LOVE

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

As we head into the final week of Advent, we share Rev Dr Peter Hobson's reflection on LOVE, from the Christmas Bowl Advent Study Guide, published by Act for Peace.

2019 - 70th anniversary of the Christmas Bowl

Finding strength in love after fleeing Syria

Through the Christmas Bowl, you are helping Syrian families like Rima’s who were forced to flee their home, to rebuild their lives, and to heal from the trauma they’ve endured.

Gameover is a new campaign to get all those trapped in Australia's offshore detention regime off PNG and Nauru and to safety. Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) invites you to take action to become involved in a current Amnesty International campaign.

Visa Insecurity research report released
The research, published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology, shows the association between visa insecurity and mental health, disability and social engagement in refugees living in Australia. 

Rev James Bagwan, General Secretary, Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) - Interview with WCC in Madrid during COP 25

Bishop Philip Huggins, President, NCCA  - letter to The Age newspaper on return to Australia from COP25 in Madrid

Act Alliance - Statement: Climate summit ends with disappointing results 

The Australian Government tabled its second Annual Progress Report 2019: Implementation of recommendations from the Final Report of the Royal Commission in Parliament on 13 December 2019. 

Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services have also released a report on the review of the Victorian child safe standards.

2018 - 2019 Annual Review 

Reconciliation Australia's 2018 - 2019 Annual Review reveals a busy twelve month period with many highlights.

2019 Ethical Fashion Report - Sixth Edition

The Ethical Fashion Report sheds light on what the industry and individual companies are doing to address forced labour, child labour and exploitation. Since the launch of the first report in 2013, each report has tracked the progress within the industry.

Recruitment program 

Applications are now open for the fourth round of this program which seeks to increase the representation of African-Australians from refugee and other backgrounds in Victoria Police.

Applications close: Wednesday 19 February 2020

Blueprint for a Blue-Green Planet

The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia & PNG and Australian Catholic University are hosting this Conference which marks the five year anniversary of Laudato Si.

When: 7 - 10 June 2020
Where: Seville Mercy Conference Centre, Cairns QLD 

World Council of Churches

Christmas message 2019 from the WCC

Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary, has based his message of light and life on John's gospel: 

All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. (John 1: 3-4)

Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change for COP 25 Madrid 2019

"We have faith and hope that as humanity we can come together to address the severe climate crisis and open windows to a better future."