News, Notices & Prayer points - 1 December 2020

Posted Dec 1, 2020 in News

News & Notices – 1 December 2020

Below are the news and notices from congregations, the Synod of South Australia and the wider Uniting Church for the Tuesday, 1 December edition of UC e-News

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Prayer Points for the week:

We continue to pray for our state and all those affected in this latest outbreak. We pray for the recovery of the active cases and the continuous wisdom for all South Australians in preventing the spread of COVID-19
We pray for all members of the Uniting Church as we begin our journey through Advent. In worship together, physically distanced or remote, and in our reflection and prayerful practice, may we be uplifted by stories of God's hope as we look forward
We pray for all in Australia, our region and around the world who are sick, impoverished, hungry and in greater need than many of us will ever experience. May we find in ourselves the generosity of spirit to be a blessing to the vulnerable
We pray for a world free from gender-based violence.

Key Dates for Synod meeting 11-13 February 2021

It is a bit early to be thinking about our Synod meeting in February when we are only a few weeks away from Christmas, but please keep these key dates in mind:

NOW – Registrations are open. Members must register via the link sent to them. If you have not registered already, please do so as soon as possible.
Friday 8th January 2021 – Proposals from members are due by this date. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Thursday 21st January 2021 – Nominations close on this date. Nomination forms will be available later this week.

If you have any questions about membership, nominations or proposals, please email Turn on Javascript!.

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Synod 2021 Calendar Update

Please be advised that due to the recent business shut-down in South Australia which was caused by the COVID situation, the printing of the 2021 Calendar was delayed.

Late last week we received the printed Calendars in our office and are now preparing them for pick-up and mail out.

Although the Synod office is officially closed and is currently complying with State Government COVID protocols, if you placed an order for pick-up you will be able to do so between the hours of 9.30 am and 4.30 pm from this Wednesday, December 2nd onwards at Level 2, 212 Pirie Street in the city.

Please note, the office is not open for any other business transactions, just to make Calendar orders available.

For any queries, please contact Turn on Javascript!. We thank you for your patience.

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Free Christmas PowerPoint Templates to download

This year’s Synod of SA Christmas theme is ‘Joy,’ which is centred on Isaiah 43:19 – ‘Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth … I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.’ The message is that we all may experience God’s love and peace in new and unexpected ways as we celebrate this Christmas season.

Along with other themed resources (postcards and posters), the Engagement Team also provides a set of free, PowerPoint templates for your use. You can download these templates here: https://sa.uca.org.au/christmas-2020, which also includes Christmas graphics for PowerPoint presentations to be used in your background slides.

For more information, contact: Turn on Javascript!.

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Christmas service details

All congregations and faith communities are invited to share their Christmas service and event details on the Synod of SA website (sa.uca.org.au/Christmas-2020). Please list the service dates, times, locations and titles (e.g. Blue Christmas, Carols Service etc.) and email them to the Engagement team at engagement @sa.uca.org.au.

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Out of the Box Christmas – locally made movie by The Corner UC

Christmas will be different this year. ‘Out of the Box Christmas,’ is a South Australian kids and youth short movie produced by The Corner Uniting Church.

Follow the adventures of decorations stuck in the garage, with a near impossible plan to make sure the Christmas message is celebrated. The full movie is approximately 25 minutes long and could be adapted for a worship service, children and families ministry presentation, home group or families to enjoy at home. It presents the story of Christ’s birth in a different perspective and includes information for church leaders as well as an activity sheet for the movie.

With a cast of over 40 children and young people, please don’t miss out, watch the full movie here: https://youtu.be/F_5imPbawXs or the trailer here: https://youtu.be/Q5WFr8RLdAU.

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Position vacant: Staff Chaplain SALHN

The Full Time Spiritual Care Chaplain within SA Health is a Spiritual Care Practitioner who, together with members of the spiritual care team and other staff, seeks to address the spiritual care needs of patients, families and staff.

