Stuart McMillan (church leader) facts for kids

Stuart McMillan (born 1955) was a very important leader in the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA). He served as the national President from July 2015 to July 2018. He officially started his three-year role on July 12, 2015, at a special event in Perth.

Stuart McMillan's Journey in the Church

In 1982, Stuart McMillan and his wife, Ros, moved to Darwin, Northern Territory. He started working as an accountant for the Uniting Church's Northern Synod. This is a regional group within the church.

Over the years, McMillan took on many different jobs within the Northern Synod. He was an accountant, a manager, and even a pastor. He also helped people learn about different cultures.

Becoming Part of the Yolngu Nation

While living in the Northern Territory, Stuart McMillan became very close to a local man. This man adopted McMillan as his brother. He became part of the Gupapuyngu clan, which is part of the Yolngu nation.

McMillan was given a special "skin name," bulany, which means red kangaroo. To make sure everything was correct, the man's wife also adopted Ros McMillan as her sister. This showed how deeply connected the McMillans became to the Yolngu people.

Helping with Native Title Rights

Stuart McMillan worked for 12 years as an advisor to the Rev. Djiniyini Gondarra. Gondarra was another important leader in the Northern Synod. They worked together after a big court decision called the Mabo case.

The Mabo case said that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had rights to their traditional lands. This is called native title. McMillan helped research claims and traveled to Canberra. He helped Gondarra and others share their ideas when the Native Title Act was being written. This law helped protect the land rights of Indigenous Australians.

Serving as a Pastor

The McMillans also became part of the Humpty Doo community near Darwin. They joined the local Uniting Church there. After some time, Stuart McMillan became the pastor for the church.

As a pastor, he led important events like weddings and funerals. He helped guide the community in their faith.

Leadership Roles in the Uniting Church

Both Stuart and Ros McMillan held important leadership positions in the Uniting Church.

Moderator of the Northern Synod

Ros McMillan was the Moderator of the Northern Synod from 1996 to 1999. A Moderator is a leader who helps guide the church's work in a specific region.

Stuart McMillan later served as Moderator for five years, until June 2015.

President of the Assembly

In July 2012, Stuart McMillan was chosen as the President-Elect of the Uniting Church in Australia. This meant he would become the next national leader.

He officially became the President on July 12, 2015. This happened at a big meeting called the 14th Triennial Assembly in Perth, Western Australia. He took over from the previous President, the Rev. Andrew Dutney.

When he started his new role, McMillan began his speech with words in the Yolŋu language. He said, “Bala limurr roŋyirr ŋorraŋgitjlil,” which means “Let us return to the white ashes of the fire.” This was a way to talk about the Holy Spirit.

As a "lay president," Stuart McMillan was not an ordained minister. This meant there were some small differences in what he could do during church services. For example, he needed special permission to lead baptisms or communion outside his own church area.