In an open letter to Members of the NSW Parliament, head of the Uniting Church in NSW Simon Hansford said abortion was "a health and social issue and should not be a criminal issue".

Sydney MP Alex Greenwich presented the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 to parliament on Thursday. If passed, it will allow for pregnancies to be terminated up to 22 weeks and then after that period with the consent of two doctors.

Reverend Hansford served the Dubbo community for 12 years, before leaving the city in 2003.

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In his letter he said human life was God-given from the beginning, however, Christians were called to respond to life with compassion and generosity.

"When abortion is practiced indiscriminately it damages respect for human life. However, we live in a broken world where people face difficult decisions," Reverend Hansford said.

"Respect for the sacredness of life means advocating for the needs of women as well as every unborn child."

The Uniting Church has rejected "two extreme positions": that abortion should never be available and that abortion should be regarded as simply a medical procedure.

Reverend Hansford said Minsters were encouraged to remind people of the sacredness of life, but the Church's role was "to offer care and support leading up to and following a decision, not [to] stand in judgement".

Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders and Barwon MP Roy Butler have both given public support to the bill.

Mr Saunders said in his opinion, the bill was not about encouraging abortion, but was to support women who, for any number of reasons, may choose to make the decision.

He said legislation should reflect modern society.