New Times - August 2006

August 2006

Issue 25, Number 7 PP 565 001/00190 ISSN 0726-2612

Get on with our mission THE NEW President of the Uniting Church has challenged local congregations across the country to get on with mission.

He wants them to find new ways to connect with the 80 per cent of Australians who no longer have regular contact with the church.

Rev Gregor Henderson was installed as the 11th President of the Uniting Church in Australia in Brisbane last month.

Gregor said the church needs to focus on being at worship and at mission if it is to reach out and connect with those outside it.

Congregations need to let God’s living Word excite and inspire them, he said.

Gregor said that, while debates about what is “essential” or “not essential” to the faith are healthy, disagreements over theology and pastoral issues like sexuality and leadership (that sometimes descend into personal denigration and abuse) hurt the church’s mission to engage with God’s world and people.

“These are shameful behaviours, not worthy of Christians,” he said.

“At a time of extraordinarily increasing wealth in this country, how can we justify the fact that the gap between rich and poor is wider than ever before in our history, and how can we accept that there are people in this country who every day are victims of poverty, racism, physical or sexual abuse, homelessness?”

MIDDLE EAST APPEAL: Kaylea Fearn, of Simply Sharing Week, was in Adelaide recently to encourage people to live simply so others may simply live. The initiative is a joint venture of Caritas Australia, Christian World Service and the National Council of Churches. Church aid and development agencies have launched an appeal for the Middle East. See page 13.

inside…

President-elect REV ALISTAIR MACRAE, principal of the Centre for Theology and Ministry, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, will succeed Rev Gregor Henderson when the Assembly next meets in 2009.

Website THE 11TH ASSEMBLY site had 16,000 visitors from July 4 to July 16. A total of 67,200 pages were viewed.

There are reports on the 11th Assembly in this issue of New Times and on the Unitng Church SA website www.sa.uca.org.au

Evangelism and friendship

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Pastor’s the word

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Find peace this Christmas

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Teaching English in Thailand

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Beaconsfield story

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After the tsunami

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President to visit Port Augusta

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Lutheran, Uniting covenant

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ASSEMBLY: Here are some of the South Australians who went to the Uniting Church’s national Assembly. See page 11.

Please hand out at your church door

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NEWS

New Times

Evangelism is about friendship “PEOPLE don’t want do-gooders in their lives, they want friends.” That’s the message from Shirley Osborn, a key-note speaker at the June Presbytery Resourcing Day on evangelism.

Shirley grew up attending Athelstone Uniting Church. These days she is senior pastor at St Martin’s Community Church in Collingwood, Melbourne, home of the famous God’s Squad Christian Motorcycle Club.

“Ours is not a black and white church, nor is it grey – we are colourful,” she said.

“We are a community of broken-hearted and medicated people who show genuine love for one another.”

Shirley was told early in life that she had a gift for evangelism and she models what she preaches.

For 19 years she ran the Steps Outreach Service, supporting homeless people in central Melbourne.

It all began when she sat down with a group of street kids on the steps of the Flinders Street Railway Station.

“I formed relationships with these kids and then started to help them with their problems –alcohol, drugs and homelessness,” she said. “Within six months I had 24 street kids living in my home.”

Shirley believes Uniting Church people need to get out of their comfort zone and find new creative ways to reach out to people.

“Uniting Church people have become almost frightened of evangelism. It’s like evangelism has become a dirty word and we’re afraid of being seen as sales people,” she said.

“Evangelism is actually about reaching out to people in friendship, discovering what they need in their lives and supporting them.

“We’ve got to use language that communicates and is inviting.

“We’ve got to look at the way we do things and ask – does this look like the kingdom of God? “At St Martin’s we don’t have church council meetings. I invite deacons and elders to my place for dinner; we enjoy fellowship and discuss business.

“We have other church meetings at a local coffee

Shirley Osborn: We must leave our comfort zone and find new creative ways to reach out to people. shop – we know all the girls by name. They know we’re from the local church and now some of them are sitting down with us and sharing their lives.

“I also know the names of the checkout operators at my local supermarket, simply because I talk to them.

“Text messaging is another great outreach.

“I often ask people for their mobile numbers so I

can text them later to tell them I’m thinking of them and praying for them.

“Christians should be gathering around those who are suffering, and it’s a long, hard and challenging road. If you can’t get out of your safe place and support others, then you’ve simply got to support those who can.”

Shirley was the keynote speaker at the recent Presbytery resourcing day on evangelism.

Pastor’s the word IN A MOVE which could dramatically change the face of leadership in the Uniting Church in Australia the 11th Assembly has voted to establish a Ministry of Pastor.

Starting in January 2008 this ministry will take in all those who would now serve as lay pastors and community ministers and most youth workers.

Pastors will be lay church workers with pastoral oversight of congregations or groups in the Uniting Church and may serve fulltime or part-time. Not all will be serving in stipended appointments.

Appointed by presbyteries, pastors may serve as lay chaplains, children and family workers, evangelists and community development workers. The ministry will not include people who are appointed by the local congregation, such as Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, elders or church office workers.

Presenting the report from the Specified Ministries Task Group, chairperson Colleen Geyer said that the ministry was “a practical way in which the church can order its lay ministry and create a flexible environment.”

The new regulations will mean no new

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candidates will be admitted to some existing specified lay ministries after the end of next year.

“There is provision for those currently in placement in the specified ministries of youth worker and lay pastor to continue under the current arrangements until such time as they cease their continuous ministry with the Uniting Church,” Colleen Geyer said.

Pastors will not be expected to have academic theological degrees but will undertake continuous education throughout their service to develop their skills and competencies for ministry.

These competencies will need to meet national standards to be set up over the next 18 months but prior learning will be recognised and a variety of alternative training options will be available.

“We believe that this new ministry will address the future needs of non-ordained specified ministry in our church in a simple and flexible way that is responsive to the contexts and communities in which we serve,” Colleen Geyer said.

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‘Find peace this Christmas’ “FIND peace this Christmas” is the theme of the Uniting Church SA’s 2006 Christmas postcard campaign.

The postcards show a sleeping baby.

On the reverse are the words, “Come, celebrate with us”. Congregations can add up to 50 words detailing their own local events.

This is the fourth year Christmas postcards have been produced to help local congregations raise their profile in local communities and invite people to Christmas worship services.

The postcards are available for $60 per 1,000. Congregations can see and order the postcards on line at www. sa.uca.org.au/goto/christmas.

The postcard image and theme will be advertised in local newspapers before Christmas.

This advertising will direct people to the Uniting Church SA website, which will list Christmas worship times and other congregational activities.

Postcard orders close on Friday November 3. Printed postcards can be collected from the Presbytery and Synod office from Monday November 20.

For a small fee they can also be posted to congregations.

Congregations wanting to deliver their postcards through Australia Post are advised to check booking and lodgement dates with their local Post Office before the end of October.

For further information please contact Jo Watts at the Uniting Church Communications and Public Relations Unit on 8236 4260.

A way forward, but no consensus relationships should be limited to a faithful marriage between a man and a woman.

Others said it was impossible to reach consensus at present because of the widely divergent views that people held with integrity.

One asked Assembly to declare that “being in a committed same-gender sexual relationship is not itself a barrier to any ministry”, while another sought a way for Uniting Church people to live out their diversity about sexuality.

Speakers described the proposals in terms that ranged from “a summons to us by God to confess and proclaim His truth” to a question: “What must we do for the church to be a safe place for gay, lesbian and trans-gendered people?”

It became clear early on, however, that most Assembly members thought it wasn’t the time to decide one way or the other – or to change the 2003 Assembly’s decision on sexuality and leadership.

It also became clear that the concern among Indigenous people and the migrant-ethnic community in the Uniting Church about recognition of homosexual people was not a simple rejection of the moves in the church.

Just as the church had respected the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, the Congress respected the church’s right to uphold the rights of other groups, Congress spokesman Rev Dennis Corowa told the Assembly.

“The Congress will continue to live within the fellowship and diversity of the Uniting Church,” he said.

Speakers from migrant-ethnic churches showed diversity of views. Homosexual people in leadership went against the Bible and the tradition of the church, said one. But “not all of us” agreed with that rejection of homosexual people, said another.

Now, the Assembly statement calls all the church’s members to bear witness to the gift of Christ’s unity as well as living together in their diversity.

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JUNIOR

THE Uniting Church has decided against trying to reach consensus at present on a policy about homosexual people in positions of ministry and leadership.

