AnnualReport2014

Group

Adult Group

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

Group fellowship and support within the church

Current Office Bearers:

Arthur & Anne Davey,  Bill & Jill Norquay

Membership numbers:

50

Usual meeting attendance:

40

Meeting times and days:

First Friday of month

Locations used by Group:

Chapel

Highlights of the year:

Our Christmas meeting was a great success, we had a spit roast at the church and it went very well. We have a variety of events, we try to get members to arrange a speaker for the meeting and it has worked well. We had Neil and Lyn Peters early in the year just after they arrived and it was a great “get to know you” event. Tom Rose, the chaplain from Epworth was another speaker who was very interesting.
 
Next year’s leaders are Roger and Jenny Vass, with Bev and Lindsay Brown
 

Group

Asylum Seeker Support

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To provide assistance to the needs of asylum seekers within our community

Current Office Bearers:

Convenor: Robin Pope (to June 2014); currently vacant, with role shared.
Reps on OEASSN: Heather Wilkins, Geoff Willis

Membership numbers:

6

Usual meeting attendance:

5-6

Meeting times and days:

Anually for review, and informally during year.

Locations used by Group:

Private homes

Highlights of the year:

We have continued to support the Dandenong Asylum Seeker Centre, run by David Spitteler, with many donations of food, clothing and linen, which are collected and delivered by committee members. Lentara ASP project manager Mohammed Isah spoke at morning services on 29th June and at the Outreach BBQ Forum afterwards which was well attended. GWUC also responded to specific requests from Lentara, via Mohammed, for garden tools and sewing machines.
Committee members and several other GWUC members assisted in delivering leaflets or doorknocking for the Whitehorse Community Chest in May, as part of our support for the Outer Eastern Asylum Seeker Support Network (of Lentara ASP). This resulted in a grant of $4,083 [down from last year] which is being used for the rental cost of a unit in Heathmont housing asylum seekers. In addition, we were granted a further $3,600 from the GWUC 2014 fete proceeds, to be used for this purpose also.
Committee members have attended several seminars and rallies to raise public awareness of AS conditions, and to put pressure on policy makers.
We continue to play an active role on the OEASSN committee, with two members attending their meetings very six weeks and receiving a briefing from Lentara ASP staff who also attend.

Group

Broadcast Ministry

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To provide a broadcast worship services to selected locations. To record and create DVD's for distribution to GWUC members and other interested parties. To create and support an in home and hospital ministry. To record significant worship events.

Current Office Bearers:

Co-leadership. WarrenGreenwood is contact point

Membership numbers:

5

Usual meeting attendance:

Electronic - 3 to 5

Meeting times and days:

As required

Locations used by Group:

Church

Highlights of the year:

o The continuation of the special ministry to Beeac each month and their support for the outreach work of GWUC.
o Visits to Beeac to share worship, and song by Free Spirit and the Colac concert fund raising for their chaplain's programme.
o The increased download and watching of our worship.
o The creation of a “Sermon only” podcast that is used by Beeac and Boort.
o The support for weddings and funerals.
o The expansion of the ministry to 11:00am worship.
o The increased support and use of iPad's for Seniors Ministry
o Recording of the 7.00pm services

Group

Careful Kitchen Crew

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

The CKC aims to provide leadership and guidance to ensure that food safety standards are understood and maintained by all users of the GWUC kitchen.

Current Office Bearers:

Food Safety Supervisor: Yan Emms
CKC Coordinator: Yan Emms
Secretary: Nicole Robertson

Membership numbers:

11

Usual meeting attendance:

10

Meeting times and days:

On the third Monday at 7.30pm in February, May, August and November

Locations used by Group:

Usually in Room 1 followed by a short training session possibly in the kitchen.

Highlights of the year:

It was very heart warming to welcome three new members to CKC which broadened our representation of the various user groups at GWUC.
Our annual fete provided no problems with regard to food safety and thanks to Sarah Wieden for monitoring the food quality and food handling practices on the day.
We farewelled Lois Hosking on her retirement from CKC after many years of service. Thank You Lois.
A Golden Plate Award from City of Monash was again received by GWUC for maintaining a 5 star level of Food Safety practises.
Thanks to the ""fridge committee"" group for the purchase of our new fridge.

