Do you give all new employees a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement? All employers are required to give it to every new employee so they are aware of their entitlements. Fair Work has recently updated the Fair Work Information Statement, so make sure you’re providing the new version.
Source: BUV News
Source: BUV News
Australia is in the midst of a devastating and unprecedented bushfire season. This comes at a time when much of our country is in drought and a hot summer. Over 10 million hectares has been burnt, lives have been lost, communities, livestock and native animals destroyed. If you’ve been thinking about what you can do to help those affected by the Bushfires – here are some ways:
NSW & ACT Baptists Prayer Coordinator, Carolyn Altman has written a prayer for the Australian Bushfire Crisis – Prayer for Australian Bushfire Crisis_January 2020.
With thanks to Dr Byron Smith, Common Grace is offering this prayer for use or adaptation in your devotions and church worship – Prayer for Bushfires
Donating money is one of the best ways to help those affected by the fires. BUV is working closely with our local churches to help communities affected by the bushfires. To give to the BUV Bushfire Appeal click here.
If you want to donate physical items, please only give items that charities have specifically asked for (otherwise they need to sort through the items, diverting their attention away from fire relief). NewHope Baptist Church is partnering with Foodbank Victoria and they will be a collection point over the next few weeks. Click here for more information.
Red Cross has also urged people to consider donating blood. If you’re eligible, you can do so here.
Be Fire Ready
A well prepared home is more likely to survive a bushfire or ember attack. Baptcare has provided some tips on preparations to be Fire Ready. Read more.
Personal Hardship Assistance Program
The Victorian Department of Health & Human Services, supported by the Housing Call Centre, have established a Personal Hardship Assistance Program (PHAP) hotline 1800 961 054 for those affected by the Eastern Victoria bushfires.
Victoria Emergency Financial Assistance
If you or someone you know has been directly impacted by the East Gippsland Fires or the North East Fires, please visit the Vic Emergency financial assistance page.
Red Cross Emergency Grant
An emergency grant of $5,000 is available if you’ve lost your home in a bushfire. Apply here.
Mental Health and Well-being
It is normal for a distressing or frightening event to affect you physically, mentally and emotionally. Look out for others and if you need help, seek help.
You might find talking to friends and family useful, or talk with your pastor. It may be a good idea to see a counsellor or psychologist to help you process your experience. Here are a list of community services organisations within the BUV that can help you:
https://www.crosswaylifecare.org.au/
https://www.newhopecare.net.au/counselling
https://www.karinyacounselling.com.au/
http://www.gileadcounselling.org.au/
https://mgacounselling.com.au/
https://frankstonbaptistchurch.com.au/
https://www.onecaregeelong.org.au/
http://millparkcommunitycare.org.au/
http://www.wellingtoncarecentre.com.au/
https://www.mycommunitydirectory.com.au/Outlet/177921/Warracknabeal_Baptist_Church
You can also contact:
Call 000 if you or someone you know is in immediate danger.
Mainly Music has developed some useful resources to help children experiencing trauma. If your church would like these resources, please email Allison at auadmin@mainlymusic.org.
Source: BUV News
With thanks to Dr Byron Smith and Common Grace for offering this prayer for use or adaptation in your devotions and church worship.
Creator of life, this beautiful land cries out.
For the disfigured splendour of charred forests, blackened soil, ashen skies, we grieve.
For the hundreds of millions of creatures that perished in smoke and flame, for the millions more who emerge after the inferno to starvation or predation, for the twisted, frayed and torn strands of ecosystems that may never recover, we mourn.
For sacred sites incinerated we lament.
For smoke-filled lungs, dread-filled hours, anxiety-filled evacuations,
for ruined livelihoods, broken communities, smouldering homes,
for bereaved families, inflicted trauma, gutted dreams, we weep.
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Jesus our brother, all generosity echoes your own.
For the dangerous labour of firefighters, for the kindness of strangers, for neighbourly bonds reforged in calamity, we offer thanks.
For sandwiches made, shelter provided, funds donated, we are grateful.
For accurate reporting, insightful forecasts, skilful logistics, we acknowledge our debt.
Christ have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Spirit of truth, your justice flows like water onto parched soil.
For too long, our notions of prosperity have been dominated by theft, destruction and fire: stolen land, poisoned rivers, dirty fuels. May we rediscover true wealth in mutual trust and care, in treasured stories and places, in clean water and air.
May justice fall like rain, pouring like grace on the tongues of the poor, settling like ash in the mouths of those who profit from lies.
Let ancient wisdom be respected, careful science heeded, the worship of money rejected.
May we truthfully embrace our full history, honestly acknowledge our present crises, humbly nurture a shared future.
Lord have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Written by Dr Byron Smith
Posted on Common Grace on 7th January 2020
Source: BUV News
A group from Brunswick Baptist Church have found a novel way to express solidarity and gratitude to the firefighters working to protect life and land across Australia.
On Friday, as fire danger triggered the largest peacetime evacuation efforts in Australia’s history, the group decorated the poles out the front of the church with hard hats and reflective strips resembling CFA volunteers.
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A passerby expressed thanks to a church member finishing a pole, “we just came from East Gippsland yesterday."
Church member, Beryl Turner said, "the display was a symbol to our firefighters to let them know we are continuing to think of them and pray for them.
The poles generate a huge amount of interest from passers by, and whenever we work on them people always stop to talk about them, thank to the church, share their thoughts on the topic. The poles stand on the boundary between the church and the street in more ways than one!
The group, who organise through a Whatsapp chat affectionately labeled “Yarn Over Yarn”, have in recent years taken to decorating the poles that stand at the front of the church on busy Sydney Road. Recent decorations have included a nativity scene during Advent and the colours of the Aboriginal flag to mark NAIDOC week.
