Insights Easter edition | Autumn 2025

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UNITED THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

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WELCOME FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARY

Rediscovering Witness

REV. JANE FRY GENERAL SECRETARY

THE GENERAL SECRETARY IS APPOINTED BY THE SYNOD TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TO THE CHURCH BY ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN STRATEGIC THINKING ABOUT THE LIFE, DIRECTION, VISION AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH.

Sometimes familiar words become suddenly strange. All of a sudden, the spelling looks weird and the meaning becomes completely opaque. Often this happens with familiar, everyday words that we use all the time, and can usually be relied on and safely taken for granted.

This happened for me recently with the word, ‘witness’. It rolls off the tongue in so much UCA language, ‘worship, witness and service’ being the most common phrase. We also talk about ‘Life and Witness Consultations’, the Basis of Union talks about the church bearing ‘witness to the unity which is both Christ’s gift and his will for the church.’ The Basis also describes the church ‘as an instrument through which Christ may work and bear witness to himself’. ‘Mission plans’ are a frequent and familiar artefact in most congregations and presbyteries (not to mention the corporate world) and those plans, in my experience, are usually seeking to give some definition to the ways in which the church responds to the needs of the community – service, in other words. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything like a ‘witness plan’ and I wonder what it would or could encompass.

holy, catholic church in which we all participate – is, at first glance, a much more complicated phenomenon. Or is it?

IF WE CAN’T EVEN TALK ABOUT JESUS, WE SURELY AREN’T WITNESSING

Certainly, over the last few decades, we’ve learnt that the church is not immune from the ‘sins of the world’ as it has been properly called to account by the community at large, and publicly called to repent of its failure to protect the most vulnerable, of the propensity to protect powerful perpetrators, of the cynical scheming to protect wealth and assets. The Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse in Australia is merely one example of the church being questioned about the integrity of its witness when these circumstances were brought to light. The baptismal questionDo you repent of your sins? – is as relevant for the church as a whole, as it is for individual disciples.

I’m not sure that dictionary definitions are all that helpful but my working definition is along the following lines: a witness is someone who sees or hears something and, as a consequence, says or does something (testifies) publicly.

On the basis of this, admittedly very unsophisticated, definition, the church has developed both formal and informal opportunities for disciples to ‘witness’. In baptism, for example, a developing relationship with Jesus Christ leads a disciple to make a public commitment in the gathered community.

The key baptismal questions are: Do you repent of your sins? Do you turn to Jesus Christ? Do you commit yourself to God?

In the community of disciples, these commitments are the foundation of the congregation’s life and, for every disciple, always a work in progress.

Less formally, once upon a time in the church, there was a practice of regularly inviting congregation members to share their ‘testimony’ at different points in their faith journey but I’m not sure how common that is these days.

The witness of the church itself – individual congregations in local communities, national churches, whole denominations or the one,

I love the remark that’s usually attributed to Tertullian, ‘…see how these Christians love one another…’ I wonder how often visitors to the church or outsiders would have the experience of a community of people so animated by the love of Jesus that it was noticeable and worthy of comment? It has sometimes struck me over the last thirty years of ministry how reluctant or embarrassed we are to speak about Jesus at all. I’ve been in many UCA worship services where Jesus doesn’t get a mention, let alone the starring role. This baffles me. If we can’t even talk about Jesus, we surely aren’t witnessing so perhaps the second baptismal question is particularly pertinent for the church to address for the times we’re in?

It's very challenging in a world that keeps telling you, ‘you’re worth it’, to entertain the idea that we’re not really the centre of the universe. We’re living in a time of rampant individualism where everyone’s ‘truth’ is valid, and all the old absolutes are crumbling to dust. It takes a huge and continual act of courage and persistent, faithful discipline grounded in living the baptismal questions, to step out of the limelight and let the light of the world shine in all our darknesses. So this third baptismal question is not a small commitment for individuals or for the church responsible for witnessing in the world to God - Creator, Son and Holy Spirit.

Food for thought for Lent perhaps? I commend to you the Lenten resources in Uniting in Worship Book 2 to assist your reflections.

MODERATOR’S REFLECTION

We are being

called by name

Friends, every time I sit with the Lectionary readings for Easter, I am struck again by the role Mary Magdalene plays in the resurrection story. She is the first to see the risen Jesus, the first to carry the good news to the disciples. That moment is powerful—not just historically and theologically, but personally too.

In John’s Gospel, Mary isn’t a religious leader or someone in a position of authority. In fact, her testimony is dismissed at first. A close companion of Jesus, Mary was healed from affliction (Luke 8:2), and a faithful disciple who remained with him when others fled. She stood at the foot of the cross, bearing witness to his suffering. But when Jesus speaks her name, everything changes. Her grief turns to recognition, and in that moment, we see something profound: God works through the unexpected.

So, where do we see God working through unexpected people in our own communities?

A

MESSAGE OF HOPE, JUSTICE, THE GOD WHO SEES AND CALLS PEOPLE BY NAME

Mary’s role challenged the norms of her time. Women weren’t typically seen as primary messengers in religious spaces, yet here she is, entrusted with the most important news in history. That should push us to ask: Whose voices have been overlooked in our churches? Who is God calling us to listen to and uplift today?

I recently watched Bishop Mariann Budde’s message at President Trump’s inauguration. She spoke truth to power, pleading for those who are so often unseen—the immigrants, the marginalized, the fearful. She said, "They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurdwaras, and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here.”

That is the kind of message Mary carried—a message of hope, of justice, of the God who sees and calls people by name. But remember that these messages of hope are also proclaimed daily by everyday people like you and I across the church, community and the world.

And then there’s the empty tomb. It’s one of the most iconic images in the Easter story. But what do we do with emptiness? We talk about the church being in decline, about empty pews and shrinking congregations. But what if, instead of despairing, we ask different questions? Where is God outside the church walls? How is Christ present in our communities, in our neighbours, in the sacredness of each person?

Where do we see God outside the Church and how do we see Christ’s image of those “fearfully and wonderfully made” in our neighbours and communities?

Mary was heartbroken when she thought Jesus was gone. But then, in the midst of her grief, Jesus called her by name. That’s resurrection. That’s transformation. And that’s the promise of Easter—not just a distant event, but a reality that keeps unfolding, calling us from sorrow into joy, from fear into faith, from isolation into mission.

In a time when women’s voices were dismissed, Jesus chose Mary to proclaim the most transformative message in history. Her role challenges hierarchies and reminds us that the gospel is meant to uplift the marginalised.

Mary’s experience demonstrates that encountering the risen Christ transforms each one of us profoundly.

Her testimony bridges the gap between despair and hope for the disciples, showing that resurrection is not just a distant event but a transforming reality that changes lives. It’s a reality that continues to break open our expectations and call us toward a more just, inclusive, and hopeful future.

The church is not dying. God is everywhere. And just like Mary, we are being called by name to be vessels of hope to transform our communities for Christ is Risen, He is Risen indeed. Have a blessed Easter REV.

YOUR SAY...

WE’VE ROUNDED UP THE BEST COMMENTS THAT YOU’VE LEFT ONLINE. If you would like to leave a comment on an article or have a viewpoint to sharejust go online insights.uca.org.au and leave your comments.

IN RESPONSE TO THE STORY IGNORANCE IS NO LONGER AN EXCUSE FOR RACISM

I’m mostly in the company of “good people” who are better educated & far more articulate than me on most subjects but i’m continually shocked at the ignorance & dismay these good people display when I dare mention the ongoing racism shown by our country towards our Indigenous Australians. There seems to be no interest or desire to read & inform themselves of our past so no wonder the Referendum failed. My Grandson was referred to as “a throw back” because he looks Indigenous & his Sister is white passing, one parent is (Dad) Indigenous & Mother (Caucasian), this was out of the mouth of a school teacher. I’m feeling so sad & hopeless surrounded by “good” people who appear to mean well but happy to remain ignorant.

ANNE MORRISSEY

IN RESPONSE TO THE STORY WHAT

IS THE REAL REASON PEOPLE RESIST CHANGING THE DATE OF AUSTRALIA DAY?

A very well-written piece. As a 65-year-old Aboriginal woman, I found myself nodding along quietly with so much of what was written. I acknowledge that as a nation, we have made a lot of progress since I came into this world in 1959. I can remember in my youth being absolutely certain that we wouldn’t see Aboriginal Land Rights in my lifetime. Thankfully, I was wrong.

I’m still grieving the NO vote, just as I did in 1999 when the Republic was voted down, but like you, I take heart in the fact that a 40% vote for the YES campaign is not such a bad thing. At this stage, I don’t see much support from either political side to change the date of Australia Day, but I hope that will change in tune with public opinion.

I don’t think anyone has yet put forward a convincing case that 26 January is a date that brings all Australians together as a great and proud nation. Let’s hope it won’t be too long before polls begin to show that only a minority of Australians want to keep “celebrating” on 26 January.

I’ve seen encouraging signs this year, with growing numbers of Survival Day events happening around the country. I’ve also seen outright derision for tone-deaf Australia Day promotions in my local area featuring the usual beer and barbecues, bush bands, meat pies and lamingtons cringe.

I suspect that in these times, when many Australian families are trying to rein in spending on non-essential items, local councils are now reluctant to waste taxpayer money on free giveaways of tokenistic junk that just ends up in the bin at the end of the day.

Despite the usual beat-ups about boycotting Woolworths and Coles, I also doubt there are too many people spending their own money in the shops buying cheap, Chinese-made Australia Day merchandise these days.

I have seven grandchildren, and each year, I spend like never before on gifts and treats at Christmas, Easter, and Halloween, but Australia Day… nothing. It’s just the last day of the school holidays. Not an Australian flag in sight.

Yes, there is hope.

CHARMAINE SAUNDERS

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has extended into southern Lebanon, displacing over two million people and devastating numerous villages. In response to this humanitarian crisis, Australia offered limited protection visas to those with close family ties in the country, enabling hundreds of individuals from Lebanon to seek refuge.

In the Bankstown district, the Uniting Church has become a cornerstone of support for these displaced families. Bankstown District Uniting Church has been actively supporting 92 newly arrived families who lack financial or governmental assistance. Every Saturday, the church provides outreach services, distributing over 300 bags of essential food items, including fruit, vegetables, and bread, to those in need.

During Christmas 2024, the Synod, through the Moderator’s Appeal, extended Bankstown District Uniting Church’s support by offering $10,000 worth of gift cards to these repatriated families. This initiative was led by the Moderator, Rev. Faaimata Havea Hiliau, in partnership with the Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network (DRCN).

The Moderator highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating, "The Gospel talks about ‘We love because God first loved us’ the Moderators appeal is to help individuals, families, and communities during some of the most challenging times of life through disaster recovery efforts. These gift cards are a way we can help people to purchase immediate necessities during these times. It is God's love in action."

Rev. Gaby Kobrossi, Minister of Bankstown District Uniting Church who facilitated the distribution, reflected on the impact of this initiative, stating, "These Christmas gifts allowed us to build bridges of hope and kindness during a time of uncertainty and hardship. Families were deeply moved by this gesture of love and support."

Samira, a recipient of the support, arrived in Australia with her two children after fleeing her war-torn village in Lebanon. She shared, "This gift reminded me that there are good people in the world. It gave me strength to keep going." The support provided her with a sense of belonging and reassurance during a difficult period.

MODERATOR’S APPEAL FUND SUPPORTS FAMILIES

“THIS GIFT REMINDED ME THAT THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. IT GAVE ME STRENGTH TO KEEP GOING.” SAMIRA

Bankstown District Uniting Church’s ongoing efforts to assist displaced families date back to 2017, when the Uniting Church strengthened its ties with communities in Lebanon and Syria. That year, the then-President of the Uniting Church, Pst. Stuart McMillan, along with UnitingWorld representatives, visited the region to establish longterm partnerships. Since then, church members have supported refugee children through initiatives such as children's camps, providing safe and nurturing environments.

Rev. Gaby calls on members of the Uniting Church to support their ongoing initiatives by contributing to the weekly food hamper distribution, participating in youth mission trips and camps, and helping to meet the essential needs of newly arrived refugees, such as airfare, furniture, and living expenses.

