Crosslight August 2016

Crosslight Publication of the year

No. 268 August 2016

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High Street Uniting Church celebrates Ramadan with their Muslim neighbours.

Find out how Lenten Offering grants support creative initiatives throughout the church.

Our letters bring you a diverse range of views from the church community.

Rev Sharon Hollis reflects on the power of faith in uncertain times.

A Christian cross is choppered to the battlefield in Vietnam. On the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in Vietnam, we look back on the war that divided a nation and – some would say – divided a church.

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What role does the church play in war? Can we support combatants without supporting war?

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Pic credit: Australian War Memorial (P04665.785)

Synod Snaps brings you images from throughout the Church and beyond.

Regulars Letters - 17

Reviews - 18 to 19 Notices - 20 to 21 People - 15 Moderator’s column - 22

Editorial Call for radical generosity PENNY MULVEY

“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.” – Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Communications & Media Services

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

YOU don’t need me to list the many terrifying, life-changing events that have happened over the past few months.

Perhaps, like me, you wake up each morning reluctant to turn on the news, for fear of what latest atrocity will squeeze your heart and hurt your soul.

The news disempowers. We fear for our friends and relatives travelling. We fear for the world and for ourselves.

And as a result we witness people we know and love behaving badly. Maybe we also do and say things which shame us.

And yet in the midst of the television images, the barrage of words, the hate speech on social media, there have been moments of grace and light. Moments that remind us anew of God’s peace which passes all understanding.

You might have seen an open letter to Pauline Hansen by Alpha Cheng, a Sydney school teacher whose father, Curtis Cheng Crosslight is a monthly newspaper produced by the Communications and Media Services unit of The Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania.

It is published 11 times a year.

Opinions expressed in Crosslight do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the policies of The Uniting Church.

Advertising: Crosslight accepts advertising in good faith.

Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement.

Advertising material is at the discretion of the publisher.

Distribution: Crosslight is usually distributed the first Sunday of the month.

was murdered outside Parramatta police station last October.

One Nation’s policy on Islam cites his father’s death at the hands of a 15-year-old terrorist as part of its rationale for ending Muslim immigration to Australia.

“What has happened to my family does not change my relationship with Muslims in my life,” Mr Cheng wrote.

Mr Cheng tells Ms Hansen that he too was a victim of “the hateful and fearful attitudes that the One Nation Party promoted”.

“I remember feeling ostracised and isolated from the country and identity which I had adopted. I do not want the same to happen for the new ‘scapegoats’ in this extreme and simplistic view of society.

“We need to look how we can heal and build; not how we can divide and exclude.

My dad was a gentle and peaceful man; his name should not be used to promote fear and exclusion.”

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 4:6-7)

Circulation: 21,000 (publisher’s figure).

Staff:

Deadlines: Advertising and editorial.

Executive Editor - Penny Mulvey Managing Editor - Deb Bennett Design, Digital Illustration and Print Services - Garth Jones Graphic Artist - Mirna Leonita Communications Manager - Nigel Tapp Online Content Coordinator - Emmet O’Cuana Communications Officer - Tim Lam P.A to Executive Editor - Lynda Nel Senior Media Officer - Ros Marsden Media Communications Officer - David Southwell

Please check exact dates on our website <crosslight.org.au>.

Closing date for September – Friday 19 August 2016.

Printing: Rural Press, Ballarat Visit Crosslight online: crosslight.org.au

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Media commentator and academic Waleed Aly also addressed how fear can rob us of our compassion. In a captivating opinion piece on Network Ten’s The Project, Waleed urged Australians to show ‘radical generosity’.

Instead of verbally attacking people for their opinions, Waleed reminded viewers that we are all coming from the same place – we are fearful – be our names Pauline Hansen, Sonia Kruger or Waleed Aly. He urged viewers to put outrage away and “send forgiveness viral”.

News

SINCE its inception in 1977, the Uniting Church has been working towards a safe climate by encouraging congregations and agencies to reduce energy use and consider alternative forms of power. Throughout that time the Church has also called on governments to put in place policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Burning coal for electricity is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change.

Climate experts agree that to reduce the impact of climate change, we need to transition away from coal and make space for renewable forms of energy such as solar and wind.

Victorian power companies burn brown coal, which is more polluting than black coal burnt in other states. The four power stations in the Latrobe Valley are responsible for 50 per cent of the state’s contribution to climate change.

The Synod’s Justice and International Mission (JIM) unit is running a campaign asking the government to act on climate change while providing support for communities in the Latrobe Valley.

Someone who understands the complexity of the issues facing the Valley is JIM director Mark Zirnsak, who grew up in Morwell.

“Our family only had food on the table

NAIDOC Week gets messy at Queenscliff

Invest in vulnerable people

AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

Picture credit: Atmospheric Research

Power of good

because Dad worked at Hazelwood power station,” Dr Zirnsak said. “But the time has come to phase out coal and transition to a renewable energy future.”

Wendy McDonald, presbytery minister in Gippsland, said the people in the Valley have been hard hit throughout the years.

Many lived through the sale of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, the subsequent redundancies and the impact that had on the community. They have also experienced the adverse effects of coal mining when, in 2014, the Hazelwood open cut mine caught fire and blanketed Morwell in thick acrid smoke for more than a month.

An exhaustive inquiry found the fire

contributed to increased deaths in the Latrobe Valley.

“The church has a role to play in ensuring there is a ‘just’ transition away from coal in the Latrobe Valley, being aware that the community is fragile, with a history of having been overlooked in previous major decisions,” Ms McDonald said.

The Climate Institute emphasises that if a staged phase-out is not implemented now, many power stations will need to be removed almost simultaneously around 2030 to meet Australia’s climate targets. A more managed phase-out would allow local communities near power stations to have a say in what their future looks like and to plan for the transition.

The Victorian Government has started this work by allocating $40 million towards transition in the Latrobe Valley in this year’s budget.

Rosalie Hamilton is a member of Morwell Uniting Church. She feels that with forward planning, the social impact of closing the power stations can be reduced.

“It is a time of great uncertainty for the community, but also potential opportunity for the future,” Ms Hamilton said. “We need rehabilitation of the mines, packages for affected workers in mine closures and policies to attract new industries to the region.”

ANYONE passing by Queenscliff-Point Lonsdale Uniting Church in the first week of July was invited to contribute to the NAIDOC Week bigger picture.

People were encouraged to continue the work on a partially completed glass bead mosaic that represents this year’s NAIDOC Week theme ‘songlines’.

The mosaic was the centrepiece to a ‘messy church’ session, which also included other themed art projects, such as colourful traced ‘hands of appreciation’, and a damper brunch.

Queenscliff-Point Lonsdale Uniting Church minister Rev Charles Gallacher said the opportunity to celebrate the culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is important to his church.

“Our church has a commitment with the local indigenous community,” he said, noting that the Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre is nearby.

“It’s about celebrating our core values. It engages people in the indigenous experience in a positive way rather than all the negative stories you see in the media.”

For the past three years NAIDOC Week has coincided with the monthly messy church session, making it an ideal theme for the nontraditional way of Christian gathering.

Mr Gallacher said the mosaic brought

together the First People’s belief in songlines, which tracks how spirits sang the land into existence, and the sense of God’s spirit moving though the land.

He described the artwork as a type of mandala – a patterned symbolic representation of spiritual significance.

It replicates an Indigenous dot painting included in the NAIDOC Week worship resources for churches.

“The mandala’s purpose is an aid to prayer, in the same way that walking in a labyrinth is,” Mr Gallacher said.

“It engages all the senses, in particular the visual sense. It is a reflective and meditative activity, also in this case a communal activity that brings people together.”

Mr Gallacher said messy church typically involves art and other activities with a brunch in the hall before the whole congregation moves into the main church building for stories and songs.

It has proved a successful way to bring new people, especially those with children, into the church.

“It engages the whole congregation with young families. Messy church helps connect with new people and struggling families; that is important,” Mr Gallacher said.

The activities are fun for all ages. The over 80s

often sit at tables doing the word-find puzzles that normally are intended for younger attendees.

“There’s a very different feel,” Mr Gallacher said.

“People interact in a way they wouldn’t normally interact at church. It is good for all of us.”

UNITINGCARE Australia has congratulated the Turnbull Government on its election victory and called on the Prime Minister to lead renewed efforts to address key issues affecting the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged Australians.

“We believe the close election result has demonstrated that a focus on jobs, growth and business, while vital, is too one-dimensional for our community,” UnitingCare Australia national committee chair Peter Bicknell said.

“This term is an opportunity for the government to increase investment in people and the services needed to grow productivity

and build a decent future for all.

“We particularly encourage the government to commit to new directions in aged care funding, housing affordability and homelessness, unemployment and early childhood education.”

Martin J Cowling, UnitingCare Australia acting national director, said the government’s proposed $1.2 billion cuts to aged care funding announced in the May budget are of grave concern to the organisation.

“We call on the Prime Minister and Treasurer to halt the cuts and to work collaboratively with the aged care sector to identify sustainable options for meeting the

health care needs of older people in care,” he said.

Mr Bicknell said enabling every person, regardless of age, ability or employment status, to make a full contribution to society is the key to national prosperity.

“Jobs, growth, tax reform and investment in essential services are all needed to ensure that everyone can participate in and contribute to their community,” he said.

“UnitingCare Australia is committed to working constructively with the government, opposition, independents and minor parties over this next term of parliament.”

Copies of the letter writing campaign can be obtained by contacting jim@victas.uca.org.au

Libby Norwood and Mary Grace Whyte work on a mandala at Queenscliff

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It’s all about the future Whether you are a personal investor, charity or congregation, your future is our focus. It’s our vision to support you in maintaining financial sustainability – ethically and responsibly.

With a range of ethical investment options, a high standard of personalised service, reporting and transparency, we’ll help you make informed decisions about your financial future.

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Contact us for a copy of the presentation to be sent to you by email or mail.

Online investor briefing also available in August. Find out more at www.ucafunds.com.au/onlinebriefing

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General advice disclaimer: This Email/document provides general information only and must not in any way be construed or relied upon as legal or financial advice. No consideration has been given or will be given to the individual investment objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. Before acquiring a UCA Funds Management product, you should read the disclosure document for the product and seek independent advice to ensure it is appropriate for your particular objectives, financial situation and needs. UCA Funds Management is a registered business name of UCA Funds Management Limited ABN 46 102 469 821 AFSL 294147. Neither UCA Funds Management nor the Portfolios/Funds are prudentially supervised by APRA. Contributions to the Portfolios/Funds do not obtain the benefit of the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959. The Portfolios/Funds are designed for investors who wish to promote charitable purposes and support the work of The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. Unit values reflect the market value of the assets of the Portfolios/Funds, and consequently may rise or fall in line with market variations. Past performance is no indication of future results. UCA Funds Management does not guarantee the return of capital or the performance of the Portfolios/Funds.

UCA Funds Management is a social enterprise of The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania

CA072016v1

News “Now people are awake, we want to see action” THE ABC’s Four Corners program ‘Australia’s Shame’, broadcast on 25 July, shone a spotlight on the appalling treatment of Indigenous youth held in detention at the infamous Don Dale correction facility in the Northern Territory. Images of boys being stripped, beaten, gassed, shackled, hooded and strapped to a chair shocked the nation. Reaction was swift. The next morning Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull announced a royal commission into the juvenile justice system in the Northern Territory.

This needs to stop now RHANEE TSETSAKOS As I sat back watching ABC program Four Corners last night, I couldn’t help but think ‘What if that was me?’, or ‘What if that was my brother?’. Then I realised, as a Christian and believer of Christ – that is me! That is my brother! How can I sit here and let this happen? How can anyone just sit here and let any of this happen? And What Would Jesus Do? The kind of ill treatment these young people experienced by grown ass hairy men is just too bad to be justified or tolerated. You wouldn’t wish that kind of treatment upon your own dog, or any animal. So why allowed to happen to a person? A human being? And not just any person or human being; the majority are young Aboriginal people.

Sitting there watching I realised that the mentality of the guards is a mentality that has been bred and woven through this country towards Aboriginal people since the First Fleet. Our people, my people, my ancestors were merely thought of as flora and fauna and did not deserve or earn the right to be treated as a human being according to these newcomers.

How are we supposed to move forward towards self determination, self respect and self empowerment if this is the type of treatment our upcoming generation is experiencing? Where are their voices amongst this and how are they able to tell their stories.

This all could have been avoided but sadly this is now a part of their story, their song-line. How can anybody be proud of that? Watching the guest speakers try their hardest to explain what had happened, and

what they had seen, I was disappointed that nobody stood up and simply said ‘This needs to stop, and this needs to stop now!

No questions asked’.

Asking for a royal commission is going to take even longer when it is a no-brainer.

This facility, their staff, that program needs to be non-existent and fast if we want to actually help young people, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, rehabilitate themselves, give them hope for a better future and nurture their spiritual and mental well-being.

This is an injustice to the human rights of a child. If we call ourselves civilised and decent human beings, then we need to act like it and stop allowing people and programs like this to corrupt the systems. We need to stand up for our fellow human beings.

Rhanee Tsetsakos is an Adnyamathanha woman from the Northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Rhanee is a member of the Uniting Aboriginal & Islander Christian

Congress, and wrote this opinion piece for Crosslight the morning after the program aired. Rhanee would like to state that this is her own personal view and not that of the Church, but can imagine that others would be thinking the same.

Church response A joint statement from Uniting Aboriginal Islander and Christian Congress (Congress) and the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly welcomed the announcement of a royal commission and asked the Prime Minister to expand the terms of reference to examine the issue of Indigenous incarceration nationwide.

“The treatment of these young people in detention is unspeakably appalling and a national disgrace. Such abuse is inexcusable. It must end now,” president of the UCA, Stuart McMillan said.

“I thank the Prime Minister for his swift

Image from Four Corners

response. I also urge him to set terms of reference that will allow a comprehensive examination of juvenile detention, not just limited to the Northern Territory, and including the policies and practices that lead to so many young indigenous people ending up behind bars.

“The tragedy of the incarceration rates and treatment of First Peoples in detention has never been adequately addressed, despite the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and many other inquiries and reports.

The culture and the systems of detention in our country are broken and can no longer be ignored.”

Moderator of the Northern Synod Rev Thresi Mauboy also welcomed the royal commission announcement.

“The images in the Four Corners report were horrifying. It’s offensive that anyone should be treated this way in detention, let alone our precious young people,” Ms Mauboy said.

“The Northern Territory Government must immediately act to ensure that the shameful treatment of our young people stops.

Appropriate care and support must be offered to all young people in juvenile detention.

“The Northern Synod of the Uniting Church will engage with the royal commission in presenting the case for a corrections system based on rehabilitation rather than cruel punishment.”

Chairman of the Northern Regional Council of Congress, Rev Djawanydjawany Gondarra, also called for immediate action.

