10 minute read
PULSE
PULSE CHANGES TO PULSE NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO WE TRAVELLED THE SYNOD TO LISTEN TO WHAT WAS NEEDED BY OUR CHURCH TO HELP EMERGING GENERATIONS OR THE FIRST THIRD OF LIFE TO THRIVE IN OUR CONGREGATIONS. OUR PRIORITY WAS TO NETWORK PEOPLE LOCALLY TO SEE MISSION AND MINISTRY THRIVE. IN RECENT MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN EVALUATING HOW WE WORK AND HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES TO GROW ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR.
The key changes will be that our networks will now be organised across the whole Synod in areas of interest and ministry practice rather than on a local level. The networks will be organised quarterly, and those groups will offer leadership, will network and support each other to grow ministry with Emerging Gens / First Third throughout our congregations.
Anyone can join our networks, whether you are a volunteer, someone exploring ministry in this area or a paid worker in this area. There are three main networks you might consider joining:
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES MINISTRY
Will be lead by Joyce Tangi. This will include but is not limited to Sunday schools, kid’s club, Messy Church, Godly Play, scripture, chaplaincy, and intergenerational ministry styles.
Contact Joyce: SiosianaT@nswact.uca.org.au YOUTH MINISTRY
Will be lead by Ofa Fouakou. This will include youth groups, youth outreach, scripture, chaplaincy, and possible intergenerational ministry as well.
Contact Ofa: MiliseF@nswact.uca.org.au
Our hope in doing this, is for a wider audience to hear the great gifts and skills we have across our church, to be inspired to collaborate for mission and ministry and provide an easy access point for Emerging Gen Leaders to engage with others who are passionate about the same kinds of ministry.
The PULSE team believes God has created a diverse world and a diverse Church which we will support through a wide variety of ministry and styles together, learning to see the best in everything that is God given us.
As a result of this change the team will not be as accessible to support local congregations as before; however our intention is we can support that work through the networks together. Where we are already working within Presbytery networks this will continue…our passion to help congregations and Presbyteries to transform their culture by Growing Young also remains a priority.
We are looking forward to trialling this new way of journeying together with you. Stay tuned for your first network catch-up coming soon, or reach out to the ministry lead to make sure that you are included in our database.
YOUNG ADULTS MINISTRY
Will be lead by Molk. This will include young adult groups, congregations, church plants, and University chaplaincy.
Contact Molk: molk@nswact.uca.org.au
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StopSOMETIMES THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS TAKE A STEP TO THE SIDE AND GET OUT OF THE WAY.
I’m a Uniting Church kid. Born in 1973, baptised as an infant, and dragged up on the front pew of Dubbo UC, through Dalby UC as a kid, and then Kawana Waters UC as a teenager and young adult until I took on the world myself and was a part of myriad different congregations across NSW and Queensland, serving the Laidley/Hatton Vale UC congregations in my first taste of ministry.
Since moving back to New South Wales, my family and I have found our worshipping home at Terrigal UC on the Central Coast. It’s a real joy to be a part of that community of faith, where especially my two teenagers are being loved, nurtured, and encouraged to grow as disciples of Jesus. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the generous love, grace, and support of the congregations I was a part of growing up, as well as the wider church.
I was given opportunities to extend myself, to have my faith challenged and pushed, and welcomed into spaces that there would otherwise have not been a hole for me had a wise adult not stepped sideways to welcome me in.
Especially as we have less young people involved in our congregations it can be difficult to open up these spaces. Based on sheer numbers there’s not enough of them to fill all the gaps. We can also get really precious about how we do things (because, after all, we’ve always done it like this) and it can make us nervous to allow someone else to do those things because they will do them differently…and may even do them wrong. It’s pretty likely that we were welcomed into leadership opportunities or participate in serving at church because someone saw we had potential and needed a chance. Or they could tell we were champing at the bit to get involved and unless they stepped aside we’d have been left waiting. I wonder if this is our moment to stop talking about it and start stepping out of the way and welcoming young people into positions of leadership, and then having the courage and faith to follow them as they lead us?
In talking to friends my age who have left the Uniting Church to serve elsewhere, a common thread in their stories is they got sick of waiting for ‘their turn’, and even more sick of the hollow promises that they’d get an opportunity ‘once they had a bit more experience’. In no way am I suggesting we should drop anyone unprepared into a service or leadership opportunity. If we did, that’s very clearly on us. We should mentor and encourage everyone as they prepare to engage in the broader life of the church… and what a great way for older people to get to know younger people! Teach them the ropes, and walk beside them as they dip their toes into ministry and leadership.
