insights - august 2014

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Call 1300 133 673 or visit Level 3, 222 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000PO Box A2178 Sydney South NSW 1235

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Financial services are provided by The Uniting Church (NSW) Trust Association Limited ACN 000 022 480, ABN 89 725 654 978, AFSL 292186 and by The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) ABN 77 005 284 605 pursuant to a s.911A Corporations Act 2001 (Cth.) authorisation and APRA Banking Exemption No. 1 of 2014 (“Uniting Financial Services”), for The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT pursuant to ASIC Regulatory Guide 87 exemptions. Uniting Financial Services® is a registered trademark of The Uniting Church (NSW) Trust Association Limited and is used with permission by The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW). Neither The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT, The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) nor Uniting Financial Services is prudentially supervised by APRA.An investment with or contributions will not benefit from the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act 1959. All financial services and products are designed for investors who wish to promote religious and charitable purposes and for whom profit considerations are not of primary importance in their decision to invest. Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement and the Product Information Brochure for Terms and Conditions.

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Insights August 2014 3insights.uca.org.au

W hile I don’t recommend a lack of planning, it’s nice when, having been caught

unprepared, something unexpected happens to both save and make our day.

A few weeks ago I left home for the 15-minute walk to Eastwood station to catch the train to work. There was some blue sky on the horizon so I ignored the low, grey clouds and the impulse to go back into the house for my umbrella. Five minutes into the walk it started raining, and I eventually had to seek shelter under a tree.

Other commuters, properly attired and equipped, hurried past on the way to catch the train I’d hoped to be boarding. Eventually, a young woman stopped and asked me if I was heading for the station. When I said “Yes”, she offered to share her not overly large umbrella with me.

My first impulse was to thank her and decline, but then thought it would seem churlish to refuse such kindness, so I accepted. It was a somewhat awkward walk, trying to give a semblance of personal space to a stranger under those circumstances and still stay dry. But she seemed unfazed and chatted all the way. When we parted at the station and I thanked her for her kindness, she simply said that it was fine; that other people did kind things for her too.

That experience made my day. As I reflected on the unlikely scenario, biblical comparisons flooded in. The Good Samaritan was the obvious one, followed by the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. I thought about how Jesus accepted hospitality and friendship from people so different from himself. In my case, the differences were clear: age, gender and culture made us, for a short time, unlikely sharers of a confined space.

For people like me, who have lived almost all of their lives as part of a dominant and well-resourced culture, it can be hard to entrust ourselves to the kindness and mercy of others. We like to be in control of situations. Yet to be in a more vulnerable space offers the opportunity to grow in appreciation of the goodness of others.

That they may be one

These learnings also enlighten me in terms of how we as a Church relate to the communities in which we live. One of the insights of ‘Fresh expressions of mission’ is that we are called into our communities not as hosts but as guests; not to set the agenda for others, but to listen and reflect on what it is most appropriate to share from the riches of Christ’s inclusive love. And sometimes, it is not we who do the sharing, but others who share with us.

Like last night, when Helen and I, along with two Jewish guests, were given the hospitality of an Islamic home for their Iftar dinner (see story in news on page 10). As we shared their food at the breaking of their daily Ramadan fast, and exchanged insights into the riches of our Abrahamic heritage, we were drawn closer together — not just in understanding, but also in our common humanity.

These experiences shed light for me on what the prayer of Jesus “That they may be one” might mean, especially in these challenging days when generosity and respect can do so much to infuse the hope for a united and peaceful humanity.

Welcome from the Moderator

Rev. Dr Brian BrownModerator

Sometimes when it rains it shines

The Moderator is elected to give general and pastoral leadership to the Synod,

assisting and encouraging expression and fulfilment of

faith, and the witness of the church.

You can follow the Moderator on Twitter @BrianBrownUCA

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3 from the Moderator

5 letters6 news

28 soap box30 lectionary

reflections32 fellowship news

35 belief matters37 culture watch38 entertain me

Editor Adrian DraytonSUB-EditiNG/ProdUctioN/dESiGN Belle&CoEditorial/advErtiSiNG/diStriBUtioN iNqUiriES PhoNE 02 8267 4304 Fax 02 9264 4487addrESS Insights, PO Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW, 1235 Email [email protected] wEB www.insights.uca.org.au

Insights is published by the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of New South Wales and the ACT. Articles and advertising content do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or of the Uniting Church. SUBScriPtioNS: Australia $38.50 (incl. GST); overseas $50. © 2014. Contents copyright. No material from this publication

may be copied, photocopied or transmitted by any means without the permission of the Editor. circUlatioN: 18,000. iSSN: 1036-7322 Commonwealth of Australia 2014

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contents

It was with a considerable sense of blessing that I commenced my term as Moderator in my home Presbytery, The Hunter, and home town, Newcastle, where the 2011 Synod took as its theme ‘On New and Risky Paths’. We did so recognising that we are a Church at a critical place in our journey as people “On the way to the promised goal”. Even so, we did not quite realise the immensity of the challenge we were facing.

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The Uniting Church in Australia is one of the country’s largest

denominations. Our vision is that it will be a fellowship of reconciliation, living God's

love, following Jesus Christ and acting for the common good to build a just and compassionate

community of faith.

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News

Host a barbie for a causeOne of our great Aussie traditions is getting together for a barbie. With spring just around the corner, Frontier Services is asking people to host a Great Outback BBQ. Get a group of friends together and raise some money for the people of remote Australia. Whether it’s a group of 3 or 50, host a BBQ at your Church, school or in your community and celebrate our mates in the outback. We have everything you need including fundraising ideas, recipes and more.

Call Frontier Services today and register your BBQ on 1300 787 247 or visit greatoutbackbbq.com.au

5 reasons to host a BBQ in 2014:

1. Bring together the people in your community for a common cause

2. It’s a simple and fun way to lend a hand

3. You will contribute to a ‘mantle of care’ for people in the outback

4. Celebrate the spirit of the outback

5. There is nothing better than the smell of sausages sizzling on the barbie!

A helping hand is on its way Run by Frontier Services, Outback Links matches volunteers with families in remote Australia to provide hands-on help when it is needed most, be it during harvest or muster, after drought or flood or simply to lighten the load when there is no other help available.

Following a temporary break in operation, Frontier Services is confident that Outback Links will continue to grow and provide even more assistance for people in remote areas right across Australia.

This month volunteers will head to Paraburdoo and Toodyay in WA, Camooweal and Duaringa in QLD, Leila Creek in NT and Broken Hill in NSW.

“There is a huge demand for hands-on help in the bush,” said Frontier Services National Development Manager, Grahame Ryan. “Our Outback Links volunteers help fill the gap. We are so grateful for their skills, enthusiasm and most of all their willingness to help. It makes such a difference to people’s lives.”

Anyone can volunteer, whether they are a carpenter, an accountant, a school teacher or a student. “If you know someone in the bush who could use a helping hand, please get in touch with Outback Links.”

If you would like to help, but are not able to volunteer, you can lend a hand by donating to Frontier Services to assist with the costs of placing volunteers in the bush.

For more information phone 1300 731 349 or email [email protected] or go to www.frontierservices.org


Insights August 2014 7insights.uca.org.au insights.uca.org.au

An update on our property workshopsFour property workshops, sponsored by Uniting Resources and run by former Moderator, Rev. Niall Reid, were held at the Centre for Ministry, Carcoar South-west of Bathurst, Grafton and South Tamworth. More than 120 participants took part in the workshops.

The workshops have provided an opportunity for discussion around the major issues facing The Uniting Church and reflection on ways forward, which include defining our mission, streamlining our structures and decision-making processes, respecting the different roles of the different councils of the Church, working out how to achieve more effective communication, cutting red tape.

Flowing from these workshops will be ideas and proposals that will find their way onto the agenda of the Synod, Presbyteries and Congregations.

Those who have attended workshops are encouraged to continue the conversation in their Congregations and develop proposals for Synod and Presbyteries that will help us all to re-imagine, reinvigorate and renew the Church in a collaborative, open and honest way.

In the process let us not think of ourselves as a Church in decline but as one in transition, bearing the scars of the cross and living with the hope of the resurrection.

For more information please email Rev. Niall Reid on [email protected]

An important change to the Employee Assistance ProgramOn 1 July 2014, our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) was transitioned to Assure Programs. This move offers our employees, Ministers and their families access to a greater range of benefits as well as a number of new initiatives such as ‘I-Care’, which is specifically tailored for First Peoples and their families.

The EAP is a confidential, voluntary counselling service available to all employees and their immediate family members. This independent service aims to help you to improve health and wellbeing, resolve challenges and reach your goals.

