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"As disciples following
Jesus, the Uniting Church affirms
that it
‘belongs to the people of God on the way to the promised end’."
David Fotheringham Moderator
Vic Tas Synod
Jesus’ ministry is not static. As we see in the gospel readings of this season, Jesus moves from the wilderness near the Jordan River through both the cities and the more remote parts of Galilee and Judea. He speaks, ministers and prays in synagogues and homes, mountains and plains, and calls disciples to follow him.
As disciples following Jesus, the Uniting Church affirms that it “belongs to the people of God on the way to the promised end”.1 We are a Church in motion, and a part of the wider plan that God has for the whole of creation.
At the Synod meeting in November 2023, working groups reflected on that theme of movement, considering the paths and obstacles currently before us. Those reflections have formed part of the discernment of values and goals for the Faithful Futures Project, about which I want to give a brief update here.
Over 2024, the project has been preparing goals to resource the ministry and mission of the Church across Victoria and Tasmania, working across the presbyteries and the Synod together including through Bible study, surveys and prayer.
Goals have been shaping up around four key areas: Coordinated Ministry, Respecting Country, Intercultural Leadership, and All-age Growth
All Church Councils and ministers in placement have been sent information about the draft goals. I won’t detail the goals here, but rather provide some broad comments.
Coordinated Ministry will help congregations, communities of faith, chaplains and agencies to encourage and coordinate new and existing ministries across regions, according to life and needs of those regions. Coordinating together recognises our common calling in Christ to share one another’s burdens
and build each other up for the sake of gospel we seek to share.
Respecting Country acknowledges the importance of knowing something of the stories of the First Peoples of the Country on which we are located. This is a basic starting place for any relationship and response that God calls us into, including our covenantal relationship with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress.
The equipping of Intercultural Leadership is important for the Church. There are growing communities in various cultural groups, with 20 main languages now being used among Uniting Church worshipping communities in Victoria and Tasmania.
All-aged Growth remains an essential priority area, to support communities for worship and sharing across generations in keeping with the Biblical patterns, grounded in the relational nature of God.
More details on the draft goals themselves have been shared with Church Councils, and a 10-minute video overview can be found at the link below.2
The draft goals all fit with the vision of Following Christ, walking together as First and Second Peoples seeking community, compassion and justice for all creation; and with the values that emerged from the 2023 Synod discussions of being inclusive, diverse, seeking justice and journeying with Jesus.
In March 2025, a special project meeting will be held to finalise the goals, with members appointed from across the presbyteries and the Synod.
As we continue to pay attention to where God is calling the Church in ministry and mission, I pray that God will guide our next steps through the gift of the Spirit, following the active and wide ministry of Jesus.
1 Basis of Union paragraph 18 2 vimeo.com/1026701480/714e394c6a?share=copy
Reverend
CALD to share their voice
A gathering of young culturally and linguistically diverse Uniting Church members last year has laid a strong platform for participation at this year’s Synod Meeting.
Moderator Rev David Fotheringham and Moderator-elect Rev Salesi Faupula attended the Feast of Faith intercultural gathering in September and encouraged CALD members to embrace the opportunity to have a say at Synod 2025.
During a Q and A session, David discussed the nature of his role, and the structure of the Uniting Church in general, from local congregations to the National Assembly. During the session, David emphasised why inclusivity and listening to diverse voices was so important, and stressed the significance of young people's involvement in the Church.
The discussion also provided an opportunity for David and Salesi to promote and give some background on Synod 2025, an opportunity in August for members to discern the big-picture matters which make us the Uniting Church.
Chaired by the Moderator, Synod Meetings are held every 18 months, offering a chance to share stories, build community, gain new perspectives, and to discover new ways of supporting one another in faithful witness.
“We come together at the Synod Meeting and we discern where God is calling us to go, and what we need to focus on across Victoria and Tasmania,” David said.
When asked about how the Synod manages people bringing different theological perspectives, David said Synod Meetings gave everyone attending an opportunity to have a say on issues of importance affecting the Uniting Church throughout Victoria and Tasmania.
“The Synod Meeting includes worship, Bible study and a kind of fellowship together of sharing stories about what God is doing, and how we're responding
By Andrew Humphries
to God's call in various places,” he said.
“In that context, we are then pushing into how we deal with the harder questions.
“We recognise that part of our calling as a Church is responding to God's word, hearing it well, trying to understand it well and trying to hear, therefore, what we're called to do.
“Now, we recognise that there are different people and different groups of people who interpret aspects in slightly different ways.
“The Uniting Church has a dominant lens which is about understanding that this is all about God's grace and God's grace to us in Christ, who is inclusive and welcoming.
“As such that means being inclusive and welcoming of people who have a variety of opinions and a variety of theological starting places.
“My experience so far is that the process of hearing what's said and trying to wrestle with that actually works really respectfully and well, and I think we've been able to navigate those kinds of differences really well.”
David said it was important that second generation CALD Uniting Church members realised the contribution they could make at a Synod Meeting.
“There are two main reasons why attending a Synod Meeting is worthwhile for CALD members,” he said.
“Number one is to actually hear what's going on and to discover what it means to be a part of a much broader movement called the Uniting Church.
“Across this Synod we are following Christ, walking together as first and second people, seeking community, compassion and justice for all creation.
“If you want to see how that's happening right across the Church, the Synod Meeting is a great place for discovering that and for meeting people, and for listening.
“The second part is that your voice is important because God speaks through
you too, God puts things on your hearts and we discern together what we do with the things that God is putting on our hearts.
“Your voice, and what God is calling you to and what God is calling the Church to through you, is part of what we can discern together.”
As Moderator-elect, Salesi reflected on his own journey of faith and how he had once been in the same position as today’s second-generation CALD members.
Those members, he said, now had an opportunity to help drive the Uniting Church forward.
“I think there's ongoing encouragement that our systems reflect our identity, and that's part of the empowerment and encouragement of young leaders and the next generation,” Salesi said.
“I, too, sat in your very seat not very long ago, and I, too, was wondering where my place was in the Church.
“But unconscious renewal is part of our makeup as a church, and so I think that we are in interesting times as you emerge and search for identity and faith, and that's an important part for the Church to journey with so that we can continue to remain faithful as a people.”
Moderator Rev David Fotheringham and Moderator-elect Rev Salesi Faupula were part of the Feast of Faith intercultural gathering in September.
SPIRIT
PILGRIMS of the Synod SPIRIT
PILGRIMS of the Synod
Synod snapshot
Synod 2025 will commence with Opening Worship at Kingswood College at 10am on Saturday, August 30, at which Rev Salesi Faupula will be installed as the new Moderator. Morning tea will follow the service, before Synod members reconvene at Box Hill Town Hall for the remainder of the Synod meeting.
New initiatives introduced at the last Synod meeting and returning this year include commencing the meeting on Saturday morning, concluding the first day with an informal 'welcome dinner', and the opportunity to participate in electives as part of the meeting program.
Bible Studies this year will be led by Rev Professor John Flett from the University of Divinity, while the Synod is excited to announce that the Theological Reflector will be The Rev Tara Tautari, General Secretary of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aotearoa.
Strengthening the friendship between the Methodist Church in Aotearoa and the Uniting Church, Tara will bring her world view as a Māori to Synod 2025, as well as her experience in the Methodist Church of Aotearoa, and a global outlook from her time at the World Council of Churches. Her wisdom, intellect and capacity for thoughtful reflection are highly valued.
For the first time, as part of its 202326 Disability Action Plan, the Synod is encouraging all reports and proposals being written as accessible documents.
This year, the Younger Generations team will be hosting a pre-meeting orientation day for younger Synod members the day before the Synod meeting commences. This will be held at Box Hill Town Hall, giving the opportunity to become familiar with the location, what to expect, and the chance to meet our new Moderator ahead of his installation. The day is also being planned to include a few fun surprises.
Committed to the cause
Ayla Williams
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
Just to have a voice at the table and to be able to get a wider grasp on what's happening across the life of our Synod.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
Hopefully a broader range of discerning, more opportunities for open, honest and authentic dialogue.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
The opportunity to put faces to names and the opportunity to actually have sometimes the hard conversations and to be able to sit comfortably in the uncomfortable at times.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
It provides a unique opportunity to sit around the table with people you might not otherwise get to sit around with.
In August, Uniting Church members from Victoria and Tasmania will gather for Synod 2025. During Synod 2023, members were asked to give their thoughts on why meeting as a Synod matters.
Taumakai Komiti
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
I attended the Synod Meeting because it’s a chance for me to meet other people who participate at Synod, and all the other members of the Uniting Church from the different presbyteries.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
I expect to get a chance to meet everyone, agree with and listen to what's happening inside the Uniting Church.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
I enjoy being around people I have never met before, including the other Ministers and leaders of the Church.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
This is a very good event to attend and participate in. This is where all the decisions are made and it’s good to understand what's happening in the Uniting Church.
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
I enjoy the chance to meet with friends and to come and see what needs to be discussed for the future of our church
What did you expect to come from Synod?
The thing that I want to come out from the meeting is how we see the future of the Church in the next 10 to 30 years.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
I enjoy meeting with friends and the opportunity to talk together.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
To discuss issues about the future of the Church, and also to meet with each other.
