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News
July 29, 2025

Across the Pacific, churches are central to family and community, but leadership is predominantly male. The voices and representation of women are often excluded in decision-making, teaching and leadership, which reinforces gender power-imbalances in society.

We support women to study theology and seek ordination, equipping them for leadership in the Church and community.

Click here to support this project.

Several of our Women in Ministry scholars have graduated recently. We were thrilled to get this note from Rev Toobora from Kiribati:

“I thank God for the gift of life and for our shared calling to serve in the various ministries He has entrusted to us. It is my constant prayer that God will continue to pour out His abundant blessings upon UnitingWorld as it continues to serve His people across the globe.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to UnitingWorld for its significant role in making my academic journey a successful one. Without the love, support and generosity extended by UnitingWorld in so many ways, I would not have reached this important milestone.Your collective efforts have made a lasting impact.
As we say in Kiribati, Kam bati n rab’a (thank you from the depths of my heart).”

Thanks to the UnitingWorld supporters who have donated and the congregations that have sponsored women like Rev Toobora to pursue their calling to serve God and change lives through their leadership. Currently we have two scholars at Davuilevu Theological College, Fiji, and we will share their progress in future updates.

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News
July 22, 2025

UnitingWorld’s new-look Engagement Team is here to share stories about exciting change in difficult places and to help you get involved. They serve as a connection between UnitingWorld’s work and Uniting Church congregations throughout Australia.

Team leader Mardi Lumsden, with UnitingWorld since 2017, is inspired by the passion for justice of UnitingWorld supporters.
“I love to see how excited people get when they understand that what UnitingWorld does works – the key is working with local people who
understand the challenges their communities face. Their hope, courage and faith encourage those around them to realise that small
things, done intentionally, grow to make a big impact.”

Antony McMullen is based in Victoria and excited about seeing local congregations realise they can make a real difference in our region. “I think people respond well to the fact that UnitingWorld isn’t about fly-in-fly-out aid but collaborating with actual church communities in our region to support them in doing what they determine is needed in their local
context.”

Barry Higgins is based in NSW and previously worked in international development and the local community services sector. “Community-owned decision making is a bit of a buzz word, but it’s the most effective way to create change and it’s what our partners are doing in our projects around the world. People’s eyes light up when you talk about it because it works, and seeing that happen is what I enjoy most about sharing UnitingWorld stories.”

Rev Cyrus Kung in South Australia is energised by spending time with people to dream together of what’s possible for creating change in the world. “I like hearing stories that are not like my own; they challenge me to open myself a little wider. There’s so much we can learn from our partners when we hear of their stories, and what hopes, dreams and struggles are a reality in their part of the world.”

Long-term team member Jenny Guyatt is a regular on the rural circuit in Queensland, speaking at churches up and down the coast. “They really appreciate the visit, knowing they’re not forgotten, and love hearing about the work of the wider Church. I love to share the stories of our partners who, like our congregations here, really understand the needs of their local communities and want to do what’s best for them.”

Invite the UnitingWorld Engagement Team to speak at your church or group, or ask them how you can support a project – email info@unitingworld.org.au or call 1800 998 122.

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News
July 22, 2025

(Originally published in UnitingWorld Update Issue 2 2025.)
Read the full newsletter here.

There’s a lot happening in the world right now. Big, overwhelming things. It can feel like all we hear is noise, conflict and fear.

But when I spend time with our partners, in person or through their stories, I see something else. I see courage, determination and love.

I see communities standing firm in the face of poverty, injustice and the growing climate crisis. They’re finding ways to plant seeds for the future.

In the July newsletter, you’ve read about people like Rev Monim, Rev Oto and Rev Junior, leaders deeply rooted in their faith and their communities, doing the hard and hopeful work of change. They remind me that the best antidote to despair is action.

When we stand alongside our partners around the world, sharing resources, prayers and acts of solidarity with the poorest people, we bring God’s love to life.

I also see other reasons for hope.
Our government has made a conscious choice to stay committed to global partnerships and to the values of justice, generosity and cooperation, even as other world leaders turn to self-interest and cynicism.
It may not make headlines, but one of the reasons Australia has stayed this course is the faithful, persistent advocacy of Christians across the country.

Through the Micah Australia network of faith-based organisations, including us and many others, thousands have raised their voices to ensure our government remembers those most vulnerable to poverty and climate change, even with hard decisions to make. It’s a welcome reminder of the collective power we have. Our church partners are stepping up their work to address growing need with creativity and boldness.