Members of its 11th Assembly, meeting in Brisbane, agreed they were “not of one mind” on the issue of accepting into ministry people who were living in a committed same-gender sexual relationships.

They said that “notwithstanding the hopes of many in the church”, the Assembly “is not prepared to exercise further its determining responsibility in this matter”.

Instead, they decided that no congregation would be forced to accept a minister living in such a relationship if it could not do so in good conscience.

Equally, any congregation willing to accept such a minister would have its decision respected.

The Assembly resolution, passed by 173 to 48 (78.3 per cent) in a formal vote, affirmed the church’s unity in Jesus Christ but acknowledged “a variety of theological perspectives and biblical understandings which we maintain in tension within our life as a church”.

It noted that some of its members stay with traditional teaching about sexuality in the Reformed and Evangelical churches while others believe God may be leading this tradition to a different understanding and practice.

The Assembly expressed its regret that some ministers and members had felt they had to quit the Uniting Church after the last Assembly’s 2003 decision on sexuality and leadership.

Commonly known as “Proposal 84”, this decision left with presbyteries the authority to decide about a minister living in a committed same-gender relationship.

The 11th Assembly also expressed regret that faithful Christian gay and lesbian people had experienced pain in the church because of the way their lives had been affected by its deliberations.

Among the next steps decided by the Assembly were: TO ENCOURAGE congregations to realise the diversity of belief on sexuality and, realising that some of their members might not feel free to express their views, to become “safe communities” where people could have diverse beliefs.

TO ENCOURAGE the whole church to grapple with the implications of God’s grace for our humanity, and urge members with different views “to work at living together in peace”.

TO ASK its doctrine group to help the church “in our ongoing consideration of the theological diversity of the church on this issue”.

The Assembly’s discussion of the issue had begun five days earlier with eight proposals on sexuality and leadership.

Three of them rejected homosexuality as a way of living and didn’t want to see it “normalised”. They argued that sexual

We welcome families to view the Junior School to gain an understanding of this unique individual experience.

To arrange an individual tour, or for a prospectus, please contact the Director of Admissions, Meg Craven, on Tel. 08 8422 2291 or email admissions@annesley.sa.edu.au

A Uniting Church Day and Boarding School for Girls 89 Greenhill Road, Wayville, South Australia 5034 Tel. +61 8 8422 2288 Fax. +61 8 8272 0142 www.annesley.sa.edu.au

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COMMENT

There was a mistake in the Uniting Foundation advertisement in the June Issue of New Times.

It stated the Brougham Place Uniting Church had received a grant of $30,000 over two years for its Young Adult Ministry Project.

That figure should have been $15,000.

Our greatest asset Barry Atwell UNITING Church SA Grants Committee members certainly believe that “the Church’s greatest asset is its people”.

A key factor in establishing the Uniting Foundation was to provide church members with development opportunities which support and equip them for mission.

We strongly encourage members to take advantage of these opportunities, and we praise God that Foundation resources make these opportunities affordable.

As well as its grants to congregations, individuals and groups, this year the Uniting Foundation committed $115,000 to support seven events that give church members a range of opportunities to improve their leadership, ministry and missional skills.

The events included: • The Thomas Bandy workshop at the March Presbytery meeting organised by the Mission Resourcing Network.

• A leadership development workshop conducted by Aberfoyle Uniting Church at Naracoorte in May. • Ministers’ day and dinner in June.

• The Evangelism Resourcing Day organised

by Parkin Wesley College in June.

• Out of the Valley – Youth Leadership Conference organised by Hope Valley UC in May. Two more leadership development opportunities are yet to be held this year.

At the August Presbytery meeting, Brisbane community development practitioner and educator, Jim Cavaye, will advise congregations on how they can strengthen their local communities.

In October the Uniting Foundation will support members wishing to attend a Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit.

A Foundation grant will provide congregations with a $50 per person subsidy on registration fees. We hope this will encourage congregations to register more members because of the importance of reflecting together after the event.

For more details on the Jim Cavaye workshop, contact Heather Bald on 8236 4243. Contact Kylie Baynes on 8236 4232 concerning the Global Leadership Summit.

• Barry Atwell is secretary of the Grants Committee

About your letters Please keep your letters short — about 150 words is ideal.

Longer letters will be cut or rejected.

You’re welcome to email letters to newtimes@sa.uca.org.au or they can be posted to us at GPO Box 2145, Adelaide 5001

COMPETITIONS Organisers of the National Christian Youth Convention (NCYC) 2007 believe all young people can make a difference.

With this in mind they have launched three cool new competitions – NCYC 2007 Short Film Festival, I Spy the Agent Competition and the NCYC 2007 Battle of the Bands.

The National Christian Youth Convention will be held in Perth from January 3 -9 2007.

NCYC is open to delegates aged between16 and 30 with 1500 young people expected to attend.

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soar with a 3 year Fixed Term Investment Call 8236 4220 Level 2, 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide ucinvest@sa.uca.org.au ucinvest.com.au

❋ Offer available until 31 August 2006. New investments only. Terms and conditions apply.

AUGUST 2006

Lauren Sheen Perth WA

Southland of the Holy Spirit”.

To celebrate this National Thanksgiving Meadows Uniting Church recently thanked local Ambulance and Fire Service volunteers, by providing a home baked supper for crews following a training exercise.

THANKSGIVING Many churches this year set aside time to celebrate and give thanks for our Christian heritage as a nation.

It was 400 years ago that Portuguese explorer Pedro Fernandez de Quiros declared Australia to be “the great

We thanked and acknowledged the impressive way the volunteers provided local emergency services.

Volunteers were also presented with a special copy of the New Testament.

(Rev) Ted Curnow Meadows MORE LETTERS page 15

For more information on any of the competitions or on NCYC 2007, log onto our website http:// agentsofchange.org.au or call the head office on 1300 00 6292.

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 13 July 2006 To all members of the Uniting Church in Australia Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I write on behalf of our six Synod Moderators and myself regarding the 11th Assembly which met in Brisbane from 5th to 11th July.

The Assembly could hardly be characterised as a great Assembly but I believe it was an exceptionally pastoral and prayerful Assembly.

Mind you, we did have many great moments - uplifting worship, marvellous Bible studies, fine leadership from the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, terrific input from our 30 overseas guests, and important decisions on many matters that will contribute to the life and mission of the church. But with our differences of conviction over sexuality and leadership we found ourselves engaged in many hours of intense heartfelt discussion. I can assure you that the discussion took place in a fine Christian spirit - of love and respect for one another and of deep listening and praying for God’s Word to be discerned.

Also on this website are two additional documents: • the full resolution of the Assembly on the issue of sexuality and leadership; • the statement of the Congress made at the Assembly.

I draw to your attention some of the key elements in the Assembly’s resolution: • our acknowledgement and lament that the 10th Assembly decision was a catalyst for concern and pain in the church; • an assurance that congregations who do not wish to receive into placement a minister who is living in a committed same-gender relationship will not be compelled to do so, and that

Assembly President, Rev Gregor Henderson congregations willing to have such a minister will have their decision respected; • a request to our Working Group on Doctrine to assist the church in its ongoing consideration of our theological diversity on this issue; • a call to the whole church to recommit itself to its primary purposes of worship, witness and service.

The statement from the Congress deeply moved the Assembly. You will see that the Congress committed itself to remaining in the Uniting Church while reiterating their opposition to the ordination of people in same-gender relationships.

I regret deeply that a number of church members decided they could not remain in the Uniting Church following the decision of the 2003 Assembly. In Brisbane it was clear the Assembly longs for the day when they may be restored into the fellowship of the Uniting Church again.

Let me conclude by reminding us all that what

binds us together as the family of Christ is far far bigger than specific issues which threaten to divide us. The gospel of God’s love and grace in Christ, offered to all, surely holds us together as sisters and brothers in Christ, despite differences of conviction on particular issues.

Thank you for all your prayers during the week of Assembly. I thank you especially for your prayers for me as your new President. May we continue to be strong witnesses for God’s Word in God’s world.

In Christ, Gregor Henderson PS. You may have seen reference in the media to a proposed “Assembly of Confessing Congregations within the UCA”. I am inviting leaders of Evangelical Members within the Uniting Church and Reforming Alliance to meet with me next week, and more information will then follow.

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CONGRESS STATEMENT

UAICC Statement to the 11th Assembly

in jeopardy our cohesive social relationships, relationships to land and our ability to be independent and self-sufficient. For example, this has happened in relation to our traditional marriage systems.

