Uniting Church in SA

23/10/2026

We continue to hold Dr Helen Haines MP in our prayers. UCA President Rev Charissa Suli has prepared a Prayer for Healing and Peace for use in worship (linked below).

𝗔 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱: 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲
𝗔 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗶, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

As we continue to hold Dr Helen Haines MP, her husband Phil, and their family and the Wangaratta community in our prayers, we recognise the profound suffering caused by this devastating attack and the concern it has stirred across our nation.

At a time when many Australians are troubled by hostility, threats and intimidation in public life, we are reminded of our shared responsibility for how we speak about and treat one another. Whatever the motive behind this attack, violence and intimidation have no place in our communities or in public life.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus says, “𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥” (Matthew 5:9).

These words are both a promise and a call. The peace of Christ is more than the absence of violence or disagreement. It is a gift that calls us to live differently, recognising that every person is created in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity and worth, even when our convictions differ profoundly.

Peacemaking does not mean avoiding difficult conversations or staying silent in the face of injustice. We are called to speak the truth and challenge injustice without resorting to contempt, hostility or dehumanisation. The words we use matter, even within our own Church. We cannot proclaim the peace of Christ while failing to practise it in how we listen, speak and treat one another.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to nurture communities where people can disagree without fear, where justice is upheld, and where compassion and reconciliation shape our way of living together.

This Sunday, I invite congregations and faith communities across the Uniting Church to join in prayer for Helen, Phil, and their family; for those caring for her; and for the Wangaratta community. Let us also pray for those entrusted with public leadership, for peace throughout our nation, and for the courage to live out peace in our own communities.

In these difficult days, may we hold fast to the hope of the risen Christ, who comes to us in our fear with the words, “𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶”.

May that peace bring comfort to all who are grieving or afraid, sustain those who are suffering, and guide us as we seek to live faithfully together.

𝗥𝗲𝘃 Charissa Suli
𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮

Read the President's Prayer here: tinyurl.com/uca-pp-oct26

23/10/2026

Our Synod recently committed itself to working towards gambling reforms at a state and national level.

Gambling Harm Action Week (25–31 October) is a statewide initiative. We have designated Sunday 25 October as our prayer focus day.

Partnering with Wesley Mission in Sydney, we are providing resources for congregations and faith communities across our Synod. These include prayer resources and a guide to pokies-free venues across SA.

Find resources here 👉 https://bit.ly/4zPDIFz

22/10/2026

Reflection of the week: The greatest commandment ❤️

This week in the lectionary we have the Pharisees trying once again to trap Jesus with a tricky question – “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” (Matthew 22:36) – to which Jesus responds:

‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:37–39)

Touché! I think we need to take special notice of the order, however, because in second place comes the rule we typically put first – which is widely known as the “Golden Rule”. Jesus’ great mission was to teach about and incarnate divine love into the world – divine as opposed to human love – that is, selfless, unconditional, agape love.

I commend CS Lewis’s marvellous The Four Loves to you. We humans are great lovers, naturally: affection (storge), friendship (philia), romantic love (eros), we lavish it all, generously. But unless these natural loves of ours are informed on a regular basis by selfless agape love that we can only get from God, they just as naturally morph into disaffection, hatred, jealousy and violence, when we don’t get what we want in return.

So, by all means, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But Jesus recommends that you first prayerfully put your whole heart, soul and mind into the task of loving God, then wait faithfully for the gift/grace/agape download that will surely come your way – and then, and only then, go about the business of loving your neighbour as yourself.

✍️ Fergus McGinley

Read the full reflection online here 👉 https://bit.ly/4BkXydu

20/10/2026

Westminster School is seeking a full-time Chaplain to provide spiritual leadership and pastoral care to its community.

This role will:
✔️ Offer counselling to students, staff, families and old scholars
✔️ Lead and coordinate worship services
✔️ Support social justice initiatives and religious education programs.

Read the full position description and apply here 👉 https://bit.ly/3UDDG4B

20/10/2026

We acknowledge the recent passing of the Hon Neil Andrew AO at the age of 82 after a long and distinguished career in public life at every level, from his involvement in his local Riverland community, to his contributions to the state, country, and the Uniting Church.

A State Memorial Service for Neil will be held today at Pilgrim Uniting Church, 12 Flinders Street, Adelaide. The service will begin at 2 pm, and a livestream will be available to watch online.

Watch the service here 👇

Pilgrim Uniting Church, Adelaide, South AustraliaState Memorial Se...

20/10/2026

UCA President Rev Charissa Suli has shared a prayer for Independent Federal MP Helen Haines, who is in a critical condition following a serious incident yesterday afternoon.

“We hold Helen, her family, friends, staff and the wider Indi community in our prayers at this distressing time. We pray for her healing and recovery, for wisdom and skill for those providing her medical care, and for comfort and strength for all who have been affected by this incident.”

Read the President’s prayer here 👇

Prayers for Dr Helen Haines, MP October 19, 2026 A prayer from the National President, Rev Charissa Suli. I invite the Uniting Church across Australia t

19/10/2026

It was a joy to formally induct Rev Christine Gilbert into the role of Publications Coordinator with the Mission Resourcing team.

Christine brings a wealth of experience as a writer, editor, and congregational minister to the role.

Congratulations, Christine!

16/10/2026

We’re looking for a Coordinator for Uniting College for Leadership & Theology’s exciting new program, Stepping Through the Gap! 🚶‍♂️

Stepping Through the Gap (SttG) is a year-long formation program for young adults who have recently completed Year 12 or are considering other undergraduate study.

The SttG Coordinator will work closely with participants, faculty staff, mentors, congregations and partner organisations.

If you’re enthusiastic about making a meaningful contribution to the faith journey and development of young adults, visit our website to learn more and apply 👉 https://bit.ly/4B6dvUH

16/10/2026

Congratulations to Grant Pearson on his commissioning as Chaplaincy and Professional Standards Manager!

A Commissioning Service was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Synod Office.

We’re thrilled to welcome Grant to the Placements and Safe Church team in a permanent capacity following his interim contract in this role.

15/10/2026

Reflection of the week: Welcoming the stranger 🤝

As Australians, we are a country made up of a diversity of people. Recently we have seen some of the political conversation turn to migration, with migrants and refugees talked about as though they are just numbers. Some say that these numbers need to be reduced.

Hospitality is a core tenet of our faith – hospitality to all and not just some. Many Bible verses refer to welcoming the stranger, with perhaps the most well-known being Jesus saying, “I was a stranger and you invited me in”.

My call to ministry as a deacon in the Uniting Church became most evident through visiting refugees and asylum seekers at Baxter Detention Centre. As we listened to their stories, I knew that Jesus was with us in these encounters. Any barriers that might have been there were overcome by realising our common humanity and our common need for hope, rather than fear. Getting to know people from different countries gave me a wider perspective on faith and life.

The stories of these asylum seekers have now mostly been woven into the bigger story of modern-day Australia. They were eventually released from detention, found jobs, married, have children and are proud to call Australia home. I believe that in this time of global insecurity, it is up to us, following in the way of Jesus, to continue to welcome the stranger and offer compassion to all.

✍️ Rev Christa Megaw

Read the full reflection online here 👉 https://bit.ly/47maKkp