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Blogs, Campaigns
April 20, 2026

In the midst of world events that feel out of our control, we take hold of the Easter resurrection story to guide our steps together.

When we turn our attention toward Christ, when we fast, when we pray, when we slow down enough to follow his footsteps, we don’t get pulled away from the world. We get pulled deeper into it.

I addressed churches during Easter with a message of hope and encouragement. I hope you’ll take a moment to be encouraged by watching, and share with others who need to hear again the Easter narrative of solidarity and transformation.

Find out more about UnitingWorld’s Lent Event.

by
Campaigns, News
March 26, 2026

 

Thank you to the churches across Australia that hosted an Everything in Common stall this year! Inspired by the radical generosity of the early Church described in Acts (2:44-45), you helped us raise more than $300,000 to support the vital work of our partners fighting poverty and building hope.

Lachlan (pictured above) grew up surrounded by people who care about the world around them. In a family that was deeply engaged at Brisbane West Uniting Church, Lachlan remembers there always being a call to help people who didn’t have many of the things he took for granted.

“My family was always fundraising for different missions of the church,” he says. “And I found it inspiring to see people in the community always travelling across Australia or oversees to love and serve anyone who needs help.”

It was an image that stuck with him. In school geography class he learned about water scarcity, so in 2019 he organised his church to fundraise for water wells through UnitingWorld.

“The more I learned about the world around me, the more I realised how much there was to do to help.”

When the devastating 2019 droughts and bushfires hit, followed by COVID-19, Lachlan and his church stepped up.

“During crises like that, the solutions become so clear,” he says. “During the pandemic, our church set up a food bank to help people who lost their jobs, and we fundraised to support struggling farmers in Roma and Mitchell.”

His passion led him to discover our Everything in Common Gift Catalogue, and he now champions his church gift stall each Christmas. “I love being able to support really tangible things like clean water, food gardens and school books,” he says.

Now studying at university, Lachlan hasn’t lost his heart to help others, pursuing an International Studies degree and volunteering as often as he can.

“I think people like me should use their abilities, skills and privilege to make a difference, to help people wherever there’s a need.”

by
Blogs, Campaigns
February 18, 2026

Outdated and irrelevant tradition, or the perfect season for our modern age? 

Every year, sometime between when hot cross buns unscrupulously appear in supermarkets and the eating of a chocolate egg, many of us catch a vague mention of “Lent”. 

To many the word will sound ancient, dusty. Locked in books and church halls from another time.  

For those of us who attend a mainline church, it will involve literal dust. Ashes marked on foreheads to remind us of our finite lives followed by a 40-day season of prayer, fasting (usually from chocolate) and giving to others. 

But to put it down to just a list of duties to perform would be to undercut one of the most powerful and contemporary aspects of the season: intentional time to clarify and refocus our lives on what really matters. 

And rarely has that felt more necessary. 

We live in an age of relentless fragmentation. Our attention is no longer simply divided; it is actively hunted. Algorithms are engineered to keep us anxious, scrolling, comparing. Every app, advertisement and news cycle competes for a piece of us. We are invited to perform our identities, signal our values and consume our way to meaning all at once, all the time. 

Nowhere is this divided loyalty more visible than in our relationship with material wealth. We accumulate position and possession, often not out of greed, but out of anxiety. Out of the quiet fear that we are not enough, that we do not have enough, that we must hold on to everything we can. Life becomes cluttered. Generosity becomes difficult. God recedes to the back of the queue. 

The disciplines of prayer, fasting and generosity are a direct challenge to that condition. They loosen the grip of status anxiety. They relocate our identity not in what we own or achieve, but in our relationship with God and with the people around us. They give us back what the algorithms are stealing from us: attention and focus. 

This is why Lent is not a relic. It is a rescue. 

Lent is the 40-day period leading up to Easter, a season the Church has observed for nearly two thousand years. Forty days echoes the time Jesus spent in the wilderness before his public ministry began. Hungry, tested and stripped of comfort, prayer and fasting didn’t diminish him. They clarified him. He knew who he was and what he was for. 

