News

RAP Training coming up in October

Kate Allen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:23:16 GMT

Upcoming RAP Training: Download flyer here

Young people often experience emotional, social and behavioural problems as a result of unsuccessful attempts to cope with emotional or psychological distress. Response Ability Pathways (RAP) offers three days basic training in the Circle of Courage Model to provide participants with strategies to positively support at-risk young people experiencing conflict and challenges.

As an alternative to punitive discipline strategies, RAP offers experiential training in three practical ‘response abilities’ that are the basis on natural human helping behaviours. Participants will learn to connect with and engage a person in need, help them clarify immediate problems and support them in taking responsibility for finding restorative solutions. RAP strategies are universal processes that are applicable to any setting or relationship. The content is intuitive, jargon-free and engaging. Strategies are safe, practical and readily implemented. This training is dedicated to helping adults better serve children and youth who are in emotional pain from conflict in the family, school, community, or with self.

Gregg Morris is a qualified trainer in the Reclaiming Youth International (RYI) models of Response Abilities Pathways (RAP) and the Circle of Courage and draws on15 years' experience in youthwork and education. Gregg has worked in both Melbourne and Auckland as a drug safety worker for young male clients, running a residential home for young women coming out of prostitution and with high school students with learning & behavioural needs. Gregg is part of the Praxis Network which is provides contextual training in youth and community work.

Date: 27-29 October 2010: 3 days, 9.30-4pm
Venue: Robert White Meeting Rooms, Scots’ Church Building
Level 1, 156 Collins St, Melbourne CBD
Cost: $350

To register email Talitha Fraser or phone her on (03) 9650 4023 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (03) 9650 4023 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (03) 9650 4023 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (03) 9650 4023 end_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Do you want to stay connected with Urban Seed?

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:00 GMT

At Urban Seed we really value communication with our supporters and we're trying to do this better.

From now on, we'll be running four campaigns each year. These will include special events, stories from our communities and details of our advocacy work. There will be opportunities for you to get involved, make poverty personal, and financially support us in building communities of healing hope and justice.

To ensure we're connecting with interested people, we're asking you to opt in to receive these communications.

If you'd like to stay connected we need you to fill out this form at http://www.urbanseed.org/stayconnected. If you don't fill out this form you will no longer receive our updates via email or post.

If you'd rather receive our campaigns in the post than via email don't worry, you can specify that in the form.

Thanks for your interest in our work. We hope to hear from you!

September Mission Exposure in the city

Kate Allen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:00 GMT

URBAN SEED MISSION EXPOSURE IN THE CITY

You are invited to spend a week with Urban Seed.

As a guest you will be living with the residential community and taking part in the life of the community as well as participating in reflections on spirituality, mission and community.

Costs are negotiated as part of an economic sharing exercise.

Participants should be 18 years and over. Couples and mature people most welcome.

THE NEXT MISSION EXPOSURE WEEK IS SAT SEPTEMBER 25 - FRI OCTOBER 1, 2010

For more information or to express your interest, email Paul Toms.

Talented Players coached by Credo Cricketers!

Kate Allen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:23:29 GMT

Last week, a few members of Urban Seed's Credo Cricket Team coached some of the most talented young cricketers in Victoria…

A group of 26 students from Cricket Victoria’s Talented Players Program spent a morning with Urban Seed staff, along with Credo Cricketers ‘Boony’ and ‘Kuffer’, learning the ropes of Laneway Cricket. The Laneway match of the ‘Dumpsters’ vs ‘Bin Juice’ happened in Rutledge Place, a Melbourne lane famous for its vibrant graffiti. The game was preceded by an Urban Issues Walk where the players learned about Urban Seed’s first-hand experience with issues like homelessness and addiction.

Boony and Kuffer educated the boys on the particular rules of Laneway Cricket (there’s more room in the air!), and guided them on the best places to score. They also umpired the game with plenty of laughter and camaraderie – a wonderfully empowering experience for them.

The morning allowed some young people, who have the real potential to one day play cricket for Australia, to also see the potential of their chosen sport to impact a community and bring people together. It also allowed them to appreciate some of the realities of life for people on the streets of Melbourne, and to form friendships with some other young men with whom they may otherwise never have come into contact.

“What a fantastic day!! The Urban Seed experience was simply brilliant. We loved the laneway cricket. It was a great way of challenging our stereotypes and getting us to think more openly about areas of the city that we would usually shy away from.”

“The kids have since been discussing how much they took from the day. As a personal development experience it was phenomenal. Any experience that implicitly teaches people about benevolence is absolutely invaluable.”

Samara reflects on Welcome to Country

Simon Moyle — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:40:18 GMT

Samara Pitt reflects on the Welcome to Country Smoking Ceremony led by Elder Bill Nicholson, noting that in communities where everything is assumed to be shared, there is no need for the word 'thankyou'.

"Seeking Asylum" in Aussie culture: A Praxis seminar

Kate Allen — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:57:07 GMT

What are the issues of identity for young people from migrant families and how this might inform their faith & well being?

Presenters: Minh Tran & Long Pham

Thursday 5th August 2010, 7.30pm

The Cave, Ascot Vale Church of Christ, 78 St Leonards Rd, Ascot Vale

Cost: $10

RSVP by emailing Talitha Fraser or phoning 9650 4023.

Raylene recalls a unique footy experience...

Kate Allen — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:25:54 GMT

It was raining Saturday morning so I was a little unsure whether people would show up. I rang people on my train trip into the city to check that they were still keen: everyone was on their way and not perturbed by the weather at all. On reflection I shouldn't have been surprised. Typically if there is something happening then our friends from the Credo Community are happy to be part of it, and the weather doesn't seem to affect them nearly as much as it does other people who have the option of staying home in a nice cosy and warm, comfortable lounge room reading a book or watching a DVD (as I myself was tempted to do).

We ended up using almost all the tickets. Rachel, her dad, two of her uncles and two of her cousins came along. Apparently Rach's uncles typically have seats in "the box" when they attend the footy, but were happy enough to come along and join our mob for something a bit different. So our "Credo mob" was made up of Doug, Raymond, Damo, Pete, Patrick, Adam, Boony and four of his mates (some who occasionally come to Credo) as well as myself and Rach.

Two people weren’t able to make it, so before the game we discussed what to do with their tickets. There were suggestions to "hock" the tickets, but upon discussion we decided that seeing we had been given the tickets ourselves, perhaps it'd be nice to continue this act of generosity and give the spare tickets to someone who was in need of them. Raymond suggested we go to the gate where people were lining up to purchase tickets and find someone there to give them to. Damo scanned the queue. The fella who received them was pretty stoked (and I think a bit surprised by the generosity of Damo and Raymond) particularly because the seats were really good ones!

We had a pretty even mix of supporters for both Richmond and Collingwood. Doug (a Collingwood fan) chose to leave at 3/4 time, satisfied that the magpies were heading for a win. He said he had really enjoyed "the break from work" (he sells The Big Issue) and is a candidate for "doing this more often"! It was great to see Doug getting into the game and to watch his banter and discussion with Boony, Damo and Rach's dad and uncles too. Rach's dad is a Richmond supporter, so he and Doug quickly established an amicable rivalry.

I spent most of the match sitting between Raymond and Damo. Raymond, not being a huge AFL fan, was pretty content to just be there with us and seemed satisfied with the opportunities to engage in banter with the other fellas. Damo, another Collingwood fan, was stoked by their performance and mentioned that it had been "ages" since he had been to a game.

The match ended up being one of my more memorable Saturday afternoons in a long while. On reflection this is because it was diverse people just "hanging out'' together...on an even standing. The individuals attending typically spend their days pretty differently: spruiking to sell the Big Issue magazine, sorting rubbish at a recycling depot, hanging out at drop-in centres and sleeping rough; pastoring a church in the Eastern Suburbs, attending high school, volunteering at Credo Cafe, managing a company and working for Urban Seed. People of very different walks of life....brought together by having a free Saturday afternoon to go to the footy!

Thanks Westpac and the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation for the free tickets

Run Melbourne brings Urban Seed supporters together

Kate Allen — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:19:06 GMT

Sunday's Run Melbourne event was an inspiration, with over 17,600 participants representing a wide range of charities and causes. Urban Seed had a team of runners and walkers that included staff, friends, corporate and community partners. We finished by sharing pancakes together in Credo Cafe. A special mention to Bruce Everett, our board chair, who achieved his personal best in the half marathon!

Over $9,000 was raised - a fantastic effort - which will be directed towards our projects supporting homeless and marginalised people in our four locations. A huge thanks to everyone who donated time and money through running, walking or sponsoring. We couldn't have done it without you!

fundraising page to read her story and sponsor her - Emma is donating proceeds to Urban Seed.

"Doing Run Melbourne can make me focus on something for me again. It also helps me reduce my smoking. Please support us because Urban Seed’s an excellent organisation and the continual support that I get from them helps me. Doing this run and having others run with me is so good!”

Indian students have a win in Footscray!

Kate Allen — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:55:53 GMT

The Credo Indian Tigers had a fantastic premiership victory on Wednesday night in the Grand Final of the Action Indoor Cricket Competition in Footscray.

The team was established, in part, as a response to the increase in violence against overseas students and highly publicised murder of Indian student Nitin Garg in the Footscray locality. Such events have served to highlight the broader problems within the booming but under-regulated overseas tertiary education sector and the vulnerabilities it creates for students.

Throughout the season over 15 different Indian students participated in the team in the 6-a-side competition. The team was managed by David Boon, a Praxis Victoria Community Work student, and mixed overseas students with participants in Urban Seed's Credo Cricket program to encourage local connections.

At the invitation of Premier John Brumby, some team members got to meet with Shane Warne the day before he flew out to participate in this years Indian Premier League. The meeting, arranged through participants in Cricket Victoria's Harmony Forum including Primus Telecom, was held on the lawns at Parliament House and included a round table discussion about the issues faced by students.

Another highlight of the season was having 15 people attend "The Long Walk" and "Dreamtime at the G" AFL Football Match as part of the Essendon Football Club and Cricket Victoria's GLoBALL social inclusion initiative. It was a huge thrill for Indian students to be at the sacred home of cricket in our city but also to share something of the cultural experience that comes from 40,000 years of history and being surrounded by a bay full of First Australians barracking loudly forthe Bombers!

Indian student Ashish Narula was named for Man of the Match taking 2 for 7 and scoring 28 in the 10 run Grand Final victory. His post on his Facebook page after the game captured the reason why we started the team:
"Thank you very much sir. I have become a great fan... Australia is a great place to be, rather, I should say, Melbourne and Footscray are great places to be :) go Melbourneeeee."

Brent Lyons Lee writes on supervised injecting facilities

Kate Allen — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:20:51 GMT

In response to a re-emergence in the media of debate about drug policy and supervised injecting facilities (see Robert Power's piece in yesterday's Age) Brent Lyons Lee has written offering his own perspectives.

Download Brent's article.

SURRENDER: Truth Lab event

Kate Allen — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:41:12 GMT

Hear, speak, question and dissect.

