News from Uniting Church SA
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Tuesday 11 November 2025
Remembrance Day
At 11 am on 11 November 1918, the guns on the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. The war left more than 20 million military and civilian dead, and a similar number injured.
Less than two decades after this “war to end all wars”, WWII resulted in possibly twice as many military deaths and vastly more civilian deaths due to strategic bombing, widespread famine and genocide.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
2026 Calendar – orders opening soon!
The 2026 UCASA Calendar is currently nearing completion and will soon be on its way to the printers. It provides congregations and individuals with lectionary readings and important dates related to the life of the church.
This year's theme is Open doors, open hearts, and we will be showcasing just a few of the many examples of hospitality, generosity, and caring service happening throughout the SA Uniting Church, its schools, communities and agencies.
On-line ordering will be available next week, and as usual there will be an ‘Early Bird’ discount. Watch this space!
Christmas 2025 Resources
To support our congregations, we’ll also soon have a Christmas PowerPoint template and other resources available on our website.
Renew – Keynote videos are now available
Keynote videos
Links to the Keynote sessions from the Renew event are now available on the UCA SA YouTube page. Click on the links below:
Renew Grant – Applications open
Funding for innovative projects and ideas flowing from the Renew event is available to anyone who attended the event through the Renew Grant, thanks to the support of UCInvest.
If you have an idea inspired by the event, we encourage you to apply. Simply fill in the form below to submit your proposal. Applications close November 30 and the grants will be awarded on December 14.
Join UC Invest to support the work of the Uniting Church
UC Invest serves the wider mission of the Uniting Church by helping communities flourish through responsible financial stewardship. UC Invest’s profits go back to the community through the good work of the SA Synod and the Uniting Foundation Grants program which support projects that reflect the Uniting Church’s call to justice, compassion and inclusion.
Uniting Foundation and Renew Grants are only possible because of the many investors who invest with UC Invest, knowing that their money is doing good, for them and for others. Have you considered joining them?
To learn more, book a call with the UC Invest Customer Relations Team or read some of our investor’s stories on our website.
Uniting World – Gifts that fight poverty and build hope!
UnitingWorld's new Everything in Common Gift Catalogue has arrived for Christmas and it’s full of gifts that fight poverty and build hope through the power of shared generosity.
Every card represents a real, practical way to help families overcome poverty and create a more secure future. Goats that grow into herds, seeds that become food gardens, small business support, clean water and more.
When you choose a gift for a loved one, you’re not just giving a card, you’re sharing love in action and helping our global neighbours build livelihoods, access clean water, and adapt to the changing climate.
Got questions about retirement?
Whether your retirement is a long way off or just around the corner, it’s never too early or too late to get started with planning. A little time and some small actions today could make a big difference to your tomorrow.
Come along to the ‘Your path to retirement’ session where they will cover the most popular questions our members ask on this topic and share simple steps you can consider helping you stay on track for a great retirement.
Your path to retirement webinar (45 minutes)
A session for Uniting Church employees covering:
- How much super you might need to live a comfortable life in retirement
- What you can consider seeing if you’re on track for the future and whether your super will last the distance
- What you can consider boosting your super
- What guidance and advice Mercer Super can offer now and in retirement.
When: Wednesday, 12 November, 2pm AEST (TOMORROW!)
Where: Virtual Zoom
Super Check Appointment (20 minutes)
Meet one-on-one with a Mercer Super specialist to answer your questions on a range of topics including your employer super plan benefits, online account access and tools, super contributions, combining super accounts, investments, and insurance.
When: Every Monday
Where: Virtual Appointment
Events
Awaken Adelaide – Learning Plenary for Intercultural Leadership
The next Awaken Adelaide event is coming soon!
The workshop will explore ‘Toward an Intercultural Transformation: Becoming an Intercultural Church.’ The keynote will be delivered by Rev. Dr Paul Goh, Mission Activator, and the workshop will be facilitated by Dr Rosemary Dewerse, Academic Dean and Research Coordinator at UCLT
When: 5.30 pm–8.00 pm, Thursday 27 November 2025
Where: Yarthu Apinthi (Uniting College) | 312 Sir Donald Bradman Dr, Brooklyn Park
Please RSVP to mr@sa.uca.org.au for catering purposes.
The Corner UC Christmas Mini Market
Get into the festive spirit and find Christmas bargains at The Corner UC Christmas Mini Market! Spoil yourself or pick up gifts while enjoying handmade crafts, pre-loved Christmas items, plants, cakes, books, clothes, and bric-a-brac.
The Corner UC Op Shop will be open, and there’s plenty to enjoy including a sausage sizzle, freshly baked scones, barista coffee and tea, and more.
Bring your family, friends, and neighbours, and support the mission of The Corner UC while enjoying a fun, festive morning.
When: 9 am–1 pm, Saturday 15 November 2025
Where: The Corner UC, 93 Oaklands Road, Warradale SA 5046
Through Their Eyes – Full day training
Learn how to create safe environments for children and young people and understand legal obligations for reporting concerns.
