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Migrations of the Holy – Study Series August and September 2017

Our August 2017 Study Series will look at William Cavanaugh’s, Migrations of the Holy.

Wednesdays August 9 – September 13, 7.30-9.00pm, Mark the Evangelist, North Melbourne (venue TBA) [Note: no group August 16]

Fridays August 11 – September 15, 9.30-11.00am, Habitat Uniting Church (Augustine) [Note: no group August 18]

In order to confirm the viability of the groups, please register your interest for a group here.

As the book is too long to treat in 5 weeks, we’ll only look at a selection of the chapters, as outlined below. The order of these selections is intended to give us an easier induction into Cavanaugh’s argument.

Week 1 — Introduction and Chapter 6 “The Liturgies of Church and State”

  • [The intrepid might find the long Chapter 1 a useful complement to the set readings for this week, but we’ll not assume that anyone has read Chapter 1]

Week 2 – Chapter 7 “The Church as Political”

  • [Chapter 2 might be a useful complement to this reading, for those with the extra time and interest]

Week 3 – Chapter 3 “Migrant, Tourist, Pilgrim, Monk”

Week 4 – Chapter 8 “The Sinfulness and Visibility of the Church”

  • [for those with the extra time, Chapter 9 might be a helpful complement to Chapter 8]

Week 5 – TBC

  • [Depending on how we’ve gone in the preceding weeks, and what from the remaining chapters of the book group would like to look at in the remaining week]

Sourcing your copy of Migrations:

Kindle [instant electronic]
Book depository [Usually within a week from the UK]

 

MtE Update – July 7 2017

Friends,

the latest MtE Update!

  1. Church of All Nations is sponsoring a “Conversations that make a difference” series, the first event of which will feature Andrew West (ABC Radio National), and Janet McCalman (UniMelb) discussing the place of religion in public discussions. See here for more info.
  2. The latest Synod eNews is here.
  3. The latest Pilgrim College News is here.
  4. One-day on-site exploration: ‘Pathways to Union and Beyond’ — Monday 17 July 2017, 9:00-5:00pm, Uniting Church Centre & city churches Join this one day exploration of the faithful journey of three denominations towards union, and the formation of the Uniting Church in Australia. Visit St Michael’s Uniting, Scots’ Church, and Wesley Church Melbourne, and hear key people involved in helping to forge and lead the Uniting Church. A fantastic opportunity to witness living history on one day, through three sites, three traditions, and one God. Registration: $45 includes lunch and refreshments
  5. Uniting Church public forum: ‘A people of God on the way’ — Sunday 16 July, 2:00-5:00pm at Centre for Theology & Ministry, Parkville
    • Dr Deidre Palmer, President-Elect of the national Assembly, will explore the current and future shape of the Uniting Church
    • Rev Dr Geoff  Thompson, systematic theology teacher at Pilgrim Theological College, will address the Basis of Unionas our continuing theological compass.

    Registration: $10 includes afternoon tea and your own copy of the Basis of Union

Other things potentially of interest:

2017 Sugden Fellow Lecture: The ethics of doping in sport; Professor Julian Savulescu

Julian Savulescu holds the Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford. He also directs the new Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities and the Institute for Science and Ethics. He is editor of the Journal of Medical Ethics, and has written over 250 publications and is a recognised world leader in the field of practical ethics, particularly moral bioenhancement. No stranger to controversial topics, he has written on topics including performance-enhancing drugs in sport, genetic screening, sex-selective abortion, embryonic stem cell research, hybrid embryos, saviour siblings, therapeutic cloning, genetic engineering, and organ markets. His most recent monograph is: Unfit for the Future: The Need for Moral Enhancement, co-authored with Ingmar Persson.

Monday 14 August 2017, 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Junior Common Room, Queen’s College. RSVP: masterspa@queens.unimelb.edu.au

 

 

Are you strong in your faith, yet unsure how to share it with others? You’re not alone in the Uniting Church!

Uniting Church people are known to be good at putting their faith into action. The most recent National Church Life Survey confirms again that Uniting Churches are confident as welcoming and faithful communities who are committed to gathering for worship, serving their local community and to social justice. But Uniting Churches are less confident about sharing their faith in everyday ways, and less sure about inviting others to discover the good news that faith in Jesus can bring to life.

‘Makes You Wonder’ training helps people to find their own voice for their own faith in their own situation. It does so through authentic friendship, prayer, respect and caring. This training is for people who want to learn to share their own faith in everyday ways, and for leaders who will train others in the Makes You Wonder resources.

The Makes You Wonder exercises truly, slowly, strongly empower people. It is a unique, international resource, going where no other faith-sharing course goes. It includes resources for leaders and for small groups. Download the free MYW smartphone app which suggests a daily reflection question and conversation starter that will help you share your own faith.