Group

Children & Families

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To support the faith development and mission of the families ministry within GWUC

Current Office Bearers:

Membership numbers:

4

Usual meeting attendance:

4

Meeting times and days:

Varied times depending on the need of the group. Usually Wednesday evenings

Locations used by Group:

Vestry

Highlights of the year:

- Supporting the introduction of Godly Play into 9.15 and 4.30 Kids Times. - Increasing our number of volunteers for 9.15am KAT & DOG

Group

Church Council

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

“The Church Council shall give priority in its life to building up the Congregation in faith and love, sustaining members in hope, and leading the Congregation to a fuller participation in Christ's mission in the world. This priority shall be reflected in the agenda of its ordinary meetings.” (UCA Regulation 3.1.2a)

Current Office Bearers:

Helen Stewart (Chair),
Judy Lowe (Secretary),
Ashley Irvine (Treasurer).

Membership numbers:

Ministers: 3, Elected: 10; Co-opted: 2 (Total: 15)

Usual meeting attendance:

12

Meeting times and days:

Ordinary meetings: 4th Tuesday of each month, 8 p.m.

Locations used by Group:

Room 1, GWUC

Highlights of the year:

The year began with a Church Council Planning meeting titled 'Journey with Hope.' Neil Peters presented his theology and what he considered important in the life of the church See: link
Church Council decided to incorporate strategic planning sessions as a part of each Church Council meeting. Timelines were put in place for each month.
To begin the process of dreaming and visioning Church Council organised a joint meeting of Church Council with Missional Group conveners and Functional Group conveners. This became the first of our focus group meetings where time was spent dreaming and visioning. At the meeting each convener presented two key goals for 2014.
Discussion at the five focus group meetings centred around questions such as :Who are we? What do we offer? Who do we serve? How do we challenge ourselves to think wider, bigger and more missionally: reflecting our community's demographic and ethnicity? Feedback from all five forums was collated. link
Glen Waverley Uniting Church Organic Vision Document was put together from the responses from the open forum meetings and after prayer and discernment. The Congregation endorsed the Organic Vision Document at the Congregation meeting in December,2014. The four key areas were:
1.Continuing to build connectedness and genuine community.
2.Nurturing faith development, sharing, questioning and exploring faith.
3.Kingsway Ministry.
4.Raising Glen Waverley Uniting Church's profile.
Church Council are committed to challenging ourselves by keeping identified areas at the forefront of all we do. link
At the June meeting the proposal for the new format of Congregation meetings was supported by Church Council. link
A team from Church Council have had conversations to explore partnerships in Ministry between Glen Waverley Uniting Church and the Mulgrave Indonesian Congregation. Input from Presbytery continues to be sought.
Some members of Church Council joined the “Growing Faith Reaching Community Group.” link
Church Council have sought input from the Children's and Families' Minister at Brighton Beach UC, Rev Judith Watkins, to gain further insights into the possibilities in the role. A team from Church Council have been working on developing a position statement.
Church Council approved the request from CTM for Glen Waverley Uniting Church to host a theological student from March to October in semester time.
In the latter part of the year time was spent exploring Ministry team make up. This exploration continues in 2015 with current thinking in light of recent discussions and possibly options to be presented at the March Congregation meeting.

Group

Communications

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

The Glen Waverley Uniting Church Council has established a Communications Committee with the following responsibilities:
1. to oversee and coordinate all communications across the congregation ensuring that they are done in a timely and inclusive manner;
2. to introduce new methods of communication as appropriate;
3. to facilitate the production of a church magazine (currently called NewView) in a variety of formats (to bring the congregation together through the use of information and entertainment);
4. to ensure that all church communications are clear, appropriate and that no bias or offensive content is present;
5. to continue to develop our online and web presence as an outreach activity;
6. to maintain all brochures and promotional material used by GWUC;
7. to seek to make best use of community material to publicise events and activities at GWUC;
8. to liaise with Property Committee and make use of, and manage, any external signage;
9. to take advantage of free promotional media wherever possible (i.e. Real Estate boards);
10. to publicise and communicate Presbytery and Synod activities and events; and
11. to encourage, support and assist all forms of communications in GWUC.

