30 April 2013

Dear Friends of the Glen Waverley Uniting Church,

We writing on behalf of our recently formed Steering Committee. We have been given the task to take seriously the widespread comments that change is necessary for our Church. We are listening to many many individuals telling of the hurts that they have received at the hands of others in the congregation, and how they feel that they have not felt their personal faith grow recently. We are reading the Kitto Report. We grieve over the Ministry team breaking up. Presbytery is giving us some gentle encouragement.

We are seeking a way forward and hope soon to present some proposals to the congregation. This is a difficult task as members of the congregation are in different places in their understanding. We will offer to you suggestions, knowing they are nothing more than suggestions. We would be glad to hear from you either now before we finalise our tentative suggestions or after.

We are looking to God to see where the Church may go. You may like to join us in asking the Holy Spirit to illumine for our situation these two passages: Matthew 22:34-17 and Ephesians 3:14-19.

We accept as our key mandates the need to help the congregation to become more of a Community of Love and to increase and enjoy more our Spirituality.

This Committee of six is not asking of the congregation anything we are not already living out amongst our own selves each time we meet. We invite you to ask any of the six of us to tell you what is actually happening to us as we focus on being a Community of Love and on Spirituality.

We will soon be making recommendations about our congregational structure. Please know that we care deeply about transition. We hope no one will feel displaced. The talents, gifts and interests each of us (you) have are important to your Church. While the Church Council may become smaller in size (so it can become more a Community of Love), there are many grand opportunities for everyone of us to participate in the life and mission activities and groups of GWUC. We will be writing and talking to you about them very soon. And please please please take the initiative to talk with us about what you think God is saying to you and to all of us.

We thank you for your connection with this your Church. This could be a wonderfully exciting time for us all. Change is scary at times but may lead to big strides ahead, if we are clearly seeking to be disciples of Jesus Christ.