If you currently receive support from AccessEAP, you may continue doing so. However, anyone seeking support from 1 July 2014 should now call Assure Programs on 1800 808 374 or visit www.assureprograms.com.au.

$22,000 boost for Griffith Carevan service UnitingCare NSW.ACT has provided a $22,000 grant to the Griffith Neighbourhood House Community Centre to support the ongoing coordination of the Griffith Carevan project for another year.

The Carevan is a caravan that has been converted into a mobile soup kitchen. It is staffed by trained volunteers who serve meals to disadvantaged people in various parts of the local council area, based in the NSW Riverina. Several members of the Uniting Church Congregations at Griffith, Yenda and Binya also support the Carevan project.

Don’t miss out!Would you like to receive news and event information in your inbox every week?

Think about signing up and subscribing to the General Secretary’s eNewsletter. It contains news, events and other information about the Synod’s service offerings you may find helpful.

To sign up, simply go to www.nswact.uca.org.au/about-us/connect/ and get connected.

Rev. Niall Reid

Be rewarded for having Your Say

This month every contributor to Your Say receives Divergent on DVD courtesy of eOne Entertainment.

Your Say letters should be sent to [email protected] or posted to Insights, PO Box A2178 Sydney South NSW 1235. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.



News

Students speak out against poverty

“Who is my neighbour? And what does it mean to be a good neighbour?” These were two questions hundreds of students grappled with at the One World WonTok conferences hosted by UnitingWorld and Anglican Board of Mission throughout Australia recently.

Now in its third year, the One World WonTok conference brings students from Church schools together to explore effective responses to the issues of global inequality and poverty.

The theme of this year’s conference provided students and teachers with the opportunity to explore global citizenship. Participants were asked to imagine they had woken up to find the global village on their doorstop – a village where one in four children’s growth is stunted because they are malnourished; where people are trafficked into slavery to make the clothing we wear, and where women and children die every day from preventable diseases.

“WonTok really changed my perspective,” said a student from Newington College, Sydney.

“I didn’t consider what I did had an impact on other people around the

world. Now I realise we can all make a difference.”

For many students, this Village Simulation provided an insight into what life is like in one of Australia’s closest neighbours – Papua New Guinea (PNG). Guest speakers Meagan Morrison and Kerren Vali, who both manage development projects in PNG, also shared personal stories about their own life and work and their experience of living out their identity as global citizens.

At the end of each conference, school groups shared ideas about how they could continue to make a difference in their ‘global’ community.

A simultaneous simulation!

UnitingWorld and the NSW/ACT Synod Uniting Mission and Education are partnering to bring the Village Simulation activity to youth groups across NSW on Friday October 24.

Contact Bradon French on [email protected] to find out how your youth group can get involved and to receive your free Village Simulation Kit.

Also visit www.unitingworld.org.au/schools to find out more about how your school can engage with global issues and overseas Church partnership through UnitingWorld.

A new Christian resource for ageing peopleMemoryLink® is a small, hand-held, battery-operated player programmed with 30 hymns, 30 children’s songs and over 40 Bible passages and prayers taken from a nation-wide survey in which Australian seniors listed the Christian songs, readings and prayers they could still remember from their childhood days.

MemoryLink® is already being used with ageing people (including those with dementia), enabling them to relive these precious memories, bringing hope, joy and peace to their later years.

MemoryLink® is a project of Pennant Hills Uniting Church. The hymns are sung by a community choir assembled for the purpose and the choruses by a local children’s singing group. They are meant to sound like the Congregational and Sunday School.

MemoryLink® is now available for sale at the non-profit cost of $68.

For more information contact Dr Fenton Sharpe on 02 94846197 or [email protected]

Students involved in the OneWorld WonTok simulation in May this year.



Working remotely!Imagine living 18 hours away from your children. For many families in remote Australia, this is a reality. It’s the same reality for Frontier Services’ staff.

Katrina McGregor (pictured, above right), Field Coordinator with our Remote Area Families Service was based in Longreach. Katrina’s children were 18 hours away, at boarding school in Alice Springs.

Recently Katrina relieved at Mutitjulu Childcare Centre in the Northern Territory. Katrina says her time at Mutitjulu was inspiring. “Although I have visited Uluru on a number of occasions it is still an amazing sight to see no matter how many times you see it.”

The children are always the reward, and sometimes they present staff with treats, including local wildlife. “On one of the mornings at work I was a little apprehensive to receive a gift of a Thorny Devil from one of the community children.”

The tranquillity of her surroundings rubbed off and Katrina says she found herself exploring them even though she’s not typically much of a walker. “With the amazing scenery out in the Red Centre I found myself walking every day after work and also on the Sunday I actually hired a bike and rode the 10.5 kilometres around the Rock for fun.”

Katrina is now excited at the opportunity to head back to the desert to take up the position of Assistant Coordinator at the Childcare Centre.

“I really appreciated the opportunity to go out there as my husband works on a community south of Alice Springs and I have 2 children at boarding school in Alice Springs. So needless to say I jumped at the chance to not only relieve, but then take up the position at the childcare centre. Now instead of an 18 hour drive home, it will only take 4 hours.”



News

Sharing a Meal in Good Faith On 14 July, representatives of Sydney’s Christian, Jewish and Buddhist communities and the Ramakrishna Sarada Vedanta Society of NSW gathered in historic St Stephen’s Uniting Church in Sydney to share stories of faith and hospitality over a meal.

“Sacred hospitality in our churches and communities starts here,” said Assembly Associate General Secretary Rev. Glenda Blakefield, reflecting on the theme of the evening.

“By creating a space for interfaith friendship to grow, we honour God’s gift of diversity.”

As part of the event, the St Stephen’s Church Hall was set up so that Muslim guests could observe their afternoon prayer ritual as they broke their fast during Ramadan.

Attendees also received Christian blessings, prayers and Grace, a

Muslim call to prayer and a Koranic recitation. After dinner Uniting Church representatives shared stories about how interfaith relationships have enriched their lives.

Ahmet Keskin of Affinity Intercultural Foundation encouraged participants to explore more ways to extend sacred hospitality by caring for each other’s wellbeing.

“Sacred hospitality is about sharing, and tonight is a good example of sharing.”

“We have shared a meal, but we have also shared more than that, we have shared friendship,” said Mr Keskin.

Rev. Seforosa Carroll, Chairperson of the Uniting Church’s National Working Group on Relations with Other Faiths described interfaith engagement as transformative.

“For me, sacred hospitality is about making room for the religious other who is radically different to who we

are,” said Rev. Carroll. “It’s about being intentional in creating hospitable spaces to engage with other faiths.”

The Moderator of the Uniting Church Synod of NSW and the ACT Rev. Dr Brian Brown welcomed guests to the inaugural event. Master of Ceremonies Jim Mein also shared his experiences as a Moderator during the Cronulla riots and how the interfaith partnerships he had formed had become close personal friendships.

Associate General Secretary Rev. Glenda Blakefield thanked Affinity Intercultural Foundation for its work to strengthen interfaith dialogue between the Muslim community and the Uniting Church.

“The UCA is absolutely committed to ongoing interfaith dialogue at leadership and grassroots levels.”

“It has been a joy to welcome our friends in faith through this Iftar dinner, which I hope will be the first of many,” said Rev. Blakefield.

Representatives of Sydney’s Christian, Jewish and Buddhist communities and the Ramakrishna Sarada Vedanta Society of NSW gathered.



Rediscovering Courage: Faith and Justice Expo

The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT is hosting Rediscovering Courage: Faith and Justice Expo on Saturday 9 August 2014 at the Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta.

The Faith and Justice Expo is an event that seeks to reaffirm social responsibility and prophetic witness as integral to Christian discipleship and the life of the Uniting Church.

The Expo will feature some inspiring speakers and around twenty electives to build knowledge and skills to help participants engage with the issues of the day. There will also be a highly interactive panel discussion on the relationship between faith and justice, both in the past and in the church of the future. To find out more about the Expo or to register, go to http://www.faithandjustice.org.au. If you have any questions or would like more information about the Expo please contact Jon O’Brien, Social Justice Advocacy Coordinator on (02) 9407 3225 or [email protected]

Uniting Church Welcomes Delegation from China Christian Council

The Uniting Church in Australia recently welcomed a high level delegation of Chinese aged care providers led by the China Christian Council (CCC).

From 15-24 July the CCC delegation visited residential and community aged care facilities in Sydney and Canberra and attended seminars on clinical care and governance. The Canberra visit included attending meetings at the Federal Parliament.

Uniting Church President Rev. Prof. Andrew Dutney says the visit signified the strong and growing partnership between the CCC, the UCA and their respective agencies.

“On behalf of the whole Uniting Church I extend our blessings and a warm welcome to our brothers and sisters from the China Christian Council,” said Rev. Prof. Dutney.

