The Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage

The Wellspring and Iona Communities have endorsed the world-wide Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage and are encouraging their members and friends to participate. This Lenten Pilgrimage is a meditative entering into the suffering of the people of Palestine. Each step is a bodily prayer and a protest for every-life taken since October 7th, 2023, whether Israeli or Palestinian. You can read all about it here https://www.gazaceasefirepilgrimage.com/ 

There are 1,200 steps to a kilometre. Currently 1,200 Israelis have died (1 kilometre) and 23,332 Palestinians (19 kilometres). As momentum grows so do creative ways of doing this pilgrimage: by foot, wheelchair, bikes, and horses. Some plan to spend their daily walk in silent prayer, others are following a trail the size of Gaza in their city. Some have set up "Go fund me" pages so sponsors can donate to the needs in Gaza. Wellspring is suggesting making donations to Médecins Sans Frontières here https://donations.msf.org.au/donate-now or Palestinian Christians in Australia here https://palestinianchristians.org.au/give/

The Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage webpage has excellent detailed instructions on how to go about creating a group pilgrimage https://www.gazaceasefirepilgrimage.com/  and we really encourage you to get on board. Pilgrimages can be planned for any time between the 14th Feb and the end of Orthodox Lent 4th May 2024.  

We would be over the moon if you could send our Communications Office, Fiona Green, any photos you take of your pilgrimage for her to share. If you post directly to your own Instagram or Facebook accounts, please use the hashtag #wellspringgazaceasefirepilgrimage

Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage - Iona Community Comment

What is a Pilgrimage?

A pilgrimage is a sacred journey, a prayer with one’s body – be it by foot, or wheelchair, or on an animal – to a destination with the desire is to turn one’s heart to God, and share in God’s heart for all of creation, particularly the vulnerable.

Is this a protest?

Yes. There are many ways to protest. And this moment calls for a diversity of tactics. But to be clear, the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage is a meditative entering into the suffering of what the people of Palestine are experiencing. Each step is a prayer for every life taken since the occupation has re-entered the news cycle after the horror of October 7th 2023. This includes the 1,200 Israeli lives, a step for each of their lives means walking a kilometre, or just over half a mile (0.622 miles). And as of writing, 23,000 Palestinians in Gaza and 332 in the West Bank that have been murdered. A step for each of these lives means walking 17.7 or 11 miles.

 What is your intention?

Our prayer is that this Lent as we meditate on the life and passion of Jesus, we might deepen our solidarity with what our Palestinian sisters and brothers are experiencing daily. We are committed to taking seriously the body of Christ in Palestine’s costly testimony to the truth of what is happening. Like Israeli human rights organisations and Jewish peace groups, we too want to accurately name what Palestinians are undergoing as fitting the legal definition of apartheid and military occupation. We heed the wisdom of experts who overwhelmingly identify genocidal intent in the ongoing war against Gaza and we are committed to its prevention. As Jesus teaches, we are seeking to “simply let our yes mean yes” and speak plainly the truth. We do so following the lead of so many Palestinians, including Palestinian Christians who have been on the forefront of the nonviolent movement, in calling for an enduring ceasefire and an end to occupation so a healing peace can finally begin.

What do you want?

1. Enduring and Sustained Ceasefire.

2. Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.

3. Release of all hostages – both the Israeli hostages held by Hamas – and the Palestinian hostages held in the Israeli prison system.

4. End of occupation so a just-peace can begin.

PRAYER

God, who at Calvary, reveals the meek have begun to inherit the earth

Anoint us again with your Holy Spirit that those of us who claim to abide in you

may walk as Jesus walked.  Fit our feet with the Gospel of peace

as we labour for healing justice.  Bring your reign and deliver us from cowardice, and

Immobilising despair for the sake of your Son our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.

Wellspring Community Statements on Israel/Palestine November 2023

In view of the horrific situation unfolding in Gaza, Wellspring Council is asking all Wellspring members to consider the issues prayerfully and to take action by contacting their local members, encouraging vigorous action by Australia’s politicians towards a ceasefire and progress towards a just peace.

The first document is a response prepared for Wellspring by member Doug Hewitt, our Interfaith and Ecumenical contact person. The second document is from the World Council of Churches. We invite you to read, reflect, pray and act.

