In conversation with General Secretary Rev. Dr. Peter Walker

For Rev. Dr. Peter Walker, the heart of the Uniting Church is found in its congregations. It is there, he says, that God’s work in the world is lived out quietly and faithfully.

“They embody the Church in their communities. The work of the Synod and presbyteries is to resource and support them so they can thrive in their local communities. That is where the Church is most alive, and where God’s hope flows into the world.”

Far from seeing ageing congregations as a problem, Peter describes them as a gift.

“Older members carry wisdom and memory of who the Church is and who it is called to be. When we lose that memory, we risk losing direction. The faithful memory of people who have lived the life of the Church helps to focus our mission.”

That focus on mission shapes how Peter understands leadership. He speaks often of the quiet faithfulness of people who make life more hopeful for others simply by living and loving in the way of Jesus. Their humility, he says, is what sustains the Church.

A defining moment in his own understanding of hope came when he was 20 years old. At a prayer service for South Africa at St Mary’s Cathedral, he heard Nelson Mandela speak.

That night, alongside Mandela’s address, a passage from the book of Revelation was read, describing a new heaven and a new earth, a holy city descending from God, and a river of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. Peter recalls hearing those words differently. Seeing the resilience of a leader who had endured imprisonment, he grasped in a new way how faith can sustain a person through hardship.

“It was the first time I understood what it means to be sustained by hope.”

His theological formation further deepened that conviction. During his time at United Theological College, engagement with the cultural diversity of the Church strengthened his faith.

“What I found deepening to my faith was engagement with the cultural diversity of the Church.”

In many culturally diverse communities, he observed, faith is not compartmentalised. It is woven through family life, work, education and daily routines. It shapes relationships and decisions. This integrated expression of faith, Peter says, shows how deeply God’s message can form ordinary life when it is lived together.

As General Secretary, he remains clear that mission must anchor every practical decision, even amid pressures such as financial sustainability and demographic change.

“A budget is a mission statement. How we set a budget is about making a statement about our mission in the world.”

He also stresses the importance of discernment, trusting that God has already provided what is needed for the Church’s work today.

“Our job is to think carefully about the resources we have – people, programs, property – and deploy them in service of mission.”

Leadership, for Peter, is never a solo task. His role, he says, is to discern how best to support people and teams so they can flourish.

“Everyone in the team is better at many things than you are. If you are good at something, it is about encouraging, guiding and making some decisions. That usually means the group can achieve something they otherwise would not.”

Peter is the former Principal of United Theological College. He studied history and theology at the University of New South Wales, McGill University and Charles Sturt University, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is the author of The Theological Promise of Religious Diversity and co-editor of Theology on a Defiant Earth: Seeking Hope in the Anthropocene.

Rev. Dr. Peter Walker was inducted as General Secretary of the Uniting Church Synod of NSW and the ACT during a ceremony attended by family, friends and colleagues, including former General Secretaries, Moderators and Presidents on Friday 23 January 2026. Read more about his induction here. 

“It was the first time I understood what it means to be sustained by hope.”