New Times - July 2012

July 2012

Issue 31, No 6 July 2012

Rev Prof Andrew Dutney shares his Presidential focus

Dinka226 Fundraising for Northern Suburbs Faith Community p.5

Resilient beauty Sharing difficult journeys through art p.24

Contents FEATURES Dinka226

You are invited to join us on 26 September, 2012

Life overflowing, even to death

Valley

Where: Dallas Brooks Centre (300 Albert St, East Melbourne) When: 7pm for a special Centenary liturgy, followed by supper. RSVP: 1300 787 247 or kate.h@frontierservices.org

Find out about more Centenary celebrations: www.frontierservices. org/centenary

Very H eart

PLUS, order your commemorative Centenary Book, medallion, tea-towel or keyring!

Visit www.frontierservices. org/frontier-shop or

Ph: 1300 787 247

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Water is life A

mong all the 19th settleme and 20th nt of its vast around the world, century stories interior of Australia environm was ’s experien ents resisted one of the toughest ce implacab . Few ly and were the incursio It bred so routinel n of settlers a sinewy so y perilous people, tragedy, and made resilient hardened by severity fatal. generati with ons were and a love of born into wit and grit and, its terrible it, deeply as grandeu imbued At The Very with r and beauty.

Heart draws of these together people who words with the land over forged this mystical and images who live a union and work span of 100 years horizons across Australia – the people , together ns farthest Inland with the Mission (AIM) and staff of the Australia Services , whose its successo n nurses, school r Frontier minister teams, visiting s, house-p family carers,travelling prearents, counsell many more ors, financialold-age carers, and providedhave devotedl advisors and vital servicesy served remote otherwis families e have received that they would not .

Providin g glimpses Australia into the ns, At The lives of memoirs these remote Very Heart and of Frontier photographs, is an album of many from Australia Services and the , some Nationa the archives never Flynn of l Library the Inland seen before. of himself – who founded John Flynn a fine – book through photographer, the AIM, was and he the rarely possible seen images inhabits the to attribute He had a wonderf , and probably that it is many Australia ul eye for n the grandeu more. the dignity landscape and r of the a deeply felt sense complem of labour. The private of ented by snapsho eleven ts are contemp beautiful images orary professio who have provided sensed nal photogra by how the imbued with the phers land and same sap its Many extracts and sinew. people are from offered from family diaries and memoirs for the records were book, during are redolent or retrieved the research of the laconicfrom journals circumst ances wit of people. They duty, survival and include in and resilienc moving stories tough that have of love, e, sustaine At The Very d Inlander the wiry qualities Heart celebrate s for a hundred cultural contribu s their econom years. tions to Australia ic and the grand n life. narrative of

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One woman's first step to changing the world

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100 Yea rs in Rem ote Aus tralia

Storry Walton

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10–11

Life is breath

Storry Walton,

AM, has been a director, producer, writer and manager in radio and television, the arts 50 years. for over He and directed produced and drama many plays Televisio series for ABC n, Stranger My Brother including , and social London, Jack and includin documentaries The g Poseidon for the BBC in . His rural Black Australia ns and of a series interests A Share of docume include in Departm the ntaries ent, for ABC’s production Flying Doctor nine years working Rural with the of the Board Service of Royal Australia of Frontier , member Outback Services ship Magazin , and writing e.

Storry Walton for was an Australia early director n presiden Film and Televisio of the t of n School, of national CILECT, the vicefilm schools international director federatio based of n of Australia the International in Brussels, executiv e Institute , member of the Cultural Corpora of board of tion managem Dramatic Art the Nationa and ent l and visiting of the Sydney of the board of Sympho lecturer Arts at at the School ny Orchestr Charles Sturt Universi of Perform a, ing ty. He lives in Sydney.

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Storr y Walton

REGULAR PAGES Moderator’s Comment

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Mission Resourcing

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Letters to the Editor

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Diary

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Reviews

22–23

Editor Caryn Rogers p. 8236 4230 e. crogers@sa.uca.org.au Advertising Loan Leane p. 7007 9020 m. 0404 089 762 e. advertising.newtimes@sa.uca.org.au Enquiries e. newtimes@sa.uca.org.au

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ISSN 0726-2612 New Times is the voice of Uniting Church SA. Published monthly, February through December, New Times represents the breadth, diversity and vision of Uniting Church members in SA. News policies, guides and deadlines appear online at newtimes.sa.uca.org.au. Articles and advertising do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor.

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newtimes.sa.uca.org.au Next issue:

Church partners for life

iStockphoto reference: p.13 BenGoode

For Uniting Churches, mission is a two-way street.

With a focus on partnership and mutual learning, local churches often find their lives enriched – even when they have expected to be the ones doing the enriching.

This edition will include a wrap up of Assembly.

Overflowing is not always an event to be viewed in the positive. Take water for example. On a minor scale, when I forget that I have left the tap in the kitchen sink running, and it runneth over – that is not primarily a positive experience. On a major scale, when the Murimbidgee River reached up and over its banks and into people’s homes, it could hardly be called a positive experience.

Yet out of this overflow in the negative, there are often some positives (though they often don’t outweigh the original negative).

In the case of the latter, overflowing rivers and waterways need to be taken far less lightly, and require far more than a minor clean up effort. But what you often see of human kindness at these times is a sense of what this month’s edition is focusing on – life overflowing.

Unfortunately, our society often shares its joys, and hides its miseries – churches included. While joy is, well, enjoyable to share, it is important too that we live our whole life with others. I believe this is the nature of community. Together we laugh, together we cry, together we walk in the wilderness, together we become better people.

I am not advocating for ‘emotions overflowing’ here – I am urging for an embrace of the richness of life. In our discomforts we often find our most human triumphs.

challenging theatre productions, Rob goes into this with the invitation of “Let’s tell a story together...”

For Rob these stories – often of heartbreak, tragedy and social injustices – are richly developed in and through community, while prompting people beyond their comfort zones. He doesn’t shy away from telling the difficult stories because they make people uncomfortable in the insistent overflow of a playwright’s ideas.

Overflow affects more than our own individual setting – it alters the world around us. In this is life – not in the hiding of our weakness, but in the sharing of each others’ strengths; personally, nationally, and globally.

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In the former case of overflow above, and usually after my forehead is reacquainted with the palm of my hand, I’ll generally have a giggle about my vaguery, and call it a good excuse to mop the kitchen floor (which was probably in much need).

The nature of an overflow is one that affects more than the initial situation from which it came. If a person is overflowing with joy, this joy is often infectious; ipso facto, if a person is overflowing with misery, that misery is likely shared also.

One person who shows this well in his work is the Artistic Director of Independent Theatre Inc, Rob Croser (who shares a little of his passion for the upcoming production of To Kill a Mockingbird on p.22). While choosing to put on provocative and culturally

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Gospel overflowing Rev Rob WIlliams

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If Adelaide is the city of churches, Korea is definitely the country of churches.

Their spires, mounted with the cross of Christ, punctuate the skylines of their cities, towns and countryside.

These crosses gleam boldly during the day and identify themselves at night with their red glow. They seem to be everywhere.

