AnnualReport2021

Group

Broadcast Ministry

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To provide broadcast facilities for worship services to a global audience. 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 and other events. To provide technical assistance to both the Ministry team and other worship space users.

Current Office Bearers:

Warren Greenwood is contact point

Membership numbers:

5

Usual meeting attendance:

As & when required, online or at GWUC

Meeting times and days:

As & when required, online or at GWUC

Locations used by Group:

GWUC – Beeac, Kerang, Johnsonville, Trafalger, and as invited, and a global audience.

Highlights of the year:

"With the 2021 COVID impacts, this team has enabled the ministry team to provide and maintain a variety of in-home worship, prayer, reflection, and meditation support to a global audience. The outreach also supported our country congregation partners in the same way.
Weekly worship was viewed and supported by over 350 logins each week, Prayers and Reflections were viewed by more than 50 persons each week (on average).
There are over 236 people (globally) who have “Subscribed” to this ministry on YouTube and our website, and who receive an automatic email whenever we are streaming worship.
The ability to stream funerals and other special events through-out the pandemic has been of great support for families, and the wider community, with these services being viewed local/interstate/overseas.
Through a generous bequest allocation, we have been able to enhance our resources with new cameras, recording equipment and hardware to both extend and simplify the process.
In addition, this year, we were the location for the recording of all Synod 2021 pre-recorded worship, prayer and bible study sessions, where the Moderator and others used our expertise to prepare for a “Synod in lockdown” year."

Any needs that Church Council can assist:

"We thank the Church Council, and congregation for their on-going support, and the sometimes intrusive activities. Like all groups we invite others to join the team.
We would appreciate ongoing funding for the ministry, and encouragement. The tech team, like the ministry team, have allocated a great deal of time to make this work.
In particular, we would like to thank the ministry team for their co-operation and creative planning of worship. They have done a spectacular job under difficult circumstances."

Group

Communications

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

"The Communications Committee is a sub- committee of the Church Council. The Communications Committee works to ensure that information about the life of the congregation is readily available to interested people and that members of the congregation know what is going on.
Specifically, the Communication Committee's role is to:
1. oversee and coordinate all communications across the congregation ensuring that they are done in a timely and inclusive manner;
2. introduce new methods of communication as appropriate;
3. facilitate the production of a church magazine (recently renamed to Kingsway) in a variety of formats (to bring the congregation together through the use of information and entertainment);
4. ensure that all church communications are clear, appropriate and that no bias or offensive content is present;
5. continue to develop our online and web presence as an outreach activity;
6. maintain all brochures and promotional material used by GWUC;
7. seek to make best use of community material to publicise events and activities at GWUC;
8. liaise with Property Committee and make use of, and manage, any external signage;
9. take advantage of free promotional media wherever possible (i.e. Real Estate boards);
10. publicise and communicate Presbytery and Synod activities and events; and
11. encourage, support and assist all forms of communications in GWUC"

Current Office Bearers:

Coordinator: John Snare

Membership numbers:

Six members plus usually a member of the ministry team.

Usual meeting attendance:

Six

Meeting times and days:

First Monday of the month when possible. In 2021 there were three meetings.

Locations used by Group:

The Communications Committee meets in a meeting room at the church.

Highlights of the year:

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the Communications Committee. The group chose not to meet by zoom and hence was only able to hold a few meetings. The status quo for communications activities was maintained including significant work behind the scenes to repair and keep operational the wiki. A disappointment was failure to progress work to update our on-line platforms and refresh the web site. This will be a priority in 2022 in line with the Integrated Social Media and Streaming Presence project being developed by Church Council.

Any needs that Church Council can assist:

We are seeking at least two new members for the Communications Committee. The committee needs at least one new member with a passion for using social media as a communications channel. The committee needs at least one new member with a passion for keeping the web-site design contemporary.

Group

FISH - Gold

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

A group of members meeting in homes and sometimes other venues, but this year mainly on Zoom.

Current Office Bearers:

Sue Morgan convenor

Membership numbers:

15

Usual meeting attendance:

12

Meeting times and days:

Irregular on Zoom and in person.

Locations used by Group:

Members homes and Zoom

Highlights of the year:

We managed to have a book sale. Several meetings in homes and more on Zoom enabled us to remain connected.

Any needs that Church Council can assist:

None

Group

FISH - Yellow

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

"To provide social networks under the umbrella of the FISH groups.
The members pastorally care for one another."