Nathaniel Atem
PILGRIMS of the Synod
SPIRIT
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
I hadn't been to the Victoria or Tasmania Synod before. I'm a Minister in placement with the Uniting Church and thought it was important to be part of the councils of the church.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
I expected to be part of decision-making processes and was looking forward to being part of Christian community as well.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
I like the opportunity to meet people from across the Synod from Victoria and Tasmania and also just to listen for God together and to dream the future. Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
Synod is important for people, especially for people like me who live out in the country to be part of the decisionmaking process to have our voices heard and to see how God works in the community.
Damien Tann
Denise Savage
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
To see the wider church at its best. There's something about who we are when we come together … the wrestling, the listening, the appreciating. There is just something about who we are as a wider church when we come together that I value.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
I think there's a journey that we continue to be on each time we gather, regardless of what we wrestle with or what sits as the business of the current Synod. I think each one shifts us as a Church to something different, so I think I always remain open to what that might be, where that journey might take us, who God invites us to be as we go forward.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
I love catching up with people that I haven't seen for a while and hearing stories, appreciating the depth of just where people are, and what they're doing.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
I think it comes down to seeing the Church at our best. That the sense of diversity, the sense of difference, how we work with difference, how we hold the deep stories that people bring, particularly on the floor of the meeting when someone takes a vulnerable moment to share something of deep hurt and pain and we hold that. That's precious.
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
I like to know what's going on. I'm on two committees through the Presbyteries and the Synod so it's just helpful. Also to find out who people are. You hear names and you don't always know who or what they do, so the Synod meeting lets me get to know them a bit better.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
Some ticklish issues. There's always something a little bit controversial and it's good to discuss these in an open forum.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
Catching up with friends is really good. I like listening to the business as well as it's usually pretty informative and I love the Bible studies every time I've come.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
I think it's a good experience, especially if you're involved in your local congregation or even in your presbyteries to know how the Synod operates, and have an opinion on some of the issues that are raised.
Eileen Devenish
Em Chandler
Why did you attend Synod 2023? Because I was asked to but more because I wanted to be more involved in the goings on and the mechanics of the Synod and of the church, rather than just weekly worship.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
I was expecting to come out far more exhausted than I have. It's still a long process but there's a wonderful system of consensus and of management. There's lots of other people making sure everything functions and that we come to decisions and ideas that we as a collective want to get to as a Synod.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
What I love most about the Synod Meetings is connecting and meeting new people, and reconnecting with people you've met before and people you only vaguely remember and being able to do something together. It’s not just a high five and a coffee, there's actual meat and bones around what the Church does that we get to do together.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
You get to engage with topics that you might not engage with in your congregations, and you help make decisions that will direct where the Church goes next.
SPIRIT PILGRIMS of the Synod
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
I have to confess I was convinced by some presbytery representatives that I needed to join them at Synod.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
This is my first Synod so I had a very open mind and it's met all my expectations, because we've covered all sorts of issues that the Church is contending with. We worked in groups where we've dealt with other issues going forward for the Church, and for the way the Church is going to work in the future.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
There have been a great deal of enjoyable factors, but just catching up with people, discussions over Church issues, but also personal issues as well. It's getting to know people as well as the wider Church picture.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
You get an appreciation that this is the hub of where a lot of decisions are made, and it filters right down to presbyteries and local congregations.
Harvey Champness
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
I was really interested in becoming engaged in the decision-making processes of the Synod, particularly decisions that will affect young people in years to come.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
I think I expected to come out of Synod with further engagement and understanding of the processes of the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania, and I also expected to come out of Synod with new connections and a new sense of community and relationship.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
The thing I've loved most about the Synod Meeting is the sense of community and connection that I've been able to build up. It’s been really lovely and really heartening for me to reconnect with old friends, make lots of new friends and connect with that wider Church community.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
To have a voice and a say in decisions that will affect the Church at large, including your local congregation. To hear from key people within the Uniting Church and particularly key leaders and key learned academics. To build that sense of community and connection, and to build relationships with others.
Jack Oates Pryor
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
This is my second time and the first time I did see that I was very interested in the work that is done here in the Synod, the proposals and the decision making is what I'm very interested in.
Jenny Soakai
What did you expect to come from Synod?
I just expect we can approve some of the proposals and be able to share some light on big issues.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
Mostly the connectivity and ability to participate in the conversation that we have, because some of the proposals are very hard questions but the conversation is very easy and the working group is easy.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
Diversity of voice, experience and the wisdom from some people to help the Synod’s work move forward.
Jonathan Addison Sani Vaeluga
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
I was invited to attend as a member of the Synod finance committee, and the chairman of the property and operations group nominated me.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
I think it's important that the whole Church has a view of looking forward: how is the Church going to look in five, 10 or 15 years’ time?
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
I think what's pleasantly surprising is that everyone is friendly, and I like the working groups that we've had because it's an opportunity for everyone to express a view. It may not be agreed with but you never get jumped on for it, and it leads to open and constructive conversation.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
People should attend to get to know how the Church works better, but also to meet with different people from different areas, who have different points of view and so on.
Why did you attend Synod 2023?
I attended Synod because I feel it's part of our calling to contribute to the life of the Church through the Synod. This is where we discuss a lot of issues that are significant in the life of the Church, particularly through the Synod and the other agencies and congregations and schools, so it's wonderful to partake in that.
What did you expect to come from Synod?
I was expecting us to hear a lot more about our relationship with the First Peoples, and also I know in this Synod we were voting for our next Moderator.
What do you love most about the Synod Meeting?
I love the way we deal with sometimes difficult issues, as we use consensus decision making which allows even those who are the minority and may disagree with a particular proposal the opportunity to actually voice their opinion.
Why should someone attend the Synod Meeting?
This is another important part of the Church. It's not just a council that makes decisions but it's a way of us coming together as Uniting Church people. Our motto is to walk together with First and Second Peoples, seeking community of reconciliation, justice and peace, so it's important that we do play a significant role by participating.
New life for an old church
In the small town of Sheffield in Tasmania’s north-west, a Uniting Church congregation is proving that a substantial drop in membership doesn’t have to mean the end of a church’s role in the community.
Sheffield Uniting Church celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2022 and, thanks to the efforts of a small but enthusiastic group, it continues to be an important part of the local community.
Keeping itself relevant, though, has meant a dramatic change in how members view the traditional worship role of a church, and the need to accept that there are no longer the numbers to hold traditional worship services.
That doesn’t mean, though, that the church has to die.
Sheffield resident Leoni Read and her husband Bob worship at nearby Ulverstone Uniting Church, but continue to keep Sheffield Uniting Church alive as a vital part of the area.
And, as the centre of much of Sheffield’s community life, the church has never been busier.
“We’ve got about 100 people making use of the church and church hall each week through various activities, and we have developed a relationship with all of these groups,” Leoni says.
“It’s a real outreach centre in that sense.”
When Leoni and Bob moved to Sheffield 15 years ago they were quickly accepted within the congregation which, at that time, numbered about 30.
As Leoni explains, though, natural attrition has reduced that number dramatically over the years, meaning
By Andrew Humphries
that some tough decisions were needed around its future. Those decisions have meant a dramatic change in the way Sheffield operates, including ending its traditional worship service. The result, as Leoni outlined in the Uniting Church in Australia’s ‘This is my Uniting Church’ feature, was a pleasant surprise.
“Instead of a church focusing on Sunday worship, it has found a new lease of life, new direction, and new ways of serving, which has caught us by surprise,” Leoni says.
The church hall has become the hub of the community and is used by numerous groups on a daily basis.
Among the strong connections formed is one with workers from Kiribati, who are employed on farms in the Forth region, about 20km from Sheffield.
“They have held several celebrations in the church and use the hall during winter for gatherings,” Leoni says.
“It’s meant we have developed a strong connection with them.”
Connections like that, Leoni says, are what makes keeping the church alive so rewarding.
“People say to us, ‘how do you manage to get so much done?’, but it’s not that hard,” she says.
“It’s just a matter of facilitating the various groups that want to make use of the church and hall.”
Leoni is rightly proud of the outreach activities promoted by the congregation, including for Library Aid International, which provides used books and educational materials to children in disadvantaged schools in developing countries.
Since it began in Burnie in 2006, Library Aid International has donated nearly 300,000 books and teacher resources to more than 550 educational institutions in southern Africa, Fiji and the Solomon Islands.
“From little things big things can grow,” is how Leoni describes the project.
“Two years ago I was talking to someone who said they may be forced to close it down in Burnie, as some of the volunteers were getting too old to continue.
“We had been collecting books here and sending them across to Burnie, so I thought closing it down would be a great shame, and it was something we could take over.
“The council has provided us with the use of a community hall in Beulah, every Monday we gather to sort through the books and, last year, we were able to send a container load to the Solomon Islands.”
Leoni says the ability to reach out to various groups is what makes her work so enjoyable.
“The outreach and pastoral side of it sits very comfortably with what I think faith should be about,” she says.
“There isn’t a congregation as such here anymore, but in other ways we are thriving, and I hope to stay involved for some time yet.
