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 ...

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 ...

VicTas child safe website LIVE


Moderator Sharon Hollis presses the computer key to launch the brand new Keeping Children Safe website: ucavictas.org.au/keepingchildrensafe/

Many congregations have waited several months for this website. In a letter to congregations announcing the new website, the Culture of Safety team thanked the Church for its patience and expressed gratitude for the excellent ...

The ABCs of Copyright

Is your church or organisation aware of its obligations in relation to copyright laws? Just because an image can be downloaded from the internet does not mean you can project it free of charge. The same applies to short excerpts from movies and playing music at church events outside of worship services.

Different units within ...

Group has a thirst to support Lenten appeal


NIGEL TAPP

PROCEEDS from the second CD produced by Hobart music group Thirsty Ground will aid the work of the synod’s Lenten Offering appeal.

Last year Thirsty Ground received a $13,500 Lenten Offering grant to assist its performance program and make its second CD. The group’s leader, experienced Hobart singer-songwriter John Coleman, said members were ...

Presbyteries in transition

PENNY MULVEY

Sixty representatives from across the presbyteries and synod gathered at the Centre for Theology & Ministry last month to hear about progress relating to future plans for the presbyteries.

At the June 2016 Synod meeting a resolution was passed to establish a Presbytery Transition Team (PTT) which would work closely with the Strategic Review Implementation Team ...

Church agencies step up humanitarian response


UnitingWorld has been selected to be part of a new Australian government partnership to better equip Pacific communities to manage natural disasters.

The Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP), launched by Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop on Friday, will see the Australian government commit $50 million over five years to improve disaster preparedness in Pacific countries.

The Indo-Pacific ...

Plenty of goodwill served up at Ramadan dinner


Larry Marshall

‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me’: Matthew 25:35

The beautiful Islamic call to prayer echoed through the hall of St Thomas Uniting Church in Craigieburn, in the north of Melbourne, as Muslims from the Australian Intercultural ...

The youthful spirit of Pentecost


Friday Forum

Having recently celebrated Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit and the beginnings of the church, it is worth reflecting on the account of Pentecost in Acts 2.

However we understand the reality sitting behind the text, or how the text came to be as it is, we can nevertheless see a broad vision of community. ...

With courage let us all combine


UCA Assembly President Stuart McMillan said the federal government’s decision to award $70 million in compensation to asylum seekers kept in offshore detention once again showed what a moral failure the policy has been.

Mr McMillan renewed the Church’s call to close the detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru, bring asylum seekers to Australia to process their ...

Op shop rises from the ashes

 

The Bridgewater Gagebrook Uniting Church has re-opened its op shop doors again after the building was severely damaged by a deliberately lit fire on 6 April.

About $35,000 damaged was caused to the Tottenham Rd property, located in Hobart’s northern suburbs. The fire and smoke damage destroyed all goods housed inside.

The congregation has spent about 10 weeks ...

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY GONGS FOR 10 CHURCH MEMBERS


Eleven people connected with the Uniting Church in Victoria were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday honours list released on Monday.

Julie Cox (pictured) was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) while the remaining 10 received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

Ms Cox – a former teacher and director of special education ...