Templestowe Uniting Church

Mission Statement

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Our mission is:

To be the people of God at Templestowe in fellowship with other Christians.

To fulfil our mission, as we seek to be led by the Spirit of God, we will prayerfully commit ourselves to:

• worship God,
• grow together in faith and love,
• learn the way of Christ,
• serve Christ and make him known in the community.

As a congregation within which each member will have their own calling, we will:-

Worship God in Spirit and in truth, in a variety of forms which allow full participation by people of all ages and different interests by offering both traditional and contemporary forms of worship with

• an emphasis on biblical teaching and its relevance to life today
• faithful celebration of the sacraments
• celebration of our gifts in creation
• a strong sense of community and pastoral care
• lay participation in leading worship
• co-ordination of themes in worship and Sunday School
• all-age "family" type and other special services
• celebration of our gifts in creation
• increasing use of contemporary music
• regular evening as well as morning services
• experimental use of alternative times for worship
• sharing in worship with Christians of other traditions

Grow together in faith and love by encouraging:

• small group meetings in homes
• Bible study and prayer groups
• witness to personal faith during worship services
• spiritual retreats
• members to take risks in faith
• training and co-ordination of visiting by elders and parish visitors
• support for the minister in pastoral visiting
• practical support for members in special need
• members to offer diverse gifts and creative talents
• participation in the life of the wider church
• ecumenical activities

Learn the way of Christ, growing in understanding and commitment to the Christian faith, by establishing a strategy which emphasises continuing growth and renewal in which we support:

the redevelopment of Sunday School including

• recruitment of more teachers and occasional helpers
• personal encouragement of children and parents
• follow up of baptised children
• encouraging children's participation in worship

new initiatives in youth and children work through

• employment of a youth or family worker, part time or in co-operation with neighbouring parishes
• encouragement and assistance to a local youth leadership task group

new opportunities for adults to learn, such as

• the small group activities mentioned above
• classes in Old and New Testament studies
• occasional discussion of themes in groups after the morning service

Serve Christ and make him known in the community through service and discipleship by

taking aspects of church life to the Templestowe community by encouraging such activities as

• open groups like KUCA, and junior youth group
• fellowship groups
• worship in local community settings including outdoor services
• appropriate use of local media and promotional literature
• involvement in community activities like drama, senior citizens and the Templestowe Festival

offering educational programs and activity groups of interest to the local community by

• participating in Christian religious education in schools
• co-operating with the play group on topics such as parenting
• setting up or encouraging interest groups in arts and crafts
• offering adult education classes in topics of common interest
• calling public meetings with interesting speakers on current issues
• offering worship and pastoral care in nursing homes etc
• helping people to witness in their work

establishing a social action group to co-ordinate study and active witness through

• local small groups with specific projects
• maintaining liaison with the Synod Commission for mission
• finding ways to tackle local needs like youth homelessness

developing new and more effective means of communication such as

• use of the local press
• liaison with local government and community organisations
• our Web page page

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