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Vale Geoffrey Dimmock

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18 November 1927 to 7 April 2018

Geoff Dimmock grew up in NSW and completed his formal education at Sydney University graduating with a degree majoring in Soil Science. One of the common themes of those who spoke at Geoff’s funeral service on 19 April at St Aidan’s Uniting Church Claremont was his great ability to mix with a variety of people and discuss aspects of soil science along with those of life in general — family matters, gardening and music.

Geoff became a member of the Organ Society of WA in 1973 and remained a staunch supporter of the society through to 2015 when developing illness prevented his attendance at functions.

As a member of St Aidan’s Uniting Church Claremont, Geoff became fully involved in the life and activities of parish life. One of these activities was as organist, the St Aidan’s organ being the first  of Cecil Clifton’s five organs and built between 1875 to 1879. Geoff’s deep understanding of the place of the hymns in the liturgical setting allowed him to make appropriate choice of hymns and  tunes for any service. Importantly, he played in a manner that supported and enhanced congregational singing. Continue Reading

Church leaders stand #WithRefugees on World Refugee Day

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Rev Steve Francis, Moderator of the Uniting Church Western Australia, today called for the Australian Government not to remove support for people seeking asylum in our local community.

Echoing the calls made by refugee advocates across Australia, Western Australian churches are disappointed and concerned to see the Government progressing with plans to remove fundamental support for vulnerable families in the local community.Continue Reading

Wesley College opens refurbished wing

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Wesley College, a Uniting Church WA school in South Perth, enjoyed the company of Uniting Church WA Moderator, Rev Steve Francis, at the official opening of its Clive Hamer Wing on Tuesday 12 June.

The newly-refurbished space is to become a magnet for innovation, where Wesley students can move their ideas forward and learn the skills that will be needed for the jobs of tomorrow.

“The integration of technology is outstanding – from our virtual reality gear, to our laser cutting machine, to the 3D printer. Students can broadcast their work, or make prototype games, or build robots. All these things bring together the traditional notions of technology and computer science, but start pushing them forwards,” said Headmaster, David Gee.Continue Reading

Juniper Gerdewoonem opens in Kununurra

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Much needed additional aged care for the East Kimberley has been commissioned with the official opening of Juniper Gerdewoonem (‘Juniper among the Boab Trees’).

Juniper Chief Executive Vaughan Harding said the new multipurpose facility expands vital services to the Kununurra community and provides greater opportunities for local employment and career paths in aged care.

“Our investment in the Kimberley is significant and this latest initiative builds on Juniper’s strong commitment to supporting older people and their families in regional Western Australia,” he said. “In addition to bringing much-needed accommodation, this multipurpose aged care facility enables the expansion of home and community care services in the region, so older people have greater access to vital services in town and may no longer travel to Perth or Darwin to get the help they require.”Continue Reading

Community Iftar dinner building dialogue and solidarity

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The Uniting Church WA Ecumenical Affairs Commission hosted an Iftar dinner on Saturday 9 June at St Peter and Emmaus Church in Joondanna, with members of the Muslim community in Perth, through the Intercultural Harmony Society. The evening was a fantastic opportunity for members of the Christian and Islamic faiths to come together and share a meal, conversation and some of the common aspects of the two faiths.

This year, Ramadan is held from Wednesday 16 May to Thursday 14 June. During this time, many Muslims fast from dawn to sunset as part of their spiritual reflection. Fasting during Ramadan is a time of discipline and personal reflection on time with God. The Iftar dinner is the breaking of the fast, held at sunset each day during Ramadan, beginning with a call to prayer. Iftar dinners are often spent with friends, family and community, making it a great time to share together with members of the Uniting Church WA.

Rev David de Kock, General Secretary of the Uniting Church WA, welcomed guests before Ismail Yildiz recited the call to prayer. After the meal, verses were read from the Bible and the Quran, followed by a reflection from Saliha Yildiz, year 8 student at Fountain College, on what participating in Ramadan means to her. Continue Reading

Mandola Art Award winners announced

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West Australian artist Mikaela Castledine has taken out the $25 000 St John of God Health Care Prize at the 2018 Mandorla Art Awards with her work God is in the House.

The judges commented that the work is a beautifully crafted piece that takes ordinary found objects and through the artistic process turns them into the sacred. The humble materials of glass, beads and thread have been made into something much more significant. The feminine craft of the work speaks to the human desire to create architectural forms. The forms are clearly recognisable as ecclesiastical but from a range of different faiths.Continue Reading

Uniting Church opts in on Redress

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The President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Stuart McMillan, announced yesterday that the Uniting Church will opt in to the Federal Government’s National Redress Scheme for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse.

“We acknowledge the impact of child sexual abuse in the lives of those who have been abused in our institutions or those of our predecessor churches. To each survivor and all of their families, I am truly sorry,” said Stuart.

“It is our sincere hope that this National Redress Scheme will allow survivors of institutional child sexual abuse to access support to help them in their lives,” he said.Continue Reading