UTC eNewsletter Friday 30th May

You are welcome to join us for Chapel each week; Devotions during Semester at 9.20am on Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays, the Wednesday Service of Word and Sacrament during the Semester is at 11.30am.

You are also welcome to join us for Community Lunch at 12.40pm on the Wednesday during the Semester time.

FROM THE FACULTY

Book Launch

REMINDER! Book Launch this Sunday 1^st June

“Witness the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” Book Launch

Dr Ruth Powell Director, National Church Life Survey Research, will be launching the book.

When:    Sunday 1 June

Time:      2.30 – 5.00pm. (Afternoon tea included)
Where:   Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Dr North Parramatta
RSVP:     By Thursday 29 May to studentadmin@nsw.uca.org.au
Price:      This book will be available on the day for $29 or can be ordered by completing the attached order form and returning to studentadmin@nsw.uca.org.au

About “Witness the glory of God”

This book in honour of past UCA President Dean Drayton is a fascinating collection of scholarly papers written by colleagues and friends. It includes papers from friends living in the USA as well as papers from those who worked with him in the Board of Mission and fellow faculty of the United Theological College.

These papers cover many areas but are linked in one way or another to the theme of the book, “Witness the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”

“An Informed Faith: The Uniting Church at the Beginning of the 21st Century” Book Launch

The Rev. Professor Andrew Dutney, President of the Uniting Church Assembly, will be launching the book.

When:    Friday 6 June

Time:      3.30 – 5.30pm. (Afternoon tea included)
Where:   Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Dr North Parramatta
RSVP:     By Thursday 29 May to studentadmin@nsw.uca.org.au
Price:      This book will be available on the day at a discounted price of $30.  After the launch you can purchase the book from Student Administration for $39.95 plus postage.

About “An Informed Faith: The Uniting Church at the Beginning of the 21st Century”

William Emilsen has edited a new book titled “An Informed Faith”. It is an important ‘marker’ of the Uniting Church’s public role in Australia at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

Authors from a broad range of disciplines examines topics rarely touched upon, such as the distinctive nature of Uniting Church spirituality, the tension between good management and theological faithfulness, the church’s political and ecological engagement, its extraordinary cross-cultural and inter-faith commitment, and the rise of Progressive Christianity.

The book also examines new developments in the Uniting Church’s attitude to ordained ministry, scholarship, the reception of the Basis of Union, controversy over Uniting Church schools, and the complex place of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress and Evangelicals within its life.

The book is essential reading for all members of the Uniting Church and for people who have a concern for its ministry and mission.

Publications

Ben has a short piece on prayer in the latest issue of Eremos: Exploring Spirituality in Australia (June 2014).

Postcolonial engagement: Politics, Religions, Scriptures
This conference will explore ways of thinking and being postcolonial in colonial surroundings.

What legacies of colonization linger in the decisions, practices and events in and around our societies, faith communities, scriptures and nations? How might we engage the colonialist tendencies and blind-spots that drive the machineries of politics, economics, services, religions and scriptures? How might we live, interact, believe and read post colonially in our colonial and invaded contexts?

Venue: Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta, NSW 2151
Date: 01- 02 August 2014
Call for papers: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5es1b28m50p8x8w/postcolonialEngagement.doc
Deadline for proposals: April 30, 2014
Registration Fee: $70 full time, $30 student/pension all meals provided
Inquiries: Charissa Suli - charissasuli@bigpond.com

Macquarie Ancient Languages School

MALS is running its Winter Schools Programme from 7 to 11 July 2014. 
Click on this link for details and application form

FROM STUDENT ADMINISTRATION

Joanne & Jenny are hosting the Cancer Council Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea on Thursday 5^th June at 10:45am.
Please bring along a monetary donation and wear something yellow
Australia’s Biggest Morning tea is a chance for Australians to get together and raise money for a cause. 1 in 2 Australians are diagnosed with cancer before the age of 85 but one dollar at a time you are making a difference helping to fund Cancer Council’s vital research, prevention and support service programmes.

Grants for Graduation

Grants for Graduation is a one year trial scholarship program funded by Family and Community Services and delivered by The Smith Family. The project aims to assist young people from social housing and those on the housing register (waiting list) or in crisis accommodation to undertake tertiary education.
As well as providing financial assistance, Grants for Graduation will assist scholarship recipients with access to support and mentoring.
Scholarships of up to $5000 will commence in financial year 2014/15. Application forms and guidelines are available from Student Administration. Closing date is 20^th June.

Second Semester Enrollment

Students are encouraged to make sure they are enrolled in their second semester subjects ASAP if they have not already.  For assistance in doing this, please contact Renee or Jenny at Student Administration.
Any NEW applications MUST be completed online by Monday the 9^th of June as this is the FINAL closing date to study in second session 2014.

Please note that the Student Administration email address is now studentadmin@nsw.uca.org.au

FROM THE LIBRARY

Second Hand Book Sale!

The Library has received a significant number of second hand books which are available for purchase from $2 upwards. Please call in and look through them.

‘The Gospel according to John illuminated’ by Fiona Pfennigwerth

We have taken delivery of 10 copies of the special publication and they will be available for sale at Camden Theological Library for $30 each. This will save purchasers having to pay the $10 shipping cost.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

The Cafe2U van will be visiting UTC at 1pm each Wednesday and later in the afternoon every other weekday

The Biennial Conference in Philosophy, Religion and Culture will take place 4 – 5 October 2014

Theme: FAITH AND THE POLITICAL
The theme is to be interpreted broadly and from the disciplines of philosophy, theology, history, social science, literature and the arts.  Topics that might be investigated include: scandal in/of Christianity; structures of belief and opinion; secularisation, fundamentalism and inculturation; politics in the Bible and the Bible in politics; religion in the public forum; Christian ethics in a liberal democracy; liberation and equality.

The conference specifically aims to foster interaction between scholars in the universities and scholars in theological colleges.  It also encourages young scholars.

Keynote Speaker: Peter Forrest: The Epistemology of Scandal

'How can you continue to believe in the face of scandals?'. This question is not, I submit, merely a manifestation of the ad hominem fallacy exemplified by, "How can you take Frege seriously when he was a bigot?' Nor can it be dismissed by noting that the reality of sin is a central Christian doctrine.  I argue that 'right reason' requires not merely the rational assessment of doctrines but a way of deciding which doctrines to assess. Scandal undermines the appeal to authority when assessing but not the reliance on traditions when deciding what to assess. As a consequence, scandal tends to undermine 'simple faith' and mandates the, not necessarily academic, philosophical reflection on faith.

Proposals Due: 20 June 2014

Conveners: Stephen Buckle (ACU), William Emilsen (UTC/CSU), Peter Forrest (UNE), John McDowell (Newcastle), Shane Mackinlay (CTC/MCD), Andrew Murray (CIS/SCD)

Venue: Catholic Institute of Sydney
Contact: Andrew Murray: apmurray@cis.catholic.edu.au
Full details are available on the website:
http://www.cis.catholic.edu.au/news-a-events/biennial-conference

KEEPING IN TOUCH

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The newsletter is from the Faculty & College Assistant

Please direct news items to carlah@nsw.uca.org.au