February 2013 | journeyonline.com.au The Uniting Church in Australia QUEENSLAND SYNOD SUMMER MADNESS Youth unleashed TIM MANDER Out of the lions’ den and into the fire Launching The Year of Discipleship Looking for communion ware? Contact: Ph: (07) 3367 2909 - 12 Railway Terrace Milton QLD - www.chrisƟansupplies.com.au The Uniting Church in Australia Ministry Opportunity KINGAROY Kingaroy Uniting Church Presbytery of Tasmania Kingaroy is the regional centre in the South Burnett Interested? Presbytery Minister – Mission Development of Queensland: the peanut and navy bean capital; Please address your Based in Launceston enjoying an equable climate and country lifestyle. application to: The Presbytery is seeking an innovative person (lay or ordained) to provide We are seeking two people (would suit a Kingaroy JNC leadership and resourcing to the Church as it seeks to identify and respond to married couple) to fill a 1.5 placement to serve 5 C/- Secretary of Synod missional opportunities across Tasmania. Essential skills include the ability to read congregations from Kumbia to Wondai. We have Placements Committee culture and context, to reflect theologically, and to work in a team. a thriving annual Day Camp program and want Uniting Church in Australia Further information, including the profile for this placement, is available from the to grow the congregations and strengthen our (Qld Synod) Secretary of the Placements Committee [email protected] community connections (local UnitingCare aged GPO Box 674 or (03) 9251 5476. care and community care) as we share God’s love BRISBANE QLD 4001 with all. Closing date for applications 20 February 2013. Trinity Theological College, Brisbane Queensland Synod, Uniting Church in Australia Associate General Secretary Director of Studies MAY 2013 COMMENCEMENT In Apologetics & Evangelism Trinity College invites applications from suitably qualified people, lay The UCA Synod of Victoria and Tasmania (the Synod) is seeking and ordained, for the above position. The Uniting Church is committed SNjKKSGDONRHSHNMNE RRNBH@SD&DMDQ@K2DBQDS@QXSG@SVHKKADBNLD to being thoroughly inclusive and so encourages applications from both @U@HK@AKDHM)TMD women and men and from those within the culturally and linguistically diverse communities that are an integral part of the contemporary church. 3GDODQRNM@OONHMSDCVHKKAD@K@XNQNQC@HMDCODQRNMVGNHR @M@BSHUDLDLADQNESGD4MHSHMF"GTQBG 2GNTKCSGDONRHSHNMAD The Queensland Synod will make an appointment to the above position jKKDCAX@MNQC@HMDCODQRNM SGDONRHSHNMVHKKADQDBNFMHRDC@R@ from 1 July 2013, or as soon as possible thereafter. The Synod reserves the right to make all decisions with regard to the appointment. Trinity College LHMHRSDQH@KOK@BDLDMS is the Uniting Church in Australia’s theological college in Queensland, with 3GD RRNBH@SD&DMDQ@K2DBQDS@QXVHKK@BS@R2DBQDS@QXSN responsibilities for training for ordained and lay ministries. SGD2XMNCR/K@BDLDMS"NLLHSSDD@MC@RRTBGVHKKOQNUHCD The College’s formation program contains academic, field and integrative NUDQRHFGSNELHMHRSDQH@KOK@BDLDMSOQNBDRRDR 'DRGDVHKK@KRNAD components. Its core academic program is taught within the Faculty of QDRONMRHAKDENQSGDRTOONQSNENSGDQLHMHRSQXRDQUHBDR HMBKTCHMF Theology and Philosophy of the Australian Catholic University (ACU) SGD2XMNCR"TKSTQDNE2@EDSXOQNFQ@L @MCVHKKAD@LDLADQNE within the parameters of an affiliation between ACU and the UCA (Qld SGD2DMHNQ+D@CDQRGHO3D@L 3GD RRNBH@SD&DMDQ@K2DBQDS@QX Synod). @BSRENQSGD&DMDQ@K2DBQDS@QXHMGHRGDQ@ARDMBD The person appointed would be expected to participate in the 3GDODQRNM@OONHMSDCVHKKG@UDDWSDMRHUDO@RSNQ@KDWODQHDMBD preparation of students for a variety of ordained and lay ministries, and in the preparation of students for degrees and diplomas at both *MNVKDCFDNE4MHSHMF"GTQBG1DFTK@SHNMR@MCOQNBDRRDRHR undergraduate and postgraduate level. An interdisciplinary approach to DRRDMSH@K @KNMFVHSGDWBDKKDMSBNLLTMHB@SHNM HMSDQODQRNM@K@MC teaching is encouraged. NQF@MHR@SHNM@KRJHKKR 3GDNKNFHB@KPT@KHjB@SHNMRVHKKADVDKKQDF@QCDC Enquiries should be made to the General Secretary of the Queensland 3N@OOKX OKD@RDQDPTDRS@M@OOKHB@SHNMO@BJ@FDEQNL Synod, GPO Box 674, Brisbane Qld 4001, ,R1NAXM'@MRDM $WDBTSHUD RRHRS@MSSNSGD&DMDQ@K2DBQDS@QX AX or by email to [email protected] OGNMDNMNQDL@HKQNAXM G@MRDMUHBS@R TB@ NQF @T. and applications should be lodged by 4pm on Friday 22 March 2013. Applications close Friday 1 March 2013 What’s inside >> 5Firestorm 6Gumboot religion Summer Madness Front cover: Charlene shows her 8Armstrong’s fall 10 Profi le: Tim Mander 12 handiwork. Photo: Simon Moir 4 Called to be disciples 9 Not by our words 14 Making good choices Lent Event changes lives at home of Christ but the way we live and abroad Moderator’s message Redefi ning discipleship 15 Neighbours rally 16 Keeping your 18 Change and growth to rebuild Samoa eye on the tiger for Ashmore Uniting The island of Upolu, bore the brunt Is this is a story that will make you Reaching out, changing lives on the of the 150km/hour strong