"By partnering with us, churches and individuals can extend hope and practical support, sharing Christ’s love with those facing hardship," said Rev. Gaby.

ADITEE VORA

For more information on Moderator’s Disaster Appeal visit: moderatorsappeal.uca.org.au To support this initiative by Bankstown District Uniting Church, visit their website: bankstownuca.com.au

CELEBRATING

YEARS OF TRANSFORMING LIVES

WAYSIDE CHAPEL

The Wayside Chapel, a cornerstone of compassion and community in Sydney’s Kings Cross, celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

Since its establishment in 1964, the Chapel has provided an unwavering beacon of hope, acceptance, and support to those in need.

Over the decades, it has evolved from a modest mission to an iconic institution, known for its inclusive approach to social care and advocacy.

A LEGACY OF COMPASSION

Founded by Reverend Ted Noffs, The Wayside Chapel was created with a bold vision: to offer unconditional love and support to anyone who walked through its doors. This ethos has remained steadfast, welcoming individuals from all walks of life, regardless of their circumstances. From the outset, The Wayside Chapel broke barriers by addressing taboo issues, providing support for marginalized communities, and advocating for social justice.

Over six decades, the Chapel has been a refuge for countless individuals facing homelessness, addiction, mental health challenges, and social isolation. Its commitment to "love over hate" has transformed lives, fostering a sense of belonging and dignity among those who often feel forgotten by society.

MILESTONES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Throughout its history, The Wayside Chapel has pioneered several groundbreaking initiatives:

• Crisis Support Services: Providing essential services such as meals, clothing, and shower facilities to people experiencing homelessness.

• Community Programs: Offering workshops, social activities, and mental health support to combat loneliness and build resilience.

• The Kings Cross Theatre: A hub for artistic expression and storytelling, reflecting the diverse voices of the community.

• Youth and Family Services: Tailored programs aimed at empowering young people and families in crisis.

The Chapel’s ability to adapt and respond to the evolving needs of the community has been a hallmark of its success. This adaptability was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when The Wayside Chapel expanded its services to meet the increased demand for support.

A YEAR OF CELEBRATION

The 60th anniversary celebrations are set to highlight the Chapel’s incredible journey and its impact on the community. Planned events include:

Anniversary Gala: A fundraising event bringing together supporters, volunteers, and community leaders to honor the Chapel’s legacy.

Community Open Day: Showcasing the Chapel’s programs and inviting the public to learn more about its work.

Storytelling Project: Documenting and sharing stories of those whose lives have been touched by The Wayside Chapel.

Reverend Jon Owen, the current CEO and Pastor, expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of the community. “The Wayside Chapel’s story is a testament to the power of love, resilience, and collective action. As we celebrate 60 years, we look forward to continuing our mission to create a community where everyone is valued and included.”

LOOKING AHEAD

As The Wayside Chapel marks this significant milestone, it remains committed to its founding principles while embracing innovation to meet future challenges. Plans are underway to expand its facilities and programs, ensuring that it can continue to serve the Kings Cross community for generations to come.

The Wayside Chapel’s 60th anniversary is not just a celebration of its past but a reaffirmation of its enduring mission: to walk alongside those in need with love and without judgment. It stands as a reminder that even in the heart of a bustling city, a sanctuary of hope and compassion can thrive.

ADRIAN DRAYTON

For more information visit waysidechapel.org.au

THE CHAPEL’S ABILITY TO ADAPT AND RESPOND TO THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN A HALLMARK OF ITS SUCCESS

TED NOFFS PREACHING TO CONGREGATION AT WAYSIDE CHAPEL, KINGS CROSS 1966

TED NOFFS AT WAYSIDE CHAPEL

Church Relationship Management System

The Synod Information Technology Team launched the CRM Portal mid 2024. The easy-to-use portal gives approved Presbytery and Congregation members access to search for people by name or role within the church, or by organisations where you can then see who is appointed to which role.

Using the CRM Portal is a simple way to check whether your information is up to date, as well as check if your Presbytery or Congregation has the correct people listed against Key Church Roles.

If you find any information needs updating, please complete the Secretariat – Update Contact Details form and return to the sec@nswact.uca. org.au and cc your Presbytery on the change communication.

If you wish to report a role end date, no form is required. Please email the secretariat team with the person's name, role and end date.

UPDATES

We are happy to announce updates applied to the ‘Search by Role’ function. Some of the changes you will see:

• “Search By Role” has been retitled to “Search by Church Role”. This is to make it clear the search will only identify “church” roles and placements, not Synod Job Titles.

• A new tile “Search By Church Role” will appear on the home screen. This will be an alternative way to enter this search type outside of the usual search menu bar, or button within “Search for People”.

REGISTER FOR TRAINING

If you are not sure how to access the CRM Portal, would like to receive training or maybe you need a refresher, please email the Systems Trainer Sabrina Trevena to express your interest: sabrinat@nswact.uca.org.au

Sabrina will respond to with a selection of suitable dates and times to accommodate your schedule.

FAITH, LOVE, AND COMMUNITY:

THE TRANSFORMATION OF MCKINNON HALL

What can be done with a 70-year-old former Sunday School hall? This is the question that has occupied Rev. John Dacey, Mission Growth Minister with Sydney Central Coast Presbytery’s Northern Hub Initiative, in recent months.

McKinnon Hall, built in 1954 by the late Rev. Robert McKinnon, Methodist Minister in (then) Wyong Circuit from 1950-55, has local heritage listing due to its social significance in the area. Once, it stood next to the Wyong Methodist Church, built in 1908, but that unfortunately burned down in 2008.

Sydney Central Coast Presbytery’s Northern Hub Initiative includes the goal of ‘developing the plant and the capacity of the Hub to grow and serve other community groups, including through McKinnon Hall in Wyong.’ For Rev. Dacey, this is a missional venture which involves experimenting with how church and Christian faith can be meaningful to people who are exploring spiritual and soulful aspects of life.

And that’s where Thank God It’s Friday comes in. McKinnon Hall will be open on Friday afternoons and evenings for people to take time out for themselves, perhaps chatting or individually reflecting on the week that was. Some resources will be available for those who want to do things like saying ‘thanks’ because expressing gratitude has been shown to be beneficial to our wellbeing.

PEOPLE WHO DROP-IN WILL BE ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE SPACE TO BE

A starting point for achieving this goal is McKinnon Hall’s participation in Wyong’s Love Lanes Festival on February 15. A thought-provoking exhibition called Love according to weaves together local stories about love, explored through photography, audio recordings and text. Participating in the annual Love Lanes Festival will increase the community’s awareness of McKinnon Hall which will attract people to activities in the hall.

People who drop-in will be asked what they would like the space to be, because ‘you don’t do anything the community hasn’t asked for.’ People are more likely to help out, too, when they value and own a project. Maybe they’ll want art or music, poetry, dancing or drumming – almost anything is possible.

Rev. Dacey said, “I’m hopeful a couple of grants will help pay for a few creature comforts and tidy the place up. Rev. McKinnon, who was very community minded, would be glad that it’s being put to good use. Hopefully, Thank God It’s Friday will initiate a string of possibilities for McKinnon Hall that will provide for fresh expressions of faith and community life.”

REV. JOHN DACEY

Lent helps us approach Easter with renewed purpose

Lent is a season observed as a time of reflection, repentance, and preparation leading to Easter.

This year, Lent begins on March 5.

Traditionally lasting 40 days, it mirrors the period Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness. It invites you to examine your spiritual, emotional, and physical habits to align more closely with your faith or values. While the practices of Lent may vary, fasting, prayer, and acts of service are often central to its observance.

Choosing something to give up during Lent requires thought about what will challenge you while fostering growth. For some, this might mean abstaining from indulgences like sweets, your daily coffee, alcohol, or social media. These choices are straightforward and can reveal how often you turn to these things for comfort or distraction. If you decide to give up social media, for example, ask yourself if this habit has become a crutch or if refraining might create space for healthier relationship alternatives.

For families, Lent can be a shared journey. What if you and your loved ones choose something to give up or add together? It could be a commitment to eating meals without devices or spending one evening a week doing a meaningful activity together. Shared efforts can create accountability and deepen familial connections.

Perhaps a more holistic way of examining our everyday practices through Lent is that it helps us consider how our choices can extend beyond the 40 days of Lent. Is what you’re giving up tied to a long-term goal, such as reducing waste or being more present? If you choose to avoid single-use plastics, for example, the habits you form during Lent could become a lasting commitment to sustainability.

LENT MAY PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A BROADER VIEW OF SACRIFICE

For others, Lent may present an opportunity to take a broader view of sacrifice. Is there a behavior or mindset you could shed to better reflect your values? Perhaps it’s giving up gossip or impatience. Reflect on how these choices could shift your interactions. If you choose to forgo impatience, consider moments when you rush through conversations or tasks. How could taking a more deliberate approach change those experiences?

Another approach is to add something meaningful rather than give something up. You might commit to daily acts of kindness, volunteering, or dedicating time to spiritual practices. If you decide to add prayer or meditation to your routine, think about how this can centre you. Would setting aside 10 minutes each morning for quiet reflection change how you face the day?

You might also explore the deeper reasons behind traditional Lenten practices. Fasting, for example, is not just about abstaining from food but about focusing less on physical desires and more on spiritual priorities. If fasting from meals isn’t practical for you, could you fast from spending money on non-essential items such as that daily coffee or consuming excessive media? How would such a fast affect your perspective?

As you choose your focus for Lent, it’s helpful to think about how these practices connect you to a larger community or purpose. How does what you give up or take on help you contribute to the lives of others? If your sacrifice frees up time, energy, or resources, how can you use those for good?

At its core, Lent invites you to grow in awareness. It’s not about perfection or strict rules but about making intentional changes. What choices could help you better understand your priorities and their impact? How might your Lenten practice help you approach Easter with renewed purpose?

ADRIAN DRAYTON

EASTER

“THEY HAVE TAKEN AWAY MY LORD AND I DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY HAVE PUT HIM.” MARY AT THE TOMB, JOHN 20:13

This Easter, I have been reflecting on the resurrection account found in John 20. Mary comes to the tomb to bless the body of Christ and is instead met with a rolled away stone and no body to be found. She weeps.

It is not lost on me that it is Mary who is faithfully there, courageously fulfilling the mourning rituals even when it was politically dangerous to out oneself as a disciple of Jesus mere days after his death. Indeed, the other Gospel accounts also reveal it was Jesus’ closest female followers who were first to continue the public elements of mourning while the rest of his followers remained paralysed by their fear.

Mary meets two angels in the tomb, who I can only assume seemed human due to her utter lack of surprise and reverence. “Why are you crying,” they asked. “Because they have taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they have put him,” replies Mary. This comment from Mary has leaped off the pages of scripture for me this year.

I wonder if, like me, there have been times in your life you have gone looking for Christ and found him gone, distant, missing? Where are the spaces we need the resurrected Christ to show up in 2025?

Of course, the story continues, and Christ appears. Mary flings herself on him and they embrace before he gently guides her towards the task of being a harbinger of hope – spreading the news of a resurrected saviour to his heartbroken and hiding followers.

I don’t know if you can relate to this or not, but I have often found that when Christ feels most distant in my life, his greatest works of love and resurrection are just around the corner. In the background of the disciple’s moment of utter despair at the loss of literally everything they had pinned their lives on for the past several years, Jesus is very literally doing an act of resurrection.

What happens next? First, much like Mary, they have a face to face and personal encounter with the resurrected Christ. Then, they become harbingers of resurrection for their world. In their everyday living of life, they start a ‘practice’ of resurrection. They practice resurrection as they: prioritise community and equity over economy; learn to remove barriers of race and background to provide all a seat at the table; bring healing to those around them; care for orphans and widows; and respond with mercy to a culture that was fundamentally stacked against them.

If your Lord is feeling gone, distant, or missing in 2025, it is my prayer that, in your own way, you have a deep and personal encounter with the resurrected Christ. My hope is that as we encounter the resurrected Christ, we are then also spurred on in our own practices of resurrection. The photo included with this article was taken in the skies of Riverside, CA, on resurrection Sunday in 2020. The faith community I was a part of at the time chose to literally fly that reminder through our city, linked to a social campaign of a dozen or so ways to practice resurrection even while in lockdown.

