In October 2026, an event will take place at Wesley Mission Conference Centre.
It is being called ONE—and that name is deliberate. Not a brand, not a slogan, but a statement of intent. At a time when the Church faces both uncertainty and opportunity, ONE is an invitation to come together, to listen again for God’s voice, and to rediscover what it means to be the body of Christ in the world.
Held from 29–31 October, with a dedicated Pre-Event Leaders’ Day, ONE is shaping up to be a defining moment for the Uniting Church.
It is not designed as another addition to an already crowded calendar. Instead, it is being positioned as a gathering with purpose: an intentional pause to re-centre, reconnect, and be renewed.
At its heart is a simple but demanding prayer drawn from John 17:21: “that they may all be one.” Unity, in this sense, is not about uniformity or easy agreement. It is about something deeper, relationship, trust, and a shared commitment to God’s mission in a complex world.
Rev. Glen Spencer, Uniting Church Synod of NSW and ACT Director of Mission, captures the tone clearly: “This is an invitation to step into the ongoing work of renewal. God’s renewal of people, communities, and creation itself. ONE is not asking people to attend as spectators, but to come as participants in that work.”
That outward focus matters. While the gathering will include worship, teaching, and conversation, its orientation is not inward-looking. ONE comes at a significant time in the journey of the Uniting Church Synod of NSW and ACT as it navigates a change that will shape the Church into the future.
The purpose is not simply to strengthen the Church for its own sake, but to equip it for witness. The question running beneath the event is clear: what does it look like for the Church to live as one body, sent into the world with faith, hope, and love?
This is reflected in the structure of the event itself. Over two days, participants from congregations, agencies, schools, and ministries will come together in a shared space and participate in five streams: grow, connect, advocate, create and innovate. There will be opportunities to listen, to learn, and to tell stories — stories of where God is already at work — often in unexpected places.
A strong emphasis is also being placed on younger and emerging leaders. This is not incidental. It signals a recognition that the future of the Church’s mission will not be shaped by a single generation, but across generations. ONE aims to create space where those voices are not only heard but valued, where experience and new imagination meet.
The speaker line-up reflects this breadth of perspective.
- Andrew Root brings an international voice, known for his work on theology, culture, and the challenges of faith in a secular age. His insights into ministry in a changing world are likely to resonate with many navigating similar questions locally.
- Fa Matangi offers a deeply grounded perspective shaped by intercultural and intergenerational ministry. Her lived experience — holding together identity, culture, and faith — speaks directly into the realities of a diverse and evolving Church.
- Rick Dacey, as host and Senior Minister of Wesley Mission, brings a focus on lived faith — how the gospel is expressed in practical service, community care, and everyday discipleship.
- Robyn Whitaker contributes a critical and public-facing theological voice, helping connect Scripture with contemporary questions of justice, power, and society. Her work reminds the Church that theology is not abstract, it shapes how we live and act in the world.
Together, these voices point to the kind of conversation ONE hopes to foster: honest, grounded, and outward-facing.
The vision behind the event makes this explicit. ONE is described as a gathering of the whole family of Christ — First and Second Peoples, diverse cultures, different stories — drawn together by God’s reconciling love. This diversity is not treated as a challenge to overcome, but as a gift to be honoured. It is in the “different, together” that the Gospel becomes visible.
That idea carries both promise and tension. Unity is not easy. It requires listening, humility, and a willingness to be changed by one another. But the claim at the centre of ONE is that this kind of unity is itself a form of witness. In a fragmented world, a community that embodies justice, mercy, and reconciliation speaks powerfully, often more powerfully than words alone.
Importantly, ONE is not intended to end when the event concludes. The hope is that it becomes a catalyst, a moment that sparks ongoing connection, collaboration, and renewed commitment across the Church. In that sense, the real impact of ONE will not be measured in attendance numbers, but in what follows: in relationships strengthened, ideas acted upon, and communities transformed.
There is also a clear call to leadership. Early commitment and visible participation are being encouraged, recognising that momentum builds when leaders step forward. But the invitation is not limited to leaders alone. It extends to anyone who senses that the Church is being called into something deeper — something more connected, more courageous, and more outward-looking.
In the end, ONE is both simple and demanding. It asks the Church to gather, not just physically, but spiritually. To come together not out of habit, but with intention. And to leave not unchanged, but sent.
Because the goal is not simply to be one for a moment, but for the world to see.
Visit the One website for more information and to register.