BUV Director of Mission and Ministries, Daniel Bullock has this past week called upon Baptist congregations and their members to donate generously to bushfire relief.
Article written by Adrian Jackson.
Source: BUV News
On Sunday the 8th December 2019, with the support of the Baptist Union of Victoria, Point Cook Community Baptist Church held ‘Carols by Sunlight’ a 100% free Christmas outreach event for our local community.
The project team, (made up of volunteers from our congregation) spent many hours of their valuable time in planning for the lead up to ‘Carols by Sunlight.’ With more Church volunteers helping out with the event on the day.
Carols by Sunlight was publicised with a letterbox drop to over 1200 homes in our local community. Flyers were also left at a local coffee shop for distribution to their customers. The event was also advertised on our website and in a local news magazine.
The gates opened for ‘Carols by Sunlight’ at 11.30. As families arrived each child was given a showbag containing some yummies to eat, a Christmas comic book and a toy. Outside the ‘three-in-one’ jumping castle was a huge hit for the kids, while the coffee van was a hit for the adults. And everyone was also able to enjoy a sausage or two.
Inside the venue there were more fun activities. Crafts tables were set up with families sitting around them making Christmas decorations together. A dress up photo booth was set up where families could dress up as Mary, Joseph, Wisemen, Shepherds or angels. The highlight inside for kids (and adults) was the face painter and balloon twister.
The activities wrapped up at 1.30, and all present were invited to stay for our carols service, which included a Christmas play ‘The Three Trees’ put on by members of our congregation.
It was such a blessing to see so many people, from all walks of life, from within our local community come through the gates and have a good time with all the activities. And with a number of them staying for the service too, praise God.
The highlight for me was a comment made by one man after the service, he said that he hadn’t been in a Church for over 17 years, and he had been distant from God since his Grandfather had passed. He shared with me how he and his family enjoyed the event, but more importantly he shared how he felt God had touched his heart.
Written by:
David van Wynen
Pastor, Point Cook Community Baptist Church
Source: BUV News
It was a balmy summers evening at the gathering of the CAROLS IN THE PARK community event on December 14th 2019. The crowd slowly built up and by the end of the night was estimated to be about 6000 people. This was an amazing number when you consider that this represents about one third of the number of residents who live in North Balwyn! The carols committee, a sub group of the North Balwyn Interchurch Council, had a vision to lift the name of Jesus in their community.
North Balwyn Baptist Church has, for several decades, been the driving force behind this outreach program. As part of the set up on the day there were tents with food, face painting, a prayer tent, a charity tent, an outreach book tent and much more.
The program included soloists, choirs, a nativity scene procession, prayers, Bible readings and a short gospel message by Rev. Graeme Prentice of North Balwyn Baptist Church. The night ended with a fireworks display. There was a fantastic community feel as families of all ages and nationalities mingled, played, sang and worshipped Jesus together.
Some of the highlights included:
We are so grateful for those who sponsored the event. There was a time early on in the planning that we felt that we may have to cancel for this year. It has grown so much over the years that the burden of planning on a small volunteer group was getting too much. But thanks to the sponsors and renewed support of the local Churches we were able to employ an event planner that made it possible to proceed. We praise God for his provision and for the 1000’s gathered to celebrate the birth of our saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Written by:
Frank Rosenfeldt (Sec.) and Graeme Prentice (Pres.)
North Balwyn Baptist Church
Source: BUV News
On Christmas Eve 2019 the Koondrook-Barham Baptist Church joined with the local Anglican, Catholic and Uniting Churches to present Carols by Candlelight at Riverside Park, Barham.
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On the night the Lions Club had a community festival which we joined and when the festival ended we began the carol singing. We give thanks to God for the blessing of a balmy night which encouraged all ages to stay for the event. The young children participated by making decorations for the Christmas tree.
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They were given a Christmas book supplied by the Bible Society. We handed out carol books and safe flame candles thanks to the generous donation by the BUV. The Combined Churches choir encouraged everyone to sing along.
Bernard Blumel, pastor of the Baptist Church welcomed everyone. Scripture readings and prayers were presented by the Anglican and Uniting Churches and a message of hope was delivered by Father Stan from the Catholic Church. At the end of the night the Lions Club conveyed their thanks to the Churches for the great community event and invited us to join them Christmas Eve 2020.
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Written by:
Bernard Blumel
Minister of Koondrook-Barham Baptist Church
Source: BUV News
The Carols @ Convention community event for 2019 was a great success which saw 550 people from the local community coming together to celebrate the Christmas season.
The event was hosted by Belgrave South Baptist Church and Hope in the Hills Community Church at Belgrave Heights Convention Centre on Saturday December 14th on a perfect summer’s night. With a family fun time in the late afternoon there were jumping castles, animal petting zoo, face painting, fairy floss, a bbq put on by the local CFA and other ‘fun’ things were put on for people of all ages. This was followed by an evening of carols singing which included musical items by local schools (incredibly talented!!!), drama and a brief talk on the hope that is found in the Christmas story.
One of the many highlights was when the SES and local CFA workers were welcomed onto the stage and thanked for their work in the community. Not only were they moved but also ‘blown away’ by the financial gift that was given to them in support of their work.
You could not help but be encouraged on the night to see such a large gathering of community people who were having a great time, seeing the local churches working together and also being able to share the Christmas story in a welcoming way.
We were fortunate to have the support of the BUV and are so grateful it was given in such a generous way through the community engagement grant. On behalf of all those involved in the planning and running of the event I want to extend my sincere thanks to the BUV for its support of our community event.
Tim Dyer
Belgrave South Baptist Lead Pastor
Source: BUV News
Our website is currently undergoing maintenance, so please click here https://www.buv.com.au/events/category/events-training to view our 2020 event listings
Source: BUV News
