New Times - March 2015

Issue 34, No 2, 2015

The voice of Uniting Church SA

March 2015

Together

DEEPENING CONNECTIONS MUTUALITY Reports from the UAICC

Moving forward with a new

conference and About FACE

model for church partnerships

pp. 9-11

pp. 12-13

Advertising

Contents FEATURES Being church in community Deepening connections, exploring concerns

6-7 9-11

Mutuality 12-13 Lent – an invitation to go a bit deeper

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REGULAR PAGES Moderator’s comment

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CEO/General Secretary’s comment

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Getting to know...

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Letters 20 Diary 20 Editor: Catherine Hoffman Editor-in-Chief: Bindy Taylor Advertising: Communications Design: David Lombardi Print: Graphic Print Group For editorial inquiries: p. (08) 8236 4249 e. newtimes@sa.uca.org.au m. The Editor,

New Times GPO Box 2145

Adelaide SA 5001 For advertising bookings: p. (08) 7007 9020 e. advertising.newtimes@sa.uca.org.au

w: newtimes.sa.uca.org.au facebook.com/NewTimesUCA ISSN 0726-2612 New Times is the voice of Uniting Church SA. Published monthly, February through December, New Times represents the breadth, diversity and vision of Uniting Church members in SA. News policies, guides and deadlines appear online at newtimes.sa.uca.org.au. Articles and advertising do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor.

Print circulation: 9,750 Uniting Church SA Level 2, 212 Pirie St, Adelaide p. (08) 8236 4200 f. 8236 4201 country callers. 1300 766 956

Next edition: Resurrection Over Lent and Easter, Christians across the world reflect on the new life and hope represented by Christ’s resurrection. We think of these on a personal level, seeing Easter as a time of renewing and deepening faith. In the Uniting Church, we are also reminded of our hopes for the lives of our churches. While many of our congregations age, we continue to see bursts of life within these communities through new projects or members, and new ways to engage in faith.

This Easter, New Times reflects on resurrection, renewal and hope within the life of the Uniting Church in South Australia.

DEADLINE FOR APRIL 2015

Wednesday 11 March

New Times recently went through some changes to advertising processes. Members of the Communications team will now address any advertising queries. Rates will remain the same with special discounts for church groups and organisations (budget ads) and people wanting to make multiple placements.

More information about advertising and rates is available at sa.uca.org.au/new-times/advertising To contact the Communications team about advertising, please email newtimesad@sa.uca.org.au or call 8236 4260.

Placements News There have been no placements finalised since the February edition of New Times.

Upcoming inductions/Commissioning: Rev Jonathan Davies, Seeds Uniting Church on Tuesday 24 March at 7.30pm Rev Amelia Koh-Butler, Executive Officer, Mission Resourcing at the Presbytery and Synod meeting on Friday 27 March Rev Mark Butler, Coordinating Chaplain, Eldercare at the Presbytery and Synod meeting on Friday 27 March (to be confirmed) Vacant placements: The following is the current list of vacant (or soon to be vacant) approved placements: Profiles available – County Jervois (Arno, Cleve, Coolanie, Cowell, Driver River); Goolwa; Kadina Wallaroo Parish; Keith “One Church” (Uniting Church and Church of Christ together); Whyalla; Woodside (0.2).

Profiles not yet available – Adare (from 1 February 2016); Berri Barmera (from 1 February 2016); Brighton UC (from 1 November 2015); Malvern and Unley (from March 2016); Moonta and Districts (from 1 April 2016); South West Fleurieu Linked Congregations (0.6); Tumby Bay & Districts (0.5); Walkerville (from 1 February 2016); Willunga (0.7); Windsor Gardens (0.5); Transforming Justice, Mission Resourcing (0.5) (soon to be advertised).

For more information on any of these placements, or to view national placements, please visit sa.uca.org.au/pastoral-relations/placements-vacant

Cover details

Sixteen people from Adelaide Congress Ministry in Salisbury attended the national conference of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) in January this year. Many attended specifically to pray with one another about God’s direction.

Pictured on the cover are (left to right) Mona Olsson (Adelaide Congress Ministry, SA), Rev Dorothy Harris Gordon (Lismore Regional Mission, NSW), Pastor Raymond Minniecon (NSW Regional Council) and Pamela Jones (Adelaide Congress Ministry, SA). Photo by Rev Dean Whittaker.

Read more about the UAICC conference and About FACE (Faith and Cultural Exchange) on pages 9-11.

editorial

Stronger together “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV) There is power and strength in working towards something together.

This is something I truly believe in, and which I regularly see lived out in my day-to-day activities.

I was recently fortunate enough to be invited by Uniting Church SA Moderator Dr Deidre Palmer to a breakfast event celebrating the seventh anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations. Bright and early, we gathered to hear people speak about the importance of recognition, remembering, reconciliation and education. Attendees at the breakfast were invited to join in a pledge together. The room was filled with voices as the assembled people stood and stated that they would honour the survivors of the Stolen Generations and continue to support them, recognising the hurt that has occurred for descendants and extended family members of the Stolen Generations. The pledge concluded by promising to act on the stories of these people and find ways to put the meaning of the National Apology into practice.

As I listened to the various speakers and considered the words of this pledge, I reflected on the strong Covenanting relationship that the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress has with the Uniting Church. But despite the good work of many congregations and individuals in building this relationship, the journey to recognition and healing is far from over. We must continue on this pilgrimage together.

The idea of growing together, listening and learning from one another, is also one I see in personal relationships in my life. One of my closest high school friends will soon be getting married. It has been wonderful seeing both my friend and her soon-to-be husband grow through this relationship – learning from and with one another, making decisions together, and communicating with love and respect.

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My working life also provides numerous examples of people working and growing together – congregations connecting with communities, ministry centres with congregations, UnitingCare organisations with those in need.

In reflecting on all of these examples, I kept coming back to the same idea – that we accomplish so much more when we work and learn together, from one another, than when go it alone or try to offer something to someone without their input. We achieve more when we seek to work together in a way that is loving, respectful and mutual.

In the busyness that surrounds many joint activities, it can be easy to lose sight of this – friends getting married may snap at each other as they stress over wedding plans, people may make assumptions about the needs of others in trying to undertake events or campaigns, relationships may be forgotten as pressing concerns arise. But through these trials, I feel that it is important to communicate, to apologise where necessary, to truly love and respect one another, and to keep our eyes on God’s plan for our partnerships.

As the 14th Triennial Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia approaches, I am interested to see how the ideas of respect and mutuality play a part in some of the more contentious debates that may occur. We are a church whose members often differ greatly on political and social issues, but we also have in common the beliefs and affirmations outlined in our Basis of Union. I hope that as we meet to discuss these ideas in Perth later this year, we remember those things which tie us together and the ways we can learn from one another through our differences.

Catherine Hoffman

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moderator

Young people gathered to talk with Dr Deidre Palmer at the recent Around the Table event.

Praying, learning and acting together: A community embodying the love and reconciliation of Christ As I have reflected on three events in which I have participated over the past week, the words “full to overflowing and sustaining” come to mind. These experiences of abundance and nurture have arisen from our community life – being together, praying for one another, and intentionally committing to act together as participants in God’s mission in the world.

On Wednesday 11 February I met with a group of approximately 30 youth and young adults. This was the third in a series of six forum events I am hosting under the banner of “Around the Table: Conversations with the Moderator.” These are opportunities for us to support, encourage and listen to one another. At the recent forum, we explored those things which sustain us, and where we find life and hope in the Christian community. We highlighted the important issues that we need to respond to as a church and some of the “hard conversations” we need to have.

Over the course of the evening, the assembled young people described how much they value the intergenerational Christian community they share in the Uniting Church. They spoke of how they are sustained by prayer, communion, worship, Bible reading, friendship, prayer partners and small group relationships, and described “being aware that God has given us all we ever wanted.”

Building on this, they want “to influence the church to do more intergenerational stuff … more together and less apart.” In looking to the future of the church, they asked: “Are we actually being the church envisioned in Acts?” They are also concerned about consumerism, people’s sense of fear and isolation, and cuts to international aid; they are passionate about hospitality, care, justice and equality.

At the beginning and end of the evening, we prayed together for courage, wisdom, joy, comfort, peace, love and hope.

