Story

Issu

e 34

, No

4, 2

015

LOOK, LISTEN

Sharing sacred stories

from Adnyamathanha

country pp. 8-9

GOD ’S PEACE

Finding peace through brokenness

in India

pp. 10-11

The voice of Uniting Church SA May 2015

Prospect Road Uniting Church invites you to join their centenary event celebrating their rich history of faith, service and mission in the community. The congregation will gather in their grand old building to give thanks for the past 100 years of worship and recall the first service held as Prospect North Methodist in May 1915.

Guest preacher: Dr Don Hopgood, former Deputy Premier of South Australia and past member of the Prospect Road congregation. Light lunch included. All are welcome to join the celebration!

Prospect Road Uniting ChurchSunday 31 May from 10am.

174 Prospect Road, Prospect Please RSVP by Monday 25th May

(with number attending if booking for a group) to PO Box 719, Prospect East, 5082

or via email to prospectroad.uc@gmail.com or call Donald on 8379 5545

100 years at Prospect Road!

ISSN 0726-2612

New Times is the voice of Uniting Church SA. Published monthly, February through December,

New Times represents the breadth, diversity and vision of Uniting Church members in SA.

News policies, guides and deadlines appear online at newtimes.sa.uca.org.au. Articles and

advertising do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor.

w: newtimes.sa.uca.org.au facebook.com/NewTimesUCA

Uniting Church SALevel 2, 212 Pirie St, Adelaide

p. (08) 8236 4200 f. 8236 4201

country callers. 1300 766 956

Print circulation: 9,750

Cover detailsThis month ’s cover photo was taken in the tea gardens at Mannur, Kerala, South India. The young girl in the picture is the daughter of workers who earn their income by picking tea in the gardens of Mannur. More stories about the lives of young people in India have been shared on pages 10-11.

ContentsFEATURES

Look, listen – there are no straight lines 8-9

God ’s peace amidst brokenness 10-11

Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning 16-17

One night, six locations 24

REGULAR PAGES

Moderator ’s comment 4

CEO/General Secretary ’s comment 5

Getting to know... 18-19

Letters 21

Diary 21

Editor: Catherine Hoffman

Editor-in-Chief: Bindy Taylor

Advertising: Communications

Design: Winaya Kamaputri

Print: Graphic Print Group

For editorial inquiries: p. (08) 8236 4249 e. newtimes@sa.uca.org.au m. The Editor, New Times GPO Box 2145 Adelaide SA 5001 For advertising bookings: p. (08) 8236 4260 e. advertising.newtimes@sa.uca.org.au

Next issue: Tradition

This edition of New Times focusses on the history and traditions of the Uniting Church and its South Australian communities. While some traditions we keep are empowering and strengthen faith, others are kept up out of habit or a desire to recapture the past. The June edition will explore the role of traditions, including how they are sustained and created by Uniting Church SA individuals and congregations.

DEADLINE FOR JUNE 2015 Wednesday 13 May

Annual Robert Iles Memorial Lecture

Beyond Apathy: The Waning of Postmodernism and the New Role for Intuition

Henk Reitsema M. Div., M.A. L’Abri Fellowship,

Utrecht, Netherlands

7.30 pm • Thursday 21st May 2015Burnside City Uniting Church

Cnr. Portrush Road and Fisher Street, Tusmore

Supper___________________

The Robert Iles Memorial Trust exists to celebrate and promote the Christian faith within Australian society and engage with the culture of the day and to bring a biblical perspective to

contemporary public issues in society and the world.

Sermons and other writings of Robert can be found at www.ilesblog.com

Finding truth through multiplicityA lot of my friends are non-Christian, but many of them have had experience in Christian churches thanks to religious parents or grandparents. Most of these experiences happened during childhood, leaving particularly strong impressions on their young minds. These impressions have frequently been reinforced by the experiences of others and by depictions of church in the media.

When I talk to my friends about my own work and experiences in the Uniting Church they often make assumptions about our congregations and expressions of faith. Some of these – the overwhelming number of older people attending worship services, for example – are reasonably accurate; others are not. My friends, both those who have experienced a particular type of church and those who are completely unfamiliar, bring their own assumptions about what the church looks like and does. That everyone is super conservative or old-fashioned in their thinking. That we cross ourselves and pray to an uncountable number of little-known saints. That only men can be ministers or leaders. That intolerance and sexism are rife. When I talk to them about things that contradict these assumptions they are often surprised.

This situation reminds me of a TED Talk given by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. TED Talks cover a wide range of topics and are presented by people from a diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives. In her talk, Chimamanda speaks about “The danger of the single story ” – put simply, what happens when you have only one perspective or only know one story about a person, family, community or country. “Show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become, ” she says. Chimamanda shares her personal experiences on both sides of this issue – including an assumption she made about a poorer family while living in Nigeria, and the assumptions that were made about her as a Nigerian woman when she travelled to the United States to study. When we hear only a single story about something or someone, we must often misunderstand them.

The stories that we hear about places and people are frequently told from only one perspective – the perspective of those in positions of power. The adage that “history is written by the winners ” has too often been proven true. “Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person, ” says Chimamanda. In the past, Christians have often been placed in this position of power. But as more people in Western countries, like Australia, begin to identify themselves as agnostic or atheist, this is beginning to change – and so, the narratives about Christianity and what it means to be a person of Christian faith are changing. It may surprise you to learn that I don ’t consider this to be a bad thing – I see it as an opportunity.

Everyone deserves to tell their story rather than have their story told by others. I believe we need to listen to people ’s lived experiences of church – positive and negative – without interrupting to protest that “our church isn ’t like that. ” But we should also feel comfortable sharing our own experiences of church, particularly with others who know only a single story of Christian faith. By allowing these stories to overlap and coexist, I think a truer picture and better understanding of the Christian church can be created.

Chimamanda says: “Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanise. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.”

I encourage you to look beyond your assumptions about people and places, to listen to the stories they share, and to share your own stories courageously and honestly.

Catherine Hoffman

To watch Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ’s TED Talk, please visit ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story

ed i t o r i a l

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modera to r

Listening to life-giving narrativesIn my work as a Christian educator and a social worker, some of the

most privileged and sacred moments have been those when people shared their own stories. In an educational setting it may be people sharing a story of their journey with God or the ways others have mentored them in faith. In social work contexts, people ’s stories may be focussed around pain and the effects of abuse, but can also include narratives of survival, courage and hope.

As I have visited local churches as Moderator, I have heard communal stories about congregations whose narratives focus on grace, hospitality, welcome and belonging. Their stories also include experiences of pain and struggle, and the ways in which God has journeyed with them through it all. I have heard many congregations share stories of transformed lives and creative initiatives, of listening to the Holy Spirit inviting them to be part of embodying God ’s story and vision in their local communities.

Listening to the stories of others can change our perspective on the world, draw us into relationship, and fill us with compassion, love, joy or anger at the injustice that has shaped many people ’s stories.

Taking time to listen to or enter into the stories of Jesus in the New Testament can be life-transforming, disruptive, challenging and life-giving. Through the Gospel stories, we are invited to be open to God ’s way of seeing the world, others and ourselves. These stories may be very familiar to us, even to the point where we may feel that

we have heard it all before. And yet so many times when I have heard these Gospel stories shared and proclaimed in a Christian community context, I have heard new insights. God has spoken to me afresh through the gathered people of God, as we together discern God ’s good news shaping and transforming our own stories.

As Christians we believe we have narratives of hope that are life-giving and are gifts to be shared with the wider Australian community. They are narratives which speak to us about a God who loves us infinitely, a God who liberates people who are oppressed, a God who is on the side of those who are refugees and orphans, and a God who calls us into partnership in what theologian Letty Russell describes as “mending creation. ” God ’s story of reconciliation and love continues to speak into our stories. May the Spirit give us ears to hear and a voice to speak this good news into the world!

Dr Deidre Palmer

On Tuesday 7 April, Dr Deidre Palmer led a worship service for retired ministers at Nunyara Conference Centre in Belair. Attendees included past ministers from the Uniting Church SA, in addition to retired ministers ’ spouses, widows and widowers. A delicious morning tea and lunch were provided by the Nunyara staff and allowed an opportunity for enriching conversation.

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There are a number of events that have been key in the formation of Australian identity – one example being Anzac Day, which we marked with centenary services on Saturday 25 April this year. The landing at Gallipoli 100 years ago was a cornerstone event in Australia ’s ongoing narrative as a people who are marked by courage and strength, even in the face of the utmost adversity. It is an identity we continue to celebrate across many spheres of our society, especially in the sporting arena.

Enduring stories shape identity. However, there are times when certain narratives are deleterious to the identity of an individual or collective of people. The Uniting Church across Australia is an example of this.

The prevailing story in the Uniting Church is that we are slowly sliding into extinction because of declining attendance at worship services. I don ’t subscribe to this extinction narrative at all. It is true to suggest that numbers within various Uniting Church congregations have been declining over the years. However, the population of many towns throughout the state have also been declining. This is not a naïve denial of reality within congregations. Rather, it is a simple observation of the big picture within various communities, especially those in rural South Australia. Inherent in this observation is the reason why the church is still relevant. As people in various townships and cities struggle with the changes prevailing upon them, the church has the opportunity to proclaim and manifest something solid to which people can relationally connect their lives.

