Uniting Church in Australia - On the road to the 17th Assembly, Advent begins, reflections from Nouméa + more in National Update 29 November - 5 December

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29 November - 5 December 2023 National Update Your weekly snapshot of the Uniting Church in Australia

Our Featured Story On the road to the 17th Assembly Preparations have begun for the 17th Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia which will take place in Sydney from 11-16 July in 2024. Assembly General Secretary Colleen Geyer said it was an exciting time as Presbyteries and Synods finalise their members and planning begins in earnest for the triennial meeting.  President-elect Rev Charissa Suli has announced the theme for the 17th Assembly and the next triennium as “Threads of Love, Weaving Christ's Love Across Cultures and Boundaries".  Inspired by the honoured Tongan tradition of weaving the fala (mat), the theme speaks to our God-given call to weave Christ’s love into the world by building bridges across social and cultural divides. Rev Suli says,  "Each strand of the fala is important to each other in the same way that the Holy Spirit gifts and empowers all members of the Church to confess Jesus Christ and serve him." “My hope is that the theme inspires us to acknowledge and honour our shared humanity in God our creator and to act upon our common duty to shape a world that mirrors the love and unity Christ has for us all.”  Stay tuned for more news in the new year!    Read more ADVENT Finding hope in a tiny baby and a stone trough Assembly National Consultant Rev Dr Sunny Chen offers the first of four Advent reflections on the themes of Advent. Exploring Hope, Rev Dr Chen unpacks the prevailing image of Christmas - a baby lying wrapped in cloth in a manger. From a historical and cultural lens, he reflects on the intertwined imagery in the birth and death of Jesus, leading us to the promise of Christ's light and hope in the presence of darkness. The reflection includes the offering of a short prayer. PACIFIC CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES Reflecting on the Pacific Household of Faith A great reflection from Rev Lindsay Cullen, Assembly Associate General Secretary, on his experience as one of six UCA delegates who attended the 12th Assembly of the Pacific Conference of Churches in Nouméa, New Caledonia. He reflects on the recurring theme of self-determination, the deep desire to move beyond eurocentric theology and the takeaways for the UCA’s own commitment to covenant, truth-telling, treaty and voice.  THIS IS MY UNITING CHURCH A mission of living and loving in Townsville We head north to the city of Townsville in this week's #ThisIsMyUnitingChurch, where Townsville Central City Mission worships and serves the community on the lands of the Wulgurukaba and Bindal people. We catch up with Pastor Lorne Anderson who shares about the faithfulness and outreach of the congregation as it seeks to live and love boldly in this part of the country. Do you know a congregation with a great story to tell? Email us to nominate them! ACT2 PROJECT "Our Church is pregnant with possibility" As Advent begins and the Act2 Collective Discernment phase closes, Act2 Project Lead Andrew Johnson reflects on the stories of Mary and John the Baptist who in their own ways respond to the news of Jesus' imminent arrival with courage and faithfulness. Through the possibilities of the Act2 Project, how will we as the Uniting Church respond to the good news of God's new thing for our life? The Collective Discernment phase closes tomorrow 30 November. It's not too late to respond. Watch this 30 second video and follow these three easy steps: 1) READ eight key takeaways from the Act2 report, 2) WATCH a video about the Options and Directions, 3) EMAIL your thoughts to the Act2 team. PODCAST Dwelling with Rev Simon Hansford Next up in the Dwelling podcast series with ex-Moderators, Rev Sharon Hollis shares a conversation with Rev Simon Hansford who served as Moderator in the Synod of NSW/ACT for two terms from 2017 until this year. They talk about being called to leadership, the things that sustain ministry and the highlights of being a Moderator. HUMANS OF THE UNITING CHURCH Meet Jethro Buxton Up next in our Humans of the Uniting Church series, meet Jethro Buxton! The Youth and Young Adults pastor at CoroUniting in Adelaide's Coromandel Valley, Jethro shares his passion for the discipleship of young people, the spiritual practices that sustain him and the one thing he loves telling people about the Uniting Church: "that God's not finished with it". PRESIDENT'S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE Get it first: President's Christmas Message The Christmas message from President Rev Sharon Hollis will be available shortly for Uniting Church congregations and communities to download and share. You can now sign up to receive the link straight to your inbox as soon as it's available.

Resources Intergenerational podcasts Resource and inform your intergenerational journey with some great new listening! Part of the Assembly's new Being an Intergenerational Church resource, check out this collection of podcasts from Australia and beyond talking all things intergenerational ministry and community including some content for beginners. Get the list Frontier Services Meet volunteer Geoff Bond Meet Geoff Bond, a beacon of compassion and generosity in the Frontier Services Outback Links’ volunteer program. Geoff’s commitment spans an incredible 44 placements and 68,000km. Recognised with the NSW Senior Volunteer award for the Mid-North Coast, Geoff says the simple act of being there makes an immeasurable difference.  Read more UnitingWorld Gifts that fight poverty Sort out your Christmas shopping with UnitingWorld's Everything in Common gift catalogue. It's filled with life-changing gifts that fight poverty and build hope across the world through health, education, leadership and income opportunities. Pick up your Christmas cards too! Shop now or sign up to host a gift stall in your church or community. Shop now Applications Open Assembly General Secretary Are you the next General Secretary of the Uniting Church Assembly? If you're passionate about the national life of the Church, are a change and governance leader, a theological reflector, and thrive on collaboration, this senior role might be for you. Applications close 23 February 2024. The position will be appointed by the 17th Assembly in July 2024. More information Act2 Project Prayer Gathering tomorrow TOMORROW Thursday 30 November the Act2 Project will close six months of discernment across the Church. Join Act2 and Assembly leaders for a time of prayer and thanksgiving before we turn to concrete proposals for the 2024 Assembly. Register to join on Zoom, 30 November at 8pm AEDT (7:30pm ACDT, 6:30pm ACST, 5pm AWST). Register now 16 Days of Activism Resources for #16Days The Uniting Church is currently joining people around the world in marking 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. As the Uniting Church we affirm that gender-based violence is against the will of God. Follow the daily prayers from the President each day on our socials or go to our website to download and share them directly. Get the resources

Positions Programme Executive, Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation - WCC Strengthen the World Council of Churches' partnerships with other faiths at an international level. Escaping Violence Payment (EVP) Worker - Uniting WA Work to facilitate the provision of this program which provides financial assistance and support to those escaping violence and abuse. Upcoming Dates 25 November - 10 December: 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence 30 November: Act2 National Prayer Gathering (online) 3 December: Beginning of Advent 25 December: Christmas Day (President's Christmas Message coming) Check out more dates across the year Join us in prayer for Open hearts, joy and expectation this Advent as we prepare again to celebrate Jesus' arrival into our world. Assembly General Secretary Colleen Geyer as the Assembly marks her closure of ministry this Friday and gives thanks to God for her faithful and courageous leadership. The living, loving and missional outreach of Townsville Central City Mission. Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore as part of the WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. What is your Uniting Church story? Email us!