News from Uniting Church SA
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Tuesday 14 October 2025
Anti-Poverty Week 12–18 October
This week is Anti-Poverty Week in Australia, centred around Friday 17 October, which is the international UN Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Anti-Poverty Week is coordinated by a diverse network of individuals and organisations including UnitingCare Australia and Uniting Communities SA.
More than 3.32 million people currently live below the property line in Australia. That includes 761,000 children (around 1 in 6). While many Australians juggle bills, people living in poverty have to miss out on absolute essentials. They worry about becoming homeless, skipping meals, not heating or cooling their houses and not being able to go to the doctor or afford medications.
To find out more about poverty in Australia, and how you can help to end it, click on the link below.
Letter writing campaign against online racism and hate
The Synod of South Australia has joined the Victoria/Tasmania and Queensland Synods to promote a letter-writing action calling for stronger measures to address online racism and hate.
The Australian eSafety Commissioner has published two reports that have highlighted the disturbing growth of online hate. This letter-writing campaign urges the Commonwealth Government to ensure that online platforms and services respond effectively to reports of online abuse and take meaningful steps to prevent it.
At its October 2024 meeting, the Synod of South Australia reaffirmed its commitment to standing against racism in all its forms. We see this advocacy as a vital step in living out that commitment.
We invite you to join the letter-writing action. All the information you need is in the document below.
UnitingWorld needs your help this Christmas!
In the lead-up to Christmas, Uniting Churches across Australia host gift stalls to promote poverty-fighting gifts from UnitingWorld’s Everything in Common catalogue. It’s a powerful way to turn generosity into practical support for people working hard to overcome poverty, injustice and the impacts of climate change.
Every card sold represents a life-changing gift: goats, clean water, solar lights, food gardens, seedlings, small business support and more!
Register for a stall and UnitingWorld will send you everything you need.
Congratulations to the new Archbishop of Canterbury
We join with worldwide church in congratulating and warmly welcoming the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury-designate, The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE.
Read the statement from the Assembly of the Uniting Church of Australia below.
Renew – Registrations closed
Thank you to everyone who has registered for Renew. We've had an overwhelming response, and registrations are now closed as final preparations are being made for catering and event arrangements.
We're looking forward to welcoming everyone and sharing this special time of growth and connection.
Renew Grant
Exclusive to attendees at Renew, Synod is offering a new one-off grant for innovative projects and ideas flowing from the Renew event, thanks to the support of UCInvest. The Renew Grant will be launched on the Saturday afternoon of Renew.
Light It Purple Australia – Raising awareness for pancreatic cancer
Throughout November, World Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, locations across the country will glow purple for pancreatic cancer as part of the #LightItPurpleAus campaign. From major city skylines to iconic landmarks and local neighbourhoods, these light-ups will shine a spotlight on pancreatic cancer and the people it affects every day.
Lighting the nation purple is not about spectacle. It’s about solidarity. Each light is a tribute to those we’ve lost, a sign of support for people living with the disease, and a reminder of the urgent need for earlier detection and better outcomes.
Donations and fundraising are eagerly welcomed and anyone with connections to potential lighting sites or digital displays is invited to get involved or help spread the word.
WHEN: 17–24 November 2025 (focusing on 20 November)
WHY: To raise awareness and honour those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
New L3 Resources for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany
Liturgy, Learning, and (Purposeful) Life (L3) – a ministry of the UCA Synod of South Australia – is now offering its Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany resources for the upcoming church year, Year A.
L3 is a creative, intergenerational resource based on the Revised Common Lectionary, designed to support congregations in worship, learning, and faith-filled living. Flexible and adaptable, it provides tools for leaders and communities, including:
- Worship resources: liturgies, sermon seeds, and visual/text aids.
- Faith formation: discussion prompts, group study ideas, and embodied practices.
- Intergenerational engagement: activities and reflections for all ages.
- Collaborative, diverse authorship: contributions from writers and practitioners across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, bringing a wide range of experiences in lay and ordained ministry.
Quarterly editions include Advent–Christmas–Epiphany, Lent–Easter, Pentecost 1 and Pentecost 2, plus a complementary Season of Creation resource.
Subscribers can choose their preferred format – Digital or Print + Digital – with each edition automatically delivered quarterly.
