Group

Adult Group

Name

Alan & Sandra Barnard

Purpose, Aims or Mission

Fellowship

Office bearers

Graham and Dorothy Lockhart. Sandra And Alan Barnard

Membership numbers

69

Attendance

35

Meeting times & days

First Friday of the month

Locations used by Group

Church

Highlights of the year

Every meeting
February barbeque at Norton’s Park
March "Hope after Taliban" with Mark and Vicki Timlin
April "Entertainer" with Franciscos Henri
May "Y generation and Kombi Krew" with Alanee
June "Running on Empty" with Robyn Koumourou
July "Christmas in July" at Lilydale International
August "Memory Lane" with Irene Marriot
September Origami with Japanese students
October with Dr Ray Ferguson, veterinarian
November Dr Maree Fallon on Alzheimers disease
December Christmas breakup at Mulgrave Country Club

Any needs that Church Council can assist

Group

C.A.E. Bookgroup, Uniting Church GW

Name

Don & Bev Reid

Purpose, Aims or Mission

Enjoy reading and social interaction

Office bearers

Don Reid, Secretary. Mary Ward, social carer.

Membership numbers

15

Attendance

15

Meeting times & days

First Wednesday of each month.

Locations used by Group

Members’ homes

Highlights of the year

Organizing the book stall at the Church Fete each year, raising approximately $3000 this year

Any needs that Church Council can assist

None

Group

Choir

Name

Barbara Hurst

Purpose, Aims or Mission

Enhancement of the worship life of the church through music and song.

Office bearers

Membership numbers

24

Attendance

12

Meeting times & days

Rehearsals, weekly on Thursdays at 8pm. Performances, 1st and 3rd Sundays at 9am worship

Locations used by Group

The church. Room 1 for Thursday evening rehearsals. Room 3 for Sunday morning rehearsals

Highlights of the year

1. Start/Middle/End of Year social gatherings at membersí homes.
2. Anniversary service (combined with other choir groups)
3. Ecumenical Choral Festival (all Monash area church choir groups) (did not attend in 2009, due to choir absences)
4. Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols (Sassafras Uniting Church 30 Nov 2008, 29 Nov 2009, GWUC 17 Dec 2008, 13 Dec 2009
5. Occasional after-rehearsal coffee evenings.

Any needs that Church Council can assist

Adequate (heated!) space for rehearsals, and storage of music (preferably accessible during rehearsals). The choir freezes in winter because Room 1 has been made unavailable, and often has difficulty in accessing music kept in the cupboards in Room 1 because of other competing uses.

Group

Cooee

Name

Ailsa Stewart

Purpose, Aims or Mission

Office bearers

Ailsa Stewart

Membership numbers

8

Attendance

5-6

Meeting times & days

Fridays 11:30am to 2:30pm

Locations used by Group

Kitchen and Fellowship area.

Highlights of the year

The Christmas dinner each year in December.

Any needs that Church Council can assist

Group

Encounter Group (SG)

Name

Lois Hosking

Purpose, Aims or Mission

Fellowship & Personal enrichment

Office bearers

n/a

Membership numbers

6

Attendance

4-6

Meeting times & days

Second and Fourth Tuesdays of the month at 8pm

Locations used by Group

Private home

Highlights of the year

Any needs that Church Council can assist

Group

Fete Committee

Name

Yan Emms

Purpose, Aims or Mission

Raise money to fund Outreach Projects

Office bearers

Cliff Baker, Yan Emms, Judy Fry,
Murray Lowe, Faye Wagon

Membership numbers

5

Attendance

5

Meeting times & days

Monthly from June to October

Locations used by Group

Homes

Highlights of the year

A time when the whole church is involved with a singular purpose. Great attititude, generosity and enthusiasm from setting up to cleaning up. The community supports our fete through donations and participation in it.

Any needs that Church Council can assist

The COP committee needs to be formed and seeking proposals from church members by April so that the Congregational meeting can endorse the selection by June. This will help greatly when we promote our fete to the community and when seeking corporate donations.

Group

GWUC Playgroups

Name

Kimberly Easton

Purpose, Aims or Mission

To provide an opportunity for our Church community to outreach and serve the local community.
To create a caring Christian environment where local families play, connect with others, and develop supportive relationships.

