Insights - April/May 2016

insights APRIL M AY 2016

DISCERNING GOD’S CALL PRISONER FOR THE GOSPEL, GRATEFUL FOR GOD’S LOVE UNITING FOR THE COMMON GOOD: HOW TO ACHIEVE OUR AIM

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W E L C O M E F RO M T H E M O D E R ATO R

Hope for a renewed heart!

Growing up in Korea, we learned the song “Our Wish is Unification”. This song is a national creed, like a mantra in our mind, longing for the reunification of the two Koreas, which have been separated for 63 years now.

REV. MYUNG HWA PARK MODERATOR

THE MODERATOR IS ELECTED TO GIVE GENERAL AND PASTORAL LEADERSHIP TO THE SYNOD, ASSISTING AND ENCOURAGING EXPRESSION AND FULFILMENT OF FAITH, AND THE WITNESS OF THE CHURCH.

While reunification seems a distant reality, if someone were to ask me “Is there hope for the two Koreas to be reunited?”, I would say, “Of course, it will happen one day, as long as we don’t stop hoping for one Korea.”

During our Easter celebration this year, I read one of the most beautiful stories in the bible — the encounter between Mary Magdalene and the Risen Lord. All four gospel writers agree that Mary Magdalene was the first person who encountered Christ at the empty tomb.

After the disciples went to their home, Mary waited at the empty tomb. In her grief, she met the Risen Lord, who called her by name.

The first Easter event was not seen as good news by those who denied, mocked and crucified Jesus on the cross.

In the same way, many today don’t recognise and rejoice in the wonder of Easter.

But for those who wait for a new life, hope for a new beginning and fight for a new world, the Risen Christ is seen as the very reason for a complete paradigm

shift. The good news of God’s forgiveness and reconciliation brings with it the possibility of restoration for the lost and undeserving.

hear God’s voice speaking to us with a discerning and prayerful heart.

From August this year, I will be issuing a new invitation The Easter event is repeated to all members of Uniting Church Congregations in over and over whenever our Synod. One thing that someone waits in hope, became undeniably apparent and whenever the good during the UTalk series was news is lived out by the few the centrality of God’s call whose deep personal and transforming faith is founded on our lives, on our Church as being a “Uniting” church in Christ Jesus. not a “United” church. The Easter story is not only about Recently I visited Sydney our waiting for God but also Covenant Korean church God’s special grace reaching on the North Shore, out to us through Christ who which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. Despite became a bridge between us its much shorter history, this and God. small migrant Congregation I have many hopes along with has already planted two one wish for the reunification churches, as well as a faith community. After the church of the two Koreas. Many service, I learned more about times I have lost heart and despaired over indifference, the Congregation and the minister’s strong appetite for self-centeredness and greed in me, in the church and in church planting. our society. But then I put my faith cap on, and I can Although they had initially live with all my hopes not struggled to find a place to yet eventuated, and even worship, they hadn’t lost their heart for spreading the with the prolonged division between two Koreas. good news and expanding God’s kingdom. They Let the Holy Spirit continue reminded me of the Easter to renew our faith, which is story, the true reason for “The reality of what we hope powerful evangelism! for, the proof of what we don’t see.” (Hebrews 11:1) Since May last year, I have issued invitations to ministry agents, asking them to attend a day of reflection.

A time when they could share their moments of enlightenment and their wisdom with each other and me so that together we could

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Contents 14 COVER STORY Within the Uniting Church, ministers are the ordained leaders who the Church deems to be called by God into the role. So what is it like to undertake this responsibility? And how does the Church discern who is “set apart” for it?

REGULARS 3 FROM THE MODERATOR 5 LETTERS 8

NEWS

38 LECTIONARY REFLECTIONS

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42 FELLOWSHIP NEWS 44

BELIEF MATTERS

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CULTURE WATCH

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ENTERTAIN ME

THE UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST DENOMINATIONS. OUR VISION IS THAT IT WILL BE A FELLOWSHIP OF RECONCILIATION, LIVING GOD'S LOVE, FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST AND ACTING FOR THE COMMON GOOD TO BUILD A JUST AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY OF FAITH.

MANAGING EDITOR Adrian Drayton PRODUCTION/DESIGN/EDITING Belle&Co SUB-EDITING Ben McEachen EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING/ DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES PHONE 02 8267 4304 FAX 02 9264 4487 ADDRESS Insights, PO Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW, 1235 EMAIL insights@nsw.uca.org.au WEB www.insights.uca.org.au Insights is published by the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of New South Wales and the ACT. Articles and advertising content do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or of the Uniting Church. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Australia $38.50 (incl. GST); overseas $50. © 2016. Contents copyright. No material from this publication may be copied, photocopied or transmitted by any means without the permission of the Managing Editor. CIRCULATION: 18,000. ISSN: 1036-7322 Commonwealth of Australia 2016

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Your say S A D LY R E P L AY I N G P RO PAG A N DA

Rod McLeod in the last issue of Insights (“Your Say”, February/ March) is to be commended for espousing the rights of the poor and the marginalised.

This is biblical and Christian. However, in his letter on climate alarmism, he is sadly replaying the propaganda, perhaps unknowingly, of the powerful fossil fuel industry and the climate-change denialists.

The near-total consensus of scientists and researchers are all of one mind that anthropocentric warming is a reality. It is an old tactic of the fossil fuel industry to cherry-pick the evidence and to sow doubt by assuming there is a big divide among scientists over climate change. There is not.

T H A N K YO U F O R N E W- L O O K INSIGHTS

Thank you very much for the new-look Insights. Instead of skimming through, I wanted to read it.

There was something to nourish my spirituality and some articles I really wanted to and needed to read.

Ruth Dicker, West Pennant Hills

Rod makes much of the value of coal in raising living standards in developing countries. Again, this is an outdated argument wheeled out regularly by the coal industry. Massive technological advances in battery and solar technology have completely leapfrogged the importance of coal, as the share market will attest.

Rod’s commendable aspiration that the poor in the developing world should enjoy cheap and reliable electricity will be increasingly realised from the rapid uptake of cheap and nonpolluting renewable energy.

That will benefit not just human beings but every living thing on this very beautiful planet. As Christians, I am sure we can all agree on that.

David Sloane, Corowa

H A R D LY A N AC C E P TA B L E OUTCOME

It might interest Rod McLeod (“Your Say”, Insights, February/March) to know global warming isn’t the only reason for needing to wean the world’s poorer nations off coal-fired electricity.

Every year 5.5 million people worldwide die prematurely due to air pollution. The majority of these (65 per cent) are in developing countries such as India and China, where the burning of coal for electricity generation and wood burning are the main contributing factors.

With population numbers ever increasing, the continued use of coal as a power source will only result in sending more people to an early grave, not to mention condemning millions to a lifetime of crippling chronic health issues.

Hardly an acceptable outcome in the quest to alleviate world poverty!

Alison Clark, Hurstville

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THE ISSUE OF HUMAN-INDUCED CLIMATE CHANGE IS A LARGE MORAL CHALLENGE. IF WE FAIL TO TAKE EFFECTIVE ACTION TO SLOW GLOBAL WARMING SOON, WE WILL BE GREATLY REDUCING THE ABILITY OF PLANET EARTH TO SUPPORT HUMANITY A LARGE MORAL CHALLENGE

I refer to Rod McLeod’s letter (“Your Say”, Insights, February/ March) which appears to draw most of its content from a book

by Prof. Ian Plimer.

A simple search on the internet will find reviews of Plimer’s books written by scientists with a knowledge of the subject. All such reviews I have found are very critical of Plimer’s books.

The issue of human-induced climate change is a large moral challenge. If we fail to take effective action to slow global warming soon, we will be greatly reducing the ability of planet earth to support humanity. President Obama correctly stated, “We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.”

On such an important issue it is essential that decisions are made using evidence-based information. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change uses the world’s climate research institutions and experts to bring together the world’s evidence-based knowledge on this issue. Its findings and recommendations should be respected by all people.

Stephen Williamson, Thornleigh

S E R I O U S LY MISLED

I read with great sadness Ron McLeod’s letter in the February/March edition of Insights. He is seriously misled by Ian Plimer’s writings, which are reminiscent of the fuel industries’ campaign of misinformation about the science of climatology.

McLeod is simply wrong in claiming that burning coal poses no threat of global warming, because we are burning coal (along with oil and gas) at a rate unprecedented in the planet’s history.

Warming from the resulting “greenhouse effect” is now well understood.

It is not only good science but plain common sense to find ways to directly harness the energy from the sun, rather than to just keep digging until the fossil fuel runs out.

In my view, our Church is spot-on in looking at our duty of stewardship towards God’s gift to us of the planet.

We should all be addressing its long-term protection.

Bruce Graham, Waitara

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DON’T FORGET ANY WHO WILL SUFFER

What on earth is Rod McLeod getting at (“Your Say”, Insights, February/ March)? He seems to be claiming that using cheap coal for the poor is better than using “clean” electricity.

Certainly the poor should be cared for, but one must not forget those who will suffer from global warming and rising ocean waters; coal is undoubtedly a major factor.

Kevin B. Orr, Blakehurst

T H A N K YO U

Be rewarded for having Your Say. Every contributor to Your Say receives the DVD Spotlight from EOne Home Entertainment. Your Say letters should be sent to insights@ nswact.uca.org.au or posted to Insights, PO Box A2178, Sydney South NSW 1235.

Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

DISAPPOINTED

To say I am disappointed at the prominence given to Rod McLeod’s letter “Does Climate Alarmism Condemn the Poor” (“Your Say”, Insights, February/March) is putting it mildly.

The geologist Ian Plimer is a well-known denier of anthropogenic climate change whose views are at odds with 98 per cent of the world’s scientists.

I have been following the science of climate change for more than 40 years. Most of the claims made by Ian Plimer are untrue. Forty years ago, climatologists were forecasting the increase in catastrophic weather patterns which we are seeing.

There are many reliable sources of information.

Advances in renewable technology have seen it reach a level of cost and efficiency where it compares very favourably with all but the dirtiest coal-fired power plants. Take away the huge subsidies given to coal, factor in the cost of remediating coal mines, and the cost to human health, and coal is a very expensive commodity.

Barbara Lyle, Tea Gardens

BEING ALARMED IS RIGHT

“Be alert, but not alarmed.”

