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.
As part of the Uniting Church WA’s pastoral and material response to people affected in the recent Wooroloo and Hills bushfires, a $20 000 donation has been committed to the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund (LMDRF), Western Australia’s official State emergency fund, to help ease the financial burden of people’s loss.
During the fires, the Uniting Church WA’s Disaster Relief and Community Recovery Working Group held emergency meetings to discuss immediate support to congregations who are ministering in affected communities.
As a child growing up in India, I was fascinated with trains because India’s railway network is one of the most intricate and extensive in the world, covering more than 120 000 kilometres of track, predominantly on what is commonly known as ‘broad gauge’ of 5 feet 6 inches. It has a long history, with the first service commencing in 1853.
Two great positives from the British colonial era have been the railways and the use of the English language. Each, in its own way, has become the ‘glue’ uniting one of the most populous, religious and culturally diverse nations on God’s Earth.
Sometimes it’s easier to talk about a difficult topic by being part of a group of friends talking about the subject. This brings in a variety of other people’s experiences. Having a chance to tune in to other people’s feelings and reactions without directly having to give your own views can help you shape your own thoughts. Once the conversation is proceeding in a respectful manner you can choose your moment to reveal your personal views, experiences or concerns.
A new, free app designed to support and encourage people to share their faith in an informal way will be launched on Saturday 27 March at a national online event.
The 2017 United Nations (UN) Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons became international law on Friday 22 January, with its ‘entry into force’ now official. The Uniting Church WA actively advocates for a nuclear-free future through the Social Justice Commission and supports the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
People from diverse local faith communities held a symbolic action today at Uniting Church in the City (UCIC), Wesley Perth where they rang bells to ‘sound the alarm’ for the climate.
The group rang bells at 11.00am on Thursday 11 March as part of a global multi-faith Day of Action in which over a hundred faith communities across Australia will call for more ambitious action on climate change. The lead local organisation is the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC), part of GreenFaith International.
The Christian 40-day season of Lent began back in mid-February. It is a time of reflection and preparation for Easter, which this year is in early April. It is a time for us to focus and prepare for Good Friday and the realisation that it was our sin that crucified Jesus.
Pastor Lindsay Ginn has been working as a Uniting Church WA Bush Chaplain in the Remote Area Ministry, Goldfields Patrol for just over a year and has already made some big waves. Frontier Services, a Uniting Church Assembly agency supporting people in Australia’s rural and remote areas, funds the role, which sees Bush Chaplains travelling to remote areas providing a friendly ear, pastoral care and referral to other service providers if needed.
Susy Thomas, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, was presented with a Shakti Award this morning by the Indian Society of WA, celebrating International Women’s Day.