Office bearers

Playgroup Coordinator – Kimberly Easton
Support Team Members – Kaye Mackinnon, Geraldine Fleming, Pam Graham, Helen Boucher, Belinda Chung, Diane Craig

Membership numbers

25 families, 40 children

Attendance

Virtually all.

Locations used by Group

Rooms 2 & 3 and the Playground

Highlights of the year

 2009 was a very successful and enjoyable year at Playgroups. This important community outreach reached over 30 local families including over 40 children throughout the year. Families came from a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds with only three of the families attending Glen Waverley Uniting Church regularly.
 An event was held each Term with Morning Tea and a special activity or craft provided, for example our Easter Morning Tea was very successful with the mum’s and kids enjoying warm Hot Cross Buns, fruit and an Easter Egg Hunt. The children also enjoyed making Easter craft provided by Belinda Chung, many thanks to Belinda, Carolyn and Kaye for assisting to make these events successful. Plans are currently underway for our Christmas Parties which Santa will visit and distribute gifts for the children and mum’s.
 In August the Playgroup Support Team was formed with the assistance of the Outreach Team. We are now looking forward to being able to develop our Playgroups into Missional Playgroups and provide an even better outreach service to our local community.

Any needs that Church Council can assist

With the closing of Occasional Childcare at the end of Term 3 a number of tasks and their associated costs that previously were the responsibility of OCC became the responsibility of Playgroups. The management of these tasks (e.g. refilling the sandpit, tanbark, maintenance of equipment and toys) are still being discussed and assistance may be necessary from the Church community in the future.

Group

MG Community Outreach

Name

Lyn MacDonald

Purpose, Aims or Mission

Generally in line with the OTWT Draft Plan 2

Office bearers

Lyn McDonald, Co-ordinator
Kaye Mackinnon, Secretary

Membership numbers

11

Attendance

7-9

Meeting times & days

1st Thursday of Month (except January), 8:00pm

Locations used by Group

Homes of Mackinnon’s & McDonald’s

Highlights of the year

“Christian Playgroups”; Kimberly Easton has provided the impetus, having assembled ideas and data over the last few years on Christian Playgroups (not just a community venue which happens to be GWUC), “waiting” for someone to listen to her. Kaye Mackinnon has provided support and assembled a management Team comprising herself, Geraldine Fleming, Pam Graham and Lorraine Argall (Treasurer). Hostesses are being sought to provide a “warm, friendly, presence at each Playgroup session and provide a Christian connection to GWUC. A third Playgroup (Wednesday) is planned to operate in 2010 and will be led by Helen Boucher.
Contact with Brentwood Secondary College; as they seek to strengthen their support of student needs other than just academic. . Alanee is GWUC’s contact for a range of specialist support.
Asylum Seekers in 19 Southdown Manse; Robin Pope and her committee have been involved in various areas of Asylum Seekers work including the Asylum Seeker Centre Dandenong, and the Outer Eastern Asylum Seeker Network. The Recommendation to Church Council that the Manse at 19 Southdown Ave be provided rent free to Hotham Mission was passed unanimously and the Manse now houses a family. Robin has been very busy as she continues her work with these most vulnerable and disadvantaged people by being the contact person for GWUC. A small group of volunteers mow the manse lawns (with a dedicated, repaired lawn mower) as it is inappropriate for the current guests to do so. An information and volunteer training session will be held on Sunday 29th November 2009.
“Tanks for Timor” Project. Meagan & Judy Lowe and Jane Hart, visited Baguia, East Timor in September 2009 and walked the gruelling track to the mountainous village of Gulari and it’s Primary School. They told Outreach Group that there was no reticulated water at the School (and village) and the "Tanks for Timor” Project was established with support of Church Council. “Mini tanks” (empty soup/baked beans/ spaghetti/ etc tins with an appropriate label) are offered as collection tins for loose change, together with a donation form (Tax Deduction receipt) via the “Friends of Baguia, who are an established fund able to forward 100% of funds to Baguia. A 3minute DVD has been produced by Meagan to show a few photos and explain the situation.
Jan, Belinda and Andrew Clear recommended this fund for those people who wished to make a donation in memory of Bruce.

