TThe Religions for Peace Tasmania Branch gathering for October will be held on Sunday 9 October 2016 from 3.00-4.30pm at the UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay. It is entitled ‘Promoting Equality and Respect: an interfaith collaboration on preventing family violence‘. An introductory presentation to the project will be given by Jill Shanti, who was a member of the Interfaith Working Group of the resource produced by the Greater Dandenong Interfaith Network.
Greetings of peace!
The Religions for Peace Tasmania Branch gathering for October will be held on Sunday 9 October 2016 from 3.00-4.30pm at the UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave, Sandy Bay. It is entitled ‘Promoting Equality and Respect: an interfaith collaboration on preventing family violence‘. An introductory presentation to the project will be given by Jill Shanti, who was a member of the Interfaith Working Group of the resource produced by the Greater Dandenong Interfaith Network. A flier is attached.
As a survivor of family violence and a trained and experienced Community Development Worker, Jill has worked for 20 years to raise awareness in matters of family violence and to empower women and children to create new ways to take control of their own lives, free from fear of violence. Jill has spoken internationally on the topic, in both east and west. In 2013, she was an invited delegate to the Conference of the UN Status of Women, ‘Eradicating Violence Against Women and Young Girls’, where she was a guest speaker and held several workshops.
If you are unable to attend the gathering yourself, perhaps you would consider letting another interested person know about this presentation as this is the only interfaith resource on challenging family violence that we are aware of in Australia.
At present we offer greetings of Shanah Tovah to the Jewish congregation as we are in the midst of the time of the High Holy Days. Rosh Hashana was last Monday 3 October, Saturday 8 Oct is Shabbat Shuva and Wednesday 12 October will be Yom Kippur. Other festivals coming up: 11 October Dussehra (Hinduism), 20 October Conferment of Guruship to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Sikhism), 30 October Diwali (Hinduism), 1 November Birth of the Bab (Baha’i), 2 November Birth of Baha’ullah (Baha’i).
Please note below an invitation to attend a memorial service for Pym Trueman, from Diana Stephens, Pym’s daughter. Many of you will know that Pym was the inspiration and founding member of Religions for Peace Tasmania in 1999. Diana has specially asked that anyone who is intending to join the memorial service, please RSVP to let her know.
Brahma Kumaris:
Jill Shanti will offer a workshop entitled Positive Parenting/Grandparenting at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, 51 Tower Rd, New Town (Cnr Bell St) on Saturday 8 October 2016 from 1.00-5.00pm, including afternoon tea. In a meditative and accepting atmosphere, Jill will share with us effective skills and methods to transform grandparent/parent/child conflicts into managing kids with clarity, consistency, respect and love. The program is free of charge but bookings are required on 6278 3788 or hobart@au.brahmakumaris.org
Pym Trueman
October 12th marks the one year anniversary of the passing of my dear mother, Pym Trueman. In honour of Pym’s memory I am holding a small memorial program. You are most warmly invited to attend this program.
I know some of you were, for various reasons, unable to attend Pym’s funeral last October, so you may like to take this opportunity to come along, celebrate the memory of Pym’s remarkable life, and share your stories with us.
Event Details
Venue: 10 Illira Way, Blackmans Bay
Date: Sunday 16 October 2016
Time: 3:00pm
Followed by a visit, and prayers, at Pym’s graveside in St Luke’s Anglican Cemetery, Longley in Kingborough Community (for those who wish to and weather permitting).
Please call me or send an email to indicate your intention to come along (this will help us with numbers for providing refreshments after the program). Thanks. With warmest regards, Diana Stephens Hobart, Australia Mobile: 0407-306-434
TCC Emergencies Ministry
Hello and greetings from the TCC Emergencies Ministry. Please note that the October 15 course is now full and registrations are closed. The previously advertised link to the online registration page has been disabled. Other details on the program are still available at www.tccem.org.au. Apologies if you missed out this time; there will be another opportunity to register for training in about March 2017.
World Meditation Hour
Join millions of people around the world for an hour of silent meditation for world peace. This will be held at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, 51 Tower Rd, New Town (Cnr Bell St) on Sunday 16 October 2016 from 6.30-7.30pm.
Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre:
Tuesday night sessions at Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre, October
During this month we will be discussing the subject of meditation. While it is important to have a sound knowledge of the Dharma, it is even more important to practice our meditation so that the Dharma becomes real in our lives. We need to learn to meditate with a clear mind, avoiding attachment, and with non-clinging awareness.
This month our leaders will provide you with some useful pointers to assist you with your personal practice.
All are welcome including beginners.
About Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre
Meditation and Discussion 7.30-9 pm, every Tuesday. Entry by $5 suggested donation.
71-3 Liverpool St [Goulds building, down the laneway to the right of the building, in the door between the bamboo pots and up the stairs to the 2nd floor]
email info@hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
website www.hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
Quaker Earthcare Program
My relationship with the earth, my relationship with my community and my relationship with God are all bound up together. What I eat, where it comes from, how I care for my back yard, expresses my relationship with God as much as my attendance at Meeting for Worship on Sunday or my involvement in political actions. Feeding ourselves in a sustainable way is a hugely spiritual and political action.
