The Village Uniting Church Mount Eliza 2018 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Transcription

1 The Village Uniting Church Mount Eliza 2018 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

2 AGENDA FOR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING SUNDAY 18 MARCH WELCOME 2. APOLOGIES 3. MINUTES OF 2017 AGM 4. ELECTIONS Congregational Chair and Secretary Church Council members Presbytery representatives 5. CHURCH COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON S REPORT 6. MINISTER S REPORT 7. REPORTS FROM TEAMS AND GROUPS 8. TREASURER S REPORT Receipt of Financial statements for the 2017 year Approval of the Financial Budget for ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENDOWMENT FUND 10. OTHER BUSINESS

3 MINUTES OF ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING OF THE VILLAGE CHURCH MT. ELIZA HELD SUNDAY, 12 MARCH 2017 at AM. Due to the absence of the Congregational Chair, Keith Davies, Kaye de Wijn (Council Chair) presided over the meeting. WELCOME: After acknowledging the Boonerwrung people as the original people of the land on which we meet, Kaye welcomed all to the meeting, PRESENT: 54 members of the Congregation. APOLOGIES: Jenny Maclachlan, Gwen Branson, Margaret & Gordon Barrow, Keith & Mardi Davies, Ken Sleep. MINUTES OF 2016 AGM: These could not be accepted as one page was missing. Rev Robert Johnson recommended that the Minutes be sent to Church Council for acceptance. Congregation approved this and the secretary will follow up. ELECTIONS: Kaye thanked those who have accepted nomination this year and called for volunteers to distribute the voting papers and to act as scrutinizers. Glen & John Godber volunteered. Whilst votes were being counted, Kaye expressed: Thanks to Rev Cameron McAdam for his vibrant ministry and enthusiasm for the growth of our church. He has been responsible for many new innovations and programs, including the Youth Engagement Program and strengthening ties with the local community. Of special note is the approval for funding for a Chaplain at the Mount Eliza Secondary College. We look forward to an exciting 2017 with Cam as our minister. Thanks to: The Church Council for all their work over the past year. It has been a very busy year with many projects to consider and act upon - particularly the Manse upgrade. Lisa Cannon for her skills and dedication to the administration of the office. Barbara Mort for the way she keeps the buildings looking clean and fresh in her role as cleaner. those who turn up for Working Bees and those who mow the lawns and water the gardens. The Choir and musicians for their musical contributions to the morning service each week and for the special Cantata presentation at Christmas. Special thanks to Margaret Brown for her leadership of the choir over the past year. - and all those people whose names appear each week on the rosters to help with the

4 various tasks required to make our Sundays run smoothly. RESULTS OF VOTING: By written secret ballot, the following people were elected by a majority: Congregational Chairman Keith Davies Congregational Secretary (No nomination received) As no election for the role of Congregational Secretary took place, Margaret Ferguson agreed to complete the Minutes of the meeting and prepare them for Council s records. Congregational Representatives to Council: Marilyn Mason, Dennis Mason, Margaret Arnott, David Arnott, Mark Driver, Mohan Jacob. 6 vacancies are now filled making a total of 11 Representatives plus our Minister, Cam. Representatives to Presbytery: No nominations received. Rev Robert Johnson spoke from the floor to encourage people to take on this role as it is a vital part of the liaison between our church and the Presbytery. Transport to the bimonthly meetings can always be arranged. Kaye congratulated those who have been elected and acknowledged those who are retiring from Church Council Margaret Ferguson, David Brown - and Ralph Harland, who resigned from Council in August All were thanked for their time of service to the Council and to the Congregation. A round of applause followed. ANNUAL REPORTS All reports, including the Treasurer s report, were handed to the congregation one week prior to the meeting. As there were no questions regarding the reports, Kaye called for all those in favour of the reports being accepted. This was indicated by a majority show of hands. FINANCE: Kaye called on the Treasurer, Marilyn Mason, to come forward to address her report to the meeting. A power point presentation showing financial graphs and balance sheets was shown. Marilyn confirmed that the books have been audited by Spencer Meier and found to be in order. There were no questions in relation to the Finance Report. The Budget for 2017 was highlighted and, as there were no questions raised, the Budget was accepted by a majority show of hands. GENERAL BUSINESS: Nil. There being no further business or questions - The meeting closed at am.

5 CHURCH COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON S REPORT Village Uniting Church Council Report 2017 Our Overarching Vision: Following Jesus and walking together, the Village Church aspires to live God s unconditional love. We live Christian faith with integrity and meaning and, with a servant heart, we offer a place of welcome, care, inclusion and healing. Mission: We will live out our vision by: 1. Following Jesus who lived with integrity, honesty and justice. 2. Building community both within and beyond the church. 3. Nurturing a questioning and living spirituality. 4. Fostering an inclusive and welcoming spirit. 5. Offering abundant care and compassion. In last year s council report I noted and expressed the Council s gratitude for the vibrant activity within our Church life. This has continued this year as the reports of our church groups show. Council is again grateful for the time and effort of so many people in maintaining these important facets of life at the Village Church and the contribution they make to implementing our Vision and Mission statement. Council met on eight occasions during the year - and we appreciate the time away from home and family, at sometimes inconvenient times, that this necessitated for some already busy people. Much of the work of Council is centered on the day to day to running of this busy church along with its finances, administration and upkeep. However, there were also bigger picture items and some of these may not always so visible but are nevertheless most important. Matters such as these included: adoption of our Vision and Mission statement which appears at the start of this report. Seeing how our activities sit with this statement gives depth and meaning to them in addition to the joy and fellowship that such activities can provide. Our value and relevance will be enhanced both to us and the wider community. Our software package PC13. Making safe information storage and good communication with all folk across our many groups better and easier Church Safe policies - ensuring we are a safe place, meeting community expectations as well as legislative requirements Chaplaincy at MESC - a gift to us when asked by the school; Jess Lowe our young chaplain has fitted in so well

