insights - november 2013

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Insights November 2013 3insights.uca.org.au

M y desk calendar has just offered me the following conundrum: “If shared

problems lessen the burden, how come we get so upset in a traffic jam?”

The appropriateness of the theme of the April 2013 Synod gathering: “Uniting for the Common Good” seems self-evident. It fits neatly with our ethos of welcoming and hospitality. It reinforces the vision of a church that, at its best, provides a safe place for healing and the opportunity to grow and serve; and which, at its most courageous, stands up for the marginalised and vulnerable.

With the principle in place, should it just not be a matter of course and determination that major issues are resolved in a way that all will flourish? If only it were that easy!

The reality is that even when we are together, and with the best will in the world, finding the common good solution can be downright hard work. In this edition of Insights, which focuses on rural issues, it is appropriate to mention our church’s recent three-day gathering in Albury to discuss human and environmental challenges around the allocation of water resources in the Murray Darling Basin.

In spite of much determination and the goodwill of this diverse group representing various sides of the debate, we had to concede an impasse, with no consensus to satisfy both irrigators and environmentalists even though we, as a Synod, affirm both irrigators and environmental scientists for their efforts in seeking solutions for living sustainably in the Basin.

Nevertheless, we are a church committed to being: “…a fellowship of reconciliation…for the building up of the whole; an instrument through which Christ may work and bear witness to himself,”(Basis of Union, para.3).

In spite of the ‘traffic jam’ of conflicting ideas, we did gain some precious ground.

• We affirmed that the current dilemma is the result of past policy decisions, and not the fault of irrigators; and that there can be a future for irrigation in the Basin.

• We recognised the polarisation that has come about between country and city, and affirmed the value of ‘discovery tours’ to help urban dwellers get a feel for the Basin environment, and help country people hear first-hand what urban folk think.

As difficult as they are, traffic jams (including those caused by the Deniliquin Ute Muster) sometimes have to be faced in getting to where we need to be, slow and difficult though progress may be. My conviction is that we will resolve these hard issues in proportion to the extent that we resist blaming one another, and work together for common good solutions.

Embracing the common good requires us to accept the validity of its gospel claims, the reality of its tough challenges, and the demands it makes on our compassion. Alternatively, we can accept the proposal that achieving the flourishing of all is in the ‘too hard basket’.

Jesus had some sharp things to say about clinging to old and lifeless ways at the cost of embracing that which has abiding value. He invites us to give our lives to the things that truly matter.

Welcome from the Moderator

Rev. Dr Brian BrownModerator

Giving our lives to the things that truly matter

The Moderator is elected to give general and pastoral leadership to the Synod,

assisting and encouraging expression and fulfilment of

faith, and the witness of the church.

You can follow the Moderator on Twitter @BrianBrownUCA

For a copy or DVD of the Moderator’s address to the 2013 Synod “Uniting the Synod for the Common Good”, please contact Sue Willgoss on (02) 82674382 or at [email protected]

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3 from the Moderator

5 news6 letters

31 updates from the General Secretary34 fellowship news

33 lectionary reflection

35 belief matters38 entertain me

Editor Adrian DraytonProduction/distribution/AdvErtising Adrian Drayton dEsign Brooke Lyons EditoriAl & AdvErtising inquiriEs: Insights, PO Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW, 1235 PhonE 02 8267 4304 FAx 02 9261 4359 EmAil [email protected] wEb www.insights.uca.org.au

Insights is published by the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of New South Wales and the ACT. Articles and advertising content do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or of the Uniting Church. subscriPtions: Australia $38.50 (incl. GST); overseas $50. © 2013. Contents copyright. No material from this publication may be copied, photocopied or transmitted by

any means without the permission of the Editor. circulAtion: 18,000. issn: 1036-7322 Commonwealth of Australia 2013

4 insights november 2013 insights.uca.org.au

contents

This month, Insights heads to the bush to hear firsthand what life is like in a rural church, speaking to the people who live and breathe country life. They’re a resilient, hardworking folk whose willingness to put the community first, no matter what life has thrown at them, is beyond measure.

regulars

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Garage Hymnal

JoelMcKerrow

ComplimentsOf Gus

Fatai V

CameronSemmens

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News

Early season bushfires trigger disaster responseOn Thursday 17 October, bushfire season started early as fires engulfed outlying suburbs of Sydney, with the worst fires in the lower Blue Mountains around Springwood and Winmalee.

Rev. Dr Stephen Robinson, of the National Disaster Recovery Officer, called on 120 disaster chaplains from various denominations and other faiths from around the state to offer disaster chaplaincy.

“Money really is what people need to be able to pay for things, to be able to furnish a rental property for instance. Our minister gave out food vouchers for local stores,” said Barbara Brackenbury, Lay Preacher at Springwood Uniting Church.

“We have an emergency fund at our church that we have distributed so that people can buy food, A lot of people had only what they stood up in. One of my husband’s friends lost their house. The thing that struck me more than anything is the bewilderment of what to do next.”

For those wishing to help, Stephen asks we pray for the many families affected and to donate money, not goods. This makes it easier for workers on the ground to meet needs quickly and efficiently. This is especially useful in the lead up to Christmas, as families in many cases have lost everything.

If you would like to offer your support, you can make a donation via the Assembly’s National Disaster Relief Fund http://assembly.uca.org.au/donate or the NSW Synod Bushfire Appeal https://secure.donman.net.au/client/livingisgiving/donate.aspx

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6 Insights November 2013 insights.uca.org.au insights.uca.org.au

News

Have Your [email protected]

Conversations with Leigh HatcherSince taking on the role of hosting Sunday night radio program Open House in May 2011 on FM103.2, seasoned journalist Leigh Hatcher has had the pleasure of speaking with a wonderful variety of Australian and International guests on this weekly radio show.

Open House – Conversations with Leigh Hatcher, is the fifth book in the Open House published series, and the second book penned by Leigh. Offering personal stories with 30 guests who have been recently interviewed on the Open House program, this book powerfully demonstrates how our world is filled with wonderful stories which suggest authentic faith can be good for people and good for our world.

Guests found in this series of Leigh’s conversations include Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton, ABC’s Mark

Scott, Home and Away’s Lynne McGranger, Steve Biddulph, Judith Durham and many more.

Leigh says, “It’s my great hope that this book will both lift our spirits and lift our gaze.”

Leigh Hatcher was instore at Dymocks City Store to launch the 2013 Open House book. This is the first time Open House Volume 5 has been released to the public and Leigh recently signed copies and talked more about his new release Open House – Conversations with Leigh Hatcher has a RRP of $14.99 and is also available from http://lifestore.hope1032.com.au/

Open House is on-air Sundays from 8pm to 11pm Eastern Daylight Saving Time, and talkback lines are open from 8pm on 1300 40 20 20. Visit Open House online at www.openhousecommunity.com.au

Tenuous positionYour article on the Syrian conflict and the tenuous position of Christians in that war-torn country (“A call to prayer for Syria”: Insights, September 2013) reminds me that hundreds of years ago Christianity was in a similar state, when Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Protestants were at each other’s throats.

Now they, even with a wide variety of belief systems, live side-by-side in peace and some even talk of amalgamating. Why can’t the Shiites and Sunnis, who are the cause of these continuing bloody conflicts in Muslim countries, follow the Christian example and the teachings of their own religion and live in peace?

Dr. Kevin Orr, Blakehurst

Love your work!Sitting on my gran’s (Joyce Rashbrooke) back verandah reading and talking about the latest Insights. She wanted you to know she loves it and reads the print off every page. Love your work!

Karen Mitchell Lambert, via Facebook

Your say

Have “Your Say” just email

[email protected]

Leigh signing books at Dymocks Sydney CBD store.

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Insights November 2013 7insights.uca.org.au insights.uca.org.au

UnitingWorld aims to break the vicious cycleUnitingWorld has launched a new Disability Inclusion appeal aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty and disability.

“Over recent years we’ve strengthened our focus on people living with disabilities because the connection between poverty and disability is so significant. Twenty per cent of the world’s poorest people have a disability, whilst a staggering 80% of all people with disabilities live in the world’s poorest countries”, said Rob Floyd, Associate Director of Relief and Development.

