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Welcome to the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
“Education at the Edges” forum will lead to action for poor
As part of Anti Poverty Week 2008, the Uniting Church youth network, JustAct, will host a forum called “Education at the Edges.” The forum will address student homelessness and the lack of government income support for students in Australian tertiary education institutions.
Victorian Minister for Education, the Hon Bronwyn Pike will be a keynote speaker and Triple J and SBS media personality, Fr Bob Maguire will MC the forum.
For further information, please contact Antony McMullen, Social Justice Officer, Justice and International Mission Unit on: 03 9251 5286 or visit the Anti - Poverty Week website.
Queenborough Rise sets new standards for retirees
Uniting Aged Care has celebrated the official opening of its $23.9 million Queenborough Rise development with around 200 people from throughout the community.
The modern facility boasts magnificent views overlooking the Derwent River and Battery Point and consists of 30 retirement living units and residential aged care for up to 60 residents on the one site.
Chairman of the Board of Uniting Aged Care Victoria & Tasmania, Dr Alan Wilkinson was MC for the event and local Federal Member for Denison, the Hon Duncan Kerr SC MP, officially opened the site and unveiled the plaque. A blessing was conducted by Reverend Jason Kioa, Moderator for the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. Read on.
UN advisor says churches can help reduce climate change impact
The vice-chairperson of a United Nations climate panel has said churches can contribute to reducing the impact of global warming by proposing new lifestyles.
"The risks connected with climate change have dramatically increased since 2001. Nevertheless, there is no fatalistic view of the future," said Professor Jean-Pascal van Ypersele of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
"There are ways to reduce emissions, and churches can contribute to solutions by proposing changes in lifestyle and behaviour patterns," said Ypersele, a member of the institute of astronomy and geophysics at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium. Read on.
China rejects US report that says it infringes religious liberty
The Chinese government has rejected criticisms in a US State Department report that repression of religious freedom has intensified in some areas of the world's most populous country.
"China is strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposed to the US accusation in its religious freedom report," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said in a September 23 statement, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Jiang's comments followed the release on September 19 of the State Department's 2008 Report on International Religious Freedom, which says that China, Myanmar (Burma) and North Korea continue to top the list of countries with poor religious freedom records. Read on.
Remove offensive signs and offer apology, says church
The Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania voted today to request St Michael’s Uniting Church to remove freeway signs and other media related to its “new faith” advertising campaign because it causes “deep offense to many Christians, Jews and Muslims”.
The proposal also called on the moderator and general secretary of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania to express its concern to St Michael’s congregation.
The proposal asked St Michael’s to apologise for any offence that the signs may have caused.
The proposal said the Synod should communicate the substance of this resolution to the Victorian and Tasmanian Council of Churches and the equivalent statewide bodies of the Jewish and Islamic faiths.
Lively discussion and debate followed the presentation of the proposal, but it was passed by an overwhelming majority of the delegates.
Below is the actual Synod resolution:
To request the Moderator and the General Secretary convey to the church council of St Michael’s the deep concern of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania at:
1. - The offence caused to many Christians, Jews and Muslims by the signs and other media referring to the Ten Commandments, and
- the potential damage to ecumenical and interfaith relationships and to the Uniting Church’s commitment to respectful relationships and communications.
2. To request St Michael’s church to remove the signs and other media forthwith and to issue an apology for any offence caused.
3. To communicate the substance of this resolution to the Victorian and Tasmanian Councils of Churches and the equivalent statewide bodies of the Jewish and Islamic faiths.
Uniting Church elects new Moderator
The Uniting Church today elected Isabel Thomas Dobson to be Moderator of the Uniting Church, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania.
Ms Thomas Dobson, who comes from Bendigo, said, “These next years of the journey will be crucial ones for the Uniting Church. The church world as we know it is changing.
“The church is moving from being a mainstream institution to something much more exciting, challenging and demanding – more like the emerging church of the first few centuries of the Christian era.”
View the full statement on the Media Room.
View the Synod 2008 Blog site for the latest updates.
Newspaper reports Synod discussion
Today’s The Age newspaper reported yesterday’s comments in the Synod meeting on the matter of Dr Francis Macnab.
In an article generally welcomed by Synod media personnel, moderator Jason Kioa and recent acting moderator Sue Gormann were quoted.
Click here to read The Age articleRead more on the Synod 2008 blogsite
Statement of Pastoral Concern from Moderator
Further to recent comments by Dr. Francis Macnab launching a 'new faith', the leader of the Uniting Church of Victoria and Tasmania has released a Pastoral Statement of concern. Please click here to download the statement.
Uniting Church Statement of Faith:
Following media reports on the views of the Rev. Dr. Francis Macnab, many people will be interested in the policy of the Uniting Church in Australia regarding scriptural authority and Christian belief.
The Basis of Union is the foundational document for the Uniting Church in Australia. It clearly stipulates the place and value of the scriptures and the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Paragraph 5 of the Basis of Union refers to the Biblical Witness. Paragraph 3 and Paragraph 4 discuss the person and work of Jesus Christ. Please also refer to Paragraph 11 regarding the Scholarly Interpreters of the scripture.