And here at UnitingWorld, we’re thinking big about the future, seeking new opportunities to scale up our impact and reach more people with practical, faith-led solutions to poverty and climate change.We can’t do any of it without you.

Your prayers, generosity and partnership are what make this all possible.

Please keep walking with us. Keep sharing the stories. Keep believing, giving and acting.

Because yes, the world is changing and breaking in many ways. But what we do together in these critical times is how we are part of God’s restoration of all things.

Thanks for being with us.

 

Dr Sureka Goringe

National Director

UnitingWorld

 

Read more good news from the frontlines of climate change.

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News
July 22, 2025

Thank you so much for your support during Lent Event this year! We shared inspiring stories of faith, courage and resilience from Tonga in the aftermath of the 2022 volcanic eruption and tsunami. Stories of people like Mr Folau, who miraculously survived more than 27 hours at sea after being swept offshore by the tsunami.

As we took 40 days of faith-filled action for God’s creation, we raised funds to help communities in the Pacific, Africa and Asia fight poverty, build food security and safeguard lives in the face of climate change and disasters.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we have raised more than $200,000!
If you missed it, you can still see the videos from Tonga at www.lentevent.com.au
And it’s not too late to donate.

Also as part of Lent Event we launched a great new initiative 40 for the Future, enabling individuals and church groups to take on a 40-day challenge to help build a fairer future.

Participants transformed the way they ate, shopped, travelled or used energy for 40 days to reduce their carbon footprint, and set a fundraising goal so their family and friends could sponsor their efforts. Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli was one of the people who took up a personal challenge to help make change.

She shared, “Lent is a season of reflection, sacrifice, and renewal and a time to draw closer to God and align our hearts with Christ’s call to love and serve. Lent reminds us that transformation is not just about giving something up, but about making space for something greater God’s justice, peace, and love in our lives and in the world. Through prayer, fasting, and acts of generosity, I hope to not only deepen my own faith but also contribute to the flourishing of others, particularly those in need.”

Thank you to everyone who took part!

Find out more at www.40forthefuture.com.au

 

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News
July 21, 2025

Dr Sureka Goringe, National Director of UnitingWorld, recently joined around 60 civil society leaders from across the Pacific, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand at the Civil Society Climate Summit in Suva, Fiji.

Convened by the Pacific Islands Association of NGOs (PIANGO) and the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), with support from WWF, the gathering brought together diverse voices to coordinate regional advocacy ahead of COP30 and COP31— the latter set to be hosted by Australia.

“Everyone agrees on the high-level demands,” said Dr Goringe. “We’re all calling for strong mitigation, an exit from fossil fuels, a just transition and investment in loss and damage, adaptation and climate migration. The real challenge lies in how this advocacy happens, and who gets heard.”

Pacific civil society organisations have long collaborated to raise a united voice on climate justice. Their key call is for a COP31 presidency that ensures real influence and access for Indigenous and grassroots leaders, not symbolic participation.

“What Pacific and Indigenous leaders want is a seat at the table, not the side show,” said Dr Goringe. “They’re seeking a COP process that makes space for civil society to help shape decisions, not just respond to them.”

Meanwhile, Australian civil society acknowledged significant gaps in First Nations representation, raising difficult but necessary questions.

“Many First Nations communities are sensing yet another vital conversation happening without them,” Dr Goringe shared. “Everyone wants to centre First Nations voices, but the path to doing that well is complex. It requires time, trust and tangible support. There’s a real commitment to try, but no easy answers.”

“Justice is about the ‘how’ as much as it is about the ‘what,’” she reflected. “Relationships, trust and good process are what build lasting change.”

Australian delegates made two key commitments:

  1. To support the Pacific’s climate justice agenda through their own advocacy, and

  2. To work actively to remove barriers that prevent Pacific civil society from participating meaningfully in COP31, through lobbying, funding and platform-sharing.

“This is where solidarity becomes real,” said Dr Goringe. “It’s about sharing resources, stepping back, and making space for others to lead.”

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News
July 21, 2025

Along the far north coast of West Papua, Indonesia, people are facing an intensifying struggle to survive on lands and seas that have sustained them for generations.

“Life is hard here and getting harder. Governments make promises about this area but then nothing happens. It feels like we’ve been forgotten.”

