News & Articles (Page 2)

News & Articles (Page 2)

Mean what you do, do what you mean

An interactive Sunday morning service looking at Exodus 17:1-7 and Matthew 21:21-35. Led by Nate onsite, and Con remotely via zoom we were taken on a journey of meaning what we do, and doing what we mean. We worked through the importance of this theme through an introductory activity exploring what it is like to experience what we thought we would do, but when it came to implementing it wasn’t what we said we would do. What we wanted to…

Mangoes Fundraiser – 2023

Fresh juicy Bowen Special Mangoes (which are more formally known as Kensington Pride Mangoes) are back on again. The profit each box goes to support asylum seekers and refugees in Australia and EARS Inc which brings help to the hearing impaired people in the Developing World. In addition, 100% of the booking fee profits from this sale goes towards the children education/healthcare charities associated with Humanitix (our booking platform) – https://code.org, https://www.roomtoread.org & https://www.yalari.org. So the bottom line: approx 4.5Kg…

MUCKY Kitchen – Welcoming

Over the weekend, Family@10 looked at the theme of Welcoming through the looking at the reading from Matthew 10:40-42. Watch MUCKY Kitchen as they prepare to welcome a new guest.

Welcome Sally and Con!

We are delighted that Rev Sally and Rev Dr Con Apokis, both of whom have already led some worship services, are coming to join us for the next few months to assist our exhausted minister! Although they will be leading both worship services, Sally’s main focus will be on Children Youth and Families and Con’s on the Seniors Ministry. Both have extensive experience in various fields of church ministry. Sally’s background is as a teacher, deacon, and educational chaplain. Con…

Reapping MUC Presents… The Velvetones

An amazing afternoon was had be attendees of the first MUC presents for the year. We were entertained by the four vibrant, versatile, vivacious fabulous women who are the Velvetones! The Velvetones launched onto the Australian music scene in 2018 and quickly established themselves as one of the country’s leading a cappella ensembles. They performed to sell-out audiences and received glowing reviews following appearances at the Melbourne International Singers Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival, Voices in Paradise (QLD), and Hobart Festival…

Knitting group gathered today for a yarn!

The MUC knitting group recommenced for their first gathering for 2023! They met in the spacious Community Space 6 and had a great afternoon knitting. They create (knit or crochet) warm garments and soft toys for newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers For those interested, the group meets on the 4th Monday of the month at 1:30pm. But if you can’t attend, but are keen to support and do some knitting – feel free to download the blanket square pattern…

Daily Lent Reflections

As we enter the season of Lent (22 Feb – 6 April) the Learning and Discipleship Portfolio has created daily reflection based on the Lectionary for the 40 days of Lent will be prepared by members of Manningham Uniting Church.

Salt and Light

Both services on Sunday 5 February were looking at the Matthew chapter 5 versus 13-20 reading. Looking a salt and light. Fellowship@10 had a reflection with Rev Swee Ann Koh who shared his reflection on this theme along with music and prayers along the same theme. Download the reflection from this service here: Download here. During the service members were encouraged turn to the person beside them and affirm to them “You are the salt of the earth, you are…

Day of Mourning

The Day of Mourning Service was held at Westerfolds Park Sunday 22 January 2023. Since 2019 the Uniting Church has marked a Day of Mourning to reflect on the dispossession of Australia’s First Peoples and the ongoing injustices faced by First Nations people in this land. For those of us who are Second Peoples from many lands, we lament that we were and remain complicit. The observance of a Day of Mourning on the Sunday before 26 January arises from…

Sankofa – 21 December 2022

Introduction Yesterday, Nigel informed me that he will not be accepting the offer of a further contract with MUC for 2023. I have asked him to join us at the 1st of January 2023 Worship Service so that we can thank him for his contributions to MUC and pray for him. I know many members are blessed by the pastoral care he offers. Personally, I thank God for him. The Year 2022 Five days to Christmas and 10 days before…

Kindess Month – November

World Kindness Week is celebrated around the World from 7 November to the official World Kindness Day on 13 November. Annually, on 13 November, the world joins hands for World Kindness Day, a day highlighting random good deeds and positivity. The idea behind this started with the 20-nation member World Kindness Movement (WKM) which crystallised at a conference in Tokyo in 1997 when the Small Kindness Movement of Japan brought together like-minded kindness movements from around the world. The WKM…

Seniors at Playgroup

Some of us may have watched the TV show ‘Old People’s Home for 4 year olds’ and now the one with teenagers, and felt moved by the relationships built between the oldies and the youngies. The same is happening in our Playgroups. The ‘senior’ helpers at our 4 Playgroups make our Playgroups very special and unique and the reason why many mums are still coming with their 2nd child after starting in Playgroup with their tiny first babies. Being a…

Parents with a Disability

There are stories waiting to be told, stories of disempowerment, prejudice, preconceived ideas, ableism and judgement. Stories centring around parents who have a disability. Australia has signed and ratified the United Nations Convention[1] that acknowledges there has been serious discrimination against people with disabilities, but then in practice, allows that discrimination against them to continue. As an advocate for parents with disabilities who are engaging with Child Protection, DFFH[2], I have become convinced there must be a better way to…

Minister’s Message

Introduction “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:32). Celebrated Annually on 1 October, International Day of Older Persons was passed by the United Nations General Assembly on 14 December 1990, which declared 1 October to be the International Day of Older Persons. There are currently around 700 million people over the age of 60. It is predicted that by 2050, this figure will have risen…

Swee Ann conducts Emerging Church

On Sunday, 18 September, on invitation, Rev Swee Ann Koh conducted the MUC monthly  Emerging Church service. A presiding minister has not performed this function in a long time, but Swee Ann said that he relished the task and had an important message to get across. “I want to unravel the word shalom and show it’s connection to the theme Health in Mind, Body, and Spirit,” he said. “I’m sure you realise that body, mind, and spirit are interconnected, that…

Sankofa #13

Introduction I refuse to switch on my TV since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8th of September 2022. Our local Australian media has been covering the fact, and its aftermath in church and state, on a 24/7, 7 days per week basis. Truth be told I found it a bit nauseating. I mean no disrespect for the life and memory of Queen Elizabeth II and for the grief of her family.  Now is not the Time I have…

Sankofa #12

You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy. – Jane Kirsten Marczewski Jane Kirsten Marczewski  It would not surprise me if most of you don’t know who Jane Marczewski is. She is best known for being a singer who performed on America’s Got Talent in June 2021, where she got the coveted “Golden Buzzer” from Simon Cowell. She sung her original song, ‘It’s OK.” She is known professionally as Nightbirde. She became internationally known after…

Sankofa #11

Introduction A few weeks ago, I mused about the fact that we are all wounded (traumatised). And I shared the importance of us healing our wounds. I hope I didn’t give the impression that it was easy. It isn’t. Healing is never a definite location but something in process. It is the basic ordinary work of staying engaged with our own wounds and limitations. Healing does not necessarily mean forgiveness. Healing is learning to love the wound because love draws…