Templestowe Uniting Church

Mission Statement -- September 1996

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Our mission is:

To be the people of God at Templestowe in fellowship with other Christians.

• worship God,
• grow together in faith and love,
• learn the way of Christ,
• serve Christ and make him known in the community.

As a congregation within which each member will have their own calling, we will:-

Worship God in Spirit and in truth, in a variety of forms which allow full participation by people of all ages and different interests by offering both traditional and contemporary forms of worship with

• an emphasis on biblical teaching and its relevance to life today
• faithful celebration of the sacraments
• celebration of our gifts in creation
• a strong sense of community and pastoral care
• lay participation in leading worship
• co-ordination of themes in worship and Sunday School
• all-age "family" type and other special services
• celebration of our gifts in creation
• increasing use of contemporary music
• regular evening as well as morning services
• experimental use of alternative times for worship
• sharing in worship with Christians of other traditions

Grow together in faith and love by encouraging:

• small group meetings in homes
• Bible study and prayer groups
• witness to personal faith during worship services
• spiritual retreats
• members to take risks in faith
• training and co-ordination of visiting by elders and parish visitors
• support for the minister in pastoral visiting
• practical support for members in special need
• members to offer diverse gifts and creative talents
• participation in the life of the wider church
• ecumenical activities

Learn the way of Christ, growing in understanding and commitment to the Christian faith, by establishing a strategy which emphasises continuing growth and renewal in which we support:

the redevelopment of Sunday School including

• recruitment of more teachers and occasional helpers
• personal encouragement of children and parents
• follow up of baptised children
• encouraging children's participation in worship

new initiatives in youth and children work through

• employment of a youth or family worker, part time or in co-operation with neighbouring parishes
• encouragement and assistance to a local youth leadership task group

new opportunities for adults to learn, such as

• the small group activities mentioned above
• classes in Old and New Testament studies
• occasional discussion of themes in groups after the morning service

Serve Christ and make him known in the community through service and evangelism by

taking aspects of church life to the Templestowe community by encouraging such activities as

• open groups like KUCA, and junior youth group
• fellowship groups
• worship in local community settings including outdoor services
• appropriate use of local media and promotional literature
• involvement in community activities like drama, senior citizens and the Templestowe Festival

offering educational programs and activity groups of interest to the local community by

• participating in Christian religious education in schools
• co-operating with the play group on topics such as parenting
• setting up or encouraging interest groups in arts and crafts
• offering adult education classes in topics of common interest
• calling public meetings with interesting speakers on current issues
• offering worship and pastoral care in nursing homes etc
• helping people to witness in their work

establishing a social action group to co-ordinate study and active witness through

• local small groups with specific projects
• maintaining liaison with the Synod Commission for mission
• finding ways to tackle local needs like youth homelessness

developing new and more effective means of communication such as

• use of the local press
• liaison with local government and community organisations
• an Internet home page

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Templestowe Uniting Church

Action Plan for 1996-97

Priorities are to be decided by the Congregation and revised each six to twelve months.

Members of the congregation are invited to chose one of these points of action and join a group to review that part of the action plan and begin action in the light of the Mission Statement.

1. Social Action Group

Establish a group to investigate social needs and begin action on one or two selected projects:- asking members of the Congregation to share their knowledge of particular needs; consulting UCA agencies in the region, special ministries in the Presbytery and local community welfare agencies; learning more about the local community before choosing a project.

2. Youth and Children's Work

Review and develop recent initiatives for Christian education and outreach, especially the effort made to restart the Sunday School, to begin a junior youth club, family services and other alternatives, and the relationship of KUCA to worship and the general life of the congregation. Any recommendations about appointing a paid worker in the field of youth and/or family work?

3. Sharing Groups

Plan and develop ways of sharing the faith and providing personal support. This might involve visiting people within and beyond the congregation, arranging short or longer term discussion groups on topics of interest in understanding the faith and its relevance to our society, bible study at an introductory or more advanced level, prayer groups or spiritual retreats, or courses in basic Christian beliefs, which might be of interest to inquirers as well as believers.

4. Communications Strategy

How do we present ourselves to the community? Consider forms of publicity such as signs or notice boards, publications like the Newsletter or whatever we print, the use of pamphlets, advertising, liaison with the local press, computing technology, other media, and whatever will be helpful and practical.

5. Contemporary Music

Gather resources for the use of contemporary music in worship. Consult with Synod Commission for Mission and its Youth Ministry Network, find out who has the knowledge, who can help both within our congregation and beyond, learn about copyright and other problems, collect material, learn and teach how to use it, in co-operation with others, considering the orchestra, and the choir, and the talents of members generally. Consult with the minister and the Worship Committee.

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