Noelene Osora
NAIDOC Week 2024
NAIDOC Week 2024
7 - 14 July 2024
2024 Theme: KEEP THE FIRE BURNING! BLAK, LOUD AND PROUD
For Church Resources: visit the NCCA First Nations NAIDOC resource page
September Calendar 2024
| Season of Creation | |
| 1 | World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation |
| 2 | 1991: Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Act passed by Parliament |
| 1-7 | National Child Protection Week |
| 4 | Indigenous Literacy Day |
| 12 | R U OK? Day |
Season of Creation resources 2024
1 September through to the feast of St. Francis on 4 October
For four Sundays in September we celebrate The Season of Creation
All around the world, Christians are uniting to pray and take action for our common home. Join them and celebrate the Season of Creation
Season of Creation 2024 theme:
To hope and act with Creation
The symbol for 2024 is: The firstfruits of hope (Rom 8:19-25)
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2024 Season of Creation Prayer Triune God, Creator of all, We praise you for your goodness, visible in all the diversity that you have created, making us a cosmic family living in a common home. Through the Earth you created, we experience love and nourishment, home and protection. We confess that we do not relate to the Earth as a Mothering gift from you, our Creator. Our selfishness, greed, neglect, and abuse have caused the climate crisis, loss of biodiversity, human suffering as well as the suffering of all our fellow creatures. We confess that we have failed to listen to the groans of the Earth, the groans of all creatures, and the groans of the Spirit of hope and justice that lives within us. May your Creator Spirit help us in our weakness, so that we may know the redeeming power of Christ and the hope found in him. May the groans of the Spirit birth in us a willingness to serve you faithfully, so that we may hear and heal Creation, to hope and act together with her, so that the firstfruits of hope may blossom. Loving and Creator God, we pray that you will make us sensitive to these groans and enable us to have the same compassion as that of Jesus, the redeeming Lord. Grant us a fresh vision of our relationship with Earth, and with one another, as creatures that are made in your image. In the name of the one who came to proclaim the good news to all Creation, Jesus Christ. Amen. |
Resources
Season of Creation website
- Promotional resources
- Liturgical resources
- Advocacy resources
- Faith leaders invite you to join the 2024 Season of Creation - Watch: YouTube
- Celebration Guide 2024
[most recent additions first. New***]
Queensland Churches Together - QCEN ***
Seasons of Creation Devotions - developed by the Queensland Churches Environmental Network
- By App using the Apple Store and google store - there is no cost for the app, just search for Season of creation.
- By PDF through the QCT website – Free go to https://qct.org.au/images/QCEN/SoCDevotionsScreenVersion.pdf
- In printed form – a limited number of books have been printed and are available for $10 each plus postage. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to order your copy.
Lutheran Church of Australia ***
Uniting Church in Australia Assembly ***
Season of Creation 2024 calls us 'to hope and act with creation'
Pacific Conference of Churches
pdf Season of Creation 2024_PCC (630 KB)
Common Grace
Join the Climate Challenge - Take action for the protection and flourishing of God’s beautiful creation. 1 September - 4 October 2024
Eco Congregation of Scotland
CREATION 2024 - ecocongregationscotland.org
World Council of Churches
Learn more about Season of Creation
WCC's work on Care for Creation and Climate Change
From the Vatican
Pope Francis:
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation [1st September 2024] (27 June 2024)
Encyclical Letter of the Holy Father Francis: LAUDATO SI’ - On care for our common home| 2015
SEASON OF CREATION BACKGROUND
1 September was proclaimed a Day of Prayer for Creation by the Orthodox in 1989 and repeated by Pope Francis in 2015.
The season takes us through to the feast of St. Francis on 4 October. Christians of all denominations and locations are invited to participate in an ecumenical Season of Creation.
“Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth” (Laudato Si’, 9).
Visit the Season of Creation website to see how we can celebrate creation.
Learn more on World Council of Churches website: https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/events/season-of-creation
Ending child poverty in Australia
In the Media
Ending child poverty in Australia - Discussion paper
We share articles on this topic for your reference
2024 Forum Photos
NCCA 11th National Forum
Messages of Hope in a complex world
At the U-City Function room in Adelaide CBD, approximately 55 people from 12 member churches and 4 state ecumenical bodies gathered for the 2024 Forum. Through prayer, reflection, discussion and discernment, they provided valuable information that will form the basis for the activities and issues of focos for of the NCCA over the coming years.
‘Let us hold on unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.’
