Proposal for Ministry and Placements Review Group Passed by Synod Members

A Proposal has been brought to Synod this year asking the Synod to set up a Ministry and Placements Review Group. This Proposal for Ministry and Placements Review Group Passed by Synod Members on Day 3.

Sun, 13 Jul 2025

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A Proposal has been brought to Synod this year asking the Synod to set up a Ministry and Placements Review Group.

This Proposal for Ministry and Placements Review Group Passed by Synod Members on Day 3.

This group will look closely at how the Uniting Church in NSW and ACT places its ministers and supports them in their work.

The group has three main tasks:

Give guidance on what ministry means today. This includes thinking about how we understand “calling,” how everyone (not just ministers) shares in ministry, and how we can better support lay and ordained ministers.

Review the current placement system: This would mean gathering data about where ministers are placed, how long it takes to fill roles, how long ministers stay, their demographics, and what challenges affect their ability to move. The group would also look at how well current advertising works and get feedback from those involved.

Make recommendations for change.
This could include:

- Ways to get more people into ministry.
- Making sure lack of local funds doesn’t stop churches (especially in rural areas) from having a minister.
- Possible changes to placement rules, like how long someone can stay in a placement.
- Looking at whether more ministers should be based in presbyteries.
- Deciding if the broader national church should rethink how ministry roles work.

The proposal explains that problems in placing ministers aren’t new. The Uniting Church came from traditions that handled ministry differently:

In the Reformed tradition, congregations called ministers directly, which sometimes led to long vacancies.

In the Methodist tradition, ministers were appointed by a central body, ensuring every church had someone, even if it wasn’t always the perfect fit.

The proposal was passed by consensus on the last day of Synod on 13th July. By reviewing both history and current practice, the proposal hopes to find a better way to match ministers with churches—one that fits today’s needs and helps the church live out God's mission.