Queensland Synod News

Uniting Churches across Queensland are building connections with the wider community this Christmas with Christmas tree festivals, carol services and advent workshops. One of the most spectacular is the “Stable on the Strand” project in Townsville.  From humble beginnings in 1999 with a simple nativity scene at Mt Louisa Uniting Church, “Stable on the Strand” has grown to be a ...

In the lead-up to the 11th Assembly of the Uniting Church congregations and faith groups have been invited to reflect on their local mission using a series of short, small group studies prepared by the Assembly President and President-elect. God’s Word, God’s World, Towards the 11th Assembly is designed for reflection around the Assembly theme by small groups or for ...

The third annual Toombul District Community Fun Day held on 5 November was the biggest yet with more than 4000 people attending. With games, rides, crafts, face painting, kids carpentry, balloon sculpting, entertainment food and much more it is no surprise the day was a success. The surprise however, was that everything was free. Sponsorship from the Brisbane Airport Corporation ...

At its November meeting the Central Queensland Presbytery appointed Rev Kaye Ronalds from the Capricorn Coast Uniting Churches as Presbytery Minister.  As a long term Central Queensland minister and acting-Chairperson on a number of occasions, Kaye was seen as having the skills, experience and local knowledge to do the job.  Kaye sees herself as a team player and an enabler ...

A $6000 grant form the UC Foundation has enabled the Chaplaincy Commission to assist a Blue Care chaplaincy pilot project providing professional development for chaplains and pastoral Carers in ministry in aged care. An Introduction to Aged Care Ministry (Residential and Community) Course, based on the Certificate III in Aged Care Work, will be available in 2006. The material accommodates ...

Seventy Uniting Church congregations will be delivering almost a quarter of a million invitation cards to households across Queensland as part of the Gifts of Time and Love Christmas campaign. Warmed by the cute face of the boy in the box, the cards and thousands of accompanying posters will reinforce the message that Christmas is about taking time to be ...

There has been a worldwide increase in gifting via trusts and foundations, but Uniting Church Foundation Development Manager Ken Edwards said people are demanding more value for their charitable and religious gifts. Mr Edwards says the UC Foundation provides excellent value for benefactors because of low overheads and the absence of establishment costs and legal fees. “You don’t have to ...

Trinity Theological College is offering a number of intensives and short courses over January and February 2006. Summer intensive Doctrine and Truth after Modernity, Rev Dr Geoff Thompson, 13-17 February 2006. In this course contemporary theology will be explored to show that doctrinal work is itself a creative and constructive core practice of the church with important pastoral, pedagogical, and ...

Morayfield Community Uniting Church has found a new home at the local Blue Care centre. After worshipping at the local Blue Care centre since January 2004, the congregation placed a relocatable building on the site for worship and use as a community centre and officially dedicated it on 23 October. Rev Beryl Nielsen said, “The church is most grateful for ...

Recently I was involved in bagging our church. It was an interesting process that was undertaken without any previous experience so I give this advice to any others who are considering bagging their Church. First, not all churches need bagging. However there are some that have become, for one reason or another, unappealing to those who observe from a distance. ...