The Commission for Education for Discipleship and Leadership (CEDAL) held their End of Year Celebration last week at South Perth Uniting Church.
Rev Dr Anne Wright, Director of Education and Formation for the Uniting Church WA, said that due to an increase in students and candidates for ministry in the Presbytery of WA, this year’s celebration service was held a little differently to usual, with a café style worship.
Some of the Uniting Church WA candidates for ministry have children, so upon realising there would be at least ten children present, Anne said CEDAL decided to make things a little more interesting for them.
“We thought that rather than give the children sheets to work on up the back, that we would instead do something intergenerationally focused.”
Over the evening, those present were invited to reflect on their call using a clip from the Lion King movie, plus consider the biblical readings with a dramatisation, and join in an activity considering their journeys in life. Children from Nedlands Uniting Church performed the music for the 60 to 70 people who attended the celebration.
Anne said it was a lively and enjoyable event which celebrated the diversity of the Uniting Church.
“It was very intercultural, nearly half the people there were from our CALD [Culturally and Linguistically Diverse] congregations so it was quite an intercultural experience,” Anne said.
“This was an opportunity where we came because we were celebrating the Perth Theological Hall, but what you got was an intercultural experience.
“This is what the Uniting Church is,” she said. “It was very upbeat and positive and it’s probably the most positive thing I’ve been to all year.”
CEDAL are heading into 2021 looking forward to another year of formation and discipleship with students and the wider church, including a range of events involving opportunities with the Thrive Mission Committee, Summer Spirit, a Walking on Country event, and a pilgrimage to Israel.
To find out more about study options with the Uniting Church WA or to get in touch with the CEDAL team, email cedal@wa.uca.org.au.
