Following media reports on the views of the Rev. Dr. Francis Macnab, many people will be interested in the policy of the Uniting Church in Australia regarding scriptural authority and Christian belief.
The Basis of Union is the foundational document for the Uniting Church in Australia. It clearly stipulates the place and value of the scriptures and the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Paragraph?5 of the Basis of Union refers to the Biblical Witness.? Paragraph?3 and Paragraph?4 discuss the person and work of Jesus Christ. Please also refer to Paragraph 11?regarding the Scholarly Interpreters of the scripture.
Further to recent comments by Dr. Francis Macnab launching a ‘new faith’, the leader of the Uniting Church of Victoria and Tasmania has released a Pastoral Statement of concern. Please click here to download the statement.
The Murray-Darling is at breaking point - literally dying of thirst.
The Murray-Darling Basin accounts for over 40% of Australia’s agricultural production and grows almost a third of all our food. It’s Australia’s food bowl. Could we survive without this mighty river system?
It’s time to implement urgent solutions to save it - as things heat up in the coming months, the Coorong Lakes at the Murray’s mouth may even dry up completely before summer’s end. Click here to help save the Murray-Darling before we turn our nation’s food bowl into dust bowl:
We’ve spoken to scientists, environmentalists and farmers, and learned there are three things our Federal Government must do, right now, if the mighty Murray is to flow again:
Recover and release 500 gigalitres of water into the river system by the end of the year, and 4000 gigalitres overall to prevent our food bowl turning into a dust bowl.
Create an emergency Interim Basin management plan, including a focus on the Coorong and Lower Lakes. This could be done in a matter of weeks, as a precursor to establishing a truly independent authority that is not held to ransom by State governments’ veto power.
Establish a national freshwater reserve system to protect rivers, wetlands and estuaries of high value to the river. As a first step, urgently intervene to save the Murray River Red Gums, the river’s “green lungs” suffering from State inaction.
Everyday Australians can send a vital message of urgency to the Federal Government that we need to do more, and now. Click here to sign the petition to Save the Murray-Darling:
The Senate is holding an inquiry today in Canberra, hearing testimony from scientists on just how serious the situation has become. Just this morning, scientists gave evidence that use of water across the Basin needs to be halved below the current cap.
A decisive statement from the Australian community now could tip the scales and achieve the urgent State and Federal government action needed to keep the rivers flowing. More than just a national icon, take a stand today for Australia’s food bowl.
With hope,
The GetUp team
PS - As the science develops, the need for urgent action becomes clearer - click here to sign the petition to Save the Murray-Darling, before things heat up in the coming months.
Urgent Request from Asian Women Workers Action Group
Since publishing our booklet “Cries from the Workplace” our Asian Women Workers Action Group have met with several politicians in Sydney to tell our stories of exploitation, harassment and bullying, and to raise our concern that exploited workers like us must be protected in the new Industrial Relations system being established to replace WorkChoices. [Read more]
I copied the whole post over from our friends at just act. A list this good needs a few homes
I will have to show this list to my son JJ - he is always picking up snacks off the shelves asking “Is this made by the bad people?” I tend to reply “probably”
Do you want to be a Nestl? boycotter? If you want to stay clear of Nestl? - here?s the list of companies by which Nestle profit - adapted from this list with some additional Australian products & companies listed (especially those recently acquired by Nestl?).
Check this out - PHILIPPINES WORKERS NEED YOUR HELP(letter writing campaign to Nestl? and Philippines Department of Labor and Employment - justice for Nestle Philippines workers at Cabuyao).
PS - thanks to Jill!
Coffee:
Nescaf? including:
Alta Rica
Black Gold
Blend 37
Cap Colombie
Cappuccino
Caro
Decaff
Expresso
Fine Blend
Gold Blend
Kenjara
Nescaf? Ice
Organic
Partners Blend
Dairy products:
Carnation
Coffee-Mate
Extreme Viennois
Fussells
Ideal
LC1
Munch Bunch yoghurts
Rowntree yoghurts and ice creams
Simply Double
Ski yogurts
Sveltesse yogurts
Tip-Top
Confectionery & Snacks:
Aero
After Eights
Allens Confectionery
Animal Bar
Baci Chocolate
Bertie Beetle
Black Magic
Blue Riband
Breakaway
Caramac
Chips Ahoy!