Current Office Bearers:

Coordinator:
John Snare

Membership numbers:

Seven members plus usually a member of the ministry team.

Usual meeting attendance:

Six

Meeting times and days:

First Monday of the Month

Locations used by Group:

A meeting room at the church

Highlights of the year:

During 2014:
1. Event promotion hints were prepared (and published on the Communications Committee page on the Psalter wiki).
2. The guidelines for the use of email, the 'Psalter' wiki, and Facebook were updated to integrate with the Congregation Code of Conduct.
3. Work to refresh the GWUC web site was almost completed.
In 2015, we will explore options to recruit new members to the Communications Committee with a view to adding a capability to assist in creating communications materials (physical and electronic) for specific purposes. We will also review the Communications Strategic Plan and Guidelines.

Group

Community Hub MG

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

Aiming through our activities of Cooee, Leisure Time, Playgroup, The Hub and Welfare to open up our church to the local community as a welcoming, supportive and friendly place of Christian hospitality.
To extend our Christian hospitality in other new and exciting ways to the people in our local community.
To find activities that will link these people further into the church family so they have a sense of belonging and being a part of our church community.

Current Office Bearers:

In 2014 Judith Greenwood - Co-ordinator
Geraldine Fleming - Secretary
CHMG Team - Judith Greenwood, Geraldine Fleming, Kaye Mackinnon, Margaret Fraser, Laurel Muir, Dorothy Lockhart, Bev. Richardson, Belinda Clear.
Elwyn Pederson, (church council) Neil Peters (Ministry Team)
** From February 2015 Geraldine Fleming will be the Co-ordinator of CHMG and Jenny Vass will be the Secretary of CHMG.

Membership numbers:

8 on CHMG
Well over 100 volunteers

Usual meeting attendance:

7 or 8 for CHMG meeting

Meeting times and days:

CHMG meeting - Wed afternoon, 4 times each year

Locations used by Group:

CHMG meeting - room 2

Highlights of the year:

The CHMG Team and volunteers have a real sense of being a Community Hub family together.
We continue to support and encourage each other in our different activities.
As per reports by Cooee, Leisure Time, Playgroup, The Hub and Welfare Committee.

Group

Cooee

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

Friendship, support, company

Current Office Bearers:

None

Membership numbers:

5

Usual meeting attendance:

4

Meeting times and days:

Friday 12noon - 3pm

Locations used by Group:

Fellowship area

Highlights of the year:

Continued support for each other.
Achieving a combined score of over 500 in Scrabble!

Group

Database Users

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

The group of people authorised to access the church rolls database.

Current Office Bearers:

No formal structure

Membership numbers:

17

Usual meeting attendance:

All meetings are electronic

Meeting times and days:

NA

Locations used by Group:

NA

Highlights of the year:

Inclusion of photos in anticipation of Neil's arrival. Increased integration with wiki and rosters.

Group

Finance Committee

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To monitor and report on all income and expenditure at GWUC, and bring to attention of the church council any significant issues that arise.

Current Office Bearers:

AshleyIrvine (Treasurer), WarrenGreenwood, MattGraham, and NeilPeters.

Membership numbers:

Four

Usual meeting attendance:

Four

Meeting times and days:

7.30 pm on the 2nd Tuesday every month, except January.

Locations used by Group:

GWUC office.

Highlights of the year:

Smooth handover from previous Treasurer.
Notification to each missional group of their actual spending against budget, each 6 months.
Lease of new photocopier, which will substantially bring down our printing costs.
Ensuring financials for GWUC are ready for audit within date parameters.
Request to 'giving recorders committee' for more frequent income data to allow us to analyse the make-up of the congregation and budget for the coming years.

Group

FISH - Blue

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

Fellowship

Current Office Bearers:

-

Membership numbers:

20

Usual meeting attendance:

20

Meeting times and days:

4 to 5 times annually

Locations used by Group:

Private homes.

Highlights of the year:

Managing to coordinate everyone's schedulas to maximise attendance.

