Kerry Povey is the Chair of the Uniting Church WA International Partnerships and Development Commission, and a member at Trinity North Uniting Church. She takes 5 minutes to share some of her passions with Revive.Continue Reading
Features
Respect, learning and welcoming
When the Uniting Church WA gathers, we often share in a Welcome to Country or an Acknowledgment of Country. Both are significant ways the church can acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, but there are some important differences.
A Welcome to Country is only led by Traditional Custodians; whereas an Acknowledgment of Country can be led by anyone, and acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of that place. A Smoking Ceremony is a process of cleansing and healing, which can also take place with a Welcome. Continue Reading
Super Collector Good Sammy creates change for the better
Containers for Change officially launched in October in WA, and our own Good Sammy Enterprises is playing a huge part. Good Sammy is a Uniting Church WA agency providing employment opportunities for people living with disability.
As a Super Collector, Good Sammy has 16 collection points for all your used, eligible containers. Bring in your containers and get a 10 cent refund for each, or donate your refund to a registered charity – including Good Sammy. Continue Reading
Housing in WA: A perfect storm
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, housing was at a crisis point in WA. But now, even more so. With jobs lost and the Australian Government’s JobSeeker payments about to end, there are people falling through the cracks and slipping into homelessness.
John Berger, Executive Officer, Caring Agencies at the Uniting Church WA, is also the Executive Officer of the WA Alliance to End Homelessness. He said Western Australia has come to this point after decades of failing to fund and support social housing in WA.Continue Reading
Riding the waves in God’s creation: Tom Broadbent
Like many young adults who’ve recently finished school, Tom Broadbent is figuring out where he wants to head in life. There are three things he knows for sure he wants in that journey though: travel, surfing and Christ.
From his hometown of Busselton WA, Tom spent 2020 merging these three passions – with some limitations to the ‘travel’ part – through a yearlong diploma in leadership through Christian Surfers Australia and Alphacrusis College, based in Sydney. In what could be described as a ‘gap year’, has been a chance for Tom to build his leadership skills, share the gospel and live in the present on some of the world’s best beaches.Continue Reading
5 minutes with… Rev Dr Christine Sorensen
Rev Dr Christine Sorensen began as the Uniting Church WA Presbytery Minister (Formation and Discipleship) back in February this year. This edition she shares some of her passions for theological education with us. Continue Reading
Emergency preparedness for Summer 2020
As many of Australia’s bushfire affected communities are still struggling to get back on their feet since last year’s horror bushfire season, people are once again preparing for another harsh summer.
To aid churches in these areas, a resource booklet recently went out to Uniting Church WA congregations to assist them in ministering to disaster affected communities. It provides advice for congregations on preparation, intervention and post-disaster support. Continue Reading
Is it just a crisis budget or are there cries for a just budget?
Budgets reveal what we consider most important, our ideologies for achieving progress, and the value with which we hold people in different circumstances. Geoff Bice, Social Justice Consultant for the Uniting Church WA, shares his reflections on the 2020 Federal Budget.
Indigenous Lives Matter: Australians march to end injustice
When George Floyd died at the hands of police in the United States, Americans took to the streets and sparked global outrage. In Western Australia, thousands of people have supported the Black Lives Matter movement – online and via protests – even amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. While Scott Morrison claimed this was an American issue not relevant back home, Australia disagreed and called out the more than 400 Indigenous Australians who have died in custody since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.Continue Reading
Obedient to God’s call: Susy Thomas
When Susy Thomas received a tap on the shoulder to nominate as Moderator Elect of the Uniting Church WA, she was thrown. As a retired, successful CEO of a community service organisation, she was ready to enjoy some rest and much-loved time with her grandchildren. Continue Reading