“First Peoples have been telling stories of abuse and mistreatment for many, many years. It’s outrageous that it has taken so long and these shocking images for people to listen,” Mr Gondarra said. “Now people are awake, we want to see action.”

4th Common Dreams Conference “Progressive Spirituality: New Directions” Major public addresses by Dr Diana Butler Bass (US), Dr Val Webb (Aus) and Prof Pamela Eisenbaum (US), plus other noted progressive Australian & international speakers BRISBANE l 16 to 19 September 2016 To register online & for more information visit the website at www.commondreams.org.au For enquiries or a brochure call (03) 9571 4575 or email info@commondreams.org.au AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

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News Muslims celebrate Ramadan with High Street Uniting Church ON 3 July, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Victoria broke their daily Ramadan fast with High Street Uniting Church in Frankston. More than 90 people from various faiths came together to share an Iftar dinner and listen to guest speakers talk about their Muslim faith. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims throughout the world fast from dawn until sunset. It is a time of spiritual reflection, prayer and self-discipline as Muslims abstain from food and drink during daylight hours. As the sun sets, they end their fast with an Iftar meal.

The community event was organised by the Frankston Interfaith Network, in partnership with the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and High Street Uniting Church.

Rev Jay Robinson is one of the ministers at High Street Uniting Church and the multi-faith chaplain at Monash University Peninsula Campus. She said the evening was an opportunity for guests to learn about Muslim culture and beliefs in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

“One of the young people at High Street made the comment that they had never really heard much detail about the Muslim faith and found the evening to be a really good way to hear more,” Ms Robinson said.

“One of the tables had a discussion during

Lentara’s FreshStart wins global award LENTARA UnitingCare’s social enterprise, FreshStart Asset Services, has been recognised with Gold for Innovative and Creative Partnerships at the Global Best Awards.

The biannual awards are decided by a panel of international judges and celebrate outstanding business, education and community organisation partnerships.

the evening about how important it is to give people the opportunity to learn more about other cultures and faith. This is so that the correct information is shared and people can then feel comfortable about talking and sharing with others who are not of their culture or faith background.”

The evening began with a welcome from Ms Robinson and Irene Lawrence, from the Frankston Interfaith Network.

Imam Syed Wadood Janud spoke about the basic teachings of Islam, such as its philosophy, belief systems and practical applications. He also explained the spiritual significance of fasting and why it is central to his faith.

“Fasting is so much more than not eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset,” Imam Janud said.

“It teaches and cultivates forbearance, determination and self-belief. A Muslim learns the value of life and his reliance and dependency on the blessings of God we take for granted. It promotes empathy towards the less-fortunate who fast on a

daily basis, not by choice.”

As sunset approached, the guests were served dates and fruits. According to tradition, the Prophet Muhammad ended his fast by eating dates. They also have an added health benefit of restoring low blood sugar levels following a day of fasting.

“We then all moved into the church for the members of the Ahmadiyya community to offer the Salat (Islamic prayer), while the rest of us observed,” Ms Robinson said.

“Following this prayer, we returned again to the hall to share in dinner which had been prepared and was served by the members of the Ahmadiyyan community along with some of the young people of High Street.”

Between the main meal and dessert, Sherene Hassan, Director of the Australian Islamic Museum, shared her experience growing up as a Muslim in Australia.

Frankston mayor James Dooley said the event was an opportunity to break down ignorance, fear and prejudice by standing together as one united family. He presented

certificates of appreciation before the evening closed with a performance by the Ahmadiyya children’s choir.

The High Street Uniting Church congregation has been involved with the Frankton Interfaith Network for the past five years. Last year, they partnered with the network to hold an interfaith Seder meal, a celebration of the Jewish Passover.

At a time when certain political parties are calling for increased surveillance of Muslims in Australia, this demonstration of interfaith unity suggests that a more conciliatory and hospitable approach may help bridge the gap between different faiths.

“It was a great night with a number of comments about the food, the choir, the knowledge that was gained and the people present,” Ms Robinson said.

“A number of the Ahmadiyyan community commented on how welcome they felt at High Street and how privileged they were to use the church to pray. The Ahmadiyyan community was great to work with and we will definitely do more events together.”

Ramadan celebration

The awards are hosted by the IPN (International Partnership Network) and the Conference Board of Canada.

The FreshStart pilot program was launched in December last year with the vision of developing sustainable career pathways for asylum seekers. It provides a range of professional cleaning and event services while creating employment opportunities for vulnerable members of the community.

The program currently employs 15 asylum seekers who deliver cleaning services across Lentara’s 20 operating sites. Program participants also provide logistics support to Central Melbourne Sunrise Rotary Club at their weekly Farmer’s Market, held in the Melbourne CBD.

Employment provides a sense of pride, purpose and accomplishment for new migrants. It can also act as a buffer against depression, isolation and poverty, which many asylum seekers experience while they wait for their applications to be processed.

Many people seeking asylum face significant social and economic barriers to employment. Their overseas qualifications may not be recognised in Australia.

Bridging visa conditions can also limit the type of work they can participate in.

The FreshStart program helps employees become familiarised with the Australian workplace and improve their English skills. Participants attend classes where they are trained in hygienic cleaning practices. They are also given the

opportunity to learn in a practical environment, such as Lentara’s offices in Broadmeadows, Sunshine and Brunswick.

FreshStart has a strong emphasis on supporting staff to transition to higher paid employment and eventually economic independence. This means providing mentoring and training opportunities in accordance with the employee’s career aspirations. Training is funded with profits from FreshStart activities, along with philanthropic donations and partnerships with Registered Training Organisations.

Lentara CEO Ann-Maree Colborne will travel to Oslo, Norway in September to receive the award at the official Global Best Awards ceremony.

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CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

News Hope in the Philippines JILL RUZBACKY THE lead-up to the Philippines’ general elections on 9 May was everything I expected it to be. It’s a time when the national media becomes obsessed with the celebrity of political figures, when grand promises are trumpeted by the different parties and their candidates, and every possible gimmick is deployed to convince the voting public to cast their ballot for a particular candidate (not much different to the recently-held Australian elections!).

One of the most endearing traits of Filipinos is their eternal optimism. When it comes to elections there is a continued belief and hope that they can bring about positive changes, despite a history that could perhaps indicate otherwise.

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) in its Guide for Politics of Change and Meaningful Elections said “… we must affirm this hope, but for this to become a reality we need to become a nation of discerning voters … elections can only be a tool for democratic change if we, the people, engage in active discernment about the choices we make and remain

AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

vigilant in guarding our choices”.

The NCCP and its member churches do not recommend candidates (similar to UCA), but encourage members to cast a vote as an act of a considered conscience.

They believe they are called as Christians to keep their eyes on the greater good of their people, especially the most disadvantaged, and to cast their vote as an act of faith in practice, not just as an act of self-interest.

Pastor Edwin Egar from UCCP and the Batangas Ecumenical Movement hosted me throughout my stay. He said the monitoring program was started because the Church believes it is part of their duty to guide people in a clean and honest election – the vote is sacred and needs to be protected.

Political violence is a long-standing problem in the Philippines, often fuelled by lax gun laws, corrupt security forces and political ‘dynasties’ with their own security forces. Authorities declared these elections as peaceful, yet 10 people died across the country in isolated incidents relating to election day violence.

There were concerns that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had not put in place safeguards to ensure the integrity and secrecy of the vote, or a transparent, accurate and

credible vote count.

Comelec purchased vote-counting machines, in spite of the fact these machines had malfunctioned during the 2010 and 2013 elections. Comelec failed to address the 32 glitches that were observed in 2013. Yet one of the published positive outcomes of the elections by Philippines officials was that “… only 64 of the 92,000 electronic voting machines in use malfunctioned”.

But, as NCCP reflected, no modernised election system will ensure democracy and a just government unless the systemic problem of fraud and violence – the entrenched modus operandi of powerful politicians and dynasties – is addressed decisively and comprehensively. In any electoral exercise, an organised and vigilant citizenry is the paramount requirement.

On a 39 degree day in the middle of a hotter-than-average Philippines’ summer, almost 83 per cent of the country’s 55 million eligible voters turned out to cast their vote – sometimes waiting up to four hours to do so.

While there was an underlying realisation that the elections may not bring about desired changes because it is still a contest primarily of the elite, there was a strong element of hope.

All over the country

there were changes in leadership, including at the very top. The elected president, Rodrigo Duterte has a previous record of human rights abuses, but won the majority of votes in what some called a ‘protest vote’ by the masses.

People are hopeful – hopeful of change; hopeful of things being done differently; hopeful of the government being more accountable to the masses.

Only time will tell … but hope remains!

At the request of the UCA’s partner church – the United Church of Christ in the Philippines – and in partnership with the Synod of South Australia, Jill Ruzbacky from the Justice and International Mission unit travelled to the Philippines in April to participate as an International Election Observer for the 2016 Philippine National Elections.

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News Indonesian congregation finds a new home TIM LAM

AFTER many years of searching and waiting, the Indonesian congregation at Mulgrave Uniting Church has finally found a new spiritual home.

On 15 May, the congregation celebrated its first service at St Andrew’s Uniting Church Gardiner in Glen Iris.

The Indonesian congregation originally started with a small group of six families led by Rev Barnabas Ong. It was intended to be a space for Indonesian-speaking migrants to worship in their native language. But the congregation members wanted to reach out to the wider Australia community, so they decided to join the Uniting Church in 1985.

Through the support of Rev Helen Cox from Mulgrave, Rev Joe Fraser from Chadstone and Rev Margaret Watson, the head of Maroondah presbytery at the time, the first Indonesian service was held at Wanda Street Uniting Church in Mulgrave on 5 May 1985. This was the same year the UCA declared itself a multicultural church.

The Indonesian congregation has since grown into a community of approximately 130 to 150 worshippers, in addition to 60 to 70 children who attend Sunday school classes.

Jacinda Widjadi, a representative from the congregation, said the church plays an important social and cultural role in her life.

“I came from Indonesia 17 years ago, so the church has been my second family in Melbourne,” she said.

“It helps me to not forget the roots of my origin and Indonesian culture. And of course the food is always great!”

While some churches have struggled with declining numbers and low levels of youth participation, the Indonesian congregation at St Andrew’s Uniting Church Gardiner tells a different story.

It is home to a significant number of young people, second generation Australians, young families and international students. It has an active youth ministry, with five Sunday school classes catering for toddlers to teenagers, along with a youth fellowship group.

As the congregation expanded over the years, church space became an increasingly difficult issue, especially for Sunday school

activities. Prior to moving to St Andrew’s, the congregation ran an Indonesian service at Mulgrave and an English-language service at Box Hill. For years, the congregation had been on the lookout for a new church building that could fit all the families together under one roof.

When news came that St Andrew’s Uniting Church Gardiner was willing to hand over its church to the Mulgrave Indonesian community, the congregation felt their prayers were finally answered.

“As we finish our services, we are able to enjoy fellowship together in one location,” Ms Widjadi said.

“We were unable to do this before, as we had Indonesian and English services at two different places and two different times.

Being able to enjoy the fellowship together has worked out well in the end.”

The history of St Andrew’s Gardiner stretches back to 1911, when it was first established as a place of worship for the

Presbyterian community. The current building was reconstructed from the Free Church of Scotland in Carlton, which closed in 1938. Instead of having their beloved church demolished, the congregation offered it to the community at St Andrew’s Gardiner and the church was transported brick-by-brick to its current site.

Members at the former St Andrew’s Gardiner congregation have been invited to join in worship with the Indonesian congregation at their Sunday morning service, which provides English translations. There is also a contemporary English service in the parish hall at the same time.

As one door closes on the history of St Andrew’s Gardiner, another exciting new chapter begins. The ministry at St Andrew’s Gardiner will continue under a different face, one which builds upon the 105-year legacy of the church and offers a foundation for worship for generations to come.

On a Uniting Journey, even locals travel in wonder through their own country!

LUKE14 CONFERENCE 2016 FAITH , DISABILITY , & INCLUSION 15-16 SEPTEMBER 2016

“These journeys offer many beautiful and serendipitous moments.

We take turns in leading each other towards new friendships and fresh experiences.” Larry Marshall – Sri Lankan-born Burgher leading a Uniting Journey to Sri Lanka.

Be inspired, challenged and equipped to become more disability inclusive in your church community

Fully escorted journeys to carefully chosen destinations. We have strong relationships with our tour guides abroad and all our travellers tour with a conversation partner. Our pilgrims make new friends with fellow travellers and locals.

Keynote speakers: Dr Shane Clifton, Eileen Glass and Mark Sayers

Dates: 22 Oct – 5 Nov 2016 Cost: Approximately $3500-$4000*

Register NOW!

cbm.org.au/luke14 conference

Commission for Mission

Contact: Jim Wakelam: 0403 264 124 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unitingjourneys/ Email: info@unitingjourneys.com.au Website: responsibletravel.org.au

Join us for our next adventure on an incredible journey to Myanmar. *Depending on the needs of the group

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CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

News Lenten Offering grant applications open

APPLICATIONS for the 2017 Lenten Offering grants are now open, with submissions due before the end of this month.

Lenten Offering grants are offered to all Victorian and Tasmanian Uniting Church congregations, UnitingCare agencies and other groups which are formally connected to the Church.

Thirsty Ground with John Coleman, front, holding a guitar

For a long time religious belief has been quarantined to the domain of the private in a way that would have been inconceivable to earlier generations.

The separation of church and state has become the separation of religion and society. This separation is connected to the fact that more people are boldly declaring themselves to be atheists.

In this series of five presentations Bruce Barber canvases the philosophical and theological legacy that has led people to think the way they do.

The sessions: 1. How did the idea of God first appear in Western Culture?

2. Up and down with the philosophers— a selective survey.

3. The legacy of the Medieval world.

They provide funds for special mission projects and allow congregations and groups to experiment with an idea beyond their normal day-to-day operations but still within the mission of the Church.

Among this year’s successful recipients was the Hobart-based Thirsty Ground singing group which will use a $13,000 grant to assist with its performance program and produce a second CD of original music.

All Thirsty Ground members are also members of the Hobart Choir of High Hopes, based at Scots Memorial Uniting Church.

Members are aged between 40 and 60 and many have experienced significant physical, intellectual or mental health issues.

They form part of the regular Tuesday morning worship at Scots, which musician John Coleman facilitates, and they also meet separately on Thursdays to meditate on scriptural passages and create the lyrics that John sets to music.

John, who is employed part-time as a pastor at Scots, said the group was delighted to have been successful.

“It is fantastic to get such an incredibly generous donation from the Uniting Church,” he said.

“It also helps the self-esteem of those in the group by showing that they are worthy recipients and affirms what they are doing in the Church.”

John said the grant would make it a little easier to ferry members to engagements around the state, which include regular performances at Uniting AgeWell facilities in Tasmania’s south.

“We do not always have the cars available

to travel and this will allow us, at times, to hire a small bus to transport people.”

John said members gained much from their interaction with Church communities.

“For the participants, the opportunity to have their understanding of faith and life experiences put into song is a very powerful thing,” he said.

