Local Church News

Trinity Theological College celebrated the graduation of six Ministers of the Word on 25 October. The group, four women and two men, look forward to sharing their diverse skills and passions with the church throughout Australia. Artist Dona Spencer said her hope for her ministry was to continue to walk the path God has chosen for her. “I hope to ...

On the first weekend of September The Gap Uniting Church hosted a full-day seminar and evening concert with musicians Geoff Bullock and Stu Larsen called Journeys in Music and Grace. Mr Bullock and Mr Larsen are both well-known and talented song writers and The Gap Uniting Church minister Rev John Ruhle said it was a “privilege, a challenge and an ...

MEMBERS OF Chapel Hill Uniting Church in Brisbane’s west made an extra big effort to pull off a successful fair the week after the federal election used their facilities as a polling booth. The biennial Nearly Spring Fair was held on 28 August with many stalls also operating on polling day (21 August).Community support and great congregational teamwork ensured both ...

ON SUNDAY 29 August the Granite Belt Uniting Church celebrated Blue Care Sunday at their church in Stanthorpe. Personal invitations were sent to all staff, committee members, volunteers and clients. During the service, members of each of these groups participated, commencing with Service Manager Sandra Bamberry lighting a blue candle to represent the special role of Blue Care. Rev Alan ...

THE RELATIONSHIP between Uniting Church young people from Indigenous communities near Weipa and the Crossways Korean congregation in Brisbane continues to strengthen after a visit to Weipa in August. Ten Crossways members headed to far north Queensland at the invitation of Frontier Services’ Cape York Patrol minister Rev Michelle Cook and her husband, Western Cape youth worker, Pastor James Hughes. Led ...

THE MINISTRY of pastor has opened up exciting opportunities for Pastor Jan Bryde and her husband Colin as they took up a placement on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, 39km north of Cape York Peninsula in late July. Pastor Ian Ness of Townsville Central City Mission said he was delighted to attend Ms Bryde’s commissioning. “Jan was piped out of ...

Emeritus Professor Sir Lloyd Geering, a renowned statesman of progressive theology, conducted a seminar at Trinity Theological College in Brisbane in September. The controversial New Zealand theologian who challenges the fundamentals of orthodox Christianity was in Brisbane for a series of talks. Now in his 90s Sir Lloyd told how, from a non-religious home, he was sent to Sunday School ...

NINE YEARS after Rev Dr Noel Wallis’ biography on Rolland Arthur Busch was launched at the Broadwater Uniting Church the author has completed a revised and enlarged edition. On the encouragement of friends, Dr Wallis has self-published a very limited edition update of A Man Called Rollie that includes a new cover and an extra chapter called ‘Christian Educator’. Dr ...

BRISBANE’S ST Andrew’s Uniting Church Sanctuary Choir has been blessed with the talents of conductor Katherine Chan who graduated in June with the degree Master of Music (Choral Conducting) from the University of Washington, in Seattle, USA. Ms Chan was appointed to the conducting position at St Andrew’s in February this year after finishing her coursework at the University of ...

THE HILLS Uniting Church in northern Brisbane farewelled its oldest member, Bob Scott (aged 95), in July as he moved to Toowoomba to be near his family. Born in 1915 Mr Scott has lived in Perth and Brisbane. While a church-goer most of his life, after the tragic death of his eldest son at the age of 32 and with the ...