Church Planting Update
Our shared vision for these five new churches is that they will be dynamic, intercultural, courageous, missional, healthy, and growing congregations seeking to reach and serve their communities, plant other churches and multiply Fresh Expressions.
In 2023, the UCA Synod of NSW and ACT affirmed by consensus the proposal: “Towards a Blended Ecology: A Framework for Missional Innovation and Church Planting.” A vital part of this paper was planting five new churches in strategic growth areas across the Synod.
In June 2024, the Synod Board approved the establishment of a Strategic Church Planting Commission. The Commission is now guiding this initiative with its representation from Presbyteries, Synod Standing Committee, Uniting Mission & Education and other members with specific expertise.
Our shared vision for these five new churches is that they will be dynamic, intercultural, courageous, missional, healthy, and growing congregations seeking to reach and serve their communities, plant other churches and multiply Fresh Expressions.
We have some exciting news! In August 2024, the Commission decided to move towards planting churches in five strategic locations: Molonglo Valley, Maitland ,Sutherland Shire, North West Sydney, and South West Sydney.
The decision on these locations was the culmination of many months of prayer and mutual discernment across councils of the church. Mutual discernment is not just a phrase, but a crucial principle guiding this initiative. It ensures that the call to plant churches is a shared journey between Synod, Presbytery, and local leaders. This collaborative approach is vital in ensuring that the church planting initiative is deeply rooted in prayer, partnership, collective wisdom, and is a genuine move of the Spirit.
NSW and the ACT population is forecast to grow significantly over the coming decades. Over a quarter of Australia’s overall population growth is expected in our Synod.
The chosen Church planting locations are marked by significant population growth, presenting unique opportunities for the Uniting Church to become an integral part of these expanding communities. The Uniting Church has a chance to fill a crucial role in these communities, offering welcome, love, grace, spiritual guidance, support, community, service, and a sense of belonging.
In late September, we will begin advertising Team Leader positions for these church plants and calling for expressions of interest for other team roles. This is an exciting opportunity for our community to be directly involved in the growth of our church.
Please keep an eye out for further information and these advertised positions. We are soaking this process in prayer, conversation, collaboration, and discernment. The timing of establishing these emerging teams will vary as we will only appoint church planters when we have discerned suitable candidates together to lead this important work.
I warmly welcome conversations and questions about these church plants. Your input is invaluable to us. Please get in touch with me at GrahamH@nswact.uca.org.au.
Mutual discernment is not just a phrase, but a crucial principle guiding this initiative. It ensures that the call to plant churches is a shared journey between Synod, Presbytery, and local leaders. This collaborative approach is vital in ensuring that the church planting initiative is deeply rooted in prayer, partnership, collective wisdom, and is a genuine move of the Spirit.
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