I was recently in Korea with a group from Adelaide which was hosted by the Presbyteries of Iksan and Gunsan. As the Presbytery and Synod of South Australia, we share a Partnership Agreement with Iksan/ Gunsan Presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea, and are afforded the privilege of meaningful cross-cultural sharing.

Several lasting impressions of our Korean visit were the manic nature of drivers in Seoul, the seeming deathwish of pedestrians willing to take them on and the love and amazing hospitality showered upon us by our Korean hosts.

Their total commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ was without question.

Several of our Adelaide contingents were invited to preach in local congregations with all members attending worship on the Sunday morning. The living faith and commitment of those with whom we worshipped and shared fellowship during our stay was obvious. Faith sharing was not an optional extra - it was central to their very existence as Christians.

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Congregations were also committed to meeting the needs of the homeless and the hungry in the areas they served. Community care was certainly evident as were the signs of life and new life everywhere within these congregations that were noticeably motivated to spread the gospel.

The following Sunday, I preached to a Japanese congregation in Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido. It was smaller in number than most we visited in Korea. Some of the very few crosses on the skyline of this large, modern city identified a marriage chapel for couples seeking some of the trappings of a western-style wedding – rather than the location of a Christian congregation.

There are many differences between my perceptions of Christianity in Korea

and Japan but one thing is certain – in both countries, becoming a Christian isn’t something one does lightly.

Both countries bear historical marks of martyrdom. Still today, when one chooses Jesus Christ, this is often the cause of deep and lasting division between family and friends.

But, from those who have made the Christian choice on both sides of the East Sea and Sea of Japan, I have heard stories of joy and fulfillment – of life overflowing -– as they live out the gospel day by day.

Iron support for Dinka226 Bindy Taylor

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Rev Dave Williamson raced the 226km Ironman Australia on Sunday 6 May as part of the inaugural fundraiser ‘Dinka226’.

Dinka226 is the brainchild of Rev Dave Williamson, Multicultural Officer for Mission Resourcing SA, who had a vision to combine his love of triathlon racing with raising funds for a vibrant new ministry - the Uniting Church SA’s newest community, the Northern Suburbs Dinka Speaking Faith Community (NSDSFC).

This faith community brings together the growing Sudanese population living in the outer northern suburbs of Adelaide to worship in their native South Sudanese tongue – Dinka. The NSDSFC is led by Rev Amel Manyon, the first South Sudanese woman to be ordained into the Uniting Church in Australia.

The general public has been invited to show their support by donating to Dinka226 via sa.uca.org.au/dinka. Generosity of individuals and organisations so far has been phenomenal with over $6000 received to date, a figure bolstered by UC Invest’s commitment to match the first $2000.

Both Dave and Amel have been touched by the level of support and financial contributions received through the church and community.

The generosity of donors was an inspiration for Dave, placing 79th out of 1500 participants in the Ironman Australia event which combined a tough three legs: swim – 3.8km, bike – 180km and run – 42km. He even finished with a personal best of 9:54:38.

“The Ironman triathlon is not just physical,” reflects Dave. “It is an emotional, mental and spiritual journey, and to share those emotions and special moments with many close family and friends, as well as all those who have supported me, meant that the event and my achievement took on much greater significance.”

Rev Dave Williamson raced the 226km Ironman Australia on Sunday 6 May as part of the inaugural fundraiser ‘Dinka226’, finishing the gruelling race with a personal best of 9:54:38.

Dave has committed himself to donning his ‘Dinka226’ racing uniform for Ironman and triathlon events throughout the year.

“I hope to keep improving from here and with a bit more determination, perseverance and patience I hope to take Dinka226 to Ironman Kona, Hawaii – the ultimate worldwide Ironman competition,” commented Dave ambitiously.

As the donations continue to grow so does the Dinka Speaking Faith

Community, with numbers rising from 30 to 177 in just six months.

People are invited to financially support the NSDSFC at: sa.uca.org.au/dinka.

If you wish to assist Dave with personal sponsorship to continue competing at Ironman level while promoting the Dinka speaking community, please email him at dwilliamson@sa.uca.org.au.

For regular updates on his training and competing, you can follow Dave on twitter @Dinka_226.

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Ernabella Mission

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Rev Bill Edwards

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of Ernabella Mission and the beginning of the Uniting Church’s ongoing relationship with the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in north-west South Australia.

Ernabella Mission was instigated by a Presbyterian layman – Dr Charles Duguid. After visiting Central Australia in the mid 1930s, Duguid advocated for the establishment of a ‘buffer’ mission where traditional culture would be respected.

The mission immediately emphasised a need for missionaries to learn the Pitjantjatjara language. When the school opened in 1940, children were taught to read and write in their own language.

By 1945, a small health clinic had been built and a nursing sister was appointed.

For a short time before the mission began, Ernabella had been a sheep station. This work was maintained to provide employment for local people. In 1948 a craft industry was introduced when the women adapted their traditional method of spinning fibres to the spinning of sheep’s wool. This wool was then used in the making of hooked floor rugs and other products which incorporated designs that the women also painted on cards.

Many of the initial school students became foundational members of the Ernabella church in 1952, when 20 young people were baptised and a large cementbrick church was opened. Some of these young people also formed the nucleus of what was to become the Ernabella Choir,

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which performed widely from the 1950s onward.

In 1961, the mission established a cattle outstation at Fregon, 60 kilometres south-west of Ernabella to provide further training and employment. A school and clinic were also built at Fregon.

Policy changes in relation to Aboriginal affairs in the 1960s led to the Presbyterian Board of Missions transferring administration of Ernabella and Fregon to incorporated community councils. From 1 January 1974 several mission staff remained in the area as employees of the Aboriginal-controlled councils.

Seventy-five years on from the launch of the mission, the Ernabella and Fregon congregations remain active in the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander

Christian Congress. Church members are now working in partnership with the Bible Society to complete a Pitjantjatjara translation of the whole Bible. Other legacies of the mission include the Ernabella school choir (which last year performed at Carols by Candlelight in Elder Park) and ‘Ernabella Arts’ (the oldest running Aboriginal-owned art centre in Australia).

Recently the Rev Bill Edwards, Superintendent of the mission from 1958 to 1972, presented a public lecture entitled “Mission in the Musgraves: Ernabella Mission 1937-73, A Place of Relationships”. An expanded version of this lecture is available for purchase from the Uniting Church Historical Society (historicalsociety.unitingchurch.org.au).

This year, the Ernabella Mission celebrates its 75th anniversary.

Valuing potential Dr Jordan Bell, Dean, Lincoln College

The Ben Henderson Country Student Scholarships winners with honoured guests (L-R): Alli Wilson, Chair of the Scholarships & Awards Committee Dave Lamb, Alice Gersch, Graham Alcock, Megan Treloar, Governor of South Australia His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce, Simone Treloar and Nicole Dmochowska.

Twins Simone and Megan Treloar from Mt Gambier were joint recipients of a full scholarship (we knew that they would share it regardless!). Megan (Health Sciences, Uni SA) and Simone (Science at Adelaide) are in their third year at Lincoln.

Renee Biele (Arts, UniSA) was awarded a part-Henderson Scholarship. Renee is from Port Lincoln and this is her second year at college.

