Latest News
Rev Carmel Sheraton elected President of the NSW Ecumenical Council (
We celebrate with Rev Carmel Sheraton, recently elected President of the NSW Ecumenical Council. I
Rebuilding Connection in the Digital Age: Baulkham Hills Uniting Church
As Baulkham Hills Uniting Church marks 50 years of ministry this November, the congregation is embracing new ways to connect and share faith — from live-streamed services and podcasts to long-standing ministries of care and inclusion.
Planted in Unity, Growing in Grace: The Story of Blacktown Regional Uniting Church
Just over two years ago, Blacktown Uniting and Grantham Heights Uniting came together to form Blacktown Regional Uniting Church — a vibrant, intergenerational, and intercultural community grounded in shared purpose and strong relationships. Since then, BRUC has flourished through joyful worship, creative discipleship, inclusive community activities, and service to the wider community. From multicultural services and Sunday School programs to refugee support, community gardening, and public celebrations, BRUC continues to grow as a welcoming congregation, grounded in Christ and shaped by connection.
Geoffs Reflections
Jesus' Way: The Subversion of Empire
The Pearl, the Treasure, and the Deep Human Yearning A Bedouin sat by the fire of a caravanserai – a desert waystation where travellers pause to rest—preparing a simple meal. As he worked, two pearl merchants arrived at the same moment and began unloading their camels for the night. One merchant, with a subtle flourish, allowed a large pearl to drop from his hand so that it rolled toward the other. The second man picked it up, brushed the dust away, examined it closely, and admired its beauty. “That is a fine pearl,” he said, “as large and lustrous as any I have seen.”
Weeds, Wheat, Forgiveness and Second Chances...
Many of us grew up with stories of superheroes—Batman and Robin, Superman, and the colourful cast of cartoon heroes who filled our childhood imaginations. In those worlds, everything was simple. Good and evil were clearly defined. Heroes were purely good, villains purely evil, and the line between them was bright and unmistakable. The heroes defended goodness through strength and violence, overcoming evil with decisive force. It was a comforting worldview: neat, tidy, and morally uncomplicated.
Extravagant, Reckless, Lavish Love - God's Reign!
The band arrived at the concert hall in the late afternoon, a curious and delightful mix of musicians drawn from different corners of the musical world. They were not celebrities, nor household names, but each was respected in their own field. What brought them together was not fame or ambition but a shared desire to raise funds for a charitable cause close to each of their hearts. Their unity was not in style but in purpose, and that purpose gave the gathering a quiet sense of anticipation.
Jesus: Rest for the Weary, Easing Life's Burdens...
A theologian walked into a coffee shop at the end of COVID lockdown, frustrated by being locked away whilst visiting his wife’s elderly grandmother. He’s bored and starts playing a game trying to work out what the women a few tables over, does for a living.
Christ is Present - In Humble, Vulnerable Love
This week I invite you into a story – actually, into two stories – and through them, into a deeper understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. The first story is one I've told before, about Tony Campolo, sociologist, teacher, and evangelical preacher. One day, he was walking down the main street of his town, dressed in what he called his “establishment gear”—a suit and tie, looking every bit the professional. As he walked along, he noticed, a little way ahead of him, a man who was clearly homeless. The man was wandering along the footpath, holding a cup of coffee, reaching out to people as they passed by and offering them a sip.
The Courageous Way of Love and Justice…
I am in the midst of hanging a painting of Gandhi on my wall – along with one of St Francis of Assisi. I looked at these two small figures but giants of history. They walked to the beat of a different drum, and both were heavily influenced by the life and teaching of Jess of Nazareth