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

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

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

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

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

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

MeditationStudy

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

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

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

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.