Over Summer many Victorians and Tasmanians face the increased risk of natural disasters and emergencies. The Moderator’s Emergency Response Fund is a way to help effected communities in need of immediate or future assistance.
Funds may be used within the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania to:
provide for pastoral, ministry, and mission activities assisting the Church’s response to disasters, emergencies or other crises
support relevant councils of the Church to undertake disaster preparation/response, programs/processes
partner with other organisations in disaster preparation/response, programs/processes.
Donations can be made at any time, not just in response to a specific emergency.
To make a donation, visit the Synod’s website: www.victas.uca.org.au
In offering care to vulnerable children, the Church has learnt the high level of care that is required to ensure safety and security for children for whom we have responsibility.
Reverend
David Fotheringham Moderator
Vic Tas Synod
I write this just after Share Sunday, celebrating the community work of Uniting Church agencies, congregations and parish missions.
When you read this, your congregation may well have been hearing Bible readings from the letter of James over the last month.
James famously talks about faith being seen in action for good for those in need.
One of the ways that the Church does that is through care for vulnerable children.
During September I will have attended a special ceremony to dedicate a plaque, situated at the Sale Uniting Church, celebrating the almost 1000 boys who lived at Kilmany Park Farm Home between 1925 and 1977.
Situated just outside Sale, the Kilmany Park Farm Home was established by the Presbyterian Church in 1924.
It had a capacity of 45 beds, and catered for boys aged between 10 and 16, training the children in farm work.
The wording on the plaque was written by former residents of the home, working with the Uniting Heritage service team.
It includes the acknowledgement that we remember each of the boys, particularly those who died before their time.
May they not be forgotten.
In offering care to vulnerable children, the Church has learnt the high level of care that is required to ensure safety and security for children for whom we have responsibility.
This is our highest duty.
After the closure of Kilmany Park, other forms of group family care homes were established.
When the site of Kilmany Park was sold in the 1990s, a Trust was established from which various related projects have continued to be funded.
I was delighted recently to be part of
the approval process for a significant new initiative, drawing on the proceeds of this Trust.
Uniting VicTas is preparing to establish a house to run an early intervention service for young people experiencing family conflict, called ‘Ruby’s Reunification Program’.
Ruby’s will provide a voluntary therapeutic residential and counselling service, to provide a safe place for young people to stay while they and their families work towards reunification.
Whole-of-family counselling and support will be a key element of the care provided.
This program will accommodate young people (aged 12 to 17) who are experiencing family conflict and are at risk of homelessness, and who need a safe place to stay in the short term.
The house will include four bedrooms for young people, staff facilities, a counselling room and some shared spaces, and will be located in one of the areas that Uniting has identified as most requiring priority.
Ruby’s Reunification Program has been running successfully in South Australia since 1993, having been established by Uniting Communities there, and now receiving funding from the South Australian Government.
There is a strong evidence base to show how Ruby’s reduces pressure on acute services and is able to support the majority of the young people who have participated to reunify with family.
It is important to be able to put resources into such valuable programs as this, and I’m very glad that Uniting is able to draw together the resources to launch this program well.
May this be an example of the commitment of the whole Church to faith which is seen in our actions for good, and our commitment to wellsupported care for vulnerable young people.
Home to a big heart
Tasmania’s current Senior Australian of the Year, Rev Jim Colville, started an organisation more than 50 years ago that provides housing assistance, and so much more, to young Tasmanians.
He may be the current Senior Tasmanian of the Year, but that sort of recognition isn’t what floats Rev Jim Colville’s boat.
What does keep him going, well into his ninth decade, is an unwavering commitment to making a difference in young people’s lives.
And for more than 50 years he has been making the lives of hundreds of thousands of young Tasmanians better, through an organisation he founded in Hobart.
Since 1973, Colony 47, named after its address at 47 Davey Street and because as a ‘Colony’ it would welcome all, has been at the forefront of helping young people navigate some of the obstacles preventing them from achieving their full potential.
At the centre of what it does is housing and, more specifically, building on the knowledge that only secure and affordable housing is going to help young people achieve their goals.
By Andrew Humphries
“We aim to provide solutions for safe, fit for purpose and affordable housing and support networks,” is how Colony 47 describes its mission.
“We collaborate with various services and housing providers to assist people in accessing social and affordable housing, and we work to achieve tangible, positive change by working with young people and those at risk of homelessness.
“We have 50 years’ experience in supporting young people with employment, education, housing and relationships.”
Behind it all has been retired Uniting Church Minister Jim, whose tireless efforts on behalf of Tasmania’s young people earned him the Senior Tasmanian of the Year honour last November.
Jim is a passionate advocate for the underdog, albeit with a habit of calling a spade a spade.
It’s a trait that has landed him in hot
water at times, never more so than when his vision for what would become Colony 47 took hold.
Back in 1973, Tasmania was a far different state than the one today, with a rigidly conservative mindset, allowing little room for those considered to be a bit “different”.
For relatively new Methodist Church Minister Jim, that was something that didn’t sit comfortably at all.
“The reality in 1973 was that the Methodist Church’s response to certain types of people was to reject them,” Jim recalls.
“According to the Church, there was no place for people who were gay, or for teenagers who became pregnant, so what was happening was that these young girls were forced to have an
abortion, with some dying as a result.”
The Church’s response to Colony 47, and what it represented, meant that Jim and it didn’t always see eye to eye.
“I was often in real trouble with the Church at that time because I wanted to help these people, but, in the Church’s eyes, I wasn’t providing a responsible Ministry,” he says.
“But what I wanted was to set up an organisation that looked after young people and, in 1973, I rented an empty church for $3000 a year, which embraced
an open-door policy that meant no one was rejected.”
And so, Colony 47 was born.
The often volatile situation with the Methodist Church eventually came to a head, with devastating financial consequences for Jim and his family.
“I can remember the Church actually cut my stipend as a Minister in half because they felt I was spending too much time on Colony 47 and not enough on the Church,” he says.
“It was then cut to nothing and I
"We placed our faith in the promise of Jesus Christ and he never let us down for a moment."
Rev Jim Colville
was taken out of Ministry for 12 years because the powers that be felt I wasn’t doing what was required.
“I wasn’t allowed to perform weddings, baptisms or communions, and that was a real blow because the first wedding I had wanted to do was my own daughter’s.”
The financial blow also meant a rethink for Jim, who then began to work with the State Government to create a youth unemployment service, before moving to a Federal Government role as Senior Assistant Director of Social Security.
“What I tried to do in that role, at a macro level, was bring support to organisations like Colony 47 through making changes in policy,” he says.
Jim’s advocacy in those early years sometimes meant that toes were stepped on, and it came at a great personal cost.
On several occasions he faced the possibility of going to jail.
“I can remember on a couple of occasions one young fellow I had upset decided he was going to ‘get me’ by hiding drugs in my study,” Jim says.
“Luckily some of the other kids who supported me heard about it, came up to me and told me that this person had already called the police on me.
“So, I raced around and found the drugs just before the police came.
“If they had found the drugs it would have been all the ammunition needed by those people who wanted to see Colony 47 closed down.”
Jim recalls another occasion when he flirted with breaking the law, this time through the distribution of contraceptives in a bid to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies among young women.
“At that time you couldn’t buy contraceptives, so there was a lot of
Rev Jim Colville with his Tasmanian Australian of the Year honour at Colony 47’s headquarters in Hobart. Image: Brad Harris
pregnancy out of wedlock,” he says.
“So, I decided that I was going to break the law and distribute them, and I was then accused by the Church, and some sections of society, that my actions would somehow bring about the end of the world.
“I was seen to be promoting promiscuity and could have been arrested, and I was also attacked by many Christian politicians.
“But if going to jail had been the price to pay for what I did, I would have happily paid it.”
As Colony 47 moves into its sixth decade, chief executive officer Dianne Underwood says Jim continues to inspire those who work there.
“I think Jim’s legacy is such an important part of who we are, and we use his story in so much of what we do,” she says.
“It’s so important to us here, and our culture, to remember what Jim started in 1973, and why he did so.
“We have amazing staff here and a great culture, which Jim deserves all the credit for.”
While grateful to be honoured as Tasmania’s Senior Australian of the Year, Jim says the award was an opportunity to pay tribute to the many people who helped on Colony 47’s journey.
“I’m not even sure who nominated me,” he says.
“My granddaughter said ‘make sure you write a speech in case it’s you’, but I thought that would be a waste of time because I never expected such an honour.
“I was just amazed to be chosen, and I accepted the award not for myself, but to recognise the wonderful, kind and generous people, believers and nonbelievers, who sought what was good in others, concentrated on what they held in common, and used diversity as a strength.
“When 50 years ago I stepped into a frightening place for myself and my family, with no manse and congregation, no income and a debt of $3000 a year to rent a church, we placed our faith in the promise of Jesus Christ and he never let us down for a moment.”
More than a numbers game
Imagine an organisation that has invested $300 million in supporting people since 1973, delivered 33 different programs, and helped more than 50,000 households with bond or rental assistance.
It’s quite an astounding achievement, but that’s not all Hobart’s Colony 47 can chalk up.
It has also helped about 350,000 Tasmanians who have turned to it for assistance, been there for over 7000 young people with early intervention support, employed over 3000 people and
worked with over 5000 volunteers.
