The Uniting Church at large
This week we hear about Murray Clarkson's Commissioning as a Lay Preacher, Rev. Frank's Sundays in May, Presbytery, Synod, and Assembly's UnitingWorld.
Many of you will remember Murray Clarkson. He was the Lay Preacher candidate who preached at Umina on 25th August and 8th December, and at Kincumber on 8th September. I had the privilege of being one of Murray’s Assessors. You will be delighted to know that on Sunday 11th May Murray will be Commissioned as a Lay Preacher at Thornleigh-Hillcrest UCA. My wife Jennifer and I plan to attend.
Those who are used to seeing me on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month will be doubly confused in May. I will be leading Worship this Sunday 4th May (so that I can attend Murray’s Commissioning) and on 18th May (as I will be in Tamworth for a 90th birthday celebration on 25th May). I am grateful to the Connecting with God Team for allowing me to swap.
On Tuesday night the Sydney Central Coast Presbytery met at Thornleigh-Hillcrest. Margaret Read and I attended in the absence of Margaret and Ron Gregory. In a future edition of DoveTales you will hear about the Presbytery meeting.
The 41st Synod of the Uniting Church in NSW.ACT meets from July 11-13 in Penrith. The theme chosen by the Moderator, Rev. Faaimata Havea Hiliau, is “Transforming Communities”. This follows on from her theme "Transforming Spirit" in 2023, and asks us, as the Body of Christ, to think about how we have been moved by the Spirit to make changes in our communities. This meeting is particularly important as Synod decides whether to move from our existing model of 12 Presbyteries to a new model with 3 Presbyteries. In that model our existing Sydney Central Coast Presbytery would join with the Presbyteries of The Hunter, Mid North Coast, Far North Coast and New England North West and become the Northern Presbytery.
The Revised Common Lectionary used by the Uniting Church states that Sunday 4th May is UnitingWorld Sunday. UnitingWorld is a ministry of the National Assembly, whose focus – as the name suggests – is the UCA’s engagement with the wider world. I hope that you will be blessed as I share this with you.
With eternal hope and joy,
Rev. Frank (Van Der Korput),
Supply Minister