UFT E-News 2010 #4

1. Last day for enrolments, withdrawals, unit changes
2. Academic Skills Workshops
3. UFT student prayer on Thursdays
4. UCA About Face 2010
5. University Chaplaincy - Occasional Thursday Forums
6. Paul Then and Now Conference
7. Welcoming the Outsider
8. The quest for peace in the Middle East

1.  Last day for enrolments, withdrawals, unit changes
All first semester enrolments must be finalised by 5pm on Thursday 11 March 2010. After that date it will no longer be possible for students to add a unit, or to withdraw from a unit in which they are currently enrolled without penalty. Students who withdraw after this date will incur full fees for the semester and a Withdrawn grade; students who withdraw within four weeks of the end of semester will normally incur a Fail grade. To withdraw from a unit you must fill in the Change of Enrolment form available from www.mcd.edu.au and supply it to the UFT office for the Dean’s signature. If you are concerned about your enrolment status please do not hesitate to contact the UFT office.

2. Academic Skills Workshops
This semester Dr Peter Sherlock and Mr Richard Blandford are offering a series of workshops for students, especially for new students, aimed at the three steps of researching, writing and presenting essays for submission. Each hour-long workshop is offered twice, and students may register to attend one session of each workshop. Workshops will be held in the Reader Education Room of the Dalton McCaughey Library (at the north end of the second floor). The first workshop ‘Researching your essay’ will be held at 2.15pm on Tuesday 9 March and repeated at 11am on Wednesday 10 March. Students interested in attending all or some of the sessions must register with Margaret Tropea on 9340 8890 or admin@uft.edu.au. Further details can be found on the UFT website at http://www.uft.edu.au/content/academic-skills.

3. UFT student prayer on Thursdays
A short service of midday prayer will be held in the Centre for Theology and Ministry chapel at 1pm on Thursdays throughout semester. All students and staff are welcome, and students are encouraged to take part as a way of learning to plan and lead worship. Please contact Claudine Chionh at tsa@uft.edu.au if you would like to help with planning or leading this service.

4. UCA About Face 2010
About Face is an important program offered through the Uniting Church. For some decades About Face has allowed young people to learn about another culture (Aboriginal and Islander, or Pacific or Asian.) The program is for those 18-30 years of age, and will be held from 26 June until 17 July 2010. For details visit http://www.nyyam.org/index.php?page=what-is-about-face

5. University Chaplaincy - Occasional Thursday Forums
The University of Melbourne Chaplaincy is holding a series of forums on Thursday from 1.05-1.55pm in the Alice Hoy Building, Room 108. These forums are an opportunity for some serious thinking about Christian faith in the space of a lunchtime. We draw on theologians and teachers of the church from nearby theological schools. Easter falls in first semester. Without Easter there would be no Christian faith. These forums are an opportunity to unfold the importance of Easter and resurrection in Christian life and thought. All are welcome.
Thursday 25 March ‘Easter beginnings in the New Testament’ Sean Winter
Thursday 1st April ‘Resurrection and Science’ Stephen Ames
Thursday 15th April ‘Living the ‘Easter faith’ as people of hope’ Andrew McGowan
Thursday 22nd April ‘Confessions of Easter faith’ Maryanne Confoy rsc
Thursday 6th May ‘The Easter God who sides with the poor’ Andy Hamilton sj

6. Paul Then and Now Conference
A day conference exploring aspects of Paul’s life and thought will be held on Friday May 28th 2010 from 10.30am to 4.30pm at the Centre for Theology and Ministry, 1 Morrison Close, Parkville. Cost: $30 (includes lunch and afternoon tea). To register please contact Sean Winter at sean.winter@ctm.uca.edu.au

7. Welcoming the Outsider
This mid-week workshop led by Fr Geoff Plant is suitable for everyone, whether you are looking for new ways in delivering the message to parishioners and students or for your own personal study. When: Wednesday 17th March 2010, light luncheon from 12 noon, presentation to start at 12.30. Where: John Garratt Bookroom, 32 Glenvale Crescent, Mulgrave. RSVP: sales@johngarratt.com.au or 1300 650 878 by Monday 15 March 2010.

8. The quest for peace in the Middle East: A Palestinian Christian perspective
Wednesday 17 March 2010 1.15 - 2.00 pm at Old Warden's Lodge Trinity College.  The Rev'd Dr Yazeed Said (BA Jerusalem, MA MPhil PhD Cantab), recently completed a doctoral dissertation at Cambridge on the political and legal thought of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, an eminent eleventh century jurist who has been described as 'the greatest Muslim after Muhammad", and the "Thomas Aquinas of Islam'.  He expects to take up an honorary research fellowship at McGill University in Montreal later this year. Rev'd Dr Yazeed Said is a Palestinian Anglican priest and has served the Diocese of Jerusalem as a teacher and pastor, most recently as the Acting Dean of St George's Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem, and is a member of the Anglican Commission on Theological Education.   All Welcome.  Bring a sandwich lunch