Over 17,000 young people have been guided into education and employment through Colony 47, while its specialised support has meant that more than 2000 hospital bed nights have not been required because of early intervention measures.
While the numbers are important, they are only part of a much bigger picture.
Chief Executive Officer Dianne Underwood says it’s the people Colony 47 helps that matter the most.
“I think it’s always important to dig deep and continue to remember the reason why Colony 47 is here, and that’s the people we support,” she says.
Essentially, says Dianne, Colony 47 is the front door to enter for any person under 25 in southern Tasmania experiencing housing
stress or homelessness. There are 4500 households on a waiting list for assistance at the moment,” she says.
“These are people who need support because they can’t afford their rent, can’t break into the housing market or are currently homeless.”
Dianne says the result of these issues is a slowing down in the rate young people are moving towards independence, while others are unable to transition from school successfully.
“The core of our work is young people and it’s about getting in early and investing well so they never have to see us again, because we’ve been able to put them on the right path,” she says.
“We’re looking after people the community has forgotten about or has ignored, and we’re going to come up with solutions for them that will have far-reaching and positive impacts for the Tasmanian community.”
Fifty-one years after Rev Jim Colville established Colony 47, it continues to be a vital lifeline for young people in southern Tasmania.
“We’ve estimated that we’ve helped
350,0000 Tasmanians have been helped over 7000 young people supported with early intervention
More than 17000 young people guided into education and employment
$300m invested in helping people since 1973
hundreds of thousands of people in those 51 years,” Dianne says.
“So, we’re very well known within the community as an organisation which is there when people need it the most.”
For more information, go to www.colony47.com.au
Cookbook’s success tastes
By
Andrew
Humphries
What springs to mind when we think of great Australian traditions?
Cricket in summer and footy in winter, perhaps, maybe Anzac Day and Anzac biscuits, the running of the Melbourne Cup.
Well here’s another one: the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union (PWMU) Cookbook, which this year celebrates its 120th birthday.
Since 1904, families around Australia have eaten wonderful meals following PWMU Cookbook recipes, while our country has lived through world wars, the Great Depression, the brilliance of Don Bradman, and 30 Prime Ministers.
It’s something well worth recognising, and North Ringwood Uniting Church will be the venue for a suitable celebration on October 24.
PWMU Cookbook Committee
Secretary Pam Grant is looking forward to paying tribute to 120 years of cookery history this month.
“It’s a pretty exciting thing to have a little book like this, and it is a humble little book in many ways, celebrating its 120th birthday,” she says.
“It has been a huge part of Australia’s culinary history, but it’s also a cookbook
familiar to many people from other countries.”
Pam proudly confirms that the PWMU Cookbook has never been out of print since its launch, making it the oldest continuous cookbook in Australia.
Its story begins in 1904, when the PWMU General Committee received a letter from Melbourne publisher Arbuckle, Waddell and Fawckner inviting the committee to combine with them in the production of a cookbook for general sale.
It took some time for the first edition to be ready for printing, but once printing took place it sold very well.
The title of P.W.M.U. Cookery Book of Victoria first appeared in 1916, followed by The New P.W.M.U. Cookery Book in 1929.
Royalties from the sale of each cookbook went to the PWMU for general missional purposes and, since the formation of the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, they have been divided equally between the two Churches.
The PWMU and Uniting Church Adult Fellowship (Victoria) each determine where the funds they receive will be distributed, to support mission-based
ministries or activities.
The cookbook has also played a part in the healing process for communities dealing with great hardship.
In the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009, the Black Summer fires of 2020, and this year’s Pomonal bushfire, the PWMU committee was able to donate copies of the cookbook to families who had lost their primary place of residence.
One of the interesting features of the PWMU Cookbook is that it doesn’t contain photos of the finished product, with very good reason says Pam.
“I think the cookbook without photos works because there are no expectations that go with making something from the recipes inside,” she says.
“Generally if people see a recipe online or in another cookbook, they will compare what they have produced with the accompanying photo, and then feel that they have failed if it doesn’t look the same.
“The only failure, though, is if what you have made can’t be eaten, not what it looks like, so that is one reason why the PWMU cookbook doesn’t have photos.
“The other reason is that not having
PWMU Cookbook Committee Secretary Pam
is proud of the cookbook’s place in Australia’s history.
Grant
Image: Carl Rainer
The PWMU Cookbook has been a part of Australian kitchens for 120 years.
Image: Carl Rainer
From P8
pictures cuts the production cost in half, and that allows us to keep it at a realistic sale price.
Pam says the PWMU Cookbook’s ability to keep up with the times has been its strength for 120 years.
“Many years ago, when Australia went to metric measurement, they redid the whole cookbook and retested every recipe to ensure that weight and temperature conversions were correct,” she says.
“It’s a good example of how the committee has always worked with the publisher to ensure the cookbook remains relevant.
“It’s a cookbook that has also changed as our eating habits have changed, and one that has gone through generations of families.”
Pam hopes many more generations will be able to enjoy the PWMU Cookbook for many years to come.
“As long as it keeps that basic honesty, and doesn’t try to pretend to be something that it’s not, it will continue,” she says proudly.
Bookings are essential for the October 24 celebration and can be made up until October 14 through www.trybooking.com/events/ landing/1252972
What the experts say
By Gabriel Gaté
The PWMU Cookbook is one of those rare cookbooks that keep delivering in helping generation after generation of Australians of all walks of life become happy and competent home cooks.
What other Australian cookbook has been in print for 120 years?
The reason for this unique longevity is simple: the editors of this classic recipe book keep up with the ways Australia and Australians, new and old, eat and live.
The earlier editions were of course full of Anglo-Saxon favourites, like steak and kidney pie, puddings and jam drops.
Now you’ll find many much-loved recipes from world cuisines, such as chilli prawn pasta, lemon tart and easy Florentines, which have been added to everyone’s delight.
Gabriel Gaté is a French chef and cookbook author, now living in Australia, who has appeared on a number of Australian television shows.
By Darren Purchese
In an ever-changing culinary landscape, ‘The PWMU Cookbook’ stands as a classic honouring the enduring charm of timeless recipes.
Every page takes readers away to a bygone era, where culinary mastery was revered, and knowledge passed through generations.
From hearty stews to delicate pastries, these recipes serve as a homage to tradition and taste.
Among the tried and tested recipes are invaluable hints tailored for new cooks, ensuring that even the freshest of culinary enthusiasts find guidance and inspiration within its covers.
Whether you’re an expert or are taking your first culinary steps, ‘The PWMU Cookbook’ proves to be an indispensable companion, destined to become a cherished heirloom in any cookbook collection.
Darren Purchese is a popular Australian chef, author and television personality.
All people should have access to healthy and affordable food produced in ways that have the least impact on climate change.
Food is something we all share in hospitality, pleasure and the nourishment of our bodies.
There are many stories about food and meals in the Biblical text, including manna provided by God, and Jesus feeding thousands of people with five loaves of bread and two fish.
So, it is hardly surprising that food is an integral part of life in our Christian communities.
All people should have access to healthy and affordable food produced in ways that have the least impact on climate change.
Many food corporations are destroying our health and unnecessarily contributing to climate change.
There are many social justice dimensions to what we eat. These include:
Making sure everyone has enough healthy food to eat;
Impacts on climate change;
Fair employment conditions for those that produce our food; and,
Not stigmatising people for their weight.
Given the role food plays in the life of the Church, we are well-placed to advocate for socially just outcomes over what we eat and how it is produced.
A third of global emissions come from food production.
Large food corporations are producing unhealthy and addictive food products that drive up unhealthy food consumption.
The foods in question cause a range of health problems, including cancer, heart disease, depression, diabetes and obesity. These foods fall into a category known as ultra-processed foods. Ultra-processed foods are those that contain additives that you would not find in your kitchen, such as artificial colouring, emulsifiers, thickening
agents, preservatives and a host of other chemicals represented by numbers on the ingredients list on the packaging.
They are also often higher in sugar, fat and salt.
Scientists and technicians have progressively tailored ultra-processed foods to bypass our natural appetite control mechanisms.
Food corporations have employed psychologists and neuroscientists to unlock marketing techniques that target our weaknesses.
In Australia, ultra-processed food consumption is estimated to contribute more than a third of total diet-related environmental impacts.
These ultra-processed unhealthy foods disproportionately impact low-income communities.
The foods that drive up obesity prevalence are often cheaper and more accessible than healthy alternatives.
The true cost of such unhealthy foods is passed on through the harm done to people's lives and increased costs within the health system.
Research released in March 2023 indicated that more than half the global population will be living with being overweight or obese within 12 years if prevention, treatment and support do not improve.
There is not a country on the planet that does not have an increasing level of obesity.
Further, it is possible for people to be obese and suffer from malnutrition at the same time, when foods are high in energy and low in quality nutrients.
For these reasons, the Justice and International Mission Cluster made the theme for our Convention, earlier this month, about the social justice dimensions of food, after our supporters indicated it was the topic they were most interested in.
Senior Social Justice Advocate
For the love of Di
As Steve Wright continues to care for his wife Di, who has Alzheimer’s disease, Uniting AgeWell is with him on every step of the heartbreaking journey.
By Cathy Withiel
“I knew I was going to marry her from the moment I first met her at a dance in Brisbane before I was sent off to the Vietnam War.
“She’s my sweetheart, she’s the best thing in my life and I love her to bits.
