PASTORS E-NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2012
Hi fellow Pastors!
I trust that as many of you return from a break that you are able to face this year of fresh (and ongoing) opportunities and challenges with a renewed sense of vitality and optimism about what God is doing in our midst. I have always found such breaks an opportunity to focus more intently on my relationships with God, my marriage and family. My head and heart becomes less cluttered enabling me to discern more clearly those things that God would have me to prioritize over the many other voices that clamber for my attention.
The challenge is to maintain that clarity throughout the year. For me, ensuring that I set aside some spiritual retreat days on a regular basis during the year provides an opportunity to refocus on how I’m travelling and that I’m remaining on track. Having a mentor or spiritual director is also an important aspect of being accountable and sustaining my focus. May you be aware of God’s abiding presence throughout this year both during times of joy and delight as well as during those seasonal occasions when life and ministry becomes tough and difficult.
Below are a number of important matters which you will find important and helpful in your ongoing ministry.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETINGS
For most of my ministry life I have endeavoured to conduct church and other meetings in a way that more closely reflects my theological understanding of church meetings being a place to listen and discern God’s direction as a ‘gathered community’ rather than the political system I grew up with and practices adopted by most of our churches that have been adversarial in approach. With varying measures of success I have experienced other ways of meeting which I believe more adequately reflect congregational decision-making than the old adopted systems have. (We adopted these old practices from local city councils.)
For me church meetings are about listening to God and each other, particularly the spiritually mature and wise among us. It is about coming to similar understandings and unity of purpose and direction. For me, voting is just a mechanism that is occasionally needed to confirm that we are unified and is an expression of commitment to pursue our common understanding. (I work on the basis of at least 80% agreement.) This doesn’t mean that we will always get it right and there does need to be freedom for alternative viewpoints.
The kind of congregational meetings that I believe facilitate greater listening and discernment provide welcoming opportunities for people to express their views, concerns and questions in smaller groups and forums. This can be far more empowering that those meetings which only empower the more articulate (and sometimes unintentionally intimidating) public speakers among us who love to debate. There is much more I could add to this discussion. However, you may like to have a look at a brief article ‘Should We Have a Congregational Meeting?’ by Susan Nienaber in a recent edition of Congregations magazine where she reflects on some of these issues regarding congregational meetings. A copy can also be found on www.msd.org.au/resources.
ATTENTION MARRIAGE CELEBRANTS – Marriage Act updates
Recent notifications have been received from Births Deaths and Marriages regarding some changes in the application of the Marriage Act. Please note the following with your wedding material:
1. Statutory Declarations
From time to time you may need to have one of the persons to be married to complete a Statutory Declaration Form when they are unable to provide relevant documentation. The purpose of a statutory declaration for identification purposes are to attest to the information provided as to the person’s birth details. Births Deaths and Marriages now require more details on these declarations.
The information supplied should confirm:
- the person’s name, current address and occupation
- their date of birth and place of birth (town and country)
- father’s name in full
- mother’s name in full (please confirm mother’s family name before marriage) – do not just provide mother’s family name
- a valid reason as to why the relevant documentation cannot be obtained and what attempt has been made to obtain a replacement. It is not valid to just state that the document has been lost or mislaid. [In terms of what attempts are acceptable, it must involve contacting a government agency - even if as in the case of China, everyone is aware this is pretty much pointless.]
Births Deaths and Marriages provide the appropriate Commonwealth Statutory Declaration form as required by the Federal Attorney-Generals Department on its website. I have also provided a copy for your files on www.msd.org.au/resources.
2. Notice of Intended Marriage – changes to ‘one month’
The Federal Attorney General’s Department Canberra has notified that the following change commenced on 28 December 2011.
According to Section 42(1)(a) of the Marriage Act 1961, the Notice of Intended Marriage must be given to the authorised celebrant no earlier than 18 months and no later than one month before the date of the marriage. From the 28 December 2011, the one month means ‘one month’ not ‘one month and one day’ as per the interpretation of the Marriage Act 1961.
For example, if a NOIM is given on 2 January, the first day the marriage can be solemnised is 2 February (not 3 February). If a NOIM is given on 31 August, the first day the marriage can be solemnised is 1 October.
MARRIAGE CELEBRANTS’ REFRESHER COURSES – UPDATE
The following Celebrant’s Refresher courses will be held during 2012:
- Wednesday 15th February at Woonona Baptist 10.00am – 12 noon
- Friday 1st June at the Baptist Ministry Centre, Epping 9.00am – 11.00am
- Saturday 23rd June at Wagga Wagga Baptist 1.30pm – 4.00pm
- Friday 14th September at Blacktown Baptist 10.00am – 12 noon
- Monday 22nd October at Morling College 9.00am – 11.00am (previously advertised for the 15th October at the Baptist Ministry Centre)
If you haven’t completed a refresher course in the past 5 years these will be the last opportunities to do so if you want to retain your celebrant’s licence beyond 2012.
FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE REFORMS EFFECTING CHURCHES
The Federal Government is looking closely at charities and not-for-profit organisations, including churches. This month, the State Baptist Unions have, through Australian Baptist Ministries (ABM), made a submission to the government regarding the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Bill. This follows an ABM response last year to a government consultation paper on the definition of a charity, and a Baptist Union of NSW submission in response to a government consultation paper, “Better Targeting of Not-For-Profit Tax Concessions.”
