Presbytery & Synod Meeting // UC e-Update

Adelaide West Uniting Church // Friday 23 - Saturday 24 June, 2017

UC e-Updates are designed to ensure members of the Uniting Church SA are informed of the various decisions made and information shared during Presbytery and Synod meetings.

In this update:

• Opening worship
• Stipends Committee
• UnitingCare Report & Presentation (continued)
• MediaCom Presentation
• Intergenerational Team - KCO & SAYCO
• Church Planting Presentation
• Mission & Leadership Development Report
• Uniting College for Leadership & Theology Presentation
• 40th Anniversary Celebration
• Safe Church & Royal Commission Update
• National Church Life Survey Presentation
• The Hope We Have Conference
• Uniting Leaders and Transforming Worship Conference
• Closing worship
• Prayer points

Rev Mark Kickett opened the worship of the Presbytery and Synod meeting. Mark and Uncle Nelson Varcoe provided music and Mark read the Uluru Statement of the Heart which can also be viewed here.

Brian Hern presented Proposal 6 to the Presbytery and Synod meeting. The Proposal was passed, which allows the Standing Committee to review the roles and responsibilities of the CEO/General Secretary and Moderator and advise the Stipends Committee the outcome of the review.

Brian then outlined Proposal 7, regarding the 2018 Stipends and Allowances. The proposal was passed with consensus.

The meeting returned to discuss Proposal 4. The Moderator moved the proposal into formal procedures. The Moderator then declared part 3 as received.

Part 4 of proposal was moved into formal procedures. The majority vote meant the proposal was approved.

Proposal 4 part 5 was amended three times with the final amendments as follows:

• Have at least two Directors of the company who are confirmed members or members in association of the Uniting Church in Australia.
• Continue to engage in the broad mission of the Church at a national, state-wide and local level, especially through engagement with local congregations.
• Promote active engagement by congregations with UCWPA.

The three amendments were was passed with consensus. 

Part 6 was passed with consesus. The Moderator thanked those gathered for passing the proposal so respectfully.

Rob Brown then presented Proposal 5 (can be viewed here) which was rejected. Presbytery and Synod members wanted to have more input into this proposal relating to current and future relationships between the Uniting Church SA and affiliated organisations.  

Read the UnitingCare Report, including a preamble providing theological and historical context, on the website here.

Rev Ian Price (Executive Officer, MediaCom) provided the gathered members with a brief update on recent publications available for purchase from MediaCom.

Dr Deidre Palmer and Rev Jennifer Hughes launched their new publication:

Create: prayers, songs and other resources

Other books available to purchase from MediaCom include:

Soulstice and All will be well (Spiritual reflections in conversation with Julian of Norwich) by Sharonne Price

Wide and Deep by Rev Dr Amelia Koh-Butler

Thinking the Faith Living the Faith by Christopher Walker

Off the Page faith reflection

 

Mel Neumann and Rev Mike Wardrop provided a historical presentation of Uniting Church camps, KCO and SAYCO.

Mel gave an overview of KCO camp attendees in 2017 which included: 780 people, 30 different groups and 42 different churches attending.

Mike launched the 'Rebels' theme for SAYCO which will occur from 30 September - 2 October this year. More information about SAYCO can be viewed here. Pre-registration for the event will be available next week. Email sayco@sa.uca.org.au if you would like to be included in communications surrounding this event.

Bindy Taylor, Communications Manager for the Uniting Church SA, presented two videos to promote Generate 2021. The first video shared the progression of the Adelaide Anglican Holy Trinity Network of church plants. The Holy Trinity Network planted 7 churches in 15 years and now undertakes an extra 14 services across Adelaide on a Sunday, reaching more than 2000 people with the Good News of Christ. 

The second video is an interview with Rev Mark Boyce, the Minister at Grange Uniting Church who shares how the Grange Uniting Church congregation is interested in regeneration.

Rev Prof Andrew Dutney (Principal, Uniting College for Leadership & Theology and Executive Officer, Mission & Leadership Development) presented the Mission & Leadership Development Report.

Andrew referred to the Sovereignty and Treaty discussion guide prepared by Rev Dr Chris Budden and edited for congregational use by Rev Dr Amelia Koh-Butler. Since the 2015 Assembly, the Uniting Church around Australia has been responding to the request of Congress to consider questions around Sovereignty. The document can be viewed here.

Proposal 10 acknowledged with thanks the work of the Highbury Street Fund Committee in support of multicultural and cross-cultural ministry and mission in SA was passed with consensus.

The meeting heard from Karen Vanlint who introduced a student who has been studying English as a second language (ESL) with the Uniting College of Leadership and Theology (UCLT).

This successful course has been led by Karen Vanlint for the past 3 years with much success - student numbers have been growing each year. To find out more about this course visit the UCLT website here.

Rev Prof Andrew Dutney also shared a historical video of the Uniting College over the years.

Just before lunch, the Presbytery and Synod of South Australia celebrated the 40th birthday of the Uniting Church with cake and a celebratory birthday song.

Ex-President, Rev Prof Andrew Dutney and President-elect, Dr Deidre Palmer cut the cake which was shared at lunch time with members of the Uniting Church in SA.

Chris Headland updated those gathered on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse which commenced in January 2013.

Chris reported that the Royal Commission has had 57 public hearings, 6700 private hearings, 2025 matters referred to authorities and 44 published research reports. The final report will be delivered to the Government on 15 December, 2017.

Executive Officer, Pastoral Relations and Mission Planning, Rev Philip Gardner, reminded the church about our commitment to the care, protection and safety of all people with whom it comes in contact with.

Called to Care training opportunities are promoted on the sa.uca.org.au web page here.

Rev Dr Amelia Koh-Butler and Judyth Roberts provided a PowerPoint summary of the Uniting Church in SA 2016 NCLS results which can be viewed here.

In the coming weeks (next 2-3 weeks), congregations will be supplied with a NCLS pack. This will include a workbook, summary profile and guide. The workbook will assist with implementing actions as a reponse to the results of the 2016 NCLS survey. 

 

Rev Christy Capper presented The Hope We Have Conference. Occuring at Adelaide West Uniting Church from 27-29 August, key speakers Mike Frost and Karina Kreminski will share how we can communicate the hope we have in Christ.

Registration is open and tickets can be purchased here.

Rev Nigel Rogers encouraged those attending the Presbytery and Synod meeting to attend the upcoming Uniting Leaders Conference. Nigel encouraged any person contemplating ministry leadership to attend.

The conference will occur from 22 - 24 August at Hope Valley Uniting Church. Keynote speakers include: Nancy Beach and Mark Conner. Register here.

Wendy Perkins spoke about the upcoming Transforming Worship Conference from the 27-30 July at Burnside City Uniting Church. Ruth Duck will travel from overseas to be one of the keynote speakers for the event. Register for the Transforming Worship conference here.

Rev Sue Ellis closed the meeting with communion followed by prayer. 

We pray for:

• Boards and committee members of the Uniting Church and its associated organisations, that they may feel God's guidance in their decision-making
• the Presbytery and Synod members - for safe travel as people return home
• ministers - for those who are delivering sermons on Sunday, that they may feel renewed and refreshed
• for those who have suffered abuse, we pray for justice and healing for those affected

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