Every day, we are in a position to create peace in our lives and for the people around us. If you need some positive ways to promote peace, Elsa Samuel recommends these sites.
Month: November 2018
The Wind Blows Where it Chooses, by Kevin Treston, Coventry Press, 2018
Kevin Treston’s passion is communicating faith in our context. His focus on emerging Christianity might be summed up in words of Bernard Häring: “If the church does not listen to the world, the world will never listen to the church.”
Treston seeks to listen well, noting consumerism, materialism, loss of ultimate meaning, disconnection between humans and the natural world, and Christian reluctance to reframe the Christ story within the universe story, among others. He advocates engagement with the paradoxes and ambiguities of life.
Treston also seeks to read the Gospels for this time and a need to reconsider tradition. For instance, he sees an obsession with sin as needing to be reframed, and describes resurrection as a cosmic event – for the whole of creation and not just humans. He follows with discussion about the life of the church and personal spirituality, ending with ‘Reflections,’ where he offers specific means of enriching spiritual life.
Treston aims at enabling conversations that promote holistic approaches to Christian faith and life. Although a Roman Catholic, he seeks to speak to all Christians to encourage connection with people, so that the gospel may be shared in this context.
Ian Tozer
The Girl in the Ice: by Robert Bryndza, Hachette, 2017
The Girl in the Ice, an international bestseller, is the first book in the Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Erika Foster by British writer, Robert Bryndza.
Erika returns to work prematurely after some time off from a botched drug raid, where her bad judgement resulted in the death of her police officer husband and some team members. This traumatic experience leaves her a changed woman, harbouring a sea of guilt. Known for her skill in closing rape and murder cases, she answers a call from the South London police department to step in as the lead investigator of a highly publicised homicide investigation.
Andrea Douglas-Brown, found frozen in a lake in South London, is a beautiful, wealthy socialite and daughter of a prominent businessman and influential Labour Peer who demands justice for his daughter’s brutal death. Erika’s mission is to find the killer, manage police politics, deal with Andrea’s family and patch up her broken life. Despite the push back from her police peers and Andrea’s family, Erika is tenacious and her nononsense style made me want to high five her.
“Now, DCI Sparks, you are in danger of contaminating the crime scene. If you wish to continue to observe, I’ll ask that you follow proper procedure, suit up and shut up.”
She does comes across as cold, sometimes irrational, but as her story unfolds throughout the book, we see her vulnerability beneath the hard exterior. I admired her determination to do the right thing, even if it means pushing for answers until it physically hurts. The closer she was to connecting the dots, the more her life was at risk.
Between staring at a computer screen at work, juggling kids, chores, binge-watching Netflix and connecting on social media, we’re spending an average of 80 per cent of our time indoors. Unfortunately, this isn’t doing us or our families any good. Here are some quick, beneficial reasons to unplug and step outside.
Busselton Uniting Church recently welcomed 35 new people into their congregation. Church leaders joined newcomers for a sit-down meal and an opportunity to get to know one another.
Over the weekend more than 60 people gathered for the Perth Peacemaking Conference to coincide with the 100 year anniversary of the end of WW1.
An impressive range of speakers provided insight, challenge and inspiration as the group considered what has been learnt 100 years on. Are we moving towards a more peaceful world? What can we do to be better peacemakers?
The Uniting Church WA held a worship service last night, Tuesday 13 November, to celebrate education and formation throughout the year. Dr Elaine Ledgerwood was also commissioned as the new Presbytery Minister Education and Training, and a Closure of Placement Service was held for Rev Dr John Squires. John has been the Director of Education and Formation with the Uniting Church WA for the past two years.
The service was led by Rev Lorraine Stokes, Chair of the Presbytery of WA, and reflections were offered by Rev Bev Fabb, Chair of the Commission for Education for Discipleship and Leadership (CEDAL). It was held at All Saints Floreat Uniting Church.
What do you get if you combine 41 adults, 19 children, fun, sun, sand, activities, a campfire, and lots of conversation? The recent combined Star Street and Maylands – Mt Lawley Uniting Church Camp!
Dr Holly Catterton Allen is a leading academic researcher, author and teacher in the field of intergenerational ministry. In July this year, she spoke at the two-day ‘Embracing Intergenerational Ministry Workshop’ at the Centre of Theology and Ministry, Uniting Church Victoria and Tasmania. A group of six from the Presbytery of WA travelled to Melbourne to attend.
The ecumenical event included representation from the Church of Christ, the Salvation Army, the Baptist Church, the Anglican Church and the Uniting Church, with both lay and ordained leaders in attendance. Holly was also the speaker at conferences in Adelaide and Sydney.
St George’s Cathedral Perth will play host this weekend to a once-in-a-lifetime ecumenical commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the end of World War 1, and a commitment to making peace in 2018. The Perth Peacemaking Conference will bring together headline interstate presenters, local peace activists, and practical opportunities for peacemaking.
Kate Leaney, Social Justice Officer for the Uniting Church in Western Australia, has been one of the key organisers of the event along with other members of the Ecumenical Social Justice Roundtable.