Wellspring Community Position Statement on Israel/Palestine November 2023

This statement by the Wellspring Community is a response to the extreme and accelerating urgency of the current threat to both Palestinians and Israelis, and the cry for support which has come from Palestinian Christians, calling us to continuing prayers and renewed action. Through this statement we hope to encourage Wellspring Community members to develop a deeper awareness and public activism which promotes a just future for all in Palestine and Israel. We are reminded that there is still a vibrant Christian presence in the Holy Land, despite many leaving to escape the violence.

An Appeal for Peace

The prophet Isaiah had a vision for a future of peace: “They shall not learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2: 4. Wellspring Community condemns the actions by Hamas with their use of indiscriminate violence, and we endorse the international call for the safe release of all civilian hostages. We fail to see however, the murder of innocent civilians at the hands of the State of Israel as being any less violent. For world leaders to only denounce the actions of Hamas while affirming the right of Israel to do whatever it takes to feel safe is in contravention of international law.

Current Context

This year, 2023, is the 75th anniversary of the what all Palestinians call “the Nakba” (the catastrophe). When the state of Israel was being established (1947-1949), about 750,000 Palestinians were dispossessed and displaced. Many became refugees, thousands were killed and some 500 villages razed. This process of forced surrender of land, houses and income has continued ever since. During the 2020’s the situation has been deteriorating rapidly, with increasing attacks with impunity on Palestinian women, men and children, their property and land. Many, who cannot live with violence have left the land of their ancestors, with Australia being one destination, and our cities have a growing Palestinian diaspora. Those Palestinians who remain in their homeland, exist under an occupation which is in contravention of international law, in what amounts to apartheid (see reports from Israeli Human Rights Groups B’Tselem and Yesh Din, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch) in an Israeli dominated single state from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean. The long-held promise of a two-state solution remains a dream.

We recall that Hamas was formed in 1987, with the collusion of Israel and the US, to counter the then problems they had with the Palestinian Authority, and the Western commentary often cited is that the Hamas goal is to ‘destroy Israel’. What is rarely reported is that since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Israeli leadership has repeatedly stated their intention is to remove Palestinians from the land. David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of the new State of Israel declared: “It must be clear that there is no room in the country for both peoples...the only solution is a land of Israel...without Arabs. There is no room here for compromise.” The current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in January 2023 continued this call saying: “The Jewish people have an exclusive right and unquestionable right to all areas of the Land of Israel. The government will promote and develop settlements in all parts of the Land of Israel – in Galilee, the Negev, the Golan, Judea, and Samaria.”(Palestine). It is clear that the policies and tactics deployed these past 75 years by Israel toward Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories, attest that a land with as few Palestinians on it has always been Israel’s goal.

Regrettably, many western Christians across wide denominational and theological spectra, adopt Zionist theologies and interpretations that justify war, making them complicit in Israel’s violence and oppression. We must oppose any theology or use of Scripture to justify privilege and discrimination, as being contrary to the teaching of Jesus.

A recent letter from Christians in Palestine to International Church Leaders begins with the text:

“Learn to do right; seek justice; defend the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17). The letter says in part:

“Time and again, we are reminded that western attitudes towards Palestine-Israel suffer from a glaring double standard that humanizes Israeli Jews while insisting on dehumanizing Palestinians and whitewashing their suffering. This is evident in general attitudes towards Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip that have killed thousands of Palestinians ... and the killing of more than 300 Palestinians including 38 children in the West Bank this year before this recent escalation.” From an Open Letter to Western Church Leaders, 20 October 2023.

In response, we must acknowledge that the terrifying violence that currently is occurring, not only in Gaza, but in Israel and throughout the West Bank, is of grave concern. We express deep horror and sadness at the human tragedy in both Palestine and in Israel, and believe that all violence is abhorrent: the deaths of Israelis, the abduction of civilians, and the merciless denial of access to basic human needs to Gazans. This includes the deplorable bombing in Gaza of medical facilities, places of worship, schools and other essential services, leaving in the wake many thousands of civilians dead, including over 3500 children, and rendering over one million people homeless.

