Sharing your space
Change the Heart Through Prayer
Following our Day of Mourning service on Sunday, this is an opportunity to join with Common Grace and explore Change the Heart through prayer led by this nation’s First Peoples. The service will be broadcast via tv, radio and online. Weblink here:Common Grace
UCA prays for USA
Assembly President Dr Deidre Palmer has conveyed the Uniting Church’s prayers of solidarity with the people of the United States to the UCA’s partner churches in that country.
Good Enough
I have spent a few weeks as the Chaplain for the Selection Conference, a time when applicants for ordained ministry meet with a panel of people from across VicTas Synod in order to test their call to ministry. It’s a time of great challenge and vulnerability and is certainly one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. With the COVID-19 restrictions, this has obviously taken place on Zoom with all of its inherent challenges. As Chaplain, my role has included…
The Magic Box
A knock on the front door, barely audible, broke into a conversation with Tanya over a cup of coffee. Without a word she left her seat at the kitchen bench and headed for the front door. Shortly after she reappeared with a box in her hand. It was shoe box in size, square in shape. Turning the box over, I could see it was sent by Merryn. I was interested. Scissors found in a draw, the tape on the box…
Reflection on Dementia
In the forward to the book ‘Memory Byways’, which records dementia journeys through poetry, is written; “For a person on the Dementia journey… Time is no longer sequential; the present is the past, the future is yesterday…Personal identity becomes fluid, fantasy and reality merge; but love is remembered.” A recent Webinar ‘Best Practice and Support for People living with Younger Onset Dementia’ highlighted the individual nature of the dementia journey. There are, however, underlying common principles including ensuring the experiences…
Christmas
When I was growing up in England Christmas was in midwinter. My Mum and Dad always invited those who would otherwise spend the day alone to Christmas lunch with our family. We enjoyed gathering around our large table with whoever came. After we were married, my husband and I moved to the remote Highlands of PNG to live and work. Our first Christmas there was shaping up to be a lonely affair. At that stage we didn’t know many people.…
Christmas in the Ozark Mountains
Christmas in America’s heartland is a unique experience. Especially in the region known as the Ozark Mountains where I was raised and came to faith in Jesus. The Ozarks are known for their rugged terrain of hardwood forests, sparkling springs, subterranean caverns, and equally rustic history of pioneer settlement, superstition and fierce independence. It also has a reputation for being the buckle of the American Bible Belt. As a result, it is one of the few remaining places where Christmas…
Christmas in another country 1972
It was December 1972, Zambia, Africa. The long-awaited rains were late in coming. The air was damp, humidity rising. Christmas was a special time at Kalulushi Farm College (KFC). Students returned to their villages and small rural towns to be with families for Christmas. The college quiet, a small number of students and a skeleton staff care for the cattle, milk the dairy cows, feed the pigs, and collect the eggs from the chickens. A workshop mechanic keeps an eye…
Study of Revelation Part Three
Rev Dr Sunny Chen led us in the final of a 3 part series looking at Revelation. He has provided the notes and a recording from the first offering. Rev Dr Sunny Chen
Christmas at the Manse – Childhood Memories
Being the eldest of six children and daughter of the minister, Christmas was always a very busy but special time of the year. When I brought this topic up with my 5 siblings recently, during one of our family Zoom meets, the first memory was helping Dad decorate all the church pews with greenery, red bows and real candles. In fact, as soon as Dad was appointed to a new church, he was on the lookout for anyone who had…
2020 Advent Services
Find out all you need to know about Manningham Uniting Churches Advent Services. Services are open to all.
Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill 2020: Statement from the Moderator
Rev Denise Liersch (The Moderator of the Victorian/Tasmanian Synod – State wide representation of the Uniting Church) responds to the much debated bill that was put ti the Victorian Parliament. Much debate has also occurred in churches and the community. Read the response here: https://victas.uca.org.au/change-or-suppression-conversion-practices-prohibition-bill-2020-statement-from-the-moderator/
Museum in my Neighbourhood – Engage Victoria
During the lockdowns, the young people in our congregation met on zoom with Rev Claire and Lynda most weeks to catch up and keep connected. One of the projects we worked on together was gathering lots of covid memorabilia, taking photos of what was happening locally, drawing and writing about how covid was affecting their lives and their local communities. We encouraged them to talk to grandparents and connect with other older people in the congregation to listen to stories about other…
Study of Revelation Part Two
Rev Dr Sunny Chen led us in the first of a 3 part series looking at Revelation. He has provided the notes and a recording from the first offering. Rev Dr Sunny Chen
For the Weary
daily email devotionals for Advent 2020 Get 25 daily devotionals in your inbox from 1 December 2020. This series has been crafted by a diverse group of contributors including Dr Di Rayson, Janet McKinney, Rev Dr Kirk Patston, Darlene Zschech, Phil Walker-Harding, Peter Richardson, Aunty Ida Granites with Dr Steve Bevis, Miranda Bennett, Oscar Delaney, Gemma Bell, Rachel Turner, Qwayne Guevara, Peter Richardson, Sally-Ann Williams, Will Small, Rev Thresi Mauboy, Brooke Prentis and more. About this Advent series As the end…
Study of Revelation Part One
Rev Dr Sunny Chen led us in the first of a 3 part series looking at Revelation. He has provided the notes and a recording from the first offering. Rev Dr Sunny Chen
Photo Works from Kay
Kay has been an active member of Doncaster Camera Club and the Australian Photographic Society since 1976 and of the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society since 2003. She still participates in these groups. After contracting a disease about a decade ago that progressively destroys the muscles in arms and legs she now lives in an Aged Care home, moving about in a powered wheelchair. Although unable to use a camera she still enjoys making and sharing photographs. She has a device…
Feedback on Justice and International Mission Cluster work areas
So please fill out the survey over the page and post it back to:Justice and International Mission ClusterCentre for Theology and Ministry29 College CrescentParkville, Victoria, 3052 Or e-mail your feedback to mark.zirnsak@victas.uca.org.au. Please provide your feedback by 31 January 2021. The cluster can only adopt new issues if there are enough people who want to be resourced on it. The levels of response are: Strong support – you are willing to be very active on the issue, such as encouraging…
MIdday Prayer
We know that people are tired of zoom and being online. It’s been a long time! Perhaps you are finding prayer and worship difficult at this time. This is a prayer or liturgy resource called Midday Prayer which you could use at home with your family or on your own. It is written by Rev Dr Sally Douglas, Minister of Richmond Uniting Church. It has responses to prayers and you can choose your own readings so it could become a holy habit,…
Acknowledging NAIDOC week
Uniting Churches are marking a rescheduled NAIDOC Week from 8-15 November 2020 with the theme ‘Always was, always will be’. Sharing stories of Aboriginal and Islander achievement, connecting with local Traditional Owners and learning about the covenant relationship between the UAICC and the UCA are all great ways to celebrate NAIDOC Week. This video of Deirdre and Rev Mark in conversation sets the scene for that sharing and those relationships. At Manningham, we will be acknowledging NAIDOC Week in our service…