In this issue: Challenging Times for our Partners in West Papua and Amritsar, North India |  Dollar for Dollar Initiative ending 30th November – Horn of Africa Appeal | Creative Giving with Everything in Common | Learning Together: Women from Vanuatu and Australia connect | Experiencing Development in Context – InSolidarity 2012 | Rolling out LentEvent 2012

Challenging Times for our Partners in West Papua and Amritsar, North India

West Papua

Confrontation looms in West Papua.

Papuans will gather across West Papua on Thursday December 1st to vent their frustrations and to raise their aspirations for self-determination and independence. Indonesian security forces are ready to brutally suppress such actions.

Our partners are very concerned and are aware that the situation now could simply erupt with many more lives at risk.

Voices must be heard. Alternatives to violence must be sought. The rights and dignity of all Papuans must be respected. But time is short. Tragically, the absence of an effective way forward in West Papua means even more people will die.

Please join us in praying for West Papua. In particular, for an end to the escalating violence and an end to brutal military force; A just and peaceful outcome to the issues in West Papua ; For the leaders of our partner church, the Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua as they work for peace.

Join us on Thursday December 1st as we pause and pray for peaceful negotiation between the Papuan people and the Indonesian Government regarding Papua’s future.

See John’s full update here. You can also download the full prayer resource for your church.

North India

The Diocese of Amritsar, Church of North India, has been hit hard in recent times as Christians were threatened and churches and schools in the Punjab were attacked in 2010.

We have recently received news that Rev. C. M. Khanna, the Presbyter at All Souls Church, Srinagar, has been arrested on charges of creating communal disharmony.

Rev. Chandra Mani Khanna was taken from his home last Saturday evening, under the impression he was to meet with the police. It was then discovered that he had been arrested on charges of forcing local people to convert to Christianity and kept in custody.

Bishop P.K.Samantaroy from the Amritsar Diocese has stated in a release that “the whole Christian community is hurt because the Christian Mission work in the state of Kashmir has been carried out with utmost commitment for the benefit of the majority Muslim population…..it is unfortunate that the long sacrificial ministry of the Church has not been considered while arresting Rev Khanna for allegedly causing communal disharmony.”

He adds that “the Church has to now raise its voice of protest against such discriminatory action of the Jammu and Kashmir administration.”

We are urged to raise concerns and to appeal for Rev Khanna’s release. For more details on who you can write to and what to pray for, see John Barr’s full release here or download the full church resource here.

Dollar for Dollar Initiative ending 30th November – Horn of Africa Appeal

Since July, UnitingWorld has received close to $200,000 in donations through our Horn of Africa appeal. These donations have supported the work of our partners in East Africa as they deal with the devastating effects of drought and famine. A big thank you to everyone who has donated so far. Global humanitarian efforts have made a huge difference to many people in drought affected regions and in ever expanding refugee camps.

There is still urgent need, however. Millions are at risk and are in need of urgent humanitarian aid. People continue to flee their homes and refugee camps are struggling to deal with the influx of people.

UnitingWorld’s partners have been directly involved in setting up new extensions to the Dadaab camp to accommodate new arrivals of refugees. UnitingWorld is also supporting relief food distribution in two of the most famine affected districts of Kenya, including Mukaa and Kalawani.

In light of this ongoing need, we encourage everyone to give. Two young girls from Kippax Uniting have got on board by selling homemade candles to raise money for the appeal. This certainly gives meaning to the old phrase – ‘It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.’

The Australian Government will continue to match every donation to UnitingWorld’s Horn of Africa appeal, dollar for dollar, until the 30th of November. How are you going to get involved?

Click here to donate today or call 1800 998 112

Creative Giving with Everything in Common

Are you looking for something a bit different this Christmas? Have you seen the 2011 Everything in Common Gift Catalogue yet? The Catalogue is the Uniting Church in Australia’s own gift catalogue and provides an opportunity for Australians to get involved in the life of the church by supporting our partner organisations in Asia, the Pacific and Africa.

In a very Uniting way, it’s an opportunity to buy gifts that feed the hungry, give sight to the blind, free the captive and bring good news to the poor.

Churches and communities across the country have already started holding Everything in Common Gift Stalls – check out the success of Picton Uniting’s stall! It looks like our new $10 gifts – including four chickens for a rural farmer in Bali or West Papua, taps for water tanks in Zimbabwe, health insurance for Aussie volunteers and rehabilitation for trafficking victims in India – are going down a treat.

We’ve also been hearing exciting news about how people are going to use their gifts this year in a creative way to start ongoing conversations about poverty and injustice with their friends and family. How can you personalise your giving this year? How about the gift of fishing nets to a rural fish farmer for your dad who loves to fish? Or the gift of supporting a local peace coordinator for the ‘peace maker’ in your household?

