Mount Martha Post NCYC Getaway
February 28, 2009
We had a lovely weekend away down at Mount Martha where we debriefed on the whole NCYC experience and chilled and enjoyed each other?s company. Here?s a few pics.
Leadership09-registration
February 26, 2009
cforms contact form by delicious:days
Fed Square Bubble
February 20, 2009
I thought this photo was screaming for some caption adding fun 
It is Lin Hatfield-Dodds (Uniting Care head and President of ACOSS) and Rob during NCYC09 Submersion Day Rally in Fed Square.
Upperoom Project 2009
February 19, 2009
Below is our general blurb and the dates for 2009. I am away a bit this year and as a group we decided to continue on in 2009 so where you see a need and you are available…. that is your bit to pick up
The upper room project meets the first Monday of each month (6-8:30pm) to engage with spirituality and justice as struggled with and fought for by the Prophets and Jesus. We meet upstairs in the Shine Caf?/Bar (74 Kingsway Glen Waverley) with gallery space, discussion corners, opportunity for practical response and pondering space.
We hope the upper room will be
Space to rest/relax with your tribe
Be challenged by the prophetic call of compassion
Connect with heartbeats for living
There will be food, wine and friends plus
a gallery space for photos and other art.
activist space - activities, information and people deeply into that topic to meet
conversational space - multimedia and communally led (an interview, music, texts, a place to chat)
Please bring your friends - all are welcome
People are needed to help with? run a night + Art, finding Activists/people, Input, media, setup/packup
Feb 2???? Sorry Day 1 yr on - Age & Rod
March 2? Bush Fires - Response and Opportunities - Hannah & Everyone bring idea/opps (Age away)
April 6??? Hope - ? Hannah & Am? (Age Away)
May 4???? Fair Trade Fortnight?
June 1??? Environmental as anything?
July 6???? Naidoc Week - Honouring our Elders, Nurturing our Youth
Aug 3??? ???? Rod &? ? (Age Away)
Sept 7?? ?
Oct 5 ???? Anti Poverty Week - Di & Nikki
Nov? 2??? ?World Aids Day? -
Dec? 7??? Chrissy Party -
Youth of Australia - Have YOUR say!
February 17, 2009
| Feb ’09 |
| 20 |
If you are a young Australian aged between 16 and 24 and have an important issue you?d like to share with the Australian Government, there is a website just for you: the Australian Youth Forum website.
This is your chance to take part in online discussions between the Federal Minister for Youth, Kate Ellis, and other young people from across Australia, where you can share your ideas, thoughts and opinions about issues and decisions that affect your future.
For the first time ever, a multi-location forum will be held on 20 February 2009 via the website.
A special feature of the forum is having ten locations across Australia linked by live video satellite, allowing young people from every state to actively contribute to the online discussions.
Check out the website for the latest updates on the online forum and how you can be involved in this important event!
Sorry is the first step
February 13, 2009
The National Apology on February 13 was a truly momentous occasion. The healing power of that simple word - sorry - has helped to build a bridge of trust.
Our task now is to make sure that we don’t look back on the apology to the Stolen Generations as merely a symbolic gesture, but as the beginning of something far more significant. Sorry is only the first step.
The Stolen Generations survivors should benefit from both a specific, targeted response that comprehensively addresses the recommendations of the Bringing them home report, as well as broader efforts to close the gap in Indigenous life expectancy and health status.
Please send your elected state and federal representatives an email asking them to implement all the recommendations of the Bringing them home report
http://takeaction.antar.org.au/1/sorry-is-the-first-step
Fires Debrief Idea - Enough
February 11, 2009
‘Enough’:A worship resource for youth groups, congregations and groups responding to the bushfires
The following ideas are possible ways of helping youth, churches and community groups process and debrief the tragic week of fires in Australia. Feel free to adapt, cut, paste and tweak it to ensure it is helpful with your group and context. Adrian Greenwood
Leaders Notes
The process I am suggesting is: Lament, Name and Respond.
?Lament? starts where we are ? during this time we remember all that causes us hurt,? all that once was and now is forever different. This time allows us to express our anger and questions to God.? We join with Jesus crying out from the cross: ?My God, my God, why have you forsaken us.?
It is hoped that by being reminded of the suffering of Jesus we will be reminded that in such times of devastation God draws near to comfort, as One who in Jesus, shares the pain of creation.? Please avoid ?rushing to the resurrection? and trying to make everything neat and finished ? that time is yet to come.
In these spaces and weeks people need to name the pain, shout at God and hopefully, meet our healing/suffering God there. Give God and people the space for healing.
