Issue 38 No 5
2019
October // November 2019
Contents FEATURES Let’s talk about faith……........................................................................ 6 Recognising the Disconnect............................................................ 8 Keeping prisoners’ families connected during Christmas..................................................................................12
REGULAR PAGES Note from the Editor............................................................................ 3 Message from the Moderator.......................................................... 4 Message from the General Secretary........................................... 5 Getting to know..................................................................................... 11 News snippets.......................................................................................14 Uniting College news......................................................................... 19 Out & About..........................................................................................20 Diary…………………………………………………………………………............................... 22
The Uniting Church in Australia Synod of South Australia Editor: Petronella Lowies Editor-in-Chief: Bindy Taylor Advertising: Communications Design: Winaya Kamaputri Print: Graphic Print Group Cover photo: courte sy of ????
For editorial enquiries: p. 08 8236 4230 e. newtimes@sa.uca.org.au m. The Editor, New Times GPO Box 2145 Adelaide SA 5001 For advertising bookings: p. 08 8236 4260 e. newtimesad@sa.uca.org.au
ISSN 0726-2612 New Times is the voice of Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia. Published bi-monthly, February through December, New Times represents the breadth, diversity and vision of Uniting Church members in SA. Articles and advertising do not necessarily reflect the views of the New Times Editorial team. Print circulation: 7700 Uniting Church SA Level 2, 212 Pirie St, Adelaide p. (08) 8236 4200 f. 8236 4201 country callers. 1300 766 956 Deadline for the Dececmber 2019/ January 2020 edition: Friday, 15 November Cover details: General Secretary Rev Felicity Amery visited the Oodnadatta Faith Community during her tour of the Synod. The UAICC placement for Pastor Julia Lennon has been made a full time position (from 0.5 FTE) and she will be the Bush Chaplain for Frontier Services in the region. Here, Felicity sits with lay leader Maxine Marks at Oodnadatta’s open-air worship space.
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PLACEMENTS NEWS Placements finalised as at 28 August 2019 Rev Priscilla Hein (0.3) to Malvern Uniting Church from 1 September 2019 Rev Tim Hein (0.5) to Malvern Uniting Church from 23 September 2019
Vacant placements The following is the list of vacant (or soon to be vacant) approved placements: PROFILES AVAILABLE – Flinders Congregations (0.6): Booleroo Centre UC / Booleroo Whim UC / Melrose UC / Wirrabara UC / Wilmington UC, Henley Fulham UC, Lighthouse UC (Port Pirie), Loxton UC / Renmark UC / Renmark West from 1 January 2020, Para Hills UC (0.4), Port Augusta UC (0.5), Prospect Road UC (0.5), South West Fleurieu (0.5): Delamere UC / Inman Valley UC / Myponga UC / Range Road UC / Yankalilla UC. PROFILES NOT YET AVAILABLE – Mannum UC (0.3), Plains Community Church (Joint CoC/UCA), The Grove UC (0.3). For more information about any of these placements, please visit sa.uca.org.au/pastoral-relations-mission-planning/placementsvacant-and-finalised
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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
A new season My time in the Synod Office has come to a close. For the past eight years I have served in the role of Communications and Events Manager & Editor-in-Chief. As you read this, I will be in a new role, working for MediaCom Education. I returned to the Uniting Church after spending Sunday mornings as a child in the Sunday School at Nantawarra Uniting Church. My hiatus from the church lasted around 25 years, returning as a young Mum through the Woodville Uniting Church playgroup program. It was during this season that I saw the job ad for this role (in a past edition of New Times). So as one season draws to a close, another begins. As I reflect on this closing season I am grateful for the Uniting Church, and the Methodist Church, for planting in the obscure, quiet farming community of Nantawarra (the church building has since closed). I’m grateful for Woodville Uniting Church which extended hospitality through its playgroup program and an invitation to attend their Christmas church service, which reignited my faith. Professionally, I have enjoyed working on some significant projects, the 2013 Suicide it’s no secret campaign in conjunction with Uniting Communities and Lifeline, the 2016 UnitingWomen conference and the 2017 Uniting Leaders conference. I travelled to India for eight days and witnessed the devastation of those enslaved to human trafficking. I started (and ended) a not-forprofit, My Sister’s Scarf, which raised thousands of dollars to educate 13 girls in India for three years. This year, I completed a Post-Grad in Christian Leadership with the Uniting College for Leadership and Theology. I am so grateful for these opportunities. One of the greatest joys of this role has been the opportunity to witness faith in action: meeting and engaging with people in congregations and faith communities that are hard at work, serving and growing the kingdom of God with joyful hearts. I feel blessed to have met and worked alongside some of the most amazing and humble people. Perhaps my greatest learning is the significance of relationships. Creating them, nurturing them and investing in them. We were created for relationship but live in an age where digital media seems to have overtaken the need for face-toface connection. We can pay for our food at a self-serve checkout, withdraw money from an ATM, pay our bills online and even check into flights through a machine. Corner shops have been replaced with service stations and we can even order coffee through a drive-through. The media and advertising we view can, at times, create fear through scarcity, cajoling us into thinking that perhaps we don’t have enough, or worse still, that we are not enough.
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It is much easier than ever to disconnect, self-doubt or question our own self-worth. Online lives aren’t real lives. As the church, our greatest challenge today is to connect with others. No longer do we live in a time where people grow up attending church. Times have changed. Part of my vision for MediaCom is to be a connected community. Not only a resource hub, but also a place to gather, grow and find community. A place to learn, but also a place just to ‘be’. There is so much joy to be found in connecting with others, this is what we were created for. Let this be our motivation as we continue to serve in the future.
