Our AGM on Tuesday September 9th marked the 100th day of our 100 day countdown to the launch of Spirited Generosity. This is the beginning of a new phase in the life of Burnside City Uniting Church. A big thankyou to the 95 members of our congregation who attended this meeting and participated in the decision making process. Peter Morris was elected as our Chairperson of Congregation and Jocelyn Nicholson as our Secretary of Congregation. We thank them for stepping into these roles to serve God here. The new Church Council was elected. Sarah Jennings, Di Croft & Fay Genuth are our continuing Elders for another two years of their terms and did not need to be re-elected. They will be joined on the new council by Keith Maynard, Valerie Aloa and Angus Paton who have been serving on Church Council and have been re-elected for another 3 year term. Julie-Anne Bingham, Gillian Cibich, Chris Lake, Gaynor Strapp and Michael Dring have each been elected to the BCUC council for the first time to serve 3 year terms. They will be commissioned on Sunday September 21st and begin their terms at the next Church Council meeting on October 14th. At this point Russell Thomson, Rex King, Colette Williams and Andrew Pruszinski have finished their terms. I ask you to join me in thanking them for their faithful service. Praise God for their time and gifts freely given in this way. Please uphold those who are finishing their terms and those who are beginning their terms in your regular prayers. Thank you also to our Nomination Team of Rex King, Colette Williams & Peter Wright for their work on this process. … Continue reading →

The Nomination Committee is pleased to be able to present to the Congregation information about nine people who have responded to the call to accept nomination for election to serve as Elders on Church Council. Four are seeking re-election having completed their terms, and five are new nominations. (An additional three members have not yet completed their three-year terms.) We thank God for their gifts and talents and their offering to serve in this very important role. When considering nominees, the Committee asks that you take the following points into consideration: Our Church Council is a visionary council and is called by God to guide us as a faith community. We look to them to use their spiritual gifts as they lead us in ministry and mission. Each year we look to refresh the council with new members. These nominees are standing for a three-year term. The nine nominees offer a diversity of gifts and talents. The Church Council is made up of eleven lay members as well as Matthew and Linda. With three current Church Councillors already appointed, this means there are nine nominations for the eight lay vacancies and an election will take place at the AGM (7pm on Tuesday, 9th September). Uniting Church regulations, state that to be elected, a person must have the general support of the Congregation indicated by receiving votes from at least 50 per cent of those voting. Changes in the Church Council’s role following on from Carolyn Kitto’s recommendations The Church Council will be recommending a new structure to the AGM which will mean that in alternative months the Church Council will meet as a Mission Council. The Mission Council will be formed by augmenting the Church Council with the convenors of the four mission action areas and the four support areas. Council members will be called upon to serve on one of the mission action/support groups. The aim of these changes is to focus more sharply on the mission outreach of the church. The Nomination Committee, Rex King, Peter Wright, Colette Williams … Continue reading →

More than 650 people have been killed and thousands injured. 145,000 have been forced to flee their homes and more than 1.2 million people have been affected by the destruction of electricity ,water, and waste water infrastructures. Please help us send emergency funds to provide medical care and trauma support by making a generous gift either today or next Sunday. This is an ACT for PEACE appeal ( NCCA), and your donation will be used in the most urgent situation at the time of receipt. Gwen Mackenzie for the Mission s Task Group. … Continue reading →

“Imagining Hope” Small Group Studies begin on Sunday 17th August. This short, 3 week series, is an integral part of our Spirited Generosity program, and we encourage everyone in our church to take part in these 3 studies. If you are already a member of a small group, then you can take part in the “Imagining Hope” studies via your small group. If you are not a member of a group, we encourage you to sign up for one of the groups specifically being set up for 3 weeks for studying the “Imagining Hope” series. Please sign up tody to be part of an “Imagining Hope” small group! Watch this space for more information every week, or you can check out our website or talk to the members of our facilitation team (Matthew, Linda, Valerie Aloa, Andrew Pruszinski, Christine You). Learn more and become part of Spirited Generosity at BCUC! … Continue reading →

During the second half of August, we will be running a short, 3 week series of small group studies called “Imagining Hope”. This is an integral part of our Spirited Generosity program, and we encourage everyone in our church to take part in these 3 studies. If you are already a member of a small group, then you can take part in the “Imagining Hope” studies via your small group. If you are not a member of a group, we encourage you to sign up for one of the groups specifically being set up for 3 weeks for studying the “Imagining Hope” series. Please check your diary and be ready to sign up next week to be a part of a new “Imagining Hope” small group! Watch this space for more information every week, or you can check out our website or talk to the members of our facilitation team (Matthew, Linda, Valerie Aloa, Andrew Pruszinski, Christine You). Learn more and become part of Spirited Generosity at BCUC! … Continue reading →