Queensland Synod News

Moderator of the Queensland Synod Rev Allan Kuchler unveiled a shield representing the Uniting Church during Forest Lake College’s twelfth birthday celebrations. The College was a landmark development both for the Forest Lake community and the Uniting and Anglican Churches, the first time the two churches had formed a partnership to operate a school. A set of shields, each rep-resenting ...

Strange things are afoot in the life of the Uniting Church in Queensland in youth and children’s ministry. YACMU Director Michael Jeffrey reports hearing positive stories about ministry in many areas. “Day camps in the last school holidays were as large as they have ever been and youth workers are feeling good about their ministry and excited about the growth ...

Queenslander Dave Andrews will be one of the keynote speakers at the National Christian Youth Convention in Perth in January 2007. NCYC 2007 revolves around the theme ‘Agents of Change’ which will empower delegates to change and cause change. Dave Andrews has worked in India where he founded Dilaram, a Christian community. In Australia, Dave and his wife have been ...

Bloomberg.com reports that Glebe Asset Management, the Anglican Church’s investment fund has decided to remove its ban on buying uranium mining shares. Director David Andrews said that they had accepting uranium partly because of concern that the increasing use of oil and coal is contributing to pollution and global warming. Peter Thompson, marketing consultant for UCA Funds Management, said that ...

Hinduism , Buddhism , Judaism , Christianity and Islam are compared, in the winning title for the Australian Christian Book Awards. “A spectator’s guide to world religions: an introduction to the big five” by John Dickson (Blue Bottle Books) is the 2005 Australian Christian Book of the Year. Presenting a clear, accessible, and unbiased presentation of the major faiths, the ...

Another founding father of the Uniting Church died on 3 July. Rev Dr Ian Gillman, aged 78, was an eminent scholar, author, teacher, preacher and liturgist. Well known for his wicked sense of humour, Dr Gillman came to Brisbane in 1962 to the Presbyterian Church’s Emmanuel College Theological Hall, having accepted the position of Professor of Theology and Lecturer in ...

For the past three years, 96five has organized the annual Mega Rush at Dreamworld, an end –of year youth event providing young people with a safe and positive event. 96five have decided not to proceed with Mega Rush, due to Dreamworld’s association with the Big Brother program. As a station committed to family values, any association with this year’s Big ...

Over one thousand people attended the live broadcast of the Live8 concert at the Southbank Piazza in Brisbane to celebrate White Armband Day on July 2. Organised by the Queensland working group of the Micah Challenge and Oxfam, the event drew people, young and not so young, to make a stand against poverty. Queensland Synod Social Responsibility Advocate Ms Heather ...

The South East Queensland Youth leader Training Weekend has scratched an itch for practical hands on training in youth ministry for forty youth leaders gathered from around the south east corner. Youth and Children’s Ministry Unit Director, Michael Jeffrey, was really encouraged by the level of the commitment of the leaders to their training. "There was a real buzz around ...

On Tuesday 16th August, after the tragic death of Brother Roger, founder of the Taize community, a prayer was celebrated at midnight in the Church of Reconciliation, a prayer of songs, Bible readings and silence. During this prayer, Brother François, one of the eldest of the brothers of the community, spoke briefly. In the Bible, we find these words: “Costly ...