“Faith is about relationships and connection, and I think what we do brings a lot of joy to people.
“I think God might be watching over us and cheering us on.”
Leoni Read is proud of the role Sheffield Uniting Church continues to play as part of the wider community.
Image: Brad Harris
Radio dial tuned to recognition
By Andrew Humphries
From motorbike postie to driving instructor, Debbie Bye has enjoyed an interesting and varied career.
Yet it’s in radio and, more specifically, Christian radio that the current Presbytery of Gippsland Missional Support Resource Minister and Presbytery Secretary has had the greatest impact.
Debbie’s outstanding commitment to Christian radio in Australia was recognised last year when she received a Legacy Award for Lifetime Dedication to Media at Christian Media and Arts Australia’s annual conference.
then morning host, and eventually, acting station manager.
She also helped establish Mackay’s first secular community radio station, where she produced and hosted a gospel program.
During this period she was part of the team that brought United Christian Broadcasters, better known today as Vision Christian Media, to Australia.
In 1994, Debbie moved to Sale to become station manager at ABC Gippsland, before, she says, another
“After that, there was no way we could say a Christian radio station wasn’t going to happen.”
Life FM Gippsland was established in 1999 and, in nearly two decades with the station, Debbie wore numerous hats, from sales to production to administration, while continuing her first love of broadcasting.
Looking back on it all now, she can reflect on an often challenging, but nevertheless immensely rewarding, time.
"People tell me I have been a pioneer, but I was just doing what God wanted me to do."
In honouring Debbie, CMAA paid tribute to one of the country’s leading lights in Christian radio.
“Debbie Bye is one of Australia’s Christian media pioneers,” CMAA said.
“Debbie truly has lived a lifetime of dedication to Christian media, and it’s our honour to celebrate her work with a CMAA Legacy award.”
Debbie’s long involvement in Christian radio began in the early 1980s as the night shift host on a Christian radio test station in Mackay, Queensland.
When the station’s board began praying for someone to train in the finer points of radio, Debbie was prompted by God to volunteer and moved for training to Hobart Christian radio station 7HFC.
Debbie then returned to Mackay, working with the ABC as a news reader,
Debbie Bye
calling from God shifted her life in a different but exciting direction.
At a CMAA conference in 1998 she met a group of like-minded people determined to see a Christian radio station established in Gippsland.
“I had dinner with this group of people who said, ‘you need to pioneer this Christian radio station and we think God is telling us this’,” Debbie recalls.
The next step was a public meeting to gauge interest, with about 100 people attending to show support for the concept.
“So we said to them, ‘well this is going to cost a fair bit of money and we need $30,000 for a transmitter’, so we held a dessert night as a fundraiser and that night we got $57,000,” Debbie says.
Through it all, she says, she relied on a deep faith and trust in God.
And she admits, with a laugh, there were a few times when God’s help was particularly welcome.
After all, the nature of Christian radio broadcasting meant there were times when the good ship Life FM sailed precariously close to financial disaster.
“There were some difficult times and a lot of hard stuff,” Debbie recalls.
“There were a lot of times I stood before God saying, ‘we've got bills to pay’.”
Somehow, though, money was always found, including on one memorable occasion thanks to a stranger’s generosity.
“I can remember being in the office one day and a gentleman walked in and said, ‘can I have a look around and a chat with you?’,” Debbie recalls.
“So we sat down and we had a chat about what we were doing at Life FM,
how it all started and what God's role in it all was.
“After we chatted for about an hour he wrote a cheque, which I just put in my pocket without looking at.
“I pulled the cheque out after he had gone and it was for $10,000, and just that morning I had been praying because we had about $10,000 in bills to pay.
“I called this fellow back and asked him why he had provided such a large donation and he simply said, ‘well, God told me to’.”
More than 40 years after dipping her toe into Christian radio, Debbie continues to be amazed by its transformative power.
“I could see the worth of it immediately, because when we broadcast the word of God people have a choice whether they listen or not,” she says.
“But when people do listen, radio gets into their homes unobtrusively and presents Jesus in a way that works for them.
“When I saw that happen it really seemed as though a huge light had turned on for me.”
While a sense of modesty means the word ‘pioneer’ sits a little uneasily with Debbie, she likes to think her long contribution to Christian radio has opened a door or two for others.
And, she admits, being recognised at the CMAA conference last year, 26 years after her attendance at the 1998 conference kicked off Life FM, was a nice closing of the circle.
“I was pretty stoked to even be nominated, let alone pick up the award,” Debbie says.
“(Christian media stalwart) Penny Mulvey, who I have admired for ages, and is now the chair of CMAA, told me she knew I had to have the award and that she had to be the person to give it to me, so that was really special.
“People tell me I have been a pioneer, but I was just doing what God wanted me to do.”
Debbie Bye (right) with Penny Mulvey at the CMAA conference awards.
BUILDING BRIDGES TO peace
As Crosslight went to print last month the world welcomed a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, hopefully ending a 15-month conflict which resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. At a grassroots level in the Middle East, a number of groups continue working hard towards bringing about a more permanent peace for future generations.
By Marina Williams
The Middle East has long been synonymous with protracted conflict and division, yet amidst the turmoil, many individuals persist in the quest for a just and lasting peace.
In joining or forming organisations such as Roots/Shorashim/Judur, The Parents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), Peace Now, Refuser Solidarity Network (RSN), and Wi’am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center, these people are transcending political and ideological divides to foster reconciliation, address structural injustices, and build bridges between communities.
Their efforts and work have become even more important following the latest chapter in the conflict, which began on October 7, 2023 when Palestinian military group Hamas killed about 1200 Israelis and foreign nationals, and took more than 240 civilians hostage.
Israel’s response since then resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians and the destruction of much of Gaza.
While a ceasefire in hostilities last month was welcomed, the work continues towards securing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Synod Senior Social Justice Advocate
Mark Zirnsak says organisations such as Roots, PCFF, Peace Now, RSN and Wi’am highlight the resilience and determination needed to overcome entrenched divides and provide support, at a grassroots and global level, for peace.
“It’s important to provide our Uniting Church members with a sense of the groups on the ground that are working for a just and lasting peace,” Mark says.
“Our Church mission aligns with these peacebuilders because they embody the values of justice, reconciliation, and hope.
“In understanding and supporting
their work, we contribute to a broader vision of peace and solidarity that overcomes national and religious divides.”
At the heart of peacebuilding efforts is the recognition that dialogue is a powerful tool for dismantling stereotypes and fostering understanding.
Roots and PCFF exemplify this commitment to human connection.
Roots is a joint Palestinian-Israeli initiative founded on the belief that personal interaction transforms perspectives.
“The conflict in this land is not just political, it’s existential,” explains Rabbi
Hanan Schlesinger, co-founder and director of international relations.
“It’s about identity, about who belongs here and who has the right to call this place home.
“Our work is about reconciling those deep-seated identities.”
Hanan became involved after realising he had never engaged with Palestinians despite living in proximity to them.
“I was overwhelmed and unsettled. I realised I had been blind to their humanity,” he says.
Roots hosts regular gatherings within the West Bank where Israelis and Palestinians share their humanity
through structured listening circles.
“In these spaces, we don’t try to convince each other or score political points,” Hanan says.
“We just listen, with the intention of truly hearing and understanding the other.
“It’s an incredibly difficult but transformative process.”
These encounters often shatter stereotypes, opening participants’ eyes to shared hopes, dreams, and tragedies, Hanan says.
“There’s a profound recognition that we’re all human, that we all belong to this land,” he says.
Mattan Helman served 110 days in prison for refusing military service in Israel in 2017.
“It’s then that the walls of fear and hostility start to crumble.”
Beyond listening circles, Roots has established a community centre for joint cultural, educational, and recreational activities.
“Our work is about building relationships, not political agreements,” Hanan says.
“If we can foster genuine human connections, the path to a just and lasting peace becomes clearer.”
Similarly, PCFF harnesses the shared grief of bereaved families to promote reconciliation.
The not-for-profit supports more than 700 Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost immediate family members to the conflict and believe reconciliation must be part of any resolution.
Robi Damelin joined PCFF after her son David was killed by a Palestinian sniper in 2002 during his reserve duty in the West Bank.
“I lost my 10-year-old daughter, Abir, to an Israeli soldier’s bullet,” he says.
“In the aftermath of her death, I could have chosen the path of hatred and revenge, but instead, I found the Parents Circle and discovered a new way forward - one of reconciliation and understanding.”
Bassam’s personal experience drives him to advocate for dialogue.
“When we come together to share our pain, we show the world that reconciliation is possible,” he says.
“It’s not about forgetting the past but building a future where our children can live in peace.”
Despite significant obstacles, such as being banned from Israeli schools in 2023, PCFF continues to demonstrate the healing power of storytelling, says Robi.
"There’s a profound recognition that we’re all human, that we all belong to this land."
Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger
“Fear diminishes when people meet face-toface and recognise their commonalities,” she says.
Mauricio says of the border that represents Israel’s internationally recognised borders with the two Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
“It was the most devastating moment of my life, but I realised that continuing the cycle of violence would only lead to more suffering,” Robi says.