So we follow in those footsteps. 

The season of Lent has always been marked by three practices: fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Three disciplines that together orient the Christian life not just inward, but outward. 

The logic is simple, but radical. When you fast, you create space, in your body, in your budget, in your attention. The tradition has always said: don’t leave that space empty. Fill it with something that matters. Feed someone. Clothe someone. Build something that lasts. 

Right now, that call has a particular urgency. 

Climate change is not an abstract future problem; it is an unfolding catastrophe for the world’s most vulnerable people. Harvests are failing. Coastlines are disappearing. Families across the Pacific, Asia and Africa are being forced from their homes and their livelihoods, not because of choices they made, but because of choices the wealthiest nations made for them. 

The injustice is stark: those who contributed least to this crisis are suffering the most. And they have the fewest resources to adapt. 

This is precisely the kind of moment that calls us back to the traditions of Lent: not to retreat into private spiritual exercise, but to look outward, let our hearts be moved, and ask: what am I willing to give? 

Lent Event

Since 2004, UnitingWorld has been inviting Australian Christians to make Lent a season of outward action through Lent Event and, for 2026, the call is as urgent as it’s ever been. 

Lent Event is built around a simple, powerful idea: that the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and generosity can be channeled toward the lives of our global neighbours. 

This year, the heart of Lent Event is 40 for the Future: a climate challenge for individuals, families, and whole congregations to live more simply during Lent and raise funds for UnitingWorld’s life-changing projects.  

From helping families in Timor-Leste to grow their own food gardens, to planting trees in Indonesia to stabilise landslide-prone hillsides, to stocking evacuation centres in disaster-prone parts of the Pacific, every dollar raised goes to community-led climate action in places that need it most (see the impact your fundraising can have!). 

And it’s not just about the money. Lent Event is a way for your church community to walk through the season together, with shared stories, prayers, and reflective resources each week that connect the ancient rhythms of Lent to the urgent realities of our world right now. 

This year, consider what it might look like to let Lent be bigger. To let the ashes on your forehead be a reminder not just of your own mortality, but of the millions of people whose lives are being shaped by forces beyond their control, and of the power that ordinary people of faith have to change that. 

Don’t just give up chocolate. Give your prayers, fasting and generosity to shape a fairer world for all. 

Join us for Lent Event 2026 and sign up for 40 For the Future!

Lent Event 2026 runs 18 February – 2 April. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top photo: A woman in Timor-Leste waters her raised food garden made possible thanks to UnitingWorld supporters.

 

UnitingWorld’s work in Timor-Leste is partly funded by the Australian Government as part of the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).

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Campaigns, Village and Economic Development (West Timor, Indonesia)
February 17, 2025
A huge thank you to everyone who gave any of the life-changing gifts from our Everything in Common gift catalogue during Christmas, and to everyone who made a donation. At time of writing, you’ve helped raise more than $350,000 through the catalogue, supporting our partners to impact their communities in so many different ways. Thank you!

New for Everything in Common 2024 was our Healthy Kids and Mothers card, helping provide care and nutrition to expectant mothers, newborns and families in the Alor and Rote Islands in Nusa Tenggara Timur (West Timor Province), Indonesia.

These islands are home to some of the poorest communities in Indonesia, where many people still live off the land in traditional subsistence lifestyles. With the rise of imported foods and uncertain growing seasons, families struggle to get the food and nutrition they need. Mothers and babies are the hardest hit, with malnutrition leading to high-risk pregnancies and stunting of children.

Our local partner, the Christian Evangelical Church in Timor, and their development agency TLM are determined to make change, both now and into the future.

Working in eight villages, our partners are:

  • providing health checks and education for pregnant women, new mums and their children
  • distributing locally-grown fresh vegetables and resources for families to grow their own food
  • installing clean water sources in villages that need it.