We often hear this advice about how to respond to crises. It’s usually best to be calm, observant but not over-anxious. Would we have quoted this advice in England during World War II as bombs were falling on cities? Or during recent bushfires in Australia? I don’t think so – alarm was appropriate for spurring people into immediate action to protect themselves and their loved ones.

A recent letter from a reader of Insights (“Your Say”, February/March) criticised “climate alarmism” as denying the poor a means to generate cheap, reliable electricity (from coal). But in the case of climate change, I think alarm is appropriate – we need to take immediate action which goes against our natural instincts to continue business as usual.

Phil Chapple, West Epping Read the rest of this letter at insights.uca.org.au/ category/features/your-say

SEASON OF C R E AT I O N

Wayne John (no relation) reminded us of the importance of being good neighbours to the rest of creation in the Christmas edition [of Insights]. As Wayne rightly implies, celebrating our relationship with the rest of Creation in worship is an important part of maintaining our commitment to being good neighbours. A little over a decade ago the Uniting Church, in collaboration with Norm Habel, created the Season of Creation, which runs over every Sunday in September to Francis of Assisi Day in October.

The official site for liturgies is seasonofcreation.com Uniting Earth has produced video sermons, children’s talks, and other resources, which you can download for free at unitingearthweb.org. au/worship.

It would be wonderful if more Congregations came on board and let their local communities know about Season of Creation, either for the first Sunday, or the whole month.

Rev. Jason John, Uniting Earth Ministry NSW/ACT

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UNITING MORE WITH MISSION A N D S E RV I C E

Uniting plays an important role in supporting the social justice, community services and chaplaincy work of the Uniting Church of Australia within the Synod of NSW and the ACT. Since 2009, regional boards across NSW and the ACT supported the work of Uniting.

Recently, Uniting introduced one NSW/ACT board. While regional boards remain, they are called Uniting Councils.

This revamp of the Uniting Councils will help them to better facilitate collaboration and engagement, especially between Uniting and leaders within Presbyteries and Congregations. These close connections aim to enhance the ways our Church serves and contributes within local communities.

One example of a successful partnership is the Healthy Living for Seniors (HLFS)

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centre at Seaforth, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The Uniting Council Sydney North partnered with the Balgowlah Uniting Church Congregation, and the Uniting HLFS Chatswood team. Together, they revitalised a run-down Church hall into a five-dayper-week service for older community members.

As explained by Uniting Council Sydney North chair Robyn Brown, the councils act as an important contributor to the “Uniting for A Common Good” strategy of the Uniting Church NSW/ACT. “Our role now is to actively engage and involve as many Congregations as possible with the work of Uniting and to help them achieve their own missional goals,” says Robyn.

“Your Council is there to help you get to know more about the range of services and assistance Uniting provides into the community, which may assist the missional work you are doing or planning to do.”

Uniting Council Mid North and Far North Coast chair Alan Hoskins agrees. “It is an exciting time to be part of the councils ... Our roles are expanding, and we are actively supported by the Board.”

The councils administer the Uniting Grants program.

While this involves supporting Congregations with missional activities, it also enables Councils to advocate for local communities and provide a community voice to Uniting.

Showing how Congregations can be involved through Uniting, in existing opportunities for mission, is the developing partnership between the Lismore Regional Mission and St Vincent De Paul, to enlarge and improve access to a “Food Pantry”.

“What we do is determined by our skills and the needs in the community,” says Alan.

There are six established Councils — and two new

Councils in process — with their areas aligning with the current Presbyteries. The activities they are involved with also include supporting social justice initiatives, as well as providing guidance and support for volunteers in Uniting programs.

With the recent changes to Uniting Councils comes the need to bring in new people to play pivotal leadership roles in our Church and community.

Uniting is interested to hear from people associated with our Uniting Church, and have a strong interest and connection with their local communities.

WHERE TO GO FOR MORE INFORMATION Uniting uniting.org/about-uniting/ our-people Grant programs uniting.org/social-justice/ grant-programs

IS 2016 THE YEAR OF GOD A N D J E S U S AT T H E M OV I E S ?

A trend of biblical proportions has surprisingly emerged at cinemas. God, Jesus, the Bible and Christianity are all starring this year in a swag of new movies. At least ten are likely to be released on our screens.

Near the start of 2016, Oscar-winning Spotlight, Risen and Hail, Caesar! brought Jesus and his flawed followers to the big screen. Spotlight examined a disturbing case of child sexual abuse being covered up by a church institution, while Risen was a novel perspective upon Jesus’ resurrection. Hail, Caesar! was different again, making jokes about Christian religion at the same time as it delivered the best on-screen explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Also released at cinemas recently, The Witch is an unsettling portrait of spiritual warfare — with a lot more Christian content than mainstream chiller The Conjuring 2 is expected to bring in June.

With The Young Messiah also expected to reach our cinemas this year – telling an imagined life story of Jesus as a boy – we might chalk up 2016 as the year of Christian-themed movies. And don’t think this trend is going to die off anytime soon.

Martin Scorsese has been making a movie about Christian missionaries called Silence, and Hugh Jackman’s working on playing the apostle Paul on the big screen.

A N C I E N T D I S C OV E R I E S T O F E E D FA I T H The “home” of Jesus, a royal seal of Hezekiah and a Goliath gate are three artefacts among the most notable recent discoveries of biblical archaeology.

You might be surprised to learn that dwellings, crockery, inscriptions and other ancient elements related to the Bible are still being found. These significant discoveries have been supporting the historic claims made throughout the Bible.

This year, fabrics were found preserved in Israel’s Timna Valley, a site linked with the reigns of King David and Solomon. The famous fight David had with Philistine giant Goliath shot back into headlines last year when archaeologists in Israel found a city gate that dates to the time when they lived.

between the 4th and 7th Centuries. The mosaic’s design indicates Jesus was believed to have grown up there. While that status is impossible to verify, those who crafted the mosaic evidently believed Jesus was an earlier resident of the dwelling.

Not only have pieces of biblical history been found, so too have historic pieces of the Bible. Although it was dug up during the 1970s, a fragment of an old manuscript of Leviticus has only been dated in the past 12 months. New technology revealed it was written 1500 years ago, cementing it as one of the oldest copies of a biblical book.

Among the most notable discoveries has been a royal seal believed to belong to Hezekiah, the king of Judah recorded in 2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 29-32 and Isaiah 36-39. This is the first seal of an ancient Israelite or Judean king to be found.

Archaeologists confirmed a house excavated in Nazareth includes mosaics crafted

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# R A I N B OW REFUGEES A panel of experts, facilitated

by Rev. Dr Margaret Mayman, addressed a packed church at Pitt Street Uniting Church about challenges faced by many LGBTIQ refugees navigating the immigration system. The public event — Australia Can Do More — was attended by Human Rights Commissioner Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs, author Dennis Altman, academic and gay rights activist Che Bishop (from the Asylum Seekers Centre), Imam Nur Warsame of Marhaba Melbourne and Tina Posunkina, from Refugee Advice and Casework Service.

Each spoke of the current complex immigration system with harrowing accounts of inhumane treatment of LGBTIQ refugees.

“Last year Uniting Network’s Mardi Gras parade float announced that ‘LGBTIQ Refugees are Welcome Here’.

This year, the forum enabled us to deepen the conversation and to hear the voices of people who flee persecution because of their sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Rev. Margaret Mayman of the event.

R E V. M A R GA R E T M AY M A N

“In nearly 80 countries, homosexuality is still criminalised and it is estimated that more than 50 of the people on Manus Island and Nauru are LGBTIQ. It is a violation of international law to send them to other countries where same-sex identity and relationships are criminalised [such as PNG and Nauru].

“Uniting Network and Pitt Street Uniting are very pleased that we had the opportunity to be part of the official Mardi Gras Queer Thinking program, to share implicitly our conviction that every person is made in God’s image and worthy of protection and dignity,” said Rev. Mayman.

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P ROV I D I N G SA N C T UA RY, N O M AT T E R T H E C O ST Despite the risk of legal action, more than 30 Uniting Church Congregations have committed to offering “sanctuary” to refugees. In February, the historic concept of ‘sanctuary’ was prominently raised across Australia in response to the High Court ruling that 267 people should return to offshore detention facilities.

Rev. Elenie Poulos, National Director of UnitingJustice Australia, suggests more UCA Congregations may get involved with this high-profile humanitarian response. “Many more are supportive and willing to assist, and more are still considering it,” said Elenie.

a safe haven where authorities cannot pursue them.

However, as Elenie explained, “there is no protection in the law under a concept of sanctuary”. It’s unclear if Congregations will face legal consequences if they follow through with sanctuary plans.

“Church members who offer sanctuary are demonstrating a commitment to non-violent direct action as a witness to God’s love and justice, even though they could be charged with a federal offence under the Migration Act,” said Elenie.

More than 100 churches across multiple denominations already have announced willingness to revive the ancient concept of sanctuary.

Linked with Old Testament laws and prominent in the Middle Ages, “sanctuary” is similar to offering “asylum”.

Immediately after the High Court’s controversial decision in February to return men, women and children to offshore detention, UCA President Stuart McMillan wrote an open letter to our Church. He expressed his disappointment at the ruling, stating that the moral weight of its decision was indefensible.

A church offering sanctuary claims to provide people with

“While it may be legal, sending people back to the places of

their suffering is immoral,” wrote Stuart. “Such an action is irreconcilable with Jesus’s call to welcome the stranger and to love our neighbours.”

Elenie believes it is impossible to predict what the Federal Government will do next in this particular stand-off between its refugee policies and how churches react to them. But she hopes it “will respond to this unprecedented demonstration by the churches and others by allowing people to stay in Australia while their protection claims are processed. Nauru and Manus Island detention centres are not safe places. They destroy people’s hope and breed mental and physical illness.”

WILL YOU BE OFFERING SANCTUARY? If your congregation has decided to offer sanctuary, please ensure you register on the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce website (acrt.com.au).

ACRT will be in touch with you.

If you are considering offering sanctuary and have any questions, please contact Rev. Elenie Poulos, the National Director of UnitingJustice Australia: ElenieP@nat.uca.org. au

“[But] whatever happens, this has been a tremendous public witness by the Church that we are willing to put ourselves on the line to protect people from unjust laws,” said Elenie.

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YO U N G A D U LT S E M P OW E R E D

and scholar to deliver our inaugural Pitt Street Annual Lecture,” announced Rev. Dr Margaret Mayman, Minister at Pitt Street Uniting Church.

The National Young Adult Leaders Conference (NYALC) is being held in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, from 8 to 13 July.