Chocolate Cuisine
Colgate Dental Gum
Dairy Box
Dairy Crunch
Double Cream
Drifter
Fab
Fruit Pastilles
Fruit Tingles
Heaven
Henri Nestl? Collection
Jellytots
Kit Kat (except in the USA)
Kit Kat Chunky (except in the USA)
Lifesavers
Lion Bar
Lyons Maid Ice Cream
Matchmakers
Maxibon
Milky Bar
Minties
Munchies
Nerds
Nestle Ice Cream
Polo
Quality Street
Rainbow Nerds
Rolo (except in the USA)
Rowntrees Fruit Gums
Smarties
Toffee Crisp
Toll House products
Toffo
Tooty Frooties
Violet Crumble
Walnut Whip
Willy Wonka products
Yorkie
Icecream:
Choc Wedge
Dixie Cup
Drumstick
Eskimo Pie
Frosty Fruits
Heaven
Maxibon
Miniz
Peters Ice Cream
Contact lens care:
Alcon
Mineral/bottled water:
Aqua Panna
Aquarel
Buxton
Contrex
Perrier
Pow-wow
San Pellegrino
Santa Maria
Valvert
Vittel
Other drinks:
Alpen Blend
Build-up
Caro
Ecco
Milo
Nesquik
Nestea
Sunshine Milk Powder
Meals / Sauces/ Ingredients:
Buitoni pasta & canned foods
Chef-Mate
Country Cup-a-Soup
Cross & Blackwell Branston Pickle
Findus Frozen Foods
Herta
Lean Cuisine
Maggi (all products ? including 2 minute noodle range)
NCYC09 is celebrating the launch of Converge [LIVE] - the CD+DVD and Songbook of great new worship music, recorded live, and available now! You can download CONVERGE for free right now by just inviting a friend to download the song too!
Find out more, and also check out a trailer of the DVD at the Converge [LIVE] page, or you can order online right now!
Great news:Turkish woman trade union leader Meryem ?zs?g?t has been released from jail.
In a statement issued today by Public Services International, it was reported that Meryem’s union — SES — “thanked the international community for its support and solidarity via the LabourStart campaign as well as PSI affiliates”
and others.
(The full statement is on the PSI website - http://www.world-psi.org/ )
Over the last 10 weeks, 8,586 of you sent off your messages of protest in one
of the largest campaigns LabourStart has ever mounted. It has now been crowned
with success.
This should inspire all of us to sign up to the remaining campaigns — particularly those protesting repression directed against trade unionists in South Korea and Iran. The full list of current campaigns is here:
http://www.labourstart.org/actnowen.shtml
And remember — LabourStart receives no corporate or government funding. To conduct our campaigns we rely on your generosity. Please contribute today:
http://www.labourstart.org/donate.shtml
Urgent help needed - Meryem ?zs?g?t
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008
The Turkish government has jailed a woman trade unionist, Meryem ?zs?g?t, and has kept her in detention for nearly six months. LabourStart - the international work justice website has called on supporters and people of good will to give Meryem our much needed help. Meryem is a leader of the public sector union SES, and Public Services International (PSI) has launched a big online campaign demanding her release.
For more details and to add your signature, please click here now
This campaign will not take off, and we will not secure Meryem’s release, unless we can mobilize thousands of concerned people from around the world. Please do what you can to help this campaign go to lots of people that you know - forward it to other email lists, feel free to post information on church-related websites, use Facebook and blogs to spread the word …
Our morepraxis gathering will now take place at the Greenwood retreat centre. Our home in Wantirna.
I invite you all to our house. Sat 20 10:30am-till late
An open house day with times and places to build a movement.
I?m happy to billet people traveling a distance and ask that others in the East offer a bed/floor to people traveling (maybe the westside peeps so they can stay late )
Bring stuff to share
Program (draft and needs some more work)
morning 10:30am
Prayer Labyrinth (I have a little one out the back)
Conversations about Prayer and Spiritual Direction - Joan
Bible Chat - Age
Shared Lunch
Afternoon
2pm
a mini art workshop - Lynd?