Three partial Henderson Scholarships were also awarded to new residents Ali Wilson (Mount Gambier, Paramedic studies, Flinders University); Nicole Dmochowska (Mount Gambier, Molecular and Drug Design, University of Adelaide) and Alice Gersch (Kadina, Physiotherapy, Uni SA).

Over the next 60 years we hope to continue to support subsequent generations of scholars as they come to Adelaide to study, grow and discover their futures at Lincoln College. By continuing to develop our program of academic and pastoral support, and further building our scholarship offerings, we can ensure that all residents at Lincoln have the opportunity to fulfill their potential and become the men and women they are meant to be.

Lincoln's scholarship winners are a true microcosm of the qualities we value in our residents - academic striving, contribution to community, personal growth, and leadership.

Graduations at Uniting College Congratulations to 36 people recently graduating from courses in theology this year. Those taught by the Uniting College Team included: • Julie-Anne Bingham, Associate Degree of Ministry, Pastoral Ministry stream, ACD

• Andrew Robertson, Bachelor of Theology, Flinders

• Amel Manyon, Bachelor of Ministry, ACD

• Brett Green, Bachelor of Theology Honours, Flinders

• Christabel Megaw, Bachelor of Ministry, ACD and Bachelor of Theology, Flinders

• Caryn Rogers, Bachelor of Theology Honours, Flinders

• Algis Greb, Graduate Diploma in Ministry, ACD • Wolf-Dieter Engler, Bachelor of Theology, Flinders

• Matthew Stuart, Bachelor of Theology, Flinders

• Tracey Spencer, Doctor of Philosophy, Flinders • Graham Vawser, Doctor of Philosophy Flinders

• Julia Pitman, Bachelor of Theology, Flinders

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Like the Queen, Lincoln College is celebrating their own Diamond Jubilee 60 years of providing university students with residential accommodation and academic and pastoral support. In 2012, we reflect on the achievements of our current residents, and make plans for the future.

Our scholarships program is supported by generous donations from alumni of the college as well as the wider community.

Our scholarships allow Lincoln to recognise the achievements of residents whose academic achievement and contributions to their community identify them as tomorrow’s leaders .

One of the college's most prestigious scholarships is the Ben Henderson Country Student Scholarship, awarded to both new and returning residents.

The aim of the Henderson Scholarship is to make possible the impossible – to give rural South Australian students the opportunity to attend university and reside at Lincoln College because they deserve to, regardless of finances or distance. This year, six residents at Lincoln (pictured) were recognised with scholarships from the Henderson bequest.

13th National Assembly this month

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Gwenda Kerley The past three years have been interesting, challenging, busy and frustrating as we have planned and prepared for Assembly 2012. Now it is almost here.

As we quickly approach the opening of the meeting on Sunday 15 July I would especially ask you to pray for: • Andrew Dutney as he prepares himself for his Installation and as he leads the Assembly each day in its business, decision making and debates.

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youthful members as they meet prior to Assembly to understand meeting procedures, key proposals and decision making with their leaders Rev Ruthmary Bond and Rev Ian Dow.

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those involved in planning and making it all happen – the many volunteers, those organising worship at the Entertainment Centre and daily worship and communion Services.

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General Secretary, Terence Corkin as he guides the meeting along with the Business Committee, Business Manager, Minute Takers and Facilitation Team.

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those providing IT and Technology services, office workers and the many, many tasks behind the scenes.

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Communications people providing information for their Synods and local congregations.

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Assembly members as they prepare themselves, read the papers and travel to the meeting. Over 40% of Assembly members are attending for the first time.

Pray that this will be a time for discerning God’s will for the Church, for developing friendships and a greater awareness of the work of our Church. But most of all, pray that our meeting together will give glory to God and encourage us all to live lives overflowing with the love and grace of God.

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Overseas guests, members of our Partner Churches and Ecumenical members as they represent their church and country and share with us some of their joys and concerns.

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Congress members as they meet for their National Conference in Alice Springs and then travel to Adelaide for Assembly.

Placements news: Placements finalised since the last edition of New Times: • Rev Andrew Prior at Hare Street (0.25) from 1 July 2012

life overflowing At the 13th National Assembly this July, Rev Prof Andrew Dutney will be installed as President of the Uniting Church in Australia. The theme for his term in this role will be Life Overflowing. Here we explore the ideas and theology that undergird this.

To have life, and have it abundantly Rev Prof Andrew Dutney is a man of many strengths – musical, academic, teaching and more. This year, the talented Reverend will be taking up the mantle of President of the Assembly, with much thoughtfulness and dedication to “pay attention” to the overflowing life which Christ offers to us – as individuals and as a national uniting community.

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 is a favourite verse for many people, including me. I went to it for a theme for the three years of this Assembly.

The verse is translated in different ways. In addition to the NRSV version that I just used, the NIV has it as, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”, and the NLT as, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."

The tricky word to translate is perisson which, used adverbially as it is here means something like “abundance”: enough, and then more than enough; what’s necessary and then more than that; up to the brim and then overflowing. Life overflowing: it’s a captivating image of the life that Jesus invites us into.

But I have to be careful with this theme of abundance too. Australians know a thing or two about abundance.

We’ve become used to having or wanting an abundance of stuff – an abundance of the things we want as well as the things we need. Just to hold our stuff, houses have become too big to allow space for backyards. We throw away as much as we can just to replace it with even more.

We’re getting used to living with an abundance of opportunities and commitments too – an abundance of things to do. Time poor and sleep deprived we just don’t have time to be good neighbours, patient drivers, careful listeners, available friends, thoughtful citizens, prayerful Christians.

Australians know about the kind of abundance that leaves us cluttered, bloated and burnt out, at odds with each other and entwined in unjust, unsustainable economic systems.

That’s not the abundance that Jesus offers us. That’s not the “life overflowing” that this Assembly will be celebrating.

We’ll be celebrating the life that overflows within the two-anda-half thousand Uniting Church congregations, large and small, that are scattered across this continent – worshipping God, witnessing to the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and serving the world that God loves so much in whatever ways are available to them.

We’ll be celebrating the life that overflows in the skillful, innovative work of the Uniting Church’s many agencies – in a network that connects to every part of the country, from the most remote to the most populous, among indigenous and non-indigenous communities, within almost every ethnic, cultural and linguistic group represented in the Australian community, making the Uniting Church one of the largest and most effective agencies for care and community development in Australia.

We’ll be celebrating the life that overflows in our partnerships with churches in Asia and the Pacific forming relationships of mutual awareness, support and solidarity between Christian communities in strikingly different social, political, and economic contexts.

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly”.

The three years of the 13th Assembly is an opportunity to really pay attention to the life into which Christ invites us and to see how this overflowing life heals, reconciles and renews broken lives and communities in this generation and this country.

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life overflowing

Rev Luna Dingayan is the President of the Ecumenical Theological Seminary, Baguio City, Philippines.

He knows how dangerous life overflowing can be - particularly when this life is one that follows in the footsteps of Jesus. This article is a foretaste of what delegates can look forward to as Luna leads the bible studies at the upcoming Assembly meeting.

Life overflowing is more than just economic.