People who live in poverty face a higher risk of acquiring a disability. This can be due to unsafe working environments, malnutrition and lack of access to basic healthcare. And people with a disability have a higher chance of experiencing poverty because they can be limited by what their social and physical environments allow them to do.

“People with disabilities constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in society. We cannot address extreme poverty without considering the rights and needs of people with disabilities”, said Rob.

UnitingWorld is supporting our partners across Africa, Asia and the Pacific implement disability inclusive programs so all people are included in the development process.

“Until now, seeing people with disabilities thrive hasn’t really been a priority. We’re developing training workshops on disability-inclusive early childhood education in Tonga that will help the teachers with the relevant skills. An open forum will also facilitate Government and non-government agencies to engage in a conversation of change” said Bronwyn Fraser, UnitingWorld’s Manager of Peacebuilding & Livelihoods Programs (Pacific).

To join with us and to find out more about our Inclusion program visit www.unitingworld.org.au/inthepicture

St Lukes Community CentreIn October 2012, St Lukes Uniting Church made front-page news in the local Belmont newspaper when it announced plans to demolish two 40-year-old halls to build a brand new community centre in its place.

On the weekend of 14 – 15 September, St Lukes Community Centre was officially opened by Rev. Brian Brown, Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT. Local MPs and other community leaders offered their well-wishes, and The Six Tenors and a Tongan Choir entertained the crowds before everyone sat down to a lavish afternoon tea.

As the evening rolled on, 17 teams took part in a trivia night to help raise

funds to purchase a portable stage. The event was supported by over 55 local businesses who donated prizes, and nearly $3,000 was raised.

The following day a combined church service was held followed by a concert featuring members of the congregation including an item by current minister Haloti Kailahi and his family who performed “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” in musical-theatre style.

The community centre has a fully equipped kitchen for catering, is fully air-conditioned and can cater for up to 200 guests. If you would like to book the venue, please call 02 4945 4655.

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NewsSkills and experience needed

Expressions of interest are invited from members of the church interested in assisting in the roles set out below. Each of the entities is seeking new members with appropriate skills and experience in order to strengthen the respective governance functions.

• Wesley College , University of Sydney

Seeking new Council members with finance and/or property and/or tertiary education leadership skills

• Synod Risk and Oversight Committee

• Assembly Finance Audit and Risk Committee

Each of these Committees is seeking members with experience in audit and/or risk management and compliance and/or general business managemenT.

• Assembly Legal Reference Committee

Additional legally qualified members are required

Enquiries or expressions of interest should be directed to the Chairman, Synod Governance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee, C/- Mary Kapotas at [email protected]

Uniting Financial Services’ apology and thanksOn 8 October, Uniting Financial Services (UFS) launched a new core banking system as well as the Uniting Online Internet platform. Unfortunately, there were some disruptions that weren’t foreseen, and we would like to apologise to anyone who was inconvenienced.

Neil King, Executive Director of UFS, would like to thank UFS investors for their patience, and his dedicated team of professionals for the grace and dedication with which they acted under the pressure of initial implementation issues.

Special thanks is also noted for Uniting Resources Information Technology and Services and Communications and Marketing teams for their round-the-clock support.

If you were affected by the disruptions and require further help, please contact a member of the Partnership Team on 1300 133 673 or email [email protected]

Wesley Institute join forces with US collegeIn early October, Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) and Wesley Institute announced plans to join forces.

IWU will acquire Wesley Institute as a foundation for forming Australia’s first evangelical Christian University College (later becoming a university).

Indiana Wesleyan University has 93 years experience of excellence in Christ-centred higher education and is the largest member of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, which has over 180 member institutions.

Based in the US, and offering courses in China and Colombia, IWU has 15,000 students enrolled in traditional undergraduate degree courses, accelerated adult education and/or online.

It offers 80 majors over broad fields of study including arts, sciences, business, education, nursing, and health sciences.

Over time the range of degrees offered at Wesley Institute will expand, and students and staff will have the opportunity to study or work abroad. The planned university will look to expand throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information please contact Dr Greg Rough at 02 9819 8807 or [email protected]

Exodus GalaOn 18 October, The Exodus

Foundation held its inaugural Spring Gala Dinner at the Hilton Hotel Sydney to mark over 20 years of the Foundation supporting the Australian community. Exodus is a registered charity which feeds the homeless in Sydney, provides food parcels for needy families, educates struggling children and offers medical care and welfare to less advantaged people in society.

The glittering Gala event was enjoyed by 240 guests and raised much needed funds from a silent auction and raffle to support the ongoing operation of the Foundation’s mobile food van services and the Loaves & Fishes Restaurant in Ashfield, which serves up to 1,000 free meals every day of the year. Exodus CEO and Founder, Reverend Bill Crews, hosted the event and spoke of Foundation’s work with homeless in Sydney and its educational programs to support disadvantaged youth. Exodus received wonderful support for the event from Ben Fordham as Master of Ceremonies, Hugh Mackay as Guest Speaker, plus entertainment from comedian Tommy Dean and singer Belinda Adams.

Exodus Gala event organiser Nessa Doyle with the Rev. Bill Crews.

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Challenge Camp 2013The rules at Challenge Camp 2013 were simple. Put down your phone, join in the dance and make smart choices. And that’s just what 45+ campers and their leaders did for six days at Camp Wombaroo (in the Southern Highlands in NSW) during the September school holidays.

The camp is built on the American educational resource: Animate ‘Faith’, which combines worship, video clips, journaling, small group discussions and intentional times of silence and reflection. Each day campers heard from renowned theologians, including Brian McLaren and Nadia Bolz-Weber, exploring ‘Sunday-school answers’ with a fresh perspective and alternative approaches.

Challenge Camp proves there is still a desire and benefit in regional camping ministries. Young people continue to seek out opportunities that are removed from the everyday, where they can connect with friends (old and new) and role models, and enjoy new adventures.

In 2014, Uniting Mission and Education is partnering with Sydney Presbyteries to run Kids Camp Out (KCO) for primary-aged students and Challenge Camp for high school aged students.

• KCO will be held at Wedderburn Christian Campsite on March 8-9, 2014.

• Challenge Camp will be held at Camp Wombaroo (outside Mittagong) from September 21-26, 2014.

For more information, please contact [email protected]

Striking recreation of the Last Supper to celebrate DVD release

October marked the release of the epic mini-series The Bible on DVD and Blu-Ray. To celebrate the event, distributor Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment staged a live-action recreation of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper at in First Fleet Park in The Rocks.

Morning commuters were treated to this spectacular life-size recreation starring Christian celebrities, including X Factor contestant Barry Southgate and Rugby League sensations, Jason and Paul Stevens, who bought the masterpiece to life, along with a group of professional ‘human statues’.

The recreation, took place in a purpose built, ornate steel frame to mark the release of The Bible on DVD & Blu-ray.

From Executive Producers Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel) and Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor), The Bible has been nominated for three Emmys and was one of the highest rating shows of the year when it aired on Channel 9 during winter 2013.

Speaking at the event, Barry Southgate, who was eliminated from The X Factor, said: “I was impressed by how close The Bible was to the real thing. I’m keen to take part in anything that brings to life something I’m passionate about. The recreation has

been spectacular – a genuine piece of ‘living art’.”

Jason Stevens, a former Australian Rugby League International, commented: “This was a real pleasure to be involved with, and something that will stay in the memories of those who saw it for a very long time.”

Heritage grantsThe Uniting Church has many buildings listed on the State and local Heritage Registers.

Currently there are two grants available to congregations that have stewardship of heritage-listed properties.

For more information about these grants go to http://property.unitingresources.org.au/information/heritage-grants/

Christmas at your churchThis Christmas we would like to help you share your story with your local community by offering you artwork for postcards.

Simply download the templates at www.nsw.uca.org.au/church/ucaemblem/index.htm and customise the artwork by overprinting your service times on the back of the postcard of your choice.

For more information about how to use the templates, please contact Adrian Drayton on 02 8267 4304.

The live action version of The Last Supper, created to mark the release of The Bible on DVD and Blu-Ray.

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10 Insights November 2013 insights.uca.org.au

T he Rev. Graham Horsley, The British Methodist Church’s Planting Coordinator, says,

“The greatest challenge facing those involved in church planting today is reaching people for whom institutional church is totally irrelevant.”