Bindy Taylor btaylor@mediacom.org.au
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MESSAGE FROM THE MODERATOR
Where To From Here?
Outgoing Moderator Rev Sue Ellis contemplates where she has come from, and discerns where to go from here.
I trust that God has a future plan for me… My discerned response is that I will continue in some form of ministry for the next three years.
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The messenger from God who came to Hagar in the wilderness asked of her, “Where have you come from and where are you going?” This is still a good question to contemplate whenever we reach milestones in our lives. Life is full of ups and downs, triumphs and failures and wilderness experiences. Following Jesus does not mean a disciple will be free from these ups and downs, but it will mean that those circumstances will not define us or even control us forever. Paul writes in Philippians 4: 12-13 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” As I conclude my term as your Moderator, I have been considering the question asked of Hagar – where have I come from and where am I going? While the role of Moderator is a leadership role in the Church, it is always a servant role. I am coming from serving the whole church, through some challenging and very difficult times - like a wilderness. Where am I going? To determine a response to this part of the question, since early this year I have been practising a form of discernment, founded by St Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatian spirituality is described as, “a spirituality for everyday life. It insists that God is present in our world and active in our lives. It is a pathway to deeper prayer, good decisions guided by keen discernment and an active life of service to others”. I trust that God has a future plan for me. By exploring options and living into them and then reflecting through prayer, Bible reading, journaling and sharing with spiritual confidantes, I have been weighing up what that future plan might be. My discerned response is that I will continue in some form of ministry for the next three years.
What about our Church? It seems to me that the clear message everyone hears and shares from God is about the mission of the Church – our work of being Jesus’ ambassadors on earth. This includes making disciples and bringing about the kingdom of heaven that Jesus inaugurated in his coming among us. This is where the Uniting Church in South Australia is called to go together, as one body – and guided by the original vision and plan for the Uniting Church, the Basis of Union. One example of this is the call to action around Climate Change, expressed in our discerned wisdom together to continually reduce our use of single use plastics as church congregations. Let us be content in washing up for the sake of our Pacific neighbours, whose homelands are being drowned by rising seas, rather than throwing away items of convenience that pollute and would need to be replenished at the cost of the environment. Are you or your congregation in a wilderness situation? Where have you come from and where are you going?
Rev Sue Ellis
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MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY
What a gift! In recent months some will tell you that I have spent more time away from my desk than standing at it. Apart from a quick trip to Alice Springs for the National Presbytery Ministers Conference, there has been opportunity to tour the Synod, meeting people from congregations and other ministries in all regions, to hear stories of the life and witness of the Uniting Church in South Australia. The purpose of my visits has been to facilitate conversations around the future of presbyteries in the Synod. Members of both presbyteries have attended the conversations. During formal and informal conversations we have reflected on the church’s capacity for change. We have remembered that the church in history has experienced conflict and divided over Biblical interpretation of the gospel many times. I recall as a child (recent history) listening to the pain of an ecumenical discussion about marriage between Catholics and Protestants and whether people who had been divorced should be allowed to remarry in the church. Many years living in north east Arnhem Land and participating in Bible studies with Indigenous people, there was divisive discussion about polygamy. Since ‘Union’ (a major change for many people, still unresolved for some) we have searched our Holy Scriptures in order to hold a position on baptism, women in leadership, ordination, formation and education for leadership, being a multi-cultural church, our covenant relationship with First Peoples and the Preamble. Now we are having another conversation about how our structures might better serve the church. We have ‘grounded’ these conversations about the future of presbyteries by identifying signs of hope in our congregations and other ministry contexts. We have asked the question, “Where is God present, visible and active, at this time, in this place?” We went on to ‘brainstorm’ our understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a Presbytery. The central part of our conversations was an opportunity for ‘wondering’ and ‘imagining’. What would the presbytery we belong to look like and how might it most effectively support, encourage and resource our ministry and mission? This is by no means the first series of conversations the South Australian Synod has had around the shape and sustainability of our church structures and I suspect it will not be the last! Sometimes when we commit to extensive consultation and conversation there is anxiety around the prospect of change and the diversity of ideas that might emerge. God is good and faithful. In listening to the voices of the church I have been greatly encouraged. There is strong support for the Synod to have more than the current two presbyteries without returning to seven as in the past. There is commitment to making the presbytery boundaries less rigid, soft rather than hard. There is strong support for the establishment of regional/cultural/missional ‘clusters’ through which congregations and other ministry contexts can pastorally
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Photos (from top): The Secretariat of the South Australian Synod; The SA team comes second in the Roe Creek Regatta at the National Presbytery Ministers Conference
support each other and engage in shared missional activity. It is an important time in the life and witness of the Uniting Church in South Australia. It has been a great gift to me, to have this opportunity to tour and share with many of you. I have witnessed your faithfulness and passionate commitment to bear witness to God’s love and grace in the world. It takes courage, energy, much prayer and a willingness to risk the way of Jesus in your community. I look forward to future gatherings and conversations as together we discern God’s future for the church.
God is good and faithful. In listening to the voices of the church I have been greatly encouraged.
The SA Synod views itself through a structural lens
Rev Felicity Amery
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Let's talk about
faith
Some would say that religion is simply meant to be accepted, not questioned; that is why it is called faith, isn’t it? Others would argue that it is through questions that a person learns and grows. It is through finding answers that a person gains the confidence to say without reservation, “I believe”. It is called having ‘an informed faith’, and it is what the Uniting Church in Australia encourages us all to have.
