JourneyOnline
In his opening address to the 26th Synod meeting of the Queensland Synod the Moderator Rev Dr David Pitman highlighted missional leadership, the future of congregations and the Australian political climate as key issues for the church.
Dr Pitman spoke about the Synod’s theme of daring to discover, dream, design and deliver.
He said the church needed to continue to listen for the prophetic voice that calls for the church to embrace new ways of being God’s people and to be “open to new ventures in ministry and mission that have their locus outside what is already known and understood.
“We must be willing to risk for the sake of the Kingdom and therefore accept that some things will fail or achieve less than was anticipated,” he said.
“We become so accustomed to the way we do things, we sometimes fail to realise that we have become preoccupied with ensuring conformity and control at the expense of engaging with the issues that relate to our primary calling in Christ.
“This can make us unwilling to allow the freedom and flexibility that both permits and encourages creative and visionary leadership.”
Speaking about the congregational life of the Uniting Church, Dr Pitman said “congregation” now refers to a whole variety of ways of being the people of God in very different local situations.
“When we talk about establishing new congregations, the image of a group of people meeting in a church building, with leadership provided by a minister, represents only one of many forms in which new life will take place in the future.”
Dr Pitman also spoke of the decision of the most recent Uniting Church Assembly to introduce a new order of ministry to be known as “Pastor.
He said that in establishing this new ministry the greatest risk the church faces is that, “anxious as always about order and control, we will not be able to resist the temptation to embed it in a whole new set of regulations and by-laws and so render it impotent!”
He issued a personal plea to the Assembly Standing Committee that will oversee the drafting of regulations, and to the Presbyteries that will have responsibility for the implementation of the ministry.
“[These groups need] to ensure that gifted and experienced people, with appropriate provision for coaching and mentoring, can be set free to offer ministry in ways that will best serve Christ and the church in our contemporary context.
The Moderator was both positive and critical about decisions of the state and federal governments.
“I have commended the Prime Minister for his interventions in East Timor and the Solomon Islands, and for the prompt provision of significant aid, both human and material, in the aftermath of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.
“However, the way in which our government deals with refugees and asylum seekers deserves only condemnation, and the duplicity surrounding our involvement in the Iraq War can only undermine trust in, and respect for, our political institutions.”
Dr Pitman was also critical of the Beattie Government’s plans to merge a number of shire councils across Queensland and disapproving of the imposition of a time frame which he claimed severely limits the capacity of the Shire Councils and members of the community to contribute meaningfully to the process
“This is the face of political indifference. It’s callous! It’s calculated! It’s unacceptable!”
Dr Pitman was particularly critical of the recent Federal Budget, which he described as lavish and remarkable “for the many billions of dollars being thrown at a wide range of objectives”.
“Of course, most people recognise this for what it actually is: a blatant piece of electioneering that would almost certainly never have occurred if the Government was not under threat of losing the next election.”
Dr Pitmans claimed promised tax cuts for lower income families were meaningless in real terms and the urgent need for low-cost housing had not been addressed at all.
“The Budget makes no attempt to increase overseas aid from the current 0.3% of Gross National Income to the 0.7% target promised some years ago.
“Substantial, long-term aid, coupled with debt-relief, is essential if third-world nations are ever to escape from the grinding poverty that continues to overwhelm them.
“This Budget ignores that goal altogether and focuses on winning favour at home. It’s very sad, but it seems to be inevitable.”
Dr Pitman concluded by claiming he had observed and felt a new spirit alive in the church.
“It is most apparent in the determination of ministers and congregations to be focussed and intentional about those things that declare the reign of God.”
CLICK HERE TO HEAR A SOUND RECORDING OF THE MODERATOR’S REPORT TO THE 26th SYNOD
THE FULL TEXT OF THE MODERATOR’S REPORT TO THE 26th SYNOD IS BELOW
REPORT OF THE MODERATOR TO THE SYNOD IN SESSION – 2007
30 years on!
In June 1977, I was one of about 250 people who gathered in the assembly area of the local school for an ecumenical celebration to mark the inauguration of the Uniting Church. We had already been a joint Methodist-Presbyterian Parish for ten years. I had spent a year there as a Lay Pastor before entering Theological College, and had returned to be the minister of the Parish just six months prior to that special day.