Looking beyond, our partners are using the villages as models to inspire others, working with local governments and church communities to tackle the heath crisis for good. We’ll keep you updated about progress with stories like Irma’s (shared below).

First published in UnitingWorld Update 2025-01 – download the full magazine PDF here.

“She is so healthy…”

Our church partner in Nusa Tenggara Timur (West Timor Province), Indonesia, distributes vegetable seeds for expectant mothers to provide for healthy nutrition during pregnancy, and for the family in the future.

Irma (pictured) said “growing vegetables is good for pregnant mothers, health workers … told me that. [When] I gave birth to my third child, she is 3.8 kg. She is so healthy, maybe because I consumed a lot of vegetables.”

This project was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). 

by
Campaigns
February 14, 2025

As the saying goes, “Big change comes from small actions, repeated”.

Monthly giving as a UnitingWorld Global Neighbour is a way for you to ‘put on repeat’ your commitment to building a more just and equitable global neighbourhood.

Poverty and injustice have complex causes, and there are no quick fixes. Regular giving provides our partners with a reliable income stream to deliver powerful and effective programs, day in and day out, until the work is done.

Why give monthly?

Express your faith and values

Live out your values of justice and compassion as part of a community of givers, celebrating stories of progress and equipped to pray for our partners.

Have a greater impact

Monthly giving is one of the most powerful ways to support people fighting poverty. It creates a secure funding base for our partners, faster response in disaster, lower fundraising costs and more lives changed.

Accountability
As a monthly giver, we’ll tell you where your donations are used and how we’re resourcing our partners to continually assess, monitor and improve the projects you support.

Join our network of faithful monthly givers, working together to build a more just and equitable global neighbourhood. 

Become a UnitingWorld Global Neighbour today! Find out more or sign up at www.unitingworld.org.au/globalneighbour.

 

First published in UnitingWorld Update 2025-01 – download the full magazine PDF here.

by
Blogs, Campaigns
February 14, 2025

In a fast-paced world dominated by 24-hour news cycles, consumer culture and the dizzying expansion of technology, the season of Lent can feel like a relic of the past. One more tradition squeezed out by our busyness and distractions. As Ecclesiastes 7:12 reminds us,

“God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.”

But perhaps now, more than ever, Lent is a rare invitation to pause. To follow Jesus into the stillness of creation. It’s a time to give our full attention to God, to live more simply and to act generously out of love for our neighbours and this beautiful, fragile world.

Climate change is undoing decades of progress, driving poverty, food insecurity and forced migration across our world. There’s profound injustice at its heart: those who’ve contributed the least to this crisis are suffering the most, while those who’ve burned the most fossil fuels have largely insulated themselves from its effects.

What can we do? We can follow Jesus.

Our world urgently needs a movement of attentive and generous discipleship.

Lent can be that annual ‘spark’ that reminds us of who we are in Christ, and all the love and hope we have to offer a hurting world.

We’ve heard our church partners’ call for solidarity and support to help vulnerable communities build resilience to climate impacts. We invite you to join us in answering their call:

“We hope and pray the world will join us.”

Below, members of our partner churches from across the Pacific share about their experiences of climate change and environmental degradation.

“In Kiribati, we are experiencing coastal erosion, and we believe that increasing sea level rise contributes to the losing of some of our lands.”
Teraoi, Kiribati Uniting Church
“Climate change is severely impacting our land [West Papua]. In the highlands it is becoming harder to grow potatoes and catch animals. Without our staple foods it affects our health and nutrition.”
Ekyen, Evangelical Christian Church in Tanah Papua
“Here in Tuvalu, young people have anxiety about sea-level rise, droughts and migration. I fear for the loss of our culture and traditions, but I tell myself: “God has given us this land, and we must hold onto it for future generations to enjoy.”
Tetavaa, Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu
“Across our communities in Kiribati, climate change is causing reduced rainfall, droughts and lack of accessible clean water.”
Bubutei, Kiribati Uniting Church
“The dry season [in Solomon Islands] feels hotter and longer. Mass logging has removed so many trees, king tides wash the fertile soil away and it doesn’t come back. I’ve seen small islands that now look like deserts.”
Caleb, United Church in the Solomon Islands
“In Fiji, we feel the rising sea levels. There are burial sites that are now underwater and villages that are being forced to relocate. We all think it is a serious issue that needs to be tackled, and we pray the world will join us.”
Rev. Asinate, Methodist Church in Fiji