Current Office Bearers:

Jan Clear and Norma Saxton

Membership numbers:

24 includes Donna and Jim Robinson in Canada

Usual meeting attendance:

18

Meeting times and days:

Usually meet approximately 6 weeks apart, mostly Sundays for either lunch or dinner. We meet on Boxing Day at the Flemings for morning tea and Australia Day for a BBQ. Due to the pandemic this year, the group physically met five times and one Zoom get together.

Locations used by Group:

Generally we meet in members' homes.

Highlights of the year:

The high level of fellowship still continues in the group. We celebrated one milestone 80th birthday.

Any needs that Church Council can assist:

Nil

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, used to buy music and cover other expenses.
Free Spirit operates under a privacy policy in accordance with Glen Waverley Uniting Church guidelines. "

Current Office Bearers:

"1. Music director: Deb Leigh
2. Music selection and purchase: Deb Leigh
3. Liaison with ministerial team: Deb Leigh
4. Librarians: Lise Hales (borrowing) assisted by Maria Gillies plus Robin (for stocktake)
5. Music borrowing: Lise Hales assisted by Maria Gillies
6. Performance calendar/schedule: John Snare – updates on schedule on wiki
7. Roll: Robin Pope
8. Friends of Free Spirit register: Geoff Willis
9. Scarves and ties: Joy Allen
10. Prayer and care: Joy Allen (sop), Lyn Maslen (alto), Kaye Morgan (Tenor) and Mike Foo (Bass)
11. Treasurer: John Snare
12. Historian including performance record: John Snare
13. Supper roster: Lyn Maslen
14. Stage managing events: Lyn Maslen
This year additional leadership was needed and provided to accommodate the circumstances of Covid-19 restrictions.
1. Kaye Morgan hosted every zoom practise and edited together video and audio of ‘covid-choir’ songs
2. Russell Lang assembled and edited the audio for new ‘covid-choir’ songs.
3. Additional part choir leaders were needed to deal with not being able to meet together as normal. Lynn Peters helped the sopranos, Jacob Davey helped the tenors, Lyn Maslen sometimes helpied the altos and sometimes helped the basses, and Deb Leigh helped the bases and sometimes the altos. "

Membership numbers:

39 members plus some occasional visitors

Usual meeting attendance:

30 members

Meeting times and days:

Practice weekly on Wednesday evenings. Prior to the Covid-19 restrictions the intent was as follows: Singing at worship or other events both in Glen Waverley Uniting Church and elsewhere twice a month, including with Glen Waverley Uniting Church 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 held in the Church.

Highlights of the year:

To be added later

Any needs that Church Council can assist:

None identified.

Group

GOMER

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

A Fellowship group for retired men

Current Office Bearers:

David Morgan convenor

Membership numbers:

30

Usual meeting attendance:

Variable this year.

Meeting times and days:

Monday 10am

Locations used by Group:

Jells Park or Zoom

Highlights of the year:

Another disrupted year. Madelines has been intermittently open for takeaway. Some members have walked and had takeaway coffee. Others have remained on line. The restaurant have now said that they will not open on Monday mornings for the foreseeable future, so we are looking for a new home for 2022.

Any needs that Church Council can assist:

One possibility is that we meet at the church and Muddings supply coffee

Group

Keep Fit Group

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

A group of ladies who met for exercise

Current Office Bearers:

Eileen Scott: convenor.

Membership numbers:

Usual meeting attendance:

Meeting times and days:

Locations used by Group:

Highlights of the year:

Unable to meet during COVID, and with declining numbers and advancing age, the group decided to disband during 2021

Any needs that Church Council can assist:

Group

UCAF

Purpose, Aim or Mission of the Group:

To enable members to share in Christ’s mission, meeting together for Fellowship, Service and Worship.

Current Office Bearers:

President/Secretary: Margaret Duncan
Vice President: Barbara Thompson
Treasurer: Norma Saxton
Committee: Geraldine Fleming, Maureen Ball, Diana Coles, Beverly McGlead

Membership numbers:

37

Usual meeting attendance:

24

Meeting times and days:

First Tuesday of the month 10 am – 12 noon

Locations used by Group:

Chapel and Church, kitchen, hall.

Highlights of the year:

Because of the pandemic we only achieved 2 meetings form 2021.

Any needs that Church Council can assist:

Church works in with us extremely well.