As horrifying as this spiralling violence is, there is a primary violence that is its cause. For 75 years, Palestinians have been the victims of injustice, dispossession and dehumanising discrimination. Since 1967, they have been under aggressive military occupation, with increasing colonisation of their land and daily denial of their rights; and Palestinian Christians and churches have endured increasing restrictions, especially during their liturgical festivals. For the past 16 years, Gaza has been under a crippling air, land and sea blockade causing unbearable despair. It is incomprehensible how 2 million people could continue to live, caged in an area half the size of Canberra, with no available avenue to travel except through obtaining permits from Israel or Egypt. They are not free to develop any industry to support their economy, or to trade with the outside world, to have access to sustained safe drinking water and electricity, to be able to realise hopes and dreams of a future. Out of this oppression comes anger and despair.

The UN Rapporteur on Palestine, the Italian international law expert, Ms Francesca Albanese, appointed to the role in May 2022, said the residents of Gaza have “been living for 16 years in a cage, deprived of most goods” with shocking rates of child mortality and depression. She said young Palestinians were “fed up” because whatever form of resistance Palestinians have chosen has always been portrayed as terrorism, and had no realistic hope of achieving statehood. “Violence breeds violence, and this is what we have seen here,” she said of the October 7 attacks.

Conclusion from the Open Letter from Palestinian Christians:

“Finally, as Palestinian Christians, we also continue to find our courage and consolation in the God who dwells with those of a contrite and humble spirit (Isaiah 57:15). We find courage in the solidarity we receive from the crucified Christ, and we find hope in the empty tomb. We are also encouraged and empowered by the costly solidarity and support of many churches and grassroots faith movements around the world, challenging the dominance of ideologies of power and supremacy. We are steadfast in our hope, resilient in our witness, and continue to be committed to the Gospel of faith, hope, and love, in the face of tyranny and darkness. We believe in God, good and just. We believe that God’s goodness will finally triumph over the evil of hate and of death that still persist in our land. We will see here ‘a new land’ and ‘a new human being,’ capable of rising up in the spirit to love each one of his or her brothers and sisters” (quoted from Kairos Palestine Statement).

Recommendations to Wellspring Council re Statement on Israel and Palestine.

That the Wellspring Community:

1. Adopts the Statement on Israel and Palestine presented to its Council meeting on 15 November 2023

   and recommends it to all members for their study.

2. Notes the World Council of Churches Statement of 13 November 2023, with its list of recommendations

   for action by church members and the wider international community.

3. Calls on our Government to advocate for an immediate ceasefire and for international efforts to achieve the release of hostages and an end the current aggression by all parties. This involves protection of all residents of the Occupied Territories, and restoration of access to basic human needs for the people of Gaza.

4. Urges the Australian Government to recognise the history of primary violence causing this conflict and to work constructively with the UN and other countries for the dismantling of the underlying causes of war.

5. As Christians, we affirm the fundamental Biblical truth that every life is of intrinsic value and that there can be no peace without justice. We join with the leaders of Christian Churches in the Holy Land to pray for the UN and others who seek to broker a ceasefire and for all who work for justice and reconciliation.

Statement From the World Council of Churches on

War in Palestine and Israel

A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. (Jeremiah 31:15)

We look to the Holy Land with a heavy heart, for all the death, destruction and trauma being inflicted on the people of the land. We listen to the cries of innocent children, women and men, who suffer so grievously and unjustly from this brutal violence. We lament with all who suffer – Israelis bereaved, held hostage or otherwise affected by the attacks on 7 October, the people of Gaza displaced from their homes, grieving for loved ones buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings, and enduring continuous intense bombardment.

We yearn for peace and for justice, for an end to the seemingly endless cycle of violence and suffering, and for its fundamental root causes to be addressed. We lament the abject failure of the international community and of political leaders in the region who did not persist in the search for a sustainable peace founded on justice and mutual respect for the equal human dignity and rights of all, and who kept the cycle of violence turning. As we stand on this precipice of morality and faith, we pray for peace, for justice, for wisdom, for understanding, and for restoration of our humanity.

The World Council of Churches joins in the international shock and outrage at the brutal attacks on Israeli communities by Hamas militants on 7 October 2023. We condemn the attacks on civilians, the killing of so many innocent children, women and men, as well as the taking of hostages and the use of civilians as human shields.

