Session Information
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6th National Forum
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The Theme - Life Together"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!..." Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a brilliant German theologian, wrote his book Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community just before World War II. It became an inspiration to many pastors to witness against Hitler. It has continued to be an important work revealing a simple and clear understanding of life in the Body of Christ. The NCCA is a community living ecumenically in the Body of Christ. Forums of the NCCA are critical to the fulfillment of the NCCA's constitutional calling to "deepen [our] relationship with each other in order to express more visibly the unity willed by Christ for his Church, and to work together towards the fulfilment of [our] mission of common witness, proclamation and service ..."* At the 6th National Forum delegates from the 15 member Churches of the NCCA will continue to explore and make commitment to Christian life together in our Australian context.
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Bible Studies
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Worship
Everyday the Forum community shared in worship together. The Worship Committee organised representatives of several denominations to begin and end each day in prayers, enabling the Forum community to experience different styles of worshiping God. On Sunday, July 15, an inspiring public service was held at Immanuel Lutheran Church. The service began at 11am. The general public was invited to come and join the Forum delegates, NCCA staff, representatives of state ecumenical councils and observer Churches.
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New Member Churches Proposed
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Guest Speakers
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Presentations
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Sylvia Haddad, 
Monsignor Don Bolen 
The NCCA's many commissions, committees, networks and working groups will be reporting on their work, and presenting visions for the future.Our Logo
The cross and the boat, symbols of faith and unity, have long served as symbols of the ecumenical movement. The version currently used by the NCCA, incorporating waves and the Southern Cross was designed for the formation of the new NCCA in 1994.
This symbol portrays the Church as a ship afloat on the sea of the world with the mast in the form of a cross, itself the symbol par excellence of the Christian Faith. It is not clear when the symbol was first adopted for the ecumenical movement but it was in use before the inauguration of the World Council of Churches in 1948. It is likely the symbol of a boat has its origin in the Gospel stories of the calling by Jesus of Galilean fishermen and the stilling of the storm by Jesus on the lake of Galilee. (See FAQ on the WCC Website)
The version used by the NCCA, by including the Southern Cross, often shown against a night blue sky, indicates our position in the southern hemisphere, and identity as many races under the cross dwelling in the great south land, Terra Australis. The arrival of suffering peoples to Australia by boat have given renewed poignancy to this symbol in recent times.
Office Bearers
PRESIDENTSNational Council of Churches |
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Churches of Christ, 2021 - |
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Anglican Church, 2016 - 2021 |
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Lutheran Church, 2013 - 2016 |
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Roman Catholic Church, 2009- 2013 |
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Anglican Church, 2006 - 2009 |
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Uniting Church, July 2003 - 2006 |
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Lutheran Church, 2000 - 2003 |
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Roman Catholic Church, 1997 - 2000 |
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Armenian Apostolic Church,1994-1997 |
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| Australian Council of Churches | ||
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The Revd Ian Allsop Bishop Oliver S Heyward Archbishop David Penman The Revd Dr H D’Arcy Wood Bishop Gabriel Gibran Bishop G R Delbridge The Revd N R Gilmore Bishop D A Garnsey The Rt Revd N Faichney Commissioner Bramwell Cook Archbishop Frank Woods The Revd B R Wyllie The Rt Revd A C Watson Archbishop R C Halse Archbishop Howard Mowll The Revd C Denis Ryan Archbishop Howard Mowll The Revd Dr G Calvert Barber The Rt Revd J R Blanchard Archbishop Howard Mowll |
Churches of Christ, 1992 – 1994 Anglican Church, 1989 – 1992 Anglican Church, 1988 – 1989 Uniting Church, 1984 – 1988 Antiochian OrthodoxChurch, 1980 – 1984 Church of England, 1976 – 1980 Churches of Christ, 1973 – 1976 Church of England, 1970 – 1973 Presbyterian Church, 1968 – 1970 Salvation Army, 1967 Church of England, 1965 – 1966 Methodist Church, 1963 – 1964 Presbyterian Church, 1961 – 1962 Church of England, 1959 – 1960 Church of England, 1957 – 1958 Congregational Union, 1955 – 1956 Church of England, 1954 Methodist Church, 1952 – 1953 Presbyterian Church, 1951 Church of England, 1946 – 1950 |
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GENERAL SECRETARIES |
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Elizabeth (Liz) Stone  |
General Secretary May 2020 - | |
 Liz Stone |
Interim General Secretary 2018 - April 2020 | |
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Roman Catholic Church, 2015 - 2018 |
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 The Revd Tara Curlewis |
Uniting Church, 2009 - 2014 | |
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Lutheran Church, 2002 - 2008 |
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Uniting Church 1994 - 2001 |
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| Australian Council of Churches | ||
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The Revd David Gill Ms Jean Skuse The Revd Frank Engel Mr Val Brown The Revd Harvey Perkins The Revd Dr Malcolm Mackay The Revd John Garrett The Revd C Dennis Ryan The Revd T McDougall The Revd Dr C Bernard Cockett |
Uniting Church 1988 - 1994 Methodist Church 1976 – 1988 Presbyterian Church 1969 – 1975 Church of England 1967 – 1969 Methodist Church 1956 – 1967 Presbyterian Church 1954 – 1956 Congregational Union 1950 – 1954 Congregational Union 1948 – 1950 Presbyterian Church 1946 – 1948 1946 |
Revd John Gilmore
Bishop Philip Huggins
Bishop Michael Putney
The Right Revd Richard Appleby
The Revd Professor James Haire
The Revd Dr Lance Steicke
Archbishop John Bathersby
Archbishop Aghan Baliozian
Sr Elizabeth Delaney SGS
The Revd John Henderson
The Revd David Gill6th National Forum
13-17 July 2007
Alexandra Headlands, Queensland
