Opinion

AS I THINK about the place of women in the Uniting Church today, I find myself reflecting on the number of comments that have been made about the fact that the last Synod meeting appointed a female General Secretary and elected a female Moderator. I have heard no negative comments, in fact most have been affirming. Yet I have never ...

I HAVE a lot of respect for the feminists and feminist theologians, both men and women, who have worked hard for the privileges we enjoy today. Yes, I used the ‘f’ word – feminism. The word gets a bad wrap these days. Feminism is about defining, establishing and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and opportunities for women. Feminism ...

This year Journey explores questions from the pews, namely from a (fictitious) person exploring faith and the Uniting Church. This month a friend asks Nova B Lever: Church? Do I just turn up? A FEW weeks ago a work colleague and I had one of those water cooler conversations about “God, church and stuff”. I suggested my friend visit a ...

This year has been a time of great stress and suffering across our state and in many parts of the world. While there are many like me who were not directly affected, we have all felt the pain of those who have lost so much and been so grief stricken. Can I assure you all that I have continued to ...

FOR THOSE with ears to hear the groaning of creation has become a roar: environmental degradation, inequitable access of the worlds people to life’s basic necessities, violence and terror – so many people have reason to echo Jesus’ gut-wrenching cry from the cross: ‘My God, why have you abandoned me?’ This Easter, as always, Christians will inhabit the core story of ...

This year Journey explores questions from the pews, namely from a (fictitious) person exploring faith and the Uniting Church. This month our (fictitious) church goer, Nova B. Lever, asks: What is the Basis of Union? I WAS PUZZLED about our denomination’s name. There are plenty of ‘united’ churches around the world. Considering there’s been no sign of anyone else joining ...

The 28th Synod affirmed a five line Call for the Uniting Church in Queensland in discerning the future of the Church. This edition we look at the final phrase: Working for justice. WHAT IS justice? Where do we start? How can we change the world? How do we stand against injustice? These are all questions I ask myself regularly and each ...

I’VE NEVER been more preoccupied with food than when I couldn’t have it. Many times in the past few years there have been weeks when even the sight of food made my stomach churn. I thought I had a virus, but it looks like it may be a gluten intolerance. Research suggests that up to 15% of people (1 in ...

 I BEGAN learning Greek when I was 14. The minister of my church had decided that I would become a minister so he took me into his study before the Sunday evening service and tried to teach me New Testament Greek. He retired not too long after that so I didn’t learn much Greek. I tried again when I went ...

IN THE PAST few weeks I have visited some of our congregations and communities that have been directly affected by flooding in the south-east corner of Queensland. I also hope to visit Central Queensland and North Queensland over the next few months. These visits have taught me a lot about what it means for us to be the Church, the ...