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FAITH Petronella Lowies When Hillsong’s Marty Sampson announced through a social media post (now deleted) that he was losing his faith, his comments sparked opinions and debate on multiple levels. He later clarified that he hadn’t renounced Christianity entirely but his faith was on shaky ground. Marty spent half his life (20 years) writing worship music. He has led thousands of Christians in singing those songs. His Instagram post went out to over 14,700 followers and had them reeling in shock. Why would someone like Marty profess to ‘losing his faith’, and why share it so publicly? Uniting Church theologian Dr Paul Jones, Principal of Trinity College Queensland and lecturer in Old Testament and Preaching, reflected on the Marty Sampson publicity, our own need to talk about our faith and what it means to be part of the Uniting Church in an article for the College’s website. It is but one of many angles on the story.
Paul comments: “(I believe) one of the biggest problems facing the church today is the inability to converse with the world about matters of science and faith, God and suffering, human sexuality, and the like. When churches shut down questions instead of addressing them, they’re practically pointing people to the exit sign. It’s only a matter of time, isn’t it?”
“People who are questioning their faith are not usually looking for excuses to leave religion behind. In fact, they are often doing the opposite,” says Sue. She warned against generalising about what every Christian church should or shouldn’t do, while encouraging us to think about the role all churches play in the Body of Christ.
In his article, Paul reflects on why he has found his home in the Uniting Church.
“Every church is birthed into life by the Holy Spirit and is part of the Body of Christ, called to make disciples through ministries of loving action.”
“For my part, I’ve found a home in the Uniting Church in Australia, a movement that invites questions, permits theological diversity, but is anchored in creedal Christianity. I feel at home working for the Uniting Church in Australia because we all have questions,” he writes.
An informed faith Moderator Rev Sue Ellis, also commends the Uniting Church and the ways it informs faith.
So why so public? Marty defended his public post on his struggles with faith, a big part of the criticism raised against him, as having no motive other than being practical. In another Instagram post he said he only wanted to explain his absence from church and singing to his thousands of followers.
“I only ever posted about this to explain to people where I was at in an honest and genuine way, not to influence them and their beliefs. Not to draw attention to myself. Not to have a voice. To wrestle and to learn and to grow, “I’ve found a home in the Uniting Church in Australia, a movement and to present my that invites questions, permits theological diversity, but is current state of mind/ anchored in creedal Christianity.” heart...”, he wrote. “I’m not making a sweeping statement about Hillsong Christians, and I don’t know Marty personally,” says Paul. “The reason I’m not surprised (about his post) is because of what precipitated his Instagram soapbox moment. As he puts it - no less than four times in his short post - ’no one talks about it.’”
"No one talks about it" Marty’s Instagram post spoke of preachers falling, miracles (not) happening, contradictions in the Bible and more. Each of these was punctuated with the statement: “No one talks about it.” It’s highly likely that the leaders at Hillsong have been walking this road with their friend Marty for much longer than anyone else. Paul’s article merely highlights our own need to keep talking about issues where and when they arise. Return to Contents
“The Uniting Church Basis of Union, and in particular paragraphs 10 and 11, recommends study of the scriptures and reformed documents so as to be reminded again and again of the grace which justifies them through faith,” says Sue. The church lifts up scholarly interpretation of the scriptures and sees the inheritance of literary, historical and scientific enquiry of the modern day as a means for people to have an informed faith. Why is an informed faith important? So we as the witnesses of the Good News for today’s world might, in our loving ministry to others, form respectful relationships that grow the trust that enables others to feel safe to ask what we believe, what we do and why. – BOU, par 10&11. Sue praised Marty Sampson’s work and beautiful, sincere songs as being part of the great witness that the Holy Spirit uses to convict the hearts of others.
How to 'commend your faith' During August, Rev Dr Chris Walker held two seminars in South Australia entitled “Commending the Faith”. The essence of his talks was about how we share our faith in today’s changing Australian society. He explained that, in order to commend the faith appropriately and effectively, it is important to develop relationships with people and listen to them. Talking about your faith should be a conversation, not a declaration. If you missed Chris’ seminars, you can find a brief overview on his blog: revdrchriswalker.wordpress.com in a post of the same name, “Commending the faith”. He is also the author of the book “Thinking the Faith, Living the Faith”, available online from MediaCom. Find Paul’s full article under the news section of trinity.qld.edu.au. 7
Recognising the disconnect The November 2019 Synod meeting will run from 14 to 16 November at Adelaide West Uniting Church. Christian Leadership thought leader, Craig Bailey, will deliver three consecutive Bible Studies, one each day of the meeting with a focus on ‘connection’. Bindy Taylor spoke to Craig Bailey about recognising disconnect, understanding ‘the good life’ and how the church can respond to all of the above.
Sitting down and talking leadership with Craig Bailey is always a pleasure. Having completed his recent leadership course, I have a great appreciation for how well researched Craig is. Passionate and intelligent with practical experience in planting a church, Craig is perfectly situated to share his thoughts and knowledge on disconnect and how the church can respond. “We are in a new era,” says Craig, referring to the way people interact in today’s society, “There are critical levels of disconnectedness in our communities and in our society. This is what is currently happening in our culture, we need to know how to respond to that.”
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Anxiety among the young Craig points to a recent study undertaken by youth mental health group, Headspace, which found those aged 18-24 were reported as having the highest levels of anxiety and stress ever. It is reported that stress levels are even higher than those who were the same age and deployed in the war zone during World War I. Craig is quick to point out: “Despite the incomparable hardship they endured, those fighting in the trenches had a level of mateship, they were connecting.” The study discusses the problematic nature of social media, particularly for young people who are using it as a way to ‘connect’ rather than face-to-face contact or journeying out in nature. Social media usage breeds comparison and is having an effect on people’s general well-being. “General loneliness is a real issue today. We have to recognise the disconnectedness that is happening in our culture,” says Craig.
