Where does a parent, school principal, police officer turn when a fourteen year old boy is on the edge of self harm, being expelled or generally going off the rails? The expert jargon says ‘at risk’ boys need to ‘reconnect’. Roy Devine is more into actions than jargon and for nine years he’s headed up Scripture Union’s Connect programme, taking ...

When twins Kate and Jess Stewart first came to Wesley Mission Brisbane at age 14, both were suffering extreme anxiety and as a result were unable to speak. Today the girls are confident public speakers, have control of their anxiety and are looking forward to commencing a Bachelor of Psychology at University. During high school, severe bullying had pushed the ...

Lifeline Fiji is down and almost out. So Lifeline Queensland is trying to raise $100,000 to give them a hand. Richard Johnson from Lifeline Coral Coast, based at Bundaberg, has been to Fiji to provide local people with training and support. His needs assessment says the biggest issue is youth suicide, and he cites ANU research suggesting the youth suicide ...

A Bible series in "manga", Japanese-style comic strips, has been used internationally to share the biblical story in recent years. Now, a distributor of its Japanese edition says it wishes to offer a series of the comics to Japan’s prime minister, Taro Aso, a Roman Catholic who loves manga. Next Inc. says on it is Web site www.nextmanga.com it is ...

As Barack Obama is poised to begin a new era in the history of the U.S. presidency, the role of the Rev Billy Graham as a private spiritual advisor to successive leaders of the world’s most powerful country is drawing to a close. "My father feels like his time and day for that is over," Graham’s son, Franklin Graham said, ...

No matter what happens, God is with us. This is how Rev Geoff Collins ended his Sunday service only two days before his unexpected death on 14 October. He was 49-years-old. Geoff was born in Stanthorpe, Queensland on July 11, 1959 to Stuart and Rene Collins. A difficult birth meant that Geoff was born with a paralysed right arm. At ...

Launching the 2009 program, the Lent Event founder and coordinator Sarah White expressed her deep appreciation for the Queensland Synod’s $90,000 in donations to the 2008 appeal. “My heartfelt thanks go out to all the Ministers, Coordinators, church leaders and church members who embraced the Lent Event, it was a truly great effort and gives a great deal of hope ...

In a moving celebration of ministries the Synod honoured the memory of ministers who had died since the last Synod, gave thanks for those who have retired or are retiring and recognised those commencing ministry. Former Moderator and retiring minister Rev Dr Ray Reddicliffe welcomed the time of transition which for him had highlighted the importance of personal relationships while ...

The General Secretary of the Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church Rev Douglas Jones gave a frank and detailed report on the financial strengths of the Synod in his report to the Synod. Mr Jones said people who attended the meeting of the 26th synod in May 2007 left with a feeling that the Synod was in a strong financial ...

Church leaders in India have said an inquiry ordered into the case of a young nun allegedly raped in Kandhamal province, amid anti-Christian violence in the state of Orissa, had been instituted only because of media criticism of government inaction in the case. Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Bhubaneswar, whose diocese covers Kandhamal, said that what he described as belated action ...