Category: Events

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Hospitality fundraiser for the IDPC – Leeming Uniting Church

Leeming Uniting Church's fundraising dinner for the Uniting Church WA's International Partnerships and Development Commission.

The Uniting Church WA International Partnerships and Development Commission (IDPC) is engaged with four key partners: in West Papua, Timor Leste, West Timor, and Sri Lanka.

During COVID-19, all the partners have had to adapt to the crisis to promote health advice, support access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and basic sanitation and hygiene, as well as support access to emergency food supplies due to broken supply lines. With the impact of COVID-19 on our international partner churches, there was a call for more support.

Leeming Uniting Church responded by donating the money from our annual fundraising dinner to be held in February to this worthy cause. The congregation also agreed to match all money raised dollar for dollar.  Sadly, due to a COVID-19 shutdown this was postponed to later in the year. Due to the need for urgent funds, Leeming donated $2 500 in anticipation of raising that amount. 

The event was eventually held on Saturday 9 October with Rev Brian Thorpe and Lyn Callaghan, members  of the IDPC, speaking at our service prior to that, inspiring us with stories of IDPC projects.

At our annual fundraising dinner, held at Leeming Uniting Church member’s Shirl and Roy Francis’ home, we normally aim for 60 guests where we serve a three-course meal with alternate plate drops. We ask for a minimum donation which is collected on an honour basis. With raffles and the generosity of those attending who enjoy their meal and are willing to pay more, we are usually able to raise a generous amount of money. 

Although this is a fundraiser it is also an opportunity for us to build relationships with those in the community as we invite our friends, family and neighbours to share a meal with us. A team of volunteers under the co-ordination of Shirl Francis work hard to make this happen. We have chop-slice-dicers, those who help set-up, those who plate up, serve, clean-up and of course those who spend the time to invite their friends – as without that we would not raise much money. 

Our attendance numbers were down to 41 in October due to many various circumstances. All we could do was place it in God’s hands and hope that we could raise the $2 500 already gifted.

God never disappoints. Despite our low numbers we exceeded all expectations and made a profit of just over $3 200. This means that the IDPC can expect the balance of about $3 900 shortly.

Thank you to all those that attended and helped, and to Brian, Jan and Lyn who volunteered to help serve. Never underestimate the gift of hospitality. God can use that in a powerful way.

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Worship Together this Christmas

Susy Thomas, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, invites you to the Worship Together Christmas Celebration.

It will be held on Sunday 12 December, on the Lower Great Court lawn of Methodist Ladies’ College (MLC), 356 Stirling Highway, Claremont. Gates will open at 4.00pm, with Christmas Carols to begin at 5.00pm.

Chris Lock, from 98five Sunshine FM will MC this fun, family friendly evening.

The event will be a sunset Christmas celebration for the whole Uniting Church WA family, and the wider community, to come together and enjoy the Christmas season.

Come along to enjoy music by the Victoria Park Brass Band, as well as from members of the Uniting Church WA. There’ll also be a sausage sizzle, plus ice-cream and coffee vans.

Bring down a rug, picnic chairs, and a picnic dinner to enjoy carols and community.

“Come and join us as we celebrate the birth of Christ together as one people of the Uniting Church WA,” said Susy.

“Christmas is such a special and joyous time. I am delighted to be able to share in this Christmas event with you, and to spend an evening praising God and reflecting on the birth of Jesus, as one church.”

For more information, email maree.kemp@wa.uca.org.au or call the Uniting Church Centre on 9260 9800.

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Trust in God: Synod members meet

Members of the Uniting Church WA will come together for the 45th Annual Meeting of the Synod of Western Australia at Scotch College from Saturday 11 to Sunday 12  September.

An opening worship, to which everyone is welcome, will be held at 7.00pm on Friday 10 September in the Scotch College Chapel.

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Explore your calling at this year’s Ministry Expo

Are you looking for fulfilling work that spreads the Christian gospel of justice, love, and hope? Do you feel God may be calling you to ministry in the Uniting Church WA?

The Ministry Expo will provide you with information on the various possibilities for ministry for both lay and ordained in the Uniting Church.

At the expo, you will hear meet people who have walked the path or who are currently in ministry formation. You will learn about the various ministries of the church, what they involve and what it is like to serve in that ministry. You will also learn about how to engage in a Period of Discernment – a year-long journey of seriously considering God’s call on your life.

You can read more about Rev Sione Lea’aetoa’s experience doing a Period of Discernment here.

This year’s speakers are as follows:

  • Rev Sione Lea’aetoa, newly ordained minister will welcome us to St Andrews Uniting Church
  • Rev Lorraine Stokes will speak about being a Minister of the Word
  • Rev Andy Broadbent will speak about being a Deacon
  • Julie Ridden will speak about being a Pastor
  • Shirley Francis or Mary Riley will speak about being a Lay Preacher
  • Rev Steve Francis will speak about being a school chaplain.
  • Susan Sydney Smith will speak about doing a Period of Discernment
  • Samuel Annan will speak about the process of candidating and beginning formation.
  • Rev Dr Herman Neinaber will speak about transitioning from another church into the UCA
  • Rev Dr Anne Wright will speak about education opportunities available through CEDAL.
  • Susy Thomas will lead the closing prayers.

Are number of videos about the types of ministry in the Uniting Church WA are available to watch on YouTube, which congregations are encouraged to to share within worship over the coming weeks. Pastor Lindsay Ginn shares his experience as a Pastor; Mary Riley shares her experience as a Lay Preacher; Rev Andy Broadbent shares his experiences as a Deacon; and Rev Lorraine Stokes shares her experiences as a Minister of the Word.

