Would you say Chris Judd is a mighty man?  Perhaps stone-chiselled Clint Eastwood or Barack Obama, President of the world’s most powerful nation fits the ‘mighty’ and ‘manly’ mold for you?  Well, over the Labour Day long weekend I got to hang out with one of the mightiest men I’ve ever met.  Angus Buchan, author of Faith Like Potatoes (great book if you have the chance to read it) was the speaker at the Perth ‘Mighty Men’s Conference 09’ and together with some 2000+ men I was blessed to hear a message from God through this down-to-earth, mighty man of faith.

The experience and fellowship of tenting and sharing meals with around 2000 men at Advent Park was amazing enough, but worshipping together and hearing so many male voices joining together to sing praises to God was truly moving.  The Holy Spirit was tangibly present in the giant meeting tent as men of all ages, denominational backgrounds, and life situations came together with the one goal of submitting themselves openly to God.

Angus shared many personal experiences of where he’s had to trust God in often very public circumstances, and where the outcome of his faith stance carried huge repercussions.  He offered various challenges for men to be more Godly in their relationships and decision-making, and to take responsibility in the home as the God-ordained head of the household.  Stumbling blocks were broken down as men confessed their sins and publicly sought prayer to be freed from addictions and unbelief, and I think we all came away with renewed passion to be faithful servants of our great God.  A particular challenge for me throughout the weekend was that God has given everything for me, so why the heck don’t I trust Him more and live like someone who’s been SAVED!!

Angus Buchan, thankyou for your humility and obedience in walking the path God continues to lay before you.  May we all step up to be people of greater faith.

Justin Hill
Pinjarra SHS Chaplain
South Mandurah Uniting

You are probably already aware that the term PNEUMA refers to one of the networks recognised within the West Australian synod. The letters stand for “Pastoral Network of Evangelicals Uniting in Mission Action.” That’s an awful mouthful, which is why we tend to stay with the acronym. Of course this acronym, PNEUMA, is a play on the Greek word applied to the “Spirit” of God. But each letter also identifies a feature of our network.

We’re a Pastoral Network, because we want to help those people in the Uniting Church in WA whose understanding of Christ our Lord is based on a firm confidence in the reliability of Scripture and Jesus’ reported command to evangelise the world. Many of these same people are mystified by the teachings of some of our leaders which seem to undermine this understanding. It’s built in to our Basis of Union, of course, but whereas many Liberal theologians in the past simply ignored what they found it inconvenient to affirm, there are some today who are openly urging revision of the Basis of Union to accommodate so-called “Progressive” theologies and changing cultural attitudes towards biblical morality.

Evangelicals resist both kinds of deviation. Historic Evangelicalism – as distinct from hysteric American Fundamentalism – continues a strong scholarly tradition of recognising that we are dealing, not with human speculation, but with a revelation from God.Our acronym also emphasises Mission Action because we sense in the UCA a loss of confidence in the call to evangelise. It’s some time, for example, since the word “Evangelism” appeared in program descriptions in Theology. So we want to help each other recover this emphasis in our total view of holistic Christian mission.

The word Uniting in our full title is another word with a double meaning. It reminds us that working together is more effective than working alone. But it also confirms our resolve to be of service to, and within, the Uniting Church. According to statistics, the Uniting Church’s membership is reducing, and ageing, faster than in any other Australian denomination. Many people have become disillusioned with recent decisions by our Assembly, and have voted with their feet. But even more saddening, many promising young people have defected to other faith communities, believing that’s where the action is.

By contrast, we think there are many things that the Uniting Church has got right, and we know there are many people in the pews who pray keenly for moral and spiritual revival. So we’re staying on board, trying to be a useful ginger group, and refusing to believe that God has given the UCA away.

So far, we’ve taken action on a number of fronts. Each year, we’ve had a “PNEUMA in the city” gathering, about May, which has included challenging teaching and good news stories from various churches on mission. Second, we’ve gone bush each September to hold a “CampFIRE” weekend bringing urban and rural members together. We’ve a website which is now attracting responses to its stimulus papers, and a newsletter which appears on a roughly quarterly basis. We’re working on stronger links with indigenous and migrant ethnic congregations, and we’re looking to build up a cohort of youth and young adults on mission.

And there’s our Ministers’ Gatherings over a meal – so far, one each year. The Steering Group’s intention has been to give evangelically minded people in specified ministries an opportunity to see that they’re not alone, and to encourage one another. We’re unapologetic about our evangelical bias, but we’re also eager to welcome all who find this kind of encouragement helpful in their ministry. Feel free, in future gatherings, to invite on our behalf other colleagues in UCA ministry or training who you think will benefit from this kind of interchange.