In 2025, the need for a cultivated practice of resurrection feels as poignant as ever. As we look at a world becoming increasingly nationalistic and tribal, we get to practice resurrection in how we open doors and knock down the walls of division around us. As we experience the acceleration of climate change accompanied by a deceleration of climate policy, we get to practice resurrection in the way we choose to care for creation and those most impacted it’s changing.

#PRACTICERESURRECTION

As society becomes more isolated and lonely, we get to practice resurrection every time we pause to create a moment of true connection. As overwhelm, mental health needs, and burnout are on the rise, we get to practice resurrection as we embrace rhythms of rest. And the list could go on….

Where is it in 2025 you most need to encounter the resurrected Christ in your life? As you come face to face with Jesus again and experience his loving renewal of your soul, how is he spurring you on to practice resurrection?

DAVID TOOGOOD PULSE TEAM EDUCATION AND RESOURCING FACILITATOR

MY HOPE IS THAT AS WE ENCOUNTER THE RESURRECTED CHRIST, WE ARE THEN ALSO SPURRED ON IN OUR OWN PRACTICES OF RESURRECTION

WITNESS - Transforming Communities

Living out the transformative love of God through action and testimony.

Being a WITNESS goes beyond observation—it’s about active participation in God’s work. This new album from Uniting Creative encourages disciples to embody the gospel in their communities. WITNESS invites us to reflect on our role in God’s mission to transform the world. Each track embodies the call to be more than passive observers but hands-on participants in the love, compassion, and renewal that shapes our communities. This album is not just about hearing God’s word, but about living it, testifying through both action and words.

Fellowship News

NEW YEAR GREETINGS

Greetings as we begin a new year. The NSW/ACT UCAF Synod Committee wish you a rewarding and fulfilling year ahead. Our numbers may be lessening but the enthusiasm and service continues. Our UCAF Mission Statement states that Adult Fellowship is the coming together of women and men in the church for a wide variety of spiritual, recreational, service and mission support activities. It encompasses so much that happens in our congregations and is not just a single Fellowship group.

GOODBYES

At the end of 2024 we said goodbye to two members of the Synod Committee, Gail Pickles from Illawarra Presbytery and Life Member and former Chairperson Janice Willis from Hunter Presbytery. Janice was also on the National Committee, was Corresponding Member and was instrumental in two cookbooks ”Food for the Journey” and “Bring a Plate”. We thank them for their dedication and service.

ANNUAL DEDICATION SERVICE

The year began with the NSW/ACT UCAF Synod Committee Annual Dedication service. This is always a special time and has allowed us to connect with other churches, organisations, our Presbytery Contact people, and others to whom invitations are extended.

This year the event was held by Zoom and allowed us to invite our usual guests as well as representatives from the other State Synods including South Australia, Victoria/Tasmania, and Western Australia. Special Guest was Rev. Sue Ellis the Chair of South Australia’s Synod Fellowship Mission and Support Committee. She spoke on a passage from Luke 4, Jesus in the Synagogue and the attitude needed by the Synod committee in loving the people they serve.

PRESBYTERY GATHERINGS

Presbytery Gatherings are already being planned with Illawarra holding the first event at Dapto Uniting Church on the 14th March. Special guest is Rob Floyd National Director of Frontier Services. These are always great days and opportunities for sharing, learning more about our UC organisations and enjoying fellowship together. Hunter Presbytery UCAF Committee met in February, and it is hoped that the Annual Gathering can be confirmed also the Retired Ministry Persons event.

APPRECATION CERTIFICATES

Appreciation Certificates continue to go out to so many Congregations. East Maitland was recently able to present a 100-year-old with hers. They are always much appreciated. Please let Secretary Laraine Jones know if you need them.

THE 2025 YEARBOOK

The 2025 Yearbook has now been distributed to those on our email list. Please advise if you did not receive it or need one.

CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE FLYING PADRE

The NSW/ACT UCAF Synod Committee agreed to continue support the project for the Flying Padre in 2025 and made a small donation. Many of our Church Communities and Gatherings donated in 2024 and we hope it will continue.

THE STAMP COMMITTEE

The Stamp Committee continues its great work and accepts stamps which they can sell. Money raised supports grants for projects in our congregations and is always much appreciated. Please bring to Gatherings or drop at the Synod office.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE LEAST COIN

The Fellowship of the Least Coin is an organisation that many congregations and groups have supported. It was managed by the Australian Church Women organisation. Our Synod Committee were affiliated however their membership requirements have changed and only individual membership exists. Groups can still forward their donations to the Treasurer of ACW. Information is in the Year Book.

If you would like to share your fellowship news or have any questions, please contact Judy Hicks: judyh_rnh@hotmail.com

All is this Us! of #

Stories of Community, Creativity, and Care

Across our Synod, a rich tapestry of community initiatives are happening in our Congregations—each one a testament to faith in action. From food pantries nourishing bodies and souls to wellness centres providing holistic support, creativity hubs fostering artistic expression, and new ministries emerging to meet ever-changing needs, the Church is alive with purpose.

These stories reflect the diversity of our communities and the many ways we serve—practical, innovative, and deeply compassionate.

Stories

Whether offering a warm meal, a listening ear, or a space to heal and grow, these initiatives remind us that the Uniting Church is so much more than the places we meet, it is a movement of love, service, and transformation.

In this Insights feature we celebrate the heart of our faith in action—because #AllOfThisIsUs.

If you have a community story to share with us, please reach out as we would love to share it with the whole church, simply contact us at: insights@nswact.uca.org.au

Marsden

How Wellness HQ is Changing Mental Health Care in Woollahra

Mental health concerns in Australia are on the rise, with recent statistics highlighting an increasing prevalence of psychological distress, particularly among young people and females. Recent data shows that 14% of adults reported high levels of psychological distress, while mental health disorders among young people aged 16-24 surged to 38.8%, with young females experiencing even higher rates at 45.5%. In Woollahra, which has some of the highest rates of domestic violence and abuse in New South Wales, there is an increasing demand for accessible mental health services.

To address this need, Wellness HQ, a community-focused mental health service supported by Uniting Heart and Soul since 2021, provides little to no-fee counselling services without the need for a referral. The service offers a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals facing mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and stress related to complex life circumstances such as family conflicts, unemployment, and trauma histories.

Rev. Vanessa William-Henke, Minister at Uniting Heart and Soul, shares that the inspiration behind Wellness HQ was deeply rooted in faith and a sense of divine calling. She believes that God guided her to establish this ministry at the right time and describes the journey as one of prayer, careful planning, and community support. “The Mission of Uniting Heart and Soul is to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community and beyond and Wellness HQ is one of the ways we get to exercise our gifts and to be good stewards of what God has provided us in abundance.” expresses Rev Vanessa.

Wellness HQ is open every Wednesday from 9 am to 5 pm and the service is staffed by Trainee Counsellors in the final year of their counselling degree from the Australian College of Applied Professions (ACAP), under the supervision of Dr. Rina Daluz, an experienced principal psychologist.

Dr. Rina shared that her motivation for joining Wellness HQ stemmed from its mission to bridge the gap in mental health care by making

counselling services more inclusive and accessible. “At Wellness HQ, we uphold the philosophy that seeking help is a sign of strength—an ethos that resonates deeply with my personal and professional values,” says Dr. Rina.

AT WELLNESS HQ, WE UPHOLD THE PHILOSOPHY THAT SEEKING HELP IS A SIGN OF STRENGTH

During their initial interaction, clients at Wellness HQ are provided with an overview of the counselling process and have the opportunity to share their concerns. This session helps clients understand the available support and service operations.

The impact of Wellness HQ has been felt deeply within the community. Rev. Vanessa recalled a memorable encounter when a community member approached her to express gratitude for the work being done, saying, “Rev Ness, I just wanted to say what you do in this community makes a huge difference.” She described the moment as emotional and affirming, highlighting how meaningful it is to receive such feedback amidst the ongoing missiondriven work.

Addressing the challenges of mental health accessibility, Rev. Ness pointed out that high costs and long waiting lists often prevent individuals from accessing professional psychological support. She believes that Wellness HQ helps bridge this gap by offering free counselling with no strings attached, made possible through responsible financial stewardship by the church.

Reflecting on the driving force behind Wellness HQ, Rev. Ness shared that both Jesus and counselling played a crucial role in her own life during difficult times. This personal experience, combined with God’s provision and the church’s financial stewardship, has enabled the vision of Wellness HQ to become a reality.

In addition to serving the community, Wellness HQ is a valuable training ground for aspiring mental health professionals. Trainee counsellors gain hands-on experience working with diverse clients, while clients benefit from affordable, high-quality care.

One intern shared their perspective “Wellness HQ provided an environment that balanced independence with guidance. I learned so much about counselling practice and grew both professionally and personally.”

In response to increasing demand, Uniting Heart and Soul is planning to expand Wellness HQ’s facilities as part of a property redevelopment.

WELLNESS HQ‘S MISSION IS TO BRIDGE THE GAP IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE BY MAKING COUNSELLING SERVICES MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE

The expansion will increase the service’s capacity and enhance its ability to support the community’s mental health needs.

Looking ahead, Dr. Rina emphasises “We aim to make mental health care more accessible and normalize the process of seeking help. Wellness HQ is a place where everyone is welcome.”

ADITEE VORA

To learn more about Wellness HQ or to book an appointment: Visit the Wellness HQ website: www.unitingheartandsoul.org/ wellness-hq

Email: counselling@ unitingheartandsoul.org

New leadership commences at Alpine Uniting Church

The Alpine Uniting Church commissioned Rev. Wendy McHugh as its new Community Minister in late 2024. Rev. Wendy brings extensive experience across various fields and is focused on contributing to the congregation’s community-oriented ministries in Jindabyne.

Wendy was ordained as a Deacon in the Uniting Church by the Moreton Rivers Presbytery on December 5, 2015. Her journey to ministry began after a significant personal experience in 2001.

“This kick-start to my healing journey with depression and anxiety changed my head knowledge of God to a heart knowledge; this personal experience confirmed what I had learnt about God was true… God really does exist and actually cares about me,” she explains. Following this experience, Rev. Wendy felt called to dedicate her life to ministry.

Wendy’s career spans roles in administration, youth work, the disability sector, and chaplaincy in aged care and prisons. Her diverse work history has informed her understanding of societal challenges and her approach to ministry.

“A combination of my experiences over the years… contributed to my growing sense of hating injustice and my passion to empower people,” Wendy notes. Her passion for prison ministry has been a defining aspect of her work. “I have never understood why most people are reluctant to participate in this ministry; I found it to be a privilege to sit and talk with these people and share God’s love.”

Earlier this year, Wendy’s placement with UnitingCare Qld Prison Ministry ended due to redundancy, leading her to explore new opportunities. “This call has taken

me by surprise, as I have always said I’m called to the community, not to a congregation. But God, having a sense of humour, found a congregation for me with a strong community ministry,” she remarks.

A COMBINATION OF MY EXPERIENCES OVER THE YEARS CONTRIBUTED TO MY GROWING SENSE OF HATING INJUSTICE AND MY PASSION TO EMPOWER PEOPLE

Wendy’s approach to her new role emphasises collaboration. “Rather than coming in as an expert and telling them what to do, I intend to join them in their ministries and collaborate with the congregation as we explore new possibilities,” she says. She is also an advocate for ecumenical cooperation, drawing on her experiences in Townsville and prison chaplaincy.

Since 1 November, Wendy has been actively engaging with the congregation and local community. She has participated in activities such as the church’s Op Shop and the Wednesday evening Summer Family Community BBQ.

“I’m sure exciting times are ahead as I watch and learn why God has called me to this beautiful part of Australia.”

With her extensive experience and dedication to community ministry, Wendy McHugh is prepared to guide Alpine Uniting Church as it continues its work in Jindabyne.