The Church’s mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every generation. But the rapidly expanding part of our generation finds the Church’s life is not a message they can understand, and so our message does not help them to life. How can we facilitate a face-to-face encounter with the living Christ for this emerging culture? And what of the rural church?

Mostly we are seeing a reduction in clergy placements, shrinking rural populations (particularly of young people) and the emergence of increasingly lay-lead congregations. Our old pattern of church = building + minister + stipend is no longer sustainable.

Emerging church The Stories of the Good Samaritan, the Disciples going to Emmaus and Paul’s Damascus Experience, suggest we should meet people on the road where they walk. Much of the existing church operates like the Parables of the Prodigal Son, and the Wedding Banquet. It has a ‘you-come-to-us mindset’, preparing, inviting and waiting.

Emerging church starts not with a pre-conceived notion of church, but with the desire to discover an expression of church shaped by the culture and in the context of the people involved. It does not parachute, “This is how to do church!” on to people, but starts on the ground and asks, “How do you think we should do it?”

Although by its very definition, emerging church is always provisional, experimental and fluid in keeping with

the emerging culture, it is not new and is rapidly becoming a movement within well established denominations that seek relevance in the 21st century. I believe that we need new experimental patterns of how the church is to emerge, both in the city and in rural areas. Resource ministry may be one such development.

The Rev. Dr Carlos Ham from Cuba, formerly the co-ordinator of the Mission and Ecumenical Formation Team of the WCC, says, “We are living in a rapidly changing sociological reality. Fresh expressions of church should be at the heart of mission. We need a changing church in a changing culture!”

The Church’s mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus

Christ in every generation

What would this mean for us in NSW/ACT at this moment in both our changing city and rural communities? How do we get the balance right?

Practically it will seek to facilitate that which we have always tried hard to hold together the experience of a warmed heart and the outcome of social justice for people seeking a vocabulary of faith consistent with their 21st century context. It should not be a strategy to simply transition people into existing forms of ‘doing church’. Hopefully the Christian community that emerges will challenge both the culture and the Church.

This will require space and dedicated attention. It must be allowed to emerge. We cannot organise it from within existing structures, but must deliberately engage the culture in conversation about it. As the patterns of our life change in both city and rural areas, so must the patterns of church life change.

From the General Secretary’s deskNew Chal lenges wil l arise. New questions wil l be asked. New solutions must be sought.

Rev. Dr Andrew Williams

General Secretary

The General Secretary is appointed by the Synod to provide leadership to the

Church by actively engaging in strategic thinking about

the life, direction, vision and mission of the Church.

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EscapE tothE couNtry

Life in rural NSW

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A t the turn of last century, Dorothea MacKellar famously wrote about her love for the wide brown land that is Australia. Her poignant words invoked images of a harsh,

rugged and beautiful country, but said nothing of the people

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this month, Insights heads to the bush to hear firsthand what life is like in a rural church

speaking to the people who live and breathe country life. They’re resilient, hardworking folk whose willingness to put the community first, no matter what life has thrown at them, is beyond measure.

Barbara Guymer is 73. She’s lived in the country most of her life and for the past 30 years has called Coleambally (630kms south west of Sydney) home. She lives with her 76-year-old husband on the family farm, 40 kilometres outside of town, where they have both ‘officially’ retired but he still works the land seven days a week.

“I’ve just finished being the Chairperson of the Riverina Presbytery, which stretches from Young to Deniliquin to Hay and as far as Tumut in the high country. This role had me travelling all over the countryside visiting churches, acting as a sounding board for them.

“In a small church like ours, there are only a handful of people filling all the roles and everything is voluntary. For example, I am the secretary, the privacy officer, and the work health and safety officer. I am the lay preacher and I also do the sacraments; take all the funerals and marry people, including those in neighbouring towns. But I have managed to get off the cleaning roster”, laughs Barbara.

“I think I could say every single person in our congregation does something. Our church members are the Country Women’s Association (CWA); they are the Red Cross and the P&C; they're the ones fighting bushfires and the same ones in the local volunteer rescue association In a rural community, the church is the same thing as all those other things; it's the same people”, states Barbara.

Barbara’s story is not unique. Many rural populations are shrinking and it’s becoming more difficult to financially justify a minister. But having a viable church in some form or another is very important for the community. And so, like many congregations in smaller rural towns, the responsibilities fall to lay leaders.

“We can’t pay a minister, we have no money. We’re a congregation of 25 people – ten of them are pensioners. So, we’ve been lay led for around 15

years. In our congregation we've got three accredited lay preachers. In some rural towns it's just one person doing everything!

“When I was Chairperson I spent a lot of time talking to those people, trying to encourage them, and occasionally would try to get someone to give them a break. When lay people lead, they’re often doing a lot of what the minister does but without the pay or annual leave. There’s no end to it and there’s no ‘time out’, and it can be physically and mentally draining”, states Barbara.

shared responsibilities Just over 115 kilometres down the road is the historic town of Lockhart. It made front-page news in 2012 when the town was engulfed by flood water – just as it had 18 months earlier.

Here you will find Dorothy Creek and her husband, Paul. Like Barbara, Dorothy is an active member of her local congregation. “Locally I am an Elder, a lay preacher and presider. I do pastoral visits and conduct funerals where necessary. I am the Chairperson of the Pastoral Relations Committee (PRC), and a member of the Standing Committee and the Finance and Property Committee. I had been the Chairperson for the Education Committee but I have decided to give that away”, said Dorothy.

“Aside from these roles, I am a farmer and have responsibilities around the farm. Since the major flooding I’ve been doing a lot of pastoral visiting, which takes up a lot of my time. And when it comes to funerals, I just have

to drop everything and do what I have to do there. So it’s a matter of juggling responsibilities with attending”, says Dorothy.

an isolated voiceOne of the more notable differences between a rural and metropolitan rural church is the isolation. Rev. Will Pearson splits his time between a placement with his local congregation and his presbytery minister role. He lives and works in the remote mining town of Broken Hill, 1,160 kilometres west of Sydney on the South Australian border.

“Most of the pastoral care I do is done over the telephone. It’s the same for committee meetings and pastoral relations – I typically make phone calls or use Skype. It is not as good as being there physically, but it would be impossible to do the travelling involved to be there all the time. And then there is the constant issue of wildlife. It's only if it's a real emergency that I go out on the roads around here after dark. It’s just the way it is out here”, said Will.

One of the more notable differences

between a rural and metropolitan rural church is the

isolation

“Dubbo is basically the central hub of our Presbytery, and it is 750 kilometres away – that’s about eight hours driving time one way. Currently, I'm the only Uniting Church Minister this side of Dubbo in the far west area. Normally Frontier Services flying patrol, which is based in Broken Hill, will attend to the more remote areas. But we haven't had anyone here since the end of last year, and that position hasn't been able to be filled so the responsibilities mostly fall to me”, states Will.

These sentiments are shared by other members of rural congregations. “Everything I do really pretty well requires travel. I live 40 kilometres from where we go to church so every time we have a meeting in Lockhart there’s an 80 kilometres round trip. For most of our presbytery meetings I’ve got at least a 200-kilometre round trip so that adds an extra couple of hours to the day.

Barbara Guymer

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“Sometimes we feel there’s too many expectations placed on us to do things in certain ways and it just doesn’t work when you’re so many kilometres apart and we’ve got no public transport. If you can’t drive you can’t go. As people are getting older, in terms of their involvement in the church, some of them are finding that driving those distances is becoming an issue”, said Dorothy.

Travelling vast distances isn’t the only hurdle to overcome. An aging congregation and decline in younger members is changing the face of the rural church.

Finding time on sundays“Our congregation is ‘long-lived’, and we have an ageing component with many members aged between 60 and 90. One of the problems is that when young people hit high-school age, they go elsewhere for school. It’s an issue in many respects, because when young people go away for high school, they stay away for university and often don’t end up coming back. Thirty years ago it was more likely that people would stay around and try to get some work locally or on a farm, but farming’s not seen as much of a viable option these days”, said Dorothy.