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FAITH/ OPINION
“There are critical levels of disconnectedness in our communities and in our society. This is what is currently happening in our culture, we need to know how to respond to that.”
Photo credit: Kat Jayne
He also refers to the increase in ‘crowded loneliness’ which he explains as “not isolation per se but loneliness experienced in the midst of often multiple group settings. It is the act of not putting down roots or really showing ourselves or connecting, even within a group of people. It’s being part of a group but still being lonely.”
Living ‘a good life’ So how do we combat such loneliness that exists in society today and particularly with young people? Craig will respond to this question through a theological lens at the upcoming Synod meeting, reflecting on what makes ‘a good life’. “A question Australian author Hugh McKay has asked is, what is the good life? It should also be the job of theologians to help us define what this means. “The average Australian might say the good life is working a job you don’t really like to earn enough money to drink on the weekends to get just through life. But Hugh McKay refers to
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the good life as being one of love, which he summarises as the most powerful force for good in his published book ”The Good Life. What Makes a Life Worth Living?” Craig will unpack what the good life looks like biblically, journeying with a theological perspective to unpack the concept and what it means for Christians and what they have to offer. Living in a post-Christian world has meant that more and more people find their social connection at work rather than the regular Sunday worship service.
Workplace vs Place of Worship Craig points out that half of people’s waking life is spent at work. “For most people, work is the place where most of the social connection happens. So this raises the question: how do we prepare to go to work as Christians and how do we understand the nature of work?” According to Gallup's 2017 State of the Global Workplace, only 15 percent of employees are engaged in the workplace. For 9
Craig this raises a concern - how are people connecting when there are such high levels of disengagement? Craig believes the way forward for the church is to create Christian communities of connectedness. “These communities won’t all be the same. In the past the most sacred spot for people was the church. Now it is the workplace. This means church looks a lot different to how it has operated in the past.” As Director of Leadership at Uniting College for Leadership & Theology, Craig Bailey lectures in Christian Leadership at undergraduate and postgraduate levels on behalf of the Adelaide College of Divinity in several states of Australia and is frequently called upon within Australia and overseas for seminars and presentations on leadership, preaching and Christian faith and discipleship.
“A question Australian author Hugh McKay has asked is, what is the good life? It should also be the job of theologians to help us define what this means.”
Craig Bailey will speak during and after the morning worship on 14, 15 and 16 November at Adelaide West Uniting Church for the upcoming Synod meeting. For more information on the meeting, contact the Uniting Church Synod office on (08) 8236 4200.
Uniting College students await the start of an Adelaide College of Divinity graduation ceremony.
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GETTING TO KNOW
The names and faces of your Synod Office Often you may hear someone in your congregation or faith community refer to ‘The Synod’, as in “phone someone at the Synod” or “Synod wants us to do this…” But the Synod of South Australia is not just some faceless organisation with rules, taking money from congregations. The Synod Office, located level 2, 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide, is made up of people who are all employed by the Uniting Church to help promote and encourage the mission of the church. People in this office oversee property matters, finances, recruitment and more. They help organise big church events, distribute information and do thousands of other administrative as well as deliberate missional tasks. In short, they are the people who are working to keep every congregation and faith community safe, informed and resourced. So let’s meet a few of the names and faces in the Synod Office.
CHRIS JAENSCH
Receptionist/Administrative Assistant Chris is most often the person who greets you at Reception and the voice you will speak to when you call the Synod Office. She strives to provide a welcoming experience when you visit the Synod Office and also endeavours to be helpful when you have any phone enquiries. Chris values people and hopes she can connect and help in any way possible. • Favourite place in SA: A beach holiday shack on the Yorke Peninsula.
EMILY BRODIE-TYRELL
Synergy Manager Emily manages Synergy, a collective buying group of 17 organisations associated with the Uniting Church in South Australia. She helps to save these organisations money, freeing up resources to deliver more services in their communities – in aged care, health care, schools and social services. • Favourite flavour of ice-cream: Dark chocolate
SAM CHAN
Project Worker Cultural and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Sam is finding a way forward for those who spend their formational years between cultures – the 2nd Gen, children of migrants, who happen to be the largest, youngest and fastest growing edge of the church. As Sam explains, “The Gospel is for all nations. Right now in Australia, the nations are coming to us. But there is a divide in our church between the Anglos and the non-Anglos, with very little being done together. This makes the church a challenging place for many of those who are formed between cultures”. • Favourite thing to do in spare time: Tinkering in the workshop/shed
CLAIR HALKIAS
Congregational Website Officer Clair provides support and training for those congregations and faith communities who are part of the Synod’s Congregational Website Program. She also manages the UCSA's social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). Our online presence is one of the first points of contact for many people, so it's important to keep the websites up-to-date and have active social media accounts, which all help to provide a positive experience. • Childhood: Clair grew up in the beautiful Barossa Valley
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FAITH
Keeping prisoners’ families connected during Christmas Chris Bowman It’s early December 2018 and the joy of Christmas is in the air. The sound of carols fills a large grassy space. Families sprawl across wooden benches and table settings. Children run around, enthusiastically showing their latest toys and presents to their parents and to one another.