“I promised on our wedding day nearly 53 years ago that I’d be there for her in sickness and in health, and that’s what I’m doing.”
That’s Steve Wright’s heartfelt reason for continuing to devote his life to caring for his wife, Dianne.
It’s a labour of love that Steve embraces with a stoic determination to ensure she remains happy and content.
It’s also a role that requires courage, resilience and humour.
“If I didn’t laugh, I’d cry,” he says bluntly.
Steve, 75, has come to terms with losing his wife a little more each day.
Di, 74, has been living with early onset Alzheimer’s disease for the past 12 years and the illness is taking its toll.
“One of my worst days was the first time Di looked at me and didn’t know who I was,” Steve says.
“She said ‘can you remind me to phone Steve, I haven’t seen him for days and I miss him so much.
“Every day she gets worse. It breaks my heart. It’s almost a grieving process, losing her bit by bit.”
It’s National Carers Week from October 13-19 and time to focus on people like Steve, who is one of the one-in-nine
Australians providing care and support to a family member or friend.
Caring is different for everyone and there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all approach.
Some look after a loved one with physical challenges, others for those with cognitive impairment, while there are those who care for loved ones living with both.
Some caring roles are temporary, others are permanent.
Then there’s the added stress of caring for someone with a terminal illness.
Steve’s role becomes more challenging as Di’s disease progresses.
The retired Launceston tax accountant is struggling to cope with her latest behavioural change – incessant, random counting.
“It’s very frustrating,” he admits.
“It’s been going on for the last six months. At first it was under her breath, now it’s out loud.
“She’ll suddenly start counting –during TV shows we are watching, when we are in bed.
“It’s just random numbers. I think she may gain some comfort from it but I’m not sure.”
Other changes have also crept up over time.
Di now sleeps for up to 15 hours a day, and watches her grandsons playing soccer without knowing who they are.
She helps Steve in the veggie garden but is unable to recognise any of the plants.
Steve Wright is grateful for the assistance he receives from Uniting AgeWell in helping him care for his wife Di, who has Alzheimer’s disease.
She repeats the same question, over and over again.
“But as long as she gives me a cuddle and a smile, I’m okay,” Steve says.
Steve is speaking about the dementia journey he is travelling alongside his wife in the hopes of offering insight to other carers to help them to cope better.
He’s also using the opportunity to highlight the importance of getting respite care – vital time out so he can recharge his batteries.
Di is on a government-funded home care package through Uniting AgeWell.
The couple receives help around their Launceston home, and the main assistance comes in the form of around 15 hours of respite care a week.
It’s divided between care at home with Uniting AgeWell home care worker Carmen Marsh and day-care visits which include art and craft classes and outings for Di with Dementia Australia.
Steve describes Carmen as “a fourth
daughter” and says they’d be lost without her compassion, wisdom and care.
“She is so good with my wife,” he says.
“I know she’d drop everything to help us in a crisis.
“We need her in our lives, and when I say she’s now part of our family, I’m not exaggerating.
“In fact, Di is wanting a photo of her to go on the wall, alongside those of our three daughters.”
Steve uses the time out to go walking, mainly along Launceston’s rivers where he watches the swans and breathes in the beauty and tranquillity of the surrounds.
He often attends lectures about dementia and has been learning as much about the disease as possible.
He is part of the Dementia Australia Advocacy Group and has recently addressed a weekend conference of medical professionals about the
hands-on ramifications of being a carer: practical wisdom that textbook knowledge does not always provide.
His approach is pragmatic. It’s important to him to learn and teach others about the enemy, in order to fight it.
“Being Di’s carer has given me a real purpose in life,” he says.
Steve is acutely aware that Di’s condition is worsening, and he tries to live as much in the present as he can.
He’s aware of making each moment count and creating memories he can treasure while she is still around.
“Di will sometimes come for walks with me, and when she laughs and throws her arms up in the air and exclaims at the beauty of the scenery, I take lots of photos of her,” Steve says.
“I treasure them.”
He did the same after Di was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
“I used some of my superannuation
Uniting AgeWell home care worker
Carmen Marsh and Di enjoy a cuppa.
and we went on a fabulous five-week holiday to Europe, which included a cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest,” Steve says.
“I spoilt her rotten on the trip. We often look at the photos and I will remind her about what we saw and where we went.”
While each situation is different, Steve believes in transparency and says he openly discusses Di’s dementia with her.
“It can certainly cause anxiety for people when they can’t remember things and when they wonder why this is happening to them,” he says.
“Di always apologises for forgetting things, and I always say to her, ‘you have nothing to apologise for, this is not you, it is the disease. You may not always know who I am, but I know who you are. And I love you’.”
Jo Wood, a clinical social worker with Care Guidance who works with older people and their carers says most people don't anticipate becoming a carer.
“Often, it slowly creeps up on a person as their partner, friend or loved one’s health starts to decline,” she says.
“When someone takes on this role, the hidden challenges are usually not front of mind.
“Over time, life changes, so it’s important to prepare for emotional, physical and lifestyle shifts.”
Jo says a consistent theme for those in a caring role is the deep need for genuine human connection.
People often express a desire to feel truly seen, heard, and understood.
Many crave acknowledgment and validation of their experiences rather than immediate solutions to their problems.
It is common to experience feelings of grief when navigating this life transition.
Jo emphasises that staying on top of mental health and wellbeing is good for everyone, and this encompasses emotional, psychological, social and spiritual wellbeing, as well as our physical health.
If you’re concerned about you or a loved one, starting with your GP or
health care professional is a great first step.
You can also contact an organisation like Uniting AgeWell, which supports carers and those they care for, through in-home respite care, day respite programs, community access and transit groups, or residential respite care.
Free resources like Uniting AgeWell’s Sharing the Care Kit can help.
It provides carers with practical advice and easy access to information and support, particularly when transition to permanent residential care is required.
It guides carers through what to expect and how to cope with these significant life changes.
To access the kit and for further information see: unitingagewell.org/our-services/ respite-and-carer-support
Carer resources and information
My Aged Care: For access to Australian Government-funded aged care services and resources tailored for older adults and carers: www.myagedcare.gov.au
Carer Gateway: provides free services and support for carers - counselling, peer support groups, support packages and access to emergency respite: www.carergateway.gov.au
Office of the Public Advocate: for information about enduring power of attorney, medical treatment decision-making, advance care directives, guardianship and administration. For Victoria” www.publicadvocate.vic.gov.au or for Tasmania: www.publicguardian.tas.gov.au
Services Australia: for carer support payment information: www.servicesaustralia.gov.au
Dementia Australia: a national body for support and resources: www.dementia.org.au
Carer Help Website: for resources and factsheets for those caring for someone at the end of life: www.carerhelp.com.au
By the of God
Nineteen words are the inspiration behind theologian, author and public speaker Grace Ji-Sun Kim’s efforts to dismantle injustice, in its many forms, around the world.
As a respected theologian, author, and in-demand public speaker, Rev Dr Grace Ji-Sun Kim has uttered thousands of words to audiences around the world.
Yet it’s just 19 words that encapsulate so much of what she stands for, and what drives her work.
“No person of any race or ethnicity has a biological or spiritual claim to being better than anyone else,” is the mantra that inspires Grace, and one she had an opportunity to expand on during a visit to Australia in late July.
During her time here, she delivered the Cato Lecture at the 17th National Assembly in Sydney, and then travelled to Melbourne where she spoke at The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy, Manningham Uniting Church, and as part of a Synod intercultural forum at St George’s Uniting Church in Richmond.
By Andrew Humphries
Delivering the Cato Lecture on the theme of intersectionality and love, Grace reflected on the fact that the Uniting Church was installing the first woman of colour, Rev Charissa Suli, as our President.
It was, she said, something worth celebrating in a world in which racial injustice continues to damage lives.
Racial injustice, and the damage it causes, is a theme in her recent book, ‘How God became white: Dismantling Whiteness for a More Just Christianity’, and Grace challenged Uniting Church members to reflect on how racism and ‘whiteness’ have shaped images of God for centuries.
“I grew up believing in a white male God,” she says.
“Nobody challenged it and I never challenged it.
“Nobody has ever seen God but for
some reason (in every) painting and representation we continue to talk about a white male God.”
Grace says this myth of a “white male God” has had a devastating impact around the world.
“We have to move away from this (because it) became the architecture of white supremacy,” she says.
“(It is a myth that has been) used to colonise countries around the world, engage in holy wars, and enforce enslavement and genocide.”
Grace says the “white male God” myth has enabled racism to flourish throughout the world, including in religion.
“If we continue to uphold this image of a white male God, we will continue to perpetuate this racism that we experience in the church,” she says.
“I know the Uniting Church is
Image: Carl Rainer
struggling with this, and with racism and intercultural ministry, and it’s a real challenge.
“The image of God needs to be recognised in a non-gendered and nonracialised way, but unfortunately many people still want to hold up this image of the white male God.
“The narrative of God being white has been the narrative for the past 2000 years, and that really reinforces this concept of white privilege and white supremacy.
“It’s something we need to fight and dismantle.”
During her Cato Lecture, Grace also touched on the theme of intersectionality, and how different injustices intersect to create ongoing oppression for so many people.
