GLEN WAVERLEY UNITING CHURCH MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION

Held in the Worship Centre at 7:45pm on Tuesday 24 Nov 2015.

MINUTES

1. Welcome and Apologies

Apologies from; DavidMorgan; MargaretLemke; CarolynBlakemore; SarahBlakemore; BarbaraChamberlain; MalcolmChamberlain; EvelynFleming; JacquiKing; ColinKing; DeniseBaker; GeoffWillis; CliffBaker; JohnHurst; JohnSnare; MurrayLowe; JudyLowe; RonaPooley; BeverlyMcGlead

2. Prayer

WarrenGreenwood opened the meeting with a prayer reflecting on the meaning of “Inclusiveness”. Proverbs 3:6

3. Confirmation of Minutes of Meeting held on 30th August 2015.

See CongMeetingMinutes20150830

No Concerns Raised

4. Matters arising from the previous Minutes.

COP

• NeilPeters reported on complete distribution of COP funds in CliffBaker’s absence

• More than $30,000.00 was raised
• Thank you to COP and Fete Committees for a successful fete.

Toilets

• It was deemed that it is not financially practical for GWUC to hire commercial cleaning of the facilities
• Changes in lighting and toilet roll holders have been made

• Public acknowledgement of JohnPooley taking an initiative to check and restock toilets

5. Correspondence

None specific for Congregational Meeting

6. Reports and Recommendations from Church Council.

6.1. Church Council Update on Vision and Resources

• Presented by Helen Stewart – Chair of Church Council
• Church Council meeting held on 16/11/2016
• Generous giving down by 3% (with inflation = 6% gap in giving)
• Budget not about the people but about ministries
• GWUC Organic Ministry Team – slides presented

• Endorsement of AlisonClarkson in her role till Easter 2016 – need to refer to Budget

6.2. Financial Report – 2016 Budget for approval

• Presented by AshleyIrvine

Slide 1 – Income

• Fundraising amounts increased
• Rental properties amounts increased

Slide 2 –

• Mission Giving down by $5,000.00 for 1 year only
• Property expenses are estimates only and can be higher

Slide 3 – Income & Expenses

• Cash position – substantial amount in reserve

Support for budget passed by all

6.3. Introduction of the ''Safe Church Concerns Person'' and role

• Presented by DorothyLockhart

• Culture of Safety by means of:
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Legal and Moral document can be reported to Synod in severe cases
  • Child abuse
  • Elder abuse
  • Bullying

• Safe Church Contact persons – DorothyLockhart or DavidMorgan

• Role not limited and can extend to others in the congregation that can give assistance as the member may feel more comfortable speaking with a particular individual
• Congregation thanked Dorothy and David for their roles

7. Report from Ministry Team

Presented by NeilPeters;

In terms of Vision I want to update you in relation to partnerships Glen Waverley Secondary College Chaplaincy Program

Alanee and LynneBoyer took part in are RUOK day – a mental health awareness initiative.

Alanee has been invited by the Well Being dept to present a proposal to resume a breakfast program at the school next year working alongside Chaplaincy/Well Being dept. We will need helpers.

The school lost Government Funding for the chaplain and are inviting churches to contribute.

Outreach Missional Group proposed to CC that GWUC contribute $5000 in 2016 to support GWSC Chaplaincy program - $2500 funded through fundraising and $2500 from the interest in the GWUC Endowment Fund. CC have endorsed this and we seek the support of the congregation at this meeting. We need to be able to advise the school and Young Life (chaplaincy provider) of our commitment for next year. We see this as seed or transitional funding as next year we see this being a COP application for funding in 2017.

The rationale for drawing on the Endowment Fund is as follows:

• The development of partnerships in the community formed part of the church’s vision which was developed and supported by the congregation in 2014.
• The Chaplain and the school’s Well Being department will be a part of the planned breakfast program. This will look like and be a partnership.
• The support of this program is good for our ecumenical relationships. Syndal Baptist Church have made a significant financial contribution to the program this year. Monash Church of Christ support the program and make rooms available for the mentoring program which is run by the chaplain.
• GWUC had a positive relationship with the school for over three years when the breakfast program previously operated.
• This has the potential to be an ongoing and effective partnership. It is proposed that next year there will be an application for COP funding so it is anticipated that this is a one off request for Endowment Fund support.

# Funding request was supported by the meeting

We intend partner with Brentwood Secondary College in a student mentoring program next year. Meetings have happened and we are now considering options presented by the school.

Glenallen School, we raised $2437 to upgrade Jai’s wheelchair. Nancye and I have met with the principal. I met Jai. There are opportunities for our members to volunteer at the school. We can also support the school working bees as they rely on community support for this activity.

Nanyce and I had a meeting only yesterday regarding a proposal for a partnership with Uniting Care Connections - Chinese Family Services. Connections are planning to come back with some proposals of how we can work together next year. This may involve supporting and adding value to our existing playgroups. This has the potential to be a broader partnership than Chinese Family service.

