Uniting in faith and commitment

For the first time 11 of the 12 National Conference Chairs (Tongan, Niuean, Fijian, Samoan, Korean, Indonesian, Chinese, Tamil, Filipino, South Sudanese and Middle East) met with the President and Assembly Resourcing Unit in Parramatta on 24 May 2019.

Dr Deidre Palmer started the meeting with opening worship and asked a couple questions to ponder: “In your ministry context, where have you experienced/seen God’s liberating hope expressed through the life and mission of our Church?” and “What sustains you in your Christian discipleship, as you seek to faithfully follow Christ?”

Being a church in a strange land

More than 70 seasonal workers recently arrived from the Pacific attended a Service of Welcome for Migrant Workers at the Uniting Church in Shepparton on Sunday 27 January 2019.

The church was full and filled with joyful singing in Tongan, Fijian, Samoan and English – the native languages of the men and women who’ll be picking fruit and vegetables as part of the Australian Government’s Seasonal Worker Program for the next nine months.

Joy for all at Indonesian Christmas celebration

More than 150 people attended a special Indonesian Christmas Celebration at Glen Waverley Uniting Church in Melbourne which brought together different cultures and faiths.

Glen Waverley Indonesian Fellowship hosted the service. Special guests included the Consul General of Indonesia for Victoria and Tasmania Ms Spica Alphanya Tutuhatunewa, City of Monash Deputy Mayor Cr Brian Little and Indonesian leaders from different churches and faiths.

Hope and Unity for Sth Sudanese Australians

South Sudanese Church leaders from seven different denominations and seven different states attended the National Council of Churches in Australia’s first national peacebuilding consultation in Canberra on May 15- 16.

I supported Uniting Church South Sudanese representatives Rev. Amel Manyon and Rev. Paul Dau who attended along with South Sudanese representatives from the Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Salvation Army, Presbyterian and Baptist Churches.

Partnership in the Good News of the Gospel

The second Middle East National Conference was held at Bankstown Uniting Church, attended by up to 90 leaders and members from Middle East background.

Hope drives reconciliation and unity

South Sudanese members of the Uniting Church from Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne gathered in Melbourne from 22 to 24 September to share their hopes for their home country and for the South Sudanese diaspora living in Australia.

Sharing the joy of Christ in a diverse world

This month I had the opportunity to visit the Ecumenical Institute of the World Council of Churches in Switzerland.

Set in the Chateau de Bossey, a peaceful estate 20km outside of Geneva, the Institute is dedicated to ecumenical theological formation and education.

Living the Gospel Story

Thirty Korean leaders from across the Uniting Church were renewed in spirit and faith over four days at the annual Korean Ministers National Conference.

Celebrating Grace, Love and Fellowship

In the midst of heavy rain and cold weather, up to 1200 Tongan Uniting Church members gathered in the Blue Mountains of NSW during the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

They came from around Australia for a very special celebration: the 30^th Tongan National Conference (TNC).

First UCA Indonesian Congregation turns 32

It gave me great joy to attend the 32nd anniversary celebration of the first Indonesian Congregation within the Uniting Church in Australia.

At St Andrew’s Gardiner in Malvern in south-east Melbourne, the Church was full with more that 300 people of different ages, languages, cultures, traditions, all joyfully singing and worshipping God who is faithful to them.