Travelling to the remote Tambrauw region in the far north of West Papua, it’s a sentiment you hear often. It’s not just poverty or the lack of services, it’s the sense of being left behind as the world changes around them.
In 2011, more than 70% of Tambrauw was declared a conservation zone, the highest form of environmental protection in Indonesia. The designation was a hard-won victory for Indigenous leaders resisting corporate mining and logging interests. But while most of the forests became protected on paper, the people were not. Development stalled. Poverty deepened. Climate impacts worsened.

“The lack of economic opportunities is the main challenge here,” says Wehermos, a villager who was part of a community consultation carried out by our church partner, the Evangelical Christian Church in the Land of Papua (GKI-TP). The problem with that, he explains, is when a crisis hits a family—a sick child or a garden washed away by floods—they don’t have money to pay for the long trip to a hospital, or to even cover the cost of food when their crops get wiped out.

The situation has created a paradox trapping the people: either protect the nature they depend on or exploit it to survive in the short term; clearing forests, overfishing or selling their land to foreign developers.

In April, GKI-TP and UnitingWorld staff hosted an extensive community consultation and climate analysis to identify the drivers of poverty for men, women and children, and the ways human development can be done sustainably.

“We want to help people make a living and have long-term food security without destroying the forests,” says GKI-TP Program Manager Donaltus Rumbesu. “If our approach works here, we can use it as a model to adapt for communities across Papua.”

Our partners already making change

GKI-TP is one of the largest and most trusted institutions in West Papua. It’s filled with inspiring leaders who are fighting to improve the lives of people across their communities as well as protect the natural environment they depend on. But they need help, and we in Australia can play a powerful role.

In a village where sea levels are rising and fish are disappearing, Rev Oto and his congregation are learning a hard truth: when you destroy the environment, you put your future at risk.

“It used to be all mangrove forests and coral along here,” he says. “But people cut down the mangrove trees and sold the coral to the tourist shops so they could build their houses.”

Most homes now sit on stilts to escape the encroaching sea. And the cost is becoming clear.

“The king tides are getting higher. The mangroves used to be a fence that softened the waves, and now it floods badly. During typhoons, even when they’re far offshore, no one sleeps.  It feels completely exposed, like we’ll be swept away.”

Mangroves are also habitats and breeding grounds for many of the local fish populations. Destroying them has meant fishing families have to go much further and the daily catch is getting harder.
So Rev Oto is working to restore the mangroves, even knowing it will take years. As well as overseeing hundreds of seedlings being planted, he’s found strong support from his church, GKI-TP. Their statement of faith commits the church to caring for the environment to ensure the flourishing of future generations, giving him confidence to speak boldly.

“I tell people it took just a few years to destroy the mangroves and coral.
It will take 30 years to bring them back… but only if we start today.”

In a region of West Papua battling poverty, malnutrition, gender-based violence and climate extremes, Rev Monim spreads hope wherever she can.

Rev Monim’s story begins with deep loss. In 2010, she was away at a church training when torrential rain triggered a landslide. The blocked river overflowed, flooding the town where her two children were staying with friends. They tried to reach higher ground, but as they ran, the riverbank and part of the mountainside gave way. Days later, her son was found alive, buried under metres of debris, cut, broken and stripped by the force of the water. Her daughter was never found. The disaster killed 145 people, left thousands injured and homeless, and destroyed the entire town.

Today, Rev Monim leads a humble but vibrant church in the remote Tambrauw region. Her faith, rooted in grief and resilience, is now deeply connected to protecting life, both human and ecological. “This region really needs help. People want to look after the forests, but life is hard and so many live in poverty. The quickest way for people to make money is to cut down the trees or sell their land.”

In the coming months, we’ll share more from West Papua, where our partners are rolling out nature-based solutions to poverty and climate challenges.

Together, we’re helping communities grow food, earn income and protect the environment they rely on. But we need our help to make it happen.

Visit www.unitingworld.org.au/westpapua to discover the next part of the story
and the impact your donation can have.

 

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News
May 20, 2025

See possibility in the face of poverty and climate change

UnitingWorld has launched its 2025 End of Financial Year Appeal, inviting supporters to see possibility where the world often sees only poverty.

This year’s appeal supports a bold initiative in Zimbabwe, where our local partner, the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, is transforming rural schools into hubs of resilience. The program tackles hunger, water scarcity and climate change by installing solar-powered water systems, growing school gardens and training families in climate-smart agriculture.

Thirteen-year-old Tanaka Chiza is one of the students already experiencing the change.

“Before, it was hard to concentrate in class when I was hungry,” she said.

