Rev John Cox is the inaugural Director of the UCA’s National Safe Church Unit, which is being launched on 23 August. He shares some thoughts on his new role.
What is the background to the National Safe Church Unit?The Uniting Church took a proactive stance to engaging with the Royal Commission and the work of the national task group ...
The Moderator of the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania has spoken out in support of making it mandatory for ministers of religion to report child abuse.
A Bill currently before Victoria’s parliament will require minsters to tell authorities if they have a reasonable belief that child sex abuse has occurred.
With Manningham Uniting Church beginning the next phase of a bold plan to secure its future it was fitting some of the youngest congregation members were on hand to help.
Even Oliver, aged four, donned a yellow safety helmet and hi-vis vest as he pushed on one of the many shovel enthusiastically wielded by those attending the 2 August sod-turning ...
A book which shines a spotlight on the PWMU Cookbook, along with other Australian community cookbooks, has been honoured at the prestigious international Gourmand Awards.
Tried, Tested and True by Liz Harfull won third prize in the food heritage category at the awards, which have been described as “the food culture equivalent of the Olympics”, last week in Macau.
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Village Uniting Church minister Cameron McAdam has discovered the path of reconciliation doesn’t have to take you very far.
Inspired by a quote by a Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress leader, Cameron and Village UC member Campbell Opie began researching how his congregation could engage with the First Peoples on the peninsula.
Today’s major order of business was to decide on the response to the Victorian Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation. Key points from the resolution included:
Day 3 included Agency and Assembly reports, NAIDOC Week presentations and the adoption of a Statement of the Heart.
The first report was presented by CEO Paul Linossier and Bronwyn Pike. Paul touched on the many important services Uniting Vic.Tas provides, which were:
The day began with a Bible study led by Dr Liz Boase, which was followed by reports from Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress Victoria, UAICC Tasmania, Walking Together Group and Synod Ethics Committee.
Narana Senior Manager Mel Osborne said the centre, situated at Geelong, provided high-quality Aboriginal cultural education to visitors from overseas, local schools, community groups and ...
Day one of Synod kicked off with a welcome by new Moderator Rev Denise Liersch. What followed was a mix of reports, proposals, Bible study, reflections and other activities, such as Choose Your Own Adventure.
Reports tabled were from the following committees:
By Stephen Acott
The Synod of Victoria and Tasmania’s new Moderator, Rev Denise Liersch, used her installation address to call on the Church to open itself to new ways of worship and not “cling to the status quo” or “yearn for the way things used to be”.
Speaking at a packed St Michael’s church in Collins St, Melbourne, Denise ...
Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania Moderator Rev Sharon Hollis says all discussions around sexuality and Christian belief should be anchored in recognition that all people are children of a loving God and the way we speak about people’s gender and sexuality needs to reflect this love.
“Some have told me how painful recent public conversations surrounding Christian beliefs ...
The upcoming Synod meeting in July will, quite literally, be discussing matters of life and death, and for General Secretary Mark Lawrence this is a welcome change of focus.
That’s understandable considering the tumultuous events and transitions the Church wrestled with in the previous three Synod meetings, which Mark was charged with organising.