6 Discussion as to the implementation of an endowment fund New programs this year were: Kids Hope - a program of outreach by us to Kunyung Primary School Sunday nights at the Village - a more informal worship opportunity In addition, our church community this year has enjoyed: an engaging time with Matt Cutler and his messages about the Beatitudes during Cam s absence on long service leave a seamless choir leadership transition - thanks Max Drummy a fun Curry Night with surprise entertainment May our activities continue to be life giving. Kaye de Wijn Council Chair February 2018

7 MINISTER S REPORT 2017 was another year of growth, a vital and active year in the life of the Village Church. We set in place some building blocks for the future, established a new Sunday night community, and have identified some areas that need work in Thanks At the outset of my 2017 report I would like to offer my thanks to the leadership of our church, the Church Council led by Kaye, Ken and Marilyn, and including Doug, Dennis, David, Margaret, Mark, Mohan, Barb and Deb; our Church Teams, the convenors and members; our amazing staff, Lisa, Barb, Jake, with whom I work in team; our school chaplain, Jess; Rev s Matt Cutler, Robert Johnson and Ian Johnston for covering my extended leave; convenors and facilitators of various groups; everyone who takes part on our Sunday rosters we can t have church without you; those who come and work at working bees or in other ways throughout the week, and finally, all of you who share in the ministry of our active church with compassion, humility and energy. I am humbled by the contribution of so many, the commitment, sense of love for the church and its people and the care I see in so many. Thank you. Vision/Mission Of significance in 2017 is that we finalised our vision and mission, began to work with it and let it infuse our church life, and the Church Council has now developed a working strategy to work with in 2018 and beyond. The vision and mission read: Our Overarching Vision: Following Jesus and walking together, the Village Church aspires to live God s unconditional love. We live Christian faith with integrity and meaning and with a servant heart, we offer a place of welcome, care, inclusion and healing. Mission: We will live out our vision by: 1. Following Jesus who lived with integrity, honesty and justice. 2. Building community both within and beyond the church. 3. Nurturing a questioning and living spirituality. 4. Fostering an inclusive and welcoming spirit. 5. Offering abundant care and compassion. Church Teams To support the Church Council in their work, and as you can see from the pages of the report, Church Teams were established in of those teams, the Business & Finance Team, the Asset Management Team, and the Outreach Team have all worked effectively and achieved wonderful outcomes. The Wellbeing Team and Worship Team have not operated effectively, and some further development of our team structure will need to take place in 2018.

8 Reaching Beyond I am really pleased that as a church community we continue to reach beyond ourselves, always mindful that the church s role is about bringing life, being salt and light in the wider world. To this end, we have grown our schools ministry, strengthened our relationship with Fusion, offered support through a number of projects, the blessing bags, Christmas Bowl, Mornington Food Bank, and all our church groups and activities have a strong missional mindset. I love that our Sunday community welcomes new people so regularly, and that you engage people you haven t met, welcome and include them, and quite often introduce them to me at the door. Pastoral 2017 began with a very challenging period of baptism, wedding and funerals, and across 2017 we said goodbye to several much-loved church members - all part of the life cycle of a vital church community, but nevertheless, always difficult. Most of my pastoral work is with moments of crisis and with people on the edge of the church community. The Wellbeing Team, set up to support the pastoral and educational needs of the church did not operate effectively over 2018, and as the church community grows, we realise that pastoral care is an area we need to adapt and find ways of adequately caring for our community. As the size of the church community grows, my role as minister changes, as we move from a pastoral sized community, to a more programbased community. In our growing church it is challenging to know everyone and meet all the various needs. This is an area on the agenda for Worship Whilst I think the church is made up of all it does, that every group and activity is the church, I do think the heart and rhythm of the church is its worshipping life, and we are blessed by the richness of our worshipping life. We now average well over 100 every Sunday morning. Music is significant to Sunday mornings, and I want to acknowledge our pianists, Bev, Elaine, Margaret and Roger for their faith-filled playing, dedication and preparation, and the choir for their continued preparation and leadership. Margaret offered tremendous leadership, developing and growing the choir, and I am grateful to Max, who now leads with energy and enthusiasm. Our worship included several key periods across 2017 including, a series on Spiritual Practices, a series on our new vision and mission, a very highly regarded series on the Beatitudes by Rev Matt Cutler across my long service leave, a blessing of the backpacks, a moving remembrance service, a number of baptisms, weddings and funerals, and all the high Christian festivals. Sunday Nights at the Village In 2017 we established a new worshipping community, Sunday Nights at the Village, primarily aimed at young adults who are seekers, doubters and questioners. This new faith community meets fortnightly and shares a collective wisdom as we draw out our questions and thoughts. This is still a fledgling community and we are trying to grow this group organically, but it has developed a core group of about 10, with others regularly attending.

