SWAC applications called for

Applications for the Uniting Church’s 2010 Schoolies With a Cause (SWAC) scheme close on 30 April.

SWAC is a Commission For Mission (CFM) initiative which offers an experiential ‘Schoolies’ alternative, placing students in different cultures and contexts at home and abroad.

The 2010 SWAC programs focus on the environment (at the Grampians National Park), cultural interaction in Indonesia, and Indigenous Australia at Cape York.

For more information, visit www.schoolieswithacause.org.

Proof of miracle needed for sainthood?

Australia - described in the 19th century by a Scottish church minister as "the most Godless place under heaven" - will get its first saint when Sister Mary MacKillop is canonised by Pope Benedict XVI later in the year.

Some Protestant church leaders have, however, raised questions about the need to find "proof of a miracle" in order for her sainthood to be confirmed.

Read the full story here at the Uniting Church Vic Tas Media Room
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Latest aged care project begins at Noble Park

A next generation $17.6 million residential and community services project in Noble Park is the latest move by Uniting Aged Care Victoria & Tasmania (UACV&T) to provide for the current and future needs of the local community.

The development at UACV&T’s Trewint site at Noble Park is the organisation’s third announced in the last four months. It follows a $10.2 million development for 50 units throughout Tasmania and a $36.2 million continuing-care retirement community in Melbourne’s Kingsville.

Read the full story here at the Uniting Church Vic & Tas Media Room.

UC pursues climate change policies

Despite the hype of a global resolve at the Copenhagen climate change negotiations, the result is viewed by the Uniting Church as disappointing.

The final agreement, which is known as the Copenhagen Accord, supports keeping the global average temperature increase below 2oC, but has failed to make any commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

However, the UC is continuing to push the Australian Government to take greater action and to increase its greenhouse gas reduction target.

Read the full story here at the Uniting Church Vic Tas Media Room.

Faith forum for the future

The future of how church agencies and congregations work together will be discussed in an open forum for the first time in April.

The forum will explore the 21^st Century reality that across the synod and Australia, many congregations are getting smaller and older while some UnitingCare agencies are getting larger and stronger.

Registrations close on Friday, 19 March. Read the full story here at the Uniting Church Vic Tas Media Room.

Registration forms are now available. To register and to find out more visit the Commission For Mission page here, or phone (03) 9251 5262 or email info@victas.unitingcare.org.au.