Group

FISH - Yellow

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

Meet for fellowship and provide pastoral care to each other

Current Office Bearers:

Pam & Malcom Bunney
Barbara & John Hurst

Membership numbers:

20

Usual meeting attendance:

14 - 19

Meeting times and days:

Approximately every 5 to 6 weeks

Locations used by Group:

Usually members' homes

Highlights of the year:

Birthday celebrations, special anniversaries, new grandchildren, a bowls and Indian restaurant night out, Cup Day with hats & bow ties.

Group

Free Spirit

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

Music can warm the soul and bring us closer to the Lord!
Free Spirit is a group of people who aim to enrich worship through music - and sometimes have some fun with other types of music as well. Free Spirit is regularly part of the worship at the Glen Waverley Uniting Church, but also likes to be part of worship with other congregations from time to time.
Free Spirit is self-funding; each member contributes $1 per week and this is used to buy music.
Free Spirit operates under a privacy policy in accordance with GWUC guidelines.

Current Office Bearers:

Music director: Deb Leigh
Music selection and purchase: Deb Leigh
Liaison with ministerial team: Deb Leigh
Librarians: Jo Boldiston
Music borrowing: Lise Hales
Calendar/schedule: Jenny Abraham
Roll & performance record: Robin Pope
Scarves and ties: Marj Snare
Prayer and care: Marj Snare
Treasurer: John Snare
Historian: John Snare
Friends of Free Spirit Register: Geoff Willis
Supper roster: Lyn Maslen

Membership numbers:

30 members

Usual meeting attendance:

25 members

Meeting times and days:

Practice weekly on Wednesday evenings.
Singing at worship or other events in both GWUC and elsewhere twice a month, including GWUC worship on the fourth Sunday of each month (except December and January) alternating between 9:15am and 11:00am services.

Locations used by Group:

Practice is usually in the home of Russell Lang, and usually in the Church the week before an occasion when Free Spirit sings.

Highlights of the year:

1. Participation in the Induction service for Rev. Neil Peters in January.
2. Regular contributions of music to worship in Glen Waverley.
3. Participation in the Ecumenical Choral Service hosted by Stephen's & St Mary's in May.
4. Participation in the Glen Waverley Uniting Church combined anniversary choir in June.
5. Participating in a worship at Beeac Uniting Church in September
6. Fundraising concerts in August and September for Boronia Uniting church and Colac Uniting Church. (Approximately $2450 raised.)
7. Participation in a Glen Waverley Uniting Church 'celebrate Christmas with carols' service in December.
8. Participating in special Easter and Christmas services at Glen Waverley Uniting Church.

Group

GOMER

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

A group for men to enjoy simple weekly fellowship over coffee in an unstructured atmosphere, as and when they are able. Keener members also do a walk before coffee.

Current Office Bearers:

Membership Secretary: DavidMorgan

Membership numbers:

38

Usual meeting attendance:

20

Meeting times and days:

Mondays at 10am

Locations used by Group:

Madeline’s Restaurant, Jells Park

Highlights of the year:

Increasing numbers. Celebrating returns from travel or illness. A new tradition of scones for special occassions

Group

Inclusive Community MG

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To develop supportive relationships within GWUC. To develop inclusiveness within our community by celebrating important occasions and events. To monitor and improve pastoral care at GWUC and continue to develop the Pastoral Partners program. To improve communication with our church community, To provide and support lunches, morning and afternoon tea at various times.

Current Office Bearers:

Jan Clear (Convenor)

Membership numbers:

7

Usual meeting attendance:

5 or 6

Meeting times and days:

We meet weekdays about once every six weeks, during the day, either morning or afternoon.

Locations used by Group:

Rooms at the church.

Highlights of the year:

* Continued growth of the Munch with a Bunch group.
* Intergenerational evening.
* Light lunches after the 11am service.
* Continued development of the Pastoral Partners program.
* The Prayer Chain has been re-established.
* Supportive Care Link provides practical support including transport and meals
* We provide Bereavement Support when needed.