“But now we have a garden and food at school. I’m learning how to grow vegetables and I want to teach my mother so we can eat better at home.”

The impact reaches far beyond school gates. Rev. Junior Paradza, a former lawyer turned minister, is helping lead the project.

“Water means everything in these villages,” she said.

“Now, families have enough to grow their own food. We’re seeing real change, and people are full of hope.”

Please give generously before 30 June.

Thanks to UnitingWorld’s partnership with the Australian Government, gifts can go up to six times further to support life-changing work in Zimbabwe and across the Pacific, Asia and Africa.

Visit unitingworld.org.au/possibility to learn more and make a tax-deductible donation.

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Pray
May 12, 2025

UnitingWorld and the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) are calling on UCA members to pray for peace as tensions rise dramatically between India and Pakistan, deeply impacting the lives of people living in border communities.

On May 6, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a series of airstrikes targeting locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The strikes were in retaliation for a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, which killed 26 civilians. Pakistani officials report at least 31 people killed and dozens more injured in the strikes.

Security has been tightened across northern India, particularly in Punjab. Schools have been closed in Amritsar, Ferozepur, and Pathankot districts, and panic is spreading as people stock up on food and fuel. A nationwide civil defence drill has been conducted across 244 districts to prepare for possible escalation.

A U.S.-brokered ceasefire was announced on May 10, bringing a temporary halt to the worst fighting between the two nations in decades. However, sporadic violations have been reported, and many civilians remain displaced, hesitant to return home due to ongoing fears.

UnitingWorld’s partners in the Diocese of Amritsar report that all community development and education activities have been suspended, and staff are staying in close contact with local leaders to assess needs and offer support.

“The primary concern is the safety of communities residing in the border areas,” wrote Samson Ram, Project Officer for the Diocesan Social Empowerment and Education Project. “The prevailing atmosphere of uncertainty and fear has caused panic… people have started stocking up on food items, fuel, and other items of necessity.”

In a powerful display of unity and compassion, the Christian community of Amritsar, led by Bishop Manoj Charan, held a candlelight march to honour the 26 victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and express solidarity with their grieving families (header image and below). Bishop Manoj Charan said at the event,

“Let us unite in prayer, compassion, and solidarity, standing together against all forms of violence and hatred. In this time of grief, may the love and peace of our Lord be our guiding light, and may we emerge stronger and more united in our pursuit of peace and humanity.”

UnitingWorld’s National Director Dr Sureka Goringe is urging all supporters to hold the people of India and Pakistan in prayer, especially our partners in the Church of North India.

“As followers of Christ, we are called to respond to fear with faith and to conflict with compassion. We stand with our partners in prayer and love, believing in God’s peace that surpasses understanding,” said Dr Goringe.

The President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev. Charissa Suli, has sent this message of solidarity:

“In this time of escalating tension between India and Pakistan, our thoughts and prayers are with our cherished partners in the Diocese of Amritsar and the communities they serve. We know these rural border communities are under immense stress, with schools closed, daily life disrupted, and anxiety rising.

As the Uniting Church in Australia, we stand beside you in faith and compassion. We honour the courageous work of your leaders, who continue to bring light and care even in these difficult days. You are not forgotten. You are held in prayer.”

Please join us in prayer:

A Prayer from Rev. Charissa Suli

God of Peace, draw near to your people in Punjab. Wrap each family in your protection. Calm hearts gripped by fear, and guide leaders with wisdom and care. Strengthen your church to be a witness of peace and hope. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

We walk with you in love, hope, and unwavering solidarity.

A Prayer from Rev. Dr Apwee Ting

God of peace,
God of all peoples and nations,

We lift before You the people of Pakistan and India, especially as tensions rise along their shared borders.

Lord, in Your mercy, bring wisdom and courage to those in leadership.
May efforts for peace prevail over the threats of conflict.

Lead both nations toward a path of reconciliation, justice, and mutual respect.

We remember the communities who live in the shadow of uncertainty—in Kashmir, Punjab, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur.
You know their fears, their hopes, and their daily struggles.
Be near to them, O God.
Protect their homes, sustain their livelihoods, and restore their sense of safety.

We also pray for the Church in North India, especially the Diocese of Amritsar.
Strengthen their ministry, bless their projects, and empower them to be agents of healing, hope, and compassion in their communities.
May their witness be a light in the darkness and a refuge for the weary.