So far as our publications list is concerned, we still stand at one booklet. You can purchase a copy of “What Does It Mean To Be An Evangelical?” by contacting us through this website.

And if you’ve not previously received a copy of our first Newsletter for this year, which gives the dates for our future gatherings – also contact us with your email details.

The next major function is “PNEUMA in the City”, meeting this year in Beldon Uniting Church on May 13 2009. There will be promotional CDs for our CampFIRE 2009 in September ready for you to obtain at that meeting.

If you’d like to become one of the voting members on whom the Steering Group depends for its legitimacy, please fill in a membership form.

Brian Hill

In response to a request from a member for some guidance on Christian perspectives in regard to the respective claims and counter-claims of Israelis and Palestinians regarding land-rights in Palestine, PNEUMA member Brian Hill prepared an opinion as follows, and feedback is welcome. (more…)

On most days I don’t read the letters to the editor in “The West”.  I find that they tend to publish letters to deliberately inflame or polarize the issues of the day. There is nothing like a good controversy to generate interest and sell more newspapers.  A free press and healthy public debate however is an important aspect of being a democracy.  Occasionally a letter will throw light on an issue and help bring a balanced Christian perspective.  Dave Robinson’s recent letter (11^th November) in the West urging forgiveness rather than revenge is a good example of the need for Christians to be vigilant and not allow sentiments of hatred or prejudice to go unchallenged.  There is a vital ministry for Christians to be engaged in debating the issues of our day. (more…)

Title: Pneuma Ministers Breakfast
Location: The Billabong Uniting Church
Description: An opportunity to meet and encourage each other
Start Time: 07:30
Date: 2009-02-26

Title: CampFIRE 2009
Location: Lake Yealering
Description: An opportunity to gather for bible study, encouragement and prayer.
Start Date: 2009-09-26
Start Time: 16:00
End Date: 2009-09-28

Title: Pneuma Gathering
Location: Beldon Uniting Church
Description: An opportunity to gather for worship and encouragement. Rev Sonny Rajamony (Duncraig) will speak.
Start Time: 19:00
Date: 2009-05-13

Title: Chrysalis Blokes Flight
Location: Swanleigh
Link out: Click here

Description:

Be Renewed, Empowered and Inspired
For Christians aged between 17 and 30 years.
Experience God\’s love in a practical and \’real\’ way

Start Date: 2009-07-17
Start Time: 08:00
End Date: 2009-07-19
End Time: 17:00

Title: Mighty Mens Conference
Location: Advent Park Campground. 345 Kalamunda Road Maida Vale.
Link out: Click here

Description: As you will be aware, one of the greatest needs we have in church life today is finding ways to stimulate and promote spiritual growth and passion for Jesus in the lives of Christian men. While many of our church programs connect well with ladies, they leave men disinterested and bored.

Angus Buchan is a man’s man and his message of passionate dedication to Jesus and practical faith in action inspires and moves men back to Jesus.

We are excited to be bringing Angus back to Perth for the Mighty Men\’s Conference Australia 2009 (MMC-AUS 09) event. he will challenge and confront men with real life issues relating to life, faith and Christian manhood.

Start Date: 2009-02-27
Start Time: 05:00pm
End Date: 2009-03-01
End Time: 11:00am

Faith isn’t a static thing but a journey. And it’s only when you venture outside your comfort zone – both in spirit and in mission – that you become a deeper person inside.

Lake Yealering is a big journey further out for most people. It’s beyond Wickepin, at the headwaters of a river which 200 km later flows through the metropolitan area. And it’s where people drawn from nine country and six metro Uniting Church congregations gathered over the long weekend at the end of September for CampFIRE 2008 to hear Verena Johnston lead us further in to the life of faith.

Verena is spiritual life co-ordinator at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in South Australia. She came to CampFIRE at invitation of PNEUMA, the Pastoral Network of Evangelicals Uniting in Mission Action, a network within the WA Presbytery of the Uniting Church.

Somehow, 29 households produced 30 children and teenagers for the younger program, while their parents and other friends probed into the hang-ups that often prevent us from being spiritually effective activists. Verena took us on an astonishingly frank journey into our inner life and motivations, and sent us out with a clearer sense of mission to people in our world who are at a loss.

In the final evaluation, there was near unanimous enthusiasm to repeat the CampFIRE experience next year, same time, same place. Meanwhile, the next gathering of “PNEUMA in the City” is being planned for May 13 at the Beldon Uniting Church.