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Welcome to BB Connex
1st February 2022

Welcome to BB Connex.
This is a means to stay connected through sharing resources, encouraging, supporting and praying for each other as a Presbytery.
 Please e-mail Melloney by 10am every Thursday anything you would like to share.

Next BB Connex - 15th February 2022
Words from Glen...
A number of years ago I began a process to help a congregation to move toward a vision and purpose statement. As I begin to meet with people around the visioning process, I asked the different groups of people to reflect on some of the following questions:
  • What does the church have to offer the world that is unique? (ie, what no other organisation can offer)
  • Why do you think God called the Church into being?
  • What is your greatest desire for the people in the community in which we live?
  • What are your deepest values of the Christian faith?
  • Who does the Church exist for?
  • What are some signs of a church that is healthy?
  • What is your vision for the church?
  • In your experience in the community, what is most needed?
I wonder how often we genuinely reflect on questions like these? How often do we shift our focus beyond our Sunday gatherings to the ‘fuller’ mission and purpose God has for the Church? I have come to recognise that without a clear, articulate understanding of what a congregations’ purpose is, and a plan to live that out, it becomes too easy for us to get caught in the cycle of Sunday Christianity. Please don’t misunderstand me, in my opinion our gathering together for worship is essential – we should always give this a priority to in our lives. However, Christianity is a movement that gather and scatter; a movement that hears, retells, are built up and encouraged in Christ, to scatter to help others to do the same.
 
Two questions the Presbytery asks during consultations with congregations are:
  • Do you know your congregational mission statement?
  • Do I feel equipped to live out that mission statement?
How would you answer those two questions? How would you answer the questions at the beginning of this article? As we move into the missional plan for Bremer Brisbane Presbytery, we would love to help you work through these kinds of questions.
 
In Christ the best is yet to come!
 
Glen.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES OF THE PRESBYTERY & CONGREGATIONS
Bremer Brisbane Presbytery Meetings 2022

Saturday 12th February - 9am - Glebe Rd UC
Tuesday 26th April - 6pm - Glebe Rd UC
Saturday 20th August - 9am - Glebe Rd UC
Thur 17th Nov or Sat 20th Nov - TBC
Easter Madness is just around the corner and the Moreton Rivers Presbytery is calling all young people across Queensland to attend. Young people are the today and tomorrow of our Church!

Registration for Easter Madness—held from 8–11 April 2022 at the Sunshine Coast—is now open!
It's a great opportunity for young people to explore their faith, have fun and connect with other like-minded people across the Uniting Church in Queensland.

Download the 
church media kit to promote Easter Madness 2022 at your congregation.

For more information or to sponsor a camper, contact Rev Fa Matangi on 07 3366 0236 or email 
HERE
CHURCH COUNCIL SHORT COURSES
CLICK HERE 

This short course will provide participants with a clear understanding of the role and responsibilities of a Church Council.  The team dynamics of a church council will also be explored.  This course is ideal for new and existing church council members.  It is specifically geared to ensure that church councils can flourish and work as effectively as possible.

CHURCH COUNCIL ESSENTIALS
7 February 2022 9am to 4pm

MISSION PLANNING
8 February 2022 9am to 4pm

MENTORIING
9 February 2022 9am to 4pm

This event is online. An email will be sent with login details.

Facilitator: Nigel Rogers

COST

$40 per person 
or capped at $100 per church

Candidates for Ministry

Free

Learning the Language of Healing is an interactive course which will develop your general skills in pastoral care, help you understand how people relate to faith communities in times of stress, and encourage you to be a better listener, particularly in being less defensive in dealing with negativity. The course will be from 25–27 March and 1–3 April at “Old Bishopsbourne” St Francis College, 233 Milton Road, Milton. 

If you want to know more about the course there will be a special introductory Zoom meeting on 17 February from 7pm. Register for the introductory meeting.

The Op Shop Seminar will be held on
Thursday 24 February. 

