The Glen Waverley Uniting Church PSALTER|
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| = A Community of Faith = (Passionately expressing faith & Spiritually inspired living) Key Propositions for Growth + Discipleship formation process for those seeking baptism, confirmation, seekers of faith and others seeking to grow in discipleship * Small groups for learning, faith sharing, prayer and missional action. * Regular regional learning events * Resource library * Leadership development * Age specific activities for children, youth and young adults What might GWUC look like in 2013 if we were faithful to these propositions? GWUC is abuzz with faith conversations. Worship and community activities, meetings and neighbourhood engagement reveal a congregation committed to growing people in faith, calling them to discipleship and discerning our vocation as part of the mission of God. Parents seeking to have their children baptised, young people seeking confirmation, and others seeking to deepen their discipleship are engaged in a program of formation for discipleship. The 3-4 month program involves personal reflection and discussion about the bible, Christian faith and practice, vocation and discipleship, and the UCA. Participants have a mentor with whom they meet regularly to reflect on their learning and faith experience. The program has become so popular that many long-time members of the congregation have taken the opportunity to participate and reaffirm their baptism as part of their ongoing journey of discipleship. The congregation values the faith development of its children and young people. To this end it hosts a Christian education program that teaches the stories of the faith and encourages thinking about how they influence life in the 21st century at appropriate levels for the age of the participants. Emphasis is given to the call to discipleship and helping children and young people discover their vocation in life. Children and young people are also encouraged to participate in activities that support others and connect with the wider community. Christmas Alight and the Easter Event provide opportunities for engagement with other children in the neighbourhood. Every member of the community participates in a small group. Through learning, sharing, prayer and missional action the groups call people to discipleship, build their faith and support them so that they may confidently take up their vocation as part of the mission of God. Participants reflect on how what they are learning interacts with their life experience. Questions and doubts are addressed openly and encouraged as signs of growth in faith. The groups take into account the needs, interests and contexts of participants. Some meet every week, others meet less frequently. Some meet for a period of time; e.g. during Lent or Advent, others prefer the occasional one-off learning event. The groups reflect the diversity of maturity, faith experience and thinking about God that is to be seen at GWUC. Some groups seek to encourage members to discern their vocation and to exercise their gifts in discipleship. Some provide opportunities for in-depth study of the Bible. Some seek to develop contemplative spirituality. Some encourage creativity. Some support members in their efforts to live out their faith at work and in the neighbourhood. Some are activity based, enabling members to participate in missional service in the neighbourhood. Some of the most popular groups meet over coffee after each worship service to discuss the points raised in the Scripture readings and the sermon. People are finding that their life makes sense when they see through the lens of Jesus. They have a growing confidence about reflecting faithfully on contemporary issues and in sharing their faith experience with others. Other long-standing groups (FISH, UCAF, Bible study, etc) have renewed their life to better emphasise learning, faith sharing, prayer and missional activity. Councils and committees of the congregation have also undertaken to make space in their meetings for intentional learning, faith sharing, prayer and missional action. These practices have brought new life and spirit to the groups. Not everyone learns best in a small group. The congregation is concerned to provide multiple learning activities that reflect the diversity of learning styles, experience and levels of participants. Faith at Home leaflets, personal devotional guides (e.g. With Love to the World), and seasonal study and meditation resources are provided for those unable to participate in a regular group and those seeking to develop a personal spiritual discipline. A resource library containing DVD’s, music CD’s, recordings of local learning events and a wide range of books is well-used by church members and our neighbours. The church also hosts spiritual retreats, practical workshops, guest speakers and other learning activities to meet specific needs. Many of these have grown out of conversations with our neighbours. Each year we host a major learning event to the local community and neighbouring churches are invited. This may be a weekend ‘conference’, a week-long ‘festival’, a short term intensive course or a series of studies. Where possible our learning events are filmed for broadcast to our rural partners and added to our resource collection. Many folk have become so excited by their learning and growth in discipleship that they have sought to engage in further study. The congregation supports them by hosting tutorial groups and providing coaching as required. The congregation regularly sponsors and hosts a short term intensive course as part of the CTM’s web of learning. We have become a regional hub for the Lay Preacher’s course. After five years of sustained growth in faith GWUC has been transformed. People of all ages regularly participate in preparing and leading worship. Stories of faith are shared happily during worship, in New View and on the website, in groups and in casual conversations. In fact people are so excited by what they are learning and experiencing that the faith conversations are spilling over into the neighbourhood. Most have engaged in discernment of our vocation – as individuals and as a community – and are now actively involved in projects with the neighbourhood. We have a far greater awareness of how our Christian faith makes a difference through our involvement in our neighbourhoods, families, work places and organisational life. We rejoice at the growth in faith that is happening in our community. We are surely becoming a sign, foretaste and instrument of the reign of God in our neighbourhood. |