9 Wider Work As a minister in the Uniting Church, and as I vow in my induction into a congregation, I am required to offer a portion of my time to the wider church. In 2017 I began some leadership in our Presbytery (region) as the Deputy Chair. We have set out on a muchneeded vision and cultural change process as we discern a way forward for this region, what staff we require in the future and how we might best initiate and support new expressions of church. This leadership role takes considerable time and energy, and I m grateful to be ministering in such a stable church that is willing and able to provide this ministry. MESC Chaplaincy Early in 2017 we had conversations with Mt Eliza Secondary College (MESC) about helping them source a school chaplain. MESC had unexpectedly received 2 years of chaplaincy government funding, and after establishing a relationship with the school, and through the work Jake Doleschal had done they were keen to work with us. We were able to sign contracts with the Department of Education and the Village Church became a chaplaincy provider. We subsequently found Jess Lowe who fills this role. Conclusion Please enjoy reading the various aspects of our church s life through the pages of this report. It is a dynamic organisation, our facilities are always used by us or others, a growing and vital community, within a wider Mt Eliza community. I have heard our church referred to as a hub in the community. We have much work to do, but may we also pause and appreciate and be grateful that God has called us together to share in this ministry and life as a community of faith, followers of Jesus Christ. Grace and peace, Rev Cameron McAdam

10 REPORTS FROM TEAMS AND GROUPS ASSET MANAGEMENT TEAM Asset Management is an enabling activity that supports the Vision and Mission of the church indirectly. The Asset Management Team (AMT) has responsibility for the maintenance and development of Church buildings, church grounds and the manse. This is achieved through a forward planning document, a modest church budget of $27,000, voluntary effort of well in excess of 500 hours, donations of materials, scheduled working bees and a mowing roster. In 2017, the major achievements were restoration of the fascia, replacement of two failed air conditioners, augmented air conditioner capacity in the foyer, tree safety works, purpose-built storage and replacement of vacuum cleaners. Safety is an ongoing concern and the AMT has adopted a continuous improvement strategy. With the intensity of use of the property, there is a continuous effort on cleaning, tidying, minor maintenance and repairs. The steam cleaning of carpets and provision of soft fall is a significant annual expense. The AMT uses a risk management strategy to contain expenditure within the allocated budget, as failures can be unpredictable. The AMT has the challenge of managing the restoration of ongoing deterioration of the buildings within the resources available. In the near future, provision for repair and painting of the church buildings, addressing the heat load in the church, replacing worn carpets, and replacing several glass bricks will be needed. As power costs rise, it may be prudent to consider installing solar panels as use of the facilities is predominantly during daylight hours. Asset Management Team: David Arnott, Ralph Harland, Mohan Jacob, Dennis Mason, Cameron McAdam, Anthony McCabe, Ken Sleep, Doug Thring. BUSINESS AND FINANCE TEAM The Business & Finance team (B&F team) members are David Brown, Kaye DeWijn, Marilyn Mason, Cameron McAdam, Ken Sleep (Chair) and Barb Wilson. We expect Sally Mullins will join the team in due course. As with the other teams, the B&F team has no executive authority, making recommendations where appropriate to Church Council. The team met 6 times in 2017, usually in the months between Council meetings. The team worked with the Treasurer in preparing and then reviewing and nuancing the draft financial budget before recommending it to Council and the congregation. Matters covered at each meeting included a review of revenue and expenditure reports and analysis, and recommendations for action where necessary regarding any items or amounts out of the ordinary compared to budget. In particular, major revenue items such as members giving, Playgroup fees and room hire, and major expenditure items such as salaries and maintenance, regularly receive close attention.