“Care for those in need is at the core of Christian practice and we are proud to be able to share our mutual learnings and experiences as Church partners.”

“With almost 2.5 million Christians baptised in the last five years the Chinese church is experiencing phenomenal growth. We welcome the opportunity to explore ways to supporting and learning from each other in our service and witness.”

The visit by the CCC delegation follows a landmark joint conference in Nanjing last September of leaders of the UCA and the CCC.

National Director of UnitingCare Australia Lin Hatfield Dodds says Chinese providers are keenly interested in Australia’s models of social service provision through faith-based organisations.

“The UnitingCare network is delighted to be able to share learnings and models of best practice in service provision with our Chinese friends, particularly in services for vulnerable people needing care,” said Ms Hatfield Dodds.

UnitingWorld National Director Rob Floyd said the visit is the first of a number of planned exchanges and collaborations.

Peter Bicknell, Rev. Cheng Baoshan, Rev. Zheng Zhangsheng, Rev. Dr Ji Zhang, Linda Seaman, Steve Teulan. (Front) Lin Hatfield Dodds, Wang Baocheng (Delegation Leader), Rev. Prof Andrew Dutney, Rev Li Meilan, Rev. Gao Xuehong, Cai Chaoheng


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S ynod: One of the ‘series of inter-related councils by which the Uniting Church orders

and governs its life and, as such, a familiar gathering that occurs at regular intervals usually over a number of days.

Preparation for the next Synod meeting is intensifying in the Secretariat and it’s prompted me to wonder about this strange word that is only used in the Church and in astronomy. (Yes, in astronomy, where it means, according to Google, a conjunction of two or more planets or stars. Who knew?)

The word ‘synod’ comes from the Greeks and is a combination of the words for ‘together’ and ‘way’, which resonates with ‘a pilgrim people always on the way towards the promised end.’ In its origin the word synod gathers up and encapsulates the whole rich tradition of covenant and pilgrimage for the whole people of God journeying towards their promised end.

Add to that the colour and movement of Middle Eastern caravans converging on a stopping place. Conceivably a town or city, a desert oasis, or temple, to take refreshment and rest, to share stories and to enjoy each other’s companionship for a time. The Synod meeting at Knox Grammar between 27–30 September becomes a stopping place for the pilgrim people of God on the way.

There is a whole lot of preparation going on in the Synod offices. A gathering of more than four hundred people is no small thing to organise. There are regular huddles of people addressing logistical issues; there’s a draft agenda taking shape on the GenSec’s whiteboard; nominations for Synod membership and other elected positions and appointments are coming in; reports and discussion papers are being finalised and everyone is working to a deadline.

The Moderator and the Moderator-elect are not only preparing for

significant life transitions, but also spending time reflecting on where we’ve been, pondering the invitation of the present moment and anticipating where we might be going. Not to mention the personal learning and challenge that attaches to any leadership role in the Church, but particularly that of Moderator.

There also appears to be plenty of activity in Presbytery-land in anticipation of the Synod gathering. The Executive Directors seem to be everywhere talking about tipping points, learning networks, mission and property, and the budget situation. I’m aware of special Presbytery meetings, intentional discussions around particular issues and a whole buzz of conversation happening in coffee shops, corridors and car parks.

In all of this preparation and buzz, it’s important to remember that the Christ is always ahead of us preparing the way and that the way that he prepares is a particular one. To paraphrase some words of Richard Rohr, Jesus clearly taught the disciples about surrender, about the reality of suffering, the necessity of humility, and about servant leadership and non-violence. Dealing with the issues before the Synod will no doubt provide plenty of opportunity to practice.

According to the Gospels, the disciples mostly didn’t get it so he demonstrated by walking the walk that went with the talk and by saying to them, ‘Follow me!’ There will be a lot to consider and discuss, there will be energy and controversy and excitement and celebration but even so, it’s not a Synod meeting that Jesus is preparing the way for. In fact, this Synod meeting is just one small step on the journey of this pilgrim people on the way to the promised end. Jesus has a much bigger agenda and following him has changed, is changing and will change everything.

From the General Secretary’s desk“Fol low me” to Synod 2014

Rev. Jane FryActing General Secretary

The General Secretary is appointed by the Synod to provide leadership to the

Church by actively engaging in strategic thinking about

the life, direction, vision and mission of the Church.

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As we plan for the meeting in September there are some important highlights to note over the four days

Synod Meeting Saturday, 27 September – Tuesday, 30 September

FRIDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER, 7pm: Synod Opening Service and Installation of the Moderator, Rev. Myung Hwa Park at Turramurra Uniting Church, Turramurra Avenue , Turramurra

SATURDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER, 8.45am: Orientation for new members

SUNDAY-TUESDAY, 28-30 SEPTEMBER, 9am: Morning Prayers

MONDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER, 1.30pm: Keynote Speaker Arda Aghazarian – Arda is an Armeni-an Palestinian Christian, a filmmaker and an advocate for justice, peace, conflict resolution and women’s rights in the Holy Land. She will talk on “Speaking for a peaceful future”

See you at the

SYNOD MEETING

2014AS WE GEAR UP FOR SYNOD HAVE YOU:Registered yet? Downloaded the app?

Considered associated events?

For further information regarding the SYNOD MEETING 2014 email [email protected]

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Looking back to see forward:

the Moderator’s vision



I t was with a considerable sense of blessing that I commenced my term as Moderator in my home

Presbytery, The Hunter, and home town, Newcastle, where the 2011 Synod took as its theme ‘On New and Risky Paths’. We did so recognising that we are a Church at a critical place in our journey as people “On the way to the promised goal”. Even so, we did not quite realise the immensity of the challenge we were facing.

Since then, my time as Moderator has included a series of inspiring experiences of our Church at its best. For example, the Yurora NCYC at the Centre for Ministry; great gratitude for the welcome and hospitality of Congregations, Presbyteries and other agencies while travelling the length and breadth of NSW and the ACT; inspiring ecumenical and inter-faith events such as the recent ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’ celebration with the Anglicans at Bangalow; and times of near despair at our propensity to send good energy down the drain in our conflicts and disputes.

In all of this, it has been an immense privilege to serve the Synod and I welcome this late-term opportunity to articulate my vision for the Synod of NSW and the ACT.

This vision is essentially the same as I named to the 2010 Synod that elected me, that is, to be the Church we are called to be: inclusive, generous and courageous.

Ex-moderator Rev. Niall Reid put it well in the introduction to his paper, Property for a Pilgrim People: “The Uniting Church has the credibility, ethos and resources to make a significant impact on the spiritual and social landscape of Australian Society. God is calling us to realise that potential”.

The 2013 Synod embraced the call to be ‘Uniting for the Common Good’. This conviction, embedded in the Way of Jesus, helps guide and test our decision-making.

In order to gather ourselves in pursuit of this vision of an inclusive, generous and courageous Church bearing witness to Christ in our community, we need to attend to some matters within our own communal life. In each case, I envisage movement along a spectrum from a less to a more effective position; recognising that where we are now in each focus area has its strengths as well as its weaknesses.

Priority #1: LeAdershIP The first relates to my conviction that leadership of both specified ministry agents and lay people is critical to our communal health, wellbeing and mission. I am inspired by an insight from David Gillespie’s book Free Schools, in which he nominates the one key issue that separates the highest performing education systems in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), specifically Finland, Hong Kong and Singapore, from the rest.

That issue is not the teachers’ salary, the class sizes, nor the approach to gender, but the thoroughgoing mentoring of their teachers. Similarly, critical to our future is the oversight of ministry agents from recruitment to retirement. This includes recruitment, selection, training, placement, mentoring, supervision, evaluation, continuing education and out-placement.

The change I envision is from a somewhat ‘hit and miss’ approach to one that is systematic and comprehensive. Some Presbyteries are making strenuous efforts in this regard, and they need more resources for the task. I would like to see movement along the continuum from a culture, where it exists among ministry agents, of individualism and sense of entitlement to a culture of accountability and collegiality.

In this regard, we have not been well served by the disbanding of parishes, where there was more likely to be collegiality, to the focus on the individual Congregations where, if there is a ministry agent, they are more likely to be isolated.

Priority #2: ProPerty A second critical priority, and one that is now getting the attention it deserves, is widespread and thoroughgoing commitment to the missional and communal use of property and other resources across the Synod.

This calls for a generous community spirit like that of the early Church in Acts 2, where everything was held in common and used for the common good. It stands in contrast to the attitude that I have encountered from time to time in Congregational life, when we were forced to address the fragile state of the Church’s finances.

