23/07/2026
It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Rev Dr John Brown AM, one of the Uniting Church in Australia’s most influential leaders, who died last Friday, 17 July, at the age of 92.
A faithful servant of Jesus, John helped shape the theological imagination, mission priorities and public witness of the Uniting Church for more than four decades. His was a ministry defined not by personal prominence, but by faithful leadership, genuine relationships and an unwavering conviction that God’s mission is lived through justice, partnership and reconciliation.
His enduring legacy can be seen in the Uniting Church’s commitment to Covenanting with the UAICC - Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, its understanding of itself as a multicultural Church, its global vision for mission and its long-standing partnership with the Korean Church. Through patient leadership and unwavering determination, John helped lay foundations that continue to guide the Church today.
“John was one of the Church’s significant leaders, and a pioneer of multicultural and covenant ministry in the UCA,” said Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli.
“As we give thanks for John’s faithful life and witness, we hold his family, friends and all who mourn his passing in our prayers. In the hope of the resurrection, we commend him into the eternal love and mercy of God, giving thanks for a life faithfully lived in the service of Jesus Christ.”
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Vale Rev Dr John Brown AM: a faithful pioneer of the Uniting Church July 20, 2026 It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Rev Dr John B