Examining the current situation in Gaza, under attack from Israeli armed forces, the WCC together with the churches of the region are outraged by and condemn Israel’s disproportionate retaliation. We have seen the indiscriminate targeting of civilians, hospitals, churches and mosques by Israeli forces. The death toll has surpassed 11,000 - over two thirds of them children and women - and the number of injured 37,000. Attacks on churches and their institutions, including shelters for displaced civilians – especially children and women who have lost their homes due to Israeli airstrikes on residential areas since the war began – are totally unacceptable.

Additionally, in the West Bank – from where participants in WCC’s Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) were evacuated in mid-October due to the war and the closure of the West Bank – we are witnessing unprecedented high levels of violence from the occupation, against Palestinian civilians, schools and communities by both settlers and Israeli armed forces, and closure of access to all Palestinian villages.

The executive committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on 8-14 November 2023, lifts up before our loving and merciful God the suffering and traumatized people in the land of Jesus Christ’s birth. We highlight the lifelong and potentially inter-generational consequences of the terrible trauma that children in both Palestine and Israel are experiencing. We lament that the heads of churches in Jerusalem, due to the current circumstances of the war, concluded that they had to cancel the celebrations of Advent and Christmas. We pray for peace in the land, a sustainable and just peace founded at last on recognition and respect for the God-given human dignity and equal human rights of all people – Israelis and Palestinians, Jews, Muslims and Christians alike – rather than a false ‘peace’ imposed by occupation and force of arms which cannot and should not be sustained.

The executive committee:

Appeals for respect by all parties for the God-given life and dignity of every human being.

Further appeals for respect for the principles of international humanitarian law, especially for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure – including hospitals (such as the al-Ahli, al-Shifa, and al-Quds hospitals), places of worship and holy sites (such as the St. Porphyrios Greek Orthodox Church), and UN premises – and calls for full and impartial legal accountability for all violations of these principles by whomsoever committed.

Demands the immediate unconditional release and safe return of all hostages.

Demands an immediate ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors, and calls for guarantees of the unimpeded distribution and delivery of vital humanitarian assistance, including water, food, medical supplies and fuel, and the reinstatement of electricity and internet services in Gaza.

Urges the UN and relevant authorities to investigate all war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law committed from 7 October 2023 until the end of the war, where truth must prevail and accountability must be ensured so that such crimes may not happen again and again.

Implores the UN Security Council to overcome the obstructive partisanship that is preventing it from fulfilling its responsibilities in relation to the current conflict in accordance with the principles of international law, including in relation to the need for a humanitarian ceasefire.

Refutes all those who seek to portray the current conflict in religious terms, misusing scripture to justify violence, killing, cruelty and oppression; we reject and denounce all such efforts to distract from the root causes of the conflict in the region.

Stresses its grave concern about the proliferation of hateful acts and expressions of antisemitism and of hatred of Arabs and Muslims in the region and the wider world, against the background of the current violence. In light of attacks on Jews all over the world who are falsely held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government we reiterate the executive committee’s acknowledgement one year ago of “the legitimate fears of Jewish people around the world of the shortness of the trajectory from antisemitic attitudes and hate speech to genocide” and its reaffirmation of “the categorical denunciation by the WCC’s founding assembly in Amsterdam of antisemitism as sin against God and humanity."

Rejects any attempts to transfer Palestinians outside Gaza, permanently or temporarily.

Urges all members of the international community to re-engage in active and sustained support of efforts for a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, based upon an end to the illegal occupation and to the siege of Gaza, recognition of the equal human rights of all, and the applicable principles of international law. Without this, peace cannot be sustained and the recurrent cycle of violence is tragically likely to continue.

Reiterates the WCC 11th Assembly’s categorical condemnation all such deadly and destructive violence whether perpetrated by Israeli forces or by Palestinian armed groups, which only perpetuates the cycle of violence, and reaffirms the Assembly’s observation that the situation in the region cannot ultimately be resolved by violence but only by peaceful means in accordance with international law.

Expresses the worldwide ecumenical movement’s profound solidarity with all the people of the region, in the midst of the current violent upheavals and uncertainty for the safety and security of their communities.

