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Letter from the
General Secretary
Welcome to all of you who will gather in Melbourne for
the Tenth Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia. We meet to undertake
an important service to Jesus the head of the church. There are many participants
making a wide variety of contributions. The Assembly truly reflects the church
as a body where all the gifts are important and contribute to the wellbeing
and effectiveness of the whole. Some of the parts of the body include:
- 265 voting members of the Assembly (104 from
presbyteries, 108 from synods, 24 from Assembly agencies, 8 youthful
representatives, 6 ex-officio, 6 from the Congress, 6 from migrant-ethnic
congregations and possibly 3 co-options);
- a large number of church leaders from overseas, plus
up to 15 from other Australian churches;
- we expect about 100 people in the Visitors Program;
- up to 5 representatives from other faiths;
- 15 children and their leaders in the KUCA-A program
- scores of volunteers, staff and additional helpers
who will ensure all runs smoothly;
- many people from within the life of the Uniting Church
who will join us at the opening service of worship for the installation
of the President, Rev Dr Dean Drayton
All we do in Melbourne will be directed towards the service
of God. In the Uniting Church worship is not seen as an activity which is
separated from the rest of life. Thus, although we will engage in specific
times of worship throughout the Assembly, we are seeking in every Assembly
activity to praise and serve God. We trust we all come to Melbourne in that
spirit.
OUR THEME
The theme of the Assembly
is “Witness the glory of God”. It will be prominent in the Assembly’s
worship life, in our Bible studies and visual surroundings at the main venue,
and in the Visitors and Children’s programs. The theme will also be
particularly prominent in our Bible studies that will be led by Rev Dr Dorothy
Lee. We trust that it will be clearly reflected in the way we worship, work,
listen, vote, sing, eat and relax together throughout the eight days.
Through this theme we acknowledge that all that the church
does is in response to and as testimony to the glory of God. The theme is
both a call to us and a commission. As a church, we need to wait upon the
Lord, and through worship, prayer, Bible study, discussion and debate, see
where God is calling us. As we look at the particular issues we face in the
Assembly we are invited to seek God and to bear witness to the work of God
in all that we say and do.
THE ASSEMBLY’S RESPONSIBILITIES
The Assembly’s responsibilities are detailed in
clauses 38(a) and (b) of the Constitution. Unless an item of business falls
within one of the categories of clause 38 then it should not be on our agenda.
The Design Team for the 10th Assembly has prepared for the meeting in a way
that facilitates the opportunity for us to address the broader policy and
directions for the national council of the church in our eight days together.
We all come to the meeting of the Assembly very conscious of our other roles
in the life of the Church and the other Councils to which we belong. A key
task for us in preparing for the Assembly is to begin to think nationally
and particularly about the crucial and distinctive role that the Assembly
has within the total life of the Uniting Church. Careful reading of the Assembly
reports and papers will help in this orientation. You may also care to visit
the Assembly web page at nat.uca.org.au to gain an insight into the breadth
and character of the work of our national Council.
Above all, we are called as an Assembly to wait upon the
Lord, as “in his own strange way he constitutes, rules and renews (us)
as his Church” (Basis of Union paragraph 4).
To be a member of an Assembly is a privilege. Over a million
Australians claim an association with the Uniting Church, but only 265 of
us get to be voting members of this Assembly. So we have a big responsibility.
The exercise of that responsibility needs to begin well ahead of July 12.
- pray for the Assembly and your part in it, that together
we will indeed discern how and where God wishes to use us.
- revisit clauses 2, 4 and 38 of the Constitution, alongside
a re-reading of the Basis of Union;
- carefully read all the reports and working papers;
- read the revised Manual for Meetings (section I in
your papers), especially chapters 5 and 6 which will be the primary guide
for our decision-making processes;
- discuss with others anything which is in the reports
and working papers; none of it is confidential, all of it is available
on the Assembly’s web-site (http://nat.uca.org.au), and all the Assembly’s
plenary sessions are open to the public unless the Assembly decides otherwise;
- participate in any gatherings your presbytery or synod
may arrange to discuss what’s on the Assembly’s agenda; note
that presbyteries and synods have until June 6 to submit any proposals
arising from their consideration of the working papers;
- raise questions on any report or proposal or on Assembly
processes prior to arrival in Melbourne - the sooner the better; the experience
of previous Assemblies is that some proposals are revised before the Assembly
because of such contact, which saves precious business time.
THE MAIN EVENTS
The Assembly is far more than just a business meeting.