“The presentation of this work to the wider church has allowed their gifts to be revealed and the church and the members of our group are enriched because of this sharing.”

John said he hoped the next CD would be launched in about April next year.

Lenten Appeal grants – which are worth about $15,000 each subject to donations received – differ from Share grants in that deductible gift recipient status is not required to apply.

Share director Angela Goodwin encouraged congregations to apply for mission projects which reached out to the community and addressed need or injustice in creative ways.

“They can be unusual in scope; projects that incorporate artistic elements or based at a remote location,” Ms Goodwin said.

Projects which may have difficulty receiving funds from other sources, such as Share grants, are favoured.

Applications for 2017 Lenten Offering grants – which are funded through the donations of congregations and individuals – close on 20 August.

Applications must be lodged using the online application form at: share.smartygrants.com.au/lent2017

4. The 18th century Enlightenment and the ‘death’ of God. 5. Where are we today?

Bruce Barber has taught theology at tertiary level for forty years first in Perth and subsequently at the United Faculty of Theology, Melbourne.

The sessions will be held at the South Port Uniting Church Parish Mission Centre, 329 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne from 11am to 1pm on Fridays 12th August, 19th August, 26th August, 2nd September and 9th September. A light lunch will be provided. If you wish to attend please contact Rev Ross Carter on 9690 1188 or 0407 351 545 or ross.carter@southportuniting.org.au

by Friday 5th August.

Thank you!

Thank you for supporting the 2016 Share Winter Appeal.

Uniting Church congregations, alongside many individual supporters have generously contributed over $380,000 to the appeal so far.

Whether you distributed appeal information, gave a donation, held a fundraiser or spread the word about the appeal, it all made a difference... THANK YOU! You have helped to ensure families in your community don’t go hungry or homeless.

APPEAL SHARE WINTER CRISIS FOR FAMILIES IN

AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

9

Profile Faith in numbers DAVID SOUTHWELL THE Uniting Church is uniquely placed to effectively convey the Christian message in contemporary Australia but is failing to do so.

That’s one of the conclusions Rev Dr Philip Hughes has reached after 30 years of researching the faith of Australians.

The Uniting Church minister was a founding staff member of the Christian Research Association (CRA) and is preparing to hand over directorship of the organisation while maintaining other teaching and ministerial duties.

To mark this juncture Dr Hughes, as contributing editor, has produced a new book, Charting the Faith of Australians, which chronicles and assesses the association’s work with some personal history and reflections included.

This is the edited transcript of an interview with Dr Hughes in the Crosslight office.

Could you give a brief description of the CRA and its work?

It was formed in 1985 to provide a social research base for churches of all denominations. The major task has been interpreting what’s happening with religious faith in the Australian context. So it means understanding Australian culture.

It means understanding the forces on it.

Things like migration patterns have been important, the processes of cultural change that have occurred in society. So my task, in a sense, has been to describe those and help the church respond as best I could.

You come from a Baptist background but transferred to the Uniting Church. Why was the Uniting Church a better match for your work?

I wanted to work ecumenically and have great respect for the people of all different faith traditions and there wasn’t the recognition of that within some Baptist contexts. I also see the importance of social justice and of working with society, seeking to change society not just seeking to change the individual. Again the Uniting Church respects that. One of the emphases in the Basis of Union is a respect for academia, which is explicit in the Uniting Church. It is not explicit in any other denomination – that openness to truth that can come to us in a whole range of ways, including through scientific study, is fundamental to what my ministry has been about.

You reject the theory that secularisation was a steady 20th century trend and propose instead that it took hold during the cultural upheavals of the ’70s. Could you elaborate on this?

Rather than it being secularism driven by scientific thinking, although that may be a small factor, the bigger factor in the decline of the churches as we’ve seen it has been an individualisation of thinking about what life is all about. So what’s declined is a sense of a need for a community around the transcendent.

What do you believe the Church has to do in this context?

Within this individualistic world people form communities around very specific things that they want to do. But more importantly for the churches, people do look for nurture of their sense of spirit.

They look for it in a whole variety of ways and certainly not just in communal gatherings. They look for it in holidays and through pilgrimages and through being out in nature. Music and art are ways people seek to nurture the spirit and it seems to me the churches, if they are going to

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connect with that sense of spirit and that sense of transcendence at all, they’ve got to be in the mix there.

How can that be done in a way that is not consumerist or selfish?

That is a danger of individualism, as such, but in actual fact it’s through that nurture that people then have the energy and capacity to go out and make a difference in the world. Make a difference in their families for that matter, in their communities.

The Pentecostal churches have been an exception to the general decline in churchgoing; however, you have some caveats on that.

We did some figures about 20 years ago which suggested that of those in Pentecostal churches, about one third have been raised in Pentecostal churches.

Another third have been raised in churches of other denominations and switched denominations and about a third have come in without having any background in the church. Now that balance has changed a bit. The proportion of those coming in from outside has decreased in particular and so has the number of transfers, there’s not that number of people left to transfer.

But also we now know for the last 10 years the Pentecostals have only grown at the rate of population growth. They’ve got lots of young families. They’re having more children than the average but that means that they are losing quite a few people as well. They are facing stagnation.

Why aren’t young people in general going to church?

Why should they? If your sense of spiritual nurture can be obtained in a great variety of ways, what is it that the church has to offer? By and large the forms of our church – the sermon which is a monologue from someone up the front, the congregational singing which is a bit odd for contemporary society, the building we are in – it just doesn’t connect easily for most people. It’s not that people are antagonistic, just that it’s unnecessary.

Do you think it’s the forms or is it the actual Christian message?

Yes, it’s the message too and part of that is the lack of clarity in that message to some extent.

I’ve just been writing a substantial paper on those people who are nominal Uniting and those people who are ex-Uniting – grew up in the Uniting Church and no longer attend anywhere, which is the much larger group than those who still attend. Most of those

Rev Dr Philip Hughes

people do have some sense that the Church values are good but they have let go of the belief in God. That is just not working for them in this present age.

Are you optimistic about the future of Christianity in Australia?

Some of the present forms of the church are going to continue to decline fairly rapidly over the next 20 to 40 years. That’s a natural progression of ageing that can’t be stopped. We’ve seen responses such as in the Pentecostal movement which is full of younger people. But my sense is new ways will emerge. Certainly people will seek meaning and seek it in community and seek transcendence and I think that happens in a myriad of ways. I suspect we are missing a lot of the ways this is happening at the moment. It may well be that will become a lot more evident in future years. My personal sense is that the Uniting Church is better placed than any other denomination to address this individualism and the changing nature of the transcendent in contemporary society.

I don’t think it is doing it at the moment. I think it is regressing and trying to hold on to what we have got instead of embracing new forms and new possibilities.

Can you give some illustrations of that?

In my own church we have developed a small community living centre. When we developed it, which was about 12 years ago, we had 40 people in the congregation.

We offer a whole range of activities in which we say we are building community and pointing to the spiritual. In those activities we’ve got going we have 150 to 200 people participating. The church has merged with another church as a form of preservation and the community centre continues on and is relating to a whole lot of people who may never become part of the congregation.

So it’s meeting people where they are?

Fifty years ago Billy Graham could come to Australia and say “look if you believe in God this is what it means: You need to repent and follow God’s ways.” I don’t think we can say that any longer because the large majority of the population are quite uncertain about God at all. Just 25 per cent of the population have any sense of certainty about God so you need to start from a different point.

For the full transcript of this interview go to: crosslight.org.au Charting the Faith of Australians is available from www.cra.org.au CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

Feature

PENNY MULVEY

A SYNOD member attended one day of the most recent Synod meeting in full military chaplain uniform, with the intention of handing out cards promoting armed forces chaplaincy. This was met with murmurs of disapproval. It was suggested to me that the uniform was unnecessary and attention-seeking.

This simple act supports the contention that, for many within this synod, there seems to be a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;dis-easeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; about the role of uniformed chaplains. As the Uniting Church becomes more committed to peacemaking and pacifism, it appears to be increasingly uncomfortable about how it relates with those perceived to be part of the war machine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; military chaplains, soldiers and veterans.

This feature, while recognising the complexity of the topic, seeks to put the spotlight on the history of military chaplaincy in the hope it might open up a conversation and create opportunities for healing.

AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

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Feature IMAGINE receiving an anonymous letter wishing your son dead because he was a killer.

Imagine the letter had come from a member of your own church.

It is hard to comprehend the pain that would cause a mother. Mrs Edwards was already grieving for her son, just returned from a deeply divisive war with his legs amputated following the explosion of a landmine.

In 2006, Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, read another letter. This letter was from Graeme Edwards, Federal Member for Cowan, offering his reflections on the Vietnam War. The occasion was Vietnam Veterans’ Day (the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan).

“Had I the opportunity to speak today I would have taken the time to publicly forgive the person from my mother’s church in Scarborough who wrote an anonymous letter to my mother saying she hoped I died as a result of my wounds, as I was a killer,” the letter read.

“I could not have found it in my heart to say those words a few years ago but it is time to move on.”

Though Graeme Edwards found the ability to move on, has our own Church moved on?

How do we have robust conversations on issues which have the potential to polarise? And how do we care for people who are caught in the churn? While we might not write such confronting and deeply offensive letters as the anonymous churchgoer, are the issues raised in that letter still relevant to the church today?

FIFTY years ago, on 18 August 1966, the Australian Army Base at Nui Dat in southern Vietnam was preparing for a concert starring Col Joye and Little Pattie. There had been some explosions close to the base the previous night, but when Delta Company 6RAR was sent to the area the following day it was expected the enemy force would be long gone.

As the afternoon concert began in heavy monsoon rain just five kilometres away, the 108 men of the Delta Company accidentally stumbled upon a large enemy contingent of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army troops. Seventeen Australian soldiers died in the Battle of Long Tan, one died the following week of injuries sustained and a further 23 were wounded. The body count of the Vietnamese is still under dispute, although Major

published in Britain’s Telegraph on 31 January, 2003) Uniting Church minister and In the mid-’60s the voice of the Vietnam veteran Rev Bryan Methodist Church of Victoria and Nicholls (pictured below) Tasmania was growing stronger. In April remembers being on the receiving 1966 The Age published a letter from end of public vitriol.

Rev Bruce Silverwood, convenor of the Methodist Commission on Peace: “Certainly from a Vietnam veteran’s “Never before has Australia accepted point of view, we were targeted as conscription in peacetime. Never the agents of the government,” Mr before has Australia accepted Nicholls said. conscription for service outside “I can understand why people Australian territories even in warwanted to exercise their right to time. The present policy, without any demonstrate, but I think they were mandate from the people, commits taking it out on the wrong people.”

Australia to conscription in peace“I was belittled in my experience time, of those with no vote, on a basis by some of the older soldiers (at of chance, and including overseas the local RSL) because I hadn’t service. The commission believes that been to a ‘real war’,” it is morally wrong to send young Bryan Nicholls recalls. men called up on this basis and in this way to fight in Vietnam. We therefore request the Prime Minister to reconsider this policy.”

Mr Walker garnered increasing support and was a leading voice in peace marches in Sydney and a fly-in-the ointment for Prime Minister Harold Holt, who Mr Walker wrote to in 1967 on behalf of a Christian consortium seeking a meeting. During a parliamentary debate in August of that year, the Prime Minister

Harry Smith (company commander) estimates 500 killed and 800 wounded. What is not contested is that the Australians were seriously outnumbered. Only luck, training and strong leadership ensured the survival of most of Delta Company.

If the Australian public had been less than interested in the Vietnam War prior to 18 August 1966, the deaths of so many diggers in one encounter was a serious wakeup call.

Harry Smith published his biography, Long Tan, the Start of a Lifelong Battle, last year. An angry book, it provides a first-hand account of the politics, complexity and confusion that seems to be a part of war. Major Smith has been fighting various bureaucracies for many years, seeking gallantry awards for the men who served alongside him in the mud and the rain on that August evening 50 years ago. He donated his own medals to the Australian War Memorial in 2014.

The ’60s were a revolutionary time for Australia. As well as enormous social changes, a political decision was made by the USA to support South Vietnam’s attempts to repel the communist-led North Vietnam.

This decision, supported by American ally Australia, led to the deaths of 58,000 Americans, 500 Australians and a contested but staggering number of Vietnamese – over 3 million, a significant proportion of that figure including civilians (men, women and children).

As more and more American soldiers were returned to home shores in body bags, the voices of opposition grew. Starting at universities, protest marches began. Here in Australia the group SOS (Save our Sons) was one of the first organised groups to oppose the war, as national service was introduced as a way of ensuring a steady flow of troops to the battle front.

It was an era when churches were still embedded in communities and Christians were not immune to the culture surrounding them.

During the First and Second World Wars Australian church leaders aligned with government policy. Ministers preached from the pulpit of the importance of men fulfilling their national duty.

Pacifist Methodist minister and outspoken critic of government policy Rev Alan Walker was regarded as a maverick during the Second World War. “On the eve of war he caused consternation in his coal mining parish of Cessnock (NSW) with a pacifist sermon… When fellow ministers ostracised him, and his congregation dwindled, he could reflect that in the Church one might speak out against anything except war. But he held fast; and within a year the tide began to turn.” (Sir Alan Walker’s obituary

was questioned about his refusal to meet a delegation of church leaders concerned about Australia’s military presence in Vietnam. Mr Holt took the opportunity to quote a letter from a Victorian Congregational minister, Rev Colin McLean, who was keen to disassociate himself from these ‘rebel’ Christian leaders.

Prime Minister Holt read from Mr McLean’s letter: “The growing number of rallies and demonstrations of a semi religious nature, in our country, which play into the hands of international communism is alarming and is not representative of the majority of Christian people … many of us realise that if Godless communism is not halted, the ensuing bloodshed and suffering in the world will be far greater than that being inflicted by our forces in Vietnam.”

Rev Dr Wes Campbell was a theological student in 1965. He applied for exemption from national service on occupational grounds. Theological students, ministers of religion and members of religious orders were automatically exempt under the National Service scheme legislation. Dr Campbell still struggles with his decision.

Speaking at an Anzac Day service at the Church of all Nations in Carlton last year, Dr Campbell said: “Perhaps it was a lack of courage, but rather than risk being imprisoned, I decided to register in an exempt category.

“I am still working out the implications of the direction I took.”

In 1967 Dr Campbell worked in the Central Methodist Mission in Sydney, led by Sir Alan Walker. This was an important time for Dr Campbell, who says he was introduced to the movement of civil disobedience and conscientious objection. Since that seminal moment, Dr Campbell has devoted his Christian ministry to the pursuit, reflection and theological understanding of peace.

Increasingly, Christians joined with others in strong opposition to the Vietnam War. As more people participated in peace rallies, the mood of the nation shifted. This change in sentiment was aimed not just against the decision-makers but those at the coalface – the ‘nashos’ (National Service Conscripts) and regular army members.

