News & notices - 7 September 2016

Posted Sep  7, 2016 in News

Below are the news and notices from congregations, the SA Synod and the wider Uniting Church submitted for the Wednesday 7 September edition of UC e-News. Please note that events are listed here.

------------------------------------------ 

Please note: This week's UC e-News had information about calendar ordering but the link to the order form was accidentally left out. The form is available here. For more information about 2017 calendars please click here.

 

Interfaith September

Interfaith September is a Uniting Church in Australia Assembly initiative that provides an opportunity to build understanding and friendship with people of other faiths.

Assembly invites all Uniting Church members and congregations to get involved in Interfaith September in the way that best suits them – this may be by following the Interfaith September worship resource each week, choosing a sermon theme based on Interfaith September, using a suggested hymn, or hosting an event.

Assembly has produced four resources to assist those who wish to be involved – a lectionary guide, worship resources, ideas and tips on how to reach out to others, and videos.

For more information, please visit the Assembly website here.

 

Communicators Catch-up #2

Does your job at the church involve admin, communications, event organisation, or “a bit of everything”?

The next Communicators Catch-up will be held on Tuesday 13 September, 10am to 12 noon, at Adelaide West Uniting Church. This session will focus on websites and will include a Q&A for congregations to share ideas and challenges.

Please RSVP by Monday 12 September. To RSVP or find out more, email the Uniting Church SA Communications team at Turn on Javascript!

 

September is full of forums!

Eden Hills Uniting Church will begin a series of discussions, beginning with an open forum event discussing faith and evolution on Sunday 18 September, 4-6pm.

The forum will enable all to hear, explore and articulate different views, and to learn from one another. A meal will be included. A donation of $5 per person towards the meal will be appreciated.

All interested people are asked to RSVP by Thursday 15 September by contacting Liellie on 0437 794 410 or Adam on 0422 725 463. 

A community conversation on the proposed nuclear waste repository in South Australia will be held at Brougham Place Uniting Church on Wednesday 28 September at 7pm.

The keynote speaker is Rear Admiral the Honourable Kevin Scarce, AC CSC RAN (Rtd); Royal Commissioner for the Nuclear Fuel Cycle. The panel includes: Frank H Lampard OAM, Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement; Dr Deidre Palmer, Moderator of the Uniting Church in South Australia, and Craig Wilkins, Conservation Council SA Chief Executive. 

The event will provide an opportunity to be informed about this issue, which will shape South Australia’s future. Join the conversation to make your voice heard. The event will be followed by supper.

For more information, please visit the Brougham Place Uniting Church website here.

On Friday 30 September at 6pm, Mount Gambier Uniting Church will host "Out of the Blue", a Health Play drama, and a community forum with a panel of mental health experts.

This event is just one of the activities Mount Gambier Uniting Church is hosting in order to highlight the scope of mental health, suicide prevention, and "post-vention" care and services in the region. 

The event aims to help prompt much-needed conversations to reduce stigma surrounding mental health and suicide - and will hopefully help save lives. This creative medium will provide the opportunity for audiences to make an emotional connection to the characters, which will have a long lasting effect on communities.

For more information please visit the Facebook event page.

 

The World Week for Peace in Palestine-Israel (18-24 September)

Is your congregation involved in the World Week for Peace in Palestine-Israel (WWPPI) this year? It's not too late to get involved. The week's message is that:

• It's time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace.
• It's time for freedom from occupation.
• It's time for equal rights.
• It's time for the healing of wounded souls.

How to get involved? The good news is that there are many different levels of involvement, most of which are very easy to organise:

• Exchange olive branches as a way of passing the peace, and draw the connection to peace for Palestine-Israel
• Sing a hymn (such as the Lord's Prayer) in Arabic (see pg25 of the liturgy here)
• Use the suggested Scripture readings (Psalm 146, Ephesians: 2:13-22, Mark 16: 1-8)

For more, click here.

 

Upcoming events

The majority of Uniting Church SA events are listed in more detail on the upcoming events list here.

Some of the events coming up this week include the SURRENDER Adelaide conference, annual kids camp KCO, a garage sale at Morialta Uniting Church, and a silent retreat day in Norwood.

Check out the full list to see other exciting events happening in the coming weeks! Events can be submitted to the list here.

 

------------------------------------------ 

Didn’t read last week’s “News & notices”? The items below are ones you might want to catch up on.

Operation Santa – plan now!

This is a shout out to all the youth leaders planning for Term 4 – Operation Santa will be happening again this year!

At this annual event, Uniting Church youth join together to help UnitingCare support other young people in need. Operation Santa would love to have your youth group or youth group representatives join them in Adelaide on Friday 11 November, 2016.

Find out more about Operation Santa here or click here to register.

 

Pinery Fire project update

The Pinery Fire began on 25 November in 2015 and burnt out 85 000 hectares. The Plains Community Churches (Hamley Bridge Uniting Church, Owen Community Church and Windsor Uniting Church) created the “Greening the Landscape” home garden project as a way to support local communities affected by the fire. 

Greening the Landscape has been a great success, with outreach visitors from local churches visiting many homes. Volunteers with the project offer a listening ear, compassionate conversation, and a $100 garden voucher to those whose gardens have been damaged by fire.

The churches are hoping to continue this project over the coming months. So far they have given away 180 garden vouchers, but they are only half way across the fire zone.

“The home visits and the gift of a $100 gardening voucher has been a real ministry of encouragement,” says Rev Dr Phil Marshall. “We are continuing the project into spring, and want visit more people.”

Can you help? Donations to Greening the Landscape can be made direct to:

Plains Community Churches
Treasurer, Mr Don Bubner
PO Box 1, Owen SA 5460

Email: Turn on Javascript!

Mobile: 0427 286 121

 

Exciting new kids programs at Marion Uniting!

Marion Uniting Church is looking for volunteers to join two teams:

“Healthy Eating for Families with Young Children” is a new nutrition program for families with pre-school aged children. Volunteers are needed to be part of running fun sessions, working to increase children’s positive attitudes and behaviours towards healthy eating through play, and using activities designed by the program nutritionist. 

Other volunteers are needed to join in helping to run fun, music-based playgroups for pre-school aged children and their parents on Mondays and/or Thursdays. 

For more information on either (or both!) of these volunteering opportunities, including dates, times and application forms, please contact Lauren Bonnet on 0410 692 904 or email Turn on Javascript!

---

Comments

Write comment