had given humankind freedom of choice. God did not send Jesus to ‘fix’ the world – He sent Him to ‘show’ the world a different way. In suffering the worst depravity humankind could devise, Christ showed and led His followers to resurrection and ascension to eternal life with His father. I wonder if that is enough to satisfy those who doubt the adequacy of Christ’s ministry, and God’s purpose in sending His beloved son.

Review Day by day BOOK A DIARY OF PRIVATE PRAYER

BY JOHN BAILLIE REVIEW BY PENNY MULVEY

Margaret Gambold Elder - Kennon Memorial Church Sassafras, VIC

Show of support CONCERNED Ferntree Gully Uniting Church members are standing against the death penalty.

As a protest, some have been wearing white blouses or shirts, whenever able, as a symbol of hope and solidarity with Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. News coverage shows them both wearing white shirts.

As a Church member, I have discovered that constantly wearing white has been a spiritual experience. It reminds me to be vigilant in remembering those on death row and upholding them in prayer.

In the document, Dignity in Humanity: a Uniting Church statement on Human Rights, para 2 reads, “the Uniting Church believes that every person is precious and entitled to live with dignity because they are God’s children, and that each person’s life and rights need to be protected or the human community (and its reflection of God) and all people are diminished.”

I believe regardless of the crime, taking a life is too drastic because capital punishment is no deterrent and revenge is not justice. As the saying goes, “Two wrongs do not make a right”.

Mercy and forgiveness are the way forward for our human community.

We are asking all people of good faith and heart to stand in solidarity with Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, by wearing a white blouse or shirt as often as possible. People can also attend prayer vigils and join the mercy campaign.

Please pray that Andrew and Myuran will be at peace throughout this ordeal and that any State supporting the death penalty ceases to act in this barbaric, senseless and unacceptable way.

For more information on the mercy campaign visit mercycampaign.org Ray Higgs Ferntree Gully Uniting Church

Wrong priorities THE March Crosslight made me cross.

On the front page someone needing help, as many folks do. Then on page 3 the development application lodged. I can’t believe it – we don’t need a fancy building. No wonder people don’t want to know about Jesus, because they look at this. I’m so glad I don’t belong to the Uniting Church now.

Jan Peterson

18

JOHN BAILLIE’S classic book of prayers has been given new life by editor Susanna Wright with the assistance of Rev Dr Robin Boyd, a student of Dr Baillie at New College Edinburgh.

A Diary of Private Prayer was first published in 1936 and is regarded as a seminal Christian devotional. More than a million copies have sat in bookshelves, second hand bookshops and bedside tables throughout the years.

This updated edition seeks to use more contemporary and accessible language to appeal to a new generation who value the discipline of daily prayer.

Dr Baillie’s original intention was to create a book of prayers for private use which could be used throughout the month, with a morning and evening prayer for each day and special prayers on Sundays.

The prayers are beautiful, challenging, personal and global. They bring us into the magnificence of God, a spirit of repentance, of thankfulness and of praise. Each prayer has a different flavour, but they all point to our dependence on the Almighty for sustenance.

These are big prayers and can be used in daily worship month after month, year after year.

Changing fate REVIEW BY TIM LAM TELEVISION | 12 MONKEYS | M

A scene from 12 Monkeys

TERRY GILLIAM’S 12 Monkeys was released in cinemas 20 years ago to critical acclaim. The time-travel classic quickly became a cult favourite with its quirky vision, intricate plot and brilliant performances.

Two decades later, 12 Monkeys has been adapted into a television series for the Syfy channel by co-creators Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett.

The premise closely follows the 1995 film, which itself was based on the 1962 French short film La Jetée. In the near future, Earth’s population has been decimated by a plague that killed 7 billion people.

James Cole (Aaron Stanford) is a reluctant hero sent back from the year 2043 to the present by a group of scientists. His mission is to find a way to stop the deadly virus from releasing. He is assisted in his quest by virologist Cassandra Railly

(Amanda Schull) and a patient from the mental health facility, Jennifer Goines (Emily Hampshire). His search leads him to the army of the 12 Monkeys, an enigmatic organisation with connections to the virus.

Despite expanding the two-hour film into a season-long show, 12 Monkeys remains fast-paced and engaging. Adapting the story to television allows the writers time to explore the imperfect science of time travel and the consequences of altering timelines. The series has the feel of a sci-fi thriller, but it is the rich mythology of the 12 Monkeys universe that entices audiences to come back each week.

The idea of ‘playing God’ and changing humanity’s fate is central to Cole’s mission.

The power to alter history is a tempting one, particularly when it means reversing the deaths of seven billion people.

“Lord, you are everywhere, and it is beneath your eye that all lives are lived; please grant that all my purposes and actions today may be honourable and gracious. May I be just and true in all my dealings. May no mean or unworthy thought have a moment’s place in my mind. May my motives be transparent to all…” (Eleventh Day Morning) A Diary of Private Prayer is not only filled with meditative and reflective prayers, it is also a beautiful book, printed on paper that feels like old parchment, in hard copy and a ribbon to use to mark your place. If you are like me and lack discipline when it comes to your personal walk with God, this book of engaging and challenging prayers might just be the ticket.