Pre-preparation:
Glass bowl of water with a printed OHP sheet floating in it with the word
?Enough? written on it with a marker.
Large sheets of paper with the words - Family, Friends, Service, Homes & Businesses, Pets and Animals, Environment, Memories.
Coloured Textas
Image to reflect: I suggest an image/s of comforting and community. Times of crisis can build community, and the possibilities for neighbourliness are many.
Choose a room where you can make a circle with the people ? it?s OK to have it layers deep. Think of this as a group hug.
A reading from scripture
Psalm 42 (NRSV)
Readers note: This is a despairing angry, questioning psalm of longing which covers a lot of emotional territory.
As the deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and behold the face of God?
My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually,
?Where is your God??
These things I remember, as I pour my soul;
How I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God,
With glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows have gone over me.
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God, my rock,
?Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?
As with deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, ?Where is you God??
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
A Time to Remember Activity
During this time place the worded sheets of paper around the room with textas available.
Encourage people to draw or write about their feelings and thoughts in each area.
Allow enough time for this then call people back to make a circle
Celtic Circle
Ask people to form a circle.
The Celtic tradition loves circles. They are unbroken with no beginning or end. They also surround and protect the centre.
?Today we are going to name and pray for those we wish to surround with the strength, hopes and prayers of this community. We will begin by naming those we know of in the various areas affected by the fires.? I will name an area and leave time for people to name those within this area either aloud or silently?.
Let us pray for:
- Those who have lost their lives?
- Those who have lost homes, businesses and property?
- Those who fought/are fighting fires?
- Those who helped/are helping care in various ways?(CFA, police, ambulance, SES, chaplains, counsellors, family members and friends of those who have suffered, church and community agencies and groups, government departments (local, state, federal)
- The environment and animals?
?Now we will say the things we wish to keep out of this circle for those we have named. (Maybe things like bitterness, revenge, debt?) Burdens or attitudes which may not help us during this time?.?
?Now let?s share the things we wish to keep in this circle for all named. (Maybe things like friends, compassion, chocolate, perseverance?) Things and attitudes which may help during this time??
?Let us draw near each other as community encircling ourselves and those beyond this space.
John 6:5-15
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Brief Reflection on Enough
In this passage the concern was whether there would be enough food to go around. Philip saw that they did not have the resources to cope with the need. “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
But others disciples looked to what they have with them, in their midst, a boy with five loaves and two small fish?. and Jesus.
Thousands have lost their homes in the fires and the need is great. Everyone knows someone affected by the fire and as such we all are affected. The need is very great. Like the disciples, as a community we look to what resources we have amongst us: the care and compassion of people opening their world, hearts, wallets and homes to others in need. This is all we have and, with Christ?s blessing, it is enough. We are enough.
Jesus is with us as we face this tragic time. We have a God who is not a stranger to suffering, even in this passage he has to skip town before they make him king by force. Jesus, even after the resurrection, still bears the scars on his hands and feet (John 20: 19-20). Jesus multiplies the very common things we have and makes it enough.
Celtic Poem Blessing. RS Thomas
I think that maybe
I will be a little surer
of? being a little nearer.
That?s all. Eternity
Is in the understanding
that that little is more than enough
Amen
Mark the Cross
As people leave you may invite them to dip their fingers into the bowl of water and mark the sign of the cross on the back of their hands or on their forehead to remind them that God is with them in this time and always.
As a pdf enough
Walking with the Radical Jesus Bible Study
February 10, 2009
So I have prepared a series of 5 Bible studies entitled “Walking with the Radical Jesus” based on Mark’s Gospel. Perfect for Lent or or a five week discipleship focus with your group.
They combine watching segments from the DVD? ?The Call to Discipleship in Mark?s Gospel? by Ched Myers, recorded at the Centre for Theology and Ministry in Melbourne? (July 2008) with questions for discussion and guidelines for leaders. Each session needs about 1.5 hrs to complete. This time would usually include food and hospitality, as well as chatting and prayer. I think small groups often work best if hosted in a member?s home instead of a church.
You can download it and print as many copies as you need for your group. $10 or buy a A5 colour printed copy for $5. Call 03 9340 8815.
The DVD of Ched speaking at Call to Discipleship can be purchased for $25
Go to morestore
The Bible Study The DVD
Note: morestore is a new feature here so…. If you pay and the download link doesn’t work don’t wipe us off as a scam. Your should get an email with the link after we hear from paypal. Or? email info@morepraxis.org.au with your receipt and we will give you another link to try.
