Project Plan and our work
Between now and the 17th Assembly in July 2024, the Act2 Project is seeking to engage the whole Church in exploring and discerning about our future together.
This project is grounded in prayer and attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We are guided by the faith and the unity of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church as described in the Basis of Union. We are also shaped by our core identity markers as the Uniting Church, expressed in the Basis of Union and in the foundational commitments that have defined and shaped our life together over many decades.
The Act2 Project is led by the national Act2 Steering Committee and a staffed Project Unit, established following the decision of the 16th Assembly. The Steering Committee is made up of people from across the Uniting Church. Meet them all here.
There is now an approved Act2 Project plan, running over three phases, focussed on four workstreams.
The three phases
The work of the project through until the 17th Assembly will be in three phases.
Phase 1
Exploration
November 2022-May 2023
This is a time for us to explore ideas and possibilities.
From late 2022 until May 2023 we are exploring all the possibilities of where God may be leading us. We are reaching out to every congregation and faith community right across the country. We are deepening our engagement with key leaders across our Church. This is to help shape the key insights, issues and contexts to shape the options we offer the Church.We hope to generate and explore ideas, think about how we could shape our life differently, and prepare ourselves to participate in the next phase – an intensive period of shared discernment across the Uniting Church.This will culminate in a whole of Church period of prayer and reflection between Pentecost 2023 on 28 May and the 46th anniversary of the Uniting Church on 22 June.
Phase 2
Collective Discernment
June-November 2023
This is a time when we will engage in an intensive period of shared discernment.
From June to November 2023 we will be asking the Church to discern where you believe God is leading us. We will participate in as many meetings of Presbyteries and Synods as possible along with other key governing bodies. We will seek to offer the Church possible options and directions to assist this process.All parts of the Church – congregations, church councils, agencies, schools, presbyteries, synods ministers, colleges, conferences, and networks – will be invited to consider specific ideas.To find solutions for our life we will need to find ways of finding common directions not only within councils but across our councils and governing bodies. This will be a period of intense prayer and deliberation essential to the success of the project.
Phase 3
Recommendations for Action
November 2023-July 2024
This is when we will make choices about the recommendations to be put before the 17th Assembly for action.
This will involve consideration of the insight and wisdom drawn from our collective discernment.It has always been the hope of this project that it would lead towards concrete action and change, inspired and informed by the reflection and discernment of the Church. We anticipate that the change arising from this process will begin to take place across the triennium of the 17th Assembly.
The four workstreams
Workstream 1
Local communities of faith and discipleship
How we order our life has a significant impact on the life and health of our local communities of faith and discipleship. In certain ways, our current structures and practices hinder us building life-giving communities of faith. We also know there are things we can do to help support and strengthen these communities. This workstream informs all the others. It is foundational to the Act2 Project.
How can we do more to help and less to hinder life-giving communities of faith and discipleship?
The goal for this workstream: Structures and practices within the Church that cultivate a diverse range of life-giving communities of faith that make and grow disciples for worship, witness and service.
By 2024 (17th Assembly), we want to have clear, actionable steps for the Church to take in how we order our life and shape our practices to help more and hinder less life-giving communities of faith.
For this workstream we will:
- Engage broadly and build awareness with the local communities of faith across our Church
- Facilitate and capture conversation with every church council
- Facilitate focus groups based on community profiles within our Church
- Consult with Presbyteries
- Synthesise existing data and insights
- Continue regular drop-in and submission opportunities
Workstream 2
National identity
We are a truly national Church, working across the country in all sorts of diverse contexts. We also have a voice on issues of national significance grounded in who we are and the commitments we have made together over time.
What is most valuable about being a national church and how do we resource it?
The goal for this workstream: A clear, articulated role and value of the Uniting Church’s national identity with a resourcing model to support the ability of the Church to deliver on the role and value.
By the 2024 (17th Assembly), we seek to have a strengthened national identity and a defined set of national roles and responsibilities and a resourcing model which is consistent with the directions of the other workstreams.
For this workstream we will:
- Seek to strengthen and mobilise the entire UCA through the shared Uniting in Prayer eventFacilitate 5 topical national forums around national focus areas
- Facilitate ongoing opportunities for contributions from local communities of faith
- Seek external input from other like church contexts in Australia and overseas
- Continue regular drop-ins and opportunities for submission
Workstream 3
Governance and Resourcing
We have governance structures and a resourcing model which has not adequately responded to our changing context. We want a model which is directed towards supporting effective ministry and mission and allocates resources based on need, responsibility and opportunity.
How do we order our life and distribute our resources to support our ministry and mission, particularly local communities of faith and discipleship?
The goal for this workstream: A governance structure which effectively supports our ministry and mission, particularly local communities of faith and discipleship; Efficiently fulfill our ethical, legal and social obligations; Ensures our governance obligations align with our capacity, capability and expertise.
A resourcing model which: Unlocks resources for effective ministry and mission; Allocates resources based on need, responsibility, and opportunity; Collectively meets our current and historical obligations.
By 2024 (17th Assembly), we seek to have a proposed governance and resourcing model which can be tested and/or implemented over the subsequent three to six years.
For this workstream we will:
- Gather information and data for overview of our current governance and resourcing state as a Church
- Hold governance and resourcing framework workshops with key leaders drawn particularly from presbyteries, synods and Assembly
- Seek internal and independent external expert advice on legal, financial and polity considerations and models
- Integrate broad input from the wider Church through other workstreams
- Continue ongoing regular drop-ins and opportunities for submission
Workstream 4
Theological Culture and Education
Our theological culture is shaped by the institutions and practices of theological reflection and action. We want to explore the theological culture to which we aspire and how we shape institutions and practices that support that culture. We look for a culture which equips us all to be ministers of the gospel in whatever ministry and context we are called.
How can we do more to help and less to hinder life-giving communities of faith and discipleship?
The goal for this Workstream: A sustainable set of institutions and practices to: Support the theological culture of the Uniting Church; Equip the specified ministries for the diverse ministries to which they are called; Enable discipleship formation of the whole people of God within the Uniting Church.
By 2024 (17th Assembly) we seek to have: Clarity on the theological culture to which we aspire as a Church; An agreed set of institutions and practices to support our theological culture; A proposed national framework for the provision of theological education.
For this workstream we will:
- Gather data and information from Colleges to understand our current state
- Host a collective College workshop on national framework
- Release theological culture papers to stimulate discussion
- Seek expert internal and external advice/input
- Integrate broad input from the wider Church through other workstreams
- Continue ongoing regular drop-ins and opportunities for submission