Information about the seminar is at www.southmoreton.org.au/

Please do not hesitate to contact office@southmoreton.org.au for further information.

Thank you.
This year we are offering face to face and zoom (hybrid sessions) 

Learning for Living semester 1 
Starts: 24 Feb - 23 June (3 week break for Easter and 1 week break for Synod in Session)
Time: 7pm - 9.30pm 
Location: face to face (22 Ashgrove Ave, Ashgrove) or zoom
Donation: $20 *not mandatory*

Register - https://www.moretonriverspresbytery.org.au/learning-for-living/ 

On-line Safety for Leaders of Children & Youth – March 11, 12pm - The National Safe Church Unit (NSCU) is partnering with the Office of the e-Safety Commissioner to deliver an online safety webinar for adults, particularly those who are leaders of children and/or youth as part of the Church. The Office of the e-Safety Commissioner leads and regulates online safety efforts by the Australian Government. This FREE webinar will…

• Explore current technology trends and issues for young people

• Examine the online environment and safe online interactions with children and young people

• Help manage risks and support young people in a youth group environment

• Highlight e-Safety resources for leaders of children and youth

Register for the webinar

Queensland Churches Together is hosting a series of Zoom workshops on Domestic and Family Violence Awareness will take place on three consecutive Wednesday evenings on 2, 9 and 16 March from 7pm. Book now.

There will be a charge of $45 per person for the workshop series. The charge allows Queensland Churches Together to continue providing and developing Domestic Family Violence resources and training to be used in churches and by pastoral carers and chaplains. For more information, visit the events calendar.

Safe Ministry with Children (Congregation)

 
Face to Face - This is for people who have never attended any SMC training before.  Modules 1 and 2.  
Saturday 5th February 2022 -
Gatton UC - 9am to 12 noon.

REGISTER HERE


REFRESHER - If you completed SMC training 2 years ago and are due for your refresher, please see below:
 
edUCate
NEW ON LINE LEARNING PLATFORM
 
At the bottom of the Safe Ministry With Children page (on the synod website) is a link to the new online learning platform – edUCate  https://educate.ucaqld.com.au/login/

The Learning Team can provide assistance to log in or access an online account on edUCate. Angela is the administrator. 

The contact details for edUCate support:
earning@ucaqld.com.au or 07 3377 9990
Code of Ethics
& SMC (Ministers Component)


Friday 25th February 2022
Presbytery Office - 13 William Street, Goodna

9.30am - 11.30am - Safe Ministry with Children (Ministers Component)

12.30pm - 3.30pm - Code of Ethics

RSVP to Melloney
HERE
 
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Moreton Rivers Presbytery will hold their Ministry Agent training on 6 May 2022.
 
COE: 9.30am - 12.30am
SMC: 1pm - 3pm

More details to follow
 
Would you be interested in attending a
FIRST AID COURSE in 2022 ?
Please e-mail Melloney
SYNOD & ASSEMBLY NEWS
Amplify is the country’s largest Children & Families/Youth ministry training event. Focusing on Children & Families ministry, Youth ministry and Serving Schools, this is a great opportunity for individuals and teams to learn and grow together.  Local Hubs will provide the opportunity to actually gather in-person or you can gather online!  The Brisbane hub will be held at St Peters Lutheran College, Indooroopilly.  During the day you will have the opportunity to choose from a number of electives and a plenary session with a different focus – Children and Families with Rachel Turner from Parenting for Faith; Youth & Young Adults with Dan Paterson from Questioning Christianity; Junior Leaders with Ben Dainton from Gateway Baptist; or RI in Schools with David Baker from Queensland Churches Together.  Save the date or register for the Brisbane Hub now – Sat 5 March, 2022. 

IWD 2022: help us celebrate Uniting Church women

To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March this year, we want to celebrate and acknowledge the immense contribution of Uniting Church women. We're inviting anyone across our national church to submit the names of inspiring UCA women they know who are making an impact through leadership, witness and service. Join the conversation on Facebookhead to our website for more information and fill out our short submission form.