On occasions, when we came to the point of needing to either increase our giving or cut our costs, someone would propose that we start by reducing our tithe to Living is Giving, because “Charity begins at home”! Thank God it never happened, and we were never forced to regret the decision to maintain generosity in the face of apparent financial scarcity.

Priority #3: resourcIngThirdly, I envision the Synod as having courage and foresight in selecting key areas and locations of ministry and mission for special resourcing.

The 4 principlesRev. Niall Reid names 4 principles for the missional use of property:

1Property supports the Church to be at God’s Mission

2Property is the common wealth of the Church

3 Stewardship of property is concentrated on growing the mission

4 The best use of any property has to be determined in light of the mission of the whole Church.

The vision is to be the Church we are called to be:

inclusive, generous and courageous



Rev. Dr Brian Brown presides at the Service of Lament for Asylum Seekers at Pitt Street Uniting Church.



For example, we may choose to prioritise ministry training and mentoring, tertiary ministry, and/or significant strategic placements, especially in rural and regional areas. This selectivity espouses, among other things, the so called 80-20 principle (80% of outcomes are usually achieved with 20% of effort, and vice versa). It is about being intentional in the way we allocate resources according to strategic priorities. Treating the whole Synod as a level playing-field that needs to be equally resourced is neither just nor courageous.

Having identified these 3 priorities, I was amazed (well, not really) to read that the United Church of Canada, which is facing very similar challenges to us, names the following as their main issues:

1. Responsibility and authority for property

2. Oversight of pastoral charges

3. Oversight and discipline of ministers.

It’s not rocket science! In some ways it is even more challenging and demanding than that because it is about people — their hopes, fears, needs and aspirations. Essentially though, it is about a Church with an ethos of care, inclusion and justice, seeking to unite and equip the Synod of NSW and the ACT to serve Jesus Christ and the world to which He calls us.

In terms of living out our vision in the wider community, pursuing the Common Good means being involved both pastorally and prophetically in the big issues of our day. These include the gap between rich and poor, climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions, and treatment of asylum seekers.

We are called to be involved, not just as social activists, but because these are fundamentally spiritual issues. As a Church committed to the flourishing of all creation, we must, as an evangelical imperative, hold spirituality and social justice together. Our Church already has a reputation for including those on the margins, being generous in engaging with those ‘outside the camp’, and courageous in our prophetic witness in the face of social and ecological injustice. We need to do more of all of this, not less, inspired by Jesus’ prophetic impulse to proclaim good news to the poor.

In all of this we can move forward with hope in our hearts. For me, one major sign of hope is the extent to which our Congregations, large and small, mono and multicultural, urban and rural, are engaging in mission and ministry in their communities. Another is the strength of the partnership between Congregations, Presbyteries, and UnitingCare, in outreach, advocacy and action for social justice.

I applaud momentum across all parts of our Church towards teamwork and away from a so-called ‘silo mentality’. I see active and emerging high quality young adult leadership with a strong commitment to our ethos and a vision about how the Church of the future needs to be different to stay on the Way of Jesus. I also see many older people with the wisdom to know that “Those who work for tomorrow will not miss the dreams of yesterday” (Yusuf Islam).

At the coming Synod starting on 26 September, the new Moderator, Rev. Myung Hwa Park will be installed. Her role is to give general and pastoral leadership to the Synod. I trust that she will be well supported in that task. One way we can help her is to resist the temptation to expect her to be the ‘Ombudsman’ of the Synod. It is not the Moderator’s role to get bogged down or entangled in individual conflicts and disputes.

The 2014 Synod will continue to develop the vision of the Newcastle Synod’s ‘New and Risky Paths’, and extend the theme ‘Uniting for the Common Good’. My prayer is that those who come to the Synod meeting will do so in a spirit of generosity, strong in hope, and determined to fulfil the vision of our Basis of Union that we be a Church on the Way of Jesus.

Those who work for tomorrow will

not miss the dreams of yesterday

Where it al l beganThe Moderator is elected to give general and pastoral leadership to the Synod, assisting and encouraging expression and fulfilment of faith, and the witness of the Church.

Rev. Dr Brian Brown was born in Durban, South Africa, and graduated with a Bachelor of Economics degree from the University of Natal in 1971.

After working in commerce and industry for three years he spent 18 months as Assistant Chaplain at the Seamen’s Institute in Durban before entering the Methodist ministry as a Probationer Minister.

Following two years ministering with three Congregations he began formal theological training at Rhodes University in Grahamstown.

He found life intolerable under the Apartheid regime and emigrated to Australia in 1978, where he completed theological studies at United Theological College in Parramatta.

He was ordained in 1980 in Bathurst, New South Wales. He ministered there until 1984, where he also completed a Graduate Diploma in Counselling at Charles Sturt University. One focus of his ministry in Bathurst was the inclusion of children in worship. From April 2000, Rev. Dr Brown was the minister of the Hamilton-Broadmeadow Uniting Church.

Rev. Dr Brown was installed as Moderator at the Synod meeting in Newcastle in October 2011. His term as Moderator finishes in September 2014 where he will hand over to Myung Hwa Park who will be installed on Friday 26 September, 2014.

YOU CAN FOLLOW REv. DR BROWN ON Twitter @BrianBrownUCA



J une was a multicultural month for me this year, thanks to two significant events organised

by Multicultural Ministry Consultant Katalina Tahaafe Williams and the Synod’s Multicultural Ministry Advisory Group. I had the privilege of participating as photographer in a one-day festival of creativity at the Centre for Ministry and a large multicultural celebration in the Sydney Town Hall.

Following the two multicultural month events I’m now exploring the significance of our public gatherings alongside the day-to-day practices that make them meaningful.

Putting photographs on Facebook brought about an opportunity to build personal connections with people. Learning names from another culture becomes easier for me when I can connect faces with names as they’re spelt. It’s also a way to continue the development of our identity as a multicultural church.

Talking with Rev. Viniana Rokomasi Ravetali, convenor of the Synod’s Multicultural Ministry Advisory Group (MMAG), I hear how important these events are to forming us as a multicultural movement.

“The highlight of the festival for me was the coming together of the multicultural members of the Church to showcase their ‘specialty’ in terms of food, creative artistic performances, music, dance, singing, craft, merchandise and products, providing the platform to celebrate together our richly diverse and vibrant gifts.

“The different activities of the festival also drew crowds from the wider multicultural public, promoting space for networking and ecclesial hospitality.

For the future, the MMAG is hoping to resource Congregations of the Synod of NSW and the ACT with liturgies, prayers and hymns to help them intentionally celebrate the month of June as the multicultural month, and similarly, celebrate our identity as a multicultural Church. As we plan to hold this festival annually and at a bigger scale in coming years, more involvement and

participation from the wider Church is highly desirable.”

Katalina Tahaafe Williams, Multicultural Ministry Consultant, says, “Starting with creative arts, food and worship is a great way to signal our support of people who are wondering if they have a place in The Uniting Church. It’s also a visual reminder that the Church is more diverse than we think. Next year I hope to see resources produced that help local Churches reflect on their multicultural and cross cultural callings.”

Jesus Christ has made peace between people of every race,

culture and class

Back in 1977 the Uniting Church’s Basis of Union pointed to the fact that the Uniting Church unites not only three former denominations, but also Christians of many cultures and ethnic origins. Paragraph two in The Basis of Union says that the Uniting Church “Believes that Christians in Australia are called to bear witness to a unity of faith and life in Christ, which transcends cultural and economic, national and racial boundaries and to this end…commits itself to seek special relationships with Churches in Asia and the Pacific”.

In 1985 the Uniting Church made a commitment to take seriously its identity as a multicultural Church. “Jesus Christ has made peace between people of every race, culture and class. This unity too is a gift of God, a foretaste of the reconciliation of all things in Christ. It is also a goal to be achieved as we commit ourselves in one fellowship to achieve justice, affirm one another’s cultures, and care for any who are the victims of racial discrimination, fear and economic exploitation.”

Made at a national level, two strong statements only go so far in building a shared sense of identity.

37 years later we’re still prone to assuming that the multicultural people

of the Church are those who belong to ethnic congregations. I was greatly encouraged to see the Longueville Uniting Church preserves for sale alongside the Vietnamese hot foods. Likewise, seeing the Knox Grammar pipe band marching through the middle of the Ashfield and North Ryde choirs was perhaps the highlight of the Town Hall celebration.

I was at the 2012 Assembly when we approved a resolution, One Body, Many Members – Living Faith and Life Cross Culturally.

Resolution 42 challenged us to take seriously the resources associated with language and cultural diversity. Educators like me are challenged to expand our curriculum development and educational programs to include:

• awareness and knowledge concerning the diversity of cultural heritages

• theological and biblical traditions and insights

• teaching and learning styles

• in-language assessments of our multicultural and multiracial world, for discipleship education and training, formation of candidates for specified ministries, in-service/continuing education programs for leaders, ministers and elders.