Later that week, on Friday 13 February, I gathered with other Christians in Adelaide to pray with the Brothers from the Taize community in France. Their community was founded by Brother Roger in the aftermath of the devastation of the Second World War approximately 75 years ago. The Brothers visited us as part of their international “Pilgrimage of Trust.” Their focus is on solidarity and reconciliation. The Brothers of Taize have inspired us through their

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music and prayers, their common life, and their embodiment of the compassion and reconciliation of God. Together we sang and we prayed: “O God, sustain us as we seek to bring down the barriers which divide people and individuals. You are the source of all peace; kindle in the hearts of all human beings a love for peace.”

As I have reflected on the many ways I prayed together with other Christians during the week, I was reminded of the words of Jim Wallis, the founder of the Sojourners community: “Prayer changes our frame of reference; it is not merely a preparation for action. Prayer must be understood as an action in itself… Prayer is not undertaken in place of other actions; it is the foundation for all the other actions we take.”

When we pray together, we open our hearts, minds and being to God. We are strengthened and challenged to follow Jesus. The Spirit equips us and gives us courage to live the Gospel of Christ in every aspect of our lives.

On the morning of Friday 13 February, over 1,000 people gathered at the Adelaide Convention Centre to recognise the survivors of the Stolen Generation, marking the seventh anniversary of the 2008 National Apology. The various speakers at the breakfast called for us to continue the “Journey of Healing,” and we pledged to “find ways to put the meaning of the Apology into practice.” Many thousands of people across Australia are committed to this Journey of Healing and reconciliation – a journey that, as Christians, we believe is a work of the Holy Spirit in our nation. I invite you to join me in prayer for this movement of reconciliation, and to embody that prayer through our relationships with one another, First and Second Peoples together, and our advocacy for justice and the transformation of our nation.

I pray that we, together as the Uniting Church in South Australia, will be a courageous community of friends, embodying God’s overflowing grace, compassion, healing and hope for our world.

Dr Deidre Palmer

ce o / ge n e ral se cre ta r y

With ready hearts God has always called the church to be “in it together” when it comes to serving the cause of Christ. Our unity, our togetherness comes from Christ being the centre around which the collective life of the church revolves. This notion is reflected in Ephesians 4:16: “From him the whole body… grows and builds itself up in love.” Therefore, the task of growing and building the church is one that we are in together at the behest of Christ. In Ephesians, Paul encourages the church in Ephesus to grow from being infants to people of maturity.

One of the hallmarks of infancy in the church, according to Paul, is the unsettledness of being tossed backward and forward by popular opinion. Togetherness is challenged by constant uncertainty, especially as a result of an inability to make firm decisions on the big issues.

This is why the word of God points to the reality that: “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark. 3:25). In my opinion, the greatest cultural shift we need to make as a church is the move to certainty about our commitment to Christ, and the call we have to strengthen the Uniting Church. When it comes to strengthening the life of the Uniting Church, so that through us Christ can be made known in our communities, are we in it together?

Now is the time to put aside past hurts, present suspicions and a future view that the Uniting Church is only as big as the life of an individual congregation. Essentially, it is time to let go and let God breathe new life into us as his people. This is a prophetic calling for

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the Uniting Church to grow into maturity. It is also a call that might seem a little harsh or difficult to engage with. However, these are words of truth that are spoken in love. Such a tone resonates the words of Paul who said: “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15).

The maturity of God’s people is manifest in our worship, witness and service. It is also realised in the decisions that we make in the various councils of the church.

Throughout this year we will be considering various structures and practices that are necessary for us to not just address our financial deficit, but more importantly, our missional deficit. There are many conversations that are yet to be had on these matters. However, I would preface future discussions with the call to enter into these conversations with a willingness to take up that which God is seeking to put in our hands.

God has good things in store for us. It is time for us to stand as one with ready hearts and empty hands, that we might be filled afresh and sent out together in a new, dynamic way to serve the cause of Christ.

Rev Nigel Rogers

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news

Being church in community On Saturday 28 March, Elaine Heath will address members of the Uniting Church in South Australia at the next meeting of the Presbytery and Synod. Elaine is the co-founder of the Missional Wisdom Foundation and is a McCreless Professor of Evangelism at the Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Bindy Taylor speaks to Elaine about her work with intentional missional communities and her upcoming visit to Adelaide.

In 2008, Elaine Heath started the Missional Wisdom Foundation (MWF), a not-for-profit organisation that supports people of faith to live in intentional missional communities. Just one year later, Larry Duggins, a pastor and business person with a knack for finances, joined her as co-founder to jointly direct the activities of the foundation.

The MWF ministry is comprised of a group of on-site learning communities, and provides training on how to begin new kinds of communities through their educative arm, the Academy for Missional Worship. MWF also offers pilgrimage experiences, helping church members learn to be pilgrim people who follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Since its inception, MWF has established a network of monastic communities in the North Texas area and surrounds through a project launched in 2008, the Epworth Project. These communities provide opportunities for members of the United Methodist Church and other denominations to become more faithful in bearing the gospel into the world.

“These monastic communities are small groups of individuals who choose to live together under a rule of life in order to bring the good news to their neighbourhood,” Elaine explains.

“Our communities’ rules of life are based on United Methodist membership vows. Participants live, pray, eat and serve together, developing life skills and a spiritual depth to propel them into a life

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of holistic evangelism – loving God and loving others.”

The communities are strategically placed in areas of diverse socioeconomic contexts. For example, one residential community is right next to an area in Dallas where there is a large population of homeless people. The MWF community cares for these people by offering hospitality, welcome, meals and prayer.

Those residing in these communities are typically students from the Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology or people working in non-profits which strive to address root causes of poverty.

All of the monastic communities are affiliated with a United Methodist Church congregation who are available to provide spiritual guidance and connection.

The MWF also administers a network of experimental missional communities called “New Day.” These are small faith communities located in different neighbourhoods in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Within these communities, lead teams composed of five to seven people follow a Wesleyan rule of life together, and guide others in their practices of prayer, hospitality and justice within the neighbourhoods where they serve.

Elaine believes all of the work undertaken by the MWF is assisting the United Methodist Church as they move through a time of rapid culture shift. The foundation’s functions strive to spark missional imagination and apostolic practices.

news

Left and far left: People joining in community through the Missional Wisdom Foundation. Above: Elaine Heath.

“These communities are not a replacement of the church, but rather something of a research and development entity to help the church’s imagination,” says Elaine. “Each of our projects is a ‘demonstration plot’ or a place for people to learn contextually the theory and practice of missional ecclesiology.

“We believe the future of the church must be more nimble, with more networked small communities of faith that are led primarily by teams of several bi-vocational laity,” she continues.

“We believe the shape of the future church will be much more similar to the first century in apostolic energy and expression.

“We believe that the core focus of the church which is emerging is a Christ-centred community and transformational neighbourhood rather than a focus on a worship gathering for one hour per week on Sundays.

“We also believe that the role of ordained persons will need to return to a more New Testament pattern in which the pastor is the chief equipper of the church for ministry, rather than the chief doer of ministry,” she concludes.

Elaine feels that “helping the church open itself to apostolic imagination and Spirit-breathed innovation” is one the main challenges faced by the MWF when partnering with the United Methodist Church – or any other mainline denomination.

“Churches need to give up unconsciously thinking of the church as a profit-making business in which we offer ministry in exchange for financial support of our buildings, programmes and personnel,” she adds.

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Having said this, Elaine has also seen a remarkable openness in the church at large, including the United Methodist community, to learn how to equip the church for fruitful ministry in the days ahead.

She feels this openness is due to the seriousness of the work of the MWF, which has been built upon the spirituality and wisdom of the early Methodist movement, and the gospel movement of the New Testament itself.

Elaine Heath will speak further about the work of the Missional Wisdom Foundation during her visit to Adelaide from Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 March.

In her workshop at the Presbytery and Synod meeting, Elaine will draw from parts of St Paul’s letter to the Galatians to frame a conversation about the massive, global cultural shifts that currently exist across the world today. This workshop, which is titled “Monastic communities, spirituality and evangelism,” will be held across three sessions from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday 28 March at Adelaide West Uniting Church (312 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Brooklyn Park). For more information about this event, please contact the Uniting Church SA Synod office on 8236 4200 or presbyterysynod@sa.uca.org.au Elaine will also speak at an event held at the Uniting College for Leadership & Theology on Thursday 26 March, 5.30pm to 9.30pm.

