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Safe Church Update

The Safe Church Unit wishes all our Congregations, Faith Communities and Parish Missions a happy and safe 2022. We aim to ensure that the Church is safe for all and provide information to support this aim. We would like to draw your attention to the following: Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is now law […]

7 February 2022

In Praise of Cringe, Authenticity and Awkward Faith

For years, “cringe” was an insult. It described people who tried too hard, cared too much, or showed emotion without irony. Online culture trained people to avoid embarrassment at all costs. The safest position was detachment. Cool meant distance. Now it seems that openly celebrating awkwardness, sincerity and emotional honesty seems to be the new […]

Adrian Drayton 26 May 2026

The Drones Above Hong Kong Aren’t Science Fiction

The image feels familiar because cinema has prepared us for it. Small drones hover silently over apartment towers, scanning alleyways and public streets while officers monitor screens from a control centre. It sounds like a discarded scene from Blade Runner 2049 or Minority Report. But this isn’t speculative fiction anymore. It’s happening now in Hong […]

Adrian Drayton 26 May 2026

Our Synod’s action on climate: What have we done and what have we learned?

Jon O’Brien from Uniting Climate Advocacy Network reflects on what we have done as a Church and what we have learned. From alarming IPCC reports to the flooding recently experienced in parts of our Synod, climate change is a threat that is well and truly being felt. Knowing how to respond can be difficult in […]

Jon O'Brien 6 September 2022

Major US Study Finds Strong Link Between Religion and Wellbeing

A major new research review has found that religious involvement is overwhelmingly linked to better mental health outcomes, with positive associations outnumbering negative findings by roughly 10 to 1. The report, released earlier this month by the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University, analysed thousands of peer-reviewed studies examining the relationship between religion and mental […]

Adrian Drayton 27 May 2026

3am

My eyes are wide open as though it’s daytime. Everything is dark, still and silent. All I can hear is my dog at the foot of the bed licking her paws. Our usually noisy street is quiet. I’d normally be grateful for the peace but lying on my bed, I find it unnerving at 3am. […]

Karina Kreminski 27 May 2026

A Quiet Insistence on Hope

Review: One Mississippi, Eric Bibb We are under pressure to ‘stay informed’ about world events, and there is some good in understanding where justice is required in the world and acting on that. But things can seem overwhelming. Focussing on the good in life can seem like a cop-out, but there is some courage in […]

Nick Mattiske 28 May 2026

How to write when the world is collapsing

SLOW WILDLIFE ON ROAD was such an odd sign to see in my inner-city neighbourhood. Someone had hand-written two signs on pieces of cardboard, placed fluorescent witches hats by their side, pasted a maple autumn leaf on each of the cardboards and voila! – a protective shield for the fauna in my backyard. I wondered […]

Karina Kreminski 29 May 2026

June: Becoming

Following Pentecost, the liturgical calendar moves us into Ordinary Time: an ordered sequence of weeks between the major feast days of the Christian year which give Christian communities the opportunity to reflect on the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, to embody the mission of Jesus, and to grow in our discipleship. 7 June – […]

Rev. Yvonne Ghavalas 31 May 2026

The Statement from the Heart: More than just a Voice

Since 2019 The Synod of NSW and the ACT has been supportive of the Statement from the Heart, and of the three elements of the Statement: Voice, Treaty, Truth. The Synod is, in principle, supportive of a substantive, constitutionally enshrined, Voice to Parliament. The Synod also supports the call for a Treaty (or Treaties) with […]

29 September 2022

Politically Homeless or Citizen of Heaven?

A Contemplative’s Map Through Polarization There’s a particular pain that has settled into the bones of many believers. It’s the sorrow of standing at the edge of every political tribe and finding that none of them have room for the whole of who you are. You read one platform and find compassion for the poor […]

Graham Joseph Hill 1 June 2026

Dr Julia Baird to Bring Depth, Curiosity and Grace to One

When people think about keynote speakers for large church gatherings, they often expect someone who will simply inspire or entertain. But the inclusion of Dr Julia Baird at ONE in October signals something broader and more thoughtful. Baird brings the rare ability to move between journalism, spirituality, public life and personal reflection in a way […]

Adrian Drayton 2 June 2026

Why Instant Chat Bots Can’t Replace Spiritual Formation

The fear is not that artificial intelligence will replace God. The deeper concern is that it may replace the slow, difficult and deeply human work of learning how to listen to Him. A recent article in Christianity Today warned that Christians are in danger of becoming “People of the Chatbot” rather than “People of the […]

Adrian Drayton 4 June 2026

Screen Fatigue and the Rise of Authenticity

Scrolling through a phone before sleep has become routine for many young people. So has waking up and checking notifications before getting out of bed. Australian studies show Gen Z spends hours each day on screens, often for work, study, entertainment and connection. At the same time, many young people say they feel exhausted by […]

Adrian Drayton 5 June 2026

The Candle and the App

Why spirituality won’t carry what religion and discipleship to Jesus carry There’s a moment in Faith, Hope and Carnage where Nick Cave describes a candle in a church. He’s been wrecked by the deaths of his sons Arthur and Jethro. The act is simple. He lights a candle, kneels, sits among strangers who’ve done this for two […]

Graham Joseph Hill 8 June 2026

This Original Sci-Fi Action Game Finds The Fun In Hacking

Review: Pragmata There’s been a noticeable trend in storytelling across different media within the last few years – an increase in plotlines and stories that confront the very human experience of feeling distrustful towards AI. Pragmata takes a complicated position: the story is about a rogue AI that has overtaken a mining outpost on the […]

James O'Connor 9 June 2026

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