A yachting adventure will see Jordan Garkut deliver goods and offer practical help around the southeastern islands of Papua New Guinea for the next three months.Relief primary school teacher Jordan set out on Sunday, farewelled by his family and friends from Highway Christian Church, on an adventure he has been waiting years to fulfil.Laden with school teaching and learning resources, stationary, fishing gear, clothing, seeds, hats, guitars, supplies for basic first aid, Christian resources and Bibles, Jordan is heading for Kawano Waters on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

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The latest issue of Christianity 9 to 5 is available online now. Issue 32 focuses on Christian Leadership and discusses a number of issues including putting people first in management, and how to develop leaders.

Jacob discovers the blessings of God when he least deserves it. Not only that, Jacob is running away from his past and meets God in an obscure and desolate place.

We reflect on where God is found and how that changes our lives.

Sermon 20th July, 2008 (pdf)
St. David’s Uniting Church, Oakleigh
Rev. Arnie Wierenga

If you are wondering what drives seemingly endless western consumerism, check out this interesting expose by Annie Leonard on the Story of Stuff.

The description below is from the website: 

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It’ll teach you something, it’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

From Matthew’s gospel we hear the parable of the Sower, where seed is scattered with reckless abandon onto places that seem wasteful. This sign of God’s abundance is added to when Jesus speaks of the harvest from fertile soil – it is much more than farmers could ever hope for in reality.

Is this a sign of how much God loves us? Is it a story with a simple moral – that we ought to listen?

Sermon – 13th July 2008 – Matthew 13 (pdf)
St. David’s Uniting Church, Oakleigh
Rev. Arnie Wierenga

A covenant is an agreement. The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress walks in covenant with many non-indigenous Australians of the Uniting Church. For the latest news and information including NAIDOC week (this week), check out the latest edition of covenanting news.

Covenanting News – July (pdf)

For the latest happenings from the Balkara Parish and the St. David’s Oakleigh congregation, check out our online copy of the July newsletter.

Parish News – July (pdf 135kB)

The next Oakleigh labyrinth will be held at St. David’s Uniting Church, 154 Drummond St, Oakleigh on:

Wednesday, July 9th at 8pm.

Come and allow the space to still the noisy spaces, and allow your walking bodies to re-connect heart, mind and soul.

More information about the Labyrinth at the St. David’s UCA in Oakleigh, including photos and schedule of labyrinth events.

The latest newsletter on labyrinths from Veriditas is available as a free pdf download. The current edition focusses on creativity and the labyrinth and has many gems including information about Sting’s latest CD ‘Songs from the Labyrinth’.

I have a car sticker that asks provocatively, ‘Who would Jesus bomb?’

It is not anti-terrorist, nor is it anti USA. But it is a protest about those who use violence as to get there own way. The Scriptures speak of the inter-connectedness of relationships:

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ …

from 1 Corinthians 12

Sermon 6th July, 2008 (pdf)
St. David’s Uniting Church, Oakleigh
Rev. Arnie Wierenga

On Thursday, July 24, more than 600 Anglican bishops, their spouses and other faith leaders from around the United Kingdom will march through central London on a Walk of Witness — a symbolic moment of solidarity and coming together for the fulfilment of the
Millennium Development Goals to reflect to the world God’s desire for justice and concern for the poor.

There are many ways to be involved in promoting the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), and the ‘Episcopaleans for Global Reconciliation’ website offers many resources and ideas to get you started.

Another useful resource is the ‘Make Poverty History’ website.