UCA Fire Response
February 8, 2009
Hi guys sitting here feeling sad and a bit useless with all the fires. Last update from Mike and his mob was that they were under threat but all OK. Below is an email from Jason. I pray for strength, to overcoming fatigue and for compassion for all those fighting the fires and other people in the midst of this shocker.
I will add update and links as comments as they hit my inbox. Age
The Moderator, the Rev Jason Kioa has asked me forward the following brief statement regarding the Victorian bushfires:
?We are all deeply saddened by the tragic events that have unfolded, and are still unfolding, across Victoria due to the bushfires. Alongside acts of untold bravery and great generosity we have witnessed the horror and pain of death, injury, loss of homes and cherished items.
If you are in contact with people directly affected by the fires please pass on the support and prayers of the Uniting Church. Even at this early stage we are aware of some Uniting Church people caught up in some way in this tragedy.
Many have been wondering how the church will respond at this time of great need.
Firstly I would say, it is still too early for us to make final decisions as to what should be done. The wider community ? of which we are all a part- has swung into action, and that is deeply humbling.
But, naturally, we will help as we are best able. Initially, the Synod has been in touch with all our presbytery contacts and will provide immediate support to them. But most of our work will be done over a longer period and in the aftermath of the tragedy.
As to our longer term response, we will work, as we always do in such times, by providing our specialist services through the Victorian Government?s DISPLAN, which is activated for churches through the Victorian Council of Churches. Much of this work will be done in the days and weeks to come, when lives, families and communities are being rebuilt.
We will have more discussion to tomorrow to find out how best to respond, and you will be immediately informed.
In the meantime we wait and pray for those most affected.
Yours in Christ,
Jason Kioa,
Moderator
Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
Shane’s Reflection on NCYC and our Submersions
February 2, 2009
Hi guys have a read of this reflection from Shane. It is on sojo but because it is about us I have copied it completely. Visit sojo with the link to say ta Age
When Jesus and Justice Kiss
by Shane Claiborne 01-29-2009
It seems that much of our conversation as a Church is in a perpetual cycle of reaction. We are tempted to exaggerate the neglected truth, and end up making incomplete disciples, either social justice disciples without Jesus or Jesus disciples without social justice. Then there are those special moments where Jesus and Justice kiss. I recently had a moment of that kind of romance, in Australia.
I just got back from a trip to Australia where I was saw folks fall in love with Jesus, the real Jesus, for the first time? and with the innocence of a kid at the altar in a big tent revival, fell on their knees with tears going down there cheeks for they found had found their Lover. It was a revival.
First off, I?ll have to say that the Uniting Church and National Christian Youth Conference have raised the bar on what you can do with a few thousand Christians gathered in a city together. They sent hundreds of folks out in small affinity groups all over the city of Melbourne to infiltrate the city with grace and holy mischief. Here are a few of the things the groups did:
- Perform street theater where a hundred or so folks stood in place, every seven seconds a drum would resound, and one of them would fall to the ground to represent the death rate from poverty around the world
- set up a shanty-town, cardboard slum on the steps of Parliament to bring attention to the folks being displaced around the world
- went out with sidewalk chalk to decorate the city with messages of hope
- cleaned up random yards and vacant lots of people they did not know
- played cricket in an alley with some homeless folks
- held a peace witness outside the BAE, the large weapons manufacturer in Australia
- went to an old folks home and played board games with the elderly
- and on and on?
Can you imagine if our North American Christian conferences had a witness on the streets like that? In the middle of it all, I had one person come up to me and say ? ?if this is what Christianity is, then sign me up.? In this notoriously non-Christian country, I was proud to be part of a witness that showed folks a Christianity worth believing in, good news they could see and touch and feel.
I got to preach, in the middle of Fed Square in Melbourne. I preached Jesus. Sweet, wild, dangerous Jesus. Then, at the end of the week of revival, as the grand finale, we did communion, hand in hand with the aboriginal Christians, the indigenous people of this land we call Australia. Our communion elements were ?damper and billy tea?, the bread and drink of the indigenous people, which I served with a beautiful, wise, old aboriginal pastor. Many of the folks stumbled up to the Lord?s table for the first time (and needed a little coaching? it was precious). One young woman took the bread and, holding it tenderly, whispered to me, with tears running down her face: ?I believe. For the first time in my life, I believe.?
I will never forget that moment. It reminded me why I do all this speaking stuff.
I prayed that night with tears streaming down my face, that just as our bodies digest the damper and tea, that we would be the ones being digested, that we would become the Body of Christ. As the old saying goes, ?You are what you eat.? May it be so. Body of Christ, fill us. Blood of Christ, inebriate us ? that we might no longer live, but that you would live in us.
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