FED – Page 5 – Growing Disciples

A Vision for Lifelong Discipleship

September 11, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

“The hallmark of a ‘congregation of learners’ is a culture of learning in which learning permeates every aspect of the congregation.” John Roberto, Faith Formation 2020

From Bunbury to Nightcliff, Maroubra to Queenscliff, Wayville to North Ringwood, Uniting Church communities are being creative and intentional about forming lifelong disciples. Their stories are wonderful, energising and challenging.

A couple of years ago I visited 21 communities across Australia and interviewed the leaders about being lifelong faith communities of disciples. They were ranged right across Australia – from Bunbury to Maroubra, from North Hobart to Nightcliff in Darwin. Urban and rural, young and old, diverse in culture and character. We had rich, varied, inspiring conversations.

In particular, I wanted to discover what it means to be

– a learning community who learn intentionally about forming lifelong disciples

– ministry leader who provides effective educational leadership to a learning community

– a community of disciples who learn intentionally from and for their mission

In a Report to the Assembly Standing Committee in March 2013, these were promoted as key issues for congregational life and leadership. The new Assembly Formation, Education & Discipleship Unit and Working Group seek to partner with synods and presbyteries in fostering a focus on intentional discipleship in congregations and faith communities.

Parts of the interviews are gradually being put online on the FED Stories Video page. So far you’ll find stories from Queenscliff in Victoria, Parkes in NSW, Bunbury in WA, North Ringwood in VIC and The Gap in QLD.Continue Reading

FED Video – Karyl Davison, Bunbury, WA

September 10, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Karyl Davison – Part 1 from Craig Mitchell on Vimeo.

I interviewed Karyl about the startup of her team’s ministry in the Wellington Regional Mission, centred on Bunbury in Western Australia. Here’s a first instalment.

FED Video – The Gap Uniting Church

September 2, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Here’s a new video in the FED Stories series. This is the first excerpt from an interview with Rev John Ruhle, minister at The Gap Uniting Church in Brisbane, Queensland.

John Ruhle #1 from Craig Mitchell on Vimeo.

New FED Videos

July 10, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

In 2011 I interviewed Revs. Charles Gallacher and Kerrie Lingham about their congregations at Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale UC on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria. These are retirement communities, elderly and relatively affluent. At holiday times the Peninsula experiences a tourist boom. The Queenscliff church is on the main street, a block from the esplanade. Charles and Kerrie (who share a full-time placement) explain that they had been with the congregations for seven years before the structure of Sunday morning services changed, making a whole lot of other changes possible. They went from having two morning services (one in each church) each Sunday to having one service alternating between the two sites every three months. This allowed the time and space for them to start the Wednesday evening meal and contemplative worship described here.

As you watch these clips, ask yourself what they say to you about

congregations as lifelong learning communities
leaders as effective educational leaders of learning communities
formation and education as linking discipleship with mission

You can download this handout to take notes and then have a discussion about what you have observed. Three Lenses Handout

Part A is 11 mins 42 secs. Part 2 is 9 mins 24 secs. There are excerpts from a 90 minute interview. More excerpts will be available in time. If you want to download the videos, click on the Vimeo symbol at the bottom right of each clip. This will take you to my Vimeo page where you can click a download link.

Charles Gallacher and Kerrie Lingham Part 1 from Craig Mitchell on Vimeo.

Charles Gallacher and Kerrie Lingham Part 2 from Craig Mitchell on Vimeo.

More FED Stories videos many be viewed here. I will be adding multiple clips from 22 interviews across Australia conducted in 2011, and also adding new interviews.

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Launching FED Stories – Sydney & Canberra

July 7, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

This week we launched our FED Stories events in Sydney and Canberra. Based loosely on the well-known “TED Talks”, FED Stories are intended to be regional gatherings where participants hear stories of congregational practices in relation to formation, education and discipleship and then engage in conversation.

In the midst of the seemingly perennial discussion of church property, finance, membership and other crises, here’s an opportunity to focus on some matters that are at the heart of being a community of disciples of Jesus Christ.

At Turramurra UC, Fiona Blair told the story of ReAct, a reinvention of the annual youth camp of Pittwater UC around service and faith-sharing, a residential weekend in a local youth hostel and a range of service activities. Chris Goringe from St John’s Wahroonga UC reflected on the development of “The Growing Place“, a weekly Sunday evening family gathering for worship, friendship and food, and the idea of a “Jesus Dojo” – disciplined teaching and practice (idea courtesy of Mark Scandrette from the animate: faith video series). Chris’ Prezi presentation is here. Jon Humphries (aka Uniting Change) shared insights from the model/framework/approach to discipleship that he has been developing. Thanks to Jon Humphries for organising and promoting this event.

In the FED Stories event at Kippax UC, Anne Ryan (from Tuggeranong UC) talked about ways in which she has engaged adults in teaching and learning the faith, and encouraged ministers to pass on their learnings to their congregations. Hannah Dungan from Kippax provided an overview of Search Institute‘s 40 developmental assets for young people and shared an example of how the assets shaped a particular ministry event. Jennifer Pickard used Godly Play method creatively to explore the spirituality of children. Finally, I gave a brief overview of the Assembly emphases in formation, education and discipleship, and showed a segment of the video interview with Ian Hickingbotham from North Ringwood UC in Melbourne talking about their School of Ministry and his approach to leadership. Thanks to Hannah Dungan and Gordon Ramsay for organising and promoting this event.

At each event I displayed a range of resource exploring teaching and learning, discipleship and faith formation.

These were great launch events and we look forward to more of them. If you’d like to learn more and maybe host a FED Stories event, click here for more information.

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