March 2023 Monthly News

Dear friends,

Here is the March update from St Luke’s.

20230310 Monthly news

Also please find the latest issue of “The Westerly”, our Presbytery update:

The Westerly No.44 3rd February 2023 – Women

If you would like to receive the weekly National Update from the Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia, you can subscribe here or read the latest edition here

You can find Lenten reflection 3 here

You can find resources for building a more inclusive church congregation here – this was mentioned in the last Assembly update and looks at ways we can include First Nations people, People with a Disability, and people of diverse genders in our community gatherings.

18/12/2022

News from Uniting

Here’s the latest from Dale Harrington at Uniting:

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to send you the 2022/2023 Summer edition of Congregation Connect.

In this edition, you and members of your congregation can read about:

The impact of our Food For Families program
Findings from Uniting’s recent report on the rising costs of living
How to get involved in our Coffee Cup Challenge.

Meanwhile, Pancake Day – or Shrove Tuesday – is just around the corner on 21 February 2023.

This is traditionally the last day to eat all the ‘luxury’ foods in our pantries before Lent. These include flour, eggs and dairy products, which just so happen to be the key ingredients of delicious pancakes!

Many congregations are already starting to think about Pancake Day 2023.

So, I would like to invite your congregation and its members to participate. Any funds raised from any events you hold go towards programs or services that support people when they need it most.

There are three ways you can register:

Complete the online registration form here
Complete and return the attached registration form by return email or post
Call us on1800 668 426to register by phone.

And of course, please pass this on to the person in charge of Pancake Day or your Church Council to arrange registration if it is not you.

If you need to update your contact details or wish to amend the number of copies you receive in the future to better suit the needs of your congregation, please get in touch.

Yours sincerely and warm wishes for Christmas,

Dale

Uniting Congregation Connect – Summer 2022

Pancake Day 2023

12/11/2022

The Westerly Number 39 – News from Presbytery October 2022

The Westerly No.39 31st October 2022

06/09/2022

Uniting Barwon Emergency Food Relief – Please add these to your shopping list

Friends, our people who volunteer at the Emergency Relief Rooms at Grovedale and Corio-Norlane have sent a request to please add these items to your donation shopping list:

Small jars of Vegemite
Small bottles of cooking oil – Vegetable or Olive Oil
Small jars of coffee
1 Litre full cream long life milk
Large tins of Tuna
Tinned Fruit
Flour – Self Raising and Plain

Donations can be left in the trolley at St Luke’s or taken directly to

Grovedale:

The Albert Renshaw Building, 272 Torquay Rd Grovedale

(Mon/Wed/Fri 9:30am – 12noon)

Norlane:

10 Wendover Avenue Norlane

(Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 9:30am -12noon)

15/07/2022

Synod update, Reconciliation, Being a Multicultural Church, Gospel of Mark presentation

New Synod Meeting Planning Committee

Expressions of interest are now open for people interested in helping shape future Synod meetings. Synod 2022 adopted a proposal to create a new committee appointed by the Standing Committee, with its membership to include up to eight people incorporating a diversity of Church members and minority voices. Its purpose is to plan and arrange the theme, venue, community life and timetable for future meetings of the Synod, giving priority to broad engagement with the membership of the Church, through the implementation of interactive, engaging and creative strategies and processes.

Tributes Service

This year’s Tributes Service will be held at Wesley Church (Lonsdale St Melbourne) on Saturday, July 23 from 2.30pm. Traditionally held during Synod meetings, the service honours ministers who, since the previous Synod meeting, have been ordained, retired or received from other denominations, or celebrated 50, 60, 65 and 70 years since ordination or commissioning. The service will also be livestreamed.

Watch here

Synod 2022 wrap

UC members gathered in Melbourne recently for three days of discussion, deep engagement and discernment as part of Synod 2022. All three days and the Opening Worship service, which featured the installation of Moderator David Fotheringham, can be found on the Synod 2022 YouTube channel, while daily updates were posted to the Crosslight website.

Share Grants

Applications for 2022 Share Grants are now open. Since 1980, the Share Grants program has provided financial assistance to enhance the quality and scope of UnitingCare and Uniting Church services to the community in Victoria and Tasmania. With the program now part of Uniting Vic.Tas, this year’s grants are once again available for parish missions, congregations and others in the community.

St Luke’s has some great activities which could qualify for these grants

Gospel lecture

The role of the Gospel of Matthew in engaging with community-led issues, such as violence, land and food security, and unemployment in South Africa will be the focus of an August 4 lecture by Professor Gerald West. The lecture will be held in person at the Centre for Theology and Ministry and also streamed live.

