Praxis08 Planning Bubble

What’s Adrian saying here?

And what do YOU want to do at Praxis08?

Join the celebrations

After campaigning with others on refugee and asylum seeker issues since 2001, TEAR, UCA, RAC, GetUp and all the rest can join the celebrations.

(Ben’s take from the tear network below)

The Immigration Minister has proposed changes to make detention of aslyum-seekers a last resort and put in place clear boundaries so that it cannot be indefinite and unreviewable.
Asylum seekers coming by boat to one of the places that the previous Government excised from Australia’s migration zone will now also have access to assistance and review of their cases ? rights the former
policy stripped them of.

We are very supportive of the Government’s proposed changes. We hope and pray that we will never again see people (including many children) locked up for years, with all the associated mental and physical harm,
while they seek protection in Australia.

A new, humane policy

The Government has decided to take a risk-based approach to deciding whether an asylum seeker should be detained or not. If a person poses no danger to the community, they will be allowed to remain in the
community until their status is determined.

You can read the Minister for Immigration’s entire speech here
http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/speeches/2008/ce080729.htm
The Minister outlines the values that will inform the new policy as well as some of the practical details.

Children will not be detained in an immigration detention centre. People who arrive by boat at excised places, which include Christmas Island and Ashmore Reef, will be detained soley for health, identity and security checks.? People who arrive by boat at excised places will now have access to legal assistance and an independent review of unfavourable decisions.? Only people who pose a risk to the community or who have repeatedly refused to comply with their visa conditions will be detained. Once in detention, a detainee’s case will be reviewed every three months to ensure that further detention is justified.

Thank the Immigration Minister

Send an email now
Senator.Evans@aph.gov.au

thanking the Immigration Minister for these changes. Ask him to
make these policy changes law so that no future Government can return
to detaining children, or keeping people in detention indefinitely and
without review.

True Evangelical Faith

“True evangelical faith cannot lie dormant.
It clothes the naked.
It feeds the hungry.
It comforts the sorrowful.
It shelters the destitute.
It serves those that harm it.
It binds up that which is wounded.
It has become all things to all people.”
- Menno Simons

GetUp-Climatetorch Relay

To solve the climate crisis, we will need a movement unprecedented in Australia’s history. To mobilise this movement, GetUp has invented a new device to respond to the climate crisis. You can hold it in one hand. It combines solar power, a wind-turbine, and…. a lemon.

It’s our climate torch, designed exclusively for GetUp by the creators of the Sydney Olympic torch, and with your help we’ll take it to a hundred towns, cities and suburbs across Australia - before arriving in Canberra, where thousands of GetUp members will present it directly to Parliament. Click below to get a first glimpse of what it looks like, and to nominate your town to host it.

www.climatetorch.com

No government will ever soar higher than its citizens demand - and most will sink as low as we allow. Now more than ever we must demand this government soars above political spin and vested interests - high enough to provide the climate leadership we need over these coming months when Australia’s response to climate change will be locked in.

We have a vision for this torch relay. As it travels around Australia, GetUp members will collect tens of thousands of submissions to the government’s climate policy consultation: an unprecedented flood of public opinion. Our leaders need to hear from us - from your town, city and suburb - because industry lobbyists will win this fight if we don’t.

After nominating your area you can volunteer to run the torch, or help organise the torch leg in your town. We can only bring the torch to your town if it will be supported on the ground, so register your help today!

To a renewable future,
The GetUp! team

Search Institute Survey

Some of us in Australia want to add our voice to this - please help out and give it a go - Age

Dear Friends of Search Institute:

Search Institute’s Center for Spiritual Development is conducting a world-wide survey on the spiritual development of youth between the ages of 12 and 25.? We’re looking for youth in the United States who can participate in this survey, (along with youth from seven other countries).? All youth who complete the survey will be entered in a drawing for the chance to win either a $25.00 or $50.00 Target gift card.

This new survey explores how young people think about and experience life.? It asks questions pertaining to how they find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their life, how they think about their place in their family, community, and the world.? We hope to include a wide range of young people in this survey, including those who do not consider themselves to be spiritual or religious.

If you are a parent of one or more young people in this age group, we would be delighted to have them participate in this study.? Feel free to invite other parents you know to include their children.? And if you are a young adult, ages 18 to 25, we would be pleased to have you participate as well.

To learn more about the survey and to volunteer your child/children (or yourself), please click on the link below:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=lGdyMwHBcwZjwfkEEUABfQ_3d_3d

If you have any questions about the survey or this email, please contact Angela Hackel at angelah@search-institute.org.

Thank you for your support, and have a great day.

Search Institute

Toll-free (within the U.S.): 1-800-888-7828

Praxis08 - Let’s Shape It

Hi guys

There has been a bit of a chatter between those who said they would organise this years gathering.

The toasted stories around campfires seemed very popular as did informal discussion time and the space to pray and relax with family and like minded or at least interesting people. Having content was good, as was free time and including families was great.

The idea that seems to have legs is to free up the program even more to engage the passions and talents of those there.

How? Good Question.

Currently we think that food should be programmed into the mix and that the arrival of food could be used as a gathering point to invite people to the various options. So if no one comes to that option the host just flows into a group they have an interest for - that conversation may arise later over a drink in the eve.

