NEWS/MEDIA at the 10th Assembly

Reaching out to young people

Younger people are looking for new forms of faith communities, Rev Dr Dean Drayton said during a “Meet the president” press conference on Sunday.

Dr. Dean Drayton meets the children taking part in KUCA - A (Kids of the Uniting Church in Australia - Assembly)

He said he had been chairperson for the National Church Life Survey for 20 years.
“ It’s quite clear that the last two generations – the post World War II generation and generation X, or whatever names you want to put on them – aren’t interested in accepting the denominational structure of churches from the past,” he said.
“ They’re looking for alternative forms of faith community, where people come together and worship, often about specific interests. More >>

‘Government should set up a religious affairs unit’

The Federal Government should consider setting up a religious affairs unit, Rev Dr Dean Drayton, said in a “Meet the president” press conference on Sunday.
He said it seemed that people tried to understand multiculturalism as though each person is still within the framework of the Christian faith.

“ In fact, multiculturalism in Australia means recognising more clearly that many of the major world faiths are very active and representative in Australia,” he said.
“ This has become even more important to all of us since September 11 and the terrorism in Bali.
“ We need a basis of understanding for working with people who are quite different from us, to find the commonalties first, rather than emphasizing the differences.” More >>

Drayton inducted in The Order of The Jumper

Caption: Rev Prof James Haire (president 2000-2003), Mrs Jill Tabart (president 1994-97) and Rev Dr Dean Drayton (current president) model their knitwear.

Western Australians have been instrumental in continuing an Assembly tradition.

Over the past several assemblies Carolyn Kitto has knitted jumpers gaily decorated with the UCA logo for each of the national presidents who are still alive.

However at the last Assembly, Carolyn announced her knitting needles were going into retirement.

Rev Wendy Snook, formerly from Western Australia and now presbytery officer for Canberra Presbytery, volunteered to take on this important task. More >>

President Privileged By Theatrical Installation

The new President of the Uniting Church in Australia described his installation service in the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, July 12, as “an incredible privilege”.

The Assembly opening worship team had spent four months creating what Rev Dr Dean Drayton called a gift. “They took a passage [from the Bible] and made the whole service live because of it. And I hope it is a word the church hears — about the God who speaks beyond what we expect to hear.”

The passage taken, the theme of the service, was 1 Kings 19:1-18. More than 1400 people — including 130 non-Assembly members from overseas and interstate and five busloads from rural Victoria — experienced Elijah discovering the glory of God through dance, music, image, preaching … and silence. More >>

Our aim is to stay together – John Mavor

“Our aim is to stay together,” a former president, Rev John Mavor, told a press conference at the Uniting Church’s 10th national Assembly on July 12.

The press conference was called because of high media interest in an Assembly Standing Committee proposal on sexuality.

Mr Mavor was asked if the Assembly Standing Committee proposal on sexuality was a progressive one.

“We agree that it’s progressive in that our aim is to stay together – that’s progressive,” he said. More >>

Corkin: We Must Find a Way

Uniting Church Assembly General secretary, Rev Terence Corkin, on July 12 said it was very important that the church found a way of living together when there were matters of significant difference among its members.

He said a proposal about sexuality and ministry that the church’s tenth national Assembly was to consider was about enabling people who disagreed about something important to find what they had in common and to build on that. More >>