From the Moderator

Monday morning prayer

Join us for the Monday morning prayer in August:

Create in me a clean heart, O God; a heart fully alive to you. Amen

"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

Moderator's diary

This week Moderator Rev David Baker will attend the induction service for Rev Linda Hanson as the Associate Director of Mission at UnitingCare Queensland.

On Thursday, David will also be attending the induction and commissioning service for Rev Nigel Rogers (Dean of Formations and Dispersed Learning) and Victoria Lorrimar (Lecturer in Systematic Theology).

Presbytery and congregation news

Multicultural month worship resources now available

As part of celebrating multicultural month in Queensland, there is a number of resources available online for congregations.

Position vacant

Maranoa placement

The Presbytery of The Downs is seeking ordained or lay people to partner and lead with the Maranoa congregations (three based in and around Roma). The placement is currently 0.6.

The congregations are ecumenically active, and have commitment to ministry and sharing faith in their situations. They are looking for someone with community engagement skills, pastoral and worship skills, with the capacity to relate the gospel to people of all kinds.

The placement is based in Roma and would suit an active couple or individual, who is seeking to express their ministry skills and work with the leadership to sustain current mission initiatives as well as address emerging community needs. For more information visit The Downs Presbytery website.

Neil Thorpe
Presbytery Minister, The Presbytery of The Downs

Cunnamulla, Burke and Wills Patrol

The Presbytery of The Downs, in partnership with Frontier Services, is seeking a person to minister to remote rural and isolated communities in the Cunnamulla Burke and Wills area in south west Queensland.

If you have a passion for ministry with people in the outback, you will have many opportunities to serve people in the small communities and large properties that are a part of this remote area—Bedourie, Birdsville, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Quilpie, Wyandra and the like.

Together we will discern a call from God for this ministry as there are both challenges and growth opportunities in what would become a ministry experience of a lifetime.

Rev John Case
Presbytery Secretary, The Presbytery of The Downs

Presbyteries and congregation news

Religious Instruction survey

The Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod is represented on the Education Queensland committee overseeing Religious Instruction in State schools (Religious Instruction Quality Assurance Committee) which helps to advise on changes necessary or issues arising in Religious Instruction programs. We need to have accurate data on how many of our Uniting Church people are teaching in schools and what curriculum materials they prefer to use.

Please complete the following short survey and give us any additional comments or questions so our contribution is maximised. The current representative is Rev Dr Elizabeth Nolan. 

We appreciate your time in filling out this five minute survey. For more information, contact Elizabeth.

Rev Dr Elizabeth Nolan
Queensland Synod Representative, Religious Instruction Quality Assurance Committee

Learning news

Principal's Hour: Week 4, Semester 2

Leaders lead people. A leader moves people toward a desired future. However, in this pursuit of leadership a salient question is who leads the leader?

In this sermon, Rev Nigel Rogers explores the influences prevailing upon Saul’s leadership and how, in this narrative from 1 Samuel 8-13, God’s grace prevails upon God’s leadership of Israel.

You’re invited to Principal’s Hour 11:45 am on Tuesdays even if you’re not enrolled in one of Trinity's courses.

Subscribe to our podcast today!

Marie Bourne
Marketing Coordinator

“Trinity, same-sex marriage, and the faithful reading of Scripture”

In light of the National Assembly’s decision on marriage, members of the church have sought out the faculty of Trinity College Queensland for their reflection on the decision. Of course, each faculty member is free to express his or her own opinion however we would find it helpful to define ourselves as a faculty committed to the faithful reading of scripture within the context of historic Christian faith. Read the full blog.

Dr Leigh Trevaskis
Principal, Trinity College Queensland

Trinity Open Evening

Join us to get a sense of what it’s like to study at Trinity College Queensland.

You’ll meet with current students, learn about fee-help and listen to sample mini-lectures. If you can’t make it to the open evening, we’re opening our doors the following day from 9 am giving you the chance to attend one of our lectures or listen to a faculty member as they unpack the Bible during Principal’s Hour.

Belinda Hoadley
Executive Assistant and Office Manager

Agency and service provider news

UnitingCare listening tour in Arnhem Land

Claerwen Little, UnitingCare National Director, and two network colleagues recently travelled through Arnhem Land, taking the theme of this year’s Garma Festival “Truth Telling” to spend time on country with Yolgnu elders and key community leaders.

UnitingCare Australia

Reaching out and speaking out

Did you know?

You can find social responsibility news every week at JourneyOnline. Look out for Social Responsibility Review. Each week we highlight events, recent news and actions you can take.

Australia: stop locking up 10 year-olds in prison

Amnesty reports the Australia is locking up children as young as 10 and Queensland is the worst offender—this is far younger than the rest of the world. And it’s far worse for Indigenous kids, who are 30 times more likely to be locked up than non-Indigenous kids.

As parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, educators, sports coaches and neighbours, let’s come together to say no. Sign up to tell Australia to stop locking up children younger than 14, and to fund community-led programs instead. It’s time to change unfair laws preventing kids from living their best lives!

“Nothing good happens in a pokies venue at 3 am”

So says Tim Costello, Chief Advocate of World Vision Australia.

The Pokies Play You report that Woolworths have admitted that the staff of their ALH pokie venues collected personal information about poker machine users to encourage them to put more money into pokies. It’s terrible behaviour, and while they are promising to reform that, they’re not going far enough. They should not be able to operate between 9 am and 5 am daily.

Join the campaign asking Ministers and Regulators to reduce ALH’s operating hours to 10 am to midnight.

Sue Hutchinson
Research and Policy Officer, Queensland Synod

Other news

Planning a family or group getaway?

The annual Alexandra Park family camp (27 December–6 January) is a timeout for busy families and individuals seeking a safe, inclusive community experience. Book now so you don’t miss out!

Seeking communion plate and chalice

Looking for a communion plate and chalice for a communion table. If anyone has a spare they would donate to UnitingCare Queensland please contact me. Also if anyone has a cross or baptismal font that would be helpful.

Rev Linda Hanson
Associate Director of Mission, UnitingCare Queensland