If you like the idea of giving a small token alongside your gift, check out our creative giving guide . It outlines how you can get creative with small token gifts (in keeping with the idea of simplifying our lives!) to remind the recipient of your gift about the meaningful change their Christmas present is going to bring about. How about a piggy bank to symbolise your purchase of a pig for income generation in West Papua? Or some socks to represent your purchase of clothing for an orphan in North Korea? Click here for more ideas.

Learning Together: Women from Vanuatu and Australia connect

34 women from our partner in Vanuatu – The Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu – have been on a whirlwind visit over the past two weeks. On tour in Victoria, they have been retracing the roots of their Women’s Union and learning from UCA women’s organisations.  They have also captivated audiences with a series of concerts that have helped fund their trip.

On 15 November, UnitingWorld hosted a day conference with the group on women’s leadership. Bryan Cussen, UnitingWorld’s Pacific Programs Coordinator, led the day as a part of UnitingWorld’s Church Partnership Program. With a jam packed agenda, the conference included sessions on Women in leadership in Vanuatu and Australian churches, Pacific Island women in leadership in Australian churches and a workshop on ideas for women in leadership in Vanuatu.

According to Bryan, the conference was a great success. “To have observations and lessons about leadership coming from women who had personally walked the long journey of responding to God’s call was a real inspiration, especially to hear about the blockages that were encountered and how they were overcome,” he said.

Emotionally charged, participants were inspired as they shared personal stories with one another. Here are some other responses to the day:

“This important day… will help to make the trip of lasting value because the women have been inspired to develop their own leadership, not only individually, but as a movement.”

“It was a great day of fellowship and sharing.”

“It was heartwarming being together as women on a journey together.”

The leadership day will be followed up in Vanuatu by workshops in presbyteries that bring men and women together to explore gender and leadership issues and develop local action plans.  UnitingWorld is also offering scholarships to women to train for ordained ministry in the Presbyterian Church.

This visit has been a great reminder of how we learn together with our partners and how community is central to the life of the church worldwide.

It also points to the vital work that many are doing in the Pacific to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality. There is a long way to go, but the stories shared at the Women’s Leadership Day and the encouragement that the Women’s Union received can certainly give us hope.

Experiencing Development in Context – InSolidarity 2012

In our last E-News we featured some encouraging quotes from returnees from our InSolidarity trips to Bali, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tonga. Were you inspired? Good news! Our Experience team has just released the final dates for the 2012 InSolidarity trips.

InSolidarity is a great opportunity to connect with our overseas partners and experience the work they do on the ground.

2012 will see InSolidarity trips to India, Kiribati, Mongolia, the Philippines, Zimbabwe/Zambia, Tonga and West Timor.

The first InSolidarity trip will be taking place in February 2012 and will visit our partner The Church of North India (CNI). There are still spots available, so if you or any one you know would like to take part, please contact Hannah Ireland (02) 8267 4276 or by email on HannahI@unitingworld.org.au.

To download the full brochure for InSolidarity 2012, please click here.

Rolling out LentEvent 2012

Lent Event 2012 is going to be the biggest yet, with over 780 congregations taking part. Lent Event is an annual initiative that brings congregations together throughout the 40 days of Lent to think, reflect and pray about issues of injustice and poverty and drive people to action.

This week Lent Event rolls out its faith resources to participating congregations right across Australia. Lent Event welcomes Western Australian communities, who are joining the growing movement of Australian faith communities seeking to come alongside our international partners burdened by material disadvantage.

Lent Event’s ‘This One Life’ is the essential discipleship companion for 2012 combining a six-part discussion series and daily devotional guide. The small group discussion series asks: ‘How can we live authentic lives that honour God with the transformational love Jesus showed?’

Through these 40 days of prayer, study, worship and action, participants will step deeper into the flow of God’s grace by dwelling on the way of Jesus Christ and opening up to the transformation of the Holy Spirit. By the end of the forty days, people can look forward to a new or deepened relationship with God and with God’s people living in poverty.

For more details or to purchase your LentEvent materials for 2012, visit the website or call the LentEvent office on 02 9868 2277

West Papua

Confrontation looms in West Papua. Thursday December 1st is the 50th anniversary since Papuan independence was first declared and West Papua moved from Dutch colonial rule to a United Nations mandate. That mandate was handed to Indonesia two years later and history now demonstrates West Papua was, somewhat controversially, incorporated into the Republic of Indonesia in 1969 after a sham “act of free choice”.

Papuans will gather across West Papua on Thursday December 1st to vent their frustrations and to raise their aspirations for self-determination and independence. Indonesian security forces are ready to brutally suppress such actions.

Our partner church, the Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua is very concerned. The church understands local aspirations and it encourages the community to be one that lives in hope. However, the church is aware that the situation now could simply erupt with many more lives at risk.

The Indonesian Communion of Churches and the Indonesian Bishop’s Conference have made public statements calling for an end to militarism in West Papua and for the withdrawal of excessive security forces. They are advocating for an urgent dialogue on West Papua’s future between respected Papuan leaders and the Indonesian Government.

