Fijian News
Congratulations to the Cantebury Fijian Choir, NSW Synod who competed in a Singing Competition for the Methodist Church annual conference 2003 in Fiji, against hundreds of choirs. They received the trophy for the most highly regarded choir in the competition and sang their own composition. Their choir master Jese Delai and all the members of the choir deserve our congratulations!
Fijian National Conference 8-11 January 2004
Representatives from the Fijian congregations of the Uniting Church will be gathering in Melbourne for the 7th meeting of the Biannual Fijian National Conference from 8-11 January 2004. Please remember this significant gathering for Fijian members of the Uniting Church in your prayers. The purpose of the national conferences is
To establish a national network between congregations of the same culture
To establish a fellowship between members of the Uniting Church from all around Australia speaking the same language
To establish solidarity within their community
To seek mutual co-operation in solving difficult issues arising in the life of their congregations
To share common problems, joys and prayers
To increase understanding about the multicultural Uniting Church and to make a distinctive contribution to its life.
To allow their voice to be heard within the life of the UCA.
Service of Recognition of an Intern
The National Working Group on Worship commends to Presbyteries the new order for the Recognition of an Intern. It is available for downloading from the Assembly website. Go to <http://assembly.uca.org.au/TD>, click on "Worship", click on "Orders of Service" and scroll down to the section "Ordering of the Church".
Media Releases
Frontier Services - UCA 24 November 2003
Frontier Services wins Prestigious Award
Frontier Services, Australias leading provider of health and community services to Outback Australia, has been recognised once again as an employer of choice for women at the EOWA (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency) Business Achievement Awards 2003.
Frontier Services was presented the award for the Most Outstanding Result for the Advancement of Women, one of 7 major awards in a highly competitive field. Frontier Services has been recognised as an Employer of Choice for Women each year since the EOWA Business Achievement Awards commenced in 2001. The awards were established to promote and recognise equality of employment opportunities and conditions for women. Other organisations to win major awards this year include McDonalds, IBM, American Express, SC Johnson & Son, Autoliv Australia, ING, ANZ and the Cairns Region Training Group.
The award recognised the outstanding results achieved by Frontier Services in its Indigenous Training Program conducted in the Kimberley Region of WA. Frontier Services National Director, Rosemary Young, said the real winners are the 5 courageous women who took up the challenge of working towards formal qualifications in community service something they thought to be all but impossible. The self-belief and pride generated when they successfully completed their Certificate III in Community Service was a great reward for all concerned. Not only has Frontier Services gained more highly skilled and motivated workers, but family members and communities have been inspired by their achievements. As a result, many more staff members in the Kimberley Region have decided to undertake training.
We were delighted to receive this recognition of the importance we place on supporting our staff. Of the more than 450 people we employ across Australia, approximately 90% are women. Many work in remote locations where the challenges of isolation and cultural barriers are enormous.
We are utterly dependent on being able to recruit and retain extraordinary staff. One of the most important things to us is to ensure that staff feel they have the skills they need to do their jobs well. This results in a high level of job satisfaction, which in turn results in happy and motivated workers. That's why we have provided services continuously for the past 90 years, and thats why we will continue to do so, even though many others are retreating from remote areas.
Many employees of Frontier Services are not forced to stick to rigid rosters or strict work arrangements but are allowed to work their own hours, as long as the job gets done. For example, rather than work in shifts, some staff work one week on, one week off which enables them to spend their week off somewhere that's not quite so remote. One staff member chooses to work 10 weeks straight and then take six weeks off.
This flexible and supportive work environment has resulted in an unusually low staff turnover well below the 20 per cent mark recorded by most other community service organisations.
Uniting Justice - UCA
One more lie in a long line of lies, says Uniting Church leaders
Leaders of the Uniting Church in Australia today (14/11/03) said they are not surprised that the Australian Government ignored the pleas for asylum of the Turkish Kurds from the Minasa Bone.
Australias legislative response to asylum seekers has once again been shown to be a charade, said the President of the Uniting Church, Rev. Dr Dean Drayton.
