November – Religions for Peace Tasmania – Religions for Peace Australia

Religions for Peace Tasmania

The Religions for Peace (Tasmania Branch) gathering will NOT be held on the usual Tuesday.

Instead, there will be a visit to Drasko Dizdar’s Emmaeus monastery at Rhyndaston on Saturday 16 November 2014.

We are having a special treat because there will be a visit to Drasko Dizdar’s Emmaeus monastery at Rhyndaston on Saturday 16 November 2014. We can meet in Hobart at 8.30am (depending on demand) to share transport or at the monastery at 10am. Drasko’s directions are below:

Our address is 60 Osbornes Road Rhyndaston. It’s fairly easy to find us: head for Colebrook, and then follow the map at this link: (maps.google.com link)

Human Rights Week Interfaith gathering:

Religions for Peace Tasmania has been invited by the Human Rights Week Committee to organise the Interfaith Gathering for Human Rights Week. It will be held at the Friends’ Meeting House on Sunday 1 December from 2.30 – 4.00pm. It will be entitled ‘Respecting Refugees’.

Sue Ennis, the National Secretary for Religions for Peace Australian (and Victorian Branch), has recently completed her doctorate on the faith experiences of refugees, is coming over from Melbourne to be our keynote speaker. Mary from the Documentary, ‘Mary Meets Mohammad‘ will also be with us to share her experiences, as will Heetham Hekmat from Iraq. Rev Bob Faser from the Uniting Church, who together with Pym Trueman, originally set RfP up in Tasmania, will be Master of Ceremonies at the gathering for us. We’re also very lucky that Sisongke can come to join us this year, to share the beauty of their music!! Tell your friends!!!

Emergency Ministries Training

vcces

There are still vacancies for Accreditation Training for emergency ministries in Launceston and Ulverstone. Appropriately endorsed individuals (lay or ordained) from any denomination or faith community (Christian or otherwise) are encouraged to apply.

The Launceston sessions will be held on Friday-Saturday, 8th-9th November, at The Manor, 2 Guy Street, Kings Meadows.

The Ulverstone sessions will be held on Monday-Tuesday, 11th-12th November, at Life Christian Church, 19-21 Risby Street, Ulverstone.

Training will be provided by the Emergency Ministries Department of the Victorian Council of Churches, to whom the Tasmanian Council of Churches is grateful for enabling the development of emergency ministries in Tasmania. Register at http://www.vccem.org.au/training/

Christmas Bowl launches

The Hobart launch for the 2013 Christmas Bowl appeal will be held on the grounds of St. David’s Cathedral (the Cathedral Close facing Macquarie Street), on Wednesday, 27th November, at 12 noon. All are warmly encouraged and invited to attend.

A Christmas Bowl launch in Launceston will be held closer to Christmas, in conjunction with the public Christmas Bowl collection in Brisbane Street Mall, on the 19th and 20th of December. More information will be made available as the details are finalised.

Climate Change Action

What: Beat the Heat – a national day of climate action
When: Sunday 17 November
Time and Place:
Sydney, 11am in Prince Alfred Park
Melbourne, 11am at Treasury Place
Brisbane, 10am in Queens Park
Canberra, 11am at Garema Place
Adelaide, 11am in Elder Park
Perth, 11am at Russell Square
Hobart, 12pm at Parliament Gardens
Wear: Bright heatwave coloured clothing: reds, oranges, yellows
Bring: A hat, water bottle and lots of friends! If you can, also bring a banner which shows that people of faith are supporting the effort.

Vegetarian Cooking

Also on 17 November just after the climate change rally, there will be a Program which will include information and demonstration of Vegetarian Cooking for those interested in becoming vegetarians or including more vegetarian meals in their diet. This is one of the easiest ways to help our planet.

This will be held on Sunday 17 November from 2.00-4.30pm at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, 51 Risdon Rd (Cnr of Bell St) New Town.

Bookings 6278 3788 or hobart@au.brahmakumaris.org

Download a flyer for the Vegetarian Cooking Workshop

Pope Francis and the Environment

A point of interest [about Climate Change] is the newly elected Pope Francis. In the recently published biography, ‘Pope Francis: Untying the Knots’, Paul Vallely notes that the Pope is planning a major encyclical on environmental matters. In a move which will drive conservatives to distraction, Pope Francis has asked Leonardo Boff to send him his writings on eco-theology as part of his preparation. Boff was a major figure in the liberation theology movement and his writings were closely scrutinised by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Indeed his book, Church: Charism and Power was the subject of a notification from the Congregation.

In an interview in 2010 Boff noted:

There are regions in the world that have changed so much that they’ve become uninhabitable. That is why there are 60 million displaced persons in Africa and Southeast Asia, which are the most affected by climate change and which emit less carbon. If we don’t stop it, in the next five to seven years there will be as many as 100 million climate refugees, and that is going to create political problems.

It will not be difficult for the Pope to connect this issue with his own very public concerns on the plight of refugees.

Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez de Maradiaga confirmed during a recent visit to Australia that Pope Francis is indeed planning a document on the environment. The Cardinal is chair of the group of eight cardinals chosen by Francis to advise him, and is a strong proponent of action on climate change. A strong and clear statement from Francis on climate change will be heard all around the world. The Pope has proven himself an able and direct communicator and a document from him will be difficult for our political leaders to ignore.

You can read an article on Eureka Street by Neil Ormerod about how the tide is turning on Climate Denial.

Healing Gardens

Thursday 21 November 6-8pm, Dunalley Neighbourhood House

Medicinal plants and our wellbeing are connected with where we live. This workshop will touch on many aspects of this, allow a space to share how our healing process is aided by gardening and look at the importance of finding the balance between natural and man-made environments.

Growing Respect Gardens

Thursday 28 November 10am-2.00pm, Dunalley Neighbourhood House

Growing respect Gardens are happening all over the place. It is with gardens that our connection with our Indigenous flora is found. Aboriginal children will be sharing and cooking bushfoods. Join Kris in this exciting adventure in respect of Country. Contact for both events is 6253 5579.

Out of the Ashes

Exhibition celebrating the resilience of
the people and the community after the bushfires of 2013:

At the present this extraordinary exhibition is on at the Port Arthur Historic Site. (Read a background document from Port Arthur here). From 14 December it will be at the Waterfront Cafe in Dunalley and after that it will tour the state. You can see Kris’ work and the work of many local artists.

Read and Listen to discussion from ABC Hobart on this art exhibition.

Dances of Universal Peace

Music, movement, song and prayer are the universal forms of human expression bringing communities together at times of celebration and enriching everyday life. The Dances of Universal Peace are a profound, cross-cultural way to touch spiritual essence through group meditation. Using sacred phrases, chants, music and movement from the many sacred traditions of the earth, the dances promote peace and integration personally across the globe.