These activities explore Faith from across a spectrum of ideas, beliefs and certainties:
Heart and Mind - This group explores, discusses and reflects on chosen Christian Literary books - modern and traditional - that relate to faith and how faith can be expressed through the way we choose to live.
They meet on the third Sunday of the month at 6pm in various locations and during lockdown on Zoom. Contact Lesley Burt for more information lesley@gpuc.org.au
PUnCh (Pymble Uniting Church) Discussions is a group of roughly 50+ year-olds that meet to discuss life.
We have been around long enough to know that life isn’t all about easy answers or neat clichés. We explore the world as it is, often discussing an issue from the news or a hot topic. At other times we look at a video or part of a film that is stimulating. We share our experiences (voluntarily) and the emphasis is on finding something to take away to sustain us in the week ahead.
We might explore some Bible verses related to the topic but it is not a Bible Study group. We allow ourselves to get a little side-tracked and we laugh a fair bit. We also spend a fair bit of time just catching up with each other, because that is a good thing. We begin and end with a brief prayer or blessing to bring what we do before God.
We started the group because we wanted to provide something that might be real and useful.
We welcome you to join our group every second and fourth Sunday of the month at 6pm at Pymble Church. Contact Steve Aynsley for more information steve@gpuc.org.au
Tuesday Evening Conversations is a diverse group of people who meet for dinner and then have a discussion on a broad range of topics.
From the exploration of science and religion, ecotheology, cosmology and belief in the modern world, this groups goes where ordinary people fear to tread. Many of the members went to church years ago, found it wanting, and then left. They now re-enter the conversation from a desire to "make sense of it all", exploring Faith without losing their scepticism.
The group explores the mysteries of life by tackling questions that are difficult to answer, while at the same time responding to our need for community.
We welcome you to join our group on Tuesday evenings at 6:30pm at Gordon Church, or by Zoom. Contact Nicola Robinson nicola@gpuc.org.au for further information.
Thursday Bible Study group has been meeting for more than 20 years.
The basis of our weekly studies generally centres around the week’s lectionary readings, commentaries and questions, set out in ‘With Love to the World’. This year, as has been experienced by many other groups, has been different! We have been meeting by Zoom, and this has worked very well for our group, which has grown in numbers. There are many things we appreciate about our weekly meetings, including having a preview of what may be the basis of the theme of the worship service on Sunday mornings. Having our minister, Steve as a member of the group when possible, enriches our learning, and we value the quality of the theology in 'With Love to the World' from the contributors.
We welcome you to join our group on Thursday mornings at 10 am to 11 am at Gordon Church, or by Zoom. A weekly email is sent out, with the Zoom link, and passages for our study, and you are very welcome to join our email list.
David & Sue Conde sue.conde@gpuc.org.au
Special Religious Education - SRE in Schools
Staff and volunteers of GPUC are authorised to teach special religious education (SRE) also known as scripture and is offered during the school day in most NSW public schools and many high schools, under the Education Act 1990. Parents at Pymble Public, Gordon West Public and West Pymble Public have chosen SRE for their child, as part of the school curriculum.
Our teachers, who currently teach year 5 and year 1 are screened and authorised by The Uniting Church Synod of NSW ACT. The SRE team have gone through 7 modules of SRE training and hold a working with children check (WWCC).
The team teach students the wonderful news about Jesus by using GodSpace as a resource to help children find their place in God’s space.... his world. GodSpace is designed to introduce the Bible and the core beliefs common to all mainstream Christian denominations, aged 4 to 12 years through games, puzzles, memory verses, use of puppets and singing.
Thanks to Karen, Robyn and Courtney who visit the above schools each week with excitement.