Homeless World Cup

December 1, 2008

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December 7, 2008

The Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup will held be at Federation Square and Birrarung Marr
The Homeless World Cup is free to come and watch. No need to book tickets, no need to plan ahead - just come!
The matches will be played from lunchtime until early evening. This website will give full details of the day’s matches, but drop in and see whoever is playing. Over 400 matches, 56 international teams, each match lasts 15 minutes; in a short space of time you’ll see teams from all over the world unleashing their passion and skills.

Information can be found at: http://www.homelessworldcup.org/content/melbourne-2008

UNEARTHED! : BASE FAITH!

November 21, 2008 7:00 pm

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November 22, 2008 7:00 pm

Event date – 21st-22rd of November
Time – From 7-9pm  Friday the 21st  & Saturday 9am till 7pm
Location: Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta NSW 2151
Cost: $40 (Includes all meals on Saturday)
Aimed at: 16-35yrs

“Unearthed” is a multi-cultural worship and theology experience aimed at “lifting the roof off” understandings of discipleship and theology for young people. Our hope is to gather a diverse community of people who are passionate about living out the gospel in new and unique ways, and who aren’t afraid to “be Jesus” at the edges of our society.

It’s a time to be challenged in your perceptions of faith, and an opportunity to express your ideas creatively – through music, art and dance workshops. There will also be a range of speakers running engaging workshops on a variety of topics, from inner city ministry, to Social Justice & Activism.

If you want more ways to study theology other than reading books, or are hungry for a discipleship that calls for more than going to church on Sunday, then we’d love to invite you to come along and have a taste of the diversity and life within Gods Kingdom.

If you’d just like to come along and soak up the atmosphere of fellowship with a broad range of people from many different cultural backgrounds, drink some fair trade coffee and have conversations with like minded people then theres space for you too!

Featured workshops:

Adrian Greenwood – Social Justice & Activism – How the Christian faith compels us to engage with the issues of Justice in our world today
Dr. Val Webb – Images of God – How does the way we imagine God effect our understandings & relationship with Him?
Beres Jackson – Ministry with the Urban Poor – The Wayside Chapel & Intentional Community living project
Shobie Luff –Stories from Indigenous Hospitality House – What does it mean to offer hospitality to Indigenous people on stolen land?
Rod Pattenden – Chairperson of the Blake Prize -  Exploring theology through Art
Mary Jones – Christian Dance Fellowship – Sacred & Biblically inspired dance
John & Eliza Squires – Exploring Biblical Culture

There will also be plenty of music throughout the event, and an opportunity to workshop with musicians around writing, playing and creating music.

Spaces to engage:

Outside of the workshops and gathered times, there will be space for you to connect with other people at the fair-trade café, where you can buy a real coffee and chill out. Or you can wander through the “Launchpad” which will feature a bookshop as well as information on a variety of opportunities to explore faith further, everything from training courses, to desert journeys, international exchange program, local gap years working with the underprivileged etc. Or if you just need a bit of quiet space to reflect on things you’ve heard, there will be an open chapel you can access with prompts for prayer and meditation.

If you would like any further information, or help organising a group to attend, please don’t hesitate to contact:
Naomi Nash
Young Adults Worker
Ph: 0407908748
Email: naominash@bigpond.com

http://www.elm.org.au/events.html

A registration form is available from the Downloads page or you may register online.

live and give

October 31, 2008

Join the generous revolution - give away

Idea in a nutshell. - ‘Live & Give’

Join with other youth groups/church groups/action groups to go ‘trick or treating’ on Halloween to collect non-perishables.  Phone cards, met cards, food or toiletries are a great way to support people who have no income to buy the basic things we take for granted.

This will be a fun way to look outside our needs, support people and actually meet our local communities.
Goods will go to a local charity/group (chosen by the group) or centrally to Hotham Mission’s work with asylum seekers and the Indigenous hospitality house.

These are good outcomes from my perspective.

Currently, approaching and looking for interested congregations and groups to try it this year. Contact me if you are interested - age@morepraxis.org.au  Thinking it may become a good annual event.

Main costs would be the printing of cards for a letterbox drop. (or give tees although shipping time could be an issue)

Process:

• Adverstise and gather your group from now (maybe do a night on generous revolution generousrevolutionsheet)
• work out a realistic route for your walk
• Advertisement postcards to be letterbox dropped the week before Halloween.
• dress up
• meet and brief
• walk, collect and have fun
• donate the non perishables to your group (or back to me to get to the central groups)

Remember to be smart about door knocking (particularly as we don’t practice ‘trick or treating’ in oz)

• go in groups,
• Identify your self, group and what you are doing,
• remain outside the homes and
• be friendly.