(Delivered during the afternoon session on 9 July of the 11th Assembly) We the UAICC have met to discuss the matters before us regarding leadership in the Uniting Church.

We consider that the acceptance by the Church of same sex relationships will also eventually lead to the Church’s recognition of same sex marriages and the acceptance of the use of bio-technology to enable gay and lesbian couples to have children.

We strongly believe that we have already dealt with this issue carefully and respectfully, and our position is stated clearly in the Booklet: ‘Sexuality and Leadership’.

This is still our position and we will remain open to the spirit to lead us and guide us.

The Congress then referred to its statement that appeared in “Sexuality and Leadership”. This is the material that appears immediately below.

Statement by the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress in relation to Proposal 84 “The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) believes it is called by God, through the power of His Creator Spirit to witness to the saving grace of God offered to His people through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that we are called to be His faithful servants, not only to Indigenous Australians, but to all people.

He has formed and fashioned our lands and bestowed upon us our law and culture from the beginning of time. We are created in His image.

He continues to speak to us through our cultures and languages and guides and empowers us through the Spirit of the Risen One. Like all Christians, whatever our background, the Gospel challenges us – our cultural heritage and traditions, our law and community life.

As subjects of God’s grace, we seek to conform to His will for our lives and be transformed in all that we are and do through repentance and faith.

From the perspective of our own spirituality, our cultural heritage and Christian understandings, we do not believe that homosexual relationships and practices are right or Godly. We are unable to find in the Bible or in our own law any justification for homosexuality.

We are therefore opposed to any decision of the Assembly or any other council of the Church that condones such relationships or practices. We cannot agree with this standard of behaviour.

For cultural reasons it is difficult for many of us even to discuss such matters in public and in mixed gender settings. The debate that the Church is now conducting on homosexuality is one that is very difficult for many of us to participate in.

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Congress young people from Port Augusta and Murray Bridge with young people from Queensland at the Congress national conference on the Sunshine Coast. The conference was held just before Assembly.

We believe that membership into the body of Christ’s people is open to everyone, without qualification. We do not wish to exclude people on the basis of their sexual orientation. Nor do we wish in anyway to vilify or unjustly treat people in homosexual relationships.

However, as Indigenous Christians, we do not believe that homosexual behaviour is an acceptable moral standard in the leadership of our Church and the Congress.

The following day (at the 10th Assembly in 2003) members of the Congress sought to provide further clarification on their position, and to register their concern that the Congress had not been properly heard by the Assembly. They then made the following comments which further explain their position on this issue.

Whilst part of the Church insists that there is one standard that says celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage, the acceptance of homosexual relationships seems to us to make the Church have a double standard – a double standard that we find difficult to accept.

We acknowledge that the Uniting Church has been a strong advocate and supporter of the Congress. However, the Church’s acceptance of the rights of homosexual people to be ordained places it in opposition to the Congress on this matter.

It appears to us that the empowerment of one group has been at the expense of disempowering the other. For the Congress, this simply reinforces our sense of marginality in the Church and in the Australian society generally. We continue to be dominated by values, economy and political power of western society.

The Church’s decision also puts us in a position where we are seen to be acting discriminately against others and therefore being liable to persecution and the likelihood of prosecution.

The UAICC refuses to accept that the ordination of people living in homosexual relations is right.”

There are clear cultural and biblical imperatives why we do not support the ordination of homosexual ministers. In an Aboriginal child’s upbringing, their attitudes to these matters are ingrained in their psyche through the teachings of their mother as they sit around the fire.

The fire’s warmth burns upon our lips and face the moral teachings that are passed on from one generation to the next. In our cultural traditions, homosexuality is unacceptable. Where does a nation come from? It is birthed through the act of procreation. Strong taboos surround homosexual practices in our traditional cultures and any public discussion of these matters.

Our Biblical understandings affirm our own cultural beliefs on this issue. Whilst we have learned that the Gospel challenges our culture and heritage in different ways, we believe in this case that the Gospel and our law are in agreement.

Our experience of the church in the past, when it has enacted its doctrine on our culture and community life, has often been destructive, putting

Having reminded the members of the 11th Assembly of their stated position the Congress then continued with the following statement to the 11th Assembly.

As the Uniting Church has respected the rights of the UAICC, Congress respects the rights of the Uniting Church to embrace the rights of the various groups and their members within the church, and their designated roles and responsibilities.

The Congress will continue to live within the fellowship and diversity of the Uniting Church.

We will continue to struggle for unity and with wisdom carry out Christ’s mission.

It is a condition for the use of this material that if any portion of the statement is reproduced then the whole statement is to be used in full. This is a Congress request.

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ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION Here is the text of the Assembly resolution on sexuality and leadership in the Uniting Church in Australia: The Assembly resolved:

Preamble In the struggle to be the Uniting Church in Australia, we affirm that our unity is our oneness in Jesus Christ; we acknowledge a variety of theological perspectives and biblical understandings which we maintain in tension within our life as a church, recognising that variety is a gift to the Church which allows most people to find a spiritual home amongst our many congregations and faith communities.

1. To acknowledge and lament that even though the decision of the 10th Assembly regarding Sexuality and Leadership (Assembly Minute 03.12.04, varied by Assembly Standing Committee Minute 03.69.03) was made prayerfully and in good faith and according to UCA polity, it was a catalyst for the deep concern and disquiet present in some parts of the UCA. 2. To express its regret that following the 10th Assembly there were some faithful ministers and members of the church who believed that because of the decision of the 10th Assembly regarding Sexuality and Leadership (Assembly Minute 03.12.04, varied by Assembly Standing Committee Minute 03.69.03) they had no option but to withdraw from the Uniting Church altogether.

3. To express its regret that faithful Christian gay and lesbian people, on whose lives the Assembly deliberations have impacted, have continued to experience pain in our church.

4. To declare that the matter of Sexuality and Leadership is at heart a matter of faith and concerns our humanity in Christ.

The 11th Assembly 5. To acknowledge: (a) that Assembly members are not of one mind regarding the issue of the acceptance into the

specified ministries of those living in committed same-gender relationships; and (b) that some members of the Assembly adhere to traditional teaching and practice of Reformed and Evangelical churches in this matter, while others who also adhere to the Reformed and Evangelical tradition believe that God may be leading this tradition to a different understanding and practice; and therefore, notwithstanding the hopes of many in the Church, the 11th Assembly, having prayerfully sought to discern God’s will and after much deliberation, is not prepared to exercise further its determining responsibility in this matter.

(b) to call on all members of the church who hold different views to work at living together in peace as members of the Body of Christ; and (c) to hope, pray and work for that common mind in faith which is Jesus Christ’s gift and will.

9. To request the Assembly Working Group on Doctrine to engage in further work that assists the Church in our ongoing consideration of the theological diversity of the Church on this issue and to authorise the Assembly Standing Committee to determine the terms of reference for such work.

10. To acknowledge:

The Next Steps 6. Pursuant to clauses 38 of the Constitution, to advise Synods and Presbyteries; (a) that congregations who resolve that they are unable in conscience to receive into ministry placement a person living in a committed samegender relationship, shall not be compelled to do so; and (b) to respect the decision of a congregation indicating its willingness to consider calling a minister in a committed same-gender relationship.

7. To encourage Congregations: (a) to be aware that within many Congregations there is a diversity of belief on matters of sexuality and leadership and that some members do not feel free to express their beliefs; (b) to become safe communities where people may hold diverse beliefs on these matters and work together as the Body of Christ; and (c) to recognise that the possibility of living with difference is a gift which Christ offers to the world.

8. To encourage the whole church: (a) to commit itself to continue to grapple with the implications of the gospel of God’s grace for our humanity, the church’s life, and participation in God’s mission in the world;

(a) that the Uniting Church is committed “to bear witness to that unity which is both Christ’s gift and will for the Church”; and (b) that Christ continues to feed us with word and sacrament as we wait on God’s living Word; and to call the Uniting Church to re-commit itself to its primary purpose of “worship, witness and service” (Quotes are from the Basis of Union, Paragraph 1).

11. To request that the President consult with the Moderators in relation to a pastoral letter to the whole church.

Note: The contents of the pastoral letter may include (a) the matters referred to in the preamble (b) the contents of this resolution (c) a reflection of the nature and spirit of the 11th Assembly discussions and contributions from the UAICC and Multicultural congregations (d) the longing of the 11th Assembly for the day when those Christians who in conscience left congregations are reconciled with those Christians who remain within the UCA, and that we may unite in faith, hope and love.

