Moderator Rev Salesi Faupula and outgoing Moderator Rev David Fotheringham at Opening Worship on Saturday.
Synod 2025 has come to an end following four full days of deep discussion, discernment, engagement, connection and community at Box Hill Town Hall.
From Saturday morning’s Opening Worship to today’s Closing Eucharist, Uniting Church members from Victoria and Tasmania have bonded over their faith and a shared desire to discern the best possible future for the Church.
Saturday’s opening day featured a number of highlights, including the installation of new Moderator Rev Salesi Faupula, a farewell to outgoing Moderator Rev David Fotheringham, and an opportunity to hear how two peace advocates are working for an end to the conflict in the Middle East.
Installed as the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania’s ninth Moderator, Salesi takes on the role conscious of the trust placed in him by Uniting Church members.
“As we gather for Synod 2025, I stand before you with humility, hope, and deep gratitude,” Salesi said in his reflection during Opening Worship.
“Gratitude for those who have journeyed with me in faith, for those who have gone before, and for the God who calls us always forward.”
Incorporating the Synod 2025 theme of ‘Pilgrims of the Spirit’, Salesi encouraged Uniting Church members to “continue to be drawn forward by God” and to “set a new kind of banquet because Christ first set a table for us”.
“Hospitality, for us as pilgrims, is not just politeness,” he said.
“It is the risk of opening ourselves to the stranger, trusting that the Spirit works through such encounters.
“We have already taken courageous steps toward justice, inclusion, and diversity, but the journey continues.”
As he fulfilled his term as Moderator, Rev David Fotheringham offered his thanks for the opportunity to serve the Church in Victoria and Tasmania over the last three years.
“It has been an enormous privilege to serve in this role, and I want to express my gratitude to the Synod for entrusting me with the privilege of serving this way for the last three years,” he said.
“I have understood this to be a part of God’s calling, and I’ve tried to be faithful to that.
“We are a conciliar Church, and as such this is not so much a role of authority, but one of representation and leadership for which I’ve offered what I can.”
Click here for a more detailed summary of David’s report.
Outgoing Moderator Rev David Fotheringham was thanked on Saturday for his faithful work in the role.
Members at Saturday’s final session had the privilege of hearing from two peace advocates, who continue to work tirelessly for an end to conflict in the Middle East.
Senior Social Justice Advocate Dr Mark Zirnsak introduced Palestinian and Israeli speakers, Riman Barakat and Peta Jones Pellach, about their ongoing work advocating for peace.
As part of peace groups FeelBeit and Women Wage Peace, Riman and Peta are on the ground promoting the message that Palestinians and Israelis can share a future built around a lasting peace.
During the discussion, Uniting Church members were told that they too had a part to play in advocacy.
Click here for a summary of the peace discussion.
Sunday’s highlights included Salesi’s strong show of support for those impacted by an anti-immigration march in Melbourne that day.
In offering support for those who may feel unwelcome or unwanted following the march, Salesi said the Uniting Church held them closely in prayer.
“These protests can stir fear and hurt, particularly for migrants, refugees and people from multicultural communities who may feel singled out, or unwelcome,” he said.
“These protests do not reflect who we are as the Uniting Church.”
Click here to read Salesi’s full statement.
Day two also included President Rev Charissa Suli addressing members, and a Tributes Service recognising ministers.
During the Assembly’s report, Charissa called on Victorian and Tasmanian members of the Uniting Church to embrace the opportunities offered through multiculturalism.
Recognising 40 years of the Uniting Church being a multicultural Church, she said she was “profoundly moved by how our diversity reflects the life of the Spirit”.
Click here to read a summary of Charissa’s report.
First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria’s Aunty Esme Bamblett (middle) with Leprena UAICC Tasmania’s Alison Overeem and UAICC Victoria’s Rev Will Pickett.
Day three of Synod 2025 involved past, and ongoing, injustices suffered by indigenous Victorians, and the Faithful Futures Project, dominating discussion.
As members resolved to take the first step towards exploring options for offering redress for historic injustices suffered by Victoria’s First Peoples, they were given a powerful reminder of why the issue is so important to indigenous Victorians.
First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria’s Aunty Esme Bamblett told the meeting that a Treaty, to go before the Victorian Parliament soon, would help address past injustices suffered by First Peoples.
Click here to read more of Aunty Esme’s speech.
Aunty Esme’s powerful words came shortly after members resolved to instruct the Synod Standing Committee to approve the terms of reference for the establishment of a working group to respond to recommendations contained in the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s recent Final Reports.
The Final Reports, ‘Yoorrook Transformations’ and ‘Yoorrook Truth be Told’, were tabled in State Parliament on July 1 and included two recommendations calling on Churches in Victoria to identify land that could be returned to the state’s First Peoples, and to share with them the proceeds from the sale of any land.
Also resolved by consensus on day three, after much deliberation and discernment, was a proposal relating to the Faithful Futures Project.
The Faithful Futures Project will guide ministry and mission directions in Victoria and Tasmania for the next 10 to 15 years, and members resolved to adopt the vision of ‘following Christ, walking together as First and Second Peoples, seeking community, compassion and justice for all creation’.
Members also resolved to establish five goals as part of Faithful Futures, namely:
Coordinated Ministries: Coordinated ministry and mission in geographic areas such as Local Government Areas, renewing discipleship, and attentive to the life and needs of the local context, by 2030;
Respecting Country: Honouring the Church’s Covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, all communities of faith will listen to and be able to tell about some of the histories of the Country on which they are located by the end of 2028; and be invited to develop local and appropriate ways to respond;
Intercultural Leadership: By 2028 to:
be providing appropriate intercultural leadership formation and equipping for all ministry agents and congregations; and
develop intercultural networks for worship, witness and service.
All-Age Growth: To have at least one all-age community of faith that is interactive, diverse, inclusive and transformative in 80% of Coordinated Ministries by 2030.
New Communities of Faith: establish at least five new Christian communities by 2030.
During day three, members also resolved to make a substantial change to the frequency of Synod meetings.
Members resolved that Synod meetings now be held every two years, rather than 18 months as had previously been the case.
However, Synod members may be recalled for an online or hybrid meeting in the second part of August-early September of the alternate year, if determined appropriate by the Synod meeting, Moderator or Synod Standing Committee.
The decision means that Moderators will now serve in the role for four years, rather than three years as the case has been previously, commencing as of this current Synod meeting.
The final day of Synod 2025 today was occupied largely with considering a number of other proposals, a summary of which can be found here.
Today’s meeting elected six people to join the Synod Standing Committee, namely Lisa Carey, Helen Geard, Rev Fiona Morrison, Damien Tann, Rev Heather Hon, and Elika Schaumkel.
