Roman Catholic bishops in Latin America have ended a two-and-a-half week meeting by calling for a "great continental mission" to win back millions of faithful who have left the church to join the region’s burgeoning neo-Pentecostal movements. "Our initiative is not proselytising, because we are looking for believers who have been baptised in our own church," said Cardinal Claudio Hummes, ...

Spread over two weekends in two locations over a hundred excited children from across North Queensland attended this years Kids Camp Out in Townsville and Cairns. A non-stop program included crafts, playing games and rides with a special worship service organised and led by children on Sunday morning. Youth and Children’s Ministry Unit (YACMU) Regional Worker and Camp Out organiser ...

2006 marks the 60th anniversary of one of Queensland’s longest serving and most popular campsites, Alexandra Park. Purchased by the Youth Department of the Presbyterian Church, Alex Park was officially opened and dedicated during an evening dinner on Good Friday, 19 April 1946. Located directly opposite the Alexandra Headland surf beach, the camp originally consisted of 173 acres of natural ...

I’ll call him Merv, a young minister fighting Christmas crowds, looking for a special gift at one shop, a toy another place, a card at still another. Eventually he finds something he likes, or more importantly, that he thinks someone else will like. The saleswoman wishes him a ‘Merry Christmas’ as she hands back his purchase and change. Merv responds ...

By Jillian Ross, Day Camp, Intergen & Faith at Home Coordinator, Moreton Rivers Presbytery One of the foundational principles of the Here2Stay discipleship framework is the nurturing of Families/Households as the primary faith communities for all ages. Offering a range of resources for Lent/Easter & Advent/Christmas was one way our church realised that we could support households in having a ...

There’s nothing quite like throwing a bunch of high school students into an action-packed weekend of worship, adventure and fun! Easter Madness 2018 brought together over 150 high schoolers, leaders and helpers from across Queensland to grow in faith, friendship and community. Emma Holmes reports. It’s hard not to just say “you had to be there!” in trying to grasp ...

In this exclusive column for The Scoop, Scott Guyatt explores faith on the home front and how families can practice and express their faith outside a church setting. So the evidence seems pretty strong, and multiple studies suggest the same thing: children and young people learn faith best at home. What happens in the family context is the biggest factor ...

Journey talks with Iven about his faith, his lifelong journey with maintaining fitness and what advice he has for others keen to stay active and healthy. While some people entering retirement may be keen to embark on a leisurely cruise or simply put their feet up, Iven Hewett is still going strong. Literally. The 70-year-old retired Chinchilla Uniting Church pastor ...

Someone new walks into church. You’re torn between maintaining a polite distance and asking them around for lunch and afternoon Bible study. Dianne Jensen talks to two quite different Uniting Churches about welcoming newcomers. Stepping through the church door can be a scary business. The jargon and rituals are unnerving—and that’s before someone is invited to stand up and sing! ...

While our primary focus should be to take the gospel message outside of these four walls, Easter presents an opportunity to welcome newcomers to church. We asked a Uniting Church teenager for some suggestions about how to invite someone to be part of the church. Show them hospitality What’s the adult equivalent of a sleepover? Do that! Invite your friend or ...