“The Parents Circle gave me a way to channel my grief into something positive - a pursuit of peace that honours my son’s memory.”
Fellow international spokesperson Bassam Aramin, a Palestinian member who lives in East Jerusalem and joined in 2007, shares a similar story.
While dialogue is crucial, advocacy and resistance address structural factors perpetuating conflict.
Peace Now and RSN focus on tackling these systemic issues.
Peace Now’s Director, Mauricio Lapchik, describes its focus on monitoring settlement expansion and educating Israelis about its implications.
“Many Israelis do not even realise where the Green Line is or the implications of settlement expansion,”
Since the 1990s, Peace Now’s Settlement Watch Project has been meticulously documenting settlement construction and its impact on Palestinian communities.
“Settlement Watch uses research and exposure to prevent expansion and stop illegal activity,” Mauricio says of the Israeli movement that advocates for peace through public pressure.
By publishing reports and engaging with international stakeholders, the
From P15
“We refuse to hate. Our mission is to build collective responsibility for peace,” says Zoughbi Zoughbi from Wi’am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center.
organisation ensures the realities of occupation remain part of global discussions.
“Our partnerships amplify our voice, ensuring the world understands the urgency of a two-state solution,” Mauricio says.
RSN supports conscientious objectors who refuse military service as a form of protest.
Mattan Helman, its Executive Director, joined after serving 110 days in prison for refusing military service in 2017.
“I couldn’t participate in a system that perpetuates oppression,” Mattan says.
RSN provides legal, emotional, and logistical support to refusers while
inspiring others to consider non-violent resistance.
“Without soldiers, the machinery of occupation cannot function,” Mattan says.
In 2023, RSN assisted more than 1100 people, with “a significant increase” last year.
“The growing number of refusers is causing panic within the government as it struggles to maintain the occupation without enough soldiers,” he says, adding that a “big wave of refusals of reserve and draft people” was a key factor in Israel withdrawing from Gaza in 2005.
While RSN does not have a specific
vision for the future, Mattan is clear that the current situation of “oppression that is basically apartheid … cannot continue”.
In October 2023, it established Voices Against War, a social media initiative to share stories of Israelis resisting the war.
Mattan says this work has been instrumental in garnering international support.
“By sharing our stories on global platforms, we’re inspiring a new wave of resistance that transcends borders,” he says.
“The goal is to achieve an end to the bombardment of Gaza, the entry of aid and restoration of vital resources
Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger is a co-founder of Roots, which brings Palestinians and Israelis together through structured listening circles.
From P17
like water, electricity, and safe return of all hostages.”
In Bethlehem, Wi’am adopts a holistic approach to peacebuilding.
Founded by Christian Palestinian Zoughbi Zoughbi in 1994, it addresses the “deep societal and personal traumas” caused by conflict.
“Our programs address both immediate needs and long-term resilience,” Zoughbi says.
In Arabic, ‘wi’am’ means “cordial relationships”.
The organisation provides food aid, job creation and vocational training, mental health and youth programs, and gender empowerment initiatives for Palestinians.
“We refuse to hate. Our mission is to build collective responsibility for peace,” Zoughbi says.
“Our programs address both immediate needs and long-term resilience … we believe that empowering women is essential for creating lasting change.”
Mauricio Lapchik says the world needs to understand the urgency of a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Its youth programs foster a generation committed to non-violence and dialogue, and participants often describe the programs as “life-changing”,
Zoughbi says. To expand its reach, Wi’am hosts international delegations and participates in global peacebuilding conferences.
“By showcasing our grassroots work,
we’re building bridges with communities worldwide,” Zoughbi says.
The centre also partners with universities and NGOs to share best practices in conflict transformation.
Understanding the various models of reconciliation can give valuable insight to the economic and social challenges being faced in the region, says Mark Zirnsak.
“Each of these organisations works in distinct but complementary ways toward a shared goal: a lasting peace that addresses the legitimate needs of all people,” Mark says.
“Through their efforts, we see the resilience and determination needed to overcome entrenched divides and the understanding that there is no way that killing can bring a lasting peace,” he says of their shared commitment to justice, resilience, and reconciliation.
As Hanan observes: “Both peoples belong here, and both deserve dignity and security.”
Zoughbi echoes this sentiment:
“Hope is a form of non-violent struggle. Faith assures us that tomorrow can be different.”
Robi Damelin joined The Parents Circle – Families Forum after her son David was killed by a Palestinian sniper in 2002. Bassam Aramin’s daughter Abir was killed by an Israeli soldier.
UCA’s position n the Middle East
In March last year, the Uniting Church in Australia’s Assembly Standing Committee adopted a number of resolutions relating to the Middle East.
Among those resolutions were:
To support the Middle East Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches in their advocacy concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict;
To condemn all acts of brutality and atrocities committed, noting that such actions continue to form barriers to any efforts at peace;
To welcome the efforts the Australian Government has made to see an end to the current escalation in the war between Israel and Hamas, including by calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and opposition to Israel’s illegal settlements in Palestinian territories;
To welcome the humanitarian assistance the Australian Government has provided to Palestinians and urge that the Australian Government continue to provide such funding to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza;
To call on the Government to:
i) support the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures for the prevention of genocide, including
calling for a sustained ceasefire, ending weapons exports to Israel and providing greater transparency over Australia’s weapon exports;
ii) do all it can to facilitate a meaningful and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians and facilitate an end to atrocities and acts of brutality no matter who perpetrates them;
iii) to provide financial assistance and political support to organisations working for a meaningful and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians; and,
iv) impose targeted sanctions on Israeli settlers responsible for serious human rights abuses against Palestinians.
To call on the Government of Israel to:
i) end its use of extrajudicial killings against suspected terrorists, and instead seek to bring suspects to trial in judicial processes that meet international standards;
ii) end impunity for members of the Israeli security forces and settlers that murder Palestinians and bring such people to justice in judicial processes that would meet international standards; and,
iii) abolish the practice of
administrative detention that allows Palestinians to be imprisoned without knowing the charges against them or being able to contest the evidence used to imprison them;
To encourage congregations to offer support and comfort to those who are living with grief and fear in their communities as a result of the current escalation in the conflict and acts of racial and religious hatred happening in Australia including by:
i) praying for, listening to, and promoting the voices of those who are suffering;
ii) participating in events and actions in support of a just peace;
iii) donating to the Act For Peace Gaza Emergency Appeal and Palestinian Christians in Australia accommodation drive; and
To write to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the Australian Greens, the General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, the Israeli Ambassador to Australia and the Head of the General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, to inform them of the clauses above.
"Churches can play a positive role in a more caring society."
Over the summer, I was challenged in my existing understanding of the church’s role in society by reading Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett’s ‘The Upswing’.
Published in 2020, it covers the US's cultural, social, political, religious and economic history over 125 years.
While needing to be cautious about assuming trends in the US can be transferred into Australia, some of their findings are worth considering in our current situation.
Putnam and Romney Garrett make the argument that between the 1870s and 1890s the US was plagued by inequality, political polarisation, cultural narcissism, a rise in white supremacist violence and hostility to migrants. It was an age of aggressive individualism, much like today.
However, at the start of the 20th Century, American society became more focused on community wellbeing, and churches played a significant role.
What followed was that from the 1910s to the 1960s, financial and wealth inequality narrowed and the situation for women and African Americans steadily improved (from a very low starting position), well before the civil rights movement emerged.
Then, at some point in the 1960s, society swung back again with an increasing focus on individualism and self-interest. Political polarisation, financial and wealth inequality accelerated, people disengaged from community groups and racism increased.
From empirical evidence, Putnam and Romney Garrett conclude that it seems likely that cultural shifts drive societal change, with politics following and economic change bringing up the rear.
Thus, churches can play a positive role in a more caring society to the extent that they encourage a communityfocused culture.
Further, churches as part of the community can play a positive role in reducing political polarisation.
In a highly partisan system, people are
more likely to support what their party or candidate sets as policy than meaningful engagement in policy details.
Putnam and Romney Garrett also argue it is harder to address economic inequality and racism in a polarised political system. Thus, when church leaders attack individual politicians rather than reflect on policy, they feed into growing polarisation.
Putnam and Romney Garrett found that churches played a largely positive societal role in the examined period.
Church-goers were more likely to give to all sorts of community causes and were twice as likely to be volunteers in the community and serve in community groups. The authors conclude that statistical analysis points to church involvement being casual to these community benefits.
Church theology does matter. The authors point out that from the 1870s to the 1890s, Protestant theology focused on personal piety and salvation, which led to a preoccupation with personal sins and an erosion of social ethics.
At the turn of the 20th Century, Protestant theology started to pivot from a focus on individualism towards a concern with the broader community, and the Social Gospel movement emerged. Thousands of congregations became centres for women’s meetings, youth groups, girls’ guilds, boys’ brigades, sewing circles, benevolent societies, athletic clubs and other community groups.
Putnam and Romney Garrett’s analysis also provides warnings against churches embracing individualistic culture, which will not put a brake on the decline in church affiliation. Churches that took a turn to the political right, promoting individualistic prosperity theology and forming the Religious Right in the US, initially stemmed a decline in church attendance. However, ultimately, they sparked a broader backlash in society, who viewed them as judgmental, homophobic, hypocritical and partisan.