L3 helps congregations worship creatively, nurture faith, and engage meaningfully with the world – all while being practical, flexible, and inspiring.
2026 Assembly Calendar
The 2026 calendar provides dates for the key days that we mark together as a national Uniting Church, events held around the Uniting Church that are open to all, key liturgical dates, key ecumenical dates and events, and various dates that are marked socially/culturally that you may like to mark in your local community.
This calendar is intended as a resource to help Uniting Church communities consider the shape of the year and help their planning. Further dates will be added as we become aware of them.
2025–2026 Uniting Church Lectionary – Available now
The Assembly has released the 2025–2026 Uniting Church Lectionary (Year A), a key resource for preaching and worship leading in the ‘Year of Matthew’. It begins at the start of Advent, which is November 30 this year.
The Lectionary is now available to download from the Assembly website, and hard copies are available to order from Wayzgoose, the online store for Uniting Church resources.
This year's lectionary continues with the new-look poster format for easy reference. It includes listings of special days officially adopted by the Assembly.
Westbourne Park UC Craft Display Day
Recently, several residents from Resthaven Westbourne Park visited the Westbourne Park Uniting Church’s annual Craft Display Day.
This year’s visit was extra special, featuring two residents showcasing their talents: Mrs Alison Sparkes displayed her beautiful knitted blanket, and Mrs Helen Doley hosted a stall with her handmade clothes and blankets.
Attendees enjoyed browsing the displays before sharing morning tea with coffee and scones. Well done to all involved!
Events
The Polkinghorne Oration – This Thursday 16 Oct 2025
The Polkinghorne Oration will be held on 16 October 2025 at Adelaide West Uniting Church, 312 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Brooklyn Park. The event will begin at 7 pm, with doors opening at 6:15 pm.
This year’s guest speaker is Rev Tim Costello AO, who will address the theme, “The Challenge of Our Times: Climate Change in the Context of a Culture in Crisis”.
WHEN: Thursday 16 October 2025 | 7 pm
WHERE: Adelaide West Uniting Church, 312 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Brooklyn Park
COST: Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for concession.
A livestream link will be available to all registrants.
Quiz Night – Seaford Uniting Church and Church of Christ – 18 October
Get your thinking caps on! Seaford Uniting Church and Church of Christ are hosting a Quiz Night — everyone’s welcome.
Form a table of 6–8 or come along on your own and make some new friends.
BYO drinks and nibbles.
WHERE: Saturday 18 October – 6.30 pm for a 7.00 pm start
WHEN: Seaford Uniting Church / Church of Christ, 588 Grand Boulevard, Seaford SA 5169
COST: $10 per person (cash only). Don’t forget some extra cash for raffle tickets!
To book or register a team, contact Darryl Hill on 0417 506 390. Bookings are preferred, but tickets will also be available at the door.
A Gathering of Allies in South Australia 19 October
Join Unley Allies with First Nations Peoples and the SA Allies Network for A Gathering of Allies 2025: Next Wave of Yes. The event marks the second anniversary of the 2023 Referendum and aims to reconnect and re-energise allyship groups walking alongside First Nations Peoples.
Complimentary registration available for First Nations Peoples and Under 18s.
WHEN: Sunday 19 October 2025 | 1:30–4:30pm
WHERE: Adelaide West Uniting Church, 312 Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Brooklyn Park
Final Research Seminar for 2025 – University of Divinity – 27 October
The final combined University of Divinity Research Seminar for 2025 will be held on Monday 27 October, 11am–1pm at the new Australian Lutheran College Library, Level 1, 22 Pulteney Street.
The seminar will feature presentations from three New Testament scholars: Dr Anna Nuernberger (ALC), Prof Bart Bruehler (UCLT), and Dr Damian Szepessy (St Barnabas).
Those unable to attend in person can join via Zoom (Meeting ID: 813 4712 5024, Passcode: 861126).
WHEN: Monday 27 October 2025 | 11 am to 1 pm
WHERE: Australian Lutheran College Library, Level 1, 22 Pulteney Street.
Loss and hope – Naming the reality and moving into the future – 1 November
All Uniting Church members are warmly invited to the morning session of the Presbytery of Southern SA AGM on Saturday 1 November, 9.00 am–1.00 pm at The Corner Uniting Church.