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MAGAZINE

New Times

Teaching English in Thailand TEACHING English in Thailand is an experience that Maureen and Trevor Miller from Hope Valley Uniting Church recommend highly.

The couple recently spent four months teaching English at a newly planted church in Sai Mai, on the outskirts of Bangkok, through the Uniting Church’s Volunteers in Mission program.

The couple lived above the newly established Zion Sai Mai Christian Centre where the church’s pastor and his family live.

Maureen has a qualification in teaching English as a second language which she found helpful.

Trevor has no such qualifications but said that should not deter people from volunteering.

“The Thais are lovely, gentle people and they are extremely interested in learning and improving their English to enhance their job prospects,” Trevor said.

“The highlights for us were the relationships that we established with people – many of them are staying in contact with us through email.

“We would strongly encourage people to give it a go. There really is a great need there.”

Anyone interested in teaching English in Thailand should contact Sandy Boyce, People in Mission Coordinator, at the Uniting Church SA, 08 8236 4240.

Trevor and Maureen Miller from Hope Valley Uniting Church are strongly encouraging others to volunteer to teach English in Thailand.

Community ministry in Beaconsfield UNITING Church community minister Frances Seen believes the Beaconsfield mining rescue incident proved a great endorsement of the Uniting Church’s community ministry model.

Frances was in South Australia in June and shared some of her experiences with members of Tea Tree Gully Uniting Church.

She was recently awarded an OAM for services to the church and the community – an award which was in the pipeline well before the Beaconsfield Mine collapse.

Frances has been serving as a voluntary community minister for 10 years and is associated with four congregations, including Beaconsfield.

Despite her high media profile during the rescue mission, Frances describes herself as an ordinary person.

“I just want to encourage people that they can assist with any need that arises in their community,” she said. “This wasn’t in my resume. I’m just an ordinary person with a very special boss “The church became so involved simply because it was right on the mine’s door step.

“We’re on the main street between the newsagent and the pub – we became the pews between the news and the booze,” she said.

“Twelve to 18 months before the AUGUST 2006

mine incident, our little congregation had been asking God how we could get the church out into the community, as people just weren’t coming to us.

“God certainly answered. People came to church who had never come before, to light a candle and say a prayer.

“We wanted to make people feel comfortable, to provide a sanctuary and a safe place. People came in on their way to school or work; miners came in, rescue team members came in, the media and even tourists.

“I was readily accepted because I had been a part of the community for such a long time.

“We used the simplest things to reach out to people. On the morning after the mine collapse, we made a sign from a roll of butchers’ paper, inviting people to come in and pray for the miners.

“We used an aluminium kitchen tray wrapped in foil to hold tea light candles. More than 700 candles were lit and we always kept three large candles burning for each of the miners.

“We didn’t have a strategy, things simply evolved. We never planned to become a food station, but that’s what happened when people started to bring soup and casseroles.

“We made a conscious decision to be positive, to hold fast, and never doubt that the two men would be rescued.

“When the men were discovered alive we rang the church bell and ran up and down the street to let people know – people came from everywhere, within

Uniting Church community minister Frances Seen has been in South Australia sharing her experiences from the Beaconsfield mining rescue. an hour the church was full. That night people stood in the church and gave thanks and praised God.” Now that life has almost returned to normal in Beaconsfield, only a handful of new people are coming to church.

“That’s fine, it doesn’t mater. We are talking to God about a different way of reaching people. We want to remain on the street, smile and talk to people and keep the face of Jesus in the community.

“Miners are doing it tough. The latest

news is that many are thinking of going to SA or WA to find work and will leave their families behind. This will challenge our church to become a surrogate family to the mothers and children left behind.”

Beaconsfield Uniting Church is planning to hold an event for the community, where people can write thoughts and reflections in a special book and also help knit a kilometre long scarf – the depth the miners were trapped underground.

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New life after the tsunami Stories by Jill Freear

REV SCOTT and Rachael Litchfield were home in South Australia recently taking a break from their placement in Bangkok, with the CCT (Church of Christ in Thailand).

The Litchfields have been in this placement since January 2002 and have another 18 months to serve.

For the past year and a half Scott has been involved in post tsunami relief projects in southern Thailand.

“I’ve been helping the church rebuild and reshape lives through the provision of permanent housing, education and vocational and occupational options,” he said.

“It’s been a great privilege to see people moving on from complete devastation.

“The church has tried hardest to work with the poorest groups in the community, particularly the Sea Gypsies (Moken), who are on the social fringes.

“These people were squatters on the land and when the tsunami obliterated their houses, they lost their homes and their land rights.

“We’re now working through those land right issues – in some cases we’ve negotiated successful outcomes; other cases are before the courts.

“Many communities have better housing now than they had before and a more definite future, but their lives are changed forever.

“I’ve asked many people if they would rather have their new house, new boat and better environment and all say they would rather have things the way they were before the tsunami.

“They have huge emotional issues – there’s a lot of pain to work through.

“Some counselling services have

UCA deacon Rev Scott Litchfield and wife Rachael from South Australia who are Partners in Mission serving the Church of Christ in Thailand. been set up, but Thai people are not good at seeking that kind of help.

“They just move on and cope in their own way.

“Of course there have been many more disasters since the tsunami such as a flash flood that killed many people in the north of Thailand.

“To some extent the tsunami is old news and people have moved on.”

Life in Bangkok’s largest slum RACHAEL Litchfield works as a physiotherapist and home visitor from a Church of Christ Community Centre in Khlong Toey, a Bangkok slum which houses 80,000 people within two square kilometres.

She visits elderly and disabled people, offering basic physiotherapy and also helping people access medical care.

Rachael describes Bangkok as a city of overwhelming contrasts with incredible wealth and great poverty.

“Some of the slum houses are not too bad, but other homes consist of just a few planks of wood, which may be placed over black water with rubbish, rats and no sewage,” she said.

“Some people simply live on the streets.

“It’s amazing that despite these conditions you often see kids emerging neat and tidy in their school uniforms.

“There are problems with drugs, alcohol, crime and violence.

“Many kids live with their grandparents as their parents are in goal or may be dead.

“They are developing a health care system, but many people fall between

the cracks because they are illegal immigrants or because their births were never registered and officially they don’t exist.

Scott and Rachael Litchfield are grateful for South Australian financial support for a group of women who have been widowed through AIDS. Lenten Appeal Funds have helped the Saiyarak HIV AIDS group in Nan province to buy sewing machines and cows, which will ultimately provide income and help the people become self sufficient.

“When we lived in Nan we supported and encouraged these women,” said Rachael. “Many are HIV positive and have children to look after – they were marginalised and extremely vulnerable.

“Since we moved to Bangkok they have taken control in their village.

“They’re now visiting and supporting others, organising food, clothing and school fees. It’s amazing to see the change in them.

“Where they were once the objects of occasional charity, now they are empowered to control their own lives and support others.”

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DIGNITY IN HUMANITY Here is the text of the “Dignity in Humanity: Recognising Christ in Every Person” – a Uniting Church in Australia statement on human rights: 1. The Uniting Church in Australia believes that human beings are created in the image of God and that every person is of worth and entitled to live with dignity.

2. We believe that God has given to humanity gifts and skills for the benefit of the earth and humanity itself. These gifts include the capacity for love, compassion, wisdom, generosity and moral decision-making. They come with the responsibility to ensure the health and wellbeing of present and future generations and the earth.

Social, political and economic arrangements should reflect the dignity and worth of human beings and respect for the planet. Through the prophets and the life and words of Jesus, God calls people to work for justice for the poor and vulnerable.

3. We believe that Christians are called to love their neighbour as they love themselves and to extend that love even to enemies. It is the love of God in Christ Jesus which motivates us to live out this calling by working for peace with justice in our church, our communities and the world.

The recognition of human rights is an affirmation of the dignity of all people and essential for achieving peace with justice.

4. We affirm the inherent and inalienable right of all people to live free of persecution and violence, with access to all that is necessary for a decent life.

5. We remember the commitments made in our Statement to the Nation, at the Uniting Church’s inception in 1977: We affirm our eagerness to uphold basic Christian values and principles, such as the importance of every human being, the need for integrity in public life, the proclamation of truth and justice, the rights for each citizen to participate in decision-making in the community, religious liberty and personal dignity, and a concern for the welfare of the whole human race.

