Purls of wisdom

The Uniting Church Chelsea parish is engaging its local community in conversations about climate change through a series of colourful yarn art installations.

The public displays are part of the 2015 Longbeach Storybook Yarn Art Trail, a community project involving local schools, community centres, nursing homes and churches.

Every October, yarn art is installed at various locations in the Chelsea and ...

Modern missionaries

BEN GRUNDY

The word ‘missionary’ may conjure an image of old-world, and perhaps outdated, Christian missional work in developing countries.

However missionary placements are often a matter of practical and professional support for partner Church communities throughout the world.

Rev John Bottomley and Margaret Neith are certainly not your ‘traditional’ missionaries.

John and Margaret are now five months into ...

Foreign workers exploited

Recent media reports have highlighted shocking instances of foreign worker exploitation in various Australian industries, particularly in relation to labour hire companies.

The ABC reported a Victorian man, operating as a labour hire business, was under investigation over allegations he had exploited migrant farm workers. Workers were allegedly paid as little as 60 cents an hour for 22-hour working days.

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Working through change

Few issues cause more angst within the church community then the issue of property. Many people feel property can take over and even determine church life. Recognising this dilemma, the synod’s Property Services unit has developed a Property for Mission Workbook to assist congregations as they discern the best use of property.

John Emmett, mission officer with the Property Services ...

Support for kinship care

A call for radical changes to Victoria’s out-of-home care system and a push towards more kinship care have been welcomed by community welfare organisation Kildonan UnitingCare.

It has backed the call to move forward “in a pro-active child-focused manner” by Victorian Commissioner for Children and Young People, Bernie Geary, in the wake of the Commission’s recent report into the sexual ...

Supporting UCA volunteers

The synod People and Culture team has recently updated policies and processes around managing volunteers.

Stephen Mullen, director of the synod’s People and Culture unit, said the amended policies particularly relate to congregations working with vulnerable individuals.

“We’ve updated volunteer processes with a significant focus for when our congregations are working with people who are in a special-needs category,” he said.

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Creative Ministries board makes difficult decision

The Creative Ministries Network (CMN) board has recommended to the Commission for Mission (CFM) board that the agency move to dissolution.

CMN board chair Rev Paul Mayfield said the agency is aware that many people throughout the church will be concerned and distressed about this decision. He told Crosslight he hopes to inform them, as much as possible, about the ...

Strategic thinking

By NIGEL TAPP

Property can enhance a congregation’s life. But, if it is unfit for purpose or requires significant upkeep, congregations can quickly find too much of their time and money is poured into property maintenance rather than undertaking their mission.

With this in mind the Property Board has launched an Asset Strategy Program (ASP) to support congregations and church ...

88-year-old lives his Tiger Moth dream

Keith George’s wish to fly in a Tiger Moth plane for the first time in 63 years was granted on Saturday, when the 88-year-old took off from Lilydale Airport thanks to the Uniting AgeWell Wishing Well program.

Keith, a resident at Uniting AgeWell Forest Hill, gained his private pilot’s licence in 1952 in a Tiger Moth but, ...

National Day of Unity

National director for Multicultural and Cross Cultural Ministry Rev Dr Apwee Ting joined with 50 other faith leaders at this year’s National Day of Unity launch.

Representatives from the Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh and Baha’i faiths communities participated in the event, held at Parliament House in Canberra. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, federal opposition leader Bill Shorten and ...

Julian Burnside on asylum seekers in Australia

On Sunday 1 November, the Outer Eastern Asylum Seeker Support Network will host prominent human rights activist Julian Burnside for a public forum to discuss issues around refugees and asylum seekers in an Australian context.

Supported by Lentara UnitingCare Asylum Seeker Project, the free event will include wide-ranging discussion and debate on Australia’s response to refugee and ...

New report supports ice treatment over policing

A report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) on Australia’s ice problem has recommended greater support for treatment and early intervention services. It urges the federal government to adopt policies that reduce harm in the community rather than focus on stronger policing.

The report, released on Tuesday, was co-authored by Vernon White and ASPI senior analyst John Coyne. Mr ...