VCC - Making Connections Fiji Tour
August 5, 2008
| September 27, 2008 1:00 pm | to | October 11, 2008 1:00 pm |
A fourteen day tour with ten people to observe, learn participate, question, make the connections. Be part of something bigger. Some places still available. Applications closing soon.
For a copy of the brochure click here.
Background:
Christian World Service, the international aid and development agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia gives financial support to “Just Peace” programs in Fiji focusing on the pursuit of social justice through economic justice, faith and society, peace, social empowerment and youth training.
Expectations:
To consider coming, you need to be 18 or over.
You need to be relatively fit and in good health, and able to carry your own
For the application form contact:
Jeff Wild
jwild@vcc.org.au
Upperroom - Exposure
July 6, 2008
| July 7, 2008 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
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 in the S Bar (Shop 18, Village Walk, O’Sullivan Road, 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
This month we will be thinking about internships, partnership, work parties, exposures and other experiences that help us see a wider world. There will be a dv of Ringwood UCA work party with their partner church in India.(They are returning in Jan09) Jen & Austin will be with us to chat about that time. Plus, Niki will be with us to sharing her expereince of being a nurse in Africa. So, make sure you chat with them on the night. (hint, hint) Plus, info on groups and all our combined expereices in this area.
With Christ in the Community 07
March 24, 2007
An exciting course in West End Brisbane for Christians who want an intensive introduction to Christian community with disadvantaged groups. The course involves living with Dave Anderws some of the people from the Waiters Union in a joint household and some time in neighbouring boarding houses.
You will have the opportunity to explore: Prayer and Play, Spiritual Discipline, Corporate Reflections, Practical Service, Holistic Evangelism, Cross/Cultural Mission, Non-violent Action
Dates for 2007:
June 22-July 6
Dec 2-Dec 15
Costs: A group cost sharing exercise will be used. (People usually pay $100-200 per week)
You will have the opportunity to explore: Prayer and Play, Spiritual Discipline, Corporate Reflections, Practical Service, Holistic Evangelism, Cross/Cultural Mission, Non-violent Action
Download an application form here (note: the dates are form 2006 but the form is the same)Please give me a call/email if you are keen to go and would like a bit of pre and post support / background / encouragment. I think this is a great course if you can go - go.
Age
Christian Face of Bali (Aug 3-14 2007)
February 20, 2007
Join a fully escorted 10 day tour to Bali. Visit Christian churches, schools, orphanages and villages. Learn of the contextualization of the church in a Hindu culture. Stay at the church-owned beach resort for 7 nights, a homestay in a Christian village, and 2 nights at a beach resort on the north coast of Bali. Plenty of free time available for private shopping or sightseeing etc.
Price - approx AU$ 2000 pp - includes accommodation, air fares, taxes, transport and most meals.
Tour leaders are Rev Brian and Lorraine Niblock who have had 3 placements as volunteers in Bali with the Protestant Christian Church in Bali, a partner church of the Uniting Church in Australia. They are returning again in August 2007.
Expressions of interest by end of March.
Contact: Rev Brian and Lorraine Niblock, tour leaders, Ph (03) 5981-8716, email lb.niblock@optusnet.com.au, or
Sandy Boyce, People in Mission Coordinator,(08) 8236 4240, sandy@sa.uca.org.au.
This trip is jointly coordinated by Rev Brian and Lorraine Niblock and the People in Mission program.
Rev Sandy Boyce
People in Mission Coordinator
http://www.uim.uca.org.au/peopleinmission
MERGE AHEAD-’Learning and Living with Vision’
February 8, 2007
What is it??
MERGE AHEAD is a time to think, act and reflect on becoming the church we wish we
were. It is designed for groups, churches, youth groups and faith communities to
reflect on the theology and lifestyle of following Jesus in today’s world. The call to
discipleship needs to not only be understood but acted on.
During these five weeks the opportunity to be exposed to various mission contexts and to try things locally is vital.