Growing community discontent culminated in the first Vietnam moratorium in Australia, on 8 and 9 May 1970. More than 200,000 people participated in peace marches throughout the nation, with an estimated 100,000 attending the Melbourne rally.

A further two moratoria followed, demonstrating to the Government that anti-Vietnam War sentiment was no longer restricted to minority groups. As the United States moved

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CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

Feature to extricate itself from a war it clearly could not win, Australian troops were slowly withdrawn from Vietnam.

By the end of 1971 only a small advisory force remained to represent Australia. In 1972, Gough Whitlam’s Labor Party was elected. The new government’s first action was to repeal the Conscription Act, as promised, and to release those imprisoned for resisting it.

Without the strength of the American military, South Vietnam was unable to repel the North Vietnamese army and, in April 1975, the world witnessed the capture of Saigon, as thousands of South Vietnamese tried to grab places on the last remaining American helicopters leaving the city. The war was over. The communist North had won, and the country was unified under the new name of Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

How did we find ourselves turning on those sent by Australia to fight? As shocking images such as the massacre of as many as 500 unarmed Vietnamese men, women and children in the hamlet of My Lai by American troops in 1968 were viewed on televisions throughout the world, the reputation of all soldiers was questioned.

Those involved in the fighting could understand the protests. But they couldn’t understand why anger was directed towards them.

On return home, Vietnam vets were publicly abused, labelled ‘baby killers’ and even marginalised by the RSL. The veterans learned very quickly not to talk about their war.

Bill Anderson, a longterm member at St John’s Essendon, was in the 7RAR from April 1967 to April 1968. He told no one of his Vietnam experiences for many years.

“It was a surprise to me that one of my work colleagues was also a Vietnam veteran – but we didn’t discover our common experience until some years later. He didn’t talk about his service either.”

Was the Church any better in its response to returned soldiers or even military chaplains?

While anecdotal evidence suggests that many veterans turned their back on the Church because of a lack of acceptance, understanding and love, there is more supporting documentation on the impact on chaplains.

foolish war. Fancy claiming to represent Christ in a place like that.’ Some of them weren’t game enough to say it to my face … even my wife overhead some talking about me … I just find that very hard to accept. And not easy to forgive.”

Rev Christine Senini, RAAF chaplain based at Richmond NSW, described Roy “as an inspiring mentor for me. I know he had a very difficult time with the Church disowning him because of his Vietnam chaplaincy. Gwen (his widow) suffered alongside him.”

In 1972 the Church seemed to understand the complexity of following Christ’s instruction to be peace-makers in a world that is filled with conflict. The Victoria-Tasmania’s 1972 Methodist Conference, under the heading ‘The Christian’s Responsibility for World Peace’, resolved: Peace, in the Christian context, means the positive state in which attitudes and acts of goodwill and reconciliation prevail: peace is not merely the absence of war or strife.

On the human situation, it is unrealistic not to expect some conflict but this does not mean the automatic acceptance of violent means of resolving conflict. The challenge facing us is to become peace makers rather than peace lovers, to become positively involved in the reconciliation of differences rather than remaining aloof from the tensions and divisions within the local and world communities.

The openness to engage with ambiguity rather than present discussions of peace and war as polar opposites seemed to support the role of Christian ministry in marginal and difficult places.

Yet the evidence indicates a contrary view as time has passed.

Navy chaplain Murray Lund spoke of attending a presbytery meeting in Sydney with a fellow Navy chaplain. His colleague was a regular attendee at presbytery meetings.

“He shared with them that he was about to deploy for seven months on operations in the Middle East,” Mr Lund explained.

“This was barely acknowledged or responded to. There was no concept that this might be personally demanding and challenging or involve some sacrifice.”

He compares this to a visit he made to the Presbyterian Assembly in Edinburgh, Scotland, “where the gathering set apart a morning to hear their military chaplains, honour their service and pray for them and for members of the Defence Force”.

Chaplain Rev Roy Bedford’s response to his time in Vietnam is captured in Michael Gladwin’s book, Captain of the Soul, A history of Australian Army chaplains: Methodist padre Roy Bedford had gone to Vietnam because he believed that soldiers there were most in need of ministry: “And that was one of the things that made it hard for me to understand why fellow Gary McKay tells of attending a rugby clergymen in Australia would game in Brisbane in 1972 when he was be critical of me for going. still on medication, recovering from the I mean it wasn’t that I was injury sustained at the battle of Nui Le the pulled before a board or a previous year: group of … my clergy peers.

But there was confirmation “At half time I went down to the toilets in the sense of snide remarks and I’m standing at the urinal with my such as ‘Fancy being part big plaster casting on, and this guy said of the war machine. Fancy ‘ahh, that must have been a strong tackle’, associating yourself with that and he wanted to know what happened.

And you don’t tell people. I mean, in 1971, people working in an army office in Canberra were told not to wear uniform on public transport. That’s how bad it was. It was almost like you were ashamed to be in the Defence Force. It was terrible. And this guy persisted and persisted, while we were in the toilet, and in the end I said, ‘well if you really want to know, I got shot while I was in Vietnam.” And he just looked at me and said, ‘serves you bloody well right.’ “

“Can you imagine that happening in the UCA?” Mr Lund asked.

However, while Mr Lund believes that military chaplaincy is marginalised in the Uniting Church, he acknowledges that can be a two-way street.

“Military chaplains are often complicit in being marginalised. Generally they are not regular attendees at presbytery and their work commitments preclude them being regular attendees at Synod,” he said.

“The work of presbyteries and Synods is largely focussed on the congregations they serve.

It is easy for military chaplains to experience presbytery and synod and the local church as inward looking and parochial and of little relevance to their world.”

The UCA’s 10th Assembly, in July 2003, passed a resolution that some uniformed chaplains interpreted as a pacifist commitment and call to withdraw Christian ministry from the defence forces.

While the word ‘pacifist’ is not used, Uniting for Peace (03.19.02) reaffirms the Church’s long-held commitment to be a peacemaking body. There is a call on “all members, councils, agencies, congregations and groups of the Uniting Church to examine their own lives in order to overcome violence and to transform systems and structures of injustice”.

The resolution also states that “security achieved through armament is sustained by fear of the enemy and can never see the world reconciled”.

Principal chaplain (Retd), Peter Woodward, believes the resolution was a move to take the high moral ground.

“If that was the position, it looks very much like elitism, even a Pharisaical approach, which is inevitably problematic,” Mr Woodward mused.

“At the time, and subsequently, it looks like ‘armchair pacifism’ when one can make high sounding pronouncements with minimal engagement in the complexity of the human condition.”

Wes Campbell was a member of the Commission on Social Responsibility which drafted the predecessor resolutions on peace, disarmament and nuclear deterrence in the 1980s. Dr Campbell has written and spoken extensively on Christian pacifism and the Theology of Peace.

“The accusation against Christian pacifism,” Dr Campbell said, “is that it is sectarian, meaning that it is passive, and involves a withdrawal from the realities of society.”

“But as those who have become committed to the prophetic vision, we are given a different and contradictory story. A counter story. The prophets speak of the vision as a great feast.

(Pictured - Gary McKay recovering from injuries)

AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

13

Feature Enemies sit at the table.

That is the vision of the In response to our enquiries, one heartfelt email Christian faith. If it is from the wife of an Air Force chaplain told of her idiotic to hold to such a husband’s post-traumatic stress disorder years transformed world, we after the war, brought about after being ‘captured are doing what is called and interrogated for a number of hours by angry for, becoming foolish for Vietnamese’. the sake of Christ. We are The pain and anger in her email is palpable. She called to sit at the same wrote: table as those who fear the enemy.”

“I have thoroughly searched [name] RAAF files Dr Campbell was at without finding a hint of support offered him by the centre of what has the Church. Nor have I been offered support by become known as ‘no the Church in caring for him and I have not been flag on coffin’ controversy able to leave his side for 10 years.” which became a national incident in 2005. Then When she asked her husband about his life with the the minister at St John’s Church since Vietnam, he responded: UC in Essendon, Dr Campbell refused a “From the time in Vietnam when some voices in request from the family the Church were aligned with the enemy and not of World War II veteran supportive of chaplains whose role is to represent George Vipond to drape their church and provide the church’s ministries to their father’s coffin with defence personnel in accord with the constitutional the Australian flag during rights of those personnel, I have felt that many in his funeral service. The the church are the enemy. funeral was ultimately “ This is a typical PT SD response – always on the held at a church of lookout for the enemy.” another denomination.

Perhaps people within the Church were quick to judge Dr Campbell because of his reputation for being ‘anti war’. Not a bad reputation to have, but with that comes a belief that he might also be anti veterans.

The evidence is that was not the case. Dr Campbell was trying to separate, with pastoral sensitivity, the symbols of the Christian funeral service and a civic service (in this case the RSL). Such was the furore caused by this incident, that the Campbell family and the church received death threats and Crosslight was inundated with letters, many condemning Dr Campbell’s actions.

Some uniformed chaplains interpreted this event as further evidence of the Church’s unwillingness to engage with veterans.

Rev Bryan Nicholls, who still has an active ministry to the ex-servicemen community in Ballarat, said the furore over the ‘no flag on coffin’ impacted on his work with veterans. He gives added reassurance that the flag is something to which they are entitled, stressing that they don’t need to feel alienated from the church.

“But I still get questions about it.”

Crosslight reviewed a book edited by Tom Frame, Moral Injury, unseen wounds in an age of barbarism, earlier this year. Rev Sarah Gibson, a chaplain in the Australian Army and Chief Instructor of the Defence Force Chaplains College, contributes one of the chapters, ‘Moral Injury: whose responsibility?’

Ms Gibson reflects on the multi-disciplinary, multi-dimensional nature of caring for those with unseen wounds, involving ethicists, philosophers, historians, sociologists, psychologists, psychiatrists and physicians. Her plea is that the chaplain be included in these teams.

“Uniformed men and women who are deployed to armed conflicts, peacekeeping missions and humanitarian relief missions are profoundly affected by their experiences,” Ms Gibson writes.

“When overwhelming shame, guilt, regret and remorse begin to debilitate a person, they can be given medications and bureaucratically managed, but at some point their

experienced reality needs to be addressed in its own terms.

“The shamed need to feel pride. The guilty seek absolution.”

According to Ms Gibson “…moral injury is not just a ‘mental health’ issue because it relates to much more than the mind. Moral injury is also a state of the heart and a condition of the spirit.”

“I believe my chaplain colleagues have something worthwhile to contribute as we discharge our overarching duty of care.”

Given that chaplains are engaged by the defence forces, and part of their role is to keep the troops focused (“their job is to keep us doing our job” – Vietnam vet and historian, Gary McKay), the question becomes “does such a commitment make Churches tacit supporters of war?” Is this another important example of incarnational ministry or are uniformed chaplains compromised by the very fact of the uniform?

Former moderator of the Queensland Synod and a former defence force chaplain, Rev Kaye Ronalds, reflected on this dilemma in an Australian Army Chaplaincy Journal. “I’m used to being in parish life where the church is separate from the state. A chaplain must keep alert lest one neglects the prophetic role and instead fears to offend the hand that feeds,” she writes.

Dr Campbell believes it is difficult to hold a pacifist stance and also provide pastoral support as an employee of the defence forces. “I think those who have chosen this path are required to explain how this is possible,” he said. “I would find it difficult to hold those two loyalties together.”

When asked directly whether he believed the Uniting Church should be providing chaplains to the defence forces, Dr Campbell responded: “The UCA does place military chaplains. Given the long history, and different views about this matter, each person must speak as those who minister in Christ’s name, and be tested. I pray for the day when we live out the calling to be a peacemaking church.”

Mr Lund has done his own thinking and believes it is vital that the Church remains involved in defence force chaplaincy.

“I think that the church promotes peace through its fundamental teachings of Jesus, and also by its activity in seeking to build bridges between different cultures and religions in Australia and the world,” Mr Lund said.

“To support defence people doesn’t mean that we are necessarily advocating for war. These are people just like you and me who are doing a job in service of our government and community. They don’t always agree with the tasks that they have to do.

“I think of them as normal people doing a job that is often difficult and I guess, chaplains are a bit like – it’s kind of an incarnational ministry. We join them in the things that they are doing, work alongside them, and experience the same kinds of pressures and tensions that they do.”

Principal Chaplain Peter Woodward (Retd) believes that we all need to examine the way we treat each other because, as Christians, we are called to repent.

“The need to repent is about how do I build relationships? How do I spend the time which says I am ready to listen, I am ready to hear your story, I’m ready to be unconditional in my acceptance of you?

“Often what you get out of the stories of soldiers, much of it is difficult to hear. But it’s their lived experience, so I think that high-sounding pacifist statements that were being made didn’t grapple with the reality I was facing.”

Mr Woodward believes that, as a church, we need to acknowledge the harm caused to veterans and ask for forgiveness.

“So do we need to repent? That’s part of the business of being a follower of Jesus, and so I get it wrong so easily ‘please God, forgive me and help me to get it right next time if that’s possible.’ Yeah. We need to repent.”

While debate raged at home, nashos and enlisted men continued to be sent on 12-month assignments to Vietnam. National serviceman Gary McKay, a platoon commander with 4RAR/NZ, was dealing with the cold reality of a brutalising war.

In what turned out to be the last battle fought by the Australians, Second Lieutenant McKay’s platoon came under heavy fire during the battle of Nui Le, on 21 September 1971. Four members of the platoon were killed and McKay and his sergeant were among those injured.

Lieutenant McKay was awarded a Military Cross for gallantry.

He describes the death of one of those soldiers as one of the saddest moments of the war.

“Ralph Niblett died in my arms. He’d been mortally wounded through the chest, with a sucking chest wound – a wound so big you could put your fist through it.

And his life was ebbing away in front of us.

“I had him in my arms and we were lifting him into a stokes litter to chopper him out, and his best mate Jethro Hannah said to him ‘Ralph, you’ll be back in time for the Grand Final’ – ‘cos this was 21st September, and he said, ‘no, I’m stuffed’. And with that, he literally lapsed into unconsciousness, his face had drained of colour and he died on the helicopter. That was probably the saddest moment that I can ever recall. It still is very sad.”

(Ralph Niblett pictured centre)

Left to right: Gus Evans, Ralph Niblett, Walpole (1971)

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CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

People Chaplains chatting

MORE than 115 higher education chaplains met in Bendigo for the Global Chaplaincy Conference in July.

The week-long conference is hosted every four years in different locations throughout the world. The chaplains at the 2016 conference came from all corners of the globe including Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, Africa, Europe and Hong Kong. They gathered to share their experiences of chaplaincy in different universities, polytechnics, colleges and education institutions.

Rev Jay Robinson is youth minister at High Street Uniting Church in Frankston and chaplain at Monash University Peninsula Campus. She is also national president of the Tertiary Campus Ministry Association, who coordinated the 2016 conference alongside the Aotearoa New Zealand Tertiary Chaplains Association.

“Most people would agree that Bendigo in the middle of winter is a cold place.