“Intersectionality is so important for us because what it’s trying to say is that when there are all these different injustices in our society today, like gender injustice, racial injustice, climate injustice and economic injustice, these are not separate little silos, these are all intersecting forms of injustices,” Grace said.
“Many people feel that they are these separate things that do not collide or intersect with each other, but if you study them closely you will know that there are intersecting realities.”
Grace refers to the work of Kimberlé Crenshaw, a scholar of critical race theory who coined the term and the concept of “the idea that multiple oppressions reinforce each other to create new categories of suffering”.
“So, it’s not just one issue around injustice we are dealing with, and it’s not just in society, it’s also in our churches,” Grace said.
“It’s already here and it’s present so, as the Uniting Church, how are we going to deal with these forms of injustice?
“In 2024 how are we going to deal with these forms of oppression which will continue to exist if we do nothing about them?
“So whatever form of ministry you are engaged in, my hope is that intersectionality will become a tool for you in fighting these different forms of
Book opens chapter on important discussion
By Daniel Sihombing
On July 28, The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy hosted a book discussion with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, author of ‘When God Became White: Dismantling Whiteness for a More Just Christianity’.
I was privileged to respond to her talk and I began by thanking her for opening up and sharing her painful experiences of racism, for being brave in confronting it, and for inviting us to reflect theologically on this problem as Christians.
As I read the book, I found many stories that were moving and relatable to my own experience: being a target of ridicule to other kids because of a different physical appearance; the feeling of being a “perpetual foreigner”, no matter how long we’ve stayed in a country; being scapegoated, laughed at for our accent, and all sorts of microaggressions.
Then in the church we find that we need to conform with and look up to the white people.
I grew up in Indonesia, a country that was colonised by the Dutch for at least
one and a half centuries. The history of Dutch colonialism was at least as brutal as the British one and yet, from what I experienced, Indonesians often have a very positive image about the Dutch, especially within church circles.
Often there is an assumption that they are superior to us in many ways.
Grace spoke of a particular image of Jesus as a white man which hung in the home of her Korean family, and which she found in other places, such as India, which are not predominately white.
In Indonesia, we have the white Jesus image as well.
I welcome Grace’s call to dismantle this ideology and to liberate Christianity from its captivity to white supremacy.
Some questions came to my mind as I read her book, which I was able to put to her at the event.
For example, she writes that “It is strange that throughout church history, strong patriarchal words such as King, Master, Lord, Sovereign, and Almighty are used to talk about a loving and graceful God”.
Indeed, these words are problematic and perhaps have been used to reinforce bad practices in the life of the church.
But some of them also seem to be central to our faith tradition. Confessing that Jesus is Lord is one example.
The Apostles’ Creed begins with, “I believe in God, the Father almighty”, and we often end the Lord’s Prayer with, “For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever”.
I know there are congregations which do not recite the Apostle’s Creed or the Lord’s Prayer for this very reason.
But on the other hand, these also function as something that binds us with the universal church.
In response, Grace reminded us that language does change over the years.
Many now object, she said, to the word ‘kingdom’, which is so prevalent throughout the Bible, and some now replace this with ‘kin-dom’ as an alternative.
As Grace is working in America, I was curious to hear her opinions about the polarisation of the so-called ‘woke left’ and ‘far right’.
I mentioned the claim that despite being on opposite sides, one thing that the woke left and far right are doing in unison is suppressing the emancipatory strand that exists within the Western tradition, which was largely constructed by white, male figures.
Is the white-Western(-male) tradition completely hopeless, or is there something to salvage from it?
Grace emphasised that opposing whiteness is not about opposing particular figures, but rather about opposing the structures that perpetuate racism.
Grace’s ‘When God Became White’ serves as a reminder for the church that unspoken assumptions about race can lead us away from the Gospel.
Daniel Sihombing is an exit candidate for Ministry of the Word in the Uniting Church in Australia, Lecturer in Systematic Theology at Pilgrim Theological College, and Fellow at The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy. He holds a PhD in theology and is interested in questions around the intersections of Christian beliefs and politics.
oppression. The dismantling of racism, and other injustices, will only come through education, says Grace and, as the author of over 20 books, she hopes she is able to play some part in that.
“You can only write if you have a deep desire to convey information which helps society and the church,” she says.
“So, when I keep seeing racism and sexism I will keep writing about it, and it
were all baptised and were attending regularly.”For Grace and her family, the church had become a place of wonderful connection and fellowship.
“For many immigrant families these churches are more than just a place of worship,” she says.
“Some people will come to a country where they have extended families, but we certainly didn’t, so the church
"In my teenage years, though, I began to feel this calling to serve God either in the church or through teaching."
Rev Dr Grace Ji-Sun Kim
gives me joy that I can have an impact in the classroom and around the world.
“I want to make an impact on society.
“There is a faith that God requires of us, but also one of action and, if that action is racist or sexist then we have a big problem.
“Faith is a journey and it requires us to continue to live it out faithfully so that we can love all people, not just those who look like us and resemble us.”
Grace’s own faith journey began as a young girl, far from her country of birth, but it wasn’t the Bible and Jesus Christ that initially attracted her and her family.
Instead it was the sense of community that their local church in Canada offered to the newly arrived migrants from Korea.
For Grace, who was just five when her family made the move to London, Ontario, the opportunity to mix with fellow Koreans was what she needed to navigate a strange new country.
“When we first moved to Canada, our family wasn’t a Christian one,” Grace recalls.
“However, when I was about seven, a woman who lived in our building suggested we should go to the First Presbyterian Korean Church based in London.
“At first it was just my sister and I who went and then, about a year later, my parents started attending and then we
became that extended family for us.
“So, if there was a wedding, for example, everyone was invited, or there were birthday parties everyone attended.
“The church, at that time, drew me in because it was where I could make friends.”
While services at her church were held on Sunday afternoons, Grace’s interest blossomed and Sunday mornings were taken up with Sunday school classes at a local Baptist church, before Sunday night worship took place at a different Baptist church.
Throw in Friday nights at another church “for fun” and a strong sense of faith was developing for Grace.
“With all of this came a yearning to learn more about the Bible and God,” she says. The rest, as they say, is history and nearly 50 years later Grace is Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana, an acclaimed author, and a public speaker who is widely sought throughout the world.
“Part of me finds it all quite unbelievable because as a young girl I had no real idea what I wanted to do,” she says.
“In my teenage years, though, I began to feel this calling to serve God either in the church or through teaching.
“It is remarkable when I look back on it all.”
Road trip raises awareness
The potential harm facing children in the digital age was on the agenda during a recent visit to Tasmania by Senior Social Justice Advocate Mark Zirnsak and Australian Federal Police officer Kate Fitzpatrick. Readers are advised these articles discuss issues around online child sexual exploitation and sexual extortion.
By Andrew Humphries
Injustice, in its many forms, sits very uneasily with Kate Fitzpatrick, particularly when it’s children who suffer.
As a Human Exploitation Community Officer (HECO) with the Australian Federal Police, Kate is at the coalface in the fight against online child sexual exploitation, a crime becoming more and more prevalent.
Within the Uniting Church Synod of Victora and Tasmania, Senior Social Justice Advocate Mark Zirnsak is also working hard to raise awareness around the rise in this type of crime.
Building on a connection formed earlier this year, Kate and Mark teamed up recently on a road trip around Tasmania, promoting the message that greater community awareness, and action, is needed around online exploitation. Other areas of exploitation, including human trafficking and forced labour, also formed part of discussions held with Uniting Church Ministers,
members and school students.
It was a trip that aligned perfectly with Kate’s AFP role around raising awareness about, and building knowledge on, child protection and human exploitation.
And, bit by bit, her work is having an impact.
“I have a very strong sense of justice and fairness, and I get quite hot under the collar when I see injustice, so I’m drawn to this role because there is real ability to help people,” Kate says.
“A couple of years ago I joined the Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team because I knew that ultimately I wanted to work in prevention.
“There are a lot of really amazing organisations and people working to combat human exploitation and you see the passion that they have to support and help vulnerable people, and that’s probably what I find really fulfilling about the role.
“I’m HECO for both Victoria and
Tasmania, but am based in Victoria, so meeting face to face with people in Tasmania really helped to build relationships and understand the issues that are affecting them.
“Mark was able to introduce me to a number of his contacts and that broadened my understanding and ability to link up with people.”
Kate and Mark’s strong connection was formed after they crossed paths at an Australian Institute of Criminology forum earlier this year.
“Mark was one of the speakers at a webinar on responsible recruitment and, knowing he was in Melbourne, I reached out to him,” Kate says.
“We then met up and talked about our different roles, and I certainly picked up on the fact that he has such extensive experience in social justice advocacy, particularly around the issue of online child sex exploitation, and also human exploitation around forced labour and
deceptive recruitment.” Kate says the unpleasant fact is that officers like her are seeing more and more examples of online child sexual exploitation.
“In Australia we have seen an increase in the number of people affected by this type of crime involving the production, seeking and transmission of child abuse material,” Kate says.
“One of the more recent issues is the sexual extortion of young people, commonly known as sextortion, which has had a huge impact on victims and their families.
“In the past we’ve seen online sexual exploitation having a sexual motivation, but with the sexual extortion offence, generally there is a financial motivation, and the impact is devastating.”
