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As this issue of Assembly update goes to print we are approaching All Saints Day. I know that we Protestants don’t go much for saints but I do rather like All Saints Day. Maybe it appeals to my egalitarian streak where every saint is given equal place! Of course in our tradition we don’t single out saints – all the servants of God are equally valued and valuable. At least that is the theology. It is not always acted on in the church. I was at a major church meeting this year and there was applause for the music team and for other contributions to the worship. Not everyone got a clap! Either the ministry of all the saints is used by God and equally valued or they are not. Somehow applauding in worship seems to elevate some saints and ministries more highly than others. Our tendency to judge the ministry of others by human standards is quite common. I do not intend to provide a catalogue of examples but I invite you to think about the saints of God in your life. Perhaps we could also have a think about the ways in which we foster and practice a hierarchy of ministries as though some are more important than others in the purposes of God, and as if some people are more important in the purposes of God. My favourite reading for All Saints Day is Matthew 1: 1 – 16. I am always encouraged, and somewhat relieved, that God has used prostitutes, foreigners who share a bed with the landowner, a polygamous lustful murderer, and the dubious relationship of a teenage girl to undertake amazing things. I hope I do not miss seeing God at work in people because I look only at the surface and not the mystery of how God uses the most curious people to work out the salvation of the whole creation. Terence
Corkin In this edition of Assembly Update What’s going on… In the final editions for 2003 Assembly Update we will have stories from UCA Agencies reflecting upon and informing us about, the work of the Uniting Church in Australia and beyond. This edition shares stories from:
Other news from the Assembly…
What’s
going on…. Since Assembly 2003, we have been very busy in a number of areas. First of all, we have issued (and received positive responses to) calls to the East Kimberley Ministry and to the West Coast Patrol. We have inducted Andrew Watts into the new West Kimberley ministry, supporting and facilitating the community ministry in Mowanjum in partnership with NRCC. We are developing profiles for a number of new patrols in co-operation with various Synods and Presbyteries and hope we are close to calling a minister to Esperance/West Nullarbor. We have participated in the Rural Ministries Consultation held in South Australia, the Isolated Children's Parents Association Federal Conference and that of the Council of Remote Area Nurses. We have been represented by senior staff on the Aged Care Pricing Review Tribunal, the National Rural Health Alliance Councilfest and the Rural Education Forum of Australia meeting. We have opened our new Regional Office in Western Australia and participated in the Royal Adelaide Show through sponsorship of Woodchopping events, raising our profile and hopefully securing support from corporate SA. We have commenced new programs in a number of places (SHAP in Meekatharra and Territory Care in the central region of the NT), lodged an expression of interest for the more remote of the Queensland Bush Nursing Clinics and the Savannah Area Health Service and been invited by the Commonwealth to consider providing aged services in the Tiwi Islands. The first of our series of cross-cultural training programs in the Pilbara has been hailed as a success and launched "Too Far?", the report on our research into the needs of remote families in Western Australia. Our indigenous training program in aged care has been nominated for a special award by the EOWA. On a personal note I will conclude my third full term on the ACOSS Board at the next meeting and am not eligible to stand again. Lin Hatfield-Dodds has been nominated in the hope that the Uniting Church will continue to be represented on the Board. The Uniting Church is definitely out there carrying Christ's light of hope in remote Australia!!! Evangelism
- the Becoming Disciples process Many people have asked what is happening about resourcing congregations for evangelism, using the Becoming Disciples process. The steps being taken now are:
Covenant –
a common Biblical theme for Jews and Christians The twice yearly meeting of the UCA/Jewish dialogue group meeting Melbourne recently explored themes of Covenant. Working in pairs to explore Biblical texts and then in plenary discussion, Jewish and UCA members helped each other understand more deeply the covenants of the Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures to Noah in the rainbow but more importantly to Abraham. The covenant has both concrete and symbolic expressions - in the rainbow and the promise of being a great nation and having a land of their own. These are reminders of God’s promise to the people and the relationship responsibilities they have in response to God. There was discussion about whether God forgets the covenant, and whether to interpret exile and slavery as punishment or not. Genesis, Hosea and Isaiah texts were used. In Paul’s writings in Galatians and Romans, in the gospels of Matthew, Luke and the book of Acts, there are references and reminders of God’s covenant to Abraham, with further understandings of this covenant with God in the light of Jesus Christ. It was the first time that the two groups had studied Biblical texts together to explore common themes in this way. At the next meeting in 2004 we will explore concepts of sin and forgiveness. This dialogue is a way of the UCA deepening its understanding of the scriptures, its uses and commonality with Jews, and of supporting and relating to another faith community in our country. Muslims