Notwithstanding our existing ecumenical partnership we experienced strong feelings of excitement and expectation. This was a new beginning in many ways, not least because we knew that many thousands of people were gathering for the same purpose across the nation.
We also believed that this very public act of commitment to journey together was a sign of that greater unity into which Christ continues to call us. It was very significant to us that, represented amongst our own members that day, were people from thirteen different nationalities and nine different denominational backgrounds.
So began a new phase in our life together.
During my first term as Moderator we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the UCA. Now we are thirty! I have had the (probably unique) opportunity to travel widely across the Synod on both occasions and observe and interact with the church in all the rich and diverse dimensions of its life and work.
Without doubt, we are older, wiser, and still a pilgrim people! In many ways we are a very different church now and the inevitable process of change is continuing.
We have struggled with those aspects of being an institution that inhibit and stifle the Spirit. Yet there is life, energy and growth in many places as ministers and people together discern what it means to live and share the Gospel, and as new expressions of being church begin to develop.
We have experienced the pain and division of conflict, yet I see a growing willingness to build relationships of acceptance and trust in the midst of difference, and to embrace our calling in Christ as our first priority.
In contrast with some past experiences, I take delight today in the greatly increased measure of respectfulness for one another now apparent across most of the church.
We have sought to honour our denominational heritage, yet are increasingly conscious that there are growing numbers of people in the Uniting Church for whom this has no personal significance. Proposals now to be considered regarding membership by baptism and local congregational covenants reflect a positive response to this contemporary reality.
We have seen a diminishing of direct congregational oversight of community care programs, yet the relationships are alive and well in many places, and the comprehensive mantle of care provided by Uniting Care and Frontier Services across the nation is truly amazing!
We have maintained, in the face of political expediency and policies of economic rationalism, a strong prophetic stand on behalf of the poor and the voiceless in our society. In this we have sought to be faithful to the Statement to the Nation made at the inaugural Assembly in 1997.
We have been at the forefront of ecumenical endeavour, dialogue and partnership, both nationally and locally, throughout our thirty years. This is an ongoing expression of who we are as a uniting church and our desire to worship and work together with other Christians wherever and whenever we can.
We have entered into a significant covenant, still not fully understood or practised, with our Indigenous and Islander people through the UAICC, and welcomed amongst us many people from many other national and cultural origins. These relationships enrich our life together as a church and we rejoice in the way they are exercising increasing influence and leadership in our midst.
We give thanks to God for the past 30 years
We give thanks to God for one another
We acknowledge our failures as God’s people during that time
We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide, disturb and unite us
We look forward in faith, hope and love to what the future holds
In my written report I have focussed on the role and responsibilities of the Moderator and have provided an overview of the leadership I exercise on behalf of the church. It is a diverse and demanding ministry and I hope that my report on this occasion will help to inform a conversation this Synod will have regarding the length of term a Moderator might serve.
However, I want to devote this time today to address some specific issues of immediate importance.
• Missional leadership
• The future of congregations
• Two different faces of contemporary Australian politics
• Two key Assembly-generated initiatives
Missional leadership
Institutions often struggle with individuals who do not necessarily sit comfortably with established norms and expectations, who do not always ask permission or obtain consent before acting, and who may have different priorities.
This was the reality within which the OT prophets, then Jesus, then the Apostles, sought to be obedient to the will and purpose of God. Down through the centuries those who have most influenced the nature and work of the church for good have often experienced opposition and even persecution.
As a church, we are quite properly committed to governance by inter-related councils and, as I said a little earlier, to discerning the mind of Christ together. Such a process of corporate discernment helps to balance an individualistic approach that can so easily be distorted by self-interest.
However, both history and experience tell us that corporate processes are not perfect either. We become so accustomed to the way we do things, we sometimes fail to realise that we have become preoccupied with ensuring conformity and control at the expense of engaging with the issues that relate to our primary calling in Christ. This can make us unwilling to allow the freedom and flexibility that both permits and encourages creative and visionary leadership.
Daring to discover, dream, design and deliver means that:
• We must continue to listen for the prophetic voice that calls for us to embrace new ways of being God’s people
• We must be open to new ventures in ministry and mission that have their locus outside what we already know and understand
• We must be willing to risk for the sake of the Kingdom and therefore accept that some things will fail or achieve less than was anticipated
We have amongst us a number of very competent and committed leaders. They will serve Christ and the church best if we allow them to do what they do best. If that means addressing our own fears and prejudices, then let us do that with honesty and integrity. If it means simplifying our structures and procedures in order to release people for the primary work of the Kingdom, then let’s get on with achieving that goal!