Church attendance then declined again after a brief pause.
Senior Social Justice Advocate
Grants offer great opportunitie$
By Andrew Humphries
Twenty years after his death, Kirk Robson’s legacy continues to live on within the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania.
A talented theatre director, performer, filmmaker and community cultural development worker, Kirk was killed in a car accident in 2005.
Every other year, the Synod invites applications for people seeking financial assistance through the Kirk Robson Theology and the Arts Memorial Fund and, since its inception, it has supported a diverse range of artistic projects throughout Victoria and Tasmania.
It’s a wonderful way of acknowledging Kirk’s short but profound influence on the arts, theology and the Uniting Church.
“It’s 20 years since Kirk’s death and the grant continues to be a wonderful way of paying tribute to him,” says Sue Clarkson, Co-Director of Relationships and Connections within equipping Leadership for Mission.
“The fund is a way of celebrating his story and achievements.”
The Kirk Robson fund is just one of many grants available to support a wide range of programs and initiatives throughout Victoria and Tasmania, falling into the broad categories of Education and Mission.
Some grants are funded from donations or bequests, to be used for specific or general purposes, and all have specific qualifying criteria, application processes and evaluation requirements.
Educational bursaries are available to assist congregations and individuals with a range of educational pursuits, including theological education, youth ministry, lay education, continuing education, regionalisation and bursaries for secondary and tertiary education.
The task of assessing the wide range of grant applications falls to various
committees supported and resourced by Sue, Grants Co-ordinator Natalie Brown, and Finance Officer Ruth Boermans.
“Historically, grants have assisted in achieving a level of equity across the Synod, in supporting congregations that may not have had the funding to carry out particular ministries,” Natalie says.
“That is still what we’re trying to achieve with grants today, with a focus on supporting the Church’s continuing engagement with different ministries and mission.”
Grants offer, says Sue, “a collective way of allowing us to be God’s people in the world within a structured process”.
Money left through trusts and bequests continues to be a generous gift from Uniting Church members, allowing the Synod to distribute funds as part of its strong and ongoing commitment to mission.
“Bequests offer a way that Uniting Church members can continue to support mission and ministry after they have gone,” Natalie says.
Sue says it’s important that clear directions are included when leaving a trust, bequest or donation.
“Whenever I speak anywhere on the subject of grants I always encourage people in making a bequest towards something they may be passionate about to also indicate that their gift can be made available towards general use across the life of the Church,” she says.
Congregations are encouraged to apply for grants to support a range of big and small missional initiatives.
This includes funding for capital works where buildings are needed to support mission.
“It might be something like a congregation that wants to start a community garden and then invite people into that space,” Sue says.
One recent example, says Natalie,
involved church members wanting to start a community craft and sewing group, with a grant allowing them to purchase sewing machines and materials.
“In 2025 we’re offering a new grant available across the Synod: small grants for small missional projects,” Sue says.
“These will be grants of up to $5000, seeding money really to assist congregations with small creative projects that help with local engagement and mission.”
Sue says the Church is committed to making the process as simple as possible for those applying.
“All of our grants programs are constantly in review as we try and be a little bit lighter and simpler in our processes, to enable mission to happen,” she says.
“We want to be flexible when it comes to our grants programs.”
Natalie says decisions on grant applications are made only after a thorough process involving collective decision-making.
“Part of that process of assessment is around ensuring that we are achieving that level of equity across the Synod, and are using our funds wisely,” she says.
“It’s about good stewardship of available funds.”
Further information on grants and closing dates are available via the grants webpage at www.victas.uca. org.au/resources/grants or email grants@victas.uca.org.au
congregations
Camperdown Uniting Church
Camperdown received a Capital Works Grant of $10,000 to assist with the cost of upgrading their hall pantry and storage cupboards. The upgrade better enabled the capacity for catering for dinners and funerals, as well as their weekly community meal and twice-a-term Cooking with Kids programs which take place in the hall.
Glenorchy Uniting Church
Glenorchy received a Capital Works Grant of $50,000 to assist with the cost of upgrading the hall kitchen, thereby enhancing their ability to provide services to the wider community through existing programs such as Messy Church and the Glenorchy Community Care Inc. Food Program, as well as enabling them to explore new and innovative ministries that would utilise this facility.
Stawell Uniting Church
Stawell received a Small Rural Grant of $1200 to support the congregation hold and cater for monthly meals for the local community, with the purpose of building connections among attendees, as well as addressing the crisis of loneliness.
Irymple Uniting Church
Irymple received a Small Rural Grant of $5000 to assist with the cost of recarpeting the church building, creating a more respectful and presentable space to support the congregation express their Tongan culture in worship through bible readings, hymns and their children's programs. The grant also helped to mitigate safety issues around old flooring, and to offer a safe and comfortable place to sit or kneel for those members of the congregation who choose this during the service.
(From left) Natalie Brown, Sue Clarkson and Ruth Boermans support and resource various committees offering a wide range of grants. Image: Carl Rainer
Moderator’s Emergency Response Fund
Every year thousands of people are impacted by emergencies in Victoria and Tasmania.
The Moderator’s Emergency Response Fund is a way for those of us wanting to help when current or future emergencies occur, and to contribute to communities in need of immediate assistance.
Funds may be used within the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania to:
provide for pastoral, ministry, and mission activities to assist in the Church’s responses to disasters, emergencies or other crises
support relevant councils of the Church to undertake disaster preparation/response, programs/processes
partner with other organisations in disaster preparation/response, programs/processes.
Donations can be made at any time, not just in response to a specific emergency.
For further information, or to make a donation, visit the Synod’s website: www.victas.uca.org.au
Members invited to act on Act2 Project
As we begin the new year, National Assembly General Secretary Andrew Johnson invites Uniting Church members to have a say in shaping the Church’s future through the Act2 Project.
Three clear visions for the future of the Uniting Church were endorsed by consensus at the 17th Assembly last year:
Stream A:
a vision for local communities of faith
Stream B:
a vision for a National Network for Theology, Formation and Leadership
Stream C: a vision for the ordering and resourcing of the wider Church
We have now moved from a phase of reflecting on our life and imagining about our future into a specific set of concrete steps in relation to our theological culture and common life and wealth.
In keeping with the decisions and principles agreed upon at the 17th
Assembly, two whole-of-Church Commissions are being established to progress the important work of advancing these visions. These Commissions are:
The Commission for Theology, Formation and Leadership
The Commission for Governance, Resourcing and Administration
We are seeking your feedback in two ways, namely Terms of Reference and Expression of Interest.
Terms of Reference
The Act2 Project Transition Committee has shaped a draft Terms of Reference for both Commissions, with links to the respective documents located on the Assembly website at https://uniting. church/commissions-eoi-tor/
We invite any feedback or suggestions to these proposed ways of working. Please submit your feedback in writing to gensec@nat.uca.org.au
Expression of Interest
You are warmly invited to register your interest in playing an important
leadership role as a member of either Commission. We are seeking broad and diverse perspectives and experiences from across the life of the Church. These are the two places where you can make the greatest contribution to the shared future of the Uniting Church.
Please share TOR feedback and submit your EOI as soon as possible, with the final deadline for both being March 1.
We anticipate approval from the Assembly Standing Committee in March and to appoint members of both Commissions by mid 2025.
We are entering an exciting new season as the Uniting Church in Australia.
It’s clear the Spirit is continuing to lead us as we seek to courageously follow God’s call.
I invite you to prayerfully consider contributing to this critical next phase in our shared journey.
Andrew Johnson can be contacted directly on 0424 373 713 or by email at AndrewJ@nat.uca.org.au
Joan’s code work signalled success
Joan Carboon’s loyalty to Australia is forever.
As a teenager she pounded out the dot.dot.dash morse code signals during World War II.
Nearly 80 years later, she’s sorting through her memorabilia to donate items to the Australian Naval Museum.
One of her precious medals is the commemorative badge awarded to her by Queen Elizabeth in 2010.
It recognises the vital service of those who worked at Bletchley Park and outposts like the Monterey base in Melbourne during World War II, where Joan was based.
“I played a very small role in the war,” the 97-year-old great grandmother says.
“But I know that all our efforts combined to make the Allies’ response what it was, and I count it as a real honour to have served my country.”
Joan was born between the two world wars and raised in Melbourne.
“I left school early and went to what was then a business college and learned how to type and do shorthand,” she says.
“Of course, the war was all everyone ever spoke about, and I was always determined to join the navy, and I hoped my skills would be of some use to them.”
Joan was 18 when she joined the Women’s Royal Australian Navy Service (WRANS) as a signaller, working from the Monterey base in Albert Park.
Monterey was a joint operation between the Australian, American
By Cathy Withiel
and British naval forces, and dubbed Australia’s version of Bletchley Park.
Joan served during the tail-end of the war as she and the other WRANS worked tirelessly intercepting and decoding messages.
“I was working the day that news came through that the war had ended,” she says.
“It’s hard to describe the feeling of relief. Everyone was overjoyed.”
Joan followed a completely different career path after the war, working in Melbourne’s rag trade for nearly 50 years.
