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Acknowledgement To Country

We acknowledge The Burramattagal

people of the Darug nation as custodial

owners of this land.

We pay our respects to their elders - past

and present.

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3. BUILT UPON THE ONE LORD JESUS CHRIST

….In Jesus Christ "God was reconciling the

world to himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19 RSV)….

God in Christ has given to all people in the

Church the Holy Spirit as a pledge and

foretaste of that coming reconciliation and

renewal which is the end in view for the

whole creation.

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The Church's call is to serve that end:

to be a fellowship of reconciliation,

a body within which the diverse gifts

of its members are used for the building

up of the whole, an instrument through

which Christ may work and bear witness

to himself.

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How does each photo make you feel?

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In the UCA we use collaborative methods…

• Consensus decision making• Inter-conciliar organisational structure• We do ministry together• We share “power”

Discussion: Name some of the differences between power ‘over’ and ‘with’

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Why?

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Phew! Meeting over

– now we can hold

the real one in the

car park!

How might reconciliation and

renewal impact our

relationships?

How might it Influence our use

of power?

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Ministers and Lay Leaders have POWER by virtue of their ROLE.

Because of this POWER, a parishioner/ congregation is VULNERABLE

A minister, lay leader or Church Councilor who consistently exercises

their power “OVER” and not “WITH” another,

has ABUSED his or her POWER.

They have broken the Code of Ethics.

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Code of Conduct for Lay Leadersp.32 Workbook

Read your section and give a brief summary of what it says to wider groupComment on what you feel about it – does it make sense and is it practiced (usually) in your context.

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‘Leadership is a concept we often

resist. It seems immodest...

But if it is true that we are made

for community, then leadership is

everyone’s vocation…

When we live in… community,

everyone follows and everyone

leads.’

Parker Palmer

The Uniting Church is governed by a series of inter-related councils, each of which has its set tasks and responsibilities in relation both to the

Church and to the world.”Para 15 BoU

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“It is the task of every council to wait upon God’s

word, and to obey God’s will in the matters

allocated to its oversight.”

Para 15 BoU

No council can tell another council

what to do in its set tasks and responsibilities.

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• Hear God’s Word

• Celebrate the sacraments

• Encourage one another in love

• Share wider responsibilities of the Church

• Serve the world

• Spiritual Oversight over congregation

• Building the congregation in faith and love

• Discerning the Spirit of God

• Embodying the Spirit together

• Engaging in Spiritual Leadership

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•Hearing all voices

•Discerning together

•Listening to the Spirit

•Maintaining Unity

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Proposal AThe local Buddhist group want to hire the church hall for a meditation session twice a week.

Proposal BAll positions in church council to be declared vacant and new leaders equipped to transition the missional focus from… to ….

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1. Why do think we use Consensus?

2. List the positives and the negatives?

3. How might Consensus reflect our commitment to reconciliation and renewal?

18. THE PEOPLE OF GOD ON THE WAY

The Uniting Church affirms that it belongs

to the people of God on the way to the promised end.

The Uniting Church prays that, through the gift of the

Spirit, God will constantly correct that which is

erroneous in its life, will bring it into deeper unity with

other Churches, and will use its worship, witness and

service to God's eternal glory through Jesus Christ the

Lord. Amen.

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• Oversight of Congregations/Groups

• Stimulate and encourage mission

• Oversee placement of Ministers

• Accountability responsibilities

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How well does your congregation communicate with Presbytery?Who are your Presbytery contacts?How often do you hear from your Presbytery Rep?

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• Legal entity of the church – property

• Inter-presbytery activities

• Oversight of worship, witness and service

• State-wide responsibilities

• Discipline & complaints

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• Doctrine, worship, government & mission

• Standards for theological education

• Receives Ministers from other denominations

• Catches all the left overs

• Affiliates with ecumenical & other bodies

• Provides for matters of doctrine, worship,

government and discipline.