Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Queensland


The Synod of Queensland or Queensland Synod is a state council of the Uniting Church in Australia.
Synod also describes the regular meeting of representatives of the state-wide church. These meetings are known as the Synod in Session.

Overview

The Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia is the national council of the Uniting 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. As of 20 October, 2023 the moderator is Reverend Bruce Moore, who was inducted at the 37th Synod on 20 October 2023.

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.
  • Bremer Brisbane Presbytery
  • Carpentaria Presbytery
  • Central Queensland Presbytery
  • Mary Burnett Presbytery
  • Moreton Rivers Presbytery
  • South Moreton Presbytery
  • The Downs Presbytery

Education

Trinity College Queensland provides theological education for ministers and laypeople. Degree courses are accredited by the Australian College of Theology.
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 Busch19771979 years
2Rev Ronald Elvery19791980 years
3Rev Duncan Harrison19801981 years
4Rev Dr Douglas Brandon19811982 years
5Rev Dr Lewis Born19821983 years
6Rev Alan Kidd19831984 years
7Rev Eric Moore19841985 years
8Rev Ray Hunt 19851986 years
9Rev Barry Dangerfield19861987 yearsRecognition withdrawn in 2019
10Rev Ray Thompson19871988 years
11Rev John Mavor19881989 years
12Rev Don Whebell19891990 years
13Dr John Roulston19901991 yearsFirst lay person to be Queensland Moderator
14Rev Bryan Gilmour19911992 years
15Rev Cecil Schloss19921993 years
16Rev Don Whebell19931996 yearsFirst full time Queensland Moderator
17Rev Dr David Pitman19961999 years
18Rev Dr Ray Reddicliffe19992002 years
19Rev Allan Kuchler20022005 years
'Rev Dr David Pitman20052008 years
20Rev Bruce Johnson20082011 years
21Rev Kaye Ronalds20112014 yearsFirst female Queensland Moderator
22Rev David Baker20142020 years'
23Rev Andrew Gunton2023
24Rev Bruce Moore2023CurrentCurrent''