About Central Groups

Hotham Mission

The Hotham Mission Asylum Seeker Project (ASP) is a Uniting Care agency that works with asylum seekers living in the community who do not have work rights, income or Medicare. These asylum seekers are on bridging visas and living lawfully in the community awaiting a decision on their refugee or humanitarian claim, yet are denied any government supports.  Treat asylum seekers this Halloween!

Indigenous Hospitality House

The Indigenous Hospitality House (IHH) was established in response to a report written by Indigenous workers at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Lookin’ After Our Own, which identified the need for appropriate accommodation for families supporting a patient. IHH functions as a kind of extended family home, where those that live in and around the main house share the duties associated with welcoming, cooking, cleaning and chatting with guests. Treat Indigenous people this Halloween!

Local Groups

Get out from under the nuclear umbrella!

October 10, 2008
1:30 pm	to	2:30 pm

Japan and Australia have set up a nuclear disarmament commission, but each country is under the US nuclear umbrella, which adds credence to the view that nukes bring security. Japan’s national broadcaster will be in Melbourne on Friday and they want to film us protesting!!! Come along for the cause and the fame. We’ll have ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) t-shirts for you to wear and flyers to hand out.

***IF YOU CAN, PLEASE BRING A BLACK UMBRELLA!!! WE’LL HAVE RADIATION SYMBOLS TO STICKY-TAPE TO IT.***

Want more Info

http://icanw.org/files/Nuclear_Dangers_Solutions.pdf

http://icanw.org/files/Case_Against_Nuclear_Weapons.pdf

Thriving Youth Conversations - Resilience Survey

October 25, 2008
10:00 am	to	4:00 pm

You are invited to a Thriving Youth Australia event
Why are young people leaving the church and why are some staying?
with Rod Dungan

The purpose of this day is to help faith communities and congregations mine the opportunities to listen to young people about mission, worship, discipleship and justice.

This is a time for church leaders to listen to young people and hear why they are still hanging in with the church, and why some of their friends are not.

The day will help faith communities and congregations mine the opportunities to connect with young people in mission, worship, discipleship and justice.  Church leaders will have the opportunity to work on creating responses and local strategies to youth engagement in their communities.  There will be opportunities to start a monthly Support group to look at creating/sustaining young people within their faith communities.

Outline of the Day
Morning
•    9-30amRegistration and Refreshments
Afternoon
•    1-45 to 3-45pm  Workshops lead by young people
•    10am to 11am  Introduction to research to set the scene
•    3-45pm  Finishing Conversation and introduction to Resilience Survey
•    11am to 12-30pm  Conversations with young people

Where:        Centre for Theology and Ministry

When:        25th October, 2008
10.00am – 4.00pm

Cost:        $20

Book now with
Steve Goldsmith
at Thriving Youth Australia,
thrivingyouth@optusnet.com.au.

“talkin bout the revolution”

September 20, 2008

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 ….

go to this http://morepraxis.org.au/nonviolent-direct-action-workshop

Nonviolent Direct Action Workshop

September 21, 2008
2:00 pm	to	9:00 pm

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.

The Den: 116 Little Burke St Melbourne

Praxis08 - Cancelled see “talkin bout the revolution”

September 19, 2008 7:00 pm

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September 21, 2008 2:00 pm

Cancelled see “talkin bout the revolution” and crunch time post

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: Merricks Lodge (3670 Frankston-Flinders Rd Shoreham Vic - 1hr40mins from Melbourne)

Online Rego here and online payment here

Costs: $100 Full, $60 5-10yrs, $30 3-5yrs, Free 0-3yrs

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

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. Currently options include a sacred space installation, sand labyrinth, a tech hub, activist hub, conversations on community leadership and conflict, sleep out in a slum experience, a kids quest, questions & canoes + your ideas/talents we would enjoy??

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 stall & table 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 praxis>08 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

[Read more]

Surrender08 - Following Fire

July 18, 2008

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July 20, 2008

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. )

Ched Myers in Melbourne

July 9, 2008

Call to Discipleship - Ched Myers

binding, releasing, restoring: reflections on contemporary discipleship

A gathering to encourage inspire and equip Christians for socially engaged discipleship.

Ched has written and engaged with restorative justice, peace-making, biblical economics and socio-political nature of the good news. His most influential work being his commentary on Mark “Binding the Strong Man” Not to be missed!

9am-5pm @ CTM - 1 Morrison Close Parkville - 9340 8815

Buy the DVD resources from the day here at idearipple.com

Register Online: here

(Heads up!  The Online rego for call2discipleship will disappear tonight. (This will help with organising and feeding) So if you still haven’t registered and want to register during Tuesday 8th you will need to phone in. 9340 8815)

3 Sessions with Ched + Panels

• Money & Discipleship
• Justice & Discipleship
• Consumption & Discipleship
• Poverty & Discipleship
• Sustaining the Journey

BTW- he will also be at the ‘School of Discipleship’ in Canberra 10-13 July.

[Read more]