Uniting Church in Australia - Day 1️⃣action from the 2023 President's Conference + 📹Act2 video explainers + more in UC National Update 26 July-1 August

26 July - 1 August 2023 National Update Your weekly snapshot of the Uniting Church in Australia

Our Featured Story President's Conference begins The 2023 President's Conference is underway with Day 1 of the conference bringing together ministry agents from across the country to Redcliffe Uniting Church, north of Brisbane, to share, learn, reflect and break bread together! Today's program began with worship led by President Rev Sharon Hollis, fascinating input from Anglican priest and writer Rev Canon Dr Rachel Mann and a great panel discussion on the gift and challenges of intercultural ministry.  Over the next three days, participants gathering will be invited to think deeply on the theme 'Ministry in precarious times'. Keynote speaker Rev Dr Cathie Lambert will reflect on how we might lean on prayer and one another through uncertain times, drawing on the wisdom of the beguine mystics.  Later in the week, as the program opens to the wider Church, Rev Dr Sally Douglas will lead sessions on healthy communities of faith, alongside preaching and an interview with Aboriginal Christian leader Brooke Prentis.  We'll provide regular updates and snaps of the action daily on the Assembly Facebook page.  Follow the action on Facebook ACT2 PROJECT New Act2 video explainers have landed The Act2 Project team have launched four new videos to help people across the Uniting Church engage with the ideas in the new Act2 report and respond to the Directions and Options it puts forward. Designed to fit a range of settings, they include: a short introduction to the Collective Discernment phase an intro to the four Directions relating to the future of our local communities an intro to the four Options relating to the future of our governance and resourcing a longer video including the Collective Discernment phase, Directions and Options Until 30 November 2023, every part of the Uniting Church is invited to respond to the Options and Directions - input will that will help shape the proposals to go before the Assembly meeting in July 2024. Response forms are now available, and you can find all the opportunities to get involved here. Now is the time to pray and participate! UNITING FOR THE VOICE Hearing the wisdom of First Peoples in this land  We continue this video series hearing from Uniting Church members on 'what a Voice to Parliament means to them'. This week, Rev Dr Matagi Vilitama, Assembly Advocate for the Being a Multicultural Church Circle, says in his culture when walking into someone else's home, it is important to respect, listen to and seek wisdom from the owner of that place. The same is true, he says, for the custodians of this land. Watch the video.  Share with us what saying Yes to the Voice means to you.  EVENTS Come to our webinar with Noel Pearson Are you thinking about your vote in the referendum? Listen to Indigenous leader Noel Pearson in conversation with Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis about what he thinks a Voice to Parliament would mean for Australia. Hear also from constitutional lawyer Dr Shireen Morris who has worked alongside Noel for many years. All are welcome to join this online webinar on Wednesday 16 August, 7.30pm AEST, 7pm ACST, 5.30pm AWST. Register now! OUR IDENTITY The history of the UCA in 5 artefacts The history of the Uniting Church in five artefacts. That was the brief given to Assembly archivist Christine Gordon for a presentation to the Assembly Standing Committee (ASC) during its meeting in Sydney this past weekend. Read Christine's notes about this amazing collection of historic pieces and what they tell us about our history, as well as our present and future. Stay tuned for the full update from ASC in next week's edition! NATIONAL FORUMS Exploring our intercultural identity The third Act2 National Forum will explore what it means to live out the multicultural and intercultural identity of the Uniting Church into the future. This public conversation open to all will be resourced by a fantastic panel including Rev Dr Matagi Vilitama (Being a Multicultural Church Circle Advocate), Rev Amel Manyon (South Sudanese National Conference) and Rev Dr Paul Goh (Multicultural and Cross-Cultural Ministry, Synod of SA). Register here to join on Zoom, Thursday 3 August from 12:30-2:00PM AEST. OUR INTERGENERATIONAL CHURCH Engage Together in August-September 2023 A new edition of the intergenerational worship resource Engage Together is out today covering the Lectionary from August-September. Written collaboratively across three different Synods, Engage Together includes week-by-week resources that offer a starting point for those willing to be stretched toward worship that is more engaging and more participatory for all ages. Download now! EVENTS Nungalinya College marks 50 years For 50 years Nungalinya College in Darwin has been a hub for the development of First Peoples’ theology and ministry. Formally supported by the Anglican, Uniting and Catholic churches of the Northern Territory, about 300 students attend Nungalinya each year. Julbilee celebrations will take place on Saturday 19 August with an open day, exhibits, tours of the Bible Gardens and Bush Tucker trails, a new documentary and a night of fellowship. Download the flyer or go to the website for more information.  OUR INTERCULTURAL CHURCH Prayers for South Korea Almost 50 people have died and thousands have been displaced by flooding and landslides in one of South Korea's worst monsoon seasons. Rev Myung Hwa Park, Chair of the Uniting Church Korean National Conference has offered a prayer for the recovery ahead, available to download now in English and Korean.

