First information session for Act2 

Members of the 17th Assembly have had their first opportunity to engage with the Act2 Project report in an information session on Friday afternoon. Now in its fourth year, Act2 is a major national process of discernment about the future shape of the Uniting Church.

The name is inspired by the idea that the Uniting Church is in the ‘second act’ of its life and the time has come to review what we will need and what we will need to leave behind for a faithful and flourishing future.

Rev Sharon Hollis, ex-President and Chair of the Act2 Steering Committee, introduced the report and proposals. 

“We have worked long and hard listening to the length and breadth of the Uniting Church to bring you this report, of which we are very proud.”

Rev Hollis recounted the journey of the Act2 Project since it began more than four years ago, from a task group of the ASC in 2020-2021 to a Steering Committee and staffed Project Unit following the decisions of the 16th Assembly in 2022.

“Act2: The Gift of the Spirit is our report to the 17th Assembly. It is the fulfilment of the decisions made at the 16th Assembly, and the culmination of over four years of work and the most extensive and comprehensive engagement process in our history.”

“We have engaged with every council of the Church, with national, state and local leaders and key groups in the life of the Church, as well as other churches. This is a far reaching yet detailed report which arises out of analysis and synthesis of the engagement we have had.”

The decisions of the 16th Assembly were converted into a workplan by the newly established Act2 team with four streams focusing on local communities, national identity, theological culture and governance and resourcing.

Rev Hollis stressed that the stream focussed on local communities of faith was central.

“This stream is the absolute heart of the work. Everything else lives or dies on it. It is focussed on every congregation being able to have the tools and resources they need to grow and flourish.”

The Act2 report includes proposals in three distinct but integrated streams:

1. Life-giving communities of faith, discipleship and mission.
2. A flourishing theological culture and education.
3. Sharing our life and common wealth.

For each stream there is a vision, a set of principles, key changes and a proposed oversight mechanism.

Key proposed changes include two new commissions – one for Governance, Resourcing and Administration and the other for Theology, Formation and Leadership – a review of regulations for congregations, a national theological college, further theological work in some key areas, and a feasibility assessment of moving to a three or four council national model. Read about the proposals in detail in Chapter 7 of the report.

The proposal was seconded by Rev Linda Driver, who is a member of both the Assembly Steering Committee and Assembly Standing Committee.

“In last Sunday’s gospel passage, in Mark 6, Jesus called the twelve, and began to send them out two by two,” she said. “Jesus said: ‘Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt.’”

“I heard in this passage Jesus’ call to travel light. At different times in our own lives, we look to God for direction: where are you calling me next? What do I take? What should I be prepared for? These are the questions for us: as we listen for the call of the Spirit to lead us forward, what do we take on our journey?  How can we travel light?”

“As the people of God who understand what it is to do life on the margins, we need to think differently than we did at Union 47 years ago. The Uniting Church was ‘built well’ then – however through our time of listening we have heard that over the years we have gathered baggage that is now weighing us down.”

“What do we need as a Uniting Church to help us travel light as we journey together, following where God is leading us… a pilgrim people on the way? We take with us the Bible, the Basis of Union, the Covenant and Preamble, the ‘We Are a Multicultural Church’ statement, and other things that remind us who we are and who God is calling us to be.”

“And then we need to pack a new toolkit: tools to help us learn and grow in our faith, our theological reflection and our discipleship, an updated travel guide, and new navigational tools as we seek more life-giving ways of ordering our life, always guided by the Spirit, the compass that guides us to Jesus, our true north.”

Assembly members then moved to discuss the Act2 report in community working groups. It will continue to be discussed over the coming days.