Church's role in the fight against gender based violence

Tuesday 5th March
HONIARA, Solomon Islands
Churches must take active roles in the fight against gender-based violence, a regional workshop has been told. 
Women delegates at the Pacific Conference of Churches 10th General Assembly in Honiara, the Solomon Islands, resolved that all theological colleges in the region must teach students about violence against women and children.
Deaconess Sala Naucabalavu of the Methodist Church in Fiji said training in the ills of gender-based violence must be made compulsory.
“We should also have training in gender equality,” Deaconess Sala said.
“I think men fear the strength of women and they are not opening doors to allow discussions which involve or include women.”
Her comments were part of discussions at a women’s pre-assembly symposium and will form part of submissions to the main meeting at St Barnabas Cathedral beginning today.
PCC Secretariat member Peter Emberson said it was important that children were taught to respect women and children.
“Justice is taught in the home and it is imperative that respect for women is taught in this setting. That is where it all starts,” Emberson said.
“If we can change the dynamics of how men treat women and children we will have taken a huge step towards the elimination of gender-based violence.”
More than 30 women from the Pacific region attended the pre-assembly event.
Asena Naisara of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Suva warned women to learn from the past.
“Some of us have grown up with violence against women in the home and it’s time to break that cycle,” Naisara said.
“If we don’t stop the violence our grandchildren will sit here 30 years from now addressing the same issue.”
Source: http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/solomon-islands/483/churchs-role-in-the-fight-against-gender-based-vio/

Methodist Church in Fiji

September 2012: 
The Methodist Church in Fiji has finally been allowed to hold its Annual Conference- the first time such a gathering has been permitted by the Interim Government of Fiji since 2008. Strict conditions were imposed upon the meeting regarding time and place, and no political issues were allowed to be discussed. Rev Tuikilakila Waqairatu, the newly elected President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, has stated that although the government has closed its doors toward communicating with the church, the church will continue working toward maintaining the relationship. 
Please continue to uphold the work of the Deaconesses in Fiji in your prayers.

DUCA Conference - Deacons in Uniting Church in Australia

The biennial DUCA Conference will be held in the first week of July 2012, in Sydney. The theme is: God is where? There will be workshops, Bible Studies, field visits and an accredited course in public theology for academic credit. A great time of learning is anticipated. The flyer can be downloaded from the DUCA website here.

The blurb:
In a changing time of post-modern culture, there are many questions about how and where we share the Good News that comes to us through the life of Jesus. The ministry of the Diaconate is about listening to the call of God to serve in a changing world. God is working and calling many people to ministry in new and creative ways.
The practice of public theology explores how the Christian faith addresses public issues for the sake of the common good, in a pluralistic, multicultural, multi-faith society. Our hope is that through public theology, the conference will offer a framework to unpack our thinking, hear fro people who have been active in public ministry in creative ways and share our own stories and experiences with insight, enthusiasm and passion.

This conference is open to all those serving in diaconal ministries. We welcome participants from Diaconal Associations in Australia and New Zealand, as well as members of associations in the DAP region (DIAKONIA Asia Pacific).

Floods in Fiji

In January, heavy rains caused floods in Fiji in January. Here's a youtube clip here that shows images of the flooding, and an ABC news story.

Deaconess Salanieta Naveata writes (3 Feb 2012): 

BULA!!!! Thank you for thinking of us!! We have just had a second round of floodings. They are mostly on the western part of Fiji - I went around the island as soon as the first flood hit us and  it was so devastating to see the poor villagers' homes being hit. I raised this concern to the hierarchy of our church here (H.Q. Methodist Church) and they are waiting for reports from the resident ministers of those places that were hit. I am hoping to request the women fellowship groups to donate kitchen utensils. Sala.

Please pray for the work of the Deaconess Association in Fiji, for those affected by the floods, and for the emergency workers.

Lyamungo Secondary HS students - World DIAKONIA Exec meeting

DAP represented at 2011 World DIAKONIA Executive

The World DIAKONIA Executive met in Moshi, Tanzania in July, 2011. Deaconess Emma Cantor (DAP President), Deaconess Ristua Sirait (alternate DAP Vice-President) and Rev Sandy Boyce (English Editor, DIAKONIA News and DAP alternate President) represented DAP on the World DIAKONIA Executive.

Emma and Ristua are in the middle at the front, and Sandy is in front row second from the right.

Denise Champion and Sala Naveata in Johannesburg

The 12th World Assembly of the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women will be held in Johannesburg from 10th to 16th August, 2011, with eleven Australians attending. The conference theme is Bambelela! (‘Never give up!) Christ is our hope!

Around 1000 women from 60 countries will gather for the conference, which includes worship, learning, social action, Bible Study, conversation, music and so much more.  There is an excellent line up of leaders and speakers

Salanieta Naveata, representing the Deaconess Association in Fiji, will be attending, as will Pastor Denise Champion, a Deacon candidate in the Uniting Church in Australia.