Roundup: Poverty, the environment, melting glaciers, prayer for peace, Facebook

 Church spreads word on Facebook

The Uniting Church is undergoing a transformation that will make it more relevant to an increasingly godless society and bring people back to the faith, the new head of the Church in WA, the Rev. Ron Larkin, says.

Global ‘peace prayer wall’ grows on Facebook

From Fiji to Rwanda, prayers and signs of commitment are being offered for the annual International Day of Prayer for Peace on September 212.

Pakistan seeks to track flood risk from melting glaciers

Pakistan is expanding its network of glacier monitoring stations in the Himalayas, in an effort to improve understanding of glacier melt and provide better warning of floods. But some experts say it’s not happening fast enough, as the country continues to be hit by disasters.

Churches around the world call for renewed commitment to the environment

At a time when the impact of climate change remains a major global concern, churches around the world are calling for a renewed commitment towards the environment and ecosystems.

Cleaners falling into poverty trap: report

Some of Australia’s lowest-paid workers are unable to pay bills, are sliding into debt and are cutting back on groceries, according to a research report. The Uniting Church researched almost 400 cleaners in Victoria’s big shopping malls and found they were falling into a poverty trap, unable to enjoy a basic standard of living.