Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 August
Church of the Holy Spirit
247 Wallarah Road Gorokan 2263

Monday 20, Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 August
St Johns
Sturgeon St, Raymond Terrace

For further information contact Robyn Pullin - 02 4961 1557

Download the flyer (PDF 166kb)

Please pray for the leaders and children who will gather at Narrandera 17/18 March to share life and faith and celebrate KCO.

These were the sort of questions we wrestled with:

• As a dad, what would I learn about the reign of God from playgroup?
• Why do people come to Playgroup… and why do they come back?
• Where is God at Playgroup? How can you tell?

After a superb lunch (thanks to the amazing catering efforts of Yvette and her mum), people had the opportunity to choose two workshops, with titles like Music at Playgroup, Grant Writing and Fundraising, Managing Challenging Behaviours, Baby Playgroup, Craft at Playgroup and Evangelism Unpacked it was a hard choice.

Kathy Blazewicz had travelled from Adelaide to share her expertise in music playgroups and baby playgroups. Lots of playgroups had sent a couple of people and so could spread their options. The feedback from participants was encouraging – “Great”, “Wonderful”, “Brilliant”, “Inspirational”, “Practical”, “Thought-Provoking” – and another Playtime Conference is already being planned for 2012.

Download Workshop Notes

Grants and Fundraising – Judyth Roberts

Christian Crafts – Judyth Roberts

Baby Playgroups – Kathryn Blazewicz

Music and Preschoolers – Kathryn Blazewicz

Cromer Uniting Church advertise their quarterly Messy Church events here

Engadine Messy Church had fun celebrating Pentecost with a party

Delicious cup cakes

Fun crafts

High school student Shane, who is 16, is a musician and leader at Messy Church

East Maitland Uniting Messy Church got messy making Pentecost puppets and cakes.

Flame cupcakes and Pentecost puppets

St Andrew’s Uniting Church at South Turramurra is not following the Messy Church formula, but is having great fun connecting with local families in a weekly Friday evening gathering they call Family Fun Church.

Enjoying a story

Sharing a meal

Making a messy invitation to their end of term party

“Christian Playtimes can be such a productive and innovative way to reach out to young families in your community.

This conference will give you effective strategies to help your existing Playtimes become mission focused and help connect you with other Playtime leaders.”

Download the Playtime Conference 2011 brochure

Messy Ministry!

A residential in-service for those who work in children, family, youth ministry, also rural ministry and pastors, lay preachers and resource ministers.

Monday August 15 – Friday August 19 2011 at the Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive North Parramatta.

Keynote speakers Lucy Moore and Duncan Macleod.  Ph: 02 8838 8910

Costs

$300 for 5-day program (includes 5 lunches, 3 dinners, but not including Accom)
$200 for 3-day program (includes 3 lunches, 2 dinners, not Accom)
$80 per single day (includes 3 sessions and lunch)
$40 per single evening (includes dinner)

The live page for Registrations is at:
http://www.elm.org.au/lay-ministry-is-2010/

Messy Church at North Parramatta

Sunday 14th August Kaos Church are hosting an open Messy Church event from 4 – 6pm at the Chapel, Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta

Come and share as Lucy and Paul Moore lead a Messy Church experience, including gathering and creative time, worship and a light meal. Details contact www.elm.org.au Ph: 02 8838 8910

Messy Master Class

Monday 15th 7.30 -9.30pm come and hear Lucy Moore talk about the history and evolution of Messy Church and share insights for Messy church leaders.

Cost $20 (unless registered for residential in-service) Centre for Ministry 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta.  Details contact www.elm.org.au Ph: 02 8838 8910

These ethics classes can happen from Term 1, 2011 but will only happen where there is sufficient interest from the school community and sufficient suitable volunteers to adequately coordinate and teach ethics classes. SRE classes will remain the primary options and ethics classes will only be on offer for those who have ‘opted out’ of SRE. The group responsible for coordinating the ethics curriculum, volunteer training and other administration across the state is ‘Primary Ethics’ a company founded by St James Ethics Centre.

