St Luke's Uniting Church, Highton
St Luke's is a congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia, located in Highton, Geelong.
The latest edition of Crosslight magazine is out now and available to be picked up from the foyer.
Those who indicated they would like copies set aside have had theirs delivered – if you haven’t received your copy yet, please check the pigeonholes in the foyer.
You can also read and download it here: https://crosslight.org.au/
With thanks to Mike, our news sheet editor, here is the Newsletter for June:
Contributions can be emailed to news@stlukesuca.org.au
A big part of any church ministry is organising the people needed to make activities happen. This includes Sunday services, Messy Church, working bees, Sewing groups, playgroups, funerals, online services and much more.
This year St Luke’s is using the Services app to roster our people for activities. Some of you have started logging in to the app and using it’s features, others are still finding their way – it’s great that you are prepared to try new things!
Everyone who is added to a team receives a “Welcome to Planning Center” email which introduces them to the new platform. You can access the app from both your phone and a web browser on your computer.
Here’s a short video guide on how to use the app on a phone or tablet:
https://youtu.be/W9l1uZHkjj8
And here’s a guide for those accessing Services from their computer:
If you prefer to read about it, you can look up instructions here:
https://pcoservices.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/204460240-Services-Introduction-for-Team-Members
The rosters are automatically scheduled each month based on the availability you have indicated. Prior to generating the roster, I will send an email asking you to block out dates that you are unavailable. Once the roster is generated, you will receive an email asking you to confirm the times that you have been scheduled for. You can also sign up for any spots where people are still needed.
It is important that you respond to these emails ASAP in case changes are needed.
I will aim to have a copy of the Sunday morning roster on the noticeboard at church and on the Members area of the website. Unless you are a team leader, you can only see your own schedule on the app.
Eventually the aim is for each team to have a leader who will look after the scheduling for their team, so that this work is shared out.
Thanks to everyone who is already part of a team for all you do to help us come together in community to worship and serve God through this ministry. If you have any questions about the app, please let Robyn know and she will do her best to answer (but do look up the support pages first!).
Blessings and Gratitude!
Dear friends,
Our theme in this video will centre around the care of God’s creation … prompted by the marking on June 5th of the UN world environment day.
Humans have a particular place in creation and that is to care for it … that we have a responsibility to be good stewards … so generations can enjoy the blessings of this wonderful planet and universe.
And we as Christians … who take this stuff seriously have a role in this …
The UN website for World Environment Day speaks about “restoration” and I think that resonates with plenty of Biblical concepts such as healing, renewal, new beginnings …
The website includes this statement which I found helpful:
We cannot turn back time. But we can grow trees, green our cities, rewild our gardens, change our diets and clean up rivers and coasts. (World Environment Day)
For a little more of a deep dive into the Genesis readings for today, you might like to take a look at this video from “The Bible Project”:
You can find out more about “A Prayer, a Plea, a Bird” from Julie Perrin at her website here:
Sunday 30th May 2021: Join other Uniting Churches in Geelong for a live Zoom worship at 10am:
St Luke’s Congregational Annual General Meeting will be held at the conclusion of the Service on Sunday 6 June 2021.
Business will include reports from the Church Council and presentation of St Luke’s budget for 2021.
Kevin McAvaney, Congregational Chairperson
From Jan at Uniting Barwon:
Hello everyone
Reconciliation week 2021 starts on Wednesday this week the 27th May 2021. The largest local reconciliation event in reconciliation week in Geelong is Reconciliation in the Park held in Johnstone Park on the Sunday of Reconciliation week. This year this will be Sunday 30th May 2021.
As part of Uniting Barwon’s Reconciliation Action Plan we have established contact with the local community reconciliation group Geelong One Fire Reconciliation Group. Geelong One Fire helped establish Reconciliation in the Park and has supported it each year since its establishment. This year Uniting Barwon is going to assist Geelong One Fire with their support for the event.
Uniting Barwon people will be assisting with;
Those assisting will be given some time to participate in and enjoy the activities taking place.
If you are interested in assisting in any of the roles please contact Des Younghusband by Thursday 27th May 2021, please also enquire of your families, friends, acquaintances and network members if they might be available to help.
If you are unable to assist please consider coming along to enjoy the activities and again encourage your families, friends, acquaintances and network members also to do this .
20210503 Flier Rec in Park 2021
Attached is a flyer for the event feel free to pass it on to your contacts or request more copies from Des Younghusband.
To register to assist or if you have any queries Des Younghusband’s contact details are:
|
||
|
So many wonderful events in Melbourne are now available to us through the option to attend via Zoom! Pilgrim Theological College is where our ordained and lay people undertake their training for ministry and ongoing professional development and formation in the Uniting Church in Victoria.
“The first Northey Lecture for 2021 will offer the theological viewpoint of an Australian First Nations theologian who has spent the past two decades decolonising biblical narratives and constructing a theology that draws on Australia First Nations creation stories (Ancestral Narratives) and our understanding of the Creator’s actions and interactions through our Spirit Ancestors in the creation of our world, humanity, customs, laws, ceremonies, songs, rituals, connection to land, water and sea; language, cosmology, worldview and philosophy – this being the basis to the formation of First Nations identity, faith and Spirituality.”
Dr. Anne Pattel-Gray is an Aboriginal woman who is a descendant of the Bidjara/ Kari Kari people in Queensland and she is a recognised Aboriginal leader within Australia – nationally and internationally. She has dedicated her life to the struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and she is a strong campaigner and lobbyist and deeply committed to seeking justice, equity and equal representation for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people. She is very proud of her Aboriginal culture and heritage and is a strong advocate for Aboriginal women, children, families and community regarding our Cultural and basic Human Rights. She has developed a leadership quality that promotes and builds a deeper sense of community and participation that brings a greater Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and cultural identity and cohesion with the broader community that leads to beneficial partnerships, engagement and reconciliation.
You can read more and register here:
https://pilgrim.edu.au/events/red-ochre-theology-northey-lecture-2021/?fbclid=IwAR14caOANgIxK7q_07yZ3vuiKWX_knWY5bJFNKGe3nkfpefVkZuSDk9mGsU
Sometimes it’s good to share the stories of the ways in which Uniting supports people in need on our behalf – you can read Jhez’s story here:
Alone and afraid, Jhez wanted a brighter future for her baby.
Here’s the latest newsletter from the Presbytery of Port Phillip West:
The Westerly No.7 6th May 2021 – Women Mentors