For more information about this event, please contact Uniting College on 8416 8420 or info@unitingcollege.org.au Finally, Elaine will speak at Wesley Uniting Church Kent Town on Sunday 29 March. For further details about this session, please call 8362 2544.

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together The Uniting Church in Australia frequently demonstrates its strong commitment of working together to enter more deeply into faith and mission. This is reflected in the Basis of Union and the activities of our congregations across the country, in addition to our ecumenical and international relationships. This edition of New Times explores the many ways Uniting Church SA communities and individuals work to seek togetherness through mission and ministry.

Deepening connections, exploring concerns From Monday 12 to Sunday 18 January, more than 150 people from every corner of the nation descended on Poatina, a small former Hydro village in Tasmania’s north, for the national conference of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC). Amongst the attendees were the 17 participants from the 2015 About FACE

(Faith and Cultural Exchange) programme. About FACE provides an opportunity for people from across the Uniting Church to spend time getting to know UAICC communities and families.

Several Uniting Church members shared their observations, stories and experiences of both the conference and About FACE.

Social issues high on UAICC conference agenda Nigel Tapp

The high rate of Indigenous incarceration Australia-wide, the availability of adequate education and employment opportunities, threats to remove services from remote West Australia communities and the Covenanting relationship with the wider Church were among the topics discussed at the week-long Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress’ National Conference in 2015.

Daily business sessions were accompanied

by Bible teachings and workshops under the theme “Holy Mountains, Healing People.”

Amongst the attendees were participants in the 2015 About FACE programme.

Rev Dennis Corowa travelled from Queensland for the event, and says the conference occurred at an important time for the organisation following a recent change of direction.

“It is a rally gathering… a meeting for the whole of Congress and an opportunity to offer encouragement,” he says.

Dennis, who is the Chair of the Calvary Presbytery in North Queensland and was appointed as UAICC Chairperson at the conference, says that while the organisation drew much of its strength from its regional groups, coming together as a whole was vital in setting a nationwide direction for the organisation.

“It is important because we are few in number but share similar problems,” he says.

“The meeting provides an opportunity to

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support one another in the spirit of sharing the pain, focussing on the issues we all face and talking about them.”

Dennis believes the conversations at the conference will guide the issues that the UAICC is seeking to canvas at the meeting of the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly occurring in Perth later this year.

The high incarceration rate of Indigenous people was one of the topics confronted at the conference. Dennis voiced concerns over the fact that 50 percent of those imprisoned in Western Australia are Aboriginal, even though Indigenous people make up approximately 19 percent of the population.

He suspects that the level of incarceration would be similar in North Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Dennis is also concerned that many Aboriginal people over the last two generations have missed out on the benefits offered by the education system, and identifies this as a problem which the Aboriginal community needs to take some responsibility for allowing. He believes it is important for Indigenous people to see reward for their efforts in the form of sustainable employment as they connect with the education system. Pilot programmes in places such as Townsville have been effective in linking educational attainment with positive employment outcomes.

Photos were taken at the UAICC national conference by the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly, David Palu and Rev Dean Whittaker.

Dennis emphasised the continuing importance Congress places on the Covenanting relationship. He says the strength of the preamble added to the Uniting Church’s constitution in supporting the relationship between the “black” and “white” church could not be underplayed.

But, while the UAICC understood its importance, Dennis doubted there was much engagement with it from most non-Indigenous congregations.

In addition to discussing social issues, the UAICC conference gave attendees an important opportunity to receive theological guidance from Aboriginal people.

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Evangelism and independence on the radar for new UAICC Chair Nigel Tapp

The new Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) Chairperson, Rev Dennis Corowa (pictured right), is keen to see Congress operate with more independence – but not at the expense of the interdependent relationship between the Indigenous and nonIndigenous elements of the Uniting Church.

Dennis describes the covenanting relationship as the glue which binds the Uniting Church’s black and white arms. Within that relationship, Dennis sees the possibility for the UAICC to have more independence over its own buildings, property, programmes and worship while still having all the features of transparency, accountability and responsibility.

Dennis begins his new role as Chairperson on the back of more than three decades of involvement with the UAICC and more than a year as the Acting Chairperson.

Born in the Northern New South Wales sugar cane town of Murwillumbah, Dennis moved to Mackay as a pre-schooler with his mother and stepfather. After his schooling Dennis completed a painting and decorating apprenticeship and gravitated to the region’s fast-growing mining industry working in industrial coating before returning to his original trade. In 1989, he began his ministry among Indigenous people in Townsville.

A father and grandfather who has also co-authored two published books on Indigenous theology, Dennis is also Chairperson of the

Congress’ Calvary Presbytery and is the Queensland Chairperson of the UAICC. He is a member of the Covenanting Working Group of Townsville-based Shalom Christian College, and serves as the College Chaplain and Elder to the Board. Dennis also undertakes chaplaincy work in the Townsville Correction Centre and with Blue Care’s aged and rehabilitation operations. He is responsible for Congress’ West End congregation and is the Chairperson of the Wontulp-Bi-Buya College, an Aboriginal theological training centre in Cairns.

Dennis sees an integral role for the UAICC in terms of evangelism, or reawakening the “sleeping” love for God which he believes lies within his people.

Kai’s experience Kai Strobel attends Brougham Place Uniting Church in Adelaide, and is currently in his Honours year of a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biochemistry.

I had been aware of the [About FACE] programme for a while and knew people who’d gone on About FACE previously so I decided to try it out for myself. I wanted a more personal connection to our First Peoples. I brought that to my church and they were really supportive.

I spent my first week of About FACE in the town of Casino in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales. The families we met were so welcoming despite all of the hurt and injustices white people have brought to them. Peoples’ front doors were always open, and there were friends coming and going all the time. Aunty Diane Torrens (NSW/ ACT Congress Chairperson) took us around to meet everyone. The highlight was a gospel rally at Yamba run by local Aboriginal Christian groups that had a real country and western feel to it. Charismatic performances of “Touching Jesus” and “Let the Healing Waters Flow” were very memorable.

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The UAICC National Conference was a lot like other Uniting Church gatherings I’ve been to, like NYALC (National Young Adult Leaders Conference), but there was more of a focus on fellowship and worship. A special moment for me was when Tasmanian Congress told their stories of lament. Afterwards there was a smoking ceremony.

It was a really powerful time and I did a lot of reflecting and thinking about moving forward together.

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Denise’s experience Denise Champion is the Covenanting Coordinator in the Uniting Church SA Synod, and is a UAICC member in SA. She is an Adnyamathanha woman from South Australia and the author of Yarta Wandatha: The land is speaking.

Denise has been involved in the last five About FACE programmes.

The Champion family has always hosted About FACE visitors but this time was very difficult for me. I had sorry business I had to attend to. My sister passed and we buried her on Christmas Eve. So our family has been dealing with a huge loss. The good thing for me was that About FACE brings healing. It’s a safe space for First and Second Peoples to be together and for healing to happen.

One morning [during the programme] I gathered everyone from About FACE and took them on a day tour to Ikara (Wilpena Pound) in the Flinders Ranges. At the Yourambulla Caves, I explained the dreaming story about how the two peaks we call Yura Bila got their names and how they signify our Adnyamathanha moiety groups Arraru (North Wind) or Mathari (South Wind). Our moieties are the foundation of all our Aboriginal relationships and law. They determine who can marry who, and in the old days where you could be buried.

The UAICC conference was a very emotional gathering with lots of hard stories told by our hosts. On the Saturday we went to the annual Putalina Festival near Hobart, run by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre. The place was where the famous Tasmanian Aboriginal woman Truganini ended up. Amid the sad stories of dispossession

and annihilation, it was great to be at the festival to share in the celebration of survival.

For me the highlight of the week was how our young adults in Congress took charge and took responsibility for providing a youth and children’s programme. I was happy to see that our young people are developing into leaders, which gives me hope for our future.

Ian’s experience Rev Ian Hunter is the minister at Semaphore Uniting Church in Adelaide.