They provide professional leadership to the spiritual care program in a public hospital and work collaboratively with the Spiritual Care Coordinator as part of a team.

Within the role they will ensure the provision of quality compassionate spiritual care within one’s scope of practice and provide a caring resource at the person’s point of need. Such care will allow the ‘person’ to ‘set the agenda’ with the Spiritual Care Chaplain being available as a compassionate, skilful and respectful human being.

Location: Southern Adelaide Local Health Network - SALHN

Length: Initial period of 5 years.

Applications to be sent to Rev Wendy Prior, Chaplaincy Manager, Turn on Javascript! by close of business 18th December 2020.

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Position vacant: Engagement & Communications Coordinator

The Uniting Church Synod of SA seeks to appoint an Engagement & Communications Coordinator (1.0FTE) to liaise and work collaboratively on a range of communication related activities delivered by the Engagement Ministry Centre.

The successful applicant will possess high level writing and editing abilities to assist in delivering key messaging on behalf of the Uniting Church both in support of its members and the wider community. The Engagement & Communications Coordinator will demonstrate a commitment to achieving Engagement Ministry Centre objectives including the development of effective communication initiatives by providing:

Print and digital media production; including writing, research and content support for a range of platforms often with tight deadlines
Website coordination and development including all aspects of the Congregational Website Program
Video production and other key deliverables
Social media coordination
Support the broader work of the Engagement Ministry Centre including significant events in the life of the Uniting Church Synod.

This is an opportunity for an enthusiastic, proactive and appropriately qualified individual to support effective communications with the wider community and to add value to the Uniting Church in SA. The successful applicant will demonstrate an alignment with the Uniting Church ethos and values, and a commitment to a Christian congregation or faith community.

Confidential enquiries can be directed to the Manager, Human Resources 08-8236-4278. Applications are welcome and may be submitted in Word format to Turn on Javascript!, by no later than 1pm, Monday December 14, 2020.

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Last NYALC Online for 2020

Friday 11^th December from 7.30pm is the last chance this year for young adults across the Uniting Church in Australia to join UCA President Dr Deidre Palmer and Rev Charissa Suli in an online conversation for young adults. Email Turn on Javascript! to join National Young Adult Leaders Conference (NYALC) Online and share your reflections, hopes and concerns as well as to stay connected to one another.

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#16Days Against Gender-Based Violence 2020

Uniting Church in Australia President Dr Deidre Palmer has urged Uniting Church members to be bearers of God's vision of hope for a world free from gender-based violence at the start of #16Days of Activism against gender-based violence. Look out for daily posts and reflections on the UCA Facebook page.

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Congregational Website Program

The Congregational Website Program offers congregations, faith communities, Presbyteries, and other UCA organisations, the opportunity to have a fully functional website. It provides a clean design that reflects the Uniting Church in South Australia as an innovative and growing church. At present the Synod hosts 55 websites on behalf of congregations, UCA associated organisations and presbyteries.

We offer a one-page site; full website with a pre-set layout; and a full website with a customised layout. If you are thinking about a website we urge you to act now, as our pricing is due to increase as of January 1^st, 2021. To find out more about the program visit https://ucasa.org.au or email: Turn on Javascript!.

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Music on Flinders - Spring Series

Spring into toe tapping Music on Flinders for some lunch time out, with artists using full audio performing outdoors under the trees.

This Monday 7^th December, 12.30-1pm, enjoy Will Metzer, a Jazz singer and pianist based in Adelaide but has played pianos all over the world!

His love of jazz is coupled with an incredible knowledge of all music.

Willy manages Jazz It Up, Adelaide’s premier jazz band.

Location: Pilgrim Church Foyer (12 Flinders Street, Adelaide).

If you didn’t get to read the last ‘News & Notices?’

Click here for the News, Notices & Prayer points – 24 November 2020, which included updates about: