Welcome to BB Connex
18th 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 - 1st March 2022 |
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Joseph : Does Unforgiveness Prevent Blessings into the future?
This week in our lectionary reading we focus on Joseph and the encounter he has with his brothers. We all know the story of how his brothers years before had sold Joseph to a slave trader. They told their father Jacob that Joseph was attacked and killed by wild beasts. They have now come to Egypt because of the famine in their land only to discover the one that they are receiving from, the one with power and authority is their brother Joseph.
Jospeh offers what our Prime Minister said this week was the hardest to offer and that was forgiveness.
Joseph said to his brothers “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” From this moment on Joseph does not recount what his brothers did to him.
I don’t know about you, I find this story challenging. Joseph could see how God used his brother’s anger and treatment of him to put him in the position of authority. Is it possible that God uses our past even the way we are mistreated for his greater purpose?
Certainly, a key lesson that the story teaches us is that forgiveness is more powerful, more freeing than holding onto past hurts. I have heard it said that forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. There are more possibilities into the future when we choose to forgive.
I know from my own life how resentment and bitterness can become like an anchor around our life. Its hard for us to move on when we hold onto past disappointments.
I wonder how many of us in ministry hold onto our past hurts and whether we need to consider that our ministries might be more effective if we chose to forgive and let go.
Worth a thought
Rev Russell Reynoldson
Bremer Brisbane Presbytery Chair
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UPCOMING ACTIVITIES OF THE PRESBYTERY & CONGREGATIONS
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Bremer Brisbane Presbytery Meetings 2022
Tuesday 26th April - 6pm - Glebe Rd UC
Saturday 20th August - 9am - Glebe Rd UC
Thur 17th Nov or Sat 20th Nov - TBC
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Thursday March 17th, ‘Soul’d Out’
‘Soul’d Out’ comprises a group of 4 men who love to sing together, Graham Sinn, Jonathon Hargreaves, Les Howarth and Allan Odell. The group began in 2003 and two of the original members remain. All have sung since youth in school and church choirs. Graham and Allan have sung in radio broadcast programmes in Brisbane and Sydney and are members of the Brisbane Festival Male Voice Praise. Les is a member of the Apollo Choir and Jonathon has sung with the Brisbane Chamber Choir. Their Style is Barbershop to Gospel with a repertoire of a variety of music.
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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
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TRINITY COLLEGE QLD
CHURCH COUNCIL SHORT COURSES
Church Council Essentials
(Thursday evenings 24 February and 3 March)
@ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
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.
Over two Thursday nights, 24 Feb and 3 March from 7-9pm
All sessions are will be online learning. 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
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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.
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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/
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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
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The Cooperative: Albert Street Lecture Series
Thursday 24 March, 7 – 8.30pm
The Cooperative’s ‘Albert Street Lecture Series’ presents quarterly lectures held and recorded from the Albert Street Uniting Church. These lectures serve the Queensland community of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) and allow space for public theological reflection as we think together about the past and future of the UCA and critical issues of our time. Please join us on Thursday 24 March when Rev Janet Staines will present from her thesis: “To lead the People: resignifying gender in the UCA”. A response from Rev Yvonne McRostie will be shared at the lecture. The lecture will also be livestreamed on YouTube (link to come). Head here to register: https://thecooperativehub.com/events/asls-janet-staines/
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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.
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Safe Ministry with Children (Congregation)
Face to Face - This is for people who have never attended any SMC training before. Modules 1 and 2.
March date and time TBC
Presbytery Office - 13 William St, Goodna
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
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
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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
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Would you be interested in attending a
FIRST AID COURSE in 2022 ?
Please e-mail Melloney
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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.
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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 Facebook, head to our website for more information and fill out our short submission form.
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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:
3.00pm Sunday 6 February
7.30pm 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
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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.
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A FLOURISHING Creation - Feedback
Link for paper HERE
Feedback HERE
The times and zoom links for each meeting are:
Saturday 19 February – 11.00am – 12 midday
Join Zoom Meeting
One tap mobile:
Australia: +61731853730,,63452219068#,,,,*216158#
Meeting URL:
https://ucareqld-au.zoom.us/j/63452219068? pwd=QXFrRmNWY2ZBV0VBZk1zT1VVM01IZz09
Meeting ID:
634 5221 9068
Passcode:
216158
Thursday 24 February – 6.00-7.00pm
Join Zoom Meeting
One tap mobile:
Australia: +61731853730,,63685541428#,,,,*590959#
Meeting URL:
https://ucareqld-au.zoom.us/j/63685541428?pwd=cDBEYUt4c0pJanZ2RFZONGRVcS96dz09
Meeting ID:
636 8554 1428
Passcode:
590959
Friday 25 February – 2.00-3.00pm
Join Zoom Meeting
One tap mobile:
Australia: +61731853730,,65937620398#,,,,*112470#
Meeting URL:
https://ucareqld-au.zoom.us/j/65937620398?pwd=YzlVUlNzRGJrbzQ4MVMyaGNwaDRaZz09
Meeting ID:
659 3762 0398
Passcode:
112470
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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.
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
For the latest COVID-19 updates and resources, visit the Synod website.
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Love your enemies
Love your enemies and do good to them.
Jesus, this seems impossible:
to love people when they oppose us, w
ant to do us harm
and believe their way is best.
How do we live this way?
But you are a God of love,
love which has no limits,
taking us to the cross –
Jesus dying for the love of the world.
Thank you, God
that you take us to this impossible dream.
A world without love,
without forgiveness,
without sacrifice,
without generosity unlimited,
would be a world,
ugly, horrid, aching for love.
Thank you, God,
that you stretch our imagination:
that your Spirit prays for us,
guides us,
empowers us,
leads us into a world
of faith, hope and love.
Without your Spirit
we are lost,
we walk in darkness:
with your Spirit
life is rich, abundant, free,
”Amazing Grace.”
© Peter Woodward 2022
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Office Manager, Brookfield Uniting Church
Click here for details
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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.
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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
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Rev Glen Schweitzer will be on annual leave from
19th February, returning 28th February.
Please contact Rev Dr David Mackay-Rankin
for any urgent matters
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