Category: Education & Training

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Education & Training

Developing assets for a brighter future

Training for the 40 Developmental Assets in a congregational setting will once again be taking place in Perth. The First Third team present this valuable training, which will help people  understand the qualities that young people need to grow into caring, responsible and productive adults. Researched by the Search Institute and released in 1990, the 40 Developmental Assets  is changing the way people work with and relate to young people around the globe. This research is regularly being extended and deepened to stay trustworthy and current.

The assets outline a range of qualities that will help young people as they develop, such as support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, time management, commitment, positive  values, social competencies and positive identity. Leading the training will be Rick Morrell, First Third Ministry co-ordinator of the Uniting Church WA and Rick Pekan, young adult and small  group coordinator at Nedlands Uniting Church. Both are experienced leaders and  trainers in the ‘Asset’ approach.

Rick Morrell believes that the training will be immediately accessible by those who are present.

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Diaconal ministry: Faith at work in the everyday

While kangaroo tails are cooked and smoke billows above an inner city church courtyard on a balmy summer’s evening, stories are told by indigenous people. During morning worship, chairs are stacked in a haphazard pile to express sorrow over injustices experienced by the marginalized. Encouragement is given through Biblical stories of women and men who show their faith in Christ by listening, serving and forming new worshipping communities.

These are a few examples of the diverse and enriching experiences of the Deacon Intensive (for candidates) and the national DUCA (Diakonia in the Uniting Church in Australia) Conference that was held in February in Adelaide over two weeks.

The candidates were a diverse group, including two indigenous leaders, an Irish pastor, a Filipino journalist and an African-American woman, as well as several Australians, all with long experience of diaconal ministry. The candidates in the first week participated in worship, Bible studies, discussions, and immersion visits to a prison, refugee place of welcome and a community garden. Evening sessions, facilitated by Rev Dr Steve Taylor, Principal of Uniting College and Senior Lecturer at Flinders University, further extended their engagement with mission and community service.

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Education & Training

Faith Formation follow-up

In a follow-up from John Roberto’s visit to Perth last year for the Faith Formation 2020 workshop, Craig Mitchell, national director of Formation, Education and Discipleship (FED) at the Uniting Church in Australia, will be holding a workshop in  Perth designed to refresh and build on what was learnt. Due to the onset of technology, there have been significant  changes to the way we communicate and learn. We now live in a ‘mobile revolution’ where mobile devices have changed the  way we access information, making it portable and personal. Thanks to social media, anyone can now be a ‘content creator’ and engage in online conversation on any topic.

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Education & Training

Changing and growing on a life-long journey

Although he’s just started in a newly created role, Craig Mitchell is no stranger to the Uniting Church, having worked in the organisation in various ways for over 30 years.

As the new national director for Formation, Education and Discipleship (FED) at the Uniting Church in Australia, National Assembly, Craig’s job is to resource synods, presbyteries and congregations in their journey as lifelong communities of discipleship. Engaging people in a lifelong journey of faith has been something the Uniting Church has struggled with over recent decades – it’s part of the reason the church is declining.

Craig is hoping to turn that around into the future, building a Uniting Church with members who are active and thoughtful in their faith, from the cradle to the grave.

And it’s no easy task.

Craig said that a culture change is needed in the way the Uniting Church approaches faith formation.

“It’s not just about Sunday school or just about raising the next generation of church members,” he said. “Let’s have a more dynamic view of people growing in faith to be on about what Gods’ on about in the world.”

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Education & Training

Faith formation in a digital age

The John Roberto Faith Formation conference was held from 22-23 August in Perth and was hosted by the Uniting Church in WA’s First Third team and the Commission for Education for Discipleship and Leadership (CEDAL) in association with Anglican Youth Ministry and Catholic Youth Ministry. John guided participants through a weekend of building faith formation in their communities – including  online. Here’s what some of the attendees thought.

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