Jesus built relationships of hope, purpose and love. Everybody needs these types of relationships. Furthermore, Jesus proclaimed: “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it ” (Matthew 16:18). As followers of Christ, we are now charged with building these same kinds of relationships with those in our community.

As I look around the church I see this happening in many ways. God ’s call is that we continue to be strengthened in our capacity to be the incarnate presence of Christ within the relational fabric of the places we live. This is the fruitfulness of the church. God is refining our perspective of what growth and strength looks like in the church. The decline in numbers within the worshipping life of the church is only a part of how we assess the health of a congregation. The reach of the church into the community through relationships that authentically point others to the love of Christ is a better measure.

God is refining the church, which may well require some decline. However, if to refine is to decline then we know God is at work in and through us. We can take heart that as we remain in Christ, he remains in his church. Thus, the presence of Christ is still well and truly alive in the Uniting Church as we bring the good news to our community

through our words and deeds. This narrative needs to prevail upon us as a church so that our new identity can emerge.

Rev Nigel Rogers

ceo/general secretary

P lacemen ts News

Placements finalised since the April edition of New Times:Adrian Nippress (MOP) to Transforming Justice, Mission Resourcing (0.5) from 1 July 2015Andrew Chambers (MOP) to Chaplain, Eldercare Maitland and Stansbury from 6 April 2015Upcoming inductions:Denise Champion (MOP), Port Augusta Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress on Friday 17 May at 6.30pmVacant placements:The following is the current list of vacant (or soon to be vacant) approved placements:Profiles available – Adare (from 1 February 2016); Brighton (from 1 November 2015); County Jervois (Arno, Cleve, Coolanie, Cowell, Driver River); Goolwa; Kadina Wallaroo Parish (0.8); Keith “One Church ” (Uniting Church and Church of Christ together); Walkerville (from 1 February 2016); Whyalla; Willunga (0.5); Woodside (0.2).Profiles not yet available – Berri Barmera (from 1 February 2016); Malvern and Unley (from March 2016); Moonta and Districts (from 1 April 2016); Salisbury (from 1 February 2016); South West Fleurieu Linked Congregations (0.6) (from 1 January 2016); Tumby Bay and Districts (0.5); Windsor Gardens (0.5); Covenanting Officer (0.5) (to be advertised).For more information on any of these placements, or to view national placements, please visit sa.uca.org.au/pastoral-relations/placements-vacant

Enduring narratives

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news

Potential changes to age restrictionsIn August 2014, Peter Battersby (Uniting Church SA Executive Officer, Resources) wrote to Attorney General John Rau to request an amendment to the Uniting Church in Australia Act, 1976-1977. When meeting in May last year, the Uniting Church SA Property Trust discussed the age limit for (re)appointment eligibility outlined in the Act, which states:

“No person who has attained the age of seventy years shall be eligible for appointment as a member of the Trust. ” – Section 11(4)

Peter requested that the Attorney General, on behalf on the Uniting Church SA, sponsor and lead the amendment to the Act, removing Section 11(4).

As a result of the current maximum age restriction, many past members have had to conclude their tenure on the Trust. Recently, two members regrettably stepped down from the Trust. Both served the Uniting Church SA with distinction through their work with the Trust

and wished to continue this work. Section 11(4) prevents members from continuing to serve the church, and prohibits other valuable candidates from serving.

The Resources Board and Property Trust feel that the implications of this clause in the Act are outdated, discriminatory and no longer reflect the values of the Uniting Church or society ’s expectations regarding age and volunteering.

In October 2014, John Rau advised his support for the request and willingness to progress the required bill. The Uniting Church in Australia (Membership of Trust) Amendment Bill 2015 was introduced in Parliament in the House of Assembly on Wednesday 11 February. After this first reading, Peter Battersby and Uniting Church SA Moderator Dr Deidre Palmer were invited to meet with Shadow Attorney General Vickie Chapman to clarify the reasons for the amendment.

Tanya Hosch, Joint Campaign Director for the Recognise campaign

The annual Wilks Oration provides people across South Australia with an opportunity to listen to outstanding Australians speak on key issues facing Australia and the church. Held by the Effective Living Centre, a Uniting Church SA mission centre and an outreach of Christ Church, Wayville, this event provides time for those in the church to engage with contemporary topics – both as citizens and as people of faith.

In 2015, the Effective Living Centre has invited Tanya Hosch (pictured), the Joint Campaign Director for the Recognise campaign, to give the Wilks Oration. Recognise is a movement that raises community awareness and support for a constitutional change to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Constitution. Tanya will speak into this topic, framing her talk around the theme “It ’s time to recognise – First Australians in the Constitution. ”

To deliver her address on Friday 12 June, Tanya will draw on her vast professional knowledge and her personal experiences as a Torres Strait Islander woman living in Adelaide. Tanya is actively involved in advocacy and consulting with the aim of increasing philanthropic investment

into Indigenous investment. She sits on numerous boards and committees, and is the Independent Chair of Price Waterhouse Coopers Indigenous Consulting. In 2013, Tanya was named in the South Australian Women ’s Honour Roll, and for the past two consecutive years she has been recognised in the list of “100 Women of Influence ” awards run by Westpac and the Australian Financial Review to recognise women who are achievers in Australian business.

In 2009, the Uniting Church made the decision to adopt a revised preamble to the Uniting Church in Australia Constitution – a step that saw Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples formally recognised. In making this decision, the church demonstrated an affirming relationship, which is founded on truth rather than denial of the historical past. This has yet to be reflected in wider Australian society. With an upcoming referendum due to occur on the topic of constitutional recognition in the near future, this Wilks Oration provides people in the Uniting Church SA with an opportunity to engage, learn and contribute.

The 2015 Wilks Oration will be held at the Effective Living Centre (26 King William Rd, Wayville) on Friday 12 June at 7pm

for a 7.45pm start. Bookings are essential. General admission is $25; Friends of ELC and concession tickets are $20. For more information or to make a booking, please call 8271 0329 or visit effectiveliving.org

For more information about the Recognise campaign, please visit recognise.org.au or call 1800 836 422 (toll-free).

The Uniting Church SA Covenanting team is currently preparing for Reconciliation Week (Wednesday 27 May to Wednesday 3 June) – see more information on pages 8-9.

Wider recognition

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news

Resourcing and resolutionsOn Friday 27 and Saturday 28 March, the Uniting Church SA Presbytery and Synod held their first meeting for 2015. The Friday evening focussed on business, while the majority of Saturday was spent in resourcing sessions led by theologian Elaine Heath. Below are some of the highlights from the meeting.

The bulk of the Friday night session was spent on inductions and commissioning. Moderator Dr Deidre Palmer led the induction of Rev Dr Amelia Koh-Butler, Rev Dave Williamson and Rev Mark Butler, and the commissioning of Tanya Wittwer.

Uniting Church SA CEO/General Secretary Rev Nigel Rogers introduced Amelia as the new Executive Officer, Mission Resourcing. Rev Dr Steve Taylor introduced Tanya Wittwer as the new Postgraduate Coordinator for Uniting College. Rev Phil Gardner introduced both Rev Dave Williamson (Oasis Chaplain, Flinders University) and Rev Mark Butler (Coordinating Chaplain for Eldercare), the latter of whom was also recognised and received as a Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church in South Australia during the meeting.

Representatives from each of the ministry areas presented ministry symbols for those inducted and commissioned. Deidre offered prayer for each person and invited Presbytery and Synod members to sing a blessing. On the behalf of those inducted and commissioned,

Amelia responded by singing the Grail Prayer.Deidre also presented three proposals

regarding readiness for ordination of Andrew Everson (Proposal 2), Nick Patselis (Proposal 3) and Peter Sorensen (Proposal 4). All three proposals passed by consensus.

Other important business from the Friday night session of the meeting included an update on changes to Mission Resourcing and Pastoral Relations (see pages 16-17), an update on the Uniting Women conference to be held in Adelaide in 2016 (more information in upcoming editions of New Times), resources relating to the Anzac Day anniversary, and the upcoming events being led by Rev Malcolm Gordon (see page 13).

The Saturday session of the meeting focussed on resourcing provided by Elaine Heath. Elaine spoke on the topics of monastic communities, spirituality and evangelism.

The new Uniting Church SA website (sa.uca.org.au) was also launched on the Saturday. Uniting Church SA CEO/General Secretary Rev Nigel Rogers spoke about the changes to the site, which include improved search functionality, online space for articles and news, and the inclusion of video stories to communicate the message of the church in a wider variety of ways. Video of Elaine Heath ’s resourcing session will be made available through this new function of the website in the coming weeks; a link to this video will also be provided via UC e-news once it becomes available.

For a full account of the meeting ’s proceedings, please refer to the meeting minutes, which are available at sa.uca.org.au/pres-synod-meetings

Left to right: Rev Dr Amelia Koh-Butler, Rev Mark Butler, Dr Deidre Palmer, Rev Dave Williamson and Tanya Wittwer during the inductions and commissioning on Friday 27 March.

The second reading of the bill was considered by the House of Assembly on Tuesday 17 March. Several members spoke supportively of the bill.

