A fresh perspective on faith, church and life
On the first Thursday of the recent school holidays, the Uniting Generations Network held a Music Jamboree event at Nedlands Uniting Church which was very much an intergenerational afternoon.
With 12 children attending, there was also one teen aged helper, along with parents, grandparents, and leaders of varying ages.Continue Reading
During its Mission Planning process in 2018, one of the disturbing learnings for Star Street Uniting Church in Carlisle was that we were virtually invisible in our local community.
While our building is on a busy intersection, it is not immediately identifiable as a church – many locals thought it was part of a nearby nursing home, or a business or offices. A few years ago an attractive mural to symbolise our church had been created on an outside wall, but it was clear we needed more. Few local residents knew about our church, what we did or what we stood for. Continue Reading
Months ago, Dr Fiona Bush, a heritage consultant, contacted Cannington Uniting Church as she was interested in two stained glass windows that were installed in our building during its construction in 1963: one depicting the Methodist Youth Fellowship and the other depicting the Rays, which were a Christian group of young girls. Continue Reading
Living in a time of video calls and social distancing, it’s easy to feel unsure about what the future holds. Earlier this year many speculated about life on the other side of COVID-19.
Nine months on, that future remains uncertain. But for some members of our community, this precariousness has lasted much longer. For many refugees, a chance at a new life in Australia can mean living in uncertainty for eight or more years without knowing if they’ll be allowed to make their home here, or forced to return to the violence they sought safety from. Continue Reading
The Uniting Church WA, through the Social Justice Commission, has released a Covenanting resource for its congregations.
A Guide to Congregations in Walking Together as First and Second Peoples encourages and supports councils of the church to re-commit to the Covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), to engage and deepen covenantal relationships, and to inspire the church to take action for creating change. Continue Reading
Uniting WA is thrilled to have opened the doors to its transformed Tranby Engagement Hub (Tranby), Perth’s first co-designed and purpose-built crisis intervention space for people experiencing homelessness.
Minister for Community Services, Simone McGurk, officially launched the newly renovated Tranby, made possible by a $1.7m grant from Lotterywest, at an event in June.Continue Reading
The Uniting Church WA calls on the Western Australian Government to work closely with the LGBTQA+ community and survivors of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts (SOGICE), including people of faith, to introduce legislation to protect people from harmful ‘conversion therapies’.
This practice, which encourages efforts to directly and indirectly attempt to change or supress a person’s sexuality or gender identity, has caused serious, ongoing, and tragic harm to those affected. Continue Reading
The Uniting Church WA calls on the Western Australian Government to commit to ending preventable deaths in custody, noting the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in WA’s justice system, particularly among young people.
The church also calls on the government to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody; embed culturally appropriate mental health support in police lockups, prisons and places of detention; broaden cultural awareness training for police, juvenile justice and prison officers; and work with Aboriginal Elders, community leaders and organisations to co-design an Aboriginal Justice Agreement.Continue Reading
A Celebration Service for the Perth College of Divinity will be held on Sunday 19 September, 2.30pm, at the Murdoch University Worship Centre. The service will give thanks for the 35-year partnership, and mark the closure of Murdoch University’s theology program. Continue Reading
Members of the Uniting Church WA will come together for the 45th Annual Meeting of the Synod of Western Australia at Scotch College from Saturday 11 to Sunday 12 September.
An opening worship, to which everyone is welcome, will be held at 7.00pm on Friday 10 September in the Scotch College Chapel. Continue Reading