Faith and diversity

Recent Census data has provided a snapshot of modern Australia, including the fact that for the first time, first and second generation migrants make up more than half of our population, at 51.5 per cent. National Assembly Consultant Rev Dr Apwee Ting explores what this means in terms of faith and diversity.

Get Involved

First Peoples webinar

The role of history and truth-telling in working towards a more just and self-determined future for First Peoples is the subject of a webinar on July 21 organised by the Uniting Church National History Society. First Nations leaders and historians will be part of the Zoom event exploring the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Find out more

24/06/2022

News from Presbytery

The Westerly No.33

This edition we explore the theme of ‘Seeking Refugee’ with Rev. Geoff Barker’s story of retreat time in a French abbey, JIM Article Refugee week, Rev. Fi Bottcher (Deacon) encourages us to all practice self-love. Rev. Mat Harry (Deacon) speaks about the statistics around young adults who are taking refuge in their faith. If you missed your June 5th Edition of the westerly back editions are available at Newsletters – Presbytery of Port Phillip West (ucappw.org.au) .

The Westerly No.33 23rd June 2022 Seeking Refuge

24/05/2022

Uniting World’s Annual appeal is on now and Update 2 for 2022 is available in the foyer

If you are looking for some good news to encourage you, be sure to pick up a copy of the latest update from Uniting world. You are invited to donate to the annual appeal which demonstrates how one action from you can ripple out to the Partner churches and organisations of Uniting World and help them to build up communities who are struggling in oppressive circumstances.

To donate online, click here

19/04/2022

Autumn edition of Uniting’s Supporter Newsletter and Congregation Connect update is out now

From Dale at Uniting:

Dear Friends,

I do hope my email finds you well and you have all had a safe and happy Easter.

I am writing to you to let you know that a copy of the Uniting Vic.Tas Autumn Congregation Connect has now been made available on our website for congregations to access. I have also attached a PDF copy for your convenience.

In this edition, you and members of your congregation can read about:

An update on the Marrageil Baggarrook accommodation facility for older women experiencing or at risk of homelessness
Ballarat Lifeline’s 50^th anniversary celebrations
How the Carer Gateway service is supporting people to manage their wellbeing.

I have also attached a copy of our Autumn Supporter Newsletter. In this you can learn about:

The work of our Heritage Service team in supporting people to better understand their past
How your generosity at Christmas helped people to build a brighter future
Peter, who has left a lasting legacy through a gift in his Will.

This newsletter is also available online in a new interactive format where you can easily zoom in on the content as well as learn more information about stories of particular interest to you with a simple click.

Kind Regards,

Dale

11/03/2022

Emergency Appeals – Ukraine, East Coast Floods, Tongan Tsunami

Friends, we are in challenging times!

If you are wondering how to help and would like to work through trusted church agencies, here are some links:

Act for Peace Ukraine Emergency Appeal

Our ACT Alliance partners in neighbouring Hungary have already sent truckloads of relief to support families forced to flee their homes due to the war. The shipments include 28 tons of canned food, flour, sugar, oil, rice, pasta, biscuits, long-life milk, tea and hygiene products which will be distributed at the Beregszász and Uzhhorod reception centres in Western Ukraine.

https://actforpeace.org.au/ukraine/

Uniting Church East Coast Flooding Emergency Appeal :

The Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network (DRCN), a ministry of the Uniting Church Synod of NSW and ACT, at present has deployed 35 chaplains across 19 evacuation centres that are accessible by road, with many more centres inaccessible due to flood waters.

Some Uniting Church communities opened their doors to people left stranded or needing to evacuate.

Rev Hollis is inviting to the wider Uniting Church community to make a donation to support those affected by contributing to the Assembly’s National Disaster Relief Fund.

https://uniting.church/east-coast-flooding-emergency-appeal/

UnitingWorld Tsonga Tsuami Disaster Appeal

On Saturday 15 January, a tsunami was triggered by the eruption of underwater volcano Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai, just 65km from the capital city Nuku’alofa on Tonga’s most populated island.

Communications have now been restored and we have been in touch with our partners, the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga (FWCT). They have been assisting evacuations from low-lying islands that were hit hard. In Nuku’alofa, FWCT personnel have been assisting affected communities with relief supplies and trauma counselling. They have appointed a disaster response Coordinator and are scalling up their response with help from international partners including UnitingWorld and the Pacific Conference of Churches.

https://donate.unitingworld.org.au/tonga