Voices must be heard. Alternatives to violence must be sought. The rights and dignity of all Papuans must be respected. But time is short. Tragically, the absence of an effective way forward in West Papua means even more people will die.

Please join us in praying for West Papua. In particular, for an end to the escalating violence and an end to brutal military force; A just and peaceful outcome to the issues in West Papua ; For the leaders of our partner church, the Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua as they work for peace and minister to those who are violated and traumatised by the violence.

Join us on Thursday December 1st as we pause and pray for peaceful negotiation between the Papuan people and the Indonesian Government regarding Papua’s future. We encourage all congregations to pray for West Papua this Sunday, 27th November.

See John Barr’s full update here. For more information and what to pray for, download the church resource here.

North India

The Diocese of Amritsar, Church of North India, has been hit hard in recent times as Christians were threatened and churches in the Punjab were attacked in 2010. Then one of the diocesan schools in Tanmarg, Kashmir, was burnt down by antagonists in the same year.

We have recently received news that Rev. C. M. Khanna from UnitingWorld’s partner, the Presbyter at All Souls Church, Srinagar, has been arrested on charges of creating communal disharmony.

Rev. Chandra Mani Khanna, the presbyter in charge of All Saints’ Church in Srinagar, was taken from his home last Saturday evening, under the impression he was to meet with the police. He did not return home, and it was then discovered that he had been accused of forcing local people to convert Christianity and kept in custody.

Bishop P.K.Samantaroy, from the Amritsar Diocese, has stated in a release that “the whole Christian community is hurt because the Christian Mission work in the state of Kashmir has been carried out with utmost commitment for the benefit of the majority Muslim population…..it is unfortunate that the long sacrificial ministry of the Church has not been considered while arresting Rev Khanna for allegedly causing communal disharmony.”

He adds that “the Church has to now raise its voice of protest against such discriminatory action of the Jammu & Kashmir administration. Support should be mobilised to exert pressure on the State and Central Governments to release Rev. Khanna immediately.”

We are urged to raise concerns and to appeal for Rev Khanna’s release.

Please join us in praying for Rev. Khanna – for his protection, release and for the relationship between Christians and Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir. In an update this morning, the Bishop has said that they “are hopeful that the bail application will be moved tomorrow and Rev. Khanna will be released.” They call for more support from the church worldwide.

UPDATE 1st December: We have received news this morning that Rev. Khanna has now been released on bail overnight. Please continue to keep this volatile situation in your prayers.

John Barr has prepared information regarding who churches and individuals can write to and what to pray for. Click here to see his full release. Download the release as a resource for your church here.

To read UnitingWorld’s press release, click here.

Sight to the blind, freedom for captives, good news to the poor this Christmas.

UnitingWorld has just launched the Everything in Common Gift Catalogue, your chance to give sight to the blind, freedom for captives and good news to the poor this Christmas.

The Catalogue contains gifts that support the ministry of Uniting Church Partners beyond Australia in the areas of Relief and Development, Peacemaking, Church Solidarity and Experience Volunteers.

For the same amount you might spend on a conventional gift, supporting these projects will allow children to attend school, communities in conflict to talk peace, ministry skills to be shared, families in crisis to reconnect with one another, and water-born disease to be minimised.

Not only does your gift increase the capacity of our partners to respond to poverty and injustice, it makes a statement about your values.  In 2012, more people will die from diseases caused by overconsumption- in all its forms- than from poverty. In choosing a gift from the Catalogue, you choose to say ‘no’ to a society that applauds excess. Instead, in a Uniting Church way, you stand alongside those who believe that Jesus modelled an alternative community based on simplicity, generosity and inclusion.

Gift giving is easier than ever this year, with a revamped catalogue website and a Facebook Mini Shop reflecting a quick-flick version of the catalogue, highlighting some well-known favourites at $10, $20, $35 and $50 price points. Featured gifts include the ever-popular ‘Fatten a Pig’ that provides income generation for families in West Papua and rural Bali and the gift of a school uniform that enables a child from Fiji squatter settlements to attend school. On receipt of your order, attractively presented gift cards related to the gifts ordered will be sent in the mail.

Supporters can purchase individual gifts &/or run an Everything In Common Gift Stall. All it takes is one enthusiastic co-ordinator from your church congregation, who can take receipt of a kit of Catalogues, posters and purchase coupons.  Church members are invited to purchase a gift and will receive a copy of a card to give their loved ones, on the spot. No delays, no difficult paperwork. Head to the Everything in Common gift stall page here or contact Erica Harrison on 02 8267 4449 or ericah@unitingworld.org.au for more details.

*Gifts to Relief and Development and Peacemaking Programs are Tax Deductible.

You can request additional copies of the catalogue by contacting us via info@unitingworld.org.au or you can download a PDF version through the website.

Donations can be made to UnitingWorld:

Web: www.everythingincommon.com.au

Facebook: www.facebook.com/unitingworld

Call 1800 998 122

Via mail PO Box A2266 Sydney South 1235