Tag: International

West Timor students welcomed

Post author By revivewa
Post date September 2, 2015

A Women’s Welcome Breakfast for three students from West Timor was held at Nedlands Uniting Church on Saturday 4 July. In 2012, some members of the congregation visited West Timor and have since supported students at The Christian University in West Timor, Indonesia, through scholarships. Three students from the university were invited to spend some time in Perth for an English language immersion.

The students lived among host families and spent time each weekday in English classes, which will help them further their studies and share what they’ve learnt with others back home.

Whilst in Perth, they have explored the city as well as taken part in a range of church activities such as Kids’ Club, Bible studies, lunchtime Christian activity at the local school and the Young Adults’ Group studies and outings.

Sherly Nesimnasi, one of the visiting students from West Timor, said that the skills she has learnt in the program will be beneficial back home.

“English is very important,” she said. “In West Timor children need education about English and the knowledge that I get here I will share in my town. Education is very important.”

Tags Church and Community, International, Youth

Stories & Feature Articles

Living life and faith cross-culturally

Post author By revivewa
Post date August 19, 2015

Rev Dr Apwee Ting found wonder in diversity from an early age.

“Growing up in Indonesia was such a happy time for me,” recalls the Uniting Church in Australia’s (UCA) newest national director.

“I remember playing outside from morning to night – flying kites, playing soccer, badminton and marbles. We had many friends of different ethnicities and everyone always left their doors open.”

Half a century later Apwee will be looking to share that same sense of wonder across the Uniting Church in the area of Multicultural and Cross Cultural Ministry (MCCM).

While Apwee’s national role commenced in July, his preparation for the role has been a lifetime in the making, and begins with his own migrant journey.

The Ting family settled in Solo in Central Java in the 1950s.

“My parents were farmers who migrated from Fujian Province in China looking for a better life,” he explains. “For them the diversity of Indonesia meant opportunity.”

There was hardship too. By 1962 when Apwee was born, Java was gripped by severe poverty and increasing political tension ahead of Suharto becoming Indonesia’s President. The chief concern of Apwee’s family was day-to-day survival.

Tags International, Multi-Cultural, Multicultural

News & Announcements

The church in the midst of change

Post author By revivewa
Post date August 17, 2015

UnitingWorld hosted three lunches at the recent 14th Triennial Assembly which discussed the work of our Uniting Church international partner churches.

At one such lunch, two presenters from church partners in the Pacific joined Dr Deidre Palmer, moderator of the Uniting Church in South Australia in a discussion about gender equality. Later in the week, Deidre was voted by the Assembly as the president-elect of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Deaconess Martha Yamsiu – the gender officer for the Presbyterian Church in Vanuatu spoke of the many challenges women faced in her community. She outlined the disregard of women as religious leaders in the community and the ongoing issues around gender violence – a silent issue for many women living in Vanuatu. Martha spoke of the successful workshops UnitingWorld and The Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu have been undertaking in Vanuatu to educate and inform men and women about respectful relationships.

The second speaker Rev Maleta Rumaroti, secretary for mission, Kiribati Uniting Church, presented on climate impact and rising sea levels in Kiribati. Changing environmental factors due to climate change have magnified issues of gender inequality with women bearing more of a burden as a result. High tides have led to increased illness with mosquitos breeding and causing dengue fever. This has resulted in increased workloads for women, as they take care of their partners, children, elderly, sick and the disabled.

Tags Intercultural, interfaith, International

Stories & Feature Articles

Partner church guests take in the sights of Perth

Post author By revivewa
Post date August 16, 2015

International guests to the 14th Triennial Assembly a tour of local Indigenous sites, visited local enterprises, and enjoyed some local multicultural hospitality on day four of the meeting.

UnitingWorld guests and other ecumenical partners found themselves warmly welcomed at St Aidan’s Claremont Uniting Church as guests of the congregation and the Western Australia Multicultural Committee at an Assembly Multicultural Dinner.

“The most lovely food and the most lovely people!” enthused Pacific partners in particular as they tucked into traditional taro and other delicacies from their homelands. Domino’s Pizza also put in a special appearance, as did a youth choir singing grace and Rev Steve Francis, moderator of the Uniting Church in WA.

UnitingWorld guests continued to be impressed with Western Australian innovation and commitment on a morning tour of the Good Samaritan Industries warehouse in Canningvale. Donning bright fluorescent vests – some of which they were reluctant to hand back later – the team toured the floor of the factory which provides employment for people with disabilities, who sort and prepare donated goods for sale in iconic ‘Good Sammy’ stores throughout WA.

