A DAY IN THE LIFE OF MY UNITING CHURCH
July 1, 2024
'A Day in the Life of My Uniting Church' is a photography project that aims to capture the diverse moments in a day at a Uniting Church, as the people of God gather to share life and faith. In the first iteration of this project, we visited three locations: Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney. Each collection highlights the identity, faith and mission of the Uniting Church and its community in that particular place.
Across a diversity of vibrant worship spaces, there is a common thread of community and faith. In all locations, we found people who were welcoming, inclusive and with a genuine heart for helping others in need. Below, you'll find a brief introduction to each location and selected images from each.
A selection of the photos will be shared on the Assembly's Facebook and Instagram pages.
All photos were taken by Assembly Communications Officer Michael Zewdie. Please share with credit.
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Merthyr Road Uniting Church, Brisbane Queensland
Merthyr Road Uniting Church is a diverse congregation in the heart of New Farm and the nearby inner-city suburbs of Fortitude Valley, Newstead, and Teneriffe. This area features striking contrasts – rich heritage and modern developments, stately homes and high-rise units, wealth and poverty, old and young residents, long-term locals, and many short-term stayers, with a growing homelessness challenge. It is a renowned retail, recreation, and artistic destination, home to the iconic New Farm Park and Brisbane Powerhouse, culturally diverse with a prominent LGBTQIA+ presence.
The church has declared itself open and affirming in its life and worship. It provides a base for Brisbane’s Metropolitan Community Church and the UCA-linked Pilgrim People Brisbane Inc. It is strongly committed to justice, asylum seekers, and the sovereignty of First Peoples. Its activities include Merthyr Explorers (a progressive Christian group) and a regional network of Hindi-speaking Indian Fijians. Currently in a period of rebuilding, the church is clarifying its missional priorities and strategies while strengthening its community life, including through a growing library reflecting theological and spiritual diversity. Its well-designed property is a popular facility for community groups and activities and also hosts an amateur theatre company.
These photos were taken on a day celebrating the 25th anniversary of Visionaries, an ecumenical network of Christian visual artists that began at Merthyr Road under the ministry of Rev Dr Geraldine Wheeler, who returned for the occasion as guest preacher.
Burnside Uniting Church, Adelaide South Australia
With the motto Raising Children of God, Burnside Uniting Church in Adelaide aims to grow disciples who, in turn, grow more disciples. Located at the corner of 384 Portrush Road, Burnside has a congregation that features both intergenerational and intercultural diversity.
The church runs various programs to build and strengthen its community, including the Extol Choir, an all-ages choir, and the Friday Friendship Club, which provides monthly events and hosts different speakers on various subjects.
These photos were taken over two days and feature images from April’s Friday Friendship Club event and worship on Sunday, April 28th.
Wesley Mission, Sydney New South Wales
Featuring 10 uniquely situated worship rooms, Wesley Centre is a worship space that provides state-of-the-art sound and lighting facilities to the various congregations that use its services. Based in Sydney CBD, Wesley Mission prioritizes helping communities and runs different programs to support marginalized groups. They are heavily involved in social justice and initiatives like gambling reform.
On this day, the Wesley Mission center was hosting congregations from various communities, including Wesley International Church (with a congregation of people from different nationalities), the Agape Service (for the Indonesian congregation), a Chinese Fellowship service, and a City Heart service (for underprivileged city communities), among others. The photos feature the activities that took place there.