Tag Archives: SPRING2019

It is a live question to consider whether, for the first time in a long time, western Christians might be facing sufficient opposition from the prevailing culture that the first signs of “persecution” are appearing. Political correctness, for all the benefits and corrections it brings, is increasingly limiting Christian speech and action. A nurse in Britain is sacked for offering ...

James O’Callaghan explores a shift in the focus of mission for church plants. In the past, the first step to having a presence in an emerging community was to purchase a block of land and start building a church. That focus is steadily shifting with a realisation that relationships—rather than physical presence—are at the core of mission. Of the four ...

Remote Queensland can be a challenging environment—socially, financially and emotionally—to live in (and make a living from), but Outback Futures is helping residents build resilience and strengthen their communities by providing mental and allied health services. Ben Rogers reports on the not-for-profit organisation and how Toowong Uniting Church was an integral part of its creation. To understand the genesis of ...

“The 19th century is the last time when it was possible for an educated person to admit to believing in miracles like the virgin birth without embarrassment.” While the dismissiveness of Richard Dawkins’ remark in his well-known work The God Delusion is characteristic of New Atheist thought specifically, it reveals a more widespread view that a belief in miracles is ...

Trinity College Queensland’s latest educational resource Trinity on Tap has opened up an accessible world of theology for the whole church and has given people a new way of learning about the Bible without stepping foot in a lecture room. Journey reports. Stuck in early morning gridlock and keen to make the most of your time as you wait for ...

Rev John Cox, inaugural Director of the Uniting Church in Australia’s National Safe Church Unit, talks to Journey about his new role. John previously served as Executive Officer of the National Royal Commission Response and Engagement Task Group, the group that guided the Uniting Church’s national response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. What is ...

Toowong Uniting Church is reaping the benefits of connections with international students by providing an avenue to explore faith and transition into life in Brisbane. James O’Callaghan reports. It may seem like a world away from the glitzy buzz of Shanghai, Tokyo or Seoul but for some international students the inner city Brisbane suburb of Toowong has its own distinct ...

Queensland Synod General Secretary Rev Heather den Houting reflects on the importance of the whole-of-church discernment process, Project Plenty. Project Plenty has commenced in earnest as the first consultation sessions are held in presbyteries and church entities across Queensland. These sessions will help us discern how we, as one church, can contribute most effectively to God’s mission in Queensland and ...

Rev Jan Chalmers, one of the earliest woman ordained in the Uniting Church in Queensland, reflects on 40 years of living out her call to serve the world through the ministry of deacon. I was ordained as a deaconess in the Queensland Synod on 30 November 1979 in the Morningside Uniting Church, Brisbane. With the renewal of the diaconate, I ...

Wesley Mission Queensland’s ORCA Project has come a long way since it first started in late February 2018 out of Albany Creek Uniting Church. Originally created with the purpose of helping young people with disabilities enter the workforce, the ORCA (opportunities, readiness, community and abilities) Project has evolved from its humble beginnings into a platform of innovation and entrepreneurism. Stephanie ...