Tags Intercultural, interfaith, International, Multi-Cultural, Multicultural

News & Announcements

Papuan students experience WA’s wheatbelt

Post author By revivewa
Post date July 15, 2015

Eleven students who took part in the Australian Papuan Cultural Exchange Program, hosted at All Saints Floreat Uniting Church, took a weekend away from their studies to travel up to the northern wheatbelt town of Coorow in March and experience some of Australia’s rural lifestyle. The program hosts students from West Papua in Perth while they build up their English skills.

Inez Davies, a member of Coorow All Saints Uniting Church, learnt about the program whilst attending a Summer Spirit event years ago in Perth. The Coorow congregation, a joint Anglican and Uniting Church, have followed its progress and offered support – this year by hosting the group in their home town for some time out from their busy schedule. The students arrived for lunch on Saturday 29 March at Inez’s farm, followed by a drive around the property to see some of their crops. Dinner was provided in town by the congregation before an evening of music and joy.

“We were all just sitting around talking and they all burst into song,” said Inez. “My son took his guitar and he yodelled for them and they were absolutely ecstatic.”

Tags Church and Community, International, Youth

News & Announcements

English classes for more opportunity

Post author By revivewa
Post date June 9, 2015

Throughout March and April this year, 11 students from West Papua immersed themselves in Australian culture as part of the Australian Papuan Cultural Exchange Program. Through this program, the students, aged between 18–25, are able to build-up their English language skills, giving them more opportunities back home.

The idea originally sparked within All Saints Floreat Uniting Church after a visit to The Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua (GKI di TP), a partner church of the Uniting Church in Australia. In its third season since 2010, this year the program was run with the assistance of many Uniting Church congregations across WA, including Scarborough, Trinity North, North Midlands and Foothills St Martins. From teachers and conversation partners to host families and bus drivers, this program is no easy feat to pull off – but its rewards are immeasurable.

Whilst in Australia, the students lived with host families in Perth, spending their days learning English in a classroom held at the Floreat church. It’s not all hard work though, as they also spent time exploring some of the city’s attractions, as well as heading south to Busselton and north to Coorow for some fun and time-out.

Tags Church and Community, International

Stories & Feature Articles

Perth vigil for reformed prisoners

Post author By revivewa
Post date February 23, 2015

On the evening of Wednesday 18 February, Uniting Church in the City, Wesley Perth, played host to a moving vigil for two Australian men, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, who are likely to be executed in Indonesia as a result of drug trafficking charges.

The event was held as part of the Mercy Campaign, and included a number of speakers who shared their passions and mercy for the men, branded as two of the Bali 9. Performances were also made by local musicians Kav Temperley from Eskimo Joe and Abbe May.

Myuran and Andrew have been in an Indonesian jail for almost 10 years and have since changed their lives, now devoting their time to the rehabilitation of other prisoners.

Over 178,000 people have signed the Mercy Campaign petition so far, asking that the penalty for Myuran and Andrew be a jail sentence rather than execution. Many millions of people have voiced their disapproval of the planned executions of these two reformed men and there is still hope that they will be granted clemency.

Tags International

News & Announcements

Uniting Church in Australia stands for mercy

Post author By revivewa
Post date February 4, 2015

The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) has joined churches, NGOs and others in voicing concerns about Indonesia’s resumption of the death penalty.

UCA President Rev Prof Andrew Dutney is one of 14 organisational leaders who’ve written to both the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia and to the Australian Foreign Minister, expressing grave concerns for at least 11 people facing imminent execution.

Signatories to the letter are asking Indonesia to commute the death sentences to terms of imprisonment. They’re also asking for a moratorium on all executions in Indonesia with a view to abolishing the death penalty. Two Australian citizens Myuran Sukamaran and Andrew Chan are among those facing imminent execution.

Tags International

Stories & Feature Articles

New preschool underway in Sri Lanka

Post author By revivewa
Post date December 25, 2014

The Uniting Church in WA has been in partnership with the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka since 2012, and in 2013 members of the Annual Meeting of the Presbytery and Synod agreed to support the church through its Interfaith Preschool Project.

The project provides an environment for children to participate in education, free from violence and other trauma induced circumstances which have been affecting Sri Lanka in the after-math of civil war. It also provides nutritious meals to the children who attend: a $10 donation can feed a child for a month.

Rev Dr A W Jebanesan, President of the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka, has recently notified the Uniting Church in WA of the most recent development from donations provided.

Tags International, Uniting Church