CES Bulletin. Reminder Forum 8 September. Speaker Dr John Williams on Water Community and Food

Our September public forum is fast approaching. Information on the remaining 3 forums under our 2011 theme of "Good Stewardship - Protecting Our Future" is below.

September Forum

Topic: Water, Community and Food

Speaker: Dr John Williams of the Wentworth Group, former Chair CSIRO Land & Water

Chair: Sister Lorraine Gatehouse from the Brigidine Order and from the Gathering Place at Dickson

When: 7:30 pm Thursday, 8 September 2011

Where: Australian Centre for Culture and Christianity, Corner Blackall St and Kings Av, Barton

Details: Click on Water Community and Food

Leaflet: It would be great if you can promote the event by posting a flyer (attached) at your work place or church or community centre

The topic is :Climate Change "Denial" Twisting Language?

Speaker: Dr Haydn Washington, co-author with John Cook of “'Climate Change Denial: Heads in the Sand “. Haydn has worked as an Investigations Scientist for the CSIRO and as an environmental consultant. He has been Director of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW and as a councillor of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

Chair: Rev'd Rebecca Newland who is rector of St Philip’s O’Connor, ACT

When: 7.30 pm Thursday 13 October

Where: Australian centre for Christianity and Culture. Blackall St Braddon

November Forum

Topic: "Sustainable Cities"

Speaker: Professor Peter Newman, Director of the Curtin University Sustainability Institute

Chair: Rev Gregor Henderson; CES President and Minister at Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest

When: 7:30 pm Friday, 25 November 2011

Where: Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Corner Blackall St and Kings Av, Barton

Membership is due

Membership was due at 30 June. You do not need to be a member to receive our e‑bulletins but if you would like to support us through your membership, the cost is only $15 ($10 conc) single and $20 ($15 conc) couple or family at same address: If you have joined or renewed since April then you are already covered for the next 12 months. Membership forms can be found at new member and membership renewal forms at renewal

Non-CES

Book Launch - 'Walk with Us'

Canberra Quakers and the Committee for Racial Equality (CORE) invite you to a launch of "Walk With Us", a book in which Aboriginal Elders call out to the Australian people to walk with them in their quest for justice

Speakers: Ms Jilpia Nappaljari Jones, A Walmadjari woman, trained nurse and colleague of Fred Hollows, will speak on Birth Rites in the Great Sandy Desert (her homeland)

Digby Habel (concerned Australians) : Human Rights and the Intervention

Where: Friends Meeting House, Corner of Bent and Condamine Sts, Turner, ACT

When: 5.30 pm. Thursday 8 September

RSVP by Tuesday 6 September: Ms Gedda Fortey 6247 4824 or Ms Margaret Evans 6231 9396

This beautiful, hard covered book will be available for purchase fort $15.

Voices for Justice 2011 - The Micah Challenge National Gathering in Canberra 17-20 September,

Micah Challenge acknowledges that in recent year's Australia has taken significant steps to help alleviate global poverty, including increasing our aid budget but calls us as a nation to do more. Micah Challenge calls caring Australians to continue to take the cause of the world's poorest into Parliament House.

At last year's Voices for Justice gathering, then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd referred to Micah Challenge supporters as "nagging prophets" for Micah Challenge's persistent effort lobbying politicians to care about global poverty. He urged us to continue.

Micah Challenge has sent out the call: Join hundreds of passionate advocates in Canberra for four days of action, to call for MORE and BETTER aid - Use your voice to ensure environmental sustainability for the poor and to help save the lives of thousands of women and children in the world's poorest communities.

If you can't be there physically. Micah Challenge commends you to still be a powerful voice for justice by participating in the 'Offering of Letters' campaign. This year they're asking groups to write to The Hon Wayne Swan (Deputy PM,Treasurer). The letters will be presented to MPs in Voices for Justice lobbying appointments with a request to pass them on to Mr. Swan. The more letters we can get, the more powerfully we can demonstrate the wide support for this issue within the Australian Church. If you would like to help, click here for more information or letter writing guide Micah Challenge

Indigenous issues -

Channel 7 recently obtained a 2010 Finance Departmental report on Indigenous Expenditure. The report describes returns on government-funded Indigenous programs as "dismally poor". Once more we are left feeling disheartened at all the apparent wasted effort and tax payer money. BUT read the comment of Commissioner Goodna of the Human Rights Commission on this news. He insists that "significant improvements have been made in the lives of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders despite criticism that Australians are not getting value for money.... to characterise all spending as wasted is a gross generalisation." He called on the Government to maintain effort and investment towards closing the gap in the Indigenous portfolio warning that “Too many times we change horses midcourse and then wonder why we don’t see the follow through in results,”

Commissioner Goodna stressed that :“The missing ingredient in so much of this policy debate and development in my life time has been the continued failure to put Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people front and centre of policy development and program delivery from the start.”

Want to know more about the CloseTheGap Program? Click on : Close The Gap

No to the Malaysia Deal! Rally for Refugees - Canberra

When: Saturday, 3 September 1:00 pm - 2:00pm
Where: Petrie Plaza, Civic (in front of the merry-go-round)

Refugee Action Committee advises that the NEXT MEETING is:
Tuesday 30th August 2011 6pm: at ANU Contact: Peter 0401 960467 or Farida 0412 109160

(SEE-Change is a community, not-for-profit group that aims to inspire, inform and support action to reduce Canberra's ecological footprint.)

Community Hub/City Farm Workshop

Have you ever wondered how we can live an enjoyable, healthy and fulfilling lifestyle in cities and suburbs?
Do you want to explore how we can live wisely within our natural environment?

If so, The Community Hub / City Farm Workshop is your chance to agree on action for the community hub/city farm they want to see in Canberra. Bring your skill, and join to create a hub that demonstrates what Canberra can be, by the community... for the community.

When: Sunday 18th September from 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm.

Where: details provided upon RSVP to burma70@gmail.com

For other SEE-Change activities click on SEE_Change Events

Volunteering with Red Cross

Red Cross is looking for new volunteers for its MATES program, which assists socially isolated people in reconnecting to their community in the ACT and region. Volunteers are matched with participants one-to-one and meet regularly usually for an hour or so a week or fortnight to undertake social activities in the community.

Participants include people with mental health issues, people involved in the justice/correctional system, and recent arrivals in Australia. Volunteers receive comprehensive training and ongoing support. If you think you can help or for further information contact Cindy on 6234 7632.