Hunter minister to become Uniting Church leader

The Hunter Presbytery of the Uniting Church will host the 2011 meeting of the church’s Synod of New South Wales and the ACT, September 23-27.

Hunter minister the Rev. Dr Brian Brown will be installed as Moderator at Synod’s opening service on Friday September 23 at 7 pm.

The opening service will be held at the Newcastle Conservatorium, Harold Lobb Concert Hall (corner of Laman and Auckland Streets).

From Durban, South Africa, and most recently a minister at Hamilton-Broadmeadow, Dr Brown says he seeks to be an agent of hope and change.

He wants to be “an encourager of the weak and conscience of the strong; to maintain and develop the church’s clear emphasis on spirituality, discipleship and social justice”.

The Synod meeting runs from Saturday September 24 to Tuesday September 27 at the Great Hall, University of Newcastle.

The theme chosen for the Synod in 2011 is “On new and risky paths”.

Among items on the agenda are discussions about the future shape of presbyteries (the church’s district councils), structures and processes of the Synod, proposals about juvenile justice and tertiary chaplaincy, a beach picnic at Redhead Beach, a concert at Adamstown Uniting Church and a “Synod’s Got Talent” event at Jesmond Park Uniting Church.

More details can be found on the Synod meeting website: www.nsw.uca.org.au/synodmeeting/

News from the meeting will be posted at www.insights.uca.org.au/category/synod-2011