GW Food and Wine Festival: Organised by Alanee with little notice and supported by the youth and young adults. Provided children’s’ craft activities, over 800 projects. Lots of Highlights of the year:
(Summarise the achievements, excitement and any special events during the year)
“Christian Playgroups”; Kimberly Easton has provided the impetus, having assembled ideas and data over the last few years on Christian Playgroups (not just a community venue which happens to be GWUC), “waiting” for someone to listen to her. Kaye Mackinnon has provided support and assembled a management Team comprising herself, Geraldine Fleming, Pam Graham and Lorraine Argall (Treasurer). Hostesses are being sought to provide a “warm, friendly, presence at each Playgroup session and provide a Christian connection to GWUC. A third Playgroup (Wednesday) is planned to operate in 2010 and will be led by Helen Boucher.
Contact with Brentwood Secondary College; as they seek to strengthen their support of student needs other than just academic. . Alanee is GWUC’s contact for a range of specialist support.
Asylum Seekers in 19 Southdown Manse; Robin Pope and her committee have been involved in various areas of Asylum Seekers work including the Asylum Seeker Centre Dandenong, and the Outer Eastern Asylum Seeker Network. The Recommendation to Church Council that the Manse at 19 Southdown Ave be provided rent free to Hotham Mission was passed unanimously and the Manse now houses a family. Robin has been very busy as she continues her work with these most vulnerable and disadvantaged people by being the contact person for GWUC. A small group of volunteers mow the manse lawns (with a dedicated, repaired lawn mower) as it is inappropriate for the current guests to do so. An information and volunteer training session will be held on Sunday 29th November 2009.
“Tanks for Timor” Project. Meagan & Judy Lowe and Jane Hart, visited Baguia, East Timor in September 2009 and walked the gruelling track to the mountainous village of Gulari and it’s Primary School. They told Outreach Group that there was no reticulated water at the School (and village) and the "Tanks for Timor” Project was established with support of Church Council. “Mini tanks” (empty soup/baked beans/ spaghetti/ etc tins with an appropriate label) are offered as collection tins for loose change, together with a donation form (Tax Deduction receipt) via the “Friends of Baguia, who are an established fund able to forward 100% of funds to Baguia. A 3minute DVD has been produced by Meagan to show a few photos and explain the situation.
Jan, Belinda and Andrew Clear recommended this fund for those people who wished to make a donation in memory of Bruce.

GW Food and Wine Festival: Organised by Alanee with little notice and supported by the youth and young adults. Provided children’s’ craft activities, over 800 projects. Lots of comments and thanks from Parents.
“We look forward to more involvement in 2010. Wouldn’t it be great to see the GWUC choirs on the main stages!”
This is a GREAT opportunity of OUTREACH and COMMUNITY just outside our front door.
Kombi Krew: Already a well established Outreach project is expanding to be involved in the South Port Soup Kitchen on Thursday nights. They will serve healthy meals including some food from the South Port Community Garden, South Port Uniting.
Whilst Kombi Krew has themselves done the organising and commitment to this venture, Outreach group stand ready to support them.

Any needs that Church Council can assist

General: Be aware of the Group’s activities, Communicate with the Group, and support the activities.
Consider the recommendations put to Church Council from time to time.
Playgroups: Visit the Groups; encourage more volunteers.
Asylum Seekers: Learn about the “facts”, seek to understand the privacy issues these people face.
“Tanks for Timor” Project: Monetary support
GW Food & Wine Festival: Enthusiasm and support of GWUC’s involvement, assist with early planning for 2010 event

Group

Working with Children Check

Name

Lynne Boyer

Purpose, Aims or Mission

Comply with UC and Australian law to have WWCC for people in our congregation who work with children.

Office bearers

Lynne Boyer

Membership numbers

1

Attendance

Meeting times & days

No meetings

Locations used by Group

Church Office

Highlights of the year

61 members have WWCC and have complied with UC requirements to provide a photocopy of their card. A further 28 members have a WWCC but have not copied their card.

Any needs that Church Council can assist

None