The Faithful Futures Project is a collaboration across Victoria and Tasmania’s Synod, presbyteries and congregations to discern priorities, direct resources and ensure the Church is equipped for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
The project is shaped around five shared goals: Respecting Country, Coordinated Ministries, Intercultural Leadership, All-age Growth and New Communities of Faith.
Faithful Futures Project Lead Karen Roberts explains that each goal has a corresponding Goal Group that will help to shape implementation of the goal through exploration, discussion and action.
“Some of the latest work of the Faithful Futures Steering Committee has been to invite people to participate in a Goal Group,” Karen says.
“I’m pleased to report that we received an enthusiastic response to our call out for expressions of interest. The Steering Committee members are delighted by the breadth and variety of people responding, including diverse voices and people who have not previously been involved in a church committee at this level.”
Karen advises that the Steering Committee has affirmed the Goal Group memberships and the first meetings have been arranged.
So, are there still opportunities to get involved?
“Yes! As we progress, there will be other ways for anyone interested to contribute, so if you feel passionate about a goal, please do get in touch.
“The team are also particularly keen to hear from more people aged 40 and under who would like to contribute to bringing the Faithful Futures goals to life at a local level,” Karen says.
“And everyone can take part, in your own way, by holding the Goal Groups in your prayers as they start meeting and embark on the next steps of the Faithful Futures journey.”
To read more about Faithful Futures visit: https://victas.uca.org.au/faithful-futures/ and you can contact the Faithful Futures project team via FaithfulFutures@victas.uca.org.au or 03 9116 1472.
Stepping in with expertise
Introducing additional members of the Faithful Futures Steering Committee.
Crosslight recently spoke with three members of the Steering Committee to learn about their experiences observing Faithful Futures in action.
Rev Temukisa Amituana’i-Vaeluaga is already seeing work involving Faithful Futures happening within the Port Phillip West Presbytery.
REV TEMUKISA AMITUANA’I-VAELUAGA
Temukisa is the appointed member from the Presbytery of Port Phillip West on the Steering Committee. She is the Minister at Western Heights Uniting Church in Herne Hill, a suburb of Geelong.
How is Faithful Futures coming to life in your presbytery?
The Spirit is moving gently, swiftly and mysteriously in the life of the Port Phillip West Presbytery. It is doing so through its openness among the faithful in adopting and weaving together the strands of Faithful Futures that are already captured through the presbytery’s ‘Regenerating the Church’ strategy. The presbytery strategy has specific focus on prioritising new and renewing communities, strengthening intercultural life, seizing the fresh opportunities provided by digital church, and collaborating with all-ages together in mission.
How have you seen the Faithful Futures goals in action already?
(We have seen) the intentional prioritising of intercultural and intergenerational resourcing of lay leaders. This is a strength that is witnessed through the first lay preachers’ course facilitated bi-lingually to equip Samoan lay leadership across presbytery boundaries – with up to 11 accredited lay preachers in its first program.
‘The Youth Connect’ is another vibrant initiative by young leaders meeting monthly crossing presbytery and denominational boundaries to worship and celebrate their life and faith in Christ.
As you work with the Faithful Futures Steering Committee and see the Expressions of Interest (EOIs) come in, what inspires you about Faithful Futures?
That the Church (locally, presbytery, Synod) is taking ownership of the Faithful Futures goals. The Spirit moves in mysterious ways, including diverse members expressing interest to participate in the Goal Groups.
Rev Sylvia Akau’ola Tongotongo says Faithful Futures is very much part of the vision, mission, discipleship and operations of Port Phillip East Presbytery.
REV SYLVIA AKAU’OLA TONGOTONGO
Sylvia is the appointed member from the Presbytery of Port Phillip East on the Steering Committee. She is the Minister at Toorak Uniting Church in Melbourne.
How is Faithful Futures coming to life in your presbytery? How have you seen the Faithful Futures goals in action already? As you work with the Faithful Futures Steering Committee and see the EOIs come in, what inspires you about Faithful Futures?
Faithful Futures is a living part of the anatomy of the organisational spirit and culture of Port Phillip East Presbytery. It’s very much part of its vision, its mission, discipleship and operations.
Faithful Futures is witnessed through the leadership team: Presbytery ministers, chairperson and standing committee, collaboratively leading with clarity of purpose and direction with empathy for and understanding the needs of the congregations. Recently, the Presbytery invited Rev Dr Julian Hamilton from Ireland to lead a couple of seminars exploring how discipleship and mission inform one another, and how they might take shape across the congregations in our presbytery.
Faithful Futures is inspirational as a way the Church re-discovers and reclaims its DNA. Our journey as ‘Pilgrims of the Spirit’ calls us to not only pick up our paddles and start rowing our canoe, but also to synchronise our paddles, for the rhythm of heading in the right direction. It’s heartwarming to receive the expressions of interests for the Goal Groups.
“Loddon Mallee Presbytery is learning with other presbyteries about how to discern and share a direction for the whole Church,” says Dr Dean Shirley.
DR DEAN SHIRLEY
Dean is the appointed member from the Presbytery of Loddon Mallee on the Steering Committee. He serves as Secretary of Bendigo Central and Axedale Uniting Church.
How is Faithful Futures coming to life in your presbytery?
Faithful Futures is creating learning in two directions. Loddon Mallee Presbytery is learning with other presbyteries about how to discern and share a direction for the whole Church. At the same time, it is asking what Loddon Mallee’s experience of being the Church in dispersed, ageing, rural and regional communities can offer the wider Synod.
How have you seen the Faithful Futures goals in action already?
We are beginning to see congregations drawn to the All-Age Growth goal through the possibility of renewing dormant relationships between congregations and their surrounding communities; relationships that often remain active in other dimensions of community life such as sport, social organisations and commerce.
As you work with the Faithful Futures Steering Committee and see the EOIs come in, what inspires you about Faithful Futures?
Faithful Futures inspires me because it gives the Church courage and freedom to imagine forms of Christian community that cannot be prescribed in advance but must emerge through faithful engagement with particular places and people. Its greatest promise is not that it already has the answers, but that it may help the Church discover them together, including possibilities that could only emerge through the life and witness of local communities.
Visit the Faithful Futures website at: https://victas.uca.org.au/faithful-futures/
