News, Notices & Prayer points - 7 April 2020

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News & notices – 7 April 2020

 

Below are the news and notices from congregations, the Synod of South Australia and the wider Uniting Church submitted for the Tuesday 7 April edition of UC e-News.

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Prayer Points for the week

  • All those in the world whose situation makes it impossible to practise physical distancing; or who have no access to running water or hand sanitiser. May the Holy Spirit inspire in us the courage and compassion to make a difference in their lives from our position of privilege.
  • Worship leaders seeking to nurture faith and hope in their congregations and faith communities in creative ways and challenging circumstances during this Holy Week.

 

Worship resources for Holy Week and Easter

There is a wealth of worship resources available to congregations to use during this Holy Week. Some of these are digital in nature, others are not, but they are meant for those families or individuals worshipping at home.

Please feel free to use these resources in your congregations or faith communities. Access them here.

 

Opposing nuclear waste facilities near Kimba

At last November’s Synod meeting the Synod SA resolved to continue to stand in covenantal solidarity with the Uniting Aboriginal Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) to oppose the Federal Government’s proposed nuclear waste facilities in South Australia.

Last week  Moderator Bronte Wilson and Covenanting Officer Tarlee Leonardis put forward a submission to the Senate Economics Legislation Commission urging the Federal Government to engage with traditional owners when considering nuclear waste sites. The submission was specific to the National Radioactive Waste Management Amendment (Site Specification, Community Fund and Other Measures) Bill 2020 [Provisions].

The Bill specifies a site near Kimba which is proposed as  a nuclear waste facility. The Federal Government states that adequate community consultation has taken place. This is contradictory as the Barngarla traditional owners oppose the facility.

The Synod encourages others to engage in covenantal solidarity by urging the Federal Government to hear the voices of First Peoples. Please make a submission by using this link. Submissions are due on or before Thursday 9 April.

 

Break The Silence Sunday

26 April is Break the Silence Sunday. A free online and print-ready worship guide is available for all congregations who are planning to have a BTSS Worship on 26 April (as per the February 2018 Synod resolution). These resources are courtesy of the Pilgrim Uniting Church worship team and Rev Paul Goh, Justice & CALD Multicultural & Cross Cultural CMC Officer, and can be found here.

 

Do you have asylum seekers in your congregation?

Catherine Russell is currently establishing an anonymous database of asylum seekers in South Australia who are likely on bridging visas and therefore, amid the COVID-19 crisis, currently not eligible for welfare or medical assistance.

Please encourage any asylum seekers in your congregation or faith community to phone Catherine so that she can add them to her database. Contact Catherine on her mobile: 0412 680 378 or by email: Turn on Javascript!.

 

Calling all families!

The Intergen Team you to utilise the free family resource "Easter Faith Family Trail at Home" where we explore the events of the Easter story through a variety of activity stations.

This is a great opportunity to grow faith at home for people of all ages, particularly families with children under 12.

This resource comes as a 12 page booklet, to find out how you can get the most out of this Easter resource, click this link.

 

An update from UnitingWorld

“When a crisis like COVID-19 hits, it is the poor who are hit hardest”. Read this message from UnitingWorld, and more, in an email update sent last week. Read it here.

 

NCCA Newsletter

The National Council of Churches of Australia has released an Easter message from church leaders in their latest newsletter. Read it here.

 

What’s in your chocolate? 
Advocacy groups publish international Easter chocolate scorecard 
 
Australia-based Be Slavery Free is urging Australian consumers to make a difference this Easter and to buy chocolate eggs from companies which  are addressing human rights and environmental concerns. 

An estimated 2.1 million children are employed as child labour in cocoa, almost all found to endure hazardous conditions and a form on modern slavery, according to researchers at Tulane University and as defined under the Australian Modern Slavery Act.

Read more here.

 

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Didn’t read the last “News & notices”? The items below will keep you updated.

 

Congregations with online worship

Associate General Secretary Rev Sue Page sent out a letter titled ‘Being the Church in Un-gathered Times’ on  Wednesday 25 March. In this letter, she referred to a list of congregations who are continuing to be the church in worship in particularly online ways. 

This list (available on the UCA website here) is continually being updated. On this list you are likely to find a congregation whose worship style fits with your own and that of your congregation.

We would also like to remind you to please keep checking the UCA website for helpful resources and for all COVID-19 related updates which affect the way we do church in these times.

 

Support UnitingCare SA Emergency Relief Centres – Pancake Day

UnitingCare SA would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all Uniting Churches who held a Pancake Day during February and March, and who have returned the funds raised. UnitingCare organisations and Uniting Churches hosting Emergency Relief Centres will be putting your funds into good use around the state during this exceptionally difficult time.

For those who didn’t hold a Pancake Day, but would like to hold a private home event or would like to make a donation to support UnitingCare, the secure payment portal remains open and can be found here.

 

SACC online newsletter

The SA Council of Churches latest email newsletter can be viewed online here. It was published on Wednesday 25 March.

 

Visits to the Royal Adelaide Hospital

Rev Nicholas Rundle, Chaplain at the RAH, has extended an invitation to all UCA members to participate in an initiative called #oneatone. This initiative asks people to pray for one minute at 1:00pm (every day) for healthcare workers.

He also requests that Ministers/Pastors intending to visit patients at the RAH should please contact him in the first instance for current updates about access. Nicholas can be contacted on 08 7074 1122 or 0474 054 160 or at Turn on Javascript!. The 24/7 page for Chaplains is 1536.

 

Resourcing for KCO in homes

You might like to consider holding KCO at home. Encourage campers to put the iron-on transfer on their red/yellow/green t-shirt. Give out the KCO connect badges. If you want, wear the wristbands too!

The KCO Team has adapted the Small Group Leader’s Guide for sessions 1, 2 and 3. Download the two-page overview of the changes to use with the printed guide that was provided in your Group Kits, here. The KCO songs are available here. You can download the original Small Group Leaders guide here.

They have also adapted the Notebook as a “Notebook for KCO at home”. This can be downloaded here.

 

UCA National News

The Uniting Church Assembly’s newsletter for Holy week  2020 contains Online Communion Arrangements and further COVID-19 resources. Read the newsletter online here.

 

Hope at Home Film Festival

Movies Change People has changed their original Faith Film Festival, which would have been held in cinemas across Australia, to an online 10-week film festival, starting 5 April. Across the course of the festival period, ticket holders will receive a new film in their library every single week, an accompanying Q&A with the filmmakers and/or fellow storytellers, and access to a range of online events including panels, workshops, in-conversations and more. 

The films include The Passion, The Heart of Man, Loud Crazy Love and more. Purchase your ticket here, or find more information here.

 

 


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