Ministers and leaders in the UCA are challenged to acquire a second language and to participate in immersion experiences in another culture/language community in order to make their ministry gifts and leadership available more widely and equitably across The Uniting Church.

Churches and Church agencies are encouraged to work on the racial, cultural and linguistic diversity of the writers, content of articles and photos and other images used in Uniting Church publications and publicity materials.

The work of becoming a truly multicultural people includes conversations around Christian gospel and how we relate to many contexts. As

Coming together for the future in a multicultural way

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Anniversary celebrations were held at Town Hall in Sydney’s CBD.



Director of the Synod’s Uniting Learning Network, I’m committed to nurturing networks that grow our capacity.

Learning to sing or pray in another language is a great start. Being able to converse in other languages is hard work, but I’ve found that learning a range of greetings and key phrases has started me in the right direction. I’m proud to see the progress ordination candidates at United Theological College (UTC) are making in Korean language this year.

I’m looking forward to the Synod gathering in September. As a member of the worship committee I’ve had the privilege of learning from Moderator-Designate Myung Hwa Park as she helps us craft integrated multicultural experiences. Jione Havea, Old Testament lecturer at UTC, is bringing together a Pacifica team of poets, artists and musicians to help us explore the Scriptures. Members of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (NSW/ACT) will be sharing in worship leadership alongside many other partners.

Together we can continue to engage in effective prophetic advocacy and public policy development on the issues of racial, social, economic and environmental justice. We can explore, develop, support and implement culturally and contextually appropriate strategies concerning evangelism and resourcing for new Church establishment, development and ministry support in racially, culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

We can plan and implement strategies to help ensure and promote a faithful, equitable and just stewardship and sharing of the financial and property resources of The Uniting Church for the empowerment of all local Congregations and faith communities.

Bring it on.

Arts, food and the odd dunkingOn 14 June my workplace, the Centre for Ministry in North Parramatta, became host to a creative arts and food festival, with singers, musicians and dancers from many different cultures showcasing their talents throughout the day. Congregations and agencies of the Uniting Church ran food stalls and information booths encouraging visitors to taste, see and act.

The day began at 6am. Eager stall holders turned up to prepare for 12 hours of hospitality in the Centre car park. It was raining lightly, but there was room inside for 500 people to be seated. Meanwhile, the brave Synod Secretary, Rev. Dr Andrew Williams, looked for help with the dunking booth, in which paying punters had a go at putting him in the specially designed pool.

Julie Owens, federal MP for Parramatta and guest speaker for the morning, turned up for a multicultural breakfast and a chat with the locals. We talked about the event coinciding with Refugee Week and looked through a display on children in detention, courtesy of UnitingCare social justice advocacy coordinator Jon O’Brien.

Maybe we have something to learn

about doing life together

Judges Haloti Kailahi, Radhika Sukumar-White, Itu Taito and Timoci Uluirewa and Seungjae Yeon prepared themselves for eight hours of performance judging, knowing their decisions would make all the difference for the 3 prize winners.

Radhika, a candidate for Minister of the Word at Uniting Theological College, reflected on her experience as judge. “The hymn, ‘Count Your Blessings’, was stuck on repeat in my head that day, as many of the Uniting Church’s most prized gems were given a space to share of themselves. It was a privilege as a judge to sit and experience music, dance, clothes and food from many different cultures - such a joyful day!”

By 11.30am the rain had lifted and Andrew was ready for the dunking to begin. People of all ages lined up to throw balls at the target, just to see Andrew go under. The highlight for me was when Synod moderator Rev. Dr Brian Brown proved himself to be a crack shot, catching Andrew unprepared.

Throughout the day I had the pleasure of talking with participants and leaders and got a real sense of the dedication that’s put into this day. Hours and hours are spent rehearsing, preparing costumes and cooking. There’s a great deal of honour associated with sharing resources, whether that be kimchi, nasi goreng or

marmalade. When the time comes for packing up, some stallholders stayed as late as possible, hoping to give away more.

Songs, sounds and prayersA week after the arts and food festival, we gathered in the Sydney Town Hall for a three hour high energy extravaganza of thanksgiving and prayer, punctuated with choral, band and solo inspiration. The evening was a chance to mark 37 years to the day since the inaugural public celebration in the same venue.

The ground floor and dress circle became seas of colour, particularly red, as we sang, prayed and listened together. Knox Grammar pipe band, MLC string orchestra, Hurstville Salvation Army band, and a broad selection of church choirs gave us reminders that God is not finished with the Uniting Church, even though we might be facing financial challenges and questions of structure.

The evening finished with Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, from The Messiah, a fitting celebration of the God’s long term big picture perspective.

I came away from the evening wondering why we saw large crowds from ethnic Congregations, with only handfuls from other Congregations.

Maybe we have something to learn about doing life together, hiring buses and organising to be in the same place at the same time.

Duncan Macleod is Director of the Uniting Learning Network, overseeing the work of United Theological College, the UME Resourcing Team and networking with educators across NSW and ACT.



W hen the school holidays roll around, the children around Winmalee and Springwood

in NSW get excited. Not because they’re free from teachers and textbooks. They have the chance to take part in Disaster Recovery Holiday Program that’s run by the Springwood Uniting Church.

In October 2013, horrific fires tore through the greater Blue Mountains area in NSW. Hundreds of homes were destroyed and when the flames died down and the threat was over, all that was left was devastation shroud in ash.

Recognising that the summer school holidays were looming, Rev. Janice Freeston and the Children and Family Worker, Mary-Ellen Jamieson set about creating and launching the Program – concerned that the local children needed a lot of support and there were no programs on offer. By late November the wheels were in motion.

“We have always been involved in this kind of area. We’ve always run a Kids With Courage program for kids who need help building resilience, and we’re about to launch a parents program. When you live in the mountains you expect to have bushfires. But the 2013 fires were devastating in terms of the numbers of people left traumatised. I wanted to do something for the community and the Program seemed right,” said Janice.

The Program is run each Wednesday during the holidays and attracts between 60 – 70 primary school age children. The Assembly funds the program so it’s free to attend. More than just a place to come together, the Program offers a number of exciting activities for the kids.

During the recent June/July holidays, Cricket NSW ran clinics; a member from the Springwood UC shared cultural stories based on the work they’d done with Aboriginal people; there were mosaic and painting classes, weaving and more.

“The whole community has been traumatised and a lot of people were sustained by the Church community.

It was a really important time for them to stay connected. It’s been very hard for some, particularly the older members of the Congregation. None of the older members lost their houses, but watching their children lose everything was so hard.

We’ve been really overwhelmed by the generosity of people and it has given us a huge amount of

flexibility

“So our aim [of the Program] is that people have a safe and fun place to focus on being a child instead of all these issues that are coming up for them. We have counsellors who are trained to pick up signals, we also have people to talk to parents.

“Another aim is community involvement so it’s not just Church people who are doing this. It’s run out of the school hall at Winmalee so it’s not a Church place but somewhere that everyone would be happy coming to. We’ve tried to build relationships with other community organisations and include them in this activity as much as possible.

“One of the things that was really difficult early on was building trust because a lot of people were very sceptical of the ‘Church’. People at the neighbourhood centre had told me they’d had terrible trouble with people saying they’ll do stuff and not show up. And the local school was very protective. So I arranged volunteers to do all sorts of things and slowly everyone came around. It’s been lovely for me to build relationships with the community. The way the Program has come together is a lovely exhibition of the generosity of the Church.

“We’ve been really overwhelmed by the generosity of people and it has given us a huge amount of flexibility. I’ve been able to fill in the gaps for people who don’t fit the criteria for government. I want to thank the people who’ve made donations right across the country, but particularly from New South Wales. It has given us a huge opportunity to make a difference here,” explains Janice.

Rev. Janince Freeston is the Minister of Springwood Uniting Church, a member of the Bush Fire Recovery Wellbeing Sub Committee, and the ambulance chaplain for the local area.

Rising from the ashes

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Regeneration and rebuilding.

Children enjoying the craft activities at the Disaster Recovery Holiday Program.

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F or decades, researchers have recognised that the wellbeing of adolescents is a benchmark

for the health of an entire community. It is not simply their presence which is sought; rather their vitality, connectedness and contribution. As Churches seek to live out their identity as ‘The whole people of God,’ communities have the opportunity to nurture and encourage every generation. Whilst the answer isn’t easy, it’s also not a mystery.

