By Kim Cain
Director of Communications
Uniting Church in Australia / Synod of Vic Tas

Now what do we make of Heath’s tragic death?

Inspirational artist, who like so many creative people before him, died before his time?

A legend in the making, cut down in his prime; paradoxically ensuring his fame?

A rising star, who has been taken from us, before his Hollywood nebular has really flared to its full magnitude?

Or, is Heath Ledger, just another young man tragically lost young, along life’s way? (more…)

By Reverend Paul Creasey and Andrew Gillett
Outreach Ministries in the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania

Father Bob Maguire has become a Melbourne institution through his thirty years of tireless ministry and outreach in the Catholic Parish of South Melbourne, and most recently as a consequence of his relationship with iconoclastic television and radio presenter, John Safran. (more…)

By Reverend Paul Creasey and Andrew Gillett
Outreach Ministries in the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania.

There has been a new face in town – the face of Corey Worthington from Narre Warren, framed by the now infamous yellow sun glasses. It is apparent that Corey’s bare-chested bravado has made him a folk hero among the young people of Melbourne. (more…)

By Adrian Pyle
Director of Mission Participation Resource Unit
Uniting Church in Australia
Vic / Tas Synod

I wonder what our communities could be like if we took conversations to a new level of intensity?

Recently, driving on a major freeway, I saw a billboard advertisement for a major oil company. Referring to the company’s record on climate change issues, the billboard proudly trumpeted “Talk stopped long ago.” The implication of course is that this is a company that has:
• stopped the talk (which is by further implication, unproductive)
• rolled up its metaphorical sleeves and
• taken concrete action (which, by yet further implication, is the only productive response possible). (more…)

By Caro Field

Candidate for Ministry at Centre for Theology and Ministry

As a relative newcomer to Melbourne (moved here just under 2 years ago), I am still getting used to some of the quaint idiosyncrasies that make Melbourne Melbourne. One of these came to light, when I was reminded recently by a colleague in ministry that the most important religious holiday occurs the day after Christmas Day. He was, of course, referring to the Boxing Day Test Match. (more…)

By Kim Cain
Director of Communications
Uniting Church in Australia / Synod of Vic Tas

The political fallout in Pakistan has consequences for Western based Christians as moderate religion is crushed from Lebanon to Lahore.

Sometimes, from a media perspective, terrible things happen just at the right time. A political assassination during the ‘dead news’ time around Christmas and New Year is always welcomed by journalists wanting to report on anything of substance other than madcap holiday stories.

The tragic slaying of Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto fell right into that time of the news cycle, guaranteeing news prominence for the average Australian to digest between rounds of left over turkey sandwiches and Christmas cake. (more…)