Tag Archives: AUGUST2017

Brisbane medical specialist and Uniting Church member Dr Ian Airey, chairperson of Wesley Mission Queensland’s Art from the Margins, talks to Dianne Jensen about the healing power of the creative arts. Anaesthetist and former intensive care specialist Dr Ian Airey is no stranger to ministering to people undergoing trauma or dislocation. Yet walking into a Brisbane park with other Albert ...

As we continue to celebrate our 40th anniversary year with reflections on the church’s storied past, Rev Duncan Harrison reminds us of the importance of remembering the Basis of Union, the tensions around union, and the leadership team who guided the new church. Moses on Mt Moriah challenged Israel after their 40 years of wandering, “Remember your bondage in Egypt ...

Cyclone Debbie may have vanished from the news but the work of rebuilding and strengthening local communities is gaining traction, thanks to Synod appeal funds from donors nationwide. Dianne Jensen reports. When Cyclone Debbie let loose its fury on the north Queensland town of Bowen, Uniting Church minister Rev Tevita Mone and his five children took refuge in the church ...

Rev Dr Dean Drayton explores why “Kingdom of God” still has a place in Christian understanding and worship. My own personal discovery 40 years ago of the importance of Jesus’ announcement of the good news of the Kingdom of God, and his teaching about the importance of “entering the kingdom” has had me emphasising this term as vital for the ...

Dr Paul Inglis and his wife Robyn from Dayboro Uniting Church had done plenty of research on what to expect on a YWAM medical outreach in Papua New Guinea, but the adventure was still full of surprises and challenges. Dr Paul Inglis reports. Things got busy as soon as we joined our daughter Emily, son-in-law Jason, grandsons Hugh and Monty ...

If you look around your congregation you might notice a lack of young faces lining the pews but is regular church attendance really necessary for a child’s faith and what can we do to make it a more welcoming atmosphere? Rev Linda Hanson offers her thoughts. Yes, but … regular church attendance for children, as it is for people of ...

As I write this the village of Tolpuddle in Dorchester is having its annual celebration of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, a group of Methodist lay preachers who were transported in the mid-1800s to Australia for forming a union to protect their interests as agricultural workers (they were later pardoned). On 30 August at the Brisbane City Hall, the Queensland Community Alliance ...

Our standard vision of poverty is often restricted to images of people lacking all the necessities but as Cath Taylor discovered in West Timor, our preconceptions can get in the way of facilitating change. The moment I spot the mobile phone I flash an eyebrow at our photographer. It says, “Uh-oh, can we get that out of there? If not ...

A concern for social justice lies at the heart of Christianity and there are plenty of causes to get behind to show you care about our world. But sometimes starting off can be the toughest challenge. Sue Hutchinson, Queensland Synod research officer, offers five ways to get started. Stay informed Join the Reach Out Speak Out Synod Facebook group, where ...

Radical love but what next? Thank you Rev Dr Peter Hobson for your challenge for us to join the mustard-seed conspiracy in response to violence and terror in our world (July 2017 edition). This is indeed a radical (at the root) response. In the safety and privacy of our homes and local churches, it is not hard to picture praying ...