God of comfort, surround all who are anxious and afraid.
In the midst of tension and turmoil,
may Your peace take root.

Where there is despair, sow hope.
Where there is division, build bridges.
Where there is fear, pour out Your love.

We place our trust in You, O God—
Maker of peace,
Bearer of hope,
Giver of life.

In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.

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News
May 2, 2025

UnitingWorld is strongly opposing the Coalition’s proposed $813 million cut to Australia’s aid program, announced in its election costings yesterday.

Dr Sureka Goringe, National Director of UnitingWorld, said the proposal represents a dangerous retreat from Australia’s regional responsibilities at a time when global need is intensifying and the aid budget is already at a historic low.

“We are deeply disappointed by the Coalition’s decision to target foreign aid for cuts,” said Dr Goringe. “With other major donors stepping back from their commitments, the last thing we need is for Australia to abandon bipartisan consensus on aid.”

“This isn’t just about dollars—it’s about lives, stability, and Australia’s role in shaping a more peaceful and just world.”

UnitingWorld partners across the Pacific, Asia and Africa to deliver development outcomes.

Dr Goringe warned that the proposed cuts damage trust and send the wrong message to Australia’s neighbours.

“Walking away from these commitments undermines hard-won relationships and jeopardises a shared future of safety and opportunity across the region.”

“Foreign aid cannot be treated as a discretionary line item to be slashed at election time. It saves lives. It’s a vital investment in health, education, gender equality and climate resilience in places where it’s most needed.”

UnitingWorld is calling on the Coalition to take a higher path—one grounded in compassion, collaboration, and moral leadership.

“In a world facing compounding crises, now is the time for generosity and courage, not retreat. We urge the Coalition to reconsider these cuts and to recommit to a vision of Australia as a principled and reliable partner in our region.”

UnitingWorld stands with the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and the broader aid and development sector in urging all political parties to prioritise long-term, principled investment in international partnerships.

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News
April 17, 2025

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, March 28th, the strongest the country has ever recorded. Tremors were felt throughout the region, as far away as Thailand and China. 

As of April 1st, the death toll has risen to over 2,000, with thousands more injured and in urgent need of food, shelter, clean water and medical assistance. 

Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia has shared a pastoral statement in response to the devastating earthquake. 

“We join with the global community in mourning. We lament the loss of life and the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and churches. We are deeply concerned for those who remain buried beneath collapsed buildings, and we give thanks for the courageous search and rescue workers who are risking everything to find survivors. Their persistence is a beacon of hope.

The devastating effects of this earthquake will be felt deeply by this vulnerable part of the world, which continues to suffer from ongoing civil war and is without the resources to respond effectively to disaster. We are encouraged by the rapid response from the international community. Nations including China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Russia, to name a few have sent aid and resources. These signs of solidarity remind us that love and compassion transcend borders.

In this season of Lent, we remember that God is close to the brokenhearted. May we be vessels of that compassion—through our prayers, our offerings, and our care for our neighbours in Myanmar and Thailand. In this spirit, I encourage all Uniting Church communities to hold the people of Myanmar and Thailand in prayer, and to consider giving generously through trusted relief partners.”

Want to help?

UnitingWorld is working through our membership in the ACT Alliance, a global Christian humanitarian coalition, to resource a coordinated response.

Your donations will provide lifesaving aid to those hit hardest by the earthquake and help distribute urgent necessities such as food, water, shelter and medical aid to the people most impacted. 

Donate now! 

Make an online donation here or call 1800 998 122 (9am – 5pm) 

Pray for Myanmar and Thailand

 “Rev Charissa Suli has shared a prayer for those affected by the earthquake.

Loving and faithful God,
You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.
Today we lift before you the people of Myanmar and Thailand,
those who mourn, those still waiting for news,
and those working around the clock to save lives in the midst of devastation.

We grieve the lives lost and the homes destroyed.
We pray for the injured, the displaced, and the traumatised.
Be their shelter in the storm, their light in the darkness, and their peace in the chaos.

We give thanks for the hands and hearts offering help—
for the emergency workers, medical teams, neighbours, and leaders
responding with courage and care.

We are grateful for nations who have extended help and support.
Bless their generosity and multiply the impact of every effort.

God of all peoples,
bind us together across oceans and cultures.
As members of your global Church, may we be a witness to your love in action.
Move our hearts to give, to pray, and to stand alongside our neighbours in need.
We pray all this in the name of Christ,
our hope and our healer.
Amen.

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