This is an unique opportunity for young leaders to join others, strengthen their faith and experience teaching, learning, worship and reflection. Plus, NYALC aims to encourage and foster leadership potential in the Uniting Church.

“This is more than just a conference; it’s a gift to our young adults who want to be active in service and leadership,” says Tom Kerr, UCA’s National Faith Development Consultant (Youth and Young Adults). “We’ve got an unbelievably wonderful collection of UCA leaders [attending], for you to share your life and faith with, including President Stuart McMillan and the Chairperson of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress Rev. Dennis Corowa. “[And] Let’s not forget the moderators, young adult ministry workers and the leaders from various cultural groups.”

Attendees will be able to join a network of young adults that they can get into conversations with. They will hear from others wrestling with deeper issues of faith, and also be empowered and encouraged.

Churches can sponsor an emerging young adult leader to be blessed and empowered by the National Young Adult Leaders Conference. Consider sending one of your gifted young adults to the conference to be inspired in their leadership.

GET INTO NYALC Visit nyalc.org.au for more information, to register and to sponsor an emerging young adult.

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SAV I N G J E S U S F RO M T H E CHURCH

United Church of Christ Minister, Rev. Dr Robin Meyers, will be in Sydney in May to deliver the inaugural Pitt Street Annual Lecture in Progressive Christianity.

Dr Meyers mInisters at the Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City, and is also an university professor in social justice and Fellow at the Jesus Seminar. He has published seven books; several are about recovering the authentic message of Jesus and the church as a beloved community of resistance.

“We are delighted to have an active local minister

“Pitt Street is very committed to the Uniting Church, while remaining loyal to our heritage of congregationalism, independence and progressive thought,” Dr Mayman said.

Dr Meyers’ Saturday talks will cover the subject of his latest book — Spiritual Defiance: Building a Beloved Community of Resistance. In addition, he will lecture on “God talk: re-uniting science and religion”.

The dates are: Friday 20 May, 7.30 pm.

Inaugural Annual Lecture in progressive Christianity.

Saturday 21 May, 10am4pm. Two lectures and seminar discussion.

For more information, head to pittstreetuniting.org.au

F RO M T H E G E N E R A L S E C R E TA R Y ’S D E S K

Paying homage to our ministers One of the highlights of Synod for me is the ministry recognition service. This year marks 40 years since I candidated for ministry, so perhaps the event will hold even greater significance for me.

REV. DR ANDREW WILLIAMS GENERAL SECRETARY

THE GENERAL SECRETARY IS APPOINTED BY THE SYNOD TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TO THE CHURCH BY ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN STRATEGIC THINKING ABOUT THE LIFE, DIRECTION, VISION AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH

I am sometimes asked why we single out ministers for this service and do not recognise lay people’s service in the Church in the same way. While we do recognise the service of lay people at the meeting of Synod and in many other ways, this service is a recognition that “since the Church lives by the power of the Word, it is assured that God, who has never failed to provide witness to that word, will, through Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit, call and set apart members of the Church to be ministers of the Word. These will preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments and exercise pastoral care so that all may be equipped for their particular ministries, thus maintaining the apostolic witness to Christ in the Church.” (Basis, para 14) So the task of the Church, in Christ, is to call and set apart some people to this task. For this reason the “call” is tested vigorously by the Church and must be constantly reaffirmed by the one ordained, and the Church, at various points in the ministry journey.

There should be no selfaggrandisement, no claims for preferential treatment, no “career path”. Instead, at all times, there should be evidence of humility and a servant heart. This does not always sit well with other contemporary notions of leadership. Perhaps it was for this reason that a wiser, older minister passed on to me the advice he had been given: “Avoid a call to the ministry for as long as you can!” Obviously I didn’t avoid it very long, as I was 18 years old when I candidated!

There are certainly times when our ministers let us down. There is no denying that. But I am glad that, at the Synod meeting, we can celebrate lives dedicated to ministry. I am glad too that in this edition of Insights [Turn to page 14] we read stories of those embarking on the journey. Please continue to pray for and treasure our ministers. Encourage them to “live up to their high calling in Christ”.

We received a note from Rev. Bill Clarke, shortly before his death, to say that he was too unwell to make it to the recognition service this year.

I reflect how fortunate I am that I have been upheld by the Lord Jesus Christ in such diverse situations, ministering to Aboriginal, ethnic, traditional and new-formed pioneering Congregations. Supported by so many wonderful lay people who with me pressed toward the high mark of the calling of Christ Jesus.

He deserves any glory due anywhere in my life and ministry.

I am thankful to have been allowed over 50 years of ministry in a denomination that supported me within Congregations which offered an abundance of love to me.

My wife, children and grandchildren have supported me with love. Yet I want to conclude with Paul’s affirmation that I may be found in Christ, not having a righteousness of my own but one that comes from faith in Christ. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and sharing in his sufferings by becoming like Him in His death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Amen to that!

He wanted us to get the facts of his diverse ministerial service straight for the booklet, but I also want to honour him by sharing the conclusion to his brief note:

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Discerning God’s call

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R E V. A D R I A N S U K U M A R -W H I T E

R E V. B E C L I N D S AY

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WE’VE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE DISTINCTIVENESS OF ORDAINED MINISTRY IS NOT ABOUT FUNCTION, BUT ABOUT RELATIONSHIP

WITHIN THE UNITING CHURCH, MINISTERS ARE ORDAINED (OR “SET APART”) AS LEADERS WHO THE CHURCH DEEMS TO BE CALLED BY GOD INTO THE ROLE. PARAGRAPH 14 OF THE BASIS OF UNION DESCRIBES THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS PREACHING THE GOSPEL, ADMINISTERING THE SACRAMENTS AND EXERCISING PASTORAL CARE “SO THAT ALL MAY BE EQUIPPED FOR THEIR PARTICULAR MINISTRIES, THUS MAINTAINING THE APOSTOLIC WITNESS TO CHRIST IN THE CHURCH”.

INSIGHTS RECENTLY SPOKE WITH TWO UNITING CHURCH MINISTERS AND A MINISTRY CANDIDATE: REV. BEC LINDSAY, REV. ADRIAN SUKUMAR-WHITE (BOTH IN MINISTRY LESS THAN THREE YEARS) AND JAMES AARON (CURRENTLY IN TRAINING). TOPICS INCLUDED WHAT THEY HAD FOUND SURPRISING, WHAT FORMATION — THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A MINISTER — IS LIKE, AND WHEN EXACTLY THEY FELT CALLED INTO FULL-TIME MINISTRY.

As Director of the Uniting Learning Network, Duncan Macleod is responsible for oversight across educators, trainers, researchers and consultants within our Synod.

Duncan is involved with many facets of the ordination process and he told Insights that ordained ministry “has changed significantly”.

“Over the last 40 years, we have celebrated new settings for ordained ministry, with our clergy being placed in congregations, prisons, schools, armed forces, hospitals, aged-care homes, and in leadership roles in the wider church and community,” Duncan says.

“With the capacity for lay celebrants of communion and baptism, and the employment of lay ministry leaders … we’ve acknowledged that the distinctiveness of ordained ministry is not about function, but about relationship.

Ordination is the Church’s way of recognising a person as representing the wider church wherever they are in the world.

“Our Minister of the Word and Deacon … is entering into a relationship of accountability with the Uniting Church in Australia, and has a responsibility to relate ecumenically beyond that.”

So what is it like to undertake this responsibility? And how do we determine who is “set apart” for it?

calling he had “run away from” for years. He says that his ministry candidacy Ministry candidates must was the result of “a gentle undergo a rigorous process before being ordained. Should nudging, many experiences, conversations, much prayer, they progress to candidacy, discernment and review”. they spend at least three years undergoing theological training and reflection. In New TERTIARY MINISTRY South Wales, this takes place A PATHWAY TO at the Centre for Ministry ORDAINED MINISTRY in North Parramatta, where Bec, Adrian and James candidates study at United have all worked in university Theological College (UTC). chaplaincy. They believe that Training generally takes experience encouraged them between three and five years. to consider full-time ministry.

STARTING OUT

Rev. Bec Lindsay was ordained at the start of 2013.

Since then, she has worked as one of the ministers at Hope Uniting Church in Maroubra Junction and as a sessional lecturer at UTC. Bec said the call to ministry first took place in her teenage years. “When I was 16 my youth group leader invited me to help her run the crèche at a big mission conference,” she says. “In the afternoons and evenings I could attend talks. In one of these I had what I would now describe as my first experience of ‘call’.”

James Aaron is a current ministry candidate who works for the tertiary chaplaincy at the University of NSW, a ministry he describes as unlike any he has experienced. He has also worked as a worship leader and sat on church boards.

James told Insights that full-time ministry was a

Rev. Adrian Sukumar-White is the Tertiary Ministry Resource Officer for Sydney Presbytery.

He was ordained in February this year, alongside his wife, Rev. Radhika Sukumar-White.

Adrian’s new role involves coordinating links between university chaplaincy and Congregations. For Adrian, the years he spent as a Mission Worker in Sydney University and UTS were a pathway to this ministry.

“I experienced my most significant call to discipleship through engaging in tertiary ministry,” Adrian says. This involved “just finding myself really drawn to the Church and called to be a part of the work that it’s doing”.

“Tertiary ministry has been essential for shaping me, forming me into the type of minister that I’m going to be. That’s one that’s really focused on discipleship, really focused on building up the Church and seeing a revival

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A LIFE OF LEARNING HOW TO INTEGRATE THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDINGS AND SHARED EXPERIENCES INTO PRACTICE of the way we share and talk about Jesus and how his way should influence the way we live and the world we live in.”

Bec’s faith also grew significantly within a tertiary ministry group. “UCATSA (now, Christian Student’s Uniting) was where I learned how to hold God’s Word and the world God loves together,” she says. “I could ask any question — not my prior experience of Bible study.

“I was able to explore my faith and while this was often challenging for me, and caused me to undergo a lot of unlearning, ultimately it deepened my faith. The tertiary ministry community, which included the faith community I was a part of, were supportive of me as I explored my sense of call to ordained ministry.”

This link has carried on to Bec’s work with Hope Uniting Church, which ministers to students through its student housing and support for university chaplaincy.

“I’m glad to now be living within a Congregation who support and nurture tertiary ministry,” Bec says.

CANDIDACY: A VARIED EXPERIENCE

James is currently underway with his ministry candidacy.