Dr John Baillie was a teacher, preacher and author. He held academic posts in the UK, the US and Canada, was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the President of the World Council of Churches. He died in 1960.

Time travel is more than just a clever storytelling device in 12 Monkeys.

The series uses time travel to construct an intelligent and thought-provoking examination of fate versus free-will.

Can Cole change the course of history or are all his actions in the past simply fulfilling what has already happened? This constant tension between fate and freewill creates an intriguing, and at times poignant, journey.

The television adaptation is accessible for both newcomers and fans of the 1995 classic, but there is a distinct tonal shift from the movie.

Terry Gilliam’s film explored Cole’s struggle with his own sanity in a typical Gilliamesque manner and created a decadent and surreal dystopian world.

The vision of the future created by Matalas and Fickett is more grounded in reality.

It has been updated with modern visual effects and presents a muddy and bleak vision of the not too-distant future.

This dying world depicted in 12 Monkeys parallels the destruction of the Earth we are witnessing today. A different type of virus is consuming our planet – one of rapid environmental degradation resulting from excessive consumption.

The relentless pursuit for profits at the expense of environmental stewardship has contributed to extreme weather events that are destroying the livelihoods of some of the poorest communities in the world.

One only has to look at the recent Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, which destroyed 96 per cent of food crops and left 75,000 people in need of emergency shelter, to see the devastating effects of human-induced climate change.

The post-apocalyptic world in 12 Monkeys is a frightening vision of the future. We can avoid changing the past by taking steps to protect the future today.

12 Monkeys is now showing on Syfy on Thursdays 8:30pm and will be available on DVD later this year.

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Review Surrounded by ghosts REVIEW BY EMMET O’CUANA MOVIE | TESTAMENT OF YOUTH | M

Kit Harington and Alicia Vikander

When disaster strikes BOOK WORKING WITH DISASTER – CLERGY & BUSHFIRES REVIEW BY ROS MARSDEN

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

VERA BRITTAIN’S Testament of Youth, the first of a series of lengthy memoirs, is a classic appeal to pacifism inspired by the horrors of the First World War. Having already inspired a BBC television miniseries in 1979, this is a stately and respectful cinematic adaptation.

Alicia Vikander stars as Brittain, first introduced wandering the streets of London in a daze on Armistice Day in 1918. While people cheer and celebrate the cessastion of hostilities, Brittain walks into a church. There, among a scattering of women in black mourning the deaths of loved ones overseas, she finds herself starring at a painting of The Deluge.

The symbolism is writ large and effectively conveys the sense of enduring trauma from the conflict then known as The Great War. Cutting from a fantasy of drowning to the more bucolic setting of country Derbyshire in 1914, Brittain’s idyllic, if intellectually frustrated, adolescence is sketched in.

While her parents (Dominic West and Emily Watson) encourage young Vera to concentrate on finding a husband for fear of becoming a ‘bluestocking’ spinster, she dreams of studying in Oxford. Despite her comfortable middle-class existence, Vera has ambitions of becoming a writer and suffragette.

Meanwhile her brother Edward (Taron Egerton, Kingsman) is sent to university, joining his friends Victor (Colin Morgan)

and Roland (Kit Harington).

Vera is furious at the prospect of spending her future tending house and entertaining guests on the piano. Edward intercedes on her behalf, convincing their father to allow her to sit the Oxford entrance exams.

She then falls for the sensitive and quick-witted Roland, himself the son of a suffragette ‘bohemian’ Marie Connor Leighton and sensitive to her frustrations.

Just as a life of intellectual challenge and passion seems to be opening up for Vera, war is declared. Roland and Edward eagerly sign up to fight in France, sure the conflict will be over in a matter of months. For them the war is an opportunity to become men, a grand adventure.

Vera and her parents are left behind to fret and worry, dreading the arrival of an unwanted telegram bringing news from the front.

Vera Brittain’s experience of loss and grieving during the war had a profound effect. Not only did she discover her voice as a writer through her autobiographical reflections, but the success and fame of Testament of Youth cemented her reputation as a figurehead of the pacifist movement in British politics.

Director James Kent does not shy from an exactness of detail, bringing to life the sedate parlours of English countryside manors, as well as the muck, grime and blood of a medical station behind the

front line. Testament of Youth’s stylised cinematography neatly switches between intimate studies of the attractive cast in passionate embraces and a vision of the British Empire slipping uneasily out of the Edwardian era.

Credit is also due to Vikander, whose passionate performance enlivens the occasionally dated feel of this historical drama. Taron Egerton also stands out, the two performers have an easy rapport as onscreen siblings. West and Watson are nicely understated as the parents tormented with worry, but desperately repressing their emotions.