Last week a communication was sent out to primary school principals from Brian Elliot in the Department of Education and Training (DET) outlining what is required in order for a school to include an ethics class as an option for non-SRE students in the SRE time slot in 2011.

Here is a summary of these requirements from the DET.

• The principal of a school must consult with the community if there is interest in ethics classes for next year.
• There must be interest from at least 20 parents and 2 volunteers who are willing to train as ethic class teachers. If there is this sufficient support, the principal contacts the ‘Primary Ethics’ group, established by St James Ethics Centre to deal with queries, coordination and requirements for ethics classes.
• Until any new course material is approved, the only material which can be taught is that which made up the pilot lessons, taking into account the pilot evaluation recommendation to cover each lesson unit over two weeks instead of one. Thus there is 20 weeks of approved course material for ethics classes.
• Currently the Ethics Classes can only be offered to years 5 & 6. However there is plans for a roll out for all primary school age levels in the future.
• The SRE liaison officers will not have responsibility for overseeing/monitoring ethics classes.
• The legislation directs that the ethics classes must take place at the same time as SRE – the timetabling of SRE is negotiated by the SRE providers and ethics providers must accept what has been negotiated by SRE providers.
• The schools most likely to introduce ethics classes in Term 1 are the 10 school involved in the trial and those schools whose P&C has already discussed and voted for ethics classes in their school. See a list of P&Cs which voted in favour of ethics classes (at 15^th Dec 2010).

Below are links to statements and articles from ICCOREIS, the Department of Education and Training, and ‘Primary Ethics’ which contain further information about the ethics classes, the assured place of SRE, and preparations for 2011.

Statement from the Chairperson of ICCOREIS Ann Maree Whenman

http://www.iccoreis.asn.au/news.htm#news1

DET News Articles

Education Act 1990 Ammendment

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/about-us/news-at-det/news/ethics-classes-to-start-in-2011

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/about-us/news-at-det/news/law-ensures-ethics-classes-can-start-in-2011

Further Information from ‘Primary Ethics’

http://www.primaryethics.com.au/principals.html

Engadine UC have formed a team and had a Messy Church on Sunday 28th November at 4pm which went well and has inspired them to continue to plan for another three Messy Church dates next year.

East Maitland UC held their first Messy Church on Sunday 12th December and had a great response with sixty people enjoying a ‘Messy Christmas’ experience. They will continue to have a mid-term Messy Church during 2011 to link more closely with the families from holiday Kids’ Club.

Terrigal UC is the first NSW church to be officially linked to the international Messy Church website Terrigal UC are having a Christmas Messy Church on Saturday 27 November at 6pm.

Engadine UC have formed a team and have a Messy Church on Sunday 28th November at 4pm.

Do you know of any Messy Churches?  If you would like to visit a Messy Church, contact me for further information.

There has been much discussion of late around the trial of ethics classes for students who do not attend Special Religious Education. Now that the 10-week trial has come to a close, we begin the official time of evaluation to assess whether the classes were effective for students and whether the implementation processes were appropriate.

The Uniting Church has been involved in discussion around the trial of ethics classes for many months now and has told Dr Sue Knight at the University of South Australia, the academic responsible for evaluating the trial of ethics classes in New South Wales public schools that it supports the introduction of ethics classes for those who do not attend Special Religious Education.

In this submission John Oldmeadow, Executive Director of the church’s Board of Education said, “ Our support gives priority to the interests of all children, not just those with whom we share faith convictions.”

Mr Oldmeadow said it was important that the church consult widely with stakeholders in revising the relevant sections of current Religious Education Policy and Religious Education Implementation Procedures for the Education Act 1990 to ensure that SRE time continues to be a valued part of school life.

More details about this submission and the Uniting Church submission itself can be accessed through the Synod website or on the links below.

Further Links:

Read the article Church submission supports ethics classes on the Synod Website.

Read the Uniting Church submission to Dr Sue Knight.