However, the atmosphere was definitely not cold at LaTrobe University Bendigo

campus during the Global Chaplaincy Conference,” Ms Robinson said.

The chaplains came together under the banner of the International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education. It is a multifaith association that also welcomes chaplains with no faith backgrounds.

“As you can imagine, it was a wide breadth of experience that was shared,” Ms Robinson said.

For many, the highlight of the week was the multifaith panel held at the Ulumbarra Theatre in Bendigo, which discussed the topic of ‘Formation vs Radialisation: Impacting Society through Education, Religion and Spiritual Expression.’

“This panel had input from Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist faiths as well as input from University deans,” Ms Robinson explained.

“It was a great night of discussion and learning.”

Ms Robinson thanked the various churches, universities and councils for making the event possible.

FUNdraising for Asylum Seekers

TWO Uniting Church congregations, Brunswick and Sophia Springs, joined forces on the 18 June (the eve of Refugee Week) to raise funds for the Lentara Asylum Seeker Welcome Centre (ASWC).

More than 80 people enjoyed a home-style, three-course dinner while raising more than $10,000.

The ASWC offers a safe and welcoming space for people seeking asylum in Melbourne providing hot meals, excursions, a variety of programs, advice and, importantly, a sense of community.

Brunswick UC FUNdraising coordinator Saide Cameron said the church has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the ASWC since the centre moved to a building on their property in Sydney Road some years ago. The congregation fitted out the building with office space and a deck and continues to provide the building rent free and pay for all utilities.

“We have two congregation members on the ASWC advisory committee and a commitment to fund a project to the value

of $5,000 each year,” Saide said.

“While the goal of the evening was to raise money to support the work of the ASWC, the fostering of community was an equally important aim, hence the use of the word ‘FUNdraising’. The dinner offered people the opportunity to break bread together and have the opportunity to financially support the work of the ASWC.” Saide said as well as money, many people donated valuable time to the fundraiser.

“A night like this obviously takes a lot of preparation and involves the effort of a lot of people. We are lucky to have a great chef on the night, Peter Murphy, who works in our Olive Way program (offering hospitality to people living on the margins) that also operates from our building.

“During the evening nine creative items donated by the members of the congregation were auctioned off by our fabulous in-house auctioneer Alistair Hunter. There was also a silent auction of various items as well as the sale of plants and preserves.”

Saide and fellow organiser Glenice Cook said they were delighted with the success of the event.

“We feel humbled by the extraordinary generosity shown by the two congregations who participated,” Glenice said. “Our commitment to supporting asylum seekers is intrinsic to who Brunswick Uniting Church is and what we care about.”

Attendees of the Global Chaplaincy Conference

Something good REV DEACON JEANNE BEALE (Chaplain – Aitken College) ONE cold morning last term, I arrived at my door keen to get out of the weather, when Elizabeth (a year 4 student) ran up to me and said “Rev, I have written a poem about Jesus!” She was so excited. I asked her to tell me her poem, and she recited it off the top of her head.

I told her that her poem was amazing and asked her if she could type it up and send it to me. I received a beautiful smile which reflected her joy of being affirmed. She skipped away, and my heart was lightened by this encounter of dual blessing. As I climbed the stairs to my office I thanked

God for the gift of such precious children.

Before the day was out, this arrived in my inbox: Jesus Christ Something beautiful Something Good Something Christ understood All I need is love not strife So I can have a beautiful life.

Warm Regards Elizabeth Rimy We are in a climate where I often hear doom and gloom about how the church is dying, but let me tell you, if we keep sharing the love of God to those around us, it comes back twofold!

Dining for refugees

Bringing faith to life MARGUERITE MARSHALL THE Greensborough Living Faith Church celebrated a decade of outreach and adventure on Sunday 10 July. An innovative co-operation of the Uniting Church and Churches of Christ, the two churches came together 10 years ago under the motto: “We can do more together than we can apart.”

Living faith has lived up to its motto, developing many new programs to serve the community. These include mentoring program Kids Hope, free monthly community meals, visiting and advocating for refugees and asylum seekers, supporting prisoners and their families via Prison Fellowship, work with Food Share and the Diamond Valley Community Support, a carer support group, supporting Vanuatu Eye Care program and a marching group to aid health in older people.

The combined church continued programs including Sunday school, Christian Women’s Fellowship, youth group, kids club, two community playgroups, annually providing school equipment for children in the Pacific, and LINC (Love in the name of Christ) which works with other churches locally to provide transport to people in

the wider community to attend doctor and other important appointments.

In the past 10 years the congregation has lost and gained new members. Some left because of the union, and the Living Faith Church faces the same challenges of declining numbers as the wider church.

The church now has 204 members, most of retirement age.

The celebration was marked in powerful symbolism with the baptism of two new members of the church, Rachel and her seven-year-old son Michael (pictured below), at the Sunday morning service.

This was followed by a ‘bring and share’ lunch, where old and new members and visitors reminisced or got to know each other.

Elizabeth Rimy and Jeanne Beale

AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

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Reflection Rules of engagement PENNY MULVEY THE tranquil view from the windows of neat as a pin Cape-Cod houses across to the waters of Aquidneck Island belied the topic of conversation – how Christians, and the church in particular, hold a commitment to peace-making alongside the reality of war.

I was sitting with Tim McCormack, Professor of Law at the University of Melbourne Law School. He was in Newport, Rhode Island on sabbatical as a Fulbright Senior Scholar and the Charles H Stockton, Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the US Naval War College.

Annual leave and an opportunity to spend time with the McCormack family had taken my husband and me to Rhode Island. The interview was timely due to the research already underway relating to the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War (see feature).

Prof McCormack is a specialist in international humanitarian law, or the Law of Armed Conflict, and in particular the use of military force, the regulation of the way war is conducted and the prosecution of war crimes. He is the Special Advisor on War Crimes to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

As a Christian, Prof McCormack often thinks about the theological development of an approach to viewing war. He believes the concept of a just war, developed by St Thomas Aquinas and his contemporaries, is foundational to the emergence of international humanitarian law.

“Aquinas and other theologians of his time were not pacifists,” he explained.

“They accepted that in certain circumstances it might be necessary to use lethal military force to defend a civilian population or to defend a nation from invasion and aggression, but that these circumstances should be very limited.”

The concept that military intervention is an unfortunate reality of a broken world has led to the creation of rules (international humanitarian law) that seek to alleviate the human suffering brought about by war.

Prof McCormack stressed that while he is committed to the constraints international humanitarian law places on nations to regulate the way war is conducted, such constraints are not an alternative to trying to avoid armed conflict in the first place.

“It’s important the pacifist voice is heard, because we ought to be communicating as a community to the government that there is a widely held view that a resort to war is bad,” Prof McCormack said.

“The pacifist voice would always say it is wrong. Whether you agree with that or not, war is always bad because of the

consequences that flow from it. In suggesting there is a difference between pacifism and peace-making, I don’t mean to communicate that I am enthusiastic for decisions to go to war. I’m actually not at all.”

We began our conversation reflecting on Prof McCormack’s first encounter with war. His cousin, Albert McCormack, was conscripted as a 21-year-old in 1966 to fight in Vietnam. He was one of the 18 young Australians who died in the Battle of Long Tan .

The funeral, a big event in the small town of Launceston, made a lasting impression on six-year-old Tim. “Going to the funeral and seeing all these soldiers in uniform honouring the memory of Albert; the gun salute at the graveside, the coffin being carried on a gun carriage with the flag draped over it, the coffin being lowered in the ground – these visual impressions had a huge impact on me.”

Even now, 50 years after the death of his cousin, Tim McCormack meets up with Albert’s fellow soldiers at annual commemorative events. He has found that their memories of the army chaplains are very positive.

“In the midst of terrible circumstances there were people who were there explicitly as representatives of the faith.

They were sharing compassion, love and understanding to people who had all sorts of trauma to deal with. How can we as a Christian church turn our back on that?”

Prof McCormack believes the public discourse around military interventions could be reframed by focusing on potential solutions to the tipping points of conflict – poverty, lack of basic human rights, ‘to helping communities become more prosperous as a strategy to avoid descent into conflict’.

Whether as a peace-lover or as a pacifist, Prof McCormack is adamant that Christians need to speak out on these issues, but he advocates especially for those with specialist skills.

“I’m a big advocate of Christian professionals, professionals who really have some subject matter expertise, identifying themselves as people of faith, rather than leaving it exclusively to the clergy,” he said.

“My view is that God cares deeply about ensuring that justice is existent and prevalent in human society. I really believe that God has called me to this role and given me the skills and the ability to perform it, and I am grateful to him for that opportunity.”

While his training provides a legal framework, Prof McCormack’s faith leads him to ask moral as well as ethical questions in relation to the law. For example, in the Law of Armed Conflict there is a notion of combatant privilege – when a soldier kills an enemy combatant while engaged in hostilities, it is not seen as a crime of murder. However, this changes once enemy combatants are wounded or taken as prisoner of war – then the law protects them from attack.

“But there is plenty of anecdotal evidence about soldiers who commit perfectly lawful acts suffering terrible mental anguish because they know exactly what they have done. And I don’t think it’s taken seriously enough,” Prof McCormack said.

“I wonder if those members of the decisionmaking political elite, who are so ready to support the Americans to go to war, think about the consequences of that decision, not only for victim civilian communities, but for individuals who act entirely within the law, but come home traumatised.”

As we concluded our conversation, Prof McCormack pondered whether our church institutions will learn from some of the failures they have wrought on people who have sought their care.

“My view about the Gospel of grace and of liberation and of hope is that the Church should be exceptional and we ought not to get sucked into what the rest of the Australian society does,” he said.

“We should be able to understand that there is a special need here (the armed forces), as well as in doubtlessly many other contexts and do what we can to meet that need.

“You wonder what today’s minority groups are going to say with the benefit of hindsight in 20, 30 or 40 years from now.

Which of them are going to say they felt abandoned by the institution of the Church?”

Tim McCormack and Penny Mulvey

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CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

Letters Brexit upheaval REMAIN 48 per cent, Brexit 52 per cent – this was the result for the separation and division of the United Kingdom from Europe. Prime Minister David Cameron announced the result from 10 Downing Street to the world. An independence leader called out “We have won”. Boris Johnson declined to stand as Tory leader.

The new leader is Theresa May. What had happened?

The result was a loss for Europe and immigration and a disaster for the United Kingdom. Cameron had backed the ‘Remain’ position, but he lost.

Why had this happened? Because of immigration and globalisation, but in the result British youth lost out. They wanted to be part of Europe and the Scots have to find another way of getting into Europe. The result was a loss on both sides. Spain had an election within four days and France and Germany within four or five months. On the Europe side, Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, was able to muster the power to keep on going, but how much longer can she go on when she has been a force in Europe for a decade?

There are other negative aspects to Europe.

For example, in France the National Front of the conservative wing now wants more of a say and they will be more difficult. Italy and Greece are failed states, and also Turkey with its terrible loss of life in Istanbul airport recently and now a failed coup.

So, there are diminishments all around, brevities all around. Who will take up the cause of globalisation now? Will it be Russia with a question mark, or China, Japan or Malaysia?

Globalisation has been around for 2000 years as “power and kingdom” but its real power has been present only since the end of US hegemony in World War II. Religion will need to take up the aesthetics of life rather than just other features. We will see aesthetics become more of a religious nature.

Globalisation is peculiarly an American phenomenon which saw its beginning in the response to World War II. This is why, when Barack Obama heard of the result of Brexit, he called out “The UK can now go to the end of the queue”.

Rowan Gill

Holding Brexit together with a safety pin ON the 23 June ‘Brexist’ became ‘a thing’ and not just a slogan or an idea. Heads, hearts and spirits slumped as the day dawned on what the decision to leave the EU might mean. I am an Australian who has recently brexited home to Melbourne after living and working in the UK and travelling widely across Europe for the past seven years.

I am a part of a UK clergy mum’s Facebook group of more than 600 women clergy members who provide spiritual, community, educative, social, environmental, person-centred care across the whole of the UK.

AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

The UK’s geo-political unit is the parish, and the parish church and community services generated from every church in the UK are vital for the holistic functioning of the country. We arrived post GFC in 2010 and at that point there was no sign of foodbanks in the country. By January 2016 there were foodbanks in just about every parish across the UK. Religious leaders of all faiths were instrumental in advocating the need for and the establishment of these services.

The Facebook group posting on the morning of 23 June were unanimous in shock and grief by the leave decision. Their children and teenagers were in tears as they only knew a UK as part of an EU. The women were fearful for their family, friends and children’s friends who are migrants, perhaps Polish and Muslim, and the expected backlash. They were so worried about what Brexit will mean for the UK farming communities dependent on EU funding. They have partners/husbands/ wives who work in the EU and in longterm projects and partnerships so what will happen to their jobs?

In all the trauma of that morning what did these women of faith do? They called out via Facebook for prayers and resources to help their grieving and divided communities.

They dug deep into the riches of their faith – they found scripture – ‘love the widow, orphan and alien in your midst’; they shared prayers of lament, courage and hope; they held peace and prayer vigils, they invited their Muslim and Polish friends over for cups of tea and cake and they offered lots of tissues and many hugs.

And then, thanks to the creative poetic imagination and connectedness of social media a new campaign emerged - #safetypin. Twitter, Facebook and Instragram users posted photos of themselves wearing safety pins as a sign and symbol of safety and compassion of the wearer towards Muslims, Poles and migrants who felt threatened and vilified in public places.

From our own recent election experiences, the American presidential campaign and the seismic changes now across Europe and the UK big changes are making the everyday lives of communities stressed and torn.

Thank God for people of faith and the creative imagination in these uncertain times. Thank God for people who will not be swayed from pinning their heartfelt values for love, compassion and inclusion on their chests. And who will courageously continue to welcome the stranger in their midst.

Rev Sally Apokis, Chaplain Queen’s College University Melbourne and Church of All Nations Carlton.

Money wasted LAST week at our Church council meeting I mentioned that once you financially support a charity that comes under the umbrella of the Uniting Church, within two weeks you get another request for more financial support. I would like to think that most people give to Uniting Church charities as much as they can and do not need to be reminded to give more.

Sometimes, besides getting a letter for more money, there is also within Crosslight the same letter requesting money.

My latest letter was from UnitingCare asking for financial assistance to support Community Development Work and help end poverty. When you open the mailed out envelope and look at the contents I would estimate it has cost UnitingCare at least $2 (There is the envelope, postage, two posttype-cards and a written letter with writing on both sides on good quality paper.)

I get frustrated and concerned at the amount of money being wasted in these mail outs as I am sure most people like me just bin it. To my way of thinking there is a lot of money wasted which could be used to help these people in need.

Peter Cochrane Chelsea Parish

Listening to our youth Thank you, Crosslight, for the excellent Synod 2016 supplement, capturing many moments and opinions. I haven’t attended Synod for several years and this kind of summary is most welcome.

