UCA Associate General Secretaries gather
August 17, 2026
Associate General Secretaries from across the Uniting Church gathered last week at Campfire in the Heart, Alice Springs, on the traditional lands of the Arrernte people, the Traditional Custodians of Mparntwe.
The gathering brought together Linda Hanson (Synod of Queensland), Sue Page and Andrew Robertson (South Australia), Sharon Hollis and Sue Clarkson (Victoria and Tasmania), Punam Bent (NSW and ACT), and Catherine Pepper (Assembly). With neither Western Australia nor the Northern Synod having an Associate General Secretary, David Beards, General Secretary of the WA Synod, and Janet Staines, General Secretary of the Northern Synod, also participated.
The gathering provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships across the Church and to share the experiences, challenges and opportunities emerging in different Synod contexts.
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Together, participants reflected on ministry in the life of the Uniting Church and explored what God may be calling the Church to be and do in this season.
Discussions ranged across a number of matters affecting the life and work of the Church, including the Ministry of Pastor, Regulations and the Act2 process. Participants also compared processes and practices across Synods, identifying both differences in approach and opportunities to learn from one another.
A strong theme throughout the gathering was the value of collaboration and mutual support. By sharing knowledge, experiences and insights across Synod boundaries, participants were able to consider how the Church might work together more effectively in responding to the opportunities and challenges before it.
Gathering in Mparntwe also offered an important opportunity to listen, reflect and build relationships in a place with deep cultural and spiritual significance.
As Associate General Secretaries returned to their respective contexts, the gathering provided encouragement for the work ahead, strengthened connections across the Uniting Church, and renewed a shared commitment to serving the Church together in this season of change and possibility.
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