Conversation about arrestable Christianity? -? Age, Jess & Paul
Tech stuff - Rus & Mike?
3pm
Walk to a Playground -
Building a movement? - planning/starting various morepraxis hubs
Hubs: I am keen to see a few hubs get traction this year.
Reflect Hubs - spirituality/worship hubs (upperroom, alt worship or whatever) - Alannee?
Think Hubs - Discipleship groups (bible studies, gatherings) -? Age
Act Hubs - A prophet corner - Mentoring new young leaders to make a difference in our communities. Bring the young person you think has potential. - Rod?
Dinner - Hospitality of the Slum - Cara (she will need helpers)
Evening
An outside fire, couches, wine, coffee, music - conversations
If you are looking for something to fill your Sunday with great content and people ….
Preparing for Nonviolent Direct Action:
a workshop for faith based activists thinking about or preparing to engage in nonviolent direct action
Are you concerned about injustice, militarism and climate change? Do you think there is more to following Jesus than personal piety and private prayer? Do you long for a Church that recovers the call to resist the powers? Do feel personally called to take nonviolent direct action to transform injustice? If the answer is yes, this workshop is for you!
Jesus’ command to “love our enemies” is at the heart of the Christian life.? Often marginalised, misunderstood, dismissed, or seen as unrealistic, a life of transforming love and nonviolent resistance has been faithfully lived out by Christians throughout the ages.
Join four experienced trainers and activists to explore nonviolent direct action. This hands-on workshop will explore the tactics of direct action, create space to discuss and work through fears, and locate direct action in the context of the gospels. Not to be missed by anyone searching for God’s path to peace and alternatives to war-making. While the workshop will explicitly explore questions of faith, all people are welcome, irrespective of their religious beliefs or not.
The workshop will be facilitated by Jason MacLeod and Pru Gell from the Change Agency, Rev. Simon Moyle from Urban Seed and Jessica Morrison, a Christian activist. This public workshop is part of tCA?s commitment to resourcing social movements. All welcome. For more information or to book your place, contact Simon Moyle or smoyle@gmail.com.
To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) is holding a photo competition based on the theme - ?Dignity and justice for all of us?. (Click here for entry forms and info)
The theme reinforces the vision of the Declaration as a commitment to universal dignity and justice, and reinforces how human rights are an inextricable part of our lives ? for everyone, everywhere, everyday.
We’re searching for images that reflect the theme of the competition and provide a unique approach to a human rights subject. For some, the photograph will record a moment that celebrates dignity and justice; for others, it will capture fundamental rights and freedoms being recognised; or it may be an observance of what human rights means to you.
Send in your entries and our judging panel will choose a Winner and Highly Commended in each of the three categories: Under 18 (male), Under 18 (female) and 18 and above (age at 30 June 2008).
Winners, Highly Commended and Shortlisted entries in each category will be placed on our website and displayed at HREOC?s annual Human Rights Medals and Awards ceremony on 10 December.
PRIZES
The Winner in each category will receive a voucher to the value of $500 at Digital Camera Warehouse. Highly Commended entries will each receive a certificate and a year?s subscription to Australian Photography Magazine (valued at $77). Winners will be advised by phone and mail on 10 December.
Stick your email address in the box, and we'll email you stuff. (No junk.)
Recent Comments
Simon Moyle: Hey Peter, thanks, we’d love you to get involved…imho, Swan Island is worth tackling AS WELL...
Peter: It is not Swan Island we have to worry about…. The next step to Global Dominatoin by the American...
Peter: I just came across this story and i must congratulate the Bonhoeffer Peace Collective for their courage and...
Age: Thanks Di! For people who missed it Di has a great handout of ideas and reflections. I’m not sure if it is...
William Belle: I am pro-choice AND pro-life. Let’s all be anti-abortion, but…...
dani: i barely have a chance to go shopping, being a student and all, but when i do, i usually buy from IGA...
Age: Here is the date and details “They face Geelong Magistrates Court on Wednesday June 16th and would love...
more>praxis...
seeks to be an online community of and a resource/support for young adults who long for a more interconnected Christian spirituality of social action/involvement and theological reflection.
get together at PRAXIS10>
September 17-19, 2010
A weekend at the lodge with your own tribePRAXIS10
Recent Comments