Hiroshima & Nagasaki Day

Remembering Hiroshima: Morning Vigil

This year will be the 65^th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is also the 25^th anniversary of the South Pacific Nuclear Weapons Free Zone treaty. A Vigil sponsored by MAPW, Pax Christi and the Society of Friends will be held on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral to commemorate and reflect, with a minute’s silence at 8.15, the time the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

• When: Friday 6 August, 7am to 9am
• Where: St Paul’s Cathedral (corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets).

Hiroshima & Nagasaki Memorial Concert

Sunday 8th August 2010, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Village Roadshow Theatrette @ State Library of Victoria, Melbourne

Tickets at door: $15/$10 conc.

Warm up a cold wintry Sunday at a concert for peace
Sixty-five years after the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by nuclear blast, Japanese for Peace will bring together a diverse array of inspiring musicians, speakers and citizens of the world in a concert to celebrate peace and enable us to imagine a world without nuclear threat.

Performers:
Anne Norman – Shakuhachi
Dean Frenkel – Overtone Singer, Didgeridoo
Lee Morgan – Indigenous Musician
Liz Frencham – Singer/Songwriter
Wadaiko Rindo & Ayako Sato – Japanese Drums

Speaker:
Dave Sweeney – Australian Conservation Foundation

Supported by Victorian Multicultural Commission.
Concert proceeds to be donated to a charity organisation.

for more info http://mapw.org.au/

Carlton Conversations

Carlton conversations @ the Clare Castle Hotel

2010 series — ‘What I believe and why’

mpg10

morepraxis gathering 2010

MPG10:There’s one in all of us

Think, pray, play and meet with more of your tribe who long for a Christian spirituality that interconnects social action and theological reflection.

Been waiting for this? Good, so have we.

Where: Clifford Park Scouts camp site - Clifford Rd, Wonga Park VIC (Melways 24 J6)
45 mins from Melbourne
Online Rego here and facebook event to help spam the gathering here

Costs PP: $45 Cabin, $30 Camp, Food $25 Adult/$15 Kids, Day Pass $35, Dinner Pass $30

This is an All Play event - Come ready to share.

http://www.regonline.com/mpg10

You have been preparing all your life to lead a conversation on something - come prepared to engage that conversation but don’t stress on the preparation.

Last year the adventure course was popular, ultimate frisbee was fun, conversations went deep, reconstruction of missles into prayers was beautiful, games, craft and relaxing also went well.

‘lightning talks’ are back and are your 5minutes of fame to spark more conversations.
Last year we had some presentations on activist strategies, politics, ultimate frisbee as discipleship and sermons that suck to name a few. I understand that pacebene may even offer NVDA training excercises and games in the gaps. So get thinking about what you can share.
Also, there will be a space set aside for participants to propaganda/promote their group, cause, next action, t-shirt, study, book…. you get the idea. (byo  for your promo space)

If you are at a junction where you need to think and chat about your vocation and the direction of your life with active, prayerful and wise mentors and co-travelers … there will be a bunch at MPG to bounce ideas with.

If you are a family that is interested in connecting social justice and spirituality then this gathering has space for your needs. The site is well equipped for free play and organised chaos

UpperRoom - Permaculture

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

Please bring your friends - all are welcome

This month Upper Room - Di will be sharing about permaculture and some of what she learnt in a permaculture course in Uganda.  This quote from her blog should be enough to make conversations and debate a plenty

“One of the most challenging questions for me was: “If our faith is calling us to care for people and live with ethics, fair trade and care for the earth, how can we too live in solidarity with the poor?” Given that ethical and fair trade means are a more expensive option, how does this make us view our choices and options. This question I will explore more as I develop a deeper understanding of the connection of Permaculture and my Christianity.

Check out her thoughts here http://dianegreenwood.com/

Facebook event if your on it

School of Discipleship 2010 -YA Scholarships

Young Adult Discipleship Scholarships

School of Discipleship 2010

Dear friends

We are seeking applicants for five scholarships to attend the School of Discipleship in Canberra from 9-12 July 2010, at Greenhills Conference Centre. The scholarships are for young adults in Vic/Tas Synod and cover the registration costs for the event. The successful applicants will be required to attend the event and write a 300 word reflection on their experience with a particular focus on the discipleship themes of ‘connecting life and faith’ and ‘being a young adult in the church today’.

Scholarship Details

• There are five scholarships available covering the registration costs of $200 (please note it does not include transport costs)
• Applicant is a young adult from the Vic/Tas synod
• Applicant attends the event
• Applicant will write a 300 word reflection on their experience to be used in raising awareness of young adults and discipleship in print and online
• Applications close 20 June

To apply simply email or post a short letter including contact details and a paragraph about why you would like to receive the scholarship. All applications need to be in by 20th June.

Email with subject line ‘SOD Scholarships 2010′: age@morepraxis.org.au

Postal address: 1 Morrison Close, Parkville, 3052

What is School of Discipleship?

The school is exactly what it says, a ’school’ where we come to work on what it is to live the Christian life. The truth is that a follower of Jesus can only authentically obey if they are biblically grounded and theologically informed. Our conviction is that the church today stands in constant need of renewed worship and testimony ? a determined struggle to seek faith with understanding.

