Local Church News

In the first of a series of articles looking at the projects in the Presbytery Mission Program, James O’Callaghan meets three church plants at various stages of development across Queensland. The greatest missionary in history, St Paul, had a rather simple, two-fold strategy. First, he went into the largest city of the region (Acts 16:9,12), and second, he planted churches ...

Welcome to Bargara Beach and SurfChurch, where you’ll find the minister in her wet suit leading a paddle-out or preaching barefoot on the sand. Dianne Jensen reports. Once a month the Coral Coast Uniting Church SurfChurch crew and Rev Jennifer Lynn don their T-shirts and head for Bargara Beach. They put up the church flag and set up the sound ...

Iris Marais I come from humble beginnings and grew up in Johannesburg. My awareness of Jesus’ love for me led me to become a Christian when I was 16-years-old through a confirmation course in the Methodist Church in South Africa. This gave me a solid foundation in Christianity, but my time at Holy Trinity Brompton Church in London exposed me ...

Uniting Church congregations, agencies and schools across Australia observed a Day of Mourning on or around 20 January at the request of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, endorsed by the 15th Assembly in 2018. Journey reports on the service held at Tewantin Uniting Church on the Sunshine Coast. The Murdering Creek massacre at Yandina Station, as depicted in ...

Multigenerational ministry at Bulimba Uniting Church is ensuring a healthy and engaged congregation at one of Brisbane’s oldest churches. Dianne Jensen reports. The beautiful white timber Uniting Church at the roundabout leading to Bulimba village is an easy Brisbane landmark to spot. This venerable church, which has served the community since 1866, is home to a small but thriving congregation ...

Nestled in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Montville Uniting Church has welcomed people into their church for over 20 years to pray, rest and reflect, but their recent addition of an art gallery has helped draw greater attention to how faith informs art and life. Ben Rogers reports. Montville may only be home to around 1000 people, but this tiny town ...

When Centenary Uniting Church, Middle Park in Brisbane’s western suburbs celebrates 25 years on 2 December, the congregation will be reflecting on a journey of faith and witness which began in 1880. The current worship and community centre which was dedicated on 28 November, 1993 has its roots in a humble church constructed by pioneers at Seventeen Mile Rocks. This ...

Faced with the challenge of providing economically viable and Christian-centred childcare, Aspley Uniting Church members have used planning, persistence and prayer to make it happen. Dianne Jensen reports. On its first day in July 2008, Aspley Uniting Church opened the Aspley Early Childhood Education Centre (AECEC) in north Brisbane with four children and six staff. Ten years on, the centre ...

Meet the Queensland congregation which has partnered with local child safety services and school chaplains to deliver practical help to those who need it most—and learn how your church can do the same. Dianne Jensen reports. Sometimes ministry starts with one person seeing a need and offering to help. Joy Godfrey, convenor of Redcliffe Uniting Church Give From The Heart ...

Tea roses in her wedding bouquet, washing and curling her hair in rags on Saturday night, and going to the Methodist Temperance Hall on Sundays. Gertrude (Gertie) Booth, who will turn 107 on 14 June, has clear memories from times long gone. Dianne Jensen reports. The diminutive and chatty Gertie Booth, born in 1911, attends Elanora Uniting Church on the ...