In John’s Gospel, a life that is satisfying, abundant, and lived to the fullest is a life that is lived in Christ. To have overflowing life is not just having a new house, a new car, new clothes or

the latest electronic gadgets. While these things could perhaps make life more comfortable, overflowing life is more than material things. To have life overflowing is to have life in Christ, or to put it in another way, to live the life of Christ.

Life in Christ is a life that does not steal, kill, and destroy. A life that steals, kills, and destroys is the life of thieves, as Jesus clearly stated.

Such is a selfish or self-centered, greedy kind of life. Jesus called the Temple in Jerusalem a “hideout of thieves” (Luke 19:46) as many of those who were serving in the Temple at that time were using religious laws to exact temple revenues from the common people for their own selfish gain. (In my country today, some would also jokingly call our House of

Representatives in our congress the “House of Representa-thieves” due to corruption and thievery in the government bureaucracy.)

Overflowing life or life in Christ, moreover, is a life that is willing to be given up for others in obedience to God. It is not enough for us to realise that our life in Christ is indeed overflowing. It is also necessary for us to seriously ask ourselves, for whom does our life overflow? Yes, our life might be overflowing, but overflowing for whom? If our life is overflowing only for our own selves, then such is not the kind of life that Christ lived. Such is the life of the rich fool who tried to accumulate as much wealth as he could for himself (Luke 12:16-21).

Rev Luna Dingayan, President of the Ecumenical Theological Seminary, Baguio City.

Christ’s life overflowed for others, especially those who had less in life. Jesus said, “I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again.

This is what my Father commanded me to do” (John 10:17-18).

In my own context and social location, to have a life overflowing for the poor and oppressed is to live a dangerous life like that of Christ our Lord. Many of my fellow church workers and leaders had been brutally killed for living their lives overflowing in compassionate service for the poor and oppressed. Nevertheless, we are comforted by the thought of Christ saying, “Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it” (Mt. 10:39).

Rev Luna Dingayan is the founding president of the Ecumenical Theological Seminary, a United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) owned ministerial formation center in Baguio City. He is an ordained UCCP minister who has served UCCP churches in North and South Luzon. He is a writer and composer of hymns, together with his wife Perla, some of which are included in the UCCP’s Hymnal of Faith Journey. He writes articles for the magazine, ‘Writing on the Wall’ and regular columns for the local weekly newspaper ‘Northern Dispatch Weekly’.

life overflowing

Jesus lived at the time when Palestine was a colony of the Roman Empire. The life he lived was obviously a threat to the powers-that-be. It was the high priest, Caiaphas, who advised the Jewish authorities that it was better that one man should die for all the people (John 18:14). But to

those who were driven to the periphery of society – the sick, the sinners and outcasts – who were recipients of his ministry, Jesus’ life was a source of hope and salvation. To those considered non-existent, it was a source of life. Jesus lifted up the poor and placed them at the very center of God’s Kingdom. “Blessed are you poor,” he said, “For yours is the Kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20).

Scan to find out more about Lincoln College

Isn’t it time YoU took the plunge?

Why not consider enrolling in: Spirit-ed Missiology with Kirsteen Kim (July Intensive) Interpreting the Old Testament with Liz Boase Interpreting the New Testament with Vicky Balabanski Introduction to Christian Leadership with Craig Bailey Media and Communication in Contemporary Culture with Tim Hein Mission Shaped Ministry with Steve Taylor and team These units can be taken towards the Bachelor of Ministry through the Adelaide College of Divinity - Enrol by 12 July Uniting College for Leadership & theology is the ministry training and theological education agency of the Uniting Church SA. Uniting College is a member college of the Adelaide College of Divinity, a registered Higher Education Provider ContaCt: 08 8416 8420 info@unitingcollege.org.au www.unitingcollege.org.au www.acd.edu.au

Lincoln is a residence for 226 young men and women attending any of the Adelaide Universities.

We foster independence, inclusion and diversity.

Lincoln College Adelaide, Est.1952

Co-ed Residential Accommodation for University Students 45 Brougham Place, North Adelaide SA 5006 Phone: (08) 8290 6000 Email: admin@lincoln.edu.au

Open Day 2012 Visit us in person and take a tour of the college 17 August 2012, Friday (Tours: 11am & 2pm) 18 August 2012, Saturday (Tours: 11am & 2pm) 19 August 2012, Sunday (Tours: 9am to 4.30pm)

www.lincoln.edu.au 11

Life is breath Deidre Palmer

When I think of life overflowing, I think of breath-taking beauty • a sunset over Emu Bay on Kangaroo Island • a walk through the Tasmanian Wilderness • holding a week old baby and marveling at her tiny hands • a conversation with a friend who shows compassion and generosity.

I see in these moments the generosity of God. Our God who desires that we flourish, that we live life to the full, that we see beauty in the world around us and in each other.

When I think of life overflowing, I think of the Holy Spirit’s breath-giving – breathing life into our world, flowing over and bringing life to everything and everyone she touches. In our family, sometimes when we are experiencing times of stress, we say: breathe in the Holy Spirit, breathe out the worries and concerns.

life overflowing

I work part-time as a counsellor with people who were sexually abused as children. They come to counselling to seek support in overcoming the trauma and impacts of the abuse. I see life overflowing in these people who, through their courage and determination, not only survive, but live hopeful lives.

Dr Deidre Palmer teaches Christian education for Uniting College and Flinders University. She works as a counsellor with Uniting Communities, Family Services’ Team. She is a member of Rosefield Uniting Church, where she helps to coordinate a youth discussion group.

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An important narrative of hope that sustains me in my work is found in Luke’s Gospel. It is the account of Jesus healing a woman who was bent over for 18 years.

She is unable to stand. Jesus comes to her in the synagogue and heals her. He says, “you are set free” – and she is. She stands straight and begins praising God. I see this as a story about the liberating power of Jesus to raise up people who are oppressed. Through this liberation they can see the world in a whole different way.

As a Christian, I believe we have narratives of hope that can be life-giving for our wider Australian community. They are narratives that speak to us about a God who loves us infinitely, a God who liberates people who are oppressed, a God who is on the side of those who are refugees. This God calls us to be partners in what Letty Russell has described as ‘mending creation’. The overflowing of God’s life through us is seen wherever we create spaces for people to experience love, community, justice, healing, hope and beauty.

Life overflowing needs engaged faith Rev Elenie Poulos Life overflowing sounds like ‘life-as-party’ – a never-ending champagne cocktail, a life untouched by need, a life of all fun and no responsibilities, where every desire is satisfied.

In the context of Christian living, however, the idea of life overflowing points to a deep and genuine engagement with life in all its fullness that flows from our engagement with God. The more deeply we engage with the living word of God through prayer, meditation, worship, Bible study and service, the more open we become to know ourselves as we are known by God (the good, the bad and the ugly). We can come to trust the love of God for us. But life overflowing doesn’t end with the personal. It flows out into the world.

life overflowing

Rev Elenie Poulos is the National Director for UnitingJustice Australia and is passionate about faith changing us into more active, compassionate human beings.