Within National Uniting Church Youth Ministry networks, there has been a distinct movement away from education and training for ‘youth leadership’ within local Congregations, towards a more holistic approach to the formation and development of young people. One such approach, which underscores this trend, is Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets.

“Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets are concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young

people. These assets have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults,” said Darren Wright, Riverina Presbytery Education and Discipleship Worker.

The Developmental Asset framework is categorised into two groups of 20 assets. External assets are the positive experiences young people receive from the world around them. These 20 assets are about supporting and empowering young people, setting boundaries and expectations, and positive and constructive use of young people’s time. External assets identify important roles that families, schools, Congregations, neighbourhoods, and youth organisations can play in promoting healthy development.

The 20 internal assets identify those characteristics and behaviours that reflect positive internal growth and development of young people. These assets are about positive values and identities, social competencies, and

commitment to learning. The internal Developmental Assets will help these young people make thoughtful and positive choices and, in turn, be better prepared for situations in life that challenge their inner strength and confidence.

The hope for Congregations and communities who seek to develop the assets of young people within their community is that they may do it in partnership. Schools, agencies and community organisations also often adopt an assets-based approach (or similar).

If you would like more information on the , check out Search Institute online, or contact UME Next Generations Consultant, Bradon French, who can connect you with local trainers or resources for your Congregation.

Bradon French, Next Generations Consultant, Uniting Mission and Education

Thriving youth thriving communities

Vitality and community: Yuróra 2014.

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W e recognise the need to care for our staff and Ministers who are doing

the important job of caring for others. When they are busy and active in the Church, our workplaces and our communities, it is important they are in turn provided with support to achieve and maintain happy, health and balanced lives.

With 42% of Australians reported as experiencing a mental health issue in their lifetime (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2007) and 1 in 5 Australians suffering depression each year (Beyond Blue, 2009) the need for support has never been greater.

With these statistics in mind, it’s important to be reminded of a supportive service available to all UCA Ministers, managers, employees and their immediate family members. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a professional service offering an external and confidential avenue for support to deal with any personal or work-related issue that might have a negative on our employees and their families.

On 1 July 2014, our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) was transitioned to Assure Programs. Assure is committed to assisting people to improve their wellbeing and empower individuals to be at their best. Assure has been providing quality EAP and organisational development services for over 23 years and manages a network of highly qualified and experienced psychologists ready to assist our staff and ministers with any concerns they may be experiencing, such as anxiety and depression, stress, relationships, and parenting issues to name only a few.

Assure offers convenient and unlimited access to an extensive range of resources on their website including downloadable fact sheets researched and written by Assure’s clinical psychologists.

You can find these by visiting www.assureprograms.com.au/resources/resources.php

A specialised service for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Our new EAP program also provides a tailored program offering emotional and practical support to The Uniting Church’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their leaders. Assure’s (I-CARE) has an established national network of senior counsellors with extensive experience in supporting First Peoples.

Confidential advice is available by calling I-CARE on 1800 671 561 and consultations will be made available by phone or Skype.

Taking care of ManagersWe understand that managing people can at times be stressful and challenging. We want to ensure our Managers have the support and assistance at all times to be at their best. If you’re a Manager and have any concerns regarding your teams or require guidance, you have unlimited access to Assure’s Manager Support hotline with experienced Senior

Psychologists. Just call 1800 505 015.

Making a change for the better

A quick guide to our EAP• Confidential appointments with

an Assure Psychologist (Monday to Friday) via face to face, phone, or Skype can be booked by calling 1800 808 374.

• E-counselling can be accessed through the Assure website at www.assureprograms.com.au/eap/e-counselling/e-counselling.php

• Crisis and urgent support is available 24/7 with a Senior Psychologist by calling the FREECALL 1800 808 374 number.

• I-CARE on 1800 671 561

• Manager Support hotline with experienced Senior Psychologists on 1800 505 015.

If you want to know more about you and your family’s entitlements or have any queries about the full range of Assure services please speak to your employing entities HR Manager, or call Assure direct on 1800 808 374.

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W hen I visited a family recently, they joked: “Where has the joy gone? Where is

this abundant life we talk about?” It reminded me of the book by Andrew Dutney entitled, Where Did The Joy Come From?

While they were half in jest, it was evident the burdens of Church life are far outweighing the abundant joy we proclaim. Going to Church is not always the uplifting spiritual and social occasion our older members remember. Today it is hard work with fewer people facing increasing responsibilities and chores so things can tick over for another week.

I have reflected on this question without finding any real answer. I thought about how stretched everyone is — all of us being asked to do more with less — and how busy and tired people are. When you ask someone how they are, have you noticed the answer is nearly always the same: busy!

I began to question my own sense of joy. As I sat watching a movie about Oscar Romero — the Archbishop of San Salvador who was murdered while conducting mass in 1980 — my perspective was refreshed.

It reminded me I have freedom and safety, and I will not have to watch as my children starve or are beaten to death. I have a church I can go to without risk to my life and I have a home to live in that is luxuriously spacious compared to the living conditions most of our world endure. I have work I love, serving people I care for.

I found my joy.

And then I watched as our Moderator was detained by police for holding a public prayer vigil in Tony Abbott’s office – praying for the thousands of refugees who are treated inhumanly simply for wanting just a little of what we have in such abundance. I was proud of our Church – that we care enough to move outside our own self-

absorption to advocate for those on the margins.

As our Church struggles to adapt to a new way of doing things, part of our temptation is to try and keep everything going. It isn’t joy-full, which is a fair indicator that perhaps we have some hard decision to make and some prioritising to do.

While I know these issues are complex, I also know our purpose was clearly spelled out in the Basis of Union. We were designed to be a Church that joined God in working for reconciliation and renewal in all of creation. Our DNA is that of joy — loved for who we are, challenged to be who we could be, and then compassionately loving one another the same way.

Our Church springs from being God’s people serving God’s world… but as I look around I don’t see many joy-filled Congregations. Maybe too many of us have forgotten where our joy is?

I love our Church. I love our people, but even more, I love who we could be. Of course we have tasks to do and hard decisions to make, but maybe it’s time to step outside our own nostalgia and self-absorption and see life through someone else’s perspective in order to be reminded of who and whose we are – and the purpose to which we have been called.

So, in your Congregations, Church councils and small groups, I ask you to talk about, “where is your joy?” How evident is it in your worship and in your discipleship? Ask one another, “what have we to offer our communities and our world if we have forgotten our joy?”

SoapboxWhere did the joy go?

Browyn MurphyUME’s Consultant for

Lay Ministry, Education, Discipleship and Rural Ministry

What are you passionate about?Want to continue this conversation online? Tweet or Facebook using #soapbox and let’s get a conversation going.

This month we begin a new column called Soapbox.

The soapbox is historically attributed to street preaching on a given subject, to engage

those who would stop and listen in passionate discourse. Hyde Park, London is known

for its Sunday soapbox orators, who have assembled at

Speakers' Corner since 1872 to discuss religion, politics and

other topics.

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W esley Apartments provides accommodation to the families of seriously ill or

injured children who are undergoing treatment at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

The complex offers, fully furnished, two bedroom apartments, located directly across the road from the Children’s Hospital. This service is offered to families so they can spend more time where it is needed most – at the bedside of their ill child.

This service is provided to families from all over Australia and also surrounding islands such as New Caledonia. As Wesley Apartments does not receive any government support or assistance, it relies primarily on donors.

Wesley Apartments is also strongly supported by the Westmead Congregation. It gets involved in working bees, hosting BBQ’s for the families, providing welcome packs of tea, coffee, biscuits, etc. for new families upon arrival, and even raising funds to support one of our families in great crisis. This hospitality of the Westmead Congregation, indeed all three Parramatta Mission Congregations, flows from the values of grace, inclusion, dignity, faith and hope, and the vision of a community transforming lives.

The faces of WesleyBelinda is a dedicated supervisor/support worker who supports and assists families during their stay. She helps families with grocery shopping, baby-sitting, offers directions to local facilities, and always a sympathetic ear in difficult times.

Trish Rooney is the Westmead Mission Worker and part time Chaplain at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Trish is available for support both at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and directly at Wesley Apartments.

Belinda is the one constant in an otherwise changing environment. Partnered with Trish, Wesley Apartments is able to provide a holistic approach and offer more than just somewhere to stay.

The families at WesleyAn 8-month stayEight year old Lisa* from the NSW South Coast had leukaemia. Her mum Carol*, who is her carer, along with her dad and five year old brother spent eight months at Wesley Apartments. The support worker and Westmead Mission Worker at Wesley Apartments were often the only ongoing adult, female company Carol had during the long stay. Even after returning home Carol maintained contact with the people that supported her from Wesley Apartments.

