Making the Word of God fully known 15 July 2015 To: Parishes and Clergy Dear Friends, Theological Education I write to commend two initiatives in Theological Education - the Ministry Support Fund, and Vocations Week. Vocations Week will be re-established in the life of the Diocese this year. The story of the call of Matthew, whose feast day is 21 September, provides an especially appropriate set of readings. For this reason, the week of 14-20 September has been suggested as Vocations Week across the Diocese. The occasion can, however, be observed by parishes, and in other ministry contexts such as schools, on any day, and on any Sunday convenient. Further material, including a collection of resources for use during Vocations Week, will be forwarded to you and made available online, closer to the date. The Ministry Support Fund has been established to assist the church in resourcing ministry positions in areas of missional or social need. The attached brochure describes the purpose and intent. My hope is that you may be able to consider supporting the Ministry Support Fund from within your own ministry context, as well as making this initiative available to others known to you who may be in a position to consider supporting it through their own means. Some practical ways of responding may be: Take up a special collection, or plan for a retiring collection, for this purpose at a service, making use in particular of the forthcoming Vocations Week if you are observing this. Parishes in which there is an Induction may consider whether this is an appropriate place to direct the offertory, as some have already done. Hold a fundraising event, or special activity, in support of the Fund. Consider a parish donation at a meeting of the Parish Council. Invite the opp shop, or other fundraising activity you are involved in, if any, to consider supporting the Ministry Support Fund as part of any annual distribution of charitable funds. Donations to the Ministry Support Fund can be made in a number of ways: 1
Via the website using the Westpac secure giving gateway http://www.melbourneanglican.org.au/mission/theologicaleducation/pages/support.aspx By completing and returning the attached ADF form The Director of Theological Education, the Venerable Dr Bradly Billings, is most willing to visit parishes as invited, in support of theological education in general, and vocations to ordained ministry in particular. Please contact his PA, Maree Scopelliti, 96534244 to arrange this if desired. With my best wishes and prayers I commend this initiative to you. Grace and peace in Christ Jesus Yours sincerely The Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier Archbishop of Melbourne 2
the Ministry Support Fund for vocations to ordained ministry, and the training and deployment of new clergy 1 theological education
FROM CALL TO ORDINATION Encouraging vocations Melbourne is changing rapidly, both in geographical spread and population. The profile of the ordained clergy of the diocese is also changing, as many who have served the church well approach retirement. To meet the ministry needs of our schools, agencies and parishes, and the missional needs of the people of greater Melbourne and Geelong, it is imperative that we, as a church, are proactive in attracting vocations to the ordained ministry. The men and women who will be our future leaders are already in our parishes, our schools, and other communities and congregations, some perhaps waiting for a gentle encouragement to test a call, and consider a vocation, to ordained ministry in the Anglican Church. o Facilitating ministry & mission The clergy the church needs in the future may, in one sense, look a lot like the clergy of today, but in another way, will probably look very different. As far ahead as anyone can see, there will be parishes, and clergy serving them, in the traditional pattern Anglicans have known for centuries. o o o The church also needs more and more men and women who will have the capacity and the gifts to revive existing congregations, and to pioneer and plant new ones, in areas of social, missional and other identified need. New ways of being church and of conducting our mission, for a 'mixed economy' of church giving rise to fresh expressions and other forms of non-tradiitonal faith communities, will be increasingly important. There is, and will be, an urgent need for chaplains, to work in the community, in hospitals, social welfare and caring agencies, schools, and other places.
Supporting the future of the church by supporting theological education Please consider assisting the mission of the church, and helping us to both meet and fulfill the 'great commission' of Christ, together with the vision and directions God has given our diocese. Training, equipping, forming During the period of training and formation, as students in a theological school or college, candidates for ordination are largely self supporting. This will normally be for a minimum of two years duration, and for many, might be much longer. The sacrifices made by those called to ordained ministry, and for many, by their families also, are often great, even prior to the moment of ordination and before a ministry appointment. Sending and resourcing The missional needs of our growing cities, and the people who live within them, are great, and becoming greater. Very often, the areas of greatest need are the least well resourced, both materially and financially. As our Lord himself said, 'the fields are ripe for the harvest... but the workers few.' The diocese urgently needs to develop the capacity to resource ministry in places where the harvest is ripe, and potentially plentiful, but the resources are lacking. Often, the potential 'harvesters' will be newly trained and ordained clergy, ready to plant new and fresh expressions of church and enliven existing ones. two areas of need 1. Giving to support students in necessitous circumstances Donations to the ministry support fund may be directed for the purpose of assisting students training for ordination from under privileged backgrounds, or who have experienced unexpected or temporary hardship. Donations for this purpose are tax deductible. 2. Giving in support of the training and deployment of new ministries Donations to fund ministry in general will enable the diocese to both train and deploy ministers to areas of particular social and missional need, which could not otherwise hope to sustain ordained ministry.