God’s gift of life overflowing demands a response that embraces all that is wonderful and good and life-giving in the world and reaches out to touch whatever is broken and damaged. We are to be God’s love in the world which, for me, means that we must be prepared to enter fully into life, to struggle with all that is hard and desperate and wrong and to challenge whatever in our world breeds greed, injustice, violence, prejudice and hatred. It no longer becomes possible to live for ourselves and our own selves alone, because through Jesus Christ we know the God of all creation, whose will for the world is reconciliation, peace and justice.

I believe that, as Christians, we are called to carry the vision of the prophets for a world of justice where people are set free from oppression, and to live out Jesus’ mission to care for those most vulnerable, the people no-one else bothers with.

As Christian communities, I believe we are charged to build spaces and places of grace, hope, inclusion and reconciliation – signs of God’s reign right here and right now.

As faithful disciples of the living Christ, we can’t live our lives hiding in the comfort of our homes and in the presence of people just like us. Our faith is not a glass bubble to protect us from all the toxicity. God’s abundant and overflowing gift of life exposes us to and calls us into the world to serve others and God’s creation with the love of Christ in our hearts. The Christian faith is not for the faint-hearted.

It is a faith of engagement that will not leave us unchanged.

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life overflowing

As a man born into a water-dependent people, Rev Ken Sumner finds much meaning in the term ‘life overflowing’ from the country in which he was born, and the people he has befriended throughout his ministry career.

Rev Ken Sumner will be finishing his three year term as Chairperson for the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) this July, and is willing to leave the mantle open for another to take up.

“I am able to be re-elected again and I will let the people decide,” Ken comments evenly. “If they ask me to continue, I will; if not, I will just continue my role as the CEO of Congress Victoria.

“What has always been important to me is the relationships between the first peoples and the second peoples within our church and within this country.

I have taken this priority into my role as National Chair.

“I have endeavoured to make friends with Uniting Church people on all levels, from the National Assembly, UnitingCare, Frontier Services and Uniting World to

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all the synods in each state including the multicultural peoples of our Church.

“Over time, I have managed to build important relationships to give a better understanding of Indigenous people and to try to build a pathway for our young people of the Congress. I have enjoyed this friendship building the most – I have discovered that people really do want to learn and understand Indigenous people and issues. For me, this was a fantastic revelation!

“One of the wonderful things about being in this role has been the friendship I have developed with the current President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Alistair Macrae. We have become good friends – that friendship will go on after we have finished our terms as ‘national people’ of the church.

“I trust that whoever takes up the

next term as Chair will enjoy a similar friendship with the incoming President, Andrew Dutney.”

For Ken, the past few years have heralded a number of changes. In need of a change from city life and ministry, Ken spent a number of months in far north Western Australia as patrol minister in late 2010. During this time, he was offered a new role with the Vic/Tas Synod as the State Director/CEO of UAICC Victoria which, after much consideration, he accepted.

For a proud Ngarrindjeri man like Ken, accustomed to the waters of the Coorong, it has been quite an adjustment moving interstate. It’s a new country, new waters – new life.

“We Ngarrindjeri have always relied on water – for us it is life. Water overflows into the tiny rivers, creeks and waterways

life overflowing

and create an abundance of food stores, not just for people but for all creation; the ecosystem and the environment relies on it.

“When our river and lakes were in trouble through drought it not only affected the environment – it affected the way the Ngarrindjeri felt deep inside their Miwi (soul/spirit/ inner-being).

“This dryness gave us much sadness and sorrow; the people were in mourning, because we know it gives life, much life.

Water is life.”

For Ken, life overflowing is the opposite of drought. Life overflowing speaks of abundance, a quality best given to, and shared with, others – just as a wellflowing river shares and gives to all of its waterways.

“When I think of ‘life overflowing’ I think of an abundance of life that spreads out beyond you or me; it touches others, they become overflowing with life and it spreads out from them to others.

“As it continues it cannot be contained because it overflows out of us.”

Jill Ruzbacky from the Justice and International Mission unit Vic/Tas Synod, Ken Sumner and Bronwyn Thompson, Assembly reflect together.

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From the perspective of a whipper-snapper For Rads Sukumar, a conference earlier this year helped her to recognise the life-giving nature of dialoguing with differing viewpoints.

life overflowing

Earlier this year I was a proud and grateful member of the National Young Adult Leaders Conference (NYALC) hosted by our Zumba-dancing President Alistair Macrae and countrycrooning Uncle Ken Sumner, Chair of the Uniting Aboriginal Islander Christian Congress (UAICC). I was among 75 delegates from across the country who came together to worship, learn, form a network of young leaders, and to express the joys, frustrations and hopes they have had in leadership.

NYALC created a space for a group of richly diverse people to come together and talk. A third of the group were from non-Anglo backgrounds. At least ten delegates were indigenous Australians. A wide variety of theological standpoints were represented – a fact that came to light at various points during and after the conference. It was truly a representation of “life overflowing”.

Sometimes this was uncomfortable. Sometimes I vehemently disagreed with some of my fellow delegates.

But how often does a space like this get created? How often do we bring together such a diverse range of people, place them in a room, and warmly encourage them to talk with

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each other, in a safe but open space? How often is active, sometimes heated debate about various topics encouraged?

How often do we actually want life to “overflow”? Out of this rich and challenging debate came an important statement – the Reconciliation People statement.

The statement came into being following a keynote by Rev Elenie Poulos on activism, advocacy, and what it means to be members of the Uniting Church.

She introduced us to the 1977 Statement to the Nation and asked us a question: what would we, as people of faith, as young leaders in the Uniting Church, want to say to our Church and beyond?

What concerns us? What do we believe the Church should strive to be and do?

So, as people of faith, we wrote Reconciliation People together. We hope that the statement will inspire the Church to walk together and not write us off as naive. We hope

that this statement will be a living document in the life of our Church.

I hope you will read it, it can be found on the Assembly website assembly.sa.uca.org.au and will be presented to the 13th Assembly in July. It was written from our hearts, as people who want to work for reconciliation.

It’s our hope that it may inspire the wish in your heart and, like the Assembly theme says, we hope it brings new life and brings it abundantly.

Radhika (Rads) Sukumar is a 24 year old university student of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage, living in Sydney. She works as an Administrative Assistant/PA for Uniting Mission and Education (NSW/ACT Synod), and is a member of the Burwood Uniting Church Evening Congregation.

Rads is in the process of applying to be considered a candidate for Ministry of the Word.

Visual Presentation Systems Public Address Church - School - Board Room - Retail Display - Hospitality Data Projection - Plasma - LCD - Projection Screens - Accessories Sale - Installation - Service “TEC - Everything Electronic installed with Excellence” Greg Hallam 0411 550417 - Keith Ellison 0411 556075 Campbelltown: 8365 0377 - Fax: 8365 0677 Web: www.tecsa.com.au

Rev Rod Dyson

Denise Champion

Will Hall

Getting to know...

When we arrive, Hookina Creek is bone dry. The giant gums hang in the silence, looking like they haven’t grown in years.

They are waiting, expectant; they‘ve seen hard times before. Then the breeze arrives and blows across the landscape.

The moody clouds darken and the sky begins to rumble.

And it rains.

