In This Issue

UCA 41st ANNIVERSARY 22 JUNE 2018

20 JUNE 2018 Next issue: July 4. Deadline: Midday July 3.

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1. News around the Presbytery 14. Presbytery at Prayer 2. Dates to keep in mind 15. Presbytery Minister’s reflection 3. Election of new Chairperson 16. Phil Day’s cartoon 4. Kids Camp Out 17. Church planting: Bishop Ric Thorpe 5. Taiwanese UC anniversary 18. Nativity scene, Ashmore UC 6. Code of Ethics training 19. Pews for sale, Nerang UC 7. Interested in interfaith activities? 20. Uniting Women 2018 conference 8. Safe Ministry with Children training 21. Intergenerational Ministry 9. Admin Reminders 22. First Aid Training, July 31 10. Presbytery logo competition 23. Abundant justice, prophetic 11. Giant Ministry Book Sale imagination

12. Safety Alert – electrical wiring 24. Presbytery Communication List 13. Join the Assembly’s work

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 1] News around the Presbytery Clare Low commissioned Clare Low was commissioned as Intergenerational Pastor at Logan UC, Springwood, on June 10. This new role works across children, youth and seniors to build a culture of intergenerational life and discipleship. Clare is pictured after her commissioning, interviewing Roger Manning about the new Prime Time seniors ministry. Stephanie farewelled Moreton Bay College farewelled its primary school chaplain, Stephanie Cotroneo, at a special chapel service on June 19. Stephanie will be the new primary school chaplain at Churchie, Coorparoo. Pictured after the service are (from left) Rev. Craig Blackburn of Bayside UC, MBC Head of RE Mrs Judy Harris, Moreton Bay Boys’ College chaplain Shane McCarthy, MBC Secondary Chaplain Rev. Peter Lockhart, Stephanie, and Synod Chaplaincy Commission executive officer Rev. Keren Seto. Beth rides to tackle MS Rev. Beth Nicholls reports on the MS Brissie to the Bay on June 17: It was a great event, and a unique way to be out in the community, meeting some amazing people and listening to life stories after the ride at the cheer squad tent. It was Emma's 7th ride, my 4th and Claire’s first. We did the 25 km ride and there were others from our Presbytery, including Cameron Todd and Peter Choi who did the 50 km ride. We rode in capes and masks – our reward for reaching $1000 raised, then adding the blow-up pizazz for reaching $1500. So far, we have raised over $2130 to fight MS, fund research and help find a cure. Thanks to everyone who supported our ride, your generosity is really appreciated. You can still make a donation here.

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 2] Presbytery dates to keep in mind

Sunday, June 24 28th church anniversary service, 10:00 am, Brisbane Taiwanese UC, 1 Wineglass Ave, Hillcrest.

Tuesday, June 26 Presbytery Standing Committee, 5:00 pm

Sunday, July 1 Conclusion service for Rev. Grant Cheng, 10:00 am, Brisbane Taiwanese UC, 1 Wineglass Ave, Hillcrest.

Tuesday, July 3 Pastoral Relations Committee, 5:00 pm

Wednesday, July 4 Healthy Ministry Breakfast for ministry agents, 7:00-9:00 am, Coffee @ New Life UC, 3 Greenwich Ct, Robina.

Thursday, July 5 Healthy Ministry Breakfast for ministry agents, 7:00-9:00 am, Coffee Club, 1442 Logan Rd, Mt Gravatt.

Sunday, July 8 to UCA 15th Assembly (Melbourne). Saturday, July 14

Tuesday, July 17 Code of Ethics 9:00-12:00 and Safe Ministry with Children (Ministry Agents) 1:00-4:00 pm, Beenleigh Region UC, 32-50 Mt Warren Blvd, Mt Warren Park. Details here.

Wednesday, July 18 Synod Placements Committee

Sunday, July 29 Conclusion service for Rev. Bob Miles, 8:30am, Living Faith UC, 330 Pine Mountain Rd, Carina Heights.

The Presbytery 2018 Calendar is available to download or print here.

Election of Presbytery Chairperson

Standing Committee has resolved to hold a ballot to elect a new Chairperson at our Presbytery meeting on August 11. Election is for a 3-year term. Nomination forms and information about the Chairperson’s role are available from the Presbytery Office. Nominations close Friday, July 27.

Kids Camp Out is an overnight camp for kids aged 7-12, in which congregations with their leaders, parents and children can participate. Whether you’ve got only a few children and a couple of leaders or a substantial group – all are welcome. Please note the leader:child ratio. Parents of children are welcome to attend and join in the fun. Details are on the Presbytery web site here, or contact Project Officer Mission, Beth Nicholls.

