Features

Mental health is not the absence of illness, but a way of living. Dianne Jensen reports. “One of the big things I’ve learnt from my son’s illness is not to be judgemental. You never know what people are going through.”—Lyndal Hutton. According to mental health charity SANE Australia, nearly half the Australian population will experience mental illness at some stage ...

Rohan Salmond explores different interpretations of the Bible and how they enhance both personal and communal faith. The Bible is a book with a unique place in human history. It consistently tops “greatest” and “most influential” book lists, and across all its versions and translations it would easily rank among the world’s best-selling titles. It is also, anecdotally, the world’s ...

Joan Beavis lives in West End, Brisbane where she ministers to the lost and vunerable people of her community. My mother Nellie would hold the hands of the lepers in the hospital on the tiny island of Ubuiua in the Milne Bay district of Papua New Guinea. My father, Bert Cuff, had built the hospital, commissioned by the Methodist Overseas ...

National Church Life Survey analysis is highlighting some encouraging trends in Uniting Church congregations, reports Dianne Jensen. Do you feel settled at your local church, yet sense that your gifts are not being fully used? You’ll support outreach initiatives (if they don’t clash with your volunteer work) but would prefer not to personally invite people to church. Growing confidence and ...

Lives ruled by faith and inspired by a love of adventure have their own reward, as Arie and Anneke van Klinken discovered. Dianne Jensen reports. Arie, 17 years, was picked up outside curfew by Nazi police in Emmen, occupied Holland. A few days later, en route to Gestapo headquarters, he escaped by jumping from the train while it was stationary. ...

Knowing how to balance convictions of faith and political expediency is a challenge at election time, but being politically engaged takes more than showing up on polling day. Rohan Salmond explores. The debates are on, the attack ads are out and the campaign is in full-swing. On 7 September, Australia will once again make its triennial pilgrimage to the polls ...

FROM little things, big things grow. For the members of Enoggera’s Emmanuel Uniting Church, Brisbane, and the Noro congregation in the Solomon Islands an ongoing friendship has led to one intelligent young nursing student being given the gift of hearing. Emmanuel Uniting Church Treasurer, Barry Jardine, said the congregation’s long tie with the Solomon Islands was strengthened when one of ...

STEWARDSHIP comes in all shapes and sizes and the people who give their time and talents as stewards of the church’s finances take that responsibility very seriously. The Queensland Synod’s Chief Financial Officer, Jim Barry, said stewardship comes down to the split between the missional aspect of the church and financial compliance. “It’s almost a bit of a dichotomy that ...

CHRISTIANS must talk about economics. So says Rev Ched Meyers, author of The Biblical Vision of Sabbath Economics who describes us as “addicted” to the current system, devoted to upward mobility and accumulation of wealth. Apparently, Western society is captivated by capitalism. We accept the economic structure that generates profit for few by means of exploiting many; normalising inequality and becoming blind to injustice. “Economic models, like sexuality,” writes Mr ...

EMERGENCY relief, or crisis intervention, is a service provided for people in dire financial or personal straits who need a hand up. Rose (not her real name), was struggling financially and trapped in an abusive relationship. She reached out to Wesley Mission Brisbane‘s Emergency Relief service and they provided her with the train fare she needed to travel to safe housing. Rose returned to Emergency Relief several months later and thanked the team ...