One of my ministry goals has been to spend a whole month with Aboriginal people. I grew up in Ontario and had connections with Canada’s First Peoples before I came to Australia. Canada has its own history of dispossession and abuse of First Peoples through what were called “residential schools” – a system in which Christian churches were complicit. So I wanted to understand the context of the First Peoples of Australia better and find out more about their experience.

Through About FACE, I went to Alice Springs where Rev Peter Greenwood (Support Worker, APY [Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara] Lands, Northern Regional Council of Congress) arranged for us to speak to lots of important people including Andrea Mason, Coordinator of the NPY (Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) Women’s Council, and Dr Teem Wing Yip, Coordinator for the Centre for Disease Control in Alice Springs.

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[Through these discussions, it became] clear that Aboriginal people’s identity and hope have been severely challenged.

Dislocation from land and family is such a big issue, and in absence of a strong support network there are high levels of substance abuse and unsafe sexual behaviour. One of the biggest challenges is communication as few doctors and nurses speak Aboriginal languages.

[At the UAICC conference] there was significant worship and sharing at Poatina spread throughout the whole theological spectrum of the Uniting Church – from Pentecostal and evangelical expressions to a post-liberal theology focus on justice and right relationships. Importantly, people had the chance to get up and tell their own stories, sometimes through music and songs, other times through spoken word. It was a real privilege to sit in on meetings and the storytelling, and be alongside the Congress

leaders as they face the challenges ahead of them.

I realised that as a minister I have failed to walk with Congress in covenanting. I will commit to making sure it becomes a much higher priority in my ministry. Social justice issues like refugees get lots of attention in our Church, but we can’t forget that in some ways Aboriginal people are like refugees in their own land. How do we support them and make sure that it’s a priority to be covenanting with them?

Christianity has been life-giving for so many people, but I was challenged that we as Christians have diminished the traditional stories in which people connect with their land and identity. I hope we can build a deeper relationship our Congress brothers and sisters in the future. What’s changed for me [through About FACE and the UAICC conference] is my level of commitment to doing that.

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together A photo taken during a visit to partner churches in the Philippines.

Mutuality: moving forward with a new partnership model Catherine Hoffman

Adrian Nippress’ first five months as International Mission Officer have gone by in a whirlwind of talks with partner churches, collaboration with UnitingWorld and meetings with congregations.

“It was a running start,” Adrian recalls.

“Within a matter of days I was meeting members of the PROK [Presbyterian Church of the Republic of Korea] who arrived from South Korea to visit Uniting Church congregations in Adelaide.”

The relationship between the Uniting Church SA and PROK is one of five church partnerships that Adrian will be seeking to review in 2015, with the others being the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, the United Church in Papua New Guinea, the Church of Christ in Thailand and the Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua (often referred to as GKI) in Papua, Indonesia.

“There have been a lot of changes in the Mission Resourcing ministry centre over the past year or two, including the International Mission team,” says Adrian. “I hope to build on these changes by developing a strategic focus in our partnerships to reflect a higher level of mutuality.”

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Each of the Uniting Church SA’s international church partnerships has undergone changes in the years since establishment, reflecting the changes of the Christian church globally. As church communities have shrunk in a vast majority of congregations in Western countries, numbers have boomed in many Asian and South Pacific countries.

“There is so much we can offer one another through our church partnerships,” Adrian says. “We can learn a great deal from our brothers and sisters across the Asia Pacific region, particularly in terms of evangelism and church growth.

“It has been particularly refreshing and inspiring to learn more about the sense of conviction and fearlessness of ministers from our partner churches in the Philippines as they speak publicly in favour of a just world.”

The Uniting Church SA’s partnership with the North Luzon jurisdiction of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) was developed initially in 1984 with a formal partnership agreement signed in 1992 by Rev Neale Michael, the Moderator at the time. Since then, the Uniting Church SA has connected with Indigenous communities

in North Luzon to assist with preserving their traditions and languages. The church has also played a key role in developing the theological college in the region, and there are plans to support a more active relationship between this institution and the Adelaidebased Uniting College of Leadership & Theology in the future. Visits between the two countries have proven to be valuable learning experiences for all involved.

At the November 2013 meeting of the Presbytery and Synod of South Australia, members also made the decision to partner with the relatively newly formed Middle Luzon jurisdiction of the UCCP (the Victoria/ Tasmania Synod the Uniting Church is actively involved in South Luzon).

“In mid-April 2015, Uniting Church SA Moderator Dr Deidre Palmer and I will be undertaking a mission trip to the Philippines.

During this visit, we will formalise our partnership agreement with the UCCP in Middle Luzon and renew our agreement with our North Luzon partners,” says Adrian.

“We will also convey our shared pursuit of the mission of God through justice and support strategies.”

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Left and centre: Photos taken during trips to Thailand and the Philippines, respectively. Right: Members of PROK in South Korea visiting South Australia in 2014.

The partnership with the Middle Luzon jurisdiction builds upon a relationship between the Marisol settlement near Angeles City in Middle Luzon and the Urban Mission Network (UMN). The member churches of the UMN, particularly Pilgrim Uniting Church in Adelaide, are responsible for coordinating a clean water supply project with a local community organisation in the Marisol settlement area.

“It has been exciting seeing how many of our congregations have existing partnerships and relationships with communities in our partner churches – I hope to encourage and support them in continuing these connections,” Adrian continues.

“I would suggest that congregations interested in connecting with a partner should consider engaging with existing projects through UnitingWorld.”

In 2015, Adrian will continue to develop the relationships between the Uniting Church SA and the five partner churches. As part of this process, he is aiming to establish a series of working groups to strategically review how these partnerships can be most effective.

“As part of the working group discussion, we’ll be looking at how our partnerships fit with the ‘five marks of mission,’ [see the breakout box for more information],” he says.

“The last 12 months in International Mission have been a challenging time of change and reviewing – I’m excited about moving forward.”

For further information about international mission and church partnerships, please contact Adrian Nippress on 8236 4203 or anippress@sa.uca.org.au

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Five marks of mission

The five marks of mission were first created by the Anglican Consultative Council in 1984.

In slightly varying forms, they have since been adopted by numerous denominations who have used them as the basis of action plans and new ideas in the mission field.

This is one version of the five marks of mission: Tell – to share the gospel and proclaim the Good News Teach – to nurture discipleship and faith formation, to teach and baptise Tend – to respond to human need by loving service, to live in a Christ-like manner, caring and tending to others’ needs Transform – to seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence and pursue peace and reconciliation Treasure – to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and seek the renewal and reconciliation of life

It’s not too late for Lent Event!

Although Lent began in February, there’s still time to get involved in Lent Event by supporting projects and accessing resources through UnitingWorld. The Uniting Church SA ceased developing their own Lent Event materials several years ago, and currently work in partnership with UnitingWorld.

Lent is a time for Christians to renew and develop their faith as they reflect through prayer and sacrifice. UnitingWorld offers a range of resources to assist in this reflection, including a Bible study, worship resources, children’s resources, daily prayers, information about donating to projects, and more. They also inform Uniting Church members of international mission projects that people are encouraged to support as part of their Lenten sacrifice, growth and reflection.

International Mission Officer Adrian Nippress has identified a number of Lent Event projects that connect directly to Uniting Church SA communities and international partnerships, and align with the United Nations’ post-2015 Millennium Development Goals. These include: • Education for disadvantaged children in North India • Partnering women for change (this includes addressing issues of gender violence, particularly in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific) • Training midwives in South Sudan • Water and sanitation in Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe For more information on Lent Event projects and resources, please visit lentevent.com or contact the Lent Event office on (02) 8267 4267 or info@lentevent.com

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together

Children attending KCO in past years.

Ministry over multiple generations Rev Anne Hewitt

For over 36 years, KCO (KUCA [Kids of the Uniting Church in Australia) Camp Out) has been an important part of the life of young people in the Uniting Church in South Australia, and has touched lives across many generations.

More than 1,200 people attended KCO in 2014. Amongst these leaders, volunteers and campers were the grandchildren and greatgrandchildren of people who assisted or attended KCO over the years since its inception in 1979. Throughout this time, children and leaders have shared in amazing experiences of learning, faith and growth – many are able to reflect on their time spent at KCO with older members of their congregations or communities, forming connections across generations.

