Tag: A Helping Hand

Uniting Aid celebrates 35 years of caring

Post author By revivewa
Post date October 14, 2016

In 1981, the churches of the Uniting Church Yokine Region Parish conducted a community study to assess how they could serve their community and, recognising the physical needs of the struggling members of their community, they established Uniting Aid at Dianella Uniting Church.

This year is Uniting Aid’s 35th Anniversary and it really is an organisation worth celebrating.

At its inception, Uniting Aid was aphone-in service for co-ordinating community assistance. The services provided then were broad: lifts for people to essential appointments, grocery shopping assistance, moving goods by trailer, and providing occasional respite for in-home carers. These days, Uniting Aid looks different in service, but is similar in spirit. Now operating out of a building in Nollamara, the use of which is donated by the Uniting Church WA, Uniting Aid is made-up of 65 volunteers who undertake a variety of tasks across the week.

Margaret Waller, chairperson of Uniting Aid, said the volunteers are fantastic.

Tags A Helping Hand, Church and Community, Faith In Action, Poverty

Stories & Feature Articles

On-site chaplaincy

Post author By revivewa
Post date July 1, 2016

It is no secret that the mining boom in Western Australia is over. The resource industry has slowed and hundreds of former fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers are struggling to adjust to life after FIFO, still more remain on resource projects in remote Western Australia. So how do FIFO workers who are still on projects deal with the pressures of a slowing industry, along with isolation and increasing money problems?

Rev John Dihm provides services as a chaplain to FIFO workers at a number of Rio Tinto mining camp sites in the Pilbara, with the Uniting Church WA’s Remote Area Ministry, Tom Price. John moved to Tom Price three years ago from South Australia where he ministered to people living on stations.

“I thought I’d be doing station work again, and very little mining work. I met the mining manager here and we became very good friends,” he said.

Three months into his time there, his manager friend called John to ask for his help; one of the mine workers at the site had died by suicide. This was the beginning of John’s ministry to FIFO workers in the Pilbara.

According to John, “FIFO workers talk to you about three things: one is their relationships back home, two is about their financial situation, and the third one is about their anxiety of being on site.”

Tags A Helping Hand, Church and Community, Ministry, Remote and rural communities

News & Announcements

Watermans Bay celebrates history

Post author By revivewa
Post date June 16, 2016

For the past three years, Watermans Bay Uniting Church has held a Harvest Festival service on the first Sunday in May. Food that is collected is donated to Uniting Aid. This year there was an another reason to celebrate, as on 1 May 1976 – 40 years ago to the day – Euroka Village, as it is now called, was dedicated. Watermans Bay Uniting Church is part of the village complex.

The early history of the Methodist Church in Watermans Bay is quite a story. The first church opened on the corner of Margaret Street and Flora Terrace on the first Sunday in January 1938.

The block of land was donated by estate agent Mr Milner and the adjoining block was bought by Ladies Guild. Sunday school was conducted in the church each Sunday – numbers grew and a separate Sunday School Hall was built and opened in February 1955. As years went by it was felt the church could better serve the district by building accommodation for the aged.

Tags A Helping Hand, Church and Community

News & Announcements

President launches Storm Relief Appeal

Post author By revivewa
Post date June 9, 2016

The president of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA), Stuart McMillan, has today launched a national appeal to assist communities hit by recent storms.

An intense low pressure system off Australia’s east coast has led to a number of deaths and widespread damage to property. Residents across New South Wales are facing a massive clean-up while Tasmanians are experiencing the worst floods in 90 years.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones. We grieve with the families and friends and pray for the safety of all,” said Stuart.

“The Uniting Church seeks to support people in need in such times of difficulty and to join with others at the heart of community recovery.”

“So I am today launching an appeal to encourage UCA members wherever they are to support our ministry in these places at this time of great need.”

Tags A Helping Hand, Disaster Relief

Stories & Feature Articles

Nurturing for healing at UnitingCare West

Post author By revivewa
Post date April 26, 2016

UnitingCare West Family Group Homes gives vulnerable children and young people in Perth a safe environment to heal from past traumas.

Up to four children live in a family group home, quite often siblings, who have been removed from their parents for various reasons. The experience is painful and traumatic, so UnitingCare West provides an environment which gives the kids safety, consistency and a nurturing space to grow.

