Link to CouncilAgenda20231127 > CouncilMinutes20231127
Ministry Team Report November 2023
Neil’s Report
I enjoyed a having a week of leave when Lynn and I visited Sydney for a family birthday and baptism.
The baptism of Mason Boyer was simply a lovely occasion.
I completed the latest Code of Ethics session on ministry and the law. This particularly focussed on Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation and this Synod’s position.
The ministry team have been planning for Advent and Christmas. We will have a Remembrance Service on Tuesday 12th Dec, the Living Nativity on 17th Dec, an installation in Room 1 in the lead up to Christmas, December 24th will include 10 am, 7pm and 11 pm worship, and Christmas Day 8.30 am and 10 am. We will have a real estate board and postcards as usual. We have created our own theme “An Unexpected Experience” and are developing our own images, and plans are in hand to decorate the church. We also know that the Intercultural Task Group in collaboration with the ministry team are planning a Christmas Multicultural Worship and Celebration at 4 pm on 10th December.
I want to thank the church council for their support of myself and Lynn. I have had the privilege of working with different church councils under the leadership of HelenStewart, GlynHowells and AlisonClarkson. I thank each chair, and DavidMorgan as our capable secretary, and each member of council as well as DavidFraser and SusanKaroly who have been my church council endorsed support group.
For most of the time I have thoroughly enjoyed ministry at Glen Waverley Uniting church. I have served in a truly wonderful ministry team and have had fantastic support from Heather, Wendy and Joanne in the church office. I have had an excellent working relationship with the very dedicated musicians, singers, choirs, and tech team at this church. I have also enjoyed working with the missional groups and functional committees. I would not have survived so well without a wonderful team and the dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers at GWUC. I have also greatly valued the wisdom and insights and support from my supervisor of the last 10 years.
Thank you one and all. It is the people of GWUC that I will miss the most. I am sad to leave, but I know the time is right for me to explore and open the next chapter of my life.
Di’s Report
We have a few people in hospital or rehab and it is an honour to be able to visit them. I have continued to meet with and walk with the GOWERS at Jells Park and also catch up with the GOMERS at the Church. I have continued to visit people and make heaps of phone calls.
It was wonderful to officially welcome ChrisWaddell into our Church and into ourministry team. He is enthusiastic and an asset to the team.
Delivering pamphlets for the fete and helping with the set up was a good way of leading into the fete day. It is always good to see the Church working together to raise money for the mission of the Church.
As part of my work on the MLDC committee I have met with and helped and supported some lay preacher candidates. Attended a regional ministers meeting to discuss some of the future direction for the Churches along the bay.
I was due to go to the World Day of Prayer meeting in at Wesley Place, but I wasinvolved in the set up for the fete, so I did the opening devotions on line and then helped with the set up.
It was sad to attend a final diner and celebration for the Melbourne Emmaus Community. Emmaus has been an important part of my faith walk over quite an number of years.
Attended the Senior’s morning tea and the Hub Committee did a wonderful job yet again.
Attended Code of Ethics training where we looked at Relationships to the Law and discussed in small groups the challenge of Voluntary Assisted Dying.
Presided at a funeral just before Synod as Greg was not able to preside on the day. The lady was a longtime member of Cheltenham/Mentone and was very special to a number of people.
I will be rechecking my days for Strathdon as the latest Chaplain is finishing in early December. I will continue to do 2 services a month and the Chaplain co-ordinator will try and fit in the other services.
The renovations are about to start at the Charman Road in Cheltenham site and I am meeting with the builder to discuss the moving of Black Rock’s stain glass windows into the newly renovated building.
Attended the Inclusive Community meeting. Attended the MLDC meeting. Attended team meetings and I have met with my ministry support group.
The biggest news is that I attended Synod and managed the technology!!! We elected a new Moderator elect, discussed ACT2, debated proposals and enjoyed Bible Studies, Theological Reflections on the day and prayer and Worship. It was a good meeting and I had the unexpected joy of being on the Young Peoples table, they must have mistaken my age. It was a delight to work with these young people and listen to their hopes for the future of the Church.
Di Paterson
Pastoral Care
Chris's report
What a start to my new life at GWUC1 It has only been 6 weeks since I was inducted at GWUC but it seems like a long time ago as many things have happened in that time. As this is my first placement as an ordained Minister of the Word, I was apprehensive about what Ministry would look like, especially in such a vibrant place as GWUC. I am still finding my feet at GWUC and I have a lot to learn about this place, However I think a lot of my fears have been quashed by the warm welcome that my family and I have received. We have felt nothing but love and support in our first six weeks at GWUC and we look forward to seeing what God can continue to do within the church and the community. I have witnessed so many great things in my first 6 weeks at GWUC, including a fete, a hub morning tea, a Baptism and a confirmation.
It has been great starting to get to know the community at GWUC, I have really enjoyed the conversations as I drink my cup of water with the young at heart crew at GOMERS (I am not really a tea or coffee man). It has been great to hear some of the stories from these men and to hear about their thoughts on life. It doesn’t take long for some of these men to share their life story and their fears and struggles. It has been great to be able to start a journey with some of the stalwarts of the congregation.
I have been part of the youth group since my first week here. The current leaders (Lynne, Jemma, and Nathan) have done a great job for the past year keeping the youth group going. When I met with them, they shared their passion but also expressed that it had been hard for them sometimes. These volunteers have done an excellent job providing a great program, but more importantly they have spent time building relationships with the young people and helping them build relationships with one another. This was evident last week when one of the members (who comes from another church) was getting confirmed at her church and when I was talking to her mum the first people she wanted to invite were the youth from our youth group.
I have met with some of the volunteers at the Play group and I learnt about the rich history of the play group at GWUC. When I went to play group there seemed to be more volunteers than there were kids, but I know that sometimes this isn’t the case. On the day that I went, there were four children at playgroup. We talked about the struggles currently occurring at playgroup. It is currently run 1 day a week. There is a lot of enthusiasm for the playgroup to continue but there is also a lot of fatigue, and we are going to revisit the conversation later this year.
These are just some of the things that I would like to highlight from my first 6 weeks at GWUC. I want to thank the Church Council once again for their warm welcome.