winds believe in God? Gold Coast Continuing the journey Welcome to a new-look Journey! Journeyonline.com.au The Uniting Communications team is excited to bring you this refreshed publication. facebook.com/JourneyOnline Thank you to those who participated in our 2012 readership survey. Your feedback twitter.com/journeyonlineuc is invaluable and will assist us to deliver even better content in the coming year. youtube.com/JourneyTelevision Regular readers will notice a few changes (other than our new design by Uniting Communications graphic designer Holly Jewell). Acting editor Dianne Jensen will Journey Subscribe to receive in your inbox ensure that each edition features an in-depth story about a person and an issue facing the church and the world. Each month you will get to know a Uniting Church Synchronise stories to your blog reader congregation in Queensland; what inspires them and how they are enriching their communities. Editor-in-Chief: Mardi Lumsden Acting Editor: Dianne Jensen Design: Holly Jewell This year is The Year of Discipleship (have you got your Synod calendar?). We will Advertising: Tara Burton feature an ongoing series about what discipleship means to different people. Publisher: The Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod. Printing: Horton Media Limited, Narangba For event listings or to continue the discussion, we encourage you to take the Contact: Uniting Communications, conversation online. Connect with us via Facebook and Twitter and via the new letters The Uniting Church in Australia Queensland Synod, section on Journeyonline.com.au. Send your letters to [email protected]. 60 Bayliss Street, Auchenfl ower QLD, GPO Box 674, Brisbane QLD 4001, Ph: (07) 3377 9910 | E: [email protected] Journey is a place to engage with issues and perspectives you won’t see in other F: (07) 3377 9717 | journey.ucaqld.com.au magazines. In the coming months you will fi nd more multimedia resources ISSN: 0817-4466; Circulation: 14 500; Journey is available on our website to provide even more options for connecting with us and published 11 times a year for the Queensland Synod of The Uniting Church in Australia. Opinions expressed with the Uniting Church community. in Journey do not necessarily refl ect those of the editor or the policies of The Uniting Church. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement; inclusion Thanks for helping us continue our journey. of advertising material is at the discretion of the publisher. Journey cannot guarantee the publication Mardi Lumsden and/or return of submissions but makes every eff ort Editor-in-chief to do so if requested. Closing date for editorial and advertising for March Journey is Monday 11 February. The next issue of Journey will be available on Sunday 3 March. Journey February2013 3 From the Moderator Called to be disciples of Christ I once signed up for an elective called A mentor will establish a grace relationship “Radical Discipleship” at a youth camp. in which questions are welcomed, fostering understanding and seeking wisdom to recognise It wasn’t quite what I expected. I had been a the breadth of Christian traditions and to wrestle Moderator’s diary committed Christian for about fi ve years and I with what faith looks like in the current era. What 6 February was ready to stretch into following Jesus in a more is sacred, and what is a part of the cultural basket Opening and dedication of radical way. that we have inherited? the Blue Care Mareeba Garden Settlement Aged Care Facility I thought that radicals were the ones who would John Mallison also informs us that in the gospel turn up at street marches, call the rest of the of Matthew the word “disciple” appears 73 times, 10 February community to account, and change the world for and refers to people who follow Christ and are Opening service of the the better. I hoped that this elective would help me committed to him and his teaching. newly renovated Kairos to direct my youthful idealism and desire to live an Uniting Church, Earnshaw Rd authentic Christian life. To be committed to the teaching of someone, you congregation, Banyo must know what that teaching is. That is why it is The presenter began by reminding us that the important to read the scriptures and to learn from 11 February word “discipleship” means “learner” — nothing too scholars and commentaries. Bible Society Inaugural Road radical so far. to 200 Dinner, Brisbane Luke reminds us to be witnesses, and that the Holy 24 February Radical means “roots”, so the elective on radical Spirit will help us to do that in both words and in The Downs Presbytery Retreat discipleship turned out to be a reminder of what actions. was basic to Christianity and those practices that 27 February send a taproot deep into a life of faith. Over the For some people, Christian discipleship means Opening of the Mental Health years that has changed my world, especially when withdrawing from society to pray and work for Unit, Sunshine Coast Private it has seemed rather counter-cultural.