Join us for conversations with Ron Sider (Ph.D., Yale), the author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Ron is Professor of Theology, Holistic Ministry and Public Policy and President of Evangelicals for Social Action. Ron not only calls others to heed the poor but also demonstrates a lifestyle of commitment to the poor. Here’s your chance to tackle those tricky questions about faith, poverty, action and truth with Ron and others and hang around afterwards for more ‘analysis’ over some nibbles and drink.

WHEN: 7:30pm, Friday July 16, 2010
WHERE: St Martins, 215 Wellington St, Collingwood VIC 3066 (Melways Ref: 44 C4) and afterwards at Suede in Smith St for a coffee.
EMAIL: enquiries@surrender.org.au
COST: Donation

Helping fundraise for Urban Seed through Run Melbourne!

Kate Allen — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:00:00 GMT

(or you can walk it!)

Thousands of people are coming together to participate in one of Australia’s biggest fundraising events, Run Melbourne, on Sunday 18th July 2010. This is a great way for friends and supporters of Urban Seed to help fundraise for us.

One of the core aspects of this event is that every participant is encouraged to fundraise online for a cause they care about. Once a participant has registered for the event, they can build their own online fundraising page and in minutes send it to friends, family and work colleagues seeking donations.

It's free and easy. If you (or someone you know) would like to take part in Run Melbourne (5km walk, 5km run, 10km run or half marathon), we would be grateful if you would also consider fundraising for Urban Seed. Please click here to see what a fundraising page looks like.

Run Melbourne is now taking registrations. To register online go to www.runmelbourne.com.au. Once registered, you will be prompted to create a fundraising page; simply follow the instructions, and choose Urban Seed as your charity!

The event online fundraising is facilitated by Everyday Hero. If you have any problems or questions, or would like Everyday Hero team to help you create a fundraising page, please call 1300 798 768 during normal business hours.

If you know anyone else who you think might be interested in this event, please consider emailing them about it.

Don't make eye contact...by Talitha Fraser

Talitha Fraser — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 05:40:07 GMT

As I board the tram this morning, jostling for position and validating my ticket I become aware of a man who is obviously upset. His voice loud but incoherent, I can only catch occasional words and phrases; openly weeping he says something about the Japanese and Americans, numbers of people who had died, lamenting “the children... the children...” Some people openly stare, others deliberately looked away, avoiding eye contact. A child wearing a pink backpack, pink hat and pink scarf burrows her heads into her mother’s side, covering her other ear to block out his voice. We are all afraid of him; at the very least he makes us uncomfortable. Why doesn’t he sit quietly and mind his business like everyone else? There is a hush on the tram and only this elderly mans querulous and confused voice asking “Why?”

I consider engaging him in conversation but a young woman beats me to it... “Hi, I’m here to help you. Can you lower your voice? Ssh. You’re scaring people. I am your friend. What is your name? Where are you going?” The man does not know. The tram has halted and everyone now openly watches the scene unfold. An older man comes up behind her, backup against the unexpected. The lights change to red twice, three times, and the elderly man cannot answer the questions. A police vehicle pulls up at the lights beside us. The older man jumps out and taps on their window, and they pull over. The woman, his new friend, tells the elderly man some more friends have arrived, they’re going to give him a ride to the city, to come with her. He is assisted from the tram and led away.

The aberrant element removed, the lights change and our tram moves off, a relieved babbling fills the hush “...must be dementia”, “I know, my grandfather...” But some are silent witnesses, beginning to end and I wonder whether, like me, they think of how they could or should have responded. Internally, I have a querulous and confused voice that joins in asking “Why?”

New school walk on offer: Graffiti Melbourne

Wed, 12 May 2010 03:25:33 GMT

Urban Seed's Youth & Schools Team has developed a new walk, now on offer.

Melbourne is world renowned for graffiti and street art. Graffiti, traditionally the ‘art’ of the outsider, has often been a generator of political and social change, and has become a big part of Melbourne’s urban landscape. In this walk, we will take look at some of Melbourne’s best known spots for graffiti, and discuss its social implications, reflect on the messages and ideas being portrayed, whilst exploring Urban Seed’s work amongst the poor and marginalised of Melbourne.

For all enquiries, costs and booking information, please click here.

Make Poverty Personal: Simon Moyle published in Eureka Street

Kate Allen — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:51:31 GMT

Click to read the article on Eureka Street's website.

Workshop on mentoring young people

Kate Allen — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:02:29 GMT

Praxis Victoria invites you to"Mentoring Young People" Workshop

With John Dower from New Zealand: Details here

Date:Wednesday 12th May, 2010
Time: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Location: St Matthew’s Church, 153 Eaglehawk Rd, Bendigo
Cost: $15, which includes coffee and refreshments
RSVP: Email Talitha Fraser or phone 03 9650 4023 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 03 9650 4023 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Feel free to forward this invitation to any you think might be interested.

Credo Community Handyman/woman wanted

Kate Allen — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:42:41 GMT

Got some spare time on your hands?

Good at odd jobs and "handyman" type work?

Got a heart for mission and the marginalised?

The Credo community is looking for someone with such skills who could volunteer their time to help out with a small amount of maintenance work around Credo Cafe. Jobs would include such things as fixing broken cupboards, putting up shelves, fixing broken locks, installing hooks into concrete walls etc.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in please contact Raylene on 9650 4023 or email her.

What does the word Harrow mean to you?

Jamie Stinson — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:57:20 GMT

Credo crew faces indigenous team at Harrow

Harrow. This word probably means nothing to you. You are probably completely unaware of the small country town in far western Victoria with a population of roughly 90 people. But what if I told you that Harrow was the spiritual home of cricket in Australia? Now do I have your attention?

In 1868 for the first time in history an Australian cricket team toured England. They were quite literally Australia’s first XI. They played over 40 matches for little to no money and won more than they lost. But what makes this story intriguing is the fact that the team was made up entirely of indigenous men.

Over one hundred years later a match was played in honour of Australia’s first XI. A motley crew from Urban Seed made the five hour journey west of Melbourne to this tiny farming community to play an indigenous team at the historic Harrow cricket ground. A vigorous training session preceded the highly anticipated 20/20 game. There was a brief ceremony to pay respect to the traditional owners of the land before the Credo Cricket team won the toss and sent the locals in to bat. The decision looked to be a good one with Jamie Stinson striking in the very first over and then again in his next over to have the home side 2 for not many early in the game.

There was a steady flow of wickets early on but they dried up with an impressive 5th wicket stand that saw the indigenous side take the box seat posting 116 with the majority of their runs being scored in the second half of the innings. Credo started slowly and found themselves in trouble early at 2/11. Credo’s star recruit Peter Campbell combined with Marcus Curnow to steady the ship with Peter Smashing two enormous 6’s in his 25 run innings. Marcus had an important cameo role making 18. Unfortunately the Credo crew was unable to match the locals for consistency and fell short by about 20 runs.

The game played as a perfect prelude to November when Credo Cricket will join forces with England’s Cricket for Change team and seek redemption in Harrow. Jamie Stinson Cricket Victoria Sports Development Student

Invisible Boy: Living Room Tour Fundraiser for Urban Seed

Kate Allen — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:44:37 GMT

Urban Seed warmly invites you to attend...

ACOUSTIC . FOLK . POP: Download flyer

“One of the best bands of their kind” DrumBeat Magazine

“Confident, strident, catchy, strong” Indie CDs

“Simplicity at its finest” Buzz Magazine

“Elegantly polished melodies with poignant lyricism” The Dwarf

7pm, Friday April 16th

CREDO Cafe, Baptist Place, off Lt Collins St

Finger food provided

Contact 9650 4023 for bookings/details

Tickets $20 / $10 conc.

2010 Laneway Cricket Grand Final

Kate Allen — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:09:07 GMT

“WHAT TIME IS IT?!?!” The words echoed throughout the room in a commanding voice befitting of the man who delivered them. Having flown all the way from LA, John Jensen made his presence known at Urban Seed's Laneway Cricket Grand Final after party. His speech was received well by the crowd at the Credo Cafe who had just witnessed one of the most exciting games of Laneway Cricket in recent memory...

The day started at just before 5pm. The players and spectators enjoyed a social warm up before the main event commenced. Phil Yew named the sides for the match and presented the game shirts to the Bin Juice All-Stars and the Dumpster All-Stars. The teams consisted of players from all walks of life. Executives from PricewaterhouseCoopers rubbed shoulders with some less privileged players as staff from Cricket Victoria watched on. After the game wrapped up players and spectators migrated into Credo Cafe where the social aspect of the night began.

With some light snacks and drinks in hand the crowd listened eagerly as John Jensen spoke about his life, and how cricket changed it, as it has done for many of his team mates at the Compton Cricket Club. John Jensen’s speech certainly made us all think about what Credo Cricket can continue doing to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

Jamie Stinson
Cricket Victoria Sports Development Student

Credo Cricket and the Reclink Super 8s final

Kate Allen — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:56:59 GMT

If there is one unique quality that sport holds more so than others facet of life, it is the ability to bring people from all walks of life together. Something about competing as a team and striving for a common goal seems to break down the barriers the hold us apart in our daily lives.

The 2009/10 season of the Reclink Super 8’s carnival was certainly no exception. On Wednesday the 17th of February 2010 the season reached its climax with the season grand final. The day kicked off at around 11am with some fierce competition in the C and D grade finals. It may have only been the lower grades, but with bragging rights at stake nobody was prepared to take it easy. After the first games a BBQ was provided for everybody in attendance and like all good athletes the Credo Cricket team enjoyed a nutritious snack before beginning their pre game preparation.

With their head full of dreams and their bellies full of sausages and hamburgers, the Credo Cricket elite were ready to march on victory against the Brunswick Salvo’s in the B grade final....or so they thought. Although the game came down to the wire, with the result determined by the very last ball, the Credo Cricket Lions fell just three agonising runs short of victory. While most remembered that the game was simply a celebration of a successful season, the crushing defeat was too much to bear for a few players, who saw a season of hard work go down the drain.

To the loyal supporters of the Credo Lions, do not fear! They will be back for the 2010/11 season with their goal this time to take out the A grade premiership!

Jamie Stinson
Cricket Victoria, Sports Development Student

Urban Bean officially launched (Friday 19th February)

Kate Allen — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:52:52 GMT

Urban Seed's new social enterprise, Urban Bean, was officially launched last Friday 19 February. It was an extremely hot evening and the 60 people who attended were ordering iced coffees instead of their normal lattes as the air conditioner stuggled to cope. Project co-ordintator Brent Lyons Lee thanked supporters, particularly the Geelong Community Foundation's Andrew Lawson, for backing the vision when it seemed an unlikely project. The other main supporters were the R E Ross Trust and the Norlane Community Centre. Brent also thanked the people on the ground making it work, particularly cafe manager Tony Venz and his wife Sarah. Bruce Everett, Chair of the Urban Seed Board, then officialy launched the project and talked about Urban Seed's priorty and committment to building social capital in Norlane. Having only been open for a couple months, we have aready seen a significant impact on the community, with many locals volunteering and getting inspired to become the next batch of award winning barristas!