I was interested, but also saddened, by the comments of the four younger attendees on page 14. How many years still have to pass by before we really allow our many fine younger members to lead us? There are, of course, protocols and regulations that have to be abided by in a meeting such as Synod, but can we not hand over a large segment to be led and managed by younger people?

OK, there may be some learning issues, but we all face that in our lives. Let’s enjoy their leadership and participate fully under their tutelage.

Barbara Wood Richmond TAS

The hidden disgrace ONCE again our TVs have revealed the extent of racism directed towards our Indigenous people.

Hidden, condoned and regularly practised grotesque, unstemmed violence towards incarcerated, helpless youths, perpetrated by sadists, and unchecked by the authorities.

Constantly we are bombarded, by the strident, for rights for the refugees who seek illegal entrance to our country. Banners are unfurled and loud voices proclaim for the human rights of those in detention.

Where are the banners and loud voices for the original people of this land who are subjected to even worse treatment, with Indigenous young people making up more than 90 per cent of incarcerated teens?

In the state of Western Australia, that has experienced the obscene wealth of the mining boom lining the investment portfolios of the rampant few, land grabs have seen whole communities robbed of their land and means of existence. Poverty, desperately inadequate housing, health, services and education have seen their lifestyles deteriorate, and their children’s futures destroyed.

Any discussion devolving on Aboriginal affairs such as treaties and recognition in the Constitution, inevitably arouses immediate equation with the refugee intake. Our Indigenous people should have always taken precedence over immigrants.

They have never in the history of Australia’s settlement, been given the dignity of self determination, or indeed the time to integrate their very valid tribal wisdom in a relevant way with the civilisation of the newcomers to their country.

Anyone who has had the immense privilege of working, living and interacting with our Indigenous people must feel the same as I do - desperately angry, hopelessly inadequate and thoroughly ashamed of the undignified, disrespectful and indeed terrible neglect of such a once proud people.

When your government demands you leave your outstation and join the larger communities because they refuse to fund your original, centuries old tenure – how would you feel? Would you like to join your clan living in a two-bedroom home with three other families? Would like to live in a home with little water, sanitation, garbage disposal, or power supply? What would you do if you were obliged under your laws to accept relations who dropped in from the desert to share with you your inadequacies?

What if refugees were treated this way?

What would all the strident do then? The public outcry if refugee children offended and were incarcerated and abused as are Aboriginal youths would be deafening.

But I guess we have learned or have become accustomed to accepting ‘our original people’ just don’t count – and who cares anyway?

I desperately do – and I hope others do also.

And if we do, what are we doing about it?

Margaret Gambold Ferny Creek, VIC

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Review

Aaron Pedersen and Alex Russell

Digging for the truth REVIEW BY PENNY MULVEY FILM | GOLDSTONE | M

THERE is something remarkably familiar about Ivan Sen’s latest cinematic masterpiece, Goldstone, and yet disturbingly strange.

Australian outback movies have been entertaining and horrifying audiences for many decades, but Sen brings a fresh perspective which presents the alien inhabitants, not the land itself, as the malevolent threat.

Like Sen’s predecessor movie Mystery Road (2013), Goldstone stars Aaron Pedersen as the quiet and complex Indigenous detective Jay Swan. Filmed in the isolated outback

town of Middletown in Queensland, with a population of 121, Sen lovingly captures the vast magnificence of the orange land and hidden rivers, inviting the audience to embrace its stark grandeur with equal awe.

The rich hues of this ancient country are part of the subtext to this ‘outback noir’, as it is described in its promotional literature.

The fictional mining town of Goldstone is represented as a temporary new arrival, ill at ease with the seemingly barren desert on which it sits.

Every building, be it the police station, the mayor’s house, the offices and accommodation for the mining company and even the pub (with accompanying brothel) are portable, further reinforcing the stark divide between the traditional owners and the non-Indigenous usurpers.

Riveting Indigenous actor David Gulpilil makes an all too brief appearance as tribal elder, Tom E Lewis. Tom E knows the lands, the hidden entrance to the river weaving in amongst soaring contoured rock formations, the pathways long-trodden by his people.

He will not be tricked by the smooth words and financial incentives of the town leadership or the invading mining company.

Detective Swan has been sent to the small mining town of Goldstone in search of a missing girl. His life has fallen into disarray since the audience last saw him in Mystery Road. Gone is the professional, wellgroomed detective, replaced by a heavy drinking, ill-kempt outsider (in classic Western style), who appears lost and absent.

The town’s mayor (Jacki Weaver) does not like strangers, especially those she cannot control and who might ask awkward questions and she quickly tries to warn

Ghostbusters Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones

Busting stereotypes REVIEW BY GARTH JONES FILM | GHOSTBUSTERS | PG

18

IF you’re not a reader of online social media, you may be happily unaware of a toxic strain of male ‘geek’ known as a Men’s Rights Activist (MRA). MRAs see themselves as the final line of defence between the patriarchy and what they perceive as aggressive feminist persecution in popular culture.

A recent example of one of these online hate campaigns was the virulent rage expressed over Charlize Theron’s ‘Furiosa’, a powerful woman who drives the action in George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road.

The latest site of outrage for these outspoken misogynists is director Paul Feig’s (The Heat) all-female remake of 1984’s Ghostbusters.

The original, directed by Ivan Reitman, starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. It was a generally amusing horror comedy which, seemingly, has now taken on the status of sacred text to men of a certain age.

In response to the 2016 remake, these ‘fans’ have launched a full-scale hate campaign against this, a family film they perceive as

Swan off.

Silence is one of the most powerful dialogue techniques of the film, again pointing towards the language of the environment which, when understood, can make words seem unnecessary.

Detective Swan is a man of very few words.

He is at peace with the land. It poses no threat, instead the menace takes a human form, built upon power and corruption. In his encounters with the sweetly threatening mayor he barely speaks, but this does not mean the mayor does not understand his intent.

The young white local cop Josh (Alex Russell) finds it harder to interpret Swan’s silence. He soon learns that Swan has not been corrupted by his years on the force.

This challenges his own policing, as he starts to reflect on how far he has fallen from the younger idealistic Josh who first entered the police force.

Goldstone is a gripping thriller, which covers some of the big issues of our nation – land rights, the environment, corporate and private greed, power and our ongoing complex relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

All the characters are flawed, and yet the underlying message is of hope, as the two policemen begin trusting each other, and Josh discovers that his actions and choices do make a difference.

Crosslight’s Emmet O’Cuana interviewed director, Ivan Sen, and Aaron Pederson when Mystery Road was released. To revisit: crosslight.org.au/2013/11/03/mystery-roadan-interview-with-ivan-sen-and-aaronpedersen/

an affront to a backwards ideal.

Happily, Feig and his Spy co-writer Katie Dippold (who both received online abuse, sadly physically threatening in Dippold’s case), have crafted an empowering, feel good affirmation of inclusivity, in direct opposition to the hate speech directed at it.

The excellent cast, which includes Saturday Night Live alumni Kristen Wiig (Welcome To Me), Kate McKinnon (Sisters) and Leslie Jones (Top Five), with Feig regular Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), bring a contemporary dynamic to this tale of Ghostbusting scientists.

Australia’s own Chris Hemsworth (Thor) plays Kevin, the team’s secretary. The villain is found in the put-upon form of Neil Casey’s Rowan, a vengeful ‘geek’ archetype.

Loner Rowan, who is convinced of his innate superiority, exercises his juvenile power fantasies in a plot to overrun the world with ghosts, thus dispensing with those who don’t share his sick worldview.

Of course, this leads to many spectacular, hilarious spectral encounters, and one, featuring stand-out star Kate McKinnon, which is utterly empowering.

Returning to the online sphere, we find a happy rebuttal to the MRAs’ bitter campaign in photos from the new film’s red carpet, in which enraptured girls in Ghostbusters costumes beam up in awe at their new idols.

With fan-pleasing cameos from the original cast, and a new generation team with world-class comedic powers, Ghostbusters is a jubilant experience that reinforces the need for positive role models and representation for all.

CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

Review

How to be REVIEW BY CRAIG THOMPSON BOOK | BEING CHRISTIAN: BAPTISM, BIBLE, EUCHARIST, PRAYER | DR ROWAN WILLIAMS

Healthy belief REVIEW BY TONI EREBOR BOOK | THE ART OF INTERFAITH SPIRITUAL CARE: INTEGRATION OF SPIRITUALITY IN HEALTH CARE REGARDLESS OF RELIGION OR BELIEFS | WALTER BLAIR STRATFORD

Traveller’s tales REVIEW BY DAVID SOUTHWELL BOOK | PEOPLE, PLACES AND PLANES: PRESIDENTIAL FIELD NOTES AND REFLECTIONS | ANDREW DUTNEY

ROWAN Williams’ Being Christian is a great introduction to the basics, and the not-so-basics, of Christian faith.

Fundamental to Williams’ account of the Christian life is our being given a new human identity in the humanity of Jesus.

Christian discipleship is a growing into Jesus’ own experience of God and the world.

Williams explores this new identity in relation to the themes of baptism, Bible, Eucharist and prayer. Baptism is explored as a restoration to what it is to be truly human, the recovery of a human identity forgotten or overlaid with other identities.

The Bible is explored as a document converging on Jesus, and is read because

Christians expect to be addressed by God. In the Eucharist, God the Giver receives us as guests, desiring our company. Here we are called to honest repentance and to imitate God’s own openness in inviting others to join God’s feast of life.

The essence of prayer is in allowing the prayers of Jesus himself to become our own. Prayer springs from the presence of Christ in us, and so is as much a changing of ourselves as it is our expression of our desire for change in the wider world.

Williams is well-known as a scholar of the highest intellectual calibre. He has a sometimes challenging writing style, yet this little book is straightforward and

accessible – so far as the gospel can be said to be either straightforward or accessible!

Being Christian could be read in a few hours but is filled with insight and pithy little statements on Christian life and practice which will exercise readers for much longer.

A set of questions for reflection are provided at the end of each chapter to encourage readers to dig deeper into the material, making the book well-suited to small study groups or as a tool for church councils to reflect on the source and meaning of their congregations’ life in Christ.

THE pattern for this book is shaped on recognition that, while religious expressions differ markedly in their presentation, at the core of all religious expressions is a supposition of sacred presence.

Walter Blair Stratford has been a minister in the Uniting Church in Australia since its inception. As well as parish ministry, the author spent13 years in hospital chaplaincy and a number of other years as secretary to the Queensland state ecumenical council.

His continuing involvement in interfaith activity has led to authorship of this book.

Part one is an exploration of some of the complexities that emerge as we engage with other faiths and experience the differences.

It makes clear the necessity of validating faiths within their own parameters.

With the title ‘Spiritual Care’, part two discusses ways of caring for each other in the search for meaning which we all undertake from time to time.

The art of spiritual care can be seen in the chapter ‘Dancing God’. Being in touch with a dancing god allows us the liberty to not take life earnestly, but take it as precious. Spiritual care will also engage in focused listening and a creative presence.

It will validate differences as expressions of particular religious beliefs and practices.

Part three claims that spirituality cannot be clearly defined. Spirituality has its own elements however, and in describing these

we can portray something of the essence of spirituality, and so envisage images that take us into the realm of spirit presence.

Part four focuses on core understandings that must be considered in any practice of spiritual care. These include maintaining a close presence, validating our common humanity, engaging in meaningful dialogue, practicing hospitality, and ensuring that safe habitats are established.

While focussing on spiritual care in a chaplaincy setting, the issues discussed in the book are relevant to anyone in their day-to-day interactions in the wider world.

THE alliterative title promises a blur of meetings, travel and activity, which is what you largely get in this collection of Andrew Dutney’s on-the-go articles, speeches, sermons and blogs from his term as President of the Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia from 2012 to 2015.

Andrew (the personal and personable nature of his writing invites a first-name familiarity) wears his learning lightly, even though for him a ‘fast’ consists of denying himself theological books from the Northern Hemisphere and only reading those from the more regionally and demographically appropriate South.

As the sub-title ‘Presidential Field Notes’ suggests, this book does sometimes read as the scholarly inclined sketches of someone

on a glorious adventure.

It is not a detailed analysis of the Uniting Church during the term of Andrew’s presidency. Nor is it particularly political, but does include a couple of forcefully written condemnations of Australia’s offshore detention of asylum seekers.

Andrew is a thoroughly engaging storyteller, one who revels in recounting the ‘interfaith dialogues’ he has with taxi drivers.

He says the question most asked of him during his presidency was: “How is the Church going?”

With the Basis of Union, a subject he has authored books on and taught extensively, thoroughly ingrained throughout the book it’s no surprise that he answers this question with something of a theological overview.

Andrew says it is not numbers that matter (overall they aren’t encouraging) but that the Church is fulfilling the divine plan as outlined in the Basis of Union (paragraph three) to be a pilgrim people acting as agent and witness to God’s reconciliation with the world. On occasion he also gives the counter-intuitive answer that for Christians death is nothing to be feared.

The upbeat eschatological essence of Andrew’s understanding of his presidential experience is captured in his final address to Assembly where he says: “Thank you for giving me the privilege of seeing for myself that the Holy Spirit is already making us in the Church God calls us to be.”

Available from www.mediacom.org.au RRP: $19.50

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CROSSLIGHT DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR DOORSTEP Position Vacant Are you unable to attend church on a regular basis but would still love to keep up with Uniting Church news?

Do you know a past congregant member who can’t get to church anymore?

Just call or email Lynda Nel on P: 03 9251 5485 or E: lynda.nel@victas.uca.org.au and she will arrange a personal delivery.

It’s easy and helps you stay involved in the life of the Uniting Church.

Some people work on Sundays, are no longer able to drive, live in a remote area or are not well enough to attend their local church.

For a small annual subscription, Crosslight can be delivered to your letter box or to your place of care.

Crosslight AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

The Presbytery of North East Victoria is seeking to fill two casual vacancies from September 2016 until February 2018. Positions may be ongoing subject to funding availability.

