July 2017 Crosslight now out

Crosslight’s predecessor publication Church & Nation covers the inauguration of the Uniting Church 40 years ago, on June 22, 1977.

All of the July Crosslight stories are available here. Crosslight is also available in digital format.

Highlights from this month include:

  • CTM executive director Jennifer Byrnes takes ...

Not One for All

Review by David Southwell

Book | God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World, And Why Their Differences Matter | Stephen Prothero

This 2011 book, written by Boston University religious studies Professor Stephen Prothero, promises to be a polemical broadside but mostly comprises a general introduction and overview of world religions.

How neighbours became more than good friends


DAVID THOMPSON

It all began almost as soon as I arrived to take up my placement, eight months ago in the Wimmera.

Next door was a couple with five young daughters and the first of many, many conversations over the back fence quickly led to an offer to mow what then passed for a ...

Where is the Uniting Church heading, and how will we find our way?


ROHAN PRYOR

“I see growing faith and abundant hope all over the place,” Dr Deidre Palmer, president-elect of the Uniting Church Assembly said.

“I see Uniting Church worship that impassions people to go out, emboldened to live God’s good news in the world. And I see the Uniting Church in many diverse ways forming disciples ...

Page turner

Review by Penny Mulvey

Book | Off the Page | Clare Boyd-Macrae

Clare Boyd-Macrae has a gift – to turn the mundane and the routine into something of beauty, of grace, of God.

Her latest book, Off the Page, faith reflections, is a collection of her writing published in The Age Faith column and The ...

Jennifer Byrnes to take on missional leadership role

Rev Dr Jennifer Byrnes has been appointed as the inaugural executive officer of the Mission and Capacity Building Unit (working title).

The new unit assumes responsibility for all missional-based synod functions, including the Commission for Mission,

the Centre for Theology & Ministry (CTM), administrative support for the Placements Committee, and some Board of Mission and Resourcing ...

Heart’s desire

Review by Craig Thompson

Book | Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation | James K.A. Smith

James K A Smith’s, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview and Cultural Formation is an accessible and valuable introduction to the nature and purpose of Christian worship. Drawing on contemporary understandings of the nature of the human being – ...

Mission and the art of powerful questions

In my sharing with gathered communities across our Church, I am convinced we are helped by those among us who can ask ‘powerful questions’.

Powerful questions is a term made popular by Canadian business strategist Eric Vogt who was convinced that:

  • questions are a prerequisite to learning;
  • questions are a window into ...

Liberated by God’s grace

The 12th assembly of the Lutheran World Federation was held from the 10-16 May and I was privileged to participate in it.

This assembly brought together over 309 delegates representing its 145 member churches in 98 countries, as well as many others totalling 800 attendees. This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the Assembly, ...

Knickers for Nairobi


A Uniting Church congregation in a Victorian alpine town is changing the lives of girls in Kenya through an unconventional fundraising campaign.

Knickers for Nairobi has collected more than 8000 knickers and 1000 bras for girls in the Kibera slum in Nairobi in the past six months.

The project is spearheaded by Graham Clutterbuck, ...

Synod Snaps – July 2017

Every month, the Ocean Grove-Barwon Heads Uniting Church congregation holds an intergenerational worship service called ‘4R Thrive Together’.

Synod staff celebrated the Uniting Church’s 40th anniversary with a special cake baked by Merryn Rowlands.

The St Andrew’s Uniting Church in Alexandra was rebuilt from an old wooden Presbyterian building to a brick church ...