Stuart McMillan

Stuart McMillan (born 1955) was the national President of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) from July 2015 to July 2018. He was installed for a three-year term on 12 July 2015 at a service at Perth's Scotch College.

Uniting Church in Australia In 1982, McMillan was interviewed for and appointed to a position as an accountant with the UCA's Northern Synod, based in Darwin, Northern Territory. He and his wife Ros moved from Epping in Sydney with their young family.

McMillan has had many roles in the Northern Synod and associated organisations: accountant, operations manager, general manager of the Arnhem Land Progress Association (ALPA) - now the Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation, pastor, cultural awareness trainer, resource worker, community developer, and Moderator.

He started his address to the installation service with the words, in the Yolŋu language, “Bala limurr roŋyirr ŋorraŋgitjlil” – “Let us return to the white ashes of the fire”, an allusion to the Holy Spirit.

As a lay president, McMillan’s role in worship will be slightly circumscribed. Under Uniting Church regulations he will not be able to officiate at baptisms or preside over communion outside his synod without the authorisation of the host presbytery.