A welcomed offering When Paul’s* 17 year old son was flown by helicopter in a serious condition to Westmead Children’s Hospital, Paul had nowhere to stay. There was a vacancy at Wesley Apartments and this became the family’s home for the next month. Each day, Paul and his wife crossed the road to be at the bedside of their ill son. Other relations from Sydney also stayed at Wesley Apartments receiving support

during this difficult time. The Welcome Pack provided by the Westmead Congregation was a big help when Paul arrived by helicopter, allowing him to at least make a coffee and snack when he really needed it.

The gift of new lifeElla* needed to stay close to hospital during her pregnancy as her newborn baby would require heart surgery upon delivery. She gave birth in Westmead Hospital and whilst staying at Wesley Apartments her new baby girl was transferred directly to the Children’s Hospital. Ella only had to cross the road to visit her daughter each day. There was enough room for Ella and her two other children to stay. After three weeks at Wesley Apartments the family returned home to Canberra. Trish journeyed with Ella during this difficult time and was there to provide spiritual, prayer and sacramental support.

* The names in this article have been changed to protect the identity of the families.

A home away from home

nd Rev. Dr. Deidre Palmer.

A place where disciples of Jesus Christ are formed

and nurturedThis year, the School of

Discipleship will be held at Naamaroo Conference Centre, Sydney from 4

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Lectionary Reflections

August 3 Matthew 14:13-21 John the Baptist has been beheaded. Jesus withdraws by boat to a solitary place. Is this for safety, and if so for whom — himself or his followers? Is it a spiritual reflex to return to a place of ‘wilderness’ to seek God’s will and call as he did after his baptism (there are obvious links in the stories)? When he arrives there is a crowd. Why are they there? It’s implied that they came for Jesus, but it is not stated that they did.

August 10 Matthew 14:22-33 The crowds had been fed and dismissed and Jesus finally gets some time alone to pray. Having connected with God he walks on water. Peter walks on water. What an amazing story! What would it have been like to be there? What tone of voice did Jesus use when he offered those words to Peter, “You of little faith why did you doubt?”

We are the Church sometimes symbolised as a boat, and we hold the legacy of people like Peter and his fellow disciples. Jesus has sent us on the journey towards the promised end, but we are often tossed around by the winds of change and turmoil of society. But Christ comes to us and calls us to step out of the safety of our boat and walk on the waters.

August 17 Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28 Here is the story of the faith of the Canaanite woman. He rebuts her claim for help for her daughter because she is not one of the lost sheep of Israel. Yet in Chapter 8 he had healed the servant of a Roman Centurion.

Why does Jesus put her through such humiliation and prolonged and repeated refusal? Is it to test her? If so why didn’t he test the Centurion? Why did he repent and change his mind or was he was always going to heal her?

August 24 Matthew 16:13-20Who do people say that the Son of Man is? In response to this important question, Peter reaffirms the words spoken by the group when Jesus came to them on the water, “You are the Christ – the Son of the living God.”

What we might overlook in this exchange is the fact that the knowledge of who Jesus is doesn’t come from what others say or teach, but from God. Jesus instructs his disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Christ. And yet that is what we feel called to do as Christians.

W hat would it have been like to have been there?

There is powerful symbolism in this story for us who are the Church today. How might we feed people? What are the loaves and fish that we have to offer? Might they be ourselves and our faith? If so, what does that mean for us?

When is it that you find it hard to step out in faith? In what circumstances do you find yourself with little faith? When or where in your life do you doubt?

How do you deal with the Scriptures when they throw at us difficult passages? How do you deal with faith when it throws at us difficult problems? How do you deal with people outside your religion and culture when life places them before us others of great faith and who are worthy of compassion and aid, but whom we may not want to help for any number of reasons?

Who is Jesus? Who do we say that he is – both as individuals and as a Church? How do we show who Jesus is? How do we better introduce people to God in Jesus through the Holy Spirit that they may come to proclaim him as Christ?

This Lectionary Reflection was prepared by the Rev. Jon Humphries, Chaplain at Ravenswood School for Girls.

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UTC is constituted within the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT, and CSU’s School of Theology.

A10

64

Study Creation and Ecology

Uniting Earth Minister Dr Jason John will be leading a five day intensive course on Creation and Ecology from 17 to 21 November at the United Theological College in North Parramatta. This subject reflects on God as creator of heaven and earth, exploring critical questions about the church’s ecological responsibilities in today’s changing world. Creation and Ecology (THL 211) is available as an elective in CSU’s Bachelor of Theology, as Single Subject Study or for interest only.

How does our faith relate to our environment? What are the church’s ecological responsibilities? What is the future of our planet?

ENROL NOW

For more information:Joanne Stokes 02 8838 8967 [email protected]

www.utc.edu.au/courses

This subject may be studied as an individually assessed subject, for interest only, or credited towards further study.

To register: Renee Kelly 02 8838 8914 [email protected]

31 AD matrix 2.indd 31 25/07/2014 4:16:44 PM

32 Fellowship News.indd 32 25/07/2014 4:16:46 PM

Many children are unable to live with their birth families and there is an ongoing need for more foster carers in New South Wales.

UnitingCare Burnside is seeking foster carers to provide safe and secure home environments for school aged children. Some kids have had a challenging start and require extra love and support.

We welcome people of any age and culture who are single, de facto, in same sex relationships or married, with or without children. There are flexible care options — from providing respite for a weekend each month to short term and long term foster care.

UnitingCare Burnside provides training, an allowance and 24/7 support every step of the way.

Talk to us about fostering a child:

Dubbo Mid North Coast Sydney(02) 6885 5010 1800 815 113 (02) 9768 6955

or visit www.burnsidefostercare.com

Share your heart and home. Become a foster carer.


Updates from the General Secretary

Welcoming new placements

• Mr Seungjae Yeon, Gladesville Boronia Park – (Date to be confirmed)

• Rev. Andrew Cunningham, Orange – 1 August 2014

• Rev. Manas Ghosh, Parramatta Mission – 1 July 2014

• Ms Karyn Paull, Lane Cove Chaplain (Exit Candidate) – 8 July 2014

• Rev. Shingoo Lee, Korean Presbytery Secretary – 10 June 2014

In loving memory

• Rev. Kelvin Russell (retired) passed away on 5 June, 2014

• Mrs Margaret Lowe, mother of Rev. Alan passed away on 22 May 2014

A prayer for good health

• Rev. Dr Ann Wansbrough • Rev. Mark Watt• Mrs Narelle Hawkes

Induction/Commissioning

• Alan White, St Ninian’s, Lynham, 11 April 2014

• Ockert Meyer, Canberra Central, 11 May 2014

• Rev. Peter Overton, Far North Coast Presbytery, Casino Kyogle Cluster 15 June 2014

Retiring gracefully

• Rev. Bo Young Chun retired on 28 February 2014

Banners supporting refugees and asylum seekersThe Uniting Church have created 2 large external banners which can be hung on or around your church. One says “Refugees are Welcome Here” and the other “Children Don’t Belong in Detention”. Both have the UCA symbol on them. Banners can be ordered, free of charge, through UnitingCare NSW, by emailing [email protected]

We encourage you to have a conversation with your congregation about the possibility of displaying one of these banners at your church.

Annual Financial ReturnThe Annual Financial Return form (formerly UR2 Form) is now available online to download. You can download it from www. bit.ly/1lodT36

Information for individuals and congregations

Current P lacement Vacancies as at 1 August 2014.The following placements have submitted profiles to the Placements Committee and are either in, or soon to be in, the process of seeking to fill a ministry vacancy. Placements are available to specified ministers of the UCA. These placements are listed as being suitable for a Pastor under Regulation 2.3.3(a)(ii). A non-ordained minister may offer to serve in an approved placement through a written application to the Synod. Expressions of interest may be made in writing to the Associate Secretary, [email protected] or to the Presbytery’s Placement Committee representative.

MInIStRy MAtteRS

GiveawayPymble Ladies College (PLC) are giving away a couple of hundred copies of the “Together in Song” hymn books, and a couple of hundred of Good News Bibles to anyone who would like them. Contact the Rev. Lorenzo Rodriguez Torres, Chaplain at PLC 9855 7790 or email [email protected] for more information.

CAnBeRRA ReGIOnSt Margaret’s Hacket & St James Curtin 50/50 Bega-TathraEurobodalla 70%Yarralumla

GeORGeS RIVeR PReSByteRyMenai- Illawong (Part time 50% - 60% Negotiable)Campsie-Earlwood-Clemton Park

ILLAWARRA PReSByteRyDapto

KOReAnSydney Cheil Church English Ministry

KU-RInG-GAI PReSByteRySt Andrews South Turramurra 50%

SyDney PReSByteRyWesley Chinese (ADVERTISED)Strathfield Homebush

SyDney nORtH PReSByteRyCarlingford Marsden Road 50%Presbytery Minister – Ministry Mission and Strategy (ADVERTISED)

34 Updates from the Gen Sec.indd 34 25/07/2014 4:17:04 PM


“I f I make my bed in Sheol, you are there” (Psalm 139:8). The message of the Bible is that

death is not the end. Death does not defeat God’s promise. Death is not separation from God. In Christ, God has dwelt among the dead.

