News & notices - 20 December 2017

Posted in News

Below are the news and notices from congregations, the SA Synod and the wider Uniting Church submitted for the Wednesday 20 December edition of UC e-News.

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Moderator’s Christmas message

Uniting Church SA Moderator Rev Sue Ellis shares a video Christmas message on “From love to life”. The video is available to view online or download here.

 

The final report from the Royal Commission

On Thursday 14 December, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse handed its final report to the Government.

Uniting Church President Stuart McMillan issued a pastoral statement (available online here) after the final report was handed down. This statement was accompanied by three prayers, which are available here. A news article was also produced and published on New Times online here.

 

Red Dove Cafe 2017 – donation of funds

The Red Dove Cafe Committee’s mission is to raise funds to specifically support mission projects in South Australia. The Café raises funds by offering hospitality and delicious homemade food each year at the Royal Adelaide Show.

In 2017, the Cafe moved to a new location at the Show. Thanks to the many dedicated regular and first time volunteer helpers, and great support from the RHAS, $63,000 of the funds raised by Red Dove Café in 2017 have been donated to various projects. Recipients include Disability, Prison and Mental Health Chaplaincy, Rural and Remote Ministry, Adelaide Congress Ministry, Peterborough and CitySoul Uniting Church, as well as Kairos prison ministry.

Red Dove Café will operate again during the 2018 Royal Adelaide Show. More information about the café and any volunteer opportunities will be provided through UC e-News and New Times.

 

Packing Day - last chance to get involved!

Are you a good at coordinating people and services? Are you passionate about helping people in remote, ageing and Indigenous communities? Packing Day could use your support!

Packing Day is an activity of the National and World Mission Support Team affiliated with Uniting Church Adult Fellowships in SA, and working in partnership with the International Mission office of the Synod. Packing Day gathers quality second-hand clothes to send to certain op shops and residential care facilities in central and northern Australia, in addition to a small number of schools. It is held annually over three sites, and each site has its own coordinator and team.

A new convener is being sought to take direction of the “big picture” for Packing Day and manage some of the administrative, communication and pastoral elements of the events.

The people behind Packing Day are beginning the winding up process, and this will proceed unless somebody is found to take on the convenor role.

Do you feel called to take on this role and make sure Packing Day continues in the future? Do you have questions about the role or about Packing Day? For further information, please contact Max Howland at Turn on Javascript!

 

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 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.

Christmas closures – Synod and UC Invest offices

The Synod office will be closed from 3pm on Friday 22 December, and will re-open at 9am on Tuesday 2 January, 2018.

The UC Invest office will be open from Wednesday 27 December to Friday 29 December from 9.30am to 3.30pm. UC Invest will resume regular operating hours from 9am Tuesday 2 January, 2018.

 

Helpers for Christmas Day Service

The Chaplains at Flinders Medical Centre are conducting a Christmas Day Service at the Centre from 10.30-11am on Christmas morning. They are looking for a musician to play carols for the service, as well as people willing to visit the wards and collect people for the service. Volunteers will meet at 9.45am in the Chapel (Level 4, near the frog lifts).

If you able to assist, please contact Rev Leanne Jenski on 0409 516 857 or email Turn on Javascript!

 

Northern Suburbs Dinka-Speaking Faith Community (NSDSFC) fundraising event

On the last day of the Presbytery and Synod meeting, Saturday 25 November, Rev Amel
Manyon offered a short message on the importance of discipleship and generosity. She challenged the gathering to be generous with faith communities and congregations in need within the Uniting Church SA.

There will be an opportunity to show such generosity at a fundraising event for the NSDSFC, the faith community led by Amel, on Saturday 30 December at 12noon. Held at St Stephen’s Uniting Church in Elizabeth North, the event aims to raise funds toward the renovation of the church building for use of the NSDSFC. It will include performances from different churches and
individuals.

For more information, please contact Kwai Deng Lueth on 0470 215 504, James Maluak on 0411 230 754, or Rev Amel Manyon on 0431 202 744.

 

CEO/General Secretary announcement

On Thursday 30 November, Rev Nigel Rogers announced that he will be stepping down as CEO/General Secretary of the Uniting Church SA. He and his family feel called to return to their family in Queensland. Nigel will conclude his placement at the end of February 2018. This information was shared in a message from Moderator Rev Sue Ellis, which also included Nigel's personal statement on this decision. 

Standing Committee will meet on Friday 8 December to begin the transition process and discuss the appointment of a new CEO/General Secretary. More information will be shared through UC e-News as it becomes available.

The Uniting Church SA would like to thank Nigel for the time and energy he has given to progress the life of the Presbytery and Synod in South Australia. We offer prayers for Nigel and his family as they prepare to return to Queensland in the New Year.

 

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