Circle of Courage Training with Larry Brendtro

Kate Allen — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:37:45 GMT

PRAXIS Victoria, Urban Seed & Concern Australia are proud to present training opportunities based on The Circle of Courage, facilitated by Dr Larry Brendtro (founder of Reclaiming Youth International).

RAP Training

Developmental Audit Assessment Model

RAP – Response Ability Pathways

The poor always with us? Simon Moyle responds to Tony Abbott

Kate Allen — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:00:34 GMT

Last week an Age article reported on why a government under Tony Abbott's direction would not continue with the Rudd government's goal of halving homelessness by 2020.

Simon Moyle, Urban Seed's Advocacy & Engagement Co-ordinator, has made a response to Abbott's use of a passage from Matthew's gospel in justifying his stance.

Simon Moyle's response

Tony Abbott has once again nailed his colours to the mast in a statement at a Catholic Social Services conference last week, this time with regard to homelessness. Asked by Sacred Heart Mission Chief Executive Michael Perusco whether a Coalition government would continue the Rudd government’s commitment to halve homelessness by 2020, he replied, “No.”
He then continued, saying, ''You know everyone in the Catholic tradition is trying to build a better world, but we know this one is never going to be perfect and that doesn't stop us, doesn't excuse us from trying to do better, but it should caution us against thinking that we are going to achieve heaven on earth. It just can't be done.''

But perhaps his most controversial statement in his response to Perusco was his misuse of Matthew 26:11:

''You know politicians love to make big heroes of themselves by making these sweeping statements and yet I, who was it who said 'the poor you have with you always?' …”

Unfortunately Abbott has perpetuated a common misunderstanding of this passage. Taken out of context it appears to be a sanctioning of things-as-they-are. Yet it appears in the context of a story of extravagant generosity shown by a marginalised woman who anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. When the disciples object on the grounds that such expense should have been better directed to the poor rather than Jesus, he replies, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me." Jesus is not saying that poverty will always exist, let alone justifying inaction. Jesus is making a point about the social location of his disciples. That is, as long as there are poor, the disciples should be found in solidarity with them.

The main problem here is the self-fulfilling prophecy that this misreading perpetuates. Jesus says “The poor will always be with you” because it is in proximity to the poor that we learn about poverty, and its causes and effects, beyond assumptions and sweeping generalities. We learn that it is a complex combination of issues and experiences, different for each person, and that our response must be similarly nuanced. The irony, of course, is that when we become removed from that context we are forced to make assumptions, which due to that distance have little bearing on reality. It also means that we read this passage in a way that perpetuates our misunderstanding of poverty. In turn, we don’t take the path of proximity to, or solidarity with, the poor - the only course which will lead to the breakdown of these assumptions. And so the circle of misunderstanding is completed and perpetuated.

On this Abbott is correct: it will take more than government intervention to significantly reduce the incidence of homelessness in Australia. In many ways relying on government to fix homelessness is the lazy way out. In reality it relies on all of us stepping up to welcome, care for, and take responsibility for the marginalised in our own local communities. There is no doubt that government can take a role in helping or hindering this process, but the responsibility lies with you and me.

Simon Moyle
Urban Seed
24 February 2010

Evan Morgan joins the Youth & Schools Team

Kate Allen — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:55:38 GMT

The Youth and Schools team is delighted to welcome Evan Morgan on board. Evan joins the existing team - Samara, Tim, Sarah and Blythe - running City Walks and creative seminars for secondary school students from around Victoria.

Evan is a born and bred Melburnian who loves spending time in the city. During a Diploma of Ministry at Tabor College, he was encouraged to participate in the Mission Exposure week with Urban Seed, and followed up with a two year stint busking on Swanston Street, meeting locals and participating in the rhythms of the street. He developed a love of learning about different subcultures in Melbourne, and has contributed to a few of these through music production, performance and event management. Evan lives at the Indigenous Hospitality House in Carlton.

Urban Bean Cafe Launch: February 19 in Norlane, Geelong

Kate Allen — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:32:02 GMT

Australia Day / Indian Republic Day event

Kate Allen — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:26:38 GMT

Urban Seed's Credo Cricket and Cricket Victoria partnered to do what they do best on Australia Day. We hosted a fun match between Victoria Police and Indian students who are friends of Urban Seed through our connections in Footscray with the Barkly Street Uniting Church Cricket Club and Footscray Baptist Church.

The Jai Ho Festival at the Myer Music Bowl celebrated January 26 as both Australia Day and Indian Republic Day, and was the perfect location to celebrate the connections cricket can create between our nations.

Urban Seed's Marcus Curnow: "Reports of street violence against Indians in Melbourne on Australia Day and reports coming from India that Australians may not be able play cricket in Mumbai are saddening and the responses of extremists. The Australia Day/Indian Republic Day match between Victoria Police and Indian students is a statement that cricket should not be used to bowl hand grenades but build partnerships that bring our nations together... That wherever you are from you are always welcome to play cricket in Melbourne. This is made a reality with Urban Seed running matches each week in Footscray and on city streets and through initiatives from Cricket Victoria and Harmony Australia - including ticket giveaways and pathways to employment in cricket umpiring for Indian students."

Later in the evening on Australia Day, Urban Seeders had opportunity to keep talking cricket when they joined with locals in West Footscray at the busy Indian hub of Barkly Street Village for an "Australians listening to Indians" event organised by members of the Footscray Church of Christ.

Urban Seed welcomes new residents for 2010

Kate Allen — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:55:57 GMT

We're delighted to welcome our new Urban Seed residents for 2010, from left to right, Rachel Burkitt, Rachel Cowen, Lindy Croucher, Amber Gaskill and Paul Toms (Paul was also a resident in 2002 and 2003). Rachel Cowen will be living at Urban Seed's Geelong base, joining Kylie, Luke and Charlotte Wilkinson, while the others will join Virginia Moebus and Jeff Nelson at Central House in the CBD.

Residency forms a vital part of Urban Seed's work among marginalised people. Many of our staff have actively chosen to live in impoverished neighbourhoods, believing that poverty is best overcome through 'vital relationships', where the energy, knowledge and resources and of local leaders are thoughtfully engaged and connected with broader support structures.

All the residents have just completed two weeks of orientation and training and are looking forward to getting their hands dirty from this week, with the return of Credo Cafe and Long Room meals, and most projects getting back into full swing.

Detailed bios will be posted on our staff page shortly.

The Credo community gathers in Fitzroy gardens to celebrate Credo Christmas 2009

Kate Allen — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:22:28 GMT

The wider Credo community gathered in Fitzroy Gardens yesterday for one of the most chilled out Credo Christmas celebrations in Urban Seed history. The weather was perfect, the barbie sizzled away, and we gathered for some reflection before gifts of wonderful baked goods were distributed, made over the last few weeks by Credo Team members. Cricket and frisbee took place well into the afternoon, and the Urban Seed Lolly Man made a brief appearance before being tackled to the ground by the kids. Urban Seed would like to thank everyone who made this wonderful celebration possible through their attendance, gifts, support and hard work.

Our staff and residents will break over Christmas-new year, participate in training throughout January, and Credo Cafe will re-open in the first week of February 2010. May your Christmas be rich in community hope!

Laneway Cricket feature on 7pm Project now to be shown Dec 10

Kate Allen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:00 GMT

The Laneway Cricket feature on Channel 10's 7pm Project will now be screened on December 10. Filming of a match took place last week in Rutledge Place, featuring members of the Credo Cricket Team and employees from Urban Seed's corporate partners Cricket Victoria and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Cricket Australia has written about it on their website.

Urban Seed 2009 Annual Report now available to download

Kate Allen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:53:44 GMT

Urban Seed staff are thrilled to have our latest annual report completed (with huge thanks to Rohan Goffin for his design work). Download the report to read about the broad range of Urban Seed's activities and achievements over the past year. Hard copy versions will be mailed over the coming week, however please contact us if you'd like extra copies.

Credo Team does dessert masterclass

Kate Allen — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:44:58 GMT

Members of Credo Team (Sarah, Nigel, Paul, Dave and Ray) took a trip up to the 50th floor of 600 Bourke Street (home of our corporate partner Mallesons Stephen Jaques) to participate in a dessert 'masterclass' with Mallesons' in-house chef Jean Ducommun. Attended by about 50 Mallesons employees, the lunchtime cooking demonstration was an awareness raising event for Urban Seed (Kate Allen spoke on the theme of hospitality), doubling as culinary inspiration, with Jean teaching us to make pastries, and white and dark chocolate mousse. Credo Team members returned wondering whether French desserts should appear regularly on the menu in Credo Cafe...

Urban Seed Residential Positions 2010

Kate Allen — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:38:24 GMT

The residential community contributes significantly to the work and shared community that exists in and around Credo Café. Residents also gain exposure to public advocacy, street work, hospitality and community building aspects of our work.

Urban Seed is currently seeking expressions of interest from people who may be interested in joining the residential community in 2010. Members of the community are 21 years or over and commit to a year during which they contribute at least 3 days a week to the ‘Street and Hospitality’ work of Urban Seed, in return for their accommodation.

Married couples and mature-aged people are very welcome to apply.

If you are interested in finding out more please contact Paul Toms before 13 November 2009.

Brent Lyons Lee on gambling

Kate Allen — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:02:25 GMT

In 1999 there was no such thing as Facebook, and the iPhone wasn’t even a glint in Steve Jobs’ eye. North Melbourne won the AFL premiership, and some obscure guy named Steve Bracks was having a tilt at an ‘unwinnable’ election. A lot changes in ten years, you can bank on that. 1999 was also the year the Productivity Commission released a report on gambling. Ten years on, and a new draft report on gambling, has been released this week. Sadly, little has changed. Australians lose over $18 billion per year on gambling, and nearly $12 billion on poker machines alone.

The Productivity Commission revealed that only around 15 per cent of Australian adults gamble regularly. This surprises me given the seemingly endless opportunities we have to play the pokies. You can get off the train at Flinders Street and walk straight in to a venue. Wherever you are in Melbourne’s CBD, there is always a venue close by. Pokies affect every part of our society. Middle class people have been lured in to the trap of believing they can beat Pokies and have lost jobs, houses and families. As well as the more marginalised people that we see in Credo Café.

No matter how many times you tell people they can’t win if they play these machines consistently, the message just doesn’t sink in. Perhaps this is because those who are disconnected from community, ‘homeless’ or living in substandard boarding houses are often looking for a sense of belonging and safe place to pass time. Staff at pokies venues around the city will often remember your name, provide free cups of coffee, or sign you up to their ‘club’.

The most alarming fact that the Commission found virtually unchanged over a decade is that problem gamblers' share of total spending on pokies was around 40 per cent. This is unacceptable. What other industry other than tobacco relies on nearly half its income being sourced from people struggling with addiction? The Commission admits that while precision is impossible, the number of problem gamblers is estimated at around 125,000.

I welcome the harm reduction measures suggested by the Commission. How can Pokies be declared recreational when it is currently possible to lose up to $1,200 an hour? The government should immediately adopt the Commission’s recommendation that bet limits be lowered to one dollar per button push (equating to losses of around $120 an hour). ‘Recreational’ players would be minimally affected. The Taskforce would also welcome the measures of

extended shut down periods for gaming rooms in hotels and clubs;·
a move to a universal pre-commitment system for gaming machines with binding limits on their future play.