“The young mothers and fathers in our congregation are so busy. Their kids play sport and are busy on weekends with activities. And the young men that work on the farms work seven days a week, from daylight to dark. Things have become so stressed and difficult that people say there are not enough hours in the day.

“We have one young lady who's got five kids in our congregation. She has insisted for the sake of their marriage that her husband has two hours off every Sunday afternoon where he just spends time with her and the kids. And that is not uncommon...not uncommon at all”, concludes Barbara.

“The world is changing and that’s a good thing. But the place of the church has also changed and so the community, therefore, has changed. The question isn’t how do we get young people back to the church. The question is: how do we adapt to the change? I think young people are much more critical of the church and I think what’s happening is that the rural church and the rural communities have been a bit slower to change.

Travelling vast distances isn't

the only hurdle to overcome

“We need to change the conversation we’re having with young people. If I’m going to engage with them about the gospel, telling them: ‘you’re going to go to hell’ probably isn’t the best conversation starter. But if I’m going to talk to them about a God who loves and cares for us and thinks about things like justice, hope and forgiveness, then maybe I’ve got a conversation”, states Rev. Simon Hansford of the Tamworth Southside Uniting Church.

It’s a farmer’s lifeBeyond the changing dynamic of the church are issues which, for the rural church particularly, are “bigger than just the church”.

“It can be extremely hard on farmers when there is a drought, or flood, or low commodity prices. With no income, they stress and that puts more pressure on the community to deal with the issues together.

“In the past when there was a minister of the word, people would feel they had someone to go to. As a pastoral visitor in the town, when people start sharing their issues with me I have to be ready to be able to handle that. I’m a farmer too so I’m facing the same stresses. Sometimes you can’t really differentiate between what you’re

doing as a member of the church and what you’re doing as a member of the community”, states Dorothy.

“We’re facing a crisis out here with the lack of rain. That single issue – a simple, single issue – defines a whole context of things in terms of ministry admissions and how it affords the church. We aren’t doing it harder than the city. The city is just doing it differently. I’ve always talked about the fact that in the rural church a lot of the issues are starker. To be the church in a place like this and to offer a voice into that is a real challenge”, states Simon.

“If you’re a farmer at the moment, you’re not only working incredibly hard, you’re also under incredible pressure, which is extraordinary. You’re facing a whole lot of things in terms of climate change, mining, the Murray-Darling Basin – they’re facing so many issues bigger than just the church. Certainly, the decline of resources in villages and watching services being taken out and education opportunities decline is very, very painful and hard.

“The decline in educational opportunities means more young people go off to universities or cities for jobs, and that makes it hard on those that are left, as well as the grief invoked. I think lay burnout is a real problem and that for some churches who are trying to get lay people to just replicate what the minister used to do are not finding that life giving or spiritually rewarding and are beginning to struggle.

“So we’re encouraging congregations and rural presbyteries to think beyond what was as to what might be appropriate for their community and their congregation”, said Rev. Bronwyn Murphy Lay Ministry, Discipleship, Education and Rural Ministry Consultant – Uniting Mission & Education.

Extending the hand of supportWhen you’re so close to the problem,

sometimes it’s hard to see the solution especially when you’ve spared no time to think or plan. Thanks to the resources of Uniting Mission & Education, and the voice of the Rural Ministry Unit, rural congregations are being offered some reprieve in the form of support.

“As the Lay Ministry, Discipleship, Education and Rural Ministry Consultant, my role is two-fold. I meet all

Dorothy Creek

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of their lay education needs and act as a mediator lobbying person or contact person for the rural church. I also do some networking with the existing ministers in placement and lay leaders, and help build relationships between the rural presbyteries.

“The demands are growing as the rural church faces more change and ordained clergy diminish. But as lay people embrace active discipleship and realise the vitality of faith, they want more education and resources. So it’s not all just about managing decline, it’s about growth and it’s about energy that’s building.

“We’ve got very limited resources. To improve local communications, we work with the rural church through presbyteries. If a congregation wants something, we get them in touch with their presbytery and then work out how can we meet the congregation’s needs and offer it to the wider church, the wider presbytery. I also equip local people to run courses for themselves by training them on content and how to present it.

“We don’t go out with all the answers because we don’t have them and that’s disrespectful to the wisdom that’s held within the place. But we will go out and consult and listen and talk through and try and find ways forward together, identifying possible answers”, offers Bronwyn.

“As the Chairperson of the Rural Ministry Unit, I've been working on encouraging the skills and talent of the members of the congregation, and encouraging them to be involved in different forms of leadership.

“The Rural Ministry Unit essentially is trying to provide some kind of coherent voice for the rural church. By no means is it the only voice and by no means a fully united voice, but a coherent voice for the rural church”, said Simon.

“When issues arise that are of national significance, like the Murray-Darling Basin or coal seam gas, we try to speak the voice into that issue. Equally, when it’s an issue of a less-focused nature, such as rural ministry in the church, the decline of rural communities, or rural congregations, we try to gather up the different thoughts and express them in a way that makes sense.

There is no shortage of hope, care and community spirit

“In terms of offering support, our congregation has been resourcing small congregations in to the region. Our congregation actually helps congregations within an hour’s drive of here with worship and ministry. We’re also exploring other ways to get involved in the community, like community gardens or effective uses for our properties”, said Simon.

the best place on earthIn rural communities where resources

are scarce, support limited and isolation is a way of life, there is no shortage of hope, care and community spirit.

“I find the people are very caring of each other. The lifestyle is wonderful. The little towns are really lovely places to live; they're great places to bring up kids. When someone recently asked me to describe what I saw as the difference between a city congregation and a country one I told them: ‘In the country they know what you put in your tea. You come up for a cup of tea they don't ask you if you have milk they just know”, laughs Barbara.

“Love the people. Love the country out here. It has really got into my blood. Just the magnitude of it. The size of the sky. The size of the horizon. The absolute beauty of the country, despite the droughts. But I just love the people out here and the way they cope with adversity. The way they're supportive of one and other.

The way they're open and welcoming”, reflects Will.

My congregation work within five minutes from the church. So I can have lunch with them all once a week, and that’s a very positive thing about being in the country”, says Simon.

“I think the rural church is far more resilient and tougher. It’s seen harder days. Crisis, whether it’s plague or flood or fire or drought, is common and so people just pick themselves up and get on with it”, states Bronwyn.

Looking to the futureWhile the majority of Australians

continue to belong to a Christian religion, according to the Censuses of Population and Housing, 1911 to 2011, the proportion has fallen by more than a third, from 96% in 1911 to 61% in 2011. In rural towns where populations are on the decline, this figure seems magnified. So what is the future for the rural church?

“There needs to be changes in expectations of what the rural church can and should be doing. There’s a greater need for cooperation between denominations in the rural church. If the church is going to be meaningful in communities, I believe there’s going to come a time when the smaller communities are going to have to move back to more of type a ‘community church’ where all Christians gather together.

“It’s hard to explain but I think for some people they just want everything to be the way they remember because everything else is changing yet they want something to stay the same”, said Dorothy.

“For Christianity to survive in the country, I really think we’re going to have to unite properly to survive. It's seems ludicrous that in a town our size there's 15 or 20 people meeting in three or four different buildings that all have to be maintained. These people are neighbours, friends and relations, yet on Sunday morning they go to their own church. I believe the people can see it needs to change. It’s the hierarchy that can't”, states Barbara.

“I think the concept of opening the door to the church and expecting people to flock in is something that might have worked quite well in the 1950s, but I

Rev. Simon Hansford

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Rev. Will Pearson

don’t believe it’s a solution for the 21st century.

“I don’t think the future is going to be so much based on numbers that can or can't support a minister, but more on whether a group of people with an alive and an active faith want to do something. Despite all the challenges, the church has been going for 2,000 years. I don’t believe God's finished with us yet.

“Certainly part of my role as a presbytery minister is to help people develop ways to see church differently to cope with church differently and not to have that expectation that, unlike everything else that we do, it would be exactly the same as it was in the 1950s,” states Will

“Unless we change, I believe we’re going to have congregations that are supported by the church. So your smaller towns are going to have resources given to them, shared with them, sent to them, offered to them. And all of them will be lay lead some voluntary, some paid.