11 The team considered and recommended changes to administrative procedures where warranted, is overseeing the implementation of the PC13 database software, reviews and makes recommendations for new and replacement office equipment and systems as needed, and generally maintains oversight of office administration and systems. Ken Sleep February OUTREACH TEAM The Outreach Team includes many groups who operate under the umbrella of the OT and reports from the following will be presented separately: Youth Engagement & Outreach, Playgroup and KUCA, as well as the Knitting, Friendship, Craft and Art groups. There is a report directly below on the other Outreach groups Chomp & Chatter, Kids Hope Aus, Social Justice Network, Fairtrade and Mt Eliza InterChurch Council. All the groups have a strong focus on the Vision and five Mission Statements of our church. In particular, they are Building community both within and beyond the church and Fostering an inclusive and welcoming spirit with local families, youth and across all ages in our community. Chomp & Chatter it was a great year of fun, friendship and preparing delicious meals for the congregation as each team in Autumn, Winter and Spring came together to offer this wonderful, welcoming hospitality. Creative table decorations set the scene and there were regularly about 60 chomp and chatterers! The Christmas event, at 5pm on a Saturday, was a highlight, with games, entertainment and everyone contributing to the meal. Kids Hope Aus Offering abundant care and compassion, the mentoring program with Kunyung Primary School began in Term 2 with 7 mentors and was warmly welcomed by the school and staff. The mentors were considered part of the Kunyung family and our photo was requested for the weekly newsletter! Each mentor s Prayer Partner from the congregation prays for their partner s relationship with the student and a photo of this larger group was featured in an edition of Presbytery s Newsbeat. KHA supports the mentors with website material, workshops and inspiring mentor s stories which we ve displayed at church. One of our own mentors shared her story with the congregation one Sunday, and the reasons why she s so passionate about the whole program. Social Justice Network Following Jesus who lived with integrity, honesty and justice this group meets monthly in Mornington and during the year they used resources from the Synod Unit, JIM (Justice & International Mission Unit), to provide a current and authoritative background to the issues the SJN investigate and support. Highlights included a discussion on the increasing use of social media to coordinate action and the emergence of groups such as Love Makes a Way; a talk on the work of the Salvos patrolling in Mornington on a Saturday night, when people are in Main Street, and the problem of alcohol and drug abuse; promotion of the Annual Mornington Peninsula Human Rights Oration with speaker Peter Aldenhoven, Indigenous rights advocate, educator, and President of the Aboriginal Association at Willum Warrain in Hastings.

12 Fairtrade Support of organisations like Tradewinds is another example of our church s commitment to walking in the way of Jesus. We have used and enjoyed their tea and coffee for over 20 years and once again in 2017 we raised awareness and funds at a trade table where we included a range of other fairly traded products. Mt Eliza InterChurch Council brings together The Village Church, St Thomas More s Catholic Parish and the Anglican Parish from St James the Less. In December we shared in an Advent Prayer Service, worked together on the Christmas Bowl Appeal in Mt Eliza village (where we raised $ ) and combined for the annual Carols on the Green. The ICC founded Mt Eliza Churches Community Services (MECCS) in 1995 and since then a group of volunteers have offered care and support to the local community by providing transport on a short-term basis. This service is still greatly appreciated and MECCS hopes more volunteer drivers will join the team to ensure it will continue. Outreach Team: Noel Baxter, Glen Godber, Helen Luke, Sonia Hartley, Gordon & Margaret Barrow, Sue Mills, Val Chamberlain, Cam McAdam, David Arnott, Ian McInnes, Margaret Arnott (Convenor).

13 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT & OUTREACH 1. Following Jesus who lived with integrity, honesty and justice. *The engaged program launched in 2017, meeting each week of the school term discovering how to be agents of change in our local community. We delved into topics such as homelessness, environmental justice, Indigenous reconciliation, refugees and asylum seekers, violence, and other faiths. Below is a photo of a local bush tucker walk with Lyonel Lauch where participants learned about how Aboriginal people connected with land and how to nurture our common home. *The Pilgrimage to Uluru happened once again in 2017, connecting with Aboriginal communities, learning about issues of justice and reconciliation, and discovering our own culture and identity. Young people from school s programs (Mornington, Mt Eliza), The Village Youth, and the community joined us for our 10 day Pilgrimage. *Pilgrimage of Origin: In the second half of 2017 we launched our first Pilgrimage of Origin, taking a bus load of young people to experience hospitality and story of some of our nation s newest Australians. Through imaginative simulations, documentaries, and personal stories from friends who have sought refuge in Australia, our young people expanded their worldviews and engaged in advocacy for those seeking refuge in Australia. A significant experience was with one of our local young people whose family has a deeply entrenched racist worldview. Observing his changing world view throughout the first few days was incredible, with the tipping point being a dinner conversation he had with Abdi, a Somalian refugee who fled during conflict.

14 2. Building community both within and beyond the church. *Friday night youth continued to develop throughout 2017, with a number of young people from Peninsula, Mt Eliza, Padua, and other local high schools attending. Several of the Village Youth participated in further community events through Fusion Daytrips, held roughly every two months with other local young people. *Around 50 young people attended SMASH camp over the September holidays, this included young people from arrange of local churches and schools (including 4 from the Village Youth). Cam joined the team as Pastoral support. This was a great opportunity to connect young people from across church communities into a broader community of young people centered around fun, new activities, a safe and positive environment, and teamwork. Image below of the obstacle course we completed on our last day of camp. 4. Fostering an inclusive and welcoming spirit. *Throughout the year at the Village Youth Group, we heard numerous times from parents that their child doesn t easily fit into school, or other social programs, and that youth group was one of the only places their child feels safe and included. I m reminded of one particular young person who experiences a number of medical issues. He is unable to attend school very frequently and has struggled to feel that he belongs in other communities and yet, he attends youth group almost every single week. 5. Offering abundant care and compassion. *We invited young people, and the community to raise awareness, funds, and care for homeless young people on the Peninsula through Sleep In Your Car. Image below of a creative meditation / reflection for young people on the Peninsula experiencing homelessness.