HEBREWS 10:23
Friday 21st June
- Welcome
- Opening prayer - NCCA
- President's reflection
- General Secretary's overview & NCCA Pilgrimage since 1994
- Welcome Dinner
- 30th Anniversary Ecumenical Service - Pilgrim Uniting Church
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Table group, prayer and introductions - U-City Function Rooms, Adelaide |
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30th Anniversary Ecumenical Service, Pilgrim Uniting Church |
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| Above: Church Leaders stand for the Declaration of Intent, Pilgrim Uniting Church | |
Saturday 22nd June
- Morning prayer led by Catholic delegates
- Bible study, reflection with Guest, Prof Anne Pattel-Gray
- Keynote Address: Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, General Secretary, World Council of Churches
- Reporting session 1:
- Strategic Roadmap and Safe Church Program - Ms Liz Stone, NCCA General Secretary
- Finance Overview - Geoff Officer, Treasurer
- Faith and Unity Commission - Fr Gerard Kelly, Chair
- Reporting session 2:
- Indigenous Ecumenical Network - Prof Anne Pattel-Gray
- ACRT - Rev. Sandy Boyce, Co-Chair
- Act for Peace - Elijah Buol, CEO
- ACET - received.
- 1st Prayer and Reflection session - Anna Phan, Resolve
- survey results
- Purpose, Values
- Table Talk
- Closing prayer led by Quaker delegates
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| Above left: Morning prayer- Bishop Homeming | Above right: Bible study, Prof Anne Pattel-Gray |
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| Above: Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, General Secretary, World Council of Churches, delivers his Keynote Address | |
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| Ms Liz Stone, NCCA General Secretary, NCCA reports | Rev Dr Helen Richmond relates her EAPPI experience |
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| Prayer and Reflection session - Anna Phan, Resolve (left) and group work (right) | |
Sunday 23rd June
- Morning free to attend local churches or
- Rev Jerry Pillay, guest preacher, St Peter's Anglican Cathedral, Choral Eucharist
- Lunch
- 2nd Dialogue and discernment session - Anna Phan, Resolve
- NCCA Purpose Pillars
- Buffet Dinner
- Evening Prayers
- Orthodox Pentecost Vespers - Fr Abanoub and Bishop Bartholomew
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| Rev Jerry Pillay, St Peter's Anglican Cathedral | Uncle John Lochowiak, Welcoming us to Kaurna Country | Acknowledging the birthday of Rev Pillay | |||
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| Rev Pillay joined by (L) Rev Mark Kickett, UAICC, (R) Bishop Mar Stephanos, Mar Thoma Church, and (Back) Mr John Lochowiak, NATSICC | Sunday delegates gather for a group photo | ||||
Monday 24th June
- Morning prayer led by Salvation Army delegates
- Bible Study/Reflection - Rev Jerry Pillay
- Group Work - Anna Phan, Resolve
- Final Dialogue and discernment session
- Closing Prayers, NCCA
- Lunch
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 Anna Phan leads discussions on Key Themes |
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Bishop Mar Stephanos, brings greetings from India and the Mar Thoma Church |
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| Rev Mark Kickett, UAICC, Acknowledges Country before discernment sessions | |
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(L-R) Rev Dr Jerry Pillay, Rev John Gilmore and Liz Stone. |
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| NCCA President, Rev John Gilmore thanks Rev Dr Pillay for his involvement in the 11th National Forum |
Photo credit: All photos are the property of the NCCA. If you would like any in a higher resolution please ask - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Reflection from the President
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,
in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
In a week from now representatives of the NCCA member churches and state councils will gather at the 11th NCCA Forum....We seek your prayers as we gather...
Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce
ACRT news and activity
- ACRT report on Submission to the Department of Home Affairs
- 10 Ways to Celebrate Refugee Week - RCOA
Refugee Week Ecumenical Service
World Refugee Day
Online Service. All welcome!
When: Thursday 20 June 7:30pm AEST, 7pm ACST and 5:30pm AWST.
Act for Peace
Call for Government to fund climate change loss and damage in Pacific
Act for Peace, the international humanitarian agency of the National Council of Churches Australia joins civil society groups from across Australia and the Pacific, calling on the Australian Government to champion loss and damage finance for Pacific Island countries.
Safe Church Program
Safe Church News
- ACSL Online Learning workshop: Cyber Safety and Digital Wellness of Children and Young People - Friday 21 June 2024 2:00 pm AEST
- The Commission for Children and Young People, Victoria: Changes to the Reportable Conduct Scheme