“Discrimination against those who are mature aged is something that is starting to evaporate at all levels... The Uniting Church has recognised that there is wisdom – and a significant contribution that can still be made... to church service and operation of its trust post the age of 70 years, and that should be applauded and encouraged, ” said Vickie Chapman.

“I would like to say that it is with considerable passion that I indicate that we agree to this on this side of the house and that age should no longer be a restriction.”

Other members voiced their support for the bill, with some speaking about personal experiences in the church.

“I am overwhelmed by the support that has been received by this bill in parliament, ” said John Rau.

As a result of this discussion, the bill was referred to a Select Committee of the House who are due to report back to the House of Assembly on Wednesday 6 May. Updates will be made in later editions of New Times.

To read more about the Tuesday March 17 discussion of the Uniting Church in Australia (Membership of Trust) Amendment Bill 2015, please visit hansardpublic.parliament.sa.gov.au

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story

Look, listen – there are no straight lines

“You asked about how to approach Aboriginal people, ” Aunty Denise Champion picks up our conversation from several days ago. “This is how, ” she says, as we step together onto a path leading to a low circular monument.

Nothing would have kept me from walking directly to the sinuous rust stone carving that mimicked the two snakes of Ikara (Wilpena Pound), the vast geological monument that surrounds us. There were no barriers, no instructions, no protocols, just a stone marker at the mouth of the path announcing, “Ngarlparlaru yata. ” “This is our country, ” Denise translates as we tread the two-toned gravel walk that wound its way to the centre. In the Aboriginal world, nothing is direct, the subtleties confound. I am saved by the saying “relationship before stories before questions, ” a way so counterintuitive to the journalist in me.

At the brown centre of the monument, however, no words are minced:

“We lost our traditional way of life to pastoralism and our land to pastoralism –and adapted to an alien culture, a new language and religion. ”

“My dad couldn ’t vote, he was under the Dog Act. I felt so bad. ”

“If the missionaries heard us kids speaking our language, they would refuse to sell our mother groceries at the store. She would have to wait for the next week or travel to the next town to buy flour and sugar. ”

“After years of pastoral settlement, our traditional life has disappeared. ”

Embedded on the ground of the monument are crosses, horseshoes, and a

length of barbed wire that cuts across. Even for me, it is painful, the line between prison and freedom.

For all the Adnyamathanha place names that Aunty Denise had earlier asked us to remember –Vandha Urthanha, Yura Bila, Ngurri Madlanha – she gives us no name for this memorial. She refers to it in English as the “National Park Rangers ’ Quarters. ” The same was true when she named “Colebrook Home ” at Quorn during our drive; this place was the second of three homes to which Aboriginal children stolen from their families were taken.

The visit to the monument is part of a pilgrimage of about 30 persons on Adnyamathanha country, 430 kilometers north of Adelaide. Led by Aunty Denise, the group is made up of both whitefellas and blackfellas – but when one looks closely, the lines blur. There is Rhanee whose mother is Aboriginal and whose father came from Indian, Malay and Anglo lines. With her is her American-born husband, who traces his genealogy to Puerto Rico and to Africans who were taken there. Their nieces and nephew are dusky blonde beauties. There are the three brothers from the Taize Community – one French, another German, the third an Australian – with their own “Pilgrimage of Trust. ” Others come from Anglo-Australian, German-Australian, Italian, French, Liberian and Filipino traditions.

“Anhangha idla ngukanandhakai (I am going back to this place now), ” Aunty Denise recalls her father saying. “Wanangha nai? (And where are you going?), ” her mother would respond, as she must to keep the story

alive. “I am going to a special place in my mind, ” her dad would reply. Together they would converse about a special time and place, weaving new aspects to the story being told as they shared it with their children.

Thus, the Pilgrimage is not only for the visitors from various countries and backgrounds. It is also for the Adnyamathanha elders, Aunties Denise, Pauline and Noelleen, so they could take their daughters and grandchildren on country, too, and relate their stories.

Their communities now live in the settlements of Hawker or Port Augusta. Rangers have put fences around sacred rocks in the area for health and safety reasons. In 1948, the Adnyamathanha elders, deciding that they could not live in two worlds, ended their ceremonial lives and adopted Western ways. Well-meaning tourists have gouged deeper into old, traditional carvings in local gorges to make them more distinct. It is sad.

Theirs is a matrilineal society. Through story, their daughters have themselves become “Star Women, ” able to navigate at night. The world has become an even stranger place. One tells of how on a trip to Taize in France, she frantically called her mother: “Mom, I can ’t see the Southern Cross! ”

As we travel through country, the aunties will not let us have paper and pencil to write on. “Look, listen, ” they instruct. “It could be a matter of life or death. ” They take turns telling creation stories and naming plants, detailing their nutritive and medical properties. They ask us to say the names after them and leave blanks in the stories for us to fill out. One

Narratives are central in much of Jesus’ teachings throughout the Bible and continue to be used widely in the Uniting Church

today. Stories help us to share, teach and connect with one another. They help us to express our faith in a wide variety of ways.

Each member of the Uniting Church has their own unique story to tell. This edition of New Times provides an avenue for people

across the breadth of the church to share and teach one another, expressing our faith and spirituality in all its diverse forms.

Earlier this year Sophia Lizares, a deacon student in Western Australia, travelled to Adelaide for two deacon ’s conferences. While in South Australia, she also participated in the Adnyamathanha Pilgrimage alongside visitors from the ecumenical Taize community based in France. Sophia reflects on her experiences in Adnyamathanha country (the Flinders Ranges).

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story, told just as the sun was rising, is about Aldyanada, the Barking Lizard, and Adnu, the Bearded Dragon, and why the sun rises in the east.

These stories are written on the land and in memory. It is “on country ” where the stories become alive. They are stories of orientation without which one might get lost; stories of

accountability and cooperation. For these stories to live on, they need to be retold afresh, acting like winter floods washing the roots of trees in the dry creek beds.

Aunty Denise has broken with tradition to write a “paper and ink ” book with colour photographs. The stories she shares of her people become parables of a faithful God who

searches for lost children. They are stories of vulnerability and hospitality on land that is a sacred storybook and where, if one listens deeply, there might be no need for questions.

For more information about Aunty Denise Champion ’s book, Yarta Wandatha, please contact Mission Resourcing on 8236 4243 or mr@sa.uca.org.au

story

Scenery in Adnyamathanha country, captured by Sophia Lizars during the pilgrimage led by Aunty Denise Champion (bottom left).

Teaching people to leadThe Pilgrimage of Healing is run annually by the Covenanting team in Mission Resourcing during Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June). Each year, this campaign focusses on a different project within Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) in South Australia. Since 2011, people across the Uniting Church have generously supported Pilgrimage of Healing projects involving youth leadership, transportation for remote communities and building developments.From Wednesday 27 May to Wednesday 3 June this year, funds raised through the Pilgrimage of Healing will support training for Aboriginal people wishing to lead pilgrimages, such as the one detailed in Sophia ’s article. This will provide an opportunity for Aboriginal people across the state to ensure their stories are not lost and to share them with others.The South Australian Covenanting Committee has planned two Kaurna spirituality pilgrimages this year. The first will take place in Adelaide on Saturday 23 May followed by a Marion pilgrimage on Saturday 12 September. Uniting Church SA congregations, faith communities and individuals are invited to support these important pilgrimages and training for pilgrimage leaders through prayer or provision of funds, or by attending a pilgrimage.For more information about the Pilgrimage of Healing or to access Reconciliation Week resources, please visit sa.uca.org.au/covenanting/reconciliation-sunday or contact the Congress Resource Officer, Ian Dempster, on idempster@sa.uca.org.au or 0417 217 320. For more information about the May Pilgrimage, a Kaurna Walking Tour of Adelaide, please email office@pilgrim.org.au or call 8212 3295 (9am- 3.30pm).

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story

God ’s peace amidst brokenness

Two years ago I travelled to India with Stop the Traffik and Amor Ministries to learn more about human trafficking. The experience provided me with the unique opportunity to hear stories from girls and women who had been enslaved in trafficking situations throughout India. I was also fortunate to meet with many inspirational individuals and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) undertaking life-giving work for the millions of Indian people living below the poverty line.

In February this year I had an opportunity to return to the country – having learnt so much on my initial trip, I wanted to delve deeper into the stories I had previously heard, whilst remaining open to hearing new ones. I travelled from Delhi in the North of India to Kerala and Tirripur in the South, seeking more information and contacts in an effort to provide support for those who desperately need it. This time around I did not have the safety of a tour group, but was instead accompanied by my dad who, at the age of 65, had never travelled to Asia before.

Prior to leaving, I gathered donations of stationery from the Uniting Church community. Overwhelmed with the response and generosity, I took half a suitcase full of

gifts. A contact I had made from the Sahaara Charitable Society in Mumbai suggested I get in contact with the Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) as a suitable NGO who would welcome such gifts. EHA operate the Shalom Delhi Project, which was established in 2001 to provide care for people affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

The number of people living with HIV in India is estimated at 2.1 million. There is a great deal of stigma and discrimination against people living with the infection within households, the community, workplaces and even healthcare providers throughout India. The Shalom Delhi Project ’s mission is to provide unconditional care for those infected by and affected by HIV/AIDS. Their website is emblazoned with the words “God ’s peace amidst brokenness ” and their objective is to model compassionate, cost effective, clinical and home-based care for those living with HIV/AIDS. Along with educating and training other NGOs, the Shalom Delhi Project aims to mobilise churches and Christians to extend support to infected and affected families.