6. We reaffirm the Statement on the Rights of Nature and of Future Generations (1991) in which the Uniting Church National Assembly acknowledged “the inalienable dignity of all humans”, and called for “the recognition and guarantee of human rights around the world”.

7. We name the broken nature of the world. It is flawed and vulnerable to unjust structures and the practice of evil.

8. We confess that throughout its history the Church has perpetrated violence and abused human rights through action, inaction, complicity and collusion and that we have often used the Bible to justify such violence. We repent of our sin and commit ourselves to work for reconciliation and justice as we continue to understand our own brokenness.

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9. We condemn the abuse of human rights and the failure to uphold and promote human rights as contrary to the gospel of God’s love in Christ for all human beings and the earth.

the forging of peaceful and non-exploitative international relations. Peace is served by UN member States acting towards one another and the UN in good faith.

10. We affirm our support for the human rights standards recognised by the United Nations (UN).

Everyone has a birthright to all that is necessary for a decent life and to the hope of a peaceful future. This birthright is expressed in UN human rights instruments which describe human rights as civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

These instruments provide a valuable framework for assessing political, economic and social systems and are an important tool for peace.

14. We heed the call of the World Council of Churches’ Central Committee in 1995, for all churches to: be alert to the activities and policies of their respective governments with a view to strengthening the capacity of the UN in areas such as the promotion and protection of human rights, the struggle against racism, the enhancement of the rights of women, aid to and protection of refugees and migrants, the effective international control of production and transfer of armaments, the elimination of nuclear weapons, protection of the global environment, and the realization of a just and equitable international economic order.

11. We note that the internationally recognised human rights are indivisible, universal and inalienable: (a) No rights are possible without all that is necessary for a decent life, including the rights to work with just pay and conditions, adequate food and health care, adequate, appropriate and accessible housing and a safe environment, education for the full development of the human potential and the right of people to participate fully in decision-making about their common future. Civil and political rights cannot be separated from economic, social and cultural rights. (b) It is the duty of all States, regardless of their cultural, economic or political systems, to promote and protect human rights and “eliminate all violations of human rights and their causes, as well as obstacles to the enjoyment of these rights” (c) It is “the right and duty of the international community to hold all state and non-state actors accountable for violations of human rights which occur in their jurisdiction or control, or for which they are directly responsible”. (d) In the exercise of a person’s rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of human dignity and the general welfare of a democratic society.

12. We support the commitment of the Eighth Assembly of World Council Churches to promote and defend human rights in a way which takes into account: (a) “the values and insights into human rights and dignity derived from the rich heritage of peoples’ religions, cultures and traditions”;

15. We urge the Australian Government to fulfil its responsibilities under the human rights covenants, conventions and treaties that Australia has ratified or signed, by upholding international standards in effecting social and legislative change.

16. We pledge to assess current and future national public policy and practice against international human rights instruments, keeping in mind Christ’s call and example to work for justice for the oppressed and vulnerable.

17. We declare our opposition to capital punishment and commit ourselves to stand against the death penalty wherever it exists, regarding it as a cruel and inhuman punishment which denies the ability of an offender to reform.

18. We urge the Australian Government to develop and promote human rights education which, consistent with the recommendations of the 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, includes peace, democracy, development and social justice, and aims to foster mutual understanding, healthy and harmonious communities, and justice and peace.

19. We commit the Uniting Church National Assembly to promote an increased awareness and understanding of human rights through our education, justice and mission programs and to stand in solidarity with our partner churches as they advocate and work for human rights in their countries.

(c) “the equal rights of young and old, of women and men, and of all persons irrespective of their origin or condition”.

20. We encourage all members, groups, congregations and agencies of the Uniting Church to model respect for human rights in their daily lives and to advocate for policies consistent with human rights standards and against violations of human rights in all forms, both within Australia and internationally.

13. We encourage all governments to fulfil their responsibilities as members of the United Nations, recognising it as the peak forum for discourse between nations, and upholding their commitment to the UN’s Charter and to UN treaties that serve

21. We encourage the councils of the Uniting Church to model respect for human rights in their work and mission, including working towards an end to manifestations of greed, corruption, violence, persecution and exclusion.

(b) “the rights of peoples, nations, communities and their cultures as well as the rights of each individual within them”;

ASSEMBLY

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President to visit Port Augusta ON THE final day of the 11th Assembly members agreed to examine the “appalling living conditions” of Aboriginal people in the Lake View Transient Accommodation site in Port Augusta.

The president Gregor Henderson agreed to send a delegation to examine the conditions of Lake View and, in consultation with UAICC (Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress), take appropriate action.

Mover Shayne Blackman and seconder Vince Ross said it was a matter of urgency to reassess the conditions at Lake View, which consists of 10 tents surrounded by a cyclone fence and razor wire.

It was also agreed that UnitingCare would meet with the UAICC with the view to establishing an Indigenous Community Service arm of the UAICC. “The Lake View Transient Accommodation site was opened in December 2005 to house Aboriginal people for short term stays in Port Augusta,” Shayne Blackman and Vince Ross said in their rationale.

“Due to foreshore development, Aboriginal people were moved away from near the centre of the city to this campsite four kilometres away, near

the Davenport Aboriginal Community.

“At the same time as building this facility the local council declared the city a ‘dry zone’.

“The accommodation site has about 10 tents with transportable ablution blocks. It is situated behind a two metre high cyclone fence with razor wire on top.

“Some of the locals call it ‘Blaxter’ and contrast it with the nearby Baxter Detention Centre with its similar barbed wire, but vastly different multi-million dollar facilities for asylum seekers and others.

“Aboriginal people from the north not only come to stay in the heat of summer but have also stayed in the winter when temperatures have reached zero degrees.

“Members of the Port Augusta Congress Faith Community believe the facilities are not fit for human habitation.

“A visit from the President of the Assembly would highlight the plight of the first peoples of this nation, not only in Port Augusta, but in other places as well.”

More than 30 South Australian members attended the National Assembly meeting in Brisbane last month. Before the event many of them attended a pre- Assembly briefing session called by Uniting Church SA Moderator Rev Graham Vawser. Pictured (from left to right) are Bruce Ind, Bob Hutchinson, Graham Elford, Rebeca Headland, Andrew Clarke, Elizabeth Vreugdenhil, Kate Tretheway, Dean Brookes, Michaela Tiller, Carol Chambers, Rebecca Purling, Graham Vawser, Tim Hein, Lynne Aird, Graham Humphris, Rod Mann, Sybil Peacock and Shane Kammerman.

A challenge to the church Sharing the faith THE ASSEMBLY also agreed that UnitingCare would meet with the UAICC with the view to establishing an Indigenous Community Service arm of the UAICC. Indigicare.

Shayne Blackman quotes these statistics: • Only 32 per cent of Indigenous people have high school qualification compared with 57 per cent of non-indigenous.

• Education retention rates in 2002 showed only 38 per cent of Indigenous students completing Year 12 compared with 76 per cent of non-indigenous.

• Only 3 per cent of Indigenous people hold a bachelor’s degree compared with 16 per cent of non-indigenous.

• Most Indigenous people do not own their own home, and overcrowding is a major issue for indigenous households.

• The employment prospects for Indigenous people are not good. Only 2 per cent of Indigenous people are employers.

• Indigenous women are 28 times more likely to be hospitalised than non-indigenous women.

“After 21 years of Congress, why have these statistics not improved?” Shayne Blackman asked. “Despite all our best efforts we have to ask why our programs are not delivering the desired changes?”

THE UNITING CHURCH has adopted a new approach to sharing faith, including guidelines to encourage faith communities and spiritual formation in non-traditional settings such as schools, community service agencies and work places.

Assembly members endorsed the document “Being Church Differently”, which aims to help the church find new ways to connect with the increasing number of people who have no regular contact with organised religion.

Presbyteries, congregations, schools, community service agencies and other interested groups will be asked to use “Being Church Differently” to help them set up new congregations or faith communities.

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‘WITH DEEP REGRET...’

ON SUNDAY, July 16, the President of the Uniting Church, Rev Gregor Henderson, issued a statement in which he “expressed surprise and regret that the leaders of EMU and the Reforming Alliance have refused to meet him to discuss the proposed Assembly of Confessing Congregations”.

He said: “It is with deep regret that I have learned the leaders of both EMU and the Reforming Alliance have twice declined my invitation to meet me next week to clarify the proposed Assembly of Confessing Congregations. I am still keen to meet with leaders of EMU and the Reforming Alliance and am hopeful that we can find ways whereby Reforming Alliance and EMU members can remain within the structure and fellowship of the Uniting Church.