0.2 Presbytery Secretary 0.3 Presbytery Minister Administration Applicants may apply for one or both positions.

Applications close: August 19th Completed applications to be sent to Helen Collins, Chairperson Presbytery NEV email: hgcollos@bigpond.com For detailed position descriptions: Contact: Helen Collins, Chairperson Presbytery NEV email: hgcollos@bigpond.com (during July) or during August: Joan McRae: Deputy Chairperson Presbytery NEV email: joanmcr@netspace.net.au 19

Placements CURRENT AND PENDING PLACEMENT VACANCIES AS AT 20 JUNE 2016 PRESBYTERY OF GIPPSLAND Mitchell River – Paynesville (0.6) Traralgon District PRESBYTERY OF LODDON MALLEE Dunolly (0.5) (P) Sunraysia (0.5) and Robinvale (0.5) (P) Sunraysia (UCOS) (0.5)** Tyrell** PRESBYTERY OF NORTH EAST VICTORIA Mansfield (0.3) Rutherglen (Rutherglen/Chiltern-CorowaHowlong) (0.5) Upper Murray (Corryong, Walwa) (0.5) Wodonga (St Stephens) PRESBYTERY OF PORT PHILLIP EAST Balkara – Oakleigh (St Davids) (0.5) Beaumaris (0.6) Bentleigh Brighton (Trinity) Narre Warren North (0.7) (P) Presbytery Minister – Mission and Education (2 years) PRESBYTERY OF PORT PHILLIP WEST Altona Meadows – Laverton (0.4)** Belmont (0.6) Lara (0.6)** St Albans/Caroline Springs - Sydenham Sunbury (0.8)** PRESBYTERY OF TASMANIA West Coast Circular Head**

PRESBYTERY OF WESTERN VIC Nil PRESBYTERY OF YARRA YARRA Croydon North – Gifford Village (0.5) Eltham – Montmorency (0.5) (3-year term) Melbourne (St Michaels) Ringwood North Tecoma (0.6) SYNOD Ethical Standards Officer Hopkins Region Prisons and MRC Chaplain (0.6) (P) New Agency – Director of Mission

** These placements have not yet lodged a profile with the Placements Committee, therefore they are not yet in conversation with any minister. There is no guarantee that the placement will be listed within the next month.

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

A person may offer to serve the church in an approved placement through a written application to the Synod.

Further information on these vacancies may be obtained from the Secretary of the Placements Committee: Ms Isabel Thomas Dobson. Email: placements. secretary@victas.uca.org.au Formal expressions of interest should be put in writing to Isabel.

MINISTRY MOVES CALLS AND APPOINTMENTS FINALISED Fiona Hill (OD), Diamond Valley (0.8), commenced 1 August 2016 Robyn Schaeffer, Presbytery of Gippsland Growth Corridor Minister (0.5), 2-year term, commenced 1 August 2016 James Hughes (YW), UAICC Northern Tasmania (0.5), commenced 1 August 2016 Colin Honey, Maryborough (0.75), to commence 1 September 2016 David Thompson, North Central Living waters (Birchip, Donald, St Arnaud, Wycheproof), to commence 1 October 2016 Ann Key, Geelong St Andrews – St Albans, to commence 1 October 2016 Rajitha Perera (Deacon), Noble Park (St Columba’s) (0.5), to commence 15 October 2016

Fa’amata’u Leota, Hoppers Crossing, to commence 1 February 2017 CONCLUSION OF PLACEMENT Lynton Wade (OD), Lorne Anglican-Uniting Church, concluded placement on 31 July INTER SYNOD TRANSFERS Ken Ogier (Retired), from the Synod of Western Australia, 1 July 2016

COMING EVENTS MULGRAVE UNITING CHURCH INDONESIAN CONGREGATION IS NOW ST ANDREW’S GARDINER UNITING CHURCH The Mulgrave Uniting Church - Indonesian Congregation has moved to a new home at St Andrew’s Gardiner Uniting Church, 1560 Malvern Rd, Glen Iris. There are two Sunday morning services at 10am – an Indonesian service with English translations, and one contemporary English service. There is also an English service at 3.30pm run by the Korean Church of Melbourne.

SOCIAL JUSTICE LUNCH 12 for 12.30PM, SUNDAY, 7 AUGUST St John’s Uniting Church, 567 Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick.

Speaker - Daniel Webb: Human Rights Advocate on the Immoral Detention of Refugees.

Cost is $25 per person.

Contact P: 03 9530 0684 or E: janeoldfield@netspace.net.au GOD IN THE MARGINS: THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF HOW PEOPLE LIVE IN THE MARGINS 12 to 14 AUGUST Hamilton Uniting Church, 113 Lonsdale Street, Hamilton.

Henty Region presents a weekend conference at Hamilton UC to explore this topic. Keynote speakers will be Rev Dr Ji Zhang (Manager, Church Partnership, Asia Uniting World) and Rev Zhu Enshou (Minister, Chinese Faith Community, UCA).

Further details from Elaine Edwards P: 03 5572 4627, M: 0411 404 189 or on E: elaine1747@gmail.com ‘SOUNDS FOR THE SOUL’ RIVER VOICES COMMUNITY CHOIRS 2PM, SUNDAY, 14 AUGUST Echuca Moama Uniting Church, cnr Hare and Pakenham Street, Echuca.

Tickets $15, pay at the door.

Proceeds to Mission and Outreach.

Contact P: 03 5480 1342 or M: 0429 801 342 for more information.

PASTORAL CARE TRAINING 9.30AM – 12.30 PM, TUESDAY, 16 AUGUST Strathdon AgeWell Community, 17 Jolimont Rd, Forest Hill.

Uniting AgeWell is conducting pastoral care training for anyone interested in offering pastoral care with older people in any context.

More information: www.unitingagewell.org/Pages/Events.aspx RSVP Leanne Brunnel on E: LBrummel@unitingagewell.org or P: 03 9845 3111 CUPCAKE DAY for the RSPCA - MORNING TEA at THE HUB 10AM - 12 NOON, WEDNESDAY, 17 AUGUST Glen Waverley Uniting Church, cnr Bogong Avenue and Kingsway.

Bring your family and friends. All donations go to helping the work of the RSPCA. Info and group bookings P: 03 9560 3580 AN INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN MEDITATION 9.30AM - 2.30PM, SATURDAY, 20 AUGUST Brunswick Uniting Church, 212 Sydney Road, Brunswick.

Guest Speaker: Clare Boyd-Macrae: “My life and writings as a Meditator.”

Enquiries: Rev Richard Arnold on E: richarn50@gmail.com or M: 0407 796 429 BACK TO ST JOHN’S UNITING CHURCH CELEBRATION 10AM, SUNDAY, 21 AUGUST St John’s Uniting Church, 37 Virginia Street, Mount Waverley.

You are invited to a Back to St John’s Uniting Church Celebration here on Sunday, 21 August 2016. Worship service at 10am, conducted by Rev Bill Perry, followed by lunch. Local past St John’s Church members most welcome.

RSVP to the Church Office, P: 03 9888 2295 by 12 August.

THE SYCAMORE TREE COFFEE SHOP 30th BIRTHDAY CHURCH SERVICE and CELEBRATION LUNCH 11AM and 12.15PM, SUNDAY, 21 AUGUST Service from 11am – 12 noon at Scot’s Church, 187 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg and lunch from 12.15pm - 2.30pm at The Sycamore Tree Coffee Shop and Drop In Centre.

The Sycamore Tree Coffee Shop is the outreach of the Heidelberg/East Ivanhoe Uniting Church.

It has been open to the community offering hospitality for 30 years since 1986. All are welcome to join in the celebrations.

RSVP and queries to P: 03 9458 4279 or E: sycamoretreecafe185@gmail.com

RETIREMENTS Robert Renton, Presbytery of Port Phillip West Presbytery Minister Administration, to retire on 28 February 2017 Jeff Gray, Derwent Cluster, to retire on 31 March 2017 Joan Francis (Deacon), Lake Bolac Cluster, to retire on 30 September 2016

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE? Are you called to the secular environment?

Are you physically fit?

Interested in ministry in a multi-faith world?

Are you ordained?

Judy Rigby (Lay), Glenroy – Pascoe Vale (0.5), TBC

Some of our Crosslights are missing!

?

20

Can you help the Victorian Synod Archives complete its collection of Crosslight publications? Since it began in 1992, Crosslight has been an invaluable resource for staff, researchers and the wider church community. It is the primary source of news, features and opinions reflecting the life of the Uniting Church throughout Victoria and Tasmania.

Then Australian Defence Force Chaplaincy is for you.

Contact: Rev Dr Murray Earl M: 0427 470 636 E: Murray.Earl@defence.gov.au Uniting Church defence force chaplain Robyn Kidd, an RAAF squadron leader on deployment in the Middle East.

We are keen to fill a small number of gaps – specifically issue numbers 196 to 205 (inclusive) from 2010, and number 191 from August 2009. If you can help, in the first instance please contact Synod Archivist, Dr Jennifer Bars, on 03 9571 5476 or via email at Jennifer.Bars@victas.uca.org.au

CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

Notices EXCLUSION AND EMBRACE: DISABILITY, JUSTICE AND SPIRITUALITY CONFERENCE - BOOK NOW 21-23 August 2016 “This multi-faith conference recognises the importance of spirituality in the lives of many people with disabilities, and the role it plays in connecting people to a range of community contexts.” (Professor Rhonda Galbally AO).

Single-day rates are now available: attend Sunday only for $150* or attend Monday only or Tuesday only for $200*. (*Tickets for the Sunday or Monday evening meals are also available at $60.00) To register go to the links below: exclusionandembrace.melbourne/registration/ www.facebook.com/EmbraceConf/ twitter.com/EmbraceConf or call P: 03 9251 5404 or M: 0428 611 218 TRANSFORM – YOUNG UCA ADULTS GATHERING 5PM, SATURDAY, 27 AUGUST Brunswick Uniting Church, Sydney Rd, Melbourne.

The next Transform young UCA adults gathering will be on the theme ‘Discipleship and sustainable living’. It will be resourced

by Jonathan Cornford from Mannagum.

Mannagum is a Christian non-profit organisation which seeks to promote a vision of life which is truly good news for us, for our neighbours and for the world.

For more information, www.transformgatherings.com WE ARE ONE – STORIES OF THE EARTH COMMUNITY 2PM – 7.30PM, Saturday, 27 August Chalice Community of Faith, Northcote Uniting Church, 251 High Street, Northcote.

The Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) has launched RONA16, a network of creative events. Chalice is hosting a family event with a story-making workshop, an art exhibition, a shared meal and an interactive audio visual performance, all by local artists.

Cost: $10 / Family $40. Booking essential at www.eventbrite.com/e/we-are-one-stories-ofthe-earth-community-tickets-26674244383 WEST PAPUA IN CRISIS: SPIRITUALITY, RESISTANCE AND THE CHURCHES SEMINAR 3PM – 5PM, SUNDAY, 28 AUGUST High Street Road Uniting Church, 482 High Street Road, Mt Waverley Organised by the Cluster Social Justice and Mission Committee of the Mt Waverley Uniting Churches. Following his recent visit, when he met many community and church leaders, Rev Robert Stringer will highlight the situation and challenges faced by the West Papuans.

Stay for afternoon tea.

For information contact Jim M: 0400 789 543 or Alan M: 0487 400 483.

FREE SPIRIT CHOIR CONCERT 2.30PM, SUNDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER Glen Waverley Uniting Church, cnr Bogong Avenue & Kingsway.

Music to suit all tastes. Afternoon tea to follow.

Proceeds to assist the outreach work of GWUC. For further information call Vida, M: 0411 246 254.

LORNE Spacious apartment, breathtaking ocean view, open fire, peaceful, secluded, affordable.

P: 03 5289 2698.

50th ANNIVERSARY OF GRESSWELL UNITING CHURCH’S BUNDOORA WORSHIP CENTRE 10.30AM, SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 74-76 Greenwood Drive, Bundoora.

Thanksgiving service, followed by light luncheon and a pleasant afternoon’s entertainment. All past members and clergy are warmly invited to attend.

RSVP to Allan Burfitt, coordinator on E: nburfitt@optusnet.com.au or M: 0419 597 648.

CLASSIFIEDS

BIBLE AND ECOLOGY: READING SCRIPTURE THROUGH ECOLOGICAL EYES 10.30AM – 5.30PM, MONDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER Centre for Theology and Ministry, 29 College Crescent, Parkville.

In this full-day webinar, we will hear from scholars around the country about reading the Bible through ‘ecological eyes’ and will practise applying such lenses to scripture. Brought to you by Uniting Earth Ministry, in collaboration with theological colleges across the country.

Cost: Donation. Morning tea and afternoon tea provided. BYO lunch.

Registrations: More information and register your attendance at unitingearthweb.org.au/events

FAMILY SEEKING NANNY from August, to collect grade 3 boy from primary school (Surrey Hills) and take home to Canterbury.

Requirements approximately 2 hours, twice weekly (Monday/Thursday), and sometimes includes accompanying to sports training.

Car required. Contact Jill Rossouw on M: 0418 506 082 or E: r.sherri@bigpond.net.au

QUALIFIED CHRISTIAN PAINTER, handyman, interior/exterior work, available outer eastern suburbs. P: 03 9725 6417.

GRAMPIANS WORSHIP When visiting The Grampians, join the Pomonal Community Uniting Church congregation for worship each Sunday at 10am.

WANTED TO BUY: Antiques, second-hand/ retro furniture, bric-a-brac and collectables.

Single items or whole house lots. Genuine buyer – contact Kevin P: 0408 969 920.

LECTERN Providence Road UC, Greenvale, requires a lectern. If a church would like to donate a lectern, or alternatively receive a small payment for same, please contact Cheryl Duncan on E: a_cduncan5@bigpond.com or M: 0408 220 877.

YAMAHA ORGAN – FREE: Contact Joyce on P: 03 9870 0013.

2016 VICTORIAN INTERFAITH NETWORKS CONFERENCE 12:00PM - 4:30PM, SUNDAY, 13 NOVEMBER At Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre, cnr Bell Street & St Georges Road, Preston.

This annual Conference aims to help build the capacity and sustainability of existing multifaith/interfaith networks, bring people up-to-date with current multifaith/interfaith matters, provide networking opportunities, and assist the hosting interfaith network and council to promote its work to the local community.

This year’s keynote speech will be on ‘Faith and Social Inclusion’. To register go to: vinc.eventbrite.com.au. Please note there are limited places, so enrol early to ensure your attendance.

CONTEMPLATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY NETWORK 2PM – 4PM, 1st Saturday of the month Centre of Theology and Ministry, 29 College Cres, Parkville.

Are you interested in photography/videography as a spiritual practice? The network gatherings will offer a time of reflection, a place to enhance technical skills (whether newly acquired or wellseasoned), and a forum for discussion, support and encouragement.

RSVP essential at E: peter@chalice.org.au or call Rev Deacon Peter Batten on M: 0419 255 585.

AGEWELL SUNDAY WORSHIP RESOURCE Prepare your congregation for Seniors Week celebrations in October with the AgeWell Sunday Worship Resource. Developed by Uniting AgeWell, it includes sample services, sermons, scriptures, hymns and topics celebrating the ageing stage of life, as well as ideas for creating ‘senior friendly’ services.

Download a copy from www.unitingagewell.org

CALOUNDRA, Sunshine Coast, Queensland: Beachside units, from $400/wk. For details contact Ray P: 0427 990 161 E: rayandjean@hotmail.com CAPE WOOLAMAI, Summerhays Cottage.

Sleeps 3. Tranquil garden. Stroll to beach.

Discount for UCA members. Ring Doug or Ina P: 0403 133 710 www.summerhayscottage.com.au

PSYCHOLOGIST Sue Tansey, BA (Hons), MPsych (Counselling) MAPS. Individual and relationship counselling. Bulk billing for clients who have a referral from their GP and have a low income.