What Options? Good Question.

To find out what are our passions and talents - we are playing with two questions and hope to see a good think:act:reflect:community mix appear.

• Q1 - What do you get asked about or lead other in?
• Q2 - What would like to engage with over this gathering?

Q1 helps us see what people are good at or engaging and Q2 picks up the interests of those gathering.

Current options floating around are, building a sand prayer labyrinth, a Bible Study, VJ workshop, a tea ritual, mess around in the canoes with the mind bending questions again, becoming a movement, a water ritual, plan a political stunt/action,some design thing, an art space and exhibition, open mic, a round table, reflections on being arrested for Jesus, go swimming, finish early to join a peace action, spiritual formation group time, local and OS mission, basketball comp, faith talk cards with the kids, play the Ched Myers DVD……? got some ideas yet?

So answer the questions and help build the program.

Offer to lead or suggest another to lead…. lets make sure we get into what we want to get into.

“Anarchy is not chaos, but order with out control.” — David Layson

RAC- Rhythms for refugees

a refugee action collective fundraiser ? www.rac-vic.org

BAR 303
303 High St Northcote

$8 unwaged - $12 waged

Featuring…

THE CONCH

11 piece Cuban ensemble!

PATAPHYSICS

Melbourne hip hop group

and more - from 7pm til late…

[Read more]

Christian Peacemaker Teams - Erin & Casper (Melbourne)

What would happen if Christians devoted the same discipline and self sacrifice to nonviolent
peacemaking that armies devote to war?

ABOUT Erin and Casper Adson

Erin and Casper Adson are a young Australian couple who have had their lives turned upside down by the power of creative nonviolence. Early in 2008 they joined a Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) delegation to the West Bank in Israel-Palestine where they explored a Christian response to international conflict and the people who are affected by it on a daily basis.
Since they?ve returned to Australia they have been presenting an alternative narrative of the conflict and
building solidarity in Australia. Erin works in community development and Casper is a chemical engineer. They want to join other ?ordinary radicals? in exploring another way for this war-torn world.

ABOUT Christian Peacemaker Teams International
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) arose from a call in 1984 for Christians to devote the same discipline and self-sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking that armies devote to war. Enlisting Christians who advocate a nonviolent alternative to war, CPT has placed violence-reduction teams in crisis situations and militarised areas in several countries at the invitation of local peace and human rights workers. CPT aspires to the vision of unarmed intervention waged by committed peacemakers in bold attempts to transform lethal conflict
through the nonviolent power of God?s truth and love.

Initiated by Mennonites, Brethren and Quakers with broad ecumenical participation, CPT?s ministry of Biblically-based and spiritually-centred peacemaking emphasises creative public witness, nonviolent direct action and protection of human rights. CPT currently has teams in the Middle East
and South America. Website: www.cpt.org

Hear Erin and Casper Adson of Christian Peacemaker Teams.
The Program is yet to be finalised. We strongly recommend that you call the listed Contact person to confirm the latest times, locations and details.

Melbourne: 30 July - 1 August 2008
Wednesday 30 July, 3.30pm ? Urban Seed
The Den, 116 Lt. Bourke Street Melbourne
Contact: Simon Moyle (03) 9650 4023
Friday 1 August, 6pm, ? Friends Meeting House, Toorak
631 Orrong Road, Toorak
Contact: Dale Hess (03) 9592 5247

avvaz action - darfur

Dear friends,

On Monday, the International Criminal Court indicted Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir for genocide. He is charged with killing hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan and its Darfur region, and corralling the surviving women and girls into terrifying camps where they are being quietly and systematically raped until their peoples are destroyed.

In response, Al Bashir’s regime is threatening more terror against Darfurians and the UN, and appealing to powerful international friends who buy oil from and sell weapons to Sudan to give him protection. Al Bashir knows that he will be caught only if other governments, especially Arab and African governments, agree to help the International Criminal Court (for example by arresting him when he travels abroad).

Targeting Al Bashir is our best hope to end the terror of Darfur’s rape camps, and take a major step forward for international justice. Many of Sudan’s neighbours are Muslim countries where rape is a scandalous crime ? and Al Bashir’s henchmen have killed and raped thousands of Muslim women. To raise awareness of this, Avaaz is launching a large regional ad campaign, urging leaders to help the ICC. Our ads will run in just a few days, and a full page ad in an Egyptian newspaper is just 3000Euros($5000), so we need just 50,000 Euros ($75,000) to get our message across. Click below to help:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/save_darfur

[Read more]

Surrender08 - Following Fire

Fire can refine and transform, fire brings light and heat, fire represents the power of God’s spirit to make a real and lasting change?- but fire can be dangerous to a comfortable way of life

Would you follow the Fire of the Spirit no matter where it leads?

Surrender08 - Belgrave Heights Convention Centre

Speakers - Archbishop Elias Chacour (Galillee),?Jackie Pullinger (HK), Aunty Jean Phillips (Aus), Mick Duncan (NZ), Dave Andrews (Aus) and?John Smith?(Aus) with Andy Flannagan (UK worship leader at Greenbelt) leading our worship sessions.

(I thought someone would have put this up by now. I am on a panel here this weekend chatting about social justice, genY and generally causing trouble. )

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