“The worry for me is that the expertise needed to offer support and care won’t be there as much. Places like Tamworth, Dubbo and Orange will need to be congregations that are sinking at least half their time into resourcing those smaller communities and congregations.

“I think the rural church needs to be engaged, and I believe one of the key things we need to be doing for the future is to provide a mediation role in the community and conversations about issues such as coal seam gas and the Macquarie-Darling Basin. I think for a lot of congregations, engaging in

a community is a real challenge”, said Simon.

“I feel the future for the rural church has still got some hard things in it, but I think it’s quite vibrant and potent. There’s so much potential that while ever the good news exists, people will respond and listen, and want to share and serve.

Despite all the challenges the church

has been going for over 2,000 years

“It isn’t just that young people are going off to the cities for jobs and work. It’s really that the young people and the families, they don’t have a lot of interest in the traditional religion that we’ve had. And so the question is: how do we engage with and listen to them, and offer something of hope and joy and good news to our communities in a fresh way rather than needing to replicate what we’ve always known?

“I believe a congregation’s capacity to meet that challenge will determine its relevance to the future. And it’s about listening to where the church is called to be today, not trying to replicate where it was 50 years ago”, states Bronwyn.

“I have a strong conviction that the gospel calls us to places where it isn’t necessarily comfortable or easy and I think within the church that needs to be explored again. If people are serious that the gospel call calls them to difficult places, then why aren’t there more Christian doctors, nurses and teachers out here in the rural areas?

Facts and figuresIn 1901, 37% of the Australian population lived in major cities, with the balance living in rural areas. Today the opposite is true.

People’s identity with the Christian Faith varies between traditional farming areas and mining locations: it’s higher in traditional farming areas like wheat and sheep.

In all age groups under 45 the number of Christians has declined in rural areas. The complete opposite can be said for all age groups above 45, with a greatest increase in the 75 to 84 age group.

Just over one third of rural churches are located in small towns with a population of between 200 – 2,000 people.

The number one issue facing rural communities is drought followed by a decline in jobs and churches.

Nearly 60% of rural churches have regular congregations of between 1 – 25 people.

Half of rural churches are led by a single ordained leader.

65% of rural leaders have responsibility for multiple congregations.Source: The Christian Faith in Rural Australia, NCL Occasional Paper 9, National Church Life Survey November 2007.

Rev. Bronwyn Murphy

And the answer is because it’s more complicated and difficult than that. So we have to re-explore call and re-explore what it means to be the church”, says Simon.

“While-ever the church belongs to God; it will be used to serve the world. I have no doubt the rural church will be deeply committed to that goal in whatever form it takes. For the rural church, there’s a real need for lay preachers to continue their education because as ordained ministry declines, it means that congregations will only ever hear from those lay preachers and if they stopped reading and growing and learning, so will the congregation”, concludes Bronwyn.

Sarah Sullivan

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Imagine what might grow from a small, grassy patch at

the front of our building

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I n the coming months, Hope Uniting Church in Sydney’s coastal suburb of Maroubra will

launch an exciting new project—a community permaculture garden. Matt Anslow shares his story about how a community garden is bringing people together.

Community concern about environmental sustainability is growing in Maroubra no thanks to the rise of unit blocks. Not content with sitting back and letting the walls build up around them, Matt Anslow and his wife Ashlee decided to venture into a community garden project.

“We’re just a young married couple passionate about gardening and creation care. When we recently began attending the congregation, we recognised the potential for a community garden on the church property. We worked with others in the congregation to work on the idea, find funding, and develop an architectural plan and secure council approval”, said Matt.

Working toward a community garden was not a matter of simply trying to help

the church grow food or be sustainable. Nor was the idea a way of trying to appear relevant to the local community or attract people to the church. For Hope Uniting Church, this garden project represents an expression of what it means to really be the church.

“It is not enough for Christians to do things like start up community gardens in response to issues like climate change. The biblical story tells of a good world created by God, a world which humankind is created to care for. The church is meant to be people who imagine and embody such a way of life. Our attitudes, habits and practices shaped to reflect God’s love and care of all creation.

“More practically, our community garden is a way for us to draw together people in our wider community as an expression of the fact that human life is richer, more beautiful and more God-filled when we take the time to experience life with each other. Gardening will also form us into more Christ-like people since it requires faithfulness, hard work and patience”, states Matt.

Planting a seed of hope

How does your garden grow?While living at the Centre for Ministry, I planted a garden for the first time in my adult life. The earthiness of stories about God came to mind as I prepared the ground for planting. I remembered the creation story where God moulded mud and breathed life into the nostrils of the first human being. I dug, weeded, and lovingly placed tiny seedlings. The surprise of the reign-of-God appearing in unexpected ways and places was seen in a lush crop of self-seeded tomatoes, presumably growing out of the home-made compost my neighbour had strewn. The crop and its accompanying joy were plentiful.

I have returned to life in an apartment. No more garden beds for me. Except that now, my congregation is embarking on the adventure of a community garden. It is a congregation with a rich history of care with the environment. Project Green Church began its life here. It involved car sharing, grey water systems for student accommodation and the installation of solar panels.

Imagine...a place of tranquillity for workers in the middle of a busy day.

Imagine...raised garden beds that even elderly people can tend while gossiping together, mingling with a parents’ group drinking coffee with noisy toddlers admiring the chickens, and helped by the uni students from our community house.

Imagine...many languages shared through weeding, watering, sowing and harvesting food that can nourish dinner tables and conversation that builds relationships and community.

Imagine what might grow from a small, grassy patch at the front of our building.

Rev. Bec Lindsay, Congregational Development Minister, Hope Uniting Church Maroubra.

Matt Anslow and his wife Ashlee in their apartment garden

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T he church has come a long way in the last 20 years. That was the resounding

sentiment from the National Council of Churches triennial Safe as Churches? conference held in September.

Ecumenically, Christian churches have come together on a massive scale in the Safe Church Training Agreement with the common goal of making churches safer. It is not just about policy, but raising local awareness in our churches and our communities.

The Safe Churches Awareness Training has recently undergone a significant update in response to feedback from ministry leaders at the conference. Alongside discussions about duty of care and leadership and program safety, the workshop explores working with vulnerable adults – opening up conversation about bullying behaviours and elder abuse, as well as power dynamics, child protection and protective behaviours.

Raising local awareness in our

churches and communities

“The safe church workshop presenter is often in a unique position they need to raise awareness and speak to those sometimes awkward or unspoken issues (think bullying behaviour, child abuse, elder abuse, social media safety) as a neutral educator.

Raising these sensitive topics in an open and informative way, and stimulating conversation in small groups, can help empower people to speak up, to seek further help, or to start conversations for positive change in their home contexts.

The most encouraging part of these conferences is when people seem very grateful, positive and almost excited after a workshop because they feel more equipped and ready to make some positive steps in their own congregation. This is what’s it’s all about: serving leaders in congregations church councils, elders, youth/children/community ministry leaders, SRE teachers, and ministers.

Special Religious Education (SRE) in public schoolsThis past year has seen major developments in inter-church cooperation in SRE. This means more resources for teachers, parents and schools – with denominations wanting to raise the standard of SRE as a whole.

The peak-body group for SRE in NSW, the Inter-church Commission on Religious Education in Schools (ICCOREIS), has been working on a new brand of Christian SRE and putting together an agreed SRE Teacher Basic Training framework.

Since the initial conversations about this SRE training framework, more denominations are working together and so SRE teacher training is now happening in more places.

This year there has also seen a significant change in the guidelines for SRE in schools. Schools are now working under new SRE guidelines from the Department of Education and Communities. Next year, newly enrolled students with no religion listed on their enrolment form will be streamed into non-Scripture. To join an SRE class the parent will need to write a note to the school. However, the new guidelines state that parents are to be informed about SRE through school newsletters, the school website, and the enrolment information. Please help spread the

word that parents new to the school either need to nominate on the enrolment form or write a letter to the principle for their child to be in SRE.

The calendar for 2014 is still open for requests so keep an eye out. For more information or to request training in your area, please contact [email protected]

One of the teamAs the Safe Church Training and Special Religious Education (SRE) Coordinator, my role within is UME resourcing isn’t what you’d call ‘typical’. What I really enjoy is helping empower people in leadership, to help make processes as straightforward as possible, and to help free up people to use their God-given gifts and skills in the ways God has called them.