Invites all member churches and ecumenical partners, together with all people of good will, to pray for peace, and to actively support the ministries of the churches of the region and ecumenical and interfaith initiatives for justice, peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.

Document source: www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/statement-on-the-war-in-palestine-and-israel

Uluru Statement of the Heart & Wellspring Community

A comment from our members whose ancestors have been in this land for countless years and those who have come more recently.

Click here to read

VIEW CELTIC CONNECTION 2 “WHERE DO WE BELONG?”

Celtic Connection 2.  “Where do we belong?”   June 27 2023   7.30 – 9pm BST 

Scotland’s islands, and indeed the islands of these four nations, evoke the sense of ‘a thin place’, where ‘the veil between things material and things spiritual is as thin as gossamer’ (George MacLeod). What is the politics of land, of Earth? What is the language of ‘ownership’ and ‘stewardship’ that reflects a right relationship with all of God’s creation? 

See Ruth Harvey in conversation with Sarah Hills (Vicar of St. Mary’s Church, Lindisfarne, the Holy Island) and Trevor Williams (Bishop in the Church of Ireland, and past Leader of the Corrymeela Community).

The seminar was live streamed but is now available to watch here.

Response to the Liberals decision to campaign for the no vote on The Voice

Attached below is a media release from Brooke Prentis, Lisa Wriley and Joy Connor in response to the Liberal party’s decision to campaign against The Voice. Feel free to share it with your own MP’s, the PM, church or local media and any other people you feel would benefit. There has been silence in the media from churches and faith groups on this issue and Wellspring's voice will be an encouragement to many. (10 April 2023)

Read the media release here

THE CELTIC CONNECTION

The Celtic Connection is a series of conversations throughout 2023 from the Iona Community. Ruth Harvey will reflect and discuss care for Creation through the weaving of big questions with thinkers, theologians, artists and activists.

Recordings will be made of all sessions and will be available to view a few days after each event. Click on WATCH HERE BUTTON.

Future Celtic Connection conversations:

The Celtic Connection 3: What do we believe? September 12th 2023 7:30pm – 9pm BST

What are the threads of theologies, from Columba to Kentigern, from Pelagius to MacLeod, that help weave, and make sense of the fabric of our theological thought for the sake of the planet? What new language must we curate? What renewed rituals must we borrow?

Ruth Harvey in conversation with Ian Bradley, Emeritus Professor of Cultural and Spiritual History at the University of St Andrews, and author of, among other works, ‘Following the Celtic Way: a new assessment of Celtic Spirituality’ and ‘Columba: politician, penitent and pilgrim.’

The Celtic Connection 4: How shall we live together? October 24th 2023 7.30pm BST: The Iona Community Lecture 2023

In the face of cancel culture, climate catastrophe, protracted wars and the escalation of aggressive politics, how are we to live together?

Spanning continents and drawing on our shared Christian faith through the lens of the stories that shape us, we will explore the powerful pull of reconciliation in a world falling apart. Ruth Harvey in conversation with Lisa Wriley, Co-Leader of the Wellspring Community, Australia, and Brooke Prentis, “an Aboriginal Christian Leader, Aboriginal & Education Consultant, Keynote Speaker, and Company Director with a vision to build an Australia built on Truth, Justice, Love and Hope”(www.brookeprentis.com)

The Celtic Connection 5: What songs must we sing? November 28th 2023: 7:30pm – 9pm

Ballad or love song; hymn or lament; folk, rock or jazz – what are the ‘songlines’ we sing as we navigate a way of being in the world that honours creation and points to hope, what songs of resilience, survival, hope and courage can we sing, for the sake of the planet?

With contemporary Scottish folk trio, Siskin Green, drawing on themes of faith, feminism and justice, and others tbc

CARE FOR CREATION

Listening to First Nations and Celtic voices

(a Wellspring and Iona listening Pilgrimage)

September - October 2023

The Wellspring and Iona Listening Pilgrimage begins in Perth on the 29th September 2023 and ends on 1st November 2023 in Brisbane.

