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[http://green.wa.uca.org.au/uploads/documents/Green%20Church%20Bible%20Studies.pdf]
[http://www.pfi.org.au/]
[http://www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au/]
[http://www.amnesty.org.au/]
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PeaceChurch
Log
A Brief History of PeaceChurch Activities
Sunday 4th February 2008 - Exploring God's Green World

22 people gathered to engage in exploration and celebration of “God’s Green World.” A mix-up in the advertising of starting time made things interesting. So the program began with an invitation for  people to team up and begin to plan their ideal  garden. By the time all had arrived there were five teams fully engrossed in garden design. Then followed:
  
  • A multimedia contemplation on Psalm 48
  • Biblical reflection on the Creation stories as found in the locally produced Uniting Church resource http://green.wa.uca.org.au/uploads/documents/Green%20Church%20Bible%20Studies.pdf
    Insights from the Creation stories were applied as groups reflected on their own “garden creations.”
  • Steve Mellor presented some personal reflections on Psalm 8 and the call for the church to be fully engaged in “eco-justice.” This included a challenge to theological seminaries and institutions to better equip church leaders not only to participate in environmental discussions at all levels but to provide a leading voice. This evoked some feedback that included
    • The observation and the lament that the Christian position on ecological matters is often misrepresented in academic and significant community leadership circles.
    • Information about the wide range of local community initiatives and enterprises that promote ecological stewardship.
  • Groups were finally invited to identify one environmentally friendly policy direction, immediately and easily applicable, they could urge their church, school, work-place or immediate neighbourhood to undertake.  Good use was made of the Green Church Handbook  freely available from the Social Justice Unit of the Uniting Church in Western Australia. The results:
    • Investigate the use of solar energy for church and community buildings. Initial outlay could be quickly compensated through lower costs and the ability to feed credits into the grid system.
    • Encourage community members to replace use of plastic  bags with recyclable bags. Invest in a supply to hand out as freebies.
    • Audit your cleaning products and replace with simple environmentally friendly applications.
    • Pay attention to church and domestic  gardens. Make them water-wise. Begin a compost process and a worm-farm. If you have space, collaborate with local council to create a mulch heap for community access.
    • Circumstances permitting, commence a raised bed community vegetable garden.
  • The gathering closed with the shared statement of intention in the Green Church Handbook

Sunday 18th November 2008 - Restorative Justice
Welcome & Intro

Reflection        Psalm 33
                        Guided reflection on Luke 19:1-10
                        Reflection on hymn “A Touching Place”

Presentation & Discussion      “What is Restorative Justice” - Steve Mellor
Steve enabled a reflection on restorative justice, particularly as a counterpoint to the issue of capital punishment.
                        (Notes from the PowerPoint presentation are available on request)

Presentation & Discussion      “Where the Rubber hits the Road” – Pastor Rick Milligan
Rick shared from his own experiences as a visitor within the context of WA Prison Fellowship’s ministry with particular emphasis on the Sycamore Tree Project and the Angel Tree Project.

Action Points: 
  • WA Prison Fellowship (www.pfi.org.au )to send further information on its projects and how people interested in volunteer work might become involved. PeaceChurch may facilitate any effort that becomes possible
  • Graham Pilton, an officer with the WA Department of Corrective Services, has left literature illustrating current state government approaches to rehabilitation, particularly through Community Partnerships and the Work Camp scheme. Further information can be found by following the links at www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au
  • Those interested in the work of Amnesty International and its Campaign to Abolish the Death Penalty may subscribe by visiting www.amnesty.org.au (Let us know if you have done so and would like to be put in touch with each other)