UnitingWorld Thank you from UnitingWorld In the final months of the financial year, UnitingWorld supporters helped reach a target of $500,000 to support the life-changing work of our partners.The funds raised will help UnitingWorld to co-invest with the Australian Government and make a bigger impact through poverty alleviation and climate change projects. Thanks to everyone who helped reach the target - it will go a long way to help end poverty and injustice in our world. UnitingWorld says thank you Events NATSI Children's Day Save the date for this year’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day on 4 August! This year's theme ‘Little Voices, Loud Futures’ highlights the potential for our youngest generations to pave a new path for our nation. The SNAICC website has loads of resources and children's activities to help you mark this day. Stay tuned for next week's National Update for a reflection and video from UAICC Tasmania to share in your community.  Go to the website Events Walking Together Conference Hear from Voice advocate Thomas Mayo, Rev Bill Crews from the Exodus Foundation and Nathan Tyson, First Peoples Strategy and Engagement from the Synod of NSW/ACT at the second First Peoples’ Theological Conference - Walking Together: A Voice to Parliament. Hosted by the Synod of NSW/ACT in collaboration with others, the event will be held on 12 August 2023, at Newtown Mission from 9.30am.  Buy tickets now Around the Uniting Church Community forum  Hear Liberal MP Julian Lesser, alongside the Uniting Church's Nathan Tyson and Edwina O'Brien from Pymble Ladies College address this public forum on the Voice hosted by Thornleigh Hillcrest Uniting Church. The MP for Berowra and former Shadow Attorney-General speaks about his decision to step down from the Opposition frontbench so he could advocate for the Voice. The panel responds to a number of questions from the audience. Worth watching! Watch the recording

Positions Marketing and Communications Coordinator - Frontier Services Know someone with a passion for storytelling? Become part of an organisation with a rich legacy of supporting people in the most isolated parts of the country as a full-time marketing coordinator with Frontier Services.  Resourcing roles in Tasmania Two full-time resourcing ministry placements are open in the Uniting Church Tasmania, working across the north and west of the state. Find the profiles for the Resource Minister-Northern Tasmania and the West Coast bush chaplaincy/remote ministry roles here. Upcoming Dates 26-29 July: President’s Conference (Brisbane) 4 August: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day 16 August: Nungalinya College 50th anniversary celebrations 24-27 August: Uniting Church National Historical Society National Conference (Darwin) Check out more dates across the year Join us in prayer for Those from across the country gathering in Brisbane this week for the President's Conference. The people of South Korea impacted by severe flooding and landslides, and for the families of those who have died. May they know God's loving presence in the ongoing recovery. Refugees and people seeking asylum who seek protection and a new start. We pray for solutions that bring hope to those who continue to face uncertainty in offshore detention.  Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda as part of the WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. What does a Voice to Parliament mean to you? Email us your message of support! Our weekly PowerPoint with stories, resources and prayer points for use in your weekly worship. Cleck 'enable content' to play video.  Share Tweet Forward