National News

The 36th Synod of the Uniting Church in Queensland has drawn to a close after four days of worship, community, business, and some fun. Relationships across the church have been renewed or established as we have lived the community. The Synod this morning reflected once again on the overall theme of Daring Hope and, for today, dipped into what it ...

Members of the 36th Synod worked, listened, danced and shared in the daily theme of Life Together as the meeting entered its third day, with business deliberation, small groups, bible study and a Plenty Party to end the day. Bible Study with Pastor Mike Hands Rev Tim Griggs hosted Newlife Senior Pastor Mike Hands for a morning bible study exploring ...

The 36th Synod continued into Sunday with a focus on transforming communities. The first reports and proposals for the meeting were received, considered, and, in some cases, adopted in what has been a busy but engrossing day of work. Bible Study with Rev Richard Cassady The morning began with worship and a bible study with Rev Richard Cassady and host ...

The 36th Synod of the Uniting Church in Queensland is underway. Members have gathered today at Alexandra Park, sharing stories of travel challenges faced to overcome widespread rain and flooding, but determined to be together to explore the Synod’s theme of Daring Hope. After a flood-related delayed start, the Synod knuckled down to work today, beginning in worship, discerning a ...

The 16th Assembly officially reconvened at Alex Park and commenced with a historic renewal of the Covenant between the Uniting Church in Australia and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress. In a gesture of profound humility, those Second Peoples who participated in the worship and all who were watching online were invited to kneel for an Act of Confession ...

James O’Callaghan profiles a Queensland Churches Together initiative aimed at addressing domestic and family violence. The statistics don’t lie: one in four Australian women will experience domestic and family violence with one death occurring as a result of a related incident per week. In response to growing incidents of domestic and family violence in our communities, Queensland Churches Together commissioned ...

The first-ever online meeting for the Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia took place over the weekend of 17-18 July. Rebecca Beisler reports. In two historical and joyful moments for the church, the 16th Assembly installed Rev Sharon Hollis as its third woman President and declared Rev Charissa Suli the new President-elect, the youngest and first person from a ...

When Rev Sharon Hollis was named President-elect of the Uniting Church in Australia, the world was a different place. It was pre-COVID-19. Before mandatory check-ins, the ubiquitous hand sanitiser, the mask-wearing emoji and we all got used to WFH.  On 17 July, Sharon will be installed as President of the UCA, the third women to hold the post and the ...

I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2) Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Throughout the Advent and Christmas season, and at the dawn of a new year and a new decade, the smoke from the catastrophic fires in many parts of ...

The Christmas Bowl has been a Christmas tradition for Australian churches for seven decades, a reminder that Christians can change the world when we act together for peace. Journey reports. It’s been 70 years since Rev Frank Byatt placed an empty bowl on the Christmas dinner table, asking his congregation to support refugees in war-ravaged Europe by making “a generous ...