About - Highfield Road Uniting Church

Our Story

Highfield Road Uniting Church Canterbury was initially a small Methodist church that grew to become a significant part of the Canterbury community. We are over 100 years old and in 1977 became part of the Uniting Church of Australia which is a union of Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. Everyone is welcome at our church, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or social status.

Highfield Road Uniting Church is a member of the Canterbury Council of Churches https://www.canterburycouncilofchurches.org

Our Minister

Rev. Dr. Christopher Page

Christopher began his ministry in the Baptist Church in Queensland before coming the Canterbury Baptist Church in 1981. He spent 10 years in Ontario Canada from 1985-1995 completing a doctorate in Philosophy and Education at Toronto University and teaching at McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario. On returning to Australia Christopher became the Senior Chaplain at Carey Baptist Grammar School. Christopher joined the Uniting Church of Australia in 2012 and was the minister of Toorak Uniting Church for 10 years. His passion is for faith in everyday life.

Faith and the spiritual life are lived not only in worship or special moments but in the daily gestures of care, honesty, and justice. Even preparing a meal, listening deeply, or making ethical choices at work are all acts of faith. God is not only present in the grand events but in the ongoing creativity of each moment.

Our Chairperson of Council

David Brown supports the Minister and leads the Council in ensuring pastoral care of the congregation and the effective management of church property, finance and compliance.

Our Church Council Secretary

Our Elders

Elders are leaders chosen by the congregation because of their maturity, pastoral sensitivity and commitment to God and the church. They offer guidance and pastoral care to our congregation. Every member is placed under the pastoral oversight of one of the Elders, which helps to build a strong, vibrant community of faith. Elders receive support and encouragement from the Minister.

Membership in Canterbury Council of Churches

Our church is a member of the Canterbury Council of Churches which organises ecumenical activities such as the Good Friday Stations of the Cross and a celebration of Carols in Maling Road.

Canterbury Council of Churches, 2021 “Joy to the World”

Child-safe Policy

Highfield Road Uniting Church (UCA) takes the matter of safeguarding children very seriously. All members of the congregation, staff and volunteers are responsible for supporting and adhering to the Uniting Church child safety principles, policies and procedures as set out on the Uniting Church of Victoria and Tasmania website.

We endorse these UCA principles:

All children who are involved in any of the Uniting Church’s activities, services, events or programs have a right to feel and be safe. The Uniting Church in Australia is committed to provide safe environments where children are cared for, respected, nurtured and sustained.
We have zero tolerance of all forms of child abuse and will do all in our power to safeguard children from abuse.

The Church commits itself to the creation and maintenance of a child-safe culture to ensure the care, protection and safety of all children engaging with the Church in any of its entities.
Abuse thrives on secrecy. To prevent child abuse across the Church, we are committed to providing clear leadership and open and transparent governance to combat secrecy.
The Church clearly affirms its commitment to upholding the law. This includes the requirement to report abuse to the appropriate authorities.