Queensland Synod News

It is clear from a number of inaccuracies in Christopher Pearson’s piece ‘Questions over God’s place in the Dreaming’ (The Weekend Australian July 25) that he was not present at the meeting of the Uniting Church 12th Assembly last week. The Assembly considered a recommendation from a special Task Group to include a new Preamble to the Uniting Church Constitution, ...

Fears about the spread of the H1N1 virus, once known as swine flu, are curtailing religious activities of both Christians and Muslims as they worship and express their faith, especially in Britain. Health authorities believe that the H1N1 flu pandemic is having a greater impact on Britain than on other countries in Europe, with 31 deaths from the sickness reported ...

The Uniting Church in Australia has today offered its prayerful support for the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, the day after four Methodist Church leaders were detained at the Army Camp. The Uniting Church received word overnight that the Methodist Church’s General Secretary, Accountant, and two Past Presidents were all being held at the Army Camp for interrogation. The ...

The 12th triennial Assembly of the Uniting Church has elected the Rev Dr Andrew Dutney as its next President. Dr Dutney is Principal of the Uniting College for Leadership and Theology in Adelaide and Associate Professor in the School of Theology at Flinders University. He will take office in 2012 and succeed the newly-installed President the Rev Alistair Macrae. After ...

A leading NGO leader from Fiji will be speaking at the University of Queensland on Monday afternoon, July 20, bringing a rare and highly informed view of what is happening and likely to happen in Fiji, now under a military dictatorship and suspended from major regional and global organizations. Rev Akuila Yabaki, CEO of the Fiji governance and human rights ...

The Most Revd Michael Putney, Catholic Bishop of Townsville, has been elected President of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA). Bishop Putney is the 6th President of the Council, following on from Bishop Richard Appleby (retired). The purpose of the Council is to promote Christian unity and help the Churches work together on key issues of theology, peace, ...

An adviser to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has hailed inter-religious dialogue as the way forward, while another official has said Jews living in Iran are prepared to stay in the country. Speaking to Ecumenical News International during the Third Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 2 July, the adviser, Mahdi Mostafavi said, "We are ...

Closing the 17 year Indigenous life expectancy gap through community transformation, empowerment and confidence are just some of the outcomes of the (UAICC) national conference being held in Perth until the 9 July 2009. The theme of the Conference, “Determining Tomorrow’s Communities’ is focused on the holistic measures required to improve the prosperity, health and wellbeing of Indigenous communities, many ...

The World Council of Churches says it has identified two candidates – one a Korean Presbyterian and the other a Norwegian Lutheran – for the post of general secretary, which becomes vacant on 1 January. The WCC said in a 26 June statement, the two candidates are: Rev Seong-won Park, a professor of theology at Youngnam Theological University and Seminary ...

The Uniting Church in Australia is the only church formally supporting a Human Rights Act in Australia. The Uniting Church Assembly’s submission to the National Human Rights Consultation, according to UnitingJustice Australia National Director, Rev Elenie Poulos, reflects the Church’s commitment to social justice and the achievement of human dignity for all. “The Uniting Church believes that every person is ...