At KCO, participants aged between seven and 12 are also provided with a sense of what it is like to be part of a wider church community – beyond their own congregations or Sunday morning programmes.

Children interact with people from churches and faith communities across South Australia, helping them to experience the wonderful diversity offered by the Uniting Church.

KCO is a living expression of Christian family and community across generations, with gifts shared through people of all ages in ministry together. Children experience people sharing their time and talents, giving without expecting return. The children who attend are regularly able to see examples of people of all ages living out and speaking about their faith.

In 2015, the KCO theme is “A-OK,” which stands for “Acts of Kindness.” Kindness and generosity are at the heart of KCO with members of the wider church family giving their time and talents in many ways. These include tasks such as organising or leading groups, setting up campsites, lending items, donating food, being involved in worship, cooking, leading activities or stalls, taking part in a musical drama, and much more.

Under the leadership of KCO Event Officer Jo Lohmeyer, the 2015 KCO Team has been planning and preparing for the camp since

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October last year. Over 100 team members have generously acted to support KCO in 2015 through their participation in the Admin Team (Welcome, Registrations, Shop), the Care Team (Duty of Care, Chaplains, Prayer, Catering), Program Team (Stage, Create, Play, Explore, Sunday Morning Games, KCO Radio, Uniting Technology Team, Worship, Band, Devotions, Venue Design, Comperes) and the Services Team (Logistics, Security and Crew).

The many leaders and volunteers involved in KCO offer their time and gifts as an expression of their love for God, the church and their community. However, it can be difficult for some of the Uniting Church’s busier or older members to get involved in the practical ways listed above. For those still wishing to be involved in supporting this intergenerational ministry, the KCO Team is pleased to announce a new avenue for providing support.

While KCO and church congregations aim to keep camp registration prices as low as possible, the cost is sometimes too high for disadvantaged families, particularly those with more than one child.

Members of the wider Uniting Church have a new opportunity to offer practical assistance by sponsoring a child to attend KCO. Funds could be raised collectively within a church community (through a local mission offering) or by making a financial gift as an individual or family. Through this act of kindness, Uniting Church members of all ages are able to help more children to experience the enriching growth, education and fun of KCO. Gifts of any amount will be much appreciated. KCO registration costs $40 in addition to food and transport costs determined by individual church groups. Gifts can be given via a cheque addressed to “Uniting Church in Australia” and posted to KCO, GPO Box 2145, Adelaide 5001.

A note should be attached to the cheque stating that it is a gift towards sponsoring a child to attend KCO. For information about electronic payments, please send an email to kco@sa.uca.org.au For further information about KCO, please visit sa.uca.org.au/kco or contact the KCO Event Office on kco@sa.uca.org.au or 8236 4246.

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Introducing Christina Cook With KCO and SAYCO Event Officer Jo Lohmeyer on maternity leave, the Uniting Young People team is pleased to welcome Christina Cook to their ranks. New Times spoke to Christina about her background and her new role.

Can you tell our readers a little about yourself?

I’m originally from Canberra and recently moved to Adelaide where I’ve started attending Westbourne Park Uniting Church with my family. I have two young sons aged 12 and 14, meaning they fall easily into the KCO and SAYCO (South Australian Youth Camp Out) age brackets. Before having my children, I was active in youth ministry and organising youth camps, but my working background is in the agricultural sector and quarantine operations.

What sort of experience have you had with youth ministry and camps in the past?

Growing up I regularly went on church youth camps, including the Beach Mission program on the NSW south coast and the Katoomba Youth Convention. The highlights for me included fellowship with other Christians of all ages and stages, mentorship from older Christians, excellent teaching and lots of good, clean fun!

Throughout high school, I also attended Inter-School Christian Fellowship (ISCF) groups at lunchtime, and when I started working I volunteered to run an ISCF group at a local girls’ high school. I ran the group for around four years, and each year I would run a camp for this group and for two other local schools’ ISCF groups. The purpose of these camps was to encourage and teach the groups, and to build networks and relationships between young Christians that could continue into adulthood. We sought to combine good teaching with great fun, using strong Christian role models to inspire and guide.

What are you hoping to bring to your new role in the Synod office?

I am hoping to bring the organisational and administrative skills I developed during my time working in the public sector. I am also keen to contribute my personal experience as a mother to the planning of KCO and SAYCO. I think that I am going to be learning a lot about event management on a large scale!

What do you hope children who attend KCO will learn this year?

I am hoping that the kids will walk away from KCO with a good understanding of how to show kindness to others in response to the ultimate act of kindness that Christ showed for us when he died on the cross.

A shared Easter experience The Uniting Young People team has created a comprehensive Easter resource, which explores the theme of this year’s Uniting Church SA Easter postcards – “Together in mourning and joy.”

The Uniting Young People resource opens with a discussion about all-age worship, sometimes referred to as intergenerational or multigenerational worship. The resource provides a definition for all-age worship, detailing reasons to include all generations in worship together, and how to plan all-age services.

In addition to this, the resource outlines the many ways that all people – children and adults alike – learn. It highlights the importance of addressing these different learning styles in worship planning.

The resource provides suggestions on ways to incorporate visuals, music, movement, relationships, science and mathematics, nature, sermons, and sacraments to ensure everyone can easily grasp the central points covered in church services.

Worship notes specific to Easter, and particularly the theme of “Together in mourning and joy,” are covered next in the resource.

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This addresses the grief we experience during Lent and on Good Friday as we reflect on Jesus’ death and our own role in his suffering.

It also expresses the joy we feel as we rejoice over Christ’s resurrection and the promise of new life. The resource explores the role of mourning in Scripture, the connection between Easter and baptism, and the importance of “togetherness.”

An Easter Bible study and detailed sample all-age worship service are the last items contained in the document.

Easter is frequently a time of intergenerational celebration as families join together over the long weekend. The Uniting Young People Easter resource gives churches tools to engage with people of all ages over Easter.

The Uniting Young People Easter resource is available at sa.uca.org.au/uyp/resources For more information about Uniting Young People, please call 8236 4239.

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ministry centres

Secretariat – Communications Since April 2014, New Times has run a series of articles about the various ministry centres of the Uniting Church in South Australia. This month’s articles focusses on the Communications team, which is part of the Secretariat ministry centre.

The Communications team is a vibrant group of creative and artistic types who enjoy writing and creating, and promoting the life-giving work undertaken by the body of Christ that is the Uniting Church SA. Communications provides a large number of services to different ministry centres and congregations.

New Times, which is published for distribution on the first Sunday of every month (excluding January), is one of the services Communications offers. It can be read online at sa.uca.org.au/new-times or in print, and congregations are encouraged to distribute hard copies of New Times along with their weekly newsletter as it contains information relevant to the entire Uniting Church SA community.

Communications also coordinates the publication of a free weekly online newsletter, UC e-News, which is sent via email to those who subscribe. Distributed every Wednesday afternoon, this online newsletter is a great way to advertise upcoming events, educational opportunities, inductions, ordinations and much more. All Uniting Church members are invited to submit items to UC e-News.

Notices in the newsletter must be less than 70 words long, and submissions are requested by 10am on the day the newsletter is distributed.

Many congregations also utilise UC e-News, along with New Times, to advertise employment opportunities. For more information on how to submit a notice or to subscribe to UC e-News, please visit sa.uca.org.au/uc-e-news Another online publication used to update the Presbytery and Synod of South Australia is the UC e-Update, which is distributed each evening following the South Australia Presbytery and Synod meeting. This is sent to people who have chosen to subscribe to UC e-News.

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Three members of the Communications team (pictured above) work full time with the rest working on a part time basis.

Communications also produces a Uniting Church SA calendar annually, which provides members with important dates, the financial report and lectionary readings for the year ahead. The dates included are supplemented by those offered in New Times, UC e-News, and on the Uniting Church SA website. The updates to this website are also in the domain of the Communications team, assisting ministry centres in providing up-to-date information to the wider Uniting Church SA. In addition to offering news sources for individuals, the Communications team offers support to congregations on a wider basis through the provision of Easter and Christmas postcards and posters to advertise seasonal church services.

Support for congregations also includes a congregational website offering, which will be receiving a significant upgrade in 2015.