The creek comes to life. At first a trickle, then building to a roar, the mighty water clears all in its path but the ancient trees. Old things are new again; birds arrive and the silence is broken by their energy. Their squawks shake campers awake long before the sun peeks over the horizon.

The torrent rises above the banks, spilling first into waterholes and then quenching the thirsty floodplains. Almost overnight the ground turns green; within several weeks a carpet of flowers springs up. Nature responds swiftly to the downpour.

The once cracked landscape has been transformed into a verdant paradise, with Sturt’s Desert Pea dotting the plains around Hookina Creek. Visitors take photos and attempt to capture the miraculous growth in a desperate effort to steal proof of the changes. Life overflows beyond the floodplains, pouring out to strangers from afar through excited stories and travellers’ tales; propelling curious individuals to pack their caravans and head north to see the astonishing scenery for themselves.

Everyone was changed. Hope was restored. The only sensible thing was to join in with what God was doing.

Denise Champion is a proud Adnayamathanha woman. Described by peers as genuine and inspirational, she is passionate about strengthening the Adnayamathanha language, making sure it is not added to Australia’s long list of extinct dialects. Aunty Denise enjoys spending time with family, and delves into creative opportunities for worship.

Background: Born in Hawker in the Flinders Rangers, Aunty Denise is now the mother of three young adults, with four wonderful grandchildren. In the past, she pastored two Uniting Churches at Port Augusta and Quorn, has been a leader with Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, and studied at Yalga Binbi, an Institute for Community Development which supports the development of Indigenous communities and organisations.

Title with Mission Resourcing: Covenanting Coordinator Hopes for the role: I’m passionate about seeing people’s lives set free by the love of God. My vision is to see this realised through the missional work of the Uniting Church and local congregations, and in the covenantal relationship between the Uniting Church in Australia and UAICC.

Uniting Young People Have you ever considered what the discipleship pathway is for children and young people in your church? For many it is a pathway of potholes. Potholes can be when a child is too old for the children’s program but there is no youth program, or when a program does not build connections into the faith community, or whenever a young person has no way to work through what seems like a conflict between faith and life’s problems.

These potholes should not exist. Young people get lost and the church loses out.

It has to be time to make a new missional, discipleship pathway. Uniting Church SA recognises that young people — from birth through age 35 — require specialised ministry. So the Uniting Young People Team has been established, within Mission Resourcing SA, to model this unity and flow in ministry and to assist congregations in developing more effective, age-specific and cross-generational ministries.

The Uniting Young People Team consists of Will Hall, Katrina Levi, Melissa Neumann, Mary Jo Zwar and Jo Lohmeyer who work together from their specialist areas of families, children, youth, young adult and event ministries.

This new team is hosting a Leadership Training Day for children, youth and young adult ministry leaders. The training will focus on mission and team and be presented by four of SA’s top practitioners in these fields Tim Hein, Adam Low, Jess Blesing and Sarah Watson.

Saturday August 25, 9am – 4:30pm at Burnside City Uniting Church.

Cost: $20 with morning tea provided.

To register visit uypleadership.org.au or contact Katrina Levi via klevi@sa.uca.org.au or 8236 4266.

Rev Rod Dyson

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Mission Resourcing SA

Life Overflowing

One woman’s first step to changing the world

magazine

Louise Heinrich

Marian Wicks is passionate about equality for women – and she’s putting her body on the line for fundraising dollars with six to seven hours of hiking through the gradual descents and steep ascents of North India every day during a fortnight’s adventure.

In September, Marian Wicks will be setting off for a fortnight of adventure through North India, with the UnitingWorld Trek for the Rights of Women and Girls. The team will visit village schools, with a special focus on educating girls and women about nutrition and improving their literacy.

The United Nations declares that gender equality is integral to achieving all eight millennium development goals, and Marian agrees wholeheartedly.

Marian’s focus on the rights of women was an essential motive in deciding to take the plunge into this expedition.

“You can empower women to change the world,” she expresses with verve. “It’s proven that educated women don’t have such big families. They learn how to say no. They influence their communities directly.”

When speaking of how the UnitingWorld projects have impacted the region, Marian details the way education gives women a voice.

“There are 15 communities getting educated, with 400 children involved,”

she says, “And their mothers began sitting in on classes. Since then, people there have been changing the environment around them.

“They have been lobbying their politicians for what the village needs, such as water access. Now there are also vaccinations for children and pre/ post-natal classes, thanks to the work of many women in the village.”

Marian is determined to barrack for the rights of women and girls on her journey through Northern India. As well as embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, she is doing her best to benefit the disempowered.

“If you don’t educate women,” she claims, “You can’t change the world.

Ever.”

Marian would be delighted to give abundantly to UnitingWorld’s Education Program. You can donate to the projects that she will be visiting by going to her fundraising page at: gofundraise.com.au/ page/WicksM

Host a CommUnity Day event in your area On Friday 22 June, we officially launched the Uniting Church Uniting People ‘CommUnity Day’ as part of the the 35th anniversary of the union.

CommUnity Day is a fresh idea from the KD5 (Raising our Profile) team about how we can celebrate the “community formula” – that community is more than just a group of individuals. Community = you & me & us & everyone else.

Sometimes we need an excuse to throw a celebration for our local community – CommUnity Day offers just that. It’s your community, being celebrated, your way – we’re just helping you make an excuse for it. And now you're sold on it, here’s the way we’re doing this together as the Uniting Churches of South Australia:

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• Simply organise a gathering of your community – it could be as big as a family day with all the bells and whistles of the Royal Show, or as simple as a knitting party for your church’s favourite charity.

• Register your event online at communityday.org.au or email communications@sa.uca.org.au with the details of your event to be held in July, August or September this year. We will send out an event organiser’s pack and offer support for promoting and planning your event.

• When you host your event, take photos.

We will be making a billboard celebrating the many faces of our extended communities across the State – and we want yours to be amongst them.

This billboard will be unveiled on Saturday 3 November at the Presbytery and Synod meeting which is also World Community Day. As a participating CommUnity day congregation, you will receive a smaller replica of the billboard to erect outside your church.

Want more details?

Visit communityday.org.au or email communications@sa.uca.org.au

BRING BACK PRESBYTERIES

ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL IMPERATIVES OF MARRIAGE

I agree with J Maddern (New Times May). Having moved from interstate 20 months ago, I was amazed to discover that SA has networks and not geographical presbyteries.

My thanks to Rev Dr Margaret Mayman and PCNet for a well presented and even-handed treatment of the issue of samesex marriage at a recent forum in Wayville. It was a welcome change from the fanatical hammering my email has received over the past few weeks, from frantic lobbyists of differing extreme persuasions. Margaret gave a very helpful overview of the history of marriage which opened up discussions about human rights, the place of love in marriage, the role of state and church, and the purpose of marriage. I am ambivalent about some of the issues, which is why I ventured out on a cold winter’s night to listen and learn. It was well worth the effort and I look forward to reading the manuscript of Margaret’s talk when it’s available. On the way home I wondered about the ethical and spiritual imperatives that might emerge if we had the courage to critique the whole gamut of issues surrounding marriage in our society.

The Uniting Church's ethos is one where members are expected to have an “informed faith” (Basis of Union #11).