In most cases this means my interactions with the wider church are about helping people meet requirements – around SRE teacher authorisation, Working with Children Checks, Safe Church Awareness Training – all those essential things that make ministries happen in a safe way.

Emma Parr, SRE and Safe Churches, Uniting Mission and Education

An update from UME Safe as Churches?

If you are looking for assistance with any of the above, I’m at the end of the phone on 02 8838 8977 or online at [email protected]

There’s also a good chance you’ll find me facilitating a Safe Church workshop or SRE teacher course near you!

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Rev. Bradon French New Generation Consultant

Emma ParrSRE and Safe Churches

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I t seems everyone has a National Christian Youth Convention (NCYC) story. Maybe you attended back

in the 60s. Maybe your parents met at an NCYC. Maybe you’ve spent hours in a hot bus crossing the Nullarbor to attend.

But no-one has a Yuróra story. Yet. That’s because Yuróra is a new thing. It stands on the shoulders of NCYC giants and yells “Come and join in.”

Yuróra seeks to be a multicultural Christian festival of word, arts and action. It’s an exciting event unlike anything the Uniting Church has previously conceived. As a new expression of Christian gathering, Yuróra seeks to mobilise young people to experience Jesus, to act in faith, to shake the church and beyond. And everyone (yes, even you) is invited.

From 7 – 10 January 2014, the Centre for Ministry and the surrounding schools will be transformed into the Yuróra Festival Precinct. Young people from around Australia and Asia Pacific will gather for worship, teaching, celebration and adventure. An army of volunteers,

chaplains, teachers and performers will join in. Together, they’ll create new Yuróra stories.

Bible studies will be led by leaders from across the Uniting Church, including Elenie Poulos, Chris Budden, Ben Myers, Peter and Kathy Pereira, Haloti Kailahi, and a number of young adults.

International artists including Compliments of Gus, Garage Hymnal and Fatai V (from Channel Nine’s The Voice 2012) will lead the community in praise and worship. Poets and artists, including Cameron Semmens and Joel McKerrow, will share their talents and nurture the next generation of writers and performers. There will be representatives from UnitingCare, UnitingWorld, UnitingJustice, the UAICC and other Uniting Church organisations.

Yuróra also seeks to be family friendly, with a newly-announced special program for 13 - 15 year-olds who are related to a delegate, volunteer or contributor.

“As a young family in the Uniting Church we are incredibly excited that we are able to attend as delegates and

volunteers at the Yuróra NCYC 2014. Our children are looking forward to the variety of events on offer and the opportunity to meet new people who are passionate about exploring their faith. Nigel and I are looking forward to supporting the incredible Yuróra Management team as adult volunteers in the role of chaplains. Hope to see you all there. It's time to be passionate about God”, said Rev. Annette Hawken.

There are still opportunities for people to be involved. Delegates can continue to register until 30 November 2013. Volunteers are still needed to help ‘staff’ the event, particularly in the areas of catering, security, venue management and maintaining a helpful presence throughout the festival precinct.

Bradon French

Garage Hymnal

JoelMcKerrow

ComplimentsOf Gus

Fatai V

CameronSemmens

Yuróra The untold NCYC story

For more information, you can email us at [email protected], check out the website www.ncyc.com.au or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ncyc14

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T he President Rev. Prof Andrew Dutney and Aegation of Uniting Church leaders attended

a historic series of meetings with leaders from the China Christian Council (CCC) in four Chinese cities from 16-24 September.

“This was a unique opportunity to share with the CCC our experiences since the formation of the Uniting Church, and to reflect on our practices with a partner Church on a comparable journey,” said Rev. Prof. Dutney.

“This was a time of mutual learning.”

Delegates from the Uniting Church in Australia shared their vision and experience of a post-denominational church in meetings with the CCC in Shanghai, Nanjing, Hefei and Beijing.

The CCC has made a deliberate choice to reject denominationalism, pointing to its incompatibility with traditional Chinese culture and its contradiction within Christ’s own teachings.

“This trip has embodied Jesus prayers

for his disciples in John 17, that all who believe in him may be one,” said Rev. Prof. Dutney.

“It has enabled us to see clearly how in both the Chinese and Australian context, we are able to leave denominationalism behind us for the sake of the unity which is Christ’s gift and will for the Church.”

“This is the story of two churches, on two continents, in very different circumstances discovering that we’ve been on the same journey – it’s an exciting partnership.”

Delegates met in Nanjing at the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary for two days, spreading the message of ‘One Flock, One Shepherd’ and shared their vision for their own churches.

On a broader scale the Christian community is steadily growing in China with the CCC baptising 2.4 million Christians in the last five years, adding to the 24 million strong CCC community.

Leaders from the CCC tell Uniting Church delegates that three new

Pilgrimage finds partners on a shared

path to unity

churches are being built every day and that the Church is seeing unprecedented growth.

This growing Christian faith and evangelism in China has been an exciting experience for many in the CCC.

In conversation with Rev. Prof. Dutney, Dr Lin Manhong, Dean of the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary and recently elected Associate General Secretary of the CCC, said that the Chinese culture lends itself to a different kind of evangelism.

“The primary form of evangelism in our country is personal witness – in particular, the witness of a transformed life and of loving the neighbour,” said Dr Lin.

“Chinese people are pragmatic. They aren’t drawn to Christ by doctrine or intellectual argument but by seeing a transformation in a neighbour’s life,” remarked Dr Lin.

Rev. Prof. Dutney notes that Australians, like the Chinese, are also pragmatic people.

“As a nation, we’re not terribly interested in clever arguments or slick marketing,” said Rev. Prof. Dutney.

“Seeing a neighbour’s life transformed by Christ, however, that would be well worth looking into.”

“There is such a strong calibre of leadership coming through the CCC,” said Rev. Dr Kerry Enright, National Director of UnitingWorld.

“The CCC is not only focussed on theological issues but on greater societal issues, like the increasing need for aged care.”

Other members of the UCA delegation included Lin Hatfield Dodds, National Director of UnitingCare Australia, Stuart MacMillan, President-Elect of the Assembly, Rev. Dr Ji Zhang, Manager of Church Partnerships in Asia with UnitingWorld and Rev. Dr Tony Floyd, National Director of Multicultural and Cross Cultural Ministry.

The relationship between the CCC and the UCA looks set to grow even stronger in coming years through the work of UnitingWorld’s Church Partnerships program and continued visits and sharing, particularly in three areas: theological education, social services, and church-to-church dialogue.

Tilly South

The delegation members led by Rev. Prof Andrew Dutney with their Chinese hosts at the newly restored Trinity Church in Shanghai. All the windows of the Church were smashed during the Cultural Revolution.

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I n times where mobile technology is readily available and we’re constantly on our smart phones

to find something out online, it is important for us to appreciate that not everyone in Australia has that luxury.

Sadly, for parts of rural and remote Australia, access to technology is slow, poor quality and more expensive. In some areas, there is no service at all.

Rev. Colin Gordon is the Centralian Patrol Minister for Frontier Services. He services people right smack bang in the middle of our great Southern Land. To visit people he might travel by car for hours, but often he gets in his plane and flies. “Flying for two hours is a whole lot easier than being on the road for twenty four,” he said.

Colin carries both a mobile and a satellite phone as most of the time he’s not in areas that is covered by any mobile reception.

“Costs can be prohibitive, but it is also important to be contactable.”

Meanwhile in the Pilbara in Western Australia, Rev. John Dihm is the Patrol Minister who equally has his share of reception challenges. When we called the office we were told “You may, or may not

get him, depending on if he’s in range. He’s on the access road, so it depends where he is. It’s only 300 k’s away. Just keep trying.”

Just keep trying rolls out like a general greeting. ‘It’s pretty normal. I lose reception in various places. Same thing in the camps here – boys and girls in camp (fly in fly out workers) don’t get reception so they can’t get in touch with home. “

“Our one (internet connection) in Tom Price is slow. I had a day doing paperwork the other day and it’s that slow, it’s frustrating.

