Dapto Mission Plan 2023-2025

1.    Mission Statement:

Dapto Uniting Church … seeking to be recognised as followers of Jesus Christ working in and for the community.

2.    Vision:

Dapto Uniting Church is to grow God’s Mission so that the congregation is:

  • intergenerational and intercultural,
  • strong in service,
  • utilising God’s wisdom and love for mission

3.    Values:

Dapto Uniting Church has the followingMulticultural values:

  • Welcoming
  • Prayerful
  • Acceptive
  • Multicultural
  • Caring with emphasis on the lonely and marginalised
  • Spiritual – providing a sense and presence of God
  • Flexible – open to modifications
  • Relationship orientated
  • Relying on and offering the hope and encouragement that God is to life

4.    Culture:

Dapto Uniting Church is a welcoming, inclusive community, with Christ at the centre of the community.

Flexible

5.    Innovation:

1. New Gathering ActivityIntergenerational Gathering

Goal:

To establish an alternate group activity as a new worship experience, separate to the Sunday morning congregation. The intention would be to mission to younger people and families on a Friday evening or at a time to be agreed. We don’t know yet how often we can hold this activity. It is intended to be an intercultural and intergenerational space.

This venture will be seeking to tell the good news of God’s love for everyone. It will also aim to nurture new believers. As we develop relationships with the younger people and families, we will look to respond with loving service to all who attend.

Strategies:

  • Acceptance by Church Council, Elders, and Congregation
  • Establish a committed group to pray, plan and set up such a venture
  • Plan an initial gathering with meal
  • Invite baptismal families, Messy Church families and other families who haven’t been involved for a while.
  • Advertise – social media and personal invitations. Increase the effectiveness of our online presence. Ask for assistance for our website from Synod media group.
  • Listen to the needs and requests of those for whom this activity will operate.
  • Continuous modifications, evaluations, and invitations.
  • Build the leadership team to include people who are involved in the activity.

Personnel/Resources:

Minister in placement with a team of 5 or more people committed to this mission, as well as a Catering team for preparing the meal.

Timeline:

  • Begin to form a mission team – July 2023
  • First meeting – early in 2024
  • Further development by the people attending

2. Growth of Existing Missions – building bridges

Goal:

To develop bridges from our current activities such as Op Shop, Craft Group and other Fellowship Groups, Markets, etc, so that strong relationships can be developed with the people who are currently reached by these ministries, and a spiritual component is built into each program that is appropriate and enriching in the hope of building discipleship, which may take the form of an appropriate discussion based on a need, or a question that brings in a Christian perspective, or a discussion about the spiritual aspects of life.

This will involve telling the good news of God’s Kingdom. This often raises many questions regarding Christian faith.  Building trust, friendship and relationships will be important within each group which may require listening and some service activities

Strategies:

  • Establish a committed group to pray and plan.
  • Perhaps begin by inviting people attending the Op Shop, Craft and Fellowship Groups, and Markets to special occasions at our church, including the new activity outlined above.
  • Suggest the group activities start with a prayer and have a message at each meeting. The message may take the form of an appropriate discussion based on a need, or question that brings in a Christian perspective.
  • Create a variety of simple items to be handed out at current activities to invite them to other church activities. There may be a number of different items to be handed out, each with a separate focus.
  • Look at ways to sustain the vitality of our current membership.
  • Request assistance from Synod to maximise the impact of our website and other promotional material, including adding a donation facility on our website page and in online worship material.
  • Develop methods to maximise the effectiveness of our Facebook page.

Personnel/Resources:

  • Creative people to develop the items to be handed out.
  • A team of people to develop strategies.
  • Ask Synod to assist.

Timeline:

  • Ask for volunteers to be on the team March 2023.
  • Ongoing activity.

3. Op Shop Maximisation of Activity

Goal:

To investigate the viability of options to maximise the impact of the Op Shop. Such options may include the construction of purpose-built premises on the church property, or other options as investigation and discussion ensues.

It is the aim of this venture to maximise the opportunity for the Op Shop ministry to tend the needs of the customers, and proclaim the good news of God’s Kingdom to them

Strategies:

  • A time of prayer and discernment by the members of Church Council.
  • Proceed with the design process towards submitting a Development Application to Wollongong Council to gain further information.
  • Discuss options for finance with Uniting Financial Services.
  • Liaise with the Presbytery Finance and Property Committee.
  • Liaise with Synod Property Services.
  • Apply for Grants to assist with funding.
  • Do specific fundraising for the project.
  • Keep the Congregation informed as the project progresses.
  • Consider other options as the process develops.

Personnel/Resources:

  • Church Council
  • Congregation
  • Finance and Property Committee
  • Presbytery Finance and Property Committee
  • Uniting Financial Services
  • Synod Property Services

Timeline:

  • Instruct consultant to prepare the necessary paperwork, plans, etc to submit a Development Application – October 2022
  • Pray, discuss, and discern further as more information comes to hand.
  • Consider all options, ongoing. Following steps will depend on outcomes of further assessments.

6.    Review

This Mission Plan is a living document that will be reviewed on regular basis and modified as needed.

7.    Approval

This Mission Plan was approved by Church Council at its meeting on 25 January 2023