Day 1: General Secretary’s Report: Serving the Mission Across Queensland

The General Secretary’s report delivered on the morning of the 23 October presented a Queensland Synod that is increasingly focused on one question: how can the Church create the conditions for mission to flourish across the state?

The answer is found not only in congregations and worship, but in the many ways the Uniting Church serves communities – through pastoral care, housing, education, advocacy, environmental action, leadership development and practical support for congregations and presbyteries.

“I'm seeing emerging ministries being revitalized. There's renewed attention to developing leaders and formation right across the Church. I see emerging ministry with younger generations. I see growing intercultural identity across the Synod. I see a deepening leadership of our First Peoples through Muth arrak. I see people faithfully sharing the Gospel, serving their neighbours, and building communities of compassion, justice, hope, and belonging,” said Rev. Adam McIntosh in delivering his report to members.

The Synod’s Foundations for a Growing and Renewing Church strategy provides the framework, with a focus on mission renewal and growth, flourishing presbyteries, leadership formation, effective governance and responsible stewardship of resources.

A significant development has been the Presbytery Support Unit, which provides congregations and presbyteries with a single point of contact for practical support. Since August 2025, it has responded to 1,725 enquiries and resolved 1,562, helping reduce the administrative burden on local leaders so they can focus more fully on ministry.

At the same time, the Mission Accompanying Team has brought a stronger focus to congregational revitalisation, church planting, ministry with younger generations and intercultural mission. Its work with congregations and presbyteries is helping communities explore new forms of ministry and respond to the changing contexts in which they find themselves.

“Over the previous Synod terms, we've really sought to establish the foundations for a growing and renewing Church, and I've been encouraged by our progress. We've sharpened our strategic alignment across the Synod,” said Rev. McIntosh.

Mission is also being expressed through pastoral care. Hospital chaplaincy has expanded into North Queensland, while Bush Chaplains continue to serve rural and remote communities. Disaster recovery initiatives are strengthening the capacity of congregations and presbyteries to respond to communities during times of crisis.

The Synod’s commitment to caring for creation is similarly practical. Through A Flourishing Creation, congregations, schools and early learning services are being equipped to take action through initiatives such as solar projects, waste reduction and recycling, while the Synod continues to participate in broader climate advocacy.

One of the most significant expressions of mission is the continuing covenant relationship with Muth arrak, the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress in Queensland. The focus is on deepening relationships, developing First Peoples leadership, supporting young people and strengthening self-determination. The Walking in Covenant Toolkit and Covenant Ministry Fund provide practical ways of turning this commitment into shared action.

The Synod is also becoming a more intercultural Church. Work with culturally diverse communities includes multilingual resources, pastoral support and greater representation, reflecting a vision in which cultural diversity is part of the Church’s identity rather than simply something it accommodates.

“We will need boldness to become a genuinely intercultural Church. We'll need boldness to deepen our covenant with First Peoples, support self-determination, and allow relationships to reshape the way that we work,” said Rev. McIntosh.

The Church’s mission extends beyond its own communities through public advocacy. Work on youth justice, elder abuse, housing, sexual violence, climate justice, reconciliation and other issues has sought to bring a Christian voice to public conversations and influence policies affecting vulnerable people and communities.

Resources are being directed towards this mission as well. More than $1.87 million has been raised through the Church Renewal Fund and Covenant Ministry Fund, supporting youth leadership, community connection, chaplaincy and church planting. Property and financial decisions are increasingly being considered in terms of how they can release resources for mission.

Education and formation are another important part of this picture. Trinity College Queensland’s strong student outcomes and plans for a more accessible model of theological education demonstrate an investment in the leaders who will shape the Church’s future. Schools, colleges and Uniting Early Learning services likewise provide important places of formation, care and connection with children, young people and families.

Even the work that can appear most administrative is ultimately connected to mission. Strengthened safeguarding, governance, risk management, financial systems and organisational support help ensure that the Church can operate with integrity and confidence while local leaders concentrate on serving their communities.

Taken together, the report paints a picture of a Church whose mission reaches well beyond Sunday worship. It is visible in a congregation exploring a new form of ministry, a patient receiving pastoral care, a family moving into affordable housing, a young leader being formed, a community recovering from disaster, a First Peoples community strengthening its leadership or a child and family finding a safe and welcoming place to flourish.

Much of this work happens quietly. But it is precisely this combination of people, relationships, resources and services that makes mission possible.

The report is therefore more than a record of activity. It shows a Queensland Synod seeking to organise its resources around the Church’s calling – to serve its communities, respond courageously to change and participate actively in God’s mission across Queensland.

”Let us continue the gritty and the faithful work of building the foundations for renewal and growth, which is beyond our time in the Church. Let us be bold in responding to the opportunities that God is placing before us.

“And let us move forward together as a people of prayer, a people who are bold in our actions, and a people committed to deep relationships, trusting that God is renewing the Church and inviting us to participate in that renewal. Moderator, I'm pleased to move on forward,” said Rev. Dr. McIntosh.