It’s also a national event in the church’s life. The Assembly’s
program includes events such as:
- the opening service and installation of Dean
Drayton as the tenth President of the Uniting Church, on Saturday evening
12 July which is open to the whole church;
- Bible studies arising from the theme of the Assembly,
led by Rev Dr Dorothy Lee;
- a special presentation on the Tuesday evening involving
interfaith representatives and overseas partners which includes sharing
on what it means to live as a person of faith in a minority situation;
- the participation of our overseas guests both formally
and informally as an expression of our international relationships and
our broad ecumenical commitments;
- the launching of the Assembly theme on the Sunday;
- the address of our outgoing President on the Sunday
afternoon;
- services of Holy Communion every morning Monday to
Friday at our places of residence;
ACCOMPANYING PROGRAMS
There are two groups of participants who will all be heavily
involved in the Assembly;
- the 100 or so people in the Visitors Program;
- the children and their leaders in KUCA-A (Kids of
the Uniting Church - Assembly);
SOME OF THE KEY PEOPLE
Some of the most important people at the Assembly will
not be seen in upfront roles. They are the volunteers and staff who have
been hard at it in Melbourne since 2002, preparing for the Assembly, and
who will be beavering away during the week on our paperwork, information,
travel and accommodation needs.
Among the upfront leaders are:
- Dean Drayton, our incoming President;
- James Haire, our outgoing President;
- Terence Corkin, our General Secretary;
- Wendie Wilkie, our Associate General
Secretary;
- Geoffrey Grinton, chairperson of
the Business Committee;
- Phillip Creed, leader of the Local
Arrangements Committee;
- Jenny Bertalan, chief keeper of the
minutes and PA to the General Secretary;
- Dorothy Lee, Bible Study leader
Plenty of other people will be useful sources of information
and guidance too. Among them are the six Synod Secretaries and our six Synod
Moderators, James Haire (ex-President), Malcolm Gledhill (Legal Reference
Committee) and Carole Anderson (Church Polity Reference Committee).
Two chaplains will be appointed for participants in the
Assembly and their names will be advised in a future mailing. They will be
available throughout the Assembly for conversation, prayer and other pastoral
support. You’ll also see the three chaplains to the President – Jione
Havea, Steve Coster and Deirdre Palmer.
Keep a special eye out for our guests from overseas. We
expect many church leaders from countries from Asia, the Pacific, the UK
and Ireland and Aotearoa New Zealand. They will all have significant stories
to tell, especially those of them who have been through dramatic changes
in their countries in recent years. Take the time to befriend them and be
enriched by them.
Up to seven other Australian churches will have a representative
with us for some or part of the week. They too will have insights and stories
to enrich us.
VENUES
The main venue for the Assembly is the Wilson Hall within
the grounds of the University of Melbourne. Seating for the business sessions
of the Assembly will be around tables. This will assist interaction between
the members and facilitate discussion when this is required. Key times will
be spent in Community Working Groups and these will be held within the residential
colleges where Assembly members are encouraged to stay. Some of the early
short business sessions may be held in the dining hall of Ormond College
to make it easier to move quickly to the Community Working Group sessions.
The Assembly timetable provided in the next mailing will indicate specific
venues. Accommodation for Assembly members, visitors, other participants
and the children is at Queen’s, St Hilda’s and Ormond Colleges
within the grounds of the University of Melbourne. All venues are about a
10 minute walk from Wilson Hall. Shuttle facilities will be provided for
persons who have the need for it.
FURTHER INFORMATION
- The “Agency” reports that do not
appear in this mailing are the Beneficiary Fund, National Finance Committee,
Social Responsibility and Justice, and Uniting Aboriginal and Islander
Christian Congress. The Retiring President’s report is also still
being produced. They will be in the next mailing due out in June. The
other major report not included in the papers is “Becoming Disciples”.
Theology and Discipleship is still receiving responses from Presbyteries
and Congregations as this mailing goes to the printer.
- Agencies are not presenting many proposals to this
Assembly so there are no proposals at the end of Agency reports. However
some agencies will have proposals for the Assembly and these will come
in the next mailing. Proposals from Synods and Presbyteries, most of which
are still arriving, will be included in the next mailing.
- The Assembly is committed to providing a safe environment
in Melbourne whereby the whole Assembly community will live and work with
healthy, holy and safe relationships among us. In this mailing in “Section
H” you will find the Uniting Church’s pastoral procedures for
special events.
- All participants who arrive at Melbourne airport on
the Friday and Saturday, 11 and 12 July, will be met and transported to
their accommodation (unless they have indicated otherwise). All departing
on Saturday 19 July will be transported to the airport. Overseas guests
arriving and departing from the international terminal will be met individually.
- You will need to provide your own ring binder for
all the papers. It will be sensible to allow for lots more papers to be
squeezed in!
- The Assembly will be surrounded by prayer – not
only in Melbourne but through the care of the whole church.
- The mailing in June will include all additional reports,
profiles and proposals received to date, the full proposed timetable, plus
lots more practical information about the Assembly. An emergency phone
contact number will be included for contact 24 hours a day.