TO DONATE TO THE MINISTRY SUPPORT FUND Use the enclosed or attached form and return to the ADF (Anglican Development Fund) 209 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000 or Go to the theological education donation page on the diocesan website http://www.melbourneanglican.org.au/mission/theologicaleducation/pages/support.aspx or Contact Theological Education at the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne Ph. (03) 96534220 E. dofte@melbourneanglican.org.au 209 Flinders Lane Melbourne Vic 3000 P (03) 9653 4220 F (03) 9653 4266 dofte@melbourneanglican.org.au www.melbourneanglican.org.au 8
Ministry Support Fund Donation Form (and Direct Debit Request) Anglican Diocese of Melbourne Theological Education 209 Flinders Lane Melbourne Victoria 3000 Tel: +61 3 9653 4220 www.melbourneanglican.org.au Please complete this form for donations to the Ministry Support Fund: New Request Amend Existing Request Contact Details Title Surname Given Name/s Street Suburb State Postcode Telephone (day) Email Please transfer from the financial institution account / credit card account below, the sum of $ once weekly fortnightly monthly quarterly half yearly yearly Commencing on / / and ending on / / (If no end date is provided, the transfer will continue until further notice in writing is received from you.) Transfer from my / our financial institution account by direct debit: Account Name Bank Name Branch BSB Acct No OR Transfer from my / our Credit Card account: Cardholder s Name Credit Card Number MasterCard Visa Card Card Expiry Date / OR Cheque: All cheques payable to Ministry Support Fund for $ OR By Internet Transfer Donations may be made directly via internet banking. For full details please see our website: www.melbourneanglican.org.au/doftedonations Direct my donation to: $ Ministry Support Fund $ Ministry Support Fund (for benevolent purposes tax deductible) Please forward the completed Donation Form to: Anglican Development Fund, 209 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Victoria 3000 I / We authorise Melbourne Anglican Trust Corporation as trustee for the Anglican Development Fund (User ID 187736) to arrange for funds to be debited from my/our nominated account via the Bulk Electronic Clearing System at the financial institution shown above according to the schedule specified above. Name of Signatory 1 Name of Signatory 2 (if required) Signature 1 / Cardholder s Signature Signature 2 (if required) Date / / Our commitment to you This document outlines our service commitment to you, in respect of the Direct Debit Request arrangements made between Melbourne Anglican Trust Corporation as trustee for the Anglican Development Fund ABN 82 862 724 352 (User ID 187736) and you. It sets out your rights, our commitment to you and your responsibilities to us together with where you should go for assistance. Initial terms of the arrangements In terms of the Direct Debit Request arrangements made between us and signed by you, we undertake to debit your nominated account with the agreed amount. Drawing arrangements The first drawing under the Direct Debit arrangement will occur on the nominated date. If any drawing falls due on a non-business day, it will be debited to your account on the next business day following the scheduled drawing date. If you are unsure, you should contact your financial institution. We will give you are least 14 days notice in writing when changes to the terms of the Direct Debit Request Service Agreement are made. If you wish to discuss any changes to these terms, please contact us by telephone on +61 3 9653 4220 during business hours or by email to adf@adfmelbourne.org.au www.adfmelbourne.org.au Direct Debit Request Service Agreement Your rights Changes to the arrangement If you make changes to the drawing arrangements, please contact us by telephone on +61 3 9653 4220 during business hours or by email to adf@adfmelbourne.org.au These changes may include: deferring the drawing; or altering the schedule; or stopping an individual debit; or suspending the Direct Debit Request; or cancelling the Direct Debit Request completely You may also contact your financial institution. Enquiries Direct enquiries to us, rather than to your financial institution, and these should be made at least 10 working days prior to the next scheduled drawing date. Disputes If you believe that a drawing has been initiated incorrectly, we encourage you to take the matter up directly with us by contacting us by telephone on +61 3 9653 4220 during business hours. You will receive a refund of the drawing amount if we cannot substantiate the reason for the drawing. You may also contact your financial institution. Confidentiality We will keep any information (including your account details) in your Direct Debit Request confidential. We will make reasonable efforts to keep any such information that we have about you secure and to ensure that any of our employees or agents who have access to information about you do not make any unauthorised use, modification, reproduction or disclosure of that information. We will only disclose information we have about you: to the extent specifically required by law; or for the purposes of this Agreement (including disclosing information in connection with a query or claim). We may provide a copy of the Direct Debit Request to another financial institution in the event any payment that is made in accordance with the Direct Debit Request is disputed. Your commitment to us It is your responsibility to ensure that: your nominated account can accept electronic transfers. Direct debiting through the Bulk Electronic Clearing System may not be available on all accounts (your financial institution can confirm this); and that on the drawing date there is sufficient cleared funds in the nominated account; and that you advise us if the nominated account is transferred or closed If your drawing is returned or dishonored by your financial institution, we will contact you and depending upon your response, may need to cancel this arrangement. Appropriate action will be taken to recover any transaction fees payable by us in respect of the foregoing. You are advised to check your account details against a recent statement from your financial institution. If unsure, check with your financial institution before completing the Direct Debit Request.