St Kilda. P: 0418 537 342.

E: suetansey@yahoo.com

SENIORS’ SPECIAL: Enjoy a break in luxury surroundings. Three days and three nights, dinner, bed and breakfast for $450 per couple (including GST).

Jindivick Gardens. P: 03 5628 5319.

FOR SALE RUPANYUP: Weatherboard manse. 3 bedrooms & study. Reverse cycle heating/cooling.

For more information P: 03 5385 5141.

Ministry Placement Geraldton (Midwest Coast of Western Australia) Applications are invited for a Minister of the Word to fill a vacant placement at Lighthouse, Geraldton. Lighthouse Uniting Church is multi-generational, multicultural congregation. More than 200 people attend activities in the Church throughout the week. It has a strong emphasis on building relations within and beyond the Church, with service in mission, discipleship, children and family ministry and small groups for all ages. A strong sense of unity is evident between congregations of all Geraldton churches.

This single ministry placement is supported by a willing team of lay leaders, lay preachers and committed congregations in each centre (Lighthouse supports two neighbouring rural congregations). The Church office has an office assistant and an operations manager. The Church council oversees the provision for ministry and works with the minister to ensure leadership within the ministry areas.

The successful applicant will: • Support a biblical world view.

• Have a compassionate heart for pastoral care.

• Be enthusiastic about working with the congregation and community, leading outreach ministry.

• Support our current mission focus.

• Possess the skills and passion to train and mentor leaders to build on the small group program within the church, and • Focus on children and family ministry.

Geraldton is a large coastal, rural city with many facilities. Located 420km north of Perth, please visit www.lighthousegeraldton.com and www.cgg.wa.gov.au for further details.

Alternative housing options are available including the provision of a housing allowance or coverage of rental cost.

SUNDAY SCHOOL, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WORKER NORTH ESSENDON UNITING CHURCH A paid part time position exists for a Sunday School, Children and Families Worker at the North Essendon Uniting Church.

The position would report to the Minister and experience working with children is essential. Must have a Working with Children Check.

A position description is available via the email below.

Please email a resume to E: ganna@bigpond.net.au or M: 0419 361 206.

AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

If interested, please send your ministerial profile with cover letter through to Rev John Barendrecht, Manager of the Pastoral and Placements Unit at: john.barendrecht@wa.uca.org.au.

Closing Date: 30 September 2016.

21

Moderator’s column

LOVE, LIGHT, LIFE

Goodness is stronger than evil; Love is stronger than hate; Light is stronger than darkness; Life is stronger than death; Victory is ours through Him who loves us.

– Desmond Tutu An African Prayer book

OVER the last few weeks I have found myself returning again to this powerful prayer written by Desmond Tutu. In both my own prayer life and in reflecting on events in the world and our nation, I have found these words both hold and guide me.

This prayer grounds me in God’s goodness, love, light and life. It reminds me that God is stronger than the fear, hate, ignorance and death that swirl around us. It is also an invitation to live as if goodness, love, light and life are strong and active in the world.

With the political climate in Australia becoming more polarised and divisive, with speeches that are ignorant, unhelpful, hurtful and hate-driven seeming to proliferate and many people driven by fear, I find myself thinking about what guides my engagement in community conversation?

In a world where war, hunger, civil unrest and terrorism are ever present, how do I live as compassionate citizen of the world?

As I ponder how to live in a way that shows I trust that God’s goodness, love, light and life are at work in the world, there are four convictions I have about the Christian faith that help me.

In God we experience a welcome so

broad, so deep and so generous that no one is excluded. There is home and room and welcome for each and all. In Jesus we see someone who restores people to community and expands the welcome at the table through healing, teaching, eating and drinking. Paul reminds us that those things which humanly-speaking are barriers – gender, race and language – are overcome in the grace of Christ.

So if I have been welcomed into the life of God and live by the light of God’s goodness, how do I participate in civil society in ways that expand the welcome?

I need to stretch myself to meet people as fellow human beings, crossing over those things that so often divide to hear the stories of the other with respect and openness.

I constantly remind myself that I have been met with generosity by God and so I need to be generous to others, especially those in my community who feel most excluded and have the least power in our nation.

Both testaments of scripture make it clear that justice towards the most vulnerable and the stranger are central to who God is and how God is at work in the world. There can be no turning from this as Christians.

Prison Chaplain – Metropolitan Remand Centre •

15 hours per week in Melbourne’s western suburbs

There are also P/T vacancies for chaplains in several regional prisons.

Please enquire if you are interested.

The Uniting Church in Australia Synod of Victoria and Tasmania is seeking a part-time Prison Chaplain to provide support, worship and pastoral care to prisoners at the Metropolitan Remand Centre.

To secure this role you will: • Be a member of the Uniting Church in Australia • Have undertaken CPE and theological studies or equivalent • Have appropriate experience within a relevant ministry context • Display strong empathy and compassion Obtain a position description and apply online today at: https://unitingcaresynod.mhr.com.au/searchjobs.asp Applications close: 15 August 2016 For more information call Amy Wyld on 9251 5917 The UCA is proud to be an inclusive employer A willingness to work within the ethos of the Uniting Church is essential Appointment is subject to a satisfactory criminal history check UCA is committed to keeping children safe 22

A core calling is to pursue justice and peace in whatever sphere of influence we have. This means that the welcome and hospitality we offer has to be just; it should be extended first to those most in need of it.

God’s justice, and our pursuit of this justice, gives shape and content to the welcome we offer. It helps us to see where it is we so often failed to be compassionate and stops hospitality becoming merely friendship with those like us. I value this witness in scripture and in the life of the church across the ages. It reminds me to never give up or lose hope, because God’s goodness will prevail and evil will be overcome.

There are a number of parables that speak of the small being significant. Jesus likens the reign of God to a tiny mustard seed, to yeast and to light. I cherish these parables because, in the midst of all that is happening in the world, I can feel overwhelmed and feel my actions are insignificant.

But the reign of God is revealed in all the small actions that transform the whole.

Like yeast that leavens the bread, light that shines despite the darkness, or a mustard

seed that grows to shelter all the birds of the air – how I live, the attitudes I carry with me, the small acts of generosity, compassion, welcome and love can make a difference to whole. In this way we participate in the victory of Christ’s love which overcomes and is overcoming all darkness and evil.

In all of this I am needful of the grace that convicts me of my own failure and the failure of the church to live for God’s reign.

I am needful of the grace that assures me I am forgiven.

This twin awareness keeps me honest, stops me judging and enables me to keep going as I seek to live in a manner that participates more fully in God’s ways of justice, hospitality and hope.

Sharon Hollis Moderator

Ethical Standards Officer • •

Full time CBD location

The Uniting Church is committed to providing safe environments for all people including children and ensuring its ministers, members and employees live and work together in a culture of safety. This full time position/ministry placement will provide education and support for the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania in its endeavour to ensure a culture of safety.

The successful applicant will have a leading role for providing advice regarding breaches of safe church policy, the Code of Ethics, supervision and training, and theological reflection about the impact of abuse.

Work associated with outcomes from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will also be part of this significant and challenging role.

Obtain a position description and apply online by 9 August 2016 https://unitingcaresynod.mhr.com.au/searchjobs.asp A willingness to work within the ethos of the Uniting Church in Australia is essential.

Appointment is subject to a satisfactory police records check and working with children check.

CROSSLIGHT - AUGUST 16

Reflection Mission as world Christianity and intercultural theology ‘MISSION’. The term excites a range of passions.

More often than not, the popular conception of the term is linked to colonisation. Mission is something negative. Something which, in worst case scenarios, accompanies invasion, manipulating those in the most vulnerable circumstances to become enculturated into an identity not their own. This change in religious belonging, it is further argued, makes possible a wider political, cultural, economic, and ecological exploitation.

No doubt gentler renditions of this position exist, but as a generic approach, it informs many people’s understanding of mission.

Whether or not this position reflects well the history is a question to be asked; the point being made here concerns the barriers to understanding the term erects, and the effect these barriers have on us as a church.

In short, by ignoring mission we not only fail to understand the lessons colonisation teaches us, we may also be perpetuating the underlying problem.

As the above popular opinion might have it, the key problem lies in the communication of the gospel in non-Western contexts. Yet, non-

Western Christianity sees the communication of the message across the range of religious, cultural, linguistic, gender, economic, power boundaries as essential to the celebration of the gospel itself. To identify this movement of the gospel with colonialism is to declare a driving concern within world Christianity false and itself derivative of an error the West has itself overcome. We in the West again assume a position of authority over against the rest of the Christian world.

A common response to the problem of colonisation among the churches of the West is to identify the problem with missionary activity. This results in a coordinated reduction of the practice and study of mission. We may still look to give money and keep the existing infrastructures going, but we have ceased to think theologically about missionary movement.

Indeed, much energy went into ecumenism as the form of global relationship between communions. The focus shifted to ministerial forms, liturgy, and structure.

Sounds good, but already in 1952 the World Council of Churches document titled A Statement on the Calling of the Church to Mission and Unity raised significant concerns with this approach. The problem of missionary colonialism, it argued, stemmed not from the communication of the message, but in the expected form the message was to take. That is, mission revealed the Western location structure of the sending church (the Western nature of the church became apparent in non-Western contexts).

Mission functions as a mirror which reflects back our own domestication of the gospel

message. To retreat from this missionary lesson by focusing on form is to perpetuate the assumption that form is itself the key issue, and that the parameters of the discussion concerning form are already in place. That is, it is to maintain characteristic Western assumptions concerning the nature of the church.

While we view the retreat into structure and process as a positive solution, this does not stop missionary outreach. Instead, it is the structure and process which is to be replicated. Our message, in other words, becomes the process – the form. This, of course, echoes the historic problems and the interest in ‘civilization’, and directs the development of mission method. In simple terms, forms of mission develop in relation to the perceived need; the method echoes the social circumstance.

As an example, if we understand society as driven by choice and market theory, we propose forms of missionary activity which echo this understanding of human society and its accompanying anthropology. We focus on leadership, management, technique, and argue for competitive marketplace forms which cater to niche identities.

One may build a theological shell around this, but the driving concern is found elsewhere. Nor is it too difficult to find this exact approach to missionary method as basic to the colonial period. For example, volunteer mission societies were modelled on the forms made famous by the Dutch East India Company.

None of this denies the importance of worship or the need to think about

missionary method. Quite the opposite. It is due to the central importance of these embodiments of the faith that missions studies is key.

To put this in positive terms, my position at Pilgrim Theological College has recently been renamed “missiology and intercultural theology”. “Missiology” simply means “theologies of mission” and these can only be developed in relation to world Christianity and intercultural theology.

Instead of hiding from difficult questions of interreligious engagement, of the relationship between faith and culture, and of the forms of the gospel’s appropriation, these become of central interest. Mission defined in terms of world Christianity takes on a very different character than the traditional sending models.

This has local application. Though we may be tempted to focus our energies internally due to the urgency of the local situation, local mission is served by a wider vision of God’s mission. It directs the local church beyond itself and, in moving beyond itself, the church finds its identity.

To study mission is to participate in the movement across the borders of our own domestication of the gospel. It is to be challenged by forms of faith which look, sound, and taste different from our own. This is and remains necessary precisely to avoid the traps of colonisation.

Rev Dr John G Flett Coordinator of Studies – Missiology CTM

Giving is living International bridges TIM LAM

IN March last year, Denisse Sandoval from the synod’s Justice and International Mission (JIM) unit travelled to India to meet with NGOs tackling human trafficking and workers’ rights issues.

The aim of her visit was to build partnerships with Indian NGOs for future social justice campaigns. A significant number of products from India’s tea, brick and garment industries are made using trafficked labour. Many of them end up in Australian shops.

Ms Sandoval said building trust through face-to-face visits is necessary to foster strong international connections. This means working with NGOs on-the-ground rather than adopting a paternalistic approach.

In the past, some Western NGOs have intervened without recognising local needs, priorities and expertise. This has led to reluctance on the part of local NGOs to share information with foreign organisations.

“India is a complicated place and it takes time and pressure to get work done,” Ms Sandoval said.

“Without relationships it is very difficult to partner on international human rights campaigns, and these relationships can’t be forged very easily via email or phone calls.

“We must make time to meet the people there on the ground; it can’t be done over one coffee the way some Western concepts of AUGUST 16 - CROSSLIGHT

is

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networking might be understood.”

In the city of Ahmedabad, Ms Sandoval interviewed human rights defenders from Prayas, a labour rights NGO and creator of unions. They support the lowest-paid workers in the state of Gujarat, including sanitation workers, cotton pickers and brick kiln labourers.

During her trip, Prayas organised a protest with local people who lived alongside a highway next to a railway line. The residents were threatened with eviction by the local city council and developers, who wanted to clear the land for a new metro. This was an economically disadvantaged area with many of the homes built using branches, sticks,

sacks and supplies from the road. Prayas helped the residents obtain fair relocation packages so they would receive adequate funding for their new homes.

The majority of the people living in this area were Adivasis, a marginalised group of people believed to be descended from India’s earliest inhabitants. They are designated as a “scheduled tribe” by the Indian government because they have historically endured severe discrimination and marginalisation.

The Adivasi face significant social and economic disadvantage as they are labelled ‘primitive’ by many parts of society. Many Adivasi children and women are targeted by human traffickers. They have also

experienced dramatic changes in their traditional way of life since the mid-20th century due to rapid industrialisation.

“Some of the challenges they face include displacement for the sake of economic development with hydroelectric dams, highways and bridges being built across India,” Ms Sandoval explained.

“Without advocacy, human rights defenders and activists, there would be no one calling out the injustices the Adivasi face in the name of growing the economy.

“If UCA members want to help the Adivasi people, they can contact the JIM unit to find out more about our upcoming campaigns in the human trafficking space.”

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Synod Snaps

“Don’t pack up your camera until you’ve left the location.”

- Joe McNally

Eril Deighton (pictured) from Camberwell Uniting Church and Ruth Akie donated money from the sales of their original photo cards to Joan Calcutt’s Act for Peace Ration Challenge.

Ballarat Central Uniting Church hosted a social justice-themed candidates’ forum in the lead-up to the federal election. More than 100 people attended, including representatives from Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children Ballarat, CFA members and people from the congregation and wider community.

A wild Growlithe was spotted lurking outside Shepparton Uniting Church (photo by Cameron Shields).

Lyn Mulligan (left) from Ocean Grove Uniting Church and her friends Eril Deighton and Ruth Akie hosted a “Cards, Coffee and Cake” event to raise funds for Joan Calcutt’s (right) Act for Peace Ration Challenge. Together, they raised approximately $1500, which went towards the total of $2570 raised by Joan.

The Village Uniting Church at Mt Eliza hosted a pre-election candidates’ forum.

Moderator Rev Sharon Hollis visited congregation members at Ocean Grove Uniting Church.

Sammy Stamp volunteer Heather Newland.

Participants at the 2016 NextGen camp explored the theme ‘Jesus in the Margins’.