Group

Kids Church

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To provide opportunities during 9.15am worship for children to explore their faith in age appropriate ways

Current Office Bearers:

Membership numbers:

19 children

Usual meeting attendance:

Meeting times and days:

Sunday's during 9.15am worship

Locations used by Group:

Room 1 & 2

Highlights of the year:

- the introduction of Godly Play into our programs, which has provided further opportunities for children to explore the stories of the Bible through wondering.
- The amazing responses and insights that the children have about Bible stories.
- The consistently regular numbers of children attending each week.
- The enthusiasm and dedication of our volunteers.

Group

Leisure Time

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

A weekly friendship group for isolated seniors in our wider community.

Current Office Bearers:

Coordinator: Margaret Fraser, Committee: Cliff Baker, Pam McDonald, Laurel Muir, Elwyn Pederson, Barbara Thompson, Alison Hawkins, Pat & Ross Vevers, Jeanette Coutts, Jenny Robertson

Membership numbers:

26 guests (weekly), 63 volunteers (on monthly roster).

Usual meeting attendance:

Average of 13 guests in 2014 and 13 rostered volunteers.

Meeting times and days:

Every Monday, except public holidays and Christmas break.

Locations used by Group:

Room 1, Fellowship area and Kitchen

Highlights of the year:

* Continuing outreach to isolated seniors in the community - both new guests and those who have attended regularly
* Ongoing pastoral care and friendship support on behalf of GWUC to these seniors and their families
* Maintaining positive relationships with Monash Council and other aged care services within Monash in order to identify potential new guests
* A wonderfully loyal band of volunteers who continue to keep the program running with much love and care
* Caroline Chisholm Volunteering award to Margaret Fraser on behalf of Leisure Time
* Organising 6 appropriate and enjoyable outings plus a Christmas party for our guests with a substantial subsidy from a Monash Council grant

Group

Meditation Study

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

This is not only for church folk & not Christian any more than any other religion, so most members do not attend our church or any other church.

Current Office Bearers:

GWUC contact: BobbieRooks

Membership numbers:

Usual meeting attendance:

Meeting times and days:

Locations used by Group:

Highlights of the year:

Group

Men's Fellowship

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To share in christian fellowship listen to a speaker & to enjoy a chat over a cuppa

Current Office Bearers:

Malcolm Chamberlain

Membership numbers:

35

Usual meeting attendance:

26

Meeting times and days:

We meet at 2pm on the 1st Tuesday of the month excepting January & November

Locations used by Group:

Chapel-Room 1

Highlights of the year:

Speakers for the year
Graeme Frecker- Doing Justice
Heather Hon- My life story
Neil Peters-My life & ministry
John O'Reilly- History of the Shrine of Remembrance
David Simpson- Ministry to prisons
Ross Mackinnon-Beginning of TAFE colleges
Malcolm Chamberlain- Trip to Indonesia
Margaret Duncan-Voyage to the Antartica
Last meeting was our Christmas break-up
New members- Neil Peters & Mike Patterson
Deaths- Peter Thorpe, John Boucher,John Nunn & John De Ravin
Malcolm Chamberlain will lead the group for 2015

Group

Ministry to Seniors

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To minister to senior members of the congregation in spiritual, pastoral, social and supportive ways, and to the wider community through links with retirement villages, hostels and nursing homes; to offer fellowship in an inclusive way across the GWUC community.

Current Office Bearers:

Coordinator: AlisonClarkson
Support Group: JanClear, LoisHosking, EvanLaidlaw, ElwynPederson.
JohnPooley organised any transport for those attending Senior Services and Seminars.
My thanks and appreciation to my Support Group, and especially to ElwynPederson, JanClear and RossMackinnon for their assistance with the Ministry to Seniors while I was overseas.