Overall the film captures how Vera Brittain’s – and, by extension, middle-class Britain itself – privileged existence was sharply intruded upon by the catastrophic loss of life in the war. The early talk of duty and heroism is eventually countered by Vera’s dawning realisation of the wasteful cost of the conflict. The film also suggests that modern feminism can be traced back to the frustration of women left behind by fathers, brothers and lovers; women expected to remain silent in their grief.

Now, when modern conflicts is neatly insulated from middle-class life, with drone warfare only the latest iteration of this process, Brittain’s compassionate appeal to break the cycle of needless violence is more powerful than ever.

“THE people I met that very first night.

Their faces still haunt me; burnt, covered in ash. A local family. Going up the mountain the next week. Seeing the devastation, the blue and white police tape, the melted bitumen and cars, and knowing people died in those cars haunts me.”

Six years on from the tragedy of the Black Saturday Victorian bushfires, a Church minister recalls memories experienced directly after the disaster.

The quote is one of many in a research project commissioned and released in mid-April by Yarra Institute for Religion and Social Policy in partnership with Creative Ministries Network, an agency of UnitingCare. Working with Disaster – Clergy & Bushfires focusses on interviews with 11 clergy conducted by community consultant Dr Lisa Jacobson.

The interviews have been published in a free booklet launched at the synod of Victoria and Tasmania offices by Craig

Lapsley, Victoria’s first Emergency Management Commissioner.

In launching the booklet, Commissioner Lapsley commended the continuing work of churches in the affected areas, highlighting their roles as trusted support networks.

The booklet is useful for lay and clergy, particularly those based in disaster-prone areas. The honest feedback of the clergy, representing a range of denominations, is a poignant reminder of the personal impact those caring for others experience in their roles as Christian and community leaders.

“One man had just lost his whole family in a car which had exploded on the road in front of him. I mean, how does someone deal with a thing like that? I had to convey the news to that man that his entire family was dead, and I’d never done that before, ever.”

Several clergy had received little or no trauma training and worked intuitively.

They had experienced caring for people facing difficult loss and death but nothing that prepared them for the trauma of Black Saturday’s aftermath. Some reported feeling torn between many roles, ranging from the practical to counselling to serving on the numerous bushfire recovery boards.

All described stress and burnout, including four who experienced moderate stress and two impacted by high levels of mental and physical stress.

A series of recommendations for clergy dealing with disaster was compiled as a result of the interviews. These include long-term support, understanding the personal impact on clergy, trauma training, empathic clergy supervision and extra assistance in administration and sermons.

If you would like a copy of the booklet, write to Yarra Institute for Religion and Social Policy, PO Box 505, Box Hill, 3128, admin@yarrainstitute.org.au or visit their website at www.yarrainstitute.org.au

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Placements

Join us online at

CURRENT AND PENDING PLACEMENT VACANCIES AS AT 17 APRIL 2015 Crosslight Online is the place to go for stories about your church and beyond.

PRESBYTERY OF GIPPSLAND Koo Wee Rup-Lang Lang-Corinella Presbytery Minister – Mission and Education

With daily updates, a section for good news and links to our Facebook page, Crosslight Online offers you the chance to be active in conversations that matter.

PRESBYTERY OF LODDON MALLEE Bendigo – Weeroona Eastern Mallee Rural (Lake Boga, Manangatang, Meatian, Nyah West) (0.5) (P) Kerang (0.5) North Central Living Waters (Birchip, Donald, St Arnaud, Wycheproof) (P) Presbytery Minister – Mission and Education Robinvale (0.5) (P) PRESBYTERY OF NORTH EAST VICTORIA Northern Rivers (Bamawm, Elmore, Rochester, Tongala-Wyuna) Rutherglen (Rutherglen/Chiltern-Corowa) (0.5) Wodonga West, North Albury, Kergunyah** PRESBYTERY OF PORT PHILLIP EAST Monash Ormond PRESBYTERY OF PORT PHILLIP WEST Geelong Fresh Expressions (0.5) Macedon Ranges Partnership (3 placements) Melton Pascoe Vale** Glenroy (0.5)**

POSITION VACANT Synod Meeting Logistics Coordinator The Synod is seeking applications for the casual position of Synod Meeting Logistics Coordinator.

The successful applicant will be responsible for all the logistical and practical arrangements for the 18-monthly Synod meeting, working with the Synod Meeting Program Manager in the lead up to the next meeting in May 2016.

Obtain a position description and apply online at: https://unitingcaresynod.mhr.com.au/searchjobs.asp For more information contact Paula Bradshaw on (03) 9251 5477 Applications close Friday 22 May

PRESBYTERY OF TASMANIA Hobart Scots Memorial – Royal Hobart Hospital Chaplaincy Hobart (Wesley)** Presbytery Minister – Leadership Formation PRESBYTERY OF WESTERN VIC Corangamite-Otways Region – Middle (Camperdown, Derrinallum, Apollo Bay) Creswick-Clunes (0.5)** PRESBYTERY OF YARRA YARRA Epworth Hospital Pastoral Care Coordinator - Senior Chaplain Montrose-Lilydale Strathdon Uniting AgeWell (0.8) Parkdale (0.2)** ** These placements have not yet lodged a profile with the Placements Committee, therefore they are not yet in conversation with any minister. There is no guarantee that the placement will be listed within the next month.