For this dad and his children, Christmas Angels is not just about presents. It’s about keeping families connected, reminding children they are loved and not forgotten while empowering imprisoned parents with the opportunity to build good connections with their children.
Welcome to Cadell Training Centre, a low security prison, just a couple of hours northeast of Adelaide. This is the only ‘normal’ family day they’ll share all year.
“With a one-income family, Christmas time can be quite hard with one parent in prison. But my husband is now on home visits so we are having ‘Christmas’ today with him at home. He was able to bring the gifts and give them to the kids himself,” commented a mother of two young children, adding that the family now takes each day as it comes, grateful for precious moments like these.
Second Chances SA, a South Australian not-for-profit organisation, attends Family Fun Day here every year as part of their Christmas Angels program. Earlier that morning, one of their volunteers pulled up to the prison gates with a trailer packed full of wrapped Christmas presents, specially chosen in advance for dads who are currently being held at Cadell, to personally deliver to their children. Last year, Christmas Angels provided 632 children and young people across South Australia with Christmas presents from their imprisoned parent. This provided a much-needed opportunity for children and parents to stay connected in the midst of extremely difficult circumstances. “My three daughters love the presents they received. It means a lot to them knowing their father (me) gives them birthday and Christmas presents,” responded one grateful father.
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Uniting Church members and congregations from across South Australia play a key role in making Christmas Angels a reality through their generosity and advocacy every year.
It’s about keeping families connected, reminding children they are loved and not forgotten while empowering imprisoned parents with the opportunity to build good connections with their children.
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FAITH
To find out how your congregation, faith community, Home Group or Community Club can get involved and bring muchneeded joy and connection to families doing it tough this Christmas, contact Second Chances SA at 8272 0323. To find out more, check out their website at secondchances.org. au/programs/christmas-angels/ or invite them to speak at your upcoming fundraising events or church services.
Who are Second Chances SA? Second Chances SA is a non-profit volunteer organisation committed to restoring hope in the lives of prisoners, their families and their communities across South Australia. They offer five programs that help to achieve this goal: Christmas Angels, Bringing Hope, PK Mentoring Camps, PK Family Care, and PK Birthdays. Their programs are custom designed to help individuals and their families to create better futures for themselves.
How does Christmas Angels work? Each donation of $40 provides a child with two brand-new, specially chosen presents. Christmas Angels presents are delivered to six State prisons for imprisoned dads and mums to give their children in person during Christmas visiting times.
Bringing joy to children of prisoners
Photo (left): Helen Glanville, CEO of Second Chances SA, and husband Geoff with a festive trailer full of presents, ready for delivery at Cadell Training Centre’s Family Fun Day. Photo (top right): A young girl shows her two presents at the Cadell Training Centre’s Family Fun Day. Throughout Australia it is estimated there are over 43,000 children and young people with a parent in prison. Organisations like Second Chances SA exist to give support and a voice to those doing it tough because of a family member’s imprisonment. Return to Contents
sa uy ents b 40 es f $ w pr o on -ne ati rand n do o b ur Yo ild tw ch
Each year, Christmas Angels provides over 550 PKs (prisoners’ kids) with presents from their imprisoned parent during Christmas visiting times.
(08) 8272 0323 secondchances.org.au 13
Christmas postcards available for order Distributing postcards detailing your Christmas service times to nearby residences is a great way for your church to connect with regular attenders and the occasional visitor. The Uniting Church Synod of South Australia’s Communications and Events Team has designed a postcard that connects people with the Christmas story, and also raises awareness about the Uniting Church in the community. This year’s Christmas postcard is meant as an open invitation from all our congregations, reminding those around us that we offer a place to share Christmas. The idea is that we want our congregations to build relationships with their immediate community, offering a place of welcome, where everyone can share in the companionship of Christmas (and each other). The front of the postcard features the words “Come and Share this Christmas”. The back of the postcard provides space for Christmas service details and dates, and the Bible text from Luke 2:10: “…I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” The postcards and accompanying posters are now available for order at sa.uca.org.au/postcards/. Postcard cost: $82.50 per 1,000 (incl. GST) or $44 (incl. GST) per 500. Costs for orders of fewer than 500 copies will be communicated via email. A3 Poster cost: $22 (incl. GST) for 10 (minimum of 10). There is also a set of free, downloadable PowerPoint templates. Orders must be placed by Tuesday 29 October. They can be picked up from the Synod Office on Level 2, 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide, from Friday 8 November (or as arranged with the Communications and Events Team).
For further information contact the Communications and Events Team on 8236 4237 or email communications@sa.uca.org.au
2020 Calendar orders Each year, Uniting Church in South Australia calendars provide congregations and individuals with lectionary readings, important dates, and the proposed Mission and Service Fund Budget. All congregations and organisations wishing to receive printed calendars must order by Tuesday 29 October 2019. Printed calendars cost $3 each and will be larger than the square-sized format of previous years. Calendars can be collected from the Synod office (Level 2, 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide) from Tuesday 19 November, or at the upcoming Synod meeting (14-16 November) at Adelaide West Uniting Church. They may also be posted at an additional cost. Orders must be placed using a calendar order form, which is available on the website: sa.uca.org.au/calendarsannual-reports. 14
For more information, please contact Communications and Events on 8236 4230 or email communications@sa.uca.org.au.