In the words of Morpheus (The Matrix) “There is a difference between knowing the
path and walking the path” Think of this course as one of the many sign posts urging us to help transform our communities. - Adrian Greenwood
For more info chat with: age@morepraxis.org.au
download the general-flyer-info.pdf
About Face 8 - About Faith And Cultural Exchange
June 7, 2006
“Love of neighbour is an essential component of Christian existence. But while I consider my neighour, the “near” one, the one I find on my way, the one who comes to me asking for help, my world remains the same… If, on the contrary, I consider my neighbour the one to whom I move… the “far away” neighbour, then my world changes.”
- Gustavo Gutierrez
Here’s the long awaited pdf publicity material for ABOUT FACE 2007
Note that the next About FACE will be held in July 2007, not in January 2008
It will include placements overseas as well as in Indigenous communities and is open for young adults aged 18 to 30
About FACE 8 is an opportunity for young adults to spend time in
Aboriginal communities around Australia in order to:
- develop friendships
- build bridges of mutual understanding
- share stories
- integrate reconciliation with relationships
- create an experience which encourages an about face in the attitude and lifestyles of participants.
For more information contact Sandy Boyce: (Vic/Tas contact is Age 03 9852 7433)
- (08)82364240
web: aboutface.unitingchurch.org.au
email: aboutface8@sa.uca.org.au
Darren
With Christ in the Community
May 12, 2006
Hey guys I have the 2006 dates for the two weeks with Dave Andrews and the Waiters Union.
It is an exciting course in West End Brisbane for Christians who want an intensive introduction to Christian community with disadvantaged groups. The course involves living with some of the people from the Waiters Union in a joint household and some time in neighbouring boarding houses.
You will have the opportunity to explore: Prayer and Play, Spiritual Discipline, Corporate Reflections, Practical Service, Holistic Evangelism, Cross/Cultural Mission, Non-violent Action
Dates for 2006:
June 25-July 8
Dec 3-Dec 16
Costs A group cost sharing exercise will be used. (People usually pay $75-175 per week)
Please give me a call/email if you are keen to go and would like a bit of pre and post support / background / encouragment. I think this is a great course if you can go - go. (Rego for June closes end of May.)
Age
Contact adrian.greenwood@kew.vic.uca.org.au
(03) 9852 7433
UIM - Short Term Exposures and Workparties 2006
April 12, 2006
A number of short term trips are planned for the next twelve months. As well, there will be several work parties.
Some of the STET’s include a work party aspect. Each of these trips offer an opportunity to get involved, and to gain awareness about the mission and ministry of partner churches and related agencies, the cultural context in which the partner church is immersed, and issues facing the partner church.
Each trip aims to get behind the tourist façade, and enable theological reflection. Each trip will be 2-3 weeks in length, and will cost about $2000 - $3000 (depending on flight and living costs), including international flights, food and accommodation. The trips will be limited to 10-15 people so early expressions of interest are encouraged.
For more information about current STET’s contact the People in Mission Coordinator on 08 8236 4240
Click here for PDFs brochures on upcoming STET’s.
First two weeks of September - Zambia
Mainly based in Mwandi village, working in the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) project, focussed on supporting children where one or both parents have died from HIV/AIDS. UCA Volunteer in Mission, Fiona Dixon-Thompson, is the coordinator for this project and the group will be supporting the project in practical ways.
2 weeks (September/October) - Tonga
The group will spend time visiting projects in the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, sharing in the amazing culture, and joining in practical activities.
Oct 13-29 - Malaysia - Bethany Home
Bethany Home is a School and Training Centre for disabled children and adults, to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities and their families in both the school and community environment.
3 weeks (mid November-early December) - India
Sharing in the mission and ministry of the Church of South India - Diocese of Madras, including a practical work party project, and visiting the Nilgiri Hills project working with tribal people and the Bangalore street kids project.
