| |
Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA), was formed in 1977 from the Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterian denominations. The UCA is involved in many Pacific Island nations where lack of education, threats of global warming, and the remnants of nuclear testing continue to put people at risk.
Under the leadership of the Rev. Gregor Henderson, president, and the Rev. Dr. Kerry Enright, national director of Uniting International Mission, the church is reaching out to all parts of the world. The UCA is a signatory to the Micah Challenge, a global movement that encourages people to speak out against poverty and injustice. One of its major goals, set in 2000, is to reduce poverty by half by 2015.
New Zealand
Many of the parishes in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand are “cooperating,” that is, combined with parishes of other denominations. One such parish is the Onehunga Cooperating Parish in Auckland. This vibrant and growing church combines the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Church of Christ denominations and includes five different nationalities. Each nationality has its own night at the church for choir practice, Bible study, or social events.
Monthly combined services are celebrated in four languages — English, Samoan, Cook Island, and Niuean. The pastor, the Rev. FakaofoKaoi, often preaches in three or four different languages on any given Sunday. For those languages he does not speak, the sermon is translated for him, and he delivers it phonetically. Everyone works together to create one church from many denominations and nationalities.
Partners/Ministries
Uniting Church in Australia: Rev. Terrence Corkin, general secretary
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand: Rev. Kerry Enright, General Assembly clerk, Rev. Andrew Bell, global mission secretary, Overseas Mission and Partnership: Rev. Stuart Vogel, convener, Rt. Rev. Gary Marquand, moderator, Very Rev. Tame Takao, acting moderator, Te Aka
Synod Partnership
Synod of Alaska-Northwest with the Presbyterian Church of Aoteraroa New Zealand
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Rev. Annie Hawkins, GAMC
Carol Hawkins, OGA
Elder Billie Healy, GAMC
God of all people, be with the Uniting Church in Australia and the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand as they seek to follow you. Give them courage to act and wisdom to know what to do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Ps. 97, 145 Ps. 124, 115
Jer. 32:1–15
Col. 3:18–4:18; Luke 7:36–50
|
|