 

Lent Event offers a way to step into action, faithfully and meaningfully.

Commit to 40 days of faithful action for God’s creation. Fundraise or donate for communities on the frontlines of climate change. Speak out for justice.

Throughout Lent, we’ll share stories from our partner, the Free Wesleyan Church in Tonga, showing how your actions will help transform lives across the Pacific, Asia and Africa.

Will you join us? By acting together, we can challenge the status quo of a distracted and disconnected world, make a real difference in the lives of our neighbours, and inspire vital hope and courage for the future.

Sign up, get ideas for action and connect with a community of like-minded people at www.lentevent.com.au.

 

First published in UnitingWorld Update 2025-01 – download the full magazine PDF here.

by
Campaigns
February 13, 2025

In January 2022, the Pacific Island nation of Tonga faced one of its most devastating natural disasters—the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano. The eruption unleashed massive tsunamis and volcanic ash, destroying homes, crops and livelihoods across the country.

Entire communities were left reeling from the destruction, but for many women and girls, the disaster was particularly challenging as they shouldered the responsibility of caring for their families amidst the chaos.

Taisia Heiumuli, a senior pastor with the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga (FWCT), played a key role in the recovery efforts that followed. “Women and girls were deeply affected,” Taisia explains. “Many of them were responsible for finding safe places for their children while their husbands were away, leaving them to bear the emotional and physical toll.”

When Taisia led a project in partnership with UnitingWorld and the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP), aimed at addressing both the psychological trauma and providing practical tools for recovery, she made sure that the specific needs of women were given equal priority.

The project had two main components. The first was psychological support, aimed at helping people traumatised by the disaster. “The wounds were deep, especially for women and children,” says Taisia. “Through counselling and support, we aimed to heal those wounds and create a space where people could share their struggles and rebuild together.”

“We didn’t want to just give people fish; we wanted to give them tools to go get their own!”

The second component focused on rebuilding the livelihoods of families. People were provided with tools like sewing machines, cooking stoves, gardening equipment and fishing gear—resources that allowed people to regain a sense of autonomy and contribute economically to their families. “We didn’t want to just give people fish; we wanted to give them tools to go get their own!” Taisia says, emphasising the long-term empowerment the project aimed to foster.

This community-wide effort ensured that everyone was able to rebuild. Women learned new skills and shared them within the community, creating a powerful network of support. “One woman was able to sew children’s clothes for a ‘White Sunday’ celebration, earning $800 from her work,” Taisia proudly shares.

Another inspiring story to come from the project was that of Michelle, a young woman from another denomination whose business was destroyed by the waves. With the help of the project, she received new equipment and was able to rebuild her business. “She cried when she shared how blessed she felt,” Taisia recalls. “This project wasn’t for members of the Free Wesleyan Church—it was for the entire community, and we’ve been blessed to be able to support so many people.”

As the season of Lent approaches, we invite you to reflect on the power of faith, community and collective action through Lent Event! More of Taisia’s story will be featured in an upcoming six-part video series for Lent, highlighting inspiring stories from our partners in Tonga. Find out more on the Lent Event website.

Story from UnitingWorld Update 2025-01 – download the full magazine PDF here.

 

Part of this program includes working ecumenically through the Church Agencies Network-Disaster Operations consortium (CAN-DO) funded by the Australian Government as part of the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP).