= Mission Statement = The Mission Statement, which previously appeared on this page, has been moved to the CommunityOfFaithMission page. = What's Happening in the Community of Faith = == Meeting, 22 Sep 2009 == 1. Worship a. Support for 4.30 after Caroline finishes – this group is important and needs to be nurtured. Suggested ministers should give more time to this group and any slack re other services to be filled by lay people – e.g., lay preachers, elders. a. Themes for each week’s services to be planned a term ahead, so that all services can deal with the same theme. Themes as suggested by Seasons of the Spirit seen to be a good starting point. a. Worship teams to be considered as a way for preparing for worship services – this would allow for added input. We need more thought as to how these would operate and who should be on them. a. The list of additional ministerial resources was tabled and corrected. (see Attachment 1) It was noted that many of the retired ministers can give limited support. It was noted that both Graham Lockhart and Graeme Pratt are available as lay preachers, and should be used more. a. Broadcast ministry to Beeac is much appreciated. 2. Small groups A list of existing groups was tabled (see Attachment 2). Where are the gaps? One possible gap is a group for people who are asking questions and need mutual support. Another gap is a class for people interested in Confirmation. Study group(s) for Advent 3. Leadership development Convenor is currently gathering information about lay preacher training – Coolamon College appears to have been subsumed by Parkin-Wesley College which has recently become Uniting College (South Australia). Information has been sought to clarify if Uniting College is offering lay preacher studies via distance education. 4. Events We want to plan a weekend event for 30 May 2009. This is a 5th Sunday. The theme would be worship. Possible program: Friday evening Music in Worship Saturday workshops for Creative Worship, Worship and Mission Sunday one combined 10.00am service with guest preacher followed by lunch and round-table discussion with the guest preacher. Friday and Saturday workshops could prepare material for the service on Sunday. 5. Other business Definition of “Faith Development”. A draft statement was tabled by Convenor (see FaithDevelopmentDefinitions). The 5 action points were seen to be very helpful. We need a little more polish regarding the opening and closing sentences – need to move away from “development” to include things like “nurture”, “growth”, “healing”, “wholeness”. 6. Next meeting – Thursday, 22 October 2009, at the Church (Vestry Office) |
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Mission Statement
The Mission Statement, which previously appeared on this page, has been moved to the CommunityOfFaithMission page.
What's Happening in the Community of Faith
Meeting, 22 Sep 2009
- Worship
- Support for 4.30 after Caroline finishes – this group is important and needs to be nurtured. Suggested ministers should give more time to this group and any slack re other services to be filled by lay people – e.g., lay preachers, elders.
- Themes for each week’s services to be planned a term ahead, so that all services can deal with the same theme. Themes as suggested by Seasons of the Spirit seen to be a good starting point.
- Worship teams to be considered as a way for preparing for worship services – this would allow for added input. We need more thought as to how these would operate and who should be on them.
- The list of additional ministerial resources was tabled and corrected. (see Attachment 1) It was noted that many of the retired ministers can give limited support. It was noted that both Graham Lockhart and Graeme Pratt are available as lay preachers, and should be used more.
- Broadcast ministry to Beeac is much appreciated.
- Small groups
- A list of existing groups was tabled (see Attachment 2). Where are the gaps? One possible gap is a group for people who are asking questions and need mutual support. Another gap is a class for people interested in Confirmation. Study group(s) for Advent
- Leadership development
- Convenor is currently gathering information about lay preacher training – Coolamon College appears to have been subsumed by Parkin-Wesley College which has recently become Uniting College (South Australia). Information has been sought to clarify if Uniting College is offering lay preacher studies via distance education.
- Events
- We want to plan a weekend event for 30 May 2009. This is a 5th Sunday. The theme would be worship. Possible program: Friday evening Music in Worship Saturday workshops for Creative Worship, Worship and Mission Sunday one combined 10.00am service with guest preacher followed by lunch and round-table discussion with the guest preacher. Friday and Saturday workshops could prepare material for the service on Sunday.
- Other business
Definition of “Faith Development”. A draft statement was tabled by Convenor (see FaithDevelopmentDefinitions). The 5 action points were seen to be very helpful. We need a little more polish regarding the opening and closing sentences – need to move away from “development” to include things like “nurture”, “growth”, “healing”, “wholeness”.
- Next meeting – Thursday, 22 October 2009, at the Church (Vestry Office)