How would you best sum up your time as Moderator?
Deeply engaging and immensely fulfilling. I’ve been privileged to see an enormous variety of the worship, witness and service of the Uniting Church. God calls people in worship and service in such a wonderful variety of ways. The Synod’s Vision statement really captures it for me: it’s about following Christ first of all, with all the joy and challenge that comes with following the risen, crucified One, in the love of God. It’s been about walking with First and Second Peoples together, which I have deeply appreciated in all of the ways of working with members of the Victorian, Tasmanian and national congresses. It’s been about community, compassion and justice for all creation, which I see in so many amazing ways. That’s what it’s been for me. But I’m also deeply aware that through this period there have been various communities, congregations and presbyteries working through some tough challenges and changing circumstances, and I’ve found accompanying some of those journeys to be particularly significant. There has been grief for some, growth for some, and challenges to hear God’s call in new situations for many.
What have been aspects of the role that have given you most joy?
I’ve really enjoyed conversations with people in various congregations that I’ve visited, or at events like the ‘Feast of Faith’ event for young CALD leaders. I’ve been delighted by the ways that I’ve seen staff and volunteers with Uniting AgeWell and Uniting Vic.Tas engaging with their communities. And I’ve deeply enjoyed working with colleagues across a range of councils of the Church and all those who work “behind the scenes” in the Synod offices.
What have been some of the challenges involved?
A personal challenge has been trying to keep up contact across a range of councils and individuals across the Church, as much as I’ve been able to manage. A more particular challenge, which has taken various forms, has been helping people within various councils of the Church to trust one another in discernment processes, as we work and share together in God’s blessing and calling in the work of the gospel.
Did anything about the role surprise you?
The short answer is no – but I am constantly amazed by the kinds of situations that individuals and groups of people can get themselves into, for good and (sometimes) for ill. It has been good to see close hand the various networks of support that exist to respond to various situations. I haven’t got to quite as many congregations to share in worship as I might have expected, though it has also been very good to have every third weekend protected for my family, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed regular worship with a ‘home’ congregation which has had no other expectations of me.
David describes his time as Moderator as deeply engaging and immensely fulfilling.
The conflict in Gaza and events since October 7, 2023 have been in the background during your time as Moderator. Have you found responding to those events a particular challenge?
Absolutely. It’s terrible that over a long time, peoples with different histories in that land have not been able to find a lasting and just peace. The war crimes being committed by the Israel Defence Forces; the atrocities committed on October 7, 2023; the taking of hostages; and the withholding of humanitarian aid for so many people, with so many killed and displaced, is all horrendous. As a Church committed to peacemaking and to supporting peace-makers, it remains a challenge to speak for peace and for equal justice, without going to extreme ‘solutions’ being promoted by some on either side. I’m grateful for supportive work from the Justice and International Mission cluster of the Synod, for the statements that the national Assembly and ecumenical bodies have been able to make, and for local congregations working for peace in their own neighbourhoods. On a local level (as opposed to internationally), even working with bodies like the Victorian Multifaith Advisory Group has had serious challenges, but staying with and working with others in that space continues to be worth the effort.
What other major events or issues might have occupied your thinking most during your time as Moderator?
I have really enjoyed working with the Tasmanian and Victorian congresses, led by Alison Overeem and Will Pickett. That’s been high in my thinking during most of my time, but being approached by the Yoorrook Justice Commission to give an account of the ways that the Uniting Church and its ‘predecessor’ churches were involved in the activities of missions, and benefitted from the dispossession of First Peoples through colonisation, and subsequently responding has been the most significant series of events for me. I can only say that I’m immensely proud of the huge effort that staff around the Synod put in to produce a huge amount of information and discussion for the Commission, in quite a short time frame. Appearing before the Commission was an amazing privilege and burden, and deeply moving. We are still on the path of walking into a more just future together.
Faithful Futures has been an important body of work you have formulated during your time as Moderator. Two questions here: How important has that work been and how can it be best embraced by Victorian and Tasmanian UC members, congregations and faith communities?
I think that there is a lot gained by presbyteries working on common goals together, even if in their own ways, because we’ve been facing similar challenges with many common elements in strategic planning, and it helps the whole Church to respond to actual and developing needs. The Faithful Futures strategy provides some structure, but ultimately UCA members, congregations and faith communities are still called to the Spirit’s creativity, to respond to the gospel call for our communities, to support some discerned priorities, and to bear the fruit and life of the Spirit.
“By the grace of God, the Uniting Church in this Synod is a wonderful, amazing community,” David says.
How would you describe the health of the Uniting Church in Victoria and Tasmania as you leave the role of Moderator?
By the grace of God, the Uniting Church in this Synod is a wonderful, amazing community. There are plenty of life-filled and life-giving congregations, activities and people. There are parts where changes are causing grief, and difficult decisions are needing to be made and supported in different ways. Overall though I think we reflect Jesus’ love, grace and priorities well, and I pray that we may continue to do so.
What about at a national level?
Very similar things could be said nationally as in Victoria and Tasmania. Within this Synod we have lots of common joys and challenges across presbyteries with different strengths and capacities. The same can be said nationally. The Uniting Church has a particular calling within Australia. We have a particularly broad, inclusive, Jesus-following and justice-aware approach to worship, witness and service that I’m glad to celebrate.
What are the issues that need serious attention at both Victorian/Tasmanian and national level?
At a local level, it’s about bearing the gifts of the Spirit and growing people in discipleship and faith – and encouraging people who may be being called into particular ministries. At a slightly higher level we have some challenges with respect to the depth of leadership among committees and councils of the Church. We need to grow that leadership prayerfully and carefully, and be thoughtful about how responsibilities are distributed. Both Faithful Futures and Act2 are part of responding to this.
Would you offer any advice, or reflections, to incoming Moderator, Rev Salesi Faupula, that might assist him in the role?
Pray, and listen carefully for where God is calling you to pay attention. And delight in the wonderful people you will find in all corners of the church and its institutions.
What are your future plans?
My immediate plans will be for some retreat time, and the chance to slow down a bit for personal discerning. With the things that I’ve learnt (and am still learning) about the way that the Church is organised, I’m looking forward to spending a couple of days per week as chairperson of the Assembly’s Commission on Governance, Resourcing and Administration, to further some of the Act2 work. Alongside that, there’s an opportunity to get back to some pastoral ministry through doing some part-time supply … or at least that’s the current plan. This role has been a wonderful experience and adventure, and I can only trust in God’s care for whatever is to come.