Web Site with rego etc  = http://schoolofdiscipleship.org.au/

Keynote Speakers

School of Discipleship is very excited to announce the keynote speaker for our 2010 conference: David Batstone!

Prof. Dr. David Batstone is the President of Not For Sale. A professor of Ethics at the University of San Francisco, he is also founder and president of Right Reality, an international social venture firm. Batstone has authored seven books, the two most recent being Not For Sale (HarperOne) and Saving the Corporate Soul (Jossey-Bass). He was a member of the founding team of Business 2.0 magazine and served six years as executive editor of Sojourners magazine and founder of the SojoMail e-zine. He has contributed articles to the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle, Wired, and SPIN. He is the recipient of two national journalist awards and was named National Endowment for the Humanities Chair at the University of San Francisco for his work in technology and ethics. During the 1980s, Batstone founded a non-governmental agency dedicated to economic development.

For more information and question feel free to contact me.

Thanks,

Adrian (Age) Greenwood?

Daring to Join

UNITING NETWORK AUSTRALIA invites you…

“Daring to Join”

Explore Your Faith
Enjoy Workshops
Make friends & have fun
Commit to your partner
Worship
Share meals

Melbourne gathering 11 – 14 June 2010
Centre for Theology & Ministry, 1 Morrison Close, Parkville (limited on-site accommodation available)

Bible Study Leader: Rev. Dr Gwen Ince
Special Guest: Rev. Alistair Macrae, President of the Uniting Church in Australia

Special Event: “Sacred Union Ceremony”
Saturday 12 June @ 4.00pm, Brunswick Uniting Church, 214 Sydney Road (Cnr. Merri St), Brunswick

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=128059333874631

Join us for dinner afterwards in Brunswick @ Alasya Turkish Restaurant

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111714085538483

More info? Register for ‘Daring to Join’ gathering or to commit to your partner during the ‘Sacred Union Ceremony’?

Go to http://www.unitingnetworkaustralia.org.au/

Click on the link above to register

(Please note: internet bookings incur a $3.00 booking fee)
$120.00 early-bird registration (close Wednesday 31 March 2010)
$140.00 waged registration (close Friday 4 June 2010)
$100.00 unwaged registration (close Friday 4 June 2010)

Click on the link above to print, complete & post your registration form.

Billeting can be arranged if required

Limited accommodation is available on-site @ $60 per night, twin share, in single beds. “Maclean House is an affordable accommodation option if you are spending time in Melbourne. It is provided to the Uniting Church community by the Centre for Theologyand Ministry (CTM). Maclean House is located in the picturesque grounds of Ormond College, Parkville. It is conveniently located for those attending activities at the CTM, using the Dalton McCaughey Library or for that quick trip into Melbourne CBD. Trams are close to the front door and Lygon Street is just around the corner - who could resist! Maclean House provides comfortable rooms with linen (including pillows), on-site parking, a light breakfast, shared bathrooms, kitchen and laundry facilities - all at the reasonable price of $60 per night.”

Food allergies & dietary requirements can be catered to.

We are taking registrations for the ‘Sacred Union Ceremony’ on Saturday 12 June - please let us know if you’d like to be involved.

* Please forward registration form with cheque / money order made payable to: “UnitingCare - Cutting Edge” (do not send cash)
UNA “Daring to Join” Conference Registrar
Damien Stevens, C/- PO Box 1697, Shepparton, 3632
or use the link above to pay securely from your bank account or credit card using PayPal.

UpperRoom - India Reflections

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

Please bring your friends - all are welcome

This month Upper Room - We have Hannah and a few members from her Church that recently spent time in India with partner churches and groups. They will have some photos, thoughts, ideas, music and a few questions generated by their time away.

Facebook event if your on it

World Environment Day

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations in 1972 to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and encourage political attention and action. It is celebrated annually on 5 June.

2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, and the theme for World Environment Day this year, Many species, one planet, one future, reflects this.

Our buddies over at Uniting Justice have produced some resources including action ideas, sermon starter, information, reflections, activities and worship resources

http://www.unitingjustice.org.au/resources/world-environment-day.html

So no excuse for not having a go this year

oh and don’t forget that greenpeace pulled together that cool earth day clip this year too http://morepraxis.org.au/feature-clip-gp-earthday/

Cant Get No Satisfaction

I have been meaning to post this for a while - looks good with some great speakers. Give them a call and sneak in  Age

rego and more info http://www.ea.org.au/Events/CantGetNoSatisfaction.aspx

The New Testament declares that ‘Jesus died for us’. But how should we understand this summary statement? A variety of models and metaphors have been put forward in the Christian tradition and criticisms as well.

Major concerns with some ways of speaking about the suffering and death of Jesus include the legitimation of violence, a preoccupation with retribution and punishment, and the possibility of glorifying suffering to the extent of not tackling abuse.

Dates & Times	6.00 PM Friday, 21 May 2010 - 5.00 PM Saturday, 22 May 2010
Venue	Ridley Melbourne 170 The Avenue Parkville Victoria
Price	$125 - Full Conference (other options)
Enquiries	Phone 03 9890 0633 Email enquiries@ea.org.au
Registration	Please indicate your first and second afternoon workshop choice in the comments space (see below for workshop and program details)

Brave New World - The Climate Change Challenge - June 6-12

Thirty of the best minds on the climate change issue, in the one place, at the one time. The Deakins 2010.
More information over here…

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