15 PLAYGROUP 1. Following Jesus who lived with integrity, honesty and justice. This we show by trying to live our lives as He did and leading by example and encouragement. 2. Building community both within and beyond the church We demonstrate this by: encouraging families to come into a safe and welcoming environment, showing them that our Church is not a scary place and that children are VERY welcome, helping new arrivals to make friends and to integrate into the local community, by using Fair Trade tea and coffee we all help people we will never meet, asking for helpers from the congregation at events so that playgroup families will know that they care about them. 4. Fostering an inclusive and welcoming spirit. This we show by: getting people to interact with people they normally wouldn t come into contact, greeting people at the door, helping people of all abilities to enjoy their time with us without feeling different. 5. Offering abundant care and compassion. This is such a strength of our playgroup ministry. We offer support in any way we can. Mums get the chance for adult conversation and a cup of tea. We are a safe place to talk through things with other mums who have been through similar problems. We make contact if they miss a couple of weeks to check if they are O.K. Importantly, we never judge, as we don t walk their path. We let any who are struggling know that the door is always open and that they can come to a different session if they re having a bad day. We also have two charity collections per year. One is the blessing bags and the other is often the sock collection as it is organised by a young person who attended our playgroup. The parents use the opportunities when purchasing the items to educate their children about people less fortunate than themselves. Barbara Mort KUCA With only 9 Village Church family children in KUCA in 2017, the group and its activities are an outreach program. 40 children were involved in Junior (Prep, Grade 1, Grade 2) and Senior (Grades 3-6) KUCA and came from 7 schools. Fellowship over afternoon tea and dinner are an important component, cementing relationships.

16 Worship is through the Children s World day of Prayer program, stories, songs and a prayer ball. Education is in the 3-week study of Bible characters in 2017, Daniel; country studies Philippines, Canada, Alaska; Science and Engineering activities; the Bible Society s Children s Project for Aboriginal Communities The children participate in Outreach Fundraising through support for: Bible Society Children s Project Market: $200; Sale of Cup Cakes on Pet Blessing Day for the RSPCA: $100; Packing School bags for the UCA Backpack Project; Cake sales for funds to shop at the UCA Christmas Tree at Target: $400. Of course, there s plenty of fun with a Pool Party, Mini Golf, a drama at the Frankston Arts Centre, games, crafts and sports. Ann Connan

17 KNITTING GROUP All are welcome to our very friendly knitting group. We have friends both within the church, the Mt Eliza community and beyond. We also have outreach knitters and some of these have developed small groups in their own communities. Outreach knitters come from Frankston, Somerville, Tyabb, Mornington, Skye and beyond. Some we have not even met. Knitting and crocheting provide relaxation and gathering together provides fun and friendship. A shared afternoon tea also gives us a very important chance to chat, provide support, solve the world s problems and of course laugh. Friendships made in the group have extended into the wider community. We knit or crochet squares, sew up squares, teddy bears or garments. We knit for ourselves or to give away. If you are sorting cupboards and have wool which needs to be re-housed we would gladly welcome it. Knitters are also encouraged to knit their own projects for family or friends or for charity and of course there are always the 20cm squares which are made into blankets a good project to keep fingers nimble and to do while watching television. Our aim for the future is to offer friendship and support and knit, crochet or sew up and most importantly, enjoy.

18 From January to December this last year we have distributed to: K.O.G.O. (who have an excellent website). K.O.G.O. distributes to at least 250 community partner organisations. These agencies deal with a myriad of people undergoing hardship, such as those who are homeless, refugees, children at risk, remote indigenous communities, women in refuges, and struggling families Our church winter knitting program knitted 84 beanies and 34 scarves. We have sent jumpers, hats, scarves, gloves, including 28 blankets. St. Vincent's de Paul - 17 blankets The squares are knitted by Saint Macartins Mornington and members of U3A given to us where members of our group sew them together and they are then given to St Vincent de Paul for distribution. Fusion - 26 blankets Peninsula Health - 51 bears These are knitted by a sight impaired lady in her nineties from Tyabb. We have yet to meet her but hope to do so soon. Peninsula Health 41blankets to Prem-baby unit. Frankston Women's Unit 1 blanket Blankets - Total 71. Well done knitters of squares. New members are always welcome - knitters, crocheters and sewers up If you would just like to chat or make the afternoon tea, we would also love to see you. Man learned long ago that two sticks rubbed together, can create a spark. It took a little longer to realize that if you attach a string you can create a whole lot more. Glen Godber/ Noel Baxter FRIENDSHIP GROUP We have enjoyed an interesting and varied program of speakers and entertainers throughout the year Friends, family and members of the community have been invited to join with us, making the meetings more of an open forum. During the year members have supported our Church family activities such as Sammy Stamp, Knitting, Blessing bags and the Mornington Centre. We are also very pleased to be able to make donations to the charities as seen in the financial report below. We look forward to another year of the Friendship group, sharing a time of fellowship and friendship together in Ronda Jenkins