- On registration after arrival in Melbourne you will
receive a third set of working papers, consisting of proposals received
from Assembly members to date, any further profiles of nominees received
to date, daily timetables for the first two days, local information etc.
- The Design Team for the Assembly is investigating
the possibility of internet coverage of the meeting. More details will
be provided when available.
- A strong communications team, drawn from Assembly
and Synods’ personnel, will again be key participants in the Assembly.
They’ll be responsible for an Assembly daily newspaper, all media
relations, the website, photographs etc.
- Note that the President and General Secretary are
the only authorised spokespersons for the Assembly. They will be available
to the media at set times each day. Other key people may be invited to
speak with the media – for example those presenting major business
to the Assembly and the new President-elect.
SPECIAL NOTES FOR VOTING MEMBERS
- Voting members of the Assembly are asked to note that
you are representatives of the Uniting Church who have been appointed by
a particular council or agency - you are not delegates. In the Uniting
Church we don’t use the language of “delegate” in case
it suggests that the appointing body is delegating you to vote in a particular
way. No council or agency of the church has the right to insist on its
representatives voting in a particular way on any issue. Rather it is your
responsibility to seek to discern the will of God from the discussions
in Melbourne (and from your preparations beforehand, including listening
to the council or agency that has appointed you) and then to vote accordingly.
The Uniting Church firmly believes that God is present in all church meetings,
offering guidance to us. Our primary responsibility, and privilege, is
to be open to how God is leading the Assembly.
- Please do not accept invitations to preach on Sunday
morning, July 12. On that Sunday morning you will be gathering with the
other members of the Assembly in a covenanting service as we begin our
corporate life together.
- As a voting member you are expected to attend every
session of the Assembly. Taking an afternoon off or picking and choosing
between sessions is not acceptable We will be working hard, and we may
get tired and frustrated but the church is sending us to Melbourne at an
average cost of more than $1000 per member. Along with the privilege of
being an Assembly member comes the responsibility of being diligent and
thorough in our participation.
- Voting members of the Assembly are invited to submit
proposals on any matter which rightly falls within the Assembly’s
responsibilities, including alternative proposals to those which are in
your working papers or any proposals arising from your consideration of
the reports to the Assembly. Note the deadlines detailed in section 5.1
of report B1. The earlier you submit your proposal, the more likely it
is that the Assembly will have time to deal with it. The unfinished business
of an Assembly usually consists chiefly of proposals submitted by Assembly
members at the last minute. Note that generally the Assembly will give
precedence to proposals submitted by Assembly agencies, synods and presbyteries
over those coming from Assembly members. Note also that proposals from
Assembly members need to be signed by two members. See the guidelines for
proposals in section 6 of report B1.
- Our business procedures will be in accordance
with the Manual for Meetings (section I of your working papers). The
Manual gives the Assembly the option of functioning on consensus procedures
or formal majority procedures. The Business Committee’s intention
is to resolve issues by consensus and to resort to formal majority only
if a decision is essential and consensus is impossible.
AFTER THE ASSEMBLY
Your responsibility as an Assembly participant does not
conclude on July 19 2003. You will have lots to tell others in the church
and community about your experience in Melbourne. Look for opportunities
in your local church (Sunday worship, small groups), your presbytery and
church agencies to speak about the Assembly – its decisions, its high
moments, the overseas stories, the contributions of children, the grappling
with discerning God’s will, the spirit and ethos of the Assembly. Maybe
bring a special notebook to jot down key stories and impressions. Make sure
you take home with you your copies of the Assembly daily newspapers.
Voting members have two ongoing responsibilities:
- you remain a member of the Assembly for the next three
years; if there’s need for a special meeting of the Assembly (and
thankfully that’s never happened to date) before July 2006 then it’s
the 2003 members who gather again;
- representing the Assembly’s decisions to people
not at the Assembly; this is particularly important if, as has happened
in the past, some media reporting of Assembly decisions is distorted or
one-sided or wrong.
All of us involved in the preparations look forward to
being with you at the Assembly. It will be a pleasure as well as a privilege
to gather in Melbourne in the spirit that seeks to “Witness the glory
of God”. May God’s grace and peace surround us as we all prepare
for the Tenth Assembly.
DEAN DRAYTON TERENCE CORKIN
President-elect General Secretary
Tenth Assembly Office in Melbourne:
130 Little Collins St Melbourne, VIC 3000 Ph. (03) 9251 5209 Fax (03) 9650
7019 E-mail: assembly@vic.uca.org.au
Assembly Secretariat:
PO Box A2266, Sydney South NSW 1235 Phone (02) 8267 4204 Fax (02) 8267 4222
E-mail: assysec@nat.uca.org.au
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