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The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) was formed on June 22, 1977 when the Methodist Church of Australasia, Presbyterian Church of Australia and Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union document. UCA logo Image is public domain. ...
UCA logo Image is public domain. ...
June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ...
For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...
The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ...
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. ...
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation indepedently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ...
The Basis of Union (often termed the BoU) is the document which formed the basis of the union of the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches of Australia to form the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) in 1977. ...
The third largest denomination in Australia (the Roman Catholic and the Anglican churches are larger), the UCA has 312,858 members in 2,247 congregations (2000 figures). The Roman Catholic Church in Australia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. ...
The Anglican Church of Australia, a member church of the Anglican Communion, was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia (renamed in 1981). ...
This article is about the year 2000. ...
Organisation
The UCA is governed by a series of councils: with a lay (non-ordained) majority on each. A congregation is an assembly of people for a given purpose. ...
A presbytery can be the residence of one or more presbyters, priests, or religious elders; or an area of a church or cathedral reserved for priests; or the collective college of priests in a diocese, archdiocese, or prelature; or the local unit in the polity of a Presbyterian church, consisting...
A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. ...
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all lay persons collectively. ...
The offices of President of Assembly and Moderator of Synod (who chair these councils) are open to all members of the UCA, whether lay or ordained, male or female.
The UCA is a non-episcopal church, that is has no bishops. The leadership and pastoral role in the UCA is performed by Presbytery as a body (meeting). Many members would understand the 'Chairperson of Presbytery' or the 'Moderator' of the Synod as exercising this role. This position may be occupied by an ordained minister or a lay person. In many Presbyteries there is also a 'Presbytery Officer' who may be ordained or a lay-minister. The Presbytery Officer in many cases functions as a Pastoral Minister, a pastor to the pastors (a Pastor Pastorum) to people in ministry. Other Presbyteries use this position for Mission Consultancy work and others for Administrative work. Episcopacy is the regime of church government by bishops (Lat. ...
A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ...
Liber Regulae Pastoralis (The Book of the Pastoral Rule, commonly known in English as Pastoral Care, a translation of the alternative Latin title Cura Pastoralis) is a treatise on the responsibilities of the clergy written by Pope Gregory I around the year 590, shortly after his papal inauguration. ...
Holy Orders in the modern Roman Catholic Church and in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Assyrian, Old Catholic, and Independent Catholic Churches, includes three degrees: bishop, priest, and deacon. ...
Pastor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...
Assembly Image:Deandrayton.jpg Dean Drayton The national Assembly meets every three years, and is chaired by a national President. The 10th triennial Assembly met in Melbourne in July 2003. City of Melbourne Local Government Area State Victoria Lord Mayor John So (since 2001) Area 36 km² Population (2001) 57,960 Density 1,601/km² (1999) Greater Melbourne Subdivisions Local Government Areas Area 7,694 km² (1999) Population 2001 census (2nd in Australia) 3,555,321 Density 462. ...
July is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ...
2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The current President is Rev Dr Dean Drayton. Rev Dr Dean Drayton B.Sc. ...
The President-elect is Rev Gregor Henderson, formerly General Secretary of the UCA, and currently chair of Christian World Service of the National Council of Churches in Australia. Background to the Ecumenical Movement in Australia and the NCCA The modern ecumenical movement began to take shape as the 19th century drew to a close. ...
For a list of Assembly dates, locations, and leaders, see below.
Between the Assembly meetings, the business of Assembly is conducted by the Assembly Standing Committee that meets three times a year, usually March, July and November. Membership of the committee is drawn from around Australia with 18 people elected at each Assembly.
Synods The Synods meet regularly. Some Synods meet every year (e.g. NSW-ACT). Others meet every eighteen months or every two years (e.g. Queensland and South Australia). Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Nickname: Sunshine State/Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Governor Premier Const. ...
Motto: United for the Common Wealth Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Governor Premier Const. ...
There are six Synods:
Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ...
Motto: Pro Rege, Lege et Grege (For the Queen, the Law and the People) Nickname: (none) Other Australian states and territories Capital Canberra Government Administrator Chief Minister Const. ...
Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Nickname: Sunshine State/Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Governor Premier Const. ...
Motto: United for the Common Wealth Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Governor Premier Const. ...
Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Governor Premier Const. ...
Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th) - Land 227,416 km² - Water 10,213 km² (4. ...
Motto: Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Nickname: The Apple Isle Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Governor Premier Const. ...
Motto: None Nickname: ? Other Australian states and territories Capital Darwin Government Administrator Chief Minister Const. ...
Presbyteries Generally each Synod comprises a number of Presbyteries.
South Australia has moved to unitary Presbytery-Synod model and is investigating formally setting up interest groups/networks in this structure.
It is at the level of the Presbytery that decisions are made regarding:
- selection to canditure to ministry:
- placement of ministers
Congregations Congregations are the church locally. They are the setting of regular worship, generally meeting on Sundays, many churches also conduct worship services at other times, for example a monthly weekday service, a late-night service for day shift workers, cafe church, or Saturday or Friday evenings. In the protestant denominations of Christianity, a service of worship is a meeting whose primary purpose is the worship of God. ...
A meeting of the Congregation must be held at least once each year. This meeting(s) typically considers and approves the budget, any over-arching policy matters of a local nature, property matters (which have to be ratified by Presbytery and Synod agencies) and the 'call' (employment) of a new minister or other staff.
Congregations manage themselves through a Council. All Elders are members, as are ministers with pastoral responsibility for the congregation, there may also be other members. The Council meets regularly and is responsible for approving the times of the worship services and other matters.
There are some united congregations. In some locations, the UCA has joined with other churches (such as Baptist and Churches of Christ in Australia. There are also a range of cooperative arrangements where resourcing ministry to congregations is not possible, particularly in rural and remote areas. you are a bum face ...
The Churches of Christ in Australia is part of the Restoration Movement. ...
'Faith communities' are less structured than congregations. They are groupings of people who gather together for worship, witness or service and choose to be recognised by the Presbytery.
Local churches are often also used by congregations of other church denominations. For example, a Tongan Seventh-day Adventist congregation may make arrangements to meet in the building on a Saturday. The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA), colloquially referred to as the Adventists, is an evangelical Protestant Christian denomination that grew out of the prophetic Millerite movement in the United States during the middle part of the 19th century. ...
The UCA is predominantly anglo, however it is committed to being inclusive and there are a number of multicultural arrangements, with Korean, Tongan, and other groups forming congregations of the church. The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress oversee a number of congregations focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Agencies UnitingCare as a whole is the largest operator of general social care activities in Australia, including being the largest operator of aged care facilities. Other activities include: 'central missions'; shelters and emergency housing for men, women, and children; family relationships support; disability services; food kitchens for underprivileged people (example: Exodus Foundation at Ashfield Uniting Church in Sydney). Sydney is the capital city of the Australian state of New South Wales and Australias largest and oldest city (founded in 1788). ...
Assembly and Synods have a number of other 'agencies', examples are:
- Assembly
- Synods
- NSW - Rural Evangelism and Mission
- WA - Social Justice and Uniting International Mission
- Vic/Tas - Working Group on Christian-Jewish relations
- SA - Mission Resourcing Network
- QLD - Youth And Children's Ministry Unit (YACMU)
The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress is the arm of the Uniting Church in Australia that collectively represents the Australian Aborigine and Torres Strait Islander people who are members of the Christian church. ...
Education The UCA provides theological training and ministerial formation through a number of theological colleges. All of these are members of ecumenical theological consortia, such as the Adelaide College of Divinity, the Brisbane College of Theology and the long established Melbourne College of Divinity. Generally training takes five years and involves substantial supervised practical experience. For example Parkin-Wesley College is a member of the Adelaide College of Divinity The Adelaide College of Divinity Inc. ...
Brisbane College of Theology, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is a University-level tertiary college devoted to the teaching of theology and Christian ministry. ...
The Melbourne College of Divinity (MCD) is located in Melbourne, in the Australian state of Victoria, it was constituted by a 1910 Act of the Parliament of Victoria. ...
Parkin-Wesley College, South Australia, is a Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) Theological College for the education and training of both lay people and those for specified ministries including the diaconate and youth worker. ...
The Adelaide College of Divinity Inc. ...