“I was out at a property near Marble Bar, last week. It was a million acres. They run cattle. It takes about six hours to get there. To give you an idea it takes the people working on the property a week to get the lick bars out for the cattle. They stay in touch with each other with a two way radio because they don’t have mobile coverage out there. Luckily they do have the internet at the homestead at least.”

Frontier Services is committed to digital equality and inclusion of remote and rural Australia and is a dedicated member of the Broadband for the Bush Alliance. This is a group of organisations that are committed to the digital equality and

inclusion of remote and rural Australia.

The Broadband for the Bush Alliance has been set up to coordinate and support trials, conduct research and to advocate for the best possible access to bridge the divide between city and country in the digital economy.

Peter Ryan, National Operations Manager at Frontier Services said: “We might take mobile and internet technology for granted but when your nearest neighbour can be hundreds of kilometres away, this technology is even more important in connecting people’s lives.

He emphasised the importance of both fixed and mobile services for people to access healthcare, banking services, business and for social connection.

“We want to see that communities anywhere in Australia can truly participate in the national and global digital economy.”

The Broadband for the Bush Alliance has been set up to bring about practical outcomes to improve communications everywhere. For our Patrol Ministers in remote Australia it would bring a welcome relief.

Netta Kovach, Frontier Services

Bridging the digital divide

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Updates from the General Secretary

Welcoming new placementsThe following placements/positions have been confirmed:• Rev. Chris Paine and Ms Helen Paine

(EC) will both start at Broome on 1 January 2014

• Rev. Maggie De Leeuw will be joining Ballina

• Rev. Sang Heon Ahn will join the Samil Congregation on 27 October 2013

• Rev. Hye Kyoung Lee joined Beecroft on 1 July 2013

In loving memory• Mrs Gwen Morgan, sister of

Rev. Bruce Westbrook, passed away on 11 September 2013

• Rev. Leslie Parson, father of Rev. Ian Pearson, passed away on 15 October 2013

A prayer for good health • Rev. Peter Pereira• Ms Freda Whitlam• Rev. Dr Robert McFarlane• Rev. Glenn Farquhar-Nicol• Rev. Mark Watt• Rev. Dr John Hirt

Induction/CommissioningHunter Presbytery, Upper Hunter Congregations, Pastor Richard Moors, Commissioning, 22 June 2013

Congratulations are in orderMr James Ellis and his partner Danni welcomed a baby daughter, Amelia Katharina Margaret Ellis, on 3 October 2013

Christmas CheerToronto UC is inviting congregations to participate in their annual Nativity

Display to be held from Thursday 5 December to Sunday 8 December at Toronto UC. Congregations are invited to loan nativities of any size for the duration of the display. If you have a nativity that you are willing to display, please phone: Toronto Church Office on 02 4950 4077 and leave a message if unattended or email: [email protected] Please provide a contact number and name.

Albury/Wodonga tertiary student accommodationRooms are still available in caring, supportive, Christian share-houses:• Wodonga Corner House www.

emmanuel.unitingchurch.org.au • Albury Olive Grove www.albury.

unitingchurch.org.au

Information of interest to individuals and congregations

Dear C ol league,The information listed below is required for the Synod’s data base. This information also forms the basis for the production of the Synod Directory each year.

As the Synod Directory is considered a public document, we are required under the Commonwealth Privacy Act to seek your consent before we publish this information.

Send the completed form to:SYNOD SECRETARIAT

PO Box A2178Sydney South NSW 1235

ORGANISATION

NameNew Name (If changed)Physical Address

Postal Address

Phone ( )Fax ( )

CHURCH COUNCIL SECRETARY

NamePhysical Address

Postal Address

Phone ( )Fax ( )MobileEmailSignatureDate

CHURCH COUNCIL TREASURY

NamePhysical Address

Postal Address


MINISTER

NameSpouse Name (if applicable)

Qualification

Year OrdainedD.O.B. Marriage Celebrant Number

WWCC Physical Address

Postal Address


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Advent and ChristmasLectionary Reflections

Advent 1 – December 1 Romans 13:11 – 14We would be naïve to forget that much of what Jesus had to say cuts against the grain of our consumer culture and the shopping frenzy, partying and overindulgence that Christmas often seems to have become for many people. These words of Paul set out a fairly stern and confronting challenge for us about how we might begin to plan our Christmas celebrations.

Advent 2 – December 8 Matthew 3:1 – 12John the Baptist called people to repentance to prepare for the coming of the messiah. Most would agree that we need to do it and that we usually pray about it each week in our worship services. However, can you remember when the last time was that you actually repented of something and made significant change in your life?

Advent 3 – December 15 Matthew 11:2 – 11

“And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” (Verse 6). The readings in Advent calling us as a church to wake from the sugary dreams of a commercial Christmas and better follow the way of Christ.

Advent 4 – December 22 Matthew 1:18 – 25Mary and Joseph, like many in the Bible, hear a calling from God, which radically places them outside the social and moral norms of their culture and which certainly makes the uncomfortable. God’s call is usually inconvenient.

Christmas - December 25 Titus 2:11 – 14The birth of a baby in a manger sets the scene for the way Jesus was to live. We are called to a discipleship, which centres on sacrificial love, compassion, mercy, and justice.

After Christmas 1 - December 28 Galatians 4:4 – 7

The joy of the Kingdom that Jesus brings is not about indulgence and self-satisfaction, but in seeing the redemption of creation and the liberation of people from the suffering of injustice, inequality and poverty.

How might we allow his words about: “Not in revelling and drunkenness…debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy,” (Romans 13:11 and 13) to shape our Christmas celebrations, both as the Church and as families?

In considering our lifestyle in the light of the word of John the Baptist, what might we need to repent of and turn around in our life as a Church, as well as individuals and families?

If someone was to do a justice and compassion audit of our Christmas spending, how offensive might it be to God and Jesus?

All of us have gifts and skills, and the Basis of Union (Par 13) affirms that all come with a call to ministry/service. How is God calling you to be inconvenienced?

How will we respond this year to God’s gift to us? What will our discipleship look like?

So as we take up this journey of Christian discipleship for another year, how might we better come into the presence of the Lord, that he may teach us his ways and we might follow in his path?

These reflections on Advent and Christmas were prepared by the Rev. Jon Humphries, Chaplain at Ravenswood School for Girls.

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Fellowship newsMid North C oast (South) Presbytery Ral lyThe Mid North Coast (South) Presbytery Rally was hosted in September by Chatham UC, led by Jan Christie. Groups shared their Annual Reports showing the many and varied outreach projects covered by those represented.

Many of the devotions for the day were sourced from ‘Food for the Journey’, with music provided by a recently acquired Hymnal Plus Music Machine from the UK.

Special stories were shared about treasured tea towels people had collected, and in the afternoon the talented U3A choir provided the entertainment. The day culminated in an inspiring communion service led by Lay Presider, Heather Bramble, with the offering going to another Presbytery Minister. UCAF Synod Committee members Janice Willis, Auriel Steverson and Laraine Jones also attended. Beechwood will host the 2014 Rally.

You’re invited to attend the Chatham UC’s celebrations to mark the dedication of their hall renovations on

20 November. Officiating will be The Moderator Rev. Dr Brian Brown.

A rural perspectiveThe Far North Presbytery Rally was celebrated at Alstonville with 80 people attending from eleven centres. Greetings were read from those unable to attend. Rev. Dorothy Gordon gave ‘Welcome to Country’ and Rev. John Thornton, new Presbytery chair, also spoke.

Special Guest Speaker Bronwyn Murphy, Lay Ministry Education, shared her life journey and role as Rural Ministry.

Those present enjoyed a long lunch, which let them enjoy plenty of fellowship and sharing. An offering of $500 went to Rural Ministry. Bangalow also conducted a Fair Trade Table.

On day two, the UCAF Synod Far West bus trip visited Narrabri and shared a delightful morning tea at the home of Margaret. Attendees heard firsthand about their congregation life and outreach programs and then headed back to Moree for lunch.

Moree has built a fantastic community garden and some of the produce was used for lunch. Many folk participated and enjoy its benefits. This project was supported by community, church and grants. All agreed it was a great time of fellowship.

Day three saw attendees join with two of the Inverell congregation for a tour of the church followed by morning tea. Later they joined members of the Morning Fellowship for lunch at a local cafe. Lots of chatter and fellowship was shared.