As well as studying theology, candidates gather for a weekly worship service and spend time reflecting on sacraments,

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The Basis of Union and the role of ministers and deacons.

There are three internal levels of formation: foundational, intermediate, and advanced.

James recently completed the foundational level and he says this was a different experience to structured employment.

“There are times when being a candidate is very busy, and other times where it is very quiet, and much changes on a regular basis, and then other times there are things that stay the same for far longer than comfortable,” he says.

“Life for each ministry candidate is very different, candidate to candidate. [It’s] a life of learning how to integrate theological understandings and shared experiences into practice and then rethinking what it is you have learned to do the same again … and again … and again.

“The re-orientation of self towards ordained ministry is both heavy and light, and engaging as well as repetitive.

I am still learning a lot, but see that equipping of self — to know at least where to look within myself, or a library, skill set and so on, when needed — is part of this process.”

Adrian told Insights that he has appreciated the flexibility that candidates are offered throughout their training.

In his case, this included studying part-time so as to serve as an assistant minister

at Leichhardt Uniting Church.

“The flexibility of the formation experience was good for me,” he says.

us alongside the many and varied responsibilities people have and the many and varied time pressures people have.

“[I was able to get] a wider knowledge of theology, as well as the breadth of the Church, by doing placements with Congregations ... and working in hospital chaplaincy.”

“I don’t want to add to the pressures people have, but I want for our community to be captivated and captured

by God’s Good News. I want for that to change the way we organise our lives.”

“It’s really been a full-bodied experience of development and formation that’s equipped me quite well, I think, to try a range of different things.”

A CHALLENGING VO CAT I O N

A minister does not stop learning after being ordained.

As James explained: “Your last level [of formation] is one completed in practice.”

As this might suggest, ministry is a constantly varied and unpredictable vocation.

According to Bec, one of the surprising challenges was sharing the experience of grief with Congregation members. “[Last] year I was surprised by how deeply I felt some of the sorrows within the Hope community,” she says.

“I felt the joys too, but holding people’s grief with them — and sometimes on their behalf — before God is an intense thing.

“I find it challenging to know how to hold the commitment that the Gospel calls out in

Jonathan Foye is a PhD candidate at Western Sydney University and a freelance journalist.

WHAT IS THE PERIOD OF DISCERNMENT? To help determine whether someone is called into full-time ministry, the Uniting Church’s process involves undertaking a Period of Discernment. During this year-long process, a person will meet with a mentor, undertake study and journaling, and explore their options.

“For some, [the Period of Discernment has] been a year in the pathway to ordained ministry, lay preaching or local ministry in a Congregation or agency.

For others, it’s been a way to make connections between their current work and their call by God,” Duncan Macleod

J A M E S A A RO N

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COMMUNITY AND SENSE OF

purpose....

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P O S I T I O N VAC A N T: F U L LT I M E M I N I ST E R O F T H E WO R D O R D E AC O N : ST ST E P H E N ’S U N I T I N G C H U R C H WO D O N G A St Stephen’s is seeking a minister offering vision, pastoral oversight and leadership to work with, and enable, dedicated and enthusiastic lay people to grow worship, study groups, discipleship, service and spiritual gifts.

This Wodonga church is a single congregation seeking a fulltime placement.

The minister will be expected to maintain and enhance the community connections and ministry of the congregation, expressed through UnitingCare Wodonga, as well as other programs.

Wodonga is a regional city on the border of Vic/NSW with excellent educational opportunities from early learning to universities, top class medical facilities and very good transport links to capital cities – road, train and air. Cultural and recreational activities abound. Employment opportunities exist for family members.

Ministers in good standing with any other denomination recognised by the Uniting Church are eligible to apply.

TO ENQUIRE or request a copy of the congregational profile and related information, contact Adrienne Dyall: 0408 975 882 or email afdyall@ bigpond.com Applications should be sent to: Isobel Thomas-Dobson, Secretary of Placements Committee, by email to isabel.thomasdobson@victas.uca.org.au or by post to 130 Little Collins St, Melbourne 3000. APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 30 APRIL 2016

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PITT STREET UNITING CHURCH Inaugural Pitt Street Annual Lecture in progressive Christianity

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Prisoner for the Gospel, grateful for God’s love After ten years in Vietnamese communist re-education camps and more than two years living in a Thai refugee camp, the relief of freedom in 1992 was overwhelming for Rev. Bui Chi Ai. Little wonder he wept when he stepped off a plane on to Australian soil for the first time.

When Ai reflects on everything he endured, he says: “I really just want to ask Jesus, ‘Why do you love me so much?’”

Today, Ai is Minister of the Word at Cabramatta Uniting Church in one of Sydney’s most culturally diverse suburbs. He serves the community with a faithfulness to God borne out of his life’s journey.

Every day, Ai is thankful to be free to serve God and share his love with others.

EVERY DAY, AI IS THANKFUL TO BE FREE TO SERVE GOD AND SHARE HIS LOVE WITH OTHERS

As a young person growing up in Vietnam, Ai had no plans to become a minister — even though his father was a missionary with the Evangelical Church of Vietnam. As a minister’s son, Ai had little freedom and high expectations to meet.

In Ai’s final year of high school, his father became seriously ill. One night, Ai sat beside his father and wrestled with God. “I was really angry. I said to God, ‘How can you treat your

own servant like that?’ Then I realised I had never actually prayed for my father.”

“I was afraid and I didn’t want him to die. I said to God, ‘If you let my father live a few more years, I will commit myself to you.’”

Everyone was stunned when, the next day, his father began to return to health. He lived another 25 years.

Ai laughs as he reflects that “you never make a deal with God, because he is true to his promises.”

True to his own word, Ai entered Bible College when he finished school. In 1972, he began his ministry as a hospital chaplain in Da Nang. When the Vietnam War ended in 1975, he was appointed as the minister at a large church in the Quang Ngai province.

At the same time, tensions were high with the new communist government which was highly suspicious of the church. Local police attended Ai’s services to monitor his sermons.

In 1978, Ai was accused of being a CIA spy. He was arrested, placed in solitary confinement for nine months, then transferred to Kim Son, a “re-education camp” deep in the jungle. He was one of thousands sent to camps as part of the government’s attempt to discipline and

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JESUS HAS BECOME THE BLOOD IN MY BODY. HOW CAN YOU TAKE THAT BLOOD FROM ME?

indoctrinate those considered political threats. Many did not survive their internment.

Ai laboured eight hours per day for three bowls of rice. In return for extra food, he and fellow inmates were called upon at night to accuse each other of laziness or wrongdoing. After the lights were turned out, Ai would pray and sing to God. “I’ve never felt closer to God than at those times,” Ai reveals. “I felt like I could touch him. I remembered that even Jesus spent time in the desert. I was sure God was preparing something for me.”

Three years after entering the camp, Ai was given a chance at freedom on the condition he write letters which said he had handed his church over to the government and no longer believed in God. “I answered ‘Jesus has become the blood in my body. How can you take the blood from my body?’” This declaration of faith saw him moved to the infamous A20 labour camp at Xuan Phuoc.

“I told my mum I have to go.”

With the help of friends and church members, he made his way to the Cambodian border and travelled to Thailand by boat.

Making his way to a refugee camp, Ai had to undergo a long screening process. Two years on, a chance meeting with former Australian Immigration Minister Gerry Hand changed his life forever.

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News and I asked God to help me lead the way I should.”

“It really was an Easter Day for me.”

The Congregation runs English classes and reaches out to the wider community in other ways, such as a providing free lunch for seniors each week.

Ai has nurtured and grown the Congregation and earned the respect and trust of community members from all cultural backgrounds.

As well as a thriving Vietnamese ministry, his English-speaking Congregation includes members of Chinese, Cambodian and Anglo It happened to be Easter. backgrounds. Ai holds regular The Minister had flown to combined services where he Thailand to see the camp first- “I was just crying. I felt preaches in Vietnamese and ashamed and embarrassed, hand. Because of his English but I couldn’t stop. I knew that a recorded English version is skills, Ai was asked to show now I was free to serve God.” played through headpieces.

Mr Hand around the camp.

“I had no idea what the Immigration Minister meant but I showed him around and he asked me why I had escaped,” Ai explains. “I told him about my story.”

“Then he asked me, ‘Would you like to come to Australia?’

I said ‘Yes’ without thinking.

Then he turned to a member of staff and told him to write down my name.”

Ai had heard that the Baptist Church in South Australia was looking for Vietnamese ministers and he mentioned Ai was finally released in this to the Immigration October 1987 but remained staff. Two weeks later, the under strict surveillance by Cheltenham Baptist Church the communist state. He wasn’t allowed to preach or go in SA got an unexpected call from the Immigration to church and he was forced Department, asking if they to clean public toilets, along would sponsor Ai. with other criminals.

“I felt I could not cope under these conditions,” recalls Ai.

to the camp to interview potential refugees for resettlement. Much to his surprise, Ai was the first person called into the office.

Four weeks later, Ai arrived in Australia with nothing but the clothes on his back and his Bible. He was met by members of the Baptist Church in South Australia. For the first time in 14 years, he was free to enter a church.

Shortly after this, Australian Immigration officials came

Several years later, an opportunity arose for Ai to work with the Uniting Church in Brisbane. Ai felt God’s call again. He returned to study at Trinity College in Brisbane and was ordained a Minister in the Uniting Church.

In 2000, Rev. Bui Chi Ai began his ministry in Cabramatta, renowned for its large SouthEast Asian population. About 88 per cent of Cabramatta’s population speaks a language other than English at home — the highest number for any suburb in Australia.

One of the elder Englishspeaking members of the Cabramatta Congregation recently celebrated her 90th birthday. The whole church came together to celebrate.

“We’re in the 21st Century,” says Ai. “People do not come to church for a sermon. They can go to the internet and get all sorts of sermons.

“Today, fellowship is more important. It’s not just a relationship with God but with one another as well.”

“When I first came to Cabramatta, it was not easy,” recalls Ai. “Some people were Rebecca Beisler saying, ‘Oh no, another Asian minister’. But I knew it was my calling to proclaim the Good

insights 25

UNITING FOR THE COMMON GOOD

How to achieve our aim DURING THE MID-1990S, I WORKED AS AN OUTREACH WORKER IN A SMALL CHURCH-BASED CHARITY IN THE INNER CITY OF SYDNEY. AT THE SAME TIME, I SPENT EVERY SPARE MOMENT IN THE MITCHELL LIBRARY IN SYDNEY WORKING ON AN HONOURS THESIS. AMONG OTHER THINGS RELATING TO AUSTRALIA’S POLITICAL HISTORY, I WAS RESEARCHING HOW THIS GREAT NATION CAME TO BE KNOWN AS “THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA”.