Further details regarding this development will be available at the March and June Presbytery and Synod meetings. In the mean time, please contact congregationalweb@ sa.uca.org.au for more information regarding congregational websites.

CommUnity Day was an initiative which developed out of the 2007-2012 Strategic Plan. In 2015, congregations will be able to add events to a dedicated CommUnity Days page, which will provide a diary of Uniting Church events that have a community focus. This initiative will be accessible at communitydays.org.au Other activities include social media assistance and maintenance of the Uniting Church Uniting People Facebook page (facebook.com/UnitingChurch.

UnitingPeople), and the production of brochures, flyers, business cards, newsletters, logos and branding for congregations, signs, online content - including video and photographs, and publicity advice, including assistance with events and promotional campaigns.

The Communications team is grateful for the support of congregations and ministry centres, and looks forward to being of further assistance in the future.

For more information about the work of the Communications team, please email communications@sa.uca.org.au or call 8236 4249.

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magazine

Adelaide Angels for the Homeless volunteers gathered for Christmas in 2014.

Digging deep to help the homeless Emma Kent

On Christmas Day in 2014, approximately 50 volunteers left their family celebrations to gather at House International Uniting Church in Adelaide’s city centre to feed the less fortunate.

Stef Joseph, a 25-year-old administration clerk and model from Panorama, took over the Adelaide Angels for the Homeless in 2010 after the previous host fell ill. The purpose of the Adelaide Angels group is to enrich and aid those who are currently homeless or in a situation without housing at Christmas and Easter.

“My mum always told us to look after those that are less fortunate,” says Stef when asked what inspired him to take over the task. Stef runs the Christmas and Easter events, and volunteers on the six-week roster for House International’s Sunday Night Dinner programme.

At the recent Christmas event, the lunch guests gathered outside House International Uniting Church on Pitt Street, Adelaide in anticipation of the festivities inside. As they entered they were welcomed by Rachel Sanderson, the Liberal State Member for Adelaide. Guests were then served a Christmas lunch of turkey, ham, salads and extraordinary desserts, including a macaron tower and gingerbread houses. The guests could also be treated with a haircut if they desired.

Next Christmas, Stef will look to expand the event and plans to host

Induction service On Sunday 1 February, Rev Do Young Kim was inducted as Minister of the Word at Adelaide Korean Uniting Church in St Morris.

The service, which was led by Uniting Church SA Moderator Dr Deidre Palmer, was conducted in both English and Korean.

Do Young comes to South Australia from the Korean Presbytery in the NSW/ACT Synod, where last December he was the first candidate from that Presbytery to be ordained.

The Uniting Church in South Australia welcomes Rev Do Young Kim into this exciting ministry role.

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a lunch in Melbourne in addition to the one in Adelaide.

Daniel Blackman a 29-year-old photographer from Adelaide, has volunteered with Adelaide Angels for the last three years, and is excited by the plans to expand. “I like to give – it’s a nice feeling to do something for people that have less,” he says.

“Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without this. It’s the true meaning of Christmas,” Stef adds.

A number of local businesses pulled together to help support the Christmas lunch, including Haigh’s and The Mac Factory. Fullarton volunteer Karen Jones and Glenunga Gourmet Meats supplied most of the meat for the Christmas meal. Supplies also came from the volunteers and the general public.

Stef was overwhelmed by the amount of support locals gave t o the Adelaide Angels Christmas event, and hopes this generosity will continue as the group plans their upcoming Easter dinner, which will be held at House International on Sunday 5 April.

Adelaide Angels for the Homeless is seeking volunteers to serve and prepare food, assist with set-up and donate goods.

For more information about Adelaide Angels for the Homeless or the Easter dinner, please contact Stef via email on stefan_joseph@ outlook.com or register your interest through the Facebook page at facebook.com/adelaideangels

g e t t i n g t o k n o w. . .

Yankalilla Uniting Church Yankalilla Uniting Church first opened its doors in 1879. Amongst its members were a number of people who held key leadership positions in the local community, in addition to a large number of active farmers and shopkeepers. The present congregation still has these elements, although it is now largely made up of people who have retired to the Yankalilla area.

Worship services at Yankalilla offer a unique mix of traditional and contemporary music, which is enhanced by an electric keyboard, organ, banjo and guitar. Each service involves Bible readings, times of reflection, a call to worship and prayers of intercession.

The members of Yankalilla also participate in a prayer chain, which works as a means of communicating urgent prayer needs. Outside of the congregation, Yankalilla participates in Lenten studies that are shared across the Parish and different denominations. They also hold a monthly Sunday service at the Yankalilla Nursing Home. The congregation offers Adult Fellowship, sewing mornings, “Stitch and Chat” and “Widows at the Bakery” programmes.

Although the congregation of Yankalilla is relatively small with an average attendance of approximately 45 people, its members are heavily involved in volunteer work in the local community. Members occupy major

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roles in many local organisations, including the Country Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Ambulance Service, Meals on Wheels, Over 50’s Club, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Probus Club, the local museum and the Visitor Information Centre.

As a country church in a town that has a strong community spirt, Yankalilla also frequently cooperates with other denominations in ecumenical activities.

The local churches offer an annual Carols Night and provide support for Christian Pastoral Support Workers in the area. The churches work together to provide a special luncheon prior to the start of the school term in order to welcome new teachers to the community and show appreciation to the other staff members. Yankalilla also operates an op shop with the local Anglican congregation. The proceeds from this endeavour benefit both churches and the wider community.

For many years, the Yankalilla congregation has organised a “Harvest Tea.” Although the format has changed since its inception, it remains an event strongly supported by members of other denominations. Funds raised by this event go to special causes and people in need – locally and overseas.

Last year, the funds went to support women in Pakistan by enabling them to purchase sewing machines. This year, the proceeds are

going to Blaze Aid to help support those ravaged by fire.

The Yankalilla congregation offers a number of other outreach programmes to the local community. These include the “Sunscreen and Sippers” project, which is held in the gazebo at Normanville beach during the “Learn to Swim” campaign. At this event, members of the church give away ice blocks and sunscreen while engaging in conversation with locals.

Another successful outreach has been the church’s monthly cooked breakfast at the Men’s Shed. Guest speakers visit some of these breakfasts, while other focus on a specific discussion topic. Both churched and unchurched people are invited to share in this morning of friendship and fellowship.

Members of the Yankalilla congregation are involved in the local area school, offering gifts of music, art and pottery. The church’s “Knitting Nannas” also treat students and teachers to a Christmas Lunch and school breakfasts.

Yankalilla Uniting Church is heavily involved in numerous community activities and endeavours, acting as Christ’s hands and feet to those around them. The love and affection of the local community is a blessing to the church’s members and is a reminder of the joy of the Spirit.

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diary REFUGEE ART EXHIBITION. Pilgrim Uniting Church (12 Flinders St, Adelaide) will continue to host the Faces of a Refugee Story art exhibition daily from 12-2pm until Friday 13 March. This collection of portraits of 14 former refugees brings human faces to the plight of refugees and focusses on storytelling. The stories told by refugees have been transcribed in a booklet that is available at the exhibition.

QUIET DAYS. Stillpoint Spirituality Centre (5 Burnell Drive, Belair) will hold two quiet days and one Lenten quiet day in the coming months.

The Lenten quiet day will be held on Friday 6 March, 9.30am – 4pm.

A Spiritual Director will be on hand for this self-led retreat using View from the Edge written by Lynona Hawkins. The quiet days on Wednesday 25 March and Wednesday 22 April will allow people to set aside a day or part of a day for a time of rest, reflection and renewal. For information about costs, please contact Stillpoint on 8178 0048 or email stillpoint@internode.on.net or visit stillpoint.unitingchurchsa.org.au CARING FOR EX-OFFENDERS TRAINING will be held at Parafield Gardens Uniting Church (3 Shepherdson Rd, Parafield Gardens) on Saturday 7 March, 8.30am-4pm. Run by the William Wilberforce Foundation, this seminar will focus on helping and educating those in our churches about how to best care for, support and include exoffenders within our communities. Cost is $25 and includes morning and afternoon tea, and a BBQ lunch. Register at stickytickets.com.au/23039 or contact Josh Scherer on joshpguc@bigpond.com or 8285 7104.

