JOIN US AT OUR SERVICES

Welcome to the online home of Newland Memorial Uniting Church, Victor Harbor.

We come together to worship God. Our worship is an expression of our love of God and our desire to support each other as we follow the example of Jesus, finding ways to share God’s love in the world.

We are a warm bunch of people. We welcome you whether you are newly arrived in Victor Harbor or if you already live here. Feel free to call in to a service and meet us.

We enjoy doing things together and share in a variety of activities that serve our local community and beyond.

Our regular service is 9.30am every Sunday.

Each Thursday,  we are open from 10.00am – 11.00am for personal reflection. Health Department rules mean that you must register your attendance. The pipe organ will be played during this time.

Don’t forget to check out our LiveArts@Newland programme in the Upcoming Events section by scrolling down this page. Or, search the website for LiveArts@Newland

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FOR THE WEEK OF  NOVEMBER 22, 2020

The Rev Dr Adrian Brown

One of the images found in the Bible is that of a shepherd, in our minds we have an image which has the shepherd taking very good and careful care of the sheep. A shepherd seems to sleep with one eye open just in case a predator should sneak up on the sheep and as they are getting ready to pounce the shepherd jumps up and protects the sheep. Care comes before personal protection.

We know about care because we are often reminded of the need to reach out to those who are in need of protection: malnourished children in war torn or famine starved countries, children who leave for school without breakfast, women and their families who are the victims of domestic violence, people who have lost their homes and often livelihoods through drought or fire, families who have been torn apart by border restrictions during the pandemic, refugees left high and dry as they are denied benefits.

What we not reminded of in such circumstances is the responsibility of political authorities to also act as shepherds.

In this week’s reading there is a twin edged approach. On the one hand, both kings and people are reminded of their need to act as shepherds. However, the reading takes this a step further and links care with justice and that also lifts the responsibilities somewhat higher.

When you link justice and care together there is an obligation to not just respond to the immediate need but also to look at and address the root causes of the need for care. It is only when we do that that care take on a different responsibility. Address the root causes and the need for dramatic intervention in circumstances become less urgent. Look, for example, at addressing the causes of domestic violence and it is immediately possible to reduce the need for serving the need to care for victims.

Justice and care are two sides to the same story and our reading reminds us that you cannot have one without the other. Think about it!

Read Ezekiel 34:11-16;20-24