ADITEE VORA

Creativity Centre

It’s

all about expression and community

Gordon-Pymble Uniting Church (GPUC), located on Sydney’s North Shore, has been an integral part of the local community for over 40 years. The church has long focused on promoting social connectedness through faith and creativity, offering a wide range of activities such as art, craft, Mahjong, and current affairs discussions.

In 2024, GPUC launched the Creativity Centre to offer highschoolers a space where they can explore their identity and express themselves through creative mediums. The centre aims to provide a supportive environment that encourages young people to connect with themselves and others. At its core, the Creativity Centre believes that art can inspire, provoke thought, and serve as a powerful tool for self-expression and connection.

who, despite financial barriers, deeply value the sense of belonging the centre provides.”

The Creativity Centre officially began in Term 3 with after-school tutoring sessions every Wednesday. Activities included hip hop dancing, art, singing, podcasting, and jazz, all taught by a talented team of tutors.

One of the more recent workshops in January 2025 featured “Character Design,” where students had the opportunity to create and design their own characters. Another popular session, “Sing Your Hearts Out,” led by tutor Joanna Murphy, allowed students to explore various musical genres such as Motown, musical theatre, folk, and pop. The highlights of the programme was the “Costume Making” workshop, which taught students the fundamentals of designing and creating their own costumes – how exciting!

Wren Thomas, the art tutor at the Creativity Centre, shared her approach to teaching: “My aim for my art classes was to create a pressure-free environment where our students could explore art and develop their skills at their own pace. During the first six months I worked with two sisters from Western Australia, helping them understand what they wanted to learn and their longer-term goals with art. We explored a vast number of techniques and materials like resin, jewellery, clay, fabric and much more. It was fantastic to see how enthusiastically the girls approached each new material and how much fun they had each week.”

Wren also recently took on the role of Creativity Centre Coordinator, where she hopes to continue developing the centre into a space where young people feel supported. “I’m excited to bring my ideas and passion to this role and look forward to seeing the centre grow,” she said.

THE CREATIVITY CENTRE BELIEVES THAT ART CAN INSPIRE AND SERVE AS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR SELF-EXPRESSION AND CONNECTION

Looking ahead, GPUC has exciting events planned including Cosplay workshops in May and August for Supernova and Oz Comic Con. The Creativity Centre will continue offering primary school creativity days and afterschool workshops for highschoolers. A student exhibition featuring emerging Aboriginal artists Beniah and Hazel is scheduled for 21st February.

GPUC’s journey with the Creativity Centre has been a path of growth, not without it’s challenges. Yet, despite the hurdles, Rev. Karen shares her inspiring advice for other congregations involved in mission work: “ Taking a step in faith is scary and doing mission is making mistakes, you are not going to know for sure if your assumptions are correct until you test them, but it is testing them and discovering your wrong that you learn so much more. That has certainly been the case for us, but it has also made it so much easier for God to lead us.”

Rev. Karen Mitchell-Lambert, Minister at Gordon Pymble Uniting Church reflected on the journey of the Creativity Centre: “The centre has grown in ways we didn’t initially expect. Although we envisioned a self-sustaining model, we’ve been guided to a group of young people

For more information about the Creativity Centre and to register, visit: www.gpuc.org.au/creativitycentre

For information on all other activities run by GPUC visit: www.gpuc.org.au

North Ryde’s community pantry is compassionately revitalising Christian community

The vision of North Ryde Uniting Church is to be a “Compassionate, revitalizing Christian Community”. A recent initiative in response to this aspiration is their Community Pantry, complemented by a monthly meal shared with nearby neighbours in the Beatrice Street social housing complex.

The North Ryde Community Pantry was established in August 2024 following the closure of North Ryde Community Aid, now known as Baptist Aged Care, which had been meeting the needs of the local community for many years.

Weekly grocery expenses place a strain on the budgets of many people in our community. The Community Pantry offers emergency food assistance to help their clients save on groceries, thereby easing their financial burdens and allowing more funds for other necessities.

To mark the festive season, clients were offered a Christmas Day Lunch package consisting of wholesome food, treats and decorations for their Christmas table, together with two weeks’ supply of groceries. Thirty-seven individuals and families were welcomed to the Pantry which provided meals for 70 adults and 25 children In addition, 95 bags of food were distributed.

North Ryde Uniting Church Community Pantry is grateful for the support of the local IGA Ritchies supermarket for their generous donations together with those of their customers. Also acknowledged are the contributions of local organisations and many individuals.

While clients of the Pantry are choosing their groceries, they are warmly welcomed by the Pantry team and are offered refreshments and the opportunity to have a chat as well as to spend quiet time in the adjoining church.

MARILYN GRANT

Marsden Road Uniting Church celebrates bicentenary

1825

One Tree Hill

Dundas Methodist Church

DundasCarlingford Methodist Church Marsden Road Uniting Church 1977

Few Uniting Church congregations in Australia can trace their roots back two centuries, but Marsden Road Uniting Church at Carlingford can.

Founded in the Wesleyan tradition at “One Tree Hill” by European pioneers in January 1825, the congregation marked its bicentenary on Sunday, 9 February. Originally known as Dundas Methodist Church, later DundasCarlingford Methodist Church, it entered Union in 1977 as Marsden Road Uniting Church, making it one of the six oldest Methodist congregations in the Southern Hemisphere.

The congregation worships in a landmark sandstone church, now 158 years old, on the busy Marsden Road. The celebratory service was led by Rev Jane Fry, General Secretary of the NSW/ ACT Synod, who began her ministry at Marsden Road 30 years ago. She had long anticipated the bicentenary and was honored to return for the occasion.

Also present were Assembly President Rev. Charissa Suli, Moderator Rev. Mata Havea Hiliau, Sydney-Central Coast Presbytery Chair Rev. Keith Garner, and Presbytery Minister Rev Martin Levine, along with representatives from West Epping-Carlingford Uniting Church and the Korean Rainbow Presbyterian Church.

The Moderator expressed amazement at the congregation’s remarkable milestone. About 160 people attended, including many with past connections. Overflow seating was provided in the adjacent hall, and the service was professionally livestreamed for those watching remotely. Attendees included individuals linked to the former Dalmar Children’s Home and Alan Walker Retirement Village, both part of the church’s mission work.

A unique feature of the service was a parade of “Ghosts from the Past,” where six people spoke about former members commemorated in stained glass windows. Many were direct descendants or close friends of those they honored, adding a deeply personal touch. Rev. Fry noted she had dedicated one of these windows during her tenure.

Fifteen months in the making, the celebration was symbolized by a bespoke logo incorporating Methodist and Uniting Church emblems. A commemorative banner was displayed, and, in true Marsden Road tradition, a magnificent luncheon was served.

The celebratory cake was cut by the congregation’s longest-serving members, Ruth Henderson and Colin Baker.

Throughout the service—in the preaching, greetings, “ghosts” presentations, and enthusiastic singing—the message was clear: for 200 years, Marsden Road has faithfully proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ in word and deed. As it steps into its third century, it remains committed to the same mission it has upheld since 1825.

LAURIS HARPER

This article has been edited for length. The full version can be found on the Synod website: tinyurl.com/MarsdenUCBicentenary

UTC Students experience rural ministry firsthand

The Saltbush team is fortunate to collaborate with the United Theological College in Sydney, which allows ministry candidates to actively participate in a rural orientation with the Saltbush team in a rural context.

It is an invaluable opportunity for students to gain firsthand experience and insight into ministry in rural and remote areas in NSW. In OctoberNovember 2024, we hosted the students, along with the dean of candidates, Rev. Nicole Flemming, and the principal of UTC and Director of Education, Rev. Dr Peter Walker, in Dubbo. The students would have a unique chance to immerse themselves in the realities of rural ministry and engage with local congregations and communities. By being present and being aware of the struggles, joys, and challenges faced by churches in these areas; the students can witness firsthand the dedication and resilience exhibited by lay leaders in congregations as they strive to uphold the values and traditions of the church, for continued growth.

We started our time together at the Waambul (Macquarie River) in reflection and prayer, where we shared our aspirations for personal growth and spiritual rejuvenation. For me, “sharing communion at the Waambul transformed it into a sacred haven for us. It marked a potent beginning to a week of transformation, and we carried the uplifting spirit of that initial gathering with us as we embarked on our weeklong rural orientation.”

We had the opportunity to explore the surrounding towns and one of them was to Nyngan, which is approximately 166 kilometres away from Dubbo and takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes to reach. Our purpose for visiting Nyngan was to meet with the lay leaders at Nyngan Uniting Church.

It was a memorable experience as we were warmly welcomed by church members at the local Country Women’s Association Hall. We had the chance to sit and chat with them and hear the fascinating history of Nyngan and the various social and economic challenges

the town has faced over the past three decades.

Nyngan Uniting Church heavily relies on the dedication of its lay leaders and the support of visiting preachers. These aspects sparked engaging conversations during our time together where we gained a deeper understanding of Nyngan and its community. We were fortunate enough to be treated to a tour of their beautiful church and hear about

SHE PAINTED A VIVID PICTURE OF RESILIENCE, STRENGTH, AND THE POWER OF COMMUNITY. SHE HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON ALL OF US

its history and the transformations it has undergone since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are always humbled when we hear about their unwavering dedication and faithfulness to God, especially during challenging times. We would like to express our gratitude to Colin Pardy for his invaluable time in making this experience a reality.

We had the chance to visit a local business called Kaishin Taekwondo, which is a renowned martial arts school in Dubbo. Our visit began with an enlightening session led by the owner, Kym, who emphasised the importance of controlling our breathing, maintaining a strong stance, and being fully aware of our surroundings. It was fascinating to learn how these fundamental principles are integral to the practice of taekwondo and contribute to overall physical and mental well-being. We were able to learn and refine various defensive moves that would prove invaluable in real-life situations. This left us feeling empowered and inspired. It was not only

an educational and eye-opening session but also a thrilling adventure that highlighted the profound impact martial arts can have on personal growth and self-confidence.

Visiting a farm is necessary when you are in rural NSW! We had the wonderful opportunity to visit a farm in Narromine, just 40kms and a 30-minute drive from Dubbo. Jeff and Kay Anderson, who own the farm and are lay leaders of the Narromine Uniting Church, generously hosted us. The farm itself was beautiful, surrounded by picturesque landscapes.

We not only got to experience the farm life but also had the privilege of hearing the stories of Jeff and Kay that were inspiring to see how they dedicated their lives to farming while also serving as lay leaders in their congregation. Our stay in Narromine came to a pleasant end as we were treated to a delightful lunch in the hall of the Narromine Uniting Church with some of their church members. We are grateful for their warm hospitality. We were blessed with time with Aunty Pam Wells, Uniting Head of First Nation Partnerships and Cultural Lead, as well as a local member of Parliament of Dubbo Regional Council, which was incredibly special and inspiring. During our morning together, Aunty Pam Wells provided us with the insights of the challenges that First Nations communities face daily in Dubbo. She highlighted the persistent myths and stereotypes that significantly impact the mental health and well-being of individuals within these communities. She shed light on the stigma that hampers the opportunities for First Nations individuals and their communities to come together on a united path towards a better future. She emphasized the importance of breaking down these barriers and promoting true reconciliation and mutual understanding. Aunty Pam Wells wealth of wisdom and experience offered a beacon of light amidst the darkness. Her ability to share her experience through storytelling was captivating and immersed us in

the rich cultural heritage of the First Nations people. She painted a vivid picture of resilience, strength, and the power of community. She had a profound impact on all of us. After the session, we were filled with a strong commitment to promote understanding and reconciliation within our own communities.

Throughout the week, we able to gather with the local church and Reverend Mel Graham at Dubbo Uniting Church to share a meal. It was a wonderful occasion filled with engaging conversations, acts of service, and building a powerful sense of community. We were hosted by the Tongan families of DUC who organized a delightful dinner for the candidates, church, and community to enjoy. We were amazed by the generosity of Aunty Pam’s family members, who form the cultural dance group of Talbragar Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation. They graciously shared elements of their sacred culture and stories through their beautiful songs and dances. The evening was truly magnificent, brimming with vibrant culture, a sense of community, and harmony.