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 3] Brisbane Taiwanese UC – 28th church anniversary

UCA Brisbane Taiwanese Congregation warmly invites you to our 28th church anniversary service at 1 Wineglass Drive, Hillcrest, this Sunday, June 24 at 10:00 am. Please join us in this special service as we celebrate God’s grace and faithfulness with musical items, songs of praise and Rev. Grant Cheng preaching. Lunch and refreshments will be provided after the service.

Code of Ethics, SMWC for ministry agents

If you’re a ministry agent in placement, in a pastor position or available for supply, you need to do Code of Ethics refresher and Safe Ministry With Children training every year. If you have not yet attended a training day this year, your last opportunity is Tuesday, July 17, at Beenleigh Region UC. Code of Ethics will be in the morning, Safe Ministry in the afternoon. This event is almost fully booked. Please book now and don’t miss out. See the flyer with booking details here.

Safe Ministry with Children training – volunteers, leaders

SMWC training for leaders and volunteers is required every two years. Congregations often arrange their own training which is also open to people from other churches. Details of upcoming training dates are: • Saturday, June 23, Oxley UC (114 Oxley Station Rd) 2:00-5:00 pm. Certificates will be issued on the day. To receive the certificate, the full 3 hours of training needs to be attended. Refreshments will be provided. RSVP to: [email protected].

Are you interested in interfaith activities?

The Qld Faith Communities Council is a new body drawing together representatives from various religions to foster discussion and advocacy on issues of common interest and concern. The Qld Synod is a founding member. The QFCC holds two general meetings each year where an expanded number of interested people from each member body are able to attend and gain an appreciation of interfaith relationships and activities. Its next general meeting is Wednesday, June 27, 7:00-9:00 pm, at the Centre for Interfaith and Cultural Dialogue (multi-faith centre), Griffith University, Nathan. If you would like to attend as part of the UCA group, please contact the Presbytery Minister, David Busch.

Two of the official Synod representatives to the QFCC are in our Presbytery – Rev. Heather Griffin and Lesley Bryant. An informal interfaith network may begin within the Presbytery if there is sufficient interest.

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 4] Admin reminders for treasurers and Church Councils

2017 Congregational Financial Returns were due on March 31. There are a number of congregations in the Presbytery still with outstanding returns.

2017 Audit Declarations are due by June 30. If your Congregation is finding difficulty locating an auditor, please contact the Presbytery Office.

2018 insurance renewal payments are due June 29. Insurance premiums can be paid in monthly instalments if a Congregations is in financial hardship. Requests to revert to an instalment plan must come via the Mission Resource Committee. Requests require a letter from the Church Council explaining the financial circumstances with details of the financial position and accounts. For further information, please contact the Presbytery Office.

Last chance – Presbytery logo competition

A simple, elegant graphic that captures something of the Spirit, mission and variety of South Moreton Presbytery. If you’ve got an idea or two, we’d love to hear from you. The Presbytery needs a logo that will enhance its identity on its web site, social media, letterhead and other communications. It should incorporate the UCA logo, and have a dimension ratio length:height of 2:1. Submissions should be sent as jpeg files, either as finished designs or rough ideas for a professional to complete. Presbytery will pay $500 for the winning design. Entries close June 30. Further information from David Busch.

One more week to donate your ministry books

Do you have books about theology, biblical studies, worship and preaching, or ministry practice that you no longer need? Other people might find them useful. Why not donate them to Presbytery’s Great Ministry Book Sale? Depending on how many we receive, we aim to hold a book sale in July or August. Proceeds will go to a UCA cause. More details about that later – but meanwhile, do you have some bookshelves to cull? Please bring your books to the Presbytery Office (open Monday-Friday, 9:00-2:00) by next Friday, June 29. Thank-you! See flyer here.

Do you want to participate in the national church’s work?

From July, the Assembly’s areas of mission and ministry will be grouped into seven Circles of Interest: Walking together as First and Second Peoples; Being a Multicultural Church; Seeking Common Ground (unity); Working for Justice; Discipling the Next Generations; Growing in Faith (incl. theology); Transforming Worship. These replace previous working groups and committees.

These Circles will provide opportunities for people to be informed, contribute and connect with others who share the same passion and interest. Interested? More details are here.

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 5]

Electrical wiring needs regular checks

Last week a Congregation in this Presbytery closed their church buildings after discovering unsafe electrical wiring. Sunday worship and hall hirers have had to move to other locations until the buildings are certified safe. Aside from the remediation costs and loss of income, continuing to operate from the buildings would have placed people at risk of electrocution and the buildings at risk of fire. This is a salutary reminder to have electrical wiring thoroughly checked regularly.