The Pilgrimage hopes to nurture peace and healing of communities and creation through providing listening spaces and places for conversations about the spiritual roots of caring for creation. These conversations will include locals, First Nations people and a travelling pilgrimage team. This team is made up of, Ruth Harvey (Iona leader and Quaker) from Scotland, Brooke Prentis (Aboriginal Christian Leader, Wellspring’s First Nations adviser), Lisa Wriley (Wellspring Co-leader and Quaker) and Nick Austin (media).

You are invited to join the members of the pilgrimage in any of the places they visit. The times and places are below. Updates will appear regularly on the website as events are developed and fine-tuned.  Registration details will be on the website in May.

Perth, Boorloo, Noongar Country: 29th - 30th September

A possible visit to Wadjemup (Rottnest Island) where we hope for a Welcome to Country and time with local First Nations people.  Lisa is currently seeking advice from Quakers in WA and Brooke is meeting with local Aboriginal leaders in June. Currently the draft plan also includes a public meeting, possibly in King’s Park..

Adelaide, Tarntanya, Kaurna Country and surrounds: 1st - 6th October

Brooke and Lynona Hawkins are working together on the Adelaide program and listening to locals. We plan to be a part of a worship service, meet on Country with Aboriginal elders and local people and be part of a public meeting. At this meeting Adnyamathanha woman, Senior Aboriginal Christian Leader, and Theologian, Aunty Rev Dr Denise Champion will be in conversation with Ruth Harvey from Iona on Celtic and First Nations spirituality of Country and Care for Creation.

Alice Springs, Mparntwe, Arrente Country and surrounds: 7th - 12th October

Our trip will be a time of listening and sharing between First Nations people, other locals and the leaders of the Iona and Wellspring communities with a view to deepen our understanding of what it means to connect with, and care for, this country. In particular we are planning time on Country with Arrente Elders to engage with their art and Country. We will also spend time with local Christian and contemplative communities who are dealing with the complexities of living in Central Australia at this time.

Melbourne, Naarm, Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung Country: 14th - 15th October

Meeting with Iona associates and a Church Service at Wesley Uniting in Central Melbourne 11am.

Gippsland, Gunaikurnai Country: October 16th -18th October

A Wellspring Iona retreat at the Eco Abbey involving First Nations Deacons, time on Country with First Nations Elders and an open day for the Gippsland community.

Canberra, Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country: 20th October

In partnership with the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture; there will be a simple lunch and an after- lunch conversation between Iona Leader Ruth Harvey and First Nations friends around Celtic and First Nations spirituality of Care for Creation.

Sydney, Warrang, Eora Nation: 21st - 26th October

Time will be spent with the First Nations fellowship Scarred Tree Ministries in Glebe. 

22nd October - Sunday church service at St Stephen’s Macquarie Street.

23rd October – recording radio time on the ABC; dinner and conversation between Iona Leader Ruth Harvey and First Nations friends in partnership with the NSW Ecumenical Council. 

25th October - time with a Sydney Iona Member and people from the Pacific Islander Community.

26th October - a gathering at Pitt Street Uniting Church for eco groups and advocates for First Nations justice from schools, universities, churches and the community. Q and A with Iona Leader Ruth Harvey and first Nations friends on Celtic and First Nations spirituality of Care for Creation

Blue Mountains, Dharug and Gundungurra Country: 24th October

In this region, ruthless displacement of people 60 years ago is still raw for many. Several Wellspring members are researching interviews with First Nations people who were affected and are preparing to publish articles in the local paper and to have a ceremony of truth telling on the site (depending on current consultation with the local First Nations group). A public forum in a local pub closer to Western Sydney is also being prepared.

Central Coast, Darkinjung Country and GuruNgai Country: 28th October

Connect to Country at the Bulgandry Aboriginal Place with Tim Selwyn (Girri Girra) and a shared lunch at Kariong Eco Garden.

Newcastle, Awabakal Country: 29th October

A service at Jesmond Park Uniting Church involving Iona Associates and Ruth Harvey (Iona leader).

Brisbane, Meanjin, Yuggera and Turrabul Country: 30th October - 1st November

A public meeting including Iona Associates will take place, as well as a yarning circle format from Aboriginal Christian Leaders, that Ruth will attend. This will include Senior Aboriginal Christian Leader, Aunty Jean Phillips . This is the final meeting with First Nations peoples before Ruth departs these lands now called Australia. Organised by Brooke and the Brisbane Wellspring group.