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NEWS SNIPPETS
Women unite in Darwin next year Uniting Women 2020 will be held in Darwin from 9-12 July 2020, with the whole conference taking place in the Club Tropical Resort at Lee Point. With the theme “Weaving our stories together”, this four-day conference is shaped around the process used by women in Arnhem Land to turn spiky pandanus leaves into beautiful mats and baskets. Using the metaphor of the pandanus process, girls and women attending the conference will engage with their journey towards unity with Christ and with each other. “Each of us is a unique thread in God’s beautifully woven Masterpiece, and our strand, our story, our similarities and our differences matter. At UnitingWomen 2020 we will gather as a community of girls and women from a range of ages and
cultures, and our connections will deepen as we take part in workshops, join in worship, listen to each others’ stories, and experience God together,” reads the statement from the women of the Northern Synod, who will be hosting Uniting Women 2020. If you are interested in attending Uniting Women 2020, you can now register your interest on the website unitingwomen.org.au. Upon registration, you will be kept updated with information on the unfolding program, accommodation details and more. You can also keep up to date with everything Uniting Women 2020 by following along on Facebook (@UnitingWomen2020).
UCA Values Statement for Disability Royal Commission The first hearing for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability took place in Brisbane on Monday 16 September. The Uniting Church in Australia has welcomed the Royal Commission and its inquiry into what must be done to build a society in which people with a disability feel included, supported and have their human rights respected. A Values Statement has been drafted which will guide the UCA’s response to the Royal Commission. It recalls the 15th Assembly’s affirmation that “All people are created in the image of God, including people with disability,” and the commitment to embody community life that, in its practice and theology, is accessible to all people. It outlines the Return to Contents
Uniting Church’s commitment to cooperate fully and openly with the Royal Commission. “The Commission has been designed to maximise the participation and contribution of people with disabilities in this inquiry,” the statement reads. “The Uniting Church supports this approach, which will give voice to those who have suffered violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation and will call the rest of the community to listen.” A National Task Group will be established to help guide the Uniting Church response and will be supported by UnitingCare Australia. The Values Statement can be read on the Assembly’s website: assembly.uca.org.au under the news section.
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Bindy Taylor’s shot of the moment Rev Paul Goh was gifted a hefty manual after being admitted as Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church in Australia, received a silver award for the Best Original Photography at the 2019 ARPA Awards.
New Times bags three ARPA Awards The Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) awarded the New Times publication with three awards at the 2019 ARPA Conference and Awards Gala. The event was held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 6-8 September this year. Newspapers and magazines published during the 2018 calendar year were eligible for the awards. New Times received a bronze award in the category Best Review for “Everything new is old again”, a review of the book Protestants: The Radicals who made the Modern World (Alec Ryrie), by Rev Dr Murray Earl
(from February/March 2018); a silver award for Best Cover, Magazine for the August/September 2018 edition; and another silver for the Best Original Photography for a photo taken by Bindy Taylor in the December 2018/January 2019 edition. This photo is titled “What’s so funny?”.
Synod of South Australia Annual meeting The Synod of South Australia’s annual meeting will take place from 13-16 November 2019 mostly at Adelaide West Uniting Church in Brooklyn Park, Adelaide. At the meeting, Annual Reports from all ministry centres will be received, the Presbytery restructure will be discussed, general proposals will be heard and decided on and new members of boards and committees will be elected. Also part of the proceedings, although at a different venue, will be the Installation of Moderator, Bronte Wilson. This will take place on Wednesday 13 November at 7:00pm at Brougham Place Uniting Church.
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Do you, or does someone you know, have the gifts and skills to serve on Synod Standing Committee? If so, please make sure to put in a nomination during the meeting. The Synod Standing Committee can benefit from members who have gifts that come from active involvement in the life of the church. This includes a thorough knowledge of the Basis of Union and the Uniting Church, understanding of the missional context of the church in society, the ability to think theologically and missionally, experience or skills in strategic, creative and innovative thinking, financial management, board experience, understanding of good governance, or legal knowledge.
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NEWS SNIPPETS
A ‘last supper’ scene played out during the 2018 Passion Play, Easter Sights and Sounds, at Spicer Uniting Church.
Actors wanted for “Easter Sights and Sounds” 2020 Every second year Spicer Uniting Church puts on a Passion Play which entertains and educates more than 1500 school children and members of the community. The “Easter Sights and Sounds” play is performed every half hour between 9:30am and 12:30pm, with some performances in the evenings too. To start preparations for next year’s Passion Play (31 March - 3 April) Spicer UC is hoping to recruit volunteers to act in the play. Easter Sights and Sounds has a cast of just over 50 and
their main requirement is that you have a passion to share the amazing truth that is The Easter Story. If you would like to be part of this experience, please contact the Spicer Church office on 8362 3771 or office@spicer.org.au.
UCA’s National Safe Church Unit launched The Uniting Church in Australia officially launched its National Safe Church Unit on 28 August in Brisbane. This unit is a collaboration of all the Synods and the Assembly and will be led by Rev John Cox as its inaugural Director. “The National Safe Church Unit grew out of the UCA’s response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse,” say UCA President Dr Deidre Palmer. “The Unit is part of our response to the lessons learned from the Royal Commission and to show that we have heard and responded to the stories of those impacted by the trauma of child sexual abuse.”
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One of the first tasks for the Unit is the creation of strong evidence-based policy frameworks and resources. These will be aimed at fostering further collaboration across the church. The aim is to create consistency in processes and enhance our education, training and sharing of information to ensure people’s safety. Additionally, one year on from the historic National Apology to Survivors of Institutional Child Sex Abuse, the UCA called on congregations to use a Liturgy of Acknowledgement and Lament on or near 20 October.