Rev. Elenie Poulos, the National Director of UnitingJustice, said, The Federal Government has long been misleading the Australian public about its refugee policies.
The Government has consistently maintained that its policies do not breach our human rights obligations they do. It claims that people have been well cared for in our detention centres they are not. It claims that Australias refugee policy is admired and respected it is not. And of course, the children thrown overboard were not.
Rev. Poulos, who has recently returned from meetings of UNHCR in Geneva, went on to say Australias reputation has not so much been damaged by the latest lies but rather reinforced.
The international community are only too aware of Australias willingness to breach its international obligations. What may shock them is how exactly how far this Government is prepared to go.
It is extraordinary that the Government has been willing to risk its integrity over a small boatload of desperate people. And it is indeed a sad time in our countrys history when we close our hearts and our borders to match, she said.
Conferences:
Preaching and Teaching in the Year of Matthew, 2004.
Date: November 15-17, 2004.
Location: Glen Waverley UCA. Monday 15th, 9:00 am to Wednesday 17th, 5:00 pm.
Content: Bible studies (Matthew), preaching and education workshops, electives.
Focus: Preparing for preaching the gospel during 2004 based on the RCL Bible passages for 2004; strengthening the educational ministry of the church.
Suitable for: All persons in any of the Specified Ministries, members of lay ministry teams, teachers and leaders.
Cost: ca $195.00 (to be confirmed). Group concessions will apply. Early bird rates. Registration brochures will full details available from June 1st, 2004.
UCA National Conference on Multimedia/the Internet
UCA National Conference on Multimedia/the Internet (exploring their potential for ministry and mission)
The future is...
Date: April 23-25, 2004
Location: Kippax Uniting Community Centre, Holt, Canberra, ACT
Theme: Explore openings for ministry and mission through the use of multimedia and Internet technology.
Program:
1. Plenary sessions - focusing on theology and technology, and strategies for managing changes raised by applying technology to ministry and mission.
2. Story-telling - resources sharing - in which participants will have opportunities to share their knowledge, experiences, experiments and resources
3. Extended workshops - addressing the application of multimedia and Internet to worship, education and discipleship, and mission. Participants will be able to spend up to five hours in a workshop stream, exploring and developing applications of multimedia and Internet technologies to particular ministry and mission activities. Workshops will be offered at two levels -
Beginners - for those starting out or with some knowledge and wanting to build on their early experience;
Advanced - for those with a lot of experience who want to explore and develop new applications of technology, applying these to the emerging church.
4. Electives addressing equipment and resources will be offered at two levels - 'beginners 'and 'advanced'. The electives will provide opportunities to receive first class advice about hardware, software, set-up, maintenance and cost issues. Some software and hardware will be demonstrated.
5. Legal matters - A plenary session will be offered by a panel of 'experts and users' on copyright matters relevant to churches applying multimedia and Internet resources.
Cost: ca $180 for the conference (to be confirmed). A group concession will be offered - ca $150 ea (to be confirmed) for three or more from one congregation or cluster of regional rural congregations, or cluster of lay ministry teams. Some billet accommodation available - $30 ea.
Participants: The conference will be suitable for those curious, starting out or who have considerable experience. Participants are invited to bring examples of their own or their congregation's multimedia resources, The story-telling, sharing session is a central component to the program and provides a core activity for the developing network.
Expressions of Interest: are invited to assist with early planning and preparation. On-line registration will be available on the Uniting Education web site from February 1st, 2004 <www.unitinged.org.au> - go to the CONFERENCES section. For further information, or to register an EXPRESSION OF INTEREST, contact Katie Sullivan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or John Emmett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Books for Unitings Books are selected by Hugh McGinlay e: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> (These new books are available from UCA bookshops and resource centres)
AT SEA WITH GOD
Margaret Silf
(DLT)
ISBN 0232524386 $29.95
Bestselling author takes the image of seafaring as a model for our spiritual journey, inviting us to leave the safety of the boatyard for the uncertainty and risk of a voyage across uncharted waters to a mysterious destination.
