GROWING Uniting Church SA
WE SEEK TO BE AN INNOVATIVE,
GROWING CHURCH PROCLAIMING JESUS CHRIST,
EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT
TO TRANSFORM
GOD’S WORLD
THE FOUNDATION OF THE MINISTRY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST.
CHRIST IS THE SOLE HEAD OF THE CHURCH, AND ALL MINISTRY WITHIN THE CHURCH AND WITHIN THE WORLD, FLOWS FROM CHRIST’S MINISTRY...
Extracted from the second report of the Joint Commission on Church Union.
We are committed to being a growing church, engaging in evangelism and discipleship. We long to grow the lives of others—leading them to Jesus Christ. THE UNITING CHURCH IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA WILL GROW IN 2017 AND BEYOND. We will grow stronger in mission, and will build up missional leaders through our new Mission and Leadership Development ministry centre. We will grow and develop our leaders – young and old, lay and ordained – through our leadership programs. Uniting Leaders Plus, Executive Development Program and Intern Year will continue to expand, offering further opportunities for study and development – locally, nationally and internationally. We will grow in number and community connections, planting churches through Generate 2021. We will see 15 congregations regenerated through evangelism and disipleship. Ten new church plant communities will form and flourish over the next five years, making new disciples. The first seed has already been planted… We will grow national connections and leadership. Entering its second year, the 2017 Uniting Leaders conference, UL17, will be held in Adelaide. Having been nominated as a National President’s Conference, UL17 will draw people from across Australia to focus on growing and developing strong leaders for healthy, growing churches. The Basis of Union identifies us as “pilgrim people, always on the way towards a promised goal.” Our hope and prayer is that, as pilgrims together, we will continue to grow, connect and build Christ’s church. Grace and peace, REV SUE ELLIS Moderator, Uniting Church SA REV NIGEL ROGERS General Secretary/CEO, Uniting Church SA
Christ reaches out to command attention and awaken faith, personally transforming the lives of those he touches and gathering them into his church.
(BASED ON THE BASIS OF UNION, PARAGRAPH 4)
EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
NATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM This postgraduate certificate qualification is tailored for Christian leaders in executive roles within the Uniting Church. The Executive Development Program focusses on the professional development of executive officers, members of key boards and committees, and other current and potential executive leaders. “Through study, reflection and application, this program will expand the knowledge, capacities and skills of Christian leaders in executive roles.” – Craig Bailey (Director of Leadership, Uniting College for Leadership & Theology)
INTERN YEAR
ONE-YEAR PROGRAM FOR YOUNG LEADERS Intern Year is an exciting,
intern year
one-year program designed to disciple and cultivate young leaders (18-25 years old) who are active members of their local congregation. “I feel incredibly excited to see how these young leaders will contribute to the future of the church and join in with what God is up to. They are already shaping our Uniting Church history in incredible ways.” – Danica Patselis (Course Coordinator, Intern Year)
UNITING LEADERS PLUS
POSTGRADUATE LEADERSHIP COURSE This four-unit, postgraduate qualification links theory with
uniting leaders plus
real life projects. It is a formally accredited course, delivered parttime, and suitable for ministers who want to refresh and improve their leadership skills. “There’s nothing more satisfying for me than seeing someone awakened to the possibilities within themselves. Effective leadership really does model the leadership we see in Christ.” – Craig Bailey (Director of Leadership at Uniting College for Leadership & Theology)
MISSION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
MINISTRY CENTRE Launching in 2017, the Ministry and Leadership Development ministry centre brings together Mission Resourcing, Uniting College for Leadership & Theology, and their respective councils. “Missional churches and missional leaders belong together. The new ministry centre recognises that Mission Resourcing and Uniting College are united in a ministry of supporting the development of healthy churches, life-long disciples and effective leaders to serve God’s mission in SA today.” – Rev Prof Andrew Dutney (Executive Officer, Ministry and Leadership Development)
GENERATE 2021
CHURCH PLANTING INITIATIVE Generate 2021 is the Uniting Church SA’s new church planting initiative. With a strong focus on discipleship, Generate 2021 will see 10 churches planted over five years and congregations is regenerated through evangelism and discipleship. “Our hope is that these churches will grow through conversion. We want these new communities to make disciples, and to go out and plant more churches themselves.” – Rev Dr Graham Humphris (Church Planting Officer, Generate 2021)
UNITING LEADERS 2017
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE (29 AUGUST – 1 SEPTEMBER, 2017) The Uniting Leaders conference seeks
UNITINGLEADERS.COM.AU
to grow and develop strong leaders for healthy, growing church communities. The second of these conferences, UL17, will be held in Adelaide spanning three days with an optional extra day-long intensive for senior ministry leaders. “Uniting Leaders is an incredible opportunity for Uniting Church leaders to gather, network, and learn from other leaders who have demonstrated practical leadership in a variety of ministry settings.” – Rev Nigel Rogers (General Secretary/ CEO, Uniting Church in South Australia)
“FOR CHRIST’S LOVE COMPELS US, BECAUSE WE ARE CONVINCED THAT ONE DIED FOR ALL, AND THEREFORE ALL DIED. AND HE DIED FOR ALL, THAT THOSE WHO LIVE SHOULD NO LONGER LIVE FOR THEMSELVES BUT FOR HIM WHO DIED FOR THEM AND WAS RAISED AGAIN.”
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)
“THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTISING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE.”
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
ucasa.org.au