My name is John Squires. I live on Gringai land, in the rural town of Dungog (population around 2,000 people) to the north of Newcastle and Maitland, in New South Wales, Australia. I pay respect to the Gringai elders who have cared for Country for time beyond remembering. I accept that this land has never been ceded and acknowledge elders past, present, and emerging.
I have been an active participant in the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) since it was formed in 1977, and was ordained as a Minister of the Word in this church in December 1980.
I have served in rural, regional, and urban congregations, as well as a Presbytery resource minister in the Mid North Coast Presbytery. For two decades I taught Biblical Studies at United Theological College in Sydney, and more recently I was Director of Education and Formation and Principal of the Perth Theological Hall. I have served as an Intentional Interim Minister and as the Presbytery Minister–Wellbeing in the Canberra Region Presbytery. I am now retired from stipended ministry service, but I continue to work part-time as Editor of With Love to the World, a resource to support daily Bible reading and prayer.
I am married to Elizabeth Raine, who is also a Uniting Church Minister. Together, we share interests in scripture, theology, the environment, music, social justice, gardening, and family history. We are working on redeveloping our block of land in the town, planting a rainforest area and an orchard, to complement our existing mature citrus trees. We have three indoor cats (all ragdolls): Fearghal, Maisie, and Felix.
I’ve studied the scriptures in depth; I hold a number of degrees, including a PhD in early Christian literature. I am committed to providing the best opportunities for education within the church, so that people can hold to an informed faith, which is how the UCA Basis of Union describes it. This blog is one contribution to that ongoing task.
An Informed Faith 