New Times - October 2006 - Uniting Church in Australia

4 C O M M E N T
News from the 19th World Methodist Conference
Brougham PlaCe uniting Church
minister rev Ken anderson was a
delegate at the recent 19th World
methodist Conference in Seoul, Korea.
Some 3,000 people attended. Ken
reflects on the conference which he
attended as part of a small australian
delegation.
SEOUL is a very interesting city and
one that I would love to visit again
to experience the city, the people and
particularly the churches as they “do
evangelism” and struggle with the issue
of unification which is predominant in
their thinking.
The friendship and hospitality that
we were offered is beyond anything
I have experienced anywhere in the
world. The people and churches were
incredibly generous in spirit and in
kind.
The overwhelming feature emerging
from the conference was the fact that
OVERPOPULATION
World overpopulation was
summed up beautifully by Alan
Jones in his letter to New Times
in August. Why hasn’t the
church addressed this problem,
or the nation as a whole for
that matter?
Here are a few ideas.
When the Bible was written
there were 22 times less people
on the planet, so it is not
surprising that it was not an
issue at the time. Most religious
leaders rely on Scripture to
justify their actions.
It is easy to appreciate
overpopulation in species
different from our own – crown
of thorns starfish, rabbits, mice
and locusts to name a few.
We notice overpopulation
in other religious and ethnic
O C T O B E R 2 0 0 6
churches from first world countries
with a liberal theological emphasis
and formal traditional worship styles
are declining dramatically. In contrast,
churches from emerging countries
and cultures are experiencing holistic
growth. Their numbers, effectiveness
and relevance of worship and
significant social action are making a
difference.
The World Methodist Church has
grown by a million members a year
for the past five years. This has not
come from our style of church and
witness. But when you see what is
happening in places like Korea it is
easier to understand. In most places it
is not rocket science or fancy programs.
Prayer, leadership, small groups,
changes to theological education, the
needs of people and the expectation
that God is going to do something, are
basic to thinking and motivate action.
Highlights for me included a Korean
About your letters
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groups but notice it less clearly
in our own. Sure the others are
often more densely populated
but that doesn’t make our
overpopulation acceptable.
There is a feeling of being
out competed numerically by
other nations. We feel insecure.
Because issues of family
planning are so sensitive they
have been placed in the “too
hard basket” by our politicians
and church leaders.
So, while I share your
concern, Alan, I suspect we
have to destroy our biological
planet before we realise we
have overpopulated it.
Stephen Wicks
Yacka-gulnare
SLIPPERY SLOPE
The remarks of the new
President of the Uniting
Church, Rev Gregor Henderson,
on the “shameful behaviours
of Christians” regarding
sexuality and leadership are
inflammatory.
If the leadership of the
UC had been strong in the
first place regarding the
appointment of homosexual
clergy it would not be on a
slippery slope of failing in its
duty of care for its members
who, believe me, are grieving
terribly.
Barbara abbott
Blackwood
SEXUAL ABUSE
I wish to encourage elderly
South Australians – who were
sexually abused as foster
children or while in state care
– to contact the Commission of
Inquiry into Children in State
Care.
The Commission is
investigating allegations of
sexual abuse against children
in SA State care and deaths of
State children due to criminal
conduct.
It is also looking into the
adequacy of the Government’s
response to the allegations
and whether appropriate and
adequate records were kept.
The Inquiry has received
more than 1000 allegations
of sexual abuse and is
investigating over 600 deaths
of State children.
We are hoping that people
within the aged care sector
– including former foster
cultural night presenting the country’s
history and faith development. This
told the story of the church and its
growth through music, dance, drama
and visuals. It was one of the best
experiences of my life, and I have seen
some great events.
Another significant event was on the
Sunday morning when 300 delegates
joined 300 Koreans for a worship
prayer vigil at the de-militarized zone
at the 38th parallel border. This was
followed by a tour of the border area.
We released 500 balloons. The news
made the front page of the Seoul Times.
The conference made statements on
Korean reunification and the Middle
East. It installed John Barrett from
England, (now working in Singapore),
as the new President; and elected
Paulo Lachman from Rio and the Brazil
Church as President Elect.
The council also set priorities for the
next five years. They are:
children, their friends, families
and carers – might come
forward to tell their stories so
that we can learn more about
what they faced.
Men and women in their 60s
and 70s are talking to me about
abuse which happened to them
as children, even as long as
50 years ago. Often, they have
not told family members, but I
want to assure them that now is
the time to come forward.
All information provided is
confidential.
Free call 1800 258 668.
Ted mullighan QC
Commissioner
Children in State Care
Commission of Inquiry
IN DECLINE
I was encouraged by reports
in the September New Times
from several Networks of
their plans and activities for
development and training for
evangelical outreach among
their congregations. But I was
dismayed to read about the
shortfall of congregational
contributions to the Mission
and Service fund.
The 7 per cent budgeted for
this year must have been based
on congregational incomes
for the last few years, but, as
there have been “decreases in
congregational giving”, it now
has to be 9 per cent!
What has changed in the last
few years for that calculation
to be $450,000 short? What has
caused over 7000 members and
40 ministers to leave the UCA
in the last few years?
While there may be many
reasons, the passing of
Resolution 84 and its affirming
by Resolution 108 at the recent
Assembly, must surely be the
main contributing factor.
Sadly the UCA seems to be
ignoring the clear warning
of St Paul in Romans 12: 2,
• Evangelism, leaders training and
resources development.
• Clarification of the vision and role
of the WMC.
• Communication and support…
between member churches.
• Communication, including greater
use of technology.
• Youth Ministry. participation and
leadership.
• Continued ecumenical and interfaith
dialogues.
• Offering a prophetic voice for
justice and peace; global issues
of poverty, development and the
environment.
• Supporting churches in countries
where there is conflict and injustice.
Of major significance was the signing
of a “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine
of Justification” by a representative
from the Pope; a representative from
the Lutheran World Federation and the
Methodist President.
as translated by JB Phillips,
“Don’t let the world around
you squeeze you into its own
mould”.
So, as we seem to be blindly
following “the world” with its
standards so removed from the
Judeo-Christian traditions on
which our society was founded,
we shouldn’t be surprised to see
this decline in our membership
and finances.
Kevin r moore
Coromandel Valley
VOLUNTEER IN PNG
Our partner church UCPNG
is seeking tradespeople and
handy persons to help build a
classroom at Bwaruada in the
Papuan Islands region.
Volunteers must be available
for two to three weeks in
November 2006. A volunteer
with a senior First Aid
certificate and a person with
medical expertise are also
needed.
This is a fantastic
opportunity for people with the
appropriate skills and abilities
to experience Papuan culture,
build lasting relationships with
people of another culture and
share in the faith and challenge
of mission and ministry.
For more information contact
the People in Mission Office,
Uniting Church SA on 8236
4270 or email judi@sa.uca.org.
au.
Judi Jones
adelaide
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
REFORM
Anyone who has the
opportunity should attend a
briefing session on the new
Industrial Relations/Work
Choices law. It is more workerfriendly
than the system it
replaces, for instance, on
the issue of taking time off.
It addresses the concerns
expressed by Rev Dr Phil
Marshall in the September New
Times.
Daphne Freeman
Port lincoln