Membership numbers:

n/a

Usual meeting attendance:

n/a

Meeting times and days:

n/a

Locations used by Group:

n/a

Highlights of the year:

Senior services at GWUC
* 23 March: Service with Communion; ‘Sharing my Faith Journey’ Rev NeilPeters
* 25 May: Service with Communion; ‘Servants of Christ’, led by AlisonClarkson & JanClear
* 24 August: Praise service; ‘Sing for Joy’, led by ElwynPederson
* 26 October: ‘A Celebration of Spring’ for Seniors’ week, led by RossMackinnon
* 14 December: Praise service, ‘Celebrate Christmas with Carols’, led by AlisonClarkson
* Afternoon tea, always a highlight of these occasions, provided social contact and chatting time.
Devotions at Age Care Facilities, including nursing homes, hostels and retirement villages.
* Regular devotions at Wahroonga, Monash Gardens, Waverley Valley, Grace Manor, Glen Waverley Nursing Home, Waverley Hill, and occasionally at Oaktree Hill, Burwood Terrace and Peppertree Hill, by arrangement.
* Weary Dunlop Retirement Village and Nursing Home, a new facility, and Cumberland View Nursing Home, in place of Julie Ross, were added to our roster in the last three months of the year.
Devotions have been conducted by myself, JanClear, LoisHosking, RossMackinnon, BeverlyMcGlead and ElwynPederson. Elwyn, RosemaryCondon, Elvie Schmidt, RogerVass and Herb and Evelyn Fleming have provided musical support.
Pastoral
Contact by phone or visit to home or hospital.
Pastoral contacts are shared by the Ministry Team and the Pastoral Partners.
Communion taken, as required, to those unable to attend regular services.
Social and supportive
Regular contacts with senior members through Club 2014, Munch with a Bunch, Cooee group.
Monthly afternoon tea group, coordinated by Noreen Rodgers.
26 September – Seminar for Seniors at GWUC - Topics:
* Your Future Care Needs; speaker from Uniting Care ‘lifeAssist’
* Legal Matters; speaker from legal firm specialising in Elder Law
* Loss and Grief; Rev Tom Rose, Chaplain at Epworth, Richmond and GWUC member
Invitations were sent to St. Leonard’s Catholic Church, Glen Waverley Anglican Church, High Street Road UC, St Luke’s UC, St John’s UC and Glen Waverley Church of Christ.

Group

Monday Night Bible Study

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To provide members an opportunity to gather regularly for fellowship and through conversation on the Bible passages, members share their faith journey with God

Current Office Bearers:

JitTan is its prime mover but others in the group volunteer to facilitate in some sessions

Membership numbers:

17

Usual meeting attendance:

13

Meeting times and days:

2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at 7.30pm

Locations used by Group:

Room 2 in GWUC

Highlights of the year:

Seasons of the Spirit inclusive program for the congregation for 2014.
Lenten Study in March entitled "Finding light in Darkness" by Alister Macrae.
Mid year study in August entitled “Living the Christian Life” by Richard Horsfield.

Group

Munch with a bunch

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

This group has been established by the Inclusive Community Committee to support people who dine alone.

Current Office Bearers:

Members of the Inclusive Community Committee.

Membership numbers:

Usual meeting attendance:

45 -50.

Meeting times and days:

Sunday lunch, about every six weeks.

Locations used by Group:

RSL.

Highlights of the year:

It has been great to see our numbers growing and people enjoying fellowship together, regularly.

Group

New Comers Group

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

New people who come to our church are recorded on the database and are encouraged to join established group or groups at GWUC.

Current Office Bearers:

This group is within the Inclusive Community Committee’s areas of responsibility.

Membership numbers:

fluctuates.

Usual meeting attendance:

Newcomers do not meet regularly but are encouraged to attend the Anniversary service.

Meeting times and days:

N/A

Locations used by Group:

N/A

Highlights of the year:

It is good to see new people joining in the life of the congregation.

Group

Playgroups

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

As for 2013

Current Office Bearers:

Coordinator: Kaye Mackinnon
(see full list below)

Membership numbers:

Average of about 90 children + about 10 on the waiting list

Usual meeting attendance:

14 -20 children per session + 1-2 carers per family

Meeting times and days:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
During school term
10.00am-12 noon

Locations used by Group:

GWUC rooms 2,3, & playground

Highlights of the year:

Success of the new Friday group.
Participation of children in increased number of activities, eg: singing, story time, outdoor games, craft activities.
Growth of informal support networks amongst mothers and grand parents.
Tuesday group's visit to Chesterfield Children's Farm.
Christmas celebrations, particularly photos organized by the Hub.
Opportunity throughout the year to welcome and support many newly arrived mothers from India, South Korea, China, South Africa, Thailand and the UK.
Sharing of international cultural and religious customs.
Contribution of our wonderful team of very competent and experienced leaders.
Encouragement from the wider GWUC community.