This situation created some significant contrasts. By day, I was faced with harrowing stories of homelessness and addiction. By night, I read about our founding fathers’ inspiring hopes for the nation.

And while many of their hopes had become our nation’s reality, it was clear to me from my work by day there was still so much more to be done.

Through my research, I learned the origin of the term “Commonwealth” can be found in the phrase “the Common Good”. The phrase comes from the ancient Greek words symphero (“to gather” or “to unite”), and koinos (“the common, mutual, and public”). It’s an idea we share in our Synod’s mission statement — we are “Uniting for the Common Good”.

Like the solid foundations of our great country, today our mission of “Uniting for the Common Good” captures our Church’s purpose and place in the Australian community.

It echoes St Paul’s words in describing a vision of the early church that works for the good of the whole: “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Yet I wonder if we have really stopped to think what it means to be people of the Common Good. And with the many social challenges still before us, I wonder if we truly know how we will achieve it?

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WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER

It is clear to me we must work in partnership with our communities. We will do this because it has always been how we have worked as a Church; reflecting a belief that we are part of God’s mission and must be in the world working with all God’s people, people of all creeds or none. But we must also be committed to working collaboratively together — as the various parts of the Uniting Church. While we have fewer resources and problems have become more complex, creative solutions will always be found by bringing together diverse groups of people.

Organising agenda of Sydney Alliance and through workshops with Rich Harwood.

This new way of working will require new forms of shared governance, local cooperation, communication and a belief that our future is in working together, not in creating our own empires.

Imagine what we could achieve, for example, if we work towards common objectives, mobilising our 20,000 church attendees and Uniting’s 9,000 staff and 3,000 volunteers?

A DIFFERENT LEAD

All of this has implications for our leaders. We need to develop new types of ministry leadThis is a big change for a ers who are outward-focused Church that has historically and able to collaborate with been large enough for others, particularly with those its various parts to work who are culturally, socially or independently of each other. ideologically different to those This will not cut it in the future. we have typically found in our Where we could once talk pews on a Sunday. Working theologically and in principle with difference can be difficult about interdependence, now and getting something done our very survival is dependent is even more challenging, but on our ability to live this out. our communities need people who can span boundaries, to break the traditional impasses ACT LOCAL in our society and politics.

The future of local Congregational mission will be increas“Uniting for the Common ingly found in leading and Good” is a powerful vision for organising local communities our Church and community. in areas of local concern and public policy. It likely will be as We need to recalibrate how we work as a church to ensure we agents of change and less as make it a reality. service delivery bodies.

In recent times we’ve seen some great examples of this through the Community

Doug Taylor is the Director of Strategic Engagement at Uniting

UNITING FOR THE COMMON GOOD IS A POWERFUL VISION FOR OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

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A TRADITION OF CHRISTIAN CARE AND CONCERN

Richard & Deborah Spiteri, proprietors

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FUNERALS CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT SYDNEY

MEMBERS OF THE FUNERAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION OF NSW

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The ethics of being church on stolen land

insights 29

REV. DR CHRIS BUDDEN IS THE INTERIM NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR THE UNITING ABORIGINAL AND ISLANDER CHRISTIAN CONGRESS (UAICC). HE TEACHES THEOLOGICAL ETHICS AT UNITING THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE (UTC) AND IS AN ASSOCIATE IN THE PUBLIC AND CONTEXTUAL THEOLOGY RESEARCH CENTRE AT CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY. FOR YEARS, CHRIS HAS STUDIED AND OBSERVED RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. HIS INTEREST IN JUSTICE FOR FIRST PEOPLES IN AUSTRALIA — AS WELL AS THEOLOGICAL ETHICS AND THE CHURCH’S “TRUTH-TELLING” CAPACITY IN AUSTRALIA — LED HIM TO WRITE FOLLOWING JESUS IN INVADED SPACE: DOING THEOLOGY ON ABORIGINAL LAND. WE RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH CHRIS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HIS VIEWS ON ETHICS IN OUR CURRENT THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT. WE DISCOVERED CHRIS’ WISDOM IS ALL ABOUT ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, RATHER THAN OFFERING THE RIGHT ANSWER.

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“I actually don’t believe in a difference between theology and ethics,” explains Chris.

“What we have usually done is try to sort out our theological beliefs first. Once we have worked out what we believe in, then we try to work out what we have to do in response. Ethics becomes a second-order activity.

“But I think what we do, our usual practices and habits of life, are not just a consequence of what we believe but a statement of our belief.” “[Theological ethics] is a very conscious and disciplined effort to connect the theological claims of the Church to the behaviour of the Christian community.”

tell ‘truth’, you can’t confess.

And if you can’t confess then you can’t grab hold of the meaning of new beginnings.”

For Chris, the mark of the early church was that it stood over against the ruling empires. It stood up for a view of the world that said God stood for little people, and that God was actually God. Those empires which claimed they were God, spoke for God, or represented God were wrong.

The early church was a counter-cultural community.

“One of the major challenges for the truth-telling capacity of the Church [today] is where it wants to keep locating itself, socially and theologically. Which people With this ethical framework in do you actually sit with and whose interest do you mind, Chris has approached dilemmas facing the Church. represent and who do you talk for? Because we have Among them is decisionmaking around First Peoples bought into the argument that, in some ways, the State and covenanting. For Chris, represents God, then we the way forward lies with have no problem working telling truth. with Government around a whole pile of issues ... [But] “There are some things that if you are telling its story or mark our Church,” explains supporting its story, then you Chris. “For instance, I think are not always telling truth.” the Church is meant to be a truth-telling community.

According to Chris, as Not in the abstract sense because I think truth actually a Church we struggle constantly with our desire to emerges in community be “inside the tent”, sitting and relationships, and at the table with government obligations. But if you don’t

REV. DR CHRIS BUDDEN INTERIM NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR UAICC

MARCH 2014 — MEMBERS OF THE UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA GATHERED FOR AN ACT OF PUBLIC WORSHIP ON THE LAWNS IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT HOUSE. IT WAS THE CHURCH’S PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF GRIEF AT THE RACISM AND INJUSTICE SUFFERED BY SO MANY ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS, AND AN EXPRESSION OF HOPE FOR RECONCILIATION AND JUSTICE.

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WHAT KIND OF CHURCH DO WE WANT TO BE AND HOW DO OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH ABORIGINAL PEOPLE GIVE EXPRESSION TO THAT UNDERSTANDING OF OURSELVES?

and other powerful decisionmakers. But doing so challenges our capacity to say truthful things. A “stark illustration” of this is how the Church stands for, and with, Aboriginal people.

relationships with Aboriginal people give expression to that understanding of ourselves?”

There are no easy answers for Chris. And he’s not claiming to be providing them. Chris believes his role is about asking important questions.

Being someone who keeps asking: “What is it like to live in invaded space?”

“It is a constant challenge for the Church to be able to speak truthful things about [Australian] history, about our involvement in that history Searching for answers ties and about our continuing impact of that history when in in with what is, according to fact we are so caught up in it.” Chris, the “really big issue” facing our Synod: “Land, and support for UAICC in NSW”.

“The questions around Aboriginal people are “What the Synod decided last about the moral shape of time was it would ask people the Church,” says Chris, to have a conversation around who doesn’t claim to be a questions like ‘Should people representative of indigenous pay rent?’ and ‘Should they spirituality. “What kind of pay a tithe on property sales?’ people do we want to be and what do we have to do “There are two issues involved to be that kind of people? in that. One is how do you set What kind of Church do we up a reparation scheme that want to be and how do our

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says to Congress [UAICC] we know that we live on stolen land and we want to make amends? How do we actually fund the work of Congress over this time?

“You can’t change history, but can we renegotiate a way of being Church on that land, in ways that enable people to covenant and to engage together around common space and access?”

“The second is: How do we Lisa Sampson have a conversation that recognises we live on stolen land? How do we face that reality and work that as a justice issue; not just a money issue, but a relational issue?

FOR MORE How do you learn to live with I N F O R M AT I O N two narratives?

Read the full interview “There is a life-shaping with Rev. Dr Chris narrative from Britain that Budden online at says land is real estate, and insights.uca.org.au that no-one was here and the land was occupied rightly. And For more information there is another narrative that about the Uniting speaks of 40,000-50,000 Aboriginal and Islander years of occupation, of land Christian Congress not just as economic space (UAICC), please visit but the foundation of all life; its website at and which speaks of invasion uaicc.org.au and dispossession.

P O S I T I O N VAC A N T P R E S BY T E RY M I N I ST E R - I L L AWA R R A

P O S I T I O N VAC A N T C H I L D R E N & FA M I L I E S WO R K E R -3 DAYS

Focused on God’s Mission – Providing Leadership – Growing Discipleship

Lugar Brae Uniting Church, Waverley, is seeking an experienced Children and Families Worker for a growing Sunday school, Family Fun Church (Messy Church), and other children’s programs, including Playgroup and Scripture in Schools.

The Presbytery of Illawarra follows the Princes Highway on the NSW coast from Austinmer in the north to Ulladulla in the south, and extends west to the Southern Highlands as far south as Bundanoon.

The position is fulltime for five years, to be filled by a Minister of the Word or Deacon. The person is required to have appropriate experience and qualifications, and a demonstrated commitment to the Uniting Church. The Presbytery Minister will also play a crucial role in working with the Pastoral Relations Committee in seeking to develop appropriate profiles and then fill ministerial placements.

The position description is designed to reflect what it means to engage in faithful ministry and discipleship in the present time—that discipleship is the calling of every person within the church. It is important that the person in placement will have a clear awareness of the changing situation of the church within society, and be prepared to work with others to envisage and develop new forms of ministry and mission which are appropriate for this changing situation.

Enquiries or to request a copy of the Position Description contact: Mrs Sharon Hoogland, Secretary Illawarra Presbytery, Email: illawarrauca@bigpond.com, Phone: 0429 926 962 APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO: Synod Associate Secretary Rev Jane Fry, Email: acomp@nswact.uca.org.au

Job Description: •P repare and teach safe, Jesus-centred, Bible-based, Sunday-morning program for school-aged children, to run concurrently with church service.