As Senior Social Justice Advocate, Mark says he has been given a mandate by the Synod to work, in collaboration with the Synod Culture of Safety Unit, on raising awareness around online child
sexual exploitation. “We are now hearing more alarming things around the online space, and while it’s our young people who are most tech-savvy, they probably aren’t in tune as such with the risks involved,” Mark says.
“The Synod has given us a clear indication from membership that child safety in the online world should be a priority, and that the minimum disruption to privacy should take place to ensure that safety.
“So, safety has to come first but privacy is still a priority … it’s not about giving power to police or regulators to do whatever they like and have unfettered power, but if there is to be a trade-off it should be safety that trumps privacy.”
Kate stresses that only an allencompassing approach from all parts of the community will see progress made in tackling sexual extortion and online child sexual exploitation.
“The most important thing is
education and having an awareness and understanding of the potential challenges of the internet,” she says.
Knowing how to keep the channels of communication open with children is vitally important, says Kate.
“For teenagers in particular, it’s often a very difficult period in their lives where the communication drops out a bit, so as a parent it’s about keeping those lines of communication open and ensuring that young people understand that no matter what happens they are not to blame, and that they can come to you for help,” she says.
“It’s also important that if they don’t feel comfortable coming to their parents, because they are ashamed of something that has happened, that they have other avenues to go to, and that might be a trusted adult, someone at their school, or one of the support services in the community.
“Teenagers who are victims of sexual
extortion need to understand that nothing is so bad that they can’t get help.”
Playing a vital role in the education process, says Kate, is the website ThinkUKnow, which contains resources and advice for parents, carers and educators, children and young people to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
“The really important aspect of ThinkUKnow is that it’s evidence based, with access to real-life intelligence and an understanding of trends and patterns, meaning the information on the website is always up to date and relevant to what’s going on,” Kate says.
online, so that everyone has a better understanding of what the concerns are.
“Once that conversation takes place, children will be better equipped when something does happen.”
Mark says while educational tools like the website are important, there is also a responsibility on the big tech corporations to lift their game.
“I hadn’t realised how useful ThinkUKnow was and what opened my eyes is the fact that police are continually updating it based on intelligence they
very active in increasing the ability for tech companies to be held to account.
“So, government is saying we’ll give these tech companies a chance to do this responsibly on their own, but if they choose not to they can expect intervention at a government level to ensure the safety of users.”
Kate says she hopes the Tasmanian trip is the first step in what will be a long and strong social justice relationship between the AFP and Uniting Church.
" We are now hearing more alarming things around the online space."
“The website is delivered to students Australia-wide from kindergarten through to Year 12, and those sessions fit within the Australian curriculum and contain age-appropriate messages to guide young people in how to safely navigate the internet and how to deal with the challenges of what to do when things go wrong in that space.
“It’s a really good website for families to discover together to start the discussion around cyber safety and some of those conversations needed around sexual extortion.
“These are the conversations that need to be had about what is happening
Mark Zirnsak, Senior Social Justice Advocate
are gathering around the harm that is being done online, meaning training is continually updated,” he says.
“But there are limits to the role that education can play in this space, which is why we need the tech companies to provide a safer environment in the first place and not just throw the responsibility back on the users.
“What we are seeing is that governments, including our own, are increasingly being prepared to regulate this … the Morrison government and now Albanese government have been
“Where there is an intersection in the areas that we are interested in I see potential for us to collaborate again,” she says.
“Mark has been very valuable in expanding my understanding of human exploitation and social justice, while I have been able to talk to him about some of the law enforcement aspects that are important for him to understand as part of his advocacy.”
Mark, too, believes the Uniting Church will only benefit from the relationship established with the AFP.
“I think it can benefit both of us in terms of the Uniting Church knowing what resources the AFP is making available to the community, and the ability to work with them around protecting people from what are very harmful crimes, and the ability to know
From P21
Mark Zirnsak and Kate Fitzpatrick raised issues around online child sexual exploitation and sexual extortion during a visit to Tasmania. Image: Brad Harris
When AI is not AOK
By Mark Zirnsak
Like most technologies, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) has beneficial uses but, in the wrong hands, it can also be used to inflict great harm.
AI is developing rapidly and it is now nearly impossible to tell the difference between a real image and one manufactured by AI.
AI-generated video technology is not far behind.
The relevance to congregations, communities of faith and church-based agencies is that any publicly accessible image of a child or small group of children can now be used to produce AIgenerated child sexual abuse material with the child’s face and body shape.
Congregations, communities of faith and churchbased agencies would be wise to not post publicly accessible images of a child or small group of children online where the faces of the children are clearly shown.
To do so exposes the children to a small but growing risk the images may be misused to produce AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
This material can also be used in the sexual extortion of children, and a child threatened with AI-generated sexual images of them can be coerced to provide real sexual abuse images of themselves.
The Australian Centre for Counter Child Exploitation has reported that the sexual extortion of children where the abuse is then captured by camera generates between 60-70 per cent of the referrals to its Victim Identification Unit.
Recent investigations have uncovered the existence of organised sexual extortion groups.
These groups operate across borders and use call centre-like operations in order to communicate with hundreds of potential victims at once.
In December 2022, the US FBI issued a public safety alert about an “explosion” of financial sexual extortion schemes targeting children and teenagers.
The number of reports the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children received on that form of cybercrime increased by 7200 per cent between 2021 and 2022.
their primary purpose is to sexualise, humiliate, demoralise, denigrate or create child sexual abuse material of girls according to the predator’s personal predilection.
A Bellingcat investigation found that many such apps are part of a complex network of nudifying apps owned by the same holding company that effectively disguises detection of the primary purpose of these apps in order to evade enforcement action.
In March 2024, it was reported that the ClothOff app had more than four million monthly visits and invited users to “undress anyone using AI”. It charged $16.50 for 25 credits and did not provide meaningful age verification for users.
Many AI apps will provide nude images without the consent of the person being portrayed. Many allow for free trials before charging for ongoing use.
The negative psychological impacts of sexual extortion include feelings of low self-esteem, withdrawal, worthlessness, anger and guilt.
In some cases, victims have engaged in self-harm or killed themselves.
In Victoria alone, 13 young Victorians have ended their own lives as a result of online sexual extortion or image-based abuse in the last decade.
There are apps accessible online to anyone that can take a photo of any child or adult and produce a naked version of the person.
The Australian eSafety Commissioner stated of such apps:
It is difficult to conceive of a purpose for these apps outside of the nefarious. Some might wonder why apps like this are allowed to exist at all, given
The UK-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported that one guide for child sexual abuse perpetrators contained a section explicitly encouraging perpetrators to use ‘nudifying’ tools to generate material to subject children to sexual extortion.
The author of the guide claimed to have successfully blackmailed 13-yearold girls into sending ‘intimate’ images.
The IWF has also reported child sexual abuse perpetrators on the dark web, seeking advice and tutorials from others about how to generate AI child sexual abuse material.
The AI-generated child sexual abuse images can also mean police waste valuable resources seeking to rescue a child from sexual abuse who is not being subjected to real-world sexual abuse or who does not exist at all.
There are also online games where participants can sexually abuse AIgenerated children who have the faces of real children they have obtained.
From P22
where to go when seeing things which are suspicious,” he says.
“The AFP also gathers intelligence and it benefits them to have that link with the community through us, so that people can have the confidence to approach them.
“In terms of online safety, I hope to continue working with them in that space to help inform congregations and the wider church about our policies, particularly around the emergence of AI and how we need to carefully consider whether we should be posting photos of children on our websites.
“The other benefit from our cooperation is what we can learn from the AFP around criminological understanding based on their latest research.
“It’s a helpful dialogue to have.”
•
•
Mark Zirnsak and Kate Fitzpatrick with staff and students from St Mary’s College in Hobart.
Image: Brad Harris
Staff share stories of community support
By Aileen Muldoon
Across the national life of the Uniting Church, numerous Sundays are earmarked for focused learning, celebration, prayer and fundraising activities, which are related to different initiatives, services, and agencies.
Share Sunday traditionally marks the celebration of the Uniting Church’s community services work, and this year was held on August 25.
As the Synod’s community services organisation, Uniting VicTas prepared resources to support congregations choosing to hold a Share Sunday service.
The theme this year was ‘Draw Near’, inspired by a verse in Psalm 34:15-22.
This theme was about illuminating the heart of Uniting staff – what motivates them to do the work they do and how, through that work, they lean into the struggle against the causes and effects of disadvantage and injustice.
Uniting’s Director of Mission, Jessica Hateley-Browne, said Share Sunday was an opportunity for people across the life of the Church to think about ways to build a more just and equitable society.
“On Share Sunday, we think about the ways we ‘draw near’ to human need, even when it’s uncomfortable or upsetting, because we recognise and celebrate the inherent dignity of every person,” Jessica says.
“In Psalm 34 we are reminded that
God hears cries for help, is near to the broken-hearted and restores those who are crushed in spirit.
“So, we too tune our ears to the cries and stand with those who are experiencing trauma, hopelessness, despair and pain.”
As part of the celebrations and steeped in the history of the Covenant between Uniting and the Wesley Church, Jessica invited a panel of Uniting staff to tell their stories to the gathering at Wesley Church in Melbourne.
Panel guests included General Manager Housing and Property Kristie Looney, General Manager Alcohol and other Drugs, Mental Health, Carers and Tasmania Adrian Webber, Senior Manager Youth, AOD and Mental Health Social Supports Nellie Jackson, and Community Engagement Lead, Escaping Violence Payment program Angela Nguyen.
