We are one church active in every Queensland community, bearers of Christ’s offer of life in all its fullness. Through our shared life we are committed to a flourishing future for church and community.

The Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod stretches from the islands of Torres Strait to Goondiwindi on the New South Wales border, from Coolangatta on the eastern coast to Mt Isa in the heartland of the Queensland outback.

We come together in rural congregations and remote area ministries, as well as in large and small urban congregations. We work together in vibrant schools and colleges, in a wide range of community services, in aged care, childcare and hospitals, and in local expressions of ministry through word and service.

There are more than 150 local Uniting Church congregations and faith communities across Queensland. They are located in suburban areas, city centres, regional communities and rural townships. Each congregation reflects its own unique identity, with members of the Uniting Church committed to worshipping God together, loving and serving their local community, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.  

Congregations and faith communities operate a range of activities alongside gathered worship and bible study groups – from men’s sheds to English classes, from youth groups to craft groups, and from op-shops to community cafes. Our congregations are made up of people from many cultures, and are often vibrant, dynamic, and diverse communities.  Uniting Church congregations are a welcoming place, and we invite you to join us at your local church. 

Our beginnings and foundation

A uniquely Australian church formed on 22 June 1977 from the Congregational, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches, we hold a continued commitment to worship God, bear witness to Jesus Christ, and serve our neighbours in love. In uniting, the members of those bodies testified to “that unity which is both Christ’s gift and will for the Church” (Basis of Union, para. 1)

Our uniting story is built on the truths of scripture, shaped by the Basis of Union, and given expression in the 1977 Statement to the Nation.

The scriptures call us into relationship with God and our neighbour. We are called to seek the one who has come so that we might have life in all its fullness (John 10) and to love because God first loved us (John 1) We are a church that is oriented around the one Lord Jesus Christ, with faith expressed in the ancient Nicene Creed and Apostles’ Creed. The Uniting Church also takes heed of the Reformation Witness and affirms the place of ongoing theological, literary, historical and scientific study.

The Basis of Union, our founding document recognises God’s purpose as the reconciliation and renewal of all things, and our place within that greater purpose. Within the Basis we find core elements of our identity: the commission of the risen Lord to make disciples; the call to care for one another in love and joy; the continuing commitment to seek union with other churches; and welcoming the expression of the diverse gifts of our people.  

We hold our 1977 Statement to the Nation as a special commitment made by our church to the people of Australia and beyond. We work to live out the words of that statement through social justice advocacy and action across the Queensland Synod.  

We work hard to hear the voices of all in our Church. We celebrate the ministry and leadership offered by women and men, young and old, those of many cultures. 

In all things we acknowledge that we are yet to reach the end. We echo the Basis of Union as we recognise that our story remains a work in progress and that we continue to be travellers toward the promised end, not yet perfected. 

Discipleship in the Uniting Church in Queensland

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 29:19-20)

Our Church in all its variety is a community of modern day disciples; people who are seeking to know and live the way of Jesus, in community, and helping others to do the same.

The earliest followers of Jesus were not called Christians but ‘followers of the Way’.  During his ministry, Jesus gathered 12 disciples (like apprentices), as well as many other followers. He passed onto them, by example and teaching his Way of life.  The early disciples showed their loyalty to Jesus by living their lives according to his teachings and example.

In the Uniting Church in Queensland, we are committed to a continuing renewal of personal and communal discipleship across the state. We invite all who are curious and who seek to know and encounter the living God to join with us on this discipleship journey. 

A Multigenerational Church

Discipleship is for people of all ages. We know the vital importance of children, families and young people in our church.  We see flourishing children and youth ministry in many congregations. Through our schools, Uniting Early Learning, and Raymont College we offer extraordinary opportunities and contributions to young people. Across the state there is energy and commitment to growing a truly multigenerational and intergenerational church.

Covenant with First Peoples

A central part of the identity of the Uniting Church is our covenantal relationship with First Nations people through the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC) established in 1985. In the preamble to our Constitution, the 12th Assembly of the Uniting Church recognised the First Peoples of Australia, the impacts of the process of colonisation, and the participation of our church in ways that make us complicit to injustices.  Our Covenant is an ongoing journey of reflection, discovery, questioning, and dialogue. We stand as a family in Christ with First Nations members of our church in Queensland and honour and acknowledge the Regional Council of the UAICC – Muth Arrak.

Voices of our Covenant gives a space to honour the stories of First Peoples’ in our Synod, allowing them to come together in truth-telling, to talk freely about their personal history and experiences with God, spirituality and culture. Learn more about this exploration of identity and relationship from the images and words in this exhibition catalogue and the interview series on the Voices of our Covenant Youtube channel.

A Multicultural Church

The life of the Uniting Church is multicultural.  The Church welcomes, celebrates and encourages members, leaders, staff, and faith communities from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Each week, Uniting Church worship takes place in many different languages, informed by many different cultural traditions. We recognised this gift from God in a formal declaration in 1985 that ‘we are a multicultural church.’ We make space for and honour different voices, traditions, and insights in our shared life in Christ and acknowledge the work of the Multi Cross Cultural Reference Group (MCCRG).

The Life of the Church / One Church Many Parts 

The Uniting Church is made up of many parts, serving in different ways, and connecting and relating to form the full expression of our Church. The Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church also includes the missional work of agencies and entities, childcare services, schools and colleges across the state. The Uniting Church in Australia consists of a series of inter-related councils—local Congregations, regional Presbyteries, state Synods, and the National Assembly.

Congregations and Faith Communities 

The many congregations and faith communities in Queensland are at the core of our mission. As the Basis of Union reminds us, they are to serve as a foretaste of the coming kingdom. They are places of worship, witness and service. Congregations and faith communities, at their best, are a place in which the life of Jesus flows to be visible to the wider community. They are your local church. 

Presbyteries 

Congregations are supported by regional bodies called Presbyteries. Presbyteries are called to oversee the life and mission of the Church in their area, to stimulate and encourage congregations and to help congregations support each other.  The list of Presbyteries in Queensland can be seen here. 

Queensland Synod 

The Queensland Synod is the state council of the Uniting Church who come together every 18 months for Synod in Session – a meeting to discern together and make decisions for the management of the Synod. The Synod exists to enable, equip, and encourage, administer and direct, the church across the state. The Synod Standing Committee is a group of elected members who have decision making responsibility for the Uniting Church in Queensland between meetings of the Synod. 

Assembly

The Assembly is the national council of the Uniting Church in Australia, and National Assembly meetings are held every three years. This national council has oversight of doctrine, governance, a core task to promote the Church’s mission and a commitment to seek concurrence on vital matters and seek the wider union of the Church.