I acknowledge that the majority of Australians are not adversely affected by gambling, and accept an individual’s right to choose to do so. However, it is often the churches and organisations such as Urban Seed who are left picking up the pieces of devastated lives.

Brent Lyons Lee

Executive Officer

Urban Seed

Latest adventures of cricket you can believe in!

Kate Allen — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:27:10 GMT

Checked out the Credo Cricket blog lately? There's plenty happening, including the Diwali Festival, meeting Cricket for Change in London, and hanging out with a gang-based team from South Central LA!

Conscience on Collins - view the flyer - join us Oct 22nd

Kate Allen — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:51:19 GMT

Employment with Urban Seed's Youth & Schools team

Kate Allen — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:29:13 GMT

The Urban Seed Youth and Schools Team is often looking for new staff to develop and expand its work informing and educating young people around issues such as homelessness, substance abuse, mental health, addiction and family breakdown.

Copperfield College asks: Who's the addict?

Kate Allen — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:10:39 GMT

Students from Copperfield College visited the Den on Friday for the session 'Who's the Addict?'. We explored media portrayals of drug and alcohol use, looked at the addiction issues of a certain footballer and discussed the range of ways we attempt to deal with the realities of our lives.

Brent Lyons Lee published in The Age on sports gambling

Kate Allen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:37:19 GMT

Executive Officer Brent Lyons' Lee has had an opinion piece published in The Age arguing that sports gambling promotion is encouraging the next generation of addicts. /site/DefaultSite/filesystem/images/Sherrin.jpg

Event on 22 Oct 2009: Did Greed Forget Community?

Kate Allen — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:00:00 GMT

32,000 to go: youth homelessness campaign

Kate Allen — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:31:07 GMT

Many students that the Youth and Schools team speak to have watched The Oasis movie. Now the Salvation Army's Oasis Youth Support Network has a new campaign to raise awareness about youth homelessness called 32,000 To Go Every night, 32,000 Australians younger than 24 have nowhere to sleep (based on 2006 census figures - this is expected to have risen significantly since then). Check out http://32000togo.com.au/ for more details. /site/DefaultSite/filesystem/images/32000-to-go-Oasis-of-Chance-NEWS.com.au.jpg

Call This A Home Campaign

Kate Allen — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:37:55 GMT

Many of those with whom we share lunch in Credo Cafe live in private rooming houses - a number of which are very poorly run and regulated. Hence our involvement with the Call This A Home Campaign for safer rooming houses. /site/DefaultSite/filesystem/images/rooming-house-image.jpg

Reclink Grand Final

Kate Allen — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:11:19 GMT

Every year Melbourne's streets celebrate the end of another season of aussie rules. This year the Reclink Grand Final was fought out between six different teams, and those gathered to watch included many from the Credo community. The football was spectacular! Two points between them at the beginning of the final quarter, Western Port Warriors were asking the question and Sacred Heart answered. Their supporters were at the sidelines tensely watching every move hoping their guys and girls would win. In the end Credo's cheers were: Go Emma, Go Coco!

Mission Exposure

Kate Allen — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:36:07 GMT

In July our residential community in Melbourne's CBD hosted five guests as part of Mission Exposure Week. This is an opportunity to experience and learn about the work of Urban Seed. Some comments from Mission Exposure guests were

'I really appreciated the new experiences, which caused many reflections on my life and my views/thoughts on justice, faith, Bible reading and community. I felt so welcome ay Urban Seed and Credo and will never forget my time here.'

'One of the best weeks of my short two decades so far!'

As part of a session on local community, Urban Seed Educator Tim Jeffries shows Mission Exposure guests around his neighbourhood in Preston.

We will be running another Mission Exposure Week from September 19 to 25. Anyone interested should email Paul Toms or call (03) 9650 4023.

Youth & Schools update

Kate Allen — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:00:00 GMT

It's been a big week in student interviews for Youth and Schools. Samara, Peter Mac, Blythe and Andreana have been questioned (and filmed!) on the topics of homelessness, safety in the city, law in the city, and nutrition and health concerns for the homeless. We are happy to assist with student research (and we especially like curly questions and a keen curiosity about the topic!). Please contact the Den on 9663 0699 if you wish to make a time with us.

Smashing cultural boundaries through cricket

Kate Allen — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:49:11 GMT

Once again, we are thrilled at what Credo Cricket has been able to inspire. In light of recent attacks on Indian students highlighted in the media, the Premier, Indian students, Victorian police as well as Bushrangers Damien Wright, John Hastings and Will Sheridan played in a six-a-side match recently at Birrarung Marr.

Urban Seed's Executive Officer and Credo Cricket legend Marcus Curnow did the commentary for the game. "It was great to see so such a big turnout. Credo Cricket invites Indian students to a free hit of cricket each week out in the western suburbs which creates an important base for relationship and support in the midst of the real issues," he said.

Read more here.

Brent Lyons Lee writes for Mustard Seed Associates

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:32:37 GMT

Executive Officer Brent Lyons Lee has published an article on the US website Mustard Seed Associates on spirituality and connection to the land.

Read it here.

Marcus Curnow speaks at Harmony Forum

Kate Allen — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:00:24 GMT

Marcus Curnow spoke at a Harmony Forum last Friday run by Cricket Victoria and partner organisations at the MCG. Other speakers included representatives from Victoria Police, education, business, the judiciary, leading sporting codes and other fields gathered to discuss issues faced by international students and promoted ideas for programs and activities that will increase social inclusion for students. Marcus was able to speak of the potential of sporting initiatives such as Credo Cricket to become catalysts for positive change and social inclusion.

Read about the Harmony Forum here.

Stay connected and support Credo Cricket efforts to turn 'Hard Knocks into Good Knocks' by following them on twitter.com/credocricket

Laneway Cricket inspires match between Vic Police & Indian students

Kate Allen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Victorian and Australian cricketer Brad Hodge and Immigration Minister Senator Chris Evans joined Indian students and members of the Victorian Police on the cricket pitch last week. The initiative was an extension of programs Cricket Victoria and partner organisations (including Urban Seed) have conducted over several years to promote multiculturalism/inclusion in cricket. The aim is to improve relationships and build mutual understanding between the two groups.

Link to 774 radio interview about the event with Urban Seed Executive Officer Marcus Curnow.

Stay connected and support Credo Cricket efforts to turn 'Hard Knocks into Good Knocks' by following them on twitter.com/credocricket

$900 to stimulate some generosity?

Brent — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

What are you doing with your Manna from Kevin? With $900 stimulus cheques in the mail this week, a number of Urban Seeders have been exploring alternative options to simply rushing out to the shopping mall. We wanted to take into account a couple of things:

1. The current economic crisis (in which people are now losing jobs) is a basically a product of our collective greed - rampant consumerism fueled by runaway debt.

2. Our consumer economy is killing the planet through climate change and depletion of resources (soils, rivers, forests and oceans) - poorer countries are suffering the impact of this already.

On 7 April, our Public Engagement Co-ordinator Simon Moyle had an opinion piece published in The Age on the subject. Link to it here. You may also want to go the website Manna from Kevin to read some perspectives from others on the matter, or add your own!

Merridie Costello appointed to Executive Team

Brent — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Urban Seed is thrilled to welcome Merridie Costello, who this month joined Marcus Curnow, Brent Lyons Lee and Chris Lacey as the fourth member of our Executive Team. For Merridie it is a return to Urban Seed after having edited our Journal during 2003-04. She is enjoying being back, and brings experience in writing, editing and project management. She lives in Elsternwick with young adult children and husband Tim when he's not travelling!

David Batstone in Melbourne

Brent — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

A few of us managed to catch up with David Batstone over the weekend. David is the Executive Editor of Sojourners magazine and wrote the book 'Saving the Corporate Soul'. He was in town to make people aware of his work over the last few years investigating slavery worldwide. He estimates that there are 27 million enslaved people today. His journey to Australia coincided with the 200th anniversary of the slave trade abolition in Britain. William Wilberforce was the driving force behind this campaign 200 years ago and a movie entitled 'Amazing Grace' will be out soon.

If you want to be the driving force behind ending slavery today checkout Stop the Traffik and Not For Sale.

David Batstone's book 'Not For Sale' is available here.

Laneway Cricket Update

Brent — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:00:00 GMT

What a round in Westwood Place it was: high drama, loads of tension and of course heaps of fun. All the teams participating are playing with great spirit, friendship and enthusiasm for this great game of laneway cricket. This competition is bringing out the best in people, whether they are from behind a desk or sleeping in the streets of Melbourne. Everyone is equal in the laneway. For the rest of the results Download file

Here is the info for this Friday, Round 3 Download file

Laneway Cricket Carnival

Brent — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Urban Seed, in conjunction with Cricket Victoria, is pleased to announce that the Laneway Cricket Carnival is on again in 2009.

Our aims:
• To encourage/promote community and safety in the city of Melbourne by bringing diverse groups together in a fun team environment.
• To promote the work of welfare organisations in the Melbourne CBD and build positive corporate relationships with all who participate.
• To showcase Credo Cricket and its unique players and the work of Urban Seed.

Dates & Times:
Laneway Cricket dates for 2009

Dates Game times
February 20th , 2009 Game 1: 5-6pm Game 2: 6-7pm
February 27th , 2009 Game 1: 5-6pm Game 2: 6-7pm
March 6th , 2009 Game 1: 5-6pm Game 2: 6-7pm
March 13th, 2009 Game 1: 5-6pm Game 2: 6-7pm
Note: March 13th will be the final carnival day for Laneway Cricket.

For more information contact: Philip Yew philyew@gmail.com or call on 0414321451

Credo Cricket is “Cricket you can believe in!”

Simon Moyle's Opinion Piece

Brent — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Simon had an article in the Saturday Age on the weekend. Follow the link here

What's on in January

Brent — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Our annual Credo Christmas celebration took place again on the shady banks of the Yarra. Over 100 guests began the day with a reflective Christmas service. Christmas lunch was a smorgasbord of good food and we were thrilled with donations of Portuguese chicken and gourmet salads from Nando’s, as well as some Credo specialities.
Credo Café closes down in January so that we can focus on training new staff and also getting the café ready for the year ahead. A lot of work has been done cleaning and preparing with a ‘working bee’ that seemed to go for a whole week! We are also getting a new oven put in, one that is commercial rather than the domestic oven we have been using for years without realising. We hope to now be able to get the lasagne out on time!
A number of us are heading to the Anabaptist conference in late January. Details here.

Also, congratulations to Phil and Leanne for tying the knot and Ben and Ray for getting engaged.

See you back at lunch on February 2nd.

Hard at it in January

Myer Foundation Grant

Brent — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Urban Seed was a recipient of the Myer Foundation 2009 Commemorative Grants Program

“This project celebrates the trust and mutual vision shared by grant makers and grant seekers. Urban Seed will use the grant to review its organisational strength and build long-term viability,” said Mr Myer.

“This isn’t names-on-the-wall philanthropy. This is heartland philanthropy – helping small community organisations with their core mission,” said Mr Myer.

