New Advocates for the Assembly Circles of Interest

Rev Hee Won Chang and Matthew Julius will step into new leadership roles

July 31, 2024

The Assembly is pleased to announce two new Advocates for the Assembly Circles of Interest, elected at the 17th Assembly meeting. We welcome Rev Hee Won Chang as Advocate of the Growing in Faith Circle, and Matthew Julius as Advocate of the Transforming Worship Circle.

Advocates gather, generate and drive the work of the Assembly Circles, which are the platform for participating in and learning about the national work of the Uniting Church. There are currently seven Circles focussed on different ministry and mission areas. Many hundreds of people across the Uniting Church belong to at least one Circle.

The 17th Assembly also expressed appreciation for outgoing Advocates Rev Liam Miller (Growing in Faith Circle), Rev Dr Matt Wilson (Seeking Common Ground Circle), Rev Jon Humphries (Transforming Worship Circle) and for the late Rev Loni Vaitohi who was Advocate of the Working for Justice Circle prior to his death in 2023.

Find out more about the Circles, and meet the new Advocates below.

"Advocates gather, generate and drive the work of the Assembly Circles of Interest"

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Rev Hee Won Chang

Advocate, Growing in Faith Circle

 

go to the circle
Hee Won Chang (장희원) studied theology on the lands of the Burramattagal peoples of the Darug Land, and now lives, works and prays on the lands of Bidjigal and Gadigal Peoples. She is one of the ministers at Hope Uniting Church in Maroubra and is passionate about creating intergenerational and intercultural spaces.

She is a first-generation Korean woman at odds with her culture, a non-white migrant at odds with the dominant culture. Bilingual and belonging to in-between spaces and cultures, she inhabits both Korean and Australian cultures but from time to time likes to question both worlds.

She takes biblical hermenutics seriously and is interested in voices that are ignored and silenced. She recently shared about her first three years of ordained ministry with ex-President Sharon Hollis on her podcast Dwelling.

Matthew Julius 

Advocate, Transforming Worship Circle

 

go to the circle

Matt Julius is a member of Northcote Uniting Church in Melbourne, a graduate of Pilgrim Theological College, a member of Synod Standing Committee (Synod of Victoria and Tasmania) and a candidate for Minister of the Word.

A gifted and experienced liturgist and writer of poetry and prayers, he is actively involved in worship leadership in his home faith community and a diverse range of other contexts.

Some of Matt’s sermons, theological reflections, and commentary on church and culture can be found at: https://liturgicalpantry.substack.com/

The seven Circles and Advocates are:

Rev Dr Paul Goh (Being a Multicultural Church), Virginia Lavaki (Discipling the Next Generations), Alison Overeem (Walking Together as First and Second Peoples), Rev Alex Sangster (Working for Justice) and Rev Hee Won Chang (Growing in Faith) and Matthew Julius (Transforming Worship). The Advocate position for the Seeking Common Ground Circle is currently vacant.

see all the circles