Jessica told the congregation that rather than the typical sermon “where you would usually hear the Good News proclaimed in word – today instead we will hear stories of the Good News in action”.
“Today is an opportunity for some of Uniting's staff to tell their stories about the human need they draw near to each day, their values, and what inspires them in their work,” she said.
The discussion centred around how congregations could support the community services work of Uniting through advocacy, volunteering, or fundraising.
The discussion was vibrant and wide ranging.
The issues that were addressed included the need for more social and affordable housing and how to counter the stigma associated with community housing tenants and those affected by drug and alcohol addiction.
Family violence was another key theme.
The focus here was on how to better equip community members to recognise signs of family violence and how to improve access to information about the services available to support victim/ survivors of family violence.
With its ambition to build a deeper connection and understanding between the congregations of the Uniting Church and its community services organisation, the day undoubtedly fulfilled that purpose.
Uniting VicTas Director of Mission Jessica Hateley-Browne and employees, from left to right, Nellie Jackson, Angela Nguyen, Kristie Looney and Adrian Webber during the Share Sunday event at Wesley Church.
CRISP response changes LIVES
Uniting Church members from three regional areas of Victoria have opened their hearts to give refugees a shot at a new life in Australia.
By Marina Williams
Having a haven is deeply entrenched in the workings of the Uniting Church.
A commitment to helping others thrive has led members in three regional areas to support refugee families to settle in their communities.
They have been participating in the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP), a 12-month community support program for refugee families.
Established in 2021, CRISP is designed to permanently resettle 1500 refugees within four years through independent charity organisation Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA).
“The members of these congregations are changing lives … they are ensuring refugee newcomers receive incredible warm, tailored, holistic, hands-on support,” says CEO Lisa Button.
“It changes the lives of the people who receive the help and those who are involved as volunteers.”
Rev Cameron McAdam from Mount Eliza Uniting Church says that while the experience can be rewarding, volunteers navigate many complexities.
“People are coming from traumatic
backgrounds, and there are cultural differences, so, understandably, it won’t be a straightforward process,” he says.
“Always tap into the resources available and be open to what you and your group can and cannot do.
“It was a great experience to not only work closely with another congregation to support a family, but to also understand the realities of the wider world we live in.”
It was a shared experience for the Mount Martha and Mount Eliza congregations in helping a family of four adapt to life in outer Melbourne.
“We decided to form a combined refugee support group and contacted Refugee Council of Australia to get some training,” says Karen Richards, a member of the Mount Martha church.
“However, there weren’t any families settling on the Peninsula.
“Through my work I already had contact with a family who had arrived soon after the Taliban took over Afghanistan at the end of 2021 … and I thought it could be a good match.”
The family, mum Shakira and her three adult children, Zahra, Zohra and
Nayeb, had fled their home country unexpectedly.
“They didn't even know they were getting on the plane,” Karen explains.
“The older daughter, Zahra, was being evacuated because she was the CEO of a women's rights organisation, and the rest of the family just went to see her off at the airport.
“Before they knew it, they were on the plane, with dad and other siblings remaining.”
Arriving with no belongings, the churches sprang into action, providing
essential supplies (furniture and clothing), arranging English lessons for Shakira, and helping the family navigate daily tasks such as getting drivers’ licences and connecting with health and government services — they wanted to help the displaced family make a new home.
“We took them on outings and introduced them to AFL footy, shared meals, helped with accommodation, enrolling in education, job hunting, learning to drive and more,” Karen says.
“It was eye-opening to hear and see
the trauma they had been through and how much emotional support they needed.”
While it’s been more than a year since the congregation’s commitment to CRISP has ended, they remain committed to the family.
Karen describes the experience as deeply rewarding, despite challenges that can come in resettling people from war-torn countries.
All three young adults are studying — Zahra journalism, Zohra pastry cooking and Nayeb IT, and Shakira is trying to
Yaritza, Jhon and Camila during a visit to Healesville Sanctuary.
establish a small sewing business.
“It’s been lovely to become friends with them, especially Zahra, who is now married and studying journalism,” Karen says.
“Seeing them rebuild their lives and integrate into the community has been truly inspiring.”
When eight members of the Airey’s Inlet Uniting Church decided to sponsor a refugee family through CRISP, they knew it would be a significant undertaking.
“This was the first time our congregation had done anything like this,” Mary Bremner says.
“We had to go through a lot of preparation, including applying to be part of the program, getting police checks, and putting together a profile of our town.”
Calling their sponsor team ‘Giving Hope on the Coast’, the congregation was matched with Yaritza, a widow, and her 12-year-old twins Jhon and Camila, from Venezuela, who had been living as refugees in Trinidad for four years.
The family arrived in October last year.
“The children had virtually no English
Macedon Ranges Partnership
Uniting Church members
Robyn Zumstein and Bev and Paul Gilbertson.
skills when they arrived,” Mary explains.
“But through the programs we've set up, like swimming lessons, football, and music classes, the kids have really integrated into the community.”
She says helping the family settle in has been a major community effort.
“We had to find temporary accommodation for them, and then work to secure more permanent, affordable housing.
“We also helped Yaritza find part-time jobs at the local lighthouse tea rooms and a resort.”
Mary is proud of how the congregation and town have embraced the family.
“We all got involved because it is a part of Christian living to welcome the stranger, give shelter to the homeless and asylum to those fleeing persecution,” she says.
“We are giving a chance at a new life for people who would otherwise be living without hope.
“We are people who believe that we have been richly blessed in so many ways and want to use our talents and resources to give back in some way.”
Looking to the future, Mary is optimistic about the family’s prospects.
“There's no reason why these kids shouldn't fly … they’re such bright, resilient children,” she says.
Yaritza is grateful for the welcome and support from the congregation.
Shakira Kamiri and her three adult children, Zahra, Zohra and Nayeb.
Gilbertson.
Since coming together midlast year, the group has been supporting a Syrian refugee family of five, including three young children, who had been living in Lebanon for 10 years after fleeing their home country.
The family has been in the Macedon Ranges for five months.
Settling in a small regional community after living in a large city brings multiple challenges, Robyn says.
“Communication is a huge issue,” she says.
I'm super grateful to everyone because they have helped me a lot and I thank God and the CRISP group.”
When Woodend’s Robyn Zumstein heard about CRISP, she decided to get involved.
“My close aunt, Jill Pattenden, who lived in Swan Hill, had been heavily involved in supporting asylum seekers
“They have very limited English, plus they have come from a war zone and may have experienced unspeakable trauma.
“We work to connect them to settle into a community that is safe.”
Despite language and cultural barriers, the group is supporting the family to settle in, from furnishing their new home to helping enrol the children in school.
“We've got support from the CRISP organisation, but we don't have the knowledge that refugee support workers would have, so it is a major learning curve and a big undertaking,” Robyn says.
"It was eye-opening to hear and see the trauma they had been through and how much emotional support they needed."
Karen Richards, Mount Martha Uniting Church
and refugees,” Robyn explains.
“My life has changed in Australia because we suffered a lot in my country and in Trinidad and here the children feel very happy,” she says.
“I am super happy because I can help my family in Venezuela and I'm super comfortable.
“I feed my children, they eat well and
“I'd seen her influence there and met some of the people she'd helped. Her attitude was ‘If there’s a need, you just do it’, so I thought maybe I could do that, too.”
It was a feeling that resonated with others in the wider Macedon Ranges community.
“Our group is essentially their refugee support worker.
“Sometimes, you find yourself second-guessing what to do but, as a group, you unite to work with the family to do what they can do, when they can do it.
“It’s still early days for them, but they've only been positive about everything to the point of saying things like, ‘I’ve never been so respected for my religion, ever in my life before’.”
From P27
Bayswater’s beacon of
By Marina Williams
In the heart of Bayswater, a small but mighty group of volunteers is making a big difference in the lives of those struggling with mental health challenges and social isolation.
The volunteers run Elm St Mission, a free drop-in centre that has been a beacon of hope and belonging for the past five years, providing a safe and welcoming space for some of the area’s most vulnerable residents.
The mission operates from Bayswater Uniting Church and is open from 10amnoon three days a week during school terms.
Its volunteers are from the community and nearby churches, and a working group, consisting of Bayswater Uniting Church members Joy van Neuren, Marj Smyth, Dr Geoff Stone and Leo van Neuren, and Yarra Yarra Presbytery’s Rob McLean, oversees governance.
“It takes a community to build a safe and welcoming place,” Joy says.
“We create an environment where they can come, connect, and just be themselves.”
And that approach seems to be
working. What started as a small gathering of a few dedicated church members wanting to deepen connections with community has blossomed into a vibrant hub, attracting up to 30 regular participants ranging in age from 34 to 74.
The church volunteers, many of whom are retired but brimming with energy and expertise, are the backbone of the operation, while the participants, with their diverse stories and experiences, are the heart.
Many are residents of local supported accommodation facilities, seeking respite, companionship, and a chance to engage in meaningful activities.
“We have such a diverse group,” Joy says.
“Some struggle with ADHD, autism, or the effects of past trauma, but everyone is accepted exactly as they are.”
Acceptance and unconditional support are at the heart of the Elm St Mission, with volunteers witnessing remarkable transformations.
