News & notices - 13 June 2018

Posted in News

Criminal History Check – changes to ID requirements

An updated Application & Informed Consent form is now available on the Uniting Church SA website and should be used with immediate effect as this reflects changes to proof of identity requirements.

The proof of identity documents requirement has been updated by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (through which Uniting Church SA process checks) and an applicant must now present the following to meet requirements:

  • one commencement of identity document
  • one primary use in the community document
  • two secondary use in the community documents

The types of documents that can be accepted are listed on the application form, which can be found on the Uniting Church SA's Safe Church webpage here.

 

Live Life Loud – more coming this Friday!

The first Live Life Loud event of the season has come and gone – but more are fast approaching!

Live Life Loud is a high energy worship night that endeavours to bring young people together and build a network between local churches. It is an interdenominational youth event held over several dates across multiple locations across SA with the aim of seeing lives transformed and local churches united. This year's theme is "Think Small".

Find a Live Life Loud nearby:

West: 15 June - Adelaide West Uniting Church, 6 - 9.30pm, with speaker Jordan Gauci
EP: 15 June - Yeelanna Uniting Church, 6-9pm, with speaker Ashlee Littleford
Hills: 15 June Hills - Hills Christian Community School, 6.30-9.30pm, with speaker Dave Shepherd
Mid North: 22 June - Balaklava Horizon School (Balaklava), 7pm-9.30pm, with speaker Anne Baker
North East: 29 June - Hope Valley Uniting Church, 7pm-9.30pm, with speaker Jake Toogood
South: 29 June - Seeds Uniting Church, 6.30-10pm, with speaker Tash Harvey

More information is available on the Uniting Church SA website here

New community initiatives

Grange Uniting Church is working on some new community initiatives. The first is a Community Table event which begins on Monday 25 June at Grange Uniting, 5 Beach street, Grange. It is a social group that meets every Monday evening from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. There is opportunity to play cards, have a cuppa and work on projects for charity. There is also a free movie event scheduled for 23 June, 2018. It is a free event and there are two sessions - a family session from 6 - 8pm and a youth session from 8.30pm - 10pm. More details can be found on the Grange Untiing Facebook page.

Queen’s Birthday Honours

A number of Uniting Church members from interstate were honoured on the Queen’s Birthday this year. They are as follows:

Peter Andrews OAM: Lane Cove Uniting Church, Synod and Assembly Standing Committees, Assembly Finance Audit and Risk Committee. For service to the Uniting Church in Australia through a range of voluntary roles.

Geoff Batkin OAM: CEO, Wesley Mission Queensland, former Director of Corporate Services for UnitingCare Burnside in NSW, Member, UnitingCare Australia Aged Care Network Committee. For significant service to the community through social and aged welfare organisations, and to the Uniting Church in Australia.

Rev Lynette Burden OAM: Superintendent Minister, Wesley Mission Queensland. For service to the Uniting Church in Australia.

Marion Gledhill OAM: Eastwood Uniting Church. Deacon, Parramatta Nepean Presbytery. For service to the Uniting Church in Australia, and to social welfare.

Janet Wood AM: Uniting Aged Care Victoria and Tasmania inaugural chair Janet Wood. For significant service to aged welfare as an advocate for human rights and health initiatives, and to the Uniting Church in Australia.

Anne Cross AM: Former UnitingCare Qld CEO. For significant service to the community through social welfare organisations in the government and not-for-profit sectors, and to women.

 

Receptive Ecumenism Mini-Conference

“Leaning into the Spirit: discernment, decision-making and reception” is the theme of the receptive ecumenism mini-conference being held on Saturday 28 July, 9am-4pm, at Catholic Education SA (116 George Street, Thebarton).

This gathering will be a place to share insights and learnings from the Fourth International Receptive Ecumenism Conference, which was held in Canberra in November 2017.

The mini-conference will be interactive, with time to listen and learn from one another and from two keynote speakers from the 2017 International Receptive Ecumenism Conference – Dr Antonia Pizzey (Lecturer, School of Theology / Faculty of Theology and Philosophy, Australian Catholic University) and Rev Dr Vicky Balabanski (Senior Lecturer in New Testament, Flinders University Department of Theology, and Co-Director of Biblical Studies, Uniting College for Leadership & Theology)

BYO lunch or head round the corner to a café with Middle Eastern food. A contribution of $10-$20 is invited towards costs of hosting this event and is payable on the day.

For more information, or to register, please email Turn on Javascript!

 

The Great Pumpkin Party: feedback from Foodbank SA

The Great Pumpkin Party event hosted by Hawker Uniting Church earlier this month saw a huge number of pumpkins and non-perishable items donated to Foodbank SA.

Greg Pattinson, the CEO of Foodbank SA, had this to say about the church’s contributions and support:

“We are very thankful for the Hawker Uniting Church, the residents of Hawker and the wider Flinders Ranges Community for their generous support of Foodbank through The Great Pumpkin Party.

