The Assembly Standing Committee met in Sydney from 17–19 July, bringing together members from across the country to guide the national work of the Uniting Church and continue implementing the priorities adopted by the 17th Assembly.
Across three days, the Standing Committee focused on its governance responsibilities including hearing the annual report from Frontier Services, implementation of the Assembly Strategy, reports from all three streams of the Act2 Project.
President Rev Charissa Suli reminded members the work of the Assembly is ultimately about nurturing trust. Reflecting on the importance of belonging together as one Church, she encouraged the Standing Committee to continue building relationships that enable communities to flourish in faith and witness.
Members also heard about preparations for the forthcoming Held Together event jointly held between the Assembly and Congress as part of the continuing commitment to developing the next generation of leaders.
The Standing Committee heard significant progress in implementing the Assembly’s strategy. It also celebrated the Commissioning of the new National Director of Frontier Services, Dave Parker and the Associate General Secretary, Strategy & Governance, Catherine Pepper and the Induction of Rev Dr Sunny Chen as Director, Faith & Theology.
A substantial part of the meeting was devoted to the work of the Assembly’s Act2 Commissions.
The Commission for Governance, Resourcing and Administration reported encouraging progress across several major projects, including future models for the ordering of councils, equitable church-wide resourcing and shared administrative services. Consultation across the Church has been extensive, with further recommendations to be brought to future meetings.
Members also received a report from the Commission for Theology, Formation and Leadership, highlighting its work to strengthen theological education collaboration across the Church’s education providers. This included a detailed timeline for determining a common Higher Education Provider.
The Standing Committee also received and approved a new Code of Ethics and Ministry Practice for commencement on 1 January 2027. The new Code will be published shortly along with resources to support awareness and education of the Code in the lead up to its commencement.
Governance and stewardship remained an important focus throughout the meeting. The Standing Committee endorsed updates to the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee Charter and discussed ongoing improvements to financial reporting and enterprise risk management. Members welcomed efforts to make reporting more accessible while maintaining strong accountability and transparency.
The Standing Committee also heard presentations from Frontier Services, recognising both the challenges and opportunities facing the organisation as it reviews its strategy while continuing its longstanding ministry with people living in rural and remote Australia.
A thoughtful discussion on church membership explored how the Church might better recognise active participation in the life of congregations while remaining faithful to its theological foundations. Members also began an important conversation on becoming a more anti-racist Church, learning from the experience of the United Church of Canada and reflecting on the long-term cultural change required across the Uniting Church.
Throughout the meeting there was a strong sense of shared purpose. Members of the Standing Committee, meeting participants and Assembly staff are working together to live out the Assembly’s vision of Uniting in Christ.