(P) These placements are listed as also being suitable for a Pastor under Regulations 2.3.3 (a)(ii).

A non-ordained minister may offer to serve the church in an approved placement through a written application to the Synod.

Further information on these vacancies may be obtained from the Secretary of the Placements Committee: Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson.

Email: placements.secretary@victas.uca.org.au.

Formal expressions of interest should be put in writing to Isabel.

MINISTRY MOVES CALLS AND APPOINTMENTS FINALISED Richard Franklin called to Yarrawonga, Tungamah, Bundalong commenced 1 May 2015 Apwee Ting called to National Director, Multicultural and Cross Cultural Ministry (Assembly) to commence 1 July 2015

News Frontier of changes FRONTIER SERVICES will begin discussions with presbyteries and synods to transfer the management and oversight of its patrol ministers by the end of this year.

It is one of several key decisions made by the Assembly Standing Committee in March to support the provision of remote area ministry through Frontier Services.

Uniting Church President Rev Prof Andrew Dutney said since the transfer of Frontier Services’ aged care services – to UnitingCare network providers Australian Regional and Remote Community Services and Juniper last year – the Assembly has been investigating more sustainable ways to support remote area ministry.

“After a number of reviews it is clear that the interests of people receiving community services are best served by

drawing on the expertise of the wider UnitingCare network and other providers,” Prof Dutney said.

“Taking a whole-of-church approach is the best way to ensure our remote area ministries survive and thrive into the future.”

A national consultation on remote area ministries is planned to consider the future shape of the Church’s ministry in remote Australia.

The chairman of the Frontier Services interim board, Rev Gregor Henderson, said the organisation would continue to honour its commitment to support remote and rural Australia through its innovative community recovery and volunteering programs.

Bertram Mather called to Auburn (0.7) commenced 1 March 2015 CONCLUSION OF PLACEMENT (Retirement) Lorene Day to retire from Maryborough, Avoca, Bealiba, Moonambel 31 August 2015 CONCLUSION OF PLACEMENT Phil Fischer (USA) concluded at Colac (IIM) 1 February 2015 and returned to the USA Barbara Allen concludes at Strathdon Uniting AgeWell Chaplaincy-Parkmore 26 May 2015 (revised date) INTER-SYNOD TRANSFER Lindsay Purdie transferred from the Synod of Queensland

JOAN STOTT UCAF BURSARY ARE YOU:

• committed to or already studying for leadership or theology within the ethos of the Uniting Church • under 35 years of age

COULD YOU USE FUNDS TO:

• pay fees to your “Place of Study” • pay for additional courses or resources

APPLY NOW FOR A JOAN STOTT UNITING CHURCH ADULT FELLOWSHIP (UCAF) $1500 BURSARY FOR STUDY IN 2016 CONTACT: David Wang for more information and an application form, E: david.wang@victas.uca.org.au

APPLICATIONS CLOSING DATE IS SUNDAY 31ST MAY

20

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Notices, Classifieds and Advertisements NOTICES CALLING FOR SUBMISSIONS: FOURTEENTH ASSEMBLY WORSHIP BOOK We want to prepare this resource for the Assembly meeting in Perth (Sunday 12 to Saturday 18 July). The president-elect, Stuart McMillan’s theme is ‘Hearts on Fire’.

Please provide material: prayers, poems, song lyrics and artwork (the book will be printed in black and white) you have produced to be considered for inclusion by the Local Organising Committee Worship Team. Information and submissions, Gordon Scantlebury, E: gordon_s2@bigpond.com or W: http://assembly2015.uca.org.au/about/ assembly-theme/ Deadline: Friday 22 May. THE HUB OPENS AGAIN Glen Waverley Uniting Church, corner Kingsway and Bogong Avenue.

During school terms, come in for a chat and some refreshments, meet new people and relax or practice speaking English.

The Hub is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays (10.00 am to 2.00 pm) and Wednesdays (10.00 am to 12.00 pm) for people of all ages.

Information, Ph: 9560 3580 VICTORIAN CHAPTER OF THE AUSTRALIAN CHURCH LIBRARY ASSOCIATION MEETING SATURDAY 16 MAY 10.00 AM – 3.00 PM St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 204 Grimshaw Street, Greensborough.

The program includes a tour of the library, inter-faith resources and swap table. Please bring a sharing plate for lunch.

Information, Rachel, Ph: 9850 4828 or E: alanrachelh1@bigpond.com FINAL SERVICE SUNDAY 17 MAY 11.00 AM Invergordon Pioneer Memorial Uniting Church.

With sadness and regret we will be having our closing service on this day, followed by a light lunch.

