Synod 22 Day 1: 24th June 2022

Saturday 25th June, 2022

Synod Meeting: Day 2

The following is a summary of key highlights from day 2 of the Synod of South Australia Meeting.

Welcome - Worship and Bible Study

Opening Song: Yanakanai

Rev Dr Denise Champion and Jennifer Hughes.
Used with permission.

Opening Prayer: Ann Phillips

Reading: 1 Corinthians 3: 1-17

Rev Do Young Kim read in Korean
Rev Lawrie Linggood read in English.

A video from the Presbyterian Church of Korea was shown during the meeting and is available at this link.

We pray for our Korean partners, churches of the city and country and for each other. Table groups were encouraged to pray at their tables.

Song: Spirit Brooding

Words: Sharonne Price. Music: Leigh Newton.
Used with permission.

Song: Kyrie Eleison

Kyrie Eleison.
Kyrie Eleison.
Kyrie Eleison.

(Lord, have mercy)

Traditional. Ukranian Orthodox.
Public domain.

A Contemplation by Tim Littleford

Tim spoke of the explorer Lewis (Lewis and Clark) in America and his canoeing journey of exploration. When Lewis reached a point where he struck the Rocky Mountains he could not canoe over this mountain, so had to consider how to continue? The Uniting Church has been canoeing for many years and we have shaped our churches around rivers and it appears we have now reached the mountains.

We are in the middle of what Mark Sayers calls a 'grey zone.' A space between a passing era and a new era forming. Lewis experienced the end of a river era and the mountain era was ahead. Do we give up or do we change and adapt so we can move forward?

We are facing many challenges including denominational decline and we cannot face these challenges in the same was as we have in the past. We are facing a moment where something needs to change: an adapt or die moment.

To not adapt, to not even try to climb these mountains, we will seal our fate as a denomination in South Australia. The reality is that we should be challenged and we should seek amongst this grey zone, to see the future with hope.

Should we the people in this church be more comfortable with endings? Why are conversations about change so difficult for us? Why do we seem to miss so many God opportunities? What stops us taking God's invitation to change?

Anxiety tends to promote the status quo. But we can choose to take small actions, to overcome our paralysis. We need to become a non-anxious presence.

How do we learn to climb mountains in this moment? The Bible says 'do not be afraid,' and we cannot be afraid if we are in the presence of God - and we are then with God in a non-anxious presence.

Seeking the non-anxious presence of God brings us to prayer. We pray on our knees, and allow God to show us the way. No matter what others are doing - you have the call to pray. Let us pray.

Moderator-Elect

Both Rev Linda Driver and Rev Peter Morel were invited to address the Synod meeting.

Rev Linda Driver

A colleague said to Linda last year 'Who would want to be a Moderator in a time like this?' She suddenly realised that she would. Linda explained that she felt the call to the wider church for many years and being nominated was further affirmation of this call, and she was humbled and honoured by the nomination.

She explained her deep and abiding love for the Uniting Church, and in celebrating the 45th birthday of the church she sees an adaptable and ever-changing environment and we are at our best when we are all welcome and able to share our gifts.

Linda spoke of the commitment to covenanting, for love and justice of the whole world. She went onto mention that she has always loved Synod meetings, and that over 20 years ago she served as a volunteer for Uniting Technologies and as an event manager for many years of Synod meetings. She has continued to find ways to join these meetings.

With the role of Moderator she sees it about so much more than leadership and service. She sees the role as advocator and offers her passion for Jesus.

She offered her heart in sharing the good news and the Holy Spirit that inspires and equips us. She added that she is a good listener and deeply pastoral and can provide calm leadership in tumultuous times, being an encourager in helping us to see how God is with us. She will seek out stories of innovation and new groups, stories that knit the many and diverse communities that are the Uniting Church.

Linda referred to threads and colour, using a ball of wool or string, or rope or twine as an image of our deep and abiding relationship with Christ - always connecting us even when we are lost. Threads that knit us together in the love of Christ. She added that she cannot fulfil this role without the grace of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit and your prayers to carry her.

Rev Peter Morel

Peter thanked the meeting for the opportunity to present and also for being able to be a part of this with Linda. He added that they both had worked together over many years and that the discernment process had been very inspiring and touching and that he had found that this was a profound call for him.