Several of the New Testament witnesses describe Jesus’ death as a descent into the world of the dead. “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive,” after having first “descended into the lower parts of the earth” (Ephesians 4:8-9). He “went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison,” and then went “into heaven and is at the right hand of God” (1 Peter 3:18-22). The dead are not lost forever. They are not condemned to silence. In Christ, “the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live” (John 5:25).

Eastern Orthodox iconography is especially attentive to this aspect of the Christian hope. In Orthodoxy, the icon of the resurrection portrays a glorified Christ standing over the broken doors of hell. Beneath his feet, the chains and locks that have held the dead are all broken. An old man and an old woman are depicted on either side of Christ. They are Adam and Eve. Christ has seized them by the wrists and raised them up from the shadowy underworld. The resurrection is not just an isolated miracle that happens to Jesus. It is something that happens to us – to Adam and Eve, to the whole human family. As Christ rises, the whole of humanity rises with him.

In the early Church, the message of Christ’s triumph over death produced some very strange attitudes towards the dead. Believers would assemble for prayer in tombs. When one of them was martyred by the Roman state, the believers would raise the body in the air and parade it through the streets like a trophy. Greek and Roman neighbours were shocked by such behaviour. But Christians placed the dead right at the centre of their public gatherings. The earliest church buildings were really just large mausoleums erected over the remains of the martyrs.

Where others see only defeat or contamination, Christ’s followers see a paradoxical victory. Where others see only darkness and despair, Christ’s followers see broken gates. Where others see only an end, Christ’s followers see new beginnings. Death is serious: but not as serious as life. It has been placed in a wider context of meaning. We bury our dead under the sign of the cross. We lay our bones to rest in silent witness to the resurrection of the body.

We still die, but not as those who are

condemnedDeath is still dangerous, but it is not

a wild beast. Christ has domesticated it. He has it on a leash. It is dangerous

to us, but not to him – and he is with us. “We still die,” said Athanasius in the fourth century, “but not as those who are condemned.”

By nature we are all on the way from birth to death. But by grace we are journeying in the opposite direction. The Christian life is a mystery that moves from death to birth. At the beginning of the Christian life we are baptised into Christ’s death; and at the end we are born into the life of the resurrection. We are born as though dying; we die as those who are being born. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?” (1 Corintians 15:55).

Ben Myers is Lecturer in Systematic Theology at United Theological College

Belief matters“He descended into hell…”

35 Belief Matters.indd 35 25/07/2014 4:17:20 PM


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Culture watchMoving beyond the Christian cringe

M y first hint that the launch of the film Freedom was going to be something outside of

the ordinary came from the invitation I received – or lack of it. The second hint was the screening itself. Walking in the seats were filled with people who looked more like Churchgoers than film critics – which is exactly who they were.

Freedom builds its tale around 4 slaves who escape from a Virginian plantation and journey to the free North. Cuba Gooding Jnr. stars as Samuel, a father and husband determined to fight his way to liberty. His mother, Adira (Phyliss Bash), is a woman of faith who believes Samuel has to escape from a greater slavery than his chains. As their journey progresses it becomes clear her son is caught up in a very Christian tale.

Hollywood has produced many films about this dark period of history – The Colour Purple, Amistad, 12 Years A Slave – but Freedom has restored its faith-shaped context.

The film industry woke up with a jolt to the potential of faith-based productions with the 2004 release of The Passion of the Christ. Its $30 million budget garnered a $604 million

return worldwide, making it the most successful independent production of all time. But try as it might, Hollywood has been unable to bottle that lightning. Faith-based stories like The Blind Side, apocalyptic action movies like The Book of Eli and re-tooled Bible stories like Noah all represent this desire to sell some aspect of Christianity to Christians. But the returns have never been spectacular, mainly because the movie-makers have misunderstood their audience.

Christian viewers look at faith-focused storylines differently to other demographics. They see stories like these as opportunities to affirm what they believe. They sit in their cinema seats listening carefully, rather than letting go. And that, in part, explains why they can perversely be among the first to ridicule a faith-based production. It’s not enough for a story to convey the essence of a Christian life or a Bible story. This is not fantasy but real life to the ticket buyers, so scriptwriters have little margin for error. And so strong Christian franchises like The Narnia Chronicles falter because instalments like Voyage of the Dawn Treader are criticised for drifting too far from their literary roots.

But are Christian audiences in danger of forgetting what films are for? Freedom has shortcomings that are hard to deny. But the film does achieve what should be considered its primary goal: it makes us feel differently about a life built on God.

Freedom corrects the idea that a general love of humanity was enough to bring about the end of the slave trade. It makes you respect the bravery of little men who put God first, even in the face of guns.

Believers are no longer baffled do-gooders but bulldogs. And that, especially, is why Christians should be prepared to back Christian cinema.

The library is where go to find facts; The Bible, the ultimate source of our knowledge of God. Cinemas, though, are where we learn how to feel about a subject.

This is the question that should be levelled at every faith-based story: does it lead us to feel about God the way we should?

Then that’s enough to be getting on with. One good conversation will fill in the rest.

Mark Hadley

A scene from the film Freedom, in cinemas this month.

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38 Insights Augsut 2014 insights.uca.org.au

Entertain me

Dawn of the P lanet of the Apes (M)Ten years have passed since leaving the story of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his band of apes are thriving in the forests surrounding San Francisco. Humans are presumed to have died off through the catastrophic simian plague and war.

As this film opens the ape utopia is shattered via a violent confrontation with humans who survived and are tentatively venturing into the forests, a collision of worlds that will shake the foundations of the leadership and lifestyle of both communities.

For the reality of peace to succeed, there must be trust between these two leaders – Caesar and Malcolm (Jason Clarke). The ultimate battle will be an internal one. Can a fragile peace be obtained?

The writers effectively spin a tale that is believable and convinces the audience it is plausible. The storyline has a deeper message and while it does not paint mankind as the villain, it does point to the darkness in the hearts of the central characters.

Not that the film leaves an unrealistic happily ever after feeling. On the contrary, it communicates the reality of the brokenness of this world and a need for forgiveness and hope in something or someone.

Russell Matthews

Divergent (M)Divergent takes place in a dystopian future. It’s a walled-in society that is broken up into five ‘factions’ that run various parts of society. Your faction defines what you do with your life. Those who belong to no faction are labelled ‘factionless’ and are society’s cast offs — homeless and unprotected.

When teenagers turn 16 they take aptitude tests to give them an idea what they are most suited for. Many end up in the factions they were raised in. This is where we join the story and our heroine Beatrice (Woodley). Her test results are inconclusive, a point that freaks her tester out enough to make her usher Beatrice out the back door and warn her to tell no one, not even her family. However, Beatrice soon discovers she is unique, that she possesses all the five traits.

The film does have some take home messages: that our talents can be used for justice; that we should think of others rather than ourselves. Of course, caring for others is at the heart of Christianity.

Divergent isn’t a great film, but if it fosters discussion among teenagers about standing up for the truth, service above self, being wise, exercising courage, and fostering peace then it’s definitely worth a look.

Adrian Drayton

The Survival Guide for Kids with ADHDDr John F Taylor

Psychologist, Dr Taylor does a great job explaining ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) thoroughly but simply. He obviously knows his audience because the book is ideal for readers with a short concentration span. Although, it is aimed at children aged 8 to 12, it will be a good source of information for their parents.

Topics covered include the different types of ADHD, medicine, sleep, resources, diet as well as tips for living amicably with your family, succeeding at school, making and keeping friends and ways to deal with strong feelings. Each page is well laid out with a mixture of blue and black text and easy-to-see headings. There are cartoons, important points in thought bubbles, humorous quizzes, key words are in bold and explained in the glossary at the back.

Katy Gerner

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Leaving a bequest

UnitingforGoodA sustainable future is in your hands

Bequests are important to the work of The Uniting Church, educating, transforming unjust social structures, safeguarding our vital community support, looking after the next generation and helping to continue our faith and mission. After providing for your family, a bequest is a special way of ensuring

that the mission of the Church is sustained. Find out how your bequest will allow God’s work to continue: www.nswact.uca.org.au or please call Marketing and Fundraising on 02 8267 4303 or email: [email protected]

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insights - august 2014

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