Month: September 2017

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Stories & Feature Articles

Review: The Church Guide to Making Decisions Together

By Terence Corkin and Julie Kuhn Wallace, Abingdon Press, 2017

In an Easter article, former Uniting Church President Jill Tabart ruefully observed, “The consensus model is not being used to its best effect across the entire church.”

I agree with her.

What a pity not to use, dare I say to waste, the primary means of discernment that groups of people have available to them. Discernment is a community process of listening to each other and the Spirit, whereas the traditional western rules of meetings are there to facilitate arguments.

In a world which is now more divided, and decisions more difficult, our former General Secretary of the Assembly, Terence Corkin, was so convinced we needed to revisit consensus decision making processes that he, with an American Methodist Julia Wallace, has written this helpful how-to book, The Church Guide for Making Decisions Together. The book is a timely opportunity for leaders to re-visit the importance of the way we make decisions.

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Stories & Feature Articles

Peacemakers in the world

Peace is a central concern of the Christian faith. The words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount are ones that have registered strongly in the minds of his followers ever since they were first expressed.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Jesus’ disciples are to be active in seeking peace and reconciliation. Peacemaking is linked to other qualities such as righteousness and mercy (Matthew 5:6-7).

Peace is multifaceted. It involves not  only peace with one another and peace in society, but also peace with God, inner peace and peace with creation itself. Theologically, the Christian faith holds that while we are “made in the image of God,” with amazing capacities, we are also sinful with a bias towards selfinterest at the expense of others. We were created for relationship with God and others, but so often misuse our God given freedom and gifts for selfish ends resulting in alienation, tension and conflict.

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Social Impact

Calls for peace and safety for Rohingyan people

According to the United Nation’s Refugee Agency the UNHCR, there are now over 412,000 Rohingya refugees estimated to have fled to Bangladesh since 25 August. This is a massive humanitarian crisis in our region and according to Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, a situation requiring the urgent attention and action of world leaders.

The Moderator joined with a number of faith leaders on Saturday 16 September on the steps of Parliament House to add his voice for peace in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.

“Aung San Suu Kyi has earned a Nobel Peace Prize for her work supporting democratic reforms for her people, so we know the capacity and willingness to work for peace is present – we now urge her to stand up for the Rohingyan people too. All people, no matter their ethnicity or religion deserve human rights,” Steve said.

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Stories & Feature Articles

From the Archives: Thriving at School

This year the Uniting Church in Australia celebrates its 40th anniversary. Throughout 2017, Revive will feature significant events in the life of the church during that time. This edition, we focus on Uniting Church WA schools.

At the time of Union, five schools became part of the Uniting Church WA network. Methodist Ladies’ College, Penrhos College, Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Scotch College and Wesley College were all in operation many years before the Uniting Church formed. These schools have rich traditions and have celebrated many milestones and new initiatives.

Since Union, the Uniting Church WA has opened three schools.

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News & Announcements

Closing chorus for printed version of Together in Song

There will be no new printings or editions of Together in Song (Australian Hymn Book II), the hymn book most widely used in the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA).

Publisher HarperCollins has told The Australian Hymn Book company, the ecumenical body that produces the hymnal, that it will not renew licence agreements with copyright holders when they  expire in 2018.

“Parishes, schools and other institutions contemplating introducing the hymn book, or those who require additional copies of congregational or full music editions would be well advised to place  new orders soon because the book will no longer be available once the copyright agreements have terminated,” the Australian Hymn Book company said.

Australian Hymn Book company director Philip Nicholls, said HarperCollins would have decided that it was not worth their while to renew the 12,000 copyright arrangements. He said when Together in Song (TIS) was first published in 1999 it would have been expected that the 20-year deal on licences would be renewed when the time came.

“No one foresaw so much of a move online. People worship in a different way now,” Philip said.

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Social Impact

Newstart and Youth Allowance payments trapping people in a poverty cycle

The Uniting Church Western Australia has called on the Federal Government to make an immediate commitment to increase Newstart and Youth Allowance payments to allow thousands of vulnerable Australians to live in dignity above the poverty line.