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FREE EVENT
2019 ANNUAL LECTURE Moving beyond white fragility & Saviour Complex for Partnership with Aboriginal Australians
Presented by DR TANYA RICHES
21 October 2019, 7:00PM
UCLT, 312 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Brooklyn Park Supper provided | RSVP: http://bit.ly/AnnualSeminar2019
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MORE FROM UNITING COLLEGE
Walking on country:
a rich, formative experience for church leaders Andrew Dutney Walking on Country is a regular activity of Uniting College for Leadership & Theology (UCLT). It’s one that we value very highly. It provides an opportunity for participants to be hosted and led by the traditional owners of the lands that we live on or visit – Kaurna elders in Adelaide, Ngarrindjeri elders in the Coorong, Adnyamathanha elders in the northern Flinders Ranges.
In 2018 the Assembly affirmed ‘that the First Peoples of Australia, the Aboriginal and Islander Peoples, are sovereign peoples in this land.‘ Participants listen to the elders as they share the traditional knowledge, understanding and wisdom of First Peoples, how the land teaches them who they are, how they are related to one another and what their responsibilities are. They also share their insights into the way God was in this place and known to its people long before the coming of the colonisers.
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Participants hear the stories of colonisation, including the colonisation of the land and its peoples by the missionaries. And they hear about the daily lives and experiences of First Peoples today. There’s time for informal fellowship between participants and their hosts over meals and around the campfire. And there’s time for the participants to reflect together on what they’ve been hearing, and on what it means to be disciples of Jesus on stolen land. It's a rich, formative experience for current and emerging leaders in the church. All candidates for the Ministry of the Word or Ministry of Deacon participate in Walking on Country at least once during their training. The faculty and other College staff do too. Sometimes there’s room for other students, Synod staff, or family members to join a Walking on Country group, but we try to keep the groups small to maximise the experience for individuals and to aid group conversation. Walking on Country is one of the ways that UCLT tries to follow through on the commitments made on the behalf of the whole Uniting Church by the Assembly. In 1994 we entered into a Covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), promising ‘to journey together in the true spirit of Christ’ and ‘to work in solidarity with the UAICC for the advancement of God’s kingdom of
justice and righteousness in this land’. In 2009 the Assembly adopted a new Preamble to our Constitution, recognising that, ‘When the churches that formed the Uniting Church arrived in Australia as part of the process of colonisation they entered a land that had been created and sustained by the Triune God they knew in Jesus Christ.’ It recognises that First and Second Peoples have ‘a destiny together, praying and working together for a fuller expression of our reconciliation in Jesus Christ’. And, just to be crystal clear, in 2018 the Assembly affirmed ‘that the First Peoples of Australia, the Aboriginal and Islander Peoples, are sovereign peoples in this land.’ If they are to be worth something, these affirmations and commitments have to be translated into practical steps of repentance, reparation and reconciliation. But any practical steps have to be founded in relationships personal relationships between First and Second Peoples in which we can all hear and obey the command of Christ: Love one another. Walking on Country serves relationships just like that.
A group from Uniting College for Leadership & Theology participated in a Walking on Country to the Northern Flinders Ranges in 2016. Contemplating places with spiritual and cultural significance for the traditional owners of the land visited is part of the learning on a Walking on Country experience.
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Mylor Uniting Church raised over $1000 on National Neighbourhood Day (31 March) with the sale of baked goods, hot drinks, pancakes, books and plants, a raffle and a BBQ. The money raised will help to rebuild the CFS Op Shop, church meeting room and kitchen to better support Mylor CFS and aid community connection through shared meals and community activities. In this photo Ron Chapman, Lesley Ewing, Jane and Peter Goldsmith pose with Rebekha Sharkie (second from right), Federal MP for Mayo who was very supportive in obtaining a “Fund My Neighbourhood” grant for the project. Photo credit: Richard Williams
Photo credit: Jenny Stewart
A special worship service was held at Kent Town (Wesley) Uniting Church on Sunday 7 July to celebrate Tartan Sunday. His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC, Governor of South Australia, and Mrs Le, were in attendance and were appropriately dressed in Scottish attire. The clans processed down the aisle bearing clan banners and were accompanied by six pipers. During the service the congregation was entertained by highland dancers, renditions of “Amazing Grace” and “Highland Cathedral” on the bagpipes and some delightful Scottish pieces sung by the Wesley choir. Organist Graham Bell accompanied the hymn singing and choir performances on the pipe organ.
It was World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September and several Uniting Church congregations embraced the opportunity to create awareness about suicide. Scots Church Adelaide gifted a number of “Suicide – it’s no secret” banners, ribbons and kits to other congregations, and several resources on the matter were made available online. In this photo Kimba Uniting Church took the opportunity to facilitate conversations about suicide in their community. They displayed the banner outside their church and the community responded by tying yellow ribbons on the gatepost. Photo credit: Felicity Amery
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OUT & ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY
A group of about 50 Presbytery Ministers from around Australia gathered at Honeymoon Gap in Alice Springs in August. A key part of the Conference was input on Teams and Teamwork by Rev Dr Jenny Byrnes, Executive Officer of the eLM Unit in Vic/Tas Synod and Craig Bailey, Director of Leadership at Uniting College (read more about Craig’s leadership-focused Bible Studies on p8). As a practical example of teamwork, Presbytery Ministers had the opportunity to build and then race a ‘boat’ on the dry riverbed of Roe Creek (see picture on p5).