•P repare and deliver a 3–5 minute children’s talk (based on the children’s lesson for the week) at the beginning of the regular Sunday service.

•P repare, coordinate volunteers, and run a family-focused service (Messy Church), held every 4–6 weeks.

•R un a weekly Christian Scripture class at a local primary school.

•R un a weekly Playgroup (age from 0 to 5 years old) on Friday mornings.

•E nsure that Lugar Brae Uniting Church is a safe, welcoming environment for children of all ages.

•M aintain and update resources and programs as needed.

Applicants must have a Working with Children Check and have completed an accredited Safe Ministry Course (e.g. Youthworks Safe Ministry Training or equivalent).

The Children and Families worker reports to, and takes instructions from, the minister in placement.

For further information please contact Rev. Kwang Min (Kevin) Kim: lugarbraeuc@gmail.com or by telephone on 0414 746 735.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 31 / 05 / 2016

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 30/4/16

The applicant must hold or be willing to obtain a Working with Children Check number. Only people with the right to work in Australia may apply for this position.

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The course is offered by distance learning and intensives so, if you have 10 or more people committed to studying the course, we will come to you - call us to discuss possibilities.

Greating a home for all The idea for The Commons was planted halfway across the world. When Uniting BASED OUT OF HAMILTON WESLEY UNITING CHURCH, Church members Caitlin O’Reilly and Tim Evans THE COMMONS IS A COMMUNITY LIBRARY, CAFÉ were travelling through Europe, they came across a AND ART SPACE. MORE THAN THREE YEARS SINCE IT community house in Estonia.

FIRST OPENED ITS DOORS, What quickly developed was IT IS PROVIDING NEWCASTLE the idea for a similar place in Newcastle, where local WITH A SPACE FOR A JUST AND ETHICAL COMMUNITY people could visit and hang out with no obligation to TO FLOURISH purchase anything.

Upon returning to Australia, they took the idea to the Hunter Presbytery. In early 2012, when it was suggested Caitlin and Tim enlist a small group of people to support the project, they approached Dr Miriam Williams and her husband, Andrew Goodwin.

Miriam and Andrew threw themselves in, becoming co-founders of The Commons

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and they remain heavily involved in various roles (including Action Groups).

is the community,” explains Miriam. “It is not separate from it.”

The project found its home at Wesley Uniting Church’s Fellowship House. After sourcing second-hand and upcycled supplies, holding several working bees and devoting many long nights to transforming the hall into a café, The Commons officially opened in November, 2012.

According to The Commons’ website, the project is part of a broader political movement.

One that recognises the need for people to participate in more just and ethical economies, and to create community spaces.

Since then, it has grown to include an events space, bulk organic goods store, music room, office space, meditation and meeting room, gallery, op-shop, book and seed libraries.

Miriam holds a PhD in Geography. Her thesis focused on community organisations — or urban “commons”. “The Commons

“Whilst The Commons is a café, a goods store and a community hub, it is more than this,” adds Miriam. “It is ours and yours and no one’s.

The Commons is a common resource, a community space, an idea, and a dream.

“It’s part of a diverse network of volunteers, groups, strangers and organisations that make up Newcastle. It is a resource for the community in that it is a physical place

to share with passion to meet and be that is homey and affordable.

“It is also an incubator and a launching point for individuals and groups who want to hold an event, workshop or group that is inclusive, sustainable, ethical or creative. In that way it is a community resource that is sustained by and sustains diverse communities.”

Despite the many things that The Commons is, Andrew reveals that people often don’t know what goes on there, or how it is “Church”.

those things. He just loved people and showed them the way to change the world.”

“That’s all we’re trying to do.

Ultimately, I think that’s what the Uniting Church is — or, at least, should be — trying to do across the country.”

The Commons hosts all sorts of events, big and small. These have included international speakers such as Mark Berry (the New Monastic community) and “pyro-theologian” Pete Rollins, the latter as part of the Dangerous Conversations Festival. The Commons also hosted outspoken author and columnist Anne Summers in 2013, when she gave a public talk in Newcastle about “Her Rights At Work”.

“This is a case of not seeing the forest for the trees, says Andrew. “There’s no big secret. It’s not like there’s any strange rituals [or] backrooms filled with relics. That’s “While big names and not what being ‘church’ is long distances sound about. Jesus didn’t have

impressive, the lifeblood of The Commons is in the small events and groups that call the place home and meet the values of being sustainable, creative, ethical and inclusive,” says Andrew.

“We’ve hosted film screenings, sustainability workshops, craft groups, social justice events and environmental groups. It is currently host to a local feminist collective run by women in high school, as well as meditation, film, faith, yoga and personal development groups.”

According to Andrew, most people who end up involved with The Commons start by just turning up and doing what they are passionate about. “Start a knitting group, play music. Use our office space for your small

business. Buy good, organic and fair-trade food.”

The Commons team is keen to help anyone looking to start something similar in their area. If you are interested, contact them via The Commons website.

Dr Jonathan Foye is a freelance journalist

COME VISIT US! The Commons is located at Level 1, 150 Beaumont Street, Hamilton.

For more information, visit The Commons website at thecommons.org.au

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Reimagining Faith Formation for the 21st Century with John Roberto 23-28 AUGUST 23-25 AUGUST LEARNING INTENSIVE - ENGAGING ALL AGES & GENERATIONS FOCUS AREAS • How are formation and education changing in today’s mission context?

• Promising approaches to faith formation • Thinking beyond the gathered Congregation • Learning within and across generations

26-28 AUGUST NATIONAL CONFERENCE - FORMATION & MISSION IN A DIGITAL WORLD With John Roberto plus electives and practical workshops from practitioners. The weekend will include bootcamp-style how to’s, local stories, multimedia expo, conversation spaces and a short film festival

FOCUS: MINISTRY AND MISSION IN A DIGITAL WORLD • The impact of digital technology in a social world • Blended faith formation in a digital world • Curating learning experiences • Resources and tools for faith formation • Social Justice and Social Media • Engaging Content for Websites, using websites more effectively • Marketing Your Ministry: Best Practices for Effective Evangelism For more information visit reimaginefaith2016.com where further program information and registrations will be available at the end of April.

A cooperative event supported by Uniting Chuch Assembly Formation, Education & Discipleship, Uniting Mission and Education, United Theolgical College and Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT.

ABOUT JOHN ROBERTO John Roberto of LifelongFaith Associates (Connecticut, USA) is editor of the journal Lifelong Faith, and author of Reimagining Faith Formation for the 21st Century, Generations Together: Caring, Celebrating, Learning Praying, and Serving Faithfully (co-authored, 2014), and Faith Formation 2020: Designing the Future of Faith (2010). He also works on the Vibrant Faith staff as Special Projects Coordinator.

His area of specialty is the study and practice of promoting lifelong faith growth that is responsive to the challenges of the 21st century and the religious and spiritual needs of people today. He will speak on intentionally fostering intergenerational relationships, faith sharing, and storytelling; incorporating all generations in worship; developing service projects that involve all ages and engage all generations in learning about faith together.

M A K I N G M O N E Y M AT T E R

Working for God, no matter what you do When I was a young Christian, I wrestled with the decision about what I was going to do with my life. I’d chosen to study economics at university, but because I could explain the Bible reasonably well and was good at public speaking there were many voices urging me to go into full-time ministry.

WARREN BIRD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNITING FINANCIAL SERVICES

It was tempting. I really did love preaching and leading Bible studies.

That conversation was a turning point. From then on I knuckled down in my studies and eventually made it to Honours in my fourth year. The combination of a growing interest in the subject matter plus the stimulation of studying with a small group of high-calibre students – several of whom were Christians – set me on the path that I have continued to follow.

Eventually, I also came to see that I actually was in ministry.

Among the many influences I had on the path I did pursue was a conversation with a church leader during my first year at university.

Not local Congregation, preaching and teaching ministry, but activities that are very much at the heart of God’s work in the world.

I was struggling with motivation for my studies and couldn’t see the point of putting in a big effort in economics if I was going to end up going to Bible College to become a minister.

I don’t just mean living as a Christian in the workplace, though I’ve done that (including running fellowship meetings at work).

At that point I hadn’t enrolled or actually made a decision to become a minister, but the idea kept hanging there and it seemed inevitable that’s what I’d do.

However, my mentor was very wise. He didn’t try to predict the future for me, but instead said, “I don’t know whether God has church ministry in mind for you. But I do know that right now you are an economics student and that God wants you to be the best economics student you can be.”

No, in the four decades since uni, I’ve worked in a key policy department of the public service; as an economist for a couple of international banking groups; as part of the team that built a significant funds management business from the ground up; and, for that same business, as the head of an investment team in its mature phase.

All of those activities are among the sort of things that Martin Luther had in mind in his comments on Psalm 147:12-14. “Extol the Lord, Jerusalem … for he strengthens the bars of your

gates and blesses your people within you; He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.”

Luther argued that God brings peace and prosperity to a city by supplying it with good administrators, business people, farmers, transport workers and all others who faithfully and diligently go about their work for the good of others.

Elsewhere in Psalm 147, the place of spiritual workers is given value, for God’s work is to heal the broken-hearted and lift up the humble, while the benefits His people get from knowing His word points to the significance of teachers and prophets.

But no one is higher or better than the others in the kingdom of God. All have their place.

Therefore, although I’m now working for the Uniting Church, I haven’t suddenly started doing the “Christian work” I hankered for back at university. I’ve been doing that all along.

May God bless us all in our daily endeavours, so that we may use our abilities for the good of others.

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LECTIONARY REFLECTION

April: Faith and grace in the midst of life’s crises APRIL 3: J O H N 2 0 : 19-31

The gospel reading encourages us to reflect on doubt and faith which, somewhat paradoxically, is a natural pairing. Our tendency is to focus more on Thomas’s doubt than we do on his shift to faith. With his questions and “hermeneutic of suspicion”, Thomas is perhaps a more realistic example for us to follow as we respond to God’s call to witness to the risen Christ, and continue to ask questions along the way that help us explore and deepen our relationship with God. Our challenge then, is not to stop questioning or doubting, but to stop cooperating with fear, suspicion and hopelessness, and to help people work through the big questions that confront us. As people of faith, the capacity to love and offer grace in the midst of life’s crises is what offers a true witness to the risen Christ.

A P R I L 10: J O H N 2 1 : 1-19

The reading this week moves us from Thomas’ doubt and his shift to faith, to the real challenge of restoration and reconciliation and calling.

