Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia facts for kids
The Synod of South Australia is like the main office for the Uniting Church in Australia in most of South Australia. It's also known as Uniting Church SA. This Synod is one of six similar groups across Australia that help run the church in different areas.
The person in charge of the Synod is called the moderator. They are chosen for three years. The Uniting Church in South Australia also has a special group that looks after its buildings and money. The Synod publishes a magazine every two months called New Times.
The Uniting Church has different groups that work together, but they aren't strictly in a boss-employee order. The main group, called the National Assembly, handles important church beliefs. Each state has a Synod, which takes care of church properties. Then there are smaller regional groups called Presbyteries. They help choose and train church leaders and look after them.
How the Church is Organized in SA
The Synod works with different regional groups called Presbyteries. Since July 2019, the single Presbytery of South Australia split into two new groups: the Generate Presbytery and the Transitional Presbytery. Both of these cover the whole state, and local churches could choose which group to join.
The larger Transitional Presbytery later split again in November 2019. It first became Presbytery A and Presbytery B. In March 2020, these groups got new names: Wimala Presbytery and Presbytery of Southern SA.
Before 2005, the Synod of South Australia had seven different Presbyteries. But they decided to combine them into one big group to make things simpler. Because this one group covered such a large area, they also created "mission networks." These networks helped churches with similar goals work together and get ready for their work in the community.
The mission networks were:
- Community Outreach
- Grace Connections
- Gulf
- Hope Network
- Northern Rural
- Urban
- Western
- 3DNet
The original Presbyteries in South Australia before 2005 were:
- Adelaide Northwest
- Eyre Peninsula
- Fleurieu
- Frome
- Mount Lofty
- South Eastern (later called Presbytery of The Coorong)
- Wakefield
Learning and Schools
The Uniting College for Leadership and Theology is a special college where people can study to become church leaders. It's part of the Adelaide College of Divinity and has a history from two older colleges, Wesley Theological College and Parkin College.
There are also several schools in South Australia that are connected to the Uniting Church. These schools are:
- Annesley College
- Pedare Christian College
- Prince Alfred College
- Scotch College, Adelaide
- Seymour College
- Westminster School, Adelaide
Lincoln College is a place where university students can live while they study. It's in North Adelaide, close to the University of Adelaide.
Leaders of the Synod
The table below shows the people who have been the moderator (leader) of the Synod of South Australia over the years.
| Years | Name |
|---|---|
| 2023- | Rev. Peter Morel |
| 2019–2023 | Mr. Bronte Wilson |
| 2016–2019 | Rev. Sue Ellis |
| 2013–2016 | Dr. Deidre Palmer |
| 2010–2013 | Rev. Rob Williams |
| 2007–2010 | Rev. Rod Dyson |
| 2005–2007 | Rev. Graham Vawser |
| 2003–2005 | Rev. Dr Graham Humphris |
| 2001–2003 | Mrs. Jan Trengove |
| 1997–2001 | Rev. Don Catford |
| 1997–1999 | Dr. Don Hopgood |
| 1995–1997 | Rev. Margaret Polkinghorne |
| 1993–1995 | Rev. Dr Dean Brookes |
| 1991–1993 | Rev. Neale Michael |
| 1989–1991 | Rev. John Maddern |
| 1987–1989 | Mrs. Elizabeth Finnegan |
| 1985–1987 | Rev. Dr. Charles Biggs |
| 1983–1985 | Rev. Michael Sawyer |
| 1981–1983 | Rev. Dr. D'Arcy Wood |
| 1979–1981 | Rev. Keith Smith |
| 1977–1979 | Rev. Ian B. Tanner |