Upon visiting the Shalom clinic in Swaroop Nagar, North Delhi, I was greeted by the Director, Dr Savita Duomai, who at the age of 16 made the decision to dedicate her career as a doctor to help those with HIV/AIDS.

Savita introduced me to the team responsible for Shalom ’s two adolescent awareness programmes, which were created to educate, care for and support children with HIV/AIDS infected parents. The Character Development Programme caters to children aged 10-13. The Life Skills Programme teaches practical skills to adolescents aged 14 to 19. Both programmes have the added advantage of providing support and time away for young people in stressful family situations.

The Life Skills Programme also provides important education about puberty, HIV/AIDS, faith, values, sexuality, refusal skills, gender roles, marriage, stress management, life goals and time management. Participants also have the opportunity to join smaller cell groups, providing the programme ’s facilitator with an opportunity to personalise things taught in the larger life skills group.

While these programmes do include children infected by HIV/AIDS, Savita

Bindy Taylor

Clockwise from top left: Bindy Taylor walking in Mannur tea gardens, Kerala. Bindy and her father, Brenton. Bindy (right) with educators from Shalom Delhi Project, including Dr Savita Duomai (second from right). Fruits of character wall display at Shalom.

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Developing determinationTen-year-old Seema* listened eagerly as her instructor in the Character Development Programme at the Shalom Delhi Project told her the story of two birds who did not give up building a nest for their little ones, even though the storm had blown the first one away. Ever since her parents were diagnosed to be HIV positive, her family too had been rocked back and forth by the storms of life. Seema ’s parents were sick frequently and for fear of being discriminated against, they had isolated themselves from the rest of the community. Their financial situation, which was already bad, worsened as her parents were unable to work like before. Seema had every reason to be discouraged and disheartened. But like the birds in the story, she was determined to rise above her situation, persevere and not give up.

When Seema ’s parents were diagnosed with HIV someone introduced them to the Shalom Delhi Project and they were enrolled in the Home Based Care Programme (HBC) for HIV/AIDs affected families. Seema was happy when her name was included in the Character Development Programme for young adolescents of these families. She loved the programme from the very start and wholeheartedly participated in it. She enjoyed the games and activities, and looked forward to each session ’s story and discussion time. A different value was introduced each time – values like honesty, perseverance, wisdom, self control, hard work and many others. Each time she was encouraged to write down how she had applied the previous lesson to her life. Some examples of things she wrote were:

“I always used to cheat in class, but now I don ’t cheat. ” “I had gone to buy something from the shop, and someone threw

water on me. I was angry but controlled my anger. ” “I work hard to finish my science lessons. ” “I remembered that I should be honest, and so I returned the pen

that I had borrowed from my friend. ” It was heartwarming to see the fruits of character growing in her

as she imbibed these values into her life. During group counselling sessions, she received focussed counselling on how to cope with the various life challenges that she faced. When she shared her personal and family struggles with her instructor, she received inner strength and encouragement as they prayed together over these matters.

Today Seema is a bright and promising young girl who dreams of becoming a doctor one day. On completing the Character Development Programme, she was selected and trained to be a peer educator for the next batch of adolescents. She found it very satisfying to share with her young friends how she had coped with the challenges she faced and how she applied the different values in her life situation. As a peer educator she was personally mentored and her leadership qualities were developed. She is brimming with confidence and wants to explore every possible opportunity to grow and develop. The harshness of life did not succeed in destroying her spirit, instead she has risen up high and is now a source of inspiration to others like her. *name changed

story

and her team are planning to create special programme components to better address the particular needs of children who have been infected.

The Shalom Delhi Project relies on support from the government and the North Indian church community, with the majority of support provided through a Christian funding organisation. The support being offered has slowly waned as funding groups have been unable to raise adequate support specifically

for HIV. Savita and her team are hoping to establish new links with other organisations who are willing to offer support through prayer, funding or other connections.

Savita and I spoke about the possibility of having people in the Uniting Church SA community connect with the Shalom Delhi Project through a potential pen pal project. This would provide congregations and individuals with the opportunity to sponsor a child participating in the project ’s adolescent

programmes. As it may take time to establish a pen pal project, Savita has shared the story of one young person who participated in Shalom ’s Character Development Programme, and has given me permission to share this with the Uniting Church SA community.

For more information about the Shalom Delhi Project, please contact Dr Savita Duomai on savita.duomai@eha-health.org or visit shalomdelhi.org

Seema as a peer educator Seema with her friends in the adolescent programm

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story

As a young fighter pilot flying Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Meteor jets in the Korean War, Rev Bob Macintosh recalls how readily he described himself to people who asked about his beliefs – “I ’m an agnostic, ” was always his curt reply. But that would soon change.

Bob was one of 17, 000 military personnel who served Australia under the direction of the United Nations in the Korean War from 1950-1953. Before an armistice was declared, this terrible conflict claimed over two million lives, including those of 339 Australians. It was the death of Bob ’s best mate, Des Nolan, who was killed in a mid-air accident, which left Bob searching for the answers to life ’s deepest questions.

“After Des died my idea of myself as an agnostic just fell away, ” says Bob. “An agnostic, I came to realise, is a fence-sitter who ’s having a two bob bet each way. But that was no longer good enough. I decided I had to be either a believer or an atheist. There wasn ’t an in-between.”

There was one source of enlightenment Bob was prepared to explore – a copy of the King James Bible given to Bob by his father-in-law. Opening the pages after Des ’ death, Bob took his first tentative steps into Bible studies. He found the experience confronting. “I thought, ‘Where do I start? Hmmm, okay, I ’ll start reading from page one and aim to finish a chapter every day! ’”

It was a simple plan, but by the time Bob got up to the book of Leviticus, he said he was having “real trouble ” understanding it.

“I spoke to the Airforce padre. He was a bit quizzical of what I was doing but I insisted I was sincere and he took me seriously and offered to help, ” Bob recalls. “Little by little my understanding grew as my faith deepened.”

Meanwhile as a career RAAF pilot, Bob ’s service took him into another fierce conflict – the Vietnam War. In the mid-1960s Bob was flying the army ’s Huey helicopters from the Australian base in Nui Dat, Vietnam. The choppers were instrumental in ferrying troops back and forth from the front, and were often under fire. Bob flew over approximately 2,000 sorties (dispatches) and played a crucial part in evacuating wounded troops at the Battle of Long Tan.

The Battle of Long Tan occurred on the afternoon of 18 August 1966 when a company of Australian troops encountered a much larger, determined and well-equipped regiment of North Vietnamese troops. In monsoonal rain, with several dead and fighting for their lives, the Diggers dug in at a rubber plantation, resisting over many hours the sustained frontal assaults of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong soldiers.

After the battle, Bob piloted one of three choppers used to medically evacuate wounded Australians from the battlefield. It was a feat of night flying for which no training could prepare him.

“It was pitch-black and I was unable to put on my landing lights until I was about 50 feet off the ground. Prior to this I was guided down the pencil-thin beam of a penlight held up by a soldier, ” says Bob.

After active service, Bob became a Base Squadron commander in South Australia. His RAAF career and war experiences had not diminished his desire for deep spiritual knowledge. He had become a committed Christian and his hunger to forge new life in religious ministry was stirring in him constantly. He couldn ’t ignore it.

At age 49, Bob retired from the RAAF. With the support of his wife, Jenny, he sought out a religious vocation. He was accepted into theological training in Adelaide and became a minister in the Uniting Church.

During his first placement as minister of Bordertown Uniting Church in South Australia, Bob was approached by the Frontier Services ’ Superintendent, Rev Gray Birch. Gray hoped to convince Bob to join the aerial patrol based in Meekatharra, Western Australia. A Cessna plane was required to cover the distances between 150 stations, 12 mines and six churches located in the patrol ’s 460,000 square kilometres patrol mission area. The combination of flying and ministry seemed particularly suited to Bob ’s skills.

However, Bob knew nothing would be possible without the blessing of his wife. He introduced Gray Birch ’s proposal rather obliquely.

“‘Jenny, ’ I said, ‘how would you like to learn to fly? ’ ” Bob remembers. “She knew something was up [and asked]: ‘Hmmmm. So what ’s the catch? ’”

Dan McAloon

Fighter pilot to flying ministerLeft: Rev Bob Macintosh with the Cessna plane in Meekatharra, Western Australia. Right: Bob and Jenny Macintosh in the 1980s.

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Over four days in June, Rev Malcolm Gordon (pictured) will visit Adelaide to deliver seven training sessions on the theme of “Creative worship essentials. ” Malcolm brings a wealth of knowledge to this teaching role through his experiences as a songwriter, worship leader and Presbyterian minister in New Zealand. He is also the Worship, Music and Arts Enabler at the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership in Auckland and coordinator of The One Voice Project.

