Update on Assembly's new Pride Circle
The Assembly's Pride Circle has been launched, bringing LGBTIQA+ members and allies together to help the Uniting Church live out its mission of love and inclusion
January 28, 2026
Responding to both the UCA’s commitment to being a loving, safe and inclusive Church, and the long history of struggle and marginalisation of LGBTIQA+ members within the UCA, and guided by Resolutions from the 15th (Resolution 18.30, Apology to LGBTIQ Australians), 16th (Resolution 22.11, Preventing Harm from Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts (SOGICE), and 17th (Resolution 24.21, Affirmation for Transgender, Gender Diverse and Intersex People) Assemblies, the Assembly Standing Committee resolved to form an Assembly Circle of Interest for LGBTIQA+ members and allies to work together to help the church live out this call of Christ to love and welcome all with dignity and respect (ASC Resolution 24.09.02).
Following a call for expressions of interest in mid-2025, the Assembly Standing Committee approved 9 panel members and 3 co-advocates to launch the Pride Circle Panel initiative. The panel members are representative of the queer community including trans and gender-diverse people, most synods, diverse ages, and allies. Members bring skills, experience and passion for this work including queer theology; legal expertise; organisational transformation expertise; trauma-informed pastoral care; and understanding of UCA governance structures.
The panel has been meeting monthly since September 2025, and there is already a high energy within the group who are deeply committed to the purposes of the Pride Circle and have begun exploring the priority areas in greater depth to ascertain what is most appropriate to focus on over the next 6-12 months initially.
Over the coming months, the panel is keen to encourage the wider church to be involved in this work through opportunities to participate in smaller, focused priority areas. More information will be provided as these opportunities start to emerge.
The Uniting Network welcomed the creation of the Pride Circle and a letter from Uniting Network to members and supporters can be read by clicking this link.
Pride Circle Co-Advocates:
- Rev Greer Hudson, Synod of NSW & ACT
- James Ellis, Synod of NSW & ACT
- David Landis-Morse, Synod of Vic & Tas
Pride Circle Panel Members:
- Mikali Anagnostis, Synod of NSW & ACT
- Rev Vicki Aitken, Synod of SA
- Nicole Mugford, Synod of Vic & Tas
- Chalise van Wyngaardt, QLD Synod
- Darce Lovely-Roelofs, Synod of Vic & Tas
- Jen McLean, Synod of NSW & ACT
- Juliette Zylstra, QLD Synod
- Susan Lord, Synod of WA
- Matt Teran, Synod of Vic & Tas
If you are interested in receiving updates from the Pride Circle and/or being a part of the broader Pride Circle network, please email pridecircle@nat.uca.org.au.
Uniting Network resources can be found here.
Queer justice resources can be found here.
Sexuality, Gender and Faith resources can be found here.
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