CHURCHES IN AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30686, 27 February 1965, Page 18

CHURCHES IN AUSTRALIA

“Forefront Of

Unity”

Australian churches and not New Zealand churches were in the forefront of church unity matters, according to the Rev. R. M. O’Grady, assistant secretary of the National Council of Churches, who has returned from Australia where he represented the council at the annual meeting of the Australian Council of Churches and the national strategy conference.

The desire for union was particularly evident at the conference where a resolution was put forward that the churches should unite by 1988. The Methodists wanted this moved forward to 1980.

The Anglicans called for all churches to enter into a covenant within five years and then to unite into one church not later than five years from the date of the covenant. Describing some of the work in progress, Mr O’Grady said five churches had entered into a covenant through which they would act as a united church in the new city of Churchill now being built to accommodate 40,000 in Victoria. In Melbourne there are four full-time industrial chaplains at work. Also in Melbourne a Presbyterian minister had opened an Espresso bar which had touch with about 1000 migrant youths. In King’s Cross, Sydney, a Methodist minister had a similar activity through which a large colony of beatniks could find a centre of fellowship.