Queensland Synod News

The Moderator of the Uniting Church in Queensland Rev Dr David Pitman has issued a pastoral letter with a prayer request regarding the current flooding in North Queensland.  Here is the text of that statement. Dear Friends in Christ, You will all be aware that there has been extremely heavy rain and major flooding in North Queensland over recent days. This ...

The World Council of Churches and other Christian groups say immediate action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after a UN climate panel issued its strongest warning yet that human activities are to blame for global warming. "The global debate over human impact on the environment must now shift from denial and delays to responsibility and remedies that are ...

An all new series of small group study resources is being offered from the Queensland Synod for use by congregations for group study and/or personal reflection during Lent or at some other time during the year. The Called to plant a future resource is offered to Uniting Church congregations in Queensland as a four-page full colour "lift-out" in the February ...

Roman Catholic adoption agencies in England and Wales will not be allowed an exemption from legislation which will require them to accept homosexual couples as potential parents, the British government has announced. The exemption on grounds of conscience was sought by Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, leader of the church in England and Wales, in a letter to all members of ...

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu, the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, has warned African churches against paying too much attention to the issue of homosexuality while ignoring real problems facing the continent. "I am deeply, deeply distressed that in the face of the most horrendous problems – we’ve got poverty, we’ve got conflict and war, we’ve got HIV/AIDS ...

A number of Uniting Church members were among the 577 recipients in the 2007 Australia Day Honours list announced today by the Governor-General and Chancellor of the Order of Australia Major General Michael Jeffery  . Awards in the honours system represent the highest level of recognition for attainment of outstanding achievement and service in the Australian community. Among the Queensland ...

The Church of England, in acknowledging its involvement in the slave trade, will take part in an act of repentance by thousands of Anglicans, including its spiritual head, planned for 24 March. Marchers from throughout Britain are expected to meet in London for a procession led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and his second in command, the Archbishop ...

Members of the Uniting Church congregation in Mosman (Sydney) are protesting loudly against the plans for a joint US/Australian military exercise in Australian Wilderness areas in the middle of 2007. Members have expressed their distress at the environmental impact of the exercises on the landscape and biodiversity of the wilderness regions being targeted, including the coastline north of Rockhampton. Local ...

Representatives of the Queensland Forum for Christians, Jews and Muslims have expressed deep regret at the injuries caused by the comments of Sheikh Feiz Mohammed published on DVD and in the Australian media on 18th January. Yet despite the hurdles to interfaith dialogue posed by such incidents, the three communities pledged yesterday to continue to work together. The representatives of ...

The British Airways check-in counter clerk who has been on unpaid leave since her employer told her in September she could not wear a cross on a chain around her neck outside her uniform is to return to work wearing the emblem of her Christian faith. The airline has backed down on its policy of not allowing workers to wear ...