Nextgen leaders head to the bush to engage in new pilot program
A group of our young church leaders recently journeyed into the NSW Riverina, offering hands-on support to a farming family while discovering the power of service, community, and faith in action
December 3, 2025
written by Justin Ackland, Communications Manager at Frontier Services
In late November, twelve young adults from Uniting Churches in Sydney, Melbourne and Griffith strapped on their boots, rolled up their sleeves and stepped into a story far bigger than they expected.
They had travelled to Coleambally, a small town in the NSW Riverina, alongside Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli and Frontier Services National Director Rob Floyd. Their mission was simple but deeply human: to offer practical and much-needed support to a local family carrying the weight of farm life alone.
Dianne and her daughters have held their farm together since the passing of their husband and father. What they lacked wasn’t determination, but time and hands. Fencing that needed repair. Irrigation lines waiting to be laid for a small orchard. Native trees ready for planting. A vegetable garden requiring some tender care.
For the young adults, the work was physical and at times demanding. For Dianne, it was transformative and deeply appreciated.
As she shared her story – her grief, her resilience, and her passion for sustainable farming and regenerating native bushland – the young team listened intently. Her words left a lasting imprint.
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.
A Shared Vision for Young Adult Engagement
This trip formed part of a new pilot program developed by Frontier Services and the President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Charissa Suli, with the support of the Assembly. It emerged from a shared hope to encourage young people to experience the ministry of the Church in ways that are practical, relationship-centred, and grounded in faith. One meaningful avenue is the Frontier Services Outback Links program, which connects volunteers with rural and remote communities facing practical challenges.
Traditionally, Outback Links volunteers have been older Australians with the time and flexibility to travel. Frontier Services National Director, Rob Floyd, sees the inclusion of young adults as a significant and faith-shaping step.
“Many of our young adults in the city have never or rarely travelled into our vast outback. To assist a family who really needs a helping hand offers a unique opportunity for young people to develop their own ideas of ministry and service within our Church,” he said.
Rev Suli also hopes young adults will see that faith and service can be expressed not only through ordained roles or committees, but through practical acts of care and friendship. This kind of service, she believes, allows young adults to live out their faith in a tangible way and discover anew what ministry looks like in the everyday.
Warm Hospitality and Intercultural Worship
The group was welcomed in Griffith with remarkable hospitality. Volunteers stayed at Griffith Uniting Church, where members provided generous meals each day. The Tongan, Fijian and Cook Island communities each hosted a night and shared food, culture, singing and dancing, creating moments of fellowship that reflected the breadth and beauty of the Church.
On Sunday, more than 200 people gathered for an intercultural worship service led by Rev Suli and the young adults, supported by Griffith Uniting’s Rev Kepuali Vaka. The service included reflections from the week and an Advent message encouraging the congregation to “stay awake” to God’s hope as they look towards Christ’s coming.
The week concluded with a relaxed afternoon on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. It was a quiet moment to reflect not only on the work completed, but on the spirit of shared faith and community that had shaped the whole experience.
Looking Ahead
Both Rob Floyd and Rev Suli described the pilot as a great success. Meaningful work was completed, new relationships formed, and young adults were given a powerful encounter with life in the country and the ministry of presence at the heart of Frontier Services.
With the enthusiasm generated by this first trip, Frontier Services hopes to create similar opportunities for young adults in 2026.
To find out more on the mission activities of Frontier Services, contact team@frontierservices.org.
More news from the Assembly
Come, Taste and See: Feast of Faith 2026
Come, Taste and See: Feast of Faith 2026 Young adults and emerging leaders gathered for this year’s Feast of Faith, discovering God’s goodness through worship, fellowship, storytelling and shared cultural experiencesEarlier this month, second-generation young adults and emerging leaders from intercultural communities across the Uniting Church gathered in Merricks, Victoria for Feast of Faith 2026.…
Lay Preachers gather to share in weaving Christ’s love
Lay Preachers gather to share in weaving Christ’s loveMore than 40 Lay Preachers, worship leaders and church members from across Australia gathered in Naarm/Melbourne from 4–6 September for the National Lay Preachers’ Conference. Hosted by the Lay Preachers’ Association of Victoria and Tasmania with Pilgrim Theological College, the triennial conference was…
Pilgrims of Peace, Trust and Hope
Pilgrims of Peace, Trust and Hope Last week, President-elect Rev Dr Paul Goh gathered with the global ecumenical community to discuss the Church’s role in speaking for peace, justice and hope amid the wounds of divisionSubscribe to our newsletterIf you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to…
Listening at the lingual frontier
Listening at the lingual frontier 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. What does it mean to listen when the person we are seeking to relate to speaks a different first language,…
Caring for Creation at St Stephen’s Toowoomba
Faith in action: St Stephen’s journey of caring for creation At St Stephen’s Uniting Church, caring for creation is woven into worship and practical decisions that strengthen both environmental and financial sustainabilityBy Emily Murray, Environmental Sustainability Specialist, Queensland SynodAt St Stephen’s Uniting Church in Toowoomba, care for creation is not a standalone project but an expression of…
President joins Pacific women leaders in Tuvalu
President joins Pacific women leaders for gathering in TuvaluUniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli is in Tuvalu this week, joining women leaders from across the Pacific for a regional gathering exploring the connections between faith, gender and climate justice. Hosted by the Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu (EKT) Church in Funafuti, the Tuākoi Lei – Faith, Gender…
Frontier Services attend National Bush Summit
National Bush Summit 2026 Frontier Services joined national conversations on the future of rural and remote Australia, listening to communities and advocating for practical, compassionate change 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…
August Update from Theology, Formation and Leadership Commission
August update from Act2 TFL Commission The Commission for Theology, Formation and Leadership welcomed Rev Dr Sunny Chen and progressed key work strengthening theological formation, collaboration, leadership and relationships across the Uniting Church. Subscribe to our newsletter If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe…