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Previous Services
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Reverend Esmond Dowdy
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: Communion from a progressive perspective  
Presentation by Reverend Esmond Dowdy
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Kees Vermey
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: The 'I am' Statements in John's Gospel  
Presentation by Kees Vermey
 
The biblical references are those seven statements recorded in John - 6:35; 8:12; 10:7-9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6 and 15:1-5.
 
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 17 July 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Discussion Moderator: Esmond Dowdy
 
Theme: Covenanting in the Uniting Church – Journeying together under the Covenant: how did we get 'here'? What is it all about? ~ a personal (Second Person) perspective
 
Presentation by Graham Brice, Covenanting Officer, "Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC)"
 
Further Information:
 
Date: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Dr Wendy Young
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: "The Good Samaritan and Us"
 
Further information:
In the April Service, the history of the Samaritans and the Jews was outlined so that we may understand the full force of this Parable. There was insufficient time for the General Discussion and the Closing Hymn. It was decided to continue the Service in May. Some preliminary reading on the web is provided for those who missed the April Service or who need reminding of the main points of the historical presentation in April
 
Preliminary Reading: Samaria and Samaritanism
 
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Dr Alan Branford
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: "The Good Samaritan in Action"
 
Speaker: Dr Alan Branford
 
Further information:
One of the best known parables is that of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). It is clear that our Christian duty is to help the person in distress, rather than to leave them suffering. But the Parable puts us as the Samaritan, giving generous support to the Jew on the roadside. The realization of this puts a whole new level of obligation upon us, but we need to understand who the Samaritans and who the Jews were in the time of Jesus to recognize this. In this presentation, the history of the Samaritans and the Jews will be outlined so that we may understand the full force of this Parable. The presentation will conclude with some examples in contemporary situations.
 
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Reverend Esmond Dowdy
Discussion Moderator: Reverend Esmond Dowdy
 
Theme: "Palm Sunday from a progressive perspective"
 
Speaker: Reverend Esmond Dowdy
 
Further information:
As we approach the Easter season, we will consider the contribution of progressive Christian thought to our understanding of Palm Sunday. Two eminent Progressive Christian writers, Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, have written a book entitled The Last Week, the day-by-day account of Jesus' final week in Jerusalem. In this book, they tell and explain the last week of Jesus' life on earth as given in the gospel according to Mark. Their goal in writing The Last Week is "to retell a story everyone thinks they know too well and most do not seem to know at all".
 
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict: what are the facts? "
 
Speaker: A podcast episode by Rev. Dr Roger Ray
 
Order of Service
Transcript of the podcast episode
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 17 January 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leaders: Dr Wendy Young & Kees Vermey
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: "We are a people of hope. Sources of hope in difficult times."
 
Speakers: Dr Wendy Young & Kees Vermey
 
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: "The Emperor of Ice-cream"
 
Speaker: A podcast episode by Rev. Dr Roger Ray
 
"The Emperor of Ice-cream" is a highly regarded and much debated poem by the American poet, Wallace Stevens, which was published in his first collection of poetry, "Harmonium" (1923). Under its layers of metaphor, the message is that this is the only life that we shall have. There is a rejection of the myths surrounding death and the afterlife. The poem forces realism to take over idealism.
 
Rev. Dr Roger Ray uses the title of the poem as the title of his sermon in which he argues that death is death and there is no afterlife, at least not in any corporeal sense.
 
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Kees Vermey
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: What Christians Can Learn From The Bahá'í Faith
 
Speaker: Tom Price
 
Tom Price (born January 28, 1956) is an Australian and American songwriter, conductor, and musical director best known for his work in choral and orchestral music.
 
Tom Price is a member of the Bahá'í Faith. His widely noted talks on subjects ranging from 'the harmony of science and religion' to 'the transformation of the world', have been presented to diverse audiences across Europe, the USA, New Zealand and Australia.
 
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Reverend Esmond Dowdy
Discussion Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Theme: Celebrating the International Day of Peace, which falls on 21 September
 
Background to the Service:
The International Day of Peace - "Peace Day" - is observed around the world each year on 21 September. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, the General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to "commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples." Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.
Speaker: Jo(sephine) Jordan, who is the SA and NT Regional Meeting Clerk for the Society of Friends, also known as Quakers Australia.
Quakers are known to have an enduring commitment to justice and peace, and it is fitting that Jo will share a little about the Quakers and about their commitment to peace. Jo is a retired secondary English teacher and librarian, and we are delighted that she will be the Guest Presenter for our celebration of the International Day of Peace
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Reverend Esmond Dowdy
Theme: Sacrament of the Ochre (with reference to First Nations Australia)
Speaker: Dr Norm Habel
Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 19 July 2023
WINTER RECESS
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Time: 7:15 p.m.
Location: Coptic Orthodox Church
Theme: Visit to the Coptic Orthodox Church (St Mary and Anba Bishoy Coptic Orthodox Church)
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Gabriel Rivara
Theme: Scripture in Action
Speaker: Dr Alan Branford
Moderator: Dr Wendy Young
 
Alan Branford is a member of Henley-Fulham Uniting Church and is a Features Contributor to the Church's quarterly magazine "Sharing the Love". His Feature each issue is called 'Scripture in Action'. A contemporary scenario, sometimes real, sometimes based on real events, sometimes hypothetical, is introduced. The reader is asked questions such as “What would you do next?” In answering these questions, readers are asked to reflect on how Scripture can inform and influence their response. Later in the magazine, there is a short discussion in which the author presents possible answers and the Scriptural basis for his answers.
 
In the Progressive Service, Dr Branford will talk about the motivation for this Feature and give some examples.
 
Order of Service
Presentation Transcript
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Theme: Easter. An amazing miracle or … ?
Speaker: Rev. John Maddern
Moderator: Wendy Young
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Theme: Reclaiming The Feminine Face of God
Speaker: Rev. Marion Millin
Moderator: Wendy Young
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The HALL of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Theme: Core values of Progressive Christianity Part 2
Speaker: Esmond Dowdy
Moderator: Wendy Young
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Theme: What is Progressive Christianity? Core values of Progressive Christianity Part 1
Speaker: Esmond Dowdy
Moderator: Wendy Young
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Theme: Christmas Stories
Speaker: A podcast episode by Rev. Dr Roger Ray
Moderator: Wendy Young
Order of Service
Podcast Transcript
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Adelaide West Uniting Church
Rev. Professor Vicky Balabanski will deliver the Inaugural Professorial Lecture "Entering the Year of Matthew" at Adelaide West Uniting Church
We shall attend this event in lieu of our previously planned event. The forum to have been run by Neville Stewart will be postponed until 2023
Please see the Professorial Lecture - Year of Matthew Flyer
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 21 September 2022 (postponed from Wednesday, 15 June 2022)
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: TBA
Theme: Black Lives Matter
Speaker: Cheryl Axleby, National Co-chair of Change the Record
Moderator: Wendy Young
Further Information: Click here (172KB pdf document)
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Theme: Where to from here for the church?
Speaker: David Shepherd, Convenor, Uniting Church Environmental Action Group
Moderator: Wendy Young
Order of Service
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 20 July 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Gabriel Rivara
Theme: The Seven Gods of the Bible
Speaker: Emeritus Professor Norm Habel
Moderator: Wendy Young
Further Information: www.normanhabel.com
Order of Service
Handout - "Gods of the Bible"
Questions/Comments on Notice - if you wish to add your own question or comment in advance of the meeting, then please email registrar@aw-pc-group.org. These may be aired in discussion at the Service or followed up by email
 
 
Date: CANCELLED due to illness Wednesday, 15 June 2022
Postponed to Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Theme: Black Lives Matter
Speaker: Cheryl Axleby, National Co-chair of Change the Record
Moderator: Wendy Young
Further Information: Click here (172KB pdf document)
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 18 May 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Kees Vermey
Theme: Voluntary Euthanasia
Presenters: Wendy Young & Judy Johnston
Speaker: Peter Kurti via an ABC audio recording, an episode of the series "The Religion and Ethics Report"
Dying With Dignity
Moderator: Wendy Young
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 20 April 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Theme: The death of Jesus: requirement or consequence?
Presenter: Rev. Dr Greg Elsdon, Minister: Pilgrim Uniting Church
Moderator: Wendy Young
Order of Service
The Death of Jesus- Requirement or Consequence - the speaker's notes provided after the service for our records
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Theme: A Good Friday Meditation
Presenter: Peter Whiting
Moderator: Wendy Young
Order of Service
A Good Friday Meditation
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Kees Vermey
Theme: Inspirational people through the ages
Presenter: Kees Vermey
Moderator: Wendy Young
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Service CANCELLED due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes CoViD-19)
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Kees Vermey
Themes: "Christmas" and "Future ideas for AW-PC Group"
There will be two Christmas discussions, one led by Peter Whiting and the other led by Kees Vermey
Moderator: Wendy Young
There will be an opportunity for participants to make suggestions for the future services and discussions for 2022, led by Esmond Dowdy
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Theme: At this Service we shall revisit Liberation Theology, and respond to questions and comments that arose at the September Service, when Mario Trinidad gave a presentation on 'Theologies of Liberation'. Questions and comments will be shared by several members of the group, and others will be invited to add theirs for the group’s response. We shall further discuss how Liberation Theologies apply in our own lives today.
Discussion Moderator: Wendy Young
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Theme: Theologies of Liberation and their possible implications for following Jesus Christ in Australia today
Presenter: Mario Trinidad
Discussion Moderator: Wendy Young
 
A Brief Biography of the Mario Trinidad:
In my mid-20s I left my native Philippines to work as a Catholic missionary priest in the southern coast of Guatemala among landless farmers and small landowners. After less than two years, I was forced to leave due to death threats from the military and the government. I then worked in a colonia popular (a neighbourhood in a large metropolitan area) in Mexico City, pursued masters studies in theology (Catholic University of America) writing a thesis on the Christology of Leonardo Boff and Jon Sobrino, resigned from the ministerial priesthood and married an Australian. Here in Australia, I did postgraduate studies in social work, assumed leadership roles in government and non-government social services, lectured in social work at Flinders University, and wrote a doctoral dissertation (La Trobe University) on the radicalisation of missionaries in Guatemala. My experience in Guatemala constitutes a defining thread in my personal, spiritual, academic and professional life. Before my retirement at the beginning of this year, I worked in Elizabeth South, South Australia’s most disadvantaged metropolitan suburb, through St Vincent de Paul Society. Again, I have experienced how the poor reveal the Face of Christ.
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 18 August 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Wendy Young
Theme: "Suppose it was like this …" - an essay by Carl Krieg.
A summary of Krieg's narrative about the realities of the life and beliefs of Jesus, his disciples, and those who followed.
Presenter: Kees Vermey
Discussion Moderator: Wendy Young
 
 
Date: CANCELLED Wednesday, 21 July 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Wendy Young
Theme: "Suppose it was like this" - an essay by Carl Krieg.
A summary of Krieg's narrative about the realities of the life and beliefs of Jesus, his disciples, and those who followed.
Presenter: Kees Vermey
Discussion Moderator: Wendy Young
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 19 May 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Theme: Characteristics of a Successful Church: Survey Results and Discussion
Presenter: Peter Whiting
Further Information:
The results of the survey conducted at the last Service will be presented and discussed
 
Order of Service (752KB pdf document)
 
Discussion Paper (128KB pdf document)
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 21 April 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Theme: Characteristics of a Successful Church: Discussion and Survey
Presenter: Peter Whiting
Further Information:
Members will be asked to fill out a short survey on what they regard as important characteristics of a successful church. The May meeting will be a continuation on this theme, during which the survey analysis will be presented
 
Order of Service (808KB pdf document)
 
Successful Church Survey (259KB pdf document)
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Peter Whiting
Theme: Who is this Jesus we venerate at Easter-time?
Presenter: Neville Stewart
Further Information:
On the front cover of the book Rabbi Jesus by Bruce Chilton, we read:
"Interpretations of the life of Jesus have flourished for nearly two millennia ? from the Gospels to scholarly investigations by theologians and historians, to fictional portraits by novelists like Nikos Kazantzakis and Norman Mailer. Despite this long history, a clear and coherent picture of Jesus as a man and a teacher has remained elusive."
In our present lead up to Easter we will think again about our beliefs and images of Jesus, and about our celebration of Easter.
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leaders: Participation by attendees
Theme: Ash Wednesday
Presenter: Esmond Dowdy
Further Information:
 
 
Date: Wednesday, 20 January 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: the Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leaders: Wendy Young and Kees Vermey
Theme: The Virgin Birth: biological fact or valuable myth?
Speaker: John Maddern
Further Information:  
 
Date: CANCELLED Wednesday, 18 November 2020
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: the Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leaders: Wendy Young and Kees Vermey
Theme: The Virgin Birth of Jesus: biological fact or myth?
Speaker: John Maddern
Further Information:  
 
Date: Wednesday, 21 October, 2020
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: the Chapel of the Adelaide West Uniting Church
Worship Leader: Esmond Dowdy
Theme: A regenerative view of God as Creator
Speaker: David Kranz
Further Information: For most of us, our thinking has moved from an "out there" God to an "everywhere" God. This has implications for our understanding of God as Creator. David's presentation creatively and insightfully explored that theme, and can be found on YouTube at https://youtu.be/DNG0i2_06lw
 
 
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Last Update: 12 October 2024