Tara Seaward is the manager of UnitingCare West’s Out of Home Care programs. She said that often when children and young people arrive at the Family Group Home, they are scared and react from a fear base, but as they work through the program things start to improve.

“We see such great progress when a child or young person comes into our care,” Tara said. “Over time you see them starting to feel safe, you see them staring to open up a little bit.”

The program provides kids with all the basic care requirements, but also guides them through emotional work, so that once they’re ready to leave the program, they are much more equipped to handle difficult situations that may arise in the future – an approach which differs from other residential care providers.

Tags A Helping Hand, Youth

News & Announcements

Support and training for long-term recovery in Fiji

Post author By revivewa
Post date March 27, 2016

Cyclone Winston, the strongest storm ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere made landfall in Fiji on 20 February, flattening entire villages with torrential rain, storm surges and winds of more than 300 km per hour.

More than 40 people were killed and thousands of homes damaged. Hospitals, schools, crops, livestock and water supplies were hit and thousands of Fijians were forced to shelter in schools, churches and community buildings. Many remain there today. Thanks to a generous response to UnitingWorld’s emergency appeal – gifts of almost $200 000 – UnitingWorld were able to respond quickly. Funds are being used to assist the Methodist Church in Fiji, a partner church of the Uniting Church in Australia, to work alongside the Fijian government and provide humanitarian relief to thousands of people throughout affected communities.

In particular, providing food, shelter, water purification tablets and cooking utensils, which are critically important for preparing the type of food that is distributed in emergencies and for purifying potentially contaminated water. These materials are being bought in non-affected areas of Fiji, helping to buoy the local economy and sustain the livelihoods of local people.

Tags A Helping Hand, Disaster Relief, International

News & Announcements

Support for Fiji

Post author By revivewa
Post date February 25, 2016

UnitingWorld have launched an emergency appeal to support the people of Fiji following Cyclone Winston.

Over 40 people have lost their lives in the devastation, a number which is expected to rise as the clean-up continues. The Methodist Church in Fiji, a partner church of the Uniting Church in Australia, has reported that thousands of homes have been destroyed, leaving tens of thousands of people in immediate need of food, shelter and clothing.

UnitingWorld are asking that Australians keep the people of Fiji in their thoughts and prayers as they begin to respond to the crisis. Donations to the UnitingWorld appeal will be used to support the work of the Methodist Church in Fiji as they provide assistance to those affected.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has expressed its concern and extended prayers to the people of Fiji. Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the WCC has also written to the Fiji Council of Churches, offering prayers and encouragement to the local churches to be a voice of hope for those who are in pain.

For regular updates and to donate, visit http://www.unitingworld.org.au/announcements/unitingworld-launches-emergency-appeal-to-support-the-people-of-fiji-following-cyclone-winston/.

Tags A Helping Hand, Disaster Relief, International

News & Announcements

UnitingCare West broadens focus to help those most in need to belong and thrive

Post author By revivewa
Post date February 1, 2016

As UnitingCare West enters its tenth year of providing service to the WA community, they are proud to launch their new four year Strategic Plan. This Plan marks the start of a new era for UnitingCare West; and will guide the work of UnitingCare West’s 360 staff and 650 volunteers working in local communities. The Strategic Plan 2016–2020 has a strong emphasis on innovation and adaptability and will enable UnitingCare West to maximise positive outcomes for people and communities so those most in need can belong and thrive.

The organisation continues to advocate for people who are most marginalised in West Australian communities. Together with the Strategic Plan 2016–2020 UnitingCare West launches a revised mission statement, with the focus remaining on working with people most in need.

The mission statement from January 2016 is: “To work with people and communities so those most in need can belong and thrive”.

UnitingCare West CEO Sue Ash says “The change in mission statement reflects UnitingCare West’s growing maturity as an organisation and continued response to the needs of the people we work with and the communities UnitingCare West works in.”

Tags A Helping Hand, Poverty

Stories & Feature Articles

Charity ride supports crisis care

Post author By revivewa
Post date December 13, 2015

Byford Crisis Care, a community service of Byford Uniting Church, recently received a huge amount of support from the local community to help families in need in the lead-up to Christmas.

Linda Burgess, an assistant at Byford Crisis Care, mentioned to her family about the great work of her friend, Helen Rowe, a member at Byford Uniting Church, providing food parcels and assistance to families affected by domestic violence in the district.

Tags A Helping Hand