Synod Snaps – September 2017

Richmond Uniting Church has a new lending library outside their church.

Moderator Rev Sharon Hollis recently visited Castlemaine. She is pictured here with Castlemaine Uniting Church minister, Rev Michele Lees.

North Balwyn Uniting Church members have been involved in ‘Wrap With Love’ since 2004. They have created a total of 740 rugs out of 20,720 knitted ...

Keeping the faith

Review by Tim Lam

Book | Faith: Embracing Life in All Its Uncertainty | Tim Costello

As the former CEO of World Vision Australia, Tim Costello has witnessed poverty and injustice in some of the most conflict-prone nations in the world.

In his latest book, Faith: Embracing life in all its uncertainty, the renowned Baptist minister and ...

Cursory reading

Review by NICK MATTISKE

Book | Mariner | Malcolm Guite

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is the tale of a traveller and his epic journey, reckless acts, a descent into an earthly hell, rescue, a kind of baptism, the path home, the growth of wisdom and the desire to share ...

Workplace wisdom

Review by Tim Lam

Book | Workship: How to Use Your Work to Worship God | Kara Martin

The average Australian spends more than 40 hours a week at work. With our occupations consuming so much of our daily lives, it can be easy to relegate faith to a part-time activity. 

In Workship, author Kara ...

One in Christ


Over
the last couple of weeks I have found myself reflecting on Paul’s statement in Galatians (3:26-28) that through Christ we are all made children of God through faith. Divisions we construct are no longer the categories by which Christians are to view each other for we are all one in Christ.

We often act ...

Gospel truth

Review by SEAN WINTER

Book | Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy | John Shelby Spong

In this typically lively and provocative book, John Selby (Jack) Spong has come out of writing retirement to consider the origins of biblical literalism and fundamentalism. Spong claims to have found the key that unlocks both the (non-literal) meaning of the New ...

Faith at work

TIM LAM

Australia may be an increasingly secular country according to the recent census, but author Kara Martin believes Christians can still practice their faith in the workplace in creative ways.

In her new book, Workship: How to Use Your Work to Worship God, Ms Martin documents stories of Christians who integrate faith into their daily occupations.

...

Respectfully disagree


PENNY MULVEY

OUR country and our churches are at a crossroads. As a nation, we have never been very good at disagreeing with each other without making it personal.

Social media has poured kerosene on a society that is already combative. Our political system is combative. Our legal system is combative. Our mainstream media is polarising. And ...

Getting to know your Moderator-elect nominees

The next Moderator of the VicTas synod will be elected at the Synod 2017 meeting in September.  Synod members will choose between three moderator-elect nominees: Rev Sani Vaeluaga, Rev Denise Liersch and Rev Stan Clarke.

Find out a bit more about the three nominees with this Q&A.

REV SANI VAELUAGA

Tell us a little about your family/significant other?

I’m ...

The unexpected sources of resilience

Attendees at Wednesday’s Moderator’s Luncheon in Devonport heard how resilience arises out of relationships and understanding.

About 35 people braved cold and wet conditions to attend the event at Devonport Uniting Church, where they received a warm welcome and hearty lunch from the local congregation, which expressed its delight in hosting VicTas Synod Moderator Rev Sharon Hollis.

Ms Hollis ...

Uniting Church welcomes proposed laws to end modern slavery


The Uniting Church has welcomed the federal government’s proposal to introduce new legislation to combat modern slavery.

According to the International Labour Organisation, an estimated 21 million people worldwide are trapped in forced labour. More than half of the documented cases occur in the Asia-Pacific region.

Minister for Justice Michael Keenan announced on Wednesday that ...