Peter’s encounter with the risen Christ includes a threefold questioning that presumably involves forgiveness for his threefold denial of Jesus, as well as reconciliation with Jesus. This is followed by his restoration to leadership of the apostles.

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The passage highlights what it means to answer Jesus’s call to “Follow me”. For Peter, it means death and martyrdom.

What does it mean for us to answer this call? Surely it should be something we find both fulfilling and disturbing, as such a call requires sacrifice and transformation. The resurrection life that Jesus offers is not a gift of cheap grace, but is a gift which should cause us to question how we live, and how we respond to the gospel.

A P R I L 17 : J O H N 10:22-30

This week’s readings are awash with shepherding images. Jesus’s likening himself to a shepherd would appear to be a metaphor that reinforces his claim that “I and the father are one”, especially as God is named as a shepherd in Psalm 23. Thus, Jesus as the shepherd could also be read as a messianic claim and, therefore, as somewhat subversive. As the shepherd in Psalm 23 has led his followers through the valley of the shadow of death, so Jesus offers to his followers a life which defies death. It is a prophetic message to the empire, to the religious establishment who would silence him, and to anyone in leadership who would enable life rather than death.

Jesus offers a message that is comforting, as well as a call to keep faith and to live in lifegiving ways. For those who are

AS PEOPLE OF FAITH, THE CAPACITY TO LOVE AND OFFER GRACE IN THE MIDST OF LIFE’S CRISES IS WHAT OFFERS A TRUE WITNESS TO THE RISEN CHRIST leaders, he calls them to be good shepherds who help and guide those under their care.

APRIL 24: J O H N 13:31-35

Last week, Jesus as the “good shepherd” gave a message that offers life to us. This week, Jesus gives a command that directs in what way we should try to live out that life.

The command to “love one another as I have loved you”, when put alongside the Acts readings [for May 15; see next page], suggests an inclusivity and love that goes beyond just those who follow Jesus.

A whole revolution is going on in Acts, where the kingdom of God and fellowship of the Christian churches have opened up to Gentiles. Any church which seeks to be healthy and vibrant should surely live as a church of inclusive love, a church that erases those dividing lines, and which invites everyone into the grace and love of God. Surely this is no less than Jesus expects when he calls us to love one another across lines that define race, denomination, sexual orientation, and religion.

LECTIONARY REFLECTION

May: Peace that passes understanding MAY 1: J O H N 1 4 : 23-29

At this time in our history, peace seems a distant dream for many in our world. Yet on the night before his death, the last thing Jesus offers the disciples is peace. Up until this point in the gospel of John, it has not mentioned peace of any kind. Jesus describes the peace he offers here as “my peace”, and specifies that it is given in a way that is "not as the world gives". Postresurrection, he will offer it many times to the disciples.

Throughout the events of The Passion, Jesus will embody this peace. This peace is nothing less than the shalom of God, and it brings us into a place where hearts are not troubled. It is the sort of peace that walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death.

It is a peace that begins inside of us and a peace that is lived out between us. But it is also a peace that comes from outside of us; part of the relationship we have with God.

M AY 8 : J O H N 1 7 : 20-26

A good way to read this passage is to consider the wonder of a God who seeks such an intimate relationship with human beings, and to ponder what our role in this relationship might be. At the very least, God calls us to share this divine love with one another, and in doing so, be mindful to also extend to others the invitation of a life lived in the glory of God.

We should be consciously removing obstacles that prevent people from participating in the love and grace of God. Through our lives, we should show them God’s grace is accessible to all.

M AY 15 P E N T E C O S T: AC TS 2:1-21

The day of Pentecost is often celebrated in our churches as the day the Holy Spirit came to be present in the world. We think of it solely as a Christian festival, not realising that Pentecost (or Shavu’ot) is also Jewish, and known as the Feast of the Law. We also have a tendency to forget that the Holy Spirit is an important part of the story of Israel, and that it guided leaders of Israel such as Moses, Joshua, and David; and inspired various prophets (from Isaiah and Ezekiel to Micah. The Spirit was also present at the creation of the world (Gen 1:1-2) and, in the Psalms, we learn that the Spirit will play a role at the end of time, when the kingdom comes (Ps 104:30).

Luke’s story in Acts reflects many of the elements that are found in the giving of the law at Mt Sinai, and symbolically reverses the babble of tongues that came when the people built a tower at Babel into the heavens, trying to reach God. This is to demonstrate that the message of Jesus was going to spread to many nations.

Pentecost should remind us that God’s Spirit always has

been, and still is, active in all of God’s creation. Like the time of the giving of the law on Sinai, Pentecost should herald a change in the way we see and do things, particularly in terms of our law, politics, economics and environmental policies. For if God’s Spirit is in all things — and we recognise this — then surely we are called upon to treat each other and the environment with greater care and respect.

M AY 22 T R I N I T Y: P ROV E R B S 8:1-4, 22-31

Wisdom is a mystical, feminine aspect of the divine.

Elizabeth Schüssler Fiorenza (Towards a Feminist Wisdom Spirituality of Justice and Well-Being, 2009) writes that Wisdom is a cosmic figure delighting in the dance of creation, as a master crafts woman, and a teacher of justice. She is a leader of her people and accompanies them on their way through history. In a most unlady-like way, she “raises her voice in public places and calls everyone who would hear her.

She transgresses boundaries, celebrates life, and nourishes those who will become her friends. Her cosmic house is without walls and her table is set for all.”

a spirituality of categories, doctrines, systems and boxes.

It is a spirituality that seems very timely, as we search for the former and struggle with the latter.

M AY 29: L U K E 7:1-10

In this story, we hear of an extraordinary encounter: a commander of Roman troops seeks a supernatural favour from Jesus. And we find that Jesus is prepared to interact with this Gentile, which is a significant statement about the inclusivity of the kingdom of God. Jesus is amazed at the centurion’s faith; he holds it up to the crowds as an amazing model of real faith. By doing so, Jesus is surely calling us to be people who welcome those who are outside of our churches, or our race, and who may be our enemies.

By defining ourselves as people who welcome and heal, rather than focussing inwardly on ourselves and those just like us, our humanity and our faith become larger and richer.

These reflections were prepared by Rev. Elizabeth Raine, Wauchope Uniting Church and Southern Zone Minister for Mid North Coast Presbytery.

Biblical Wisdom represents a spirituality of roads and journeys, of public places and open borders, of nourishment and celebration – rather than

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The Moderator invites you to join in prayer for the Uniting Church and the Synod meeting 16-19 April 2016

The Moderator, Rev. Myung Hwa Park individually and with others in Congregations and Presbyteries in the lead up to the event.

• • • • •

Please pray That the Uniting Church will be guided by the Holy Spirit That members can discern God’s mission for the Church For Congregations, Presbyteries, Synod, Boards and the Assembly For young adult, aged, rural, Indigenous and multicultural ministries For mission outreach, social justice, unity, Disaster Recovery

We are now less than two months away from the Synod Meeting 2016 to be held at Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga. I urge Presbyteries and Congregations to be praying for the event and the representatives who will be attending on your behalf. There is much to discuss and much to achieve.

- Rev. Dr Andrew Williams, General Secretary Karl Barth: “To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.”

James 5:16 “…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and (NIV)

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Getting ready for the event Pray in the lead-up to the event as we gather to seek God’s will for the life, mission and future of the Church. As the Moderator Rev. Myung Hwa Park has said, the members who meet at Synod will wait on the Holy Spirit to enliven and renew our Church's sense of mission purpose and calling in our communities and state.

MAIN SPEAKER

Fr Stephen Bevans, SVD will be a featured guest speaker. Fr Bevans is a Roman Catholic priest in the Society of the Divine Word, an international missionary congregation, and served for nine years (1972-1981) as a missionary in the Philippines. He has published numerous books on the subject of mission and missiology. In 2014, he was one of four Catholics appointed by the Vatican to the Commission on World Mission and Evangelization at the World Council of Churches (WCC). He has taught and lectured in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Italy, Ireland, Taiwan, Ghana, Thailand, and Hong Kong.

“RENEWING OUR CHURCH — THE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES”

Open Space sessions were held at the last Queensland Synod — with great success. They will be the focus of the meeting on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning at our Synod this year.

Open Space sessions are facilitated and provide a marketplace for ideas and diverse issues, while also enabling attendees to discuss ideas in an organised session. Members will create and manage their own agenda of parallel working sessions around a central theme of strategic importance which will be “Renewing our Church — the issues and opportunities”. Facilitator Andrew Rixon will lead the Open Space sessions.

THE SYNOD APP

Download the App from iTunes or Google Play to access agenda items, speaker bios, accommodation and restaurants near Knox and, most importantly, board reports to view prior to attending the event. If you downloaded the App for the 2014 Synod gathering and you have set "automatic updates", you will be able to access the 2016 event on that App. DOWNLOADING THE APP FOR YOUR DEVICE 1. Download the Synod 2016 App from iTunes by searching for “Synod Meeting 2016” or from Google Play, by using the search "UCA NSW & ACT" 2. Enable “Allow push notifications” so you will get all the up-to-date information as we load information onto the App. This is especially important while you are attending the event, as we will be constantly updating information over the four days of the meeting.

MARKET STALLS

Market stalls will be set up on Saturday and Sunday at this year’s Synod Meeting, due to agenda items requiring the space on Monday and Tuesday.

Have you registered yet? Nominated members will need to register prior to the

meeting and pay for accommodation and lunches for the four days of the meeting. If you have been nominated by your Presbytery to attend and have not received an emailed invitation to register, please contact Rowena Tagaloa on 02 8267 4323 or email synodmeeting@nswact.uca.org.au

N E W S F RO M U N I T I N G C H U R C H A D U LT F E L L OW S H I P ( U C A F )

Fellowship news

A PLACE TO RETREAT A retreat is being planned

by Rev. Noreen Towers and members of the NSW/ACT UCAF Synod Committee for 31 August to 2 September.

Accommodation is limited to 45 and the event will be held at Castlereagh Christian Conference Centre.

Lunch at Turramurra Uniting Church for retired ministry persons and spouses. It was a great event for catching up with former colleagues and friends.

Rev. Myung Hwa Park also honoured special long-service milestones among those who were present.

NOMINATIONS FOR THE JOAN STOTT UCAF BURSARY Nominations are open for the annual Joan Stott UCAF Bursary. Each year, two $1500 scholarships can be awarded by the National UCAF Committee.