Uniting Care Life Assist have had their first afternoon tea at our church for 8 clients who are isolated in the community. The clients and staff met Nanyce, Heather and me and we talked about the programs our church offers that might interest them with a view to the clients getting involved in some of our activities.

Two weeks ago Alanee and I met with Mark, General Manager Homelessness with Uniting Care Harrsion. Harrison are the largest provider of support for youth homelessness in the state and they are keen to develop a partnership with our congregation. There are ways that they could support our welfare work. Harrison are tendering for a Youth/Young person housing program in Glen Waverley. It is working in the area of student housing and homelessness. They want to link with this congregation so that they can link any interested young people to our youth/young adult programs for support, a sense of community and where they could explore faith/spirituality in a safe place. CC endorsed me sending a letter confirming our interest in this partnership.

These are exciting times. We are currently developing our links with three Uniting Church Agencies. In the recent past we have also supported Wesley Mission.

Briefly in Children’s and Family ministry

Monday 21 Dec 2015 we are running a kids Christmas outreach program. We are not calling it Christmas Alight because this is a new beginning. We are supporting Nancye to get this off the ground. We need children to attend and volunteers to help.

Recently there was a small group met for a visioning session for Children’s and Family ministry. We want to see this area of ministry growing.

8. “On The Way Together”: Missional and Support Group Reports

Presented by MiriniLang.

(24 Nov 2015 Congregational Meeting)

This report addresses what the Faith Development Group has done over the last 12 months to help the congregation achieve the

• Church’s vision: a faithful, Christ-centred community that meets God and shares that unconditional love.
• Faith Development Group’s Mission which in essence is to grow in our own faith, share our own faith journey as well as listening to others faith journeys within the church community, and outside the church community.

8.1. Retreat

• Retreat at Cornish College run by SusanKaroly, Julie Hall, LauraMorgan, JohnHurst, HelenStewart, MiriniLang

  • This was in preparation for Advent. Based on the Bible reading in Luke 1:39-56 where Mary visits her relative Elizabeth while both women were pregnant with Jesus and John the Baptist. Mary bursts into a song of Praise to God.
  • During the day we started off in a circle around a Christ candle artistically positioned with flowing material around it. We lay our burdens (river pebbles) at the foot of Christ. We had a bible study, quiet reflection time with different activities to help us in contemplation, constructive work time where we could choose from different activities such as painting a banner, writing a prayer, taking photographs of nature outdoors around the lake area at Cornish College. These photos were kept for possible use in future services.
  • It was a beautiful day which removed us from life’s attention seeking activities and helped us focus on what is really important to us in life.

8.2. Bible Study

• Leading into Advent -New Seasons Study – 6
• Lenten studies – through the eyes of love by Ian Price – 5 studies

8.3. Cross Cultural Seminar

This was held on 23 Aug 2015, with a talk given by Hoon You – about changing our mindset to see us as equals on a common journey, create links with people of all cultural backgrounds and having them as integral part of the church and services.

Recently, as a way forward on Cross Cultural ministry, the faith development group met with Apwee Ting (National Director for Multicultural and Cross Cultural Ministry; in our Port Phillip East Presbytery) discussed where we go from here. He recommended starting off by approaching people of different cultural backgrounds in our congregation and identifying whether there are areas of faith development or worship which they miss from their own culture. This may be a Bible study in their own language or a tradition which can be incorporated into a worship service. Apwee Ting is happy to walk with us along this cross cultural journey

8.4. WOMP Board

The White board on the FaithDevelopment Noticeboard is to stimulate faith discussion within our community with anyone writing questions/answers on the board. It hasn’t worked so well this year.

Morning tea questions on the tables at times, again to stimulate faith discussions. This is something many of us are a bit shy about but it is an important part of our lives.

Plan

• Children and families faith seminar: Talking with children about faith – Nancy to organise
• Seminars or workshops – skill up lay people. We plan to put up seminars/workshops people can go to on the Faith Development Group noticeboard.
• Multicultural focus – building on the seminar

8.5. Retreat at Easter/Lent

We welcome feedback from people who went to the recent retreat to ensure future retreats can be even more meaningful and helpful for people.

9. Other Business

9.1. Unfilled Presbytery Representative

• Nomination of SusanKaroly to fill role

9.2. GWIC – Glen Waverley Inter-church Council

• Unanimous support and endorsement from Congregation for JanClear to fill the role of President of GWIC

9.3. Church lighting

• Congregation supported Property Committee recommendation of upgrading Church lighting

9.4. Church Rosters

• HerbFleming thanked volunteers for filling the Cleaning and Mowing rosters. Enough support was given that allowed relief of doing the chores once by each volunteer

9.5. Role of Chair for Congregational Meeting

• WarrenGreenwood announced that his role is up for re-election and encouraged other members of the congregation to step up and be part of the nominations

10. Next Meeting

Next meeting Sunday 6 Mar 2016

11. Benediction

NeilPeters ended the meeting with a prayer.