19 FRIENDSHIP GROUP FINANCIAL REPORT YEAR ENDING 31st DECEMBER 2017 Balance Brought Forward January 2017 $ (Office a/c) (Cash on hand) Incoming Donations from meetings 2017 $ $ Expenditure Gifts & Expenses: $ Donations: Fusion Berry Street Frontier Services Royal Flying Doctor Morning Support Centre $ $ Balance $ Balance Carried Forward to 2018: $ ($70 in office A/c + $35.25 Cash on hand.) Margaret Ferguson CRAFT GROUP We continued to make Blessing Bags for families in need. This year once again they were handed out to playgroup, mini maestros and the congregation to be filled with toiletries etc. for people in crisis in our own area. The bags were blessed on the first Sunday in December and delivered to Moms and Bubs for distribution. The Moms and Bubs group have adopted our idea of bags to distribute the toiletries, instead of in boxes, and put a request on WTF Mt Eliza for people to make the bags. Following a request on WTF Mt Eliza we made sheets for the Special Care Nursery at the Royal Woman s Hospital. In 2018, we have commenced making handkerchiefs for Ann Connan to distribute through Mission Liaison Group (MLG) in children s backpacks and nickers for dolls, also to be distributed through MLG. We will continue to make Blessings Bags for distribution late in We are a small group of 5 or 6 and would welcome new members. You don t have to be crafty as we can always find something for you to do. We meet the first Friday of the month in the Meeting Room.

20 ART GROUP The art group has commenced weekly meetings again for 2018, and we again anticipate an enjoyable year of friendship and shared interest in drawing and painting. The group has thirteen enrolled members and an average attendance of eight. Friendships within the group are mostly of long standing, and for some members date back many years through Norma s initiative in establishing the group in the 1980 s. I am grateful that Ron Spencer has agreed to assist in leadership again this year, tutoring on each last Friday of the month. (Ron brings skills in portraiture and pen and wash technique to the group. These skills together with his relaxed and friendly approach are greatly appreciated by all.) A feature of last year s activity was a mini-exhibition at St Marks, Mornington, as part of the annual market fair program. Although few pictures were sold, the exhibition created much interest. Members of the group continue to pay $15 per session, $10 of which goes to support the ministry of the church. Anyone wishing to try their hand at drawing or painting is welcome to come on any Friday at 1pm until 4pm. Ian Johnston DEGANI S FELLOWSHIP On the second Tuesday of the month we meet for coffee at Degani in Mt Eliza. We have somewhere between 12 and 20 attending so far and both male and female. It is a time of conversation and sharing. The group is not necessarily aimed at church members and happy to have neighbours and friends join us. It is very informal and there is lots of chatter and sharing.

21 KID S CHURCH Thank you to our teachers and helpers for your contribution to our children s program. Without your dedication and support we could not operate the program every Sunday for the children of The Village Church. The children attending Kids Church have said they like that the grown-ups take turns. They like this because we all do Kids Church a little differently. They recognise that we each bring different talents to the program. Some bring drama, craft or games, others story books or music. What a wonderful reflection! Thank you to the children who attend Kids Church. The Church values your participation. In the past 12 months it has been great to see this extend into the wider life of the church in ways that include you volunteering as communion helpers, welcomers, worship space decorators, workers at working bees, contributors to chomp and chatter etc Kids Church often focuses on how we follow Jesus and how we try to live out God s unconditional love in our everyday life. We nurture our spirituality, we ask lots of questions and get lots of amazing answers. It is wonderful to see such a strong community of children. To witness this support and celebration of each other is awesome. The kids do this in many ways. With a drawing, card or small gift; in a greeting; with a how was.? ; with a playdate; in sharing a biscuit; with a great, you re here - I ll come sit with you ; in a prayer; a hand being held as we go out to Kids Church and in noticing who is absent from Kids Church. CHOIR Having a Church Choir seems to be rare these days. The Village Uniting Church Mt Eliza is indeed blessed with so many people who are in some way interested in Music. To take on the task as Choir Director has been a challenge, but one which has been made easy by the enthusiasm and quality of its members. I take it as a distinct honour to be the leader of this group of dedicated musicians at the Village Uniting Church, Mt Eliza. From the outset of its reforming in October 2017 the choir went into full practice mode with the aim of singing a Christmas Cantata in December. This proved a major challenge but one which was enthusiastically received by the large audience at the Christmas 10am service gathering on Sunday 18 th December Without accompanists, managing a choir would be difficult, but at Mt Eliza we have three fine pianists Beverly Sleep, Elaine Johnston and Margaret Brown. I commend them for their involvement and willingness to support the choir in that capacity. They continually show their willingness to be involved. Their skill is amazing. During this new year -2018, we aim to present a choir piece each week at Morning Worship. Again, I commend the Choir members in endeavouring to honour this commitment. The choir members enjoy singing traditional and more contemporary

22 Sacred material with the aim of praising God and bringing a blessing to His people. We rehearse weekly each Thursday evening for 90 minutes. A sense of fellowship is engendered as all work together to learn, improve and hopefully, perfect each piece presented. It is an enriching, satisfying privilege to praise God in this way. Max Drummy Choir Director MEN S BREAKFAST Reflecting on our church vision and mission, the Men s breakfast group is engaged in building community both within and beyond the church through its welcoming each month of regular participants and friends, most of whom are now retired, and providing opportunity over a meal and refreshments to catch up on what each one has been doing since we last met. No lofty agendas the simple formula of sharing a tasty meal with friends and having a chat has proved to be a successful one which seems to be relevant to those who keep coming. From this informed base of friendship, care and compassion is offered when needed, and at times we touch on the deeper issues in our lives, in our community and the wider world. We have now been meeting monthly on a Friday for several years and the numbers regularly participating have been fairly stable, in the 6 to 14 range. The breakfast offers opportunity to welcome newcomers and allow them to get to know their peers in a relaxed and friendly environment. We intend to repeat the same format of monthly brekkys with no fixed agendas every last Friday of the month in We always welcome new faces. Ken Sleep (Convenor)