Frank and open discussion, held in an atmosphere of mutual respect and love, is necessary if all members are to become mature and informed. It seems to me that networks discourage such discussion across theological perspectives.

From what I can see of the ministerial placement process, networks would seem to narrow the choices, thereby preventing congregations from growing as they are exposed to discussion of alternative theological approaches.

The Uniting Church is not meant to be made up of theological enclaves.

Please, why can't we go back to presbyteries? The other State synods are richer for having presbyteries where people learn to accept other viewpoints, working together as Christians should.

G. Hacquoil, Mount Barker

Responses in the June New Times to my letter in May were interesting.

Send your letters to: newtimes@sa.uca.org.au or PO Box 2145, Adelaide 5001.

Be topical, be brief, be timely.

Letters over 150 words will be edited; responses to previous letters / articles will be considered within two months of the original item’s publication only.

All letters are published at the editorial team’s discretion.

If as Christians we don’t have a solid foundation on which to base our beliefs we are on very uncertain ground. Take that away and we will collapse.

Sadly for many folk in churches today it seems the “shifting sands” of modern public opinion is what they use to establish their Christian faith rather than the timeless “solid rock” of what God, through Jesus Christ, has done for us. Could the fact that one correspondent laments that people “find the church of the 21st century irrelevant,” be due to churches trying to be popular by fitting in with the ways of the world?

A long time ago I was told, “A Christian should be in the world but not of the world,” and I still consider that excellent advice.

K. Moore, Coromandel Valley

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Geoff Lewis General Manager

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letters to ed

IS IT PROGRESS?

T. Goodluck, Modbury

WELLSPRING COMMUNITY SA invites you to join them for a discussion led by Beth Mylius, founding member of Sustainable Communities SA Inc, on what it means to be environmentally active. The meeting will be held at Christ Church, 26 King William Road, Wayville on Saturday 21 July at 12.30pm for lunch. Beth will begin sharing with us at 1.30 pm. For further information please contact Jean Stirling ph: 8376 6371; revjs@adam.com.au GARAGE SALE at the Corner Uniting Church, cnr Diagonal Road and Oaklands Road Warradale, 21 July 2012 9am to 1pm. Bargains for everyone and activities for children. Cafe open for hot soup, Devonshire tea, soft drinks, and coffee.

STATE MISSION FELLOWSHIP. Tuesday 24 July, 10.30am at Scots Church. Rev Malcolm McArthur will speak on several subjects of interest, including PNG, South Pacific School Aid and Africa trip. All welcome. Morning tea and lunch available.

diary

To have your upcoming event or message published here, email diary@sa.uca.org.au with ‘Diary’ in the subject line.

RESTORE your phonographic records or tapes to near original quality & preserve them on CD Restore your faded 35mm slides to bright colour and preserve them on DVD. Ask us about VHS or MiniDV video tape & 8mm film to DVD conversion, SA MEDIAWORKS, Kent Town SA Ph: 8362 2251 samediaworks@soundtrack.net.au

New Ministry Position

Uniting Church in Australia, WA The Uniting Church in Australia, Presbytery of WA is seeking to fill a vacancy within the First Third Ministry team.

The First Third Team is the first of its kind in Australia and is a distinctive way of looking at how all ages belong within the community of faith and what that means for ministry among those in the first third of life. It brings a new and exciting approach to ministry with children, young people and families.

The appointee (First Third Specialist) will continue the ministry established two years ago amongst Congregations based in the South Metropolitan/coastal area of Perth, in both established and new, rapidly growing areas of the community within a vibrant multicultural ministry context and will continue to build partnerships with Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (Congress) WA. If you can offer leadership within this integrated approach to ministry and demonstrate a high level of ministry skills that encourage creative expressions of worship, witness and service amongst people within the first third of life, then please contact Janine McDonald janine.mcdonald@wa.uca.org.au or Rick Morrell, team co-ordinator rick.morrell@wa.uca.org.au (08) 9260 9800 Applications to Rosemary Hudson Miller, Associate General Secretary, close at 5pm Friday 20 July 2012 This full-time position is open to lay or ordained people.

ReseaRch OfficeR

Uniting Communications (Full-time based in Auchenflower, Brisbane) We are seeking an enthusiastic team member to help us research and communicate issues impacting the Uniting Church in Queensland and the community.

Uniting Communications is the communications team for the Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod. The Research Officer will proactively identify and analyse current and emerging social issues and trends relevant to the Uniting Church in Queensland.

This role will support the Moderator and General Secretary in fulfilling the mission of the Church. Specifically, the position will involve writing a range of theologically informed material for varied audiences and participation in a number of networks and committees to ensure all parties are informed about key issues.

To obtain a position description contact careers@ucaqld.com.au or visit www.ucaqld.com.au/job.aspx Applications close Monday 23 July, 2012.

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A community focus for aged care Bill Harris packages available over the next ten years.

If only all our seniors would plan their future moves as carefully as Fred and June Johnson did, and be as fortunate as they were in gaining access to their chosen options. One has only to move amongst residents in our nursing homes to discover that many had great difficulty in even finding a vacancy. In many cases, they had to move to a place quite distant from family, home and friends.

Gayle McClimont rightly reminds us how, “participating and being social is essential to our value and worth... (and that) it’s important for older people to be socially active.” (New

Times June) These are factors severely diminished by the time dementia takes hold, and when entry to residential care is generally available.

We need to be more aware of the social effects of dementia, and must find ways to recognise and support those who suffer from it. “The growing isolation of people with dementia, as well as their carers, is seen as one of the most invidious aspects of the illness.” (Dept for Communities & Social Inclusion Feature Magazine May 2012) Earlier this year, the National Aged Care Alliance (NACA) launched their blueprint for reform titled ‘Australians deserve to

age well’, highlighting the urgent need for reformed approaches. NACA declared the urgency for older people’s needs to be given priority.

This is the challenge which confronts all congregations and Synod as we set our priorities for engaging in Mission and Pastoral Care.

To date, the ageing members of our congregation and the wider community have been sadly neglected in our strategic planning.

If we are serious about our commitment to the provision of care and support, alternative models of aged care ought to become the top priority in our strategic planning for pastoral care.

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magazine

The recent articles ‘Aged Care in Focus’ raise significant issues for our congregations and mission priorities if we are to truly care for the ageing sector of our population. All reports tell us the ageing population is the fastest growing sector of our community, and many regard Residential Aged Care as their least preferred option – an awareness that has been recognised by the government.

The Department of Health and Ageing states that, “demand for Home Care packages far outstrips supply, leaving many people forced to wait a long time for care,” and so plans have been revealed to double the amount of Home Care

“You never really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

ATTICUS FINCH

reviews

Heartbreak and the human spirit Title: To Kill a Mockingbird Author: Harper Lee, adaptation for stage

by Christopher Sergel Type: Theatrical Production Produced by: Independent Theatre Inc Where: Arts Theatre, 53 Angas Street, Adelaide When: July 27 – August 4 Tickets: $15 (child) - $35 (adult) – group concessions are available

bass.net.au or 131 246 To Kill a Mockingbird is a much-loved novel, movie and theatrical production. Thanks to local theatre company Independent Theatre Inc (IT), Adelaide will host a stage play of Mockingbird later this month at the Arts Theatre.

