Christian World Service (CWS)
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Commission for Christian World Service
The Commission for Christian World Service (CWS) evolved from the former World Justice and Development Commission in 2003 to provide a clearer focus for CWS work in Tasmania, through closer alignment with the CWS Commission of the National Council of Churches in Australia (since 2008 renamed Act For Peace). Since then, responsibility for Act For Peace promotion and education in Tasmania has become the responsibility of the Act For Peace staff member in Melbourne, Jeff Wild, in co-operation with TCC staff and volunteers. The TCC\'s commission for CWS is now in recess.
The main areas of Act For Peace involvement in Tasmania are:
· Christmas Bowl
· Partners4Peace
· Simply Sharing Week
· Refugee Week
· Educational visits by NCCA staff
· Media promotions
· Preparation and distribution of resource/promotional material
Father Mike Delaney is the Tasmanian member of the NCCA\'s Commission, and may be contacted through the TCC Office.
Foillowing is the most recent Act For Peace report to the TCC\'s AGM in June 2012:
Act for Peace
Report to Tasmanian Council of Churches, June 2012
I am delighted to be able to report to the Annual General Meeting. The accumulated result of my visits to Tasmania is a growing sense of both the challenges faced by churches there and the contribution they are making to the national Christian body. I wish to thank the TCC President, Major Graham Roberts for his support. I also wish to thank the TCC member churches for both their hospitality on my visits and their support for the work of Act for Peace. This report covers the period from the last AGM.
As reported previously, my visit in November 2011 was mainly to take part in the Uniting Church’s Presbytery meeting. I also met a number of individuals in Hobart and Launceston and spoke at Burnie Uniting Church.
In April this year I attended the TCC Executive Meeting and made significant connections with two Catholic secondary colleges, Uniting Church ministers in southern Tasmania, as well as churches in
Lindisfarne, Deloraine and Wynyard. In addition Act for Peace resources were distributed at the recent Anglican Synod.
The latest Christmas Bowl results indicate a contribution of just over $58,300, which is very close to last year’s. This funding not only supports conflict-affected communities in countries such as Zimbabwe, Somalia and Iraq, it also enables us to campaign for protection for refugees and for
arms reductions. We thank all those generous individuals and churches for their work to make this possible. I hope that for 2013 you will be able to make a further contribution through getting a team to prepare the worship resources for Christmas Bowl.
Act for Peace is growing and changing. There have been some staff changes, both replacements and additions. The additions will strengthen our ability to reach out with our important messages to the wider Australian community. In particular we are looking forward to the new approaches which may come from the appointment of Benny Littlejohn as the Director of Marketing and Communication. Benny comes to Australia from the UK with an extraordinary record of community engagement with development agencies.
The Act for Peace website is a good source of information on our current campaigns. A significant one is for a strong Arms Trade Treaty resulting from the negotiations to be held in July at the United Nations. Uncontrolled small arms are a source of much misery, mayhem and displacement.
I am planning to visit Tasmania in September, particularly to attend the Uniting Church’s Justice and International Mission convention. The Fairer World Festival, organised by the Tasmanian Centre for Global Learning will now take place in 2013. We are planning to both support it financially and be present with our resources. I also hope to visit in November to strengthen the promotion of Christmas Bowl.
I am keen to develop a joint project with the TCC. Act for Peace has indicated that funds would be available for a specific project which would both strengthen ecumenical relations and promote a particular campaign.
With the arrival of a new marketing director, it is timely to consider a new Memorandum of Understanding between the TCC and Act for Peace as the current one is for three years only.
My thanks to all members of the TCC and I look forward to hearing more about the results of the Annual General Meeting.
1. Recommendations:
That the report be received.
That the TCC establish a team to prepare Christmas Bowl worship resources for 2013.
That the TCC and Act for Peace develop a joint project for a specified time and campaign.
That the TCC and Act for Peace develop a new Memorandum of Understanding.
Jeff Wild
Development Officer for Victoria and Tasmania, Act for Peace
The international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) and a member of the global ACT Alliance.