 

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by
Blogs, Campaigns
November 13, 2024

We all like to say Christmas isn’t about the presents—and we mean it. 

Ask around. It’s about family and friends, neighbourhoods alive with connection, and intergenerational debates over the holiday playlist (Taylor Swift or Mariah Carey? Elvis or Bing Crosby?). 

It’s a time to reflect on the gift of God’s grace, to be present with those we love, and to share kindness and gratitude. And yes, we give presents! But there’s a downside… 

Each year, Christmas fuels a massive surge in global consumption, and our planet is paying the price. We buy more, travel more, and produce nearly 30% more waste than at any other time of the year.  

The maddening part? A lot of what we give isn’t even wanted! (an estimated $921 million-worth in Australia each year!*) 

Polling by the Australia Institute found that over 6 million Australians expected to receive gifts they would never use or wear last Christmas. Nearly half of adults (48%) wish people would stop buying them presents altogether. 

Yet, despite this, the vast majority of us still love the act of giving. We want to be generous; we want to show our loved ones we care. But we also care about the planet, and we’re starting to realise we can’t keep adding to the piles of ‘stuff.’ 

Thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives!

Here are 10 Christmas gift ideas that show love for both people and the planet… 

 

 

1. Give a gift that fights poverty!

What better way to affirm someone you love by giving on their behalf to a person or community who really needs it? It honours your generosity and theirs, it’s useful and doesn’t contribute to more ‘stuff’ in the world.  

Looking for gifts like that? Check out the Everything in Common gift Catalogue: www.everythingincommon.com.au

2. Give an experience 

Instead of generating more stuff, why not generate some great memories? Whether it’s a voucher for a favourite local restaurant, tickets to a sporting event, or a relaxing massage or sauna, experiences create opportunities for quality time, connection and shared joy. Post-COVID, many small businesses could use the support, and there’s no better way to foster community than by enjoying a great meal or fun activity together.  

 3. Give something that grows 

Is it fair to say plants are universally loved and timeless? You can never have too many. They live, breathe, and brighten up any space. Plus, the receiver can use cuttings to propagate more, give them as great gifts themselves and spread beauty and sustainable giving for years to come. Let’s create jungles, not jumbles! 

 4. Give second-hand or local 

Opt for pre-loved treasures or locally-made items. You’ll reduce your environmental footprint while supporting small businesses and fostering a sense of community. I recently picked up a handmade wooden dinosaur from a men’s shed fundraiser that my two-year-old is 100% going to love. (It’s a green brontosaurus that bobs its head and tail as you roll it along). With so many local community groups struggling right now, it’s a great way to help financially if you can’t volunteer time. 

5. Repair, regift or upcycle something you already own 

Instead of buying new, think about sprucing up something you already have that could make a unique gift. Upcycle old furniture, clothes or household items and turn them into something new and exciting for someone you love. It’s creative, thoughtful, and sustainable.

Get some inspiration from the pros selling on Etsy.

6. Give time and attention  

Christian theologian and activist Simone Weil once said, “attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” In our era of smartphones and algorithms and distraction, giving your time, energy and attention to someone might be the best gift you can give! 

Babysitting so a couple can have a night out? Gardening help for an elderly family member? You could even pledge your time in a card with an explanation and deadline, so they know you mean business. 

7. Donate in someone’s name 

Make a donation to a cause that matters to a friend or loved one. Whether it’s a local or international cause, a gift has the power to make a real difference in someone’s life or for the environment. It’s personal, meaningful, and aligns perfectly with the Christmas spirit of giving. 

You can even make an online donation as a ‘secret santa’ gift to your loved one.

8. Give a digital or subscription gift 

Subscriptions to streaming services, audiobooks or digital magazines eliminate the need for physical products and packaging. You can even gift memberships to services like a virtual yoga class or an online creative workshop. It’s a way to give something fun and useful without adding clutter or waste. 

