ANZUUA Newsletter
July 2024 |
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Welcome to the ANZUUA Newsletter! This is a regular email newsletter from ANZUUA (The Australia and New Zealand Unitarian Universalist Association). Please subscribe, if you haven't already!! See the subscription box at the end of this newsletter. The subscriber list will not be shared or used for any other purpose. You can unsubscribe at any time with the link at the end of the newsletter. If you received it from your congregation, you will need to contact them directly. You are also welcome to offer items of interest for consideration and inclusion in the newsletter. Thank you for reading! |
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G'day and Kia ora to all our readers, and welcome to the July 2024 newsletter! |
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As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, the interdependent web of all existence, and the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We respect the diversity of religious traditions and spiritual paths that enrich our world, and celebrate the diversity of beliefs and values that enrich our communities. Let us collectively aspire to foster a sense of community, understanding, and compassion that will bring us closer together, inspire us to embrace diversity, and empower us to make a positive impact in our local and global communities. |
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Please join us for the ANZUUA Shared Worship on July 28th All are invited to join by zoom the next ANZUUA service to be led by Revd Rex Hunt and Revd Dr Ralph Catts. The theme will be ‘A Unitarian Response to the Climate Crisis’. During the service the inaugural Green Chalice Awards will be presented. The event is schedules for 11 am Perth time, 12.30 pm for Adelaide, 1 pm in Eastern Australia and 3 pm in New Zealand. Please join fellow Unitarians and Unitarian Universalist from our various fellowships. The zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85799558510?pwd=9arhmWj6x1fnNMIeeKHO8GJp9bEB9b.1 (Meeting ID: 857 9955 8510 Passcode: 492399). |
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ANZUUA Green Chalice Awards - applications close 15 July 2024 Applications are invited from every member of every affiliated church or fellowship for an ANZUUA Green Chalice Award. It takes a couple of minutes to apply. You can apply using the application form at https://www.anzuua.org/file-share/fe867300-bcee-459c-afff-30a9fea9c3ba Note that the awards are not competitive and you can qualify without spending money on energy saving equipment. Please complete the simple application form and return promptly to ralphunitarian@gmail.com Awards will be announced during our ANZUUA service to be held on 28th July 2024. |
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UU Connect Information ANZUUA has established UU Connect as a way to help people engage with Unitarianism whether they are in an area with no local fellowship, or are close to a church/fellowship. The UUConnect.pdf document on the ANZUUA web site fileshare (takes a few seconds to load) includes: Websites Zoom options to services Training opportunities Pastoral care options Retreats Podcasts
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Possibility of a Visiting Minister ANZUUA is preparing a proposal to put to the UK Unitarians to attract a visiting Minister on a sabbatical. Congregations that are interested are urged to make suggestions and seek information by 30 July so that ANZUUA can consider and, if agreed, make a bid for 2025. |
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UUA Adopts a statement of Values The Unitarian Universalist Association of the USA has adopted a statement of values to replace the seven principles. A news release about this decision can be found at https://www.uuworld.org/articles/uua-article-ii-passes-general-assembly-result-unitarian-universalism-bylaws-vote-values-statement. ANZUUA is not a member of the UUA and only one or two of our member congregations are. It is expected the UUA website and supporting material from the UUA will progressively include the new values in place of the current principles. While this doesn't directly impact ANZUUA, the committee will discuss this change and any response required to it in the coming months. If anyone wishes to contribute to the discussion, please advise your interest by email to info@anzuua.org. |
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Theology Course Concludes Four sessions of the ANZUUA sponsored Unitarian Theology course have been completed with one session to go. We have 24 people enrolled and participating. The first and fourth sessions were led by theologian and author, Rev. Dr Paul Rasor, the second session by Rev. Dr. Petr Samojský, Minister of the Prague Unitarian Congregation in the Czech Republic and the third session by PhDr. Kristýna Ledererová Kolajová, chairperson of the Religious Society of Czech Unitarians and the Czech Unitarian Academy. Further ANZUUA Training OpportunitiesWe plan to offering the worship studies course again after Easter 2025. Other course offerings will be advised in coming months, once the current course has concluded. Individuals and affiliated congregations can send suggested topics for additional workshops to our training and development coordinator, ralphunitarian@gmail.com. |
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Our NZ and AUS UU Communities |
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A listing, with links, of the churches and fellowships that make up ANZUUA can be found here: https://www.anzuua.org/findingus. We will share news of a selection of UU communities each month. You are encouraged to send any news from your community that you’d like to share to Lynn at lynnjkelly@gmail.com. |
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Looking for information on listening to one of our services online, or getting pastoral care? Please see the ANZUUA Website, Publications>Fileshare Congregation-Info folder and open the UU Connect pdf document for up-to date information. |
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Auckland Unitarian Church Auckland Unitarians has struggled in the past to maintain and care for our beautiful heritage building that was built in 1903, and lately we’ve had an amazing building committee that have achieved the impossible. This super team of three members, with a combined age of over 200 years, has supervised building renovations, painting and rodent control, and our building is now looking superb. Lately they have been focused on rodent control to protect our unique heritage newly-refurbished stereophonic pipe organ which contains certain components susceptible to rodent attack. They engaged and administered contractors to repair and repaint the eastern wall exterior cladding and window elements as well as replacing the previous rainwater system. This exterior work was funded via a grant of $115,000 from the Lotteries Commission that our fundraising committee obtained. |
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BUUF meet twice a month, on the 2nd Sunday and the 4th Sunday of each month at 10am Queensland time. The service on the 4th Sunday of the month is on Zoom only. We provide Zoom links via email (contact us at info@brisbaneuu.org.au) for all our services mid-week before the service, to allow people who are remote or ill to connect. We encourage all who are able, to attend and help build personal connections and community. We typically have around 10 to 20 people in total attend, some local, some sailing on boats, and some connecting from international locations. |
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Retreat - August There is still availability for additional people to attend our retreat at Springbrook in the Gold Coast Hinterland commencing Friday 16th August in the afternoon and going through to Sunday Afternoon 18th August. We welcome visitors from other UU communities who would like to attend - for details please email info@brisbaneuu.org.au. |
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Taupo UU Fellowship NZ We are looking forward to welcoming US religious studies graduating student, Lauren Casebeer, to join us in August. He has just been awarded a grant to support us in creating a youth outreach program here in Taupo, and he hopes to share his work from our zoom room with our other New Zealand and Australia UU groups. |
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If you would like to receive the ANZUUA newsletter directly please subscribe in the box above. If you know Unitarians or Unitarian Universalists, or others who are interested in our faith and principles, please share this newsletter and invite them to subscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time with the link at the end of each email! |
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