and Christians – What we have in common - is tolerance enough? A large crowd of 500 Muslims and Christians attended an evening in the western suburbs of Sydney in mid October to foster peaceful relations and living together in harmony, with understanding. People got to meet and begin to know each other sharing a buffet meal before the formal part of the evening program and coffee afterwards. Four speakers shared their insights and the evening was compared by Geraldine Doogue from ABC Compass program. Bishop Kevin Manning from the Parramatta diocese of the Catholic Church showed how the five pillars of Islam correspond with many Christian practices – prayer, worship, fasting, compassion and social justice. Susan, a young Muslim women who is a pharmacist, has her own business and has lived in the Hills area all her life, told of her upbringing and love for Australia, her family and her community - how much we all shared these common values and concerns. Kayser Trad, a leader in the Islamic community talked of how the two faiths shared common values and concerns for peace, and how the Koran spoke of many Christian concepts and people – Mary, Jesus, peace etc. The Koran talks of Christians as those ‘nearest in affection’. Wendie Wilkie, Uniting Church, talked of how the two faiths work for peace together in Australia and in other parts of the world such as Ambon, that leadership in peace building in concrete ways requires not only concern for others and for understanding, but also courage and a willingness to look at our own attitudes and community actions. A very moving, sung recitation of parts of the Koran telling the story of Mary and the birth of Jesus by an imam, and the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer by the Christians and a blessing from the Bishop ended the formal program. People attending appreciated the opportunity to learn about one another’s faith and to share their common values and concerns. There are more evenings planned as this had such a good response. Are
you interested in fostering interfaith dialogue? The assembly committee on Relations with People of Other Faiths is planning a conference in 2004, tentatively for 19 and 20 August. The two day conference will have a workshop section where we hope to help equip people interested in fostering interfaith dialogue in their own synods and presbyteries. The committee has recently expanded its membership to include a representative from each synod to ensure that its work had a national focus and encourages people in all areas to be involved in and understand the multi-faith dimension of their area and Australia generally. For more information please contact Wendie Wilkie at the assembly office t: (02) 8267 4203 e:<wendiew@nat.uca.org.au> or Rev Ray Richmond e:<nomad@html.com.au> New mission
and mandate To be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ by pursuing social and ecological justice and peace in Australia and the world. UnitingJustice Australia has a new mission and mandate. The Assembly Standing Committee approved the above mission statement and a revised mandate at its August meeting. The new mission statement more accurately captures the core mission of the Agency and the mandate more clearly reflects the focus of the Agency’s mission. Included in the revised mandate were changes to the structure of the Reference Committee. We are now calling for Expressions of Interest for our new Committee (information is included later in Assembly Update). The full mandate is available on our website. Rev. Elenie Poulos has recently returned from meetings of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva. She was representing the Uniting Church on the Australian Refugee Rights Alliance, an alliance of church and community organisations which attends these meetings every year to advocate on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers and to tell our Australian stories in an international context. A full report will be available soon on the website. International Human Rights Day is Friday 5 December. Resources to help celebrate this day will also be available soon on the website. If you cannot access the website, <http://nat.uca.org.au/unitingjustice/>, we can provide hard copies of all resources and documents. Please phone (02) 8267 4236 for enquiries. If you would like email information and updates about our work you can subscribe to Justice News <justice-news@uniting.com.au>. Send an email to <imailsrv@uniting.com.au> with a blank subject line and “subscribe justice-news please” in the body of the message. UCA
President visits Indonesia Rev Dr Dean Drayton, UCA President, visited Indonesia in mid-October as a guest of our partner church, the Protestant Christian Church in Bali (GKPB). While in Bali Dr Drayton attended the Bali Memorial Service at the Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park on Sunday morning 12th October. This service involved many of the relatives and friends of those killed when bombs exploded in outside Paddy's Bar and the Sari Club on 12th October 2002. The Prime Minister of Australia together with the Leader of the Opposition, various diplomatic representatives and a number of Indonesian Government officials were also present. In the evening the President attended a service led by the local Balinese community at the bomb site on Jalan Legian in Kuta. Dr Drayton then travelled to Jakarta where he met with the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) followed by a visit to Jakarta Theological Seminary (STT). A meeting then took place with the executive of the Christian Church in Indonesia (GKI). There were also opportunities to meet with the Australian Consul in Denpasar and the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia in Jakarta. The President's visit took place in the context of a commitment to being in solidarity with the Balinese and the wider Indonesian community. This comes at a time when the nation is experiencing great uncertainty. Eighty eight Australians died as a result of the bomb blasts in Kuta and this act of terror continues to have an impact on many people. The President believes it is important this tragedy is seen in the context of widespread violence taking place throughout Indonesia where bomb blasts have impacted on the lives of thousands of people in Jakarta, Sulawesi, Sumatera and Maluku. We are also particularly aware of the violence in Aceh where a state of emergency has been declared and the military are targeting local pro-separatist communities. In Papua the situation remains extremely tense. A very fragile peace exists in the wake of constant provocation. UCOA supports
Vanuatu Eye Clinics For the past three years Uniting Church Overseas Aid
(UCOA) has helped to fund a series of annual eye care clinics in Vanuatu,
organised by an Australian team of volunteers and coordinated by Don MacRaild
(a member of the Uniting Church in Victoria). Thousands of people in Vanuatu
are living in isolated villages with very limited access to and knowledge
of what health care there is available.
