10 Jun

Posted at 15:26h in Uncategorized

In the Uniting Church we don't have hierarchies. We seek to work through decisions in a complex and powerful process of  consensus. That is, we seek to make decisions by discerning together - lay people and ordained people, old people and young people, people from regional settings and people from the city, women and men, and people from a huge variety of...

03 Jun

Posted at 10:26h in Reflection, Uncategorized

Tonight within the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania our new moderator, the Rev Sharon Hollis, will be inducted. The Uniting Church, an Australian church,was formed in 1977 when the Australian Methodist, Congregationalist and most Presbyterian churches, came together. The UC is committed to a style of leadership that is not about being dictatorial, that is not about ‘celebrity’ and...

12 Apr

Posted at 13:19h in Uncategorized

What is spirituality? How do we connect with our spirit and divine Spirit? One of the things that Jesus is recorded as saying is that in order to get close to the energy of the divine, we need to become like a child. In an evening seminar we will investigate the ways in which understandings of children, and childhood, have varied over...

05 Mar

Posted at 11:01h in Uncategorized

[embed]https://vimeo.com/157559270[/embed] We are thrilled to present the Richmond Churches Food Centre film. This beautiful short was filmed, scripted, edited and produced by Olwyn Jones who has wide ranging experience in the film industry. We are grateful to Olwyn. Not only did Olwyn volunteer a great deal of time to make this film, she also volunteered at the Food Centre first,...

09 Feb

Posted at 21:12h in Reflection, Uncategorized

Tomorrow across the World Wide Western church it is Ash Wednesday. This is a countercultural day because it invites us to face our mortality. A reality that many, many people work hard to ignore. Ash Wednesday also invites us to face the ways in which we are living - whether we are carrying around hate and fear, anxiety or despair to the...

22 Jan

Posted at 11:34h in Reflection, Uncategorized

As the festivities - both those that were cherished and those that were endured - come to a close and we move into the rhythm of the 'normal' year, the opportunity can present itself to consider anew what life is about. Beyond the pressures of consuming, incessant status updates and busyness, questions of the heart and the spirit can tug at...

11 Dec

Posted at 14:27h in Reflection, Uncategorized

Often in the media tragedy and violence dominate the headlines. This has the consequence of giving the false impression that kindness and compassion are rare.  This can also lead to a kind of paralysing despair for people about whether things will ever be different or whether they can be part of that change. The reality is that as well as the great...

28 Nov

Posted at 19:38h in Reflection, Uncategorized

Evidence indicates that in the early Jesus movement worship was often shared in homes, and holy communion, Eucharist, the sharing in bread and wine in Jesus' name, was shared over a meal in this home based worship. At RUC we are re-engaging with this ancient practice on the first Sunday in Advent, Sunday 29th November. We will be breaking with more 'modern'...

05 Nov

Posted at 14:28h in Reflection, Uncategorized

Have you ever wanted to ask a minister, or someone who is a part of a Jesus community, a question or have a conversation with them about life, the universe and everything? This Saturday morning, the 7 November, people from RUC are going to be at the Gleadell Street Market in Richmond and here there will be space to find out...