“On face value, this proposal appears to have major implications for our church and it is entirely appropriate that the proponents make their intentions clear by meeting with me and outlining their vision.

“It is not fair for members of the church to be asked to sign on to such a proposal without further information and I am concerned they may be asked to do this in coming weeks. Congregations are entitled to all the information before they are asked to join a group that accuses the Assembly of apostasy (straying from the faith) and claims to reject the authority of Presbyteries, Synods and the Assembly.

“Members of the Uniting Church have a right to know exactly what is being proposed and how it might impact our existing Uniting Church structures.

“I encourage congregations to take their time before making any decisions and to wait until further information about the exact nature of this proposal is available.

“The Uniting Church works firmly within the traditions of the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church and I am distressed to think that any members of our church would believe otherwise.”

ON JULY 12 Rev Stephen Estherby, national spokesperson EMU (Evangelical Members within the Uniting Church) issued a statement. It said: “The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) was plunged deeper into confusion and despair following the landmark decision of the 11th Assembly, when it decided Resolution 108 by a formal majority of 173 - 48. This decision effectively confirms the now infamous Resolution 84 of the 10th Assembly in 2003 and strengthens the relentless march of the UCA towards the full acceptance of practicing homosexuals in the ordained ministry.

A summit meeting of over 150 concerned members of the Reforming Alliance and Evangelical Members within the Uniting Church, in response to the UCA Assembly’s decisions, resolved to form The Assembly of Confessing Congregations. This new body will fulfil responsibilities which have been neglected or have become dysfunctional in the UCA. “This action has been necessary because of the refusal of the national Assembly to affirm the traditional teaching and practice of the Uniting Church. For us, the Assembly of Confessing Congregations represents the hope of a new beginning and a way in which we can remain associated with the UCA with integrity.”

HERE IS the text of the proposed charter for the Assembly of Confessing Congregations: It is with deep sorrow that, in view of the apostasy of the eleventh Assembly of the UCA in failing to uphold orthodox doctrine on the question of sexuality and leadership, a National meeting of members of Reforming Alliance within the Uniting Church and Evangelical Members within the Uniting Church 12th July 2006 resolved to establish The Assembly of Confessing Congregations within the UCA. The Assembly of Confessing Congregations shall be committed to: 1. ensuring that matters of doctrine are

determined according to the teachings of scripture within the Reformed Evangelical tradition of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church; 2. providing orthodox leadership in doctrine, theology, ethics, worship, pastoral care, social justice, mission and evangelism; 3. restoring and maintaining ecumenical relations; 4. engaging the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Australia’s multi-cultural and pluralist society; 5. establishing national and state bodies to implement the following objectives: a. provide ministry of Word, sacrament and pastoral care in Confessing Congregations; b. provide Christian Education for leaders and lay people; c. bring a vigorous biblical perspective to contemporary public issues in a society that is increasingly ignorant about or hostile to orthodox Christianity; d. foster relationships of reconciliation and cooperation with members of indigenous congregations; e. foster relationships of cooperation and partnership with members of migrant ethnic congregations; f. provide lines of communication with members of the National Council of Churches in Australia, Partner Churches in Pacific and Asian Region, and encourage local inter-church co-operation; g. create an association of Confessing Ministry Workers and assist in the placement of suitable ministry agents in Confessing Congregations; i. assist and encourage the establishment of new Confessing Congregations; j. develop a simple administrative structure which serves to liberate the congregations to fulfill Christ’s mission. k. distribute a regular publication for communication, education and encouragement; l. be a faithful steward of the resources entrusted to it from the Confessing Congregations.

We take this action as a means to express our sole loyalty and obedience to Jesus Christ, and adherence to The Basis of Union.

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Joint appeal for the Middle East INTERNATIONAL aid and development agencies of Australian churches are working together to assist the civilians caught up in the Middle East conflict.

AngliCORD, Caritas Australia, NCCA Christian World Service and Uniting Church Overseas Aid are working through ACT International, Caritas Internationalis and partners on the ground to provide food, water and medical supplies in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank.

The church agencies have made an urgent call for additional funds to support this work.

In a joint statement they said the worsening humanitarian crisis is a result of numerous attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure

by Hezbollah, the Israeli Defence Force and Palestinian militants.

“In many instances these attacks constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law,” the statement said.

“The humanitarian situation is most critical in Gaza after attacks destroyed Gaza’s only electricity station and other infrastructure.

“The UN describes the situation in Gaza as the worst that the area has seen in recent decades.

“Our partners on the ground testify to the growing humanitarian crisis.”

The agencies hope for a ceasefire resulting from negotiations with the UN delegation and support the UN Stabilisation Force proposed by the UN Secretary General.

“In the meantime, the governments involved must do more to end serious violations of humanitarian law,” the statement said.

“Six church agencies have, therefore, written open letters to the Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese ambassadors in Australia asking that their governments honour their obligations under international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolutions and work towards an end to hostilities.”

To make tax deductible contributions or for further details contact Uniting Church Overseas Aid, 1800 998 122, www.overseasaid.org; AngliCORD, 1800 249 880, www.anglicord.org.au; Caritas Australia, 1800 024 413, www.caritas.org. au; or NCCA Christian World Service, 1800 025 101, www.ncca.org.au/cws.

Uniting, Lutheran covenant Pastor Robert Voigt, travelled to Wudinna to sign the covenant between the two churches.

Graham Vawser said he felt great joy in being there to recognise the unity of the congregations. “We won’t be doing this for us, but with and for the whole Church,” he said.

“God is doing a new thing.

“By entering into this covenant, we’re here to show the whole world that when Christ touches us, we need to go out and share that experience with others.”

Pastor Robert Voigt said he was thrilled to be present at the signing and he believes the arrangement could spread to many other rural communities where resources need to be shared.

The service was led by Pastor Stephen Schumacher, who is

pastor of Wudinna Lutheran Church.

He will become the pastor of the Wudinna and Minnipa Uniting congregations and is also pastor to the Yaninee and Kimba congregations.

The Lutheran and Uniting Church congregations entered into the covenant by a unanimous vote.

Under the agreement Sunday worship services will alternate between the Lutheran and Uniting Churches in Wudinna, decisions will be made jointly and the joint congregation is responsible for the material and spiritual support of the pastor.

The covenant was formally signed by the two church leaders, Graham Vawser, Robert Voigt, and the two chairpersons, Kerry Jericho (Lutheran) and Clarrie Sampson (Uniting).

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THE Uniting and Lutheran Churches in Wudinna have signed an historic covenant of cooperation under which the two congregations will share a pastor and join together for Sunday worship.

In a special service held in Christ Lutheran Church in Wudinna at the end of June, the two congregations joined together to celebrate and sign the covenant of cooperation.

Uniting Church SA Moderator, Rev Graham Vawser, and SA/NT Lutheran Church President,

Uniting Church SA Moderator, Rev Graham Vawser with Pastor Stephen Schumacher, of Wudinna Lutheran Church.

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About this column: Notices for this column should be brief.

To submit your Uniting Church event and to view the synod online calendar, visit www. sa.uca.org.au/pages/events/calendar/.

BRILLIANT young English organist David Goode will be the guest organist at Pilgrim Church on Sunday, August 13. He will play at the 11am Morning Prayer Service when Pilgrim Choir will be joined by the choir from St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral and the Adelaide University Choral Society.

At 2.30pm David will provide a virtuoso performance of popular organ works entitled “Orb and Sceptre”.

TINTINARA’S centenary celebrations will be held from August 11 to 13. Details were in our last issue and are on the Uniting Church SA website.

FLINDERS University and Adelaide College of Divinity Centre for Theology, Science and Culture, will host a stimulating conversation, “Critical Thinkers or Information Consumers?” at ACD on Thursday, August 17, 2006. Drinks and nibbles at 4.15pm, conversation concludes at 5.30pm. The Adelaide College of Divinity is at 34 Lipsett Tce, Brooklyn Park. For information, email Di.Thiele@flinders.edu.au.

THE SA Friends of Vellore annual dinner on Saturday, August 19, at Fogolar Furlan Hall, Felixstow, will celebrate 50 years of the Australian FOV. Director of Christian Medical College and Hospital, Dr George Chandy, will be present. Indian cuisine and entertainment!

Book tickets by August 4. Peter Kirk, 9 Burnham Ave, Myrtle Bank SA 5064. Last day for tickets. August 4.