“When I first directed the play five years ago, I felt that it was very relevant at that time,” explains Rob Croser, Artistic Director of IT. “Many politicians and much of the media were increasingly categorising communities and breeding a fear of ‘others’ in Australian society.

“Sadly, the situation seems no better today. Mockingbird’s message of treating everyone as an individual and with

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respect is as enduring as ever before.”

Though racism is one of the most obvious themes tackled through Mockingbird, Rob notes that this is only one facet of the open and untenured inclusivity endorsed by Atticus Finch, a widowed middle-aged lawyer, as he speaks with his children, Scout and Jem, throughout the story.

“Atticus’ lessons are as much about racism as they are about teaching his children not to torment others simply because they are different.”

The children that have been cast in this production are, like Scout, also finding their own ways to understand humanity and Mockingbird’s ugly era of human cruelty.

“It is so wonderful being able to have the kind of adult discussions that a play like this brings out. When we were rehearsing the ‘lynch mob’ scene, I asked the children if they understood what a lynch mob was. We talked through the history of slavery, the stealing of children from Africa for this purpose, and what it meant to face a lynch mob.

“It was amazing being able to talk this through with them, to have them

come to understand this difficult period of history and to have their parents be so supportive of their children coming to understand.

“Last time we did To Kill a Mockingbird, I realised what a rare chance this was to educate children in not only a great piece of literature but also an important era in social history. I’m finding it, again, to be an extraordinarily enriching experience.”

A lawyer by trade, Rob is grateful for the values which his strict Methodist upbringing instilled in him, particularly that of what it means to live well as human beings.

“The theatre we (IT) do is something that makes a comment about the human condition. In my daily life as a Christian, in my life as a lawyer, in my passion as a director – that is what I aim to do.

“To Kill a Mockingbird is a profoundly moving story of social justice, forgiveness and reconciliation.”

The cast includes David Roach as Atticus Finch and Shedrick Yarkpai as Tom Robinson.

For more information on Independent Theatre: independenttheatre.org.au

Lean not on your own understanding Love, Imperfectly Known

What would I do if I had all the power and knowledge of God? And what would I demand from the universe and its inhabitants? Your answers to these questions probably describe your view of who God is and what God is like, and according to Br Emmanuel you’ve probably got it wrong.

The key message of this book is to remind us that often our conceptions are mirages based on our culture and experience; instead, we should let the truth of God free our baggage, refresh our thoughts and reinvigorate our souls. Brother Emmanuel lays bare four sets of false images of God’s omnipotence and the question of evil, guilt and judgement, transcendence and grandeur, and tenderness and love without blame. They are simply unpacked and laid aside in the pursuit of a less encumbered view of God. Author: Brother Emmanuel of Taize Recommended for: Christians with some basic understanding of Psychology In short: An encounter between Theology and Psychology

I found this book fascinating and stimulating, but if you’re not into psychology you may find it longwinded and unapproachable. At times I struggled to keep up with the incredibly long sentences and paragraphs and the complex language.

Love imperfectly known set me thinking and scribbling in its margins at times, but at other times I wanted to throw it across the room for being so complicated.

- Damien Tann

Available from: amazon.com RRP: $33.95

Book: Souls in Full Sail Author: Emilie Griffin Recommended for: Everyone engaged in the process of aging and exploring its spiritual dimensions.

In short: An exploration of the second half of life, filled with engaging stories, wit and wisdom.

Available from: Koorong RRP: $19.95

Griffin uses the metaphor of a sea voyage to help readers look at the uncharted territory of what lies ahead, to provide a Christian reflection on getting older. This movement to the future can never be orchestrated—it has to be lived.

Using her own experience of her mother’s illness and death as a starting point, Griffin offers a wide range of observations and insights into the process of aging. In ten chapters she covers many of the important issues which people growing older experience: changing circumstances, finding strength, living in hope, letting go, and celebrating the present moment.

Griffin offers the word “eastering” as a term to explore what it means to turn towards the light of the resurrection, in hope and expectation. A helpful selection of spiritual exercises and questions for reflection help one to think about one’s own journey.

This is a good book to read and ponder – I think I’ll give it to my wife who is now 70!

- Rodger Bassham

reviews

Meaningfulness in the third age

A disciplined and deliberate life Book: Cave Refectory Road Author: Ian Adams Recommended for: Christians exploring monastic living.

In short: An explanation of monastic practices and relating their use to our modern situation.

Available from: fishpond.com RRP: $30.99

Ian Adams believes that the monastic way of life could help us find a new way to live, "in balance with ourselves, reconnected to our fellow humanity, in harmony with the planet and at ease with Mystery.”

Each word in the title is meaningful. The Cave is the silence and stillness which is needed to nourish our relationship with God. The Refectory is the sharing of food (and life) with others and the creating of relationships.

The Road concerns creative wandering – on foot but also metaphorically where the Spirit may lead.

From there Adams discusses the ancient disciplines – simplicity, devotion, obedience.

His emphasis is on how these things may be of value today, with many examples and references to modern day communities and how they interpret ancient wisdom.

I found it just right to read one chapter at a time and chew on it as I chewed my morning toast.

Much to ponder and to put into practice.

- Glenys Badger

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Creatively overcoming adversity Pauline Shinkfield

Both Michael Farnden and Faith Thorley have found renewed strength from within their difficulties; experiences that are displayed through ‘Resilience' an art exhibition at the Corner Uniting Church.

Resilience showcases a variety of media which will express life journeys encompassing trauma and brain injury.

Resilience is a hard-learned lesson for Michael who, four years ago, sustained severe brain injuries and was forced to have one leg removed due to a car accident. A keen woodworker, Michael has developed his craft into the creation of artistic pieces which illustrate the ability of materials to be resilient. As well as sharing his journey through artwork, Michael also teaches woodwork at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre’s Men’s Shed.

Faith shares a similar story of resilience. She had a large brain tumour removed which resulted in brain injury and a journey of self-managed rehabilitation; her ongoing difficulties include severe audio problems. Faith now teaches art (her trained profession) and is studying the role of art therapy during brain injury rehabilitation for her PhD.

Resilience will be included in the SALA Festival and will also coincide with the annual Brain Injury Awareness Week.

Tours to explain the stories of the art will be run regularly.

Be inspired by the stories of resilience as told by the artists: Michael’s carer Jennifer Farnden with her jewellery, Michael with his renewing of timber furniture into glorious pieces, and Faith with her paintings in acrylic and mixed media.

Those participating in the exhibition, amongst other interested parties, are endeavouring to establish a support network for those with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), their families and their carers.

Funds raised during the exhibition will be directed to families with ABI. The exhibition runs from 27 July until 31 August and is open Tuesdays-Fridays 10.00am-3.00pm and Saturdays-Sundays 1.00–3.00pm.

For further information contact Pauline Shinkfield, Art Coordinator at The Corner 8350 5400 or 8376 2666.

For details about the artwork please call Jennifer 0433 388 250.

Artists Michael and Jennifer Farnden know just how important brains are, and just how much resilience is required when one acquires a brain injury.