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This week in our Intercultural series we look at the vision behind a new annual celebration in the Uniting Church - Intercultural Neighbouring Sunday - which was part of a proposal passed at the recent 16th Assembly.
Rev Dr Paul Goh, who introduced the proposal, says the idea was inspired by a desire to move beyond just talking about being a multicultural church to embodying a truly Intercultural Church living faith and life cross-culturally. Intercultural Neighbouring Sunday will be an opportunity to ask what God is already doing in our culturally and linguistically diverse communities and to consider the ways we might learn from and be in relationship with each other.
Paul says, "It’s time to move from a ‘come to us’ paradigm to a paradigm of ‘going where our neighbours are’, discerning and joining in with what God is already doing in our neighbourhood. By doing so, we can enable all to flourish and participate in the mission of God as co-pilgrims toward a promised goal that is a renewed and reconciled world."
Intercultural Neighbouring Sunday will take place on the third Sunday in July. Consider what you might do now to begin building relationships.
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300 Fijian leaders and UCA members from across Australia gathered for the Fijian National Conference from 29 September - 2 October on Kungarakany Country in Batchelor, Northern Territory. Conference participant and young Fijian leader Filipe Batiwale reflects on the highlights of the gathering.
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What can the church learn from the intersection of spirituality and disability? In this story from the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, meet the people at the heart of the multi-faith disability and spirituality movement in Australia and New Zealand and read their take on what it means to embrace our humanity in all its joys and challenges. Originally published in the October edition of Crosslight.
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The National Young Adult Leaders Conference (NYALC) will bring together young adult leaders from across the Uniting Church to build their leadership skills, nurture their faith and grow their discipleship. It is taking place from 26-29 January 2023 at Merricks Lodge on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Applications are open until 7 November. We encourage you to think about the young adult leaders in your community who you could encourage to apply.
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What would it look like for the Uniting Church, as a whole, to be truly intercultural? What would we see? Listen in as National Consultants Rev Linsday Cullen and Rev Dr Apwee Ting think about the difference this would make to everything from leadership to language to worship in the fourth episode of R&R with the ARU.
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A Liturgy of Acknowledgement and Lament is available for communities to mark the fourth anniversary of the National Apology to Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse on 22 October. Read the statement from the Assembly, UCA Redress and the National Safe Church Unit which reiterates our commitment to be a safe place for all people.
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The Uniting College for Leadership and Theology, the University of Divinity and Churches Together SA invite you to attend the Inaugural Professorial Lecture of Rev Prof Vicky Balabanski. This public event is open to all and may be especially valuable to ministry agents preparing for Advent and the new liturgical year. Join at 7:00pm on 19 October at Adelaide West Uniting Church, and online.
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This Advent, the Assembly hopes to share a resource to support people across the UCA, including children and families, to mark this season at home. We are putting a call out for short contributions to an Advent Calendar, such as a simple prayer, a candle-lighting ritual, a Bible verse, a reflection question, a little activity to do together or any other contribution. Email us your ideas!
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Join UnitingCare Australia and others in calling on all Parliamentarians to commit to halving child poverty by 2030, as part of Anti-Poverty Week which kicks off on Sunday 16 October. Download the ‘Halve Child Poverty’ pledge, take a photo of yourself holding the pledge and post it on your social media. You can also add your photo to the Anti-Poverty Week pledge gallery. Find information and resources on the Anti-Poverty week website.
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Read the latest update on UnitingWorld's Women in Ministry Project, which is supporting women in the Pacific to study theology and become equipped for leadership. Hear from scholarship program students Rev Geraldine, Daphney and Rev Susana about their post-graduate studies at Pacific Theological College in Fiji, their message for the Uniting Church and what you can pray for.
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Hoppo and his son Lance share the same passion for the bush as Frontier Services. Together they're travelling the outback in their pink Mr Whippy van to share love, warmth and ice cream. Standing alongside people in the bush is a collective effort, and Frontier Services is proud to be part of that.
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Opportunities in the Presbytery of Western Australia
The Presbytery of Western Australia is currently inviting Expressions of Interest for two positions: Education Coordinator (Ordained Ministries and Perth Theological Hall Principal) and Education Coordinator (Lay and Continuing Education).
Prison Ministry State Manager - UnitingCare Queensland
Oversee and manage the prison ministry services provided by UnitingCare under the auspices of the Uniting Church Queensland Synod.
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Join us in prayer for
- Those marking the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings today, for the survivors and the families and friends of the 202 people who lost their lives. We pray for people everywhere working for a more peaceful world.
- Communities being impacted by extreme weather and flooding.
- The meeting of the Northern Synod taking place in Darwin from Friday.
- People living with a disability. We give thanks for the many gifts, insights and deep spiritual thinking they bring to the church. We pray that all feel valued as members of the body of Christ and are provided with spaces to share their gifts and wisdom.
- Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama as part of the WCC Ecumenical Prayer Cycle.
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What is your Intercultural Church story?
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