Lefevre Uniting Church, like many others across the state, held an Outback BBQ fundraiser on behalf of Frontier Services during September. The Lefevre congregation turned the event into a whole-of-weekend celebration, with the Outback BBQ on Friday and a BBQ lunch on Sunday. UCA Fellowship and Mission Support Secretary, Janet Woodward, was the guest speaker at Sunday morning worship. “We appreciated the opportunity to learn more about their good work and to pray for our rural and remote neighbours,” says Rev Frances Bartlett. Photo credit: Frances Bartlett
Willunga Uniting Church celebrated the installation of a great new path on Saturday 14 September. The path links the church with Bethany Hall and is ideal for those with prams, walking-frames and wheelchairs. Willunga Uniting Church member Margaret Bennett was given the honour of cutting the pink ribbon and officially declaring the path open. Funding for the path was obtained from donations at the popular winter soup times after Sunday services plus morning tea scones. Other kind donations were also received. Photos credit: Jenny Esots
Do you have a photo of your event that you would like to see featured here? If so, please send it to us along with a description of what happened, where it happened, and who is in the picture. We can only print high resolution photographs sent as attachments to newtimes@sa.uca.org.au. Keep them coming! Return to Contents
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UPCOMING EVENTS
19 Oct
UnitingSA Centenary Birthday Party
11:00am Alberton Oval Enjoy live music, games, footy skills, races, an art show, sausage sizzle, birthday cake and more. It’s all FREE. Contact: : 08440 2117 or email hroberts@unitingsa.com.au
Free Carers' Workshop Oct Looking after yourself is a smart move!
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10:00am Marion Warradale Uniting Church Join in some light and fun (very low impact) movement to music, caring for your own physical, social, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Contact: 8198 2060 or respite@resthaven.asn.au
25-27 Oct
Ngarrindjeri Immersion Experience
25-27 October Raukkan TEAR Australia has spaces available for up to 12 people to spend the weekend at Raukkan, an Aboriginal community on Lake Alexandrina. Contact: 0468 352 585 or ben.clarke@tear.org.au
26 Oct
Community and Craft Fair
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Nov
100 Years at Yilki Jefferis Memorial Uniting Church
10:30am Yilki Jefferis Memorial Uniting Church Join Moderator, Rev Sue Ellis in celebrating Yilki Uniting Church’s 100th birthday. Buffet Lunch, an afternoon of nostalgia and, weather permitting, a visit to the Tabernacle Church and Cemetery. Contact: 0418 845 989 or dawn60@tpg.com.au
24 Nov
Too Good to be True - Illumina Voices and MiniM Choir
2:30pm Brougham Place Uniting Church Enjoy 60 minutes of Pop Hits performed by Illumina Voices, guest starring MiniM Choir with sacred and secular pieces. Contact: 0419 869 801 or gme34318@bigpond.net.au
28 Nov
Athelstone Christmas Tree Festival
28 Nov - 1 Dec Athelstone Uniting Church
Over 60 incredible trees will be on display. Kids activities and more. Find festival times on the website: athelstonechurch.org.au. Contact: 0418 811 556 or treefest@athelstonechurch.org.au
9:00am Westbourne Park Uniting Church Barista Coffee Van, Sausage Sizzle, Morning Tea & Lunch. Craft Stalls, Classic Vintage Cars, Craft Displays and an area to see demonstrations, Free Children’s Craft. Contact: 8271 6817 22
Send your letters to: newtimes@sa.uca.org.au or GPO Box 2145, Adelaide 5001.
CL A SSIFIEDS MORIALTA CHARITABLE TRUST FUND Morialta Charitable Trust Fund has been supporting disadvantaged children, young people and their families in South Australia through its annual program of distributions for 40 years. To enable the Fund to continue this support through community organisations in South Australia, Morialta Charitable Trust Fund seeks donations from the public. Donations of $2 and above are tax deductible and can be forwarded to the Morialta Charitable Trust Fund at PO Box 92, Crafers SA 5152. COPY-TYPE TYPING AND SECRETARIAL SERVICE We help people carve out the time they need to cultivate what matters in their life by taking care of general typing and secretarial tasks and consulting. Efficient, professional, confidential and quality support – there when you need us! Contact us today and receive 10% off your first service. Concession card holders and Not-for-Profit/Charity/ Church Organisations receive 10% off every time. Call Denise Marron at Copy-Type on 0408 065 239 or email copy-type@iinet.net.au. MOVING TO MELBOURNE FOR TERTIARY STUDY? Join the Brunswick Uniting Church Student House. Rooms available. Visit brunswick.unitingchurch.org.au/ student-house-program or call Pastor Dave Hall on 0417 310 128. MORIALTA UNITING CHURCH STUDENT HOUSES - VACANCIES 2020 Undergraduate university/TAFE students from rural/regional areas. Furnished single bedrooms, living areas, shared bathroom or ensuite. Close to UniSA, Magill. Easy travel to city for Adelaide University and UniSA, and to Mawson Lakes Campus. Rent $390 or $430 monthly. Contact Anne Ind 0402 061 124 Church Office 8331 9344. Now is the time for school leavers heading for tertiary studies to apply for accommodation in our Student Houses.
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#climatestrike More than a thousand people from the Uniting Church took to the streets across Australia as part of the Global Climate Strike on Friday 20 September. They joined millions at similar events all over the world. In South Australia the main march happened in Adelaide from Victoria Square to Parliament House, but others marched in rural centres such as Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln. UCA President Dr Deidre Palmer thanked all those connected with the Uniting Church who participated or supported through prayer or action. “The Uniting Church was a visible presence at many of these events, reflecting our long-standing commitment to voice our concern for the well-being of all God’s creation,” said Deidre. “We are thankful and inspired by the younger generation for their leadership, courage and mobilisation of this unprecedented call to action.” Credit: Petronella Lowies
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