A manuscript version of Introductory Comments and a Sermon preached by the Rev Dr Barry Brown
at Saint Margaret’s Uniting Church, Mooroolbark on Sunday 23 June 2024 – Pentecost 5.
Comments on Today’s Readings and Theme
I thought I might need to make a choice this week between preaching on the prescribed
Biblical texts or attending to the anniversary of the Uniting Church which was inaugurated
on 22 June 1977 – 47 years ago yesterday. I was not long into my preparation when I
realised that there is, indeed, a lively connection between the two, and that no choice was
needed. Both New Testament readings for this morning speak to the life of our Uniting
Church as a Pilgrim People on a journey, following the lead of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 6:1 -13 – The Ministry of Reconciliation
For six weeks from 2 nd June our Lectionary prescribes readings from 2 Corinthians, part of
the collection of New Testament Letters. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians are particularly
relevant in dealing with church matters. Of all the churches connected with Paul, the one at
Corinth, in southern Greece, witnesses to a pastoral relationship over an extended period.
This period included times when the relationship between the Apostle and the Corinthians
was warm and esteemed. It also reflects times of deep stress and broken relationships over
particular issues and church matters.
Scholars detect that there were probably five (5) letters written by Paul to the Corinthians.
First Corinthians is one of these. Second Corinthians probably contains parts of three letters
that have been merged together at a later time. There is also evidence that Paul made an
unscheduled ‘painful visit’ to Corinth at some time and also wrote a ‘painful letter’ that no
longer exists (see 2 Corinthians 2:1 – 4).
In our reading today (2 Cor. 6:1-13) Paul is concluding an extended consideration of the
meaning and importance of ‘Reconciliation’ and he is appealing to the Corinthians for a
more open acceptance of himself and the Gospel – and ultimately, of the grace of God.
Mark 4:35 – 41
Our Gospel reading today is a ‘bridging’ story. The main part of Mark chapter four concerns
Jesus teaching by parables, and discussions with the disciples about their meaning. Today’s
Gospel reading is about Jesus with his disciples in a boat at sea when a storm arises. Jesus
‘stills the storm’. The reading ends with a question: “Who then is this, that even the wind
and sea obey him?” This event is followed, in Mark’s Gospel, by a series of healing miracles
that also raise the question: “who is this Jesus?” It is noteworthy that even the disciples,
those closest to Jesus, are puzzled and slow to understand and fully believe in him – just yet.
Some suggest that in Mark’s Gospel there is a ‘messianic secret’ that lays hidden for the
time being. I suspect such hiddenness is not intentional, but a sign of the slowness of many
to discern what is being ‘revealed’ through Jesus’ message and ministry. Only later will their
‘eyes be open’ as to who Jesus really is, and to what is taking place through his presence.
From early in the church’s history this ‘stilling the storm’ story had also taken on another
meaning, and we shall also consider this in this morning’s Proclamation.

Proclamation of the Word
Introduction.
Before considering some matters relating to the Uniting Church – 47 years on, I share some
further observations and comments on our First Reading:
2 Corinthians 6:1 -13 Reconciliation
New Testament scholar and commenter, J Paul Sampley, is helpful when he writes:
“In the letters redacted into 2 Corinthians, personal relations, modest goals and purposes,
and even what some may consider rather petty matters are the occasion for grand
theological reflection. A near-fatal disaster elicits a rumination about the God of
consolation and comfort (1:3-11). Paul’s poor scheduling and promise to make a promised
trip generate a profound reflection on the faithfulness of God (1:15-22). Paul’s desire to re-
cement relations with the Corinthians gives him the opportunity to reflect on his ministry to
them in three original constructions, depicting himself as a minister of the new covenant, as
minister through affliction and comfort, and minister of reconciliation (2:14 – 6:10). His
commitment to the collection for the saints in Jerusalem generates powerful reflections on
God’s grace and the generosity it inspires (Chaps 8 – 9). Paul’s strife with his opponents in
chapters 10 – 13 provides striking ruminations regarding the Pauline paradox of (divine)
strength in (human) weakness”(New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol Xl, p3).
Our passage arises from the experience of a broken relationship occasioning theological
reflection on the importance of Reconciliation as a grace-full gift of God.
The BASIS OF UNION of the Uniting Church in Australia includes the following two
references to Reconciliation:
… God in Christ has given to all people in the Church the Holy Spirit as a pledge
and foretaste of that coming reconciliation and renewal which is the end in
view for the whole creation. The Church's call is to serve that end: to be a
fellowship of reconciliation, a body within which the diverse gifts of its
members are used for the building up of the whole, an instrument through
which Christ may work and bear witness to himself [Basis of Union para 3].
The notion of Reconciliation is at the very centre of all that we are called to be and do
as followers and servants of Jesus Christ.
Reflections on the Uniting Church in Australia – “still on the Way”
Lament
From a very personal point of view, I lament greatly the loss of some of the discipline and
collegiality that was present among the ministers of the Methodist Church. I suspect

