Month: July 2018

Welcome Reverend Scott Finlay

The Service of Induction of our new minister was run by the Presbytery of Port Phillip East on behalf of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Approximately 80 people attended Scott’s induction service  at the church on the afternoon of Sunday 5th August 2018. The service, led by the Rev. Andrew Boyle was recognition of Scott’s appointment and embodied mutual commitments by our congregation, Scott and the Presbytery to further the work of God in our area.  The Rev. Greg Fry, who chaired our Joint Nominating Committee, was the preacher and gave a very pertinent reflection on “Change”.

Members of the congregation were involved through out the service, led off by the Congregational Chairperson: Nick Toovey. A group of people representative of the congregation and reflecting the diversity of the people for whom Scott will have pastoral responsibility did the bible readings and others presented him with a Bible and water, bread and wine and the congregational roll. Many members of Presbytery were present along with representatives from local churches.

The service was followed by a sumptuous and welcoming afternoon tea. It was a very special occasion in the life of our church and a wonderful opportunity to meet Scott and his wife Susan, along with their two sons: Dheran and Kailan.

 >> View photographs of Rev. Scott Finlay’s Service of Induction

Nick Toovey shares a reflection on the time he spent working in Cambodia recently

Have you ever worked with people who inspire you and humble you by their devotion, dedication and commitment to the call they believe God has made on their lives?

Have you ever been in the company of people who have sacrificed their own safety and livelihood in order to rescue children from harm and abuse at the hands of horrible people?

Have you ever known people who are prepared to put up with physical hardship, separation from family, living in a very different culture, a foreign language, dodgy infrastructure and political intimidation?

I had the pleasure of working with, befriending and worshipping with these kinds of people at Hope International School for four weeks last term. The K-12 School of about 220 students and 30 staff provides a first class education to the children of parents who work as teachers at local schools including Hope, evangelists at the local churches, many Christian NGO’s including Samaritan’s Purse and ‘Hard Places’.

“Hard Places” is a community of Khmer volunteers who rescue primary school age girls and some boys from the clutches of paedophiles in Phnom Penh. It was founded twelve years ago by Alli Mellon, an American lady whose four young adopted Khmer children attend Hope. What a lady!

Hope is a School in the north of Phnom Penh with no school uniforms, no bells and whose staff and students come from Korea, US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, Africa as well as Cambodia. The 300 students enrolled at Hope reflect the same cross- cultural mix. The staff talk of teaching TCK- third culture kids. Senior students study the International Baccalaureate while students in years 7-10 follow a Cambridge GSCE curriculum.

Many of the school administrators, maintenance staff, cleaning staff and canteen staff come from support centres which provide employment opportunities for those local Khmer nationals who have experienced social disadvantage.  “Hagar” which runs the popular canteen is one such organisation.

I can recommend teaching at Hope. I was accepted and befriended by the staff, especially those who remembered me from 2017. The respect they showed me was genuine and reassuring.

The year 9 English class I taught were more like year 11 students in appearance, quality of writing and maturity of class discussions. They were typical of Hope classes in terms of their cultural mix.

Soon after I arrived mid- May (with four weeks to complete the academic year) the Danish primary PE teacher needed to return home following the death of his mother in law. The deputy principal, Cheryl asked me whether I could take Kinder, grade 1, 3 and 5 PE classes. How could I say No! It was a great way to expand my CV at the wrong end of my career! I was told that teaching PE at this level is like herding cats.

Amongst the supportive expat staff, most of whom who live in several gated communities or “boreys”, NRL is huge and AFL is pretty popular too.

If you are thinking of taking up this opportunity to teach at Hope for a short term stint or longer, please speak to me. I wish I had done something like this years ago.

All they ask for is our prayers.

Let us pray:                

NICK TOOVEY

The Uniting Winter SHARE Appeal 2018 is on during the month of July.

It’s a great way for all of us to support local families and children who are homeless or in crisis.
Donations help people who urgently need emergency relief – our gifts will make a real difference and go towards things such as food, clothing, medical help and crisis houseing.

You can pick up an appeal brochure at the church to read about Naomi’s story and how the family have been helped because of donations made by people like us, or read the article at the link below.

>>>> https://shareappeal.org.au/appeal/uniting-winter-appeal/

There are four ways to donate:

1. Pick up a brochure from the pews
2. Send your donation to:
   Uniting Winter Share Appeal
   Reply Paid 85995
   A’Beckett Street, Vic, 8006
3. Online: vt.uniting.org/winterappeal
4. Call 1800 668 426

 

 

 

 

Nicky Toovey Letter to the Editor about the Thai Soccer Team

Published Tuesday 10th July in Melbourne’s “The Age” Newspaper

Friday 6th July 2018

In response to the dangerous, frightening and terribly uncertain situation currently being experienced by the 12 Thai soccer boys and their coach, we held an impromptu Prayer vigil at the Church on Friday afternoon, 6th July. Candles were lit for each boy and their coach as we gathered in the stillness, offering our own silent prayers for their safety and rescue.

Whether as parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, youth leaders or fellow teenagers, we can all relate to the plight of those trapped in the caves. We feel the anguish and fear of the parents, hanging on every word from the authorities, feeling so helpless. We feel the weight of expectation on the shoulders of the many rescuers.

There is power in the stillness of a prayer vigil. May God strengthen the resolve of the boys to survive this horrific ordeal and strengthen the efforts of the rescuers to bring the boys home safely.

Nick Toovey