RSVP, Ph: 5862 3448 or E: vin.manly@gmail.com INTERCULTURAL SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING SATURDAY 23 MAY 4.00 PM Glen Waverley Uniting Church, corner Kingsway and Bogong Avenue.

This service marks 30 years since the Uniting Church declared itself to be multicultural. It is preceded by a special multicultural afternoon tea from 2.30 pm.

Information, Ph: 9251 5486 or E: devanandan.anandarajan@victas.uca. org.au WESLEY HYMNFEST AND LIGHT TEA SUNDAY 24 MAY 2.30 PM Western Heights Uniting Church, Douglass Street, Herne Hill.

This is a service of inspiration and music to mark Aldersgate Day, followed by fellowship over food.

Tickets: $15 per person Information, Barry, Ph: 5241 7073 or Jenice, Ph: 5278 3135

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST MORNING TEA THURSDAY 28 MAY 10.00 AM – 12.00 PM Glen Waverley Uniting Church, corner Kingsway and Bogong Avenue.

Bring your family and friends to this event supporting Cancer Council Victoria.

Information and group bookings, Ph: 9560 3580 ORDINATION OF JENNY HAYES SUNDAY 31 MAY 3.00 PM Daylesford Uniting Church, 56 Central Springs Road.

This is an invitation for this service of ordination, with refreshments following at the next door Anglican Church hall.

RSVP by Thursday 14 May, Nola Anderson, Ph: 5348 4062 or M: 0435 118 432 INTERCULTURAL MUSIC CONCERT SUPPORTING SHARE’S VANUATU APPEAL SUNDAY 31 MAY 2.00 PM Burwood Heights Uniting Church, corner Burwood Highway and Blackburn Road.

A joint venture organised by the Burwood Heights, Canterbury and Blackburn North/ Nunawading congregations.

Entry: donation Information, Edith Ellis, M: 0410 756 203 or E: eellis@plc.vic.edu.au or Rev Lauleti Tuinauvai, M: 0413 115 711 or E: lauletitui@gmail.com FINAL PUBLIC SERVICE SUNDAY 31 MAY 9.15 AM Barkly Street Uniting Church, Ballarat.

This event celebrates the church’s 161st anniversary serving the Ballarat East community, and its closure. All past members, Sunday school scholars and youth groups are invited to gather one last time. Archival material will be on show in the Sunday school hall while enjoying morning tea.

Information, Ph: 5335 5110 or E: cocking@giant.net.au HERITAGE BOOK SALE SATURDAY 6 AND SUNDAY 7 JUNE 10.00 AM – 4.00 PM St Andrews Uniting Church Hall, Gisborne Road, Bacchus Marsh.

Children’s books and other treasured works from the 1850s to 1950s are available during this sale, supporting Frontier Services.

Information, Mavis Blackie, Ph: 5367 3023 or E: lutoncourt@gmail.com FRIENDS OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND THE SOLOMON ISLANDS SATURDAYS, 27 JUNE AND 24 OCTOBER 12.00 – 4.00 PM Gardiner Uniting Church.

These gatherings bring together people who have lived or worked in these countries, allowing sharing of common interests, updating on current developments, and provision of practical support.

Information, Marg White, Ph: 9889 7345 or Don Cracknell, Ph: 5623 6058

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS SATURDAY 20 AND SUNDAY 21 JUNE St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Deakin Avenue, Mildura/ Join us for this weekend full of activities and an address by the Moderator Dan Wootton.

Information, Ph: 5023 3724 or E: Mildura.uca@bigpond.com 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF REV DR. JOHN VANDER REEST’S ORDINATION SUNDAY 12 JULY 10.00 AM Scots Church, 1702 Sydney Road, Campbellfield.

Please join us in celebrating this momentous occasion. There will also be an exhibition of John’s artwork, for sale in aid of Lentara UnitingCare’s refugee program.

RSVP: Neville Thomas, E: nevt1966@live.com BECOME AN ECUMENICAL ACCOMPANIER – SPEND 3 MONTHS IN PALESTINE At the request of the churches in Palestine, and under the auspices of the World Council of Churches, people of all ages and backgrounds come to the West Bank for three month blocks to accompany Palestinians who are at risk of violence and abuse. Ecumenical Accompaniers – EAs – accompany children to school; support farmers with olive harvests; monitor checkpoints and many other tasks to reduce the risk of violence. The program in Australia is currently recruiting for July, September and December. Training is 21 to 24 May, and people can attend to find out more.

Information, W: http://ncca.org.au/departments/eappi FIJI VILLAGE LIFE PROJECT TOUR 15 NIGHTS IN AUGUST 2015 Travel with Fijian-born Uniting Church Minister Rev Eseta Meneilly and her husband Chris. Work alongside locals finishing their church, share in community life and cultural exchanges. Soak up the history of the island and also visit a resort.

Information, E: hank.vanapeldoorn@victas.uca.org.au 160TH ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY 15 NOVEMBER 10.00 AM Brown Hill Uniting Church, corner Humffray and Thompson Streets, Brown Hill.

