News, Notices & Prayer points - 3rd October 2023

Posted Oct 3, 2023 in News

News & Notices – 3^rd October 2023

Below are the news and notices from congregations, the Synod of South Australia and the wider Uniting Church for Tuesday, 3^rd October 2023 edition of UC e-News

Prayer Points

We pray:

For those impacted by the interstate fires and potential floods, we give thanks for our communities as they strive to support each other during difficult times
For all emergency services and frontline health care workers, for their tireless and caring support
For the services, care and support provided by our Emergency Relief Centres, we give thanks.

Facing Fears in Pastoral Encounters

Fear is important. It can keep us alive when faced with real threats. It can also be disabling and prevent us from doing the things we need to in our life and ministry. The following course is based on a survey of active ministry agents who have shared their fears in facing pastoral encounters and their means of overcoming them.

It is suitable for ministers, pastors, pastoral care-givers and chaplains who want to examine what holds them back, and explore ways forward.

This unique opportunity will be facilitated by Rev Dr Stephen Robinson who is National Disaster Recovery Officer with the Uniting Church in Australia. Stephen’s particular interest is in the care of ministry agents in disaster and healthy integration with local ministry in recovery. He has many years of experience supporting ministers and others who are offering pastoral care to others, while often going through a tough time themselves.

Thursday 12^th October 2023.

10:00 am start over morning tea. Lunch provided. Finish by 4:00 pm.

Venue: Uniting Church Synod Office, Level 2/212 Pirie Street

Zoom available on request

RSVP to Gill Morel Turn on Javascript! or 08 8236 4204.

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Faith and Community Allies for Yes

All of South Australia’s community and faith organisations are being alled to show their support for the Voice at an event on Friday, 6^th October from 10.30 am – 12.00 noon at U-City, Inbari Ku Community Space, Level 3, 43 Frankling Street, Adelaide (includes morning tea).

Hear from Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, Noel Pearson, Rev Tim Costello and South Australian faith and community leaders. Bring your banners and t-shirts to show your support for a Yes vote with other faith and community leaders.

Please gather in the foyer beside Luigi’s Café on the ground floor. RSVP to Turn on Javascript! by COB Wednesday, 4^th October.

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Being an Intergenerational Church

Recently the Uniting Church released its vision for an Intergenerational Church, a Church where every generation is engaged together in active discipleship, growing and sharing faith in Jesus, a Church for all ages where faith and discipleship is encouraged, equipped, and expressed intergenerationally. More than just a set of nice words, the new Assembly document, Being an Intergenerational Church, comprises an expression of commitment, a statement of vision, an invitation to act and resources to explore. For individuals, teams, congregations, church councils, presbyteries and Synods, this resource equips all for the challenge of being the genuinely intergenerational church we are called to be.

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The Voice - A Conversation to Answer All Your Questions

Join Kol Halev, Multicultural Alliance for Yes, Beit Shalom, Welcoming Australia and Hazara's for Yes for an evening discussion about the Voice to Parliament with support from Activate Church, Australian Sikh Support, AUJS, Australian Tamil Arts and the Adelaide Tamil community, Churches Together SA, Fair Go SA and MACSA. This is a unique opportunity to hear from experts such as Khatija Thomas and Senior Lecturer Cornelia Koch on the proposed change to the Constitution and have your questions, concerns and confusions answered and addressed in a safe and supportive environment. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/an-education-event-to-discuss-the-voice-to-parliament?

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Planting a New Future

UnitingWorld is conducting a campaign to help families in Maluku and Timor-Leste to support communities to grow their own food. UnitingWorld is currently seeking donations to support a project to end hunger in Maluku and Timor-Leste. So far $40,000 has been raised in just over a month, they are halfway to their goal. For further information and to donate click here: Food crisis in Maluku and Timor-Leste (unitingworld.org.au).

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2023 UnitingCare Australia Leaders Forum

UnitingCare Australia held their Annual Leaders Forum at UCity, Uniting Communities on Tuesday September 19th, 2023. Leaders from organisations and Synods gathered from every part of the country as they reviewed social, economic and political trends with Angela Jackson as well as discussing Act2. The day concluded with a ‘birthday’ dinner to celebrate 30 years of advocacy for UnitingCare Australia.

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Care for Creation: A Wellspring and Iona Listening Pilgrimage

The Wellspring Community, Australia and the Iona Community, Scotland are enabling dialogue between First Nations and Celtic voices on the issue of Caring for Creation. The events are taking place on Country from Boorooloo (Perth) to Meanjin (Brisbane), across most states and territories from late September to the end of October. Several Uniting Churches are involved. For all details go to https://wellspring-community.com/events-1. Enquiries to: Turn on Javascript!.

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Congregational Resource on the Voice

A two-page resource explains why the Uniting Church supports the change, a position informed by our covenant commitment with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress and our Christian call to work for practical and meaningful change that ensures all can live life abundantly.

The resource includes:

Simple information on why a Voice is needed, how it will work and how it will make a difference
Connections to our Covenant with UAICC
A section on 'what the Bible says'
Helpful starting points for a conversation.

Here is the link to the Assembly webpage, A Voice to Parliament in 2 pages - Uniting Church Australia and click here to download, print and share in your community!

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Awareness raising sessions on the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament

A group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous advocates for The Voice at Pilgrim Uniting Church are available to run an engaging workshop on the topic at your church or in your community.