23 CHAPLAINCY MT ELIZA SECONDARY SCHOOL It s close to a year now that I ve been working at Mt Eliza Secondary School. It s been an incredible year! The main intention of my chaplaincy role was to have programs being run to meet the needs of the students already connecting in with welfare. However, from the outset, it was evident that my role was going to look a little different than originally planned! I ve been able to connect with a whole new group of students and had the privilege of walking along side most of them since I first started. In light of this, we have now decided to outsource the running our programs, so I can allocate most of my time to the students. A story that represents the type of work I ve been doing comes from two Year 12 girls, who both had incredibly rough lives. When I started, they were regularly seeing the social worker at the school to mediate fights they were having. As they became aware of me, they started to stay behind after their meeting with the social worker, to see who I was and what I was about. I learnt the girls had gone from being best friends and part of each other s family, to having the police involved in their arguments. Over time, they started to take in turns coming to have lunch with me. While they didn t want to come together, they managed to respect the fact they both wanted to get to know me and gave each other time. Both girls started to open up about what was going on in their lives. To be honest, sometimes I just wanted to sit there and cry with them. One day, one of the girls saw the other crying in my office. It was clear that she was a little annoyed because it was her turn to lunch with me. Instead of storming in and making a scene, she brought her a hot chocolate. This may seem simple, but for these girls it was the biggest and most significant act imaginable. After this, the girls started coming to meet me together - never really talking to each other, but just sitting together and having lunch. By the end of the year, I had about 6 girls from their class sitting and eating lunch with me. Very significantly, on graduation day they didn t leave each other s side! They now come and visit me about once a month together. It is amazing to see them walk in at the same time! This story best sums up the work I ve been doing. Thankfully, I m not doing it alone. I have a fantastic support team at the school. The social worker and I work together all the time, not only do we learn a lot from each other, but it means the students get the best possible outcome! Although that s a good news story, in the 10 months I ve worked at the school, there s been some hard moments too, including: hearing about family deaths and sitting with students as they mourn, having students run away from home and not knowing where they are, sitting on the phone to the police worrying about a student s safety and numerous reports to the department of Human Health and Services. It s not always easy, but the fact these young people trust me with what s going on in their life is a massive privilege and I m very grateful for it!

24 We re only a month into the term and already it s been hectic! At the end of last year, I was asked to run the VCAL camp (VCAL is an alternative to mainstream VCE year 11 and 12). The ask was to put a social justice aspect into the camp to get the students thinking about something bigger than themselves. On a limb, I presented Fusions Pilgrimage of Origin to them. This camp is designed to provide an insight into what the life of a refugee is like through people s stories, activities and group discussions. When I presented it to the school, they loved it! The camp with Fusion was approved and will run in partnership with Fusion in early March. I am very grateful for a fantastic first year working at Mt Eliza Secondary School - for the support of the school and the church. As of this year, I will also be supported by Scripture Union. I can t wait to see what the year brings! Jess Lowe February 2018

25 TREASURER S REPORT I have pleasure in presenting the Treasurer s Report for the year ending 31 st December The books have been audited by Mr. Spencer Meier and found to be in order. My report includes the Balance sheet as at 31 st December 2017 Income & Expenditure 2017 Actuals, 2017 Budget and 2018 Budget Balance Sheet The total current assets (bank account holdings and petty cash) was $74, The total equity after liabilities as at 31 st December 2017 was $40, Income Our total income for 2017 was $269, some $28,000 above budget. This was due to an increase in our Total Giving and School Chaplain allowance that at the time of budget for 2017 was unknown. While Cameron was on long service leave his wage was covered by Synod and we only paid for the visiting minister at an amount less than budgeted for the ministerial stipend. Giving can be made by direct electronic transfer to our UCA Fund account or by using the pledged envelope system. By using planned giving either by direct giving or envelope makes forecasting of the budget more accurate. Expenditure Expenditure for 2017 was $266,404.16, some $19,000 over budget. With the increased income we were able to fund additional maintenance work (replace fascia boards) and replaced two air conditioners (one in the church and the other in the meeting room) and add an extra air conditioner to the foyer. This gave us a surplus for the 2017 year of $6, Budget 2018 We have endeavoured to provide a conservative and realistic budget for On the income side we have budgeted for a total income of $273,300.

26 With 2018 budget expenses at $273,92 with allowances for increases in wages, utilities, and other general costs, we have budgeted for a surplus of $208. General For the church to achieve this budget, it is important that we are all mindful of our commitments and that groups remain within their budget allocations. Although our overall financial position remains healthy we rely heavily on the income from our community centre to cover expenses. I thank Church Council members, Business and Finance Committee and Lisa Cannon for the support during the year I recommend that the 2017 financials and the budget for 2018 be accepted. Marilyn Mason Treasurer.