Dec 30 -Jan 19 - Philipines
Leaders from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and the STET leader will put together a detailed itinerary for the group, which will cover a wide range of issues in which the UCCP is currently involved.
UIM Work Parties 2005 - Fiji, Samoa and PGN
August 3, 2005
Uniting International Mission is seeking people and congregations to participate in one of a number of work parties being planned in 2005.
Expressions of interest are being sought from:
- Individual congregations (or linked congregations or congregations in a region) with a core group of interested people for a work party
- people interested in being a participant in a work party in 2005
- people interested in offering leadership for a 2005 work party
There are some organised work parties, including those below. In addition, some of the short term exposure trips will include a work party component. The focus of each work party will be negotiated with the partner church to meet identified local needs. Work parties may involve:
- practical building, construction, maintenance and repairs
- ministry with children and young people
- evangelism, faith sharing, teaching, discipleship
Some of the work parties will need to include people who have specific building and trade skills, as well as people who are willing to simply get involved (wielding a paint brush, working with children etc).
Dates for the work parties will be negotiated with the partner church and be determined by factors such as weather, the availability of people from the partner church, and leadership for the work party.
Fiji Methodist Church - Navuso Agricultural High School
Navuso has a long history of equipping Fijian young men for agricultural work. The Fijian Government has injected some funds into the College and it is being re-developed. There is an urgent need to repair old buildings and build some new ones. This work party would require a core of skilled workers.
Samoa Methodist Church - sharing faith (2-3 weeks)
The Continuing Education Department of the Methodist Church in Samoa has the responsibility of helping the local congregations in their work of evangelism. The Director of the Department, Rev Lotofanga Lima, is asking the UCA to provide a group who would assist his Department in this task. Group members would need some skills in the area of preaching, teaching, discipleship, faith sharing, music and drama. The group would combine with Samoan people to visit villages and conduct evangelism workshops.
Fiji (Indian Division) - Outreach (2-3 weeks)
Old Ba Methodist Church (Lifeline Centre)
The Lifeline Centre is in urgent need of repair.
The Indian Division would welcome a group who would work with them on outreach. Ideally, the group should have people with skills in the areas of
preaching, faith sharing, evangelistic methods, Sunday School teacher training, drama and music. The group would work with the Indian Division in an outreach program in one or more areas.
United Church in Papua New Guinea
A work party is planned for mid-2005, primarily for repair and maintenance work at Raronga Theological College.
Congregations, or individuals interested in organising a work party, either from this list above or one with another focus or location, should contact Sandy Boyce via Adrian cecm@kew.vic.uca.org.au
India (Nov 17/Dec 7)
August 3, 2005
The Church of South India is a partner church with the UCA. There is a long association of people from Australia serving in India and the Uniting Church is currently supporting a Sunday School project in the Krishna-Godavari Diocese, coordinated by Robert Sunil. This trip to India will incorporate a work party.
The above exposure is one of a number of short term cross-cultural exposure trips (STET’s) or work parties planned for 2005 by Uniting International Mission. Each of these trips offer an opportunity to get involved and to gain awareness about the mission and ministry of partner churches and related agencies, the cultural context in which the partner church is immersed and issues facing the partner church. Each trip aims to get behind the tourist faAade, and enable theological reflection.
Each trip will be 2-3 weeks in length, and will cost about $2000 - $3000 (depending on flight and living costs). This includes international flights, food and accommodation. The trips will be limited to 10- 15 people so early expressions of interest are encouraged.
A project outline, application form and referee forms specific to each trip will be forwarded on request. Congregations interested in building relationships with partner churches, and raising the profile of international mission, are encouraged to identify people who could be part of one of these short term cross-cultural exposure trips. Congregations interested in organising short term cross cultural trips themselves are encouraged to make links with partner churches through the work of Uniting International Mission by contacting Sandy Boyce via Adrian cecm@kew.vic.uca.org.au
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