Opinion

A lady came to visit my office this week and told me about the work she was doing as a pastor in her community. She said that when things get tough they move into a time of fasting and prayer. They fasted for three days like Queen Esther. The police came past the church and said, “Keep praying, we haven’t ...

For many Uniting Church members Lent is a time for spiritual reflection and for participating in Bible study. Lent gives us a special focus in the journey towards Easter as we observe the death of Christ and the celebration of resurrection, writes Neil Thorpe. In the early Church, Lent was a time of preparation for the baptisms which would take ...

Humility isn’t about being a wallflower; it’s about how we position ourselves relative to others, says Rev Mark Cornford. I love cricket, but I don’t particularly love Shane Warne. He’s an amazing bowler but someone with an ego the size of Uluru. I was at a function a little while ago where I met a guy and got talking about ...

Dear Prime Minister, I recently saw the film Philomena and began to wonder whether we, in future years, will be making atonement for our current treatment of refugees. Will people be shocked when they find out what really went on? Will their hearts ache when they find out that these were desperate human beings and not potentially dangerous “illegals”? The ...

By opening her home to asylum seekers, Margaret Landbeck has stretched and grown her faith. Hospitality has always been a largely subconscious expression of my faith—it is my instinct to offer hospitality when and where I can. As the writer of Hebrews says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality ...

It’s hard not to be excited about 2014 having begun it in the company of that great crowd of passionate young Christians who gathered at Yuróra, the 2014 National Christian Youth Convention (NCYC) in Parramatta. Their love of Jesus and each other, their commitment to discipleship and excitement about ministry is infectious and inspiring. So what does the year ahead ...

Afghanistan has been wrought with conflict for over 100 years, but supporting girls’ education is helping overcome injustice and oppression, writes Karen McGrath. December in Australia is characterised by the Christmas spirit, but for Afghanistan December will be characterised by uncertainty as Australian and international troops withdraw after 12 years of occupation. This will be a pivotal moment in Afghanistan’s ...

In Queensland at Christmas time, Poinciana trees are in full bloom. The explosion of red colour against the green leaves means that trees not normally noticed during the year suddenly get my attention. Families gather under those trees in parks and backyards to renew bonds of love and care, to remember who is missing and to make new memories for ...

Rev Adrianne Dempster, facilitator of the Maleny Uniting Church Christian meditation group, reminds us to make space to hear the still small voice of God. On 11 November 1918, there was silence. The guns fell silent on that day in November, and on the same day in 2013, our nation will again observe one minute’s silence at the eleventh hour. ...

Caring for the environment is one way we can actively demonstrate our love for God and each other, writes David Weddell. At a recent dinner, I met someone really enthusiastic about church. They were one of those people who can, and will, slide the topic of church into almost any conversation—particularly if there are non-church people around. I’ve sometimes wondered ...