📢🎥2023 President's Easter Message, join #TogetherYes, Walking Together reflection, Trans Day of Visibility and more in our weekly #UCAsnapshot

5-11 April 2023 National Update Your weekly snapshot of the Uniting Church in Australia

Our Featured Story 2023 President's Easter Message As we mark the days of Holy Week, this message from Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis reminds us of the transforming power of Christ who calls us to new life.  In a celebration of the diversity of cultures and experiences in the life of our Church, this year's message includes reflections from three Uniting Church ministers sharing in their own languages.  Thank you to Revs Heeyoung Lim, Kharis Abadani and Juliette Maua’i and Springvale Uniting Church for being a part of President's message.  We encourage you to watch the message and share it with your congregation over the Easter weekend! Check the closed captions to see subtitles in your language.  On the same page, you can find the Easter messages shared by the Moderators in our Synods.  Keep an eye on the Assembly Facebook page for the Easter prayers we will be sharing over the weekend.  As Rev Sharon Hollis signs off her message, "This Easter may you know life in Christ and may it bring the blessings of peace, joy and hope!" Download and watch the Easter message UNITING FOR THE VOICE Become a host for a Together, Yes conversation The upcoming Referendum to enshrine a First Nations Voice in our Constitution is an historic opportunity for Australians to walk together toward a better future. Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis is encouraging UCA members to consider becoming hosts of Together, Yes conversations. Modelled on the Victorian Women's Trust kitchen table movement, the aim of the project is for people from all walks of life to enjoy safe and respectful conversations, have their opinions tested and ultimately clarify their thinking around referendum issues. Register your interest now to be a part of a Uniting Church information session. ECUMENICAL NEWS Easter messages from national church leaders Easter marks the foundation of Christianity. Read the 2023 Easter Messages from 15 national church leaders in Australia, including Rev John Gilmore, President of the National Council of Churches in Australia. Eastern and oriental churches will mark Easter on Sunday 17 April.  RESOURCES Lenten reflection #7: Promise In our final Lenten reflection this week, members of the Walking Together as First and Second Peoples Circle have shared reflections on the theme of the Promise. Read short reflections from Rev Michelle Cook and Alison Overeem, and an excerpt from a Communion Liturgy written by Rev Denise Savage (also available to download in full). Grace Williams has provided artwork and Michelle's reflection is also shared as an audio recording (included in the weekly PowerPoint below). Thanks to everyone who contributed to these weekly studies! We hope they enriched your Lenten journey. NEWS Celebrating Trans Day of Visibility In celebrating Trans Day of Visibility on 31 March, Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis expressed a message of solidarity and support for trans people, honouring their giftedness and lamenting the ways they are subject to violence, victimisation and exclusion. Rev James Douglas, Minister at St Luke’s Uniting Church in Melbourne, and father of a trans child, offered a beautiful prayer. You can find it on our website along with other resources to learn more. WORKING FOR JUSTICE Palm Sunday call for peace and justice People from all walks of life came together on Palm Sunday to call for peace in our world and justice for refugees and asylum seekers. Uniting Church members were among those at rallies and marches across the country. Check out a collection of photos shared by UCA people on the Assembly Facebook page. AUKUS ACTION Show you support the Nuclear Weapons Ban With the significant shift in Australia's defence policy under AUKUS, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Australia is encouraging people to write to their local MPs and senators to highlight the urgency for Australia to sign and ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). They have set up a page to help you find your MP and email them directly. LENT EVENT Lifting a village out of poverty In the last week of Lent Event, read this inspiring story about a village in Sarenga, West Bengal. Thanks to UnitingWorld supporters, our partner, the Church of North India (CNI), through the Diocese of Durgapur, has worked with the community on an irrigation solution that means they can farm sustainable crops all-year round. It's not too late to give to Lent Event and help our gloabl partners fight poverty and injustice in their communities.

UnitingCare Australia Aged Care CEOs meet CEOs from across UnitingCare Australia's aged care network gathered in Adelaide from 30-31 March to explore ways to best support older Australians now, and into the future. A delegation met with Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler and Federal Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells. Read more about UnitingCare's vision for aged care. Ageing to our Full Potential UnitingWorld Welcome to Peter Keegan UnitingWorld has welcomed Peter Keegan as Head of Programs. Peter has worked in the international development sector for over 17 years, in both programs and advocacy focused roles. Peter is passionate about development that is led by local partners and communities and actively engaging with the structural, systemic and cultural drivers of injustice.   Learn more about Peter

Positions Minister - St Paul’s Stafford Uniting Church St Paul’s Stafford in Brisbane is engaged in a process of re-imagining its life, centred around mission and discipleship. The congregation is seeking to call a minister to lead new missional ventures. Centre Manager - Uniting Venues SA, Adare   Take a leadership role in the day-to-day operations of the iconic Adare Camp and Caravan Park, located in Victor Harbor, SA, as part of the Uniting Venues SA (UVSA) Management Team.  Join us in prayer for Christian communities who will come together to celebrate Easter services this weekend. That we come to know more deeply the transforming power of new life in Christ, in our lives and communities. Those mourning the loss of revered Yolngu Elder and formidable Aboriginal activist Yunupingu. We give thanks for his tireless work advancing Aboriginal land rights and improving the lives of his people.  The Balkans - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia as part of the WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. Do you have a story to share? Email us! Our weekly PowerPoint with stories, resources and prayer points for use in your weekly worship. Share Tweet Forward Copyright © 2023 Uniting Church in Australia, All rights reserved. We're sending you weekly updates because you opted into news from the Uniting Church in Australia. Our mailing address is: Uniting Church in Australia Lvl 4 262 Pitt St Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia