Category: News & Announcements

Farewell and blessings

Post author By revivewa
Post date June 11, 2014

Rev Ian Pearse and Rev Marie Wilson breaking the ties.

On Sunday 8 June the Uniting Church in Australia congregation in Mandurah held a special Breaking of the Ties service as they said farewell to Rev Ian Pearse. Ian has accepted a call to Bacchus Marsh in Victoria.

Ian and his wife Bev have been in placement in Mandurah for 5 years serving the community. Ian was a member of the Interagency Group who organise the annual Christmas Hamper distribution, Youthcare who support the Chaplains in schools, Peel Homelessness Night shelter group and Rotary. He supported the Mandurah Rainbow lunches providing a range of care for those who attended.

Tags Our People and Agencies

News & Announcements

Health seminar unlocks perfect portions

Post author By revivewa
Post date June 11, 2014

Juniper community nurse, Janet Anderson, and dietician, Caitlin Warren, will be in Byford this month to host a Wellness Seminar.

Juniper, a Uniting Church in WA agency and one of Western Australia’s largest providers of retirement, residential and home aged care, brings a free information session for seniors, families and friends to help people maintain a healthy weight.

Ever wanted to know the difference between a portion and a serve and how it can enable you to lose weight? Or how to read those confusing numbers in food packaging?

Tags Ageing and Community, Juniper

News & Announcements

Christian groups’ budget response

Post author By revivewa
Post date June 10, 2014

The Uniting Church in Australia and some of its agencies have spoken out against the recent Federal Budget announcements. Rev Prof Andrew Dutney, president of the Uniting Church in Australia, said that the recent funding cuts would hurt some of the most vulnerable Australians.

“The Federal Budget lays out an extensive range of program cuts and structural changes,” he said. “Cutting more than half a billion dollars from Indigenous programs, tough new conditions for youth support, and making all Australians pay to see a doctor are just a few of a number of measures that have the potential to harm those who really need our help.”

Tags Budget2014

News & Announcements

Comings and goings: Church life is full of them

Post author By revivewa
Post date June 7, 2014

Sunday 4 May was a significant date in the life of Willetton Uniting Church and in the ministry of Rev Caroline Gepp. It marked the conclusion of her 10 year placement with this congregation. Caroline conducted a special liturgy of Eucharist and as part of the service the moderator, Rev Ron Larkin, presided over the formal release and breaking of the ties from her induction vows made at Willetton 10 years ago.

With a full church and some joyful singing – not to mention the sumptuous morning tea – the occasion was well and truly marked. Caroline leaves with the love of the congregation and the expectation that her future ministry will be fulfilling.

Tags Church and Community

News & Announcements

Nonviolence on the streets

Post author By revivewa
Post date June 1, 2014

On Wednesday 16 April a group of 11 Christian leaders from a range of denominations were arrested in Subiaco, Perth. Their crime? Speaking up for over 1,000 children who are held in indefinite detention in Australia. Otherwise known as trespassing.

The group, including Paul Montague, First Third specialist for the Metro South Region of the Uniting Church in WA, were arrested in the office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, as they prayed and asked for a response to the question: why are kids in detention?

A similar event was also held in Immigration Minister Scott Morrison’s office a few weeks prior, and just days before going to print, two nonviolent sit-ins were held resulting in arrest, one in Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s office, the other in the office of the leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten. Included in these arrests was the moderator of the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory Synod, Rev Dr Brian Brown, past president of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Alistair Macrae, and three more Uniting Church ministers.

Tags Refugees and Asylum Seekers

News & Announcements

An open space to share passion

Post author By revivewa
Post date April 22, 2014

Every church in community has its unique challenges and the Uniting Church in Port Hedland is no different. Port Hedland is an industrial town. The majority of people who come to live here come to work and they work hard, long hours, odd shifts with little time to engage the community outside of their working environment and for a comparably short length of stay.

The average turnover of stayers at the last count was 13 months. Some of the social issues that reflect the harshness of this environment include the high incidence of aggressive working environments, resulting in workers experiencing bullying and intimidating managerial tendencies; high incidence of hidden and exposed domestic violence, broken and struggling relationships, sexual assault, unwanted pregnancies, depression, isolation, and suicide. We have found ourselves being drawn to the quiet, meditative, and reflective space for worshipping together.

Tags Church and Community, Remote and rural communities

News & Announcements

Carnarvon in community

Post author By revivewa
Post date April 21, 2014

This last Sunday I was driving back to the church building with a congregation member I normally pick up for our services and someone shouted out from a verandah, “I’ll be coming to church!” I did not recognise him but did know the person he was sitting with, so I called back “see you there” and gave him the thumbs up.

Ten minutes later he arrived at our service, asked if he could share in our time of prayer for others when the time came, and introduced himself after the service. He was visiting Carnarvon for a relative’s funeral held the previous day. He explained he had been telling the relatives he was staying with that he wanted to attend church that day. Soon after, I had driven past and his relative had said to him “That’s a pastor, he’ll be back shortly with the lady he picks up for church”.

Tags Church and Community, Remote and rural communities

News & Announcements

160th anniversary at Gingin

Post author By revivewa
Post date April 19, 2014

Gingin Uniting Church (formerly a Methodist Church of Australia) is one of Western Australia’s most historic rural churches, and will be celebrating 160 years since the first service was held. A service will be held at 10.00am on Sunday 13 July led by a former minister, Rev Harry Lucas, with an address given by the moderator, Rev Ron Larkin. We will also be dedicating a stained glass window in the porch on that day and sharing a light lunch.

Tags Church and Community

News & Announcements

50 years service as organist

Post author By revivewa
Post date April 19, 2014

In 1964, Glenn Coughlan was invited to be foundation organist at Nedlands Methodist Church when its pipe organ, built by Paul Hufner, was installed. The organ was refurbished and extended in 1996 by John Larner and is now being maintained by Graham Devenish of Pipe Organs WA Ltd.

Glenn has seen many changes during his fifty years there: from Nedlands Methodist to Aldersgate to Nedlands Uniting Church with various ministers. The church choir, under Glenn’s leadership, has sung numerous sacred works and, combined with a small orchestra, has led many special services, especially on Christmas Eve each year when hundreds of people have attended and given generous support to the Christmas Bowl Appeal.

Tags Church and Community

News & Announcements

Joint formation program begins

Post author By revivewa
Post date April 18, 2014

Perth Theological Hall (PTH) has embarked upon an ecumenical venture this year with a joint ministerial formation program with Wollaston Anglican College.

Dr Alex Jensen of PTH said, “We hope that the two traditions will enrich each other and that the larger student cohort will benefit from greater possibilities for interaction. It also makes sense to combine the limited resources of the two churches with the whole being greater than the parts.”

Tags Training