Peter said that he took on the call with an attitude of surrender to God's guidance, reaffirming that it is through us all that we hear God's call to the voice of the church.

He talked about his congregational and chaplaincy ministries and that he has engaged with local and international mission institutes; he spent time in the Eyre Peninsula and Balhannah and grew up in rural Western Australia.

Peter would like to strengthen our relationships with rural congregations. He is currently in his 14th year of chaplaincy at St Andrew's Hospital where he finds that he has a wonderful opportunity to engage with a diverse population. He is aware of the suffering in our community but that there is also joy and celebration.

Peter added that chaplaincy has changed him in that it has expanded and broadened his experience of how God is working in the world. He is able to embody the Gospel, called to work at all levels in the hospital community and affirming the worth and value of each and every role in the community.

As Moderator, Peter said that he would be able to offer pastoral support across the Synod; to deepen the relationship with Congress; and to spend the time needed to be in relationship with all. He has also been involved with many committees and councils of the church and has the skills to lead and to a be a person of hope grounded in the church.

He went onto say that we proclaim the Gospel with all of our conversations and interactions - work and play it is a ministry that we all share and that he offers himself to the ministry of Moderator with passion and commitment being seriously joyful and joyfully serious - and present.

Moderator-Elect Result: Rev Peter Morel

Rev Morel expressed his thanks to all for the privilege of being able to enter into this new phase of Ministry. He realises he is on a steep learning curve and sincerely thanked his family, the Synod, congregations and acknowledged Rev Linda Driver for her gifts and skills.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Facilitation Team Update

The Facilitation Team provided a summary of discussions which were undertaken by the working groups. A range of feedback, comments and perspectives were presented in relation to the following Proposals:

Proposal 5: Presbytery Restructure Review Strategy and Planning
Proposal 10: Strategy and Planning Mission and Property
Proposal 11: Alternative Missional use of Property
Proposal 4: Professional Development Review

The Facilitation Team were thanked for their contribution and the meeting then moved into the deliberative process for proposals.

Proposal 4: Professional Development Review

ASK Rev Philip Gardner EO Placements and Safe Church to set up a Task Group to oversee the strengthening and oversight of Professional Development in the Synod of SA.

For Agreement

Proposal 10: Strategy and Planning Mission and Property

That the Synod of SA:

1. RECEIVE the Report of the Strategy and Planning (Mission & Property) Working Group.

2. RECOGNISE the Report has been discussed with Presbytery leaders and Synod Standing Committee in its preparation.

3. REQUEST Congregations and Faith Communities to continue to actively work with their Presbyteries to collect and collate information to assist the Working Group to map vibrant missional communities, encompassing:

4. APPROVE the preparation of a Draft Property Strategy, including ‘maps’ that identify the number and geographical location of missionally vibrant and viable communities

5. REQUEST the Strategy and Planning (Mission and Property) Working Group present the Draft Property Strategy Report to the June Synod meeting in 2023.

6. REQUEST the General Secretary to:

a. Progress the proposals approved by the Synod with appropriate ongoing work of the Strategy and Planning (Mission and Property) Working Group. b. Regularly update the Synod Standing Committee and Presbytery and Synod Leaders. c. Provide regular communication updates to the Synod with the help of the Engagement Ministry Team to ensure accurate information is being shared across the church.

Consensus

Proposal 5: Presbytery Restructure Review Strategy and Planning

1. CONGRATULATE the Presbyteries for their commitment to the restructure and for the significant achievements made in establishing and working as Presbyteries amid the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic and the many challenges faced. Consensus

2. AFFIRM the current structures of three Presbyteries and the cooperative working relationships established:

a) with the South Australian Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress and their congregations.
b) between Presbyteries and the Synod through Joint Leadership meetings, and meetings with Treasurers and Financial officers of the Synod
c) across Presbyteries and between congregations across Presbyteries. Consensus

3. AFFIRM the effectiveness of the current funding model in meeting the transition to the Presbytery structures and that the funding model be continued and reviewed in 2024. Passed by Agreement

4. RECOGNISING the mandated roles of each council of the Church: REQUEST the Synod Standing Committee to appoint a task group with membership from across the breadth of the Synod to review the operations and function of the Synod, in the light of the changed circumstances brought about by the restructure into Presbyteries. Consensus