Featuring Moderator Dan Wootton as a special guest, this service is followed by a luncheon. Past members and clergy are invited to share their memories and reunite with each other.

Information, M: 0411 121 134

BYADUK UNITING CHURCH CLOSING SERVICE 5 JULY 2015 11AM SERVICE Shared lunch to follow For more information call 5571 9141

CLASSIFIEDS CAPE WOOLAMAI Summerhays Cottage. Sleeps 3. Tranquil garden. Stroll to beach. Discount for UCA members. Ring Doug or Ina 0403 133 710. www.summerhayscottage.com.au SENIORS’ SPECIAL: Enjoy a break in luxury surroundings. Three days and three nights, dinner, bed and breakfast for $450 per couple (including GST).

Jindivick Gardens. (03) 5628 5319.

CALOUNDRA, Sunshine Coast, Queensland: Beachside units, from $300/ week, for details, M: 0427 990 161 or E: rayandjean@hotmail.com LORNE: Spacious apartment, breathtaking ocean view, open fire, peaceful, secluded, affordable. Ph. (03) 5289 2698.

GOLDFIELDS HOLIDAY RENTAL: Fully equipped modern architecturally designed house. Situated in the Forest Resort Creswick, double storey house, four bedrooms, sleeps up to 11 people.

Contact Adam on 0414 725 887.

PSYCHOLOGIST Sue Tansey, BA (Hons), MPsych (Counselling) MAPS Individual and relationship counselling.

Bulk billing for clients who have a referral from their GP and have a low income.

St Kilda. Phone: 0418 537 342.

E: suetansey@yahoo.com GRAMPIANS WORSHIP When visiting The Grampians, join the Pomonal Community Uniting Church congregation for worship each Sunday at 10.00 am WANTED TO BUY Antiques, second hand/retro furniture, bric a brac and collectables. Single items or whole house lots.

Genuine buyer – contact Kevin, 0408 969 920.

LILYDALE: PEWS FOR SALE The Lilydale Uniting Church Property has been sold to Melba Support Services.

Thankfully, worship continues at 10.00 am each Sunday. However, we have a number of pews for sale (some with cushions).

Information, Ph: 9735 1990.

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Opinion

Walking for Justice TIM LAM SWANSTON STREET in Melbourne is normally occupied by a stream of trams and pedestrians. On Palm Sunday, it was transformed into a sea of protestors calling for justice for refugees.

I was a part of the Uniting Church group gathered outside Wesley Uniting Church before the march. As the congregation approached the State Library of Victoria, I saw a large crowd assembled on the lawns.

The event’s Facebook page indicated 8,000 people would be attending. Event organisers were hoping that 10,000 protestors would march in solidarity with asylum seekers. By the time the march concluded at Queen Victoria Gardens, police estimated that up to 15,000 people had shown up.

This was not a small protest group. This was a vocal, passionate and growing

On being intercultural REV DEVANANDAN ANANDARAJAN IN 1985, the UCA Assembly claimed its identity in Christ as ‘a multicultural Church’ and made a formal declaration to that effect: “The Uniting Church is a Multicultural Church”. In the synod of Victoria and Tasmania we are seeking ways to be meaningfully ‘intercultural’ in our multicultural Church.

While this evolution has not been without its challenges, it is also deserving of celebration.

Among many things, being an intercultural Church means a Church with “mutually respectful diversity and full and equitable participation of our Indigenous (First Peoples), and Second Peoples (the Anglo ethnic majority and other ethnic minorities) in the total life, mission and the practices of the whole Church”.

Australians come from many different backgrounds. We speak many languages.

We value many traditions. All of these cultures live side by side. We can be proud of our multicultural society.

One of the great gifts of multiculturalism is that it has taught us how to celebrate each other’s food, music, clothing and stories. If we are going to become a truly intercultural denomination, we need to

22

community of ordinary Australians sending a message loud and clear to both sides of politics – indefinite mandatory detention must end.

A delegation of faith leaders, including National Assembly President Rev Prof Andrew Dutney and Moderator Dan Wootton, led the march.

It was a powerful display of Interfaith unity.

Banners expressing outrage at political leaders were displayed alongside signs calling for love and compassion. The passing of Malcolm Fraser just a week before the march provided a timely reminder of the generosity and hospitality our country once extended towards refugees. Multiple signs called on the government to honour the former Prime Minister’s legacy by embracing a more humane approach to asylum seekers.

The march took place in a spirit of hope and optimism. Parents marched hand-inhand with their children, teenagers walked with their friends. A group calling itself Grandmothers Against Detention joined

in the rally. This is an issue that clearly concerns Australians across multiple generations.

I was particularly heartened to see many children attending the march. The fight for justice will be a long struggle and the next generation will be future advocates for refugee rights.

At the halfway point of the march, I looked back and saw a seemingly endless stream of people occupyzing Swanston Street.