The future of congregations
The Uniting Church, from the beginning, has emphasised the centrality of the congregation for its worship, witness and service. However, in more recent years, we have had no option but to engage in a rigorous process of reflection on what it means to be a congregation in the contemporary Australian context, not least because there is not one, but many different contexts.
One response to this reality has been the recognition of the role of Faith Communities in providing a way for God’s people to be active in worship, witness and service without the need to maintain the structures and procedures presently required of congregations.
However, this expansion of our thinking about what it means to be church in specific local situations reminds us that we can no longer hold on to one basic paradigm of what being a congregation means.
Daring to discover, dream, design and deliver means we have no option but to read that key sentence in the Basis of Union about the congregation with a keen awareness that “congregation” now refers to a whole variety of ways of being the people of God in very different local situations.
Consequently, when we talk about establishing new congregations, the image of a group of people meeting in a church building, with leadership provided by a minister, represents only one of many forms in which new life will take place in the future.
More than that, the concepts of “congregation” and “faith community” are no longer adequate to identify and describe the many forms and faces of the mission of the church.
Unless we understand that, and our responses in ministry and mission are informed and guided by it, we may unintentionally stifle the movement of the Spirit in our midst.
Regardless of the way in which the life of any group of God’s people may unfold, our individual and collective commitment must be to share the good news about Jesus with others.
The churches that are growing in this country have members who find joy in sharing their faith and their experience of God’s love and grace in Jesus Christ. As members of the Body of Christ we are all gifted by the Holy Spirit to exercise appropriately related ministries. But every member of the church is called to “confess Christ crucified”. That is more than a statement of faith. It is meant to be a way of life!
Two different faces of contemporary Australian politics
On a personal level, and as Moderator of this Synod, I have been constantly disappointed and frustrated by my interaction with both our national and state political systems.
I need to say that it’s not all bad news, and I’m more than ready to publicly acknowledge the policies and programs that are consistent with our biblical understanding of pursuing justice and enhancing quality of life.
So I have commended the Prime Minister for his interventions in East Timor and the Solomon Islands, and for the prompt provision of significant aid, both human and material, in the aftermath of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.
However, the way in which our government deals with refugees and asylum seekers deserves only condemnation, and the duplicity surrounding our involvement in the Iraq War can only undermine trust in, and respect for, our political institutions.
I have referred to two different faces of contemporary Australian politics. The first face is that of indifference.
• Indifference to established protocols
• Indifference to promises of consultation
• Indifference to the pain and despair of individuals and communities
• Indifference to due process
I have made reference in my written report to the situation in the Mary Valley and the human impact on that community of the State Government’s decision to build a dam at Traveston Crossing. My views on all of that are well known.
You will be aware that more recently the Premier announced Government plans to merge a number of shire councils across Queensland. It is the rural shires, very large in area but often quite small in population, that will be most affected. I find it extraordinary that the process followed was virtually identical with what happened in regard to the Mary Valley.
Firstly, previously established protocols and processes for consultation were simply abandoned without warning
Secondly, the Government’s declared determination to act preceded the setting up of a Commission to enquire into what mergers, if any, are actually required
Thirdly, the action taken has been premised entirely on economic grounds without reference to the raft of other issues, not least the impact on the people and the communities in which they live
Fourthly, the imposition of a time frame which severely limits the capacity of the Shire Councils and members of the community to contribute meaningfully to the process
This current crisis for rural Queensland is compounded by the fact that most of it is still in the grip of a seven-year drought, and that rural populations are relatively small and therefore politically insignificant.
Advice I have received indicates that the enforced merger of Shire Councils might well lead to increased unemployment, diminishing of services and the further decline of rural communities.
This is the face of political indifference. It’s callous! It’s calculated! It’s unacceptable!
The second political face to which I refer is that of seduction! This is the face reflected in the Federal Budget announced a bit over a week ago. By established Coalition standards this is a lavish budget, remarkable for the many billions of dollars being thrown at a wide range of objectives.