The final day saw the group head of Tamworth where they celebrated the Far North West Presbytery Rally at Tamworth UC. The last leg of the road trip was a late afternoon tea at Scone where the group enjoyed some more great fellowship and food.

It’s fair to say this area has some great projects going and the group heard later they successfully bid on a kitchen for one of the churches. A very wonderful time was had by all and it is great to show support for places in rural areas often facing great challenges.

Judy Hicks ([email protected])

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B efore there was any Apostles’ Creed, the earliest Christian confession consisted of just

two Greek words: Kyrios Iesous, “Jesus is Lord.” The Apostles’ Creed centres on this basic confession. All the other statements in the creed are like spokes on a wheel radiating from this hub; the confession that Jesus is Lord.

Creeds are often denounced as cold didactic summaries of doctrinal ideas. But the heart of the Apostles’ Creed is not a doctrine, an idea, or a theory. The heart of the creed is a name. The centre of Christian faith is not an idea but a personal relationship. The heart of our faith is not a theory about Jesus but loyal and loving attachment to the person of Jesus.

A later Christian confession, the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), captures this personal dimension when it begins with the question and answer: “What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own, but belong – body and soul, in life and in death – to my faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ.”

Attachment to Jesus is of course intensely personal, but it’s not a private matter. Paul reminds the Philippians that one day all worldly powers and authorities will speak the name of Jesus and confess that “Jesus is Lord” (Phil 2:9-11). In confessing Jesus’ lordship for ourselves, then, we are also making a universal claim. The lordship of Jesus is the hidden truth of every human life. It is the hidden truth of human history. It is the hidden truth of creation itself (Col 1:15-17).

Such universal statements might sound insensitive or even oppressive to our pluralistic ears. And there is no doubt that Christians have at times used their universal message to legitimate oppression and injustice. Rightly understood, however, the message of Jesus’ lordship is good

news. It is a message of hope, joy, and liberation for all people and for all creation.

Let me give an example. In the hierarchical society of the ancient world, there were rigidly defined relationships between men and women, Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free persons. The Christian community was the one place where all these human beings would gather together without distinction. Man and woman, slave and free, Jew and Greek – all came to the same baptismal waters, and all made the same confession that “Jesus is Lord.”

The centre of Christian faith is not

an idea but a personal relationship

Thus very early in the church’s history, we find Paul writing to a Christian slave-owner, urging him to regard his Christian slave as “no longer a slave…but a beloved brother” (Philemon 16). By the fourth century, the Christian preacher Gregory of Nyssa mounted a scathing attack on the institution of slavery. Interestingly, Gregory didn’t rely on modern ideas of individual rights and liberties. As he saw it, the problem with slavery was that it creates a false lordship. By making one person the owner of another, human beings claim an authority that belongs only to God. As Gregory puts it, “you have forgotten the limits of your authority.” The world has only one true Lord – and this Lord “does not enslave,” but “calls us to freedom” (Gregory, Fourth Homily on Ecclesiastes).

Because Jesus is Lord – a universal Lord – all worldly power is limited and provisional. Because Jesus is Lord, all human beings are elevated to the same level. They owe their ultimate allegiance not to one another, but

Belief matters “And in Jesus Christ, God’s only

Son, our Lord…”

only to Christ. Before Christ, they are able to recognise one another as sisters and brothers.

Slavery didn’t vanish all at once. But when slaves and free persons stood side by side and confessed that Jesus is Lord, slavery’s days were numbered. When the early Christians entered the waters of baptism and took the name of Jesus on their lips, the tectonic plates shifted, and the slow revolution had begun.

Dr Ben Myers is Lecturer in Systematic Theology at United Theological College

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Culture watchThe deafening sound

of silenceH ave you tried a Facebook

fast? Tried to spend a week without your smartphone? In

the old days the 40-hour Famine was about fasting from food in the hope we would somehow come to grips with understanding what it’s like to go without. These days it’s about technology fasts; and the desire to be able to strike up a conversation with a real human instead of our 350 Facebook ‘friends’.

With technology bombarding us every minute, we’re always switched ‘on’ to it. And so it begs the question: Can we truly be silent?

Alfonso Cuarón’s recent blockbuster film, Gravity, was a startling look at the implications of silence wrapped up in an intelligent edge-of-your-seat thriller. The story follows a catastrophic event in space that cuts off protagonists Dr Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) from everything, plunging them into the blackness and silence of space. The deafening silence tells them they have

lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left.

In one scene Stone reflects that she prefers the silence of space. Once she is set adrift with only the sound of her voice she begins to reflect on her life. Thoughts of not being taught to pray and the loss of her daughter in a freak accident begin to flood her subconscious. Even the opening scene of the film is almost unbearably, absolutely silent as we find our protagonists floating above high the massive expanse of earth in the vacuum of space.

Another clever metaphor in Gravity is the idea that we live with our personal sense of gravity off balance. Contrary to our self-talk, we are not the centre of the universe; our problems are insignificant in the scheme of life on earth.

The universe is vast, we are small.

In silence we are made aware of our smallness and conversely, God’s

largesse. Being still and silent can also help us focus on the ‘still small voice’ of God.

Reknowned US psychologist Louis C.K. recently said that as a society, we have lost the ability to be by ourselves. We are so connected to our technology that sitting still has become impossible. He says we need to: “Build an ability to just be ourselves and not be doing something.”

This is one of the reasons he doesn’t want his children to have mobile phones. Mobile phones, he believes, are taking away “our ability to just sit there and reflect”.

While we may never have the opportunity to discover the wonder and silence of space (although I have to admit the film Gravity allows you to experience it quite well), we do have the ability to turn off the smartphone and contemplate silence, and reflect on our lives, our place in the world and our relationship to the still small voice of God.

Adrian Drayton

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Entertain me

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (M)Can there be a more anticipated film this year? The sequel to the highly successful young adult fiction phenomenon The Hunger Games has a lot to live up to.

At the time of going to print Insights hadn’t previewed the film, but based on the book, the movie will again be asking viewers to consider the brutal journey of Katniss (Jennifer Laurence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcheson) as they are forced once again into the games arena for a life and death struggle in the75th Annual Hunger Games, known as the Quarter Quell.

Insensed that Katniss has come to symbolise freedom for the oppressed people in the districts of Panem, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) intends to put down the rebellion by any means possible.

It is easy to understand the wide appeal of The Hunger Games series. Author Suzanne Collins’ treats her young adult audience with intelligence and the books examine subjects like personal freedom and sacrifice, poverty and systematic oppression.

The Dangerous Act of Worship - Mark Labberton

The Dangerous Act of Worship is a must read for all people in the Church today, especially those who are interested in the future of the Church. Whether it is a new idea for your or you just need a refreshing of the idea, this book reminds us that worship is far more than just what happens in a ‘worship service.’

But readers beware! As the title suggests, The Dangerous Act of Worship is not just a book you read and walk away from.

It radically challenges us to rethink much of what is central and not central to the way most congregations ‘do’ Church. It is definitely worth picking up.

Jon Humphries

To the Wonder (M),Like The Tree of Life, To the Wonder is a visual and aural experience with an ethereal quality. The cinematography is breathtaking. However unlike its predecessor, it doesn’t have the substance to support its style.

Despite an impressive principal cast, including Olga Kurylenko, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams and Javier Bardem, director Terence Malick’s camera doesn’t treat them that way.

To the Wonder has an impassioned spirituality. You can’t help but feel there is an autobiographical element to character Father Quintana’s longing to again experience the presence of Christ in the world around him. Unfortunately though, the film lacks clarity, with the vagueness of its events, characters and themes more likely to leave you scratching your head than deep in philosophical reflection.

Duncan McLean

www. restorationvil lagearts.orgA great resource for multimedia presentations and design, Restoration Village Arts is a repository of ideas and creative arts. Its mission is to support this community of artists for the sake of transformative peacemaking.

We Are Young and Free, Hil lsong Young and Free

Much like its predecessor, Hillsong United, Young and Free aims to reach an even younger audience than the ones that currently tune into United. It offers a huge array of worship numbers, with new and vibrant songs such as Wake, Love Goes On and End Of Days destined to become anthemic classics.

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