The session can be either 45 minutes or 60 minutes and starts with a Welcome to Country by a Kaurna elder who is a member of the Pilgrim Church. Originally, designed to engage people of all faiths and cultures, the group has also run successful workshops with Pilgrim UC communities. The workshops cover the background to the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its call for a Voice to Parliament and engages participants in reflecting their own understandings about the topic. Importantly, participants can also document any questions or arguments against the proposed constitutional change which they might have heard so that responses can be discussed.

The workshop presenters of these sessions would prefer to meet with representatives from interested groups to make sure that the session can be tailored to your needs. Contacts: Marelle Harisun, email; Turn on Javascript! or Uncle Allen Edwards Snr Turn on Javascript!.

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Grant Opportunities

Alexandrina Council Grants Program

The Alexandrina Council Grants Program is now open until 22^nd August 2023. Grant categories include: Community Environment Grant; Community Wellbeing Grant; and Business Initiatives Grant. A further round of grants will also open on 1^st August 2023 – 30^th April 2024 and these categories include: Youth Sponsorship Program; Community Events Grant; Heritage Grant; and Creative Community Grant. Information sessions and grant details are available at this link: Alexandrina Grants Program | Alexandrina Council.

Securing Faith-based Places

The Securing Faith-Based Places grant opportunity aims to assist faith-based places and spaces to improve security and safety.

The objective of the program is to support religious schools and pre-schools, places of worship and faith-based community centres to address the risk of crime and violence motivated by religious or racial intolerance through the installation or upgrade of security infrastructure and/or the engagement of security guards at those sites. For more information and how to apply please visit: Current Grant Opportunity View - GO6276: GrantConnect (grants.gov.au)

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Disaster and Recovery Ministries

Would you be prepared to offer a ministry of presence, care and comfort to people affected in times of great need?

You are invited to train as a chaplain for Disaster and Recovery Ministries SA. Coordinated by the Uniting Church in SA, they provide training and coordinate teams of people from many faith groups who are able to provide pastoral and spiritual support to others in the community during times of disaster and subsequent recovery.

For more information, with training dates the 10^th and 11^th October, please download the flyer located at this link: UCA SA - Disaster and Recovery Chaplain Training.

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COVID-19 Update

All existing directions, frequently asked questions and other information in regards to COVID-19 guidelines can be found here: https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/emergency-declarations. If you would like further assistance, please contact your presbytery or:

Sue Page Turn on Javascript! or phone (08) 8236 4217 or 0430 666 959

Philip Gardner Turn on Javascript! or phone (08) 8236 4268 or 0409 077 076.

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Code of Ethics Dates 2023 – Bookings for August and September NOW OPEN

The dates for both face-to-face and online refreshers of the Code of Ethics in 2023 have now been set as follows:

All ministry agents who are either in placement, awaiting placement or providing supply are expected to complete a refresher session each year.

Bookings for the first 3 courses can be accessed at this link: Events Calendar – Safe Church (ucasa.org.au)

Bookings opening soon:

17 October Online 1.30pm to 4.00pm

26 October Online 9:30am to 12.00pm

30 November Rosefield UC - 1.00pm to 4.00pm.

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Sally Stamp

Every Monday morning a small group of volunteers meet at the Synod office to collect and sort stamps which have been received from fellowships and businesses around South Australia. In 2022 they paid freight for South Pacific School Aid Inc., Frontier Services (Outback Pastors) and Grove Uniting Church (Kids Club). In 2023 they paid $2,034.84 for South Pacific Schools Aid Inc. and have committed to pay for another shipment this year. They also paid $1,000 to Frontier Services (Outback Pastors). Please consider asking local businesses to save their stamps; doctor’s surgeries are one of the best sources of stamps! Any donations of private collections no longer required are gratefully received. Sally Stamp asks that people continue to send stamps to the Uniting Church Synod Office, Level 2, 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide. Pick-up can sometimes be arranged. For more information, please contact Maxine Haines (Convenor) on 0427 972 417 or email Turn on Javascript!.

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MediaCom – A New Church Year

Year B begins on 3rd December 2023. From 14th September through to 14th October, MediaCom is pleased to offer an early and pre-order discount on all Year B resources. Listing of publications relating to Lectionary Year B can be found here.

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Spring Fair

Dernancourt Uniting Church is holding a spring fair on Saturday 21^st of October from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm. Sausage sizzle, morning team pancakes, plants, books, cakes/produce and children’s activities. For further information please call the church office on 08 8369 0802.

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Blackwood UC Garage Sale

Blackwood Uniting Church is holding a garage sale on Saturday 7^th October starting at 9.00 am. The sale will include plants, media, homewares and crafts, books, cakes, garden and tools, bicycles and a sausage sizzle. For further information you may connect with the church via email: Turn on Javascript!.

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Synod Ecumenical Relations Committee (Serc)

SERC is delighted to have presented to the South-West Fleurieu Congregations at the Synod 2023 the Ecumenical Award of $600 and congratulate them on the various activities they are involved in with other denominations in their region. The award is given to a congregation each year that has done most to foster ecumenical relations within their local community and SERC is grateful to the Synod for the continued funding of the Award. SERC is now calling for submissions for the 2024 award, either in writing or electronically which should be received by the secretary, Don Hopgood 19 Ray Ave, Morphett Vale 5162. Turn on Javascript!. No later than April 30^th 2024. Use words and pictures (if possible) to make clear what you have undertaken and the measure of your success.

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