5. CONTINUE the dialogue about delegations from Presbyteries to the Synod be continued, such that essential functions of the Church are performed by the Council of the Church best equipped to handle them and that recognition be given to those delegations already occurring between the Synod and individual Presbyteries where this is effective and necessary. Consensus

6. REQUEST the Joint Presbytery and Synod Leader’s meeting give consideration to exploring the make up and recruitment for the committees of the Synod, and Presbyteries. Consensus

7. REQUEST the Mission and Leadership Development Board:

a) give consideration to new educational offerings that would equip people for leadership in governance and other committee work of Presbyteries and the Synod. 18, 24-25 JUNE 2022 Proposal 5 Shaping the Future S4 5.2

b) consider ways in which the whole Synod membership might be equipped with greater knowledge of the Uniting Church and its missional purpose as a reformed evangelical church. Consensus

8. THANK and DISCHARGE the members of the Presbytery Restructure Review Task Group. Consensus

Proposal 14 - Alternative Missional Use of Properties

Proposal 11 has been withdrawn and has been replaced by a new Proposal 14. This is a new proposal as a result of the working groups and the facilitation team conversations.

The new proposal states: That the Synod of SA resolve to refer the ideas raised in Proposal 11, particularly that of the value of encouraging conversations about beneficial use between congregations and across Presbyteries, as well as table group feedback, facilitation team comments and input from the floor of the Synod meeting to the Strategy and Planning (Mission and Property) Working Group.

Consensus

Proposal 13 - Seniors Ministry

That the Synod of SA resolves to:

a) affirm the role of the older members in its congregations and their communities;

b) affirm Proposal 37of the 16th Assembly regarding Ageing and Aged Care; and

c) Request the General Secretary to create a Seniors ministry unit within the Mission Resourcing Team, which will include the Uniting Church Fellowships and Mission Support (UCFAMS) ministry group including the position of Secretary and Treasurer (0.4FTE).

Consensus

Proposal 2 - Date of the 2023 Synod Meeting

That the Synod of SA resolve to:

DETERMINE that:

a) The next Synod meeting be held in June 2023 at a location to be determined by Synod Standing Committee in consultation with Synod Business Committee.

b) The term of membership of synod boards, committees and councils with an end date in the last quarter of 2022 be extended to June 2023.

c) The term of membership of synod boards, committees and councils with an end date of February 2024 be extended to June 2024.

d) Set an annual cycle of meetings to be held in June each year.

Consensus

Proposal 9 - Justice for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

1. ENDORSE the document Priorities for Change authored by Justice for Refugees SA and commend it to members, congregations, and agencies in the Synod of SA in their advocacy for Refugees and Asylum Seekers.

2. CALL On the Commonwealth Government to:

a) develop a Timely pathway to permanency for people who have been approved as refugees including those on TPVs and SHEVs.

b) give the same access to tertiary education for refugees and people seeking asylum as is given to Australian citizens;

c) immediately increase Australia’s humanitarian, family reunion and refugee intake as well as increasing the intake from Afghanistan;

d) give urgent priority to processing the immediate family cases of boat arrivals

e) end indefinite offshore processing and instead processes all people seeking asylum onshore fairly and quickly in line with its responsibilities under the Refugee Convention.

3. a) REQUEST the Moderator WRITE to the Prime Minister, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, the Leader of the Opposition and the Shadow Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, as well as minor party leaders and independent members of the House of Representatives and senators to inform them of this resolution.

b) The Moderator and/or their nominees undertake to seek a meeting with all South Australian Senators and Federal Members to personally present this resolution to them for discussion.

c) Encourages Synod members to contact their local members of the House of Representatives and senators on this matter.

4. COMMIT itself and call on members, congregations, organisations associated with the UCA, and agencies of the Synod to:

a) continue to provide practical care and support to asylum seekers and refugees in the community and in detention centres as appropriate and where possible;

b) continue to advocate for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees using ‘Priorities for Change’ and ‘A Welcoming, Compassionate and Diverse Nation’ in the Uniting Church Assembly statement Our Vision for a Just Australia.

c) engage and communicate with their local federal members to inform them of the Uniting Church’s vision for a Just Australia and to remind them that the Uniting Church seeks a compassionate nation, where every person who seeks refuge here is treated fairly and made to feel welcome and safe –regardless of their country of origin or mode of arrival.