This course is the full day, 7-module package developed by Dept for Human Services and the Child Protection Unit, not the Department for Education RHAN EC course.
When: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, Saturday 15 November
Where: Malvern Uniting Church, 44 Marlborough Street, Malvern
Tickets: $30 per person (including booking fee)
Spring Concert – Wesley UC Kent Town
Enjoy a delightful afternoon of music in the beautiful historic setting of Wesley Uniting Church, Kent Town, featuring its magnificent pipe organ. The first half of the approximately hour-long program will showcase rising young pianist Noah Materne, performing a selection of works by Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Debussy.
The second half will feature Graham Bell, resident organist of Wesley Church, presenting a variety of approachable organ pieces, including music by J.S. Bach, Théodore Dubois, and others.
When: 2 pm, Sunday 16 November 2025
Where: Wesley UC Kent Town | cnr Fullarton Rd & Grenfell St, Kent Town
Feast Festival – A night of inclusive worship and community
Celebrate LGBTQIA+ Christians with worship, music, and inclusive conversation at an ecumenical service hosted by Church of the Trinity, UCA. All LGBTQIA+ people, friends, families, and allies are welcome to join in reflecting on life, love and diversity.
The evening will include thought-provoking discussion, music, and a good old-fashioned supper.
When: 7 pm, Sunday 23 November 2025
Where: Church of the Trinity, 318 Goodwood Road, Clarence Park 5034
The Story of Bethlehem –Contextualising life in Palestine
Join Mercy Aiken and Cole Martin for a Zoom webinar exploring life in Palestine and peacebuilding in the Holy Land. Hear firsthand stories, insights, and reflections, followed by a Q&A.
When: 1:30 Adelaide | Sunday 30 Nov 2025
Where: Zoom Webinar with Q&A.
Learn more about the people, culture, and challenges of Bethlehem this Advent.
‘At The Still Point’: Mystery, Misery and Ministry in Fraught Times – Professor Mark Burrows
A morning with Professor Mark Burrows
Writer, retreat leader, poet, and scholar
Explore the voices of poets and mystics who show that, even in challenging times, the ‘unknowing’ of wonder is the beginning of wisdom. Inspired by T. S. Eliot’s words, “At the still point, there the dance is”, this session offers reflection and insight.
Professor Mark Burrows is an internationally recognized theologian, poet, and translator, author of bestselling books on Meister Eckhart and a leading interpreter of Rainer Rilke’s writings.
When: 9.30 am–12.30 pm, Monday 1 December
Where: Yarthu-Apinthi (Uniting College) | 312 Sir Donald Bradman Dr, Brooklyn Park
Upcoming events
November
14 – Kunyi – Truth Telling in Paint
15 – The Corner UC Christmas Mini Market
15 – Through Their Eyes: Reporting concerns of children and young people
16 – Live Arts at Newland – Victor Harbor
16 – Sunday Evenings – Worship through Discussion November
16 – Spring Concert at Wesley UC, Kent Town
18 – Film Screening and Panel Discussions: 'Sold! Who Broke the Australian Dream?
22 – Merry Magill Market
22 – Create @ The Corner: Gingerbread Houses
23 – Come and Sing Messiah at Clayton Wesley UC
24 – Poets' Corner with Bob Magor
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
Connecting with Our Ancestors
Although some folks use a very narrow definition of the word ancestor, I use the word as an indicator of legacy and interconnections. The ancestors are elders who pour their lives into the community as a libation of love and commitment. They live and die well, and when they transition, they do so in full connection with an engaged community. Thereafter, they dwell in the spaces carved out by our spiritual and cultural expectations. They may be in another life dimension, but they connect with us in dreams, in memories, and in stories ...
Father Richard Rohr
Prayer of the week
A prayer of remembrance
God of Peace and Justice,
On this day of remembrance,
we pause to honour the lives of all
who have served in times of conflict;
those who returned, those who did not, and those whose lives were forever changed.
We remember the courage
of service men and women,
the resilience of children and families,
the grief of communities, and the silent suffering of so many.
We hold in our hearts
those caught in the crossfire,
refugees forced from their homes,
and all who bear the scars of violence.
Yet even as we remember,
We hear your call to be peacemakers;
to turn swords into ploughshares,
to seek justice, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with you.
Inspire us to be builders of peace:
To speak truth in love,
To dismantle systems of oppression,
To care for the wounded in body, mind, and spirit,
And to sow seeds of reconciliation in our homes, our nations, and our world.
May our remembering lead us
not to pride or vengeance, but to compassion, wisdom, and resolve,
that we may never again choose war
when peace is possible.
In the name of the Prince of Peace,
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
Kitchen Hand / Housekeeper – Tarooki Campsite – Open now
Customer Service Officer – Tarooki Campsite – Open now
Administration Assistant – Closes 19 November
Associate Pastor (Families and Children) – Closes 24 November
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.