On the Sunday, the students had formed pairs to lead worship in nearby congregations - Rylstone Uniting Church, Mudgee Uniting Church, Narromine Uniting Church, Orange Uniting Church, and Dubbo Uniting Church. Afterward, they would return to their families and loved ones.

Throughout the week-long rural orientation with the candidates, there was a sense of personal growth and self-reflection. The guidance and encouragement provided by lay leaders, community figures, ministers, and congregations served as a powerful testament to the undeniable existence of God’s love and tranquillity in the diverse locations and settings we visited. Even in the face of difficult moments that seemed devoid of hope, faith emerged victorious against any adversity, and the illuminating presence of God continued to shine brightly.

REV. NATASHA HE

SALTBUSH SCATTERED COMMUNITY MINISTER

From little things big things grow A gift to the Gosford community

A charitable trust set up by a Central Coast couple in the 1950s has given more than $20 million to Central Coast organisations over five decades, including Gosford Wyoming Uniting Church.

The joint bequests of Alfred Ingram Chapman and his wife Ella Hope Chapman have helped fund local schools, hospitals, churches and children’s groups.

The bequest gifted to Gosford Wyoming Uniting Church came from Ella’s estate and has been used to fund a range of projects and activities, including a new organ, children’s playground, computers and sound system. It has also funded property-related maintenance like a new ceiling, air conditioning and kitchen renovation.

“These may sound like little things by themselves, but they are absolutely critical in keeping the church operating and continuing to deliver services like our two playgroups, community lunches, Sunday services and women’s breakfasts.

“Running a church is expensive, especially when you’re dealing with older buildings with heritage considerations, and gifts like that from the Chapman Trust make an incredible impact, not only to the congregation but to the broader community,” Church Council Chair, Dianne Chiofalo said.

Ella Chapman was born in 1885, the eighth child of the Stening family of nine. She married Alfred Chapman in 1915 and was an accomplished pianist and well-known philanthropist.

Trustee Kevin Booth said the initial cash bequest had not been extremely large, but property sales and judicious investment had seen it continue to grow. “The Chapmans had no children, but their concern for others in society led them to bequeath their estates to defined perpetual trusts,” Mr Booth said.

For Jack Stening, being a trustee for the Ella Hope Chapman estate is particularly rewarding. “Ella was my great aunt and I have memories of my father taking us to visit her in the latter years of her life,” Mr Stening said. “The family is hugely proud of what the trust has achieved and that it will continue in perpetuity.

JO MALONEY MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONSULTANT

Are you interested in leaving a gift?

By leaving a gift in your will to the Uniting Church you will touch generations to come, enabling the missional work of the church in communities all over NSW and the ACT.

All gifts – no matter how large or small – are greatly valued and help us significantly in our future planning. The stewardship of these gifts is something the Synod takes very seriously and we work hard to maximise the missional impact of every dollar given.

A Miracle

is just the beginning

When Folau speaks of the night of 15 January 2022, his eyes fill with tears and his voice trembles. He looks across a neatly trimmed grassy compound to where a marquee flaps in the breeze, beyond a line of newly constructed homes. A scattering of tropical plants throw up colour, freshly planted; water tanks and a composting garden that creates biogas dominate the foreground. Folau’s eyes go to the temporary Church.

“Saturday, we heard the rumble and saw the sky black with ash,” he recalls. “It was dark, we didn’t know what had happened.”

Across the islands of Tonga, most of the population were experiencing similar confusion, many declaring later they believed they were facing the end of the world. 15 kilometres away, the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano had just erupted beneath the ocean, the largest explosion recorded since Krakatoa in 1883. It triggered tsunami waves of up to 15m and was felt as far away as Japan and the Americas. In outlying islands like Attata, where Folau had lived for generations, the tsunami was devastating.

“In truth, we knew there was not much hope, because we could see the waves coming and we were some of the last families to try to escape to higher land,” Folau recalls, his voice full of emotion. “My legs do not work well and my family knew I could not run. So they helped seat me in a tree where I would be safe from the waves and then they left.”

The waves that hit Attata Island were metres high and, within minutes, Folau found himself washed into the blackness of the ocean. His disability made it hard for him to swim so he clung to a floating tree branch. Some time during the night, he heard a voice calling his name. It was his son, desperately looking for him from the land.

“It was a hard decision I made,” Folau tells me. “If I responded to my son’s call, he would have come into the sea to look for me and we would both have drowned. So I decided to keep quiet.”

In the inky blackness, Folau was washed far from land.

“In my heart I pleaded with God – If I am still of any use, take me home,” Folau remembers. “And I floated through the night as the ashes descended, up until sunrise on Sunday morning.”

Clinging to the branch, Folau managed to keep himself afloat for another full day, paddling with one hand. He was caught up in a current that swept him around to the northern part of Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga, where he was washed ashore late on Sunday evening.

“I crawled to a road and was picked up by someone who took me to my sister’s house,” Folau says. “My family was already planning my funeral. They could not believe I had survived such a thing. We declared a miracle and were so grateful as we embraced on that night. And although I have no special skills or strong spiritual life, I began to believe that perhaps God has saved me for some purpose.”

But for Folau and his family, the miracle of survival was just the beginning.

REBUILDING

“We want to go back but we are torn, the land isn’t safe any longer, this move has been coming a long time,” Folau admits. “We need to teach our children the skills they need to find employment so they can adjust here.”

These communities are resilient and adaptive, but they’re also being forced to relinquish their connection to land, home and family.

“Attata Island is our home; it’s the place our ancestors are buried,” Folau says. “We are grateful for a new start, but it is hard.”

After years of being battered by cyclones and king tides, the tsunami of 2022 proved the final straw for several of Tonga’s island communities. Homes destroyed, and well aware of the increasing severity and frequency of disaster, they made a difficult decision: time to build a new home, in a new place.

“New Attata” was born.

The day we speak to Folau, we’re in the new village, developed thanks to land and housing gifted by the King on a cleared plot in the north of the Island. The village is laid out on a grid, with the temporary center the Church, still housed in a marquee.

The place has a camp-like quality to it, although people are already tending gardens for food and to add colour.

Electricity is connected, as well as running water. And UnitingWorld’s partner, the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, has provided training for people to recover their livelihoods as well equipment to get them started – boats for those who had made a living from the sea; sewing machines to retrain young women; ovens and materials for kitchens; seeds, plants and tools to reestablish gardens for food.

There’s no doubt that the community is grateful for the new start, but it’s also immediately obvious that “New Attata” is very different from the island community Folau and his family have called home for generations.

“Everything we needed was very easily accessible on our small island,” Folau remembers. “We had solar light and we got food from the ocean or the land, but here everything costs money. We must pay for water, electricity and gas for cooking; even for rubbish removal. We have to find money somehow but we have no skills; we go back to the island for fishing sometimes on weekends so we can sell fish at the market, but the petrol cost is high.”

His face is stoic as he speaks, but it’s not hard to discern the pain beneath the surface. So much about mainland life is foreign – not only the costs and structures, but the use of time, the feel of a day from sunrise to sunset.

That feeling is shared by most of the population as daily life becomes more difficult in the islands. It’s harder to grow food; cost of living expenses are rising; globalism preys on the island and young people are leaving at unprecedented rates – more Tongans live abroad than in Tonga itself. Many families who’ve chosen to stay in the islands rely almost entirely on income sent home by those working as labourer’s in New Zealand, Australia or America.

The threat to the Pacific islands is more than just physical. It’s profoundly existential.

For centuries, the Church has been central to Tongan culture, providing a deep sense of community, spiritual meaning and national leadership. UnitingWorld’s partner, the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga is committed to guiding communities as they assess risks, plan to prevent and respond to disaster, and improve their ability to make a living. Critically, they’re also committed to the long-term work of helping people like Folau deal with trauma, answering questions about the place of God in suffering and disaster and helping people find purpose and hope.

Central to Folau’s recovery is the possibility of living out his purpose in his new home in the most practical way he knows: by giving back to the people he loves.

“I hold onto the God that I worship, the one who saved me,” Folau says proudly.

“My legs do not work well, but I am a carpenter and I will spend my life re-building our new church on the land we have been given. Even though we faced this hardship, God has given us a new land, new houses.

My hope is that as we move here, we become a community that helps each other, loves one another, and has a great future for our children as we embrace this privilege.”

Tonga’s future will be built, person by person, by those who share Folau’s vision.

CATH TAYLOR

Gifts to UnitingWorld this Lent will support communities on the frontlines of climate change in the Pacific, Asia and Africa. Join us in making a difference through faith-filled action and generosity for God’s creation.

Choose a 40-day challenge for Lent or donate today at: www.lentevent.com.au

Dogged Determination

This article marks the start of a series of pieces Insights is writing on alumni of the United Theological College to celebrate its 50th Anniversary this year. The first cab of the rank is none other than the legendary Reverend Bill Crews, one of the College’s most prominent and influential former students.

Bill Crews’ fight for the underdog

Bill, for those of you that don’t know him, is a formidable champion of some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our society, from the streets of Sydney to the refugee camps of South Sudan. Some of the world’s most famous and powerful people, including the Dalai Lama (they exchange birthday wishes every year), Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese and Australian media legend, John Singleton, call Bill their mate.

Despite the long list of famous friends, most days you’ll find Bill sitting on a bench in his Ashfield Church courtyard having a yarn with one of his restaurant regulars. The soup kitchen, Loaves & Fishes, that his mate John Singleton, famously funded the start-up of after a big win on the horses.

Born in England in 1944 and educated in Australia, Bill initially studied Electrical Engineering at the University of NSW, followed by a short stint working as an engineer. However, on a chance visit to the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross, the course of Bill’s life would change irrevocably.

“There I met Ted Noffs – a good and a Godly man who ran what was a refuge for the needy and the outcasts. I got myself into voluntary programs; visiting the elderly, sick and shut-ins of the Woolloomooloo-Kings Cross area”

“Eventually I quit engineering and worked full time at the Wayside Chapel. I was a member of the team that created the first 24-hour Crisis Centre in Australia. Then, by 1972 I was Director of the Crisis Centre and directed all the social work programs of the Wayside Chapel until 1983”

In 1983 Bill left the Wayside Chapel to study a Bachelor of Theology degree at the United Theological College. By 1986, Bill was an ordained minister of the Ashfield Uniting Church in Sydney’s inner-west, where he remains today.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with refugees in Calais, France and have established support program for street kids in SouthEast Asia. I’m also actively engaged with charitable partners in Africa, the USA and the UK,” Bill said.

I’VE ALWAYS TRIED TO LEAD AND TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE COMMUNITY IN A MYRIAD OF TANGIBLE WAYS. I FIND THE GOSPEL IS A CALL TO ACTION AS WELL AS A CALL FOR PERSONAL CHANGE

“Going to college was one of the best experiences of my life. I found a depth of learning and spirituality there that allowed and encouraged my mind to grow beyond its own expectations”

At Ashfield, Bill created The Exodus Foundation to assist homeless and abandoned youth, and other people in need, which today is known as the Rev. Bill Crews Foundation. It has grown to become one of Sydney’s largest frontline charities, serving up to 2000 free meals a day, and providing free dental, medical clinic, and range of social welfare support.

In addition his domestic efforts, Bill also works tirelessly to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable people and communities abroad.

The honours, awards and recognitions attributed to Bill are too numerous to list, however some include; an Order of Australia, Humanitarian of the Year award, National Living Treasure and featured as one of the 100 Most Influential People by the Bulletin & Newsweek Magazine. Bill has been recently appointed one of three International UNICEF Faith Envoys.

“I’ve always tried to lead and to positively influence the community in a myriad of tangible ways. I find the gospel is a call to action as well as a call for personal change.”

JO MALONEY MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONSULTANT AT

Taking a walk on the Wayside

Rev. Jon Owen on life at the edges

Rev. Jon Owen is the CEO of Sydney’s cherished Wayside Chapel, a charity and parish mission of the Uniting Church in Potts Point. It has served Sydney’s homeless since 1964, providing food, shelter and vital welfare services.

For Owen, it’s a place where people can be seen, accepted and loved without judgement, true to the organisation’s creed - Love over Hate.

You get the impression that Owen is incredibly good at doing this, exuding an immediate warmth, candour and humour, that puts people at ease.