Based upon experience in the U.K. and New Zealand where similar legislation has already been enacted and not-for-profit regulators established, the reforms proposed by the government are likely to have far-reaching consequences for churches. Amongst other things, suggested changes would require more detailed accounting and reporting and would present a significant compliance challenge. Even where a church is blessed to have a treasurer with appropriate skills and experience what is proposed will be difficult to implement. That said, most of us would acknowledge there is a need to improve church administration.
More information provided by the Australian Not-For-Profit Accountants Network is available from the admin section of the www.baptistnsw.asn.au website.
Further to this, recent state and national changes to Occupational Health & Safety legislation will also present challenges. Amongst other things the changes broaden the responsibilities of churches and clubs to include volunteer workers (in NSW through WorkCover from 1 January 2012). This will have significant implications for church secretaries and administrators.
A document entitled “Guidelines for Work Health and Safety Strategies for Churches” that will shortly be available from the admin section of the www.baptistnsw.asn.au website has been prepared to assist churches to understand and comply with the new legislation. It will be important to draw the attention of your leadership group to these changes when these are added to the website.
WORSHIP SONG WRITING INTENSIVE.
The OneWorship movement (a taskforce of MSD) is looking for people passionate about writing songs of worship and praise for the church. They are organising an intensive to help grow & equip writers in our Baptist churches to give voice to what they are writing so that our whole Baptist community (and beyond) can benefit from them.
They are wanting to focus on people who are currently writing songs that are being sung in their church. The intensive will be held at Noonaweena Conference Centre (in Kulnurra) on April 15th – 19th 2012. The cost is $440 which includes all meals & accommodation, and special guests who will be there to give intensive training. There are limited spaces, so act quickly.
Could you please pass on these details to the worship and music leaders in your church plus any other promising song writers? This provides an opportunity to invest in the equipping of some of your key leaders. For more information visit the One Worship website at www.oneworship.com.au
FOUNDATIONS for COACHING and MENTORING Seminar
Another Foundations workshop will be held at the Baptist Ministry Centre Epping on February 4. (Further seminars will be held at other locations on March 10 and March 17.) The details and application form can be downloaded from www.msd.org.au/resources. Those who have previously attended this seminar are invited to attend as a refresher at no cost as there will be some new material and resources. This workshop is an excellent training opportunity for the development of your church and ministry leaders.
SCHOLARSHIPS for LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Christian Management Australia is offering scholarships to the value of up to $200,000 for Christian men and women from Australia who could make an even bigger contribution to their church’s or organisation’s mission by being better equipped.
If you meet the criteria, and if you believe that some serious leadership training could help you and your church/organisation better achieve its Christian mission, and if you’re prepared to share what you learn with the wider CMA community when you’re finished, then you are encouraged to apply for a CMA Scholarship. Applications opened on 1st January and close on 24th February 2012. Details can be found on www.cma.net.au/email/archives/dec2012.html.
A LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP
Narwee Baptist Church is hosting workshops for pastors and church leaders on May 21-22. Colin Marshall will be conducting The Trellis and Vine Workshop. Full details of the workshop and registration details can be found at www.vinegrowers.com/flyers/Narwee.
The workshops aim to help implement the principles of the book co-authored by Col, The Trellis and the Vine (see at http://www.vinegrowers.com/ ).
The organising team includes John Smuts, Anthony Petterson, David Starling, Tim Blencowe, John Macindoe and Angelo Gratsounas. They urge you to bring your leadership team (staff and other key leaders) and come away with some fresh thinking and planning for training local church leaders as disciple-makers. Registrations are due by May 7, 2012. If you want more information from Col Marshall, his email is cmarshall@vinegrowers.com.
AUTHORISATION for SRE TEACHERS and CURRICULUM
New implementation guidelines from the Department of Education and Communities about SRE in schools state that both the teachers and the materials must now be authorised.
Authorisation cards are issued by the Baptist Union on receipt of a completed SRE Teachers Engagement Form signed by the prospective teacher’s pastor. DEC requires SRE teachers to carry their card whenever they are on school premises. Where SRE is done under joint arrangements with other denominations all the local clergy need to ‘cross authorise’ each other’s teachers and give the school a copy of the cross authorisation form. All the local clergy need to agree on the curriculum being used.
SRE coordinators and teachers have been informed of these developments but I also encourage you to follow-up ensuring compliance. More information and copies of the forms are always available online at <http://children.baptistnsw.asn.au/school_scripture_sre.html>
NSW DIRECTOR FOR GLOBAL INTERACTION
Andrew Palmer has now commenced as the Director for Global Interaction NSW and ACT, having concluded his ministry with Youth and Young Adults at the end of 2011. Though he misses youth ministry, he’s excited about working with such a talented and passionate team as the one he finds at Global Interaction.
He’s also really excited about the brand new MOVED resource, and how it can aid our Churches furthering their understanding of, and passion for, God’s Global Mission!
Steve Dixon has commenced with MSD as the new Director for Youth and Young Adults.
PASTORAL MATTERS
A few of our colleagues have been doing it tough recently. Please be in prayer for the following:
- The family of Wayne Mordue who was Associate Pastor at Medowie. Wayne died suddenly on Jan 18. Also remember Pastor Chris McRae and the rest of the congregation.
- Phil Littlejohn who is recovering from surgery for a melanoma on his eye.
- Jan Yawan (Global Interaction in Thailand) who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment back in Sydney following surgery for breast cancer.
If you also have an article or link that you would like to share with your colleagues in ministry, please pass it on so that I can include it in further newsletters.
Ken Clendinning
Director of MSD
kclendinning@baptistnsw.asn.au
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