The One Voice Project (TOVP) focusses on contemporary expressions of Christian worship, particularly through the arts – music, visual arts, photography, design, poetry, dance

and more. Throughout the various projects, albums and resources created by TOVP, there is an emphasis on encouraging creative expression as a mode of communicating the Christian story. Art is not seen as an end in itself – instead, TOVP encourages artistic expression that tells a story, is deeply rooted in faith and guided by the light of Jesus.

While visiting Adelaide, Malcolm will offer training sessions on the topics of creative worship, building worship teams, worship leading, practical tips, evaluating worship, and different styles of worshipping.

In the days immediately before Malcolm ’s training sessions, Adelaide West Uniting Church will host “Songwrite, ” the second national Uniting Church in Australia gathering for writers of Christian worship songs. This event provides a creative space for people to listen, learn, perform, record, score and write. Malcolm will be the guest musician at the gathering.

Registration and datesSongwrite will be held at Adelaide West

Uniting Church (312 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Brooklyn Park) from 2pm on Friday 12 June to 2pm Sunday 14 June. The programme includes input from Rev Malcolm Gordon and other experienced worship leaders and songwriters. Cost is $135, which includes lunch on the Saturday and Sunday.

Registrations are still being accepted but would be appreciated as soon as possible.

For more information about Songwrite, please visit ucasongwrite.wordpress.com or contact Craig Mitchell on craigm@nat.uca.org.au or 0417 323 088.

Creative worship essentials will run from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 June. Two of the sessions will be held at Adelaide West Uniting Church at 7pm on the Tuesday and Thursday, and will cover the topics of “Designing creative worship ” and “101 practical tips ” (a specifically youth-friendly topic) respectively. Monday and Wednesday sessions will be held between 9am and 3pm, while the Tuesday and Thursday sessions will take place from 1pm to 8.30pm.

Uniting College for Leadership & Theology is offering course accreditation through Malcolm ’s training sessions at a cost of $200 (includes assessment). For those not looking for accreditation, attending all seven sessions will cost $120. The two evening sessions cost $25 each or $35 if attending both. Group discounts to the evening sessions are available.

For more information or to register for this event, please visit cmla.org.au or contact Uniting College for Leadership & Theology via email info@unitingcollege.org.au or phone 8416 8420 or the Centre for Music, Liturgy and the Arts via email admin@cmla.org.au or phone 8267 2657.

story

Storytelling through worship and song

Jenny Macintosh did indeed learn to fly the Frontier Services ’ Cessna (the same plane that continues to be used by Rev Colin Gordon in the Centralia Patrol today). Bob gives credit to Jenny ’s important contribution throughout the ministry. When landing their Cessna in the red dust at an isolated station, it was typical for many women not to have seen another female for over six months – they were thrilled to have the opportunity for conversation and a cuppa with another woman.

“Jenny was of vital support, ” Bob says. “Together we made a very effective ministry team – she came with me everywhere and everyone knew her.”

Over nine years from his 1985 appointment, Bob and Jenny Macintosh were the face of the Frontier Services Murchison Patrol.

The dependable plane they flew became the means by which the good news of Christ was carried to many far-flung places.

Looking back on the happiness that typified those outback days, Bob says being a flying padre was “a job made in heaven for me. ”

The Assembly Standing Committee that met in Sydney from 20-23 March this year made several key decisions to support the provision of remote area ministry through Frontier Services. A National Consultation on Remote Area Ministry will be held to further consider the future shape of the Uniting Church in remote Australia.

For more information about Frontier Services and patrol ministry, please visit frontierservices.org or call the National Office on 1300 787 247.

Return to Contents 13

4%pa on 12 month fixed term investments. Interest paid at maturity. Minimum investment is $1000. Offer available from 1 April – 31 May 2015 and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. New investments only.

*Some conditions apply - offer starts 1 April 2015 and may be withdrawn without notice. Minimum investment is $1,000. UC Invest is an activity of The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (S.A.) ABN 25 068 897 781, the legal entity of the Uniting Church SA. Investment services are provided on behalf of the Uniting Church SA pursuant to ASIC Policy Statement 87 exemptions and APRA Banking Exemption No.1 of 2013 (“The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (S.A.)”). Neither UC Invest nor the Uniting Church SA are prudentially supervised by APRA. Investments and contributions lodged with UC Invest will not benefit from the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act (1959). All products offered by UC Invest are designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of the Uniting Church SA.

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In December 2013 and March 2015 I travelled to Mae La refugee camp on the border of Burma and Thailand as part of my work for Act for Peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia. The people of Burma have lived through the longest running conflict in the world. Hundreds of thousands have fled their homes for neighbouring Thailand and now live in refugee camps, like the one I travelled to.

Whilst I was in Mae La I met Than. Than was just a boy when he saw his village being burnt to the

ground by the Burmese army. He walked day and night with his family, with no food or water, finally finding safety in Mae La refugee camp.

I clearly remember Than talking about his desire to go back home, despite the safety he had thankfully found in Thailand: “Life in Mae La camp is better than in Burma. Because I grow vegetables I can support my family. ” Like many refugees, Than has been living in Mae La refugee camp for more than 21 years. He desperately hopes that one day it will be safe enough to return to Burma.

Life for Than and the many others like him is tough. Confined to the camps and without an official way to earn a living, he relies on food rations to survive.

When I first saw the rations Than and his family had to live on I was in shock. He and his family have to survive on just a small amount of rice, flour, salt, fish paste, split peas and oil. Their rations for an entire month fit in one small corner of the kitchen. But the thing that really made me emotional is that funding for even this small amount of rations is running low, meaning the rations may have to be cut yet again.

This situation made me realise that Australia really is one of the richest countries in the world – yet many Australians don ’t seem to care about the refugees in places like Mae La, people who have nothing.

How can it be right to turn our backs on people in their time of need?

I believe that we can inspire people in Australia to be more compassionate, and make a real difference to the lives of refugees, like

Than, living in Mae La camp.On returning to Australia my colleagues and I developed the Act

for Peace Ration Challenge. During Refugee Week from Sunday 14 to Saturday 20 June this year, I will be participating in the second ever Ration Challenge – and we need as many people as possible to join us. I will be eating the same rations as Than for one week, sharing my experience with my friends and family, and asking them to sponsor me.

Together I believe we will change attitudes in Australia towards refugees – starting with our own. The money we raise will provide rations, seeds, tools and training to help ensure people like Than have enough to eat – now and in the future.

To take the Ration Challenge or find out more, please visit actforpeace.org.au/rationchallenge or free call 1800 025 101.

4%pa on 12 month fixed term investments. Interest paid at maturity. Minimum investment is $1000. Offer available from 1 April – 31 May 2015 and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. New investments only.

*Some conditions apply - offer starts 1 April 2015 and may be withdrawn without notice. Minimum investment is $1,000. UC Invest is an activity of The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (S.A.) ABN 25 068 897 781, the legal entity of the Uniting Church SA. Investment services are provided on behalf of the Uniting Church SA pursuant to ASIC Policy Statement 87 exemptions and APRA Banking Exemption No.1 of 2013 (“The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (S.A.)”). Neither UC Invest nor the Uniting Church SA are prudentially supervised by APRA. Investments and contributions lodged with UC Invest will not benefit from the depositor protection provisions of the Banking Act (1959). All products offered by UC Invest are designed for investors who wish to promote the charitable purposes of the Uniting Church SA.

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Living on little in Mae La

Left: Than and one of his children holding some of their flour rations. Right: Karen Mc Grath (right) with refugee children on a communiy agriculture programme at Mae La.

Karen McGrath

About the Ration ChallengeThe Act for Peace Ration Challenge is about standing up for refugees.By taking the challenge, you will be surviving on the same rations as a Burmese refugee during Refugee Week and will be sponsored to do so. The money you raise will help make sure refugees have enough to eat. By sharing this powerful experience with those around you, you can also bring the refugee struggle closer to home in a way that is impossible to ignore.Together we can make a difference for refugees and create a more compassionate society.When does it take place?During Refugee Week, from Sunday 14 to Saturday 20 June, 2015.How do I register?Register online at actforpeace.org.au/rationchallenge By registering you will be immediately linked to your online fundraising page, which you can personalise, and share with your family and friends to start getting sponsored.

story

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min i s t r y cen t res

At the March meeting of the Uniting Church SA Presbytery and Synod, a structural change within the Synod office was announced. The Synod ’s two Mission Planning positions (held by three people, two in a half-time capacity) have moved from the Mission Resourcing team to Pastoral Relations. The new Pastoral Relations team will

unite under a new name, which reflects the team ’s growth – Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning (PRMP). This change is the first step in an ongoing plan to build stronger connections between the Synod and congregations.

The addition of the Mission Planning roles has enabled the PRMP

Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning

rev David BUXTONrural west

congregational regions:

rural easturban north & west

urban east & hills

urban south

uaicc

team member:

rev ashley davisrev diane bury

pastor wendy perkins

rev beth seaman

ms sharonne price

Adelaide

Port Lincoln

Murray Bridge

Robe

Mundulla

CoonalpynStokes Bay

Vivonne Bay

Walker Flat

Waikerie

Burra

Kapunda

Peterborough

Quorn

Whyalla

Cowell

Bute

Ardrossan

Yorketown

Cummins

Lock

Streaky Bay

Ceduna

Coonawarra

Mt Gambier

This is the final article detailing the work of the various ministry centres of the Uniting Church in South Australia.

