DR SHIRLEY Coulson, the new Synod General Secretary, began at the end of January. Journey asked Dr Coulson how she hopes to assist the Church. Journey: How are you settling in? Dr Shirley Coulson: I have had many expressions of welcome and feel blessed by the prayers and support of so many people across our Church in Queensland and even ...

THE GATHERING of God’s people in worship is at the heart of the church’s life. Week by week we are drawn together to be fed by word and sacrament and sent out into the body of the world to share the hope and love of God with others. This is how the Basis of Union describes it: “The Congregation is ...

THE UNITING Church’s foundational document, the Basis of Union, states many different purposes of the church. Some of these include: “preaching Christ the risen crucified One” (para 3); “to be a fellowship of reconciliation” (para 3); “be led to deeper commitment to the faith and service” (para 12); “order its life in response to God’s call to enter more fully ...

THE APOSTLE Paul promised the churches in need of good leadership in his day that “Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the ...

THE DOCTORS told me that I had a close shave with death. It’s not that I had not been warned. Six years ago an angiogram showed that I had a partial blockage that might need bypass surgery if the cholesterol continued to build up in the arteries. It did not bother me much since I was taking some of the ...

THE 28TH SYNOD affirmed a five line Call for the Uniting Church in Queensland in discerning the future of the Church. This is the first of a series of discussion starters that will explore what each of the five phrases in the Call mean to different people. This edition we look at the first phrase: Uniting in Christ. Rev Allan ...

Phil Smith (June Journey) points to the reluctance of many members to respond positively to God’s call to this ministry. In too many Congregations, the role of elder has been restricted to that of pastoral carer, so that congregation members gifted in other areas have felt that they have no place on Church Council as elders, and some present elders ...

On the 22nd June the Uniting Church in Australia celebrated it’s 33rd Birthday. This anniversary prompted me to think about who we are as a church and what we stand for. At 33 you’re a grown up and you know who you are. I think it’s appropriate on our birthday to reflect on how we got here, who we are ...

Journey continues its exploration of Brian McLaren’s 10 questions that he says are transforming the church. This month we look at the gospel question. I RECENTLY came across a writer who suggested that we should be able to summarise the Christian gospel in 10 words or less. “If you can’t summarise what you believe in 10 words, do you truly ...

MEMBERS OF the 28th Synod overwhelmingly supported the nomination of Dr Shirley Coulson as the next General Secretary of the Queensland Synod. She will be the first Lay person to hold the position. Dr Coulson is a deeply committed member of the Uniting Church who has sought to live out her faith over many years through her involvement within her ...