2023 SUSTAINABILITY IDEAS FOR ACTION AND REFLECTION - From Lisa Wriley

3 March – Student Strike for Climate Rallies in Sydney and Perth. Currently these are the only publicised locations. Follow this link to find our more and to register your local event.

5 March  - Clean Up Australia Day - find a clean up near you or register your own

22 March - World Water Day  is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. Billions of people and countless schools, businesses, healthcare centres, farms and factories don’t have the safe water and toilets they need. To accelerate change, we need more action, including from individuals like you. 

23 March – Earth Overshoot Day. COMMON GRACE will be marking this sober and appalling date with a prayer vigil in the evening. 

Check the Common Grace Calendar [overshoot day for the world was 28 July last year - 23 March was the date when Australia had used it's share of the Earth's resources at current consumption rates. 

25 March - Earth Hour - 8.30pm -  sign up to switch off and join a worldwide community of millions taking #TimeOutForNature. 

22 April - World Earth Day - Get Inspired. Take Action. Be a part of the green revolution.Follow the link for information, action ideas and quizzes.

20 May - World Bee Day

5 June - World Environment Day

8 June - World Ocean Day

1 September – 4 October – Season of Creation  Lisa will lead us for  Wednesdays with Wellspring

28th September -31st October Wellspring run program of deep listening and dialogue with First Nations people across Australia. Lisa Wriley (Wellspring Leader) and Brooke Prentis (Aboriginal Christian Leader and Wellspring Community Member) will travel with Iona Community Leader Ruth Harvey for a series of events. There will be events you can join in person, on zoom and and pray for.

30 November – 12 December - COP28 (2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference)

Prayers for the Earth and about Climate - gathered by Common Grace: 

Also, this year the country will be going to a referendum on enshrining an Indigenous Voice to parliament in our constitution. Common Grace is actively supporting the YES campaign through their ‘Listen to the Heart’ campaign. As part of their campaign, they will be hosting in-person events in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Check their website.

IDENTITY AND COUNTRY IN A FIRST NATIONS CONTEXT

A Wellspring Zoom Seminar

Seminar video is available for viewing here

Wellspring Seminar Review

A prequel to Wellspring’s planned Dialogue on ‘Care for Creation: Celtic and First Nations Christian Perspectives’, the Zoom Seminar of 29 October on ‘Identity and Country in a First Nations Context’ yielded a great quickening of heart and mind and established a helpful basis for the ongoing Dialogue, as we listened to our Indigenous friends share how their identity is embedded in their ‘country’ origins.

It was wonderful to see around fifty people attending at different points, including several from the local and international Iona Community, some of whom had arisen very early in the morning to be with us! In the course of the seminar, it was noted that some in Britain and elsewhere have their own issues with displacement under colonialism. Iona Leader Ruth Harvey’s presence signalled what will be an invigorating new stage in the relationship between our two communities.

Brooke Prentis led us in a meaningful ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ from her own Wakka Wakka country, three hours’ drive north-west of Brisbane. Brook encouraged us to type into the Chat the First Nations country on which each of us lived and call to mind all the things that make it what it is — not only the land, sea and sky, but also the birds and animals, trees and rocks, and the people with their stories and cultures. Real acknowledgement of country is not just uttering words: it involves comprehensive awareness of and respect for all that comprises ‘country’.

Trawloolway woman Naomi Wolfe’s presentation began with articulating a question that had driven her own thinking over the years: how do I become the person I’m meant to be, truly Christian and truly Aboriginal at the same time? Naomi drew attention to two common issues: first, the implication and inference that God and knowledge of God first arrived in Australia in 1788, despite the fact that God is Alpha and Omega, eternally present everywhere; and second, the exclusion of Indigenous people from the inclusive teaching that in Christ there is no differentiation by race, gender, or social rank.

The seminar concluded with two Indigenous blessings from Naomi and a closing prayer from Diane Speed. We were left with stretched minds, moved hearts, and challenges to be more proactive in pursuit of truth, for ourselves and those around us.

Some photos from past events.