Of course, most people recognise this for what it actually is: a blatant piece of electioneering that would almost certainly never have occurred if the Government was not under threat of losing the next election.
If you look more closely at the actual detail of the Budget, you will also realise that there are some glaring anomalies. Promised tax cuts for lower income families are meaningless in real terms, and given the predicted increases in the cost of basic commodities like water and electricity, will do nothing to enhance the lives of the 15% of Australians living in relative poverty. The urgent need for low-cost housing has not been addressed at all.
The Budget makes no attempt to increase overseas aid from the current 0.3% of Gross National Income to the 0.7% target promised some years ago. Substantial, long-term aid, coupled with debt-relief, is essential if third-world nations are ever to escape from the grinding poverty that continues to overwhelm them. This Budget ignores that goal altogether and focuses on winning favour at home. It’s very sad, but it seems to be inevitable.
We have a responsibility under God to hold our political leaders accountable for the impact their actions and decisions have on the lives of individuals and communities, and for their stewardship of the vast financial resources available to them.
Assembly generated initiatives
In a number of areas the National Assembly is providing strategic leadership at this time.
I refer firstly to the decision at the most recent Assembly to introduce a new order of ministry to be known as “Pastor” is particularly important.
This initiative represents far more than an attempt to address the complexities emanating from the current mix of specified lay ministries. The vision identified for this ministry by the Task Group that proposed it recognises the unique challenges and opportunities we are now experiencing as a church and the urgent need to be proactive in response.
As the process for the establishment of this ministry now unfolds, the greatest risk we face is that, anxious as always about order and control, we will not be able to resist the temptation to embed it in a whole new set of regulations and by-laws and so render it impotent!
This is my personal plea to the Assembly Standing Committee that will oversee the drafting of regulations, and to the Presbyteries that will have responsibility for the implementation of the ministry, to ensure that gifted and experienced people, with appropriate provision for coaching and mentoring, can be set free to offer ministry in ways that will best serve Christ and the church in our contemporary context.
Secondly, I would draw your attention to a discussion paper entitled, “A church of passionate disciples…rethinking church membership”. The councils of the church are now invited to engage in study and reflection on this paper and submit responses to the Assembly Standing Committee.
The basic premise of the paper is that future membership of the Uniting Church should be by baptism, and that baptised members be invited to commit to the life and witness of a local congregation through an annual covenant service.
These proposals are very timely and visionary. They are in tune with the current realities in our congregations regarding membership and the capacity of gifted and committed people to be full and active participants in the life of our church.
Daring to discover, dream, design and deliver means that we will engage thoroughly and prayerfully with the vision outlined in this paper. I commend it to your careful consideration.
Acknowledgements
In addition to the acknowledgements contained in my written report, I want to express my gratitude to three former Moderators. Allan Kuchler and Ray Reddicliffe have been incredibly generous with their time and wise in their counsel on many occasions. Don Whebell continues to offer wonderful support, both personally, and through his commitment to ecumenical partnership and dialogue. I am deeply grateful to all three.
I also want to applaud Jenny Tymms and Bruce Binnie. I will say more in relation to each of these outstanding servants of the church at the appropriate time, but in the context of this report I affirm the invaluable contribution each of them has made to the church as a whole, and to me personally, as I have sought to fulfil my responsibilities.
In closing, I have chosen to quote the first two paragraphs of my written report.
I have very much enjoyed the first part of my term as Moderator. Many people have asked me whether the experience has been different from the first time. Some things haven’t changed at all. Many aspects of the role and its attendant responsibilities remain the same. But it has been different, and in many ways. It is different in part because I know a lot more about a great many things than I did the first time round. That knowledge has been invaluable.
Most importantly, there is a new spirit alive in our church. I have observed and felt it in many places. It is most apparent in the determination of ministers and congregations to be focussed and intentional about those things that declare the reign of God.
It is apparent to me, in keeping with our Synod theme from 2005, that we have indeed been affirming our call and renewing our passion. We are ready, therefore, to embrace our theme for this Synod: “Dare to discover, dream, design and deliver!”
Let us commit ourselves to that purpose, both here in the work we do together, and when we return to our homes, communities and congregations.
God bless you, my sisters and brothers in Christ. May you find joy in your worship, witness and service, and to God be the glory!
Photo : Rev Dr David Pitman presents his report to the 26th Synod
