Presenting the 2021 edition of CSU Magazine! A collection of creative works by members of Christian Students Uniting

Dear friends,

If you can’t fly, then run.

If you can’t run, then walk.

If you can’t walk, then crawl,

but by all means, keep moving.

Martin Luther King Jr.

 There seems so much excitement around as NSW begins to loosen restrictions and allow some greater freedoms for people. There is also a lot of anxiety and fear, as well as some people wondering what all the fuss is about. As I read the news, I see articles about “Freedom Day,” and “what it will look like when Sydney emerges from lockdown,” and so on. Reading deeper, it doesn’t take much time before it becomes apparent that people view “freedom” very differently. For some, it is all tied up in ‘what I can do,’ and for others, it seems to be more about ‘how do we navigate this new post-pandemic landscape together.’ For many it will be a mixture of both, and probably much more.

The Life and Witness Consultation provides an opportunity for the congregation to:

• Clarify their sense of identity
• Renew their understanding of context in which they work
• Reflect on and evaluate their direction and missional goals
• Identify their leadership needs, and other resources, that might be needed over the next five years
• Assist with the deployment of resources, and the implementation of missional goals

To register for this training, please email: [email protected] 

Rev. Kent Crawford interviews the CEOs of Parish Missions across the Synod to discover how they have operated during the pandemic, how their work and ministry has been affected and the way forward.

As we look around us, in this time of COVID pandemic, we see a fearful and divided community. I believe we are called as a Church to speak into this fear and division, words and actions of love, peace and healing.

Dear friends,

“I don’t think he knows what mood he’s in today. It’s been a roller coaster.”

Message from my son about his (3 1/2 year old) dog this week.

I think it sums up what I’m hearing from a lot of people about how they are feeling at the moment. I’m sensing a lot of confusion - in one minute we might be angry that things are so messed up, and the next minute we might celebrate something new that we have had to learn to accomplish. One moment we might be pleased that we can stay at home to work (well, I don’t have to get out of my Ugg boots, and I can hang out the washing between meetings and tasks) and the next moment we are lamenting the lack of socialisation.

Dear friends,

It’s not my dog, I don’t have to take it for a walk.

Just before I went on leave recently, a colleague shared this saying with me. I am quite sure this colleague did not realise the impact it would have on me, and how often I would repeat it as a kind of mantra. I certainly didn’t expect that to be so when I frantically wrote it down “just in case I forgot it later.”

On the wall near the café in Wesley Mission at 220 Pitt Street Sydney, you can read the following words attributed to John Wesley:

Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.

How do we do this 300 years post John Wesley’s plea? How can you make that difference in your own corner of the world, when you are dealing with your own issues, looking after family, juggling work and caring roles, and at times struggling with your own mental health issues that can strike any of us at any time?

Join Jon Owen and Graham Long for an intimate conversation 
Wed 28 October, 7:00pm – 8:15pm {online} 

COVID-19 has seen the world isolate in a way we could have never imagined.  

Even though we have come out of lockdown across most of Australia, we are now living in a socially distanced world where we have little to no certainty of our future.  

In many ways we are being forced to re-evaluate our lives and our values.   

Wayside Chapel has always maintained its place in the world based on its strong sense of mission and vision. You are invited to join us online from the comfort of your own home for an exclusive conversation with Pastor and CEO Jon Owen and Pastor Emeritus Rev Graham Long, to talk about how we can find strength and meaning during these uncertain and challenging times.

The SYDNEY PRESBYTERY – VALUES AND CULTURE resources were created to help all consultative committees and councils be clearer about their ministry and work together with congregations, agencies, ministers and other leaders. We hope that this tool will be used across the Presbytery to help guide our mission planning, consultation work, Presbytery deliberations and in the variety of processes we undertake in the course of our ministry and mission; and often as we seek to discern call and align with the leading of the Spirit in making decisions together.

The SYDNEY PRESBYTERY – VALUES AND CULTURE resources were created to help all consultative committees and councils be clearer about their ministry and work together with congregations, agencies, ministers and other leaders. We hope that this tool will be used across the Presbytery to help guide our mission planning, consultation work, Presbytery deliberations and in the variety of processes we undertake in the course of our ministry and mission; and often as we seek to discern call and align with the leading of the Spirit in making decisions together.

Downloads:

The Values and Culture documents and Power Point presentation below have been created for you to use with your congregations, committees, councils and ministry teams. Members of the PRC are available to unpack this tool with you, and to assist you in applying it in the context of your local ministry and mission.

Values & Culture One Pager

Values & Culture PPT

Values & Culture PDF

VITAL LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY

Download the Vital leadership Directory

Dear friends, 

Congregation member: “I didn’t get anything out of worship today, Pastor.”

Minister: “That’s ok. We weren’t worshiping you.”

A meme from Facebook

Unbelievably we are heading into October! In so many ways this feels like it has been a long year already, and yet I find I am surprised that it is so late in the year. In some of our Congregations, thoughts are turning toward Christmas and how we will celebrate again the coming of the Christ Child. Already we know that it is going to be different this year.

Check out the first edition of CSU MAGAZINE! CSU reflects on keeping faith, doing justice & building community during COVID. The e-mag features interviews, articles, reflections & more.