There are also videos available from Carolyn Ebell, talking about the Period of Discernment, and Rev Hannes Halgren, sharing his experience as becoming a Uniting Church WA Minister from another denomination.

The Ministry Expo 2021 is a free event that will take place from 7.00 to 9.00pm on Thursday 20 May at St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Perth. RSVP by Monday 17 May to candidates.ministry@wa.uca.org.au.

You are also welcome to join the event via Zoom and will be sent a link following registration. Please advise whether you are joining in-person or via Zoom when you register.

Find out more information and download a flyer on the Uniting Church WA website.

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Fundraising concert for Bush Chaplaincy

Swan View Uniting Church is hosting a fundraising concert on Saturday, 1 May at 7pm in aid of Bush Chaplaincy.

Bush Chaplains all over Australia fulfil a difficult, yet much-needed role. They are often on the frontline and can identify any issues being faced by communities and individuals in the bush through sharing a cuppa and a chat.

They lend a sympathetic ear, refer people to other service providers as appropriate and provide practical, pastoral and spiritual support to those in need.

Travelling tens of thousands of kilometres each year, our Bush Chaplains collectively visit thousands of families and individuals, but getting to remote locations is one of their biggest expenses. 

Pastor Lindsay Ginn is both the Uniting Church WA Bush Chaplain in the Remote Area Ministry, Goldfields Patrol and a talented musician. He will be performing a range of music from iconic musicals and films such as Phantom of the Opera and Chariots of Fire. Plus, there will be opportunities for audience participation through singalongs and a game of ‘guess the song’.

The concert will run for approximately one hour with supper served afterwards. 

Donations to further the work of the Bush Chaplaincy will be gratefully received. 

Please RSVP to Ray or Winsome Richards on 0488 504 285 for catering purposes.

To read more about Lindsay Ginn, check out this article from the March edition of Revive.

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Rev Sione celebrates ordination

Hours before Perth and the South West went into its second lockdown, the Presbytery of WA ordained Rev Sione Lea’aetoa as a Minister of the Word at All Saint’s Floreat Uniting Church. Sione has begun a placement at St Andrew’s Uniting Church, in East Perth.

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Free parenting course in the city

After their successful Alpha Course, Uniting Church in the City (UCIC) is now turning its focus to parenting. The Perth congregation is running two new parenting courses, Parenting Children and Parenting Teenagers. The ten week courses are free for anyone who is seeking advice on this popular topic.

The Parenting Children course is aimed at parents or carers with children up to ten years old and will focus on a range of topics such as building a strong family, meeting children’s needs, setting boundaries, healthy relationships and long term aims.

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Godly Play for the elderly: supporting spiritual wellbeing

Stories for the Soul was offered as an additional training day to Godly Play WA’s full core training opportunity over the Australia Day long weekend. Trainer Judyth Roberts was invited by Rev Jeni Goring, Acting Senior Chaplain at Amana Living, and Godly Play WA’s Rev Chris Bedding, to present an introduction to this adaptation of Godly Play at St Mary’s Anglican Church, South Perth.

Godly Play is a Montessori method of Bible storytelling. Research studies in the United Kingdom (UK) into where Godly Play was being used, discovered that there was significant growth in its use in aged care as it was supporting the spiritual wellbeing of elderly and frail people who are often living with dementia.

‘Stories for the Soul’ describe ‘spiritual wellbeing’ as “belonging to a community in which we can be ourselves and our story is valued – where our feelings and emotions, our search for meaning and purpose, our sense of awe and wonder, our creativity, our beliefs and our relationships are supported.”

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Summer Spirit: Being a different church

What do cheerleaders, waterholes, and evaporative air-conditioners have in common? They could be models of being Church in the 21st century!

To explore how the church could change and still be faithful in a different world, Rev Lindsay Cullen, Uniting Church National Consultant, suggested that Christians would need to “think different” and “act different.” Speaking at this year’s Summer Spirit, Lindsay presented several ways of seeing the world, others, and the task of being Christian at a time when the church as we know it is collapsing and the world around is mystified about Christianity.

“We could be God’s cheerleaders, looking for where God is working in the world and calling others to join in,” suggested Lindsay.

Instead of thinking of mission as something the church does, Christians could revisit the idea of missio dei, or God’s mission. Rather than seeing the world as a threatening place, we could view it as a place where God is in action.

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A new church of humility

Rev Lindsay Cullen during the baptism of Charlotte at Bellingen Uniting Church, NSW. Lindsay believes that change is essential for growth.

Summer Spirit, a Uniting Church WA event, will be held on Saturday 17 February at All Saints Floreat Uniting Church. This year, the event will explore ‘A  different church for a different world,’ in response to the Uniting Church WA’s new Strategic Plan.

Rev Lindsay Cullen, one of the new National Consultants in the Assembly Resourcing Unit of the Uniting Church in Australia, will be sharing his thoughts and expertise on how the Uniting Church WA can become that different church at this year’s Summer Spirit.

The world has indeed changed a lot over the last 40 to 50 years. Lindsay explained that in the Western World, the church has gone from having a strong  voice in the community, to now having a voice more on the margins.

“I think we see all around us that the world is constantly changing. And in particular, in the last 40 or 50 years, we’ve seen not only the changing of western societies, but also the changing place of the church in society,” he said. “In the past, the church was seen as one of the central pillars of society and a natural place where people congregated and where people would turn for spiritual sustenance or to ask big questions of life. I think, we’re seeing very clearly, that is changing and shifting and the church finds itself much more on the margins of society.

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