The UCA is also associated with a number of schools and residential university colleges, for example in Adelaide, among others there are Scotch College, Pedare Christian College, Prince Alfred College, and Lincoln College. Scotch College established in 1851, is the oldest school in Victoria. ...
This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...
The main building of Prince Alfred College, as seen from Dequetteville Terrace. ...
Christian education is provided for all members of the Uniting Church, for all ages, through local congregations and agencies such as Coolamon College.
Ministry in the UCA The role of the laity is valued in the UCA, specific roles include elder and Lay Preacher. In religious organizations, the laity comprises all lay persons collectively. ...
A religious elder (in Greek, presbuteros) is valued for his or her wisdom, in part for their age, by the logic that the older one is then the more one is likely to know. ...
Preacher is a colloquial term for a clergyman, in particular a local priest, pastor or Minister; one who preaches. ...
There are two orders of ministry in the Uniting Church, these are: Holy Orders in the modern Roman Catholic Church and in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Assyrian, Old Catholic, and Independent Catholic Churches, includes three degrees: bishop, priest, and deacon. ...
In most Protestant churches, a minister is a member of the ordained clergy who leads a congregation or participates in a role in a parachurch ministry; such a person may also be called a Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Chaplain or Elder. ...
In situations where it is not possible or desired to have an ordained minister a Lay Pastor, or Lay Ministry Teams may minister, particularly in rural areas. The diaconate is one of three ordained offices in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches. ...
Culture The UCA is a uniquely Australian denomination and seeks to share Jesus in authentic "Aussie" ways.
It was one of the first Australian churches to grant self-determination to its Indigenous Australian members through the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress. Australian Aborigines are the indigenous peoples of Australia. ...
The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress is the arm of the Uniting Church in Australia that collectively represents the Australian Aborigine and Torres Strait Islander people who are members of the Christian church. ...
Partnerships also continue with South Pacific and Asian churches, especially those which share a Congregational, Presbyterian or Methodist heritage. An increasing number of ethnic churches worship in their own languages as well as in English.
The UCA has a strongly felt and argued sense of social justice. It has taken stances on issues such as native title for Indigenous people, the Environment, Apartheid, status of refugees, and provision of safe injection facilities for drug users. These stances have been expressed in practical involvement as well as in political comment and advocacy. Social Justice is a concept that has fascinated philosophers ever since Plato rebuked the young Sophist, Thrasymachus, for asserting that justice was whatever the strongest decided it would be. ...
Native title, or indigenous land rights, is a concept in the law of Australia that recognises the continued ownership of land by local Australian Aborigines or Torres Strait Islanders. ...
A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ...
Liturgy Liturgically the UCA is varied, pactice ranges from experimental liturgies, informal worship reminiscent of the 'Jesus Revolution' of the 1970s to conventional reformed services. Music is likewise varied, from traditional hymns especially from the superseded but still popular Australian Hymn Book through Hillsong and Contemporary Christian music to hard Christian alternative music and Christian metal. From the Greek word λειτουÏγια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may refer to, or include, an elaborate formal ritual (such as the Catholic Mass), a daily activity such...
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organizationally independent. ...
The Australian Hymn Book was published in 1977, and was the culmination of almost ten years work by an ecumenical committee intent on producing a new, contemporary and inclusive hymn book that could be used in worship by the varied Christian congregations across Australia. ...
Hillsong Church Australia worship leader Darlene Zschech Hillsong Music collectively refers to the Christian music produced by the Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia as well as offshoot churches, Hillsong London and Hillsong Kiev. ...
With Footnotes 2nd Chapter of Acts (1974) Contemporary Christian Music (or CCM) is a somewhat outdated term originally used in the 1970s to describe a new form of pop/rock music that was lyrically based in the Christian faith. ...
Plankeye Christian alternative music is a form of alternative rock music lyrically grounded in a Christian worldview. ...
Christian metal is a form of heavy metal music with explicitly Christian lyrics and themes. ...
Decision making Since 1997 most of these councils and agencies have operated under the consensus decision making procedures outlined in the church's Manual for Meetings. These procedures may use orange ('support') and blue ('do not support') cards, which may be displayed at many times, not just when a vote is called. The idea behind this is about trying to hear the Spirit of God through the gathered community rather than through individuals. Consensus decision-making is a decision process that not only seeks the agreement of most participants, but also to resolve or mitigate the objections of the minority to achieve the most agreeable decision. ...