Guest preacher and presenter Professor Liz Boase, a Hebrew Bible scholar and Dean of Graduate Research at the University of Divinity, will speak on the themes of trauma, lament, anger, judgement, and hope through the lens of the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations, and their relevance for the Church today.
Enquiries: Beth Seaman – southern.prc@sa.uca.org.au
WHEN: Saturday 1 November 2025 | 9 am to 1 pm
WHERE: The Corner UC, 93 Oaklands Road (Cnr Oaklands & Diagonal Road), Warradale SA 5046
Come and Sing Messiah – Call for singers – 23 November
Singers are wanted for the fourth annual Come and Sing Messiah. With conductor Kim Worley and organist Stephan van de Hoek, you will be joining a choir of 80 backed by eight singers from State Opera of SA.
Your Chorus Registration Fee of $40 includes a rehearsal from 2:45 pm and afternoon tea at 4 pm. It also includes access to a downloadable score and learning resources. There are limited places available for each voice part – register early to avoid missing out.
Not a singer? Come and enjoy a Christmas version of Handel's majestic Messiah in the stunning acoustics and beauty of Clayton Wesley Uniting Church.
For more information, click here.
WHEN: Sunday 23 November 2025 | 2.45 pm – Rehearsal | 5 pm – Concert
WHERE: Clayton Wesley UC, 280 Portrush Road, Beulah Park SA 5067.
Upcoming events
October
16 – Polkinghorne Oration with Rev Dr Tim Costello
17–18 – Renew synod resourcing event
18 – Stillpoint guided retreat
18 – Dernancourt Uniting Church Spring Fair
18 – Quiz Night at Seaford UC and CoC
19 – Live Arts at Newland – Victor Harbor
19 – 150th Anniversary of Clarendon Uniting Church
19 – A Gathering of Allies in South Australia
19 – Sunday Evenings – Classic(ish) Worship October
November
1 – Bridgewater UC Community Fair
1 – Loss and Hope – Naming the reality and moving into the future
6 – What in our faith is indispensable and what isn't?
8 – Evensong at Newland – Victor Harbor by Pilgrim Choir
15 – Through Their Eyes: Reporting concerns of children and young people
16 – Live Arts at Newland – Victor Harbor
23 – Come and Sing Messiah at Clayton Wesley UC
28 – World Community for Christian Meditation Australia national gathering
News from the Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia this week includes:
Reflection of the week
Work Hard, Rest Well
To overwork—that is, to spend time working for what one does not need—means that one’s life is out of balance, and it breaks the circle of harmony.
—Randy and Edith Woodley, Journey to Eloheh
Materialistic values of Euro-American modernity are very different from our own Indigenous values…. Generally speaking, Indians are not materialistic. Materialism and consumerism are values imposed on Native Americans. The differences between Native North American values and those of the dominant society have been noted throughout our mutual history. Ronald Wright, author of Stolen Continents, writes of this conflict between settler and Native American understandings of wealth.
Father Richard Rohr
Prayer for the week
A prayer for Anti-Poverty Week
Loving God,
You walk with those who are weary, burdened, and forgotten.
We lift up our neighbours who face poverty and despair –
those without shelter, food, safety, opportunity and hope.
May we see their dignity,
listen deeply and act boldly.
Help us to challenge systems that keep people in need,
to share our resources with generosity,
and to build communities rooted in justice and love.
Help us to work towards building your kingdom – where no-one is left behind, and all may flourish.
Amen.
Resources to help people worship and pray together as a gathered community or at home. These resources are generously prepared by Rev Cheryl Wilson.
Positions and placements
Activity Facilitator – Beyond Limits Outdoor Education – Open now
Program Coordinator – Beyond Limits Outdoor Education – Closes 15 October
Children and Family Pastoral Coordinator – Meadows Uniting Church – Closes 15 October
Property Administration Assistant – Closes 27 October
Minister of Public Theology, Uniting Communities – Closes 26 October
Content and Social Media Officer – Closes 29 October
UC eNews is the weekly email newsletter of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia. If you’d like to include content in UC eNews or on the Synod of South Australia website, please submit it by COB Mondays.