Sally O’Wheel, Tasmania Regional Meeting, Society of Friends
The AYM Earthcare Committee has produced this Earthcare invitation for all Quakers in Australia called Earthcare Invitation, Consider Soil .
Praying for all the organisms that make up our abundant world, including those unseen within the soil, networking to nourish and support our foods and health; we listen deeply, extending our awareness of life all around us.
At least a quarter of the world’s biodiversity lives underground, the earthworm a giant alongside tiny organisms, bacteria and fungi. These organisms, including
plant roots, drive nutrient cycling, help plants by improving nutrient intake, and support above-ground biodiversity.
We bring our appreciation to this vast aliveness in which we flourish.
We invite you to consider daily practice that also connects with our precious earth: Listening to the Spirit
Download Earthcare Invitation – Consider Soil
Sikh Community
The Sikh Community welcomes visitors to weekly worship at the Gurdwara Nanak Darbar Hobart, 126 Roche’s Beach Rd., Roche’s Beach from 10am on Sundays. The very hospitable community invites everyone to join celebrating God through kirtan (sacred song) and langar (sharing a meal together in the sight of God).
Sukyo Mahikari
A member of the Sukyo Mahikari has purchased a colonial property in Avoca which had a history of deaths of Aboriginal people, convicts, bushrangers, servants and policeman, as well as children. Open Invitation: if any of the Religions for Peace group might be interested in visiting the homestead to offer prayers with us … they would be most welcome. If you are interested in knowing more about this compassionate event, contact Laraine on 0427 647 286.
Hobart Mosque
National Mosque Open Day is an annual Australia-wide event organised by the Lebanese Muslim Association and proudly supported by the Department of Social Services. The event features a number of mosques across the nation simultaneously opening their doors to the public and inviting them to come in and explore their local mosque. Hobart Mosque – 166 Warwick St, West Hobart, will be participating in National Open Mosque Day.
National Mosque Open Day
To learn more about National Open Mosque Day 2016, please click HERE.
World’s largest church life survey extends reach in 2016
The 2016 National Church Life Survey (NCLS) is the world’s largest church life survey and takes place in October and November. It has been conducted every 5 years since 1991 in the same year as the Australian Government National Census. The 2016 NCLS is the sixth wave of the NCLS project. ‘The 2016 NCLS will provide a national snapshot of the Australian church, capturing its social, theological and geographic diversity. This survey extends the reach since the first NCLS which took place 25 years ago. This is the latest wave of the largest and longest-running local church survey in the world’, said Dr Ruth Powell, Director of NCLS Research.
In 2016 more than 400,000 surveys have been ordered by around 3,000 local churches across 21 Christian denominations or movements and they partner with primary sponsors such as Anglicare Sydney, the Uniting Church Synod of NSW and the ACT, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Australian Catholic University. The survey will map the Australian church landscape and track changes over time. It will help church attenders and leaders to reflect on the health and vitality of their local churches. The NCLS Research team, responsible for the comprehensive survey, is an ecumenical group that aims to provide a credible evidence base to help churches build vitality and connect with the wider community.
‘While we ask questions about a wide variety of topics, in 2016 we are particularly interested on how cultural diversity is expressed in local churches. It has been encouraging to see larger orders for surveys across nine different languages,’ said Dr Powell. ‘We also want to learn about innovative practices in churches.’ Another topic for the 2016 NCLS is ministry to children and young people. ‘Many churches are taking advantage of our Child Survey for 8 to 14 year olds. This will be the foundation for the future study of the role of family and church in the spiritual development of children over time,’ explained Dr Powell.
Gaining feedback from churchgoers through survey results may help local churches to take suitable action in their own context. ‘We hope local churches will use the 2016 NCLS as a positive, inclusive process to build for the future’ commented Dr Powell. Insights from the 2016 NCLS will also inform denominational leaders, staff employed by charities and community care agencies, international aid and mission organisations, church schools, social justice advocates, academic colleagues, media, and social commentators.
Further information on the 2016 NCLS, including endorsements from denominational leaders, resources that churches receive and stories of how local churches use the NCLS, are available at 2016.ncls.org.au
Coda: The Unconformity:
The Unconformity, formerly the Queenstown Heritage and Arts Festival, returns to the whimsical country town on Tasmania’s west coast this October with a three-day celebration of the region’s cultural life.
Its name refers to a geological feature, known as the Haulage Unconformity, upon which the town sits, and which was responsible for the mineral wealth that drove the town’s mining fortunes.
Festival Director Travis Tiddy says the aim of The Unconformity is to highlight the off-beat nature of Queenstown and celebrate its spirit of place landscape, which includes high mountains, deep valleys and hills left bare of life due to the town’s former mining industry.
Local, national and international artists will offer a festival that encompasses visual art, contemporary dance, music, sound art and theatre, as well as the chance to visit some unusual former industrial sites and other places around the town that are not normally open to the public.
When: 14 – 16 October 2016
Where: Queenstown, Tasmania
Views of Unconformity: http://theunconformity.com.au/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheUnconformityTAS
In peace,
Terry
Convenor RfP Tasmania Branch
6272 6521
Religions for Peace Tasmania
