Exploring Ancient Futures at PreachFest! 2025

In late October 2025, PreachFest! brought together preachers and worship leaders from across the Uniting Church and beyond to celebrate and deepen our shared calling to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We gathered at St. Stephen's Uniting Church in Sydney and online. PreachFest!'s theme “Ancient Futures” reminded us that preaching and proclamation have a central place in the Church’s worship, witness, and service, calling forth the Living Word of Christ, that is forming communities shaped by our triune God beyond and within our times and cultures. The Basis of Union reminds us; “Christ who is present when he is preached among people is the Word of God who acquits the guilty, who gives life to the dead and who brings into being what otherwise could not exist.” 

Living into our calling to proclaim Christ, PreachFest! is designed to encourage all who preach, lay and ordained, by offering an environment for learning, encouragement, fellowship, and renewal. Across three days, attendees were inspired by voices from around the globe and across our Church, exploring the intersections of Biblical Witness, culture, and context for faithful proclamation. 

This year, each day the conference opened with worship, singing (thanks Helen Norton for organising music) and preaching, with inspiring sermons offered by Rev. Faaimata (Mata) Havea Hiliau and Rev. Dr Rick Dacey. 

Renowned Professor of Homiletics, Rev. Dr Anna Carter Florence, opened the festival with her keynote “Wisdom for Preachers from the Women of Jesus’ Genealogy,” inviting us to rediscover the courageous and grace-filled voices of women in Scripture. 

Rev. Assoc Prof. Monica Melanchthon followed with “Good News from the Margins: Women in the Old Testament,” drawing out how the stories of overlooked women speak God’s justice, compassion, and liberation. 

Rev. Bec Lindsay offered a dynamic exploration of “Preaching the Old Testament’s Smaller Books,” helping preachers find fresh words of life in often-neglected corners of the biblical canon. 

Stan Grant brought his deeply reflective and informative keynote, “Anywhen,” offering an Indigenous perspective on time and spirituality, a wisdom that draws us into a deeper sense of connection with God, creation, and community. Watch Stan's keynote here.

Rev. Prof. Sathi Clarke extended this conversation in “Sifting Our Ancients to Fit into God’s Future for Abundant Living,” urging us to discern how ancient faith traditions can open fresh horizons of hope in a complex world. 

The Pulse team’s Emma Parr and Ofa Foiakau led an engaging session, “Proclaiming the Gospel for All Ages (and Across Cultures),” weaving together research, storytelling, and practical insights on intergenerational and intercultural ministry. Their presentation reminded all that preaching is not confined to the pulpit, it happens wherever God’s story meets our own. You can view this session here.

PreachFest! also featured an array of workshops and panels from gifted preachers and teachers across the UCA and other churches, including Rev. Dr Amelia Koh-Butler, The Rev'd Dr Garry Deverell, Rev. Keith Garner, Dr. Toar Hutagalung, Rev. Dr Michael Earl, Rev. Dr Sunny Chen, Rev. Mitch Forbes, Pastor William Dumas, Rev. Dr Rosalie MacLarty, Rev. Danielle Hemsworth-Smith and VLT team members (Dr. Matt Anslow, Rev. Dr Niall McKay and myself) with Adrian Drayton in Exploring AI in preaching.  

These sessions created wonderful offerings of theological reflection, creativity, and practical exploration from biblical interpretation to digital proclamation and embodied contextual preaching. A Special thanks go to all who contributed to this vibrant conference including our keynote speakers, workshop leaders, musicians, volunteers, and participants. 

As PreachFest! 2025 drew to a close, I was reminded that preaching is not an event but a lifelong journey of discernment - a calling to listen for the Spirit’s voice, the Logos of God, in Scripture, community, and the world to proclaim in Christ in fresh ways. As someone who holds an educational resourcing responsibility across the Synod, I encourage all of us, ministers, lay preachers, and worship leaders, to continue investing in our preaching through continuing education opportunities like PreachFest!. 

Together, may we keep proclaiming the ancient and ever-new hope of the Gospel of Christ in all our worship, witness and service.