The 36th Synod will be held in person from 13-17th May 2022
at Alex Park. 


All attendees will need a confirmed double Covid-19 vaccination and rolls need to be confirmed by 4th March. 

"A daring HOPE" is the theme of the 36th Synod.

In preparation for our Synod gathering in May 2022, nominations for the position of Moderator-Elect have been received from congregations and presbyteries. The Moderator Candidature Task Group (MCTG) has accepted these nominations and closed the nomination process.

We are delighted to advise the following nominations will be presented to the 36th Synod in Session (in alphabetical order):

Rev Peter Armstrong
Rev Linda Hanson
Rev Bruce Moore

Further information about each nominee and their call to be nominated for Moderator-Elect will be available in March 2022.

We ask that you hold the preparations for the 36th Synod, the church's wisdom and discernment, and the nominees and their families as they prepare for this momentous occasion in your prayers over the next few months.

In grace and peace in this Advent season
Rev Heather den Houting
General Secretary

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One of the great gifts in spirituality, community and ways of being at mission at the moment is a rediscovery of the importance of Celtic Christianity.

You may be aware that I am leading a Celtic Britain & Ireland Pilgrimage to Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England 7-27 September this year, followed by an optional extension to the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany.

I am delighted that Uniting Mission & Education (UME) has embraced this pilgrimage as a continuing education learning opportunity.  Here is their wonderful page with links to everything:

https://ume.nswact.uca.org.au/calendar/celtic-britain-ireland-pilgrimage/

I will be hosting two Zoom information sessions:

  • 3.00 pm Sunday 6 February
  • 7.30 pm Wednesday 9 February

Please email me for the Zoom link.

I know that everything is a bit uncertain with COVID, but I think that there are good reasons to think that we will be able to travel overseas by September.

Rob McFarlane - rob@pnpuca.org.au

The Uniting Church has welcomed new recommendations for the National Redress Scheme after a two year independent review found rapid reforms were needed to ensure the Scheme remains accessible, efficient and survivor centred.
https://ucaredress.org.au/news/
UCA Redress Ltd and the NSCU work closely to ensure learnings from the past inform contemporary practice, communication and strategy.

Project Plenty videos as discussion starters
 
Project Plenty seeks to support and resource the priority directions which the whole UCA has identified for its life across Qld in the coming years. Those directions gather around four pillars – discipleship, transforming communities, fit for purpose, and life together (one church).
 
Videos are being produced which share what is already happening across the church, to stimulate imagination in other contexts. 
Check out this growing video collection  grouped around the four themes. Could you play one in worship, or at Church Council, or in home groups, as a catalyst for thinking about new possibilities in your space?

Join the 
Plenty Facebook group.
Read 
Uniting News.
Email the Plenty team at 
projectplenty@ucaqld.com.au
.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update

For the latest COVID-19 updates and resources, visit the Synod website.

Online worship services

Here is a list of Queensland Uniting Church congregations who are live streaming. For suggested changes or corrections to this list, please email the Mission Engagement Team.

100+ Free Contact Us & Contact Images - Pixabay

Bremer Brisbane Presbytery Contact Details:
 
Presbytery Minister
Rev Glen Schweitzer - 0410 595 454

Mission Resource Minister
Rev Dr David Mackay-Rankin - 0432 341 816
Presbytery Chair
Rev Russell Reynoldson - 0429 472 567

Presbytery Secretary
Ms Gemma Ward - 0458 094 711
PRC Chair
Dr Marilyn Healy - 0411 418 599

Presbytery Property Officer
Rev Ross Mackay - 0432 681 362

Presbytery Admin. Officer
Melloney Braithwaite - 0413 667 671
Past Editions of BB Connex can be located here
https://bremerbrisbane.org.au/bb-connex/
 
Copyright © 2021 The Uniting Church Bremer Brisbane Presbytery, All rights reserved.
 
 Please send any context you would like to be included in the next  edition to Melloney  office@bremerbrisbane.org..au no later than 10am Thursday
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