It was a spectacular and inspiring sight to behold. To see so many people marching in solidarity with refugees reflected the strong determination amongst the broader community for change.

There are countless Australians who wish to see an end to the systematic abuse and mistreatment of asylums seekers.

The walk recalled a caring and welcoming Australia that once embraced its role as a haven for our persecuted neighbours.

Our nation can rise above the xenophobia and fear-mongering that dominates the current immigration discourse. The 15,000

people marching together was a visible demonstration of compassion triumphing over cruelty, of love overcoming hatred.

Similar marches took place in major capital cities throughout Australia.

Expatriate communities in 19 cities including New York, Montreal, London, Dublin, Hong Kong and Geneva joined in the global call to end mandatory detention. Let us hope that the chorus of voices can turn the tide in this toxic debate and shine a light on one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history.

Towards the end of the march, I listened to a choir sing a modified version of ‘Thunder’ by The Jackson Southernaires: “I wanna go where there’s peace and harmony, where little children won’t be afraid to walk the street. I wanna go where there’s joy and peace of mind, where refugees don’t vanish and cry.”

May we one day sing a new song that celebrates the freedom and dignity of refugees, and of a generous nation that opens its arms to the vulnerable and the needy.

become more fluent in each other’s cultural values, patterns, and ways of looking at life.

The land now known as Australia, before colonisation, was a diverse community with different languages, cultural practices and spirituality. With colonisation, it became increasingly Anglo-Celtic and this dominant culture began shaping the Australian identity.

In this emerging dominant culture people mostly operated on ‘autopilot’ assuming their way of doing, being and seeing was the Australian way. Members of racial, ethnic, and cultural minority communities have had to be fluent in the ways of the majority culture in addition to those of their own culture. But they each have much to teach – and the dominant culture has much to learn – about how to walk on more than a single pathway.

Being intercultural works at many levels: • It is between all cultures.

It is not just between the majority and the minority. While there have been efforts made to cross cultures between the dominant Anglo-Celtic communities and other migrant communities which I hope will continue to grow, there is not much interaction happening among the non-Anglo migrant cultures. We need to explore ways this could happen within and across presbyteries.

• It is about engaging with the hidden culture.

It is not just about the surface culture (fine art, music, food, dress) but also about the

hidden culture (values, beliefs, theology, attitudes, perceptions, assumptions, spirituality). It is about listening, learning and understanding things that are core to one’s being which makes us who we are.

• It is about authentic theology.

The gospel takes different forms and shapes in the context it is communicated and the social situation in which it is incarnated.

Our ways of being Church, doing mission and doing theology has largely been borrowed from Britain or America.

In the history of the Church, we have often confused gospel values with the values of the dominant culture.

What does it mean for the Church of many cultures to be the Church for the whole people of God who are so diverse?

What will an authentic theology look like for the Indigenous communities? What will an authentic theology look like for Anglo-Celtic communities? What will an authentic theology look like for migrant communities? Does one size fit all?

• It is about participation.

The Uniting Church today has a dominant culture, too. People might not even notice what they are doing. But they often act as though it is ‘normal’ to be white, Englishspeaking and middle class. Our ways of being Church together need to change.

God is calling the whole Church to be more open to each other’s gifts.

In our Church, we want people from all different cultures to listen to each other and be heard. We want everyone to

participate fully. We want our leaders to be as diverse as our membership. We don’t want one dominant culture to decide how we do things. God is calling the Uniting Church to change. We need to become more intercultural.

We don’t know exactly what an intercultural church will look like. But it’s an exciting opportunity. God is calling us to work together to build something new.

Devanandan Anandarajan CCMM Research and Development Officer Commission for Mission

To rejoice in the rich tapestry that such diversity brings to the life of our Church, an Intercultural Service of Celebration will be held at the Glen Waverley Uniting Church on Saturday 23 May 2015 at 4pm. It will be preceded by a special afternoon tea at 2.30pm.

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Moderator’s reflection

promising “five hot minds in economics”.

His book, Economics of Good and Evil maintains that “greed is the beginning of everything” and relates this to the original sin of the first human couple in the Garden of Eden.

The article states: “… it is true that Jesus chased from the temple ‘men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money’, but he didn’t chase them further. His problem was not with their commerce but with their mixture of the sacred with the profane.”

To help sort all this out in my mind I

commenced the series of six bible studies exploring “Who God is calling us to become in this new season of the Uniting Church”. The title of the series of studies is ‘A New Season’ and can be found at www. listeningpost.victas.uca.org.au/a-newseason. Study one, ‘Good News and the Mission of God’, challenges us to enquire into the core purpose for God’s Church in the context of the synod Major Strategic Review (MSR).

Dutifully, I re-read the story of tree climbing Zacchaeus [Luke 19:1-10], followed by the parable of the “wicked nobleman” [Luke 19:11-27] which is similar to the parable of the talents in Matthew. Not so dutifully, I proceeded to undertake the bible study on my own, without the opportunity of listening and talking to others as suggested.

