Educational Resources

Eco-Vision for the Churches of Australia (An educational manual providing the theological background, stories of healing Earth and resources for pursuing the vision in local congregations; being prepared by members of the NCCA Earth Mission Project Team.)  

On Holy Ground by Catholic Earthcare (An educational resource for teachers in schools interested in Earth care. See Catholic Earthcare website)  

Eco Connections – educational and reflective resources that connect ecology and Christian spirituality for children and youth www.ecoedoz.com

Worth reading

	From Terra Nullius to Beloved Companion: Reimagining Land in Australia Dr Chris Dalton For those who like to be challenged to respond to the urgent environmental changes that we are currently facing Available online through www.daltonline.com  Sculpture featured on cover is 'Born into this landscape' by Wendy Martin, Bush 'n' Beyond Gallery, Broken Hill.	"The Voice of Land can be heard through Australian landscape art, poetry, experience, community input to policy debates, and a plethora of government inquiries and reports. It cries “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?"  Chris Dalton
	Earth, Faith and Mission - The Theology of Earthcare Clilve Ayre
	Jesus and The Natural World  Denis Edwards For those interested in exploring role of Jesus in the context of the current environmental crisis Available through John Garrett Publishers
	Ecology at the Heart of Faith Denis Edwards
	Jesus and the Cosmos Denis Edwards
	Jesus the Wisdom of God - An Ecological Theology Denis Edwards
	Partaking of God -Trinity, Evolution and Ecology by Denis Edwards
	The God of Evolution- A Trinitarian Theology Denis Edwards
	Rainbow of Mysteries Norman Habel Explore the spiritual in nature along with rites for exploring mysteries in nature. Available in Australia from Mediacom, Amazon, Google books
	The Rainbow Covenant for Earth Mission Norman Habel  Available on the Norman Habel website

 

Season of Creation - Liturgies, hymns, prayers, Bible studies and other worship materials for celebrating with creation, especially during the Season of Creation in September

World Environment Day - 5 June 

 

Days

• World Water Day - 22 March
• World Environment Day - 5 June
• National Aborginal & Islander Children's Day - 4 August
• Hiroshima and Nagasaki Rembered - 6 August
• International Day of the World's Indigenous People - 9 August
• World Humanitarian Day - 19 August
• Creation Day - 1 September
• International Day of Peace - 21 September
• Social Justice Sunday  - 30 September
• One World Week - 5-11 October
• United Nations Day - 24 October

 Events

• Season of Creation

 

 

 

National

• Greening the Church – Inspirational Stories collected by Jessica Morthorpe (A collection of programs and Earth care activities in congregations throughout Australia; available from http://greenchurch.victas.uca.org.au/what-are-churches-doing/resources)
• ASSISI – A Strategic Systems-based Integrated Sustainability Initiative (A framework for churches to implement a holistic approach to sustainability through formation programs, engaging social processes, and various support material for the journey from http://www.catholicearthcare.org.au/assisi.html )

Queensland

New South Wales

Victoria

Tasmania

South Australia

Western Australia

Northern Territory

• Australian Religious Response to Climate Change – ARRCC www.arrcc.org.au 
• Catholic Earthcare Australia www.catholicearthcare.org.au 
• Erin Earth – Wagga Wagga NSW www.erinearth.org.au
• Earth Link – Brisbane www.earth-link.org.au
• Ecology and Spirituality Centre – Glenburn Victoria http://www.edmundrice.org/glenburn.html
• Green Church Victoria and Tasmania https://greenchurch.victas.uca.org.au
• Faith Ecology Network – FEN http://www.faithecology.net.au/
• Pacific Calling Partnership www.erc.org.au/pcp
• Rahamim - Ecological Learning Community, Bathurst NSW www.rahamim.org.au
• Uniting Earth Web www.unitingearthweb.org.au
• TEAR Australia http://www.tear.org.au/advocacy/

The NCCA Eco Mission Network is mandated to share resources that will assist our member churches to deepen their understanding of the ecological implications of our Sacred Scripture. 

Eco-Vision

We anticipate a day when congregations of all churches in Australia are:

• sensitive to the voice of Earth calling us to tell her story and to heal her ecological wounds caused by human greed
• ready to respond to the word from the Scriptures enjoining us serve and preserve our home and keep this sanctuary unpolluted
• willing to explore a theology of God in creation, with the cosmic Christ reconciling all things and the Spirit animating Earth

and

• moved to follow the lead of congregations and communities that have initiated programs of healing and pathways of celebration.

The Faith and Unity Commission in conjunction with

the Centre for Ecumenical Studies Presents A Day Symposium

An Ecumenical Future?

Advancincing the Ecumenical Movement

• To open up the question of whether an ecumenical future is possible

• To address that question from the experience of the multilateral and bilateral relations between the churches

Presenters:

The Reverend Professor Michael Kinnamon (Seattle);  " A report from the front lines of a movement under siege "

Dr Tamara Grdzelidze (WCC);

The Reverend Professor James Haire AC (UCA); Response

The Reverend Professor Robert Gribben (UCA)

Chair: Ms Maureen Postma (NCCA Faith and Unity )

Friday, 5^th July 2013

9 30am – 3.00pm

Catholic Leadership Centre

576 Victoria Parade [cnr Hoddle St], East Melbourne

Donation: $50.00 (includes morning tea and lunch)

RSVP by 27th June: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (03) 9650 - 4511

Download Flyer for Noticeboard (please note that some details have changed)

 

5 - 9 July 2013

Catholic Education Leadership Centre,

576 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, Victoria

from Act for Peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia

International aid agency Act for Peace’s support of communities in Fiji has helped them to be better prepared for the worst tropical cyclone to hit Fiji in 20 years. Communities have been assisted as part of the Pacific Community-focused Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction (PCIDRR) program to develop disaster action plans and minimise harm to people and property.

Act for Peace’s Anthony Blake, who has been running the program in Fiji for four years, says, “Communities in the north, areas we have visited as recently as last week, after first training them in 2010, have evacuated well ahead of time with food and supplies. This is a great result, and an early indication that communities are better off now than they would have been if we were not able to work with them to develop response plans. We hope — and expect — similar responses from other communities we have assisted in Fiji.”

from the National Council of Churches in Australia

Discovering God with us

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4.4-5)

Christmas is a time to rejoice and look at the world with fresh eyes. We see signs all around that remind us how Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Nativity scenes are seen at community carol services, school plays and in churches. These signs help us discover God with us.

After hearing the message of the angels on the hills outside Bethlehem the shepherds responded;

“Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. (Luke 2:15-16)

They discovered not only that the Lord is near but that God in Jesus was there embracing the frailty of humanity. The Christmas message is discovering God with us and in Jesus’ life we see God’s love and desire for justice and peace.

The National Council of Churches in Australia wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and our prayer is for justice and peace to fill the world. 

The Reverend Tara Curlewis, General Secretary
National Council of Churches in Australia

(NB. In the Western Church, Christmas is celebrated on December 25.  Most Orthodox Churches will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity on January 7.)