Celebrating Renewal and Growth - 2025 UCQ Full Circle Awards

We are delighted that two of our Ministers who are actively growing and renewing our Church  and who have recently been recognised for their work with UnitingCare Queensland at their 2025 UCQ Full Circle Awards.  Rev Delma Lovell, was awarded winner of the 2025 UCQ Full Circle Award for Bringing People Together! and Rev Keren Seto, was awarded winner of the Award for Leading the Way.  Their stories are below.

Rev Delma Lovell, as minister of Maryborough Uniting Church and a member of the Connect100+ team, leads by example, fostering connection and hope throughout the community. From weekly breakfasts for the vulnerable, to youth groups and memory support cafes, Delma’s care and commitment ripple throughout Maryborough.

Delma’s leadership in founding the Maryborough Mental Health Forum has united community services and sparked collaboration among agencies, churches, and community groups, making a real difference for those in need. These efforts have earned public support and are strengthening partnerships across the region, fostering greater social impact. We celebrate Delma’s dedication and the positive change she brings every day!

Rev Keren Seto was also honoured as winner of the 2025 UCQ Full Circle Award for Leading the Way. Keren has been a driving force in embedding cultural respect, inclusion, and reconciliation within St Stephen’s Hospital, Hervey Bay, through her role as Manager of Mission and Pastoral Care. Her visionary leadership has created lasting initiatives that enrich the hospital community and strengthen ties with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly the Butchulla people, Traditional Custodians of the land.

Keren has led the establishment of the Yanman Guywa Wellness Walk, the creation of a Yarning Circle, and the development of the Walking Together group in collaboration with local health services.  She has also overseen Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week celebrations and commissioned the RAP Artwork by Tarni O’Shea, leaving a visible and lasting testament to the hospital’s commitment to reconciliation.

Through her dedication, vision, and advocacy, Keren has fostered meaningful cultural understanding, partnership, and engagement. Her work exemplifies mission-led leadership, embedding compassion, respect, and justice in every initiative.

Congratulations!