Uniting Church in Australia - Discipleship in Devonport, Urgent ceasefire plea, Passing you the mic + more in UC National Update 28 February - 5 March

28 February - 5 March 2024 National Update Your weekly snapshot of the Uniting Church in Australia

Our Featured Story THIS IS MY UNITING CHURCH Living out God's mission in Devonport, TAS Today in our This is my Uniting Church series we meet the faithful community at Devonport Uniting Church, northwest of Launceston in northern Tasmania. Eight years ago the congregation made the brave decision to sell their building which had been a place of worship for the Methodist then Uniting Churches since 1889 and move into a series of shopfronts, converting them into a worship and multi-purpose space.   The move has meant many new connections, including with the Six Rivers Aboriginal corporation, the local Islamic community and the LGBTQI+ community. Some in the local Pride community “have been able to declare the Devonport congregation their home”. There have been new perspectives and growth in faith and discipleship as they’ve discovered the love of God moving amid joy and grief. In this Q&A the community writes, “we have become more outward-looking and take discipleship more seriously, not just Sunday worship.” “We pray that our faith in God will be enriched and that we will continue our pilgrimage of getting to know our God more and more as each day passes. We pray that we can continue to live out God’s mission for the Uniting Church in this area.” Go to the story LENT EVENT "Teach us compassion for all living things" In this third week of Lent Event, pray together with Michael Ramaidama Utoni from Burwood Uniting Church in giving thanks for God's magnificent creation and being attentive to what the earth and its creatures teach us. Throughout the season of Lent, UnitingWorld is sharing weekly prayers like this one, an amazing collection of resources for reflection and practical ideas for faithful action in the face of climate change. In this week's video, Rev Dr Seforosa Carroll speaks about how faith and theology can inspire hope and action.  HOLY LAND Urgent plea for immediate ceasefire Act for Peace and the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) have released a statement endorsing the Australian Government's plea for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the region. Act for Peace, NCCA's international humanitarian agency, has worked with the Near East Council of Churches (NECC) for over 15 years. Alongside others, they are currently delivering healthcare in Rafah to 400 patients a day. They say a sustainable ceasefire would enable safe and increased humanitarian access for the millions of people whose lives have been devastated by the conflict. Image: WCC/DSPR THE WAY UC IT Wanted: UCA perspectives on life and faith We're excited to soon be launching The Way UC It, a new platform for Uniting Church opinion and analysis. In this ongoing series we’re passing the mic to you, inviting diverse perspectives on a range of contemporary issues in our Church and world. What are we seeing around us? What are the issues involved? How can we think theologically about this? What should the Church’s response be? We invite you to share your take in your own words. Read through the guidelines and pitch us your ideas! "Doing theology and ministry on stolen land" was the deep dive question explored at the opening ceremony for the 2024 academic year at Pilgrim College. Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress Chair Rev Mark Kickett delved into the topic with Uniting Church President Rev Sharon Hollis. Reflecting on truth-telling and reconciliation, Mark said every piece of land told a story to First Nations people and it was important for Second Peoples to find out that story. Watch the full discussion.  Fire up the BBQ! Registrations for the Great Outback BBQ 2024 are officially open! Frontier Services invites you to take part by hosting your own BBQ event. Bring together friends, family, and your community for a fun event while raising funds in support of rural and remote Australians. Plus, register by 30 April to receive your FREE premium hosting kit.   Pictured: chefs from Casuarina Uniting Church in Darwin at their 2023 Great Outback BBQ which raised $1200!

Around the Uniting Church 100 and not out! Don't miss this wonderful story about Uniting Church minister Rev Raymond Outhred who turns 100 next month and continues to preach monthly at Long Gully Uniting Church in Bendigo. The Bendigo Advertiser profiles Raymond's life of ministry that began after active service in World War II, featured a meeting with the Queen and included time as a prison chaplain. The highlight? The opportunity to be there for others when needed most.  Read the article Theology Unsettling Colonist Theology A new book seeks to disrupt colonist narratives surrounding theology. Unsettling Theologies, edited by Brian Fiu Kolia and Michael Mawson, showcases some of the rich work in this space from First Nations, Maori, Pacific and white scholars. The final chapter by Dr Jione Havea,  ‘Unsettling Economies: A Moana Account(ing)’  draws attention to innovative ways Pasifika peoples foster unity through their shared labour and exchange. More from Insights Resources Praying for Christian Unity Resources are now available for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which is observed in Australia from 19-24 May between Ascension and Pentecost. The resources, including a worship service, sermon notes, poster, artwork by Frank Wesley and daily reflections, have been drawn from international material and adapted for use in Australia by Father Gerard Kelly and Rev Deacon Sandy Boyce. Go to NCCA for the resources Discipleship A missional Easter Sunday This blog by David Toogood from the NSW/ACT Synod shares a great story of what's possible when we trust in the Spirit's leading. He recounts how a church he led on the Sunshine Coast was inspired to go door-to-door in their neighbourhood with an invitation to join them for Easter Sunday. The result was a life-giving, community building, intergenerational gathering that fostered new and rich connections with their community. Be inspired

Positions Messy Church Coordinator - Willunga Uniting Church, SA Engage the wider community with the gospel through Messy Church at Willunga Uniting Church, less than an hour south of Adelaide. Executive Director Secretariat - Uniting Church Queensland A newly created opportunity for a senior corporate services specialist to provide crucial support to the executive group in the QLD Synod. Upcoming Dates 1 March: World Day of Prayer 8 March: International Women's Day 24 March: Palm Sunday 29 March – 1 April: Easter weekend  Check out more dates across the year Join us in prayer for The people of Palestine, the host country for this year's World Prayer of Day on 1 March. We pray for strength and courage in troubled times and for love and peace to prevail. The faithful community of Devonport Uniting Church as they seek to witness to and be transformed by the work of God in their community. Our Covenant as First and Second Peoples. That we might find the path to reconciliation through a commitment to listening, truth-telling and strengthening relationships. Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands as part of the WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. Our weekly PowerPoint with stories, resources and prayer points for use in your weekly worship. What is inspiring faith and hope in your community? Email us! Share Tweet Forward Copyright © 2024 Uniting Church in Australia, All rights reserved.