Summary of the Process
2022
Nov
2023
May
Explore
Listening for ideas and imperatives.
June
Nov
Discern
Deep discussion of directions and options.
Dec
2024
July
Recommend
Develop and recommend a way forward.
Summary of the Findings and Conclusions
- Across the Church we have continued to affirm shared identity markers. These come from the biblical witness, the Basis of Union and foundational statements and decisions we have made since Union.
- We have not always lived up to our commitments, particularly in living out our Covenant with Congress and our commitment to be a truly intercultural Church.
- Our theological fault lines continue to cause pain in our life. We look to Jesus Christ as the source and sustainer of our unity.
- We need to keep drawing on these foundational sources of faith and unity to build our sense of shared identity as a Uniting Church within the universal church.
- Being a national Church is a gift which gives us the opportunity to celebrate our shared and diverse identity and to speak with a shared public voice.
- In general people value the work of the national Church. This is particularly in areas of our public voice, international relationships, the Church’s core theological identity and particular national missional opportunities.
- To fulfil these responsibilities most effectively the national Church needs to be both better resourced and deeply connected to the wider Church.
- The Church’s theological culture and the future of theological education is part of nourishing a healthy, vital and imaginative Church.
- We have many theological cultures and we need platforms for dialogue across our theological and cultural diversity.
- Theological education is essential to the discipleship of the whole people of God including forming people for the specified ministries in diverse ministry contexts.
- There is an appetite for deep and productive collaboration on the provision of theological education and formation. This requires a structure to lead and a culture to foster collaboration.
- There was widespread support for the directions including the focus on discipleship and mission and flexible governance arrangements.
- There were questions about implementation, particularly about the relationship between congregations and the wider Church.
- There needs to be closer relationships between communities of faith and the wider Church to provide oversight, encouragement and support. People saw that the Directions renewed the toolkit for that relationship to be fostered.
- There were a range of responses to the Options about differences in context, imperatives and priorities. Many people recognised the current governance model was not working and needed to change.
- People were most supportive or open to Option 1. They recognised the scale and challenges of implementation. They also supported elements of other options, including increased resourcing closer to local communities of faith, reducing duplication and resource sharing.
- The broad sentiment of the Church is that now is the time to be bold and take the opportunity to pursue significant structural and cultural change.
A.
Life Giving Communities of Faith and Discipleship
2024
July
2027
June
- Focus on discipleship and mission.
- A new toolkit for fit-for-purpose local governance.
- Better beginnings and endings for communities.
- Review of church membership to better align our rules and our reality.
Overseen by the Assembly Standing Committee.
B.
A Network for a Flourishing Theological Culture
2024
July
2027
July
- National multi-campus Theological College.
- National Theological Culture Structure.
- Theological work on ‘discipleship’, ‘evangelism, ‘mission’ and ‘diaconal communities’.
Overseen by a Commission for Theology, Formation and Leadership.
C.
Sharing our Life and our Common Wealth
2024
Transition to new Commission
2025
Assess Governance models and prepare roadmap
2027 And BeyonD
Assembly decision and approval by other councils
- Conduct a feasibility assessment of a three council model and a four council model.
- Develop a roadmap for implementation underpinned by a resourcing model.
- Identify and implement other actions to progress the Vision and Principles.
Overseen by a Commission for Governance, Resourcing and Administration.