Commitment to ecumenism The Uniting Church is example of ecumenism, it is one of a number of uniting-united churches globally. Christian ecumenism is the promotion of unity or cooperation between distinct religious groups or denominations of the Christian religion, more or less broadly defined. ...
The Uniting Church, as were its precursors, is engaged in ecumenical activities;
The UCA is affiliated with the: Background to the Ecumenical Movement in Australia and the NCCA The modern ecumenical movement began to take shape as the 19th century drew to a close. ...
A denomination, in the Christian sense of the word, is an identifiable religious body, organization under a common name, structure, and/or doctrine. ...
The Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organisation representing 15 National Councils and over 100 churches in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand. ...
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) is a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th-century Reformation. ...
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is the principal international Christian ecumenical organization. ...
The World Methodist Council is a group composed of most of the worlds Wesleyan / Methodist denominations, working toward mission and unity. ...
Theology The range of theology perspectives in the UCA is broad, reflecting its Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational origins and its commitment to ecumenism. The theology can be typified as mainline protestant with a commitment to social justice with a strong representation of what has been called the Confessing Movement in some places with vigorous debate occurring at times. The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ...
Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ...
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation indepedently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ...
Mainline is also rail terminology for the main and often most transited portion of a railroad, which is usually double- or more track. ...
Social Justice is a concept that has fascinated philosophers ever since Plato rebuked the young Sophist, Thrasymachus, for asserting that justice was whatever the strongest decided it would be. ...
The Confessing Movement is a neo-Evangelical movement within several mainline Protestant churches to return those churches to what the members of this movement see as greater theological orthodoxy. ...
Theological perspectives found in the Uniting Church:
Traditional concerns of evangelical UCA members of morality, faith and theology have been important. These concerns focus on the understanding of the Bible and issues of accommodation to the dominant culture. The Evangelical Members within the Uniting Church in Australia (EMU), gained prominence as a result of their opposition to gay ordination in the lead up to the 1997 Assembly (previously Evangelical Ministers of the UCA) and The Reforming Alliance are examples of the Confessing Movement. The word evangelicalism usually refers to a tendency in diverse branches of Protestantism, typified by an emphasis on evangelism, a personal experience of conversion, biblically-oriented faith, and a belief in the relevance of Christian faith to cultural issues. ...
This article concerns the self-labelled Fundamentalist Movement in Protestant Christianity. ...
Mainline is also rail terminology for the main and often most transited portion of a railroad, which is usually double- or more track. ...
The Christian Left encompasses those who hold a strong Christian belief and share left-wing or socialist ideals. ...
...
// Introduction Liberal Christianity, Progressive Christianity or Liberalism is a movement within Christianity that is often characterized by the following features: internal diversity of opinion an embracing of higher criticism of the Bible with a corresponding willingness to question supernatural elements of biblical stories (e. ...
The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. ...
The Evangelical Members within the Uniting Church in Australia, or EMU for short, is a conservative lobby group within the denomination. ...
The Confessing Movement is a neo-Evangelical movement within several mainline Protestant churches to return those churches to what the members of this movement see as greater theological orthodoxy. ...
Ordination of homosexual people The issues regularly debated almost from the inception of the UCA is the place of homosexual people in the church, and the issue of their ordination. Holy Orders in the modern Roman Catholic Church and in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Assyrian, Old Catholic, and Independent Catholic Churches, includes three degrees: bishop, priest, and deacon. ...
The fairly broad consensus has been that a person's sexual orientation should not be a bar to attendance, membership or participation in the life of the church. Controversial has been about the issue of sexual activity by homosexual people (in terms of godly living), and arising from this, the question of appropriate behaviour for ordination candidates. Sexual orientation refers to the sex or gender of people who are the focus of a persons amorous or erotic desires, fantasies, and spontaneous feelings, the gender(s) toward which one is primarily oriented. The alternative terms sexual preference and sexual inclination have similar meanings. ...
Development - 1982 Assembly Standing Committee (ASC) decided that homosexual orientation was not a bar to ordination and left the decision about candidature with the Presbytery.
- 1997 Assembly after an emotional debate, a decision on the issue was not made
- 2000 Assembly decided not to discuss homosexuality.