11-13 August 2017 at North Ringwood UC, Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, $40 catered

14-15 August 2017 at Hoppers Crossing UC, 9:30am-3:00pm both days

For more information including videos of Ian Robinson: https://ucavt.goregister.com.au/myw2017

The Centre for Theology and Ministry are pleased to be able to offer and to sponsor this training opportunity in partnership with North Ringwood UC and in collaboration with the Presbytery of Port Philip West.

MtE Update – MM DD 2017

Friends,

the latest MtE Update!

  1. TONIGHT: Church of All Nations is sponsoring a “Conversations that make a difference” series, the first event of which will feature Andrew West (ABC Radio National), and Janet McCalman (UniMelb) discussing the place of religion in public discussions. See here for more info.
  2. Our next study series begins in a few weeks – on Wed August 9 (Nth Melb) and Fri August 11 (Hawthorn), and there may yet be another group. These groups are a great opportunity to spend some time together thinking about Christian faith and practice. First you read and then you join to discuss. We learn heaps together in the groups! The next book – “Migrations of the Holy” – is a study in “the political meaning of the church, and looks into the relationship between the church and contemporary Western culture. You can read more about the book in a brief account by the author here. Plan to join one of the groups if you can!
  3. There will be a congregational meeting following worship on Sunday August 6; the main business will be considering a document on ministry and ministry focuses for the next 18 months.
  4. The latest Presbytery news (July 17) is here
  5. The August Pilgrim College News is here.Brunswick UCA is presenting a speaker next week on Peacemaking in the Modern World; details are here.
  6. For those interested in some background reading to the readings for this Sunday, see the links here. We are presently hearing the Series II OT readings on Sunday.

 

Other things potentially of interest:

MtE Update – June 14 2017

Friends,

the latest MtE Update!

  1. Hotham Mission’s “The Weight of the World” Exhibition is happening TOMORROW June 15 at the Kensington Town Hall from 6pm-9.30pm; try to get there if you can! See also the Crosslight write-up of the exhibition.
  2. Next Wednesday June 21 we hosting an Arena/Institute of Postcolonial Studies forum on the Northern Territory Intervention into indigenous communities; it begins at 6.00pm in the church hall. More details are here.
  3. Our MtE-Habitat reading group continues: Walter Brueggeman’s “Praying the Psalms (Second Edition): Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit

Wednesdays – The Wednesday group has been cancelled

Fridays June 2 – June 30, 9.30-11.00am, Habitat Uniting Church (Augustine)

Options for obtaining the book include (click on the links):

Koorong [Quick – from within Australia]

Kindle [instant]

Book depository [Usually within a week from the UK]

[You can see the proposed dates and books for other series this year

  1. The latest Synod News (June 8) is here
  2. Changes in structure to SHARE are described here.
  3. If you’d like to do some background work on this coming Sunday’s readings (Sunday 11A), see here.

MtE Update – June 2 2017

 

  1. At worship this Sunday, to mark Pentecost, we will welcome some from the other congregations who share our buildings – including Rev Dr Ken Luscombe of the Eighth Day Baptist community as our preacher.
  2. Our next MtE-Habitat reading group begins next week! Five studies using Walter Brueggeman’s “Praying the Psalms (Second Edition): Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit 

    Wednesdays May 31 – June 28, 7.30-9.00pm, Mark the Evangelist, North Melbourne (venue TBA depending on numbers – Check with Craig)

    Fridays June 2 – June 30, 9.30-11.00am, Habitat Uniting Church (Augustine)

    Options for obtaining the book include (click on the links):

    Koorong [Quick – from within Australia]

    Kindle [instant]

    Book depository [Usually within a week from the UK]

    [You can see the proposed dates and books for other series this year here.]

  3. We’ve been invited as a congregation to join with St Mary’s Anglican North Melbourne for a Evensong service on Sunday June 11, 6.00PM. In addition to the theme of Trinity Sunday the service will connect to the 500th anniversary this year of the start of the Reformation; Robert Gribben will be the preacher.
  4. Hotham Mission is holding an art exhibition, The Weight of the World, in a couple of weeks’ time; the details are here — please consider attending if you can!
  5. The latest Pilgrim College news (June) is here.
  6. If you’d like to do some background work on this coming Sunday’s readings (Pentecost A), see here.

Other things potentially of interest:

Latest update from Taize in Melbourne

Taize Melbourne – Feb 6 Trinity College Chapel

Taizé prayer this Saturday night, 5.30pm at the Trinity College Chapel.

Please also join us for singing practice at 5pm if you would like.

There is also the option of dinner afterwards in the dining hall for $10 per person.

We are always looking for extra people to volunteer to help with our Trinity and CBD prayers – if you are interested, please speak to any of us after the prayer.

Hope to see you then!

All the best,

Heidi

Check out our Facebook group:

Taizé in Melbourne, Australia