The selected organisations will participate in a forum with experts on capacity building and take part in a research program conducted by Queensland University of Technology’s Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies. The research findings will be reported to the Australian non-profit sector and grant maker network, and to the organisations themselves, with the hope to encourage future grants for capacity building.

The selected organisations were chosen according to a set of criteria established by the 2009 Commemorative Grants Taskforce: the organisation must work within the field of poverty and disadvantage or community; have a budget of less than $2 million; and have received two or more grants from The Myer Foundation or Sidney Myer Fund, most recently within the last ten years.

“A philanthropic grant is only as good as the organisation that receives it,” said Mr Myer.

Change of Leadership

Brent — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Gordon Preece has resigned as the Executive Director of Urban Seed, effective 5 December 2008. Leading up to his resignation, Urban Seed conducted a comprehensive strategic review which led to the advice that we rework our leadership structure. Specifically, an Executive Team approach was recommended in place of a single Executive Director, to better serve the increasingly complex and diverse nature of Urban Seed’s activities.

This Executive Team has now been appointed, and includes three senior and long term employees of Urban Seed: Chris Lacey, Marcus Curnow and Brent Lyons Lee. We are also seeking to appoint a fourth member to this team. As we strive for gender balance, this person will preferably be a woman, and we are convinced of the strengths that the right woman would bring to this team.Executive Team members will all have full executive powers, each with their own specific portfolio of responsibilities.

We are sorry that Gordon is leaving us after such a short time and have been particularly encouraged by his capacity to develop leadership. David Fuller has also resigned as Chair of the Urban Seed Board. We thank Dave for his service since 2001. In his place as Chair we welcome Bruce Everett who brings a number of strengths to the role, particularly in the areas of governance and business.

Living on Aboriginal Land Workshop

Brent — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Urban Seed invite you to join us for
“Living on Aboriginal Land”
A workshop with Baganan Kurityityin Theresa Creed and John Tracey

This workshop challenges non-Aboriginal participants to explore the relevance of concepts such as land rights, native title, sovereignty, reconciliation, treaty, self-determination, Aboriginal deaths in custody, customary law, traditional owner etc. to their own life on this country.
It explores ways in which non-Aboriginal people can support Aboriginal Australia.
The workshop offers no easy answers, only difficult questions.

6pm, Tuesday November 25th
@ “The Den” 116 Little Bourke St. Melbourne
(between Russell St. And Exhibition St. on the north side of the street)

Baganan is a Kalkadoon and Pitta Pitta woman. She was born on Woorabinda Mission and her parents were removed as children from their homelands and sent to Palm Island under the Queensland’s notorious Aboriginal protection regime. She discusses where her family come from, how they ended up in the mission system and what effect the mission system has had on her, her family and Aboriginal people in general. She presents issues such as poverty, the stolen generation, stolen wages, and cultural healing from a personal perspective.

John is a non-Aboriginal Australian who has been involved in Aboriginal support work since the Land Rights protests associated with the Brisbane Commonwealth Games in 1982. John will provide an overview of White Australia’s history including the frontier wars, the protection laws and present day indigenous policy. John is a member of the “Oodgeroo of the Tribe Noonuccal, Custodian of the Land Minjerriba, Peace, Prosperity and Healing, Sacred Treaty Circles”, based on Minjerriba (Stradbroke Island). He will discuss this process as a specific model of non-Aboriginal support for Aboriginal Australia.

For more info please contact Virginia at Urban Seed v.moebusnelson@gmail.com or 9650-8034

Praxis Training 2009

Brent — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Praxis is an exciting training course for all Youth and Community Workers. You can get training for work you are already doing in your own faith community, church or workplace or you can do a special placement with Urban Seed throughout our Seeds network. Intake for 2009 is happening now!

Download file

Wanted: Residents for 2009

Brent — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Central House Residents
Credo Café is an open lunch space for many of Melbourne’s marginalized, in the basement of Central House. The residential staff significantly contribute to the running and sense of community that exists in and around Credo Café. They also gain exposure to public advocacy, street work, hospitality and community building aspects of our work. At Central House, the back of Collins St. Baptist Church, the residential Community lives in a unique context, located between the city's most extreme contrasts of wealth and poverty. Members of the community commit to at least 3 days a week to the work of Urban Seed, for which they receive accommodation but are not paid. There is an annual intake of new residents through a formal orientation program. Residents must be 21 years or over.
Married couples and mature-aged people are very welcome.

If you are interested in residency at Central House, Melbourne contact Virginia on
virginia.moebus@urbanseed.org
or 9650 4023
APPLICATIONS CLOSE November 21, 2008

There are also Residential opportunities throughout our Seeds network in
Geelong
Footscray; and
Bendigo
Residents need to 18 years and over for these opportunities.

Fundraising Concert

Brent — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Urban Seed would like to invite you to 'An Evening of Music' presented by the Bearbrass Chamber Ensemble with special guests from the Australian Youth Orchestra. Tickets are $24 full and $17 concession. All proceeds from the event will be received by Urban Seed. The concert will take place at the Collins Street Baptist Church on October 24 starting at 8pm. Contact Kate Allen on Tel (03) 9650 4023.
Supported by Mallesons Stephen Jacques

Download file

Andreana's Opinion Piece

Brent — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:00:00 GMT

New Urban Seed Ressie Andreana Reale has an opinion piece in The Age commenting on the guest worker plan for Pacific Islanders. Andreana also works with the Centre for Risk and Community Safety at RMIT University.

See article here

New Staff at Urban Seed

Brent — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:00:00 GMT

We have a number of new faces around Urban Seed. We welcome to our Youth and Schools team Sarah Scott Webb from New Zealand. Also from New Zealand is Talitha Fraser who is coordinating our admin (what a task!). Kerri Cassidy has been appointed to do our accounts and we thank Mike Chambers for his services in this area for a number of years as he leaves us. We will also be saying goodbye to Credo Cafe Coordinator Luke Wilkinson who is leaving the city but remaining a part of the Urban Seed family in a role at Geelong. The wonderful Rohan Goffin will be taking on Credo Cafe responsibilities.

Live at Central House for a Week

Brent — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Saturday 20th-Friday 26th of September
Contact Christop Booth on (03)9650 4023

Credo Retreat 2008

Brent — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Credo Retreat is set aside each year for the community that gather at Credo cafe to spend a weekend away getting together to know each other better.
The retreat was at Camp Narbethong in Marysville and Friday night began with old school games which involved straws, M & M’s and charades. Saturday involved two bushwalks, one which was recorded as a stroll the other a leg buster, but both where beautiful. The op shop at Marysville proved to be full of cheap goodies for a few of our people. Flames flickered throughout the evening as people warmed their bodies by the fire or retreated inside to play cards.
These are the activities of the weekend but in the end the most important and special parts of the weekend were the unstructured conversations and laughs shared between people learning how to relate to each other and support each other better.

Sarah’s reflection on the weekend is as follows:

Community, caring & cabins
Adventurous
Meeting people, menus & meals
Praising people

Nature/nurture
Adventurous
Relationships
Bible & beauty
Environments
Thoughts
Health & happiness
Outdoors
Nurture/nature
Great get togethers, games, good things to remember

Laneway Cricket Grand Final

Brent — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:00:00 GMT

FRIDAY 28th MARCH, BAPTIST PLACE, MELBOURNE

5.30 -6.30pm LANEWAY CRICKET: MELBOURNE ALLSTAR MATCH

6.30 DRINKS, EATS and PHOTOS of the Carnival and some PRESENTATIONS including representatives of CRICKET VICTORIA.

CREDO CAFÉ, Baptist Place off Little Collins Street.

Call Marcus 0421076804 or Urban Seed 96504023 for more info.

Greetings Cricket Lovers, we hope you have had a happy and blessed Easter. Footy season is upon us and unfortunately the Victorian Bushrangers may need most of it to chase down the total NSW set for them in the PURA CUP Final!

The weather remains 'cricket like' however and Round 3 of Melbourne's inaugural Laneway Cricket Carnival saw teams brave the autumn hot spell in Latrobe Lane.

Kaz, Sharls and Sonja shone for the Middletons/Living Room Dumpsters in their resplendent red outfits and laughed their way to a record high score of 78 runs. The Goldman Sachs JBWere / Salvos Alleycats built slowly toward the total but at the height of the late charge were stopped in their tracks by Pommy, filling in for the Dumpsters, who obtained the first Laneway HAT-TRICK with 3 consecutive clean bowleds, including that of the amazing Mevan, in full flight, twice! Alleycats 39.

The second game was once again a thriller. For the third time in as many weeks a team well behind in the chase pulled off an unlikely and miraculous victory. Nathan, Tom, Stu, Matt, Scott and Chris for the PricewaterhousCoopers/Urban Seed Binjuice set the pace by pushing the record laneway team score out to a new frontier of 95. They then bowled well at the Mallesons Milkcraters who struggled to 32 off 8 overs. Enter Woodsy from Urban Seed's Credo Cricket and Michael from Malleys needing an unlikely 64 off their 16 balls. The short boundary to the Chinatown end of Latrobe Lane had meant that the reverse sweep had been tried a few times throughout the evening night but with little success. Throwing caution to the wind Woodsy and Mike adopted a risky last over strategy of reverse sweeping everything which confused the fielding side and the runs piled up. Michael from Malley's scooped the final delivery high into Chinatown and the game stopped. The umpire checked with the blokes on the BBQ as to whether or not it was a four or six. Delay, confusion, controversy, tension…'oh the drama of laneway'….. finally the ball was called six and the Milkcraters had got home by the barest of margins in a fairy tale.

Once again the pedestrian traffic is a unique part of the Laneway Cricket experience and our "game off" moments this round included someone working at Parliament House who left a card, keen to promote the concept; a businessman who said "this is the most innovative thing I've seen in a long time"; and a drunk Irishman who held a game up for five minutes because he just wanted to bowl one delivery!

This Friday we invite you to say farewell to Cricket Season at the home of Urban Seed's Credo Cafe in Baptist Place off Little Collins Street between Swanston and Russell. Baptist Place is like the Lords of Laneway, the place where Credo Cricket began as a response to the heroin crisis back in 2000. It is still the location of Urban Seed's residential community and our regular open lunch program. Feel free to invite friends and others who have shown some interest, it will be a great celebration!

Gordon Preece on Sport and Spirituality

Brent — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:00:00 GMT

'When I Run I Feel God's Pleasure'

With Footy season on us again, here is an article taken from the Evangelical Alliance Journal. The full version including Credo Cricket will appear in the Interface Journal in May www.atfpress.com

In the 1981 Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire, the film's hero Eric Liddell is literally running late for a mission meeting in a stark old Presbyterian church on a dark Edinburgh Sunday. Liddell apologises to his dour sister Jenny only to be delivered a real serve about his being perpetually distracted from the mission. Liddell then seeks to ease Jenny's worries concerning his vocation to the mission field, but after he runs in the Olympics. It is impossible to capture the passion and the Scottish accent on the page, but he says: 'God made me fast, Jenny, and when I run, I feel God's pleasure'. Whether Liddell actually made the statement in the film to Jenny (or her to him), it has the whiff of truth in terms of his overall philosophy.