More information is available from the Synod’s Health and Safety team, [email protected] or Peter Rose 0419 527 985 or Christine Przibilla 0439 136 171.

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 6] Presbytery at prayer

This fortnight, the 2018 Presbytery Prayer Calendar invites us to pray for:

June 24: The Uniting Church in Australia (41st anniversary – June 22)

July 1: Burleigh Heads UC

Village Church Faith Community (church plant) Burleigh Heads

If your church or activity is on the Prayer Calendar for July 8 or July 15, please email any specific prayer points for the Newsletter to [email protected] by Tuesday July 7.

Download the 2018 Presbytery Prayer Calendar here

Year of Discernment (north-west region) prayer notes

24 June 2018

This week please pray for the South Moreton Presbytery

The Year of Discernment process was initiated by the South Moreton Presbytery to facilitate a conversation among Congregations about how we might work together more effectively in sharing God's mission in our community. Pray for the Presbytery Minister, Pastor David Busch, and the Acting Chairperson, Rev. Dr Paul Walton, and for Bruce Mullan who the Presbytery has appointed as facilitator for the Year of Discernment.

Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

01 July 2018

This week please pray for the Year of Discernment Vision Team

The Year of Discernment Vision Team has been meeting now for over six months and has shared a first draft of the vision plan, A Destiny Together, with each Church Council. A Destiny Together proposes a new way for our Congregations to work together building on experiences, respecting traditions and purposefully moving into a missional future. The final document will soon be available to Congregations for study, reflection and decision. Give thanks for the faithful work of these dedicated and hardworking people.

My friends, we ask you to be thoughtful of your leaders who work hard and tell you how to live for the Lord. Show them great respect and love because of their work. Try to get along with each other. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 7] Presbytery Minister’s reflection

Did you know that social isolation is the greatest single risk to people’s health and wellbeing? Research shows that social support and social integration make a contribution to life expectancy that exceeds that of all of the traditionally promoted factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, air pollution, etc. That’s the surprising conclusion of Brisbane psychologist and researcher Alex Haslam, outlined in his new book, The New Psychology of Health: Unlocking the Social Cure.

Of course, the interplay of many factors will influence any individual’s health status. And broader social factors such as income, education, urban/rural environment, access to services and family circumstances can contribute to poor health and poor treatment. Yet for Haslam and his research colleagues, social identity and participation profoundly impact our sense of self, value, place and purpose, and these have direct health consequences. Haslam writes: “Social identity is a fundamental basis for a range of psychological states that are critical to health and wellbeing. Amongst other things, this is because feeling that we are ‘part of a group’ engenders a sense of trust and support, a sense of self-esteem, control and agency, and a sense of purpose, direction and meaning. This also has material consequences in shaping the way we interact with other people: whether we love them, whether we lead them, whether we help them. In the most general sense, then, we can say that social identity is what allows us to fulfil our potential as human beings.” You can hear more from Haslam on ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas program from June 6.

This is both affirmation and challenge for the church. The very nature of church life is communal, and most Congregations offer regular groups and occasional social gatherings of many kinds. We should not under-estimate the value of social hospitality. The challenge is to reflect honestly on the quality of social interaction which our groups and gatherings offer – in particular, the extent to which each person feels welcomed, included, needed, and engaged in worthwhile relationships and activities. And while social isolation is often associated with seniors, it is pervasive across age groups and backgrounds – are we paying sufficient attention to the needs around us, and can we be more intentional and imaginative in creating opportunities for relational mission? David Busch Phil Day

For high-resolution, signed copies of this cartoon, contact the artist: [email protected].

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 8] CONGREGATION, AGENCY EVENTS

EMAIL DETAILS OF YOUR EVENT TO [email protected]

Church planting: A conversation with Bishop Ric Thorpe

Uniting Leaders and Generate 2021, in association with Alpha Australia, invite you to a one-day conversation about church planting with Bishop Ric Thorpe. Bishop Ric, a church planter himself, leads the Church of England’s innovative and ambitious church planting strategy and has a wealth of experience to share as both a practitioner and strategist. He is responsible for the London Diocese’s goal of creating 100 new worshipping communities by 2020 and is also working nationally to support dioceses to plant new churches.

This will be on Tuesday, July 31, 9:30-4:00, at Newlife UC, 4 Greenwich Court, Robina. Cost will be $50 ($40 student) which includes lunch, morning and afternoon teas and all materials. Program details and registrations are here, or email Liz McNamee at [email protected].