ministers of other former traditions have similar laments. I am also mindful that the number
of friends and colleagues from former traditions is now diminishing fast.
Ecumenically, the enthusiasm for Christian unity that accompanied the move toward church
union prior to 1977 has diminished significantly. In 1969, when I began ministry training, it
was in the first year of the United Faculty of Theology which comprised, as well as the three
uniting churches, Anglicans and the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic Church. It was a very
sad experience attending a gathering in 2014 to mark the ending of this ecumenical union.
Earlier I mentioned a book about The Great Dechurching. This book concerns the significant
decline in membership, attendance and involvement of churches in the USA. While some of
the issues in Australia are quite different to that in America, it is possible to identify factors
that also affect our church (indeed, in most parts of the developed Western world). The
word ‘Great’ is used in this book to indicate that the ‘dechurching’ presently taking place is
at a steeper level than the incredible growth that took place in the Great Revivals that have
taken place in past generations. A similar observation can be made in Australia. This decline
was ‘masked’ for a time as the result of church union, but has now become a sad and
challenging reality. Some of the hopes and dreams at church union have been dashed.
Another of my laments is that even within the Uniting Church itself it is possible to discern
some of our agencies distancing their identity from a ‘church’ association. One visible
symbol of this is the change of name for our various agencies to simply ‘Uniting’. I confess
that this is a personal gripe for me, and perhaps one not considered or shared by others.
The secularisation of Australian society generally has impacted the life of the Christian
churches in many ways – some regrettable, some for the good. We are called as a people to
be open to change when change is discerned appropriate to our primary Christian calling.
We lament that the hope for further unions and/or cooperation with Anglican and Churches
of Christ (for example), that was alive for some at the time of union has never been fulfilled.
In fact, such notions seem now to be largely ‘off the agenda.’
I sometimes read (and find on YouTube) information about the life of churches in other
countries. It is deeply saddening to see major splits that are taking place in many mainline
churches. And there is some parallel with ours when it comes to common factors that have
brought this about. I list some key factor that have impacted the UCA, but without any
particular comment on these issues. Issues that have resulted in people leaving the UCA
(some leaving the church altogether) include difference, debates and decisions concerning:

Second Baptism (1980s)
Sexuality and the Church (1997)
Institutional abuse of children (historical, and across the churches)
Same Sex Marriage (2017)
Voluntary Assisted Dying
Indigenous matters – Constitutional recognition 2023

These and other significant issues have impacted the membership, strength and missional
unity of the Uniting Church and are, indeed, matters for Lament.

