Uniting Faith and
Discipleship
Introduction to the work of the
various units, working groups and
committees
Changes in organizational and team
relationships
The Assembly Standing Committee (ASC)
approved the establishment of a collaborative
staff team under the ‘Uniting Faith and Justice’
mandate in September 2004. After a period of
working together the mandate was reviewed
by the Assembly Standing Committee (ASC)
and a strengthened team mandate was
approved in March 2009 called ‘Uniting Faith
and Discipleship.’ Overall the ‘Uniting Faith
and Discipleship’ (UF&D) mandate
strengthens the collaborative endeavors of the
team whilst giving the opportunity to retain
specific work as related to the Terms of
Reference or Operational Guidelines of each
unit and work area. The operating principle of
remaining an internally organized and
collaborative team with opportunities for
diversity in branding allows each unit to
maintain its image in the church and into the
public space. For instance, Multicultural and
Cross-Cultural Ministry (MCCM) is still known
to the church by that name. As does Uniting
Justice Australia (UJA), which works regularly
with areas of the federal government, nongovernment organizations and other advocacy
agencies as well as other councils of the
church including congregations. This model is
taken from some secular educational
consultancies and smaller not for profit
organizations, which seek to brand diversely in
order to support vision, whilst retaining an
internal coherency for the purposes of
management and the operations of the team.
The key motifs are the supporting and sharing
of vision, collaboration, accountability and
flexibility.
Also a new area of work, the Formation
Education and Discipleship Working Group
(FEDWG) and the Formation Education and
Discipleship (FED) unit was established in July
2013 within the broader Uniting Faith and
Discipleship (UF&D) mandate. Included in this
area of work for FED under its Terms of
Reference was the previous work of Christian
Education at the Assembly and the work
associated with the National Youth Activities
Reference Committee (NYARC). It is the
Formation, Education and Discipleship
Working Group’s (FEDWG) responsibility to
auspice and monitor national events in the life
of the Uniting Church such as the National
Christian Youth Convention (NCYC), About
Face (AF), National Youth Ministry Training
(NYMT) and the National Young Adult Leaders
Conference (NYALC).
From the July 2013 Assembly Standing
Committee (ASC) meeting ecumenical
relationships were included within the ‘Uniting
Faith and Discipleship’ (UF&D) mandate. This
area of work is now in the role of the National
Director, Doctrine Worship and Christian Unity.
This role previously was called the National
Consultant, Theology and Discipleship.
In 2015, the areas of work covered within the
mandate of Uniting Faith and Discipleship
(UF& D) have broadened and strengthened.
The team now includes Multicultural and
Cross-Cultural Ministry (MCCM), Uniting
Justice Australia (UJA), Worship, Doctrine and
Christian Unity and Formation Education and
Discipleship (FED). There are associated lay
staff that provide policy, communications and
administrative support. ‘Uniting Faith and
Discipleship’ continues to maintain various
reference committees, working groups, task
groups and networks for specialist advisory
purposes, within this broad mandate. The
Reference Committee and Working Group
Chairpersons are appointed by the Assembly
meeting. All units of ‘Uniting Faith and
Discipleship’ (UF&D) have Operational
Guidelines or Terms of Reference for specific
guidance and operations of the units,
reference committees and working groups.
These groups and units report to the Assembly
Standing Committee (ASC) from time to time.
The ‘Uniting Faith and Discipleship’ staff team
is led by the Associate General Secretary and
meets throughout the year for purposes of
mutual accountability, building team
relationships, collaborating on joint projects
and the strengthening of individual work that
can be resourced by other members of the
team. At the July 2013 Assembly Standing
Committee (ASC) a ‘Ways of Working’ team
document was approved, that provided
stronger direction from the Assembly Standing
Committee. The ASC remit to Uniting Faith
and Discipleship (UF&D) was to make
provision in its operations for how a Christian
education approach focusing on congregations
as life long learning communities of
discipleship, might shape and be integrated
into the development of each unit’s work as
well as any joint work or projects that might be
undertaken. Progress has been made in the
integration of this approach into resources that
are being produced and the way each unit is
__________________________________________________________________________________
Reports to the Fourteenth Assembly – The Uniting Church in Australia
B16 - 1
resourced by other members of the team.
There is a ‘Uniting Faith and Discipleship’
Chairpersons' group that meets twice a year to
share information, discuss any relevant
proposals and possibilities for collaboration.
An account of the work of the Reference
Committees, Working Groups and National
Directors and staff within the ‘Uniting Faith and
Discipleship’ (UF&D) mandate is provided for
in the following reports. At a time of great
challenge for the church in serving God’s
mission to the world, coupled with reduced
income streams that all councils of the church
are experiencing, the National Directors and
other staff have worked consistently well and
performed with strong commitment at a high
capacity both individually and as a team over
the last triennium. Personal relationships have
been a key element in making the team work.
This is taken seriously by all members of the
team. The Communications Unit of the
Assembly is a regular addition to meetings and
has been an important part of the team’s
output, providing communications, media
support and expertise to the team in fulfilling
the vision of the Uniting Faith and Discipleship
(UF&D) mandate.
Glenda Blakefield
Associate General Secretary
Team leader Uniting Faith and Discipleship.
__________________________________________________________________________________
B16 - 2
Reports to the Fourteenth Assembly – The Uniting Church in Australia