News, Notices & Prayer points - 21 November 2018

Posted Nov 21, 2018 in News

News & notices – 21 November 2018

Below are the news and notices from congregations, the SA Synod and the wider Uniting Church submitted for the Wednesday 21 November edition of UC e-News.

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

 

Prayer Points for the week

• For those involved in the ongoing decision-making process on behalf of the whole Uniting Church in South Australia, that they may be led by God’s grace and wisdom.
• For everyone who attended the Presbytery and Synod meeting last week, for those who may be affected by decisions made or words said, that they experience God's peace and hope.

 

Taizé Pilgrimage Information Evening

The Centre for Music, Liturgy and the Arts will be holding an information night about their upcoming pilgrimage to the Taizé Community. The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic fraternity in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is composed of more than one hundred brothers, from Catholic and Protestant traditions, who originate from about thirty countries across the world. The planned pilgrimage will take place next year 5-18 July and is open to those aged between 18 and 29 years. The information night will be held at Brougham Place Uniting Church in North Adelaide on Tuesday 27 November at 7pm. Send an email to Turn on Javascript! for more info.

 

The Spire Community Open Day

On Saturday 8 December the Spire Community, home of Hopes Café, are hosting an Open Day to celebrate the re-opening of Clayton Chapel. This is the first step in creating a dynamic performance and conference venue to support all the work the community is undertaking for refugees, migrants and people on low incomes.

The Op shop will be open all day with a special sale at 1pm. Hopes Café will be open for you to grab get a meal or a coffee and ‘pay what you can afford’. There will be plenty to see, do and experience during the day. The event runs from 10am to 4pm at The Spire, 280 Portrush Road, Beulah Park.

Circle 114 will also be holding a fundraiser on Sunday 2 December that features a saxophone quartet. Tickets costs $10 or ‘what you can afford’ and will help asylum seekers whose income has been cut off by the Australian Government.  Bookings can be made here.

 

Leader’s descent on Canberra

This week, over 100 key leaders from across the UnitingCare Australia network and broader church came together in Canberra for a number of events. The events started on Monday with a blessing of the organisation’s new premises in Barton, led by UCA President, Dr Deidre Palmer. It was followed by dinner at the Press Club, then a full day Forum at the National Museum of Australia, to understand some of the global current issues affecting us and how UnitingCare as a collective national service network and church can respond and make a difference to our country.

Finding a Home in the Uniting Church

The Uniting Church Historical Society’s 2^nd Biennial History Conference will be held 7-10 June 2019 with the theme “Finding a Home in the Uniting Church”. Papers are invited on this theme and any topic related to the history of the Uniting Church or its precedent churches. Invited speakers will include Dr Meredith Lake and Dr Joanna Cruickshank.

The conference will be held at the Centre for Theology and Ministry in Melbourne. For more information please contact Robert Renton on 0427 812 606 or by Turn on Javascript!.

 

UnitingCare Australia Executive Officer Appointed -  Aged Care Royal Commission

Kirsten Anker has been appointed to the role of Executive Officer at UnitingCare Australia, focusing on the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.  Kirsten is a barrister and solicitor and has worked in Australia, Switzerland and the USA.  She has undertaken roles in the Australian Public Service, at the Australian National University and in Legal Aid.

Kirsten has recently returned to Australia and has been volunteering with UnitingCare Australia in the policy team.  She commenced her role on Monday, 19 November.

 

Australian caught in Nepal for ‘spreading the faith’

SBS News last week reported that an Australian woman in Nepal has been arrested alongside four other Nepali citizens for allegedly visiting locals with the aim of converting them to Christianity. If found guilty Katiya Graham could be deported and unable to return for a specified period.

“Nepalese law strictly prohibits such acts,” said Department of Immigration Director Bishnu Hari Upadhaya. “Currently we are investigating whether the charges filed against her are true.”

Graham has allegedly been in Nepal on a tourist visa and authorities claimed that bibles, diaries, pamphlets and videos relating to Christianity were found on her and the Nepali citizens.

 

___________________________________

 

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

 

Christmas Service times

Please send the Communications & Events team your Christmas service times so they can be added to the sa.uca.org.au/Christmas website. Email Turn on Javascript!.
 

Break times for New Times Online and UC e-News

UC e-News will take leave from Wednesday 19 December, 2018 until 16 January, 2019. During this period there will be no weekly UC e-News email. Any submissions for the online diary will still be accepted up to Friday 21 December. Diary submissions received between 22 December and 3 January will have to wait for approval (and online publication) until Monday, 4 January 2019.

 

Advance Notice:  2019 Mission and Service Fund Contribution Response Forms

Treasurers are requested to complete and submit their Mission and Service Fund congregational/’parish’ contribution response form for 2019.  Response Forms should be sent in by 14 December 2018 and the estimated contribution should be based on 2018 income extrapolated to the end of December.  Download forms from https://sa.uca.org.au/finance/mission-and-service-fund  Queries:  Peter Harbison (08) 8236 4282; Country Callers 1300 766 956.

 

Free advent study resource with reflections on Palestine/Israel

Rev Sandy Boyce (Pilgrim Uniting Church) and Nell Potter (Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network) have put together a free downloadable advent resource on behalf of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program Palestine Israel (EAPPI), a program of the World Council of Churches.

The resource contains a selection of reflections that are based on lectionary readings from Luke’s Gospel (Year C). Each biblical reading is supported by a reflection, and stories and photos from the experience of Australian EAPPI participants about life today in Israel and Palestine.

The resource can be downloaded from the PIEN network website here.

 

 

---

Comments

Write comment