REV JOHN Blanskby will lead a day retreat at One Tree Hill Uniting Church, “A quiet day with the Lord,” on Saturday, September 9. Cost $20 includes morning and afternoon teas, lunch and tea. Further information and registration, phone Rev John Blanksby, 8351 5770 by August 20.

NORMAN Habel will present “Seven ways to read Genesis 1”, followed by discussion, on Sunday August 20. BYO lunch if you like to eat at 12, talk will start at 12.15 and discussion end by 1.45. Inquries to Jason John, Scots Church ecominister, 8223 1505, jason@scotschurch.org.au. Free. RSVP useful but not essential.

THE FIRST Methodist Church in Lameroo was opened on August 26, 1906. Past ministers and members are invited to a service at 10am on August 27. A Pleasant Sunday Afternoon, including time for reminiscing, will conclude the day. Please feel free to bring along labelled photos and memorabilia for display. Enquiries, 8576 3045, yapdowns@lm.net.au or colemanat@ lm.net.au.

“A SEASON of Creation” will be launched at 1pm on August 27, just east of Speaker’s Corner at Botanic Park. Dress for the weather.

There will also be a BYO everything picnic at 12, at the same spot. Maps to the exact spot can be found at http.//www.ecofaith.org/ ecofaithcommunity/location.html. Inquiries to Rev Dr Jason John, Scots Church ecominister, 8223 1505, jason@scotschurch.org.au THE ROYAL School of Church Music, SA branch, will celebrate Vespers on Monday, August 28, at 7.15pm in the chapel of Cabra Dominican College. Music will honour St Augustine of Hippo, who is commemorated that day. All welcome. Singers are asked to attend rehearsals on Saturday, August 19, 4.30pm - 6 pm and on Monday, August 28, 6pm - 7 pm, in the Chapel. Information, contact secretary@rscmaustralia.org.au.

THERE will be a car boot sale on Saturday September 9, 9am-2.30pm, at Willunga Uniting Church, corner of Bell Paddock and St Jude Street. $10 per car. Contact Phil Boulden, 8556 4023. Refreshments, BBQ and Devonshire teas available.

A “BIG Help” Variety Concert to raise funds for the Papuan Island Region Enterprise projects and a solar lighting plant for Dobu Island, will be held at Dernancourt Uniting Church, Balmoral Road, Dernancourt, on Friday, September 15, at 7.30 pm. Program includes singing by the Cornish Association

New Times Choir and instrumental items. Tickets, adult $9, family $20, child $5. Contact Jenny Charlesworth on 8165 2936 or Vic Ready on 8336 8578.

November 19 as the Churches and Community Cricket Association marks 100 years of church cricket in SA. Enquiries, Ian Kinsman 8288 8192.

AN AFTERNOON of hymn-singing, celebrating our Christian heritage, “Let there be praise,” will be held at 2.30pm on Sunday, September 17, at Aberfoyle Uniting Church, 42 Sunnymeade Drive, Aberfoyle Park.

Afternoon tea will be provided. For further information contact Wendy on 8370 6472 or auc@picknowl.com.au.

A CHRISTMAS Tree Festival will be held on November 25-26 and Saturday December 2, 10am-5pm at the Willunga Uniting Church, St Jude Street – with Christmas fare and crafts, Devonshire tea and coffee.

Gold coin donation. Community worship, Sunday November 26. Monday 27 - Friday 1, viewing by appointment. Tea and lunches available on request. Contact Jan on 8556 2088. Concluding with Carols on Saturday December 2, 7.30pm.

PORT Germain Primary School’s 125 years celebrations will be held on the weekend of September 23-24, an ecumenical church service will be held in the Uniting Church on Sunday September 24, at 10.30am with a pooled lunch to follow. This will also celebrate the Church’s 125 year anniversary.

Former residents and interested persons are cordially invited to attend. Further details, Beryl Seymour, 8634 5234.

“SINGING the Faith”, a national ecumenical seminar on word and music in worship, will be held from Friday, October 20, to Sunday, October 22, at Wesley Uniting Church and Wesley Music Centre, 20-22 National Circuit, Forrest, ACT. For registration form, details, contact Wesley Music Centre, wesleymc@bigpond.net.au or www.wesleycanberra.org.au.

A MINISTRY Partner’s luncheon will be held on Friday, October 27, 12 for 12.30pm at Church of the Trinity, 318 Goodwood Road, Clarence Park. Please bring food for a shared meal. The theme is “apples” – if you bring food which includes apples, please bring the recipe! For further information, contact Lesley Caford, 8341 6605.

BLACK Wood Jazz “Picnic on the Lawns” at Nunyara Conference Centre, Belair, will bring in the Christmas season in style. Bring a picnic and enjoy live music as the sun sets over Adelaide. Sunday November 12, 2006 from 5.30 - 8.30 pm. For more information.

8278 1673, bookings.nunyara@senet.com. au or www.nunyara.com.au. There will be a small entry fee.

ALL CRICKETERS, past and present, are invited to the celebrations on Sunday,

DATES for KCO 2007 will be April 28 and 29. KCO will fall during the school holidays, so please spread the word as soon as possible so that families can plan ahead. If you would like to be involved in the KCO team or would like more information about this fantastic children’s event, contact Linda Driver, kco@ sa.uca.org.au or 8236 4246 or check out the KCO website, www.sa.uca.org.au/goto/kco “HIDDEN Histories – Untold Stories of the Uniting Church in Australia” conference will be held to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Uniting Church in Australia (August, 2007). Organisers have issued a call for conference papers. They are keen to hear the stories being told. Details from Rev Dr Rob McFarlane, Director of Continuing Education, Uniting Church in Australia (NSW Synod), robertm@nsw.uca.org.au WAIKERIE Fruit for sale includes ½kg dried apricots/dried peaches $8.25; pumpkin (average 3kg) $2.50; light/medium/dark honey (750g jar) $7.50; 3kg navel oranges $3.50; fresh organic, long life orange juice (no preservatives or added sugar) $5 per bottle; 200g tubs of chocolate coated dried fruit $5.50; 500g pistachio nuts $7.50; walnut kernels $20 a kilo; and Riverland produced Virgin Olive Oil 2L bottle $20 Contact Jennie Hosking on jennieh@sa.uca. org.au or Graeme Cavanagh via gracav@ hotkey.net.au.

Full details on the Uniting Church online calendar www.sa.uca.org.au, click on “What’s On”.

Organ builder remembered Level 2, 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide. GPO Box 2145 Adelaide SA 5001 Phone (08) 8236 4260 Fax (08) 8236 4265 Email: newtimes@sa.uca.org.au www.sa.uca.org.au

Telling stories about an innovative, growing church which is proclaiming Jesus Christ and is empowered by the Spirit to transform God’s world.

Who we are: New Times is a monthly tabloid news magazine serving the Uniting Church SA. It is published 11 times a year with a combined January-February issue. New Times is a member of the Australasian Religious Press Association. It has won the Gutenberg award for excellence in religious publication. Its editor has won the same award for excellence in religious communications.

Advertising: To advertise contact Russell Baker, phone 8361 6822, fax 8361 6865, email ribad@bigpond.com New Times accepts advertising in good faith. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement.

Deadlines and distribution dates: September issue: Closing date for contributions, Wednesday, August 9, distributed, Sunday, September 3. • October issue: Closing date for contributions, Wednesday, September 6, distributed, Sunday, October 1. • November issue: Closing date for contributions, Wednesday, October 11, distributed, Sunday, November 5. • December issue: Closing date for contributions, Wednesday, November 8, distributed, Sunday, December 3.

Subscriptions: New Times is distributed free to Uniting Churches in SA. You can also subscribe and have New Times posted to you. Subscriptions cost $30 if you are within SA, $35 if you are interstate, $40 if you are overseas.

Submitted material: New Times does not take responsibility for returning submitted photographs or other material.

Our partners: Many of our readers support New Times by making a gift to help us keep up with our costs. Gifts can be sent to us at GPO Box 2145, Adelaide, 5001.

Distribution: We are distributed on the first Sunday of each month.

Opinions: Opinions expressed in New Times do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the policies of the Uniting Church.

Editor: Nicholas Kerr. Assistant: Jo Watts.

New Times is designed by Edi Leane and Les Colston of Joie Creative, PO Box 29, Kent Town, SA 5071 and printed by Cadilac, 64 Kinkaid Avenue, North Plymton, SA 5037

Deadline AUGUST 2006

SEPTEMBER 2006 issue: Deadline for contributions, Wednesday August 9, The issue will be distributed on Sunday, September 3.

