Uniting World Sunday 🛶, #RaisetheRate, Welcoming Chris Barnett, Early rates for Pres Conf + MORE in this UC National Update 26 April - 2 May

26 April - 2 May 2023 National Update Your weekly snapshot of the Uniting Church in Australia

Our Featured Story Host a UnitingWorld Sunday service Is your church passionate about fighting global injustice? Are you curious to know more about our partnership with churches across the Pacific, Asia and Africa? UnitingWorld is inviting communities across the Uniting Church to be a part of UnitingWorld Sunday - an opportunity to explore more deeply what it means to be part of the one body of Christ in the world.  Launching on 7 May, congregations are invited to mark UnitingWorld Sunday on this date, or any other date that suits them. An amazing package of resources are available to use, including a powerful sermon by General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) Rev James Bhagwan.  Preaching from the deck of the traditional voyaging canoe, the Uto ni Yalo, Rev James shares a message on 1 Corinthians 12:14, 26 “one body, many members” and what that means for people in the Pacific. “As members of the global family of God, the global household of God, we are reminded that we are our sisters and brothers keepers,” he says. Other resources include a worship playlist, full liturgy, including  PowerPoint, videos about UnitingWorld projects areas, printable resources for sharing, promotional materials and more.  Sign up! EVENTS Get in early for the President's Conference Don't miss the Early Bird discount for the 2023 President's Conference! Hosted by Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis, the President’s Conference is a great national opportunity to gather with others from across the Church, share stories and reflect on how God is present and working in our ministry. The 2023 conference is taking place in two parts: 26-28 July for ministry agents in a placement, and 28-30 July for the whole church. UNITINGCARE AUSTRALIA Contact your MP to Raise the Rate for Good! This morning UnitingCare Australia joined over 30 organisations in Parliament House to call for an increase to the rate of JobSeeker in the Federal Budget. UnitingCare Australia and the Uniting Church are deeply committed to the eradication of poverty. Everyone should have enough to cover the basics. To support this urgent ask, email your MP today (or by the end of this week) as budget decisions are being made! PROFILE Envisioning a church for all generations The Assembly welcomes Chris Barnett as the new Intergenerational Consultant within the Assembly Resourcing Unit for the next six months. Chris will be working to develop the Assembly’s vision for an Intergenerational Church. In this profile piece, Chris shares some of his journey and why he is so passionate about communities of all generations engaging together in worship, witness and service.  ACT2 PROJECT Reflecting back: what are we hearing? In the last two months, the Act2 team has travelled from Adelaide to Darwin to Queensland to Melbourne to Darwin to Queensland to Western Australia - with Sydney still to come! It has been a huge and significant period of listening as widely as possible across the Uniting Church during the first phase of this national project. Act2 Project Lead Andrew Johnson reflects on what we have been hearing. PODCAST In conversation with Rev Juliette Maua'i In this episode of the Dewlling Podcast released today, President Rev Sharon Hollis speaks with Rev Juliette Maua'i, minister at St Stephen's Uniting Church Williamstown. This is the final of three episodes following the President's Easter message exploring what it means to have new life in Christ. Catch up on them all! VOICE In the Spirit of deep listening This story from the Queensland Synod reports on a series of discussions run by Multicultural Australia focused on the Uluru Statement from the Heart. As a panel member, UnitingCare Queensland's Kym Korbe, a Koa, Kuku Yalanji woman with historical ties to Wakka Wakka, emphasised that the Voice referendum is an opportunity for all Australians to be part of something remarkable. Kym is pictured above (left) at the UAICC National Conference with Yanyi Bandicha from the Northern Regional Council of Congress.  INTERGENERATIONAL  GenOn FREE Taster Session  Looking for ways to do better as an intergenerational community? Following the success of the earlier UC pilot program, a fresh series of Growth Groups for Intergenerational Ministry is being offered in 2023. To experience what the process actually involves, a FREE online taster session is being offered for ministry leaders on Wednesday May 31 from 9am to 10.30am AEDT.

Resources Armenian Genocide Prayer April 24 marks the 108th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The Uniting Church in Australia formally acknowledged the Armenian Genocide at its 14th Assembly meeting in 2015. We share this prayer from Uniting Church Pastor Levon Kardashian, the grandson of a survivor.  Read the prayer Uniting for the Voice Join Together, Yes Register your interest to be a part of a Uniting Church information session on Together, Yes, a kitchen table movement to support the Yes vote at the upcoming referendum. Together, Yes is seeking people to host safe and respectful conversations with others who want to learn more about a First Nations Voice.  Join a UCA info session

Positions Spiritual Care Chaplain - Adelaide  Based at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) is looking for a chaplain to work as part of a multi-faith team providing person-centred spiritual care to patients, families, significant others and staff.  English Teacher - Alice Springs   St Philip's College, a co-educational Uniting Church day/boarding school, is looking for a passionate and qualified English teacher for a permanent full-time position commencing Term 3 2023.    Join us in prayer for Our church partners across the Pacific, Asia and Africa who are working to transform lives and communities for the better. May we all find ways to play our part as the body of Christ. Our Intergenerational Church. For inspiration and creativity in finding ways to make space for all generations.  Courage, mateship, self-discipline, resourcefulness, loyalty, and good humour. That those qualities demonstrated by the ANZACs will continue to be an example and inspiration for us. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia 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. You may need to click 'enable content' to play video.  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