LION BOOK OF 1000 PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN
Lois Rock
(Lion)
ISBN 0745946631 $34.95
A timeless collection of prayers dealing with every aspect of a child's life, faith and delight in the world; from traditional and contemporary sources as well as originals written specially for this book.
ONE HOLY FIRE
Nicky Cruz
(Hodder)
ISBN 0340861878 $24.95
The author of the phenomenal best-seller Run Baby Run is haunted by the fear that we have not allowed the Holy Spirit to burn to its full potential, and presents an astonishing testimony to the Spirits power and world-changing potential.
THE MEANING OF ICONS
Leonid Ouspensky and Vladimir Lossky
(SVS Press)
ISBN 0913836990 $92.95
Classic work on techniques, language and interpretation of icons in the context of theology and faith. Commentary and analysis of the main types of icons. Lavishly illustrated including 51 full colour plates.
VIOLENCE IN GODS NAME
Religion in an age of conflict
Oliver McTiernan
(DLT)
ISBN 0232524947 $35.95
Challenges religious and political leaders who claim that religion has no share in the blame for the terrorist campaigns and the ethnic and inter-communal conflicts that increasingly threaten our peace and security; argues that tolerance is a wholly inadequate response to terror increasingly perpetuated in the name of God.
INTIMATE MERTON
His life from his journals: Thomas Merton
Patrick Hart and Jonathan Montaldo (eds)
(Lion)
ISBN 0745944361 $24.95
Thomas Merton 's highly successful and prolific writing influenced a generation in the 1950s and 60s and continues to offer readers of all ages both a window on life and a mirror for the soul.
THE PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Hugh McGinlay
(Desbooks)
ISBN 0949824380 $29.95
Completely revised edition offers Prayers of the Faithful for every Sunday and Festival of the Church's year; based on the Lectionary readings of the day, the prayers recall the teaching of the Scripture and connect the Bibles message with the faith journey of worshippers. An Australian original.
Positions Vacant
FIM
Position of Coordinator Frontier Internship in Mission
The FIM International Coordinating Committee is seeking applications for the position of FIM Programme Coordinator to be appointed towards the end of 2004. FIM is a programme involving young people from all over the world. The Coordinator's Responsibilities include recruitment, administration, program planning, pastoral support, fundraising, communication etc. This is an ecumenical, international, cross-cultural position and skills in the area of socio-political analysis, theological reflection, administration and management are required.
More information about the FIM programme is available on <http://tfim.org> while job descriptions are available from Uniting International Mission, PO Box A2266 Sydney South 1235.
Applications must be sent by mail before 1st February 2004 to:
Frontier Internship in Mission Ecumenical Centre PO Box 2100 150, route de Ferney 1211 Geneva 2 Switzerland
St Stephens Uniting Church NSW Minister of the Word St Stephens Uniting Church 197 Macquarie Street, Sydney
St Stephens, an historic civic church with a rich heritage of fine preaching and worship, seeks a Minister of the Word who is
Led by the Holy Spirit
Possessed of significant strengths, and
Capable and equipped to accept a God given challenge.
The successful applicant will lead
Two Sunday Congregations which draw people from across the metropolitan area and visitors from country regions, interstate and overseas, and
A weekday ministry to people who work in the major offices of the Central Business District and people who visit medical practitioners, legal counsel, and State Parliament.
Applications close on Monday 8 December 2003
For initial expression of interest please contact Dr George Stewart t: (02) 9810 3352.
Under the Commission for Children and Young People ACT 1998 it is illegal for prohibited persons to apply and a Working with Children Check will be required.
Coolamon College South Australia ADMINISTRATOR
Coolamon College, Uniting Church in Australia's National Network for Distance Theological Education is urgently seeking a highly qualified person for the position of ADMINISTRATOR commencing 2004 in our national office within the Adelaide College of Divinity, Brooklyn Park, South Australia.
This complex full-time position demands a mature, skilled, motivated, responsible person with extensive tertiary sector experience, and training in education (teaching certificate or equivalent), theology, and human resource management.