Ian Charleson, who played Liddell in the film, described Liddell's inimitable running style of 'all arms and legs and head thrown wildly back .in the sheer exultation of the race' as due to the fact that '"He ran with faith. He didn't even look where he was going". Liddell's alleged statement is not only a magnificent moment in film, but in theology. It provides a stimulus for a long-overdue Protestant Play Ethic.

Defining Play and its Place in Life

Defining play, like other fundamental forms of human existence like love and work is difficult, but not impossible. Eminent child psychologist Jean Piaget notes succinctly that play is always done 'for the pleasure of the activity'. It is clear that Liddell plays when he runs, for all his strenuous effort and competitive spirit.

Johan Huizinga grasps some of the key features of play. For him play is:

A free activity standing quite consciously outside 'ordinary ' life as being 'not serious', but at the same time absorbing the player intensely and utterly. 'It is an activity connected with no material interest, and no profit can be gained by it. It proceeds within its own proper boundaries of time and space according to fixed rules and in an orderly manner. It promotes the formation of social groupings'.

To define play we need to also define work. This is not to say one is primary and the other secondary, merely that they are paired, are symbiotic, and 'play' off each other. Pope John Paul II defined work too widely as equivalent to all human activity i.e. including play. It is 'everything that man accomplishes, whatever its nature or attendant circumstances' including procuring sustenance, developing arts and sciences, enhancing 'moral and cultural standards'.

Miroslav Volf's simpler and stricter definition of work is 'an instrumental activity serving the satisfaction of [creaturely] needs', outside our own need for the activity itself. Leisure is excluded as activity done mainly for itself - perhaps as a secondary goal to meeting needs, despite subjective overlap with work along a spectrum, e.g. in "a useful hobby"'.

In clarifying the outstanding characteristics and overlap between work and play an analogy with eating is perhaps helpful. Eating has necessary or need aspects for survival, social aspects and aesthetic or enjoyment aspects. 'Work, like eating, while primarily a necessity for survival and social flourishing, can and should secondarily be enjoyed in itself'. Leisure (including play), like eating, has all three aspects - we need leisure or refreshing, restful activity or inactivity, we have social leisure as relational beings and we can enjoy rest and recreation. Play as a sub-category of leisure or rest is primarily concerned with active enjoyment, but is social and can reflect certain needs, especially when it is paid. This would be significant if we had space to look at professional play or sport - as analogous to a useful hobby.

The notion of calling or vocation, as distinct from but including work (paid or unpaid) as one form of vocation may include things done, like the best work (though including need) and play, for their intrinsic value. The Protestant Reformers saw vocation as a playful delight - which, despite puritanical distortions and stereotypes, could include vacation, leisure or play. The whole of human existence is a means 'to glorify God' as in the Westminster Shorter Catechism's first question, but this by no means diminishes our enjoyment of God or our leisure, as Liddell knew. His abstaining from running the 1924 Olympic 100 metres on Sunday expressed his glorifying God and recognition of the Sabbath's and God's grounding of all enjoyment. So, when he ran, and won the 400 metres in world record time, he presuma bly 'felt God's pleasure', though the winning was not necessary. God delights in humans enjoying and fulfilling their created nature and gifts. The means echo the end and there is mutual divine and human pleasure.

Karl Barth relativizes work as 'significant play' in relation to the real work of reconciliation accomplished by Christ. In the light of God's coming kingdom, culture and work are serious, but not too serious. Barth's love of Mozart typifies this playfulness and lack of ultimate seriousness. Lest we take sport too seriously, Barth stresses the eschatological limit in the Sabbath and resurrection over against a cultural Protestant ethic that can make sport into a moralistic work. The 'true work of culture' including sport is not 'an unending process that reaches into the infinite' of God's Kingdom. Work, culture and sport have a provisional, playful sense, lest we view them too solemnly as a collegial cooperation with God.

In The Joy of Sports, Catholic thinker Michael Novak says forthrightly:

'Play, not work, is the end of life. To participate in the rites of play is to dwell in the Kingdom of Means . In a Protestant culture, as in Marxist cultures, work is serious, important, adult. Its essential insignificance is overlooked. play is reality. Work is diversion and escape'.

Novak is not nuanced. As a Catholic he enjoys putting down the Protestant Work Ethic. But his point that play is an end, with a purpose in itself, is well-taken.

Novak states categorically that sports are not just part of life, they are the heart of life. '[T]he heart of human reality is courage, honesty, freedom, community, excellence: the heart is sports'. Yet, it is not the only end, Novak notes.

'Sports are not, of course, all of life' - but they are its ethical essence. The virtues generated from sports should 'inform one's family life, civic life, political life, work life. What the person of wisdom needs to derive from every sphere of life is its inherent beauty, attraction, power, force'.. Sports civilize. 'Sports are the highest products of civilization and the most accessible, lived, experiential sources of the civilizing spirit . Cease play, cease civilization'.

Novak's defence of sport as an end in itself and his affirmation of the sporting virtues is well-taken. However, his inter-religious critique, broad civilizational generalizations, and absolutisation of American sports (in the way the baseball 'World Series' can be used to describe a purely US competition), risks going to the opposite extreme, his minor caveat aside. Sports may not be all of life, but they clearly make a totalising, imperial claim in his view. This endangers the nature of other spheres of life as ends in themselves.

Philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre's distinction between internal and external goods of social practices can clarify the relationship of means to ends, across a wide range of activities, including forms of play. The internal good of play includes enjoying its end or 'internal goods' for their own sake. Enjoying and serving God and neighbour in the process of play is part of the social aspect that defines the practice of good play.

This may not exclude 'pay for play' since meeting creaturely needs is part of the external goods needed to maintain the internal good or 'heart' of this practice. However, it is a constant temptation to mistake means for ends, external goods like rewards - money, fame, success - as internal constitutive goods of the practice.

MacIntyre illustrates this regarding a child offered candy for winning at chess, which encourages cheating, or as I have seen, with children offered money for scoring goals they score at soccer/football. Similarly the insurance salesman playing golf with a prospective client to get a commission, though it is even less related to the actual play itself. This is a utilitarian misuse of the game. It is only really a game after business is suspended and the contract signed. As Huizinga noted earlier, play can have no ulterior or material interest (compare worship). Yet it does often have important secondary or indirect consequences such as reinforcing relationships with ourselves, others, the earth; emancipating and expressing our spirits; reconnecting to the wholeness of life; experiencing long-lasting joy . Sports have health benefits but they are best seen as a by-product. Otherwise why not just run on a treadmill in front of a TV?

The grace or aesthetic excellence of shared bodily exercise can help eradicate a passive sense of entertainment that distracts us from coming to terms with the 'junk' of our alienated, mortal bodies and the baptismal practice that enables us to come to terms with them. The practice of giving our bodies in baptism over to a dying and rising with Christ for God's and our pleasure, provides a link between spirituality and sport, from the more basic forms like walking to the more sophisticated forms like professional athletics.

Christine Ledger notes:

Physical activities, from the simple to the athletic, from a brisk walk to a marathon, remind us of both the abilities and the limitations of the body. Physical activities, practiced alone or with others, require discipline and repeated effort in a technological society where ease of transport and passive entertainment are encouraged. However, they engage us with our bodies and with the world in a way cars and television do not.

Ledger then cites Albert Borgmann elaborating on the example of running this way:

Running is simply to move through time and space, step-by-step. But there is a splendor in that simplicity. In a car we move of course much faster, farther and more comfortably. But we are not moving on our own power and in our own right. We cash in prior labor for present motion. Being beneficiaries of science and engineering and having worked to pay for a car, gasoline, and roads, we now release what has been stored and use it for transportation. What I am doing now, driving, requires no effort, and little or no skill or discipline. I am a divided person; my achievement lies in the past, my enjoyment in the present. But in the runner, effort and joy are one; the split between means and ends, labor and leisure is healed. the runner is mindful of the body because the body is intimate with the world . The mind becomes relatively disembodied when the body is severed from the depth of the world when is split into commodious surfaces and inaccessible machineries. Thus the unity of ends and means, of mind and body, and of body and the world is one and the same. It makes itself felt in the vividness with which the runner experiences reality.

While Liddell is more succinct and simple, he would have wholeheartedly agreed. Our challenge today is not to produce more Olympians, but more ordinary runners and walkers who can 'feel God's pleasure' for themselves and not merely by the proxy of passive entertainment of technology.

Book Launch

Brent — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Brent Lyons Lee has written Emerging Downunder with Ray Simpson. Former Urban Seed Director Tim Costello will launch the book at Credo Cafe on April 3 at 6:30. (Details Download file)

Emerging Downunder: Creating Celtic New Monastic Villages of God taps into the current hunger for spirituality, the death pains of obsolete church forms, and the rising tide of hope felt by many Christians. It suggests ways the fragmented church may reconnect both with its roots and the contemporary environment, providing practical examples of church that bring praying, eating, learning and hospitality together in one place.

This book was first published as Church of the Isles by Ray Simpson for a British audience. In collaboration with Brent Lyons Lee, it has tapped in to worldwide conversations about ‘emerging church’ and ‘new monasticism’ and applied it to a ‘downunder’ context.

The good news of God revealed in Christ Jesus is timeless but the nature of Christians gathering to worship has changed through the centuries. In Emerging Downunder Ray Simpson and Brent Lyons Lee are documenting new forms of church in this 21st century. May this book challenge you into a deeper relationship with Jesus through new ways of being the church of God.
Dr Philip Freier
Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne

This is a read for the restless; those who are hungry for something deeper, who cringe with what passes for Christian identity and worship these days and despair when they read church pew bulletins. In fact many who now feel church-less may well find hope here. Or those who walk a lonely path of spiritual isolation where soul mates are rare.
Rev Tim Costello
CEO World Vision Australia

Copies can be purchased through Brent Lyons Lee
brent.lyonslee@urbanseed.org or ph 0413 311 170

Laneway Cricket Begins!

Brent — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Finally a win on the Polies

Brent — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Victoria will become the first Australian state to ban automatic teller machines from the floor of pokies venues, Premier John Brumby has announced. Read more here

Easter Installation

Brent — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Via Crucis @ Docklands: Easter 2008
click here

Urban Seed at Forge Festival

Brent — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:00:00 GMT

List of electives at the Urban Seed hub:
All workshop participants are to meet at Credo Café. Credo is at the end of Baptist Place off Little Collins Street between Russell and Swanston Streets for a 1:30 start.

Dave Fagg
Elective: Regional Mission: following Jesus outside the city gate. Explore the distinctive nature of church and mission in regional areas.

Workshop: Outdoor Education and the gospel: Explore the possibilities of using experiences in creation to foster Christ-like personal and community development.

Dave Fagg is a secondary school teacher, writer and community worker. With his wife Kylie, Dave has spent the last 13 years trying to follow Jesus amongst the poor in Melbourne, Bendigo and overseas. Dave is passionate about a life of costly mission among the marginalised, the transformation of neighbourhoods through Christ-like compassion and shaping a theology & spirituality that sustains this life. He co-ordinates the Praxis course, and is a member of Seeds, a network of covenanted communities living in poor neighbourhoods in Footscray, Geelong and Bendigo.

