Scoop

The coronavirus pandemic has given us opportunity to see the wide variety of visceral responses to a crisis—in ourselves and in others. The pattern of flight, fight, or freeze can be seen across our communities. It’s also exposed a lot about how we function as an interconnected world. We are called to rise above our fears and pay attention; to ...

Young adult leader within the Uniting Church, Michelle Donaldson describes how the church has shaped who she is as an adult.  There have been a few times when I can pinpoint a moment when my life has changed. Joining the Oxley Uniting Church youth group in 2008 was one of those moments. This introduction to the church provoked a passion for ...

First People storyteller, cultural activist and Uniting Church member Rhanee Jane Tsetsakos reflects on the importance of collaboration in this International Women’s Day reflection.   Warning: This reflection contains the use of a First Peoples name who is deceased.  My book Walking to the Corroboree came out of a relationship with one of my mentors from the Uniting Church.   I was ...

Rev Linda Hanson looks at iconic women throughout history as she reflects ahead of International Women’s Day.  “NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson who inspired Oscar-nominated Hidden Figures film dies aged 101.” This was the headline that greeted the world on 25 February. On hearing the news, Barack Obama, former USA President tweeted: “After a lifetime of reaching for the stars, today, ...

In this International Women’s Day reflection, Rev Kath Behan looks at a Uniting Church initiative designed to improve our leadership diversity. The theme for International Women’s Day 2020 is #EachforEqual, meaning “an equal world is an enabled world”. It emphasises that ultimately the responsibility rests on all of us, women and men together, to make sure that we are doing all ...

The new Raymont Residential College students are not the only fresh faces to arrive in 2020, with new Principal Arend Boog commencing in early February. With degrees in engineering and philosophy, Arend says the opportunity to give back to his old residential college is what inspired the career change. “I was a resident at New College while studying at the ...

Ahead of International Women’s Day, Rev Janet Stains looks at the pursuit of gender equality. The 2020 theme for International Women’s Day #EachforEqual moves beyond individual action and calls on everyone to work together to achieve gender equality. The pursuit for gender equality has tended to centre around the key question: Should gender equality be achieved by treating women the same ...

Ahead of International Women’s Day, Rev Suzy Sitton reflects on the role of women in ministry today. I speak from a place of privilege. Having worked in the corporate world I often wonder how I was perceived as a woman in a senior management role who often had to challenge assumptions and make decisions that would affect the working day ...

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Rev Jenny Lynn reflects on her experience as a woman in ministry. Being a woman in ministry is an interesting experience.  On one hand, I find many men treat me completely as an equal, while on the other I find that some men still really struggle to accept women clergy.  At the same time, I ...

A senior officer of the State Government texted me the other day with a simple request. “Can you get your church to pray for Aurukun?” This is after the State Government sought the church’s help to respond to the community violence in Aurukun in early January. Hundreds of people believed they were unsafe and fled to other communities on the ...