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28 The Village Uniting Church Mt Eliza 93 Canadian Bay Road Income & Expenditure Statement 2017 Actuals 2017 Budget 2018 Budget Income Giving Direct Giving $92, $93, $100, Planned Giving $23, $22, $20, Loose Plate $25, $21, $25, Gifts & Donations $1, $1, $1, Chapel / Memorial Donations $3, $1, $1, Total Giving $146, $139, $147, Interest Bank Interest $26.40 $0.00 $2, Investment Interest $2, $2, Total Interest $2, $2, $2, General Income Room Hire $47, $50, $52, Art Group $3, $3, $3, Friendship Group $ $0.00 KUCA $80.00 $0.00 Photocopy Money $4.00 $0.00 Ministerial GST Reimbursement $2, $1, $1, Youth Engagement Subsidies $16, $16, $15, School Chaplain - MESC $14, $0.00 $20, Total General Income $85, $70, $91, Other General Income Special Fund Raising $7, Camp $3, $0.00 Church General Fundraising $1, $1, $1, Congregational Dinner $1, $1, $1, Fair Trade/Tradewinds Income $ $0.00 Sausage Sizzle $2, $2, $2, With Love to the World $55.30 $0.00 Total Other General Income $9, $5, $12, Contra Income Christmas Bowl $2, $0.00 Retiring Offerings $ $0.00 SHARE $ $0.00 Total Contra Income $2, $0.00 Playgroup Playgroup Fees $22, $24, $20, Playgroup Coffee Money $ $0.00 Total Playgroup $22, $24, $20, Total Income $269, $241, $273,300.00

29 2017 Actuals 2017 Budget 2018 Budget Expenses General Expenses Accounting Expenses (MYOB) $ $ $ Audit Expenses $ $ $ Advertising & Marketing $ $ Bank Fees $ $ $ Body Corporate $43.18 $45.00 $45.00 Chapel / Memorial Fund Expense $ $0.00 Church Fire Levy $ $ $ Cleaning Expenses $2, $2, $2, Copyright License $ $ $ GST Rounding $0.24 $0.00 Hostess Expense $ $1, $1, Ministerial Expenses $1, $1, $1, Mission & Service $12, $12, $12, Photocopier Expenses $2, $2, $2, Stationery, Postage & Printing $2, $2, $2, Stewardship $ $ $ Telephone & Internet $3, $3, $3, Visiting Ministers Expenses $7, $2, $3, Worship - Music $ $ $ Worship - Choir $ $ $ Worship - Other $ $1, $1, Kids Church Expense $41.04 $ $ Friendship Group Expense $ $0.00 Outreach $1, $1, $ Interchurch Council $0.00 $ $ Total General Expenses $40, $35, $34, Repairs & Maintenance Grounds Maintenance $4, $4, $1, Building Maintenance $21, $22, $19, Total Repairs & Maintenance $25, $26, $20, Playgroup Expenses Playgroup Art & Craft $1, $0.00 Playgroup Books $67.15 $0.00 Playgroup Toys $ $0.00 Playgroup Other $ $3, Playgroup Memberships $ $0.00 Total Playgroup Expenses $3, $3, $3, Other General Expenses Camp Expense $2, $0.00 Church General Fundraising $51.77 $1, Congregational Dinner Expense $ $0.00 Fair Trade/Tradewinds Expense $ $1, $1, Sausage Sizzle Expenses $ $ $ With Love to the World Expense $90.92 $0.00 $ Total Other General Expenses $4, $2, $1, Contra Expense Christmas Bowl Expense $2, $0.00 Retiring Offerings Expense $ $0.00 SHARE Expense $ $0.00 Total Contra Expense $2, $0.00

30 Payroll Expenses 2017 Actuals 2017 Budget 2018 Budget Wages & Salaries Expenses Admin Wages $28, $21, $25, Playgroup Wages $22, $34, $22, Cleaning wages $14, $14, Ministerial Stipend $66, $76, $79, Youth Engagement Wages $26, $26, $30, School Chaplain - MESC $12, $0.00 $18, Staff Training Expenses $ $ $ Total Payroll Expenses $170, $160, $189, Utilities Electricity Expenses $3, $3, $4, Gas Expenses $1, $1, $2, Water Expenses $ $ $1, Total Utilities $5, $6, $7, Manse Expenses Manse Maintenance $36.36 $ $3, Manse Utilities - Water $1, $1, $1, Manse Green Bin / Fire Levy $ $ $ Manse Loan Repayments $0.00 $3, $2, Manse Loan Interest Expense $0.00 $1, $1, Total Manse Expenses $1, $7, $8, Insurance Expenses Church Insurance Premium $4, $4, $4, Manse Insurance Premium $ $ $ Work Cover Premiums $3, $2, $3, Insurance Claim Costs $3, $0.00 Total Insurance Expenses $12, $7, $8, Total Expenses $266, $247, $273, Operating Surplus/Deficit $2, ($5,987.00) $ Other Income Insurance Claim Reimbursemen $3, $0.00 Total Other Income $3, $0.00 Total Other Expenses $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Net Surplus/Deficit $6, ($5,987.00) $208.00