Group

Prayer Request

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

The group has changed from a Prayer Chain to a Prayer Group. The coordinator contacts the members by email, and their task is to pray, nothing more.

Current Office Bearers:

BeverlyMcGlead

Membership numbers:

11

Usual meeting attendance:

No meetings

Meeting times and days:

Locations used by Group:

Highlights of the year:

Group

Property Committee

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To maintain, expand and care for the Property/s used by the Glen Waverley Uniting Church for the benefit of all of the congregation and act as a stewardship caretaker for those properties on behalf of the Uniting Church in Australia.
To generate income from the property in a manner that is consistent with the UCA and GWUC philosophies.

Current Office Bearers:

Chairperson: WarrenGreenwood

Membership numbers:

12

Usual meeting attendance:

11

Meeting times and days:

1st Monday of each month, 7:30pm

Locations used by Group:

Room 1

Highlights of the year:

o Successful installation of new ordained placement (Rev NeilPeters and family) in the 15 Southdown Ave manse.
o Rental of the 19 Southdown Ave manse to Presbytery for the use of the UCA Indonesian congregation Mulgrave placement.
o Installation of a 120 panel, 30KW Solar array that has saved the congregation on average 60% of the previous year power costs. Installation and purchase was funded from a loan from congregational reserve funds, and the solar array is generating and saving sufficient electricity to repay the loan in 6 years and it will then provide 15 to 20 years of significantly reduced power costs. Annual savings is estimated to be between $8,000 and $10,000.
o Rental income will almost cover all maintenance and insurance costs for 2014.
o Careful Kitchen Crew continues to pass all Monash Council Food Safety inspections and being awarded the highest level of compliance.
o No major injury incidents during 2014.

Group

The Hub

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To welcome, offer hospitality and grow relationships with people in the local community and in our church.
To continue to grow our current activities - The Hub normal activity, special morning teas at The Hub, nativity dress ups for children etc.
To create activities arising from the needs of the people in the community.

Current Office Bearers:

Judith Greenwood - Co-ordinator
Secretary - Laurel Muir
The Hub Small Group - Judith Greenwood, Laurel Muir, Pam McDonald, Kaye Mackinnon, Deb. Graham, Lynne Boyer, Pamela McDonald, Geraldine Fleming, Lois Hosking, Gail Irvine.

Membership numbers:

50 volunteers.

Usual meeting attendance:

The Hub Volunteers' Lunch and Meeting - 25
The Hub Small group Meeting - 8
Number of visitors to The Hub varies.

Meeting times and days:

The Hub volunteers' Lunch and meeting - once in 2014 - Sunday lunch.
The Hub Small Group - once in 2014 - Thursday 1pm.
The Hub operates Tuesday and Thursday 10am - 2pm, Wednesday 10am - 12noon during school term.

Locations used by Group:

Foyer, kitchen and also fellowship area for special morning teas.

Highlights of the year:

Special Morning teas at The Hub for 2014 - Well attended, great atmosphere, more and more new people from the community attending. Some family and friends of GWUC people, others seeing notices in the Monash PALS booklet or the local paper etc.
Hot Cross Bun Morning Tea in March - $420 donated to The Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
Australia's Biggest Morning Tea at The Hub in May - $772.45 donated to the Cancer Council Victoria.
Muffin Morning at The Hub in August - $358.10 donated to Share Appeal
Seniors' Morning Tea at The Hub in October - $85.85 donated for The Hub
Christmas Morning Tea at The Hub and Children's Nativity Dress-up photos in December - $148.40 donated to GWUC Welfare Committee to be used for the needy at Christmas.
Continued support and participation in some of our morning teas from The Body Shop and Muddings Bakery.
Many people continue to come to The Hub to practise speaking English in an informal conversation. Many feel at home at GWUC and even make their own cuppa and offer to make one for our volunteers!
The Hub events advertised in the Monash PALS booklet bringing in more people from the local community.
The Hub events also advertised in the local paper, Crosslight, the GW Library, Victorian Seniors' Festival booklet and GWUC monthly and weekly bulletins.
A Community Strengthening Grant of $467.50 was received from the Monash Council which enabled us to purchase a new outdoor weatherproof magnetic A frame sign.
Over 60 families came to The Hub for their children to dress up in Nativity dress-ups and have their photo taken. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to talk with the children and their parents about the real Christmas story.