“We've seen participants who were once withdrawn and isolated start to
blossom. They’re coming in earlier, staying longer, and truly engaging with the community,” Joy says.
“One girl who hardly spoke a word when she first started now greets us all with the biggest smile.
“She's here most days, joining in the games and activities, and it has been incredible to see.”
Those activities range from art and craft sessions to music, games, dance, and even meditative Tai Chi, followed by a light lunch and there’s always free tea or coffee on offer.
The goal is to provide opportunities for participants to explore their interests and discover hidden talents, boosting their confidence and sense of self-worth in the process. One young woman, who had been told she was a “lousy artist”, found a newfound sense of pride and confidence when encouraged to express herself through painting.
“When she saw her work displayed on our walls, she was so proud. It was a real turning point for her,” Joy says.
Providing that sense of accomplishment and community
is crucial, says Joy, especially for individuals who may have faced significant challenges and setbacks in their lives.
Many of the Elm St participants have experienced trauma, homelessness, or difficulties navigating the complex mental health system.
“Some of them have had so many different support workers that they’ve lost that sense of continuity and stability,” explains Joy.
“But here, they know they can count on us being here, week after week, year after year.”
The mission’s success is not just measured by attendance numbers, but by the subtle shifts in attitude and behaviour.
“We used to have people get up and leave in the middle of an activity,” Joy says.
“Now, we just say, ‘Oh, they’ve gone out for a bit, they’ll be back’.”
Consistency and care have not only benefited the participants but also had a profound impact on the congregation, with more than 50 per cent of the
membership involved with the mission. Joy says their perspectives have been transformed.
“We’ve seen a real shift in the church over the past 15 years,” she says.
“Instead of looking inward, we’re opening our doors and recognising the needs outside our walls.
“And our work with the mission has seen a change in the way our church members view and interact with people dealing with mental health issues.
“Where there may have been judgment or misunderstanding before, now there’s just unconditional love and acceptance.”
Funding the mission has been an ongoing challenge, but the Bayswater Uniting Church community has risen to the occasion. With support from a Synod mission grant, the Yarra Yarra Presbytery, local grants and donations, the mission has been able to maintain a part-time co-ordinator, and an art and craft community worker, as well as provide a range of activities.
As the mission celebrates its fifth anniversary next month, the team is
looking to the future with excitement and determination.
“We want to continue growing, both in terms of volunteers and participants,” Joy says.
“But we also know we have some challenges, like the limitations of our current space, so we’re exploring ways to expand our reach, perhaps by partnering with other local churches and organisations.”
The collaborative approach reflects the mission’s underlying philosophy – that true community is built when people come together, regardless of boundaries and backgrounds.
“It's not about fixing problems,” Joy says.
“It’s about being with people, listening to them, and creating a space where they can feel safe, valued, and connected.”
Elm St Mission is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am-2pm during school terms. Volunteers are welcome: contact info@elmstmission.org.au or visit www.elmstmission.org.au Follow on Facebook @Elm St Mission
Joy van Neuren and Richard Farnsworth during a music session at Elm St Mission.
Bible reading resource updated
By Rev Dr John Squires
‘With Love to the World’ is a daily Bible reading resource, written and produced within the Uniting Church in Australia.
For many decades it has followed the ‘Revised Common Lectionary’.
As from September this year, it will be including the main ‘Narrative Lectionary’ reading each Monday, along with a short commentary on the passage.
This is an important step in the development of the resource, to cater specifically for Ministers who are now using this lectionary.
The ‘Narrative Lectionary’ is an initiative that began a decade ago at the Luther Seminary in St Paul’s Minnesota in the US.
The seminary states that it is “committed to robust, passionate, and respectful dialogue with one another— both those with whom we agree and those with whom we disagree”.
This makes it an ideal partner for ‘With Love to the World’, which reflects the Uniting Church's commitment to “an informed faith” and values the importance of engaging with contemporary ideas and understandings.
For the 2024–25 year, the commentary on the ‘Narrative Lectionary’ passage is being provided by Rev Dr Ockert Meyer, who teaches Theology and Preaching at United Theological College in Sydney.
The ‘Narrative Lectionary’ is a fouryear lectionary which runs from early September through to late May or early June each year.
The passages chosen follow the sweep of the biblical story, from Creation through to the early Christian church.
The website for the Narrative Lectionary notes that “the texts show the breadth and variety of voices within Scripture. They invite people to hear the stories of Abraham and Sarah, Moses and the prophets, Jesus, and Paul. Listening
to the many different voices within Scripture enriches preaching and the life of faith”.
The website explains that these stories “tell of hope and disappointment, suffering and redemption. In all these varied contexts, we find God dealing with the complexities of human life”.
Each year begins in September with Old Testament readings, before moving to the Gospel from Christmas to Lent, and then to Acts and selected epistles through to Pentecost Sunday.
The Creation 2024 issue of ‘With Love to the World’ has contributors from across Australia, with people of Anglo and Asian heritage, reflecting the diversity of the Church and indeed of multicultural Australia.
Alongside the commentary on a daily passage of scripture, there is a prayer, a song suggestion, a psalm for the day, and a question for discussion.
The resource is produced by the Uniting Church in Australia.
You can subscribe to ‘With Love to the World’ on your phone or iPad via an App, for a subscription of $28 per year. Search for ‘With Love to the World’ on the App Store, or ‘UCA—With Love to the World’ on Google Play. For the hard copy resource, for just $28 for a year’s subscription, email wlwuca@bigpond. com or phone (02) 97471369.
Rev Dr John Squires is editor of ‘With Love to the World’
It’s game n for Bruce
By Meg Hocking
A single game of table tennis led Bruce Clark to a 37-year career in the print industry, where he met his wife and found his voice for disability activism.
During that game of table tennis, a friend recommended 20-year-old Bruce apply for a job at Tadpac, one of Uniting’s social enterprises.
Established in 1965 by a group of people living with disabilities, Tadpac is a Uniting-owned printing service based in Glenorchy, Tasmania.
Bruce, who has used a wheelchair since birth, began working in reception at Tadpac’s joinery office.
After several years the office was closed as the service decided to focus on print, and Bruce moved to the sales department, ending his career as Tadpac supervisor.
“Back when I started, Tadpac had around 15 supported employees and about five non-supported employees,” Bruce says.
“Everyone was treated equally. Tadpac has always been that way but probably even more so since Uniting took over.
“If you’ve got the ability, they will give you the opportunity.
“Unfortunately, there are a lot of places that won’t do that. Some people, they see a disability and think ‘you can't do that’.”
Throughout his career at Tadpac, Bruce blossomed into a dedicated activist, tirelessly advocating for the rights and voices of those living with disabilities.
“Bruce is a strong champion for our supported employees,” says Uniting
Disability Services Coordinator Vanessa Mills.
“He is really committed to sharing his life experiences with the other supported employees to encourage them to pursue any dream they have, and to not let their disability hold them back from anything.”
For Bruce, leading by example has always been important.
“I think words aren’t always as powerful as actions,” he says.
“When the employees with disabilities see that someone like me, in a wheelchair, can do this job and hold a management role it gives them hope.
“It teaches them that if you work hard, you can achieve anything.”
Underneath Bruce’s kind and friendly demeanour there is a fire in his belly, a passion to spark change in the face of injustice.
“Just because I’m in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you can treat me like a fool, because I'm going to show you that I'm not,” he says.
“If I feel like the other employees are treated in a way they shouldn’t be, I’d go in to fight for them too.”
Over the years Bruce has witnessed employees flourishing during their time at Tadpac.
“I've seen it over and over at Tadpac,” he says.
“You get these people who haven't been treated the way they should, and they come in with no confidence but they just grow and grow the longer they're here.
“One guy when he first started at
Bruce
Clark continues to lead by example as an important voice in the disability sector.
Tadpac was very quiet and withdrawn, but when he left he was so confident. He became our best bindery person and his confidence just grew.”
When reflecting on his life, Bruce has no regrets.
“Looking back, playing table tennis was probably one of the smartest things I ever did because I got a job at Tadpac, where I met my wife,” Bruce says.
“My wife, Jo, she has always looked past my wheelchair. She just saw the person.”
After 39 years together, Bruce still holds Jo as one of his greatest motivators.
“Jo gives me the strength to go on. When she was younger, she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour and given 12 months to live,” he says.
“She was determined to prove everyone wrong, and she did.
“I take a lot of my inspiration from Jo.”
Unfortunately, after almost four decades at Tadpac, Bruce’s health began to decline, and he could no longer manage full-time hours around his doctors’ appointments.
With years of experience and lots more to give, Bruce decided to return to Tadpac as a volunteer.
“After an amazing 37-year career, I wanted to give back to Tadpac,” he says.
Bruce continues to advocate for those living with a disability with unapologetic pride.
“Just go for it. Go for your dreams, go for your goals. Don’t try and let anyone try and talk you out of them,” he says.
FAITHFULGiving
Generosity reaches great Heights
By Andrew Humphries
As a member of the Burwood Heights congregation since the Uniting Church formed in 1977, Len Trotter has a wealth of information on its history, people and achievements.
Len may also be a master of understatement when he describes the congregation as being a generous one in terms of its missional work.
In fact, the congregation last year directed a quarter of its large income to mission and service giving, while also giving generously to a number of Uniting Church appeals and related entities.
