Tag Archives: NOVEMBER2017

Some of you may be familiar with Sergeant Alvin York but a quick recap for those unaware. York was a highly decorated American soldier during WWI and received the Medal of Honour for one particular attack he led which resulted in 25 enemy deaths and 132 captured enemy soldiers. What makes York particularly fascinating and relevant in a faith context ...

They are an integral part of popular culture and a multi-billion dollar industry but video games have largely shied away from religion: from the earlier years of Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog and Pac-Man to the current crop of Call of Duty, Pokemon and Grand Theft Auto, Christianity has rarely featured in a substantial or meaningful way. Things might be ...

Whether on the front line with Australian troops or working with military personnel and their families, Defence Force chaplains like Uniting Church minister Rev Charles Vesely are a potent reminder that the end state of conflict is always peace. Dianne Jensen reports. In the deep night silence of a forward operating base in Afghanistan, Australian Defence Force (ADF) members cluster ...

The Old Testament makes up around 75 per cent of the Bible but is often seen as harsh, confusing and downright problematic in light of current thinking on women, sexuality and violence. Dr Paul Jones explains why embracing the Old is just as vital as the New. Christians affirm the Old Testament as sacred scripture, right? Don’t we? Hmm, sometimes ...

A hands-on partnership with Blackall Range Uniting Churches has provided a boost to the ministry of Frontier Services Cunnamulla–Burke and Wills patrol minister Rev Sunil Kadaparambil. Dianne Jensen reports. Rev Catherine Solomon didn’t expect to be called upon to judge the cake and scone section of the Seniors Week cooking competition in Cunnamulla. But like her fellow visiting Uniting Church ...

What started as a conference four years ago is now a movement for young people to carry God’s heartbeat into their homes, churches, schools and social environment. Ben Tupou reports on the Heartbeat conference at Newlife Uniting Church in Robina. This year’s conference saw over 210 young people from across Brisbane, Gold Coast and as far as Darwin, come together ...

As the Queensland Synod continues its focus on the five Priority Directions for the 2016-2020 period, a new suite of Key Change Initiatives (KCIs) has been identified to help shape the work of the Synod and presbyteries as they implement the Priority Directions. Journey reports. Generated by the Synod Standing Committee and the Presbytery Synod Interface in mid-2017, the KCIs ...

At time of writing, I’m sitting on the veranda of the Mornington Island manse with the sound of carpentry tools in the background. The carpentry work is the complete renovation of the Mornington Island church. The renovations are costing approximately $700 000. Most of this comes from funds the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress in Queensland—the Calvary Presbytery—has accumulated over ...

Too theological? I refer to the article in October’s issue of Journey, “Reformation and the Uniting Church”. It appeared to me that this article was written for trained theologians. I found it difficult to understand. I had never met the word “apophatic” before. Journey’s aim surely is communication with the person in the pew. I believe this article failed that ...

Reflecting on the past and discerning how the church faces the future was front and centre of the 33rd Synod meeting (20–24 October). The team from Journey reports. Hundreds of Uniting Church members gathered at the Alexandra Park Conference Centre on the Sunshine Coast as the 33rd Synod in Session kicked off in style with a rousing opening worship of ...