Her sparkling wit and fashion sense is as strong as ever and the former Probus Club member spends her days knitting for her large family and tending the flowers at her unit in her Burwood retirement village.
She lives independently thanks to a government funded home-care package through Uniting AgeWell.
Joan receives help around the home and also attends Uniting AgeWell’s Social Connections Group at the Chadstone St Marks centre, which she thoroughly enjoys.
She was part of the group that recently visited HMAS Cerberus, a Royal Australian Navy base on the Mornington Peninsula that serves as the primary training establishment for naval personnel.
This was the first time that Joan had visited that naval base since the war, and it was an opportunity for her to reflect on
her service and to reminisce about those she had worked with.
She was so moved, she decided to donate some of her memorabilia to the museum.
One person Joan says she would have loved to have met was the late Alan Turing, the mastermind behind cracking the German Enigma code.
Joan travelled extensively after she retired, and one of her favourite destinations remains Bletchley Park where Turing was based.
Its breakthroughs in cracking the code are estimated by historians to have shortened the war by two years.
“I would have loved to have chatted to Alan,” Joan says.
“What an incredible man he was.”
Joan’s legacy lives on, not only through her war memorabilia, but through her family.
Joan and her late husband have three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Uniting AgeWell is proud to be able to provide services to war veterans, both in their home and in residential care.
Women played significant role in Allied victory
By Sue Smethurst
The top-secret codebreaking unit formally called Fleet Radio Unit Melbourne (FRUMEL) was known as Monterey, after the apartment building on Queens Road, St Kilda, in which it was located.
Monterey was a collaboration between Australian, US and UK naval forces: in effect, Australia’s version of Bletchley Park.
A team of 80 women worked around the clock in small teams intercepting Japanese messages.
They would translate the messages and decode them, then alert Allied command to the Japanese plans.
The unit operated between 1942 and October 1944 and is widely credited for playing a significant role in the Allied victories in the Pacific.
The Monterey codebreakers played a vital role in the Battle of Midway in 1942, their work leading to the destruction of a Japanese convoy of more than 5000 army reinforcements and the death of Admiral Yamamoto, which proved a devastating blow to Japanese morale.
Many code breakers took the secrets of Monterey to their graves, but in 2010 the veil was lifted when British Prime Minister David Cameron officially acknowledged their efforts.
Those living received a sparkling gold pin with a note that read: “The Government wishes to express its deepest gratitude for the vital service you performed during World War II.”
Sue Smethurst is an author and journalist, and these excerpts are taken from a longer 2021 article written for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
School’s in for building relationships
As a new school year begins, Schools Engagement Co-ordinator with equipping Leadership for Mission, Paola Rojas, is looking forward to forging strong connections with Uniting Church-associated schools in Victoria and Tasmania.
As we embark on a new year, I'm excited about the opportunities to strengthen relationships and plan initiatives to inspire an emerging generation of young leaders within the network of UCAassociated schools.
In the past year, we ran an online survey and engaged in conversations with school principals and chaplains, gaining a deeper understanding of their needs and aspirations to foster this network.
Based on those insights, we have designed a series of inter-school events designed to bring together students from across our network.
These events will focus on critical topics such as leadership, social justice and sustainability, which align with the core principles of the Uniting Church in Australia, as outlined in the ‘Characteristics handbook’, a document outlining common characteristics of the Uniting Church that have resonance in associated schools.
Our goal with these gatherings is to
cultivate a vibrant community where students from different backgrounds can reflect, connect and be inspired by meaningful conversations.
We are also working collaboratively with internal eLM teams like Younger Generations and the Justice and International Mission Cluster, and wider Church partners such as Uniting Vic. Tas and external parties like Melbourne University, to design engaging and interactive workshops.
On March 13, we will hold the first inter-school event of the year: ‘Agency and Empowerment: Leading at and beyond school’.
This initiative directly aligns with our third characteristic from the handbook, ‘Celebrating equality and value of all people’.
The event will encourage students to think critically and nurture their leadership, agency, and empowerment, with a focus on integrity and how it shapes their leadership journey.
Beyond the inter-school events,
our relationships and connections workstream is organising a variety of initiatives to engage school chaplains, staff, and principals.
These initiatives will foster a sense of community and provide opportunities for ongoing collaboration.
As Schools Engagement Co-ordinator, my goal is to build bridges between schools and the rest of the Church.
By fostering an empowering community, we can help students grow into the leaders of tomorrow and engage meaningfully with the world around them. To ensure our programs are effective and impactful, we will work closely with schools to gather student feedback and continually adapt our initiatives accordingly.
We are also envisioning opportunities for active student participation, such as co-designing the event structures or sharing their own projects.
I am excited to see what this year holds and the positive impact we can make together.
Surveys provide vital snapshot
The results from two annual surveys to be sent out next month will provide a hugely important snapshot of how congregations are faring in Victoria and Tasmania.
Much like a visit to the doctor, the information gained from the Community Life Return and Financial Return gives the Synod an insight into the relative health of congregations.
The surveys have been taking place since 2016, helping to provide an insight into what is happening in each congregation, and providing a view of trends across the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania.
The Community Life Return focuses on the membership, worship and activities of congregations in the previous calendar year.
It looks at how worship is undertaken, including the introduction of online and hybrid options, and the types of activities offered to members of the congregation and the wider community.
The survey also includes local approaches to governance, risk management, and occupational health and safety.
The Financial Return focuses on the finances and properties associated with each congregation, and covers sources of income, types of expenses, uses of properties, and areas of compliance around auditing of records and essential safety measures.
The Community Life Return is used by Presbyteries and equipping Leadership for Mission staff to help with planning around ministry and leadership development, resourcing for local and international mission, and to monitor congregational health.
The Synod’s Culture of Safety team
use the report to monitor and support congregations in their responsibilities in relation to a safe church environment.
The Financial Return is used by Presbytery finance committees to monitor financial and mission sustainability, including the ability to sustain commitments relating to paid ministry roles. Presbyteries and Synod staff use the Financial Return reports to assess grant applications as well as plans around property maintenance and development.
Executive Officer at eLM, Duncan Macleod, says the surveys play a vital role in monitoring the health of congregations in Victoria and Tasmania.
It is vitally important then, he says, that as many congregations as possible fill out and return the surveys.
“In 2024 we had a return rate of 62 per cent for the Community Life Return and 74 per cent for the Financial Return,” Duncan says.
“What we’re obviously hoping for is greater engagement in terms of the number of returns this time around.
“It does require some real effort, but it’s so important that they are filled in by congregations.
“Surveying congregations and presbyteries around some of the trends relating to worship, mission, property and finance provides us with a very useful snapshot.
“The results from those surveys help us to monitor the vitality and health of the Church in Victoria and Tasmania, and means we can then offer support to congregations in different ways if needed.”
Questions around the surveys should be directed by email to returns@victas.uca.org.au
Crosslight is a bi-monthly magazine produced by the Communications team of the Uniting Church in Australia Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. Opinions expressed in Crosslight do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the policies of the Uniting Church.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land on which we live, work, gather and worship, and we pay our respects to their elders past and present. We acknowledge that the Church throughout this Synod meets on land for which First Peoples have ongoing spiritual sovereignty and custodianship, and we commit ourselves to respecting Country and to working for a more just future together.
While Crosslight endeavours to publish all articles in a timely manner, they may be held over for a variety of reasons.
Advertising
Crosslight accepts advertising in good faith. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement. Advertising material is at the discretion of the publisher.
Advertising deadlines for April 2025 (Easter) Issue:
Bookings
February 12, 2025
Copy & images for production
February 28, 2025
Print ready supplied PDF March 12, 2025
See crosslight.org.au for full details.
Distribution
Crosslight is usually distributed the first Sunday of the month.
Circulation: 13,000
Editor
Andrew Humphries
Ph: 0439 110 251 andrew.humphries@victas.uca.org.au
Graphic design, photography and print services
Carl Rainer
Ph: 03 9340 8826 carl.rainer@victas.uca.org.au
Advertising and distribution
Dominic Kouts
Ph: 03 9340 8846 dominic.kouts@victas.uca.org.au
UCA Synod Office (Wurundjeri Country)
Level 2, Wesley Place 130 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne Victoria 3000
Feedback & correspondence crosslight@victas.uca.org.au
ISSN 1037 826X
Next issue: April 2025
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Indigenous connection blooms in
By Andrew Humphries
It may be relatively small in size, but a garden in front of the Healesville Yarra Glen Uniting Church is making a big statement about how congregations can walk together with our First Nations people.
In October last year, years of planning came to fruition with the official opening of the indigenous garden at the Healesville church.
For members of the congregation’s Walking Together group, it was an emotional and fitting end to a great deal of hard work.
Walking Together group member Margaret Blair says congregation members had embraced the indigenous garden project with great enthusiasm after the idea was first floated around 2018 by then Minister Rev Jennie Gordon.
“Many members of the congregation recognised the importance of the project and, when Jennie knew that she was leaving she felt that this was something we should look more closely at, and a Walking Together group was formed,” Margaret says.
She says the journey towards establishing the garden, made possible through Synod funding, had opened the eyes of many members to how poorly indigenous Australians had been treated in the area, including while at the Coranderrk Aboriginal Station from 1863 until its closure in 1924.
