In this time of COVID and beyond, where we are told not to touch our own body, not to visit our beloved ones even when they are in hospital, not to bury our beloved once even when we know deep in our hurt that we will never see them again, life is becoming a solid war zone. In such a brutal time, the only way to have a peaceful life is to posses hope deep inside our heart.
News
Auburn Gallipoli Mosque granted coronavirus exemption for 400 people to celebrate Eid-al-Adha
Auburn Gallipoli Mosque has been granted an exemption to hold Eid-al-Adha prayers. NSW Health said exemptions were only granted in “exceptional circumstances”. It said the mosque had a thorough COVID-19 Safety Plan. The mosque will split attendees into four areas, with no more than 100 in each.
Victoria: Chief Health Officer gives Eid-al-Adha greetings
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Brett Sutton, gives Eid-al-Adha greetings and advice on celebrations, with Arabic subtitles.
National Day of Prayer – Sunday 2 August 2020
Out of concern for the pandemic, the National Council of Churches in Australia calls for a National Day of Prayer for the Pandemic and asks that all pray on Sunday 2nd August 2020. A prayer is given for use.
Prime Minister’s Message for Eid al Adha 2020
Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP gives one message to Australia’s Muslims on occasion of this time of social distancing and Islamic religious celebration, a festival by name Eid-al-Adha.
Vatican allegedly hacked by China
An American cybersecurity company says Chinese hackers breached the Vatican’s computer network to spy on confidential church dealings ahead of negotiations with Beijing.
Lockdown: Yeshiva Community, St Kilda
In Australia, religious communities were one part of society expressly impacted by the ‘lockdown’ directives introduced to stem the spread of the virus. On 29 March all places of religious worship were effectively closed by the restrictions that limited non-essential indoor gatherings to two people. In Victoria, lockdown came again on 9th of July, with border closures. Here, we look to faith community experiences in time of lockdown. On this page, we look to the experience of the Jewish members of the Yeshiva community of St Kilda, Victoria.
Interfaith service for nuclear disarmament
Thursday the 6th of August marks 75 years since the nuclear attack on Hiroshima in 1945. By the end of that year, Hiroshima and Nagasaki suffered more than 200,000 deaths and countless injuries. The impacts of those two explosions are still felt today, with many survivors requiring ongoing medical care.
Join the Uniting Church in Australia, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, the Hindu Council of Australia, the Australian Baháʼí Community, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, the Buddhist Council of NSW, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Pacific Conference of Churches and more to commemorate the Hiroshima anniversary. We will come together on Zoom, from our homes, at 6-6:45 on Thursday 6th August.
Prayers from seven faith traditions will be shared.
Young People and Mental Health
On 12 August, the World Council of Churches (WCC) will celebrate Ecumenical International Youth Day with the theme “Young People and Mental Health.” A worship celebration with expert speakers, music, prayer and Bible studies is being planned, and a “toolkit” is being released before the event to help WCC member churches provide a safe space for youth to strengthen their mental health.
Dalai Lama: Good Heart
A good heart is the source of all happiness, says His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and we can all be good-hearted with some effort. But better still, he says, is to have bodhichitta — a good heart imbued with wisdom.
Hagia Sophia: Former Istanbul museum welcomes Muslim worshippers
Friday prayers are being held at the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul for the first time since it was turned into a museum 85 years ago.
Only about 1,000 people are being allowed inside at any one time because of the coronavirus.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was among the worshippers.
A large screen and speakers were set up outside to broadcast proceedings to the large crowds gathered outside. The Governor of Instanbul ordered the mosque remain open until Saturday to allow worshippers to complete their prayers.
Climate Pastoral Care Conference – 2020
The unprecedented bushfires experienced around Australia, and particularly in NSW & the ACT, over spring and summer 2019/2020 further emphasized the need for climate pastoral care, and the idea of climate anxiety became newly concrete for many people as they faced the smoke and other impacts of the fires for themselves.
In June 2020, Common Grace and the Five Leaf Eco-Awards joined Uniting Earth as co-sponsors, and the conference was renamed the ‘Climate Pastoral Care Conference: Christian training in Care, Communication & Action’, to welcome greater ecumenical participation.
We are excited to gather online this year, and for the opportunities this offers for church leaders and interested parties from all around Australia and New Zealand to attend.