For more information about nominations, contact Denise Secomb on 4951 6885 or MODERATORS LUNCH allananddenisesecomb@ Moderator Rev. Myung Hwa Park gmail.com. Applications close 31 May. hosted the Annual Moderators

A CRACKING START TO FUNDRAISING The UC Stamp Committee is already off to a great start for 2016, with $3600 collected in the first six weeks of the year. For more information about how to get stamps to us, please email uniting.stamps@ gmail.com

A Family Owned Funeral Service Hamilton Funerals is a boutique family business owned and operated by Adam and Michael Flanagan.

Hamilton Funerals’ aim to fulfil the needs of their clients in the most dignified, professional yet personal way.

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SYNOD, LIVING GIVING AND SPECIAL SPEAKER • Denise and Allan Secomb and Lyn Drabsch will represent the NSW/ACT UCAF Synod Committee at 2016 Synod.

• This year’s UCAF project — Living Water Come Drink — already has received donations from the Committee ($1500) and East Maitland UC Fellowship ($1000).

• Dan McAloon will be special speaker at the Hunter Presbytery UCAF Rally.

ACW’S ANNUAL DEDICATION SERVICE Australian Church Women (ACW) will host its annual Dedication Service at Parramatta Salvation Army on 16 May. One project they support is Fellowship of the Least Coin – a worldwide

project focusing on justice, peace and reconciliation.

RALLIES AND GATHERINGS • Canberra Presbytery at Queanbeyan: 6 April.

• National Celebration at Geelong: 13-17 April.

• Macquarie-Darling Presbytery at Blayney: 27 April.

• Illawarra Presbytery at Wollongong: 26 May. • Parramatta-Nepean Presbytery at Quakers Hill UCAF: 23 July.

If you would like to share your fellowship news or have any questions, please contact Judy Hicks on judyh_rnh@hotmail.com

Uniting In Prayer “FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE COME TOGETHER IN MY NAME, THERE I AM WITH THEM.” - MATTHEW 18:20 (NIV)

The Moderator Rev. Myung Hwa Park INVITES YOU TO JOIN IN PRAYER FOR THE NSW/ACT SYNOD AT THE

Synod Prayer Gathering SATURDAY 16 APRIL 2016 8.00 AM TO 8.45 AM PORTRAIT & THISTLE ROOMS KNOX GRAMMAR SCHOOL 7 WOODVILLE AVE, WAHROONGA

Everyone welcome

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B E L I E F M AT T E R S

Gathering God’s people With the Synod meeting happening on 16-19 April, now is a good time to reflect on the nature and importance of church meetings.

While Church meetings do take valuable time and commitment, there is often a sense they do not achieve much. And for some members of our Church, it seems complaining about meetings has become a sport.

Meeting face-to-face with another person is the best way to really understand their needs and feelings, and to hear their vision and hopes for the Church. Communication by email can become confused when several people join the conversation. In a phone call, we cannot judge body language and we can misinterpret the tone of the conversation.

Within the diverse cultures of our Uniting Church, taking the time to meet and share food and conversation is important for building mutual understanding and a spirit of shared decision-making.

This can be as important as arranging a formal meeting with an agenda.

In the Bible, we hear many stories of the disciples meeting with Jesus. In some of these meetings, Jesus shared stories and parables with the disciples to develop their ability to discern how to act and to help them develop the wisdom they would need for future action and decision-making.

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AT THE HEART OF OUR WAY OF BEING CHURCH IS THE BELIEF THAT WE BEST DECIDE AND DISCERN WHERE GOD IS CALLING US WHEN WE GATHER WITH OTHER FAITHFUL DISCIPLES At other times, bread was broken and food and drink were shared in a more relaxed time of meeting together. Sometimes, Jesus was task-focussed, with a sense of urgency about the work of reconciliation and renewal that is the mission for which God has created the church.

But Jesus also spent time with his disciples building a sense of community and trust among those who would go on to share the Good News far and wide. After this time with Jesus, the disciples continued on, energised and prepared for action.

At the heart of our way of being Church is the belief that we best decide and discern where God is calling us when we gather with other faithful disciples.

When we meet together and break bread, we are reminded that Jesus is present with us, just as he was with the first disciples.

Today, as always, whenever we gather to pray, worship and share our stories, there are plenty of rich opportunities for us to learn, be built up and to feel the Spirit — already at work within us — being renewed.

So, every time we meet together as Church — such as at Synod — may we arrive expectant. Let us anticipate that we will hear and see Jesus among us. May we bring our challenging questions, as well as our words of affirmation and encouragement.

May we come willing to make difficult decisions, and to find peace and comfort in caring for each other as we do so.

And may we come expectant of renewal in us and in the Church we love, so we will be enlivened and inspired for the mission God is calling us to.

Rev. Suzanne Stanton

C U LT U R E WAT C H

Why are we crazy about cats?

Do you keep up with trends?

If a cultural bandwagon goes past, do you grab hold of whatever is trending?

The internet has produced many astonishing trends that no-one saw coming.

Remember Gangnam Style?

about grown men rescuing their kitten from gangsters.

Yep, a cat-napping comedy.

After Keanu, Nine Lives and The Secret Life of Pets will be getting their claws out during the second half of 2016.

what is the enormous appeal of cats in the 21st Century.

really explains how cats took over the internet.

And ... What’s the answer?

Well, I’m still not sure.

However, one of the best things about even bothering to think about all of this cat business is that it got me to explore beneath the surface.

There are plenty of serious articles written about why the Nine Lives stars Kevin Spacey internet chose cats. These articles offer great insights as Tom Brand, “the most into the cat mania — from the But the tsunami of cat images powerful man in the world”. enjoyment of thinking that Because he neglects his and videos is, arguably, the family, he is magically trapped cats act as if they rule the most amazing online trend inside the body of a cat called world, to studies revealing ever. “Grumpy Cat”, the “I people’s moods are improved Mr Fuzzy Pants. Somehow, Can Haz Cheezburger” site, by watching cat videos.

Tom will learn to be a better and litters of “lolcats” have smothered the internet since man, by being a better cat.

Then, there’s the fact that the early 2000s. cats can be presented as The Secret Life of Pets is an shrewd or silly, sarcastic animated adventure about While feline fixtures are no or sluggish. The popularity what cats and dogs in New longer as dominant, the York City get up to, when their of ‘memes’ (writing text effects of the cat empire on images) partly stems owners are away. online has spread further. from how they allow almost Presumably trying to milk that Maybe I should have said up- unlimited scope for humans to project personalities and front that I’m not the biggest love for all things cats, three possibilities onto cats. fan of cats. So the whole cat new American movies have craze didn’t hook me. But felines in starring roles.

All of those reasons sound, since I noticed Hollywood well, reasonable. But I’m not belatedly trying to cash-in, I Keanu hits cinemas on April entirely convinced that any have tried to put a claw on 21, offering an adult comedy

Rather than go along as if my brain is on auto-pilot and I have to accept any popculture trend that comes, I challenged myself to stop.

And to consider. And delve further into something that so many people are spending so much time on.

How about you? When was the last time you weighed up what we devote our leisure time to? Because God wants us to offer all of ourselves to him (Romans 12:1-2). Always.

Even the time and attention we give to Grumpy Cat, Keyboard Cat or Ceiling Cat. Ben McEachen

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Entertain me READ THIS

OUT OF THE O R D I N A R Y: T W E LV E AUSTRALIAN METHODIST BIOGRAPHIES

This wonderful book acknowledges the skill and dedication of some of the lesser-known Methodist leaders whose contribution to the faith should be better known today. We benefit from their work and this book about them provides a message of hope and encouragement.

All of the twelve biographies are expertly written. Cumulatively, they show the wide range of Methodist impact on Australian society. The editors make note of how the twelve were engaged as missionaries, preachers, educationalists, administrators, ecumenists, and social reformers. Methodists seemed to be everywhere and involved in everything.

Out of the Ordinary also says something about the prevailing open culture of the Methodist church; it gave scope to the participation of male and female, ordained and lay, white and black, all with different levels of formal education.

God provided the inspiration and the Church provided the opportunity. They helped transform Australia.

Keith Suter

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BIG SCREEN

E D D I E T H E E AG L E ( P G )

Remember that goofy British bloke who became one of the world’s favourite losers at the 1988 Winter Olympics?

Like a one-man version of Cool Runnings, Eddie The Eagle is a sweet, energetic tribute to an oddball who embodies “live your dream”.

Emerging British actor Taron Egerton plays Edwards with respectful eccentricity and his pairing with Hugh Jackman (as a washed-up coach) provides plenty of warmth, humour and charm. But the driving force on-screen is the popular idea that everyone should be able to do whatever they desire — and nothing should get in their way.

Sounds fair enough and Eddie The Eagle presents “triumph over adversity” in an uplifting way. But the danger of such a well-intended movie – even though it’s so nice, gentle and enjoyable – is that it promises too much.

What if, unlike Edwards, we don’t reach our goals? What do we do then? Gulp.

Rather than just going after whatever we want for the sake of it, God calls us to align our ambitions with whatever will glorify Jesus (Colossians 3:17, 23-24).

When we genuinely do that, our pursuit of goals will achieve “higher” results.

Ben McEachen

P R E S S P L AY

SPOTLIGHT (M)

As the “spotlight” remains on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, this critically acclaimed and topical film details the exposé and investigation by the Boston Globe “Spotlight” team into the sexual abuse scandal and cover-up by the Catholic Church in Boston.

This isn’t a feel-good film, but a historical drama dealing with an actual investigation, which makes it all the more shocking in its revelations.

The reporters are lead by Walter Robinson (Michael Keaton), and they walk viewers through the exhaustive year-long investigation. In uncovering the truth, the film never lets viewers lapse into self-righteous hindsight.

Most importantly, it holds the institutions of law and the Church to account for their shocking lack of accountability, breathtaking misuse of power, and the financial gain made by the Boston Catholic Church when it kept the abuse of children outside the law (through dealing directly with victims and paying them for their silence).

This is a must-see film that wrestles with explosive content, while never feeling manipulative or sensational.

Adrian Drayton

UnitingforGood A sustainable future is in your hands

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Bequests are important to the work of The Uniting Church, educating, transforming unjust social structures, safeguarding our vital community support, looking after the next generation and helping to continue our faith and mission. After providing for your family, a bequest is a special way of ensuring

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5/09/2014 2:45:56 PM

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