25th June 2023
Rev Ian Turnnidge from Cowes was farewelled in fine style – you can watch the service here. And the pictures and story below.
Wonthaggi Peace Church and Inverloch Peace Garden
Rev Deacon Wendy Elson writes: We recently discovered that this is our church’s foundation stone at Wonthaggi. Peace comes at a cost and we give thanks to God and to our forebears for such a gift. It is such a legacy. We celebrate this treasure and are coming to know ourselves as the Peace Church and to think about what this means for us in this community who we believe is longing for Peace. Together with our partner congregation, the Inverloch UCA, we are a Peace Collective. Wonthaggi church is built on the very foundation of Peace and Inverloch offers our Peace Garden Sanctuary to our community to share. This is a deep and gentle space of hospitality.
Wonthaggi Hosts Pilgrim College Northey Lecture of 2022
Rev. Deacon Wendy Elson hosted a gathering last night, Feb 17th, at Wonthaggi Uniting Church to participate in the first Pilgrim College Northey Lecture of 2022. Through the wonders of Zoom, Dr Anne Pattel-Gray introduced us to her Red Ochre Theology and held a Q & A. Our hearts and minds were opened to a new way of seeing the gospel narratives through the ancient spiritual wisdom of the First Nations Peoples.
Here’s a synopsis from the college website: A theological viewpoint of an Australian First Nations theologian who has spent the past two decades decolonising biblical narratives and constructing a theology that draws on Australia First Nations creation stories (Ancestral Narratives) and our understanding of the Creator’s actions and interactions through our Spirit Ancestors in the creation of our world, humanity, customs, laws, ceremonies, songs, rituals, connection to land, water and sea; language, cosmology, worldview and philosophy -this being the basis to the formation of First Nations identity, faith and Spirituality. Developing and constructing theology from a First Nations perspective is extremely vital for ensuring our theology is shaped by our epistemology, ontology and axiology (ways of being, doing and knowing). Especially through our collective experience conveys a different interpretation and reading through our First Nations lens which brings a new insight to our theology and grounds it within an Australian context.
New Frontier Services Prom Country Bush Chaplain Rev Veronica Bradley is presented with her stole.
Our Shearwater Ministry Team meets on Bunurong Country – Rev Ian Turnnidge,
Rev Veronica Bradley, Rev Deacon Wendy Elson (on right)