Talking
Yes, young people bring with them an energy and enthusiasm that is infectious. We’re drawn to it because it reminds us of our time as a young person; full of hopes, plans and dreams. The stuff that brings new ideas and fresh insight to our lot that can excite us (or threaten to drag us along with them). At some point we need to acknowledge that we need to step aside, to make a place for young people at the table, and that might mean we need to get out of the way. Don’t just cut and run, though. Leaving young people without your experience and wisdom would a massive fail. Here’s your chance to help them on your way out. Mentor them into the gap you’re making by leaving. They’ll have big boots to fill, and with your and God’s help they’ll do it.
We might even need to do some scouting, and tap a young person on the shoulder. Ask them if they’d be interested in learning more about this council or that missional opportunity and that you’d be willing to stand beside them and nurture them.
Trust me: it will make a world of difference to that young person’s life. Also to yours.
STEVE
MOLKENTIN
SENIOR PULSE FIELD OFFICER
I have been a member of the Uniting Church since moving to Australia with my parents in 2000. I was five years old at the time and didn’t know a lick of English when we first arrived, but our congregation and wider church community at Parramatta Mission welcomed us with warm and open arms.
Throughout the years, I have been given the space to grow in my faith and in my leadership in the Uniting Church. Participating in Sunday School and Youth, having the opportunities to step up and use some gifts and skills at church, both behind the scenes and up in front at the lectern. I transitioned into a Youth leader and also contributed to elders and leaders meetings, as well as church council meetings. Not long after, I experienced some wider church gatherings that continued to help me grow. KCO as a young leader, YouLEAD, NCYC, and NYALC are some of the camps and conferences that the church provided that allowed me to branch out and meet other young people from around the Synod and Assembly. I now am blessed to work in the PULSE Team, to help support and resource other young people within our Synod. These are some really great things! But sometimes I ask myself… is it enough? While the church has provided some great events and camps and conferences, I feel like there is still so much more work to be done to truly allow young people in our church to flourish. ACT Once you listen and hear young peoples needs, then act, but act alongside them. Like I mentioned previously, it is not actually helpful to think that once you see gifts and skills in a young person, you need to immediately give them an opportunity to step up into it, without any growing or mentoring. It’s not the best method to chuck young people into the deep and think that they’ll swim. Part of the “act” is to put time into guiding young people in their journey. Mentoring goes a long way in this case, and
WE NEED there is nothing wrong with
TO LEARN TO having multiple mentors!
JUST LISTEN TO OUR YOUNG An action can look like many PEOPLE different things too. One powerful act is to take a step back, discerning that maybe it’s time for some fresh eyes, ideas and gifts to be in a space that you once occupied. That doesn’t mean you take a step back and disappear, but you take a step back and provide support as someone new steps in. HOPE As conversation around supporting young people continue throughout the Synod and wider, especially as this years Synod discussed our Future Directions, I notice that some are still cautious and cynical about them. I get it. Some of these discussions have been going on for years, even with the same voices at times. For some, it seems like there hasn’t even been much change. But. But even with these critical (bordering cynical) views, we still need to have hope. Hope for change. Hope for something better. Hope that with the end of some things, comes new life. We need to Listen. Act. Hope. We need to do it together. Through God. For God. With God. Let us continue to work together to ensure that just as young people are enough, even more than enough, to God, that there is more than enough for them in the church.
LISTEN
It’s a basic skill we use in nearly any situation that we’re in, but we need to actually listen to our young people. Listen and hear and sit with the struggles that they face, experiences that they have, advice and wisdom that they share, pleads and questions and cries and stories.
We need to learn to just listen. Wholeheartedly. Hearing them is seeing them, for who they are, for who God has made them to be, and for the path that they are called to be on. Listening to young people doesn’t mean automatically requesting that any and/or every young person should be on church council, or should lead worship, or should be the tech person. Listen to what young people have to offer. What their God given gifts are and where they are called to use it, inside or outside of the four walls of a building that we call church.
OFA FOIAKAU
FIELD OFFICER (CENTRAL/WEST) AND YOUTH/ HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY LEAD AS A PART OF THE PULSE TEAM
