Uniting Church in Australia - Easter blessings to you from the Assembly this Holy Week ✝️

View this email in your browser

27 March - 2 April 2024 National Update Your weekly snapshot of the Uniting Church in Australia

Our Featured Story CELEBRATING EASTER Prayers to journey through Holy Week The Assembly sends Easter blessings to every Uniting Church community preparing to journey through this central story of our faith this Easter weekend, the final days of Jesus' life, his dying and rising. As in past years, the Assembly has sought prayers to mark each key day of Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday. The first two prayers for the weekend are now available: for Maundy Thursday, written by Rev Salesi Faupula, and Good Friday, written by Rev Dr Sarah Agnew. Stay tuned as we add a prayer for Holy Saturday, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram as we share them each day. On Easter Sunday we invite you to use and celebrate with the President's Easter message, now with closed captions on the video in seven languages. This Easter may you know the deep and residing presence of the crucified and risen Christ, whose self-giving love knows no limits and cannot be ended even by death. Read the prayers CELEBRATING EASTER Easter messages from national church leaders The events of Jesus' death and resurrection are the very centre and source of Christian faith. 15 national leaders of Australian churches have offered messages for this central season of the church, including Rev John Gilmore, President of the National Council of Churches in Australia and UCA President Rev Sharon Hollis. Thanks to the National Council of Churches in Australia for collecting and sharing them! Eastern and oriental churches will mark Easter on Sunday 5 May. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Download the President's Easter Message Don't forget! The Easter message from President Rev Sharon Hollis is available to watch, download and play in your gatherings this Holy Week. Download the video message from Vimeo or watch via our website. Video subtitles which offer translations of the message are now available in Tongan, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, Korean and Fijian. Toggle between the languages using the closed captions button. ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ASC Update March 2024 The Assembly Standing Committee met from 15-17 March in Sydney - the final ordinary and in-person meeting of the triennium. Read this brief report on the business of the meeting, including preparations for the 17th Assembly, the Act2 report, the Assembly's Climate Action Plan and the Holy Land. In this wonderful article published by The Saturday Paper last weekend, theologian, writer and former journalist Stan Grant reflects with depth and honesty on how Easter, the holiest time in the Christian calendar, demands us to grapple more boldly with faith, sacrifice, suffering, hope, love and God. He writes, "I am a Christian because Christ died and rose again. He is the end of history, the end of death, the end of evil. The cross is ours now to bear..." Trans Day of Visibility is held each year on 31 March, which this year intersects with Easter Sunday. We have gathered a range of resources with thanks to Rev Dr Josephine Inkpin, Minister at Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney. They include prayers, new words to familiar tunes, podcasts, articles and more. This year's Trans Day of Visibility takes place following the recent change to law in NSW, banning sexual orientation and gender identify change efforts (SOGICE).

17th Assembly President-elect nominations Nominations for President-elect of the Uniting Church in Australia have been extended and now close on Friday 26 April. The President-elect will be chosen at the 17th Assembly and will serve as President from 2027-2030. Nominations can be made by a Synod, a Presbytery, a regional or national committee of the UAICC, or 17th Assembly members. 17th Assembly website Uniting in Prayer Two days to submit a prayer There's only a few days left to submit a prayer for Uniting in Prayer, taking place between Pentecost and the Uniting Church Anniversary (19-22 June 2024). Submissions are open for the daily prayers which will be shared across the 35 days and creativity is encouraged! Express interest in submitting your own prayer by emailing the Act2 team or use the sign up form on the website. Submit or sign up Events Talanoa Oceania 2024 Talanoa Oceania Conference 2024 will be held at United Theological College in Sydney next week 4-6 April under the theme, Indigeneity: Belongings and Subversions. The conference facilitates the gathering of Pasifika peoples from home islands and the diaspora to share, engage, create and reflect theologically. Registrations are essential. Register now UnitingWorld Safer World for All UnitingWorld National Director Dr Sureka Goringe led a delegation from the Safer World for All Campaign to Parliament House in Canberra last week. One of their key policy asks was securing additional funding for the important work of tackling climate change. She reflected: "International aid isn’t charity - it’s justice, and it's an investment in a safer world for all." More information

Positions Executive Officer Mission Resourcing - Uniting College for Leadership and Theology A key senior leadership role giving oversight to the mission priorities of the Synod of South Australia. Rural Resource Minister - Presbytery of WA Provide support and resourcing to rural congregations and faith communities to help enable their worship, witness and service. Upcoming Dates 29 March – 1 April: Easter weekend  4-6 April: Talanoa Oceania Conference 25 April: ANZAC Day Check out more dates across the year Join us in prayer for Christians around the world celebrating the central story and season of our faith this Easter weekend. May we know God's resurrection grace and love which nothing can break or end, not even death. Christians marking Easter in places of conflict and suffering; that they will know the solidarity of the crucified and risen One. Places of love, safety and welcome in the Uniting Church for gender diverse people and the trans community, as we mark Trans Day of Visibility on 31 March. Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia as part of the WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle. Our weekly PowerPoint with stories, resources and prayer points for use in your weekly worship. What does Easter mean to you? Email us! Share Tweet Forward