Reflection
Having named some matters of Lament, let us now turn to some of the more positive things
that can be discerned in our Uniting Church journey. I have deliberately emphasised the
‘ing’ in the title of our Church’s official title, as distinct from ‘United’. The UCA remains
connected ecumenically – with the Victorian and Australian Councils of Churches, the world
councils of the Methodist and Reformed churches, and the World Council of Churches. We
are also a partner church with a number of national churches, especially in the Asia-Pacific
Region. The UCA is also involved in a number of ‘Inter-Faith’ forums and dialogues.
We are both an indigenous (Australian made) church and an intentionally multicultural
church. This is, I consider, an expression of our calling to be a uniting church.
A prominent expression of this uniting is our relationship with the First Peoples of Australia.
On 10 July 2024 (a couple of weeks from now) it will be 30 years since the signing of a
Covenant with the United Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress. We need to be
reminded that this important Covenant was at the initiative of the UAICC. An extension to
this covenant relationship was the addition, in 2009, of a Preamble to the Constitution of the
Uniting Church in Australia. Each week, as part of our gathering for worship, the wording
that appears as our Acknowledgement of First Peoples is taken directly from this Preamble.
A couple of weeks ago, you may recall, I showed a picture of the cohort of ministers
ordained in 1973. This included two women ministers, who were among the first women to
be ordained in the Methodist Church. The Congregational Church had ordained a few
women minister decades before. The role of women, lay and ordained, has been greatly
enhanced and accepted in the UCA. A couple of years ago I noticed something quite striking,
contrasted with pre-uniting days. We had a woman as the (national) Assembly President
(and a woman secretary); as our synod’s Moderator; as Chairperson of our Presbytery; and
at Saint Margaret’s a woman Minister, and also women as Council Chairperson, Secretary
and Treasurer. I don’t know of many other churches with a similar leadership.
On 11 July 2024 the now President of the UCA, the Rev Sharon Hollis, shall retire, and a
younger Tongan-Australia minister, the Rev Charissa Suli, will be installed as President of the
UCA Assembly. During the Assembly meeting, the Fred J Cato Lecture will be delivered by
a Korean-American theologian, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, a world renowned scholar and expert in
intercultural, feminist and post-colonial theology.
Hope
I expect some of you will recall hearing me saying that in spite of lament, and awareness of
the deficiencies of the Christian church as we know it, I still have a profound hope for the
future of God’s church. For ultimately, the church is God’s, God’s instrument, God’s
creation, God’s servant, and God’s gift – for the purpose providing a foretaste of that coming
reconciliation and renewal which is the end in view for the whole creation.
During the past month, two members of God’s church, who have had a major influence
upon my understanding of the Christian Gospel, have died. The Rev Professor Norman
Young died in his early 90s, and Professor Jürgen Moltmann died aged 98. These two saints

of the church opened up for me the Hope that is central to our faith – Norman Young as my
much-loved theology teacher; and Jürgen Moltmann as the author of many influential books
and articles, including the significant works, The Crucified God, and Theology of Hope.
The theology I hold is one that placed ultimate hope, not in the church as institution, but in
the reconciling purposes of God who brings life out of death, and newness out of despair. It
is this God who breaks in with surprise, resulting in revival, renewals, reformation, and often
a ‘new thing.’ Our call to faithfulness is to actively anticipate, and be open to God’s surprise.
Our Gospel Reading, Mark 4:35 – 41.
The key point in the story of Jesus’ stilling the storm, and the passages both before and after
this story, is the question asked about Jesus: “Who then is this, that even the wind and sea
obey him?” We know the answer to this question because we know the rest of the story in
the Gospel – Jesus is the One sent by God and who alone enables respondents to participate
in the Rule of God and to bear witness to this Good News, God’s reconciling grace.
However, there is another ‘message’ that many have found in this story, which may not
have been intended by Mark, but has a significant part in the faith and expereince of the
Christian Church. As early as the time of Tertullian (late 2 nd century CE, leading theologian
from Carthage in Northern Africa) this story has been read as a metaphor depicting Christ’s
abiding and saving presence with the Church during most difficult of times. The symbol of a
‘boat’ at sea has been a constant reminder of this assurance. A few weeks ago the Yarra
Yarra Presbytery met at the North Balwyn Uniting Church (once Saint Aidan’s Presbyterian).
I wonder if members happened to look up to the ceiling of the church. If they had, they may
have noticed the deliberate roof structure based upon the framing of a sailing ship.
You may be aware that the World Council of Churches was formed in 1948, in the
immediate years following the troubled times of the Second World War. The logo it chose is
of a boat afloat on the sea of the world with the mast in the form of a cross. This abiding
Christian symbol of the church embodies faith and unity, and carries the message of the
ecumenical Church, and of Christ’s presence with his church in times of deep trouble.
The logo of our Uniting Church seems to have some similarities. I’m not sure that this is
intentional; however, it is clearly suggestive of some influence. The basic structure of the
logo is a black orb depicting a dark world. At its centre is a cross that resembles the mast of
a sailing vessel. The U-shape is intended to signify an incomplete circle – depicting a union
that is open incomplete, still in the process of uniting. This too may be a reminder of the
living presence of Christ with his people as we sometimes sail on troubled waters.