Ashmore UC – nativity scene

Ashmore UC has a large nativity scene. It is made of timber and the figures of Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus are pretty much life size. It can be picked up from the church but would need a ute for the transport. If you would like to see a photo, please email Ashmore UC. Call Kathy on 5597 2429 for more information.

Nerang UC – Pews for sale

• 17 pews, 1 arm rest – 1800 mm (L) x 860 mm (H) x 600 mm (W) has shelf which holds the hymn books. Brown powder coated steel frames, cream coloured vinyl cushion. Four pews (front row) have a book box built under the seat but easily removed.

• 7 pews, arm rests at each end – 1800 mm (L) x 860 mm (H) x 600 mm (W) as above colour.

• 5 pews – 2500 mm (L) x 870 mm (H) x 600 mm (W). No arm rests, slightly lighter colour than shorter pews. Generally in good condition, some signs of wear on timber arms and a few marks on vinyl. See photos here.

Price negotiable. Reasonable offers considered. Expressions of interest to: [email protected]. Must be able to pick up from 5 Nerang River Dr, Nerang.

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 9] ITEMS FROM OTHER SOURCES

UnitingWomen 2018 conference – September 27-30

Registrations are now open for the UnitingWomen 2018 conference, to be held in Brisbane from 27-30 September. This is the third UnitingWomen conference and the Queensland Synod is proud to be the 2018 host.

The essence of UnitingWomen is Christian women coming together in God’s name, finding acceptance, encouragement and inspiration. A spectacular program of speakers and exhibitors is being developed, including keynote speaker Eloise Wellings who represented Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Early bird registrations for the conference close on May 31.

Intergenerational ministry training

Holly Allen, US author of the excellent book Intergenerational Christian Formation and editor of the soon to be released Intergenerate: Transforming Churches through Intergenerational Ministry, is coming to Australia and leading events in Sydney and Melbourne.

SYDNEY: July 31 and August 1. Further details and registrations here

MELBOURNE: July 27-28. More information and registration: [email protected].

First Aid training

Bremer Brisbane Presbytery is hosting CPR & First Aid Training on Saturday, July 31 at Goodna UC, 13 William Street, Goodna. CPR (HLTAID001) $55, 9:00-12:00. First Aid (HLTAID004) plus CPR, $100. Numbers are limited. RSVP by Friday 13 July to: [email protected].

See flyer here.

Abundant Justice and Prophetic Imagination

Dr Neil Preston, Professor John Carroll and Michael Leunig are among the speakers at the Anglican Church’s Abundant Justice and Prophetic Imagination event in Brisbane, July 16-18. The program includes public evening events (including Pirate Church) and masterclasses on spirituality, leadership and communal reflective practice. Full program details and registrations on their web site.

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 10] PRESBYTERY COMMUNICATION

All Presbytery mail should be sent to: PO Box 125, Beenleigh, Qld 4207

Presbytery Office Mon-Fri, 9:00-2:00 3807 7421 [email protected] www.southmoreton.org.au Michele Cochrane 3807 7421 [email protected] (Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu)

Greg Seymour (Tue, Fri) 3807 7421 [email protected]

Presbytery Minister Ps David Busch 0438 646 559 [email protected] Generally, David’s day off will be Friday, but he will seek to monitor text messages on his mobile for urgent matters.

Project Officer: Mission Rev. Beth Nicholls 0407 170 573 [email protected]

Project Officer: Multicultural Mr Levon Kardashian 0410 404 542 [email protected]

Acting Presbytery Rev. Dr Paul Walton 0401 826 881 [email protected] Chairperson

Presbytery Treasurer Jordan Whittaker 0429 212 655 [email protected]

Presbytery Secretary Gaye Pitman 0409 893 392 [email protected]

Pastoral Relations C’ttee Rev. Andrew Ross 0408 457 315 [email protected] Chairperson

PRC Secretary Gaye Pitman 0409 893 392 [email protected]

Mission Resource C’ttee Rev. Ross Mackay 0432 681 362 [email protected] Chairperson

MRC Admin Support Greg Seymour 3807 7421 [email protected]

POD Coordinator Rev. David MacGregor 0414 392 802 [email protected]

Lay Preacher Coordinator Neil Ballment [email protected]

Northern Area Network Rev. Peter Smale 0438 450 377 [email protected] Coordinator

Southern Area Network Vacant. Enquiries to Presbytery Minister. Coordinator

Safe Ministry With Children Rev. Beth Nicholls 0407 170 573 [email protected] Coordinator: Training

Safe Ministry With Children Greg Seymour 3807 7421 [email protected] Coordinator: Administration (Tue, Fri)

South Moreton Presbytery Newsletter: 20 June 2018 [Page 11]