- 2003 Assembly attempted to clarify the church's earlier position:
- a resolution was passed recognising that people within the UCA had interpreted the scriptures with integrity in coming to two opposed views
- That based on these different views some concluded that a practicing homosexual person in a committed same sex relationship could be ordained as a minister and others not.
- The recognition of the two positions failed to distinguish between orientation and behaviour, this surprised many as it went further than the 1982 Assembly Standing Committee decision.
- Post 2003 Assembly:
- Uniting Network, a group for supporters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered UCA members welcomed the decision. Although some saw it as a compromise from their preferred position. (Uniting Network formed out of bi-annual gatherings of homosexual Christians begun in 1994.)
- many members of the UCA and particularly EMU condemned the decision
- The Reforming Alliance was set up - representing EMU, many ethnic congregations and the many in the UAICC.
- The ASC subsequently varied the wording of the resolution to remove reference to specific positions, so as not to affirm any particular standard of sexual ethics. The ASC also issued an apology that better communication did not occur leading up to 2003 Assembly
- Leading up to the 2006 Assembly, a church wide process of response, reflection and preparation has been initiated.
1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
This article is about the year 2000. ...
2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Uniting Network is a group for supporters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered members of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA). ...
Transgender is generally used as a catch-all umbrella term for a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups centered around the full or partial reversal of gender roles; however, compare other definitions below. ...
The Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress is the arm of the Uniting Church in Australia that collectively represents the Australian Aborigine and Torres Strait Islander people who are members of the Christian church. ...
Current situation The Assembly resolution and subsequent material from the ASC made it clear that when Presbyteries select candidates for ministry they may be guided by a Presbytery commitment to a particular approach to sexual ethics, but each determination of candidature must still be made on a case by case basis.
Assembly, Dates, Leaders and Locations (President; General Secretary)
1. June 1977 J Davis McCaughey; Winston O’Reilly; Sydney
2. May 1979 Winston O’Reilly; Winston O’Reilly to December 1979; Melbourne
3. May 1982 Rollie Busch; David Gill from January 1980 ; Adelaide
4. May 1985 Ian Tanner; David Gill; Sydney
5. May 1988 Ronald Wilson; David Gill to July 1988; Melbourne
6. July 1991 H D’Arcy Wood; Gregor Henderson from January 1989; Brisbane
7. July 1994 Jill Tabart; Gregor Henderson; Sydney
8. July 1997 John E Mavor; Gregor Henderson; Perth
9. July 2000 James Haire; Gregor Henderson; Adelaide
10. July 2003 Dean Drayton; Terence Corkin from January 2001; Melbourne
11. 2006 Gregor Henderson (elect) John Davis McCaughey (12 July 1914 in Belfast, Northern Ireland - 25 March 2005 Melbourne, Victoria) was an eminent theologian, church and university administrator, and was Governor of Victoria from 1986-1992. ...
Sydney is the capital city of the Australian state of New South Wales and Australias largest and oldest city (founded in 1788). ...
City of Melbourne Local Government Area State Victoria Lord Mayor John So (since 2001) Area 36 km² Population (2001) 57,960 Density 1,601/km² (1999) Greater Melbourne Subdivisions Local Government Areas Area 7,694 km² (1999) Population 2001 census (2nd in Australia) 3,555,321 Density 462. ...
Adelaide is the capital city of the Australian state of South Australia. ...
Sydney is the capital city of the Australian state of New South Wales and Australias largest and oldest city (founded in 1788). ...
Sir Ronald Wilson Sir Ronald Wilson, AC , KBE , CMG , QC , LL.M , LL.B ( 23 August 1922- 15 July 2005) was born on 23 August 1922 . ...
Brisbane is the capital city of the state of Queensland, Australia. ...
Perth is the capital city of Western Australia. ...
Rev Dr Dean Drayton B.Sc. ...
See also Christian ecumenism is the promotion of unity or cooperation between distinct religious groups or denominations of the Christian religion, more or less broadly defined. ...
The Confessing Movement is a neo-Evangelical movement within several mainline Protestant churches to return those churches to what the members of this movement see as greater theological orthodoxy. ...
This article does not cite its references or sources. ...
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