“None of us knew the extent of what had been done to indigenous people in this area,” Margaret says.
“We thought we knew a fair bit, but when we really delved into the history of those who eventually came to Coranderrk, it was absolutely appalling to learn of how they were treated.
“There was a deep sense of shame and shock among congregation members about this history.”
Margaret says research into the history of Coranderrk uncovered a strong link to the Uniting Church’s predecessor, the Presbyterian Church, through Coranderrk’s first superintendent John Green.
Continuing that link is the fact that one of the plants in the garden is the Coranderrk plant, also known as the Victorian Christmas bush.
Margaret says congregation member and horticulturalist Coral Jeffs had done an enormous amount of work in establishing the indigenous garden.
“The idea of an indigenous garden had been bubbling along for quite some time,” she says.
“We know that we’re in a privileged position here, in that we sit right in the middle of the main street, so the thinking was that we should use our position to promote the garden.”
Taking pride of place in the garden is a sculpture of a binak, or basket, traditionally woven together using grass.
The sculpture was made by Wurundjeri artist Aunty Kim Wandin, who was welcomed and thanked by current Minister Rev David Kim at the unveiling ceremony.
Though small in size, the binak
sculpture represents something immense in the congregation’s journey of walking together with First Peoples.
“It’s actually perfect for the garden because it represents that concept of nurturing a relationship that we, as the Uniting Church, want to have with our First Peoples,” Margaret says.
“We were most thankful and felt honoured to have the opportunity to work with Aunty Kim on this, and I know she is very pleased to have her work established here.
“It’s been embraced by the congregation, and we were also delighted to have Rev Sharon Hollis at the opening ceremony because she was Moderator when this concept was first floated and has followed our journey on it.”
Margaret says there is more to come with both the garden and the congregation’s journey towards walking together with First Peoples.
“We continue to open our minds towards this journey,” she says.
Main: Coral Jeffs, Aunty Kim Wandin and Chris Joy unveiling the binak at Healesville Yarra Glen Uniting Church. Right: A plaque displays information on Aunty Kim Wandin. Bottom: The binak sculpture by Aunty Kim takes pride of place in the indigenous garden.
Let’s give Graham a hand
As the cost of living continues to bite hard, a community service organisation in Tasmania’s northern midlands is helping to make life slightly easier for those needing help.
Like so many emergency relief and support agencies, Longford’s The Helping Hand wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for a group of committed volunteers.
Volunteers like Uniting Church lay preacher Graham Booth, who finds great joy in helping those who might need a hand.
The Helping Hand is supported by a number of local churches, including the Longford and Cressy Uniting Church congregations, and assists people in the Longford, Perth and Cressy postcode areas with everything from food to rent and short-term crisis accommodation, as well as referrals to other support services including Centrelink.
But more than that, says Graham, it’s a support agency that takes the time to listen to people.
“We offer emergency relief to the community and receive a Federal Government grant, as well as extensive community funding,” he says.
One example of community support comes in the form of Longford Blooms, an annual garden festival, which contributes around $11,000 to The Helping Hand. More financial support came in the unusual form of a one-off bequest of half ownership of a cottage, which The Helping Hand was able to sell for a significant sum of money.
Graham can reel off some impressive statistics on how many people and families The Helping Hand assists, but figures tell only half of the story around what it offers.
“We do get a few homeless people, including young people, but also couples,” he says.
“We have dealt with people who have had to sleep under a bridge, or in cars, but also many people who are forced to couch surf.
“When people come in, there is food available to them from our fridge and kitchen, and every fortnight a community engagement officer comes in to help people with any issues relating to
By Andrew Humphries
Centrelink. Next year, Graham will chalk up 20 years as a volunteer at The Helping Hand, something he describes as a true labour of love.
He is too modest to suggest he runs the organisation, but there is no doubt he is a pivotal part of the extraordinary contribution The Helping Hand makes to the community.
“I do a little bit of stuff around the place,” Graham says.
“I’m site co-ordinator, look after the maintenance checklist, work out the volunteer roster, and am one of the advisers here.
“As an adviser I will sit down with the client and find out what it is that they actually need.”
In doing so, Graham says, a rapport is quickly built with clients.
“It helps, of course, that most of us live locally and clients can see us in the street and have a chat,” he says.
Graham is pleased to see that the level of support from volunteers has broadened over the years, from those who volunteered only because of their connection to the supporting churches to people who now volunteer without any connection to a church while still personifying a Christian ethos.
As a long-time Uniting Church
member, Graham sees his role with The Helping Hand as part of the commitment any person of faith should have to those in his or her community struggling to keep their heads above water.
“I see it as the foundational development of relationships with people,” he says.
“I have, on rare occasions, been asked to pray with a client and will do so, but the request has to come from the client.
“It’s certainly not a case of pushing my views on to anyone, and that is also part of the nature of the thinking behind The Helping Hand, which makes us so respected in the community.
“I love being able to help people, and I enjoy the fact that it’s an ecumenical community service and that it’s developed from the grassroots up, something which works incredibly well here.
“In terms of the future in a missional sense, a good outcome would be the community itself taking over the running of The Helping Hand, leaving the churches to then look at other areas of need.”
Helping Hand is located at 2 Marlborough Street, Longford and can be contacted by email at helpinghandatlongford@gmail.com
Graham Booth in the kitchen at The Helping Hand in Longford with a food pack being prepared for distribution.
Agents of change
Geoff Sharrock, Enid Jenkins, Lesley Addinsall, Jenny Cowland and Nanette Sharrock are proud members of the multidenominational Macarthur Uniting Church.
Adapting to a changing world has been a successful motto for members of the Macarthur Uniting Church, which celebrates the 150th anniversary of the beautiful stone building next month.
A service and luncheon on Sunday, March 16 will recognise the building’s important place, and history, in the small country town in western Victoria.
That place in the life of the town is demonstrated on a regular basis, with three denominations joining together to continue an exciting journey of faith.
According to Church Council Secretary Sylvia Luke, the building boasts a rich and colourful history in Macarthur.
Sylvia says a foundation stone for the building was laid in 1874, before the first service took place in March 1875.
“History records that in 1881 a vestry and minister’s room was constructed at the rear of the church, donated by a parishioner, and in 1878 an organ was introduced to accompany services,”
Sylvia says. “However, some adherents left the church in opposition, never to return.
“In 1912 a new Sunday School building was erected, and later extended in 1925.
“In 1917 a generous donation of a house was made to encourage a resident minister to live in town, and this arrangement stayed in place until 1956 when the house was sold.
“In 1918 a church bell was donated and installed on a wooden tower and in 1939 a beautiful pioneer memorial window was installed over the entrance door.”
The Presbyterian and Methodist denominations joined to become the United church in 1960 and the Methodist church in Macarthur was sold, with worshippers coming together where a joint Sunday School had operated for many years.
In 1962 a new brick manse was dedicated for the resident minister’s use,
which continued until 2005.
Change came again in 1977, when the Uniting Church was formed with the addition of Congregationalists.
While church attendance numbers were good, Sylvia says by 2015 concerns had grown about the future of the church, leading to a meeting in March 2016 to discuss the possibility of Catholic, Anglican and Uniting church members coming together.
“We now collectively worship for three weeks of the month, all together, led by each denomination’s leaders,” Sylvia says.
“In commemorating the 150th anniversary of this beautiful building we consider that we are not tied to the traditions of the past but try to adapt to the changing world in which we live.”
The service on March 16 takes place from 11am and further information is available from Sylvia on 0419 541099 or by email sylvialuke767@gmail.com
Otira
Book Club
Book review
The Otira Book Club allows communities and church groups to come together through a shared love of reading and the informative discussions that follow. The book club is a free service and becoming part of it is a very simple process. For more details visit the Otira Book Club webpage on the Synod website: victas.uca.org.au/otira-book-club/
‘Even the Devil Quotes Scripture: Reading the Bible on Its Own Terms’
By Robyn Whitaker
Last year Otira Book Club added Robyn Whitaker’s book ‘Even the Devil Quotes Scripture: Reading the Bible on Its Own Terms’ to its collection of available titles thanks to a gift from Wesley congregation.
Robyn’s book looks at what the Bible is and how we might read it faithfully and ethically for the modern world.
Associate Professor Jenn Strawbridge, from Oxford University, wrote about
the book: “This unique book integrates Whitaker’s impressive academic expertise with everyday matters of faith and applies both to reading the Bible and to discerning how God continues to speak to God’s people through this living, dynamic sacred text.
“Whitaker challenges the ways the Bible is used to condemn and exclude and advocates replacing such use with a hermeneutic of love, inviting readers deeper into conversation with God and following the example of Jesus.
“This book is a gift and excellent resource for the academy, the church, and, in Whitaker’s words, ‘those hovering around her edges’.”
If your congregation would like to read this book together you can find a study guide with questions for each chapter on Robyn’s website at www.robynwhitaker. com/even-the-devil
‘A Cross in the Heart of God: Reflection on the Death of Jesus’
By Sam Wells
New to Otira Book Club in 2025 is Sam Wells’ ‘A Cross in the Heart of God: Reflection on the Death of Jesus’.