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min i s t r y cen t res

Who, what, whereThe South Australian Presbytery has been divided into five regions, each with their own representative from the Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning team.

Rev David Buxton will be the contact person for the Rural West region. David has served the church in many capacities – locally, at Presbytery and Synod levels, and through an Assembly agency. His knowledge about and passion for the church is immense, and he is particularly well-versed in the issues currently facing congregations – large and small, rural and metropolitan.

The Rural East region will be tended to by Rev Ashley Davis. Ashley has worked as a minister in a variety of contexts – regional, suburban and urban. A country lad at heart, he has served rural congregations as a member of the Pastoral Relations team for approximately five years.

Rev Diane Bury will offer her wealth of knowledge and experience to the Urban North, West and Barossa region of the Presbytery. Diane has experience in presbytery matters and complex urban congregations, which has helped her to develop significant skills in governance, managing conflict, planning for the future, worship and pastoral responsibility.

Rev Beth Seaman will serve the Urban South and Fleurieu region, in addition to her role as minister of Wesley Kent Town Uniting Church. Beth has an extensive knowledge of congregations in this region, having served them as first a Pastoral Relations Officer and then as a Mission Planner. She is passionate about asset-based mission planning and has a very pastoral approach to all she does.

The Urban East and Adelaide Hills region will be served by Pastor Wendy Perkins. Wendy served one of the largest congregations in the Uniting Church SA for 18 years in various capacities. She knows and understands complex congregations and leadership demands, but also has a heart for smaller communities and congregations. Wendy offers thorough and expert help, and is very responsive to congregational need. She also serves as the Co-ordinator of Disaster and Recovery Ministries (0.5 time) and is engaged with many smaller Hills congregations quite intimately - especially since the Sampson Flat fires early this year.

The other members of the Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning team include Sharonne Price (Executive Officer, Pastoral Relations), Rev Philip Gardner (Pastoral Relations Officer, responsible for placements and chaplaincy), Linda Vinall (Called to Care Training and Development Officer), Rev Dr Trevor Whitney (Disability Chaplain) and Gill Morel (Personal Assistant to the Executive Officer). Pastoral Relations Administrator Bill Shepherd has served the Uniting Church SA for many years but will soon retire from his role in the Synod office. We offer Bill our thanks for his hard work and our prayers for the future.

team to divide the Presbytery into five regions, each of which have been allocated a “go to ” person from the team (see the break out box to the right for further details). Each of the regions is quite large, as illustrated in the map to the left, but it is anticipated that this geographical division will enable the Presbytery and Synod to better serve the congregations and ministers in its care.

Sharonne Price, the Executive Officer of Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning, says that the purpose of these changes is to make it easier for congregations and the Presbytery/Synod to understand, assist and “stay in touch ” with one another.

In the past, issues have arisen when congregations have been unsure who to contact about particular concerns in the areas of mission planning, governance, ministry leadership, finance or resourcing. Many have also struggled with identifying the areas in which they need assistance, partially because they often overlap.

The new system aims to make it simpler for congregations and ministers to understand and communicate with the Synod office – and vice versa. This will assist the PRMP team in delivering assistance, advice, planning and support.

“Perhaps the image of the doorway works best, ” says Sharonne. “We are striving for a better and quicker alignment of resources and expressed needs, and to make it easier for congregational leaders, whether lay or ordained, to know where to start when there is an issue. That ‘place to start ’ will be a person whom they know, and who knows them.

“Congregations will directly access the staff of the Synod and, we hope, their voices will be even more influential in the directions we take as a Pastoral Relations Committee and as a whole Presbytery and Synod when we meet together.

“We need to be less remote from each other if we are to support and build each other ’s mission and ministry, ” Sharonne says.

Despite these new regional divides, Sharonne is quick to point out that the boundaries between the regions will be quite porous.

“We hope to still benefit from the special expertise that each team member has developed over time. There will also be times when the best ‘match ’ for a situation may need to take into account personal history and conflicts of interest. ”

Supporting the PRMP team is a wealth of resourcing from Uniting College, the Mission Resourcing team, the Mission Networks, other congregations and the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly. It is anticipated that the new structure will also facilitate the necessary connections between resources so that mission and ministry can be built together.

For more information about the new Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning team, please contact the team on 8236 4204 or pastoralrelations@sa.uca.org.au or visit sa.uca.org.au/ pastoral-relations

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Cherry Gardens Uniting Church

get t i ng t o know. . .

Established in 1849, the Cherry Gardens congregation has been serving the local community for 166 years. With a keen focus on outreach, this small church community enthusiastically encouraged the development of faith communities in Ironbank and Upper Sturt. In partnership with Clarendon, the Cherry Gardens congregation also assisted in establishing Coromandel Valley Uniting Church - an early example of church “planting. ”

The original Cherry Gardens church was quite small with no seats – attendees were made to stand throughout the service or kneel on the hard Jarrah wood floor during prayer. The church was later enlarged with chairs added, and currently has three windows on each side, including a leadlight window which serves as a memorial for soldiers who died in World War I.

The current Cherry Gardens Uniting Church congregation continues to prioritise and engage in outreach. As a member of the Cherry Gardens Community Association, the church contributes articles to “Cherry Chatter, ” a local monthly newsletter. The

Cherry Gardens Garden Club meets in the church once a month and has a membership of 38. This club has been helping the church with their own garden and building facilities, partnering with the congregation to apply for grants with Onkaparinga City, resulting in the provision of a new tank and air conditioner.

Each year, the Cherry Gardens congregation provides music and chaplains for the local Anzac Day service, and assists in catering a breakfast in the Memorial Hall following the service. Rev David Houston, a decorated army chaplain, conducted the centenary event this year. Cherry Gardens also runs an annual Community Carols event showcasing local talent. Some of the congregation ’s members are involved in preaching in the local community and in rural areas, visiting Upper Sturt, Ironbank, Mt Pleasant, the Riverland, Murray Mallee and Coonalpyn. One member, Dr Gillian Marshman, is a team leader of the Flinders Overseas Group. The group visits West Timor each year to provide general medical services and are currently training and setting up their first oncology unit in Kupang.

For many years Cherry Gardens used a galvanised iron shed for Sunday school and morning tea. This space was freezing in winter and swelteringly hot in summer, and had a low roof that made maneuvering difficult for taller members of the church. Fortunately, architect Jim Ward is a member of the church and agreed to prepare a vision for something to replace this shed. Based on this, skilled members of the church began fundraising and building. The generosity of the congregation ’s members, founding families, local councils and groups, and Habitat for Humanity assisted in making Jim ’s vision a reality. The new meeting room includes air conditioning, a modern kitchen, current technology and a deck with a beautiful view of a nearby valley – a perfect complement to the historic Cherry Gardens Uniting Church building!

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Christ Church Uniting, Wayville

get t i ng t o know. . .

Christ Church is a very special place to be. The beautiful, contemporary church building is nestled down off King William Road where Eldercare The Lodge also has a large presence. The community formed in the mid-19th Century as Unley Methodist Church. Since 1983, Christ Church formed part of the Parkin-Wesley College site (now Uniting College for Leadership & Theology based in Brooklyn Park) and many theologians lived and prayed in the Christ Church building during the week. Many of the members of the current congregation have been theologically trained through the College, and have either remained or returned to share in the theologically progressive, diverse and challenging community upon their retirement.

In cooperation with talented worship leaders, Rev Nicholas Rundle offers creative Sunday worship with a focus on renewal. Christ Church also holds a fortnightly contemplative mindfulness service on Tuesday evenings.

Approximately 100 members gather at Christ Church each week for a 10am Sunday worship service. Visitors are welcomed with open arms as the congregation is

guided by their desire to be an inclusive, spirited community, inspired by faith in Jesus Christ and exploring Christian faith in contemporary ways. Christ Church attendees are a diverse group – not only in age, but in theological viewpoints, politics and church backgrounds. Despite this, members are united in their commitment to a community where people feel respected and safe. People are encouraged to explore their spiritual journey through worship, prayer and study.

Outside of regular services, many of the church ’s members are involved in the local community and serving neighbours as a compassionate expression of faith. Social justice is at the core of Christ Church ’s community engagement programmes as the congregation seeks to make meaningful connections between Christian faith and the many complex issues of contemporary society.

Artistic endeavours are also a strong focus for members of Christ Church. Local glassworks artist Cedar Prest created the church ’s stained glass windows, which are a wonderful treasure and are a weekly reminder of the congregation ’s commitment to spirituality and the arts. This commitment

is also expressed in creative worship through music from David Gigger and other artists. The church also holds an annual artist-in-residence programme, hosts a SALA art exhibition in their exhibition space, and offers regular trips to art galleries.

The Effective Living Centre (ELC) is an integral part of Christ Church ’s identity. ELC is a Mission Resourcing centre for the wider church and the community, and seeks to empower people to engage with and contribute to life more effectively. ELC is open and available to people of any social, political or religious stance.