GARAGE SALE on Saturday 7 March, 9am - 1pm at The Corner Uniting Church (cnr Oaklands and Diagonal Rds, Warradale). Lots of great bargains with stalls including plants, cakes, clothes, books and more! Sausage sizzle, scones, jam & cream, coffee and cold drinks. For more information, please visit thecorner.org.au or call 8350 5400.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY EVENT. The Uniting Church SA Historical Society will host Dr David Hilliard, Adjunct Professor in History at Flinders University, on Sunday 8 March, 2.30pm at Church of the Trinity (318 Goodwood Rd, Clarence Park). David will share insights from a late 19th century publication based on a series of articles by a reporter named Quiz who visited Adelaide’s Sunday services in the 1890s. For further information, please contact Rev Dr Dean Eland on 0419 112 603 or djeland@bigpond.com

QUIET DAY RETREAT. Pilgrim Uniting Church will hold a retreat midway through the Lenten season on Saturday 14 March, 9.30am-3.30pm. The theme “Standing on Holy Ground” will connect attendees to the grounding experience of the ashes and dust of Ash Wednesday, and to the new life arising from the ground in celebrations of Easter. BYO lunch, refreshments provided. For further information, please contact Helen or Jana on 8212 3295.

PIPE ORGAN APPEAL CONCERT. Payneham Road Uniting Church (341 Payneham Rd, Marden) will hold a Pipe Organ Appeal Concert on Saturday 21 March at 7pm. Enjoy the many musical talents of the Payneham Road community, including vocalists Yvonne Sinclair and Vincent Kim of Adelaide Harmony Choir, local pop artist Kelly Yun, and organists Roger Wyatt and David Annear. Followed by a light supper. Admission $10.

For further information, please contact Rev Jill Lienert on 8333 2640.

CORNISH CHOIR PERFORMANCE on Sunday 22 March, 2pm at The Corner Uniting Church (cnr Oaklands and Diagonal Rds, Warradale).

All are welcome to join for a pleasant Sunday afternoon listening to the Cornish Choir and enjoying afternoon tea. $10 per person at the door.

For more information, please visit thecorner.org.au or call 8350 5400.

STATE MISSION FELLOWSHIP. Tuesday 24 March, 10.30am at Scots Church (North Terrace, Adelaide). Speaker: Rev Ruthmary Bond, City Soul.

Come early for morning tea and stay for lunch, $5. Enquiries at 82613843.

All welcome to join this great time of fellowship and hearing mission stories.

CHURCH FETE. Aldinga Uniting Church (Old Coach Rd, Aldinga) will hold a church fete on Saturday 28 March from 8.30am until midafternoon. The fete will feature a variety of stalls including plants, books and preserves, a sausage sizzle, and delicious morning and afternoon teas.

There will also be an opportunity to purchase church pews that are surplus to requirements. For further information, please contact Judy on 8556 4292.

A THIN PLACE on Sunday 29 March, 5.30pm - 6.30pm at The Corner Uniting Church (cnr Oaklands and Diagonal Rds, Warradale). A Thin Place is a multi sensory, creative, experiential worship experience. Join members of The Corner as they explore the gospel of Matthew through images and artworks. For more information, please visit thecorner.org.au or call 8350 5400.

To have your upcoming event or message published here, email diary@sa.uca.org.au with ‘Diary’ in the subject line.

letters to the editor

Rethinking who we are It is appropriate that this month’s theme in New Times is “Together” because this is one of the keys which God has given to surviving the next few years.

As I mentioned at the most recent meeting of Presbytery and Synod, God has spoken through the world’s elite in the prophetic, warning that he is bringing redemptive judgements on the nations of the earth.

God is fashioning a perfect storm, starting by bringing down the world’s economy, probably this year. Folk such as John Paul Jackson (preparingfortheperfectstorm.com) and Terry Bennett (terrybennett. net) are also warning that, amongst other things, God will cause Israel to attack Iran, that there will be an international oil crisis, the Mount Rainier volcano will explode, and that God will cause the New Madrid earthquake fault to shake.

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If these folk are correct then we should re-assess our theology and return to a more Biblical vision of God and the church.

P. Harbison, Somerton Park

Send your letters to: newtimes@sa.uca.org.au or PO Box 2145, Adelaide 5001.

Be topical, be brief, be timely.

Letters over 150 words will be edited; responses to previous letters /articles will be considered within two months of the original item’s publication only.

All letters are published at the editorial team’s discretion.

positions vacant

Uniting College offers ESL course Last year, Karen Vanlint was appointed to the new position of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Coordinator at the Uniting College for Leadership & Theology. In this article, Karen shares a little of her experience and informs readers of a new course being offered through the college in 2015.

The commitment of Uniting College to the “whole people of God” resulted in my appointment as CALD Coordinator last year. What a thrill it has been, researching how the CALD members of our community can be better educated and trained for ministry.

Upon starting in this role, my aim was to find out what was already being done in CALD groups, with specific input from the groups themselves. I found a surprising diversity and number of communities, and I am still in the process of meeting people. It has been wonderful to share the journey with the community leaders, and hear about some of the issues that they struggle with.

In addition to talking with CALD groups, I have investigated many English as a Second Language (ESL) models from around the country, including higher education for particular languages, “special skills” teaching, study mentors for “at risk” students, and a whole variety of accredited and non-accredited studies. In my research, I found surprisingly little being offered specifically for ESL ministry.

After taking the results of my investigation to Uniting College, the decision was made to offer a Certificate in Bible and Leadership for ESL. This is a new course taught in a supportive ESL context.

It contains a Bible overview, leadership skills, discipleship, practical ministry elements, and learning the language of theology. The course will be held weekly at Parafield Gardens Uniting Church from 9.30am12noon each Thursday.

For more information about the Certificate in Bible and Leadership for ESL, please contact Karen Vanlint on karen.vanlint@flinders.edu.au or 0434 951 238.

Further information about other courses offered by Uniting College for Leadership & Theology is available online at unitingcollege.org.au or by calling 8416 8420.

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Transforming Justice Co-ordinator, Transform Unit (previously Justice Unit), Mission Resourcing Uniting Church in Australia, Presbytery & Synod of South Australia This is a permanent, part-time (0.5 FTE) coordinator/research/ advocacy placement.

The Transforming Justice Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating the Justice and Solidarity work of the Mission Resourcing team, particularly in supporting congregations, networks and the leaders of the Presbytery and Synod of the Uniting Church in SA. This position is within the Transform Unit, complementing the existing areas of: covenanting (between First and Second Peoples), mission and ministry with CALD people, international mission and partner church relationships, evangelism and new forms of faith community.

The Transform Unit will support the Moderator and General Secretary in matters of public policy around justice and advocacy concerns and church-related issues, and involves membership of research task group and committees.

Details are provided in the Position Description & Person Specification which is available at sa.uca.org.au/pastoralrelations/placements-vacant Please forward applications addressing the selection criteria of the Position Description & Person Specification to akoh-butler@ sa.uca.org.au by 5pm on Thursday 12 March 2015.

Position Available from: 1 April 2015 (negotiable) For further information, please contact Rev Amelia Koh-Butler on (08) 8236 4208, 0427 955 157 or akoh-butler@sa.uca.org.au

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Regular workshops at Blackwood and Ascot Park, and additional venues coming soon. I can also come to you! Suitable for beginners and advanced. All workshop details at www.cardsbyfiona.blogspot.com. au Contact Fiona Meier on 0424-269-039 for program details to be mailed to you or to make a booking.

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Our multicultural community Many Uniting Church congregations across South Australia are made up of people with a wide variety of cultural backgrounds – but few as diverse as those of Payneham Road Uniting Church! In this article, Jan Carpenter shares her experiences as Chairperson of Payneham Road’s multicultural Church Council.

A sign by the footpath outside the church building declares to the wider community that Payneham Road Uniting Church is a church of welcome to all. The word “welcome” is on the sign in seven different languages.

Our welcome at Payneham Road is extended to the many new people who worship with us, coming from approximately 13 different countries, and to those who live around us. Due to study commitments, some people may only stay a year or two, but continue to maintain contact via Facebook, Skype and email. Others have become permanent residents in our community.

We are family. We love and care for each other.

