It’s been an incredibly tough time for people in the bush, especially our Aussie farmers. In the latest issue of Frontier News, Greg and Bethany Stace, share their struggle with the ongoing drought and how Outback Links volunteers made a difference to their family.
“It’s been really difficult with this drought, so having these volunteers really saves us…You can sit down and have a chat over a meal. It gives you a mental break from the stress,” said Greg.
You can make a real difference to our farmers by hosting a Great Outback BBQ.
After a record hot start to 2019 and a soul-destroying dry Winter forecast, Frontier Services is calling on all congregations to host a Great Outback BBQ in support of our farmers who have been affected by drought, fires and floods.
On a lovely Spring day in September, Pinjarra Uniting Church held a Great Outback BBQ and Worship Service, to raise funds for Frontier Services, an agency of the Uniting Church in Australia, supporting people in the outback.
Mundijong Heritage Uniting Church is celebrating 125 years since its founding. A commemorative service will be held on Sunday 2 December, 10.00am, at the church, 18 Paterson St Mundijong, as part of a range of activities
The church opened in January 1905 as the Mission church, the second in town after the Anglican church in 1896. It is thought to be partly funded by the Jarrahdale Saw Milling Co, in thanks for the care provided by Methodist nursing nuns at the cottage hospital in Jarrahdale during the 1895 Typhoid epidemic.
What do Katanning WA and Lincoln NZ have in common?
During April, both hosted gatherings of people passionate about ministry in rural settings. One over-arching message is: small and rural matters!
Setting the scene for the 100 delegates in Lincoln for the International Rural Churches Association (IRCA), Dr Rosemary Dewerse told us the story of Parihaka. This Maori village was being claimed by colonisers. In 1881, as armed cavalry rode in they were met first by children sitting in the road singing, then teenage girls skipping and then gifts of food. Eventually two Maori chiefs, Te Whiti and Tohu, along with many others, were imprisoned, but their commitment to nonviolent resistance did not waver.
Te Whiti’s conviction was that taking up arms would lead to more deaths, so instead they persistently pulled up surveyors’ marker pegs, built their own fences and ploughed up the settlers’ roads.
Much needed additional aged care for the East Kimberley has been commissioned with the official opening of Juniper Gerdewoonem (‘Juniper among the Boab Trees’).
Juniper Chief Executive Vaughan Harding said the new multipurpose facility expands vital services to the Kununurra community and provides greater opportunities for local employment and career paths in aged care.
“Our investment in the Kimberley is significant and this latest initiative builds on Juniper’s strong commitment to supporting older people and their families in regional Western Australia,” he said. “In addition to bringing much-needed accommodation, this multipurpose aged care facility enables the expansion of home and community care services in the region, so older people have greater access to vital services in town and may no longer travel to Perth or Darwin to get the help they require.”
Rev Mitch Fialkowski was inducted in Meekatharra as Patrol Minister, or ‘Bush Chaplain’, in the Remote Area Ministry Murchison Patrol in December.
Mitch has been working in the region for around five years with Frontier Services. His role was previously under the umbrella of the National Assembly of the Uniting Church, however recent changes at Frontier Services mean Mitch’s role is now within the Uniting Church WA, and is supported by fundraising though Frontier Services.
Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, and Rev David de Kock, General Secretary, travelled up to Meekatharra for the service, where Steve preached. Rev John Dihm, Remote Area Minister based in Tom Price, made the seven and a half hour drive to Meekatharra to attend the service and present Mitch with a beautiful stole.
A good crowd gathered for the first event for the local Uniting Churches in the Albany region to be held in the new Beryl Grant Community Centre in Lockyer for the Induction of Rev Corina van Oostende into the congregations of Lockyer, Albany, Mount Barker and Denmark. This centre is the first stage of aged care services to be run by Juniper, an agency of the Uniting Church WA.
After several years without a minister in placement, the atmosphere of the service reflected joy and our gratitude to Corina for responding to the needs of the local congregations. We were delighted that the Uniting Church WA Moderator, Rev Steve Francis and his wife, Kim, were able to attend and support this momentous day.
Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church WA, and Rev David de Kock, General Secretary, travelled up to Meekatharra over the weekend for the Induction Service of Rev Mitch Fialkowski as Patrol Minister in the Remote Area Ministry Murchison Patrol.
Mitch has been working in the area for around 5 years with Frontier Services. His role was previously under the umbrella of the National Assembly of the Uniting Church, however recent changes at Frontier Services mean Mitch’s role now comes within the Uniting Church Synod of WA.
The churches of Dongara/Port Dennison came together for a special one day event in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation. More than 200 people arrived at the Irwin Recreation Centre in Port Denison on Sunday October 29 for the R500 festivities.
On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther publicly declared his protest about certain actions of the church officials of the day. R500 allowed people an insight into some of the characteristics of the society of that era. Many people came in medieval-style costume to add to the atmosphere and fun.
From 9.30am, a display of stories and character studies of key players in the Reformation was available in the Function Room. Wendy Small, from the R500 planning team and a member of Dongara Uniting Church, said these people were nobles, church leaders, and princes who held the strings of social and political power in the towns and villages in Germany. While some supported Luther, many were opposed to his ideas. Quiz and puzzles and colouring sheets relating to the information were available for keen ‘detectives’.
At the same time, medieval re-enactment group Twin River Guard (TRG) from Geraldton had replica weapons, armour and costumes typical of the late medieval period for visitors to view and discover how these were used in everyday life and in combat. Einar, from Twin River Guard was dressed for the day in a suit of full armour. He said the weight and type of metal used was equivalent to that which a knight of his build would have worn. At 15kg it added a challenge to movement and stamina of the wearer, and Einar and his team told us, “Combat action would necessarily be brief and intense, as combatants could not sustain fast and furious action for any extended time.”