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St Stephen’s Uniting Church in Toowoomba Minister Rev Dr Linda Hamill has recently completed a Doctorate of Ministry in Biblical Preaching from Luther Seminary, St Paul Minnesota, USA, with a focus on preaching after disaster and disaster-related ministry. James O’Callaghan spoke to Linda about her work. It seems like every week there is a new disaster that has impacted our ...

The desert is frequently featured in our art and popular culture (usually) as a distant and unforgiving place, but it is also a major component of earth’s geographic character and affects around a sixth of the population. Nick Mattiske reviews William Atkins’ recent book The Immeasurable World which journeys into desert life. Oceans cover a lot of the earth’s surface, ...

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact the Australian economy, UnitingWorld’s Cath Taylor explores how the Christian faith shapes attitudes towards globally-focused generosity. With millions out of work in Australia and the economy flailing, we put a simple question to a couple of Queenslanders: “In the midst of so much need here in Australia, why do you continue to support ...

Out of the pressure cooker of social isolation, underlying stresses and injustices have broken out. The appalling vision of George Floyd’s death at the hands of someone sworn to defend life and property is particularly grievous, and has given power to indigenous people in our land to bring to us all, again, their experience of life here in Australia. That ...

God who breathes life into us. We pray for healing for all the families who have been on the receiving end of the discrimination of past policies of child removal and assimilation in this country, and parts of our current education and justice systems. We pray that you would continue to open our eyes to seeing the world as you ...

This story was first published in Eternity news by Ben McEachen.  Hi. My name is Ben and I’m deputy editor at Eternity. I’m also a Christian, a husband, dad, son and brother. I am other things as well, but what I am not is someone who is of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. It’s National Reconciliation Week and I am one Australian ...

The journey to reconciliation is always fraught; facing hard truths, revisiting pain; naming what you want; letting go of what you want; feeling the temptation to defer; trusting the other; being vulnerable; doubts about the benefits; having to commit without really knowing the future. Most of the time we settle for some kind of accommodation, rather than a deep reconciliation. ...

Redcliffe Uniting Church Minister Rev Paul Clark explores the biblical rules surrounding Jubilee and wonders whether there are lessons to learn for today’s church in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic we are tempted to ask, “Is this a punishment from God? Where is God in this time? Is God telling us something?” Perhaps the Jubilee ...

What will you remember 2020 for? It seems strange saying that in May, but what a year it’s been so far. This has been something that has been on my mind for a few months now. Sure, COVID-19 has had a tangible impact upon our society in general, but what has really impressed me, is how the Uniting Church here ...

For now the COVID-19 pandemic has created a new normal of social distancing, hand sanitiser and closed churches (amongst many other major changes to our lives) but as we slowly see restrictions ease, many will be asking what will life be like on the other side of the pandemic. Scott Guyatt examines the key questions and considers what the future ...