Queensland Synod News

Geneva, 11 December (ENI)–South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says it is distressing that Israel blocked a planned mission by him and British professor Christine Chinkin to investigate the killing of 19 Palestinian civilians by Israeli shells. The former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town was due on 10 December to lead a team with law professor Chinkin ...

The Uniting Church has urged the Federal Government to secure the immediate release of David Hicks on the eve of tomorrow’s nation-wide protests marking the fifth anniversary of his incarceration. Uniting Church President Rev Gregor Henderson, said David Hicks should be returned to Australia immediately and that any charges against him should be dealt with under Australian or International law. ...

Reformed churches in the Pacific are deeply engaged in the struggle to bring fullness of life for all in their various contexts, says Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC). Nyomi has just completed an 18-day visit to WARC member churches in four Pacific countries Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia during which he ...

The US National Council of Churches is applauding recommendations of a panel which has called for a phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and which has also concluded that the Iraq policy of President George W. Bush’s administration is not working. The report by a group made up of representatives of both the Republican and the Democratic parties urges ...

Suva, 6 December (ENI)–The head of the Fiji Council of Churches has condemned the administration set up by army commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama after a military seizure of power as "illegal and unconstitutional" and has urged prayers for God’s intervention. "We are deeply convinced that the move now taken by the commander and his advisors is the manifestation of darkness ...

In what is believed to be world first, 16 Australian faith communities representing the world’s great religious traditions have united to speak out on climate change. "Common Belief: Australia’s faith communities on climate change" is being launched today at 10.30 am at the Justice and Police Museum, Albert and Philip Sts, Sydney. The document is published by the Climate Institute ...

As Christmas approaches, Australian families are turning to church financial counsellors in increasing numbers who say that a new set of families has emerged who need help: those with steady income, but unmanageable debts. "We’re seeing far more complex stories than ever before," said Barbara Jones, manager of financial counselling for Mission Australia. "We counsel people with a mortgage, a ...

Maryborough’s new cutting-edge Blue Care Respite Centre Tirrike (tear-rick-ee) will officially open its doors tomorrow (November 30). The $800,000 purpose-built facility, named after the Indigenous word for “joy and laughter”, specialises in day respite and in-home respite, an emergency respite bed for people with dementia and Veterans’ Home Care Program (VHC). Blue Care Respite Co-ordinator Carla Blacklock said since Tirrike ...

New education policies released by the Queensland Department for Education Training and the Arts will greatly influence the conduct of Religious Education and the provision of chaplaincy services in State Schools. The Uniting Church representative on the State Government’s Religious Education Advisory Committee (REAC) Rev David MacGregor says both policies significantly ‘raise the crossbar’ for all interested parties. For RE ...

Blue Care has welcomed the Local Government and Planning Minister’s decision to approve aged and community care facilities at 818 Rode Rd, Stafford Heights. Executive Director of the Uniting Church agency Stephen Muggleton said the decision meant older people in Stafford Heights would get the aged care services they needed. Mr Muggleton said Rode Rd would ultimately provide a total ...