“If you come down to Wayside trying to be someone or something you’re not, people will spot it a mile off. People who come to Wayside are not problems to be fixed, they are people to be met,”

“We have a God here who is always calling to you. To your real self, not the projected and not who you think you should be. Wayside’s invitation is always

to say, “when we say God’s people, we mean everyone.”

The son of Indian and Sri Lankan immigrants, Jon moved to Melbourne from Malaysia when he was nine years old. His religious upbringing was a fusion of Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.

Initially starting an electrical engineering and computer science degree at university he soon transitioned to social work to follow his strengthened calling to Christianity and helping people on the margins.

“One of the reasons that led me on the path of service was after learning about a Catholic nun living in Cambodia, she used to barge into brothels with gangs of men and pull the girls out who were being trafficked for sex,” he muses with admiration of her boldness.

something painful or was sharing in someone’s grief, and when I asked her why, she said she used to do it when her dad was raping her as a girl, and in those moments she felt God holding her hand, letting her know she wasn’t alone,”

“That’s when I feel closest to God, when I hear the pain of others,” Jon said.

In early 2022, Jon was ordained as a Reverend with the Uniting Church following the completion of his studies at United Theological College.

PEOPLE WHO COME TO WAYSIDE ARE NOT PROBLEMS TO BE FIXED, THEY ARE PEOPLE TO BE MET

In his twenties, he and his wife, Lisa, took a vow of living on the poverty line while working in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Melbourne as a volunteer with the Urban Neighbours of Hope mission.

They then took the same mission to Mount Druitt in Sydney's west, where they opened their home to refugees, ex-prisoners and people dealing with addiction. Jon also helped plant a Uniting Church in the area, where completed his period of discernment.

When asked about some of the ways he deals with people who have endured incredible pain, abuse and trauma, he reflected on the advice of a former colleague.

“He said Jon all you need to do is shut up and listen, you don’t need to talk. Listen to the whispers and the promises breathed into that neighbourhood, ask yourself where do I hear the groans? where do I find the cries? I thought that was beautiful,”

“I remember one sister at Wayside who used to rub her crucifix when she heard

“I’m grateful for the order in which I did my study, having already had the practical experience. I don’t recommend anyone going straight into ministry out of high school, I think it’s worthwhile having some life under your belt first,”

“An Elder once told me that Aboriginal lore helped him better show up for his mob and guide them. That’s how I always viewed studying, I was thinking how this Church lore is going to help my people, my mob,”

“That’s always been the strength and the power of Wayside, is to come and be met and to be changed. So we can take that message out further and further. And to do that from the family of the Uniting Church, is a real honour and it’s a real privilege,” said Jon.

JO MALONEY MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONSULTANT AT

WE HAVE A GOD WHO IS ALWAYS CALLING TO YOU. TO YOUR REAL SELF, NOT THE PROJECTED. WAYSIDE’S INVITATION IS ALWAYS TO SAY, “WHEN WE SAY GOD’S PEOPLE, WE MEAN EVERYONE”

Culture of

Safety

In each edition of Insights we will be showcasing our internal teams. This gives the community an opportunity to learn a little more about our dedicated staff. We'd like to put faces to the wonderful work that they do across the Synod.

Developing a Culture of Safety is not just about compliance, although there are many legal obligations to consider, it is primarily an outworking of our desire to make a Jesus-shaped difference in our communities. The Culture of Safety team exists to support the ongoing development of a Culture of Safety across the Synod.

The Culture of Safety team has responsibility for:

• Child safety

• Vulnerable adults

• Work Health and Safety policies and implementation

• SRE authorisation

• The Congregational Toolkit

• Governance

Contact the Culture of Safety Team

Email: cultureofsafety@nswact.uca.org.au

Mail: Uniting Church in Australia

PO Box A2178, Sydney South NSW 1235

Phone: (02) 9159 9629

DR KATIE WATSON HEAD OF CULTURE OF SAFETY

Katie has served in churches and faith-based organisations for over 20 years across a broad range of roles and contexts.

A former legal academic, Katie completed a PhD looking at how to design and implement effective governance policies, with a specific focus on diversity in leadership. Her background also includes writing and implementing Safe Church training, policies and audit tools in several faith-based contexts. Within Synod Mission Services, Katie’s role covers governance, complaints management, policy development, oversight of persons of concern systems, and supporting the team as we communicating our vision for a culture of safety and deep welcome.

The Uniting Church has a unique opportunity to connect with a changing community, especially younger generations. Our commitment to social justice, authenticity and valuing the diversity of our community is not just a response to changes in legislation it is long-term, derived from and embedded in the very foundation of our Church. This tangible experience of God’s great care for us is what our community is hungering for, but they need to know that we care too, which means we need to take those important steps.

I have read the Royal Commission reports and been devastated by the number of lives ruined by failures in governance. I have seen important community organisations be knocked over by abuses of power that could so easily have been prevented. I feel a deep sense of calling to this work of trying to avoid those kind of things from getting in the way of the Church fulfilling God’s calling on this earth.

Monique is a trained social worker with a background that includes working in the DFV field and with a specialist survivor legal firm.

Monique manages the authorisation of SRE teachers, coordinates First Aid for Synod Mission Services, facilitates collaboration with other SMS teams, and provides front line support to anyone contacting the Culture of Safety team for advice. Monique has significant roles in the LMS project for our new training, and supporting the Culture of Safety Community of Practice with other UCA Synods.

Working in the Culture of Safety Unit is something I hold dear to my heart. When I think about the meaning of a Culture of Safety not only in my role but in my everyday thoughts and interactions, I envision safety to mean, physical safety, emotional safety, cultural safety and each individual’s right to self-determination. Having worked with some our community’s most vulnerable members including adult survivors of child abuse, my passion to help create and maintain a socially just, fair and supportive church is my driving force.

Andrew is an ordained minister who is based near Orange and has a deep passion for congregations in regional and rural areas.

Joyce is a long-term member of the Uniting Church, having worked as a Youth Pastor and as Children’s and Families’ Ministry Facilitator with the Pulse Team.

SAFETY IS NOT JUST ABOUT COMPLIANCE; IT’S TRULY HOW WE CARE

Andrew has decades of experience in youth ministry, preaching, leadership development and travelling the length and breadth of NSW and ACT to provide support to regional congregations and ministries. Andrew with have primary responsibility for supporting our new training and workshop facilitators, our SRE teachers, and building supportive relationships with regional congregations.

“Culture of Safety is an important part of “changing the narrative” about Christianity and the Church in our society. When people engage with Christians and the church and find that we don’t fit the stereotypes that the media portrays and instead are kind, caring, respectful and interested in our welfare then they will be open to hear the Good News of salvation. My heart is to help rural and regional churches to fulfil their responsibilities, not because they must but because that reflects Jesus. It is also to help them to do this in realistic and achievable ways regardless of the size, age or remoteness of their congregation. And finally my heart is to use this as a stepping stone to help these congregations engage with their towns and communities for the Kingdom of God.”

Joyce has frequently represented the UCA in a variety of forums both here and overseas and well loved and respected across the Church. Joyce’s role will focus on listening to the voice of young people, as foreseen by Child Safe Standard Two, building relationships with congregations in the Sydney Metro area, and developing resources suitable for intercultural congregations.

My role will be to ensure the views of young people are taken seriously and that their voices are heard. Alongside collaborating interculturally with all communities promoting safe practices across the Synod! It’s in these spaces that I hope people feel free to engage, to participate, and ultimately to encounter Jesus and make their change and that make my heart burst and sing!!

I love that I will get to serve our Church intergenerationally to ensure that everyone—regardless of their background or experience—feels valued and protected. Being a member of this team has offered me an invitation to be present, to be vulnerable, and to trust that in every space we create we can dream bigger, act bolder, and extend God’s love in ways that inspire transformation.

As I step into this role, my commitment is clear: Safety is not just about preventing harm; it’s about cultivating a culture where people thrive. When we intentionally care of one another, we reflect the very heart of Jesus, who calls us to love, protect, and uplift each other in every way possible. LESSGOOOOO!

JOYCE TANGI CULTURE OF SAFETY PASTOR

REV. ANDREW PARKINSON CULTURE OF SAFETY MINISTER

MONIQUE ASLANIS CULTURE OF SAFETY COORDINATOR

AUSTRALIAN FUNERAL COSTS SOAR HOW TO PREPARE

In recent years, the cost of living has been a hot topic around the world, but did you know that high inflation has also impacted the cost of dying?

Between 2019 and 2023, the estimated cost of burials for over-50s rose from $9,055 to $11,039, according to research commissioned by Australian Seniors1 Similarly, the estimated cost of cremations grew from $6,334 to $8,045 over the same period.

These rising costs can have an impact on those who are left behind, and according to the report one in three over-50s who helped pay for a funeral reported financial hardship as a result, with many taking months or years to recover financially.

While it might be a bleak topic, it is well worth considering how your family will cover the costs of your funeral when you are gone. The death of a loved one is a difficult time, so planning ahead can help to make a stressful time easier. Here we look at some of the options available.

A FUNERAL INVESTMENT

A funeral investment is one option if you would like to set aside funds to cover the costs of your funeral. You can choose to invest a lump sum or make ad hoc contributions to your investment, which accrues interest until it is paid out. A funeral investment cannot be accessed prior to the nominated person’s death. On notification of your passing, the full value of a funeral investment will be paid towards your funeral expenses, with any

surplus funds paid to your estate. This is a good way to ensure your wishes are respected, as your savings are specifically earmarked to pay for your funeral costs and can only be accessed for that purpose.

Under social security regulations, funeral investments are generally exempt from the Assets and Income tests, up to allowable limits. The allowable limit is set at $15,500 per investor in 2024/25 and it is indexed on a yearly basis. Each member of a couple may invest $15,500, resulting in an exempt investment for the couple of $31,000. You can find out more on the Services Australia website2

A SAVINGS OR INVESTMENT ACCOUNT

Another way to save for your funeral is a separate savings or investment facility. If you do not need to withdraw funds or transact regularly, most financial services providers will offer a higher rate of return, so your investment can continue to grow until it is needed.

Some options include a high interest savings facility (usually linked to a transaction facility) or a fixed term investment, where you receive a set rate of interest for putting away an investment for a fixed term of a few months to a few years.

SUPERANNUATION

Superannuation can be an efficient and tax-effective way to save but it does come with complexities. If you would like your superannuation to be paid out to a specific person or people, it is important to keep your binding death nomination up to date, which you can do by contacting your super fund. Without a binding nomination in place, your beneficiaries could be faced with a lengthy and complicated probate process and a lack of access to funds when they are most needed.

CONCLUSION

With prices continuing to climb, putting some thought into costs that may arise after your passing is the ultimate act of care. If you are saving for the costs of your funeral, remember to tell the right people including family, your executor and your family lawyer, and document any investments in your will.

Uniting Financial Services (UFS) offers a range of products, including a dedicated Funeral Investment, which offers a competitive rate of interest, no minimum balance and no transaction or maintenance fees.

SHANNON KONG HEAD OF PARTNER SOLUTIONS AND SUPPORT, UNITING FINANCIAL SERVICES

5 Tailor-made investments for Ministers and Staff

Are you a Minister or a Uniting Church staff member?

Uniting Financial Services offers a range of investment options just for you, from a daily transaction facility to long-term investments to help you grow your funds and plan for the future.

To find out more about our At Call Investment, Higher Values Online Investment and range of Fixed Term Investments, as well as our current rates on offer, please visit www.unitingfinancial.com.au or call us on 1300 133 673

Our investment products offer:

• No transaction or maintenance fees.

• Competitive interest rates.

• Access to our friendly PSS team via email and phone.

• The ability to view balances and transact with ease via Uniting Online.

When you invest with us, you are also helping the Church to continue its important work. Every dollar you invest helps serve your community, as it is reinvested in a variety of mission projects.

LO VE IN

GROWING IN LOVE AT RETREAT YOURSELF 2025

Retreat Yourself 2025 took place one again at Chittick Lodge in Gerringong, from 31 January to 2 February 2025.

