News in Pandemic Times
What's been happening during 2021?
The worldwide pandemic continues and so does frequent on-off contingencies and work-arounds due to the occasional COVID Lockdowns and the continuous and ongoing Restrictions. So the status report below continues to be valid and the ministry situation is included in the Cluster webpages.
What's been happening during 2020?
Timing of the pandemic could not have been more inconvenient for us and our neighbouring congregations. By timing coincidence, we all incurred a loss of ministry leaders at the end of 2019 and therefore pandemic impacts has made required mission reviews then recruitment processes of new ministers extremely difficult.
However, using workarounds such as countless emails and virtual meetings, the three congregations affected, Mountview; Forest Hill; and Blackburn North/Nunawading, have worked collaboratively and together with the Presbytery of Yarra Yarra, continued to move forward and work to resolve such matters as timely as possible.
None of the congregations can sustainably afford full time ministry on their own, plus view their individual stand-alone survival more unlikely as time passes. Therefore significant efforts have been made to bring the three congregations together towards becoming a single new (combined) congregation. As this cannot formally happen during pandemic restrictions, the Presbytery have formally recognised a formal request (MOU) from all three congregations to form a cluster - the 'Whitehorse Cluster' (Effective from late December 2020).
The creation of this new collaborative structure permits the cluster to call a new ministry team in 2021 and is a very positive step towards promoting the vision for a combined congregation in a couple of years time.
The cluster, managed by a new Regional Council, will be able to appoint full time and part time ministry agents, with the costs equally shared and resulting in longer financial sustainably for all three congregations.
Although suffering ongoing significant delays, the redevelopment of the adjacent Mountview House site is continuing and it's hoped the new emergency accommodation facility may house tenants by mid-2021.
Other business of the congregation will continue to be overseen by Church Council or else held in abeyance until congregational meetings are permitted, practical and desirable from a keeping safe health perspective.
However, using workarounds such as countless emails and virtual meetings, the three congregations affected, Mountview; Forest Hill; and Blackburn North/Nunawading, have worked collaboratively and together with the Presbytery of Yarra Yarra, continued to move forward and work to resolve such matters as timely as possible.
None of the congregations can sustainably afford full time ministry on their own, plus view their individual stand-alone survival more unlikely as time passes. Therefore significant efforts have been made to bring the three congregations together towards becoming a single new (combined) congregation. As this cannot formally happen during pandemic restrictions, the Presbytery have formally recognised a formal request (MOU) from all three congregations to form a cluster - the 'Whitehorse Cluster' (Effective from late December 2020).
The creation of this new collaborative structure permits the cluster to call a new ministry team in 2021 and is a very positive step towards promoting the vision for a combined congregation in a couple of years time.
The cluster, managed by a new Regional Council, will be able to appoint full time and part time ministry agents, with the costs equally shared and resulting in longer financial sustainably for all three congregations.
Although suffering ongoing significant delays, the redevelopment of the adjacent Mountview House site is continuing and it's hoped the new emergency accommodation facility may house tenants by mid-2021.
Other business of the congregation will continue to be overseen by Church Council or else held in abeyance until congregational meetings are permitted, practical and desirable from a keeping safe health perspective.
Our COVID-19 Pandemic work-around
Congregational meetings are unable to be held due to the pandemic lockdowns, per government restrictions and or health advices, or UCA guidances relating to the priority being for the safety of all members.
Virtual congregational meetings are also unable to be held due to the UCA Regulations for such events and other significant practicalities, like not all our members have internet access and or any type of smart device.
However, the Church Council Executive moved quickly to establish an alternative approach to managing such needs of members, by formally co-opting both of the congregational office bearers (i.e. chairperson and secretary) to the Church Council's Executive and to the full Council dependent upon their availability.
This means a direct congregational voice has continued to be part of all Church Council deliberations.
FYI - All our councillors have internet and smart devices and are fully participating in virtual meetings.
Virtual congregational meetings are also unable to be held due to the UCA Regulations for such events and other significant practicalities, like not all our members have internet access and or any type of smart device.
However, the Church Council Executive moved quickly to establish an alternative approach to managing such needs of members, by formally co-opting both of the congregational office bearers (i.e. chairperson and secretary) to the Church Council's Executive and to the full Council dependent upon their availability.
This means a direct congregational voice has continued to be part of all Church Council deliberations.
FYI - All our councillors have internet and smart devices and are fully participating in virtual meetings.