9. Give homemade 

There’s something extra special about a gift that’s been made by hand. Whether it’s baked goods, homemade jam, or a hand-knitted scarf, these kinds of presents are personal and meaningful. They also avoid the environmental footprint of mass-produced goods and packaging. 

Get some inspiration from Adamstown Uniting Church ‘s Pudding Kitchen.

10. Give sustainably 

If you do want to buy something new, choose gifts from companies that are committed to sustainable practices. Look for products that are organic, fair trade or made from recycled materials. Ethical shopping means your money is going toward businesses that are trying to make a positive impact on the world. 

Vote for a better world with your choices this Christmas – but don’t stop there.  

We know that overcoming the global challenges we face, especially the climate crisis, requires more than individual action. We need transformative changes to our political, economic, and social systems to truly tackle the root causes of climate breakdown. 

But individual choices are still important. They send signals to businesses and policymakers, spark essential conversations within our communities, and build momentum for the collective action needed to drive systemic change. 

While our gifts may seem small, the shift in mindset it represents is powerful.  

This Christmas, let your choices be part of a larger movement to protect our planet. Together, we can push for the deep, structural changes the world needs and inspire much-needed hope along the way. 

 Original artwork in header image by Cocoon Creative for our SHOP FOR THE PLANET gift card.

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by
Campaigns, News
October 15, 2024

Everything in Common is our annual gift catalogue, filled with gifts that fight poverty and build hope. Our new catalogue is out now! 

Each gift card supports one of the life-changing projects of our church partners overseas.

We also have a new set of Christmas cards with traditional advent themes..

Click here to browse the full catalogue and shop online

Want to host a gift stall in your church or community? It’s a great way to make a difference, provide an alternative to Christmas consumerism and start important conversations about global poverty and climate change.

Click here to host a stall

 

UnitingWorld is the international aid and partnerships agency of the Uniting Church in Australia.

 

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Campaigns, Social Empowerment for Excluded Castes (India)
July 25, 2024

Laboni (pictured above with her mother) grew up in a typical rural village in West Bengal, India, where education is out of reach for many because families are too poor to invest in it.

Stuck in a cycle of poverty like this, going to school never seems as vital as the tasks of daily survival. Children grow up to help in the household or in the fields as soon as they are able; girls are married off young.

“My family was eager to marry me off at an early age,” Laboni now reflects. “It was not just because of my family but also according to our tribal culture; every girl between the ages of 13 and 15 should get married.”

Our church partner, the Church of North India-Diocese of Durgapur, saw the situation and believed that things could, and should, be different.

They supported Laboni’s education, and she became the first in her family to ever finish school. Today she’s pursuing her dreams: working on a university degree and hoping to return to her community as a teacher to inspire others to follow in her footsteps.

“The girls of my village [now] see me, and they are encouraged to study. I’ll tell them to go further,” says Laboni.

“I would urge every girl to stand on her own feet. We girls can participate in the development of our family, society and village.”

Thanks to UnitingWorld supporters and our partnership with the Australian Government, our partners also helped transform Laboni’s whole village and beyond, providing hundreds of families with income-generation support, training in agriculture and animal husbandry, and family health interventions.

The Diocese of Durgapur now runs 27 study centres currently supporting 420 children and a community development program working across 25 villages and two urban slum communities. Since they began the project, our partners have helped more than 2,000 children like Laboni with high-quality education support and career skills.

The wider community development work has grown to impact 1,698 households and 7,691 people with income-generation support, training in agriculture and animal husbandry, and family health interventions.

Laboni’s village is now a different place because of the love, hard work and dedication of our partners spanning more than a decade.

That’s why we believe this type of sustainable community development, led by local partners is the most effective weapon we have against poverty and injustice.

It’s an incredible blessing that we can play a part in creating such profound and lasting change. 

You can play a role too. Your support can help expand this live-changing work in India and beyond.

Click here to join our network of faithful monthly givers working together to build a more just and equitable world. Or find out more about this project here.

     

This project is supported by the Australian Government
through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).