The position requires competence in computing and office organisation, the ability to work well and flexibly within a team, very high telephone and communication skills, and the preparation and publishing of diverse resources. Experience with co-ordinating distance education is desirable.
For full Job and Person specification contact the Principal: L Lee Levett-Olson e:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> t:(08) 8416 8423
Applications, including education record and two referees, must be received (e-mail documents acceptable) by
5 December 2003.
Dates for your diary
2003
December 4-5 UnitingCare Australia Disability Advisory Committee face-to-face meeting, Canberra.
December 11 Defence force Chaplaincy Committee meeting
2004
Congregational Union of Australia and New Zealand centenary will be celebrated this year. The Congregational Union of Australasia was effectively established in 1904, however it was preceded by several Inter-colonial conferences in the 1880's.
January 3-23 About Face Program. Young people placed in indigenous communities
January 8 11 Fijian National Conference Melbourne
January 20 UnitingCare Children, Youth and Family Teleconference: 1pm 2pm ESST
February 19-21 National Working Group on Worship meeting, Brisbane
March 15 16 National Working group on Doctrine meeting, Sydney
March 16 UnitingCare Children, Youth and Family Teleconference: 1pm 2pm ESST
March 22 25 Chinese National Conference - Sydney
April 21-25 The national U.C.A.F. celebration 2004. Venue: Lincoln College, North Adelaide
April 23 25 UCA National Conference on Multimedia/the Internet (exploring their potential for ministry and mission), Kippax Uniting Community Centre, Holt, Canberra, ACT. See this issue of Assembly Update for more details
April 27 28 UnitingCare Children, Youth and Family face-to-face meeting in Canberra
May 13 15 National Working Group on Worship meeting, Brisbane May 21-25 QLD Synod meeting
June 7 8 UnitingCare National Reference Committee face-to-face meeting in Canberra
June 22 27th Anniversary of the Uniting Church
June 27 Jubilee Sunday
July 2-5 Queensland: Thomas Bandy speaks on the topic Why Churches Thrive, Sustaining Thriving Churches and Sustaining Leadership
July 9-10 South Australia: Thomas Bandy speaks in on the topic Why Churches Thrive, Sustaining Thriving Churches and Sustaining Leadership
July 9 - 13 NCCA National Forum, Adelaide
July 16-17 Victoria: Thomas Bandy speaks on the topic Why Churches Thrive, Sustaining Thriving Churches and Sustaining Leadership
July 18 One Great Sunday of Sharing
July 30 - August 12 World Alliance of Reformed Churches 24th General Council
Accra, Ghana. The theme is: That all may have life in fullness
August 8 13 National Presbytery Ministers Conference. For further details contact Graham Whybird t: (02) 9980 6762
August 12- 14 National Working Group on Worship meeting, Brisbane
August 17 19 National Consultation on the Becoming Disciples process. Adelaide
August 17 19 National Consultation on Evangelism, Adelaide.
August 19-20 Conference on Developing Interfaith Relations, Adelaide
August 29 Refugee and Migrant Sunday
September 26 Social Justice Sunday September 27 29 National Meeting of Indonesian UCA Ministers September 29 October 2 Indonesia National Conference Sydney
October 11-12 National Working Group on Doctrine meeting, Sydney
November 15-16 UnitingCare National Reference Committee face-to-face meeting in Canberra
November 15-16 Preaching and Teaching in the Year of Matthew, 2004 conference. Glen Waverley. See this issue of Assembly Update for further details
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests. Luke 2: 14 MERRY CHRISTMAS
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Stephen Webb Media Officer Communications Unit NSW Synod, Uniting Church in Australia Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW 1235, Australia email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: +61 2 8267 4308; Mobile: 0423 259 945; Fax: 9267 4716; Web: nsw.uca.org.au/cu/ & insights.uca.org.au/ ------------------ The Communications Unit publishes the monthly magazine Insights, conducts public relations for the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church, and provides a variety of communications services. These include writing, editing, web consultation and development, desktop publishing and graphic design, public relations and advertising. For a consultation or free estimate on your project call the Communications Unit at (02) 8267 4307.
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