This month UCOA will be issuing an appeal to raise funds
for the clinic. A new
website for UIM This month Uniting International Mission is unveiling a new and exciting website! As well as all the information that was on the former website, the new site also features up to date news, a worship resource section and a photo gallery. Check out the new site at <www.uim.uca.org.au> to find out how the Uniting Church is involved in overseas mission. Mission Prayer Handbook
2004 ‘Space for God’s Glory’ is the theme explored in the new Mission Prayer Handbook 2004. This will be available from mid November from the Assembly office. The Mission Prayer Handbook is a 96 page booklet filled with photos and prayers, stories and reflections suitable for personal and small group devotions. It also includes information about the wide ranging mission and ministry work of the national church. It would be a great end of year gift to colleagues, friends and family, and those you want to encourage in the faith. Mission Prayer Handbook 2004 uses photos from the photographic exhibition at the 10th Assembly (is your congregations photo in it?) and those sent to us from WA by the women who wrote the reflections on the theme “Space for God’s Glory” (a sub theme of the of the 10th assembly them Witness the Glory of God.) We have kept the cost the same as last year but with a reduction for those of you who want to collect them from our office rather than have us post them out. Cost - $8 for a single copy, including postage and GST, $7 for 10 or more sent to the one address, or $5 each if collected from the assembly office. Order from the Assembly office t: (02) 8267 4428, e:<linetan@nat.uca.org.au> or f: (02) 8267 4222. Copyright permission for use of the material may be obtained from the assembly office. Assembly’s
new deal with Mediacom In 2001 the Assembly ceased to have a dedicated publishing organization following the discontinuation of the Joint Board of Christian Education. Uniting Education retained staff within their Agency who had the skills necessary to handle the general publication responsibilities of the Assembly. At the end of 2001 the Secretariat took over the responsibility to manage the essential publication functions of the Assembly. At the end of 2002 the staff person from Uniting Education left the Agency and the Secretariat undertook full responsibility for the publication functions. The result of these developments is that there have been a number of arrangements put in place to deal with each change in circumstances. Following an internal review the Assembly’s arrangement with Rainbow Books to distribute materials came to an end on September 30 2003. MediaCom, which is well known within the Uniting Church, will take over the distribution of Assembly publications from October 1 2003. Mediacom already sends out marketing material about their other publications and from the October 1 this will also include the Assembly’s publications. MediaCom can be contacted Tollfree on 1800 811 311 or online at <www.mediacomonline.org.au/ucaoct> National
Working Group on Doctrine underway The Doctrine Working Group has been reconstituted for
the next triennium. It met in Sydney recently. Issues already on the table
include: Membership in the UCA, "Becoming Disciples", review
of Specified Ministries, apologetics (proclaiming and defending the faith
in the twenty-first century), the ongoing discussion about sexuality and
the relationship of doctrine to theology and ethics. Congratulations Congratulations to Rev Sealin Garlett on his appointment to the WCC advisory group to the new Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation. This group will function until the 9th WCC Assembly in 2006, where decisions about the future will be made Audio
Visuals available of the 10th Assembly! Want to see and know more about what else happened at the 10th Assembly? There is a VHS /DVDs available of highlighst of the 10th Assembly. Highlights of the 10th Assembly is a10 minute video/DVD that has been produced by Greg Fry and John Emmett. It has been shown as part of the Assembly report to Synods during September and October. Copies will be available in a few weeks. This audio visual includes scenes of the opening service, parts of Bible studies, excerpts of Professor James Haire’s ex–president’s report, some parts of the assembly agencies reports, children in KUCA-A, Overseas guests, UAICC report, etc. Cost: $11 each for video or DVD, includes postage and GST. To order contact <enquiries@nat.uca.org.au> and mark clearly audio visuals of 10th assembly UCA National Conference on Multimedia/the
Internet UCA National Conference on Multimedia/the Internet (exploring their potential for ministry and mission) Dates: April 23-25, 2004 BOOK IT IN YOUR DIARIES! MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON!
Call for Expressions of Interest UnitingJustice Australia is an Assembly agency of the Uniting Church. Our mission is: to be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ by pursuing social and ecological justice and peace in Australia and the world. We are seeking expressions of interest for membership of the UnitingJustice Reference Committee, April 2004 to August 2006. Duties of Reference Committee members include:
The Reference Committee consists of a Chairperson (elected by the National Assembly), the National Director, a representative of the Synod justice staff, and three members. If you are passionately committed to the gospel of justice and peace, keen to contribute your gifts and experiences as part of a small, hardworking, voluntary team, and believe in the national life of the Church, contact UnitingJustice for an information package and selection criteria. UnitingJustice Australia Enquiries to Rev Elenie Poulos t: (02) 82674239 Expressions of interest close 5 December 2003 Books are selected by Hugh McGinlay e: <hugh@rainbowbooks.com.au> THEIR RIGHTFUL HERITAGE BEING HUMAN GOD IN ALL THINGS CAN WE EVER KILL? COMPOSING MUSIC FOR WORSHIP WOMEN AND CHRISTIANITY AUSTRALIAN RELIGIOUS DIARY 2004 |
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