The proposal was agreed at the church’s 41st Annual Synod over the weekend, with church members, congregations, schools and agencies urged to support the push and lobby their Federal Members as part of Anti-Poverty Week activities (Sunday 15 to Saturday 21 October 2017).

Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, said the current rate for Newstart and Youth Allowance was significantly below the ACOSS poverty line and change was needed urgently to help people break free of the poverty cycle.

“At Synod we unanimously agreed to lobby the Federal Government to commit to an immediate process to increase Newstart and Youth Allowance payments to provide recipients with the resources to live above the poverty line,” Steve said.

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Stories & Feature Articles

York celebrates 165 years

On Sunday 20 August 2017 York Uniting Church celebrated 165 years of a worshipping presence in the Avon Valley town. A fairly chilly day, so typical of winters in York,  the congregation joined with many friends to celebrate and give thanks. And what a celebration!

We began with our normal 9.30am worship service which was led by Rev Ruth Vertigan, who is part of the Rural Ministry Team and is our regional co-ordinator. Ruth attended the York Wesleyan Methodist Church (as it was then known) as a child so it was fitting that she come and lead the worship service on the morning of the anniversary. After morning tea we rushed home to gather the ‘good food’ for the afternoon tea which was to follow our planned ‘Pleasant Sunday Afternoon Concert.’

This anniversary concert is a very popular event in York, and this year at 2.00pm the church rang with the sound of 130 people singing Advance Australia Fair – a rousing start to the program organised by June Dawson.

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Stories & Feature Articles

Youth group building intergenerational relationships

Arising out of a need in the congregation, the Maylands Mt Lawley Uniting Church Youth Group began in February 2016. After a year of being in operation, it is a much loved activity of the church.

Rev Kim Francis, Minister at Maylands Mt Lawley Uniting Church, co-ordinates the Youth Group alongside her son, Joel Francis, and Liz Lee, a member of the congregation, with the help of other parent volunteers. The group has about ten members, with around six attending each week. Some are members of the congregation, who also bring along friends.

Each Sunday, from 12noon–2.00pm, young people in years 6–12 share food, activities and discussion. Sometimes the group meet at the church, other times they head out and about. Outings have included activities like badminton, mini golf, kayaking, rock climbing and sailing.

Once a term they hold a cooking competition, and every week they enjoy a simple, but varied lunch together. Occasionally, they also meet with other youth groups from The Billabong, Mt Pleasant and Nedlands Uniting Churches, and they have worked through the Alpha Youth Film Series, a course designed to create conversations for young people exploring life, faith and meaning.

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News & Announcements

Mission Fellowship celebrates

Uniting Church Mission Fellowship (UCMF) celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Uniting Church in Australia with three speakers: one who was at the inaugural service, one who was born into the Uniting Church, and one who came in from another denomination.

Rev Geoff Blyth gave us some understanding of the planning, the discussion, the argument and the scrutiny leading up to Union. It wasn’t all easy. The day of Union must have been so exciting with representatives from the Congregational, the Methodist and the Presbyterian churches meeting in different locations for official signings, then all processing to congregate together at the  Sydney Town Hall.

Our second speaker wasn’t even born forty years ago. Alexandra Bingham, Co-ordinator of Partnerships with UnitingWorld SA and WA, gave us an insight into some of the projects in other parts of the world. They are working together to help disadvantaged communities become more independent. What an inspiration!

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News & Announcements

Claire Pickering: Called to something different

Rev Claire Pickering was ordained as a Minister of the Word on Saturday 2 September 2017 at Bicton Uniting Church.

Rev Trevor Waters, Chair of the Uniting Church WA Pastoral Relations Committee, shared Claire’s path to ordination with the congregation. He said that she has been on a life-long journey of faith, raised as a minister’s daughter.

She first felt the call at around age 18, in 1997. However, it wasn’t until mid 2005 that she surrendered to her call to ministry. After a period of discernment, Claire transferred her ministry training to the Uniting Church VIC TAS in 2008. In 2011 she made the difficult decision to delay her ordination, and in 2015 she continued the path.

Claire is currently in placement as the chaplain at Penrhos College, a role she took up in 2016.

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