News & notices - 16 November 2016

Posted in News

Below are the news and notices from congregations, the SA Synod and the wider Uniting Church submitted for the Wednesday 16 November edition of UC e-News.

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

Kensington Gardens Uniting Church closing service

Kensington Gardens Uniting Church is closing after 102 years of worship, witness and service. Everyone (especially former members) is invited to attend the celebration service on Sunday 4 December commencing at 2.30pm, followed by afternoon tea. The event will be held at Kensington Gardens Uniting Church (29 Brigalow Ave, Kensington Gardens). The service will also provide an opportunity to honour Rev David Pill for his faithful ministry to this congregation in recent years.

 

Date change: Uniting Leaders 2017 (UL17)

The Uniting Leaders conference will be held at Hope Valley Uniting Church from 22-24 August, 2017. The conference was originally advertised for the dates 28 August-1 September, 2017.

UL17 will run for two days and feature keynote speakers Nancy Beach and Mark Conner. The conference will close on Thursday night with a worship evening featuring Nancy Beach.

For more information and updates about the conference, please visit the Uniting Leaders website or Facebook event page.

 

Host a community gift or food tree this Christmas!

The UnitingCare and Target Christmas Appeal is celebrating 25 years of helping people doing it tough to have joy at Christmas through a gift or food hamper.

In SA, there are 11 community service organisations in the UnitingCare network who would love to partner with a church, business, or community group to host a gift or food giving tree this year.

To find out more about being a community supporter or our partnership with Target, download a Community Host Pack or visit the Christmas Appeal website.

To find out more or to be partnered with a UnitingCare organisation, please contact Julianne on 8236 4233 or email Turn on Javascript!

 

Uniting Church SA media policy

With the recent installation of a new Uniting Church SA Moderator, it seems like an opportune time to remind members of the church’s media policy, which is available online here.

Church leaders and congregation members are reminded that the authority to speak with the media (including, but not restricted to, representatives from broadcast, electronic and print media) rests with the Uniting Church SA Moderator. This is also specified in section 3.6.3.2 (g) of the Uniting Church Constitution and Regulations handbook. The Moderator may choose to delegate the task, but remains the official spokesperson for the Uniting Church SA.

If you are contacted by a journalist or other representative from the media, please contact Communications, in the first instance, on 82364249 or email Turn on Javascript!

 

Tributes for John Akehurst

The Uniting Church SA Historical Society is seeking tributes for John Akehurst who recently passed away. John had a significant ministry at Parkin-Wesley College (now Uniting College for Leadership & Theology), having been appointed as a part-time lecturer in New Testament Studies in 1976, and continuing in a full-time position from July 1985 to the end of 1991. 

The Historical Society is seeking contributions from ministers and lay people in the Church who were influenced by John's ministry. Please send short tributes/anecdotes to Turn on Javascript!

 

Baptism font, communion tray, hymn books

Following closure of a congregation, there are several items available for any Uniting Church congregation that can use them – a baptism font (small bowl), three large glass vases, one communion tray (without glasses) and Australian Hymn Books (good condition). For further information or photos, please contact Lynne Aird, Property Services, on 8236 4210 or email Turn on Javascript!

 

Act for Peace – Christmas Bowl

Information about this year’s Christmas Bowl is now available online here. This annual appeal is run by Act for Peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia. Each year, Christmas Bowl raises funds to support communities threatened by conflict and disaster.

 

Upcoming events

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

Some of the events coming up this week include a meeting of the Western Link Friendship Club, an information session on Advance Care Directives at Newland Memorial Uniting Church, a craft fair and exhibition at Blackwood Uniting Church, the Mighty Magill Christmas Market at Morialta Uniting Church, Hopes, Dreams & Coffee Beans at Clayton Wesley Uniting Church, The Corner Uniting Church’s Break-Fast, and the annual thanksgiving service for the State Mission Fellowship at Scots Church Adelaide.

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.

Remind, Refresh, Resource - CALD ministry

Mission Resourcing will host another Remind, Refresh, Resource event on Saturday 26 November at Colonel Light Gardens Uniting Church. This session will focus on resourcing the church in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) ministry.

Rev Dr Raymond Joso, Mission Initiatives Consultant for the NSW & ACT Synod, will be the keynote speaker for the event. 

Sponsored by Uniting Foundation and Mission Resourcing, this event is free. However, registration is required to participate in workshops and to determine catering needs. Registrations can be made here. More information is available on the Uniting Church SA website here.

 

Project Reconnect

Project Reconnect is a resource for small congregations to create their own worship services. Based on the lectionary, this program is relational, builds discipleship, offers a life-giving alternative to traditional worship, and has been a valuable resource to many congregations across Australia.

Mission Resourcing has produced videos for Project Reconnect for the month of January 2017. Samples of past services are available for any congregation interested.

For more information, please contact Bev Freeman on 8236 4243 or email Turn on Javascript!

 

2017 calendars and Christmas postcards

The Uniting Church SA 2017 calendars and 2016 Christmas postcards have all been printed and are available for collection from the Uniting Church SA office (Level 2, 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide).

Calendars and postcards will be sent out within the next week to those congregations who indicated they needed to have them posted.

Please direct any queries to Communications on 8236 4230 or email Turn on Javascript!

 

Sally Stamp

Thank you to all church groups and members for saving your stamps in 2016! Sally Stamp has been able to add to mission funds considerably this year, which has enabled containers of books to be sent overseas via South Pacific School Aid Inc.

Sally Stamp is appealing again for stamps to be sent to the Uniting Church SA office as stocks are running low. Stamps can be posted to Sally Stamp, Uniting Church SA, GPO Box 2145, Adelaide SA 5001. They may also be dropped in at the Uniting Church SA office (Level 2, 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide), and pick up of stamps is also generally available.

For more information, please contact Maxine Haines (Convenor, Uniting Church SA Stamp Group) on 0427 972 417 or email Turn on Javascript!

 

Christmas is fast approaching!

Congregations and faith communities are reminded to send their Christmas service details (service type, date, time, location, etc.) to the Communications team (Turn on Javascript!). The service details will be listed on the Uniting Church SA website to assist visitors and community members in finding Christmas services and events in their area.


More from News

Subscribe to receive News articles by email >


Comments

Comments (3)