WORLD renowned organ builder, J E Dodd, who arrived in Adelaide in 1881, built 80 plus instruments. Those at Clayton Church, Wesley Church Kent Town and the first organ in the Elder Conservatorium, University of Adelaide – now in St Mark’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Port Pirie – are some of the largest and more impressive.

Wesley Uniting Church, Kent Town, has organised these events to celebrate the 150th anniversary Dodd’s birth: Saturday August 12: Organ crawl, starting at 1.15pm, at St Bartholomew’s Norwood, then 3pm at Parkside Baptist, finishing at 4.15pm at Clayton Wesley, Norwood.

Sunday August 13: Choral Communion Celebration, giving thanks for organ builders and organists, who have provided leadership of worship throughout the history of South Australia. This will be at Wesley Uniting Church Kent Town, at 10am.

Sunday August 13: Organ recital by Mark Symons AM accompanied by the Choir of Wesley Uniting Church, Kent Town, singing music of outstanding organists of SA, including Dr J V Peters, James Govenlock, Alan Tregaskis and James Thiele. This will be at Wesley Uniting Church Kent Town, at 2.30pm.

Wednesday August 16 – the actual birthday of J E Dodd. At 2 pm, Ashleigh Tobin OAM and Kate Ceeley, Soprano, will give a recital at Kent Town Church. Afternoon tea will follow. Entry by Gold Coin.

Sunday November 19: To complete these entire celebrations, at 2pm renowned organist Thomas Heywood will give a recital at Kent Town.

– Chris Harkness

PEOPLE AND PLACES

New Times

Australia has a role in Africa’s new struggle Continued from page 16

Africa, he said, has begun the second phase of its struggle – the struggle for economic liberation.

“I don’t believe Australian Christians, after helping lay that sound foundation in Africa, will want to abandon the continent now, at the beginning of the second struggle.

“I thank God that the largest part of Africa geographically is now politically stable. And with the founding of the African Union, Africa has committed itself to government accountability and to economic growth.

“The Africa Union has established an African peer review mechanism through NEPAD (the New Partnership for Africa’s Development).

“Governments in Africa are invited to subject themselves to the scrutiny of their peers from other parts of the continent – so their peers can say whether they think those leaders are leading Africa to the positive vision that everybody is looking for.

“The African governments are also subjected themselves to scrutiny by their own people.”

This, he said, presents a new challenge to the churches.

“The churches at this time have a responsibility in Africa to contribute to the strengthening of civil society’s consciousness and initiatives for monitoring governments democratically.

“One of the essentials of democracy is that civil society should be vibrant.

“The church has to be in the forefront in helping to build this civil society consciousness.

“Now, a country like Australia understands the engagement of civil society.

“It wasn’t the government of Australia that

Letters continued from page 4 POPULATION It is a concern of mine that there appears to be little or nothing said about the population dilemma facing humanity today. As I understand it, the population at the time of Christ was about 300 million. By 1800 it had reached 950 million. In 1900 it was 1.6 billion, 1987 5 billion and now 6.58 billion.

These kinds of comparative figures in graph form are called exponential growth!

Half of mankind lives in worse conditions than 100 years ago, the world’s population has doubled in the last 50 years and will double again in only 25 years! This is having a dramatic effect on the environment and needs to be addressed.

Has the Uniting Church

organised the demonstrations that forced Australia to take certain positions with regard to Africa. It was people.”

Sudan: Churches must act Unless nations like Australia act, Sudan could descend into total chaos, Mvume Dandala said.

He called on Australia to do everything it can to strengthen the international community’s commitment to both Darfur, in Western Sudan, and to Southern Sudan.

“We’re deeply distressed by the killing in Darfur,” he said.

“The international community should strengthen the call for United Nations peacekeepers to move in.

“The African Union itself recognises that its peacekeepers haven’t the resources to do the work as they should.

“The only stumbling block to the proposal for the UN peacekeepers has been the resistance of the Khartoum Government.”

He also called on Australian churches to work with their partner churches and councils of churches to start building Southern Sudan’s infrastructure.

“Schools, clinics and health centres are urgently needed,” he said. “Those that were there have been destroyed.

“There just aren’t enough resources for the people who are starting to return home since the signing of the peace.”

any policy or attitude on this matter? Is there a place for leadership in such things?

Maybe a celibate clergy?

Jokes aside, what do you and your readers think?

Alan Jones Goolwa CIVIL UNIONS The Australian Government has done the right thing to strike down the ACT Labor Government’s Civil Unions law.

This law was marriage by another name – an attempt to undermine both the institution of marriage and the Federal Marriage Act. It created confusion over the distinction between marriage and other relationships. There should be no confusion. Marriage is a bedrock institution worthy of protection. It is a social institution which benefits the family members and society and is not a fashion to be updated. It provides for stability in society. It provides a solidly built roof under which children are nurtured

and grow. It is the rights of children that have been sadly neglected in this whole debate. Section 5(2) of the ACT law stated “a civil union is different to marriage but is to be treated for all purposes under Territory law in the same way as a marriage”. This says it all.

The traditional institution of marriage, that is, between a man and a woman, is the real victim of the ACT law. It raised the status of same sex couples’ unions to that of marriage.

It depreciated and demeaned marriage.

Guy Barnett Liberal Senator for Tasmania

15

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EXPERIENCED GARDENER , roses pruned, I am your spare pair of hands.

Phone 8346 0933.

ACCOMMODATION TERTIARY STUDENTS ACCOMODATION – VACANCY IMMEDIATELY. Morialta Uniting Church Students Houses – undergraduate university/TAFE students. Furnished single bedrooms, shared bathrooms, living areas.

Proximity Uni-SA, Magill. Easy travel city and northern campuses. Rent: $275 monthly. Mary Thornley (8332 2041), church office (8331 9344).

MARION BAY HOLIDAY HOUSE, Sea views, Large Deck, Sleeps 5/6, New home, Off Peak and Pensioner rates. Phone 040 2088 279.

WANTED DOMESTICAL FLOOR POLISHER/ SCRUBBER. Good working order.

Phone 08 8344 7260.

DERNANCOURT LUTHERAN CHURCH wishes to purchase a classical church organ, with 2 manuals and full pedal board, in good condition.

Phone Marcus: 08 8299 4744 (wk), 08 8261 0071 (a hrs).

Advertising: To advertise contact Russell Baker, phone 8361 6822, fax 8361 6865, email ribad@bigpond.com

AUGUST 2006

16

MAGAZINE

New Times

Australia has a role in Africa’s new struggle Nicholas Kerr

AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIANS can help Africa reach economic freedom, African church leader, Bishop Mvume Dandala, said in Adelaide last month.

“You have helped bring political freedom to most of Africa,” he said. “Surely you will join us in our new struggle for freedom – for economic freedom.”

Bishop Dandala, general secretary of the All African Conference of Churches, was in Adelaide on his way to address the Uniting Church in Australia’s General Assembly in Brisbane.

“Australian Christians have made a very significant contribution to improving life in Africa,” he said.

“Their fellow Christians in Africa greatly appreciate that.

“The continent of Africa is making significant strides in trying to correct the wrongs of the past. Again, the contribution of Australian Christians has been significant.

“I recall the days of apartheid. Christians in this country not only supported us with financial resources but they exerted a lot of moral persuasion on the world to help it understand the unacceptability of apartheid.

“That was a contribution towards a very significant Africadriven agenda.

“Way back in 1945, at a Pan-African meeting in Manchester, the leaders of the continent of that time declared that they were giving themselves 50 years to free the continent politically.

When apartheid fell in 1994, it was exactly one year within the mandate.”

Bishop Dandala said that people outside Africa could be overwhelmed by its many social problems. “They may fail to understand that Africa has already accomplished a huge achievement within its agenda,” he said.

“Australia contributed to that – and particularly Australian Christians.

“Australian Christians were in the forefront of calling for the sports boycott against apartheid. Australian Christians played a critical role in making the sanctions campaign succeed.”

Continued on page 15

Bishop Mvume Dandala at Maughan Uniting Church - Picture by Amy Brookman

© Copyright 2006 Edi Leane. Artwork not to be reproduced in any way without the written permission by Edi Leane of Joie Creative. All Rights Reserved.

To advertise in New Times: Contact Russell Baker phone 8361 6822, fax 8361 6833, email ribad@bigpond.com

AUGUST 2006