Gathered for the Generations
May 19, 2026
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.
By Rev. Sandy Brodine
VicTas Younger Generation Education and Strategy Coordinator
Last week, children, families, youth, and young adult workers from across the Uniting Church came together in Melbourne for a meeting of the National Children & Families and Youth & Young Adult Coalition (NYCC). Hosted at the Centre for Theology and Ministry, the gathering brought representatives from every Synod together with Rev. Sunny Chen from the Assembly — a room full of people who share a deep commitment to nurturing faith in younger generations.
The conversations were rich and wide-ranging. Participants enthusiastically shared stories and strategies from their own Synods, with a number reporting that they have moved to team-based models that centre missional priorities — growing new communities of faith and renewing existing ones with a sharper focus on intergenerational faith formation.
Discussions also explored the intersections between intercultural and intergenerational discipleship, approaches to working with neurodiverse young people and adults, and the possibilities and challenges of digital and online faith communities. The group gave attention to education and training for those working with children, youth, and young adults, as well as the importance of creating intentional discipleship pathways for young adults in particular.
More than a working meeting, NYCC was a time of genuine collaboration and relationship-building — with a little bit of fun alongside the serious work. As the church continues to ask how it might walk faithfully with the next generations, gatherings like this remind us that we do not walk alone.
Related news
Season of Creation 2026
Christians around the world will mark the Season of Creation from 1 September to 4 October, joining in prayer, reflection and action as they celebrate God’s gift of creation and renew their commitment to care for our common home. This season incorporates the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (observed 1 September),…
Becoming an Anti-racist Church: Building Thriving Communities Through Truth Telling
Subscribe to our newsletter If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox. Becoming an Anti-racist Church: Building Thriving Communities Through Truth Telling The Assembly Standing Committee meeting in Sydney held in Sydney last weekend placed the…
Tuvalu’s call: A partnership of faith, hope and action
Tuvalu’s call: A partnership of faith, hope and action The Uniting Church in Australia has renewed its partnership with the Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu (EKT) this week, reaffirming a shared commitment to faith, solidarity and climate justice as Tuvalu faces an increasingly uncertain future. On the low-lying islands of Tuvalu, climate change is not a…
President's Message for NAIDOC Week and the anniversary of the UAICC Covenant
President’s Message for NAIDOC Week and the anniversary of the UAICC Covenant Today, 10 July, marks the 32nd anniversary of the Convenant between the Uniting Church in Australia and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress. With today’s anniversary and the current NAIDOC Week, the President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev…
President concludes visit to Tonga
President concludes Tonga visit with strengthened Pacific partnerships Following a week of celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Christianity in Tonga, Uniting Church in Australia President Rev Charissa Suli has concluded her visit with high-level meetings that strengthened the Church’s enduring commitment to partnership across the Pacific. The week-long bicentenary celebrations brought together thousands…
Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2026
Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2026NAIDOC Week 2026 (5–12 July) marks 50 years of honouring the voices, cultures and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Uniting Church, together with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), gives thanks for this significant milestone and celebrates the enduring strength and leadership of First Nations peoples.…
Walking Together in Faith and Hope: UCA renews Tuvalu Partnership
Walking Together in Faith and Hope The Uniting Church in Australia has renewed its partnership with the Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu (EKT) this week, reaffirming a shared commitment to faith, solidarity and climate justice as Tuvalu faces an increasingly uncertain future.As rising seas continue to threaten the future of Tuvalu, the Uniting Church in Australia has…
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
Reflections from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference By Paul WallbankAhead of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, President Rev. Charissa Suli joined Heads of Churches and Christian leaders from across Australia for an Ecumenical Prayer Service hosted by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in Sydney last week. Held by the Bishops’ Commission for Christian Unity and Inter-religious Dialogue at the Mary MacKillop Memorial…