The Synod of Queensland or Queensland Synod is a state council of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Synod also describes the regular meeting (every 18 months) of representatives of the state-wide church. These meetings are known as the Synod in Session. The next Synod in Session will be the 37th Synod, to be held during October 2023.

Overview

The Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia is the national council of the Church, headed by the President of the Uniting Church, with a general secretary as chief executive officer. The six geographically-based synods are responsible for overall support and resourcing of the church in their area—especially in community services, mission planning, theological education and other educational services, administration relating to ministers, and property and financial services. The elected head of each synod is the moderator, and a general secretary is usually appointed as the chief executive officer.

The Moderator is the spiritual head and the main spokesperson for the Uniting Church in Queensland. The current Moderator is Reverend Andrew Gunton and he was inducted at the 35th Synod on 22 October 2020.[1]

Presbyteries

The Synod of Queensland contains several presbyteries within its bounds. A presbytery is a council of the Uniting Church which has oversight of congregations, ministries and programs within a region. Ministers of the Word and deacons are responsible to their presbytery, which has the duty of caring for them and ensuring their work is carried out faithfully. Presbytery meetings include ordained ministers, lay pastors, and elected lay persons from every congregation.

The Synod of Queensland has seven presbyteries.[2]

  • Bremer Brisbane Presbytery[3]
  • Carpentaria Presbytery[4] (formerly Calvary Presbytery and North Queensland Presbytery)
  • Central Queensland Presbytery[5]
  • Mary Burnett Presbytery[6]
  • Moreton Rivers Presbytery[7]
  • South Moreton Presbytery[8]
  • The Downs Presbytery[9]

Education

Trinity College Queensland provides theological education for ministers and laypeople. Degree courses are accredited by the Australian College of Theology.[10]

Raymont Residential College is a residential college for tertiary students. It is co-located at the Uniting Church Centre in Auchenflower, Brisbane with Trinity College Queensland. Grace College is at the St Lucia campus of the University of Queensland and caters only for women.

Moderators

The following individuals have served as the Moderator of the Queensland Synod:

OrdinalOfficeholderTerm startTerm endTime in officeNotes
1Rev Prof Rolland Busch197719791–2 years
2Rev Ronald Elvery197919800–1 years
3Rev Duncan Harrison198019810–1 years
4Rev Dr Douglas Brandon198119820–1 years
5Rev Dr Lewis Born198219830–1 years
6Rev Alan Kidd198319840–1 years
7Rev Eric Moore198419850–1 years
8Rev Ray Hunt OBE198519860–1 years
9Rev Barry Dangerfield198619870–1 yearsRecognition withdrawn in 2019[11]
10Rev Ray Thompson198719880–1 years
11Rev John Mavor198819890–1 years[12]
12Rev Don Whebell198919901–2 years
13Dr John Roulston199019910–1 yearsFirst lay person to be Queensland Moderator
14Rev Bryan Gilmour199119920–1 years
15Rev Cecil Schloss199219930–1 years
16Rev Don Whebell199319962–3 yearsFirst full time Queensland Moderator
17Rev Dr David Pitman199619992–3 years
18Rev Dr Ray Reddicliffe199920022–3 years
19Rev Allan Kuchler200220052–3 years
(17)Rev Dr David Pitman200520082–3 years
20Rev Bruce Johnson200820112–3 years[13]
21Rev Kaye Ronalds201120142–3 yearsFirst female Queensland Moderator[13]
22Rev David Baker201420205–6 years[14]
23Rev Andrew Gunton22 October 2020incumbent3 years, 68 days[15][1]

References

  1. 1 2 O'Callaghan, James (23 October 2020). "Rev Andrew Gunton inducted as new Queensland Synod Moderator". Journey. Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  2. ↑ "Presbyteries". Uniting Church in Australia Queensland Synod. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Bremer Brisbane Presbytery – Uniting Church in Australia". Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  4. ↑ "Carpentaria Presbytery". www.ucacarpentaria.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  5. ↑ "Central Queensland – Presbytery of Central Qld, Qld Synod, Uniting Church in Australia". Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "Presbytery of Mary Burnett". www.maryburnettpres.org.au. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  7. ↑ "Moreton River Presbytery". Moreton River Presbytery. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  8. ↑ "| South Moreton Presbytery". Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "Church | The Presbytery Of The Downs | Toowoomba City". Downs Presbytery. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  10. ↑ "About". Trinity College Queensland. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  11. ↑ "Minutes of the 34th Synod, 2019" (PDF). The Uniting Church in Australia in Queensland. July 2019. p. 25. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  12. ↑ "John Mavor finally retires". Journey. Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Queensland. 5 April 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  13. 1 2 "Synod of Queensland". 13th Assembly reports. Uniting Church in Australia. 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "The Uniting Church in Australia Queensland Synod". Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  15. ↑ Rogers, Ben (18 May 2019). "34th Synod in Session: Day two – Now is the time to sow". Journey. Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  • Official website
  • Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Queensland Records 1862-1995; State Library of Queensland
  • Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Queensland Records 1936-1990; State Library of Queensland
  • Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Queensland Records 1879-1993, State Library of Queensland
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