Mark Holt

Elective: Global perspectives: Neighbourhood & dialogue; empowering communities to find their own distinctive ways of following Jesus

Workshop: Interfaith dialogue: A visit to East Melbourne mosque followed by a reflective debrief.

Mark is the State director of Global Interaction Victoria. His background is in dairy farming, hay carting, carpentry, missionary work & pastoring, He likes Surfing, reading good books, seeing good movies, good coffee. His favourite movie is The Matrix. He’s been married to Val for 31 years and has three children.

Jonathan Cornford

Elective: Intro to the Economy of God: What is God's vision for how we practice economics? Why is it one of the defining discipleship issues for us today? Explore biblical perspectives on 'the Economy of God' and implications for us today.
Workshop: Household Covenanting: The Household Covenant is one way of trying to grapple practically with the enormous challenges of trying to re-orient our lives to the Economy of God. It is a tool which can be personally tailored to anyone wanting to take steps in this direction.

Jonathan Cornford lives in Footscray and is a member of the Common Rule. He works part time as an Advocacy Coordinator with Oxfam Australia, and in his spare time talks a lot about faith, economics, politics n'stuff.

Simon Moyle

Elective: Corey, the Chaser, and Jesus: radical faithfulness in a world of domination
Mohandas Gandhi often said that Jesus was the most active person of nonviolence in history - and the only people who don't know that Jesus was nonviolent are Christians. We'll explore what nonviolence is - and isn't - and how we might deepen our faithfulness to Jesus' radical call to disarm our hearts, love our enemies, and be blessed peacemakers.

Workshop: Subverting the Empire: Practical Tools For Costly Discipleship
If nonviolence isn't passive, how do we begin to actively tackle injustice through direct action? This workshop will give you some practical tools to engage in social change at personal, interpersonal and global levels.

Simon is a Baptist minister working with a small faith community in the inner north of Melbourne. He is a nonviolence activist and educator, who is passionate about creating cultures of peace, and was arrested last year for playing frisbee with Australian and US troops during military exercises.

Brent Lyons Lee & Ray Simpson

Elective: New Monasticism, Creating Villages of God: The emerging church seeks flexible frameworks which enable all people to move and grow and flow with God’s Spirit within the natural patterns around them. Ray and Brent will reflect on their recently released book, Emerging Downunder, which suggests ways the fragmented church may reconnect both with its roots and the contemporary environment, providing practical examples of church that bring praying, eating, learning and hospitality together in one place.
Workshop: Discernment Walk: We will take a walk around the ‘Paris End’ of Melbourne and learn the ways that Urban Seed was able to discern its surroundings and apply some ancient monastic insights to change its neighbourhood.

Ray Simpson is a celibate Anglican Priest and has been a minister in churches in Britain’s industrial Midlands, multi-racial London, and rural East Anglia. Since moving to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in 1996 he has been a consultant to pastors and priests who are at the work face of the emerging church, and has networked with congregations which seek to renew the inherited church and develop fresh expressions. He is the Guardian of The Community of Aidan and Hilda and is the author of a number of best-selling books on Celtic spirituality, including his most recent A Pilgrim Way: New Celtic Monasticism for Everyday People.
Brent Lyons Lee has worked for several years with Urban Seed in Melbourne’s CBD dealing with issues of poverty and wealth in an urban context. He is the ‘Minister’ of a community of people working from the Norlane Baptist Church, an hour from Melbourne in a low socio-economic suburb. He is married to Belinda and has studied both Theology and Social Science.

Gordon Preece

Elective: Mind the Gap Between Faith & Work
1. Outlining the biblical vision for everyday Christians engaged in connecting the Kingdom and their workaday world.
2. Identifying the theological and contemporary circumstantial reasons for the gap between faith & work, church and the scattered people of God, Sunday & Monday.

Workshop – Bridging the Gap between Faith & Work
3.This builds on the elective encouraging participants to develop alternative theological and strategic perspectives for enabling churches and Christians to re-engage the work-worlds of their scattered people as the front-line of mission.
Rev'd Dr Gordon Preece is Executive Director Urban Seed, Commissioning Editor, Zadok Perspectives, former director of Ridley College Centre of Applied Christian Ethics and Macquarie Christian Studies Institute. He comes from a small business family and has been involved with unemployed and mentally ill people, job and business creation projects. He teaches for Macquarie University School of Applied Finance and is Ethical Investment Consultant to Christian Super. He’s interested in work as a form of occupational therapy and sport (esp. soccer/football) as a form of spirituality.

Marcus Curnow

Elective: "It's Just Not Cricket: Spirituality of Sport and Mission"
In the midst of the 'monkey business' of a Kentucky Fried Cricket world, Urban Seed has committed itself to 'Credo Cricket'; public expressions of sport you can believe in. (www.myspace.com/credocricket) Sport plays a huge role in shaping community, cultural and even religious expression in the Australian psyche. This seminar will explore the contemporary theology of sport, with Christianity and practical expressions of grassroots approaches and strategies for 'grassroots' engagement.

Workshop: Credo Cricket- Melbourne Laneway Cricket: Forge Festival explores Melbourne's laneways for a different kind of 'hit.' Join with the 'Bin Juice Bradman's' and the 'Milk Crate Merv's' for a game of Laneway Cricket. Hear about Urban Seed's recent laneway cricket carnival held in conjunction with Cricket Australia as a means of bringing church, business and welfare services together.

Marcus has been involved with Urban Seed, a Christian community based ministry of hospitality and advocacy in the heart of Melbourne since 1996. Marcus has worked as a youth worker in a variety of cultural contexts and now convenes a regional expression of Urban Seed (Seeds Footscray), where he resides with Rachael and their three kids. He has degrees in Nursing and Theology. He believes that Jesus chose twelve in order to play cricket; that Bible study shouldn’t suck; that good liturgy requires risk; that Cornwall (the home of his forebears) is not England and that when in doubt, “Its the Economy of God stupid”! It has oft been said that he could use a bit more sleep.

Kate Allen

Elective: Raisin scones or risky subversion? The word hospitality evokes images of tea parties, bland conversations and a general atmosphere of coziness. Yet one of the key Greek words for hospitality means kindness to the stranger. Kate and some other Urban Seeders will share their experiences of hospitality, and how they have come to connect it with justice, discipleship and mission.

Workshop: Creating Safety: Join the team in a discussion about the ins and outs of open community meals, including practical ideas about safety creation.

Kate was a resident in Central House during 2005, and has since continued her involvement with Urban Seed co-ordinating philanthropic relationships and special projects. She also conducts educational programs for school, corporate and community groups as part of the Youth and Schools Team. She has a Master of Social Science (International Development) from RMIT and a passion for exploring connections between the work for justice on the global and local levels. She’s involved in a faltering but dedicated Christian community called Loam in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and believes that vegetable gardens and shared meals can bridge all manner of gaps.

(SUNDAY ONLY)

Sally Quin

Elective: Growing a green mission
Treading lightly on the earth and incorporating sustainable practices in mission. Explore ways of caring for both people and the earth together!

Workshop: Visit ‘eeko’ – an op-shop reinvented with a green twist!! at 318 Victoria St, Brunswick - just off Sydney Rd
Green Collect and Baptcare have just launched a new enterprise that brings together environmental action, sustainable purchasing and community building all in one place. EEKO is an Environmentally & Ethically Kind Op-shop that works with the local community to engage actively in social and environmental action. You will be able to see how this model works, find out how it was developed and consider how it might look in your community! There will also be a chance buy recycled and fair-trade products that tell a good story.

Sally has been involved in exploring new models of mission through many community development, social justice, business and grassroots projects. Together Darren and Sally have established Green Collect, a not-for-profit environmental enterprise that creates new opportunities for employment, training and belonging, while promoting care for the earth. Sal and Daz have lived in Footscray for the last 10 years and are actively involved in their local community with their kids, Elijah, Lily and Pearl. In sharing their lives and work with a diverse community of people and dreaming up new ideas everyday, they enjoy a fast moving and full life!

(SUNDAY ONLY)

Jon Chamberlain & Samara Pitt

Elective: Jon Chamberlain and the Collins Street Baptist Church: How to engage your church in indigenous reconciliation.

Workshop: Samara Pitt ‘Another View’ walk revisited: We’ll go on a walk around the city that tells some stories of Aboriginal presence and custodianship in Melbourne, and our encounters with an alternative perspective on a familiar place. What does this view raise for us as whitefella/non-Indigneous people? Where do we go beyond just saying ‘sorry’?

Jon is a Pastor at the Collins Street Baptits Church and lives in Footscray with his wife Lucy and their beautiful son Ben. Jon continues his Master of Divinity studies at the Melbourne College of Divinity. Having worked in business consulting (9 years with PriceWaterhouseCoopers) and human development (6 years with World Vision Australia and International), Jon joined Collins Street in August 2005 because he has come to appreciate that there really is only one game in town: the deep and broad gathering up of the whole creation by the Spirit of God into the future new creation of all things (and because he felt a light tap on the shoulder).

Samara Pitt has worked for the Urban Seed Youth and Schools team since 2003, running walks and seminars on issues of homelessness and marginalisation in Melbourne. She lives in the "Indigenous Hospitality House" in North Carlton, a volunteer community which hosts indigenous guests from country Victoria and interstate. She is interested in finding ways to explore belonging and identity as an immigrant Australian in Indigenous land.

(SUNDAY ONLY)

Lanway Cricket Gets Off To A Flyer!

Brent — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:00:00 GMT

It was “all happening” on Friday night and not just down at ‘The G’ (as the Aussies struggled against the Sri Lankan’s) but also back up the hill, in the lanes of Melbourne. Whilst having paint poured on the wicket once notoriously hijacked a Test Match, it couldn’t stop Melbourne’s inaugural Laneway Cricket Carnival. Indeed it was all part of the scenery in Rutledge Place off Melbourne’s Hosier Lane, famous for its street art. Whilst not quite your ‘idyllic‘ Lords or Adelaide Oval backdrop the spirit of the ‘Village Green’ was recaptured in the after work, back street bustle. Even before a ball had been bowled, cricket had once again brought corporates, homeless people, restaurateurs and patrons together to deal with illegally parked cars and even take photos for an enthusiastic, if not a little bewildered bride and groom!

In the first official Laneway game the Binjuice team, (or are they called ‘franchises’ these days?) was compiled of ‘Credo Cricketers’ from Urban Seed; Yankee Paul from PricewaterhouseCoopers; and some interior designers on smoko from a nearby shop renovation. They took on the Alleycats led by the dashing Mevan Jayawardena and co. from Goldman Sachs JBWere and reps from the Sally Army’s 614 Life Centre. It took a while to work out the hybrid mix of backyard and indoor cricket rules, including how many you could legally run when the ball was stuck under a dumpster. In a thriller it came down to the last ball with the Alleycats needing a wicket to win. Interior Designer Ted hit the ball high into the air and all hearts were in mouths as it sailed above the outstretched fielders hand for a towering 12 runs to see the Binjuice home!