Sam writes as both pastor and theologian in a warm and approachable style, with biblical and theological reflections interspersed with personal stories from his life and ministry.
He explores traditional ideas associated with the cross (sacrifice, forgiveness, and atonement) as well as ideas that flow out from a faith shaped by the cross, such as obedience, love, and reconciliation.
Written as Lenten reflections, this book would be excellent for the Lent or Easter seasons when the church reflects more closely on the meaning of the cross.
As Sam writes in his preface, his book is “an invitation to deeper exploration and devotion”.
Copies of ‘A Cross in the Heart of God’ were generously donated by the congregation of Mark the Evangelist and are now available for borrowing.
To put in an order or find out more about borrowing books from Otira Book Club for your book group, contact Dominic Kouts by email at dominic.kouts@victas.uca.org.au
The complete list of available books can be found at victas.uca.org.au/ otira-book-club/
A new Awe-stralia BECKONS
By Alisha Fung
I became a Christian because of a spiritual experience in a Pentecostal church service.
It felt like how Julia Baird describes ‘awe’ in her book ‘Phosphorescence’: an experience that humbles us, makes us aware we are part of something larger, makes us kinder and more selfless.
For me, the ‘awe’ was experiencing God in a way that left me feeling seen, known and loved that, consequently, propelled me to see, know and love others more deeply too.
Even though I was a church-goer up until that point, it was this experience of God’s love not as a concept, but something to be embodied, that solidified my faith.
In my 20s, I left the church.
Australia is no longer a predominantly Christian country.
This does not, however, mean spirituality is declining.
Rather, it suggests a shift in how people express their spirituality.
Enter the term Spiritual But Not Religious, or SBNR.
As a millennial, I belong to a generation raised in an increasingly secular, media-driven, individualistic society.
Even though only 14 per cent of Australians identify as SBNR, the increasing adoption of spiritual practices
Rather than standing on opposite ends of the spiritual spectrum, SBNRs and Christians could learn from each other: lessons that could benefit our increasingly disconnected world.
So, what can the UCA learn from the SBNR movement?
While some churches, like Hillsong, have attracted younger people with an atmosphere created to heighten the sense of awe, abuse of power and exclusive beliefs have led to a decline (albeit slight).
"(The Church) can provide a counter-narrative to the empires and false gods of our time. "
It wasn’t because I stopped experiencing God’s love – it was because of religious trauma.
This propelled me towards safer places like yoga studios where I could still feel spiritual connection, but without the pain.
As a candidate for ministry in the UCA and a yoga instructor, I find myself continually bridging these two worlds.
My story is far from unique.
Many people are leaving the church. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 38.9 per cent of Australians identify as non-religious, revealing
Alisha Fung
suggests a broader trend.
New-Age spirituality growing from the 1970s has contributed, but the booming wellness industry has done the heavy lifting more recently.
Valued at $8.5 trillion, this industry has commodified religious and spiritually significant cultural practices like meditation, yoga, nature connection and pilgrimage as products to be consumed.
Though the rise of the SBNR movement is new, the yearning for ‘awe’ isn’t, and is part of the Christian tradition.
On the other hand, the UCA, known for its inclusive beliefs, safe practices, and social justice initiatives, is experiencing an exponential decline with a noticeable absence of young people.
So, what’s the deal?
The UCA isn’t generally known as the Church you go to experience awe.
Not only is there nervousness in creating services that affect feelings, there is also unease in displaying a sense of passion for what the UCA does stand for.
In ‘Beyond Belief’, Australian social researcher Hugh Mackay finds when churches do not incorporate experiences of awe they end up feeling boring, irrelevant and rigid when, in reality, they have a profound opportunity to create spaces that might feel and, thereby,
embody the radical story of Christ’s love.
Considering these options, it’s no wonder young people are searching for spiritual experiences outside the church that can offer both spiritual experiences of awe and safe and inclusive spaces.
What can the UCA offer to an increasing SBNR movement?
While consumer-driven spiritual practices offer moments of awe and many studies confirm their health benefits, they don’t have legs to stand on when the going gets tough.
This is not to say all secular groups are driven by consumerism or lack authentic communities with safe and profound experiences of awe.
This is to say the church’s regular gatherings have the opportunity to offer powerful resources such as songs of both joy and lament, stories of both flourishing and suffering, hope in both life and death, and a narrative of God’s presence through it
all that can affect awe. When the Church is at its best, it can provide a counternarrative to the empires and false gods of our time: capitalism, patriarchy, racism, colonisation, and individualisation, by
emphasising how all we are and all of us is wrapped up in God’s unconditional love.
Conversely, consumerdriven spiritual practices let these systems of oppression off the hook and leave it in the hands of the consumer to achieve their own flourishing and experiences of awe.
Churches, however, have the opportunity and resources to create authentic communities of connection and practice with passion and vigour that not too many organisations are motivated or are able to do.
Despite the 2021 Census results, Christianity is not disappearing; it still accounts for 43.9 per cent of the population.
Meanwhile, more people are seeking experiences of awe outside of church.
Perhaps the two largest religious identities in Australia can learn from one another, respond to the growing desire for places and practices of awe, and integrate them appropriately in our increasingly disconnected world.
Alisha Fung is a Ministry of the Word candidate in Victoria.
‘In Wisdom and in Passion: Comparing and Contrasting Buddha and Christ’, by John Henry Queripel.
Reviewed By Dr Paul Inglis
This is a book that goes a long way to build worthwhile, constructive and purposeful relations between two major religions.
It does this from a well-informed and constructive perspective that doesn’t diminish the differences while promoting the common ground.
Nothing but good can come from this discourse despite huge challenges.
The historical evolution of the two faiths demonstrates ‘not a cultural borrowing but more so a community of religious experience arising from common human experience’. (William Jones, 1960)
John Henry Queripel uses historical narrative well.
He acknowledges that the field is full of speculation and imagination and draws on credible arguments about the spread and influence of both faiths.
The reader is given a huge amount of evidence on which to draw their own conclusions.
For more than two millennia, both faiths have been intricately woven into local cultures, politics and power plays. They have influenced and been influenced by events and people.
The author shows how Buddhism has been able to sustain itself with changes in scientific cosmology whilst Christianity has struggled to adjust.
There is much to be cautious about when engaging in interfaith dialogue.
Queripel highlights scores of cautionary notes and warns against
common assumptions. He makes the point that we need to keep in mind the varied practice and belief within Buddhism while differences in Christianity are largely confined to practice.
The scriptures and doctrines of Buddhism vary greatly while Christian scriptures have a fair amount of uniformity.
Gotama became Buddha, Jesus became Christ, neither by their own choosing.
With the creation of their persona came myth, metaphor and legend and this has made constructing a coherent biography very difficult in both cases.
There are source documents of varying authenticity for both characters, but Queripel has, through intense exploration, made the exercise wonderfully interesting.
He also manages to show how the integrity in their teaching reaches a high plain that efforts to practice social justice has found hard to emulate.
This is probably the most comprehensive coverage of the teachings of both Jesus and Buddha that I have found in a single text.
It is significant that the author has gone much further than others and taken both faiths into the common era, offering alternative ways of telling their stories, which makes this a great read for progressive thinkers.
The various dimensions of faith practice and belief are dealt with
comprehensively and ultimately present a strong case for the way in which both Buddha and Jesus speak to us and our deep human needs.
He sees they need to be held in creative tension as they speak differently to us but both inspire us to change our lives and our world.
I recommend this great piece of writing and thinking.
Dr Paul Inglis is a former Uniting Church Queensland Community Minister.
‘Juice’ by Tim Winton
Review by Dr Vivienne Mountain
Tim Winton’s latest book ‘Juice’ takes the reader into a new dystopian world of science fiction.
The clear and dramatic writing carries the reader into high drama and is emotionally challenging to read.
The nameless main character lives with his widowed mother in Western Australia.
It is a sparsely populated area with scattered frontier homesteads.
Life is an uncertain struggle in the new world of extreme heat.
To survive means living underground during the long summer, then living cautiously above ground during the hot winter months.
Producing and protecting
water, energy and food are the central activities of life. As well as the harsh environmental conditions, social relationships are uncertain and often dangerous. Some local order and trade had been established in this region, but generally Australia is seen as fragmented in lawlessness.
Reading this book was not easy.
I joined with the main character in feeling distress and anger.
There was fury as some images had been preserved of the time before the catastrophe, the time of terror when the world burnt and the system collapsed.
Added to the memories was awareness that so many companies, aided by political power, had conspired
in recognising the coming climate catastrophe but avoided responsible action.
For me there were some touches of hope in the book, with human love and moments of visual beauty in the rugged coastal cliffs and stars.
However, the environment and climate overall is seen as the dominant enemy, with uncertain changes in weather meaning living with the constant threat of disaster.
In his interview with ABC Breakfast News, Winton speaks of ‘Juice’ as coming from his “pent up rage and grief … over our inaction … what we are doing to the future”.
This is his passionate writing, a wakeup call to our world today.
Dr Vivienne Mountain is a member of the St Leonard’s Brighton Beach Uniting Church congregation