The church council recently led the congregation through a strategic planning process for the next five years. This planning put emphasis on the ever-changing landscape of the Uniting Church, recognising the church as “pilgrim people ” who are always on a journey.

This year Christ Church has a particular focus on effective parenting, building cultural awareness and participating in reconciliation with local Aboriginal communities. The church currently hosts a “circle of friends ” for refugees and asylum seekers, offering close support and friendship for families.

Return to Contents 19

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UNITING COMMUNITIES BOARD MEMBER

Uniting Communities provides a diverse range of services to the Community of South Australia.

We seek a Uniting Church member with a strong financial background to join our Board of Directors in a voluntary capacity. Board membership is an opportunity to join a team of people committed to ensuring Uniting Communities uses its resources strategically to create a more compassionate and just community. Ideally the person will be a member of an appropriate professional body and have experience in: provision of strategic financial advice, financial risk management, trends in financial reporting particularly in a not-for-profit context, interpretation of meaningful monthly management accounts, and experience in overseeing financial investment strategies.

For an information kit please contact Beth Alcock on 8202 5886. Enquiries to Jo Baulderstone (0419 036 124), Chair of the Board or Simon Schrapel (8202 5886). Expressions of interest together with a CV should be sent to Simon Schrapel, Chief Executive, Uniting Communities, 10 Pitt Street, Adelaide by COB 22 May 2015.

www.unitingcommunities.org

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ANNIVERSARY SERVICE. Karoonda Uniting Church will hold its 90th anniversary service on Sunday 3 May at 11am. Rev Barry Oakley will be the guest preacher at the event, which will also include a shared luncheon at 12.30pm in the church hall. All welcome. For more information, please contact Carlene Schulz on 8578 1250.

WESLEYAN METHODIST HISTORY EVENT. “Women ’s Suffrage 1894 & the Power of the Wesleyan Methodists ” is the title of an event to be held on Sunday 3 May at 2.30pm at Wesley Uniting Church (cnr Grenfell St and Fullarton Rd, Kent Town). This fascinating talk will explore the role of progressive Wesleyan Methodists in agitating for social reform as advocates for women ’s suffrage in 19th Century South Australia. The guest speaker is local historian Denise Schumann. This event is part of the Wesley Uniting Church 150 year celebrations. For more information, please visit wesleykenttown.org.au or contact the church office on 8362 2544 (Mon to Thurs, 10am-3pm).

GARAGE SALE. Come grab a bargain and enjoy a sausage and cold drink or cuppa and scones at The Corner Garage Sale. The sale goes from 9am-1pm on Saturday 9 May at The Corner Uniting Church (cnr Oaklands and Diagonal Rds, Warradale) and will feature a wide variety of wonderful stalls. Fun for the whole family! For more information, please visit thecorner.org.au or contact the church office on 8350 5400 (Tues to Fri, 9am-3pm).

ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY is the theme of the next Progressive Christianity Network (SA) Friday Forum, to be held on Friday 15 May, 7.30pm at the Effective Living Centre (26 King William Road, Wayville). It will feature two outstanding speakers – Pastor Denise Champion and Dr Olga Gostin – who are both published authors. Aunty Denise is the SA Chair of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), and has recently been appointed as Pastor to the UAICC congregation at Port Augusta. She will speak on “Aboriginal Spirituality. ” Dr Gostin is an anthropologist and Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research at the University of South Australia. Her topic is “Menticulture: Unpacking Aboriginal Spirituality and Care for Country. ” Entry to the forum is $20 waged and $15 unwaged. Bookings are essential and are available online at effectiveliving.org/pcnetsa or by calling the Effective Living Centre on 8271 0329 (Tues, Wed and Fri, 10am-3pm).

TEACHING WEEKEND. “Seek. Praise. Live. - The Psalms for Today ” is the title of a teaching weekend on the Psalms which is to be held from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 May at Rosefield Uniting Church (2 Carlton St, Highgate). Dr Liz Boase will speak on the topic, and the weekend will also include electives on praying, singing, seeing and speaking the Psalms. Cost: $25. The event is presented in conjunction with the SA Lay Preachers ’ Association and the Urban Mission Network. For more information, please visit rosefield.org.au or contact the church office on 8271 9528 (Mon and Wed, 9.30am-12.30pm; Thurs and Fri, 9.30am-3pm).

ORGAN MUSIC EVENT. “Voices from the Past II ” will feature classical organ music from past Adelaide musicians. Many of these compositions have never been published making this is a rare opportunity to hear this music. The event will be held on Saturday 16 May, 2.30pm at Wesley Uniting Church (cnr Grenfell St and Fullarton Rd, Kent Town). Gold coin donation. This event is part of the Wesley Uniting Church 150 year celebrations. For more information, please visit wesleykenttown.org.au or contact the church office on 8362 2544 (Mon to Thurs, 10am-3pm).

A GUIDED TOUR of Wesley Uniting Church (cnr Grenfell St and Fullarton Rd, Kent Town) will be held on Saturday 16 May at 4pm. The tour will feature gothic church architecture and aspects of Adelaide ’s social history spanning 150 years. Rev FRM Macdonald, former minister of the church, will highlight architectural and historical features. Gold coin donation. This event is part of the Wesley Uniting Church 150 year celebrations. For further information, please visit wesleykenttown.org.au or contact the church office on 8362 2544 (Mon to Thurs, 10am-3pm).

MESSY CORNER. People from many nations were touched by God ’s Spirit at Pentecost. Those gathered for Messy Church at The Corner Uniting

Church (cnr Oaklands & Diagonal Rds, Warradale) on Sunday 17 May will explore the ways many different cultures worship God. Come and enjoy a noisy and fun time interacting with God and each other in new and different ways. The session starts at 3.30pm for craft, activities and dinner. $5 a person helps cover costs. For more information, please visit thecorner.org.au or contact the church office on 8350 5400 (Tues to Fri, 9am-3pm).

MIGRATION EVENT. The Wellspring Community invites you to hear about Fairbridge Farm Schools – “The Untold Story of Child Migration ” on Saturday 30 May, 10am-1.30pm at Port Adelaide Uniting Church (169 Commercial Rd, Port Adelaide). Special guest Brian Kirkby will share stories which will both confront and inform. Morning tea will be provided, but please bring lunch to share. A time of worship will be included. For more information, please contact Val and Norm Bennett on 8240 1945. The Wellspring Community is an Australian ecumenical community inspired by the Iona Community.

CELEBRATION SERVICE. A special church service celebrating the long association between Kent Town and Annesley College (formerly Methodist Ladies ’ College). If you were part of this association, please join in listening to preacher Rev David Purling at this event on Sunday 31 May, 10am at Wesley Uniting Church (cnr Grenfell St and Fullarton Rd, Kent Town). This event is part of the Wesley Uniting Church 150 year celebrations. For more information, please visit wesleykenttown.org.au or contact the church office on 8362 2544 (Mon to Thurs, 10am-3pm).

A THIN PLACE. Everyone who enjoys (or wants to try) contemplative worship is invited to “A Thin Place ” at The Corner Uniting Church (cnr Oaklands and Diagonal Rds, Warradale) on Sunday 31 May at 5.30pm. All are welcome to an hour of quiet reflection on Mark ’s gospel at several prayer stations. The event includes a multi-screen audio visual presentation of art, photography and scripture. For further information, please visit thecorner.org.au or contact the church office on 8350 5400 (Tues to Fri, 9am-3pm).

posit ionsvacant .sa.uca.org .au

To have your upcoming event or message published here, email diary@sa.uca.org.au with ‘Diary’ in the subject line.

l e t t e r s t o t he ed i t o r

I ’ve really appreciated seeing some articles about environmental issues in New Times recently.

Christians should be strongly associated with looking after the planet, but so often the opposite is true. Good to encourage us all to deal more thoughtfully and kindly with the plants, animals, air, water, etc. that God has given us.L. Morrison,Rostrevor

Encouraging thoughtful engagement

Be topical, be brief, be timely.Letters over 150 words will be edited; responses to previous letters /articles will be considered within two months of the original item ’s publication only.All letters are published at the editorial team ’s discretion.

Send your letters to: newtimes@sa.uca.org.au or PO Box 2145, Adelaide 5001.

d ia r y

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Rev David Phill

Feature Review:

Once in a lifetime a book can come into one ’s possession which challenges one ’s faith and ministry and throws a light upon many of the issues with which one wrestles. Religion in exile: a spiritual homecoming, written by the Irish Catholic priest, philosopher, counsellor and social psychologist Diarmuid O ’Murchu, is one such book.

It would have been valuable and fascinating to have had this book 20 years ago, and even better in the 1960s when some of us were training for the ministry at the time of the “God is dead ” movement. God was not dead, of course. What the school of thought back then was telling us was that many of our traditional concepts were effectively outmoded. We needed to radically re-think most of the ideas we had taken for granted.

One of Rev Dr Paul Trudinger ’s hymns features the following lines:

Fine traditions still affirming,Give us grace to leave behindStale and profitless commitmentsOutworn attitudes of mind Fresh resources thus to find.