Consensus

Proposal 7 - Synod Action Plan for Becoming a CALD and Intercultural Church 2022-2025

That the Synod of SA resolves to:

1. ENDORSE ‘Ten Recommendations in Synod Action Plan for Becoming a Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and Intercultural Church:2022-2025’ (Appendix I) and encourage Synod boards, committees, relevant Ministry Centres, presbyteries, congregations, organisations associated with the UCA, and agencies to implement its relevant recommendations and shape their own action plans.

2. ACKNOWLEDGE the 16th Assembly resolution on “Moving forward in Being a Multicultural Church,” (Appendix II) including adopting the 3rd Sunday in July (or another date best suited to the local setting) as an ‘Intercultural Neighbouring Sunday’, to celebrate UCA being a Multicultural Church and to create an opportunity for congregations and faith communities to connect and build relationships with culturally and linguistically diverse communities in their neighbourhoods. This Sunday is to replace One Great Sunday of Sharing*.

3. REQUEST Synod Placements Committee in consultation with Presbytery Pastoral Relation Committees and UAICC to review and revise the Minister Leadership Profile Form and Congregation Placement Profile to reflect the ethos and characteristics expressed in We Are A Multicultural Church (4th Assembly, 1985), A Church For All God’s People (11th Assembly, 2006) and One Body Many Members: Living faith and life cross culturally (13th Assembly, 2012). 4. REQUEST Presbytery Pastoral Relation Committees to review and revise PROTOCOLS FOR APPLYING TO BE A FAITH COMMUNITY (2013, Appendix III) to be simpler and fostering CALD participation and integration.

Consensus

Proposal 8 - Synod Climate Action Plan

That the Synod of SA resolves to:

1. ACKNOWLEDGE that caring for God’s creation should be a guiding principle through which all strategic priorities for the Uniting Church Synod of SA pass during the period 2021-2025 and beyond. This affirms a resolution of the annual meeting of the South Australian Synod in February 2021.

2. AFFIRM the National Climate Action Plan of the Uniting Church in Australia and adopt the SA Synod Climate Action Plan (Appendix I) with an aim to become a net zero emissions church by 2040.

3. REQUEST the Synod Standing Committee to establish a Synod Climate Action Working Group in consultation with the UAICC, the Environmental Action Group and relevant Synod bodies to facilitate the development, implementation and monitoring of the Synod Climate Action Plan over three years initially.

4. REQUEST Synod Resources Board to shift investments from unsustainable industries, such as fossil fuels and request the Ethical Investment Working Group to recommend options for further investment in renewable energy companies to the Resources Board.

Consensus

Synod Standing Committee Ballot Results

The following people were elected:

Mr Jacob Blackwell
Rev Dianne Bury
Mr David Buxton
Rev Dr Benji Callen
Mrs Leanne Davis
Mr Scott Davis
Mr Bruce Ind
Mrs Elizabeth Iussa
Rev Christa Megaw
Rev Ann Phillips
Rev Andrew Robertson
Mr Andrew Telfer
Rev Nathan Whillas

Statement from Congress

From Sean Weetra on behalf of the UAICC in South Australia.

In regards to the signing of the MOUs with the Presbyteries, Congress advised that they are ready to sign but not willing to at this point in time. This is a moment of sadness in response to the separation of the General Secretary from her placement.

It is a time of mourning and the MOU will be a time of joy and celebration.

For the UAICC it is not that time at this moment.

Worship

Song: In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful

In the Lord I'll be ever thankful,
in the Lord I will rejoice!
Look to God, do not be afraid.
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.

John 17 5:7-8 read by Kate Morgan

Contemplation was read by Rev Sue Ellis

Song: God is Here Today

God is here today
as certain as the air I breathe
as certain as the morning sun that rises
as certain when I sing you'll hear my song.

Trad Mexican; trans by C Michael Hawn 1999 Choristers Guild. CCLI No 165755.
Used with permission under copyright CCLI License 288522.

Communion Liturgy

Song: Spirit Brooding

Words: Sharonne Price. Music: Leigh Newton
Used with permission.