Binjuice 33 ( Ian 14, Duncan 2/0) defeated Alleycats 19 (Mevan 17, Ray 3/-3)

In the second game the Dumpsters (Middletons/Living Room) played the Milkcraters (officially Mallesons Stephen Jacques/Urban Seed …with ring ins.) Having observed the previous game the Milkcraters began to master the idiosyncrasies of laneway and its fair to say had the best of the match with Salvo Scott firing a fabulous 39 off only 7 deliveries. This was all until the death when a fantastic partnership from Lauren, (looking resplendent in Middletons red shirt and matching headband), joined with Dan from Living Room to see the Dumpsters triumph by the barest of margins with a towering, baseball like swat into the car park next door off the final ball.

Dumpsters 49 (Nick 24, Dan 22, Gemma 3/-3) ) defeated the Milkcraters 48 (Scott 39, Mike 3/11, Raymond 2/-2, Nick 2/3)

The crowd left satisfied by a great BBQ and two thrilling results for our first ever hit out. Thanks very much to Nicola and Dan from Living Room Primary Health Service which is located in Hosier/Rutledge Lane. It was great for participants to hear about the unique service that Living Room provide. Thanks also for the presence and support of Rohan O’Neil and Cricket Victoria.

This Friday the Carnival moves to Westwood Place off Bourke Street at the back of the Salvation Army Life Centre for some more ‘Credo Cricket’ you can believe in!

Laneway Cricket,Melbourne. “There’s more room in the air!” See you there!

Much Grace

Marcus, Andy, Dave and the Urban Seed, Credo Cricket mob.

Photos can be seen at www.myspace.com/credocricket

Michael Northcott in Melbourne talking about global warming

Brent — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:00:00 GMT

A Moral Climate:
the ethics of global warming

Climate change is a global problem requiring a global solution. But what are the ethical and moral implications for us in finding solutions? How does what we do in Australia affect the world’s poor? What would Australia’s fair share of the earth’s resources look like? What should we be doing to acknowledge our historical responsibility?

You are invited to come and hear

Professor Michael S Northcott

Thursday 13th March

7.30pm

St Michael’s Anglican Church,
Corner McIlwraith and MacPherson Streets, North Carlton
Melway ref 29 J:12

Entry by donation

About Michael Northcott
Michael is the Professor of Ethics at the University of Edinburgh and author of several books including
A Moral Climate: the ethics of global warming.

He has also written extensively on bioethics, the ethics of food, aquaculture, and genetic modification, on fair trade, globalisation, place, the sociology of religion, theological ethics, and urbanism.

This event is being organised by the Justice and
International Mission Unit, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Uniting Church in Australia, TEAR Australia, Urban Seed and St Michael’s Anglican Church.

Welcome to Tim Jeffries

Brent — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:00:00 GMT

Urban Seed is excited to have our newest member of staff on board. Tim has joined the Youth and Schools Team after having 4 different jobs in 2 years. He's been working for churches, labouring for a landscape construction business and running a work for the dole project. Tim is married to Jay and lives in Preston where he is part of a community called Loam. He spends as much time as he can there working in his veggie garden, playing soccer with the local kids and sharing life with his neighbours. He is most of the way through a theology degree but can't imagine not studying at least something part time so will probably just start something else when he finishes. Tim is soon to be a dad and isn't sure what's going to happen next.

Cricket with PwC

Brent — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:00:00 GMT

Check out our Credo Cricket myspace here

Credo Christmas

Brent — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:00:00 GMT

As has become our tradition, we will host a Christmas Party on the banks of the Yarra. Christmas lunch will be served, followed by the traditional Urban Seed cricket match! Please feel free to join us for the celebration, which starts at 11 am on the ‘Palms Lawn’, behind the boat sheds on the Yarra, on Thursday the 20th December.

Outrage at Gambling Losses

Brent — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:00:00 GMT

Urban Seed shares the concerns of the Interchurch Gambling Taskforce on the amount of money being lost to gambling in this state. This also highlights the amount of revenue going in to government coffers from these losses. Whilst not being prohibitionist, we are concerned about having gambling legislation that is fair to protect those Victorians who can't afford to play and lose consistently on these machines.
View the Herald Sun article here

View The Age article here

Election Forum

Brent — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:00:00 GMT

Gordon Preece is one of several speakers at
BEYOND THE HIP POCKET

Satuday November 10
2-6pm Ridley College Stanway Alpha Lecture Theatre (Walker St Parkvill VIC)
This is a free event and no registration is required.

Sue Hogan's Thoughts on Media Engagement

Brent — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:00:00 GMT

Media attention is a mixed blessing. Recently we have been confronted once again with this reality. On 21 September the Herald Sun ran an article titled ‘Security a key to survival’. The journalist and photographer visited Credo Café to interview volunteer and community member, Neil. They wanted to take photos in Credo during lunch. However, we are cautious about allowing this as we wish to create a safe and relaxed atmosphere. Some of our guests come to the city to be anonymous and others experience the vulnerability that can accompany poverty. It is our desire to uphold the dignity of each person who joins us for lunch. The very term ‘homeless’ can undermine people’s sense of self-worth. On this occasion however, not allowing cameras in Credo resulted in a published photo which unfortunately used the city laneway as a cold and stark background. It was a negative image and once we had not foreseen. In addition, the photographer asked Neil to pose with a sad face, but Neil himself is rarely without a smile.

Neil expressed to us his disappointment with the article and photo and he has written about his perspective. (See below). In his generous way, he quickly brushed off the negative feelings. However, this article, the second article beside it ‘Homeless get younger’ and the associated Lord Mayors Charitable Fund ‘Heart of Melbourne’ campaign has lead to further debate at Urban Seed about how to work with the media. How should we engage with something that has power to reach and influence many people, but also has the power to reinforce negative attitudes? Will the public read, and buy, newspapers, that use good-news stories rather than play on our pity?

The recent success of the Choir of the Hard Knocks is another example of using a visually powerful approach to engage the public. Many people have been moved by the stories that have emerged through the choir. There has been a powerful inter-play between homelessness with hopefulness. However, many of us at Urban Seed, who know some choir members as friends or guests at lunch, have sat uneasily with the high publicity and public emotion. We wonder if the celebrity of homelessness is helpful? (Is any celebrity, in fact, ultimately helpful?). Any project, which is nurtures belonging and creativity should be celebrated. However, the challenge for all of us is to move beyond sentimentality and to change our lives to end homelessness within our own neighbourhoods.

Many of us know when we see something we don’t agree with. The question that remains, however, is what images and stories do we want to see in the media? Urban Seed worked with the Lord Mayors Charitable Fund to attempt to present a message that emphasised the need for recognition, community and acceptance, rather than the need for charity. Homelessness is much closer to home than any of us likes to acknowledge. Someone we know – a friend or family member, or ourselves - may experience homelessness at some time. ‘Homeless people’ are not living across an invisible, dividing line. Life circumstances, health, relationships and coping mechanisms, along with strong systemic, economic and political barriers, have the potential to lead each of us towards homelessness. However it is still difficult for many fundraisers to find alternative messages with the same power to engage the general public.

The LMCH are raising awareness and funds for organisations which provide a variety of services to address the needs of people without either shelter or ‘home’. However, in our country at the present time, the type of funds required to end homelessness are huge, given the exorbitant costs of land and housing. We need acts of charity to alleviate the affects of poverty. We need support services to help people address personal struggles. However we cannot effect sustainable social change without the political and economic will to address the injustices created by excessive property-driven wealth creation of individuals and governments alike.

At lunch in Credo Café, in the week following the article about Neil, I witnessed the attitude of service. It lead me to think about the attitude of generosity we need in our society in order to change the reality of homelessness. Perhaps this is a message that we need to embrace: to see homelessness as part of our neighbourhood, and part of our responsibility to alleviate. As we serve the meal each day we pass the bowls of food along the main table in the centre of the café. After this we pass the bowls to all those waiting in line behind the table.

On this particular day I was struck by the way each person behind the table passed the meal given to them, to another person. Each person, in need of a hot meal themselves, served those around them first. While the method of serving the main table is a Credo tradition, the second part has been instigated by our guests. It is often those with the least to give, who give to others in need. This is also true in housing. Many people in crisis stay with their friends, who are living in transitional or short-term accommodation themselves. They offer someone in need a place to stay at the risk of losing their own tenuous housing.

It is difficult to create a powerful message or image out of the types of actions that many of us at Urban Seed believe are worthwhile. Our measure of success in the alleviation of poverty doesn’t necessarily translate well for the media. However it is worth trying to change people’s perceptions without perpetuating the stereotypes. All of us have a part to play in creating a generous, fair and compassionate society.

New Internship with Youth & Schools Team

Brent — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:00:00 GMT

Urban Seed is now offering internship positions with its youth a schools team. Urban Seed: Youth and Schools run seminars and city exposure tours to school students as well as edge, a leadership and community development program run in schools in low socio-economic areas around Victoria. The internships will include participation in youth and community work training with Praxis (www.praxis.org.nz). For more information and applications please contact Chris Lacey on 03 9663 0699.

Article about Neil Smitham

Brent — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:00:00 GMT

Read the article about Neil here

Neil has asked us if he could post a response to this article on our website which we agreed to.
The Following is from Neil:
I Neil Smitham, 51 would like to clarify the areas I thought I was misrepresented, in
Response to the article in the Herald Sun dated the 21 September 2007 written by Mary Bulling, subtitled “Security a key to Survival”

The general perspective of the article was that of a herion addict who had lived in a car for sometime. I was quite clear to Mary that I had only lived in my car for three days and nights after being evicted from ‘Hollywood Hotel’ a boarding house in St Kilda.

My main drug problem from which I developed schizophrenia which I still suffer from to this day was my dependence on marijuana. Intravenous drugs were only a small part of my life where the article implied that this was something that I struggled with for some time.

The reason I come to Credo Café is motivated by a need to assist those who have found themselves in the same situations I have experienced. The peace from my faith and the security at my present rooming house of 17 years empowers me to continue living live to the full.

Neil as we know him...looking a lot happier than his photo in the paper

Gordon Preece comments in the Herald Sun

Brent — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:00:00 GMT

Click here to read article

New Executive Director, Gordon Preece

Brent — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:00:00 GMT

We welcome Gordon Preece to Urban Seed as our new Executive Director. Gordon comes from a small business family in Sydney, has masters in arts, science & society & a doctorate on work ethics and is author, editor of ten books on work and ethics. He has led Anglican churches, Ridley College Residential College and Centre for Applied Christian Ethics, Macquarie Christian Studies Institute at Macquarie University. He is a visiting lecturer on Ethical Risk in Finance at Macquarie University School of Applied Finance and Ethical advisor to Christian Super. He was a board member of WorkVentures, a creative church-based job creation project in Sydney and also taught in the Education Program for Unemployed Youth. His experience with and passion for the unemployed, mentally ill and in community development have attracted him to Urban Seed’s outstanding community based work connecting homeless people, the marginalised and philanthropic and corporate partners. Gordon is married to Susan, an asthma educator and has three young adult children. He is fanatical about football (soccer) and enjoys all sports (including footy – supporting Geelong) reading, writing, movies and walks with his wife and dog.