It's a piece of cake!

Posted in Culture

It’s a piece of cake!

The Uniting Church in Australia has strongly supported ministry in remote regions for many years, particularly through Patrol Ministries funded by Frontier Services.

In South Australia, Pastor Paul Glazbrook provides ministry and care for remote and isolated communities in the Parkin-Sturt Patrol (read more about the beginning of Paul’s ministry here or catch up on his latest travels on his blog).

But providing this vital ministry comes at a cost – the average patrol costs approximately $120,000 per year to run.

In 2017, Frontier Services has launched a new campaign to help fund this vital ministry – the Price of a Slice. They’re asking for Uniting Church members to bake a cake or put on a pot of tea, gather together informally, and contribute the “price of a slice” to support Frontier Services ministry to remote Australia. Funds will go towards helping to provide food and spare clothing for people at risk, tanks of fuel, and dry beds for Patrol Ministers on the road, minor repairs for Patrol vehicles, spare tires, and major annual services for the vehicles.

Uniting Church congregations, groups and individuals are encouraged to support this campaign, and a prayer has been prepared by Rev Paul Bartlett for use at Price of the Slice events:

Gracious, engaging, Living God, from 
Tom Price in the Pilbara to the midlands 
of Tasmania we dare to believe that you 
are the Lord of all creation.

Watch over, especially this day, the 
patrol ministers who by their very
presence reflect the compassion, commitment 
and love of your people to all the people 
they encounter across remote Australia.

May their ministry of presence provide
a safe and transforming place for all
that is shared, and touches their lives.

Lord, especially in times of loneliness
and exhaustion when the tyranny of distance 
takes its toll, remind these 
Patrol Ministers that they and their 
families are upheld in prayer and 
sustained by our giving.

These prayers and those of our hearts 
we bring in the name of Jesus Christ, 
our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

The Uniting Church SA also offers another avenue for members to support remote South Australian ministry. While Frontier Services funds the full-time remote ministry position for the Parkin-Sturt Patrol, additional funding for vehicles and communications equipment is required. With this in mind, the Uniting Church SA established a fund for remote area ministry. This fund goes towards vehicle costs – and may assist in similar costs for future remote patrols in SA.

More information about the Price of a Slice campaign is available here. To support the Uniting Church SA remote area ministry fund, please click here.


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