O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.

We hear the carols all around us at this time of year. We sing them on Sundays during Advent. We know them well.

New Director appointed

The Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture is pleased to announce Bishop Philip Huggins, current President of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), will be the new Director of the Centre for Ecumenical Studies (CES) in 2019.

New Chair of ACRT Standing Committee

On Friday 30 November 2018 the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) Standing Committee held their annual face to face meeting. The Very Reverend Dr Peter Catt stepped down from his role as Chair at this meeting and was thanked for his dedicated service in this role.

The Australian Government has finally passed the Modern Slavery Act legislation.

Australian companies will now be prevented from profiting from modern slavery. This landmark legislation has been made in reaction to a series of scandals in the last few years, revealing forced labour in the supply chains of some of Australia’s biggest brands.

NCCA Assembly Roundtable

When: Thursday 21 March 2019 10:00 am – 3:00 pm 
Where: St James Parish Hall, Sydney CBD.
Topic: Selection, training and screening for ordination candidates and church workers, including best practice in psychological testing.

Over two hundred Australian Christians from across the nation came together from 1 – 4 December 2018 to raise a powerful voice for justice. Representing churches and organisations, we gathered in Canberra to show concern for the world’s poor, oppressed and displaced.

#ChangeTheHeart this January 26

This January, Aunty Jean Phillips, in partnership with Common Grace, invites Australian Churches to hold services of acknowledgement, lament and prayer as we approach January 26th.

 Short film Justice for Murdered Children launched

The film has been made as part of the Make West Papua Safe campaign which targets foreign government aid to the Indonesian police and military.

Christmas Bowl 2018 and Advent Bible Study

This year, your gifts through the Christmas Bowl will provide Rohingya families with urgently needed shelter, medical care and support. Act for Peace would like to share God's love this Advent and have developed a weekly bible study guide which is being mailed out to all their supporters. 

Newly launched and on sale now. Ideal present!

Receptive Ecumenism: Listening, Learning and Loving in the Way of Christ

Editors: Vicky Balabanski and Geraldine Hawkes
Foreword and Afterword: Paul D Murray

Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA)
Expressions of interest are sought from ARPA for an Executive Officer

Australian Catholic Social Justice Council (ACSJC)
Applications are sought for an Editing and Research Officer. Closing date 16 December 2018. 

Knapsack for the Journey of Faith: Pilgrimage Bible Studies

World Council of Churches - Theological Study Group

You are invited to reflect on the diverse stories of these pilgrimages in the Bible and connect the dialogue between biblical contexts and contemporary contexts.

Jonah 1:4-5 "Jonah and his Selective Ecological Concern", by Liz Vuadi Vibila

UN calls for an end to rights violations against Baha'is

The UN General Assembly's Third Committee adopted a resolution in November, expressing 'serious concern' in relation to ongoing human rights violations in Iran against the Bahai people.