Over the past couple of years, our congregation has intentionally invited and encouraged people who were born in other countries to come onto the Payneham Road Uniting Church Council. Of the 10 members on the church council in 2015, five were born overseas and have English as a second language. This reflects the demographic of our congregation. These council members bring fresh insights, new ideas and gifts. We are all learning a great deal as we share and work together.

We can no longer take for granted that everyone “understands,” or that because “that’s the way it’s always been done” makes it the only way it can be done. We seek to understand other peoples’ culture, to explain Australian culture, and to be gracious and accepting of each other in the process.

The Payneham Toad Uniting Church Council in 2015. From left to right – David Heilbronn (Australia), Heather Schubert (Australia), Tangikina Steen (Tonga), Jill Lienert (Australia), Kerry Jaensch (Australia), Jan Carpenter (Australia), Steven Zhang (Cambodia), Meng Kheng Tan (Maylasia) and Jana Guo (China). Woody Lee (South Korea) not shown. Photo by Vincent Kim.

We are one growing congregation, one growing family, composed of many different peoples all working together.

For more information about Payneham Road Uniting Church, please visit payneham.unitingchurchsa.org.au or call 8333 2640.

Australia Day recognition A number of members of the Uniting Church in Australia were recognised in the Australia Day Honours List. Four South Australians with Uniting Church SA affiliations were awarded the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia, and Rev Gregor Henderson was appointed Member (AM) of the Order of Australia.

Dr David Hilliard was recognised for his service to education through the study of the history of religion. His long term history of volunteer service to the Adelaide Theological Society, Adelaide Catholic Archdiocesan Archives, Uniting Church History Centre in Adelaide, and Anglicare was applauded.

Margaret Martlew was honoured for her service to the communities of Port Elliot and Victor Harbor. She is the Port Elliott representative to the South Coast Christian Community Care outreach, founded the West Croyden Uniting Church youth group in the 1970s, and cofounded the Port Elliot Uniting Church Kids Club.

Also from the Port Elliot region, Milton Rowe was recognised for his service to the Uniting Church in Australia. Milton has long served as a

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volunteer lay preacher across a range of areas in South Australia. He has also held key positions on church councils and in Sunday Schools.

Edna Wheaton of Kingscote was recognised for service to the community of Kangaroo Island. She has strong involvement in Kangaroo Island Uniting Church, and was responsible for building the Methodist Church Hall at Kelly Hill Caves in the 1950s.

Rev Gregor Henderson, a former President of the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly, was appointed Member (AM) of the Order of Australia. He was recognised for significant service to the community through executive and ministerial roles in the Uniting Church in Australia, and through interfaith initiatives. In addition to his role as President, Gregor was General Secretary of the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly, Director of the Clergy Exchange International Foundation, Chairman of Christian World Service, Chair of the John Flynn Foundation, and Chairman of the Board of Frontier Services, in addition to holding several ministry positions in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania.

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A young visitor enjoys the Pilgrim Uniting Church Community Garden. This photo was taken by Peter Russell and is used with permission.

How green is my church?

Jeff Telfer

Greening the church is an idea whose time has come. It is about the church being true to its understanding of the sanctity of the earth.

God’s Spirit is nudging us to be aware of what we are doing to our earthly home and to all its inhabitants, including humans. Among our number in the Uniting Church are many people who are raising awareness, alarmed at the way we as a species are destroying the environment which gives life to us and all living things on this planet.

The “Green Church” movement is a collective response by people of faith to the issue of how we can face up to such a multi-dimensional challenge to how we live. Acting together helps us as individuals to maintain our commitment, and to feel that we are part of something bigger. We can make a stronger witness when we work together.

Many denominations, congregations and individuals are taking action to reduce their power and water consumption. There are churches with solar panels on roofs; inefficient lights have been changed to types that are more energy efficient; water tanks have been installed to reduce the consumption of mains water; water heaters and heating for buildings have been updated. These are all worthwhile things to do, and are reflective of what many people have done at home.

With incentives from utilities and the government they are often cost effective, too.

One of the challenges facing churches everywhere is how to maintain buildings at the standards that are expected in our generally affluent and materialistic society. If we can make simple changes to reduce consumption of water and energy at the same time as doing upgrades we will be playing a small part in making a greener world.

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Changes outside buildings are more visible, and are likely to attract attention and influence passers-by. One of the ways some churches have done this is by setting up community gardens.

The photograph above comes from Pilgrim Uniting Church in the centre of Adelaide, and shows what can be done even in built-up areas.

The Adelaide City Council provided soil and materials, and church members put together the portable plant beds. Produce is available to anyone wanting it, and provides nourishing fresh vegetables and herbs, in addition to acting as a symbol of the church’s engagement with the wider local community.

Maroubra Junction Uniting Church in metropolitan Sydney has received awards for its innovative and energetic approach to spreading the message about the need to consume less. The church has installed water tanks, grey water recycling systems and solar water heaters to reduce energy and water usage. Members have been encouraged to buy green power to reduce greenhouse emissions from electricity production. The church also owns a small car and some batterypowered electric mowers which are available for use in the community at a low cost. It makes a gentle statement to the community about the need to conserve and share, values which are often forgotten in the competitive world in which we live.

This is the second of a series of articles which members of the recentlyestablished Synod Environment Advisory Group have undertaken to contribute to New Times in 2015. Through these articles, the group hopes to inform readers about environmental responsibilities and the urgent need to change the way we think and behave.

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Lent – an invitation to go a bit deeper When reading through past editions of New Times recently, the current editorial team discovered numerous articles that remain relevant for Uniting Church readers today. Amongst these was the following gem on the topic of Lent, which was originally published in March 1988 and written by Rev George O’Neill and Ann Siddall. Dates have been updated to reflect those of Lent in 2015.

Lent is a season which puzzles many Uniting Church people. We are not quite sure how to celebrate it, other than by undertaking a special study or giving up chocolate! But for those prepared to give it a little time and attention it can be a period of great spiritual richness and a deepening of our response to the love of God. Lent is the 40-day period recognised by the church as a preparation for Easter. This year it began on Wednesday 18 February. Its observance dates back to the 4th Century, and may have originated in the prescribed feast for candidates for baptism. Forty days was a traditional period for fasting, and references are made to it as a period of spiritual significance for Moses, Elijah and Jesus. Over the centuries, what began as a strict fast of taking only one meal a day for six weeks became very relaxed, even in religious communities who were noted for their scrupulous attendance to religious practices.

Lent is traditionally a period of penitence and self-examination.

The notion of being penitent or of making a formal confession is not a familiar or even attractive one to many people in our denomination.

Unless we are clear in our understanding about the context and meaning of penitence it can degenerate into morbid introspection.

It is important that we first understand ourselves to be created in the image of God, and objects of God’s love and blessing. Our life’s journey is a call to holiness (wholeness), maturity and ministry.

Through Christ we are offered reconciliation, freedom and eternal life. To see penitence as an examination of our lifestyle in response to this call offers us the framework for healthy self-examination. Against this understanding of our call to holiness most of us will sense the need for periodic reflection on our lives, and the need to seek the help of the Spirit in our response to God. Lent is the invitation for us to take extra time to use some of the traditional practices that have helped people pay attention to God and consider their lifestyle in response to his call. Here are some practical suggestions: • Take an extended prayer time each day. Use it to pick up some of the issues that have been neglected in prayer. For instance, are you happy about the kind of life you are living or do you feel you are on a treadmill?

• Bible reading can become haphazard, but Lent offers an opportunity to read one entire gospel by doing half a chapter a day. Take time over the words, ask God to reveal Godself to you, and dwell on any thought or phrase which seems to stand out.

Doing this together as a family or community can bring new insights and lead into interesting discussions.

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This artistic image accompanied the original 1988 article.

Many churches offer more frequent services of worship and Holy Communion during Lent, and we can take the opportunity to attend these as part of our celebration of the season. The extra time needed for these activities may mean we need to give up watching a television programme, miss playing bowls, or even miss a meal.

The result of following these suggestions might mean that we wish to repair a relationship, make a response to neglected people in our society, treasure the environment a little more, or adopt a more healthy and creative lifestyle.

Lent is God’s invitation to go a little deeper, to savour God’s goodness and to respond to God’s love. And it can bring us to Easter with a more sensitive appreciation of Christ’s death and a more joyful celebration of his resurrection.

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