This year's retreat followed the format of previous Retreat Yourself experiences; a leadership day hosted by the Moderator, with leaders leaning into this years theme of “grow in love", followed by two wonderful days of retreat, sun, study and community.

The leadership day focused on Growing in love through Community, Service, Scripture and Connection, led by the Moderator, Rev. Suzanne Stanton (Director of Mission, Uniting), Rev. Dr Sunny Chen (ARU) and Mikenzie Ling ( First Peoples Strategy and Engagement Consultant). There are just too many wonderful things to say here about each of these speakers and the gifts that they brought in wisdom. But I might just sneak in, that each spoke about genuine relationship with each other, with what they do and what they are called to do. Each of these leaders held space for story telling, with the Moderator opening the floor for engagement in stories of formation, the story of each of those in attendance. It was a great starting point to move us into the stories and call of Uniting, of Scripture and of Connection.

As we moved through the retreat, it was incredible to see our young adults taking time with each other. This included going for walks, beach swimming, enjoying a

brewery visit, sharing in lots of bible study and reflection time, singing and worshipping together, and listening and learning from each other when sharing in the Gospel of John. We spent a lot of time asking hard questions about what we can learn from Jesus in John that we might grow in love.

I want to say a heartfelt thanks to each of the Retreaters who shared, held space, listened, facilitated, led and took part. The Gospel of John spoils us with metaphors and images that might help those who are creative and engage deeply in retreat. It was as we unwrapped ourselves from the vines and ladders of life to look over parts of our branches and leaves, that we, in community, were gathered up, pruned, watered, cared for and took time to give thanks to that great Gardener, who from the beginning garden, and the one in the resurrection story knows us by name and calls us into them.

This weekend spent together was a true gift from the Moderator and Church. This break for our Young Adults who mostly voluntarily led, cared, took this message and found ways of integrating it into their work, university and life, really is a celebration to be a part of.

While Retreat Yourself is over for another year, we warmly invite all of our young adults to join us on Thursday 25 February at St Stephen's for Gather, for a potluck dinner and a conversation with UnitingWorld about Making a difference preparing for Lent. More information can be found here.

DAVID TOOGOOD EDUCATION AND RESOURCING FACILITATOR

AcClimatise

JIONE HAVEA

Mission Catalyst – Stewardship of the Earth

Climate change is one of the critical challenges of our time that needs to find more attention in worship events.

"The Lectionary is not tuned to the current realities of real life, such realities as bushfire season, hurricane season, the mourning of Indigenous people on Invasion Day," says author Jione Havea. "The project is an invitation and a dare, to make the lectionary see, hear and feel the conditions and the environment in which we live."

"In other words, to tune the lectionary to the conditions and the mournings of the earth."

"These reflections are offered to help advocate for climate justice," says Alimoni Taumoepeau.

"Please use these these reflections in your study groups and worship and service events. This is at the heart of our theme for Synod 2025 - Transforming Communities," says Moderator, Rev. Faaimata Havea Hiliau.

This conviction is behind the “Acclimatise (the) Lectionary” project, which will begin by providing weekly reflections to address the realities of climate change and the rise of climate injustice.

JIONE HAVEA

LECTIONARY REFLECTIONS

March An invitation to silence and repentance

Prepared by Rev. James Aaron - Pulse Young Adult Ministry Facilitator

MARCH 2 – TRANSFIGURATION

Exodus 34:29-35 Psalm 99 2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2 Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

The Incarnation and Transfiguration bookend the seasons of Christmas and Epiphany, before we move down the mountain through Lent and to the other side of Resurrection.

It is here that we see the experiences of the Old, a shiny faced Moses, from Exodus, Mount Sinai and commandments, and Elijah, Mount Horeb, and the still small voice of God, with the now Transfigured Jesus. The disciples have experienced the cloud, the voice and their mountain tops, and had revealed to them the relationship of God with creation (including their witness).

The invitation to silence after the fear and excitement for me seems a good moment to integrate and remember this experience, providing them and us time to realise that whilst their first instinct in fear and reverence was to build a dwelling right there for others to visit, It would be better that they take this experience, and all those which Jesus revealed to them, with them.

MARCH 5 - ASH WEDNESDAY

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Psalm 51:1-17 2 Corinthians 5:20b - 6:10 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 or Isaiah 58:1-12

Our readings draw us through the ashes and stories that prepare our hearts and heads for the penitence, prayer, fasting and almsgiving ahead.

There is much to reflect on for this day, when we proclaim the ashes to ashes in our humanity, and the promise of certain hope as we entertain, play with, and maybe even allow ourselves to step on the path to the cross.

MARCH 9 - LENT 1

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

Romans 10:8b-13 Luke 4:1-13

“Lead us not into temptation”. We are taught the words that Jesus had instructed to pray. As we collect ourselves on this our first Sunday of Lent, I am stirred to question how we are experiencing this waiting time.

Have we stopped and in our silence from the mountain top of last week and found the niggles in our bodies and minds? Did the ash from Ash Wednesday remind us

of the deep marks that life has left on us through loss and life? Have we forgotten to mark this time with something different?

Through the stories of Gardens and Wilderness, and when life is stretching us to capacity, we hear that surrounded by abundance there might be temptation, and surrounded by no one and the chaos of wilderness there might be temptation. So as we pray, lead us not into temptation this week as communities who gather on this first Sunday of Lent might we name our temptations, that with penitent hearts we might bring the roots of our temptations into the light.

MARCH 16 - LENT 2

WE ARE SAVED FOR NO OTHER REASON AND IT MAKES NO SENSE, BUT IT MAKES ME GLAD

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Psalm 27 Phil 3:17 - 4:1 Luke 13:31-35 or Luke 9:28-36 (37-43a)

As we encounter week 2 of Lent, and truly think about what this might be calling out in us, I want to share that I had it pointed out to me the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr who states in his autobiography before another attempt at crossing a bridge, “… if you can’t accept blows without retaliating don’t get in line. If you can accept it out of your commitment to nonviolence, you will somehow do something for this nation that may well save it…”

I don’t know if, or how many of us are called in this way today. I do know that there is violence, and those who put their own lives in front of the fire, I do know that where the footsteps land in this passage we see violence and death today. If we dare tackle this passage and step into courage, courage that enters the song, gathers with others, faces the alternatives to consumption, busyness and greed, and into embrace, collect and care we might find ourselves, as we have always been under the breast and wings of the Creator. This is courage already forged by the hands and feet of our Jesus… we do not enter alone.

MARCH 23 - LENT 3

Isaiah 55:1-9 Psalm 63:1-8 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9

Our Luke reading is no less than simple angst questions; does sin cause death and punishment? We want answers to why bad things happen and get told to repent. In Jesus response I hear us

being called to return, repent, look upon God instead of always trying to find reason, or as is often the case, blame. We might be being called to let go and embrace repentance through letting ourselves loose of the sin’s others might have sinned against us, whilst toiling to return the bits of ourselves we have left undone before God.

When we make a way for grace and possibility, we know that whilst bad things don’t make sense nor often does grace. The fig tree was not saved because it bore fruit, it was saved because it could bear it. We are saved for no other reason and it makes no sense, but it makes me glad.

MARCH 30 - LENT 4

Joshua 5:9-12 Psalm 32 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

During this time of lent, of coming to ourselves, senses and God, as we encounter lost sheep and hopeful fathers, I might ask, where is your hope? Where might you have disappointed, disregarded and forgotten?

‘Coming to his senses he thought, How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat?’.... and yet he is celebrated. Corinthians 5 talks of the old as gone and the new being here! And goes on, to say all of this is from God, who reconciled us to Godself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. I am heartened, and my load is lightened when I realise these words which drew us into union (The Basis of Union), repeated today in our readings, Jesus reconciles us to God, we just turn it over to him… what a friend!

April How might we live out the resurrection?

APRIL 20 - EASTER DAY

Acts 10:34-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 or John 20:1-18 or Isaiah 65:17-25 14-24 Acts 10:34-43 or Luke 24:1-12

Recently young adults gathered for a retreat and this reading was the last from John we were led by into our sharing and proclamation.

APRIL 6 - LENT 5

Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8

It is at this point in Lent when we know we are getting close because Jesus body is being prepared for betrayal and death. The lavish care and grace with which his body is prepared using nard (essential oil) by the disciple Mary is in stark contrast to the otherwise powerful and somewhat deceitful disciple Judas.

Likewise, what might seem like common sense when it comes to discipleship and service in our communities can be thrown out when we are faced with real life that should be put at the foot of the cross.

The hours spent with the dying, in preparation for a baptism, listening to someone’s story, and all the other bits and pieces that make up the care of our communities are all unquantifiable, and yet we pour them out anyway. We are a church of Mary’s, and that is true resistance to the alternative.

WE MEET FEAR AND GOOD NEWS, AND THE GOOD NEWS DOESN’T ERASE FEAR, BUT IGNITES HOPE

APRIL 13 - PALM SUNDAY

Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 118:1-2, Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 19:28-40, 19-29

This feels like a long way from the mountain of prayer and transfiguration. But we enter the week of gardens and mountains and whilst I want to tell of something new, of stirring this witness into a new revelation, I can’t help but look at the world we are in and lament.

When we choose to lay down our cloaks, and lives and celebrate the One who comes in the name of the Lord! The fulfilment of the story, and the coming close to the Passion, we enter Holy Week with the choice that we face every day, but especially this day and this week, will we make the stones cry out, or will we, with creation look for the coming Christ by turning from the kings and shiny neat things of humanity. And how will it change us?

The last throws of lent are upon us, and so is the reminder, if nothing has changed, if you have not searched or pondered, let this week wash your feet, hold you in the holy waiting, the dark hours, draw you like a lost sheep, or a chick out of the brood, for the resurrection is nearly here, what might it resurrect in you?

Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?

Jesus asks in this garden echoing the creation narration we know. And God, Jesus, knows her name and all is reconciled in this Garden.

Her response: I have seen the Lord!

Our young adults wondered: How do we hear God calling us by name? What does this say about God’s love for us? How can the resurrection shape the way we live out our love for God and others? When she turns to him grieving and weeping and she recognises him, her sorrows turn to joy… do we?

He is Risen! (INDEED), friends, and so maybe some of these questions might contribute to your body and communities celebrations. Blessings for this resurrection Sunday.

APRIL 27 - EASTER 2

Acts 5:27-32 Psalm 118:14-29 Revelation 1:4-18 John 20:19-31, Psalm 150

How might we live out the resurrection?

We meet fear and good news, and the good news doesn’t erase fear, but ignites hope. Jesus shows up, and they recognise him through the marks, the stripes and hole in his side and they rejoice and one even desires to touch and wonder and Jesus meets him where he was at.

I wonder if we turned away from the doubt of Thomas this time, and wondered alongside him, because the spectrum of fear and doubt, rejoicing and praise is not one or the other, but in this passage and many other experiences are a continuum that can be felt in the same body at the same time. In living out the resurrection we might try and let go of having to control all our emotions and take hold of the breath of peace which is offered.

May “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you”

MAY 4 - EASTER 3

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20) Psalm 30 Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19 (UnitingWorld Sunday)

The Gospel talks of casting nets, breakfast on a beach and a promise to feed his lambs, tend his sheep and the repeated waves of “Do you love me?”

How does the question resonate with you? Might fill your heart or hurt? And what does that look like to live out, for you and your community?

My time at the Wayside Chapel, reminded me again and again that love wins over hate when we choose love. It is what we said everyday, every meeting and in most spaces we were welcomed into. It is true because of how we met each other and lived our lives in that community. Since visiting Wayside, I have taken that voice with me and understood that it prevails and helps, holds me to account and cheers me on. But more importantly it works everywhere.

Today is also Uniting World Sunday. Is there a way for us to get involved in the mission and services of our communities and agencies that might be calling to or for us from this week's message? If Jesus was to ask us today “Do we love me?”, how will we respond? And how will we follow?

MAY 11 - EASTER 4

Acts 9:36-43 Psalm 23 Revelation 7:9-17 John 10:22-30

Elisabeth Johnson says: “The voice of the Good Shepherd is a voice that liberates rather than oppresses. It does not say, “do this, and then maybe you will be good enough to be one of my sheep.” It says, “you belong to me already. No one can snatch you out of my hand.”

