Synod Meeting Reflection

By Rev Felicity Amery

Posted Feb 16, 2021 in News

What a blessing it was to be able to meet face-to-face at the beautiful facilities of Adelaide West, Yarthu-Apinthi and the lovely lawns and gardens in between. I think our gathering for the annual meeting of Synod was a wonderful time of fellowship, worship, learning and discerning together. It has been a joy to receive many affirming emails and texts from people who attended, some for the first time and others who have been many times over the years.

These events do not happen without a huge amount of effort. People take leave, forego family time, travel significant distances, and squeeze preparation for other events in to enable us to be together. Staff spend many hours getting ready, preparing the space and managing the many details that need to come together.

• A huge thank you to Rev Sue Page and Evangeline McAllan for coordinating the Logistics Team. Their attention to detail, calm heads and the gift of some beautiful weather enabled us to be comfortable and COVID safe, and to enjoy the space and the many aspects of the event
• Thanks to Uniting Technologies and our own IT Team who enabled live-streaming, and very successful virtual meetings (including Session 1 on 30th January, the Celebration of Ministry Service and Session 2 on 7^th February)
• Thank you to the staff and friends of Adelaide West and Yarthu-Apinthi for your hospitality and gracious contributions of setting up and packing away.
• Thanks to CMLA for transforming worship and to Vicky Balabanski and Tanya Wittwer for the Bible Studies – amazing content which is now available to the whole church
• Thank you Bronte for your chairing and thanks to Tracey for her minute-taking and to the Engagement team for providing extensive communications on a daily basis, which enabled the wider church to stay informed
• Thanks to the Chaplains for the very special pastoral care they offered
• Thank you to the many people who prepared and presented reports, addressed proposals, raised issues, offered ideas and questions that will continue to nurture and grow the church during 2021 and beyond
• And thank you to all those whom I have forgotten to mention.

Thanks also to you for your on-going prayers, support and encouragement for the Secretariat, for the Executive Officers and for me. I am very much looking forward to your invitations and the opportunities there will be to visit, share stories of life and witness and explore how we might more effectively respond to God’s call on the church this year.

In the coming weeks, New Times and our social media platforms will bring the highlights of the Synod Meeting to you all, minutes will be finalised and reports and proposals made available to the wider church. Please encourage someone who went, to share with you some of their highlights. Be encouraged to read the material that will come from the decisions made. Continue to pray for the Synod, all of us collectively together working to transform and grow the church, supporting and resourcing congregations, presbyteries, individuals, councils, boards and committees.

Through the Synod Standing Committee we look forward to working with you all as we:

• Embrace the new Shaping our Future-Strategic Priorities
• Understand the significant implications of the Property Review Report: God’s Church and its Buildings – Are they Fit for Mission?.
• Engage more intentionally with our organisations and schools
• Increase the capacity of the Synod and Presbyteries to address challenging and inappropriate behaviour
• Support the work of the Mission Leadership Development Board, the UCLT and Mission Resourcing staff and volunteers who will support the mission of the church through education, training and the provision of workshops and other special events
• Find ways to support the activities of the wider church
• Be intentional in our support for congregations whose primary task is to bring people to faith in Jesus, to nurture people in their faith journey and to advocate for and respond to the needs of the marginalised in our world.

Blessings to everyone as you process and embrace the outcomes of the meeting.

Again, thank you and may you continue to know the transforming presence and grace of God in Christ.

Rev Felicity Amery
General Secretary

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