“The event raised a massive 675kg from the Great Pumpkin party and will enable Foodbank SA to put more than 1350 meals on the table of vulnerable South Australians in need in the region.

“Our recent Hunger Report shows that people living in regional areas are 11% more likely to require food relief but we also know they are amongst the most generous in our community. This is evidenced by the amazing donations of non-perishable items and particularly pumpkins through the event.”

The manager of the Foodbank SA branch in Whyalla, Sandy Woolford added:

“What a great initiative to bring the community together for a cause and also to help fellow Australians in need in the region. These pumpkins don’t end up in Metropolitan areas, those in need living on the Eyre Peninsula, West Coast and Far North South Australia will benefit from these pumpkins. From Foodbank, the other agencies, schools and individuals in the region in need, we thank you.” 

 

GLS+ talks available online

GLS+ (Global Leadership Summit Plus) was held in May 2018 across two locations in Australia, including Seeds Uniting Church in SA. Special input was provided by guest speaker Carey Nieuwhof, a popular Canadian pastor, blogger and author. Audio downloads of Carey's sessions are now available online here.

 

Upcoming events

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

Some of the events coming up over the next week are:

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

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

Uniting Church opts in to National Redress Scheme

The President of the Uniting Church in Australia announced on Monday 4 June that the Uniting Church will opt in to the Federal Government’s National Redress Scheme for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse. Read the media release here.

 

Pastoral Notes

At the start of 2017, a new subscriber list was started for people wishing to receive Pastoral Notes. These emails from the Moderator mainly reflect on the lives and ministry of Uniting Church SA leaders who have recently passed away.

On Friday 19 January, a notice was sent detailing the life and ministry of Rev Allan Shephard who passed away on Wednesday 30 May.

Allan was a key leader in bringing the structures and polity of the Uniting Church vision into the South Australian context. His ministry extended across three states in Australia, and was marked by pastoral sensitivity in bringing together people from diverse backgrounds, and by effective church administration. Read more about Allan’s ministry in the Pastoral Note online here.

A memorial service for Rev Allan Shephard will be held at Clayton-Wesley Uniting Church at 10.30am on Thursday 28 June, 2018. (Please note that the original Pastoral Note incorrectly stated it was Friday 28 June – a correction was issued and is available to read online here.)

To be added to the Pastoral Note subscriber list, please email Turn on Javascript!

 

2017 Financial Statements due 30 June 2018

Congregations, ‘parishes’ and faith communities are reminded that copies of their audited 2017 financial statements should be sent to the Synod office by 30 June, 2018. Financials consist of an income statement (profit and loss), a balance sheet (showing assets and liabilities) and an audit statement (in which the auditor states that the financials are accurate etc.). For more information, please contact Peter Harbison on 8236 4282 or 1300 766 956 (Country Callers) or email Turn on Javascript!

 

UnitingWorld: EOFY Tax Appeal

In some of the world’s poorest places, Christian communities are having a real and positive impact. 

In recognition of the success of UnitingWorld’s poverty alleviation and peacebuilding projects, each year the Australian Government offers vital funding toward this work.

To receive Australian Aid funding, UnitingWorld is required to contribute $1 for every $5 they receive from the Australian Government.

This means that gifts made before 30 June (end of financial year) can go up to six times further toward the work of UnitingWorld’s local partners in Indonesia, India,West Timor and Zimbabwe.

Find out more or donate here.

 

Refugee Week: SA events 17-20 June 2018

The Australian Migrant Resource Centre invites communities and individuals to participate in over 40 different events across SA during Refugee Week (17-20 June, 2018). These events will provide an opportunity to celebrate the valuable contribution of refugees to SA, and to encourage understanding, cultural harmony and community engagement. A calendar of SA Refugee Week events is available online at amrc.org.au

 

2018 Act for Peace Ration Challenge

The 2018 Act for Peace Ration Challenge invites people to eat the same rations as a Syrian refugee during Refugee Week (17-24 June, 2018) – just a small amount of rice, flour, lentils, chickpeas, beans, fish and oil – and get sponsored to do it. The money raised will provide food, medicine and education for refugees, and support communities threatened by conflict and disaster. The Ration Challenge is run by Act for Peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia. Find out more about the Ration Challenge here.

 

SAYCO 2018: save the date!

Details are beginning to be announced for SAYCO (South Australian Youth Camp Out) in 2018! Here's what you need to know so far:

Theme: Breathe, Breathe Again
Date: 29 September - 1 October 2018
Venue: Woodcroft College

Updates will continue to be provided through UC e-News, on the SAYCO webpage and through the Uniting Church SA Youth Facebook and Instagram.

This year, information about SAYCO will also be shared through an app. Search for “Yapp” in smart phone app stores, download the app, click to add an existing yapp and type 8P9KEM to get started, or visit my.yapp.us/8P9KEM.


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