Group

UCAF

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To enable and strengthen fellowship so that people grow in an understanding of the oneness of believers.

Current Office Bearers:

President/Secretary: MargaretDuncan
Vice-President BarbaraThompson
Treasurer: NormaSaxton
Committee: BeverlyMcGlead, GeraldineFleming, DianaColes, JacquiKing

Membership numbers:

51

Usual meeting attendance:

34

Meeting times and days:

First Tuesday of the month at 10 am but not in January. December meeting 11.am

Locations used by Group:

Fellowship area, Room1, and in May and December the hall and Church.

Highlights of the year:

Horizons of Hope Ministries,- Jennifer Evans; Rev.Neil Peters - “About myself,my life and faith journey”; Travellers' Aid - Dorothy Underwood; “for the Love of the Table” - Patricia Begg; Today's Police Force through my experiences-Det. Inspector John Potter; Life of Ruth - Rev. Barbara Higgins; History of the PWMU Cookbook and “Suet to Saffron” - Pam Grant; Uniting World's Church of Northern India - Helen Beeby; Mercy Ships- Joan Corfee; Luncheon outing to R.S.L. Club; A.G.M. , Christmas Service and luncheon.
Money donated to Cherish Foundation and Frontier Services.
Cake Stall at the GWUC Fete.

Group

Uniting Voices

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To enhance the worship life of the church through music and song

Current Office Bearers:

Co-conductors: Barb Hurst, Elwyn Pederson
Accompanists: Robert Fleming, Noela Bartlett
Treasurer: Bev Barnfield

Membership numbers:

28

Usual meeting attendance:

24

Meeting times and days:

Rehearsals: Thursday 8pm,
Worship Services: 1st and 3rd Sunday 11am

Locations used by Group:

Room 1 and Church

Highlights of the year:

We sang at services on first and third Sundays from February till Christmas. We joined with Free Spirit for the Anniversary service.
We took part in 2 Seniors Services.
We supplied morning tea at both the fete and the Book fair.
We sang at Cumberland View's ANZAC service.
We took part in the annual Ecumenical Choral Service.
We prepared and sang for a Christmas Choral Service.

Group

Welfare Committee

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

The purpose of the GWUC Welfare Committee is underpinned by the mission of the GWUC within the Community Hub Mission Group. We provide practical, spiritual and emotional support to those in our Church and in the wider community, who seek our support. Some recipients self refer, others are referred by members of our congregation or local agencies. All referrals are responded to promptly.
Primarily our focus is on day to day living expenses and the general independent living of individuals and families.
Those we see are encouraged to access existing community resources including those within our Church.

Current Office Bearers:

Co-ordinator: Dorothy Lockhart
Sec/Treasurer: Faye Mc Dougall

Membership numbers:

4

Usual meeting attendance:

4

Meeting times and days:

Quarterly formal and minuted meetings with ongoing informal liaison amongst members as required.

Locations used by Group:

GWUC meeting Rooms

Highlights of the year:

Our Christian imperative is to care for the poor and the Welfare Committee considers our efforts as contributing to this enormous task.
In our interactions and various interventions with or on behalf of those we assist, we pray that and endeavour to, in some way, make a positive difference in the lives of those we serve.
Assistance includes providing a” listening ear”: counselling on a number of levels; sharing a prayer; accompanying a person to an appropriate community agency; referring to and liaising with appropriate community agencies; providing food vouchers and travel assistance; distributing Christmas hampers to specific families we have assisted during the previous year; and discretely channelling donations that come through our GWUC congregation.