mission

Church Mission Society in Australia: Empowering Communities Through Faith and Service

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We have supported Church Mission Society (CMS) for several years now contributing $2400 per annum in support of our link missionary Joan, and on Sunday 23 July we extended a warm welcome to David Greeff, the Western Australian director for CMS.

CMS is a dynamic, mission-oriented organization that has been actively spreading the gospel message to communities both locally and globally beginning in the 19th Century. At its core, CMS is committed to fulfilling the Great Commission, as stated in Matthew 28:19-20, by making disciples of all nations. The organization’s mission is to empower individuals to serve and share the Gospel through diverse ministries catering to communities’ unique needs in various parts of the world.

Within Australia, CMS has established a strong network of churches, parishes, and individuals who share a passion for missions. St Nics is one of these. Through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts, CMS provides support and training to equip believers for effective cross-cultural ministry.

CMS missionaries serve in diverse fields such as education, healthcare, community development, and church planting, endeavouring to bring holistic transformation to the lives of those they encounter. Our Missionary partner Joan services in a state-approved Language School in an East Asian country.

In addition to practical initiatives, CMS strongly emphasises prayer and intercession. Recognizing the spiritual battle in spreading the Gospel, CMS encourages supporters and partners to pray fervently for the mission fields and the individuals involved, locally and globally.

We have appreciated CMS’s responsible stewardship of resources. The organization maintains a high level of transparency and accountability, ensuring that financial support is used efficiently and effectively to advance the mission.

David’s visit encouraged us to continue both to own this in prayer and to offer financial assistance for the advance of the gospel.

How we give

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Obviously there are many ways Christians can give, however when it comes to our mission and action plans there are two major ways these are funded.

Thanksgiving

It has become part of the St Nicholas culture over the years to take up a one off additional offering usually linked to specific projects requiring funding. Last year through the generosity of our community we were able to fund the new crèche room , the new awnings outside and some additional resources for our children’s ministry. This year the Parish Council have asked that we bring our thanksgiving offering to help fund the renovation of the historic church and provide some funds towards the railings that we are now in discussion with the Shire about. We need around $25 K for this. We will speak of why we think it is worth doing this at the info/vision meeting next week. It links with all our thinking about developing our site for mission. Any funds beyond  $25k will be allocated to the beginning of a rectory/ site  development fund and  resourcing youth interns.  The thanksgiving envelope (given in last weeks church service) was provided for you to either place a cheque or cash  or a pledge that will be given through direct transfer. These can be given on the 29th or over the next 2 weeks.

Proportional Giving Forms

These are provided to assist you in prayerfully considering your ongoing giving over the next year. There is no obligation or expectation for you to return the form. That was purely to assist you in your own thinking and commitment.  However like all Anglican parishes we are essentially self funding and our financial resources are directed to enabling our local mission and purpose including ministry at All Saint’s.  Currently we cannot appeal to National Australia or beyond for financial assistance in this!

Vision and information October 29th following a single service at 9 am 

Suzanne, myself and several others will be sharing information regarding changes in Anglican governance and our vision for ministry and community life over the next year. Please do come and take part in this time together. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion.  We are blessed to have good things to talk about and the freedom to be witnesses for Jesus in this place.

Shalom Jamie

Mission and Action

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Churches share a lot of similarities with all living things, one of which is movement and change. This week I will briefly  address two items from our Mission Action Plan ( see last week’s newsletter/blog hard copies available in church building for reading) both of which demonstrate this living dynamic community we call church.

Using our site for mission

Followers of Jesus have been meeting in or around our current location for some time. The Congregationalists were first to use what we call the historic church in the 19th century. After  varied  use, including a place to dry possum skins, the Anglican church took it on in 1914. Running forward to the sixties Australind was linked into a wide geographical parish from Carey Park , Eaton, Picton and here. Eventually with a growing congregation St Nicholas became a parish in its own right, a new building was proposed , a rectory was built with the garage serving as a communal hall, an op shop was transported over from St Elizabeth’s Carey park . Further developments of life and community occurred and further building occurred leaving us with our current site plant.

Once again we are in a time of change. Over the course of the year the Parish Council has been exploring mission options for our site. We believe the historic church can be used missionally as a source of blessing to our wider community. It can be a point of reference and interaction. We can invite our schools and wider community to explore the social history represented through the building and through this our faith in Jesus. It can be a place of prayer and blessing.

The Parish Council has spent time considering how to use the rectory in response to several factors. The Murray’s personal circumstances have changed which raised the possibility of us moving out of the rectory. Following discussion with the Council and archdeacon, I can now tell you that God Willing this will happen in the later part of 2018.  This is in alignment with the diocese who, finances permitting, are working towards clergy no longer being onsite. This policy change has come about due to new licensing rules for clergy and governance around Safe Church as well as the changing communication and shapes of ministry. Furthermore we have to plan for future growth. We already have a need for more space for our children’s ministry and future ministries. This allows us several options to explore.

Understanding Anglican governance: synod and parish council

Synod 2017 was a grace filled gathering full of movement and change.  Decisions made have given us a new clarity and basis for mission and ministry. ( I will publish a separate summary of key changes in legislation, full copies are available on the diocesan website)  This will directly affect our Annual Meeting of Parishioners and the process of electing our Parish Council as well as the oversight of all our ministries. It is important that we learn about this part of our shared life together, especially our younger families and new or already Christians joining us from other traditions. Learning about these things is one part of our Action Plan for the next year. However it is new for us all and part of the journey we share together across the diocese in community with one another and Jesus.

Shalom

Jamie