From the General Secretary

Consultation paper on governance structures

Over the past 18 months the Synod Standing Committee has been reviewing the way the Synod as a council of the church exercises its governance responsibilities.

Such a task involves multiple layers of thinking about the nature of our committees and commissions, the nature of leadership in the church, the way decisions are made by leaders and the way we communicate and consult with each other.

Read the consultation paper on Queensland Synod Governance Structures.

To provide feedback on the consultation paper, submit comments online or email the Queensland Synod office.

From the Moderator

Monday morning prayer

Join us for the Monday morning prayer in July:

Lord, reveal to us the mercy in which we are held, that we may be merciful to others. Amen. 

Moderator's musing

In this edition of Moderator's musing, Rev David Baker reflects on his meeting with Church of North India’s Bishop of Amritsar, Rev Dr “Bunu” Samantaroy.

Assembly news

Translations of pastoral letter now available

The Uniting Church in Australia President’s pastoral letter on marriage is available in different languages.

Each translation is available to download as a PDF.

Position vacant

Patrol Minister – Cunnamulla Burke and Wills

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 such as Bedourie, Birdsville, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Quilpie and Wyandra.

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.

John Case
Presbytery Secretary, Presbytery of The Downs

Reaching out and speaking out

Fairtrade Fortnight

Get involved by:

• Signing up to receive newsletters
• Displaying Fairtrade Fortnight posters at school, work or in your local community
• Sharing the graphics on your social media channels to educate others about why they should #BUYFAIR
• Looking for the Fairtrade Mark at your local supermarket and removing the shadow of doubt about where your groceries came from.

Regions of Welcome

Interested in supporting refugees in your regional area?

Multicultural Development Australia (MDA) is organising this regional settlement conference in Toowoomba. Refugees have made lives for themselves right across Australia, not just in capital cities.

This two-day conference will showcase the success of refugee resettlement in regional areas. It will highlight the roles of local community champions and community leaders in supporting successful outcomes. It will also focus on the contributions that humanitarian arrivals make to regions and the innovative ways that challenges can be overcome. See flyer.

The parable of the Good Samaritan hijacked

What do Margaret Thatcher and Martin Luther King Jnr have in common?

Perhaps many things, but one interesting aspect of their public life is that they both turned to the parable of the Good Samaritan to endorse their political stance on caring for those in need in secular society.

This fascinating article makes us question our own motives and morals. What might our world look like if it was compassion that was at the heart of how we helped others?

Sue Hutchinson
Research and Policy Officer, Queensland Synod

Other news

Christmas donations for Cape York Peninsula

As we are approaching Christmas, we are seeking donations from congregations and individuals for people in rural communities.

Also needed are bibles for donations as Christian Indigenous communities are in need of them.

For more information please contact Karama on 0424 753 827 or via email.

Rev Karama Ioapo
Kennedy Patrol Bush Chaplain, Frontier Services