“We’ve got a pretty good congregation here, and we would get about 80-90 people for most services,” says Len, who is treasurer and also a member of the Mission and Outreach Committee.
“We’re an ageing congregation, we welcome anyone, and we are always looking at ways to get young people along.”
Anyone taking up Len’s invitation can be confident they will be joining a congregation which lives out the ethos of Faithful Giving on a daily basis.
In short, mission and outreach form a major part of what makes the congregation such a generous one.
“We contribute almost 30 per cent of our income towards mission and service,” Len says.
“Our Mission and Outreach Committee has a strong policy of giving to the Synod itself, but also one of giving to local, national and international causes.”
Among the beneficiaries is a mental health ministry set up by the Yarra Yarra Presbytery, to which the Burwood Heights congregation contributes $4000
a year. We feel it’s important to be able to offer this financial support,” Len says.
“A lot of people might be struggling for different reasons, so we think it’s a very important ministry.”
At a local level, the Burwood Heights congregation is also a strong supporter of Uniting Emergency Relief in East Burwood, run by Uniting VicTas, which offers a range of services to people in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
Congregation members also volunteer at the op shop run by the Forest Hill Uniting Church congregation, with money raised there also being donated to Uniting Emergency Relief.
At the relief centre in East Burwood, a range of services and programs are provided to individuals and families experiencing hardship.
“In these uncertain times, our emergency relief service at 220 Burwood Highway is there to provide muchneeded assistance including food and material aid, so people can access basic essentials as quickly as possible,” says Danni Harrison, Team Leader-Parenting Skills and Development at Uniting VicTas.
“We can also assist with a no-interest loan application if a person is eligible, which they can then use to pay bills or other living expenses.
“Requests for assistance across our emergency relief programs have increased by more than 70 per cent over the past 12 months.
“People are coming to us who can’t afford to get by and with the rising cost of living many are not able to get through, from week to week, because
it’s such a struggle. We’re seeing people we’ve never seen before and who have never had to reach out for help before.
“Many of the people we see can’t afford to put food on the table, or can’t afford to put the heating on to keep warm.
“We appreciate any donations of food and the ongoing support of our congregations, which allows us to continue helping those who need it most.”
The emergency relief services at East Burwood are available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8.30am to 12.30pm, and on Tuesdays from 8.30am to 2pm.
The same building, at 220 Burwood Highway, is also used by Uniting AgeWell as a centre for providing social support, including day activities and outings.
The Burwood Heights congregation is also prominent in a missional sense at an international level, never more so than in the financial support it was able to provide to the people of Tonga following the devastating tsunami which hit the country in January 2022. The congregation also assists the
aid organisation Possible Dreams International in southern Africa, donates to assist the work of UnitingWorld, and is a supporter of Frontier Services.
Possible Dreams International partners with rural and remote communities in Swaziland to empower families and individuals living with extreme poverty, malnutrition and endemic disease.
Another outreach program started by the congregation is the ECOS program, or English Conversation for Overseas Students, in which volunteers offer practice for people seeking to improve their English-speaking skills.
It is attended by students or graduates of universities such as the nearby Deakin University, visitors on a working holiday in Australia, and permanent residents.
Among the congregation going above and beyond is Jan Wiffin, who makes jam to be sold as part of fundraisers for worthy causes.
“Jan actually gets up at 3am some mornings to make her jam, and that’s a pretty special commitment,” Len says.
“I asked her once why she did it and
she simply said, ‘well, I can’t sleep so I get up and make jam’.
“Jan is always at one of our fundraisers with her jam and her efforts are much appreciated.”
With so much happening, it’s no surprise that Len is proud of being part of such a committed congregation.
“All in all, we’re a pretty generous mob,” he says.
“If an appeal is being organised, we’ll normally contribute to that. If anything needs to be done, there is always someone putting their hand up. Everyone pitches in.”
Your FAITHFUL GIVING supports the wider church by funding grants; training for ministry candidates and local leaders, Presbytery Ministers and ministry; Crosslight, websites and e-news; resources to assist in worship, witness and service; equipping Leadership for Mission (eLM); providing services to help meet obligations to keep our people and properties safe; and supporting church communities in rural and remote regions.
Crosslight is a bi-monthly magazine produced by the Communications team of the Uniting Church in Australia Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. Opinions expressed in Crosslight do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the policies of the Uniting Church.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land on which we live, work, gather and worship, and we pay our respects to their elders past and present. We acknowledge that the Church throughout this Synod meets on land for which First Peoples have ongoing spiritual sovereignty and custodianship, and we commit ourselves to respecting Country and to working for a more just future together.
While Crosslight endeavours to publish all articles in a timely manner, they may be held over for a variety of reasons.
Advertising
Crosslight accepts advertising in good faith. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement. Advertising material is at the discretion of the publisher.
Advertising deadlines for December. Christmas 2024 Issue: Bookings
October 18, 2024
Copy & images for production October 30, 2024
Print ready supplied PDF November 6, 2024
See crosslight.org.au for full details.
Distribution
Crosslight is usually distributed the first Sunday of the month.
Circulation: 13,000
Editor
Andrew Humphries Ph: 0439 110 251 andrew.humphries@victas.uca.org.au
Graphic design, photography and print services
Carl Rainer Ph: 03 9340 8826 carl.rainer@victas.uca.org.au
Len Trotter and Jan Wiffin are an important part of the Burwood Heights congregation’s missional work.
Poles promote message of peace
By Andrew Humphries
Nearly 80 years after it began as a response to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during World War II, a worldwide concept based around peace is flourishing among Uniting Church congregations in Tasmania.
Ten years after the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima, the first peace pole was erected and, nearly 80 years later, more than 250,000 have been put in place around the world.
The peace pole concept was established by the World Peace Prayer Society in 1955, after the WWII bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The message, ‘may peace prevail on earth’, was authored by Masahisa Goi and is now on peace poles worldwide.
In Australia, the peace poles project is supported by service organisation Rotary, with 287 poles established throughout the country.
Two of them have been erected at Uniting Church congregations in north-east Tasmania, as part of Rotary Tasmania’s plan to have 100 poles established this year to mark their 100th birthday.
The Beauty Point and Beaconsfield congregations have installed peace poles, a move Rev Peter Grayson-Weeks hopes will gather momentum among other congregations.
Peter, who is Beauty Point Church Council Chair and also conducts occasional services at both churches, says the peace poles are a wonderful initiative in a world increasingly riven by conflict.
They are, he says, playing an important role in sending a simple, but effective, message.
“Each pole contains the words, ‘may peace prevail on earth’, in English and a number of other languages,” Peter says.
“It started as a way of marking the 10th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing and, here in Tasmania, Rotary is involved as they celebrate their 100th anniversary.
“Their aim is to have 100 peace poles installed around the state, and Beauty Point was number 29 and Beaconsfield number 51, installed in February and July respectively.”
Peter says the fact that individual poles contain the message of peace in a number of languages makes them effective builders of goodwill in any community.
“Those words of ‘may peace prevail on earth’ are always in Japanese, and in English, but there is also scope to add the message in six further languages, chosen by whichever local community is installing the pole,” he says.
Above: Rev Peter Grayson Weeks and Jenny Byard, Kathryn Darlow, Barbara Adams and Frances Seen at the peace pole installed at Beaconsfield. Left: The peace pole at Beauty Point shows the words ‘may peace prevail on earth’ in the Palawa kani Tasmanian Aboriginal language.
“Those other languages might be ones that are significant in that particular location.
“For example, at Beauty Point we decided to also include the Palawa kani Tasmanian Aboriginal language, and also felt that Hebrew and Arabic languages would be particularly appropriate at this time, given what is happening in the Middle East.
“We have also included the peace message in Tongan, recognising the Pacific Islander seasonal workers who come here.”
Peter says both congregations were quick to embrace the peace poles concept.
“The current West Tamar Rotary President, Kathryn Darlow, is also one of the congregational leaders at Beauty Point, and she raised the possibility last
year of installing a peace pole,” Peter says. “There was instant and unanimous feedback that it was a wonderful idea.
“Following the installation of our pole, Beaconsfield congregation members decided to also establish their own.”
Peter hopes the peace poles will continue to invite reflection from congregation members, as they consider conflicts like those in the Middle East and Ukraine.
“One of the reasons we included Hebrew and Arabic signage on the Beauty Point peace pole was to link our congregation members’ thoughts to a wider world issue,” he says.
“Hopefully as people see it and reflect on it, their thoughts will go to what is happening in the Middle East.
“We hope that out of it might come more reflection in general.”
Let Christmas wishes support those in need.
1 Australian Birds (Mixed Pack 1)
Kookaburra sentiment: May the festive season bring only happiness and joy to you and your loved ones.
Blue Wren sentiment: Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and an especially Happy New Year.
Christmas Stockings
Sentiment: Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.
(Mixed Pack 2) 4
Sentiment: Joy to you at Christmas and happiness in the coming year.
Sentiment: May peace, joy and happiness be yours at Christmas and throughout the year.
Nativity sentiment: May joy be yours during the season of goodwill and may the New Year bring grace and peace.
Nativity Bible Verse: ‘And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.’ John 1:14
Three Kings sentiment: May joy be your gift at Christmas and may hope and love be your treasures in the New Year.
Three Kings Bible Verse: ‘From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.’ John 1:16
Uniting is the community services organisation of the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania.