I decided to do my talking through this column and look forward to any response it may prompt.

I skipped the first question posed in the study, involving terms and definitions and the meanings they held for me and moved on to the subsequent question which makes reference to the following quotation from Professor William Loader: “The choice of life and death is often not a choice between blatant opposites, but between what masquerades as good and what truly is good for humankind and our world. That is why it is so hard for people to make the move.”

I found this to be quite a provocative statement, particularly in a climate within the life of a Church that is potentially open to property development in order

to maximise income generation for the purposes of mission. It struck me that this goal may “masquerade as good” and therefore be very difficult for the Church to decide.

In his interview, Sedlácek refers to a saying – “the good is the enemy of the better” – which, he says, is also correct the other way around, “the best… or chasing it … is the worst enemy of the good.”

This brought me back to contemplation of the two readings in Luke. It seemed to me that they had more to do with the character of God than maximising gains and/or ‘good’ stewardship. Perhaps a stand-out characteristic of the people of God is that we are often called to be counter-cultural.

“Christianity,” Sedlácek says, “doesn’t condemn the material, but it does condemn materialism.” Undoubtedly, the Uniting Church remains materially well-endowed and, as we pursue our Major Strategic Review, we are beginning to explore how we might best ‘materialise’ assets in order to generate a steady flow of missional income.

Herein resides my discomfort. For from the tree that I have climbed, I can see a not too distant country wherein, rather than saving the lost, we could become lost ourselves – particularly if we are hell-bent on chasing the best of returns. Remaining detached from such a country is subtle.

But if we can manage to do that, we may just find that, along with Zacchaeus, salvation comes to our house.

Uniting Through Faiths aims to develop closer ties between members of different faith communities. It is hoped that building interfaith relationships will lead to greater understanding, reconciliation and solidarity between religious groups.

The Sri Lankan diaspora is a large multifaith, multi-ethnic community who are undertaking the post-war journey of reconciliation following three decades of civil war. It not only affected the people living within Sri Lanka, it has also affected the Sri Lankans of all ethnic and religious backgrounds living abroad.

The community event was initiated by Uniting Church ministers from Tamil,

Sinhalese and Burgher backgrounds.

A pilgrimage back to Sri Lanka in 2012 inspired the ministers to help Sri Lankans in Melbourne work towards peace and healing.

The festivities were organised by Sri Lanka Invites, a global youth movement dedicated to empowering Sri Lankan youth to become reconciliation leaders through sports, music, arts and education.

This year’s Sri Lankan Harmony Day again attracted more than 300 people.

The morning started with a game of cricket between players of numerous faith and ethnic backgrounds and was followed by a multi-cultural concert where children

performed songs and dances to promote a spirit of interfaith unity.

Three Sri Lankan youths from Colombo shared their stories with the attendees before the celebrations concluded with a traditional Sri Lankan lunch.

The day was a great celebration of harmony in action. Strengthening interfaith relations that cross ethnic and religious divides may help pave the way for Sri Lankans to journey towards reconciliation together.

Searching for the sacred

HAVING been a banker, I guess a desire of mine in coming to work for the Church some 26 years ago was an endeavour to pursue the sacred and leave the profane behind.

But the profane keeps dogging me, particularly as the Church embarks on entrepreneurial ways to generate income for ongoing missional purposes.

In this regard, I recently read an interesting interview with Czech economist Tomas Sedlácek by Ross Gittins in The Age (6 April). Sedlácek has been described by the Yale Economic Review as one of the

Many faiths, one people TIM LAM SRI LANKAN Harmony Day looks set to become an annual fixture in the local Sri Lankan community calendar.

More than 300 people from a variety of faith backgrounds attended last year’s Sri Lankan Harmony Day celebrations at Wesley College (pictured), which was supported by the synod’s Uniting Through Faiths project.

CROSSLIGHT - MAY 15

Uniting Through Faiths is a department of the Commission for Mission.

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Synod Snaps

Members from High Street Uniting Church, Frankston have started an art group for people with vision problems. (left to right) Glenyse Swallow, Valmai Scully, Faye Dungee and Bev East

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the momentâ&#x20AC;?

- Robert Frank, American photographer and filmmaker

Vincent Kha and his daughter Audrey (3) are participating in a Frozen-themed Messy Church event in Ivanhoe.

Astra Choir Concert composer Helen Gifford with concert director John McCaughey at the Carlton Church of All Nations.

56 volunteers from 14 congregations help the Mission Liaison Group pack goods and supplies for communities in Vanuatu affected by Cyclone Pam.

Western Heights Uniting Church wins the Tennis Club of the Year award in the Geelong region competition.

Western Port Uniting Church hosted a craft fest on April 18th to raise money for the Hastings Chapel restoration.

Ferntree Gully Uniting Church members are wearing white as a sign of support and solidarity with Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran

Billanook College students visit the synod office in Melbourne as part of their City9 trip.

Each month Crosslight will showcase images from throughout the Church. Send your images to crosslight@victas.uca.org.au