Jesus is faced with questions of origin, of purpose and reason, are you possessed, or the Messiah, to be believed or cast out, and we know the outcome in the long term, but we follow this discourse today, post resurrection with eyes fresh from the tomb. We are still celebrating the possibility of hope and of freedom, of something new in our fourth week of Easter, and so we must ask, how might we live out in this liberation? What are we being liberated from? And if we are

already God’s own, and beloved, what might we put all the energy that we spent trying to make it up, and better yet, for who might we put all our energy on. It would be easy to hear that you are not enough, or that group of people are in, and that group of people are out, but todays Gospel reading reminds us to think differently, the voice of the Good Shepherd is known and doesn’t oppress.

MAY

18 - EASTER 5

Acts 11:1-18 Psalm 148 Revelation 21:1-6 John 13:31-35

Love one another. This is not the only time we talk of love post resurrection, which is not a shock. We have heard in our media of late a request, a yearning from a Bishop in another country to request grace and mercy to the people who are scared right now.

I can’t help but think how hard, regardless of your politics it would be to stand in front of power and plead on behalf of someone else. Love one another seems like such a world changing thing, and those moments are world changing, in one way or another. But this new commandment, goes above welcoming the stranger and engaging with your neighbour, celebrating the alien and engaging in the different. It says just as I have loved you.

How do we love like Christ?

The still small moments next to and with each other, the knowing nod at passersby, the being present to the check-out people and so on and so forth, reveal to us the cracks between the kingdom and heaven are closer than we think, these moments usually unlock for us a revelation that everyone has a story, that they could be doing the best they can, and that we could, maybe just love them a little.

In living out the question from the Easter, how might we live out the resurrection?

I am reminded of fear, all the way back at the transfiguration before we entered into lent, as Jesus says the words “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

I am certain that counter to the beliefs of a world that encourages an every person for themselves mentality, that there is a still, small, community of folk living out the big and faithful call of not being troubled.

It is because of this group of people that I know what it is to be fully me, fully embraced and fully called into community and into God, and there-in, part of my story to continue that line through my life and my work and indeed all that I can do.

Church, thank you for continuing these Words, Works and Wonders for another generation, and as we get ready for Pentecost and the ordinary time, lets till and make the harvest and hope as we get to it.

REV. JAMES AARON PULSE YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY FACILITATOR

THERE IS A STILL, SMALL, COMMUNITY OF FOLK LIVING OUT THE BIG AND FAITHFUL CALL OF NOT BEING TROUBLED

MAY 25 - EASTER 6

Acts 16:9-15 Ps 67 Revelation 21:10, 22 John 14:23-29 or 22:5 John 5:1-9

Our last week we are reminded of the advocate, the Holy Spirit, and the peace that is left with us.

What would Jesus think of ?AI

Every few weeks, headlines celebrate yet another breakthrough in AI. These achievements, the products of generative AI, have become routine in their ability to both amaze and unsettle. Yet amid the marvels, it is essential to pause and reflect on what AI truly offers. The promise of generative AI goes beyond technical feats—it represents a vision of ease and justice that seems tantalisingly within reach.

AIadvocates paint a world where work becomes simpler, society more equitable, and human error less consequential. They propose that AI will bypass the frailties of human judgment, ushering in a new era of mechanized fairness.

These are seductive promises, but are they aligned with the reality of our human nature and purpose? Or are they echoes of age-old temptations, repackaged in digital form?

THE TECHNO-OPTIMIST VISION

Marc Andreessen, a prominent venture capitalist, epitomizes the AI enthusiasm dominating Silicon Valley. In his 2023 Techno-Optimist Manifesto, Andreessen boldly claimed, “There is no material problem—whether created by nature or by technology—that cannot be solved with more technology.” His vision is utopian: technology will make “everyone rich, everything cheap, and everything abundant.”

For Andreessen, this abundance represents ease: a life free from toil, scarcity, and suffering. Simultaneously, he sees technology as a liberating force, promising a more just and equitable world. In his view, to slow the progress of AI would be to deny humanity its path to freedom, fulfillment, and dignity.

But Andreessen’s optimism rests on a mechanistic view of humanity. His manifesto suggests that people are not creatures called to live in relationship with one another and their Creator, but rather machines to be optimized, with technology as the ultimate solution.

JESUS AFFIRMS THAT LIFE’S HIGHEST GOOD LIES IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, NOT IN THE ELIMINATION OF DISCOMFORT

WARNINGS FROM FICTION

The allure of ease and justice through technology is not new. Science fiction authors have long warned against the dangers of reducing humanity to components of a machine. In Paul Kingsnorth’s dystopian novel Alexandria, humanity creates an AI called Wayland to preserve Earth’s resources after ecological collapse. Wayland offers salvation by transferring human consciousness into a digital medium, promising liberation from the hardships of embodied existence. Wayland’s appeal is twofold. First, it offers ease—a release from the suffering and labor of physical life. Second, it promises justice—a rational order free from humanity’s destructive tendencies. To achieve these ends, humans must relinquish their bodily existence, effectively surrendering their humanity.

Jesus’ responses remind us of the importance of means, not just ends. When tempted to turn stones into bread, he declares, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” By refusing to perform miracles for convenience, Jesus affirms that life’s highest good lies in relationship with God, not in the elimination of discomfort.

The final temptation—to rule the world by worshiping Satan— strikes at the heart of justice. Jesus could have achieved a just reign immediately, but at the cost of his divine mission. His rejection of this offer underscores that God’s kingdom cannot be separated from the sacrificial love embodied in the Cross.

THIS SLOWNESS WAS NOT A FLAW BUT A REFLECTION OF DIVINE LOVE—A LOVE THAT VALUES PRESENCE, RELATIONSHIP, AND THE INDIVIDUAL

THE INEFFICIENCY OF LOVE

Jesus’ ministry was marked by inefficiency, a stark contrast to the machine-like precision of AI. He healed the sick one by one, taught in parables that required contemplation, and chose to disciple a small group of followers rather than broadcasting his message universally. This slowness was not a flaw but a reflection of divine love—a love that values presence, relationship, and the individual.

Wendell Berry, a farmer-poet, captures this sentiment in his observation that modern life risks dividing people into those who “wish to live as creatures” and those who “wish to live as machines.” To live as creatures is to embrace the limitations and messiness of human life, finding meaning in relationships and shared struggles.

In contrast, AI tempts us to live as machines, optimizing every aspect of life for efficiency and comfort. Yet this approach erodes the very humanity it seeks to enhance. True justice and compassion require personal attention, not impersonal algorithms.

THE CALL TO CREATURELY LIVING

How, then, should we respond to the promises of AI based on what Jesus would do?

Resist the Temptation of Ease

Technologies that promise to simplify our lives should be approached with caution. While tools can be helpful, they should not replace the slow, personal work of love and care. Whether it’s cooking a meal for family or listening to a friend in need, these acts of attention and presence cannot be automated.

Embrace the Inefficiency of Love

Love is inherently inefficient. It requires time, effort, and vulnerability. Jesus’ healing of the blind man in Mark 8 illustrates this beautifully. The man’s healing unfolds in stages, reflecting the disciples’ gradual understanding of Jesus’ identity. This inefficiency is not a failure but an invitation to participate in God’s redemptive work.

Prioritise Relationships Over Outcomes

The parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that justice is not about maximizing efficiency but about responding to the needs of those around us. The Samaritan’s care for the injured man was costly and time-consuming, yet it embodied the love of neighbor that Jesus calls us to.

Celebrate Gratuitous Acts of Grace

In a world driven by metrics and outcomes, acts of gratuitous grace—writing a poem, sharing a meal, or giving generously—remind us of the beauty of life lived in relationship with God and others. These acts defy the logic of utility, reflecting the abundant grace of the gospel.

PROMISES, PROMISES

AI offers the allure of ease and justice, but these promises come with profound risks. As creatures made in the image of God, we are called to live in relationship with one another, embracing the slow, messy, and sacrificial work of love.

Jesus resisted the Devil’s temptations, choosing the path of suffering and presence over shortcuts to power. In doing so, he demonstrated that true justice and compassion are inseparable from the means by which they are achieved.

As we navigate an age increasingly shaped by AI, let us follow Jesus’ example, living as creatures who value relationships over efficiency and grace over optimization. Only then can we resist the false promises of technology and embody the love of God in a world longing for hope and redemption.

This version expands on the original themes while keeping the focus on how the temptations of AI intersect with human nature, faith, and ethical living.

ADRIAN DRAYTON

Conclave's debate gives hope for the Church

Director Edward Berger’s Conclave is a riveting adaptation of Robert Harris’s bestselling novel, bringing together intrigue, moral dilemmas, and the weight of tradition in a story that asks fundamental questions about the Catholic Church’s future.

Led by Ralph Fiennes in a captivating performance, the film dives deep into the machinations of power and faith within the cloistered walls of the Sistine Chapel, where the election of a new pope threatens to upend centuries of tradition—or cement the Church’s identity as a bastion of conservatism.

The story begins with the death of the reigning pope under mysterious circumstances, setting the stage for a tense and highly secretive conclave where 117 cardinals must choose the next leader of the Catholic Church. Ralph Fiennes portrays Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, tasked with overseeing the gruelling voting process which has the cardinals locked in the Sistine Chapel until they have consensus. Fiennes brings a quiet gravitas to the role, portraying Lawrence as a man grappling with his own faith while attempting to navigate the political currents and personal ambitions of his fellow cardinals.

As the conclave unfolds, we’re introduced to a cast of compelling characters, each representing a different vision for the Church’s future. There’s Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), a reformist advocating for a more progressive Church; Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), a charismatic figure with a knack for media savvy; and Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), a rising star from Africa whose candidacy raises questions about the global reach and inclusivity of Catholicism. These figures serve as proxies for larger ideological battles, with their alliances, betrayals, and secrets driving much of the film’s suspense.

Berger masterfully captures the claustrophobic atmosphere of the conclave, using tight framing, dim lighting, and an evocative score to underscore the weight of the cardinals’ decision. The film’s pacing is deliberate rather than plodding, allowing for moments of quiet introspection that are as gripping as the more overtly dramatic scenes. Fiennes excels in these quieter moments, conveying a deep inner turmoil that mirrors the Church’s existential crisis.

Thematically, Conclave is a profound exploration of the Catholic Church at a crossroads. The film asks whether the Church should remain

rooted in its traditions, offering a steadfast moral anchor in an ever-changing world, or embrace progressive reforms to stay relevant in the 21st century. This tension is personified in the cardinals themselves, whose personal convictions and hidden agendas reflect the broader struggles facing religious institutions today.

One of the film’s strengths is its refusal to offer easy answers. The conservative faction’s emphasis on stability and moral clarity is contrasted with the reformists’ call for inclusivity and adaptability. These debates are framed not as binary choices but as part of a larger, ongoing conversation about the Church’s role in a rapidly evolving world.

The screenplay, adapted by Berger and playwright Peter Morgan, balances these weighty themes with moments of human vulnerability and even dark humour. The cardinals, despite their lofty positions, are portrayed as deeply flawed and human, with their ambitions, fears, and insecurities laid bare amongst their peers. This approach not only makes the characters relatable but also underscores the enormity of the task they face.

The film’s climax, which revolves around a shocking revelation and a surprising twist in the election, is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. Without delving into spoilers, it’s safe to say that the ending challenges viewers to consider what leadership truly means in the context of faith—and whether the path forward requires compromise, courage, or a leap of faith.

While Conclave is undeniably a gripping drama, it also serves as a meditation on the nature of faith, power, and the human condition. It invites viewers—religious and secular alike—to reflect on their own beliefs and the role of tradition and change in shaping institutions and identities. Conclave is a thought-provoking and impeccably crafted film that offers a timely exploration of one of the world’s oldest and most influential institutions. By weaving together personal drama and ideological debate, it captures the essence of a Church at a turning point, torn between its past and its potential future.

ADRIAN DRAYTON

A unique opportunity to put yourself in the shoes of those experiencing homelessness, hardship or disadvantage, and to better understand the challenges they face.

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