Journey Online Blog

~We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.~

- Franklin D Roosevelt

~Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life you will have been all of these.~

- Anonymous

~You’re never too old to become younger.~

- Mae West

~In youth we learn, in age we understand.~

- Marie Von Ebner- Eschenbach

~There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.~

- Sophia Loren

~ Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is. ~

-Maxim Gorky

Friday 22nd July is Stress Down Day. It’s Lifeline’s only National fundraising campaign.

Whether you want to slip-on your slippers, go to work or school in your pyjamas or in a fun costume, it’s all for a good cause as long as it helps you and the people around you to take some time out from your busy lives, have fun, stress less and feel better.

Every day Lifeline receives 1, 250 calls from Australians who are need in need of help and someone to listen. To continue to answer these calls Lifeline needs YOUR help!

To buy slippers to show your support for all the great work that Lifeline do click here

 For more information on what you can do for stress down day or to donate to this great cause click here

~ Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. ~

-Herman Cain

~ Happiness is not having what you want, it’s wanting what you have. ~

-Anon

The Uniting Church in Australia has congratulated the Government and the members of the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee on today\'s announcement of a price on pollution. The Church welcomes the strong package of measures as the most important step towards a clean economy and a sustainable future.

Rev AIistair Macrae, President of the Church said, “When the Uniting Church was inaugurated in 1977 we pledged to the nation that we would be a voice urging the protection of the environment and the wise use of the earth’s resources.

“I am pleased today to see the Australian Government finally announce a strong program for addressing dangerous climate change and moving Australia to a clean energy future.

“This is a historic moment for Australia, together as a nation we are taking up the international challenge of responding to climate change and protecting God’s earth for future generations.

“The Uniting Church believes that strong and swift action on climate change is indeed one of the greatest moral challenges of our time. As Christians, we believe that God’s will for the earth is for renewal and reconciliation, not destruction by human beings,” said Mr Macrae.

Rev Elenie Poulos, National Director of UnitingJustice Australia, has particularly commended the package of measures for:
• the compensation packages for low income households and vulnerable Australians
• the commitments aimed at supporting the research, development and use of renewable energies, and
• the multiple programs supporting Australia’s transition to a low carbon economy and sustainable future.

"We consider the $23 per tonne starting price on the low side and are also disappointed about the weak signal for reducing pollution from our most highly polluting sectors. We are, however, pleased with the long-term target of an 80% reduction on 2020 emission levels by 2050. This will help to ensure that Australia makes a good contribution to addressing global warming.

"The strong focus in the package on renewable energy is especially welcome. Together with a number of job assistance and energy security measures this provides us with a good start for the transition to a sustainable economy.

“We now have some substantial policies which acknowledge our human dependence on the wellbeing of the planet.

“As a Church with deep connections in the Asia-Pacific region we are disappointed that there is no revenue allocated for additional adaptation and mitigation assistance for our developing country neighbours. We look forward to working with the Government to ensure that Australia’s does meet its responsibility as major polluter in the region,” said Ms Poulos. 

Mr Macrae said, “The Uniting Church will continue to be a voice for the planet and all its people and will continue to support measures by the government to take action on climate change. Our hope is that Australia may show leadership in successful climate change policy and bold innovation in renewable technologies.”


Photo : Uniting Church President Rev Alistair Macrae. Photo by Paddy Macrae and courtesy of Crosslight