Despite our “contemporary ” worship and modern songs, which have displaced hymns that many treasured, people have voted with their feet. According to data gathered in the 2013 Uniting Church in Australia census, the number of active Uniting Church congregations and faith communities in South Australia fell from 450 to 296 between 1990 and 2013. Church attendance has declined by 40%, and the average number of attendees at worship is 35. In 44% of our churches the average number of people attending is between 20 and 49.

Some ministers have felt responsible for this decline, but the author of Religion in exile, in a breathtaking sweep of religion, shows how many of the more traditional aspects of faith have become irrelevant for a large number of adults. Religion may be dying, but spirituality, he says, is alive and well in the hearts of a growing throng of adults.

For 70,000 years or more, spirituality has expressed itself in dance and in an intimate relationship with creation, which O ’Murchu believes is the central and first revelation of the creator.

Increasingly Christians, or “Adult Seekers, ” are understanding how the “Kingly Rule of God ” concept was central for Jesus.

Traditional theology taught us that Adam sinned and an angry God sent his son to atone for the sins of humankind. Many Christians believed this without comprehending it.

Jesus ’ whole ministry was the witness to and the passion for proclaiming that the Kingly Rule of God was already here in him and in us. Jesus was not crucified by the Jews, nor by the Romans, but by the all-pervading, cruel Imperial Roman System.

Proclaiming the Kingly Rule of God put him on a collision course with this other Imperial system. He was prepared to give his life for the Kingly Rule of God. His message was directed against the cruel regime that traumatised and marginalised the poor and needy people of his day.

To Pilate, Jesus said: “How can you take my life if I give it to you?”To his disciples (and so to us) he said, in effect: “Whoever wants

to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ” (Luke 9:23 NIV)

Diarmuid O ’Murchu is the author of over twenty books and the above is but a brief introduction to parts of Religion in exile which I felt were particularly applicable to our situation in the Uniting Church. It is an enthralling but difficult book to read. However, I believe it is well worth the effort. If this article has whetted your appetite, I encourage you to obtain a copy of Religion in exile and possibly even form a study group to discuss it.

rev i ews

Reforming the church for the 21st Century

WILKS ORATION 2015

Tanya Hosch - Joint Campaign Director of ‘Recognise Australia’ will speak on the topic:

IT ’S TIME - TO RECOGNISEFirst Australians in the Constitution

Friday June 12th – 7.00pm for 7.45 start at the Effective Living Centre, 26 King William Street ,Wayville

An Aboriginal musician will perform from 7.15pm- drinks will be served in the foyer and supper will follow the Oration.

Cost: $25.00 and $20.00 for Friends of ELC or conc.Bookings Essential www.effectiveliving.com or phone 8271 0329

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At the October/November 2014 meeting of the Uniting Church SA Presbytery and Synod, members resolved to have a task group: “Undertake a six month process of discussions with interested parties to look deeply into the matter of fossil fuels and the potential for divestment. ” This task group, now known as the Environment Action Group, are to report back at the June 2015 Presbytery and Synod meeting. This article is one in a series they have undertaken for New Times.

Underlying the report being prepared for this meeting is a clear theological and ethical commitment to understanding that “the Earth is the Lord ’s, ” and that we have a responsibility to love and care for the world as God ’s creation. With this goes the ethical and moral obligation to pass on to future generations a world that is liveable and able to support a wholesome life for all. Australia is one of the privileged nations in terms of its natural resources, but it is also a major contributor to global warming. Therefore, for us as Christians, climate justice demands a faith response. Our love must include a commitment to decreasing our greenhouse emissions and keeping global temperatures below the internationally agreed limit of 2ºC above pre-industrial levels, thereby reducing the frequency and intensity of future climate-related disasters.

The last National Church Life Survey revealed that 80% of church attendees would like the Church to offer leadership and to speak up about environmental concerns. Therefore, the proposal that will go to the upcoming Presbytery and Synod meeting addresses the issue of fossil fuel investments. Fossil fuels have served us extremely well. Their energy intensity has allowed the development of technology and industry, modern agriculture, mobility and our modern lifestyle. However, by using these sources of energy we have inadvertently created conditions that will deny that lifestyle to our children and grandchildren. If we continue to use fossil fuels at current rates and emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, by 2100 we can expect the Earth ’s average temperature to rise by 3-5ºC above pre-industrial levels. This occurs because the additional carbon dioxide strengthens the natural Greenhouse Effect and warms the Earth. New research recently

published in the leading scientific journal Nature identifies which fossil fuel reserves must not be burned to keep global temperature rise under 2ºC. These include over 90% of Australia ’s coal resources. Knowing this, how can we share profits from any business that is largely involved in the fossil fuel chain without accepting the ethical responsibility to minimise the impacts of its greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and fugitive methane) on the living planet?

The Uniting Church Synods of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria/Tasmania and Western Australia, six Anglican Dioceses in New Zealand, and the World Council of Churches have already made the decision to divest from fossil fuel companies. The Australian National University has taken a similar decision and the University of Sydney has deleted coal mining from its investment portfolio. In the financial sector, the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank will not lend to firms involved in thermal coal or coal seam gas extraction. The ANZ Bank have admitted that customers are concerned about the bank ’s carbon exposure and are committed to “playing its part in helping to cut emissions. ” We should be proud that the Australian Uniting Church Assembly has shown leadership when President Rev Prof Andrew Dutney said: “To avoid damaging climate change we must move quickly to a clean energy economy. The Uniting Church recognises that continued investment in fossil fuel industries does not support the change needed.”

The Ethical Investment Working Group, in consultation with the Environment Action Group, are seeking the Uniting Church SA Presbytery and Synod ’s endorsement of a proposal to avoid investing in companies that cause unacceptable damage to the natural environment through their primary involvement in coal extraction and exploration.

Meanwhile, the Environment Action Group has prepared guidelines for local churches wishing to reduce their carbon footprint and work towards sustainable environmental practices. They also hope to provide information that encourages individuals to divest from fossil fuels and prudently invest in companies involved in renewable energy, environmental or humanitarian enterprises.

Fossil fuel divestment and the Uniting Church

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The open cut mine at Leigh Creek is a source of low grade black coal. Photo courtesy of Gordon Smith.

Jim Daly

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NorthWhere: The Journey Uniting Church (2-30 Surry Farm Drive, Golden Grove)Time: Pre-show and BBQ from 6.30pm, main event 7.30-9.30pmCost: FreeSpeaker: Cullen Bailey For more information, please search for “Live Life Loud North ” at sa.uca.org.au or contact Mike Wardrop on 0430 666 959.

WestWhere: Adelaide West Uniting Church (312 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Brooklyn Park)Time: Dinner and games from 6-7pm, service from 7.30-9.30pmCost: Money is required for dinner, but entry and games are freeSpeaker: Danica PatselisFor more information, please search for “Live Life Loud West ” at sa.uca.org.au or contact John Harris on 0458 586 777.

SouthWhere: Seeds Uniting Church (42 Sunnymeade Drive, Aberfoyle Park)Time: Café and BBQ from 6.30pm, doors open at 7.15pm for a 7.30-10pm serviceCost: Donation for entry or $5 for entry, drink and BBQSpeaker: Ana WestFor more information, please search for “Live Life Loud South ” at sa.uca.org.au or contact Shane Rayner on 0468 453 654.

Mid NorthWhere: Horizon Christian School (21 Gwy Terrace, Balaklava)Time: BBQ at 6.30pm, service 7.30-10pmCost: Money is required for BBQ, but entry is freeSpeaker: Ben WhittakerFor more information, please search for “Live Life Loud Mid North ” at sa.uca.org.au or contact Lee Cunningham on 0429 621 143.

HillsWhere: Aldgate Baptist Church (202 Old Mt Barker Road, Aldgate)Time: BBQ from 6-7pm, service 7-9pmCost: $5Speaker: Dan BeasyFor more information, please search for “Live Life Loud Hills ” at sa.uca.org.au or contact Kurt Mahlburg on 0406 308 017.

Eyre PeninsulaWhere: Cummins Uniting Church (68-72 Bruce Terrace, Cummins)Time: 6.30-9pmCost: Money is required for the BBQ and café, but entry is freeSpeaker: Pete RiggsFor more information, please search for “Live Life Loud Eyre Peninsula ” at sa.uca.org.au or contact Sue Ellis on 0427 162 009 or Benji Callen on 0427 792 869.

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One night, six locationsLive Life Loud, the ecumenical youth worship evening run annually at venues across South Australia, continues to grow each year. In 2014, a fifth venue was added to the line-up; this year, a sixth has been established.

On Friday 12 June, dynamic speakers have been engaged to share an encouraging message in at locations in the North, West and South of Adelaide, the Mid-North region, the Adelaide Hills and the Eyre Peninsula.

Live Life Loud was started by the Uniting Young People team in 2010 with the aim of seeing teenagers from different churches experiencing transformation, having encounters with God and becoming agents of change in their local communities. Each year, more young people from across denominations engage with the event, and there are plans to establish Live Life Loud locations interstate.

This year, over 800 high school-aged young people will join their local Live Life Loud event to explore ideas, participate in worship and create community. Each location is coordinated by local communities and leaders with support from the Uniting Young People team.

Young people participating in past Live Life Loud events across South Australia.

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